Amid ongoing Israeli attacks, ‘the systematic destruction of Gaza City is already underway’: UN rights office

Recent attacks have been particularly devastating in the Az Zaytoun neighbourhood, where airstrikes, artillery shelling and gunfire are continuous and intense, causing a high number of civilian casualties and the large-scale destruction of residential buildings and public facilities, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory said in a statement. Since 8 […]

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Ukraine’s Suffering Reflected in One Family’s Story

On August 15, while United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were en route to their Alaska meeting, 26-year-old Nataliia Makarenko buried her mother, Tetiana Litvin, 60, in Kherson, southern Ukraine. Tetiana had died two days earlier in an artillery strike. Almost a year ago, Nataliia buried her father, Petro, 67. A Russian drone […]

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UN Experts Condemn Iran’s Ongoing Repression of Journalists

GENEVA — A group of United Nations special rapporteurs has raised alarm over escalating threats against journalists affiliated with London-based Iran International, citing a pattern of transnational repression and intimidation. In a statement released Thursday, the experts detailed “credible threats” to the safety of 45 journalists and staff members, along with 315 of their relatives […]

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CPJ Raises Alarm Over Abduction and Detention of Ethiopian Journalists

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has voiced serious concern over the recent abduction and detention of media professionals in Ethiopia, underscoring a deteriorating climate for press freedom in the country. In a statement issued Wednesday, CPJ reported the abduction of newspaper editor Yonas Amare by masked individuals in military attire, and the arrests of […]

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International Day for Remembrance of Slave Trade: ‘Time to abolish exploitation once and for all’

“It is time to abolish human exploitation once and for all and to recognise the equal and unconditional dignity of each and every individual,” Ms. Azoulay said. The Day is intended to inscribe the tragedy of the slave trade in the memory of all peoples. Details from Ark of Return, the permanent memorial at UN Headquarters […]

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Sri Lanka: Police Target Families of ‘Disappeared’

(Geneva) – Sri Lankan security forces still harass families of victims of forced disappearances and misuse the country’s draconian counterterrorism law a year since President Anura Kumara Dissanayake took office with promises of reform, Human Rights Watch said today. The United Nations Human Rights Council should renew the mandates for the UN to collect and analyze evidence of […]

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World News in Brief: Gaza humanitarian update, more killings in Sudan, ending impunity in Myanmar

Multiple strikes overnight into Friday were reported in the Jabalya Al Balad and An Nazla neighbourhoods, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its latest update. As a result, around 900 people reportedly fled towards the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood and western Gaza City. Safe passage, more aid The UN and […]

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UN Chief Renews Ceasefire Appeal Amid Escalating Crisis in Gaza

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has reiterated his urgent call for a ceasefire in Gaza, warning of catastrophic consequences as Israeli military operations intensify. Speaking Thursday at the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, Guterres emphasized the need to halt hostilities and secure the unconditional release of hostages. “It is vital to reach immediately […]

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UN Experts Accuse Russia of Systematic Sexual Torture in Occupied Ukraine

United Nations human rights experts have formally accused Russian forces of engaging in systematic sexual torture against civilians in occupied regions of Ukraine. The allegations were presented in a dossier delivered to the Russian Federation on Thursday by UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Alice Jill Edwards, and her colleagues. The report documents the abuse of […]

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UN Calls for Stronger Protections for People Displaced by Terrorism and Security Operations

During the eighth International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, the United Nations urged member states to strengthen protections for individuals forcibly displaced by terrorism and related security measures. Ben Saul, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights while countering terrorism, emphasized that displaced persons—especially in low-income, conflict-affected regions—remain among the […]

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