Although there are no official estimates of the scale of fraud in the $195 billion global fisheries and aquaculture sector, empirical studies suggest that 20 percent of trade may be subject to some type of fraud, according to FAO. Menu of misinformation Some studies suggest that […]
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
The measures would make it easier for Jewish settlers to take over Palestinian land, thus expanding Israel’s power in the territory, according to media reports.
The UN chief warned that the current trajectory on the ground – including this decision – is eroding the prospect for the two-State solution, according to a statement issued by his Spokesperson.
He reiterated that all Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and their associated regime and infrastructure, have no legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation of international law, including relevant UN resolutions.
“Such actions, including Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are not only destabilizing but – as recalled by the International Court of Justice – unlawful,” the statement said.
The Secretary-General called on Israel to reverse the measures.
He also urged all parties “to preserve the only path to lasting peace, a negotiated two-State solution, in line with relevant Security Council resolutions and international law.”
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric was asked about the statement during his regular briefing to journalists in New York.
“These decisions are not moving us in the right direction,” he said.
“They are driving us further and further away from a two-State solution and from the ability of the Palestinian authority and the Palestinian people to control their own destiny.”
Meanwhile, humanitarians in the Gaza Strip continue to respond to the immense needs of the population despite impediments and a challenging operating environment.
The UN and partners are serving hundreds of thousands of meals each day, in addition to providing digital cash and monthly rations, Mr. Dujarric said.
Colleagues report that Gaza City continues to face a severe shortage of drinking and domestic water despite the recent re-opening of the valve on the Mekorot supply line there that connects Israel to Gaza for fresh water.
Currently, only 6,000 cubic metres of water are reaching people in Gaza City every day, with significant losses in hard-to-reach areas.
“To mitigate this shortfall, we and our partners have increased water production and trucked deliveries from groundwater wells and private sector desalination plants,” he said.
Aid partners have distributed over 100,000 water jerry cans across the Gaza Strip since late January, he added.
They have also provided over 700,000 bars of soap, over 25,000 hygiene kits, over 400 household latrines, and 250 anti-lice kits
Since Wednesday, humanitarians working in mine action have conducted over 200 assessments of potential explosive hazards in support of the removal of debris.
They reached over 10,000 children and adults last week with education warning them of the risks of explosive ordnance which remains a major threat.
Thirty-three explosive ordnance incidents have been reported since the ceasefire came into effect last October, resulting in nine deaths and 65 injuries.
UN aid coordination office, OCHA, noted that humanitarians continue to be hampered by restrictions, including limitations on the entry of so-called “dual use” items and those listed as non-humanitarian in nature.
This includes spare parts and certain shelter materials.
Humanitarian operations are also being undermined by Israel’s de-registration of some international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and restrictions imposed on the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees – UNRWA – and sister agencies.
“We can only expect the worst” Unless steps are taken to stop the bloodshed, Türk told member states at the Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, where he reiterated his call for the extension of the arms embargo […]
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
Are you an off-road enthusiast? If you enjoy dirt roads more than highways, you probably know how important
According to the relief coordination office, OCHA, rains since Saturday have caused widespread flooding in parts of Idlib and northern Latakia, damaging around 1,800 tents and destroying at least 150 tents in camps housing displaced families. A local hospital was also forced to suspend operations, […]
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
For decades, treating serious brain disorders has often required making a difficult trade-off. Symptoms could be relieved, but usually at the cost of invasive surgery and implanted electrodes that remain in the body for life. “Having wires in your body is not ideal,” said neuroscientist Mavi Sanchez-Vives, lead […]
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
According to the relief coordination office, OCHA, rainfall since Saturday caused widespread flooding across parts of Idleb and northern Latakia, damaging around 1,800 tents and destroying at least 150 in camps housing displaced families.
A local hospital was also forced to suspend operations, with patients having been evacuated and mobile medical teams deployed. Authorities have opened shelters and prepared additional housing for families in need.
Humanitarian partners are relocating displaced families, repairing damaged shelters and delivering emergency assistance, including food and non-food items, OCHA said.
In a separate incident linked to the response, a Syrian Arab Red Crescent staff member was killed and five others injured when their vehicle crashed while assisting flood-affected communities.
The flooding comes as displacement persists in other parts of the country.
While fighting has subsided in the governorates of Aleppo, Al-Hasakeh and Ar-Raqqa following a 30 January accord, nearly 160,000 people remain displaced as of 3 February.
Humanitarian access has improved in some areas, but major challenges remain. Electricity outages continue to disrupt water systems, telecommunications are intermittent, food supplies are limited, explosive ordnance is still a threat and schools remain suspended.
Hurricane Melissa struck Cuba in late October 2025, causing massive devastation across the island nation.
The United Nations is calling for urgent funding to support humanitarian operations in Cuba, where fuel shortages following the suspension of supplies from Venezuela are disrupting essential services and hampering recovery efforts following last year’s Hurricane Melissa.
“The UN continues to monitor the situation in the country and is working with the Government to provide more support, including food, water and sanitation, and healthcare,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said at a regular news briefing in New York.
“We are concerned about the growing fuel shortages and their impact on people,” he added, noting that disruptions to the delivery of clean water, medical care, food and other critical aid.
In November 2025, the UN in Cuba launched a Plan of Action to support the national response to Hurricane Melissa, which affected more than two million people – roughly one in five residents nationwide.
The plan focuses on helping families recover and restoring essential services, while supporting longer-term recovery efforts led by national authorities.
The Plan of Action seeks $74 million but is currently only 23 per cent funded.
An international effort to accelerate the elimination of child labour will get underway later this week in Morocco, as governments and partners meet to confront a crisis still affecting 138 million children worldwide.
From 11 to 13 February, Morocco will host the sixth Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour, led by the UN International Labour Organization (ILO) and bringing together governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, civil society, the private sector and international partners.
The meeting comes at a critical moment.
According to UN estimates, 138 million children remain in child labour globally, including around 54 million engaged in hazardous work that threatens their health, safety and development. Africa accounts for 87 million of those children.
Agriculture remains the largest driver, accounting for 61 per cent of child labour globally, particularly in smallholder farming.
ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo underscored the link between decent work and child protection, saying: “Children belong in school, not in labour. Parents must themselves be supported and have access to decent work so that they can afford to ensure that their children are in classrooms.”
While progress has been made – child labour has nearly halved since 2000 and declined by more than 20 million since 2020 – the world missed the Sustainable Development Goal target to eliminate child labour in all its forms by 2025.
press releasePublished February 10, 2026 Image©József Ölveti, AEE Urban Treasures Transport remains the most persistent climate challenge in Europe. While rail offers a low-emission alternative for moving people and goods, Europe’s continued reliance on road transport keeps greenhouse gas emissions […]
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
Transport remains Europe’s most persistent climate challenge. While rail offers a low-emission alternative for moving people and goods, Europe’s continued reliance on road transport is keeping greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions high, according to a report published today by the European Environment Agency.
Transport is essential to modern society and the European economy, supporting more than 10 million jobs and contributing around 5% of the EU’s gross domestic product. At the same time, it is the only major sector where greenhouse gas emissions have increased since 1990. In 2023, transport accounted for roughly a third of total EU greenhouse gas emissions, with road transport responsible for the vast majority, according to the Sustainability of Europe’s mobility systems 2025 report, published today.
Reaching the EU’s objectives — including climate neutrality by 2050 and the Zero Pollution targets for 2030 — requires sustained efforts. Yet, despite progress in reducing exhaust emissions over recent decades, transport also continues to exert significant pressure on the environment and human health. Emissions of certain pollutants, including ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O), remain difficult to reduce, while noise pollution from transport continues to affect millions of people across Europe.
