Month: October 2023
‘History is judging us all,’ Guterres says in fresh appeal for Gaza aid access
His call came just hours before UN agencies reported that phone lines, internet and mobile service in Gaza went down. “Gaza has lost contact with the outside world amid reports of intensified bombardment,” Lynn Hastings, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Palestine, wrote on X, formerly Twitter. The World Health Organization (WHO) has “lost…
Read MoreTürkiye: Rebuilding lives in quake-affected communities
Despite progress in clearing debris, the city still wears a haunting emptiness that is slowly returning to community life, thanks to support from the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM). Emel and her family were lucky to survive. Yet, their survival came at the heavy cost of losing everything they held dear. “My husband and…
Read MoreGaza crisis: General Assembly adopts resolution calling for ‘humanitarian truce’, civilian protection
The resolution breaks the deadlock at the UN over a response to the Israel-Palestine crisis which erupted on 7 October, where Member States on the Security Council have failed to reach agreement on four draft resolutions. Click here for our coverage of the Assembly’s Emergency Special Session on the crisis. Voting result The breakdown of…
Read MoreGaza Crisis: UN ramps up calls for humanitarian truce as Israeli bombardments cut communications, cripple healthcare
Secretary-General António Guterres said: “I reiterate my strong appeal for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, together with the unconditional release of hostages and the delivery of relief at a level corresponding to the dramatic needs of the people in Gaza, where a humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in front of our eyes.” The UN chief is on…
Read MorePakistan urged to halt Afghan deportations to avoid ‘human rights catastrophe’
OHCHR is urging the authorities to halt deportations, which are set to begin on 1 November, Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told journalists in Geneva. Currently, more than two million undocumented Afghans are living in Pakistan, at least 600,000 of whom arrived after the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. ‘Grave risk’ of violations “We believe…
Read MoreSyrian war at ‘worst point’ in four years, says Commission of Inquiry head
Paulo Pinheiro spoke to UN News this week after presenting his latest report to the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, which examines a range of social, humanitarian affairs and human rights issues. The Syrian war, which began in March 2011, is at its “worst point” in four years, he said, while stressing that the escalating…
Read MoreWorld News in Brief: Ukraine aid convoy, attacks in South Sudan, radioactive discharge update
A UN inter-agency convoy reached the front-line community of Huliaipole, located in the Zaporizhzhia region, bringing medicine, shelter kits, hygiene items and other assistance to support some 2,000 people. The town has suffered large-scale destruction and remains without power, water and gas, said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, speaking from New York. “Today’s humanitarian convoy was…
Read MoreGaza: Testimonies highlight grim plight of civilians expecting to die
Volker Türk’s appeal came as UN humanitarians continued to issue dire warnings about the full scale of the humanitarian crisis in the enclave. ‘Crumbs’ of aid The head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA), said that the “few (aid) trucks” which have come in from Egypt since 21 October are “nothing more than…
Read MoreInternational support critical to forge lasting peace in Central African Republic
Ms. Rugwabiza, who also heads the UN Mission in the country, MINUSCA, presented its latest report covering developments in the wake of the 31 July constitutional referendum. She said MINUSCA continues to support Government efforts to “decentralize” the peace process with armed groups, including recent initiatives to extend state presence in areas that have been…
Read MoreNew UN Advisory Body aims to harness AI for the common good
The members of the AI Advisory Body – launched on Thursday by Secretary-General António Guterres – will examine the risks, opportunities and international governance of these technologies. Mr. Guterres pointed to the extraordinary advance in the capabilities and use of AI over the past year, including through chatbots, voice cloning, image generators and video apps. …
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