Page 82 - United Nations

UN adopts new carbon emissions goal to achieve net zero from planes by 2050

A United Nations organization on Friday adopted a long-term aspirational goal of making carbon emissions from air travel net zero by 2050 in response to growing pressure for airlines to reduce their pollution. Several major environmental groups praised the move, saying it could boost the production of sustainable aviation fuel. But they cautioned that it will be difficult to push countries to follow up with policies that actually reduce emissions. Aviation is a relatively small contributor to overall climate-changing emissions, but its share is expected to grow. More people are expected to travel on planes in the coming years, and aviation lacks cleaner alternatives such as electric power that are widely available for cars and trucks. Friday's decision in Montreal occurred during a meeting attended by representatives of nearly 200 nations that belong to the UN's International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAO. The decision capped nearly a decade of negotiations and occurred as .

World food price index fell for sixth consecutive month in September: FAO

FAO's cereal price index rose 1.5 per cent month-on-month in September, with wheat prices climbing 2.2 per cent

Russia seeks secret UN vote on West's condemnation of Ukraine annexation

Russia called for a secret ballot vote next week on a Western-backed resolution that would condemn its attempted illegal annexation of part of four Ukrainian regions and demand that Moscow immediately reverse its actions. Russia apparently hopes it would get more support from the 193 nations in the General Assembly if their votes are not public. Russia vetoed what would have been a legally binding Security Council resolution on Sept. 30 to condemn annexation referendums in the four Ukrainian regions as illegal, declare them invalid and urge all countries not to recognise any annexation of the territory claimed by Moscow. The United States and Albania, which sponsored the resolution, vowed to take the issue to all U.N. members in the General Assembly, where there are no vetoes but resolutions are not legally binding. Unless the international community reacts," European Union U.N. Ambassador Olof Skoog said Wednesday, there can be claims that no one pays attention and this is now a .

UN peacekeeping chief Lacroix to visit India during 9-day foreign trip

The United Nations peacekeeping chief is undertaking a visit to India, among the largest troop contributing countries for its operations. Under Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix will visit India, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan and Japan. The multi-nation trip starts Thursday and will continue until October 15. Stphane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters Wednesday that in New Delhi, Lacroix will participate in a two-day meeting organised by the Challenges Forum, which brings together leading policymakers, practitioners and academics on key issues linked to peace operations. The head of the UN peacekeeping will then travel to Abu Dhabi, Islamabad and Tokyo. Dujarric said the purpose of Lacroix's visit is to thank the countries for their contributions and support to UN peacekeeping as well as to update on progress enhancing the effectiveness of peacekeeping. During his trip, Lacroix will meet senior government ...

Death toll of Afghanistan's suicide blast rises to 53; 110 injured: UNAMA

The death toll of a suicide blast on the western edge of Kabul city has reached 53, said the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)

UN pushes for global fertiliser price cut to avoid future supply crisis

The United Nations is pushing to cut the price of fertilisers to avoid a "future crisis" of availability, said a senior U.N. trade official

5.7 million Pakistani flood victims to face food crisis for 3 months: UN

The United Nations humanitarian agency is warning that about 5.7 million Pakistani flood survivors will face a serious food crisis in the next three months, as the death toll from the deluge rose on Monday. Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority reported that floods fuelled by abnormally heavy monsoon rains have killed 1,695 people, affected 33 million, damaged more than 2 million homes and displaced hundreds of thousands now living in tents or makeshift homes. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in its latest report on Saturday said the current floods are expected to exacerbate food insecurity in Pakistan and said 5.7 million people in flood-affected areas will be facing a food crisis between September and November. Even before the floods, according to the World Health Organisation, 16 per cent of the population was living in moderate or severe food insecurity. However, Pakistan's government insists that there is no immediate worry about food ...

