Page 74 - United Nations

Two peacekeepers from Nigeria killed, 4 wounded in attack in Mali, says UN

Two UN peacekeepers from Nigeria were killed and four others wounded in an attack Friday on a peace patrol in the town of Timbuktu in northern Mali, the United Nations said. The UN Security Council said a member of Mali's security forces was also killed in the attack. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said one of the peacekeepers killed was a woman. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council strongly condemned the attack. The council stressed that involvement in planning, directing, sponsoring or conducting attacks targeting UN peacekeepers may constitute war crimes. Mali has been in turmoil since a 2012 uprising when mutinous soldiers overthrew the president. The power vacuum that resulted ultimately led to a jihadist insurgency and a French-led war that ousted the jihadists from power in 2013. Insurgents remain active in Mali and extremist groups affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group have moved from the arid north to more populated central Mali s

Call for nations amid concerns over breakdown of UN biodiversity talks

International development finance is critical to further unlock further domestic public finance, as well as private and philanthropic finance

Angelina Jolie leaves role as UN refugee agency envoy

Angelina Jolie and the United Nations' refugee agency are parting ways after more than two decades. In a joint statement issued on Friday, the actress and the agency announced she was moving on from her role as the agency's special envoy to engage on a broader set of humanitarian and human rights issues. I will continue to do everything in my power in the years to come to support refugees and other displaced people, Jolie was quoted as saying in the joint statement, adding that she felt it was time to work differently by directly engaging with refugees and local organisations. Jolie first started working with the UN refugee agency in 2001 and was appointed its special envoy in 2012. The release described her as carrying out more than 60 field missions to bear witness to stories of suffering as well as hope and resilience, most recently travelling to Burkina Faso. After a long and successful time with UNHCR, I appreciate her desire to shift her engagement and support her decision,

Media should not be silenced: UN slams Twitter's 'arbitrary' suspension

The spokesperson said this move sets a dangerous precedent at a time when journalists all over the world are facing censorship, physical threats, and even worse

BJP to hold nationwide protests today over Bhutto's 'derogatory' remarks

Describing Bhutto's remark as "highly derogatory", BJP said the remarks were given to divert global attention from Pakistan's collapsing economy, lawlessness and anarchy in Pakistan

UN may run out of food for Pakistan flood victims due to lack of funds

The UN World Food Programme will run out of funds to feed 2.7 million people by Jan. 15, Chris Kaye, the agency's representative in Pakistan said

COP15: Over 3 mn sign petition for protection of 50% of world biodiversity

As countries iron out a deal to protect nature at the COP15 biodiversity conference here, a petition backed by 3.2 million citizens worldwide has called for a more ambitious target of at least 50 per cent conservation and protection of lands and oceans by 2030. Most of the 196 countries meeting in Montreal, including India, have backed a 30 per cent figure for protecting lands and oceans. However, a final agreement is due to be completed on December 19. "We are already well beyond 30 per cent conservation of the planet, if only our governments recognise the rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities over their territories, lands and waters, Oscar Soria, Campaign Director, Avaaz said in a press briefing here. They are de facto the ones conserving biodiversity. Now's the time to strive for a higher target, of half the Earth. Any other number will put vital forests in jeopardy, and are clearly not enough to kickstart the necessary revolution to rebuild our relationship with ...

Pakistan seeks more int'l aid as it fails to deal with devastating floods

The environmental disaster has brought Pakistan to its knees, as millions continue to suffer in a country entirely unequipped to manage a calamity of this magnitude

Every Indian proud to see Mahatma Gandhi's bust at UN, says PM Modi

Every Indian is proud to see the bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday. His tweet came after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar jointly unveiled Gandhi's bust at a sombre ceremony at the North Lawns of the United Nations with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and President of the 77th session of the General Assembly Csaba Korosi. Antonio Guterres described Gandhi as an uncompromising advocate for peaceful co-existence, non-discrimination and pluralism. He said, "The new installation located at @UN Headquarters will serve as a reminder of the values Gandhi upheld, and to which we must remain committed." Responding to him, Modi tweeted, "It makes every Indian proud to see the bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the @UN HQ. May the Gandhian thoughts and ideals make our planet more prosperous and further sustainable development.

