Category: Europe

The MV Brave Commander departed with 23,000 metric tonnes of wheat grain for WFP’s response in the Horn of Africa, where the threat of famine is looming due to severe drought.  This is the first shipment of humanitarian food assistance under the Black Sea Grain Initiative signed by Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye and the UN in June.  Feeding the world’s hungry … Read More

This will be the first shipment of humanitarian food assistance under the Black Sea Grain Initiative signed last month by Ukraine, Russia and Türkiye.  WFP said the development marks “another important step in efforts to reintegrate Ukrainian food into global markets and get it to countries worst affected by the global food crisis through both commercial and humanitarian avenues.”  The… Read More

Europe’s largest nuclear plant has been occupied by Russian forces since March, and last week the external power supply system was damaged in an attack.  “I am calling for all military activities in the immediate vicinity of the plant to cease immediately and not to target its facilities or surroundings,” Mr. Guterres said in a statement expressing his grave concern… Read More

“These military actions near such a large nuclear facility could lead to very serious consequences,” Mr. Grossi said at the meeting requested by Russia, which was marked by resounding calls to allow the Agency’s technical experts to visit the area amid mounting safety concerns. IAEA has been in frequent contact with both Ukraine and Russia to ensure that it has… Read More

The Aarhus Convention, adopted in 1998, also requires that individuals exercising these rights are not persecuted, penalized or harassed for doing so.  Belarus’s President Aleksandr Lukashenko signed a decree on 18 July effectively ending the country’s participation.  Withdrawal is scheduled to take effect on 24 October, in line with article 21 of the Convention.  Strengthening rights, ensuring compliance  In denouncing… Read More

“Very sad news from the Aegean: Dozens of people are missing after a boat sank off the island of Rhodes this morning (Wednesday),” UNHCR’s office in Greece said in a tweet. News media reported that the vessel sank at dawn after setting sail from southern Türkiye yesterday, heading for Italy. 29 rescued Very sad news from the #Aegean: dozens are… Read More

According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), temperatures were close to 0.4℃ above the 1991-2020 average across much of Europe, with southwestern and western Europe being the most above-average regions, because of an intense heatwave around mid-July. “This is despite the La Niña event that’s meant to have a cooling influence,” explained WMO spokesperson Clare Nullis. “We saw this in… Read More

“The war increases levels of stress in pregnant women, which leads to an increase in the number of premature births reported,” Herve Verhoosel, Spokesperson for global health agency Unitaid, told journalists at a regular WHO press briefing.    The war in #Ukraine has increased the number of premature births. Premature babies are more likely to suffer from complications that require oxygen… Read More

The Razoni, carrying a cargo of 26,527 tonnes of corn, is the first cargo ship to leave a Ukrainian Black Sea port since 26 February, just a few days after the Russian invasion began. It is bound for the Mediterranean port of Tripoli, in Lebanon. ‘Humanitarian imperative’ In a statement issued by his Spokesperson, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that ensuring… Read More