In the wake of the general elections in Pakistan, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is following the situation in the country very closely and has urged the authorities and political leaders to refrain from violence and avoid actions that could increase tensions. Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, made these remarks at the daily press briefing here on Monday. On the elections in Pakistan, I can tell you that he is indeed following the situation very closely and continuing to monitor the situation following the general elections, Dujarric said while responding to a question on the Secretary-General's reaction to the outcome of last week's election in Pakistan. Guterres calls for resolving all issues and disputes through the established legal frameworks and for human rights and the rule of law to be fully respected in the interest of the people of Pakistan. The Secretary-General urges the authorities, and political leaders to maintain a calm atmosphere and
The United Nations chief warned Israel on Tuesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's rejection of a two-state solution will indefinitely prolong a conflict that is threatening global peace and emboldening extremists everywhere. In his toughest language yet on the Israeli-Hamas war, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a ministerial meeting of the UN Security Council that the right of the Palestinian people to build their own fully independent state must be recognised by all, and a refusal to accept the two-state solution by any party must be firmly rejected. The alternative of a one-state solution with such a large number of Palestinians inside without any real sense of freedom, rights and dignity will be inconceivable, he said. Guterres also warned that the risks of regional escalation of the conflict are now becoming a reality, pointing to Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Pakistan. He urged all parties to step back from the brink and to consider the horrendous costs of a
Guterres also went on to mention the Israel-Hamas crisis and reiterated his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza
Meanwhile, the Taliban has called for the invitation of its representatives to the meeting of the special envoy
The U.N. humanitarian chief described Gaza on Friday as uninhabitable three months into Israel's war with Hamas, warning that famine was looming and a public health disaster unfolding. In a grim assessment of the devastating impact of Israel's military response to the horrific Hamas attacks on October 7, Martin Griffiths said that Gaza's 2.3 million people face daily threats to their very existence while the world just watches. He said tens of thousands of people, mostly women and children, have been killed or injured, families are sleeping in the open as temperatures plummet, and areas where Palestinians were told to relocate have been bombed. People are facing the highest levels of food insecurity ever recorded (and) famine is around the corner, Griffiths said. The few partially functioning hospitals are overwhelmed and critically short of supplies, medical facilities are under relentless attack, infectious diseases are spreading, and amidst the chaos some 180 Palestinian women ar
Guterres said that no one has ever seen such number of casualties of the UN staff in the history of the world organisation
According to the report, Guterres delivered a letter to the Security Council President, Jose De La Gasca
November 25 is observed as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
The UN Secretary-General is following with "deep concern" reports of the seizure of a vessel by the Houthis in the Red Sea that was reportedly en route between Turkiye and India, a spokesperson said. On Sunday, a British-owned and Japanese-operated ship named "Galaxy Leader" was seized near Hodeida, Yemen, while sailing for India, according to the vessel's operator, NYK Line. The vehicle carrier had 25 crew members who were taken hostage by Yemen's Houthi rebels. The NYK said in a press release that it "organised a crisis management centre at its head office to gather information and manage this incident". "As the vessel's charterer, we are prioritising the safety of the 25 crew members," the NYK said. "I was asked about the incident that took place in the Red Sea concerning the ship, and I can tell you that while the circumstances around the incident remain unclear, we are following with deep concern reports of the seizure by the Houthis of a vessel flying the flag of the Bahamas
He added by saying that several women and children who were seeking shelter in the UNRWA schools there have been reportedly killed or suffered serious injuries
Iran is carrying out executions "at an alarming rate," putting to death at least 419 people in the first seven months of the year, the United Nations chief said in a new report. That's a 30 per cent increase from the same period in 2022. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in the report to the U.N. General Assembly on the human rights situation in Iran that seven men were executed in relation to or for participating in nationwide protests, sparked by the September 2022 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was picked up by the morality police for her allegedly loose headscarf in violation of Iran's Islamic dress code. In all seven cases, information received by the U.N. human rights office consistently indicated that the judicial proceedings did not fulfil the requirements for due process and a fair trial under international human rights law, Guterres said. Access to adequate and timely legal representation was frequently denied, with reports of coerced confessions, which may hav
Here's what is happening in the latest Israel-Hamas war: PROTESTS SPREAD, CALLING ON ISRAEL TO STOP GAZA WAR Paris: Police encircled hundreds of people who defied a ban on a pro-Palestinian demonstration Saturday in central Paris. The officers tried to contain the protest but fired tear gas when tensions rose as a breakaway group tried to march. The protest collective known as Urgence Palestine called for a cease-fire in the increasingly intense war between Israel and Hamas. At least 80 people were given citations, according to French media. Other pro-Palestinian demonstrations were held in Marseille and Strasbourg in the east. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin's order to ban pro-Palestinian demonstrations in France was trimmed back by the nation's highest administrative authority. The Council of State ruled any protests in favor of either side in the war are to be authorised on a case-by-case basis after assessing risks to public order. Demonstrations also took place Saturday in
On October 24, United Nations Day marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter.
In a strong condemnation, Guterres said, "I am horrified by the killing of hundreds of Palestinian civilians in a strike on a hospital in Gaza today, which I strongly condemn," the UN posted on X
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To Israel, rapid and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid must be granted for humanitarian supplies and workers for the sake of the civilians in Gaza, Guterres said
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' Climate Ambition Summit highlighted two key aspects: the conspicuous absence of leaders from major emitter nations and a unanimous call for phasing out fossil fuels by attending leaders. Guterres' "no-nonsense summit" on Wednesday came at a time when the world is reeling under the devastating impacts of climate change and probably the hottest year on record. However, leaders from some of the world's largest polluting nations, the US and China, were conspicuously absent from the summit Guterres called to reinvigorate efforts to combat the climate crisis. Notable omissions also included leaders from the UK, Japan, France and India. Among the top carbon emitters, only the European Union received an invitation. Ahead of the summit, Antonio Guterres had unveiled his Acceleration Agenda, saying only 'movers' and 'doers' would be allowed to attend. In a significant shift from the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit, this gathering saw nearly
He emphasised that a multipolar world needs strong and effective multilateral institutions, yet global governance is stuck in time
With the majority of the leaders of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council absent from the UN General Assembly session this year, UN chief Antonio Guterres has said it was not a "vanity fair" and commitment made by governments on various pressing global issues are more important than the presence or absence of a particular leader. US President Joe Biden is the only head of State or Government from among the five permanent members of the powerful UN Security Council -- China, Russia, France, the UK and the US -- who is attending the high-level week. Biden arrived here on Sunday for the 78th high-level session of the UN General Assembly and will address world leaders from the UNGA lectern on the opening day of the General Debate on Tuesday morning. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and French President Emmanuel Macron are not attending the UNGA high-level session. Russia will be represented by Foreign Ministe
Calls upon G20 nations to keep goal of 1.5 degree global temp rise alive