NITI Aayog, UNDP launch fifth 'Youth Co:Lab' for social entrepreneurs

NITI Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and UNDP India on Thursday launched the fifth edition of 'Youth Co:Lab' to support young social entrepreneurs. According to an official statement, the applications for this edition were launched by AIM mission director Chintan Vaishnav and UNDP India Resident Representative Dennis Curry. Launched in partnership with AIM in 2019, Youth Co:Lab is an UNDP India initiative that aims to establish a common agenda for Asia-Pacific countries to invest in and empower youth to accelerate implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through leadership, social innovation, and entrepreneurship. The Youth Co:Lab initiative, till date, has been implemented in 28 countries and territories, reaching over 2,00,000 participants, benefitting more than 11,000 young social entrepreneurs and supporting over 1,240 social enterprises, it said.

Mahatma Gandhi's bust at UN, a reminder of values he upheld: UN Chief

EAM Jaishankar unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the United Nations Headquarters in New York

EAM Jaishankar discusses India's G20 leadership with UN chief Guterres

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has discussed with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres working together on G20, which is being led by India

United Nations' WFP approves $74.87 million for Sri Lanka's strategic plan

The WFP appreciated the government's commitment towards achieving food security and improved nutrition and to corporate with achieving the Agenda for 2030 and SDGs

Iran expelled from UN women's commission; India abstains on resolution

In an unprecedented move, Iran has been expelled from the United Nation's Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in a vote on which India abstained

UN aviation body rejects SpiceJet claim, says it didn't inspect airline

Budget carrier said on Dec 5 its safety processes were found in order 'following an exhaustive audit conducted by the ICAO'

Guterres, Jaishankar to unveil Mahatma Gandhi's bust at UN headquarters

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will unveil a bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the premises of the UN headquarters in New York today

UN chief calls for de-escalation in tensions along India-China border

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called for the de-escalation in tensions along the India-China border, days after troops of the two countries clashed in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh, resulting in minor injuries to some soldiers on both sides. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in Parliament on Tuesday that Chinese troops tried to "unilaterally" change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Yangtse area of Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang sector on December 9, but the Indian Army compelled them to retreat by its "firm and resolute" response. When Stphane Dujarric, Spokesperson to the UN Secretary-General was asked to comment on this issue, he said: Yeah, we've seen these reports. We call for de-escalation and to ensure that the tensions along in that area do not grow. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin addressing a media briefing in Beijing on Tuesday said the two sides have maintained smooth communication on ...

UNDP report says 415 million people lifted out of poverty in India: Centre

More than 400 million people were lifted out of poverty in India between 2005-06 to 2019-21, the government said on Monday citing UNDP's Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 2022. As per the baseline report of MPI 2021 released by NITI Aayog, India's MPI identifies 25.01 per cent of the population as multidimensionally poor, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Ministry of Planning Rao Inderjit Singh said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. "As per the 'Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2022: Unpacking deprivation bundles to reduce multidimensional poverty' report released by Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in India, 415 million people exited poverty between 2005-06 to 2019-21," Singh said. The MPI data was based on National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5, which was conducted over two years from June 17, 2019 to April 30, 2021 due to delay caused by the pandemic. The percentage of population as

UN reform been left open-ended, without set timeline: India's concept note

Asserting that UN reform has been left open-ended without a set timeline and the Security Council far from reflects true diversity, a concept note by India here said new global challenges such as terrorism, radicalism, pandemics, disruptive role of non-State actors and intensifying geopolitical competition call for a robust multilateral response and nimble platform to ensure peace. India, the current President of the 15-nation UN Security Council, will hold signature events on reformed multilateralism and counter-terrorism that will be chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on December 14 and 15. The first signature event will be a ministerial-level open debate of the Security Council on New orientation for reformed multilateralism' under the item Maintenance of international peace and security'. The concept note by India on the topic has been issued ahead of the meeting and India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj has asked that it

Palestine slams US pressure over updating companies in Israeli settlements

The UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which was enacted in 2016, deemed these Israeli settlements illegal and urged an immediate end to them in the Palestinian territories