One in seven deepwater sharks and rays at risk of extinction

One in seven deepwater sharks and rays at risk of extinction — A shark – illustrative photo. Image credit: Pixabay (Free Pixabay license)

**One in seven species of deepwater sharks and rays are threatened with extinction due to overfishing, according to a new eight-year study released today in the journal Science.**

Specifically, the analysis found that sharks and rays are caught as incidental bycatch in fisheries targeting more commercially valuable species. However, they are kept due to the value of their oil and meat. This, partnered with a recent global expansion in the trade of shark liver oil, have resulted in steep population declines.

“About half of the world’s sharks are found below 200 metres, below where the sunlight reaches into the ocean,” says Nicholas Dulvy, Distinguished SFU Professor of Marine Biodiversity and Conservation.

“The first time they see sunlight is when they’re hauled onto the deck of a fishing boat.”

This new analysis by Dulvy assessed more than 500 species of sharks and rays and engaged more that 300 experts from around the world. It found that about 60 species are threatened with an elevated risk of extinction due to overfishing, according to the criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

“As the high seas and the coastal waters are becoming depleted in many countries of the world, we’re incentivizing fishers to fish offshore and it’s become technologically viable to fish up to a kilometre deep,” Dulvy says.

Deepwater sharks and rays are among the most sensitive marine vertebrates because of their long lifespans and low reproductive rates. They have life cycles more similar to marine mammals such as whales and the walrus, which were formerly exploited for their oils and are now highly protected.

“Many deepwater sharks and rays can only withstand very small amounts of fishing pressure,” says Dulvy. “Some species may take 30 years or more to mature, and possibly up to 150 years in the case of the Greenland Shark, and only produce 12 pups throughout their entire life.”

Sharks and rays maintain their buoyancy by having a fatty liver, but this fat is highly prized. It’s used widely in cosmetics, nutrient supplements and for medicines, like vaccines. There has also been an increase in skate fisheries to support demand for fermented skate, a traditional Korean delicacy.

“There’s been great success in regulating shark fin trade. Now we need to turn our attention to regulating the international trade in liver oil.”

In addition to regulating the international trade in shark liver oil, the study also endorses a global push to protect 30 per cent of the world’s oceans by 2030. Protecting 30 per cent of the deep ocean (200 to 2,000 metres) would provide 80 per cent of species partial protection across their range. A worldwide prohibition on fishing below 800 metres would provide 30 per cent vertical refuge for a third of threatened deepwater sharks and rays.

The Global Shark Trends Project is a collaboration of the Simon Fraser University, IUCN Shark Specialist Group, James Cook University, and the Georgia Aquarium, established with support from the Shark Conservation Fund.

Written by Jeff Hodson

Source: SFU

Sudan: Aid lifeline reaches Darfur region in bid to avert ‘hunger catastrophe’

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7 April 2024

Sudan: Aid lifeline reaches Darfur region in bid to avert ‘hunger catastrophe’

“The UN WFP has managed to bring desperately needed food and nutrition supplies into Darfur; the first WFP assistance to reach the war-wracked region in months,” said Leni Kinzli, WFP Communications Officer in Sudan.

The convoys crossed into Sudan from Chad in late March carrying enough food and nutrition supplies for 250,000 people facing acute hunger in North, West and Central Darfur.

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Constant flow needed

Despite this welcome development, the UN agency spokesperson warned that unless the people of Sudan receive a constant flow of aid “via all possible humanitarian corridors from neighbouring countries and across battle lines”, the country’s hunger catastrophe will only worsen.

Last month, WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain warned that the war in Sudan risks triggering the world’s worst hunger crisis unless families in Sudan and those who have fled to South Sudan and Chad receive desperately needed food assistance.

This requires unfettered access, faster clearances, and funds to deliver humanitarian response that meets the huge needs of civilians impacted by the devastating war.

Humanitarian stakes

Securing safe and constant aid access to the Darfurs “has been extremely challenging”, WFP’s Ms. Kinzli explained, adding that the situation has been complicated further by the decision of the head of the Sudanese armed forces based in Port Sudan to refuse permission to humanitarians seeking to reach the Darfurs from Chad.

Delayed response

“Fierce fighting, lack of security and lengthy clearances by the warring parties have led to delays in the distribution of this assistance to people in need,” Ms. Kinzli insisted. “WFP and our partners urgently need security guarantees and deconfliction so the supplies in North Darfur can be distributed to people who are struggling to find even one basic meal a day.”

The UN agency reported on Friday that 37 trucks carrying 1,300 tons of supplies crossed last week into West Darfur from Adre in Chad – and that food distributions were underway in West and Central Darfur.

Last year, WFP supported one million people in West and Central Darfur with food transported via Chad’s Adre crossing.

Another 16 trucks with around 580 tons of supplies entered North Darfur from Chad’s Tina border crossing on 23 March, WFP said.

An additional six trucks with 260 metric tons of food reached the area from Port Sudan a few days later – the first aid delivery to be transported across conflict lines in six months.

But the UN agency noted that “fierce fighting, lack of security, and lengthy clearances by the warring parties” had led to delays in the distribution of this assistance.

Geneina in crisis

“There is a lack of clarity whether we will be able to continue and regularly use the cross border [route] from Adre into West Darfur, which is so critical because West Darfur is among the most food-insecure areas in Sudan,” the WFP official noted.

This is especially the case in Geneina, capital of West Darfur, where the UN agency said that “many vulnerable women” had reportedly stormed one of the distribution points “out of desperation because there was not enough food for everyone”.

Over the last four to five years, Geneina is also the place “where we see the highest levels of hunger in the lean season”, Ms. Kinzli said.

