Page 10 - United Nations

Best of BS Opinion: US trade deal or not, India must cast its net wider

Today's pieces cover a wide expanse, from India's trade deals with the rest of the world to China's attempt to trip Indian manufacturing, to the world's struggle to enforce rules

IAEA team exits Iran after country halts cooperation with nuclear watchdog

The move comes almost 10 days after United States President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire deal between Iran and Israel, labeling it "THE 12 DAY WAR"

Aligning RE with development goals can lift 193 mn from poverty: UNDP study

A new study by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has revealed that aligning renewable energy goals with broader development policies could lift 193 million people out of extreme poverty by 2060, while unlocking USD 20.4 trillion in cumulative savings for the global economy. The study, conducted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), University of Denver's Pardee Institute and Octopus Energy, was set up to explore how time-bound renewable energy targets, backed by coherent policies and financing mechanisms, could unlock triple wins: cutting emissions, boosting economies and delivering real social benefits. The report simulated three scenarios to assess outcomes for emissions, economic growth, and social progress. In a business-as-usual scenario, the global energy system remains dependent on fossil fuels, accounting for over 50 per cent of primary energy by 2060. This trajectory would push global warming to 2.6C, exacerbating poverty, malnutrition and lack

Iran's President orders halt to cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog IAEA

Iran's president on Wednesday ordered the country to suspend its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency after American and Israeli airstrikes hit its most-important nuclear facilities, likely further limiting inspectors' ability to track Tehran's programme that had been enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels. The order by President Masoud Pezeshkian included no timetables or details about what that suspension would entail. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi signalled in a CBS News interview that Tehran still would be willing to continue negotiations with the United States. I don't think negotiations will restart as quickly as that, Araghchi said, referring to Trump's comments that talks could start as early as this week. However, he added: The doors of diplomacy will never slam shut. Pressure tactic Iran has limited IAEA inspections in the past as a pressure tactic in negotiating with the West though as of right now Tehran has denied that there's any

Heatwaves grip Europe: Red alerts, wildfires, Eiffel Tower closed

Spain sees hottest June in a century; more than 50,000 people evacuated amid wildfires in Turkiye and the Balkans

Jaishankar arrives in DC, set to attend QUAD foreign ministers meeting

During the meeting, the leaders will build upon the discussions held during the last QFMM, which took place in Washington, DC on January 21

State-backed terrorism must be called out publicly, says Jaishankar at UN

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said it is imperative to call out terrorism publicly when it is supported by a state against a neighbour and is fuelled by the bigotry of extremism, a strong reference to Pakistan. Jaishankar, who is on a three-day visit to the US, made the remarks while inaugurating an exhibition titled The Human Cost of Terrorism' at the UN headquarters. The exhibition, which will be on display at two locations in the UN headquarters from June 30-July 3 and July 7-July 11, opened a day before Pakistan begins its Presidency of the UN Security Council for July on Tuesday. "When terrorism is supported by a state against the neighbour, when it is fuelled by the bigotry of extremism, when it drives a whole host of illegal activities, it is imperative to call it out publicly and one way of doing so is to display the havoc that it has wreaked on global society, Jaishankar said. A large number of UN ambassadors, senior UN personnel, officials and envoys ..

At least 1.2 mn Afghans forced to return from Iran, Pakistan this year: UN

At least 1.2 million Afghans have been forced to return from Iran and Pakistan this year, the UN refugee agency said Saturday, warning that repatriations on a massive scale have the potential to destabilise the fragile situation in Afghanistan. Iran and Pakistan in 2023 launched separate campaigns to expel foreigners they said were living in the country illegally. They set deadlines and threatened them with deportation if they didn't leave. The two governments deny targeting Afghans, who have fled their homeland to escape war, poverty or Taliban rule. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said that of the 1.2 million returning Afghans, more than half had come from Iran following a March 20 government deadline for them to leave voluntarily or face expulsion. Iran has deported more than 366,000 Afghans this year, including refugees and people in refugee-like situations, according to the agency. Iran's 12-day war war with Israel also has driven departures. The highest number of return

Iran rules out US talks, vows revenge, suspends UN nuclear oversight

Iranian lawmakers passed a "binding" bill to suspend cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog

Global Human Rights Groups slam China's ongoing crackdown on lawyers at UN

Crackdown started on July 9, 2015, when more than 300 lawyers and legal advocates were targeted by police, marking largest organised suppression of legal professionals in the China's's recent history

