Page 12 - United Nations

'Indian chai' served at UN event hosted by India for International Tea Day

The aromas and flavors of popular Indian teas permeated the halls of the United Nations headquarters as India hosted a special event to commemorate International Tea Day to highlight the beverage's contribution in empowering communities and fostering inclusive economic growth. The Permanent Mission of India to the UN hosted the high-level event Wednesday on the theme Tea for Livelihoods, Tea for SDGs' to mark the International Tea Day, a celebration of the world's most consumed drink, after water. The event concluded with a special curated tea tasting experience where guests enjoyed a variety of Indian teas, including the famous Darjeeling tea, Masala chai, Assam and Nilgiri teas. India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, Director of the FAO UN Liaison Office in New York Angelica Jacome, and representatives of Kenya, Sri Lanka and China, the other major tea producing countries, spoke on the occasion and highlighted the challenges faced by the tea ...

No aid that entered Gaza this week has reached Palestinians, says UN

The UN said Wednesday it was trying to get the desperately needed aid that has entered Gaza this week into the hands of Palestinians amid delays because of fears of looting and Israeli military restrictions. Israeli strikes pounded the territory, killing at least 82 people, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Under international pressure, Israel has allowed dozens of aid trucks into Gaza after blocking all food, medicine, fuel and other material for nearly three months. But the supplies have been sitting on the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel, and the UN has been unable to bring them in further to distribute. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the majority of supplies that had entered since Monday had been loaded onto UN trucks, but they could not take them out of the crossing area. He said the road that the Israeli military had given them permission to use was too unsafe. Talks were underway for an alternative, he said. Food security experts have warned that Ga

At UN, India stresses maritime, anti-terror strategy for national security

India told the UN Security Council that it views maritime security and countering terrorism as central to its national security and economic interests as it continues to evolve its strategy in response to new threats and geopolitical shifts in the Indo-Pacific region. India, having a long coastline, extensive seafarer community, and capable maritime forces, is actively pursuing its role as a responsible maritime power to safeguard its interests and address emerging threats, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish said Tuesday. He was addressing the UNSC high-level open debate on Maintenance of international peace and security: Strengthening Maritime Security through International Cooperation for Global Stability' presided over by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis under Greece's Presidency of the Council for the month of May. "India views maritime security and countering terrorism as central to its national security and economic interests. Its

UN urges immediate aid distribution as supply trucks enter Gaza after weeks

The blockade, which began on March 2, followed Israel's on-ground military operations "Gideon's Chariots" in the region launched on May 17, aimed at "conquering" Gaza

New national climate plans needed for economic growth, says UN's Stiell

UN climate negotiator urges nations to submit 'next generation' climate plans amid multiple crises

Netanyahu to allow entry of aids into Gaza after pressure from allies

Meanwhile, a UN official states that 20 aid trucks, primarily carrying food, are expected to enter the Gaza Strip on Monday

WHO opens annual meet amid crisis sparked by US funding cuts, exit plans

The World Health Organisation on Monday opened its annual meeting of government ministers and other top envoys facing one of the most serious crises of its 77-year history in the wake of Trump administration funding cuts and plans to withdraw the United States. The UN health agency this year has seen a plunge in its ability to carry out its sweeping mandate to do everything from recommend reductions in sugar levels in soft drinks to head the global response to pandemics like COVID-19 or outbreaks like polio or Ebola. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has been grappling with a response to the US cuts as well as reduced outlays from other traditional Western donors who are putting more money toward defense and less toward humanitarian aid. Matthew Kavanagh, the director of Georgetown University's centre for Global Health Policy and Politics, said other countries have used the US disruption the cut in aid as cover to do their maneuvering, with many countries in Europe ...

UN cuts India's 2025 growth forecast to 6.3% amid global tensions

UN WESP report lowers India's growth outlook for 2025 to 6.3 per cent, citing rising trade tensions and policy uncertainty, but notes strength in consumption and investment

UN forecasts slower global growth following Trump's tariffs, trade tensions

The United Nations on Thursday forecast slower global economic growth this year and next, pointing to the impact of the surge in U.S. tariffs and increasing trade tensions. U.N. economists also cited the volatile geopolitical landscape and threats of rising production costs, supply chain disruptions and financial turbulence. These days, there's so much uncertainty in the air, said Shantanu Mukherjee, director of the Economic Analysis and Policy Division at the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs. It's been a nervous time for the global economy, he told reporters while launching the midyear forecast. In January this year, we were expecting two years of stable if subpar growth, and since then, prospects have diminished, accompanied by significant volatility across various dimensions. The U.N. is now forecasting global economic growth of 2.4% this year and 2.5% next year a drop of 0.4 percentage point each year from its projections in January. Last year, the global econo

