Page 29 - United Nations

Global action on terrorism, issues must match global ambition: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged terrorism and "new theatres of conflict" in areas like cyber, maritime and space at the UN on Monday, saying global action on these issues must match global ambition. His address at the UN's landmark Summit of the Future comes against the backdrop of conflicts across the world, including the Israel-Hamas war and the Ukraine crisis. Modi said terrorism continues to be a serious threat to global peace and security. He added that areas such as cyber, maritime and space are emerging as new theatres of conflict. "On all these issues, I will stress that Global Action must match Global Ambition!" he said. "Success of humanity lies in our collective strength, not in the battlefield," Modi told the UN event. On the first day of the summit that opened Sunday, world leaders adopted by consensus the Pact of the Future, with annexes - Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations that lays the path forward for the UN and the international ...

Despite Russia's objection, UN adopts Pact of Future to alter governance

The Pact covers a broad range of themes including peace and security, sustainable development, climate change among others

Venezuelan crude flows to public sector refiners via third parties

Venezuela was the 9th largest source of crude for India in Q1 FY25

UN to support Bangladesh reforms undertaken by Yunus-led interim govt

The United Nations will support Bangladesh in its reform initiatives, including police and election reforms, undertaken by the interim government, a top official of the world body said on Sunday. The chief of the UN in Bangladesh, Gwyn Lewis, met Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus here and discussed a wide range of issues, including reforms, corruption, floods, the Rohingya crisis, and the UN-led investigation into the July-August violence, The Daily Star newspaper reported. Lewis expressed her support for the reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government and thanked Yunus for taking up the extraordinary role, the paper said. Yunus, 84, recently announced the formation of six commissions to reform the judiciary, election system, administration, police, anti-corruption commission and the constitution. The Nobel laureate took oath as the head of the interim government on August 8, three days after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India following widespread protes

Operation Moonshot: Quad nations announces war on cervical cancer

Quad countries will work together with United Nations agencies on bulk purchasing of HPV diagnostics to bring down the cost of cervical cancer screening

Weaponising ordinary devices violates international law: UN rights chief

Weaponising ordinary communication devices represents a new development in warfare, and targeting thousands of Lebanese people using pagers, two-way radios and electronic equipment without their knowledge is a violation of international human rights law, the United Nations human rights chief said Friday. Volker Turk told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council there must be an independent and transparent investigation of the two attacks in Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday where these devices exploded, reportedly killing 37 people and injuring more than 3,400 others. Those who ordered and carried out these attacks must be held to account, he said. Lebanon has blamed Israel for the attacks, which appeared to target Hezbollah militants but also saw many civilian casualties, including children. Hezbollah has fought many conflicts with Israel, including a war in 2006, and it has conducted near-daily strikes against Israel to support Hamas militants who attacked Israel on Oct. ...

PM's message will be India's example of domestic development: Amb Harish

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be bringing the message of India's example of its domestic development to the landmark Summit of the Future at the United Nations next week, the country's envoy on Friday said. "I think his message will be India's example of our own domestic development story," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish told PTI in an exclusive interview. Modi is scheduled to arrive in the US Saturday for a three-day visit which will begin with the Quad Leaders' Summit hosted by US President Joe Biden in Wilmington, Delaware. The Indian leader will then travel to New York where he will address a mega community event in Long Island on September 22, followed by his address to the UN's Summit of the Future on September 23 before departing for India. At the Summit, UN Member States will adopt by consensus the Pact of the Future, with annexes - Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations. Harish underlined that the Summit

At UN summit, India calls for global shift to sustainable lifestyles

Adopting sustainable lifestyles could tackle many of the challenges posed by climate change and global success is more likely if affordable solutions are offered, India has said at the United Nations "Summit of the Future". Addressing the summit in New York on Friday, Leela Nandan, secretary in the Union environment ministry, also said that climate change discussions often focus solely on emission reductions, but "we are more likely to succeed if we offer affordable solutions, not simply impose decisions". The Summit of the Future brings together world leaders, policymakers and other stakeholders to discuss global challenges and strengthen multilateral cooperation to tackle emerging threats. Citing an estimate by the International Energy Agency, Nandan said, "If we were to put our actions into the right context in terms of saving energy, saving water, reducing waste, reducing e-waste, adopting sustainable food systems, we would have reduced annual global emissions by 2 billion tons

PM Modi departs for US to attend Quad Summit, address UN 'Summit of Future'

PM Modi will take part in the sixth Quad Leaders' Summit in Wilmington, Delaware, which is being hosted by US President Joe Biden

UN experts call for establishing framework for global AI governance

A high-powered UN advisory body said Thursday that global governance of artificial intelligence is imperative and urged the United Nations to lay the foundations for the first inclusive global institutions to regulate the fast-growing technology. In a 100-page report, the group said AI is transforming our world, offering tremendous potential for good from opening new areas of science and accelerating economic growth to improving public health, agriculture and optimizing energy grids. But left ungoverned, it said, AI's benefits could be limited to a handful of countries, companies and individuals, while even more powerful systems than exist today could upend the world of work, create autonomous weapons, and pose risks to peace and security. The advisory body outlined principles that should guide formation of new institutions to govern AI including international law, and especially human rights law. It calls on all governments and parties involved in AI to work together to protect hum