Sudan’s war between rival generals which erupted last April has driven hunger to record levels, with 18 million people facing acute malnutrition. In Darfur, 1.7 million people are already enduring emergency levels of hunger – IPC4 – according to global food security experts.

“If we aren’t able to use that specific corridor (from Adre to West Darfur) and continue to use it and scale up via that corridor…what is going to happen to the people of West Darfur who are bearing the brunt of this conflict, who are in an unimaginable situation?” WFP’s Ms. Kinzli said.

A Symphony of Hope: Omar Harfouch’s “Concerto for Peace” Resonates in Béziers

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Newsdesk

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7 April 2024

In an evening that transcended mere musical performance, Omar Harfouch took to the stage at the Béziers City Theatre on March 6, presenting his original composition, “Concerto for Peace.” The event, which drew a large audience, was not just a concert but a profound message of unity, hope, and harmony delivered through the universal language of music.

Omar Harfouch, a multifaceted figure known for his business acumen and humanitarian efforts, has also carved out a reputation as a gifted pianist and composer. His latest offering, “Concerto for Peace,” is a testament to his belief in music’s power to foster peace and effect change. Born in Tripoli, Lebanon, Harfouch’s early life was shadowed by the civil war, making the piano not just an instrument but a lifelong friend and a beacon of hope.

The concert, held in the ornate Italian-style theatre of Béziers, was a first of its kind. Initially composed for piano and violin, the piece was expanded to include the full complement of the Béziers Méditerranée Symphony Orchestra for this performance. Under the baton of conductor Mathieu Bonnin, the orchestra, alongside Harfouch at the piano and Anne Gravoin, an award-winning violinist, brought the “Concerto for Peace” to life in a manner that was both majestic and deeply moving.

Harfouch’s childhood friend, Houtaf Khoury, took on the orchestration, adding layers of depth with violoncelles, double basses, and harp, among others. This collaborative effort resulted in a performance that was as rich in texture as it was in its message of peace and love.

The audience, seated in plush red velvet chairs, was taken on an ethereal journey. The precision of the musical composition, coupled with the heartfelt performance, made for an evening that was both an auditory and emotional feast. The program also included Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, a staple of the romantic German repertoire, showcasing the virtuosic talent of soloist Michaël Seigle.

Harfouch’s “Concerto for Peace” is a bold reminder of the transformative power of music. In a world often divided, his work stands as a beacon of hope, advocating for love, tolerance, and respect for differences. The success of the concert in Béziers is a testament to Harfouch’s vision, talent, and unwavering belief in music as a force for good.

As the notes of the concerto resonated within the walls of the Béziers City Theatre, they also echoed Harfouch’s message far beyond, inspiring all who were present to believe in the possibility of a world united by peace. Harfouch’s journey from the war-torn streets of Tripoli to the stage in Béziers is a powerful narrative of resilience, creativity, and the enduring power of music to heal and unite.

The “Concerto for Peace” is more than just a musical piece; it is a call to action—a reminder that each of us holds the power to make a difference in the world. Through his music, Omar Harfouch challenges us to listen, reflect, and, most importantly, to act in the service of peace. In a performance that will be remembered for years to come, Harfouch and the Béziers Méditerranée Symphony Orchestra have indeed struck a chord for peace, one that resonates with the hope of a better tomorrow.

Unravelling the legacies of slavery

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7 April 2024

“You’re speaking about the greatest crime against humanity ever committed,” said renowned historian Sir Hilary Beckles, who also chairs the Caribbean Community’s Reparations Commission, reflecting on the transatlantic trade that enslaved more than 10 million Africans over four centuries.

“One could say it was an institution that was abolished 200 years ago, but let me tell you this,” he explained, “there is no institution in modernity, in the last 500 years or so, that has changed the world as profoundly as the transatlantic slave trade and slavery.”

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Remembering slavery in the 21st century

At a special General Assembly event for the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, marked annually on 25 March, guest speakers included Sir Beckles and 15-year-old activist Yolanda Renee King of the United States.

“I stand before you today as a proud descendent of enslaved people who resisted slavery and racism,” Ms. King told the world body.

“Like my grandparents, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King,” she said, “my parents, Martin Luther King III and Arndrea Waters King, have also dedicated their lives to putting an end to racism and all forms of bigotry and discrimination. Like them, I am committed to the fight against racial injustice and to carrying on the legacy of my grandparents.”

UN News caught up with Ms. King and Sir Beckles to ask them what the International Day of Remembrance meant to them.

Yolanda Renee King, youth activist and granddaughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, addresses the General Assembly.

UN News: The transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans was abolished centuries ago. Why is it still important for the world to remember it?

Sir Hilary Beckles: When we say centuries ago, yes, maybe just under 200 years, but slavery and the slave trading enterprises were the greatest commercial enterprises in the world at that time and had an impact on the structure of the world economy, politics, race relations and cultural relations and how civilizations have interacted with each other. The impact was so profound and deep seated and sustained over several generations.

Yolanda Renee King: It’s so important for there to be some sort of acknowledgment. It is a day of reflection. I think that we have to acknowledge our history, our mistakes and the pain. We haven’t reached the full potential of our world because of the transatlantic trade in enslaved people.

The Memory of Slavery exhibit at UNESCO’s Slave Route Project in Paris. (file)

UN News: What legacies of the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans are still with us today?

Yolanda Renee King: There are still remnants of that racism, of that discrimination. We must acknowledge the origin in order to solve the problem and to solve the issues. Clearly there’s a lot of discrimination and racism everywhere. While we have, each century, made strides, I think there are still issues very much present.

In order to solve the issue, we have to first acknowledge it.

Especially now more than ever, we’re seeing a big push back. We’re seeing a rise of racism and not just racism, but discrimination against all marginalised groups in general.

