United Nations

Towards environmental protection as a human right through new UN agreement

The UN environment agency and human rights office (OHCHR) signed a landmark new agreement on Friday aimed at better protecting vulnerable human and environmental rights defenders and their families, while…

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Three more humanitarian workers killed in Syria, with civilian death toll ‘rising every day’

An attack in the south of Syria’s restive Idlib province that led to the deaths of a paramedic, an ambulance driver and a rescue worker, were added to the grim…

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Breakthrough in new drug treatments to fight Ebola in DR Congo

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced what could be a major breakthrough in the battle against Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), revealing that two out…

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Measles cases triple globally

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that measles cases nearly tripled globally during the first seven months of 2019, compared with the same period last year. So far this year…

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UN warns of spike in grave violations against children in Mali as ‘the new normal

Voicing great concern over a sharp increase in the killing and maiming of children in Mali due to ongoing fighting and instability, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and partners called…

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UK government confirms Glasgow nominated to host its largest ever summit

Glasgow has been chosen to host a major UN climate change summit next year, if the country’s bid is successful. Glasgow has been chosen as the UK city to host…

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Steps taken to end Saudi ‘guardianship’ system for women, ‘encouraging’ start

Allowing Saudi women to apply for passports and travel without their guardians’ permission is “an encouraging move” towards the “complete abolition of the ‘guardianship’ system,” independent United Nations rights experts…

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Fighting climate change through food

The UN's scientific body on climate change highlights in a new report the strong connection between land use and climate change. A radical change in the food system is key…

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UN warns that a third of population in Zimbabwe faces food crisis

More than five million people in Zimbabwe - about a third of the population - need food aid, with many coming close to starving, the UN says. The World Food…

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UN warns new wave of terrorist attacks possible before end of year

The United Nations has warned that a recent pause in international terrorist violence may soon end, with a new wave of attacks possible before the end of the year. Specialist…

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Security Council gravely concerned by Ebola outbreak in DR Congo

The UN Security Council on Friday expressed grave concern about the current Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and stressed the urgency of broad cooperation…

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UN chief warns “these extreme weather events are just the tip of the iceberg. And that iceberg is also rapidly melting.”

Global warming and rising political tensions are dangerous and avoidable, Secretary-General António Guterres told reporters on Thursday, previewing the UN’s upcoming Climate Action Summit, and spotlighting geopolitical hotspots. Briefing the press…

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UN working ‘intensively’ to stop Ebola in eastern DR Congo, following second case in major border town

Senior UN officials tasked with controlling the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have responded to Tuesday’s confirmation of a second case of Ebola in Goma, a…

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UN report shows 2018 was the worst year on record for children caught up in armed conflict

A new UN report has found that 2018 was the worst year on record for children caught up in armed conflict; the year saw the highest numbers killed or maimed…

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Second Ebola case confirmed on border with Rwanda

A second case of Ebola has been detected on Democratic Republic of Congo's border with Rwanda, raising fears the deadly illness could spread. The case was confirmed in the city…

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Senior UN officials call for return to sea rescues, after ‘the worst Mediterranean tragedy of this year

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, along with the heads of a number of UN agencies, expressed horror at Thursday’s reports that as many as 150 people may be dead after a boat…

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WHO says e-cigarettes ‘undoubtedly harmful’

Electronic cigarettes are "undoubtedly harmful" and should be regulated, the WHO said as it warned against the use of vaping products by smokers trying to quit their deadly habit. The…

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U.N. laments “international indifference” to rising death toll in Syria

Air strikes by the Syrian government and its allies on schools, hospitals, markets and bakeries have killed at least 103 civilians in the past 10 days, including 26 children, U.N.…

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WHO urges countries to invest in eliminating hepatitis

Ahead of World Hepatitis Day on the 28 July, the World Health Organization (WHO) calls on countries to take advantage of recent reductions in the costs of diagnosing and treating…

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Switzerland ranked as most innovative country in new UN report

