Page 41 - United Nations

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

UN experts condemn bombings against political campaign offices in Pak

"We urge Pakistan to effectively investigate these crimes and to hold perpetrators accountable to ensure justice for the victims," the experts said

Panel headed by former law secretary submits report on arbitration reforms

An expert committee headed by former law secretary T K Vishwanathan has submitted its report on reforms in the arbitration sector to the law ministry, sources said on Wednesday. The panel, which also had representatives of the law ministry as well as domain experts, has recommended an amendment to the Arbitration law to confer on the court the power to set aside or vary the arbitration award, the sources said. Industry representatives have dubbed the proposed changes in the law as a setback for arbitration reforms in the country. They said that one of the major issues plaguing arbitrations especially in a jurisdiction such as India is with regard to the fees charged by arbitrators being on the higher side. The reforms propose deletion of the Fourth schedule dealing with fee schedule. The panel has also set no limits on number of arbitrations an arbitrator can take, leading to delay in award, they said. The also noted that no upper age limit has been prescribed for accepting ...

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 Secretary General Guterres following Pak polls situation very closely

In the wake of the general elections in Pakistan, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is following the situation in the country very closely and has urged the authorities and political leaders to refrain from violence and avoid actions that could increase tensions. Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, made these remarks at the daily press briefing here on Monday. On the elections in Pakistan, I can tell you that he is indeed following the situation very closely and continuing to monitor the situation following the general elections, Dujarric said while responding to a question on the Secretary-General's reaction to the outcome of last week's election in Pakistan. Guterres calls for resolving all issues and disputes through the established legal frameworks and for human rights and the rule of law to be fully respected in the interest of the people of Pakistan. The Secretary-General urges the authorities, and political leaders to maintain a calm atmosphere and

UK announces new sanctions on Israeli settlers over 'human rights abuses'

The United Kingdom on Monday announced new sanctions on the four extremist Israeli settlers, who committed alleged human rights abuses against Palestinian communities in the West Bank

20% migratory species at extinction risk, 44% see population decline: UN

One in five migratory species is threatened with extinction and 44 per cent have a decreasing population trend, according to the United Nations' first 'State of the World's Migratory Species' report released on Monday. The situation is far worse in aquatic ecosystems, with 97 per cent of the migratory fish listed for protection under the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) at risk of extinction. Established in 1979, the CMS focuses on bringing countries and stakeholders together to agree on the actions needed to ensure that migratory species survive and thrive. According to the report, 82 per cent of the species listed under Appendix I of the convention are threatened with extinction and 76 per cent have a declining population trend. Eighteen per cent of Appendix II species are globally threatened, with almost half (42 per cent) showing decreasing population trends. The convention's Appendix I lists migratory species which are endangered. Appendix II lists migratory species "wh

Nearly half of world's migratory species declining, shows UN report

Nearly half of the world's migratory species are in decline, according to a new United Nations report released Monday. Many songbirds, sea turtles, whales, sharks and other migratory animals move to different environments with changing seasons and are imperiled by habitat loss, illegal hunting and fishing, pollution and climate change. About 44% of migratory species worldwide are declining in population, the report found. More than a fifth of the nearly 1,200 species monitored by the U.N. are threatened with extinction. These are species that move around the globe. They move to feed and breed and also need stopover sites along the way, said Kelly Malsch, lead author of the report released at a U.N. wildlife conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Habitat loss or other threats at any point in their journey can lead to dwindling populations. Migration is essential for some species. If you cut the migration, you're going to kill the species, said Duke University ecologist Stuart Pimm, w

Israel unveils tunnels underneath Gaza City HQ of UN agency for refugees

The Israeli military says it has discovered tunnels underneath the main headquarters of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees in Gaza City, alleging that Hamas militants used the space as an electrical supply room. The unveiling of the tunnels marked the latest chapter in Israel's campaign against the embattled agency, which it accuses of collaborating with Hamas. Recent Israeli allegations that a dozen staff members participated in the Hamas attack on Israel Oct. 7 plunged the agency into a financial crisis, prompting major donor states to suspend their funding as well as twin investigations. The agency says that Israel has also frozen its bank account, embargoed aid shipments and canceled its tax benefits. The army invited journalists to view the tunnel on Thursday. It did not prove definitively that Hamas militants operated in the tunnels underneath the UNWRA facility, but it did show that at least a portion of the tunnel ran underneath the facility's courtyard. The military

India will surely get UN Security Council seat but not easily: Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Saturday that he was 100 per cent confident that India will get a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council but it won't be easy as there are a lot of countries who want to "block us". Jaishankar, who is here to attend the two-day Indian Ocean Conference, said he sees the change as to how differently the world looks at India now as he goes around the world. "We will get there. I am 100 per cent certain we will get there. But I will also tell you that honestly, we will not get it easily because the world is full of competition," he said in response to a question at an interaction with the Indian community here. "Some will try to block us, will make that passage difficult or put some kind of obstacles, some kind of argument in the way," he said, without naming any country. But I'm confident we will get there and I'm more confident today than I was five years ago or 10 years ago," the external affairs minister said. "As I go

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

Pakistan responds to UN concerns over election violence and women role

Earlier in the week, the US State Department expressed reservations about challenges to freedom of expression during the ongoing electoral process

Death toll from Chile's wildfires reaches 131, more than 300 people missing

The death toll from wildfires that ravaged central Chile for several days increased to 131 on Tuesday, and more than 300 people were still missing as the blazes appeared to be burning themselves out. The fires in Valparaiso are said to be Chile's deadliest disaster since an earthquake in 2010. Officials have suggested that some could have been intentionally set. President Gabriel Boric during a visit to the region announced that furniture used for the 2023 Pan American Games will be donated to victims. He said the government also will forgive the water bills for 9,200 affected homes. The fires began Friday on the mountainous eastern edge of Vina del Mar, a beach resort known for a festival that attracts the best in Latin music. Two other towns, Quilpe and Villa Alemana, also were hit hard as the fires spread quickly in dry weather and strong winds. The Vina del Mar Festival cancelled its opening gala as a sign of mourning. Many participating singers including Alejandro Sanz, Pablo

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

Top UN court decides to proceed with Ukraine case over Russia's invasion

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced on Friday (local time) its decision to proceed with the case initiated by Ukraine concerning Russia's justification for its invasion in Feb 2022

People dying from starvation amid the conflict in Sudan: UN food agency

The UN food agency said on Friday it has received reports of people dying from starvation in Sudan, where raging fighting between rival generals is hampering the distribution of aid and food supplies to those most hungry. The 10 months of clashes between the Sudanese military, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces, a powerful paramilitary group commanded by Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, has decimated vast swaths of the northeastern Africa country. The conflict erupted last April in the capital, Khartoum, and quickly spread to other areas of the country, after months of simmering tensions between the two forces. World Food Programme said that some 18 million people across Sudan currently face acute hunger, with the most desperate trapped behind the front lines of the conflict. The hotspots include Khartoum, the western Darfur region, and the provinces of Kordofan and Gezira areas where roadblocks, taxation demands and security threats endanger ...