Sir Hilary Beckles: The consequences have been very significant. We see the evidence of those legacies everywhere, not only in the places where it was practiced, like in the entire Americas, but in Africa and to some extent in Asia.

We see it not only in the obvious issues of race relations and the development of racism as a philosophy for social organization, where most societies where it has touched are now structured in such a way that people of African descent are considered the most marginalised people, and the descendants of the enslaved people still continue to suffer racism.

If you look at countries with the greatest incidence of chronic diseases, Black people have the highest proportions of diabetic adult patients in the world.

The island where I’m from, Barbados, is considered the home of chattel slavery where the slave code in 1616 became the slave code for all of America in which African people were defined as non-human chattel property. Now, Barbados has the world’s highest incidence of diabetes and the highest percentage of amputations.

It cannot be a coincidence that the small island that was the first island to have an African majority and an enslaved population is now linked to the greatest amputations of patients with diabetes in the world.

The Island of Gorée off the coast of Senegal is a UNESCO heritage site and a symbol of the suffering, pain and death of the transatlantic slave trade.

UN News: How should those legacies be addressed?

Yolanda Renee King: If you want to have a world with discrimination and prejudice and all this and you want hardship for the future, then go ahead and just leave things the way they are today.

But, if you want change, if you want to really do something, I think the best way to do that is really holding our leaders accountable and bringing these issues up to them. They’re the ones that are going to determine not only your future, but your child’s future, your family’s future and those after you, the future for them.

Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West Indies and Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Reparations Commission, addresses the General Assembly.

Sir Hilary Beckles: We are still dealing with clearing up the fundamental issues of colonisation, massive illiteracy, extreme malnutrition and chronic disease, and addressing these matters required tremendous amount of capital investment. So, when we speak of justice, basically what we are saying to the colonisers and the enslavers who have left us legacy behind: “This is your legacy, and reparatory justice says you must come back to the site of the crime and facilitate the clean up operation.”

Thirty or forty years ago, reparatory justice was a concept that attracted very little support. By redefining the concept of reparations, we said they are about repairing the damage done to a people, communities and nations. These issues must be repaired if these countries have a chance of having development.

We have found that African governments now equipped with the historical knowledge are able to say “we want to have a conversation around reparations; we want to talk about it.” That was one of the major seismic achievements. When the African Union met at the end of last year and declared that 2025 is going to be the year of African reparations, that was a huge historic achievement.

UN News: Ms. King, your grandfather’s iconic I Have a Dream speech in Washington in 1963 continues to inspire generations to forge ahead in the struggle for rights. His dreams were for a day when people would be judged on their character, not their skin colour. Has his dream been realized in 2024, and have you ever felt judged by the colour of your skin?

Yolanda Renee King: I don’t think we’ve reached that dream yet. I think that there has been some progress. I think that there have been some strides since the speech was made. But, we shouldn’t be where we are now. I think we should be more ahead. And if he and my grandmother were still alive, I think that we as a society would be much farther along than we are now.

As someone who is a Black person, I think that unfortunately we’ve all faced some sort of discrimination and judgment. Unfortunately, yes, there have been times when I’ve been judged based on my race. I think that we need to find a way to move on, and we need to begin to strategise.

I think a lot of people, rather than talking about the dream and glorifying it and celebrating it and putting a tweet acknowledging it on [Martin Luther King] MLK Day, we actually need to start taking some action in order to move forward as a society, in order to improve and in order to be in the world in which he described in that speech.

#RememberSlavery, #FightRacism: Why now?

UNFPA Executive Director Natalia Kanem speaks at the opening of the Ibo Landing exhibit in New York.

The UN hosted a series of special events to highlight the Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination, from 21 to 27 March, and to mark the final months of the International Decade for People of African Descent.

To find out more and access key documents, conventions and information, visit the UN outreach programme on the transatlantic slave trade and slavery and #RememberSlavery.

Small amounts of liquorice raise blood pressure

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Newsdesk

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6 April 2024

Small amounts of liquorice raise blood pressure

It is known that large amounts of liquorice cause high blood pressure. A study by researchers at Linköping University now shows that even small amounts of liquorice raise blood pressure. The individuals who react most strongly also show signs of strain on the heart.

ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw== Small amounts of liquorice raise blood pressure

A liquorice – illustrative photo. Image credit: Pixabay (Free Pixabay license)

Liquorice is produced from the root of plants of the Glycyrrhiza species and has long been used as a herbal remedy and flavouring. However, it is known that eating liquorice can also raise blood pressure. This is mainly due to a substance called glycyrrhizic acid that affects the body’s fluid balance through effects on an enzyme in the kidney. High blood pressure, in turn, increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Both the European Union and the World Health Organization have concluded that 100 mg of glycyrrhizic acid per day is probably safe to eat for most individuals. But some people eat more liquorice than that. The Swedish Food Agency has estimated that 5 per cent of Swedes have an intake higher than this level.

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Is the limit safe?

In the current study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers at Linköping University wanted to test whether the limit stated as likely safe actually is so or not.

It is not easy to know how much glycyrrhizic acid is in the liquorice you eat, as its concentration in different liquorice products varies greatly. This variation may depend on factors such as origin, storage conditions and liquorice root species. In addition, the amount of glycyrrhizic acid is not indicated on many products. The Linköping University study is the first to have carefully measured the amount of glycyrrhizic acid in the liquorice that was tested, while being randomised and having a control group.

Ate liquorice for two weeks

In the study, 28 women and men aged 18–30 were instructed to eat liquorice, or a control product that did not contain any liquorice, over two periods of time. The control product instead contained salmiak, which gives salty liquorice its flavour. The liquorice weighed 3.3 grammes and contained 100 mg of glycyrrhizic acid, that is, the amount indicated as likely safe for most people to eat daily. Participants were randomly assigned to eat either liquorice or the control product for two weeks, take a break for two weeks, and then eat the other variety for two weeks. This enabled the researchers to compare the effect of both varieties in the same person. The study participants were asked to measure their blood pressure at home every day. At the end of each intake period, the researchers measured levels of various hormones, salt balance, and heart workload.

