Page 29 - United Nations

Only 8 countries could lower early deaths, meet UN SDG by 2030: Report

Even as premature deaths due to cancer have come down across three-fourths of the world, only eight countries are likely to meet the related United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Target 3.4, pointed out a recent study. The target is concerned with slashing premature deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, by a third by 2030 through prevention and treatment. For the study, researchers, including those from the World Health Organization (WHO), Switzerland, calculated the risk of dying prematurely for people aged 30-69 years to discern how the pattern of yearly premature deaths due to cancer changed from 2000-2019 across 183 countries. Data from the WHO Global Health Estimates were used. The research team found that while overall early deaths due to all cancers fell across South-East Asian countries, early deaths due to breast, colorectal and pancreatic cancer increased. The findings were published in The Lancet Oncology. However, "for most ...

UN meeting with Afghan Taliban not recognition of their govt, says official

A United Nations-led meeting held in Qatar with the Taliban on increasing engagement with Afghanistan does not translate into a recognition of their government, a UN official said on Monday. The gathering on Sunday and Monday in Qatar's capital of Doha with envoys from some two dozen countries was the first time that representatives of the Afghan Taliban administration attended such a UN-sponsored meeting. The Taliban were not invited to the first meeting, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said they set unacceptable conditions for attending the second one, in February, including demands that Afghan civil society members be excluded from the talks and that the Taliban be treated as the country's legitimate rulers. Ahead of Doha, representatives of Afghan women were excluded from attending, paving the way for the Taliban to send their envoys though the organisers insisted that demands for women's rights would be raised. I would like to emphasise that this meeting and this ..

Russia-India ties to blossom: Moscow's UN envoy on likely visit by PM Modi

Describing India as a "longtime friend of Russia," Moscow's envoy here said his country has relations of special privilege strategic partnership with New Delhi and he expects bilateral relations to blossom even better after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's likely visit to Russia. Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Vassily Nebenzia made the remarks while responding to a question on Prime Minister Modi's likely visit to Moscow during a press conference here Monday on the occasion of Russia assuming the Presidency of the Security Council for the month of July. "We have relations of special privilege, strategic partnership with India. India is a longtime friend of Russia. We cooperate in so many areas, and I think that will be a substantive conversation on the whole range of issues that our countries cooperate on, Nebenzia said. He added that he is not aware of what kind of documents will be the result of that visit, but I'm sure that there will be serious messages coming out of

UN adopts US-supported Chinese resolution on closing gap in access to AI

The United Nations General Assembly adopted a Chinese-sponsored resolution with US support urging wealthy developed nations to close the widening gap with poorer developing countries and ensure that they have equal opportunities to use and benefit from artificial intelligence. The resolution approved Monday follows the March 21 adoption of the first UN resolution on artificial intelligence spearheaded by the United States and co-sponsored by 123 countries including China. It gave global support to the international effort to ensure that AI is safe, secure and trustworthy and that all nations can take advantage of it. Adoption of the two non-binding resolutions shows that the United States and China, rivals in many areas, are both determined to be key players in shaping the future of this powerful new technology and have been cooperating on these first important international steps. The adoption of both resolutions by consensus by the 193-member General Assembly shows widespread ...

UN launches road safety campaign in US, to halve number of victims by 2030

The United Nations on Monday launched its global road safety campaign in the United States, which aims to halve the number of road-related victims worldwide by 2030. The two-year advertising campaign seeks to educate people on basic, but life-saving, safety measures, such as wearing seatbelts and helmets and putting away phones on the road, UN Special Envoy for Road Safety Jean Todt told a news conference opening the US campaign. The advertisements will appear on JCDecaux billboards in more than 80 countries and 1,000 cities, including New York City, Chicago, and Boston starting Monday, said Jean-Luc Decaux, president and co-CEO of JCDecaux North America. He said the campaign underscores how the media's reach can raise awareness to save lives and further the message of international road safety. The #MakeASafetyStatement campaign is part of the UN New Decade of Action for Road Safety, which launched in 2021. More than one million people die in road-related fatalities annually, over

Haiti's gang violence has displaced 300,000 children since March: UN

Gang violence in Haiti has displaced more than 300,000 children since March, the UN children's agency said Tuesday as the Caribbean country struggles to curb killings and kidnappings. Children are more than half of the nearly 580,000 people who have become homeless in the last four months. The spike in violence began in late February after a series of coordinated attacks on key government infrastructure eventually led Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign in April. The humanitarian catastrophe unfolding before our eyes is taking a devastating toll on children, Catherine Russell, UNICEF's executive director, said in a statement. Displaced children are in desperate need of a safe and protective environment, and increased support and funding from the international community. Gangs now control at least 80 per cent of the capital Port-au-Prince and the key roads leading in and out of it, with more than 2,500 people killed or injured across the country in the first three months of the year

Ex-Pak PM Imran Khan should be released immediately: UN human rights group

A United Nations human rights working group on Monday called for the immediate release of Pakistan's imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying he had been detained arbitrarily in violation of international laws. The Geneva-based United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention made this demand after examining Khan's case in which he was sentenced last year on charges of corruption. Khan has been facing multiple prison sentences since 2022 when he was ousted through a vote of no-confidence in the parliament. There was no immediate comment from the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who replaced Khan after his ouster. Khan has been held in prison since August 2023 when a court awarded him a three-year prison sentence after finding him guilty of hiding assets after selling state gifts. It led to a ban on Khan from taking part in politics and contesting the Feb 8 elections, which his party says were rigged. The Election Commission of Pakistan, which oversaw the .

