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Gaza: Over 400 Palestinians killed around private aid hubs, UN rights office says

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Gaza: Over 400 Palestinians killed around private aid hubs, UN rights office says

The alert comes nearly a month since the Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) started operating on 27 May in select hubs, bypassing the UN and other established NGOs.

Its food distribution points have been associated frequently with confusion and shooting as desperate and hungry Gazans rush to fetch supplies, said UN human rights office spokesperson Thameen Al-Keetan.

“Israel’s militarized humanitarian assistance mechanism is in contradiction with international standards on aid distribution,” he insisted. “The weaponization of food for civilians, in addition to restricting or preventing their access to life-sustaining services, constitutes a war crime and, under certain circumstances, may constitute elements of other crimes under international law.”

In its latest update on the emergency, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, reported that “scores of people of all ages are being killed and injured every day” in the shattered enclave.

“Humanitarian operations of sufficient scale are not facilitated, leaving unaddressed the critical needs of those who have so far survived,” it said.

Shelled or shot 

In Geneva, meanwhile, OHCHR’s Mr. Al-Keetan explained that private aid hub victims were either “shelled or shot” by the Israel Defense Forces. They have endangered civilians and contributed to the “catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza”, he maintained.

At least 93 people have also been reportedly killed by the Israeli army while attempting to approach the few remaining aid convoys of the UN and other aid partners still operating in Gaza.

In a previous alert, the UN human rights office has condemned the possible summary execution of Palestinian staff associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation by armed men allegedly affiliated with Hamas.

“These killings must end immediately, and those responsible held to account,” the UN office said in a statement.

Most vulnerable miss out

The OHCHR spokesperson noted that women and children, along with older people and those with disabilities continue to face “multiple challenges” accessing food in Gaza today.

Looting of aid convoys is now commonplace in Gaza after more than 20 months of daily Israeli bombardment as a result of a near-total blockade on humanitarian supplies including food, fuel and medicine.

The result is that Gaza’s most vulnerable individuals are unable to access any of this diverted aid, the UN human rights office told UN News.

To date, at least 3,000 Palestinians have been injured in incidents associated with the non-UN aid hubs and looting.

“Desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risk being killed while trying to get food,” the UN human rights office explained.

Ongoing aid obstacles

Although the UN and other aid providers still function in Gaza, they are reliant on the Israeli authorities to facilitate their missions. On Saturday and Sunday, only eight out of 16 requests for humanitarian operations were approved, aid teams reported.

“Half of [the missions] were denied outright, hindering the tracking of water and fuel, the provision of nutrition services and the retrieval of the bodies,” said Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the Information Service at UN Geneva.

Her comments followed a warning from the UN’s top aid official in Gaza on Sunday who described dire scenes and “carnage”.

“It is weaponized hunger. It is forced displacement. It’s a death sentence for people just trying to survive. All combined, it appears to be the erasure of Palestinian life from Gaza,” said OCHA’s Head of Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Jonathan Whittall.

Telecommunications have now been restored across Gaza after damaged fibre cables were repaired at the weekend.

“For the first time in days, humanitarian teams have had more than 24 hours of relatively stable connectivity – something that is essential to coordinate emergency relief and save lives,” OCHA said in Monday evening’s update.

But without urgent fuel deliveries, telecommunications “will go down again very soon”, the UN aid wing warned.

Fuel crisis

“Fuel is also needed to keep emergency rooms running, power ambulances, and operate water desalination and pumping stations,” it explained.

“Right now, teams on the ground are rationing what little fuel remains and working to retrieve stocks stored inside Gaza, in areas that are hard to reach.”

Access to Nasser Medical Complex is also limited because there is not enough fuel for transportation “and health workers and patients fear for their safety”, OCHA continued.

“Last week, in Khan Younis, in-patient admissions at field hospitals increased threefold, largely due to access challenges at Nasser, which also saw an influx of trauma patients and has been overwhelmed since.”

Most of Gaza remains under displacement orders issued by the Israeli military, including another one on Monday for two neighbourhoods in Khan Younis city, reportedly following Palestinian rocket fire from these areas.

“These neighbourhoods were already subject to earlier displacement orders and include two hospitals – Al Amal and Nasser,” OCHA said. “While Israeli authorities have clarified that the hospitals are not required to evacuate, OCHA says the designation is nonetheless hindering access to those critical facilities for both patients and medical staff.”

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Gaza: Over 400 Palestinians killed around private aid hubs, UN rights office says

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Gaza: Over 400 Palestinians killed around private aid hubs, UN rights office says

The alert comes nearly a month since the Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) started operating on 27 May in select hubs, bypassing the UN and other established NGOs.

Its food distribution points have been associated frequently with confusion and shooting as desperate and hungry Gazans rush to fetch supplies, said UN human rights office spokesperson Thameen Al-Keetan.

“Israel’s militarized humanitarian assistance mechanism is in contradiction with international standards on aid distribution,” he insisted. “The weaponization of food for civilians, in addition to restricting or preventing their access to life-sustaining services, constitutes a war crime and, under certain circumstances, may constitute elements of other crimes under international law.”

In its latest update on the emergency, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, reported that “scores of people of all ages are being killed and injured every day” in the shattered enclave.

“Humanitarian operations of sufficient scale are not facilitated, leaving unaddressed the critical needs of those who have so far survived,” it said.

Shelled or shot 

In Geneva, meanwhile, OHCHR’s Mr. Al-Keetan explained that private aid hub victims were either “shelled or shot” by the Israel Defense Forces. They have endangered civilians and contributed to the “catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza”, he maintained.

At least 93 people have also been reportedly killed by the Israeli army while attempting to approach the few remaining aid convoys of the UN and other aid partners still operating in Gaza.

In a previous alert, the UN human rights office has condemned the possible summary execution of Palestinian staff associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation by armed men allegedly affiliated with Hamas.

“These killings must end immediately, and those responsible held to account,” the UN office said in a statement.

Most vulnerable miss out

The OHCHR spokesperson noted that women and children, along with older people and those with disabilities continue to face “multiple challenges” accessing food in Gaza today.

Looting of aid convoys is now commonplace in Gaza after more than 20 months of daily Israeli bombardment as a result of a near-total blockade on humanitarian supplies including food, fuel and medicine.

The result is that Gaza’s most vulnerable individuals are unable to access any of this diverted aid, the UN human rights office told UN News.

To date, at least 3,000 Palestinians have been injured in incidents associated with the non-UN aid hubs and looting.

“Desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risk being killed while trying to get food,” the UN human rights office explained.

Ongoing aid obstacles

Although the UN and other aid providers still function in Gaza, they are reliant on the Israeli authorities to facilitate their missions. On Saturday and Sunday, only eight out of 16 requests for humanitarian operations were approved, aid teams reported.

“Half of [the missions] were denied outright, hindering the tracking of water and fuel, the provision of nutrition services and the retrieval of the bodies,” said Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the Information Service at UN Geneva.

Her comments followed a warning from the UN’s top aid official in Gaza on Sunday who described dire scenes and “carnage”.

“It is weaponized hunger. It is forced displacement. It’s a death sentence for people just trying to survive. All combined, it appears to be the erasure of Palestinian life from Gaza,” said OCHA’s Head of Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Jonathan Whittall.

Telecommunications have now been restored across Gaza after damaged fibre cables were repaired at the weekend.

“For the first time in days, humanitarian teams have had more than 24 hours of relatively stable connectivity – something that is essential to coordinate emergency relief and save lives,” OCHA said in Monday evening’s update.

But without urgent fuel deliveries, telecommunications “will go down again very soon”, the UN aid wing warned.

Fuel crisis

“Fuel is also needed to keep emergency rooms running, power ambulances, and operate water desalination and pumping stations,” it explained.

“Right now, teams on the ground are rationing what little fuel remains and working to retrieve stocks stored inside Gaza, in areas that are hard to reach.”

Access to Nasser Medical Complex is also limited because there is not enough fuel for transportation “and health workers and patients fear for their safety”, OCHA continued.

“Last week, in Khan Younis, in-patient admissions at field hospitals increased threefold, largely due to access challenges at Nasser, which also saw an influx of trauma patients and has been overwhelmed since.”

Most of Gaza remains under displacement orders issued by the Israeli military, including another one on Monday for two neighbourhoods in Khan Younis city, reportedly following Palestinian rocket fire from these areas.

“These neighbourhoods were already subject to earlier displacement orders and include two hospitals – Al Amal and Nasser,” OCHA said. “While Israeli authorities have clarified that the hospitals are not required to evacuate, OCHA says the designation is nonetheless hindering access to those critical facilities for both patients and medical staff.”

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EU strengthens rules on right to vote

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EU strengthens rules on right to vote

New EU rules will help to strengthen the electoral rights of EU citizens living in another EU country. The rules will provide proactive information to citizens about their voting rights and registration conditions, as well as standardised registration templates to make registration more accessible.

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Guterres urges Iran and Israel to “fully respect” the ceasefire

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Before the two parties confirmed that a ceasefire was in place Thursday evening Thursday evening, the two parties exchanged fire, the residents of Tehran saying that they had experienced a heavy attack dam.

Before leaving Washington for a NATO summit in Europe, President Trump expressed his frustration in the face of violations of the Fragile Cee-Feu agreement, urging Iran and Israel to observe the truce.

In a social media position, UN chief António Guterres urged the two countries to fully respect the ceasefire.

“The fights must stop. The inhabitants of the two countries have already suffered too much, “he said, adding that it was his” sincere hope “that the cease-fire can extend to other parts of the region.

It is my sincere hope that this cease-fire can be reproduced in other conflicts in the region.

The IAEA chief underlines the need for a new solid nuclear agreement

Earlier, the chief of the nuclear guard dog supported by the UN urged Tehran to consider “resuming cooperation” with the international community to suppress any persistent hostility around his nuclear program. [the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)] is the key to a successful agreement, “said Managing Director Rafael Grossi.

In a short online article on X, Mr. Grossi added that he had proposed to meet the Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi to work together, ” Underline this step can lead to a diplomatic solution to longtime controversy»On the Iranian nuclear program.

Concern of Tehran prison

Meanwhile, the United Nations Human Rights Office, Ohchrinsisted that a notorious teheran prison known to have dissidents should not be a target, one day after an Israeli strike reported on the complex.

Ohchr spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan, the Evin prison was not a military objective, said to the media in Geneva.

“The target is a serious violation of international humanitarian law,” he said.

Ohchr has no specific details on what the alleged attack said Al-Kheetan, but there would have been fires inside the prison and a number of injuries.

Number of victims

On Tuesday, a victim chief updated from the Iranian authorities said that 610 people have been killed, including 49 women and 13 children since June 13. This number includes two pregnant women and an infant as well as 4,746 injured, including 185 women and 65 minors.

Seven hospitals, four health units and six emergency bases and nine ambulances were damaged, Iranian health authorities said.

Some 28 Israeli citizens have been killed by Iranian missile strikes to date.

Civilians must be protected

Political prisoners, including journalists, are detained in Evin prison, but whether they are detained “arbitrarily” or in relation to “crimes they have really committed”, the detainees must be protected, insisted Mr. Al-Kheetan.

According to the media on Tuesday, Iran said that he had transferred all prison prisoners after being struck by an Israeli strike, moving them to other prisons around the capital in order to repair damage.

A fragile ceasefire proposed by the United States seemed to settle briefly on Tuesday morning, before reports of new Iranian missile strikes in Israel, disputed by Tehran.

The conflict began with Israeli air attacks on June 13 and intensified during the weekend with American forces striking Iranian nuclear installations. Hundreds of civilians were said to have been killed during Israeli air strikes, while Iran’s reprisals have killed nearly 30 people in Israel.

Asked about the signs of a repression against the dissent of the Iranian authorities in the context of the Israeli and American military campaign against the country, the spokesperson for the OHCH stressed that it was “difficult to verify the information” from Iran, given the lack of access.

He confirmed that reports on Iranians “arrested for cyber and publishing content related to Israeli attacks against Iran, according to NGOs”.

Mr. Al-Kheetan also spoke of reports that nine men were executed in Iran since Israel attacked the country on June 13.

He called on the Iranian authorities to “completely respect the rights to freedom of expression and information, at any time”, insisting that journalists “must be able to do their work without any obstacle”.

Iranian citizens have arrested and accused of spying or collaboration with Israel “should have their full rights in terms of legal proceedings and a fair trial,” he said.

“If these arrests are arbitrary, these people must be released immediately and unconditionally,” he concluded.

Concerns of the Human Rights Council

On Monday, independent human rights experts reiterated their concerns concerning “the use by Iran of national security offenses, some of which are liable to Iran, some of which are liable to death”, in the context of recent executions reported on charges of espionage.

Last week, the deputy chief of the UN, Nada al-Nashif, told the Human Rights Council that at least 975 people were executed in Iran last year – the largest number of executions reported since 2015.

She also informed the Council on the use of torture in Iranian prisons and the continuous targeting of minorities, journalists and human rights defenders.

Originally published at Almouwatin.com

What time is it on the moon? Everything is relative …

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You can surely think that we can simply agree that a time zone can be used for “moon time”? Coordinated universal time (UTC), for example. How difficult can it be? Unfortunately, this does not work, for several reasons.

Here on earth, the chronometer is easy to take for granted: we divide our world into 24 time zones, based on the longitude and rotation of the planet, and can say the time based on the position of the sun in the sky.

But on the moon, the rules are different: a lunar “day” lasts about 29.5 days of the earth, and the equatorial regions of the moon can feel up to 14 days of continuous sun. On some of the highest mountains on the moon, nicknamed “Peaks of Eternal Light”, the sun never sets.

In addition to that, physicists and fans of science fiction will know that time is not the same on the moon as on earth. Place two perfectly synchronized clocks – one on earth and one on the moon – and, after a single day of the earth, the lunar clock would be ahead of around 56 microseconds. It may not seem much, but for navigation on spaceships, this small difference could be critical.

Unite efforts to standardize lunar time

For a moon time zone to work, budding lunar actors will have to agree on a current standard of time which is reliable, traceable in time based on earth and usable by everyone. Unoosa helps direct the charge to make it a reality.

In 2024, the United Nations International Committee for World Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) has established a dedicated working group to focus on the positioning, navigation and the lunar calendar, standardize the lunar time and trace it to the UTC that we use on earth, for the benefit of all future lunar missions.

Peace on earth, peace on the moon

The coordination of transparent timing on the Moon is part of a wider UN mission to ensure that lunar activities, whether public, private, scientific or commercial, are safe, peaceful and lasting. To this end, Unoosa summoned the first United Nations Conference on Sustainable Lunar Activities In June 2024, bringing together space agency heads, legal experts, astronauts, businesses and academics around the world to discuss common ground, share concerns and reaffirm the need for transparent and inclusive lunar governance mechanisms.

© NASA / JORDAN SALKIN / KEEGAN BAR

Earth view from the NASA earth observatory

One of these mechanisms to continue international cooperation is the new Action team on the consultation of lunar activities (ATLAC), which is designed to help promote dialogue and formulate recommendations on how exploration and lunar activities can be coordinated internationally. Atlac will work to finalize his work plan for significant years to come and identify priority subjects – such as the coordinated lunar stopwatch – to ensure that lunar activities take place in a cooperative and orderly manner.

Humanity is entering a new era of lunar exploration with a record number of nations and space organizations which could reshape our relationship with our nearest celestial neighbors for future generations.

Member States will be able to work with UNOOSA to preserve the Moon as an area of ​​global cooperation, guided by the main principle of the Treaty of the space that “the exploration and use of space, including the Moon, will be carried out for the benefit and in the interest of all countries”.

The astronaut of NASA Harrison Schmitt on the Moon (File, 1972)

Originally published at Almouwatin.com

Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Guatemala

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Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Guatemala

Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain third countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/1199 of 12 June 2025 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Guatemala.

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Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Guatemala

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Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Guatemala

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IPU Worldwide Parliamentarians Unite in Rome with the largest diversity to Champion Interfaith Dialogue

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IPU Worldwide Parliamentarians Unite in Rome with the largest diversity to Champion Interfaith Dialogue

Rome, 20 June 2025 — Parliamentarians and religious leaders from around the world have issued a powerful call for peace, hope and solidarity at the conclusion of the Second Parliamentary Conference on Interfaith Dialogue: Strengthening trust and embracing hope for our common future.

The event, jointly organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Parliament of Italy with support from Religions for Peace, was held in Rome from 19 to 20 June 2025, marking the Jubilee Year declared by the late Pope Francis. Delegates will also visited the Vatican on 21 June.

The Conference brought together nearly 300 hundred MPs, including Speakers, as well as circa 100 religious leaders and civil society representatives, , UN officials, and international experts from close to 100 countries, responding to the motto of the Jubilee Year to be “pilgrims of hope” amid a climate of growing conflict, polarization and the weaponization of religion.

Amid escalating wars and global unrest, Rome was the epicentre of parliamentary diplomacy and interfaith dialogue this week with the IPU and the Italian Parliament creating a unique space to unite parliamentary and religious leaders from around the world to find new and badly needed avenues for peace.

In their final declaration, the Rome Communiqué, the parliamentarians and religious leaders unequivocally condemn the misuse of religion or belief to incite hatred or violence.

The Communiqué emphasizes that interfaith dialogue — grounded in human dignity, inclusivity and respect for the rule of law — can prevent division, foster healing and build trust between communities.

It highlights the shared roles and joint responsibility of parliamentarians and religious leaders in advancing justice, dignity and human development, working together for peaceful coexistence.

Parliamentarians and religious leaders are urged to uphold democratic values, protect vulnerable groups, and promote ethical leadership through inclusion, compassion, accountability and solidarity.

The Communiqué stresses the importance of peace education, digital and human rights literacy, and empowering women and youth as well as people in situations of vulnerability.

The Rome Conference included sessions on upholding the rights of religious minorities, countering polarization, promoting the inclusion of women in public life and ensuring freedom of religion or belief.

Alongside many Speakers and Deputy Speakers of Parliament, notable delegates included Cardinal George Koovakad, President of the Dicastery of Interreligious Dialogue in the Vatican, Rabbi David Saperstein, former US Ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, Imam Yahya Pallavicini, Chairman of the European Muslim Leaders’ Majlis, Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative of the UN Alliance of Civilizations, Dr. Nazila Ghanea, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, and many others.

Among the featured speakers were Fernanda San Martin, Director of the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPP FoRB), Rev. Thomas Schirrmacher, former Secretary General of the World Evangelical Alliance, Iván Arjona-Pelado representing the Church of Scientology to the United Nations, European Union and OSCE, a descendant of Mahatma Gandhi, and Antonella Sberna, Vice President of the European Parliament.

The conference was also attended by Jon Ammons, Director of Interfaith Relations for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Stefano Bosco from LDS Charities to the UN in Geneva, and Saba Haddad of the Baháʼí International Community. In addition, numerous participants represented Christian denominations, Unificationists, Sikhs, Buddhists, Humanists, and many other belief traditions, reflecting the extraordinary religious and philosophical diversity gathered in Rome for the event.

The Conference builds on the momentum of the inaugural Parliamentary Conference on Interfaith Dialogue, held in Marrakesh, Morocco, in June 2023, which resulted in the Marrakesh Communiqué.

In the lead up to the Rome Conference, the IPU released the second part of its Parliamentary Report on Religion and Belief, Engagement with religion and belief by parliamentarians, which underscores the vital role of MPs in fostering peaceful, just and inclusive societies.

The IPU also released the latest episode in its podcast series IPU on air, on the power of interfaith dialogue.


About the IPU
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is the global organization of national parliaments. It was founded in 1889 as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. Today, the IPU comprises 181 national Member Parliaments and 14 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes peace, democracy and sustainable development. It helps parliaments become stronger, younger, greener, more innovative and gender-balanced. It also defends the human rights of parliamentarians through a dedicated committee made up of MPs from around the world.

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More than 20% of Europeans exposed to harmful noise pollution levels

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Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Guatemala

Just over 110 million people, or more than 20% of Europeans, are exposed to high levels of transport noise that exceed thresholds set under EU reporting rules and which harm our health, the environment and the economy, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) report on noise pollution published today. The report calls for stronger action at EU and national levels to address the problem.

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Simplification: Council agrees position on sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements to boost EU competitiveness

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Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Guatemala

Council agrees position on simplifying sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements to boost EU competitiveness. Source link

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