India abstains from UNGA resolution urging Israel's exit from occupied land

India abstained in the UN General Assembly on a resolution that demanded Israel end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory within 12 months, with Delhi underlining that it is a strong advocate of "dialogue and diplomacy" and efforts should be made towards "building bridges", "not furthering divides". The 193-member General Assembly adopted the resolution on Wednesday, with 124 nations voting in favour, 14 against and 43 abstentions, including that by India. The resolution was titled Advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legal consequences arising from Israel's policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and from the illegality of Israel's continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory'. Those abstaining included Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Nepal, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Nations voting against the resolution included Israel and the US. Delivering the explanation of vote

UN chief urges nations to approve blueprint to address global issues

The United Nations chief urged the world's divided nations on Wednesday to compromise and approve a blueprint to address global challenges from conflicts and climate change to artificial intelligence and reforming the UN and global financial institutions. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters that discussions on the Pact of the Future are in their final stretch and failure to reach the required consensus among all 193 UN member nations would be tragic. A year ago, Guterres sounded an alarm about the survival of humanity and the planet and summoned world leaders to a Summit of the Future at their global gathering this year to unite and take action to reform the UN and other institutions established after World War II and address new global threats. It is taking place Sunday and Monday, just before Tuesday's start of the annual high-level meeting at the UN General Assembly. Negotiations on the 30-page pact, now in its fourth revision, have been taking place for months, and

Indian Muslim woman supports CAA at UNHRC, emphasises humanitarian aspects

According to Rifat, the CAA addresses an urgent need by providing refuge and legal status to those who have historically faced persecution in their home countries

UN accuses Myanmar's military of mass killings, torture since 2021 coup

Three years into the conflict, the UN estimates that more than 19 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian aid, with over three million displaced

UN considers resolution demanding Israel end occupation of Palestinian land

The UN General Assembly is considering a Palestinian resolution Tuesday demanding that Israel end its unlawful presence in Gaza and the occupied West Bank within a year and calling for sanctions and an arms embargo against the country. It will be put to a vote in the 193-member assembly Wednesday as Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza approaches its first anniversary and as violence in the West Bank reaches new highs. The war was triggered by Hamas attacks in southern Israel on October 7. Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, urged member nations to reject the measure, describing it as an attempt to destroy Israel through diplomatic terrorism and that "ignores the truth, twists the facts and replaces reality with fiction. Instead of a resolution condemning the rape and massacre committed by Hamas on October 7, we gather here to watch the Palestinians' UN circus a circus where evil is righteous, war is peace, murder is justified and terror is applauded, he told the assembly. Th

PM Narendra Modi to attend Quad summit in US on September 21: MEA

Modi to address UN General Assembly, meet with tech CEOs

Taliban suspends polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, says UN

The Taliban have suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, the U.N. said Monday. Afghanistan is one of two countries in which the spread of the potentially fatal, paralyzing disease has never been stopped. The other is Pakistan. News of the suspension was relayed to U.N. agencies right before the September immunization campaign was due to start. No reason was given for the suspension, and no one from the Taliban-controlled government was immediately available for comment. A top official from the World Health Organization said it was aware of discussions to move away from house-to-house vaccinations and instead have immunizations in places like mosques. The WHO has confirmed 18 polio cases in Afghanistan this year, all but two in the south of the country. That's up from six cases in 2023. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is aware of the recent policy discussions on shifting from house-to-house polio vaccination campaigns to site-to-site vaccination in parts of ..

US backs India, Japan, Germany in UNSC reform, proposes seats for Africa

The United States has reaffirmed its support for new permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council, including India, but may not support extending veto powers to new members

India has consistently championed cause of Global South: UN Representative

Harish stated that South-South Cooperation offers the potential to build stronger ties among countries of the Global South

UN cutting back on Yemen activities after crackdown by Houthi rebels

The United Nations is cutting back its activities in Yemen in response to a crackdown by Houthi rebels on staff working for the UN and other humanitarian, human rights, development and education organisations, the top UN aid official said Thursday. Acting UN humanitarian chief Joyce Msuya told the UN Security Council that the United Nations has taken steps to minimise the exposure of staff to risk in Houthi-controlled areas. The UN has narrowed its focus to essential lifesaving and life-sustaining activities, she said, and is deprioritising broader activities to develop the Arab world's poorest nation. In June, the Houthis detained more than 60 people working with the UN and other organisations, according to the UN Human Rights Office. Days later, the Houthis said they had arrested members of what they called an American-Israeli spy network. The Houthis' claims could not be independently verified. Msuya said the UN strongly rejects false allegations by the Houthis against ...