Plight of Ukrainian civilians grows as Russian forces step up attacks
GENEVA — United Nations humanitarian workers are calling on Russia to immediately end its armed attacks in Ukraine as the intensification of fighting in the eastern part of the country in recent days causes a surge in civilian casualties and…
UN forum in Bahrain endorses declaration on entrepreneurship and innovation for the SDGs
The fifth Manama Declaration, named after the Bahraini capital where the 2024 World Entrepreneurship Investment Forum (WEIF) has been running since Tuesday, echoed the gathering’s theme: innovation can drive development of technologies and products to help address socioeconomic and environmental…
Surge in child migrants crossing the dangerous Darién Gap: UNICEF
In the first four months of 2024, more than 30,000 children traversed the dense jungle region separating Colombia and Panama, marking a significant increase compared to the same period last year. Among them, about 2,000 were unaccompanied or separated from…
‘Time is running out’ to address crisis in Sudan
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, warned that “time is running out” as famine, disease and fighting close in on the population, with no end in sight. “The international community cannot stand by as this crisis spirals…
UN rights chief, independent experts denounce Georgia’s new ‘foreign agents’ law
The Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence requires media, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other nonprofits to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they receive more than 20 per cent of their funding from abroad. It was…
Gaza: Underweight babies, heavy fighting and a hospital reopening
More than seven months into the war, babies are still being born too small, warned the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. “Habiba was born in a small tent. She’s two weeks old and weighs less than two kilogrammes,” the…
YouTube agrees to remove videos of banned Hong Kong protest song
YouTube says it will block access in Hong Kong to videos of performances of a banned protest song. Hong Kong’s Court of Appeal ruled last week that “Glory to Hong Kong,” which emerged as an anthem for protesters during the…
Blinken pledges US support for Ukraine in Kyiv visit
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday the United States knows the urgency of the situation in Ukraine, and that Ukrainian forces will be getting the support they need. During a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Kyiv,…
New Zealand researchers say artificial intelligence could enhance surgery
SYDNEY — Researchers in New Zealand say that artificial intelligence, or AI, can help solve problems for patients and doctors. A new study from the University of Auckland says that an emerging area is the use of AI during operations…
Blinken reassures Ukrainians help is on the way
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has taken an unannounced trip to Ukraine to deliver what he called a strong message of reassurance, as Ukrainian forces face fierce attacks by Russia’s military in the east and await new weapons shipments…