Page 52 - United Nations

Russia strikes cities from east to west Ukraine, killing at least 2

Russian missiles pounded cities across Ukraine early Thursday morning, according to Ukrainian authorities, starting fires, killing at least two people and trapping others under rubble. The early morning missile attack was Russia's largest in over a month, and came a day after reports of sabotage at a Russian military airfield in Chkalovsk near Moscow. It also coincided with the United Nations General Assembly summit in New York, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a speech and presented a Ukrainian peace formula, and came on the International Day of Peace. The same day, Poland said it would stop transferring its own weapons to Ukraine as it works to modernise its own military. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said the decision was not related to a temporary ban on Ukrainian grain imports, nor would it affect weapons transfers through Poland. A dispute about whether Ukrainian grain should be allowed to enter the domestic markets of Poland and other Europe

International Day of Peace 2023: History, Importance, Theme, Activities

The International Day of Peace has started by the UN General Assembly and the day is dedicated to strengthening the ideals of peace and marking an end to conflict and violence worldwide

Key emitter nations absent as attendees demand phase out of fossil fuel

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' Climate Ambition Summit highlighted two key aspects: the conspicuous absence of leaders from major emitter nations and a unanimous call for phasing out fossil fuels by attending leaders. Guterres' "no-nonsense summit" on Wednesday came at a time when the world is reeling under the devastating impacts of climate change and probably the hottest year on record. However, leaders from some of the world's largest polluting nations, the US and China, were conspicuously absent from the summit Guterres called to reinvigorate efforts to combat the climate crisis. Notable omissions also included leaders from the UK, Japan, France and India. Among the top carbon emitters, only the European Union received an invitation. Ahead of the summit, Antonio Guterres had unveiled his Acceleration Agenda, saying only 'movers' and 'doers' would be allowed to attend. In a significant shift from the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit, this gathering saw nearly

UNCTAD projects above $5 trillion investment needed to achieve SDGs by 2030

For the world's 48 developing economies, the shortfall is estimated at USD337 billion annually, if they are to take the required action on climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution

CM Adityanath holds meeting to review measures to achieve UN's SDGs

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday held a meeting to review measures to achieve the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, a statement here on Wednesday said. Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are mainly based on the principle of 'Five Ps' (People, Prosperity, Peace, Partnership and Planet) and added that the government was committed to achieving the targets set under it in social, economic and environmental areas by 2030. Adityanath expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far by the state in the identified areas under the framework of SDGs, the statement said. The state has made remarkable progress in alleviating poverty one of the important SDGs with a record 3.43 crore people being lifted out of multidimensional poverty, Adityanath said. "The state government has extended maximum benefits to beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and the Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Yoja

Ukraine's allies make arguments in Kyiv's favour against Russia at UN court

Ukraine's international allies filed into the United Nations' top court on Wednesday to support Kyiv's case against Russia that alleges Moscow twisted the genocide convention to manufacture a pretext for its invasion last year. The hearing came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the UN General Assembly in New York that Russia is weaponising everything from food and energy to abducted children in its war against Ukraine and warned world leaders that the same could happen to them. An unprecedented 32 states were making brief legal arguments on Wednesday to the 16-judge panel at the International Court of Justice, which is holding hearings into Moscow's assertions that the World Court does not have jurisdiction and should throw out Ukraine's case. Kyiv filed its case two days after Russia invaded Ukraine. It argues that the attack was based on false claims by Russia of acts of genocide in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions of eastern Ukraine. Ukraine insists the co

UN urges Taliban govt to stop torture, protect rights of detainees

The United Nations said on Wednesday it has documented more than 1,600 cases of human rights violations committed by authorities in Afghanistan during arrests and detentions of people, and urged the Taliban government to stop torture and protect the rights of detainees. Nearly 50 per cent of the violations consisted of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said. The report by the mission's Human Rights Service covered 19 months from January 2022 until the end of July 2023 with cases documented across 29 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces. It said 11 per cent of the cases involved women. It said the torture aimed at extracting confessions and other information included beatings, suffocation, suspension from the ceiling and electric shocks. Cases that were not considered sufficiently credible and reliable were not included in the report, it said. The Taliban have promised a more moderate rule than during their previous period

Must adopt differential approach to reduce maternal, new-born deaths: WHO

Since 2014, the region has been focusing efforts to reduce maternal, newborn and child deaths, as a flagship priority, by implementing evidence-based strategies and actions

Biden looks to cement his world leadership at annual UN General Assembly

President Joe Biden will use his annual address before the UN General Assembly on Tuesday to make the case to world leaders and the 2024 US electorate that he's reestablished US leadership on the world stage that he says was diminished under former President Donald Trump. White House officials said Biden would make a robust case to members of the world body to continue to back Ukraine's effort to repel a nearly 19-month old Russian invasion that has no end in sight. Biden previewed his thinking in a pair of fundraisers on Monday evening, telling supporters that he stood up to Vladimir Putin's invasion, and questioning whether Trump, the 2024 GOP presidential frontrunner, would have even attempted to help Ukraine stop the Russian land grab if he were in power. I will not side with dictators like Putin. Maybe Trump and his MAGA friends can bow down but I won't, Biden told supporters at a Broadway fundraiser. There will be notable absences as the president makes his case before the

