LinkTV World News Video Feed

UN Faces Legal Action Over 8,000 Haiti Cholera Deaths

Wed, 08 May 2013 15:35:00 -0700

The United Nations has 60 days to respond with compensation before being hauled to court by lawyers representing cholera victims in Haiti who have filed a complaint that the devastating disease was brought to the nation by UN workers stationed there in the wake of Haiti's 2010 earthquake. The UN hasn't admitted any culpability in the outbreak that killed some 8,000 Haitians and sickened 500,000, but health experts have linked the cholera strain to peacekeepers.

Google 'Recognizes' Palestine, Hits a Nerve

Mon, 06 May 2013 12:59:00 -0700

Google's decision last week to label its home page in the Palestinian territories "Palestine" has hit Israeli officials' last nerve, and delighted Palestinians who see it as one more step in their bid for statehood. "They can do Google 'Never Never Land' if they want," but one "cannot but wonder why" a private company gets involved in "international politics," griped one Israeli official, while another said the decision threatens peace. Google has said its decision was based on several sources, including the United Nations.

UN: Somalia Famine Killed Twice as Many as Thought

Thu, 02 May 2013 09:17:00 -0700

The famine in Somalia then ended last year killed almost 260,000 people, twice as many as previously thought, the UN says. Half of the victims were children under five. UN officials say the death toll was so high because early warnings failed to trigger international action.

Mali: French to Fight as UN Keeps the Peace

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 08:14:00 -0700

The United Nations is sending a 12,600-strong peacekeeping force to Mali but France isn't ending its intervention in its former colony. French troops will stay to conduct offensive operations against Islamist rebels for as long as necessary, France's ambassador to the UN tells Al Jazeera.

Inside Story: Is Somalia's Peace Running on Empty?

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:36:00 -0700

Inside Story examines the ongoing issues facing a fragile peace in Somalia as rebels attack at the heart of the government machine. Host Hazem Sika is joined by guests: Augustine Mahiga, the United Nations special representative for Somalia, and head of the United Nations political office for Somalia; Abdurahman Hosh Jibril, a Somali member of parliament, and former minister of constitutional affairs and reconciliation; Laetitia Bader, a researcher with Human Rights Watch and Abdi Aynte, director of the Heritage Institute for Policy Studies.

UN Says 30,000 Refugees Believed to Have Fled CAR

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 08:51:00 -0700

Images have been released by the UNHCR showing the living conditions of refugees who have fled the conflict in the Central African Republic to camps in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The United Nations believes that 30,000 people have taken shelter in the DRC since January.

12 Killed in South Sudan Ambush of UN Convoy

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:12:00 -0700

In a major setback to efforts to bring stability to South Sudan, five peacekeepers from India and seven civilian United Nations staff were killed when unidentified attackers ambushed their convoy near the border with Sudan.

UN Hit for Punishing Whistleblowers

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 18:56:00 -0700

The United Nations is coming under heavy fire for how it deals with charges of wrongdoing. American James Wasserstrom was forced out of his job after he complained about corruption. A judge who called Wasserstrom's treatment "appalling" has awarded him $65,000 in damages, money which hardly makes up for his lost salary. The message to whistleblowers is "even when you win, you lose," said an upset Wasserstrom, who emphasized that he's worse off now than before. And for "retaliators," the word is: "Don't worry, be happy. There are no consequences for you," he added.

UN Cuts Gaza Aid After Protestors Storm HQ

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 07:35:00 -0700

The people of Gaza are facing yet more hardship after the United Nations' chief humanitarian agency suspended operations in response to protestors angered by aid cutbacks storming its headquarters. Around two-thirds of Gaza's population depends on aid from the UN's Relief and Works Agency.

UN Threatens to Pull Out of DR Congo over Rape Claims

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 11:01:00 -0700

Days after the UN approved its first-ever combat force for deployment in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the UN is now issuing an ultimatum to the DRC government. The UN has given the government until Tuesday to find the culprits behind a series of rapes carried out by Congolese soldiers.

Obama Urges Tougher Gun Laws in US, Weakens International Arms Treaty at UN

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:05:00 -0700

While US President Barack Obama has forcefully called out Congress for not passing gun control, the United States has been one of the leading countries blocking a global treaty to regulate the $70 billion international arms trade, torpedoing it last summer and dragging its feet on it this week at the United Nations. While Iran, Syria, and North Korea are generating headlines for officially blocking the treaty, less attention has been paid to the role of the US -- acceding to pressure from outside groups including the National Rifle Association -- in stalling its progress. Democracy Now! is joined by Andrew Feinstein, author of "The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade," to discuss the issue.