US to confront Russia at UN Security Council over North Korean weapons

The meeting of the 15-member council comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Pyongyang last week to sign a pact with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un

MSME Day 2024: Know date, history, significance, theme and more

The United Nations declared June 27 as the MSME Day to raise awareness of the significant contribution of MSME in the growth of developing nations

Women's rights will be raised at UN meeting with Taliban, says official

The UN political chief who will chair the first meeting between Afghanistan's Taliban rulers and envoys from about 25 countries answered sharp criticism that Afghan women have been excluded, saying Wednesday that women's rights will be raised at every session. Undersecretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo stressed to a small group of reporters that the two-day meeting starting Sunday is an initial engagement aimed at initiating a step-by-step process with the goal of seeing the Taliban at peace with itself and its neighbours and adhering to international law, the UN Charter, and human rights. This is the third UN meeting with Afghan envoys in Qatar's capital, Doha, but the first that the Taliban are attending. They weren't invited to the first and refused to attend the second. Other attendees include envoys from the European Union, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the United States, Russia, China and several of Afghanistan's neighbours, DiCarlo said. The Taliban seized power in .

Taliban's delegation to attend UN-led meeting in Qatar on Afghanistan

The Taliban on Tuesday confirmed their delegation will attend an upcoming UN-led meeting in Qatar on Afghanistan after the organisers said last week that women would be excluded from the gathering. The meeting on June 30 and July 1 is the third UN-sponsored gathering on the Afghan crisis in the Qatari capital of Doha. The Taliban were not invited to the first and the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said they set unacceptable conditions for attending the second meeting, in February, including demands that Afghan civil society members be excluded from the talks and that they be treated as the country's legitimate rulers. On Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry in Kabul said the chief Taliban government spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, will lead the Taliban delegation at the two-day meeting, starting Sunday. The ministry said the strategy for the Doha gathering was discussed at a meeting chaired by Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi that touched on several topics, including international

UN tells Israel it will suspend aid ops across Gaza without improved safety

Senior UN officials have told Israel they will suspend aid operations across Gaza unless urgent steps are taken to better protect humanitarian workers, two UN officials say. A UN letter sent to senior Israeli officials this month said Israel must provide UN workers with direct communication with Israeli forces on the ground in Gaza, among other steps, the officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing negotiations with Israeli officials. The UN officials say there has been no final decision on suspending operations across Gaza and that talks with Israelis were ongoing. The UN World Food Program has already suspended aid delivery from a US-built pier in Gaza over security concerns. Israeli military officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

UN unveils 'Global Principles' to combat online misinformation, hate speech

The UN chief Antonio Guterres said the threats to information integrity are not new but are now spreading at unprecedented speeds due to digital platforms and AI

From Black Sea to US Midwest, extreme climate threatens crop output

Global wheat prices jumped to a 10-month high in May after adverse weather trimmed yields for the maturing crop in Russia, the biggest exporter

Mission 2025 group urges governments to aim more ambitious climate goals

Corporate backers include consumer goods company Unilever, the world's biggest furniture retailer IKEA and British sustainable energy company Octopus EV

Mission 2025 group urges governments to aim more ambitious climate goals

Corporate backers include consumer goods company Unilever, the world's biggest furniture retailer IKEA and British sustainable energy company Octopus EV

With roots in India, Yoga unites people with its values: UN chief

Yoga has roots in India and is now embraced globally, uniting people with its values of balance, mindfulness and peace, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said. In his message on the 10th International Yoga Day, Guterres urged people to be inspired by the ancient practice's timeless values and its call for a more peaceful and harmonious future. In December 2014, the UN proclaimed June 21 as the International Day of Yoga, recognising its universal appeal. The draft UN General Assembly resolution establishing the International Day of Yoga was proposed by India and endorsed by a record 175 member states. The International Day of Yoga recognises the ancient practice's unmatched power to deliver healing, inner peace and physical, spiritual and mental well-being, Guterres said in his message on Friday as the world celebrated the 10th International Yoga Day. With roots in India but now embraced worldwide by people of all faiths and cultures, Yoga unites people with its values of ..

India rejects comments by UN human rights chief on foreign influence laws

India has rejected a comment by the UN's top human rights official on foreign influence laws, saying principles of transparency and accountability cannot be applied selectively. India's Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva Ambassador Arindam Bagchi, said he "humbly disagrees" with the brief reference to India made by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk in his Global Update 56th session of the Human Rights Council this week. Turk had said in his global update that a worrying trend in terms of civic space is the consideration or adoption of so-called transparency or foreign influence laws in over 50 countries, including in the Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, India, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation, Slovakia and Turkiye. These laws risk having serious chilling effects on the work of civil society, freedom of expression and of association. Bagchi said democratic nations across

Yoga Day highlights: 'Nearly 200 countries' have embraced yoga due to PM Modi's efforts, says UP CM

International Yoga Day 2024 LIVE news updates: People across the world turned to performing Yoga Asanas on the occasion of Yoga day. The International Day of Yoga is celebrated annually on June 21

Gang violence in Haiti displaces nearly 580,000 people, shows UN report

Surging violence in Haiti from clashes with armed gangs since March has displaced nearly 5,80,000 people, according to a new report from the UN migration agency, a sobering figure that underscores the magnitude of the Caribbean nation's crisis. Haiti has long faced unrest but at the end of February, gangs unleashed coordinated attacks with gunmen taking control of police stations, opening fire on the main international airport that remained closed for nearly three months and stormed Haiti's two biggest prisons. A report released on Tuesday by the International Organisation for Migration said the displacement of more than half a million is mainly due to people fleeing the capital of Port-au-Prince for other provinces, which lack the resources to support them. In March, the agency reported more than 3,62,000 internally displaced people in Haiti. Since then, the violence has more than doubled the number of internally displaced in the southern region already ravaged by a 2021 earthquak