“In the study, we found that a daily intake of liquorice containing 100 mg glycyrrhizic acid raised blood pressure in young healthy people. This hasn’t previously been shown for such small amounts of liquorice,” says Peder af Geijerstam, doctoral student at the Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences at Linköping University, general practitioner, and lead author of the study.

When the participants ate liquorice, their blood pressure increased by an average of 3.1 mmHg.

Some were more sensitive

The researchers also measured two hormones that are affected by liquorice and that regulate fluid balance: renin and aldosterone. The levels of both of these decreased when eating liquorice. The quarter of the study participants who were most sensitive, based on their levels of the hormones renin and aldosterone decreasing the most after eating liquorice, also gained slightly in weight, most likely due to an increased amount of fluid in the body. This group also had elevated levels of a protein that the heart secretes more of when it needs to work harder to pump around the blood in the body, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). This suggests increased fluid volume and heart workload in the individuals most sensitive to the effects of liquorice.

“Our results give reason to be more cautious when it comes to recommendations and labelling for food containing liquorice,” says Fredrik Nyström, professor at the same department, who was responsible for the study.

The study was funded with support from, among others, The Strategic Research Network in Circulation and Metabolism (LiU-CircM) at Linköping University, The National Research School in General Practice at Umeå University, King Gustaf V and Queen Victoria Freemason Foundation and Region Östergötland.

Article: A low dose of daily licorice intake affects renin, aldosterone, and home blood pressure in a randomized crossover trial, Peder af Geijerstam, Annelie Joelsson, Karin Rådholm and Fredrik Nyström, (2024). American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 119 No. 3-682-692. Published online 20 January 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.01.011

Written by Karin Söderlund Leifler

Source: Linköping University

Renaissance master Raffaello has died of an illness caused by the coronavirus

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Newsroom

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6 April 2024

We are beginning to forget the COVID-19 epidemic as it slows down, but this coronavirus has always been present in human history – for example, on April 6, 1520 in Rome, Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino died of a disease caused by a coronavirus.

Popular myth states that the artist, who died in 1520 at only thirty-seven years old, was stricken with syphilis.

Renaissance master Raffaello has died of a lung disease that closely resembles the infection caused by the coronavirus, AFP reported in July 2020, citing research by an Italian historian.

Popular myth states that the artist, who died in 1520 at only thirty-seven years old, was stricken with syphilis.

The master was treated by the best doctors sent by the Pope, but he did not survive. According to the Italian painter George Vasari (1511-1574), Raphael did not share with the doctors his frequent nocturnal visits in the cold to his lovers.

In March at the time, the nights were very cold and he probably contracted pneumonia, according to medical historian Michele Augusto Riva. According to Riva, the disease of the Renaissance master is very similar to the lung inflammation that we know today as a consequence of infection with the new coronavirus.

The artist was treated with “bloodletting”, which, according to the specialist, further exhausted him. According to Riva, doctors at the time knew about the risks of this therapy in infectious diseases, but acted on the basis of wrong information. It is believed that the master’s illness lasted fifteen days.

The new investigation into the causes of Raffaello’s death was completed at the end of February, before the novel coronavirus pandemic hit the country.

It was published nearly half a year before the start of the epidemic at the end of 2020 in the journal “Internal and Emergency Medicine”.

Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is one of the three great Renaissance masters, along with Michelangelo and Leonardo. He was born in Urbino in 1483. He received major commissions from two popes – Julius II and Leo X. Some of his works are in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican, where he painted three rooms, and a fourth was completed by his students based on his sketches.

Other works of his are in churches and palaces in Rome. 2020 marked the 500th anniversary of his death, with exhibitions commemorating the anniversary canceled and postponed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

They restored Raffaello ‘s face with three-dimensional technology

The remains found in his tomb at the Pantheon really belong to the Renaissance master – a team from an Italian university has made a three-dimensional reconstruction of the face of the famous Renaissance artist Raffaello using a plaster cast of his skull, AFP reported in 2020, in the year that marks 500 years since the creator’s death.

The result of the experiment proves that the remains found in his tomb at the Pantheon really belong to the Renaissance master.

The analysis of the cast from the skull of Raffaello (1483 – 1520), discovered in 1833, when the tomb of the creator was opened, allowed the 3D reconstruction of the face of the Renaissance artist, who died at the age of 37 in Rome and was buried in the Pantheon.

“We are now certain that the remains found at the Pantheon are certainly Raffaello‘s,” said Prof. Mattia Falconi, a specialist in molecular biology at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. During the excavations around the grave of the master, many other remains were found, probably of his students.

“Facial reconstruction is an interdisciplinary technique that is based on the morphology of the skull and shows the face at the time of death,” explain Cristina Martínez-Labarga, lecturer in anthropology and Raul Carbon, lecturer in graphic design, three-dimensional modeling and virtual design.

“Their work allows for the first time to confirm that the remains found in the tomb of the Pantheon belong to Raffaello,” said the Department of Biology of the University of Rome Tor Vergata, where they compared the result of the experiment with self-portraits of the artist.

The research, carried out by the Molecular Anthropology Center for the Study of Ancient DNA at the Department of Biology of the University of Rome in collaboration with the Vigamus Foundation and the Accademia Raffaello, which runs the museum in the artist’s birthplace, is the basis for future studies on the remains to determine and his other DNA-based traits – eye color, hair color, and skin tone.

Illustration: Self-portrait of Raffaello, aged approximately 23.

