November 28, 2022 No comments
Ukraine: Heading into winter without heat or water, needs in Mykolaiv are 'critical’
INTERNATIONAL, 28 November 2022, Humanitarian Aid - In the south of Ukraine, people have no water, electricity or heat, and food is scarce, the UN Spokesperson said on Monday. Updating journalists at a regular press briefing, Stéphane Dujarric recounted Humanitarian Coordinator Denise Brown’s visit over the weekend to Kherson and Mykolaiv where she assessed the humanitarian situation, met with authorities, and monitored the response provided by aid organizations. She observed that although humanitarians are delivering vital aid, “the needs are immense”. Making a difference Ms. Brown saw first-hand how since the Government retook control of Kherson, supplies provided by the UN and partners have made a difference in the lives of people, the UN Spokesperson said. “We expect that, with support of the authorities, we will be able to cover...
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November 28, 2022 No comments
Israeli-Palestinian conflict nearing ‘boiling point’, UN envoy warns
INTERNATIONAL, 28 November 2022, Peace and Security - Conflict between Israelis and Palestinians “is again reaching a boiling point”, the UN Middle East envoy told the Security Council on Monday, warning of escalating violence amid a stalled peace process. Special Coordinator Tor Wennesland called for stronger international commitment towards the two-State solution and outlined potential ways to move forward. He reported that high levels of violence in the occupied West Bank and Israel in recent months has resulted in grave suffering. This included attacks against civilians from both sides, increased use of arms, and settler-related violence. Surge in violence “After decades of persistent violence, illegal settlement expansion, dormant negotiations and deepening occupation, the conflict is again reaching a boiling point,” he said. Last week, two Israelis were killed, and more than...
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November 28, 2022 No comments
Three years of flatlined progress on HIV treatment and prevention affect 2.7 million youth
INTERNATIONAL, 28 November 2022, Health - Some 110,00 youth under age 19 died last year from AIDS-related causes, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday, noting that coupled with 310,000 newly infected, the total number of young people living with HIV stands at 2.7 million. Three years of flatlined progress on HIV treatment and prevention affect 2.7 million youth Some 110,00 youth under age 19 died last year from AIDS-related causes, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday, noting that coupled with 310,000 newly infected, the total number of young people living with HIV stands at 2.7 million. Ahead of World AIDS Day on Thursday, UNICEF warned in its latest global snapshot on children, HIV and AIDS that progress in HIV prevention and treatment has nearly...
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November 28, 2022 No comments
‘We cannot give up’ on the millions suffering in drought-stricken Horn of Africa, urges WFP official
INTERNATIONAL, 28 November 2022, Humanitarian Aid - Millions of people in the Horn of Africa – a region at the intersection of some of the worst impacts of climate change, recurring humanitarian crises and insecurity – are facing the driest conditions in four decades along with extreme food shortages. The top UN World Food Programme (WFP) official in the region, Michael Dunford, is warning that the situation there is likely to get worse before it improves. In an interview with UN News, Mr. Dunford said: “Unfortunately, we have not yet seen the worst of this crisis. If you think 2022 is bad, beware of what is coming in 2023. What that means, is that we need to continue to engage. We cannot give up on...
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November 28, 2022 No comments
‘Critical opportunity’ to protect against biological warfare, countries hear
INTERNATIONAL, 28 November 2022, Peace and Security - The international community should push ahead with stalled plans to prevent biological weapons from being developed in the wake of COVID-19, the UN’s top disarmament official insisted on Monday. In a speech to the Biological Weapons Convention, Izumi Nakamitsu explained that the issue of verifying whether biological toxins are being made has been deadlocked for 20 years. “While bringing biosafety and biosecurity to a much higher prominence, the pandemic also demonstrated the disruption that could be caused if biological agents were to be used in a deliberate manner as weapons of war or terror,” Ms. Nakamitsu said. Biosafety first Novel ideas need to be found to leverage “the tools of modern science to develop a politically acceptable verification protocol”, the UN disarmament...
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