8 months 2 weeks ago
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Yemen: Unchecked violations ‘may amount to war crimes’, Security Council hears
03 December 2020
UN experts called on the Security Council on Thursday, along with the international community at large, to put an end to the “surreal and absurd dimension” of human rights violations engulfing war-torn Yemen, where abuses continue unchecked.
“Civilians in Yemen are not starving, they are being starved by the parties to the conflict”, said Kamel Jendoubi, the Chairperson of…
8 months 2 weeks ago
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COVID-19 recovery, focus of UN General Assembly special session
03 December 2020
Nations united on Thursday for a special session of the UN General Assembly to survey the wreckage of the COVID-19 pandemic, reflect on the best response, and forge a path to better days ahead.
“Today marks an overdue and much needed moment of reckoning. None of us could have imagined, this time last year, what was to come”, said Assembly President Volkan Bozkir, speaking at the opening of…
8 months 2 weeks ago
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UN experts call for clemency for Lisa Montgomery, as US reschedules planned execution
03 December 2020
UN independent human rights experts expressed serious concern on Thursday, after the United States Government rescheduled the execution of Lisa Montgomery for 12 January, just days before new President Joe Biden, an opponent of the death penalty, is due to be sworn in.
The group of 10 rights experts, have written to the Government calling for clemency, amidst concerns…
8 months 2 weeks ago
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Amid ‘unprecedented’ needs, UNICEF asks for $6.4 billion to help 190 million children
03 December 2020
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday, launched a $6.4 billion emergency funding appeal to reach more than 190 million children affected by humanitarian crises amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
The appeal for 2021, which is a 35 per cent increase over the funds requested for this year, is the largest ever by the UN agency. It will support essential programmes in…
8 months 2 weeks ago
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Revealed: The cost of the pandemic on world's poorest countries
03 December 2020
More than 32 million of the world’s poorest people face being pulled back into extreme poverty because of COVID-19, leading UN economists said on Thursday, highlighting data showing that the pandemic is likely to cause the worst economic crisis in decades among least developed countries (LDCs).
In a call for urgent investment and support from the wider international community, the UN…
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COVID-19 could see over 200 million more pushed into extreme poverty, new UN development report finds
03 December 2020
An additional 207 million people could be pushed into extreme poverty by 2030, due to the severe longterm impact of the coronavirus pandemic, bringing the total number to more than a billion, a new study from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) has found.
According to the study, released on Thursday, such a “high damage” scenario would mean a protracted…
8 months 2 weeks ago
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Recognize and protect rights of persons with disabilities, UN chief urges, marking International Day
03 December 2020
The United Nations is commemorating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, on Thursday, calling for greater inclusion for persons with disabilities, and recognizing and protecting their human rights.
“These rights touch on every aspect of life: the right to go to school, to live in one’s community, to access health care, to start a family, to…
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UN commission reclassifies cannabis, no longer considered risky narcotic
02 December 2020
The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) took a number of decisions on Wednesday, leading to changes in the way cannabis is internationally regulated, including its reclassification out of the most dangerous category of drugs.
In reviewing a series of World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations on marijuana and its derivatives, the CND zeroed-in on the decision to remove…
8 months 2 weeks ago
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Foreign fighters a ‘serious crisis’ in Libya, UN mission chief tells high stakes political forum
02 December 2020
The 20,000 foreign fighters now in Libya represent “a serious crisis” and “a shocking violation of Libyan sovereignty”, UN Acting Special Representative Stephanie Williams said on Wednesday, during the latest meeting under the country’s political dialogue forum.
Seventy-five people from across the social and political spectrum of Libyan society are taking…
8 months 2 weeks ago
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Ethiopian Government and UN strike deal for ‘unimpeded’ humanitarian access in Tigray
02 December 2020
The UN on Wednesday announced that agreement has been reached with the Ethiopian Government to allow “unimpeded, sustained and secure access” for humanitarian supplies to reach those in need across areas now under its control in Tigray.
Confirming details of the deal at UN Headquarters in New York, Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that the safe passage of aid supplies…
