Yemen: UN appeals for immediate release of staff held by de facto authorities
Issuing the appeal in Geneva on his behalf, Chief Spokesperson for his Office OHCHR, Ravina Shamdasani, “unequivocally” rejected the “false allegations” for which one staff member appeared to have been made to confess under duress. “These are completely made-up allegations,”…
Venezuela: UN rights office describes pervasive ‘climate of fear’
“It is a climate of fear in the country at the moment. We are urging the government to ensure that all steps are taken in line with international human rights law with transparency and that steps are taken to resolve…
New UN report details Nicaragua’s ongoing human rights crisis
Human rights violations in Nicaragua have been ongoing since 2018 when university students and other civil society activists began protesting a new Social Security Act and calling for the president to step down. The violent crackdown by security forces directed…
Humanitarians support civilians affected by recent attacks in Ukraine
“Our colleagues in Ukraine just told us that new attacks today struck Poltava in the centre of the country. Initial reports indicate a number of civilian casualties,” he told journalists attending his daily briefing at UN Headquarters, in New York….
Gaza: UN humanitarians ahead of polio vaccination target
“We think that we will need another day tomorrow to actually wrap-up the central zone completely,” said Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, WHO Representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). Speaking from Gaza, he explained that day three of the campaign was…
UN reports ‘lethal tactics’ by Israeli forces in West Bank
Stéphane Dujarric informed journalists at the regular press briefing in New York that operations have resumed in Tulkarm and continue in Jenin. “The UN has recorded more than two dozen fatalities over the past week, including children,” he said. He…
Clearview AI fined by Dutch agency for facial recognition database
U.S. facial recognition company Clearview AI has been fined $33.7 million for building what Dutch data protection watchdog DPA said on Tuesday was an illegal database. DPA also issued an additional order, imposing a penalty of up to some $5.5…
Australian researchers plan new generation of biodegradable plastic
SYDNEY — Global concerns over plastic pollution and cuts to fossil fuel use are behind a new Australian-led initiative to develop a new generation of 100 percent compostable plastic. Experts estimate that more than 170 trillion pieces of plastic are…
Russia’s Putin visits Mongolia, defies international warrant for his arrest
Russian President Vladimir Putin was visiting Mongolia on Tuesday with no sign that the host country would bow to calls to arrest him on an international warrant for alleged war crimes stemming from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The trip…
China, South Africa agree to seek balanced trade, more investments
China and South Africa, whose top leaders met in Beijing, agreed to promote balanced trade and discussed boosting two-way investments between their industrial and commercial communities, a joint statement on Tuesday showed. President Xi Jinping and his South African counterpart…