Gaza: ‘No protection’ for civilians, aid workers, Security Council hears

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6 April 2024

Gaza: ‘No protection’ for civilians, aid workers, Security Council hears

Briefing the Council on the current situation on the ground, Ramesh Rajasingham, coordination director with UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, and Janti Soeripto of the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Save the Children, outlined the latest impact of the devastation that has followed the Hamas-led terror attack on Israel last October, which left more than 1,200 people dead and more than 240 taken hostage.

Mr. Rajasingham said more than 32,000 Palestinians have been killed, another 75,000 injured and 1.7 million people – two thirds of the enclave’s population – “forcibly displaced” to Rafah in the south.

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Killing aid workers

Intense Israeli bombardment and fighting continues, with Israel still apparently intent on a military operation in Rafah to root out Hamas fighters.

At the same time, Israel’s siege has left Al-Shifa Hospital “almost entirely destroyed”, and the lack of protection for aid workers is tragically evident, he said, pointing to Israel’s deadly attack killing seven World Central Kitchen workers on Monday.

“Sadly, we cannot say that this tragic attack was an isolated incident in this conflict,” he said, extending condolences to those killed. “They join more than 220 of our humanitarian colleagues who have been killed, 179 of them UN personnel.”

This pattern of conduct calls into serious question the parties’ compliance with international humanitarian law, he said, emphasising that allegations of serious violations must be investigated and the suspects prosecuted.

‘No protection’

“The undeniable lack of protection for aid missions has forced World Central Kitchen and at least one other aid organisation – Anera – to suspend their operations,” he said, adding that both groups provide hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza with food each week. “It is unclear when their work will resume.”

In addition, “it is clear there is no protection of civilians in Gaza,” he added.

“If they have no protection from the dangers of armed conflict there, they must be allowed to seek it elsewhere, he said, emphasising that it is vital to recall that any persons displaced from Gaza must be guaranteed the right to voluntarily return, as international law demands.

World Central Kitchen supplies readied for shipment to Gaza. (file)

Hunger and Israel’s crackdown on UNRWA

In northern Gaza, one in six children in Gaza are severely malnourished, and more than 30 people have died of starvation, requiring immediate action, he said, adding that the primary obstacle is getting aid distributed. A “serious limiting factor” is that the UN agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, which is “the backbone of the humanitarian response”, has not been allowed to operate in the north of Gaza.

“If we are to stave off famine and address the unconscionably catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, UNRWA – and indeed all impartial humanitarian organisations – must have safe, rapid, unimpeded access to all civilians in need. There is simply no replacement for the services UNRWA provides,” he stressed.

‘This tragedy cannot be allowed to continue’

The situation continues despite the provisional order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) requiring Israel to take all necessary and effective measures to ensure, without delay, the unhindered provision at scale of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance and the Security Council’s resolutions demanding a ceasefire and increased aid shipments.

“This tragedy cannot be allowed to continue,” he said. “All hostages must be immediately released and treated humanely until they are.”

Likewise, the people of Gaza need full compliance with international humanitarian law and with the ICJ’s orders, he said.

“They need compliance with the decisions of this Council, and they most of all need this devastating war to end.”

Thousands of young lives at risk of starvation: Save The Children

The President and Chief Executive Officer of Save The Children US, Janti Soeripto, paid tribute to the more than 200 humanitarians killed in Gaza, nearly all of whom were Palestinians. They include her colleague, Sameh Ewaida, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on 12 December, alongside his wife and four children.

She told the Council that more children have been killed in the Gaza conflict than have been killed in all armed conflict globally over the past four years.

“In this conflict, 14,000 children have been needlessly and violently killed, thousands more are missing, presumed buried under the rubble. If I were to sit here and read the name and age of every Israeli and Palestinian child who has died on and since October 7, it would take me over 18 hours,” she said.

Man-made famine

In Gaza, almost 350,000 children under five are at risk of starvation, she said, warning that “the world is staring down the barrel of a man-made famine.” Hunger in the north is of particular concern.

“If the world continues down this path – of all parties to conflict flagrantly breaching the rule of war and international humanitarian law, of zero accountability, of powerful nations refusing to use the levers of influence at their disposal – then the next set of mass deaths of children in Gaza will not be from bullets and bombs, it will be from starvation and malnutrition,” she said.

Ms. Soeripti was speaking when New York City was rattled by a 4.8 magnitude earthquake, which was also felt in the Security Council Chamber. “You’re making the ground shake,” commented the Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine, Riyad Mansour, who sat beside her.

Continuing, she called for safe access and a ceasefire in Gaza so humanitarians can save lives, and for more aid and the resumption of commercial trade and markets. A plan to finance and rebuild critical infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, water systems and homes, is also needed.

Following the briefings, Council members roundly condemned the recent killings of World Central Kitchen aid workers and called for bigger, swifter aid deliveries. Many called for a ceasefire and for Security Council resolutions to be fully implemented, demanding an end to hostilities to get aid in and hostages out.

Algeria: ‘We must act now’

Algeria’s Ambassador Amar Benjama said Council members had gathered “once again as the aggression against the innocent Palestinian people reaches its six-month mark in two days; we must put an end to this aberration.”

The crime perpetrated against World Central Kitchen is neither surprising nor an exception, he said, adding that “it is just a new chapter in the book of crimes” committed so far.

He said Israel’s reaction had been “shameful” and a continuation of its doctrine of occupation and oppression.

“Humanitarian workers cannot be asked to serve at the peril of their lives,” he said.

“The international community and the Security Council cannot remain inert as life drains from Gaza. In the name of humanity, we must act now,” he added.

Russia: Ceasefire only way to prevent ‘apocalypse’

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia noted the UN expert on the Occupied Palestinian Territory had found evidence that genocide is being committed.