Road transport remains dominant for both passenger and freight travel. Passenger cars account for around 72% of transport activity in Europe, while public transport has not significantly increased its share. In 2023, road transport was responsible for nearly three quarters of transport-related greenhouse gas emissions, reflecting the sector’s continued dependence on fossil fuels, which supplied more than 90% of its energy use. Road traffic is also the main source of transport-related noise, with around 90 million people in the EU exposed to harmful noise levels above established thresholds.
Rail transport, by contrast, offers high energy efficiency and low greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions. It represents one of the most effective options for reducing the environmental footprint of transport, particularly for medium- and long-distance travel. However, Europe’s rail system remains fragmented, and limited cross-border integration continues to constrain its ability to compete with car and air travel. In freight transport, rail activity declined between 1995 and 2023, although demand is expected to increase in the coming decade.
Looking ahead, aviation and maritime transport are projected to account for a growing share of Europe’s transport emissions. Their combined contribution is expected to rise from around a quarter of transport-related greenhouse gas emissions today to nearly half by 2050, highlighting the need for sustained action across all transport modes.
The report concludes that achieving a sustainable transport system in Europe will require consistent public and private investment, continued innovation, and the effective and thorough implementation of existing legislation, including the revised Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the new ETS2, with strict standards for road, aviation and maritime.
Making cleaner transport modes more accessible and attractive for both passengers and freight is essential to reducing emissions, improving air quality and lowering noise pollution across Europe.
“We can only expect worse to come” unless action is taken to halt the bloodshed, Mr. Türk told Member States at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, as he reiterated his call for the extension of an arms embargo from Darfur to include all of Sudan.
Rival militaries from the national army and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia have been battling for control of the country for nearly three years.
Something must be done to address the “continuous inflow of weapons”, the High Commissioner for Human Rights insisted, after recounting testimonies of survivors of atrocity crimes in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, by paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) who overran the city last October.
“In one horrific example, people who fled to separate locations, thousands of kilometres apart, gave consistent accounts of the mass killing of hundreds of people sheltering at El Fasher University,” he said, describing convincing testimony that some victims were targeted based on their non-Arab ethnicity – in particular, members of the Zaghawa ethnic group.
“Survivors also spoke of seeing piles of dead bodies along roads leading away from El Fasher, in an apocalyptic scene that one person likened to the Day of Judgment,” the High Commissioner continued, his comments echoing the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) conclusion last month that war crimes and crimes against humanity had taken place in El-Fasher, linked to the RSF’s siege.
“Our own findings are fully consistent” with that ICC assessment, Mr. Türk told the Human Rights Council, at a meeting held specifically on the Sudan emergency.
Previously, the UN rights chief noted that his office has warned about previous atrocity crimes such as the RSF offensive to capture Zamzam camp for displaced people in April 2025.
“Responsibility for these atrocity crimes lies squarely with the RSF and their allies and supporters,” he said.
The war in Sudan erupted in April 2023, after a power-sharing agreement broke down in the resource-rich central African nation between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF.
The resulting humanitarian emergency has affected more than 30 million people in Sudan; many have faced repeated displacement and others have been impacted by famine and systematic sexual violence, including gang rape.
As the fighting continues away from the Darfurs in the west to the central Kordofans regions, observers fear that further grave abuses are bound to happen, including by “advanced drone weaponry systems used by both sides”, Mr. Türk warned.
“In the last two weeks, the SAF and allied Joint Forces broke the sieges on Kadugli and Dilling,” the High Commissioner said. “But drone strikes by both sides continue, resulting in dozens of civilian deaths and injuries.
Civilians are at risk of summary executions, sexual violence, arbitrary detention, and family separation.”
In a bid to prevent further bloodshed, the High Commissioner announced a series of measures “to support mediation efforts” and de-escalate violence.
These include commitments not to target civilians or residential areas with explosive weapons, to enable the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid, to end arbitrary detention and cease attacks on civilian infrastructure.
“I witnessed the damage done by RSF attacks on Merowe dam and hydroelectric power station, which once supplied 70 per cent of Sudan’s electricity. Repeated drone strikes have disrupted power and water supplies to huge numbers of people, with a serious impact on healthcare,” he said.
