UN

Syria: Chemical weapons watchdog hits reset button in Damascus, following productive meetings Date: 2025-02-08 12:00 Source: Law and Crime Prevention Introduction Following a series of productive meetings in Damascus, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has announced that it is hitting the reset button on its operations in Syria. Background The OPCW … Read more

After Years of Conflict, Timor-Leste Turns Peacemaker Dili, Timor-Leste – February 8, 2025 Timor-Leste, a nation that has endured decades of conflict, has emerged as an unlikely peacemaker in the Asia-Pacific region. After gaining independence from Indonesia in 2002, the country experienced a violent civil war that lasted until 2008. However, in the years since, … Read more

DR Congo crisis: Thousands flee clashes in South Kivu Published on 2025-02-07 12:00 Thousands of people have fled their homes in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s South Kivu province after clashes between government forces and rebel groups. The fighting began on Sunday, February 5, when rebels attacked a military base in the town of Minembwe. … Read more

DR Congo: Rights chief warns crisis could worsen, without international action Posted: February 7, 2025, 12:00 AM GENEVA, Switzerland – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has warned that the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) could worsen significantly without urgent international action. In a statement released on Monday, … Read more

US Aid Funding Cuts Put HIV Prevention at Risk, Warns UNAIDS Geneva, 7 February 2025 – The United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) today warned that recent cuts in US funding for HIV prevention could have devastating consequences for efforts to end the AIDS epidemic. “These cuts are a major setback for the fight … Read more

Sudan: Civilian death toll triples in one week amid escalating hostilities KHARTOUM, Feb 7 (AFP) – The death toll among civilians in Sudan has tripled in the past week amid escalating hostilities between government forces and rebels in the country’s southern region, according to the United Nations. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian … Read more

Global forum suggests fresh ideas for 21st century UN peacekeeping 2025-02-07 12:00 A global forum has suggested fresh ideas for 21st century UN peacekeeping, including the use of technology, partnerships with regional organizations, and a focus on prevention. The forum, which was held in New York from January 31 to February 2, brought together representatives … Read more

First Person: Bodies of children in Haiti have turned into ‘battlegrounds’ February 7, 2025 PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — The bodies of children in Haiti have turned into “battlegrounds” as gangs fight for control of territory, a local human rights group said Tuesday. The National Human Rights Defense Network (RNDDH) said in a report that it had … Read more

International Criminal Court Condemns U.S. Sanctions Move February 7, 2025 – The International Criminal Court (ICC) has condemned the United States’ decision to impose sanctions on its officials, calling the move an “unprecedented attack on the court’s independence.” The sanctions, announced by the U.S. Treasury Department on Friday, target ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and other … Read more

Palestinians’ rights matter, says UNRWA chief GENEVA, Feb 7 (Reuters) – The head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees said on Tuesday that the rights of Palestinians must be respected and defended, amid growing concern about a rise in violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works … Read more