January 16, 2025 No comments
‘Enough death and destruction’: Gazans hope for ceasefire and a better future
INTERNATIONAL, 16 January 2025 Humanitarian Aid - In the wake of Wednesday’s announcement of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas due to come into effect on Sunday, displaced Gazans – ground down by 15 months of devastating conflict – have told UN News they hope an end to their suffering is in sight. Around 90 per cent of the population across the Gaza Strip have been displaced from their homes, forced to move to avoid Israeli military operations. Many have been displaced repeatedly, some 10 times or more. Much of Gaza is rubble, while Israeli airstrikes and military operations have damaged or destroyed around 60 per cent of buildings, including homes, schools and hospitals. The relentless bombing campaign has pushed healthcare to the brink, the solid waste system has...
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January 16, 2025 No comments
New year sees uptick and expansion of fighting on Ukraine’s frontlines
INTERNATIONAL, 16 January 2025 Peace and Security - The recent holiday and New Year season brought no respite in Ukraine, but rather an escalation and even expansion of the fighting, consistent with developments in 2024, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs said in a briefing to the Security Council on Thursday. “Most disturbingly, in 2024 we witnessed an alarming rise in the toll of civilian casualties,” Rosemary DiCarlo told ambassadors. She said the total number of civilians killed and injured last year was 30 per cent higher than in 2023, citing figures from the UN human rights office, OHCHR. Child toll ‘particularly distressing’ The increase in child casualties was “particularly distressing” as more boys and girls were killed or wounded in the first three quarters of 2024 than...
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January 16, 2025 No comments
WHO launches $1.5 billion appeal to tackle global health crises
16 January 2025 Health - The world is facing an extraordinary convergence of crises that has left 305 million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for $1.5 billion through its 2025 Health Emergency Appeal, to deliver life-saving health interventions worldwide. The appeal, unveiled on Thursday by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, outlines the urgent priorities for addressing 42 ongoing health emergencies, including 17 requiring immediate and coordinated action. “Conflicts, outbreaks, climate-related disasters, and other emergencies are no longer isolated or occasional - they are relentless, overlapping, and intensifying,” said Tedros. “This appeal is not just about providing resources; it is about enabling WHO to save lives, protect the right to health and offer hope where there is often none,” he added. A world in crisis The appeal comes...
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January 16, 2025 No comments
Increase in climate-driven wildfires calls for more investment in prevention
INTERNATIONAL, 16 January 2025 Climate and Environment - The deadly wildfires that have swept through the Los Angeles area, destroying whole communities and causing billions in damage, reveal why countries must invest more in stopping these devastating blazes before they start. It’s much needed, as wildfires are rapidly increasing in intensity, frequency and duration due to the climate crisis and changes in land use, said Amy Duchelle of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). “Historically there has been very strong attention on suppression but much more intention and investment need to be on prevention,” she told UN News’s Dianne Penn this week. FAO’s Senior Forestry Officer and Team Leader on Forests and Climate explained how the UN agency is helping countries to boost integrated fire management and why...
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January 16, 2025 No comments
UN human rights chief hails ‘signs of new beginnings’ in Lebanon and Syria
INTERNATIONAL, 16 January 2025 Human Rights - The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed solidarity with the people of Lebanon and Syria on Thursday, acknowledging the traumas both nations have endured over decades. “I arrived, I have to say, with a heavy heart, given the compounded traumas over decades in both countries, but I see signs of new beginnings,” said Volker Türk – speaking in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. On Wednesday, he was in Damascus for his first ever visit to Syria where he called for “urgent reconsideration” of sanctions following a constructive meeting with the head of the transitional authorities. Hopes run high Despite the immense challenges, he noted a sense of hope for Lebanon’s future. He highlighted the importance of the ongoing ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, which continues...
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