The World Intellectual Property Organization, WIPO, named Switzerland as the world’s most innovative country on Wednesday, during the launch of its latest Global Innovation Index, (GII) in the Indian capital…

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Renewed commitment to Mediterranean rescues encouraging, but ‘overriding priority’ must be ‘lasting peace’, say UN officials

The heads of the two key UN agencies championing refugees and migrants have called for an end to their “arbitrary detention” across Libya, following an agreement on Tuesday by European…

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IAEA chief Amano dies aged 72

U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Yukiya Amano has died aged 72, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Monday in a note to member states. “The Secretariat of the International…

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UK to send 250 troops to Mali for peacekeeping mission

The UK is to send 250 troops to Mali in the biggest peace-keeping deployment since Bosnia and potentially the most dangerous mission for British forces since Afghanistan. The soldiers will…

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Rwanda dismisses Ebola threat

Authorities in Rwanda have refuted reports that the fishmmonger responsible for Uganda’s renewed Ebola crisis, had crossed into the border town of Gisenyi. Malic Kayumba, Head of Communications at Rwanda…

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‘Emulate his example’ urges UN chief as world celebrates Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela was an “extraordinary global advocate for dignity and equality” who anyone in public service should seek to emulate, Secretary-General António Guterres said marking the International Day that honours the…

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DR Congo Ebola outbreak declared global health emergency

The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo a "public health emergency of international concern" (PHEIC). The PHEIC emergency provision is the highest…

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WHO reports new Ebola incident in Uganda

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared today on Wednesday that a new case of Ebola has been spotted in Uganda for the second time in a row, fuelling concerns that…

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20 million children missed out on life saving vaccines in 2018

20 million children worldwide – more than 1 in 10 – missed out on lifesaving vaccines such as measles, diphtheria and tetanus in 2018, according to new data from…

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WHO/Europe studies find baby foods are high in sugar and inappropriately marketed for babies

Two new studies from WHO/Europe show that a high proportion of baby foods are incorrectly marketed as suitable for infants under the age of 6 months, and that many of…

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UN’s Guterres condemns ongoing airstrikes on Syria’s hospitals, medical workers

Reports that airstrikes have hit several health facilities in north-west Syria have been strongly condemned by the UN Secretary-General. In a statement issued late Thursday evening, António Guterres said that…

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IOM, Experts Gather on Environmental Migration and Reintegration of Returning Migrants

In West Africa, environmental challenges are widely believed to drive migration from rural areas, where livelihoods are largely dependent on natural resources (agriculture, mining and fisheries). Simultaneously, these challenges impact…

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Groundbreaking cancer-fighting drugs now included in updated UN list of essential medicines

The UN health agency, WHO, announced that dozens of new drugs have been added to the list of essential medicines that every country should have, including new cancer treatments that…

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New UN study shows Central America is the most dangerous region to live

UN researchers this week announced that some 464,000 people across the world were victims of homicidal violence in 2017, more than five times the number killed in armed conflict over…

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Worldwide reduction in MERS cases and deaths since 2016

The World Health Organization and colleagues from the University of Oxford, Imperial College London and Institut Pasteur have estimated that, since 2016, 1 465 cases of Middle East Respiratory syndrome…

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Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the edge of spiralling out of control

Rory Stewart, the UK’s international development secretary, has said that the year-long Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is on the edge of spiralling out of…

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Six children among 53 confirmed fatalities after Libya detention centre airstrikes

The toll from last Tuesday’s reported airstrikes on a detention centre in the suburbs of Tripoli has risen to 53 dead and more than 130 injured among the “severely traumatized”…

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Nearly 1,000 dead in fight for Tripoli

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that almost 1,000 people have been killed since Libyan renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar launched a push three months ago to capture the…

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UN Security Council condemns deadly air strike on a migrant detention centre in Libya

The United Nations Security Council condemned a deadly air strike on a migrant detention centre in Libya, called for the warring parties to commit to a ceasefire and urged other…

