May 02, 2024 No comments
Sudan: Under siege, El Fasher teeters on the brink of famine
INTERNATIONAL, 2 May 2024, Humanitarian Aid - The ongoing year-long war in Sudan continues to spread across the country, and now El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, is surrounded by armed fighters amid the systematic burning of entire villages, escalating air strikes and blocked aid deliveries. The war has left 25 million Sudanese needing aid, but in El Fasher, an ever tightening siege is cutting off vulnerable civilians who urgently need such basic essentials as food, water and medicines. UN News’s Abdelmonem Makki spoke to Toby Harward, the UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, who described the deteriorating situation in the city, where he just returned from a recent mission. UN Sudan/Toby Harward Humanitarian aid is packed into a convoy heading to El Fasher, Darfur. UN News: Could...
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May 02, 2024 No comments
UN rights chief urges Georgia to scrap ‘foreign influence’ bill
INTERNATIONAL, 2 May 2024, Human Rights - As protests continue in Georgia over a proposed draft law on curbing foreign influence, UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk on Thursday urged the authorities to shelve the controversial bill and engage in dialogue. Thousands of people have taken to the streets for days to protest the draft Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, which would require media and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) receiving more than 20 per cent of funding from abroad to register as “organizations acting in the interest of a foreign power”. Respect human rights Mr. Türk voiced concern over reports of unnecessary and disproportionate use of force against demonstrators and media personnel in the capital, Tbilisi, this week. He urged the authorities to fully respect and protect the...
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May 02, 2024 No comments
World News in Brief: Palestinian journalists win top press freedom prize, child migrant detention, Niger meningitis epidemic
INTERNATIONAL, 2 May 2024, Peace and Security - The Palestinian journalists who have been covering the devastating war in Gaza were named winners of the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize on Thursday. The top award for reporters who have born witness to the destruction of much of their homeland under Israel’s relentless bombardment came at the recommendation of an international jury of media professionals. “In these times of darkness and hopelessness we wish to share a strong message of solidarity and recognition to those Palestinian journalists who are covering this crisis in such dramatic circumstances”, said Mauricio Weibel, who chaired the jury. Huge debt “We have a huge debt to their courage and commitment to freedom of expression”. he added. The UN science, education and culture agency’s chief Audrey...
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May 02, 2024 No comments
Refugee Olympic Team to send message of hope at Paris Games
INTERNATIONAL, 2 May 2024, Migrants and Refugees - Afghanistan’s first woman breakdancer, a Cameroon-born British boxing champion, and a literal shooting star from Venezuela are among the members of the Refugee Olympic team competing at the Paris Games, which begin in July. The 36 athletes were announced on Thursday by the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, during a live-streamed ceremony from Lausanne, Switzerland. They come from 11 countries and will compete across 12 sports. Resilience and excellence “With your participation in the Olympic Games, you will demonstrate the human potential of resilience and excellence. This will send a message of hope to the more than 100 million displaced people around the world. At the same time, you will make billions of people around...
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May 02, 2024 No comments
Gaza’s new terror: Booby-trapped cans of food for the unwary
INTERNATIONAL, 2 May 2024, Peace and Security - Almost seven months into the devastating war in the enclave, Gazans face a new threat: booby-trapped food. “A 14-year-old boy was seriously injured and sustained limb amputations after opening a booby-trapped can of food found while looking for his belongings in his house that had been shelled by Israeli forces in Khan Younis,” the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) said, citing the Strip’s authorities. The young victim who reportedly sustained life-changing injuries on Monday is just one of “many people recently injured” from supplies rigged with hidden explosive charges, OCHA said in its latest update on the emergency. UN mine action experts have estimated that some 7,500 tonnes of unexploded ordnance could be “scattered” throughout Gaza which could take up to 14...
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