Tag: war
War against Hamas in Gaza is act of self-defence, Israel tells world court
On the second and final day of preliminary hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Israel’s legal team insisted that the twin military objectives were to eradicate the existential threat posed by Hamas militants and to free some 136 hostages still held in the war-shattered enclave. “Israel is in a war of defence against…
Read More‘No end in sight’ to Ukraine war, UN political chief warns
Rosemary DiCarlo underscored the UN’s steadfast commitment to support all meaningful efforts towards a just, sustainable, and comprehensive peace. The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began on 24 February 2022 and the Council has met more than 100 times to discuss the “harrowing consequences”, she recalled. War must stop “And yet, here we are, on…
Read MoreWorld News in Brief: Time for climate justice urges UN chief, Ukraine war update, call for ‘free and fair’ elections
Under the deal agreed by 193 countries in 2015 in the French capital, sticking to the limit will help humankind avoid the worst impacts of rising temperatures. This month is also on track to be so warm that for the first time ever, a 12-month cycle may exceed the 1.5°C threshold, according to Europe’s Copernicus…
Read MoreGaza: Nearly 600 healthcare attacks since start of war, says WHO
Some 613 people have died within facilities as a result since 7 October last year and more than 770 have been injured, according to latest data on healthcare attacks from the World Health Organization (WHO). Condemning the continuing fighting and bombardment, WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said that the “ongoing reduction of humanitarian space plus the…
Read MoreSecurity Council meets over Red Sea attacks amid growing threat of spillover from Gaza war
Key points: UN Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari said “no cause or grievance” could justify continuing Houthi attacks against freedom of navigation in the Red Sea All incidents originating in Houthi controlled areas “must stop” He encouraged “all concerned parties” in the wider region to avoid any further escalation and de-escalate tensions and threats Called for…
Read MoreGaza war: ‘Intense ground battles’ reported, hospital hit kills five
Airstrikes and missiles struck dwellings and public buildings on Tuesday including Al-Amal hospital in Khan Younis killing five, among them a five-day-old baby, reports indicate. “No child in the world should be killed, let alone one sheltering under the emblem of a humanitarian organisation; this has to end,” said Gemma Connell, a team leader from…
Read More‘Genuine progress’ towards political solution, essential to end war in Syria: UN envoy
Briefing ambassadors at the Security Council, Geir Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria, noted that though there have been some diplomatic breakthroughs none led to tangible changes on the ground for civilians. He also raised the alarm over the impact on the region of the devastating Israel-Palestine crisis. On top of killings, injuries, displacement, abduction…
Read MoreGaza: Aid access to north entirely blocked as war escalates in the south
The latest update from the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, confirmed rising casualties and devastation amid “heavy Israeli bombardment from air, land and sea”. “From the afternoon of (Saturday) 2 December to the afternoon of (Sunday) 3 December, at least 316 people were killed and at least another 664 injured in Gaza,” OCHA’s situation update…
Read MoreUkraine: Civilian casualties mount as war enters second winter
The Monitoring Mission stated that the casualty figure represents deaths verified according to its methodology, cautioning that the actual figure may be significantly higher given the challenges and time required for verification. “Ten thousand civilian deaths is a grim milestone for Ukraine,” said Danielle Bell, head of the Monitoring Mission, adding that the war, now…
Read MoreWorld News in Brief: Diabetes on the rise, UN prisoners in Yemen, Ukraine war fuels rise in landmine casualties
Diabetes is a chronic disease which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. WHO said that more than 460 million people worldwide live with diabetes and millions more are at risk. The UN health agency stressed that people with the condition require…
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