A genuine ceasefire is needed to prevent “an apocalypse in Gaza”, he said, adding that Israel is flagrantly disregarding Security Council resolutions.

As such, the Council should take action that could include sanctions.

Regarding the ongoing aid crisis, he said symbolic measures, like building a pier to receive goods, are just “humanitarian public relations”, adding that Israel is “hyping up” its allegations against UNRWA without providing evidence.

Israel’s “information war” has led to the United States and others ending funding to the UN agency, and Israeli authorities have denied UNRWA access to northern Gaza, where needs are great.

Asking whether Israel’s killing of aid workers including UN staff – and its other “atrocities” – will be investigated, he said the Council was duty-bound to address the situation.

Food convoys travelling into northern Gaza have been hit by shelling.

China urges support for Palestine’s UN membership

China’s Ambassador said Council resolution 2728 called for a ceasefire, but every day hundreds of civilians are dying as are aid workers and urged Israel to implement it immediately.

“The humanitarian disaster is beyond imagination,” he said.

Noting that all Council resolutions are binding, the ambassador said members could take further action to ensure the resolution 2728 is fully implemented.

Attacks on humanitarian workers are “shocking”, he said, and ending the violence is essential, as is working towards the two-State solution to the conflict.

“The key is we need to support Palestine’s full membership at the UN,” he said.

France says Israel must stick to its commitments

Nicholas de Rivière, the Ambassador of France, condemned the Israeli strike which caused the death of the seven World Central Kitchen staff and called on the Israeli authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and not let those responsible go unpunished.

Israel has made this commitment and will have to stick to it, he said.

Taking note of the measures announced on Friday by the Israeli government to increase humanitarian aid, he called on Israel to implement these announcements without delay.

“We call for the full implementation of Security Council resolution 2728 and an immediate and lasting ceasefire. France reaffirms its firm opposition to a ground offensive in Rafah which would result in a humanitarian catastrophe of a new magnitude. Achieving a ceasefire is a top priority for France.

United States: ‘Humanitarian personnel must be protected’

US representative John Kelley said despite the Security Council and General Assembly underlining the imperative to protect humanitarian workers, parties in Gaza are tragically not heeding those calls, including the attack on World Central Kitchen workers.

Representative John Kelley of the United States addresses the UN Security Council.

“An incident like this should have never happened and should never happen again,” he said, adding that this was not a stand-alone incident, with more than 220 aid workers being killed and more injured during the conflict. “Humanitarian personnel must be protected.”

Israel must announce and implement a series of steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering and the safety of aid workers, he said, stating that “US policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by Israel’s immediate action on these steps.”

Given the allegations of UNRWA ties to Hamas, Washington supports ongoing investigations and noted the agency’s lifesaving work in Gaza amid a looming famine, he said, adding that “onerous restrictions on UNRWA’s work are unacceptable.”

Meanwhile, the US continues to make every effort to deliver aid to Gaza’s population, the entirety of which is in need of humanitarian assistance. But, this is not enough, and more aid must enter the enclave.

Washington has urged Israel to conclude a deal without delay to bring the hostages home and for Hamas to accept the deal “on the table”, he said.

Palestine: ‘Our failure means their deaths’

Ambassador Mansour, Permanent Observer for the observer State of Palestine, said Israel has destroyed homes, killed entire families, displaced the entire population, demolished hospitals and “made every effort to ensure no help could reach our people”.

“It is killing those who heal, those who rescue, those who provide aid and relief, those who feed, those who report,” he said. “Being a Palestinian is enough to be killed. Trying to help Palestinians is enough to be killed.”

The killing of World Central Kitchen aid workers is not an isolated incident, but “confirmation of what you all knew, for months now: Israel is targeting those that the laws of war were established to protect”, he said, adding that it is unfortunate it took the killing of foreigners for some to fully acknowledge the fate reserved to Palestinians for 180 days now.

‘You all knew what was coming six months ago’

At the same time, he said, Israel has ignored the Council’s demand for an immediate ceasefire and the ICJ’s order to prevent genocide.

Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, addresses the UN Security Council.

“The problem is that Israel can violate these rules, demands and orders in full impunity,” he warned.

“We knew, you all knew, what was coming six months ago,” he said. “We knew and you knew Israel would resort to mass and indiscriminate killing, to total destruction and devastation, that famine was on the way.”

He told ambassadors that “this genocide” was announced by Israeli leaders, perpetrated in broad daylight, “displayed on your screens” and “discussed in your meetings.

“Many of you were mobilised to stop it, but there are still tools that were not used, not even considered,” he said, adding that one day, as for other genocides, a lot will be said about these failures, but action is needed now and calling on Council members to figure out a way to stop the massacre and premeditated killing of children, women and men.

“I call on you to bring immediate relief to desperate parents who have withstood what no parent should endure and children who have suffered what no children should suffer for 260,000 minutes now,” he said. “Our failures mean their death. That should be reason enough for us to do everything in our power to bring this tragedy to an end.”

A residential block in the Al-Shaboura neighbourhood in the city of Rafah, lies in ruins.

Israel expresses sorrow for World Central Kitchen incident

Israel’s Ambassador Gilad Erdan expressed his delegation’s sorrow over the tragic incident that claimed the lives, of World Central Kitchen staff.

This was a tragic mistake for Israel never targets civilians, let alone humanitarian workers, he said, adding that the incident has been investigated by an independent body and two military officers have been dismissed.

He explained that the military standard operating procedures were violated due to Hamas’s cynical habit of exploiting civilians and that Israel is amid a defensive operation against an enemy who uses civilians as human shields.

“We did not start this war; we were attacked,” he said. “Due to the complexity of the battlefield, tragedy that took the life of our own people has occurred. The reality is that the loss of innocent lives during a war is sometimes unavoidable.”

