U.N. says world must stand up for widely flouted humanitarian law

By Dasha Afanasieva ISTANBUL (Reuters) - U.N. second-in-command Jan Eliasson said on Sunday it was necessary to stand up for international humanitarian law which was being disregarded, citing attacks on hospitals and "practically medieval" sieges on civilians in Syria and Yemen. "We have to stand up for international humanitarian law. Government and business leaders, aid groups and donors gather in Istanbul for the summit this week to try to develop a more coherent response to what U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon has called the worst global humanitarian situation since World War Two.