Page 5 - United Nations General Assembly

UN Security Council set to vote on resolution demanding Ramadan cease-fire

The UN Security Council is set to vote on a resolution demanding a humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, but the United States warned the measure could hurt negotiations to halt Israeli-Hamas hostilities. The resolution, put forward by the 10 elected council members, is backed by Russia and China, who vetoed a US-sponsored resolution Friday that supported an immediate and sustained cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The 22-nation Arab Group at the UN issued a statement Friday night appealing to all 15 council members to act with unity and urgency" and vote for the resolution "to halt the bloodshed, preserve human lives and avert further human suffering and destruction. It is long past time for a cease-fire," the Arab Group said. Ramadan began March 10 and ends April 9. The council scheduled a vote on the resolution Saturday morning (10 am EDT). Many members are hoping that the UN's most powerful body, which is charged with maintaining ...

UN to vote US resolution declaring immediate cease-fire in Gaza imperative

The United Nations Security Council is set to vote on a United States-sponsored resolution declaring that an immediate and sustained cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza is imperative to protect civilians and enable humanitarian aid to be delivered to more than 2 million hungry Palestinians. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said she was optimistic that the new, tougher draft resolution would be approved Friday by the 15-member council. The draft being put to a vote determines which is a council order the imperative of an immediate and sustained cease-fire, with no direct link to the release of hostages taken during Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel, which was in the previous draft. But it would unequivocally support diplomatic efforts to secure such a cease-fire in connection with the release of all remaining hostages. Russia's deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyansky said Moscow will not be satisfied with anything that doesn't call for an immediate cease-fire, saying it's

United Nations adopts first global artificial intelligence resolution

The nonbinding resolution, proposed by the United States and co-sponsored by China and over 120 other nations, also advocates the strengthening of privacy policies

UN to vote on its first resolution on AI, aimed at ensuring safety

The General Assembly is set to vote Thursday on what would be the first United Nations resolution on artificial intelligence, aimed at ensuring the powerful new technology benefits all nations, respects human rights and is safe, secure and trustworthy. The United States, which sponsored the resolution, has said it hopes the world body will adopt it by consensus, meaning it would have the support of all 193 UN member nations. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that if the resolution is adopted it will be a historic step forward" in fostering the safe use of AI. The resolution would represent global support for a baseline set of principles for the development and use of AI and would lay out a path to leverage AI systems for good while managing the risks, he said in a statement to The Associated Press earlier in March. The draft resolution aims to close the digital divide between rich developed countries and poorer developing countries and make sure they are all at the ta

India slams Pakistan for references to Ayodhya, CAA at United Nations

India has slammed Pakistan and described it as a broken record that remains stagnant while the world progresses after Islamabad's envoy here made references to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and Citizenship Amendment Act during remarks to the UN General Assembly. India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj said this while responding to comments made by Pakistan's Ambassador Munir Akram during the plenary meeting on Friday where the resolution Measures to combat Islamophobia', introduced by Pakistan, was adopted by the 193-member UN General Assembly. "One final point concerns a delegation (and its remarks) that, much like a broken record, remains sadly stagnant while the world progresses, she said. Akram made references to the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya as well as to the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act. Kamboj said it is unfortunate indeed to witness this delegation's limited and misguided perspective on matters relating to my count

Australia to restore funding for UNRWA, pledges to increase Gaza aid

Australia will restore funding to the United Nations relief agency for Palestinians, weeks after the agency lost hundreds of millions of dollars in support following Israeli allegations that some of its Gaza-based staff participated in the Oct. 7 attack. The Australian government also pledged Friday to increase aid for the besieged enclave, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressing horror at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. Australia's move follows Sweden, the European Commission and Canada in reinstating funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, which had seen its international funding frozen while the allegations were investigated. The best available current advice from agencies and the Australian government lawyers is that UNRWA is not a terrorist organization, Wong told reporters Friday in Adelaide while she announced the aid package. "(We have) been working with a group of donor countries and with UNRWA on the shared ...

Wastewater discharge at Fukushima plant safe for residents: IAEA chief

The head of the UN atomic agency on Wednesday told local Japanese representatives at a meeting in Fukushima that the ongoing discharge of treated radioactive wastewater at the ruined nuclear power plant has met safety standards and that any restrictions on products from the region are not scientific. International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi joined local officials and representatives from fishing and business groups and reassured them that the discharges are being carried out with no impact to the environment, water, fish and sediment." Grossi, who arrived in Japan on Tuesday, returned to Fukushima for the first time since the release of the treated water began in August. Grossi will examine the discharge and sampling facility later Wednesday. He last visited the plant in July after issuing an IAEA review predicting only negligible impact from the discharges. The IAEA comprehensive report later concluded that the discharges meet international safety ...