Ambassador Gilad Erdan of Israel addresses the UN Security Council.

‘The war can end today’

The world must not forget why this war began, he continued.

“We are the ones who were butchered, and we are fighting to not be butchered again,” he said, emphasising that if Hamas frees all hostages, “the war can end today.”

The Security Council had demanded a ceasefire with “no strings attached”, he said, but there can be no solution as long as Gaza continues to be ruled by Hamas, which is responsible for the casualties and the humanitarian situation.

For its part, Israel imposes no limit on the amount of aid entering Gaza, but hundreds of trucks are held up waiting “because the UN failed to establish an efficient distribution mechanism”, he said, adding that on Thursday Israel decided to “ramp up” the amount of aid crossing into the enclave.

“You focus on Israel while ignoring the terrorists who have initiated this war,” he told Council members. “What does the Security Council have to say about Hamas, the looting of humanitarian aid, the rape of Israeli women or the daily firing of rockets? This discussion is detached from reality even though the truth is so clear. The time has come to stop defending terrorists.”

Stories from the UN Archive: Greatest of All Time fights for peace

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6 April 2024

Stories from the UN Archive: Greatest of All Time fights for peace

“Here’s a little Black boy from Louisville, Kentucky, sitting in the United Nations talking to presidents of the world, why? Because I’m a good boxer,” he said at a press conference at UN Headquarters in 1979. “I needed boxing to get here. So, my purpose is to use boxing to get to people.”

Devoting most of his time outside the boxing ring to the pursuit of peace, Mr. Ali had earlier delivered a statement at the UN the year before to address the UN Special Committee against Apartheid in South Africa.

From the 1970s until his death in 2016, the United States Olympic gold medallist floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee, as he often aptly described himself, both inside and outside the boxing ring.

Listen to our Podcast Classic episode below.

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God, boxing and fame

Over his career, Mr. Ali supported relief and development initiatives. He hand-delivered food and medical supplies to hospitals, street children and orphanages in Africa and Asia.

In a press conference at UN Headquarters in 1979, Mr. Ali spoke about God, boxing and using his fame for a good cause. The son of a sign painter, he also talked about painting for peace.

Listen to the full press conference here.

Muhammad Ali (centre) attends a 2004 ceremony to mark the International Day of Peace at UN Headquarters. (file)

Giving back to fight African drought

Mr. Ali also visited UN Headquarters in 1975, ahead of his title fight against Chuck Wepner, announcing that the promoters would give 50 cents from the proceeds of each ticket sold to African drought relief.

At the time, promoter Don King said he expected an audience of 500,000 to a million via closed-circuit TV. The money was divided equally between the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Africare, a Black aid organization, to help dig wells in Senegal and Niger.

UN Messenger of Peace

Known worldwide as “the Greatest”, three-time World Heavyweight Champion boxer Muhammad Ali was designated UN Messenger of Peace in 1998.

Bringing people together by preaching “healing” to everyone irrespective of race, religion or age, over the years Mr. Ali was a relentless advocate for people in need and a significant humanitarian actor in the developing world.

Upon his death in 2016, then Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the UN was grateful “to have benefitted from the life and work of one of the past century’s great humanitarians and advocates for understanding and peace”.

On #ThrowbackThursday, UN News is showcasing pivotal moments across the UN’s past. From the infamous and nearly-forgotten to world leaders and global superstars, stay tuned for a taste of the UN Audiovisual Library’s 49,400 hours of video recordings and 18,000 hours of audio chronicling.

Visit UN Video’s Stories from the UN Archive playlist here and our accompanying series here. Join us next Thursday for another dive into history.

International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, 6 April

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5 April 2024

International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, 6 April

The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP), which takes place annually on 6 April, presents an opportunity to recognize the positive role sport and physical activity play in communities and in people’s lives across the globe.

The global theme for 2024 is “Sport for the Promotion of Peaceful and Inclusive Societies”.

Sport has the power to align our passion, energy and enthusiasm around a collective cause. And that is precisely when hope can be nurtured and trust can be regained. It is in our collective interest to harness the tremendous power of sport to help build a better and more sustainable future for all.”
– UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed

In observance of the International Day, on April 4 an event at UN Headquarters in New York will focus on how prominent sporting bodies engage in partnerships to make positive impacts for people and the environments in which they operate. It will bring together members of the international sporting community – including members of the United Nations Football for the Goals initiative – to share best practices, discuss challenges, and explore collaborative opportunities to drive positive social change and contribute to global efforts towards sustainable development and peace.

The United Nations has long recognized the power and universality of sport, using it to unite individuals and groups through supporting sport for development efforts, participating in events from the global to the grassroots level, and developing its own sports-related campaigns and initiatives.

Background

Due to its vast reach, unparalleled popularity and foundation of positive values, sport is ideally positioned to contribute towards the United Nations’ objectives for development and peace.

To raise awareness of this potential, 6 April was declared as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) by the UN General Assembly. The adoption of this Day signifies the increasing recognition by the UN of the positive influence that sport can have on the advancement of human rights, and social and economic development.

In its Resolution (A/RES/67/296) establishing the Day, the General Assembly

invites States, the United Nations system and, in particular, the United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace, relevant international organizations, and international, regional and national sport organisations, civil society including, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, and all other relevant stakeholders to cooperate, observe and raise awareness of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.”

©UNICEF/UN0156174/Martinez – Sport has been increasingly recognized and used as a low-cost and high-impact tool in humanitarian, development and peace-building efforts.

Haiti: Gangs have ‘more firepower than the police’

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5 April 2024

Haiti: Gangs have ‘more firepower than the police’

The consequences have plunged the Caribbean nation into an ongoing political and humanitarian crisis. Currently, there are “unprecedented levels of lawlessness”, UNODC’s regional representative Sylvie Bertrand told UN News.

