Russia’s energy grid attacks, torture in Ukraine, could be crimes against humanity: UN rights probe

Russia’s energy grid attacks, torture in Ukraine, could be crimes against humanity: UN rights probe

According to the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, set up one year ago at the request of the Human Rights Council, Russian troops committed a “wide range” of violations across the country, many of which are war crimes. These included attacks with explosive weapons in populated areas, wilful killings of civilians, unlawful confinement, torture, rape…

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Embrace green tech revolution or risk falling behind, new UN report warns

Embrace green tech revolution or risk falling behind, new UN report warns

“We are at the beginning of a technological revolution based on green technologies,” UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan said. “This new wave of technological change will have a formidable impact on the global economy.” The 17 frontier technologies covered in UNCTAD’s Technology and Innovation Report 2023 have the potential to create market revenues of more than…

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Security Council: Despite progress on reforming global security, ‘our work is not done’

Security Council: Despite progress on reforming global security, ‘our work is not done’

“Our work is not done,” said Aleksander Zouev, Assistant-Secretary-General in the Department of Peace Operations told the UN Security Council. Providing members with a progress report, he cited gains made on implementing the UN Secretary-General’s bold vision for security sector reform outlined in his inaugural report on the issue, published in 2022. New plan and…

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Attacks by armed groups displace more than 100,000 in DR Congo

Attacks by armed groups displace more than 100,000 in DR Congo

Citing humanitarian sources, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said more than 50,000 people displaced from the town of Rutshuru found safety in Kibirizi.  Some 55,000 people from Masisisi territory fled to nearby villages, as well as to the regional capital, Goma, and towards Minova in neigbouring South Kivu province.  Children on the run Peacekeepers from the…

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Governments must do more to protect human rights defenders: Expert

Governments must do more to protect human rights defenders: Expert

In a report to the Human Rights Council, Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor, said that “States can and should do more to protect defenders”. She stressed that 25 years after States agreed on a Declaration to promote and protect the work of human rights defenders, their contributions were often ignored. The expert who champions the work of rights defenders…

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Diplomacy in Yemen reaches new pitch following year of relative calm, Security Council hears

Diplomacy in Yemen reaches new pitch following year of relative calm, Security Council hears

“The truce can only be a stepping stone,” said Hans Grundberg, the UN’s Special Envoy for Yemen. Reiterating that short-term solutions and piecemeal approaches can only bring partial relief, he outlined a range of fresh diplomatic efforts currently underway to bring the conflict to a sustainable end. Truce holding, despite lapse The nearly decade-long conflict in Yemen – and the…

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