UN says terrorist use of AI is 'very likely', calls for urgent action

A new UN report outlines how artificial intelligence could aid terrorists across cyber, physical and propaganda domains, and urges governments to act now

India slams Pakistan at UN for deflecting from child rights violations

India strongly rejected Pakistan's unwarranted aspersions over UN processes and attempts to deflect attention from atrocities committed against children in the country and rampant cross-border terrorism, asserting that the world has not forgotten the Pahalgam attacks. I am constrained to respond to the politically motivated remarks made by the delegate of Pakistan, one of the grave violators of the CAAC (Children and Armed Conflict) agenda, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador P Harish said. In a statement at the UN Security Council open debate on Effective strategies to end and prevent grave violations against children' Wednesday, Harish said that Pakistan is casting unwarranted aspersions over UN processes and also smearing India at various discussions to pursue their nefarious agenda. We reject this attempt by Pakistan to deflect attention from the atrocities committed against children in their country, as highlighted in the Secretary General's report, as well as

India enters top 100 in global SDG rankings of nations for first time

India has for the first time secured a place among the top 100 out of 193 countries ranked for their progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a report published on Tuesday. According to the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network's 10th and latest Sustainable Development Report (SDR), India ranks 99th on the 2025 SDG Index with a score of 67, while China ranks 49th with 74.4 and the US 44th with 75.2 points. Among India's neighbours, Bhutan takes 74th place with 70.5 points, Nepal ranks 85th with 68.6, Bangladesh 114th with 63.9 and Pakistan 140th with 57 points. India's maritime neighbours, Maldives and Sri Lanka, stood at 53rd and 93rd places, respectively. The report's authors said that SDG progress has stalled at the global level, with only 17 per cent of the 17 targets adopted by the UN member countries in 2015 projected to be achieved by 2030. "Conflicts, structural vulnerabilities and limited fiscal space impede SDG progress in many

Very significant damage expected at Iran's Fordow site after US attack: UN

No party has yet been able to fully assess the extent of the damage done to the underground facility at Fordow, said the IAEA head

UN Security Council to meet on Iran as Russia, China push for a ceasefire

The US is likely to oppose the draft resolution, seen by Reuters, which also condemns attacks on Iran's nuclear sites and facilities

Use of force 'dangerous escalation': UN Chief after US strikes on Iran

Antonio Guterres said that there is a "growing risk" that this conflict could "rapidly" get out of control with "catastrophic" consequences for civilians, the region, and the world

Blended finance in India: Scaling up needs regulatory clarity and capital

The UN Financing for Development conference offers a pivotal platform to reimagine blended finance for the decade ahead

Iran executed at least 975 people last year, highest since 2015: UN report

Iran carried out executions at an alarming rate last year with at least 975 people killed, the United Nations chief said in a report that also cited other human rights abuses, from barriers to freedom of expression to the use of torture and arbitrary detention. UN deputy human rights commissioner Nada Al-Nashif, who presented the report to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council on Wednesday, urged Iran to halt all executions as a first step toward a ban. She also called for urgent diplomatic negotiations to end the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel. The 975 people executed in 2024 surpassed the estimated 834 in 2023 and was the highest rate of executions since 2015, said the report by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Four of the executions were carried out publicly. Iran carries out executions by hanging. Of those executed, 52 per cent were for drug-related offenses, 43 per cent for murder, 2 per cent for sexual offenses and 3 per cent for security-related offenses, the

At least 51 killed and 200 wounded while waiting for aid trucks in Gaza

At least 51 Palestinians were killed and more than 200 wounded in the Gaza Strip while waiting for UN and commercial trucks to enter the territory with desperately needed food, according to Gaza's Health Ministry and a local hospital. Palestinian witnesses told The Associated Press that Israeli forces carried out an airstrike on a nearby home before opening fire toward the crowd in the southern city of Khan Younis. The Israeli military said soldiers had spotted a gathering near an aid truck that was stuck in Khan Younis, near where Israeli forces were operating. It acknowledged several casualties as Israelis opened fire on the approaching crowd and said authorities would investigate what happened. The shooting did not appear to be related to a new Israeli- and US-supported aid delivery network that rolled out last month and has been marred by controversy and violence. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian affairs, or OCHA, said the people killed were waiting for food .

Status of Iran's near-bomb grade Uranium stock looms over IAEA meet

The International Atomic Energy Agency's board meets Monday in Vienna, just days after a divisive vote that found Iran in non-compliance with its legal obligations