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The Institute for Human Flourishing (IHF), an India-headquartered research and policy lab aimed at ensuring artificial intelligence (AI) creates economic opportunities for workers, was launched on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly week. Founded by entrepreneur Ravi Venkatesan and led by Chief Executive Officer Urvashi Aneja, the initiative is backed by The Rockefeller Foundation and Schmidt Philanthropies, and has received formal endorsement from the Government of India's Expert Group on Human Flourishing. Welcoming the initiative, MeitY Secretary S Krishnan said, "India's approach to AI has been anchored in inclusion-technology as a public good that expands opportunity for all. Building rigorous evidence on how AI can strengthen livelihoods, particularly in the informal economy, complements the government's efforts under the IndiaAI Mission." IHF will create a Livelihoods Lab that will run live, co-designed demonstrations of human-AI collaboration, alongside an
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday repeated his claim that he settled the war between India and Pakistan last year, as he addressed world leaders at the UN General Assembly here. "Since I took office, it has been my great honour to settle eight wars, and in so doing, become friendly with the leaders of many of those countries. It was a great honour to do it. Numerous of these wars have gone on for many years and even decades," Trump said in his address to the General Debate of the 81st session of the UNGA. He said the reason he was able to "make these settlements" was the use of his "very special relationships", trade, use and threat of tariffs, and various other reasons depending on the country. "Among them, terms of settlement, Cambodia and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, Pakistan and India, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and of course the war in Gaza, which, as I stated previously, includes the return of all hostages, both living and dead,
Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah will highlight the impacts of climate change, including the significant loss of lives and property his country has suffered from climate-induced disasters, at the upcoming UN General Assembly session, a top official said on Friday. Shah will visit the US for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York from September 22 to 26. This would be his first foreign visit since assuming office in March. "Prime Minister Shah is scheduled to address the General Debate on September 24, 2026," said Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai during a press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday. During his address, Shah will raise the issue of climate change and its impacts in the wake of the devastating Bhotekoshi flash floods of August 26. Rai said the heavy losses borne by Nepal due to the flash floods have proven again that the country lies on "the forefront of the crisis emerging from climate change". He said countri
India termed the targeting of commercial shipping during the West Asia conflict as deplorable, strongly urging that unimpeded freedom of navigation and global commerce through the Strait of Hormuz be restored at the earliest. "An aspect of particular concern for India for its energy and economic security relates to commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni said in the UN General Assembly on Thursday. "India has deplored the fact that commercial shipping was made a target of military attacks in this conflict," Parvathaneni said. India reiterated that the targeting of commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding the freedom of navigation and commerce in the Strait of Hormuz, are unacceptable. Underscoring that international law in this regard must be fully respected, Parvathaneni said India strongly urges that safe and unimpeded freedom of navigation and glo
A senior North Korean diplomat reiterated at the UN Monday that his country won't give up its nuclear weapons despite numerous demands to do so, calling them crucial to keeping a balance of power with South Korea. We will never talk away from this position, he said. Under the spotlight of the General Assembly's annual meeting of world leaders, Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son Gyong amplified his country's longstanding complaints about US-led military exercises with South Korea and Japan. Complaining that the US and its allies are mounting a growing threat of aggression, he portrayed his own country's arsenal as the reason the balance of power on the Korean Peninsula is ensured. Still, his address was more tempered, especially toward the United States, than many of his country's prior remarks on the world stage and elsewhere. While Kim lambasted without naming names hegemonic forces and an indiscriminate tariff war, there were no personal insults, and there was more sternness than ...
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has held a series of high-level bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly session here, engaging with top officials, including UN chief Antonio Guterres and UNGA President Annalena Baerbock. Jaishankar met with UN Secretary-General Guterres on Saturday and discussed a wide range of issues, including geopolitical developments and global hotspots. He also shared India's perspectives on current challenges. "Pleased to meet UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres today in New York. Discussed UN@80, geopolitical trends, current hotspots & India's perspectives," Jaishankar said in a post on X. In a separate meeting with UNGA President Baerbock, Jaishankar conveyed India's full support for her Presidency and reiterated India's commitment to working with the United Nations to make it "more relevant and reflective of our times". Jaishankar also held bilateral discussions with Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince ..
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a series of bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Mexico, Cyprus, and several Pacific Island nations on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, reaffirming India's commitment to strengthening global partnerships. Sharing about the meetings in a series of social media posts, Jaishankar said he met Juan Ramon de la Fuente, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, on Wednesday here, and both sides agreed to build on our recent exchanges and create a fresh roadmap to enhance bilateral ties. He also held talks with Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos during which the two leaders reviewed progress in bilateral relations since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the island nation earlier this year. Appreciate his insights on developments in Europe. Reaffirmed support for a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Cyprus Question in accordance with the agreed UN framework and relevant UNSC .
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has called for greater solidarity among Global South nations, a renewed commitment to multilateralism, and a collective push to reform the United Nations and other global institutions. He made the remarks at a High-Level Meeting of Like-Minded Global South countries here on Tuesday on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Sharing details of the meeting in a post on X, Jaishankar said in the face of a proliferation of global concerns and multiplicity of risks, "it is natural that the Global South turns to multilateralism for solutions". Outlining a structured approach for how the Global South can engage with world affairs, the minister made five key proposals to strengthen the collective voice and influence of the developing nations. He emphasised the importance of utilising existing forums to strengthen consultations among the Global South with a view to "enhance solidarity and encourage ...