UNITED NATIONS -- The government of Cameroon, the United Nations and its humanitarian partners are seeking to raise 299 million U.S. dollars to support 2.3 million Cameroonians in need this year, a UN spokesman said on Thursday.
"Humanitarian needs in Cameroon have risen by a third this year owing to an upsurge in insecurity and violence, leaving one in six people -- mostly women and children -- requiring assistance," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. (UN-Cameroon-Aid)
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CARACAS -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday ordered the country's southern border with Brazil be sealed off.
"I have decided: in south Venezuela, starting at 8 p.m. today Thursday Feb. 21, the land border with Brazil will be totally and absolutely closed," said Maduro. (Venezuela-Maduro-Brazil)
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UNITED NATIONS -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday that he will convene a summit in September to "mobilize action, partnerships, financing" on climate change.
In his remarks at an annual parliamentary hearing, the UN chief said that the most important systemic risk the world face today is climate change, and it is worse than scientists had foreseen. (UN-Parliament-Climate change)
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DAMASCUS -- At least 20 people were killed on Thursday when a car bomb went off in a town controlled by the Kurdish fighters in eastern Syria, a war monitor reported.
The car bomb exploded in the town Shehel in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zour Province, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The bombing targeted a convoy of the Kurdish self-defense force and oil workers were among the killed, said the London-based watchdog. (Syria-Car Bombing-Deaths) Enditem