Former UN official held for over 6 years in Iran allowed to leave: Report

Baquer Namazi, an Iranian-American and former United Nations official imprisoned in Iran on charges of spying and cooperating with the US government, has been released

UN chief urges Yemen's warring sides to renew, expand expiring truce

The UN chief is strongly urging Yemen's warring parties to not only renew but expand a truce that expires on Sunday, saying it has brought the longest period of relative calm since the conflict began in 2014. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday that the internationally recognised government and Houthi rebels should prioritise the national interests of the Yemeni people and choose peace for good. His statement followed a stark warning on Tuesday from the UN envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, that the risk of a return to fighting is real. Yemen's brutal civil war began in 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen and forced the government into exile. A Saudi-led coalition entered the war in early 2015 to try to restore the internationally recognised government to power. The conflict has created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises and over the years turned into a regional proxy war between Saudi Arabia, which backs the government

UN welcomes trial against Rwanda genocide suspect Felicien Kabuga

A top UN official has welcomed the opening of a trial in The Hague against Felicien Kabuga for his involvement in the 1994 Rwandan genocide

Hostilities, deepening health crisis worsen civilian situation in Syria: UN

Hostilities and a deepening economic, health and water crisis have worsened the situation for civilians in northwest Syria, UN humanitarians said

Online govt services improved globally; digital divide remains: UN survey

Despite the many crises of the past two years, e-government strategies have been advanced although many countries and municipalities have fallen short in providing adequate online services

UN secretary-general asks Iran to avoid 'unnecessary force' on protesters

The United Nations Secretary-General called on Iran early on Wednesday to refrain from using unnecessary or disproportionate force against protesters as unrest over a young woman's death in police custody spread across the country. Antonio Guterres said through a spokesman that authorities should swiftly conduct an impartial investigation of the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, which has sparked unrest across Iran's provinces and the capital of Tehran. We are increasingly concerned about reports of rising fatalities, including women and children, related to the protests, UN spokesman Stphane Dujarric in a statement. We underline the need for prompt, impartial and effective investigation into Ms. Mahsa Amini's death by an independent competent authority. Protests have spread across at least 46 cities, towns and villages in Iran. State TV reported that at least 41 protesters and police have been killed since the protests began September 17. An Associated Press count of official statements

World's patience is running out for engagement with Taliban: UN envoy

Patience is running out for many in the international community when it comes to effectively engaging with the Taliban, the UN deputy representative for Afghanistan Markus Potzel said

India's approach to Ukraine war will continue to be human-centric: UN envoy

India has repeatedly called for a prompt cessation of hostilities in the Ukraine conflict and the need to resolve this conflict through dialogue and diplomacy, said UN envoy Ruchira Kamboj

ICAO calls on aviation regulators to productively engage with innovators

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) called on aviation regulators to operate in creative ways to productively engage with innovators, according to a statement issued by the UN agency

UN envoy stresses on international engagement with Afghanistan's Taliban

A UN envoy has stressed the need for the international community to engage with the Taliban in Afghanistan

UN voices concern over chronic disease outbreaks in flood-hit Pakistan

The UN has voiced concern over the outbreak of vector-borne and water-borne diseases in flood-hit Pakistan

UN reports presence of foreign terrorist groups' flags in Afghanistan

The United Nations raised growing security concerns in Afghanistan while highlighting worrisome trends witnessed in recent months, particularly the continuing presence of foreign terrorist groups

'New epoch' is arriving, says UN President Korosi on general assembly meet

The war in Ukraine and its global fallout transfixed the meeting of world leaders at the UN General Assembly this year. When it wasn't out front, it lurked in the background of virtually every speech. There were near-unanimous calls for an end to the seven-month war, with rich and poor countries decrying the fallout from the conflict widespread shortages and rising prices not only for food but for energy, inflation hitting the cost of living everywhere, and growing global inequality. The speeches and side meetings produced no breakthroughs toward peace, but they did put the top diplomats from Russia and Ukraine in the same room for the first time in many months, however briefly. And UN food chief David Beasley sounded an alarm that the war, on top of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, has left 50 million people in 45 countries knocking on famine's door". He warned of starvation, destabilisation of nations, riots, and mass migration if help doesn't arrive quickly. In his strongest, ..