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Global perspective Human stories

Deadly Atlantic shipwreck shows victims’ desperation, says UN refugee agency

News of another deadly shipwreck tragedy off the coast of Mauritania is a clear indication of the desperation people on the move continue to face as they attempt to escape strife, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Friday.

26 July 2024

WHO to send one million polio vaccines to Gaza to protect children

The UN health agency said on Friday that it is sending more than a million polio vaccines to Gaza after the discovery of the highly infectious disease in sewage samples.

26 July 2024

UN urges peace and respect for Olympic Truce as Paris Summer Games begin

As the Summer Olympics and Paralympics get underway in Paris on Friday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for global respect of the Olympic Truce – a custom of halting all hostilities from before to after the Games.

26 July 2024

Global education fund announces $2.5 million grant for Haiti

A UN-backed global fund that supports education in emergencies will provide $2.5 million to ensure that thousands of children affected by gang violence in Haiti can attend school in safety. 

26 July 2024

Gaza: Evacuation orders displace thousands, disrupt aid operations

Humanitarians estimate that more than 190,000 Palestinians were displaced this week in Khan Younis and Deir Al-Balah following the latest evacuation orders in Gaza, the UN said on Friday. 

26 July 2024

‘Endless nightmare’ of death and destruction in Gaza, UN officials tell Security Council

Senior UN officials on Friday reiterated the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, and escalating threat to aid workers, urging immediate action prevent further deterioration.

26 July 2024

World News in Brief: Historic Palestine monastery on World Heritage in Danger List, rights office condemnation as Ghana upholds anti-gay law, free jailed Russian activist

The World Heritage Committee of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced on Friday that the Monastery of Saint Hilarion/Tell Umm Amer in Palestine has been added to its list of global heritage sites and another for sites in danger. 

26 July 2024

Oil tanker sinks, hundreds of thousands affected as ‘super typhoon’ batters Philippines

Over 1.5 million people have been affected in the Philippines, where a state of calamity was declared this week in Metro Manila and nearby areas, as Super Typhoon Gaemi swept through the island nation, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OHCA) has reported.

26 July 2024

New ECOSOC President to focus on safe migration, AI for sustainable development

A veteran Canadian politician and diplomat was on Thursday elected President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which lies at the centre of the Organization’s efforts to advance sustainable development

25 July 2024

The heat is on: We must rise to the challenge of rising temperatures, urges UN chief

The UN chief on Thursday issued an urgent call to action to better protect billions around the world exposed to crippling effects of extreme heat, as global temperature rise continues unabated.

25 July 2024