Heading for UN, Zelenskyy questions why Russia still has place there

Days before potentially crossing paths with Russia's top diplomat at the United Nations, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested Monday that the world body needs to answer for allowing his country's invader a seat at the tables of power. "For us, it's very important that all our words, all our messages, will be heard by our partners. And if in the United Nations still it's a pity, but still there is a place for Russian terrorists, the question is not to me. I think it's a question to all the members of the United Nations," Zelenskyy said after visiting wounded Ukrainian military members at a New York hospital. He had just arrived in the US to make his country's case to the world and to Washington for continued help in trying to repel Russia's invasion, nearly 19 months into what has become a grinding war. Ukraine's Western allies have supplied weapons and other assistance, and the US Congress is currently weighing President Joe Biden's request to provide as much as USD 2

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Ukraine, its allies battle Russian bid to have genocide case tossed out

Ukraine's legal battle against Russia over allegations of genocide used by Moscow to justify its 2022 invasion resumes on Monday at the United Nations' highest court, as Russia seeks to have the case tossed out. Hearings at the International Court of Justice, also known as the Word Court, will see Ukraine supported by a record 32 other nations in a major show of support. Kyiv launched the case shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, arguing that the attack was based on false claims of acts of genocide in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions of eastern Ukraine and alleging that Moscow was planning genocidal acts in Ukraine. It wants the court to order Russia to halt its invasion and pay reparations. Filing its case last year, Ukraine said that Russia has turned the Genocide Convention on its head making a false claim of genocide as a basis for actions on its part that constitute grave violations of the human rights of millions of people across Ukraine. Ukraine brought the case to the ...

UN revises death toll from Libya floods to 3,958, over 9,000 injured

The deputy spokesperson said the death toll figures are fluid and "can go upward or downward"

Israel criticises UN vote to list ruins in Palestine as World Heritage Site

A UN committee voted Sunday to list prehistoric ruins near the ancient West Bank city of Jericho as a World Heritage Site in Palestine, a decision that angered Israel, which controls the territory and does not recognize a Palestinian state. Jericho is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities on earth, and is in a part of the Israeli-occupied West Bank that is administered by the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority. The listing refers to the Tell es-Sultan archaeological site nearby, which contains prehistoric ruins dating back to the ninth millennium B.C. and is outside the ancient city itself. The decision was made at a meeting of the U.N. World Heritage Committee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, under the auspices of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO. Israel's foreign ministry released a statement Sunday that said the listing was a cynical ploy by the Palestinians to politicize UNESCO, and that Israel will work with its allies to reverse

South Korea's Yoon warns against Russia-North Korea military cooperation

South Korea's president said the international community will unite more tightly to cope with deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, as he pushes to raise the issue with world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly this week. Worries about Russian-North Korean ties have flared since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia last week for a summit with President Vladimir Putin and to tour a slew of high-profile military and technology sites. Foreign experts speculate Kim could refill Russia's ammunition inventory drained in its 18-month war with Ukraine in return for economic aid and technologies to modernize his weapons systems targeting South Korea and the U.S. Military cooperation between North Korea and Russia is illegal and unjust as it contravenes U.N. Security Council resolutions and various other international sanctions, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said in written responses to questions from The Associated Press before his departure to .

UN watchdog slams Iran for barring inspectors from monitoring programme

The UN nuclear watchdog harshly criticised Iran on Saturday for effectively barring several of its most experienced inspectors from monitoring the country's disputed programme. The strongly worded statement came amid longstanding tensions between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is tasked with monitoring a nuclear programme that Western nations have long suspected is aimed at eventually developing a nuclear weapon. Iran insists the program is peaceful. Rafael Mariano Grossi, the head of the IAEA, said Iran had withdrawn the designation of "several experienced Agency inspectors," barring them from taking part in the monitoring of its programme. "Iran has effectively removed about one third of the core group of the Agency's most experienced inspectors designated for Iran, he said. Grossi went on to strongly condemn this disproportionate and unprecedented unilateral measure, saying it constitutes an unnecessary blow to an already strained relationship between the

World disappointed by United Nations now looks elsewhere for answers

With dozens of world leaders descending upon New York for the United Nations General Assembly's annual gathering, global problems are showing up fast and thick at the world body's door

USCIRF to hold hearing on religious freedom in India on September 20

The US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has announced that it will hold a hearing on religious freedom in India on September 20. India has previously rejected USCIRF reports that alleged violations of religious freedom in the country. Coming on the heels of two successful bilateral meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden -- the Official State Visit of the Indian leader here in June and a bilateral meeting in New Delhi in September -- USCIRF in its announcement of the meeting said the Congressional hearing is on how the US government can work with the Indian government to address violations. Fernand de Varennes, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, has been invited to testify before the Commission along with Tariq Ahmed, Foreign Law Specialist, Law Library of Congress; Sarah Yager, Washington Director, Human Rights Watch; Sunita Viswanath, executive director, Hindus for Human Rights and Irfan Nooruddin, Hamad bin .

India shares unique relationship with UNCITRAL: MoS Rajkumar Ranjan Singh

At the Conference, UNCITRAL Secretary Anna Joubin-Bret gave an overview of the various projects and subjects undertaken by UNCITRAL through its Working Groups and the status of the same

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praises India's Presidency of G20

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Wednesday praised India's Presidency of the G20 and underlined that New Delhi did its best to have the voice of the Global South represented and put the development agenda at the centre of discussion during its year-long leadership of the grouping. Guterres made the remarks at a press conference here in response to a question by PTI on the just concluded G20 Summit and the New Delhi Leaders' Declaration adopted by consensus under the Indian presidency. "I'd like to say and I believe I should pay tribute to the Indian presidency. The Indian presidency did its best in order to have the South's voice represented and did its best to put the development agenda in the center of the discussions of the G20," he said. "Of course, the conclusions are what they are. They depend on what countries are ready to accept. But I think that effort needs to be underlined," he said. Guterres, who travelled to Delhi to attend the G20 Leaders' Summit on September 9 a