UN envoy warns against ‘worrying and dangerous’ military escalation in Syria — Global Issues

UN envoy warns against ‘worrying and dangerous’ military escalation in Syria — Global Issues

Mr. Pedersen feared the ramp-up in military operations has the potential to unravel a strategic stalemate in the war that has brought relative calm for almost three years.  ‘Escalatory dynamics’  “In repeated briefings, I have warned of the dangers of military escalation in Syria. I am here in person today…

Israeli-Palestinian conflict nearing ‘boiling point’, UN envoy warns — Global Issues

Israeli-Palestinian conflict nearing ‘boiling point’, UN envoy warns — Global Issues

Special Coordinator Tor Wennesland called for stronger international commitment towards the two-State solution and outlined potential ways to move forward.   He reported that high levels of violence in the occupied West Bank and Israel in recent months has resulted in grave suffering.  This included attacks against civilians from both…

Resumption of executions for drug offences ‘deeply regrettable’, UN rights office says — Global Issues

Resumption of executions for drug offences ‘deeply regrettable’, UN rights office says — Global Issues

Spokesperson Liz Throssell said executions have been taking place almost daily over the past two weeks, following the end of a 21-month official moratorium.  “The resumption of executions for drug-related offences in Saudi Arabia is a deeply regrettable step, all the more so coming just days after a wide majority…

Terrifying surge in violence affecting children ‘must stop’ – UNICEF — Global Issues

Terrifying surge in violence affecting children ‘must stop’ – UNICEF — Global Issues

“Children in the region continue to suffer the devastating impact of protracted conflicts, communal violence, explosive ordnance and remnants of war, and political and social unrest that permeate several countries”, the UN agency said, including in Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Before marking the adoption of the…

Rights expert urges Saudi authorities to allow family to access jailed activist — Global Issues

Rights expert urges Saudi authorities to allow family to access jailed activist — Global Issues

Ms. Lawlor has issued a statement expressing her increasing concern for the health and life of Mohammad Al-Qahtani, a founding member of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association, which was dissolved in 2013.   He was sentenced to a decade in prison that same year for allegedly providing false…

Safety and security of Yemeni civilians at risk unless truce is extended, says human rights chief — Global Issues

Safety and security of Yemeni civilians at risk unless truce is extended, says human rights chief — Global Issues

Mr. Türk has echoed calls from the UN Secretary-General to extend the truce and to work towards a negotiated settlement to bring the conflict to an end once and for all. The outbreak of war over seven years ago between a pro-Government, Saudi-led coalition, and Houthi rebels – together with…

Cholera spreading throughout Lebanon, WHO warns — Global Issues

Cholera spreading throughout Lebanon, WHO warns — Global Issues

The first case was reported to WHO by the Ministry of Public Health on 6 October, and there have been 381 laboratory-confirmed cases. While the outbreak was initially confined to northern districts, it has spread rapidly said WHO’s office in Lebanon, with laboratory-confirmed cases now reported from all eight governorates…

In speech to Arab League, UN chief appeals for greater regional unity — Global Issues

In speech to Arab League, UN chief appeals for greater regional unity — Global Issues

The League is among the regional organizations which have a vital role to play in advancing peace, sustainable development, and human rights, he added.  Mr. Guterres also appealed for unity across the Arab world, which he said has never been more essential.  “Division opens the door to foreign, non-Arab, interference,…

The vital role of Syrian women in resolving bitter conflicts — Global Issues

The vital role of Syrian women in resolving bitter conflicts — Global Issues

The protracted fighting has taken countless lives, displaced millions in and outside the country and left much of the country’s infrastructure in tatters. The failure of international efforts to make much progress has been ascribed to the lack of understanding amongst formal mediators of the situation on the ground in…

Time for ‘concrete action’ by international community to hold Iran’s security forces to account — Global Issues

Time for ‘concrete action’ by international community to hold Iran’s security forces to account — Global Issues

Amid protests sparked by the death in custody last month of Mahsa Amini following her arrest by so-called “morality police”, Special Rapporteur Javaid Rehman, told journalists in New York that since then, many in the UN human rights sphere had made “very strong calls for independent, impartial investigations”, with no response…