Young people in Beirut, which was devastated by an explosion in a warehouse at the city’s port on 4 August 2020, have been pitching in to get the Lebanese capital back on its feet with support from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

As the COVID-19 crisis continues to exacerbate restrictions on government spending throughout the world, the UN chief on Tuesday welcomed the decision by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to approve a $650 billion allocation of Special Drawing Rights to “boost liquidity”. 

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on Tuesday called for an immediate end to fighting in urban areas, as the Taliban continues a ground assault in the south of the country. 

Although laws in Iraq criminalize torture and set out procedural safeguards to prevent it, a new report released on Tuesday by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) and UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), makes clear that the practice continues in jails throughout the country.

Secretary-General António Guterres has urged the Iraqi authorities to swiftly implement a new law to assist Yazidi survivors of ISIL atrocities, the UN said on Tuesday in a statement marking seven years since the extremist group brutally targeted the religious minority and other communities. 

BRATISLAVA, Aug 03 (IPS) - BRATISLAVA, August 2 (IPS) - The family of slain journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has called for “lessons to be learnt” after an independent inquiry found that the Maltese state bore responsibility for her death.

More than 700 healthcare workers and patients have died, and more than 2,000 have been injured in attacks on health facilities since December 2017, according to a three year analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) released on Tuesday.

TOKYO, Aug 03 (IPS) - Work, education, entertainment, or simply better connectivity all draw people to cities. By the end of this century around 85% of the world population are predicted to live in cities.

SYDNEY and KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 03 (IPS) - Hopes for an inclusive global economic recovery are fast fading. As rich countries have done little to ensure poor countries’ access to vaccines and fiscal resources, North-South “fault lines” will certainly widen.

A year after the devastating explosions in Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, a staggering 98 per cent of families are still in need, according to a survey published on Tuesday by the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF.