UN News Today 24 February 2025 |

World’s ‘warmongers’ must end disdain for global order, UN chief insists

Three years since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, UN chief António Guterres on Monday scorned what he described as the world’s “warmongers” for trampling on people’s most fundamental rights.

Mr. Guterres was speaking at the Human Rights Council in Geneva:

“One by one, human rights are being suffocated. By autocrats crushing opposition because they fear what the truly empowered people would do. By a patriarchy that keeps girls out of school and women at arm’s length from basic rights. By wars and violence that strip populations of their right to food, water and education. By warmongers who thumb their nose at international law, international humanitarian law and the UN Charter.”

The UN chief said that Ukraine has seen more than 12,600 civilians killed, many more injured and entire communities reduced to rubble.

Turning to the Middle East, the UN chief insisted that a return to war must be avoided at all costs in Gaza, for the sake of the enclave’s people.

He also expressed deep concern about rising violence in the occupied West Bank by Israeli settlers – and “calls for annexation”.

“It’s time for a permanent ceasefire, the dignified release of all remaining hostages, irreversible progress towards a two-State solution, an end to the occupation, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, with Gaza as an integral part,” Mr. Guterres said.

Gaza polio vaccination campaign is underway

Staying with Gaza, and a new UN-led polio vaccination campaign there is well underway.

Aid teams are visiting tents, homes and bakeries for the second day, to protect as many people as possible from the highly infectious disease that can cause paralysis.

The mission to protect almost 600,000 children in a matter of days is critical because of the disastrous humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Here’s Dr Rik Peeperkorn from the UN World Health Organization (WHO) speaking from Gaza’s Kamal Adwan, in the far north of the enclave:

“The target is to vaccinate more than 590,000 children all over Gaza in a campaign which will last three days, plus two catch-up days. It’s a massive logistical exercise, with more than 1,650 teams of which 1,250 mobile teams and 420 fixed sites.”

Health needs across the devastated enclave remain enormous after constant Israeli attacks which have stopped while a fragile ceasefire holds, allowing the return of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

WHO: Massive rise in breast cancer predicted by 2050

By 2050, as many as one in 20 women might be diagnosed with breast cancer and one in 70 is expected to succumb to the disease – a staggering 68 per cent spike in death rates.

That’s according to a new study from the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the UN World Health Organization.

They said that breast cancer is the most common type of cancer impacting women. In 2022 alone, it led to 2.3 million cases and 670,000 deaths worldwide.

Every minute, four women are diagnosed with the disease, with one eventually dying as a result.

And while it proves fatal for 17 per cent of women in wealthy countries, well over 56 per cent of women in poorer countries succumb – held back by a lack of development.

Just as worrying, only seven countries achieved the UN health agency Global Breast Cancer Initiative Goal to reduce breast cancer mortality by 2.5 per cent year on year.

However, despite the continuous increase in incidence rates among wealthy countries, in a majority of them, the death rate did go down.

Just as positive, “countries can mitigate or reverse these trends”, said Dr. Joanne Kim from the international cancer research agency. She said that by investing in early detection and treatment, millions more lives could be saved.

Daniel Johnson, UN News

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