The United States, Britain and France are among almost 40 countries boycotting talks on a nuclear weapons ban treaty at the United Nations, according to Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the world body. With none of the participants – more than 100 countries – at Monday’s talks belonging to the group of states that possess nuclear weapons, the discussions were doomed to failure. According to Haley, the countries skipping the talks “would love to have a ban on nuclear weapons, but in this day and time we can’t honestly say we can protect our people by allowing bad actors to have them and those of us that are good trying to keep peace and safety not to have them.” (Al Jazeera http://bit.ly/2nZueqW)
U.S. might become more involved in Yemen…The Pentagon is reportedly considering ramping up US support for Saudi Arabia’s bloody war in Yemen, which has already killed at least 10,000, displaced 3 million, and left millions more at risk of famine since it began in March 2015. That would be a major shift from the current US mission there, which has largely focused on using drones and special operations forces to batter al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen. (Vox http://bit.ly/2nZxVgl )
Meanwhile..After two years of brutal conflict, families in Yemen are increasingly resorting to extreme measures to support their children, said UNICEF in a report released today as the war in the Middle East’s poorest country enters its third year. (UNICEF http://bit.ly/2mJ2AyD)
Top Stories
Humanitarian ships rescued almost 1,200 migrants who were crossing the Mediterranean Sea at the weekend on an array of small, tightly packed boats, Doctors Without Borders said. (Reuters http://bit.ly/2mISUnW)
The Philippines military said Monday they rescued three more Malaysian tugboat crewmen held hostage by Muslim militants for eight months in the south of the country. (AP https://yhoo.it/2o2zquP)
The Disasters Emergency Committee warned that six million school children in East Africa will have their education disrupted if funds aren’t raised and aid fails to be delivered. (DEC http://bit.ly/2mIVutT)
Hamas shut the crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel on Sunday after blaming the Jewish state for the assassination of one of its officials in the Palestinian enclave. (AFP https://yhoo.it/2oqF1aj)
The United States wants to cut by a quarter the troop cap for the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Democratic Republic of Congo, said diplomats, despite warnings by France and others against drastic changes to the world body’s largest and most expensive operation. (VOA http://bit.ly/2o2lMrj)
Migrants in Jordan who flee abusive employers risk being imprisoned as illegal workers if they fail to find shelter with their embassies. (Guardian http://bit.ly/2o2e2Wy)
As East Africa struggles through a drought, scientists say climate change may be making the situation worse as a warming planet may be altering the weather patterns that bring rain to the region. (VOA http://bit.ly/2mIK6hI)
The World Health Organization and U.N. children’s fund are spearheading a massive immunization campaign across Africa to rid the continent of the last vestiges of polio. (VOA http://bit.ly/2mIWCxU)
Opinion/Blogs
A New Study Outlines the “Herculean Effort” Needed to Hit the Paris Agreement’s Goals (UN Dispatch http://bit.ly/2o2C83t)
Podcast: James Goldgeier on Russia election interference and “bridging the gap” between academics and policy makers. (UN Dispatch http://bit.ly/2nZBbse)
CHART: Where The World’s Refugees Are (Goats and Soda http://n.pr/2o2wD4q)
President Trump, what are your plans for the Office of Global Women’s Issues? (PRI http://bit.ly/2o2m2GK)
Local aid agencies: still waiting for a bigger share of the funding cake (IRIN http://bit.ly/2oqxsQU)
How a UN Platform to Stop Biodiversity Loss Could Up Its Game (The Conversation http://bit.ly/2o2mnJC)
Living With Zika In Puerto Rico Means Watching, Waiting And Fearing Judgment (NPR Shots http://n.pr/2mIVytR)
Addressing the silent impact of war: WHO expands mental health care services across Syria (WHO http://bit.ly/2n9EXKT)
David Nabarro: My vision for the WHO (Devex http://bit.ly/2mJ44ZN)
