News headlines in December 2023, page 3

Aid missions to supply Gaza have become increasingly difficult amid reports of continued heavy bombing of the Strip overnight by the Israeli military and intense clashes “in most areas” with Hamas fighters, UN humanitarians warned on Wednesday.

A veteran Dutch diplomat and politician who previously held top UN positions has been appointed Senior Humanitarian Coordinator for Gaza, UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced on Tuesday.

The past year saw significant milestones and challenges in global public health but also immense and avoidable suffering, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.

The UN Special Envoy for Yemen has welcomed steps towards a ceasefire in the war-torn country, where Government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and Houthi rebels have been fighting for more than eight years.

Overwhelmed medics in Gaza on Tuesday continued to try to save victims of missile strikes including attacks near refugee camps in the centre of the devastated enclave that have reportedly killed well over 100 people, the UN health agency said.

Historic audio recordings covering the recent history of Somalia are being preserved for future generations thanks to UN support.

The General Assembly has approved a $3.59 billion budget for the United Nations for 2024, including the establishment of a special account to finance the Organization’s peacebuilding fund.

Investing more in women and girls’ education, safety and economic and social empowerment will speed the drive towards gender parity. That’s according to Academy Award-winning actor, director and activist Natalie Portman.

TORONTO, Canada, Dec 22 (IPS) - The year 2023 has brought so much tragedy, with incomprehensible loss of lives, whether from wars or devastating ‘natural’ disasters, while our planet has seen yet more records broken as our climate catastrophe worsens.

NEW YORK, Dec 22 (IPS) - Benjamin Netanyahu must go. Under the guise of judicial reform, Netanyahu has undermined the rule of law and divided the country. He is toxic to Arab states, even those which have signed the Abraham Accords. Netanyahu has become an impediment to Israel’s democratic development and regional relations.