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World food prices ease in June – FAO

World food prices eased slightly in June, ending a run of five months of consecutive gains, pushed down by a plunge in the price of dairy products, the…

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African Union and UNHCR call for probe of Libya airstrike on detention center for migrants

The African Union condemned an airstrike that hit a detention center for migrants in the Libyan capital, killing at least 40 people. In a statement, Moussa Faki Mahamat called for…

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Heat stress spike predicted to cost global economy $2,400 billion a year

An increase in heat stress at work linked to climate change is set to have a massive impact on global productivity and economic losses, notably in agriculture and construction, UN…

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Children in Yemen pay a heavy price, 7,500 killed or wounded since 2013

Over 7,500 children have been killed or wounded in Yemen in the last 5 1/2 years as a result of airstrikes, shelling, fighting, suicide attacks, mines and other unexploded ordnance,…

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Mediterranean Migrant Arrivals Reach 27,834 in 2019

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that 27,834 migrants and refugees have entered Europe by sea through 1 May, roughly a 35 per cent decrease from the 42,274 arriving…

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UNICEF warns misinformation and growing distrust on vaccines, ‘dangerous as a disease’

Vaccines save millions of lives, and yet misinformation, limited availability and inadequate access to services have left large numbers of children in jeopardy, prompting the United Nations Children’s Fund to…

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‘Wanton destruction’ in Sudan’s Darfur region, ‘blatant violation of international law

The looting and destruction of UN food relief agency premises and property in Sudan, has prompted the UN-African Union mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and UN Country Team, to condemn the…

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UN Secretary General hails historic Convention banning violence and harassment at work

A landmark international agreement banning violence and harassment in the workplace has been applauded by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, after it was adopted on Friday at the International Labour…

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UN Security Council calls for protection of persons with disabilities in conflict zones

The Security Council on Thursday adopted its first-ever resolution calling on UN Member States and warring parties to protect persons with disabilities in conflict situations and to ensure they have…

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Egypt accuses UHCHR of politicising Morsi’s death

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry lamented what it described as the “politicisation” of the death of former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi. In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the Egyptian ministry…

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The UN states there is credible evidence’ Saudi crown prince liable for Khashoggi killing

A forensic UN report published today states that Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia should be investigated over the murder of the dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi because…

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More than 70 million displaced people worldwide, says UNHCR

The number of people fleeing war, persecution and conflict exceeded 70 million globally last year - the highest number in the UN refugee agency's almost 70 years of operations. The…

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Oceans under “unprecedented pressure” due to climate change

The oceans are not only under “unprecedented pressure” due to climate change, but “half of all living coral has been lost in the past 150 years”, United Nations Secretary-General…

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Americans urged to get MMR vaccine in wake of “record-breaking” European measles outbreak

The American Academy of Pediatrics medical journal on Monday recommended to all U.S. citizens " to take all the recommended vaccinations, including measles through the MMR vaccine, before traveling abroad."…

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UN warns South Sudan on the brink of famine

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned that record numbers in South Sudan – some seven million people – face acute food shortages, while more than 20,000 are…

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The WHO gives recognition to work burnout as a syndrome linked to chronic work stress

The World Health Organization is about to embark on the development of evidence-based guidelines on mental well-being in the workplace. People work overtime to make sure they’re succeeding in their…

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WHO considering declaring a global health emergency because of Ebola in Uganda and Congo

Dr. Mike Ryan, the World Health Organization’s emergencies chief, in comments to the Associated Press (AP) , said that it was a Congolese pastor who is thought to have…

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Merkel calls for ‘comparable minimum wage’ across EU, appeal for equal working conditions within the EU

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for the EU to look into ways to ensure countries have a "comparable" minimum wage. She also added that there should be equal working…

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The future of work ‘with social justice for all’ tops agenda of centenary UN Labour conference

The Director-General of the International Labour Organization said that with the possible adoption of a landmark declaration looking to the future, at a time of transformative change, it was…

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