Page 14 - United Nations

Prajakta Koli becomes UNDP India's first youth climate champion

Content creator and actress Prajakta Koli has become India's first UN Development Programme (UNDP) Youth Climate Champion under her partnership with the organisation.

UN sends $32 mn in cash to Afghanistan as part of humanitarian aid

The central bank of Afghanistan has announced that the UN has sent $32 million in cash to the war-torn nation as part of the world body's humanitarian aid assistance

UN General Assembly approves resolution condemning Holocaust denial

The UN General Assembly approved an Israeli-sponsored resolution condemning any denial of the Holocaust

Africa renews push for favourable UN Security Council reforms

he matter of reforming the 15-member council has provoked debate for decades

Foreign Direct Investment flows to India slip 26% in 2021: UN report

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows to India in 2021 were 26 per cent lower, mainly because large M&A deals recorded in 2020 were not repeated, the UN trade body has said. The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Investment Trends Monitor published on Wednesday said global foreign direct investment flows showed a strong rebound in 2021, growing 77 per cent to an estimated USD 1.65 trillion, from USD 929 billion in 2020, surpassing their pre-COVID-19 level. Recovery of investment flows to developing countries is encouraging, but the stagnation of new investment in the least developed countries in industries important for productive capacities, and key Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) sectors - such as electricity, food or health - is a major cause for concern, said UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan. The report said developed economies saw the biggest rise by far, with FDI reaching an estimated USD 777 billion in 2021 - three times the exceptionally low level .

Over half a million lost jobs in Afghanistan since Taliban takeover: UN

More than half a million people have lost or been pushed out of their jobs in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover, the UN International Labour Organization (ILO) said

US, European allies pledge unity on Russia; to do what isn't as clear

President Joe Biden has rallied European allies to pledge as one that they will take tough measures against Russia if it rolls troops into Ukraine. But when it comes to what exactly the United States and Europe are willing to do, the allies don't look as ringingly united. Militarily, for example, the United States, Turkey and Britain have stood out for supplying or agreeing to supply anti-tank missiles, armed drones, naval warships and other weapons, along with money to help Ukraine build its defenses. But key ally Germany appears averse to any such direct military aid so much so that a British military flight taking weapons to Ukraine on Monday flew around German airspace rather than taking the most direct route through it. While Biden has warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of economic consequences like none he's ever seen if Russia invades Ukraine, some major European allies have demonstrated less enthusiasm for huge economic penalties, which could damage some European ...

Covid-19 worry forces UN to prep tsunami-hit Tonga relief aid at a distance

Tonga is one of the few countries that is Covid-19 free and an outbreak there would disastrous, says international agency.

Afghanistan quake death toll reaches 26, including children: UN

The US Geological Survey on Monday registered a magnitude 5.3 quake at 2 pm and a second, magnitude 4.9 at 4 pm local time

Tsunami-hit Tonga islands suffered 'catastrophic' damage: UN report

Tonga's small outlying islands have sustained major damage from a massive volcanic eruption and tsunami, the United Nations said

Covid-19: Low-income countries in disadvantageous position, says UN chief

"Global financial system has failed them when they needed it the most and a global solidarity is lacking," he said

India better positioned to navigate any financial turbulence: UN body

The report projected Indian economy to grow at 9% in FY22 and 6.7% in FY23 as base effect wanes

UN forecasts lower global economic growth for 2022 and 2023

The report said labour shortages in developed economies are adding to supply chain challenges and inflationary pressures

'Sulli Deals' form of hate speech in India, must be condemned: UN official

Harassment of Muslim women in India through social media apps such as "Sulli Deals" must be condemned and prosecuted as soon as they occur, a UN Special Rapporteur has said. UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues Dr Fernand de Varennes took to Twitter to raise concern on the issue of minorities in India, saying Muslim women in India are harassed and sold in social media apps. "#Minority Muslim women in #India are harassed & 'sold' in #socialmedia apps, #SulliDeals, a form of #HateSpeech, must be condemned and prosecuted as soon as they occur. All #HumanRights of minorities need to be fully & equally protected, Varennes said in a tweet on Tuesday. The Delhi Police last week arrested Aumkareshwar Thakur, 26, who is believed to be the creator of "Sulli Deals" app from Madhya Pradesh's Indore, the first arrest made in the case. Hundreds of Muslim women were listed for auction on the mobile application with photographs sourced without permission and doctored. The accused, a ...

Taliban has to fulfil promises if they want resources to be unfrozen: UN

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) High Commissioner Filippo Grandi has said that the Taliban has to fulfil some promises if they want their financial resources to be unfrozen.The UN commissioner for refugees further said that Afghan women and girls must be allowed to attend schools, and minorities must be represented, reported Tolo News.Meanwhile, he also told the Washington Post that it is important to maintain dialogue with the Islamic Emirate, saying that this will ensure that Afghanistan is "viable", reported Tolo News."But in the end, in the end, it is important to maintain that dialogue with the Taliban, because all these systems will be temporary in nature, and how to ensure that Afghanistan is viable, is a viable country able to support its people, I think will only be achieved through dialogue between the international community and the Taliban themselves," said Grandi.Grandi added that he delivered the same message to the Islamic Emirate when he was visiting Kabul that the ...

UN Security Council plans to discuss tensions in Sudan next week: President

On Sunday, Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok resigned due to the actions of the military, who violated the agreements within a political deal

India's TS Tirumurti assumes new chair of UN Counter-Terrorism Committee

TS Tirumurti, India's permanent representative to the United Nations was named the new Chair of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC)

People of Myanmar face 'unprecedented' crisis in 2022: UN report

The turmoil in Myanmar is projected to have driven almost half the population into poverty heading into 2022, wiping out the impressive gains made since 2005, according to a UN report

Coronavirus delays UN nuclear treaty meeting, possibly till August

A coronavirus surge has upended plans to hold a major nuclear treaty conference at the United Nations, with participants agreeing Thursday to postpone the meeting just days before its scheduled start. After nearly two years of pandemic delays, delegations from around the world had been scheduled due to converge on U.N. headquarters Tuesday to take stock of the 1970 Non-Proliferation Treaty, a pillar of nuclear arms control. But organisers are now penciling in an August 1 start date for the already long-delayed conference, according to an email Thursday from the U.N. disarmament office to entities involved. An inquiry was sent Thursday evening to the conference's leader, Gustavo Zlauvinen. The treaty is the world's most widely ratified nuclear arms control agreement, with 191 participating countries. Nations without atomic weapons committed not to acquire them and to allow verification that nuclear energy programs weren't morphing into weaponry. Countries that had nuclear weapons wh

UN welcomes dialogue between US, Russia after Putin-Biden call

The United Nations welcomes the dialogue between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US leader Joe Biden on security and strategic issues, UN associate spokesperson Florencia Soto Nino told Sputnik.On Thursday, the two presidents held a telephone call to discuss escalating tensions over Ukraine and the upcoming talks on the issue."We always welcome dialogue between the Member States," Soto Nino said when asked about the phone call.Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have increased in the past several weeks amid an alleged Russian troop buildup at the Ukrainian border and claims of preparations for an invasion. Moscow has repeatedly denied the accusations, saying that Russia has the right to relocate the troops within its territory at its own discretion, while NATO's military activity near Russian borders poses a threat to its security.On December 17, Russia released proposals on security guarantees to NATO and the United States that seek to prevent the alliance's further expansion ...