India makes significant pledges at UN peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin

India, which is among the largest troop contributing countries to UN peacekeeping, has made key pledges at a peacekeeping ministerial meeting, including a quick reaction force company and one women-led formed police unit (FPU). India pledged a Quick Reaction Force company, an armed police or mixed armed police unit, one women-led Formed Police Unit and a counter-improvised explosive devices/ explosive ordnance disposal unit as well as a K-9 unit and a SWAT police unit, the UN Department of Peace Operations said in a post on X. "Thank you India for your support", UN peacekeeping said. The United Nations peacekeeping ministerial 2025 concluded in Berlin, Germany Wednesday. More than 130 member states and international partners over a thousand participants in total came together to reaffirm their support for UN peacekeeping and to announce concrete pledges aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and adaptability of peace operations in the face of evolving global challenges. A total of 74

Hope India-Pak deal will help resolve outstanding issues: UN spokesperson

With India and Pakistan having reached an understanding to end hostilities we're in a better place, a spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said and hoped the countries would use it to deal with their outstanding issues. India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes. The ceasefire is holding. I think we have seen we're in a better place than we were before. We hope that the ceasefire will continue to hold, and we hope that the parties will use this to deal with a lot of the outstanding issues between them, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the Secretary-General, said at the daily press briefing Tuesday. India carried out precision strikes under 'Operation Sindoor' on terror infrastructure early on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and .

UN humanitarian chief slams Israel for 'deliberately' blocking aid to Gaza

The United Nations' top humanitarian official blasted Israel on Tuesday for deliberately and unashamedly imposing inhumane conditions on Palestinians, including the risk of famine one of the strongest condemnations by a high-ranking U.N. official during the war in Gaza. Tom Fletcher, head of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, briefed members of the Security Council, describing this work as a grim undertaking since Israel began blocking all humanitarian aid from entering Gaza more than 10 weeks ago. He went as far as saying that the council must act now to prevent genocide. Israel vehemently denied that is taking place. I ask you to reflect for a moment on what action we will tell future generations we each took to stop the 21st century atrocity to which we bear daily witness in Gaza, said Fletcher, a longtime British diplomat who took up the U.N. post in November. It is a question we will hear, sometimes incredulous, sometimes furious but always there

UN aviation body indicts Russia for 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines MH17

The International Civil Aviation Organization held Russia accountable for the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, confirming its role in the tragic incident that killed 298 passengers

India ranks 130th on Human Development Index, says UNDP 2025 report

India's HDI value has increased by over 53 per cent since 1990, growing faster than both the global and South Asian averages

India climbs 3 spots to 130 on United Nations' Human Development Index

India now stands at par with Bangladesh, while Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan rank 89th, 145th and 168th, respectively, on the UN Development Programme's 2025 Human Development Report

US seeks to weaken global development finance efforts, shows UN document

With ongoing changes at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in the fight against climate change already facing pushback from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

UN Secy Gen urges India, Pakistan to show maximum restraint, avoid conflict

Condemning the attack Guterres expressed grief over the relation between both counties reaching to a 'boiling' point

UN Security Council to hold closed-door meeting today on India-Pak tensions

The UN Security Council meeting, scheduled for this afternoon by the Greek Presidency, was convened at Pakistan's request

Pakistan to brief UN Security Council on latest regional developments

Pakistan has decided to brief the UN Security Council on the latest regional developments in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, the foreign office said on Sunday. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar directed Pakistan's UN Permanent Representative, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, to take immediate steps to convene a meeting of the Security Council, the statement said. The decision comes amid tensions between Pakistan and India following the Pahalgam terror attack. Terrorists killed 26 people in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22, in the deadliest attack in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019. "Pakistan will inform the UNSC about India's aggressive actions, provocations, and provocative statements, the foreign office said. Pakistan will specifically highlight India's illegal actions to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, it said, adding that the country would clarify how New Delhi's actions are jeopardising peace and security in the region. This important diplomatic move is part of

WHO to back use of weight-loss drugs for adults globally, raises cost issue

More than a billion people now have obesity worldwide, according to the WHO, and around 70% of them live in low and middle-income countries, the World Bank estimates