U.N.

The U.N. says at least 2,355 civilians have been killed in fighting since March, when the coalition began launching airstrikes against Shiite Houthi rebels and allied army units, who control the capital and are at war with the internationally recognized government as well as southern separatists, local militias and Sunni extremists.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Ban strongly condemns Friday's "murder" of 18-month-old Ali Dawabsheh and calls for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

"The absence of a political process and Israel's illegal settlement policy, as well as the harsh and unnecessary practice of demolishing Palestinian houses, have given rise to violent extremism on both sides," Ban's spokesman said.

Nickolay Mladenov warned the U.N. Security Council on Thursday that "the rise of violent extremism and terrorism" in the region poses as much a danger to Palestinian aspirations to statehood as to Israel's security.

He said support for a Palestinian state existing alongside Israel in peace and security "is fading away" and threatened by Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory and settlement construction there, violence and security problems and lack of Palestinian unity.

UNICEF spokesman Christophe Boulierac said one child died as a result of a grenade explosion in Muyinga province, becoming the first child victim outside the capital Bujumbura.

Burundi has been hit by violence since the April announcement that President Pierre Nkurunziza would run for a third term in presidential elections set for July 15.

Boulierac said in Geneva that a total of eight children have been killed since the violence erupted including a four-year-old hit by a stray bullet to the stomach. His comments were reported on the U.N.'s website.

In an open letter to Hungarian lawmakers, the UNHCR regional representative in Central Europe, said that while every country had the right to defend its borders and protect its citizens, the planned amendments "would make it impossible for people fleeing persecution to access international protection in Hungary."

Cholera had sickened 484 people by the end of June and the number of cases continues to rise in the nation's capital of Juba, according to UNICEF.

Children under 5 comprise 13 percent of the cases, UNICEF said, adding that funding is needed as the agency has been using its flexible internal resources to meet critical needs.

In addition to Juba, cholera cases have also been reported in Bor, Jonglei state, as well as Torit in the state of Eastern Equatoria.

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee, meeting in Bonn, noted the Islamic State's destruction of the ancient city of Hatra in Iraq and expressed "deep concern" about the Syrian archaeological gem of Palmyra, which the group captured in May. 

Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

"Intentional attacks against buildings dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes and historic monuments may amount to war crimes," the committee said in a resolution it adopted.