A top United Nations official on Sunday urged word leaders to reform the humanitarian aid system and uphold international humanitarian law ahead of a key summit. Eliasson also urged leaders to "stand up" for international humanitarian law which is being flouted in Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen. Speaking on the eve of the first World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said the gathering was a "wake-up call for action." He described sieges against civilians in Yemen and Syria as "an absolute violation of international law" and "practically a medieval practice." The event is a bid to boost the response to what the United Nations calls the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II.

Source: ABC News May 22, 2016 12:18 UTC