News headlines in February 2024, page 20

As the devastating Gaza-Israel war entered its fifth month on Wednesday leaving a reported 27,585 Palestinians dead and nearly 70,000 injured, the UN’s top humanitarian official welcomed early indications of a “potential breakthrough” in negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of all remaining hostages.

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 06 (IPS) - Landlocked developing countries need greater support from the international community so that they are no longer left behind when it comes to progressing with the SDGs, says the UN High Representative of the Least Developed Countries.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, Feb 06 (IPS) - Significant advances have been made in Africa towards ending female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Asia, where FGM/C occurs in at least ten countries, but governments across the region are failing to take effective action. Women’s rights organizations are calling for states to introduce much-needed laws to criminalize FGM, provide national data on the extent and nature of the practice, and adequately fund efforts to tackle this regionally neglected problem.

BANGKOK, Thailand, Feb 06 (IPS) - In the bustling financial hub of Singapore, Rhea See, an early-stage fund manager, leads an accelerator platform dedicated to empowering women in technology.

THAKURGAON, Bangladesh, Feb 06 (IPS) - After passing her secondary school certificate (SCC) in 2019, Sweety Akter went door-to-door to collect money to enroll in a college, but she wasn't successful.

With the war in Ukraine about to enter its third year, the damage wrought by the conflict to the country and to global peace and security is becoming increasingly clear, the UN’s top political affairs official said on Tuesday.

Cholera cases are surging globally, and there’s been an unprecedented spike in Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.

Despite being the driving force for sustainable development, middle-income countries face unique challenges and require more international support and vision to thrive, the UN deputy chief said on Tuesday.

UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türkhas urged authorities in Pakistan to ensure that parliamentary elections this week are free and fair, his office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.

Cancer patients, young students and families are among the 250,000 Palestinians – 80 per cent already living under the poverty line – who could lose access to lifesaving services in Lebanon by March amid looming funding cuts, the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, country director told UN News on Tuesday.