Page 42 - United Nations

Belarus calls for UN reforms, backs India's ascension to Security Council

Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik on Wednesday reiterated the need for comprehensive reforms in the United Nations (UN) and said his country would support India's ascension to the Security Council. Aleinik concluded his two-day visit to India on Wednesday. He had held wide-ranging talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday on ways to expand bilateral defence and trade ties. "We discussed this (UNSC reforms) issue and we are convinced that UNSC reforms should be facilitated. It's a long-lasting issue which is being discussed within UN and taking into account the very fragile situation in the world, the Security Council reform is needed," the visiting dignitary said here. "...we're clear that we will support ascension of India to the Security Council," he said. The Belarusian foreign minister underscored the importance of enhancing cooperation with India across various sectors such as science and technology, education, tourism, and culture. The minister sa

US spearheads first UN resolution on AI aimed at ensuring world has access

The United States is spearheading the first United Nations resolution on artificial intelligence, aimed at ensuring the new technology is safe, secure and trustworthy and that all countries, especially those in the developing world, have equal access. The draft General Assembly resolution aims to close the digital divide between countries and make sure they are all at the table in discussions on AI and that they have the technology and capabilities to take advantage of its benefits, including detecting diseases, predicting floods and training the next generation of workers. The draft recognizes the rapid acceleration of AI development and use and stresses the urgency of achieving global consensus on safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems. It also recognizes that the governance of artificial intelligence systems is an evolving area that needs further discussions on possible governance approaches. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the United States

UN nuclear chief visits Japan to examine Fukushima wastewater release

The head of the United Nations' atomic agency is in Japan to examine discharges of treated radioactive wastewater from the ruined Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and to discuss further cooperation with Japan to promote peaceful use of nuclear energy and non-proliferation. International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi is visiting the country Tuesday for the first time since releases of the treated water began in August. It also comes one day after Japan marked 13 years after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami struck, triggering the Fukushima disaster. "This date has a special meaning in Japan," Grossi said as he met with Japanese Environment Minister Shintaro Ito, his first in a series of talks with top Japanese officials planned for the three-day visit. The disaster caused many difficulties, but also led to "strengthening of the links and the cooperation between the IAEA and Japan, Grossi said. A massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011 damaged the

Iran condemns UN's report on protest crackdown, calls it "false and biased"

Iran's Foreign Affairs Minister spokesperson, Nasser Kanaani, said that the report was built on "baseless claims" and "false and biased information, without a legal basis"

UNSC urges Sudan's warring parties to halt hostilities during Ramadan

The U.N. Security Council urged Sudan's warring parties on Friday to immediately halt hostilities during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and allow aid to get to 25 million people in desperate need of food and other assistance. Ramadan is expected to begin on or around Monday, depending on the sighting of the crescent moon. The 15-member council voted overwhelmingly in favor of the British-drafted resolution, with 14 countries in support and only Russia abstaining. Sudan plunged into chaos in April, when long-simmering tensions between its military, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary commanded by Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo broke out into street battles in the capital, Khartoum. Fighting spread to other parts of the country, especially urban areas, but in Sudan's western Darfur region it took on a different form, with brutal attacks by the Arab-dominated Rapid Support Forces on ethnic African civilians. Thousands of people have been killed. U.N.

Iran responsible for 'physical violence' that killed Mahsa Amini, says UN

Iran is responsible for the physical violence that led to the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022 and sparked nationwide protests against the country's mandatory headscarf, or hijab, laws and its ruling theocracy, a UN fact-finding mission said on Friday. The stark pronouncement came in a wide-ranging initial report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council by the Fact-Finding Mission on Iran. It also found that the Islamic Republic employed unnecessary and disproportionate use of lethal force to put down the demonstrations that erupted following Amini's death, and that Iranian security forces sexually assaulted detainees. The monthslong security crackdown killed more than 500 people and saw over 22,000 detained. There was no immediate comment on the report from Iran. Iranian officials did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press on the mission's findings. The release of the report is unlikely to change the trajectory of Iran's government, now more firmly in