For DR Congo, UN OKs First 'Offensive Peacekeepers'

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:41:00 -0700

The United Nations has approved an unprecedented "intervention brigade" of peacekeepers to pursue, neutralize, and disarm rebel groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The force of around 2,500 troops has a year-long mandate to operate in the eastern part of the country.

Frenemies? China Levels Sanctions Against North Korea

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 20:59:00 -0700

China's government has announced that it is imposing financial sanctions against its ally, North Korea, as part of a package of measures approved by the United Nations. South Korean broadcaster MBC explains what the financial sanctions will mean for relations between the countries.

Raw Video: Syria Asks UN to Investigate Alleged Chemical Weapons Attack

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:21:00 -0700

The Syrian ambassador to the UN Bashar Ja'afari has asked the United Nations to establish a "technical mission" to look into allegations that chemical weapons were used by the Syrian opposition in an attack near Aleppo this week. In his statement, Ja'afari reiterated that the Syrian government has not and would not use such weapons on its own people. Opposition groups have blamed the regime for the attack, while some commentators have questioned if it even took place.

Gaza Marathon Canceled over Hamas Ban on Women Runners

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:50:00 -0700

The United Nations Relief & Works Agency in Palestine has scrapped plans for a marathon due to be run in the Gaza Strip after ruling faction Hamas declared women were not allowed to participate. Proceeds from the annual race would have been allocated to fund programs for children's recreation, and the event itself was intended to help shed light on the dire conditions in the Strip. However, Gaza's government declared that having women runners take part would violate the norms and culture of Palestinian society. This caused the UNRWA to cancel the marathon altogether, saying the United Nations is committed to upholding the values of equality.

'Childhood Under Fire': Two Million Syrian Kids Face Malnutrition, Disease

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:46:00 -0700

According to Save the Children, two million Syrian children are facing malnutrition and disease, while tens of thousands are living in squalid conditions in refugee camps. In the report titled "Childhood Under Fire," the charity warns of an emerging catastrophe, and has urged the United Nations to take greater responsibility. IBA reports.

Shifting Sands: Did Kuwait Move Its Border with Iraq?

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 16:09:00 -0700

Iraqis in the city of Um Qasr sabotaged border markers along their country's border with Kuwait after claiming the frontier had been moved during UN-supervised repairs to the border demarcation. In response, Kuwait sent a memorandum to the United Nations expressing discontent over the attack. Kuwaiti Deputy Foreign Minister, Khaled al-Jarallah, said that the sabotage is inconsistent with the "brotherly relations" that exist between the two countries. On TV reports.

Koreas Tense as North Scraps All Peace Pacts

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 06:26:00 -0800

Tensions between the Koreas are at their highest for years after Pyongyang, enraged by new UN sanctions, said it was ripping up all nonaggression pacts with the South. Seoul responded with a warning that Kim Jong-Un's regime would be wiped off the face of the earth if it used nuclear weapons to attack the South. Diplomats urged Beijing to do all it could to rein in North Korea.

UN, Philippines Demand Syria Rebels Free Peacekeepers

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 23:06:00 -0800

The United Nations is in talks with a group of Syrian rebels to secure the release of 21 Filipino peacekeepers seized in the Golan Heights. The "Martyrs of Yarmouk," who initially called the men hostages, now say they are being held for their own safety.

UN: Israel Abuses Child Detainees

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 19:31:00 -0800

Israel systematically mistreats the hundreds of Palestinian children aged between 12 and 17 it detains every year, according to a report from UNICEF. Al Jazeera reports from the West Bank on abuses during recent protests.

HIV Baby Cured: Scientists

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 18:45:00 -0800

In a medical first, a baby born with HIV has been cured of the disease, say a group of US physicians and scientists. The results hold tremendous implications for other infants born with the virus. The United Nations estimates some three million children around the world have HIV. In this case, a baby girl born in rural Mississippi two years ago was treated aggressively with antiretroviral drugs beginning about 30 hours after birth.

Pakistan: The Tragic Human Cost of Honor Killing

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:29:00 -0800

Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jonathan Rugman talks to a man who's seeking justice after the murder of his wife and two young children in an alleged "honor killing" committed by his wife's family in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The United Nations estimates that around 5,000 such murders happen every year, but often the crimes go unreported.

UN: No Compensation for Haiti Cholera Victims

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 21:26:00 -0800

The UN has rejected calls to compensate the families of around 8,000 killed by a cholera epidemic believed to have been caused by its own peacekeepers. It refused to accept responsibility or apologize for the 2010 outbreak, which sickened an estimated 635,000 people -- one in 15 Haitians.

UN Security Council Condemns North Korea Nuke Test

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:49:00 -0800

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called North Korea's nuclear weapons test a "clear and grave violation" of UN resolutions. China's state-run CCTV gauges international reactions at the UN to the DPRK's recent provocations.