US spearheads first UN resolution on AI aimed at ensuring world has access

The United States is spearheading the first United Nations resolution on artificial intelligence, aimed at ensuring the new technology is safe, secure and trustworthy and that all countries, especially those in the developing world, have equal access. The draft General Assembly resolution aims to close the digital divide between countries and make sure they are all at the table in discussions on AI and that they have the technology and capabilities to take advantage of its benefits, including detecting diseases, predicting floods and training the next generation of workers. The draft recognizes the rapid acceleration of AI development and use and stresses the urgency of achieving global consensus on safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems. It also recognizes that the governance of artificial intelligence systems is an evolving area that needs further discussions on possible governance approaches. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the United States

Terror groups have more freedom in Afghanistan than before: UN report

There are no recent signs that the Taliban, which seized power in Afghanistan in 2021, has taken steps to limit the activities of foreign terrorist fighters in the war-torn country, according to a report by UN chief Antonio Guterres. The report also voiced member nations' concern that terrorist groups enjoy "greater freedom in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan than at any time in recent history, especially noting the spike in the strength of the dreaded ISIL-k terror group which has nearly doubled from earlier estimates of 2,200 fighters following the release of several thousand individuals from prison. The security landscape in Afghanistan changed dramatically on August 15, following a Taliban military campaign that seized 33 of 34 provincial capitals, including Kabul, according to the '14th report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da'esh) to international peace and security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat'. T

India's Permanent Representative to UN chairs session on social development

During the session which culminated on Wednesday, Ambassador Kamboj emphasised the critical role of the Commission in addressing global social challenges

Climate chaos, food crises could threaten global peace: UN chief Guterres

The United Nations chief warned Tuesday that climate chaos and food crises are increasing threats to global peace, telling a high-level U.N. meeting that climate disasters imperil food production and empty bellies fuel unrest. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the UN Security Council to address the impact of food shortages and rising temperatures on international peace and security a view echoed by many countries but not Russia. Climate and conflict are two leading drivers of (our) global food crisis, the secretary-general said. Where wars rage, hunger reigns whether due to displacement of people, destruction of agriculture, damage to infrastructure, or deliberate policies of denial. Meanwhile, climate chaos is imperiling food production the world over, he said. Guterres said the world is teeming with examples of the devastating relationship between hunger and conflict. In war-torn Gaza, he said, no one has enough to eat and the tiny strip accounts for 80% of the 700,000

UN experts investigate 58 suspected N Korean cyberattacks valued at $3 bn

UN experts say they are investigating 58 suspected North Korean cyberattacks between 2017 and 2023 valued at approximately USD 3 billion, with the money reportedly being used to help fund its development of weapons of mass destruction. And the high volume of cyberattacks by North Korean hacking groups who report to the Reconnaissance General Bureau, North Korea's primary foreign intelligence organization, is reportedly continuing, the panel of experts said in the executive summary of a new report to the UN Security Council obtained Friday by The Associated Press. The report covering the period from July 2023 to January 2024 and reflecting contributions from unidentified UN member nations and other sources, was sent to the 15-member council as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has raised tensions in the region. He is threatening to annihilate South Korea if provoked and escalating weapons demonstrations. In response, the United States, South Korea and Japan have strengthened their ...

Serbia, Kosovo leaders spar at UN over latter's ban of Serbian dinar

The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo sparred at the United Nations over the latter's ban of the use of the Serbian currency in areas where minority Serbs live, the latest crisis between the two governments. Tensions escalated after the government of Kosovo, a former Serbian province, banned banks and other financial institutions in the Serb-populated areas from using the dinar in local transactions, starting Feb. 1, and imposed the euro. The dinar was widely used in ethnic Serbian-dominated areas, especially in Kosovo's north, to pay pensions and salaries to staff in Serbian parallel institutions, including schools and hospitals. Serbia said last week it would seek an emergency meeting at the U.N. Security Council over the issue. In 1999, a 78-day NATO bombing campaign ended a war between Serbian government forces and ethnic Albanian separatists in Kosovo. Serbian forces were pushed out but Belgrade never recognized Kosovo's independence and still considers it a Serbian province. At a