UN special representative calls on Taliban to reverse restrictions on women

The Taliban has restricted media freedoms and banned women from public places like parks and gyms

US preparing UNSC resolution to warn against nuclear weapons in space

The Security Council is already set to discuss nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation in a meeting on March 18

Global goals for Afghanistan aligns with India's priorities: Ambassador

India's envoy to the UN has said that the overall objective of the global community in Afghanistan aligns with New Delhi's priorities in the war-torn nation, including the need to combat terrorism. India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, told the UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan on Wednesday that New Delhi pays close attention to the situation in the country, which has a direct impact on us". "Our objective is to establish long-term peace, security and stability in Afghanistan, Kamboj said, as she told the top organ of the United Nations that India participated actively in the recent meeting of special envoys on Afghanistan held in Qatar. "The overall objective of the vast majority of the international community aligns with India's priorities with respect to Afghanistan," she said. "These include the need to counter terrorism, bring in inclusive governance, safeguard the rights and interests of women, children and minorities, counter-narcoti

Over 8,5000 migrants died worldwide, highest since UN started counting

A total of 8,565 migrants died on land and sea routes worldwide last year, the U.N. migration agency said Wednesday, a record high since it began counting deaths a decade ago. The International Organization for Migration said the biggest increase in deaths last year was on the treacherous Mediterranean Sea crossing, to 3,129 from 2,411 in 2022. However, that was well below the record 5,136 deaths recorded on the Mediterranean in 2016 as huge numbers of Syrians, Afghans and others fled conflicts toward Europe. IOM said the total number of deaths among migrants in 2023 was nearly 20% more than the previous year. It said most of the deaths last year, about 3,700, came from drowning. The count also includes migrants who vanished often while trying to cross by sea and are presumed dead even if their bodies were not found. The Geneva-based migration agency cautioned that the figures likely underestimate the real toll, and factors such as improved data collection methods play a part in

IAEA chief in Russia to discuss safety of Ukrainian nuclear plant

The U.N.'s atomic watchdog agency chief is visiting Russia amid concern about a Ukrainian nuclear power plant caught in the crossfire since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in 2022 and seized the facility shortly after. IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi arrived at the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Tuesday evening, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti for talks on nuclear safety in Ukraine. Grossi announced the trip on Monday, the first day of a regular meeting of the agency's 35-nation board of governors in Vienna. The International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly expressed alarm about the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe's largest, amid fears of a potential nuclear catastrophe. The plant's six reactors have been shut down for months, but it still needs power and qualified staff to operate crucial cooling systems and other safety features. Speaking to reporters in Sochi on Wednesday, the IAEA chief said he had a very intensive and exhaustive workin

Over 8,500 migrants died worldwide last year, hits record high: UN

A total of 8,565 migrants died on land and sea routes worldwide last year, the UN migration agency said Wednesday, a record high since it began tallying deaths a decade ago. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said the biggest increase in deaths last year was on the treacherous Mediterranean Sea crossing, to 3,129 from 2,411 in 2022. However, that was well below the record 5,136 deaths recorded on the Mediterranean in 2016 as huge numbers of Syrians, Afghans and others fled conflicts toward Europe. IOM said the total number of deaths among migrants in 2023 was nearly 20 per cent more than in 2022. It said most of the deaths last year, about 3,700, came from drowning. The Geneva-based migration agency cautioned that the figures likely underestimate the real toll, and factors such as improved data collection methods play a part in its calculations. "Every single one of them is a terrible human tragedy that reverberates through families and communities for years to com

UN warns of climate impact on women-run households, farms in poor nations

Women who run farms and rural households in poor countries suffer more from climate change and are discriminated against as they try to adapt to other sources of income in times of crises, the United Nations warned on Tuesday. A new report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation, The Unjust Climate, found that female-headed rural households lose on average 8 per cent more of their income during heat waves and 3 per cent more during floods, compared to male-headed households. That disparity translates into a per capita reduction of USD 83 due to heat stress and USD 35 due to floods coming up to an annual total of USD 37 billion and USD 16 billion respectively in poor countries, the UN agency said in the report. Considering the significant existing differences in agricultural productivity and wages between women and men, the study suggests that if not addressed, climate change will greatly widen these gaps in the years ahead, FAO said. The Rome-based FAO came up with the statistics

India deeply troubled by conflict in Gaza, says Amb Kamboj at UN meet

India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador, Ruchira Kamboj, said this while addressing a UN General Assembly meeting on the 'Use of Veto' on Monday

Israel criticises UN in Gaza, says 450 of its workers are militants

Israel ramped up its criticism of the embattled UN agency for Palestinian refugees Monday, saying 450 of its employees were members of militant groups in the Gaza Strip, though it provided no evidence to back up its accusation. Major international funders have withheld hundreds of millions of dollars from the agency, known as UNRWA, since Israel accused 12 of its employees of participating in the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel that killed 1,200 people and left about 250 others held hostage in Gaza, according to Israeli authorities. The UN envoy focusing on sexual violence in conflict, Pramila Patten, said Monday there were "reasonable grounds" to believe Hamas committed rape, "sexualized torture," and other cruel and inhuman treatment of women during the attack. The attack sparked an Israeli invasion of the enclave of 2.3 million people that Gaza's Health Ministry says has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians. Aid groups say the fighting has displaced most of the territory's ...

Unwarranted: India's response to UNHR High Commissioner's comment on polls

India on Monday said that the concerns" raised by the UN's top human rights official over its electoral process are unwarranted and do not reflect the reality of the world's largest democracy, as New Delhi highlighted that many across the globe seek to learn from its electoral experience and aspire to emulate it. India's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Arindam Bagchi said Delhi has noted comments by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk about the country's forthcoming general elections. In his global update to the 55th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Turk voiced concern by "increasing restrictions on the civic space with human rights defenders, journalists and perceived critics targeted as well as by hate speech and discrimination against minorities, especially Muslims. However, his concerns in this regard are unwarranted and do not reflect the reality of the largest democracy in the world, Bagchi said. Bagchi underlined that in

End repression of independent voices in Russia: UN after Navalny's death

The UN human rights chief called on Monday for a quick end to the repression of independent voices in Russia and expressed concerns about the persecution" of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in prison last month. Volker Turk, in a wide-ranging speech, also lamented dozens of conflicts around the world, widespread violations of human rights law that have impacted millions, and displacements caused by war, which could escalate in places like the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and Sudan. Rarely has humanity faced so many rapidly spiralling crises," he told the Human Rights Council. Alluding to some countries among the dozens holding national elections this year, Turk denounced increasing restrictions" on rights defenders, journalists and perceived critics in India. He urged US authorities to ensure that voting is universal, alluding to discriminatory policies that restricted the right to vote for people of African descent. In the run-up to Russia's presidential elections f

World Civil Defence Day 2024: All you need to know about civil defence

World Civil Defence Day, inter alia, promotes joint effort and participation among countries to reinforce resilience and reaction capacities in the face of developing dangers and challenges

Zero Discrimination Day 2024: History, significance, theme or more

Zero Discrimination Day 2024: The UN marks March 1 as Zero Discrimination Day to prevent all sorts of discrimination, whether it is social, political or borders. Get to know more about it here

UN court proceedings: Majority nations argue Israel violated int'l law

The United Nations' highest court on Monday wrapped up historic proceedings into the legality of Israel's 57-year occupation of lands sought by Palestinians for a future state, with most voices at the hearing arguing against the Israeli government. Over six days, the International Court of Justice heard from an unprecedented number of countries and the majority argued Israel was violating international law and called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The real obstacle to peace is obvious the deepening occupation by Israel of the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, and failure to implement the two-state vision, Israel and Palestine living side by side, Turkiye's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmet Yildiz said. The hearings addressed a request by the UN General Assembly for a non-binding opinion on the legality of Israel's policies. The court says it will issue its opinion in due course. On average, advisory opinions are released six month