Rocket Attack Kills Five in Iranian Dissident Camp in Iraq

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 09:43:00 -0800

At least five people have been killed in a dissident camp in Baghdad after a rocket attack. The United Nations mission in Iraq said it was aware of a number of deaths. It's understood one of the dead was a woman while over 20 have been wounded in the attack.

Syria Makes Formal UN Complaint over 'Israeli Attack'

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 13:35:00 -0800

Syria has lodged a formal complaint with the UN over an air strike inside the country blamed on Israel. There is confusion over what was actually hit, with Syrian state television reporting two people killed and five injured in the strike against a research center in Jamraya near Syria's border with Lebanon. American officials say what was struck was a convoy carrying weapons to Lebanon for militant group Hezbollah. The bombing has drawn criticism from Russia.

South Korean Scientists Get Forensic on DPRK Rocket

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 16:33:00 -0800

South Korean scientists have examined parts of the DPRK's Unha-3 rocket from debris fished out of the sea last month. And as South Korean broadcaster MBC reports, while the rocket shows a surprising degree of sophistication, North Korea still has a ways to go before it can become a reliable weapon.

North Korea Threats a 'Real Cause for Concern'

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 16:06:00 -0800

The United Nations sanctions come in response to fears that North Korea is close to being able to launch a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting Japan and South Korea. LinkAsia speaks with Philip Yun of the Ploughshares Fund about whether there is a diplomatic way out of this impasse, and what can be done to slow escalating tensions.

Faced with Sanctions, North Korea Vows to Boost Military

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 16:54:00 -0800

On Tuesday, the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed resolution 2087, tightening sanctions against North Korea. In response, North Korea vowed to boost its military capabilities, including nuclear deterrence. Footage from Reuters.

Mali Army 'Recaptures' Konna from Islamists

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 10:45:00 -0800

The Malian army says it has regained "total control" of the town of Konna in the center of the country, whose capture by Islamists eight days ago triggered the French military intervention. It follows fighting between Malian soldiers, with French support, and armed rebels near the strategically important town. Earlier this week the French denied claims that the town had been recaptured but reports now say residents and security sources have confirmed the army's success. In the capital the first troops from the planned West African force have arrived. In due course the French hope to hand over to African forces. The first troops from Togo have been joined by others who left Nigeria on Thursday. They are due to be backed by more from six other West African countries. They face an Islamist coalition whose resistance surprised French forces. The UN's refugee agency fears up to 700,000 people could be uprooted by the fighting to come.

US Aids French Military Operations in Mali

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 13:25:00 -0800

France is in its fifth day of an offensive to oust rebels that have held much of Mali's northern region since March -- an area larger than Afghanistan. The strikes have reportedly killed 11 civilians, including three children fleeing the bombardment of a camp near the central town of Konna. The United Nations estimates as many as 30,000 may have been displaced since fighting began last week. The United States has backed the offensive by helping transport French troops and making plans to send drones or other surveillance aircraft. It is aiding a fight against Malian forces that it once helped train, only to see them defect and join the Islamist rebellion. We discuss the latest in Mali with Al Jazeera correspondent May Ying Welsh, who has reported from Mali's north; and with freelance journalist Hannah Armstrong, a fellow of the Institute of Current World Affairs who joins us from the Malian capital of Bamako. Watch Part Two of this report.

French Troops Enter Mali to Take on Islamist Militants

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 17:13:00 -0800

French troops are tonight on the ground in Mali after a request from the West African country for help in their fight against Islamist militants.

To Educate a Girl

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 14:32:00 -0800

What does it take to educate a girl? Framed by the United Nations global initiative to provide equal access to education for girls by 2015, To Educate a Girl takes a ground-up and visually stunning view of that effort through the eyes of girls in Nepal and Uganda who are out of school, starting school, or fighting against the odds to stay in school.

What's in a Name? The State of Palestine to Appear on Passports, IDs

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 05:05:00 -0800

As a result of Palestine's new non-member state observer status at the UN, the Palestinian Ministry of Information has asked media outlets to begin using the title The State of Palestine instead of Palestinian Authority. President Mahmoud Abbas has also authorized the creation of new passports bearing the new title. Al Jazeera reports on the presidential decrees as well as how the new passports could create complications for Palestinians at Israeli checkpoints.

Bolivia Bucks UN With 'Mother Earth' Forest Plan

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 22:39:00 -0800

Bolivia has rejected a United Nations carbon-trading plan for tackling rampant deforestation to try its own approach. The "Mother Earth" law defines the land as a living system with its own rights, and focuses on developing eco-friendly relations between humans and the rainforest.