From Russian AK-47s and United States-made AR-15s to Israeli Galil assault rifles, a spike in trafficking increasingly sophisticated weaponry has gripped Haiti since 2021, said the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in its latest report on the illegal arms trade in Haiti.

Many of these illegal weapons are behind recent news reports of random sniper attacks, mass lootings, kidnappings and attacks on prisons to free thousands of inmates, which in turn has displaced more than 362,000 Haitians who are fleeing the violence.

Displaced people shelter in a boxing arena in downtown Port-au-Prince after fleeing their homes during gang attacks in August 2023.

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More firepower than the police

Some gangs are using arms trafficking to fuel efforts to expand their reach and claiming strategic locations that are stymying efforts to halt the illegal entry of even more weapons, according to independent expert and author of Haiti’s Criminal Markets Robert Muggah.

“We have a very disconcerting and unsettling situation in Haiti, probably the worst I’ve seen in over 20 years of working in the country,” Mr. Muggah said.

Trafficked predominantly from the US, these “deadly arsenals” mean that gangs have “firepower that exceeds that of the Haitian National Police”, according to the UN panel of experts charged with monitoring sanctions the Security Council imposed on Haiti in 2022 amid worsening armed gang violence.

The problem is that as more weapons get in, the more gangs expand their control over such strategic points as ports and roads, making it even more difficult for authorities to prevent arms trafficking, UNODC’s Ms. Bertrand said.

Consequences on the ground

Some of the consequences of rampant gang violence are unfolding across Haiti.

UN-backed analysis found that almost half of Haiti’s 11.7 million citizens needs food assistance, and mass displacement continues as people flee to safety. Hospitals are reporting a sharp rise in gunshot deaths and injuries.

“The increasing number of weapons in circulation as well as the upgrading of arsenals is having an impact on the lethality and severity of the wounds being inflicted,” medical staff in Haiti told the UN panel of experts.

A fire burns as Haitians protest in 2022 over the government’s inability to provide security in the capital, Port-au-Prince. (file)

Mapping gang controlled areas

An estimated 150 to 200 armed groups now operate across Haiti, a country which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, said Mr. Muggah, who is an independent expert on security and development.

Right now, around 23 gangs operate in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince, have divided into two large coalitions: G-Pèp, led by Gabriel Jean Pierre, also called Ti Gabriel, and the G9 Family and Allies, led by Jimmy Chérizier, known as Barbecue.

In recent months, the two rival factions joined forces “in coordinated attacks” targeting the airport, the National Palace, the National Theatre, hospitals, schools, police stations, customs offices and ports, “effectively forcing their will and expanding their territory”, he explained.

“Gangs are in fact controlling very strategic areas of the capital and the main roads connecting Port-au-Prince to the ports and to the land borders as well as coastal towns and areas, where we see a lot of the trafficking happening,” Mr. Muggah said.

A burnt-out car serves as a barricade on a street in Port-au-Prince. With over 150 gangs operating in and around the country, all roads access in and out of Haiti’s capital are now under some gang control.

The demand: Large-calibre and ‘ghost guns’

Arms trafficking is a very lucrative business, even in small quantities, as the demand for weapons is increasing and prices are high, the panel of experts found.

For example, a 5.56mm semi-automatic rifle costing a few hundred dollars in the US is regularly sold for $5,000 to $8,000 in Haiti.

Findings further documented the presence of “ghost guns”, which are privately manufactured with relative ease by purchasing parts online, thus avoiding the control processes that apply to factory-made firearms. These weapons are not serialized and are therefore untraceable.

Firearms confiscated during border checks.

The supply: US sources and routes

A small number of Haitian gangs are highly specialised in the acquisition, storage and distribution of weapons and ammunition, according to the UNODC report.

Most of the firearms and ammunition trafficked into Haiti, whether directly or via another country, originate in the United States, said UNODC’s Ms. Bertrand, adding that the weapons and bullets are typically purchased from licensed retail outlets, gun shows or pawn shops and shipped by sea.

Suspicions have also emerged of illegal operations involving unregistered flights and small airports along the south Florida coast and the presence of clandestine airstrips in Haiti, she added.

Trafficking crackdowns

UNODC has identified four trafficking routes using Haiti’s porous borders, two from Florida via cargo ships to Port-au-Prince and to the north and west coasts through Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas and others via container ships, fishing vessels, barges or small aircrafts arriving at the northern city of Cap Haitien and by land crossings from the Dominican Republic.

Most seizures made by US authorities have been conducted in Miami, and even though control agencies doubled the number of searches in 2023, authorities sometimes do not find illicit arms and ammunition, often hidden among tightly stacked packages of all shapes and sizes, according to UNODC.

To make “a significant dent in in the flow of arms in the country”, the UN agency is training “control units” in ports and airports comprising police and customs officers and the Coast Guard to identify and inspect high-risk containers and cargo and is working to facilitate their use of radar and other critical tools, Ms. Bertrand said.

People who fled their homes due to violence are now living in a school hosted in a school in Port-au-Prince.

International community must ‘step up’

But, security needs to be stabilised to improve Haiti’s ability to monitor and control all its borders, she said, adding that “law enforcement officers are very busy trying to contain the crisis in the streets of Port-au-Prince.”

Regarding the forthcoming UN Security Council-mandated multinational security support mission, Ms. Bertrand said it will be essential to “support the very courageous work that is already been being done by the police”.

Mr. Muggah agreed, saying that strengthening the Haitian National Police is “an absolute priority”.

“In a geopolitical environment where many of the actors are in some cases paralysed to respond”, he warned, the international community has an “incredibly important responsibility” to support Haiti in this time of critical need “because a bad situation could get dramatically worse if we don’t step up”.