UN calls for restraint following Iran consulate attack in Syria

UN calls for restraint following Iran consulate attack in Syria

Briefing ambassadors a day after the attack, Assistant-Secretary-General Khaled Khiari stressed the need for restraint.   “We appeal to the Council today, as we do every month, to continue to actively engage all concerned parties to prevent further escalation and the worsening of tensions that undermine regional peace and security,” he said.  Respect diplomatic premises  UN…

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Gaza: UN aid teams still waiting for Israeli green light to relieve stricken northern hospital

Gaza: UN aid teams still waiting for Israeli green light to relieve stricken northern hospital

In a stark assessment of the closure of 750-bed facility Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, the World Health Organization (WHO) maintained that aid teams had been waiting for “days and days” for Israeli permission to reach the stricken facility, where staff and patients endured “horrific levels of violence”. “We’ve had contact with the staff, the…

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World News in Brief: Haiti support continues, deadly Afghan mine blasts, autism awareness day

World News in Brief: Haiti support continues, deadly Afghan mine blasts, autism awareness day

On Saturday alone, the World Food Programme (WFP) provide more than 28,000 meals to people who have been forced to flee their homes. Despite the widespread insecurity, WFP has delivered food assistance to some 480,000 people across the country since the beginning of March, thanks to partners on the ground – including Haitian non-governmental organizations, local businesses and Haitian…

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UN launches investigation into Lebanon explosion that injured peacekeepers

UN launches investigation into Lebanon explosion that injured peacekeepers

In a statement released on Saturday, UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti, said that the casualties –  three military observers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) and a Lebanese language assistant – have been evacuated for medical treatment. The Lebanese state-run National News Agency reported that the UN peacekeepers were “subjected to an Israeli strike” carried…

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First Person: ‘Courageous’ 12-year-old reports relative after being raped in Madagascar

First Person: ‘Courageous’ 12-year-old reports relative after being raped in Madagascar

UN News spoke to Commissioner Aina Randriambelo, who described what efforts her country is making to promote gender equality and a better understanding of what constitutes sexual exploitation and abuse. Commissioner Aina Randriambelo, Madagascar’s Chief Inspector of Police. “I was really surprised when I heard that a 12-year-girl who had attended one of our school-based…

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Bold action needed now to address ‘cataclysmic’ situation in Haiti

Bold action needed now to address ‘cataclysmic’ situation in Haiti

Corruption, impunity, and poor governance, compounded by increasing levels of gang violence, have eroded the rule of law in the Caribbean country and brought State institutions close to collapse. The impact of generalised insecurity on the population is dire and deteriorating, severely affecting human rights. Prevent further suffering  “Tackling insecurity must be a top priority…

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