UK to Argentina: No Falklands Talks

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:32:00 -0800

An open letter from Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner denouncing British colonialism and calling for talks on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands met a frosty response from the British government. David Cameron says the issue is up to the islanders, who will vote on it in March.

UN: Syrian Conflict's 'Shocking, Shameful' Death Toll Reaches 60,000

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 18:14:00 -0800

Six weeks ago the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the death toll from the Syrian civil war at 40,000. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights now says 60,000 have died, describing the total as "shocking" and "shameful."

Rebels Advance Toward Capital in Central African Republic

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 09:33:00 -0800

Embattled Central African Republic president Francois Bozize urged the United States and France to help push back rebel forces who have advanced towards the capital Bangui. The rebel coalition -- known as Seleka -- accuse the government of not compensating them according to the terms of a 2007 peace deal. Al Jazeera's Gerald Tan reports.

Inside Story Americas: UN Continues to Deny Haiti Cholera Snafu

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 11:40:00 -0800

The United Nations launches a plan to eradicate cholera from Haiti, but Inside Story Americas asks if it is only a repackaging of aid money that had already been pledged to the disaster-racked nation. In addition, the UN continues to refuse that their troops were the source of its outbreak in the first place.

UN: Syria War Could Outlast Assad

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 05:30:00 -0800

The Syrian civil war has become so sectarian that fighting could continue for years even if Bashar al-Assad relinquished power tomorrow, United Nations investigators warn in a bleak assessment of the conflict. Foreign fighters are pouring in to aid Sunni rebels and Assad's Alawite sect.

Pakistan Clerics Challenge Militants Over Polio Worker Killings

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 20:10:00 -0800

Muslim clerics in Pakistan have united to challenge violent extremists and condemn the killings of nine workers from UN-backed polio vaccination teams. Some 24,000 mosques will preach against the killings and praise polio workers during this week's Friday prayers.

Harsh Winter May Doom Afghan Refugees

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 21:05:00 -0800

Up to two million internal refugees in Afghanistan are in danger of starving of freezing to death this winter. At least 30 people, mostly children, died from the cold in refugee camps around Kabul last winter and a United Nations appeal for funds to improve conditions has fallen far short of its goal.

Raw Video: Army Kills Unarmed Protestors in South Sudan

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 19:40:00 -0800

South Sudanese soldiers fire into a crowd of unarmed demonstrators in a shocking amateur video obtained by Al Jazeera. The UN has confirmed that nine people were killed and many others injured in the shooting in Wau, where plans to relocate the local council have sparked days of protests.

Embattled Rice Ends Secretary of State Bid

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 18:08:00 -0800

United States UN ambassador Susan Rice has taken herself out of the running to replace Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. Comments she made after the Benghazi attack made her a target for Republican attacks and a "huge political liability for the Obama administration," Al Jazeera finds.

Blast Off: North Korea Sends Up Rocket

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 21:02:00 -0800

Japan mobilized its anti-missile defenses amid reports that North Korea made good on its plan to fire a long-range rocket, defying warnings from the United Nations and the US. This time, unlike the last time, the rocket apparently worked.

Israel Rejects UN Call for Nuclear Non-Proliferation

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 17:58:00 -0800

Israel voted against the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty at the United Nations today, despite reports claiming that Israel owns between 200-400 nuclear weapons. Tel Aviv has refused to open up its facilities to international inspectors.

Pressure's on for Money to Mitigate Climate Disasters

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 02:21:00 -0800

The UN's Green Climate Fund needs a lot more bucks if it has any hope of making the smallest dent in the climate change disasters hitting the poorest countries the hardest. The UN estimates developing companies will need $67 billion a year by 2030 to deal with climate change fallout.

Armed Rapists Attack Congo Refugee Camp

Sun, 02 Dec 2012 22:11:00 -0800

United Nations officials are investigating a brutal attack by armed men on a refugee camp near Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo where several women were raped, refugees' belongings were stolen, and teens kidnapped to help carry away the haul. Many of the 30,000 at the camp had fled their homes when M23 rebels seized Goma. The rebels have since moved out.

Confusion over DR Congo Rebel Pullout

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:56:00 -0800

M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo say the United Nations is stopping trucks full of weapons and ammunition from leaving the city of Goma. The rebels were due to meet a Friday deadline to retreat from the city after capturing it last week. But M23 leaders say their withdrawal has been delayed indefinitely because of "logistical" problems. Al Jazeera's Nazanine Moshiri reports from Sake, DR Congo.

US, Israel Slam UN Palestine Upgrade

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 00:46:00 -0800

The UN General Assembly's vote to uprade Palestine's status was swiftly condemned by the US and Israel -- two of only nine nations that voted no. An Israeli government spokesman dismissed the move as "meaningless theater," while Hillary Clinton called it "counterproductive."