Ukraine crisis: ‘Even wars have rules,’ UN relief chief tells Security Council
Briefing the Security Council, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher called on the international community to step up support and do more to protect civilians under fire. In recent weeks, continued Russian strikes on cities have seen civilian casualties rise…
Dangers grow for Myanmar quake survivors, health system ‘overwhelmed’
Ten days after a 7.7 magnitude quake levelled buildings and buckled bridges across central Myanmar, the latest death toll has passed 3,500 and is “likely to rise”, said Titon Mitra, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Representative in the country, speaking…
DR Congo crisis: 41,700 refugees have fled violence to Uganda
Every day since the end of last month, around 600 Congolese have been crossing the border into Uganda – which hosts the largest number of refugees in Africa – bringing the total sheltering there to nearly 600,000, out of a…
Kosovo’s inclusive and peaceful election marks progress, but challenges remain
Briefing ambassadors in the Security Council, Caroline Ziadeh, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, highlighted that women secured more seats in the 120-member Assembly – exceeding the 30 per cent gender quota mandated by law. “I congratulate the people of Kosovo…
Gaza: Guterres calls on Israel to ensure life-saving aid reaches civilians
Speaking to journalists at UN Headquarters, António Guterres also repeated his call for a renewed ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and the release of all hostages still being held inside the shattered enclave. No food, fuel, medicine and commercial items…
UN reflects on the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda
António Guterres joined survivors, diplomats and civil society members for the annual ceremony in the UN General Assembly Hall to mourn the lives lost in this “chilling chapter in human history” and to prevent it from ever happening again. He…
Myanmar quake: ‘I constantly worry – what if another earthquake happens?’
The 7.7 magnitude earthquake which struck shortly before 1 PM local time on 28 March, was the strongest in recent memory. As aftershocks continue, UN agencies are warning of a looming health emergency, with children sleeping in the open, exposed…
With aid blockade into its second month, misery deepens for Gazans
In a joint statement, the heads of the UN’s aid agencies warned that “we are witnessing acts of war in Gaza that show an utter disregard for human life,” with Israeli displacement orders forcing hundreds of thousands to flee – with…
UN rights chief urges probe into Russian attack that killed nine children in Ukraine
Volker Türk issued a statement expressing shock at the attack, which occurred on Friday evening in a residential area. A team from the UN Human Rights Office in Ukraine visited the impact site the following day, documented the damage, and…
UN deplores deadly attack on city in central Ukraine
Matthias Schmale said he was outraged by reports of yet another Russian attack on the city, which is located in the Dnipro region. “This attack follows a deeply disturbing pattern of repeated attacks on populated areas across Ukraine that continue…