World Pulses Day 2024: Why do we celebrate it? History significance, more

World Pulses Day 2024: World celebrates it every year on February 10 to highlight the importance and nutritional value of the pulses. Know its history, significance, theme and more

Israel's evacuation covers 67% of Gaza, leaves Palestinians crammed

Israel's evacuation orders in the Gaza Strip now cover two-thirds of the territory, or 246 square kilometers (95 square miles), United Nations humanitarian monitors said Tuesday. More than half of Gaza's population of 2.3 million people is now crammed into the town of Rafah on the border with Egypt and surrounding areas, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said. The Health Ministry in Gaza said the known Palestinian death toll is at 27,478 people after nearly four months of war. A quarter of Gaza's residents are now starving and 85% of the population has been driven from their homes, with hundreds of thousands crammed in makeshift tent camps. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shortly after arriving in the kingdom Monday. It's Blinken's fifth visit to the Mideast since the war in Gaza broke out on Oct. 7, when Hamas stormed into southern Israel. The assault killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilian

PM Modi calls for cooperation among countries in justice delivery

Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted on Saturday that criminals have been using the latest technology for funding and operating across regions as he called for rethinking, reimagining and reforming legal systems to deliver justice. Speaking at the Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA) - Commonwealth Attorneys and Solicitors General Conference (CASGC), he said countries already work with each other in the domain of air traffic control and maritime traffic, and advocated extending this to investigation and justice delivery. "When we work together then jurisdiction becomes a tool to deliver justice and not to delay it," he said, adding that the nature and scope of crime have seen radical changes. Sometime ensuring justice in one country requires working with other countries, he said. He expressed hope that the conference works to ensure that everyone has access to timely justice and no one is left behind. The rise of cryptocurrency and cyber threats presents new challenges an

EU sanctions 6 firms accused of trying to undermine stability in Sudan

The European Union imposed sanctions on Monday on six companies it said are responsible for trying to undermine stability in conflict-ravaged Sudan, largely targeting firms linked to weapons procurement and manufacturing. Sudan plunged into chaos last April when long-simmering tensions between the military, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary, commanded by Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, erupted into street battles in the capital, Khartoum, and other areas including the western Darfur region. The fighting has displaced 7 million people and killed 12,000, according to the United Nations. Local doctors' groups and activists say the true death toll is far higher. Given the gravity of the situation in Sudan, the EU statement said, sanctions were imposed on two companies making weapons and vehicles for Sudan's armed forces, the Zadna International Company for Investment controlled by the armed forces and three companies involved in procuring military ...

UNGA President Dennis Francis arrives in New Delhi to advance India-UN ties

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Dennis Francis on Monday arrived in New Delhi on a five-day visit to India to advance India-UN ties

Women, children main victims of Gaza conflict, with 16,000 killed: UN

Women and children are the main victims the Gaza war, with some 16,000 killed and an estimated two mothers losing their lives every hour since Hamas' surprise attack on Israel, the U.N. agency promoting gender equality said Friday. As a result of the more than 100-day conflict, UN Women added, at least 3,000 women may have become widows and heads of households and at least 10,000 children may have lost their fathers. In a report released Friday, the agency pointed to gender inequality and the burden on women fleeing the fighting with children and being displaced again and again. Of the territory's 2.3 million population, it said, 1.9 million are displaced and close to one million are women and girls seeking shelter and safety. UN Women's executive director, Sima Bahous, said this is a cruel inversion of fighting during the 15 years before the Hamas attack on Oct. 7. Previously, she said, 67% of all civilians killed in Gaza and the West Bank were men and less then 14% were women. Sh

Palestinians suffer as about 60K wounded overwhelm remaining doctors: UN

Palestinians are dying every day in Gaza's overwhelmed remaining hospitals which can't deal with the estimated 60,000 injured people and daily arrival of hundreds more hurt in Israeli's military offensive, a UN health emergency expert said on Wednesday, while a doctor with the International Rescue Committee called the situation in Gaza's hospitals the most extreme she had ever seen. The two health professionals, who recently left Gaza after weeks working in hospitals there, described overwhelmed doctors trying to save the lives of thousands of wounded people amid collapsing hospitals that have turned into impromptu refugee camps. The World Health Organisation's Sean Casey, who left Gaza recently after five weeks of trying to get more staff and supplies to the territory's 16 partially functioning hospitals, told a UN news conference that he saw "a really horrifying situation in the hospitals as the health system collapsed day by day. Al-Shifa Hospital, once Gaza's leading hospital wi