November 21 marks World Television Day, established by the UN in 1996 to commemorate the date of the first World Television Forum. Top news of the day | Friday: Gaza, Ukraine, Moldova, Television Day UN
The main events of the day in the UN and the world: airstrikes and shelling in Gaza against the background of the truce, the “catastrophic nature” of human losses and destruction on the territory of Ukraine, the visit of the UN Deputy Secretary General to Moldova, World Television Day.
Unstable truce in Gaza
Despite the declared ceasefire, airstrikes and shelling continue to cause heavy casualties among the civilian population of Gaza. UN agencies reported this on Friday, emphasizing that children of all ages were among the victims. According to UNICEF representative Ricardo Pires, in recent days alone, an infant has died in Khan Yunis, as well as seven children in Gaza City and the south of the enclave. Since October 11, the first full day of lull in fighting between the Israeli army and Hamas militants, at least 67 children have been killed in “conflict-related events.” UNICEF and other UN humanitarian agencies renewed calls for the protection of civilians and access to health care and food, especially for children.
Ukraine: shelling and civilian deaths
At today’s briefing in Geneva, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs emphasized that the consequences of Russian attacks on Ukrainian territory “are catastrophic”: the scale of destruction and the number of civilian casualties are growing every day. The situation is especially difficult in the front-line areas. In Pokrovsk and Mirnograd, about 1,500 people – mostly elderly and people with limited mobility – found themselves without reliable access to water, electricity and medical care. In Liman, about three thousand residents are completely deprived of humanitarian support due to the ongoing fighting. In Dnipro two days ago, a World Food Program warehouse was damaged during a drone attack. As a result, at least 10 thousand boxes of food intended for residents of front-line territories were destroyed.
Rosemary DiCarlo’s visit to Moldova
United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo is visiting Moldova today. In Chisinau, she met with the country’s Prime Minister, Alexandru Munteanu, to discuss the problems facing the country, as well as ways to provide assistance to Moldova from the United Nations. After a later meeting with Moldovan women, DiCarlo emphasized the important role of women in political decision-making, reaffirming the UN’s commitment to supporting their creative work. The Deputy Secretary General also held a separate meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Moldova, Mihail Popsoi, during which the parties exchanged views on issues such as maintaining peace and security in the region.
World Television Day
Today we celebrate World Television Day, established by the UN in 1996 year to commemorate the date of the first World Television Forum. The holiday recalls the role of television as an important means of information, cultural exchange and dialogue between peoples. On this day, the ways of developing media technologies and the impact of the “blue screen” on society are traditionally discussed at various venues. Nowadays, much attention is also paid to new digital platforms that are changing the usual broadcast format.