WHO backs wider use of weight-loss medicines, calling obesity a chronic disease

The guidance focuses on GLP-1 therapies – medicines such as liraglutide, semaglutide and tirzepatide – and offers conditional recommendations on how they can be used safely as part of long-term treatment. Living with obesity More than one billion people worldwide live with obesity, which was linked to 3.7 million deaths in 2024. Without stronger action, […]

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EU scales up help after Pakistan floods with additional €3 million

The European Union is releasing €3 million in emergency aid for communities hit hard by the floods in Pakistan, with a focus on the most affected areas in Punjab. The support will be delivered as cash assistance, so vulnerable household can meet immediate needs and start rebuilding their lives. The new allocation adds to the […]

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Expected in Ireland Today for First State Visit

Landmark Diplomatic Engagement Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska are set to arrive in Dublin today for their first official state visit to Ireland, marking a significant moment in bilateral relations. The visit comes at a critical juncture for Ukraine as peace negotiations continue amid Russia’s ongoing invasion. Meetings and Addresses During […]

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World News in Brief: Justice efforts in Libya, deadly attacks in Ukraine, scores killed since Israel-Lebanon ceasefire

“There is a new momentum towards justice in Libya, and we now look towards the first trial to be held at the Court in this situation,” Nazhat Shameem Khan told ambassadors. She said the arrest of alleged war criminal Khaled El Hishri by German authorities in July is “a clear example of the momentum that we are building.”  Mr. El Hishri is […]

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Violence against women: UN sheds light on global femicide crisis, digital abuse

One day, the anonymous interaction turned into physical stalking. He texted her exactly what she was wearing. “There is a specific terror in being watched by someone without a face,” Ms. Tesfai told UN officials, Goodwill Ambassadors and civil society representatives in New York commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The unwanted attention soon turned […]

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Every step a struggle:’ Nigerian woman with disabilities leads push for dignity and inclusion

“Sometimes, it feels like the world isn’t made for people like me,” said Shiminenge, her voice steady despite the weight of the words. In Gbajimba, north-central Nigeria, the 32-year-old navigates daily life in a camp for displaced people that offers little space, safety, or accessibility for people living with disabilities. Around her, tents stretch across […]

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Aid access and hospital operations remain constrained in Gaza

Briefing reporters in New York on Wednesday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said hostilities in parts of the Gaza Strip are still resulting in casualties and repeated disruptions to humanitarian operations. On Tuesday, the UN and its partners coordinated eight planned humanitarian movements inside Gaza with Israeli authorities. Of those, only one movement was facilitated, while […]

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How stories of personal experience cut through climate fatigue in ways that global negotiations can’t

When Cop30 convened in Belém, deep inside the Amazon, the world’s attention turned once again to negotiations, emissions pledges and political manoeuvring. The global stage was set against one of Earth’s most biodiverse landscapes and some of its most vulnerable communities, yet the conversation still leaned heavily toward geopolitics rather than people. Inside the crowded […]

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Over 600 million children exposed to violence at home, UNICEF warns

Children’s exposure to intimate partner violence is highest in Oceania, sub-Saharan Africa, and Central and Southern Asia, reflecting deep regional inequalities and widespread patterns of abuse experienced by women worldwide. “Today, millions of women and children are living in homes where violence is a part of regular life,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Women’s […]

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UN warns Myanmar’s planned elections will deepen repression and instability

Jeremy Laurence, a spokesperson for the UN human rights office, OHCHR, told reporters in Geneva that voting is expected to begin on 28 December, in what he described as a military-controlled ballot conducted in an environment “rife with threats and violence” and actively suppressed political participation. Many major political parties have been excluded and more […]

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