Page 13 - United Nations

India receives wide praise at UNSC for counter-terror leadership

India has received wide praise for its leadership of the UN Security Council and for guiding the adoption of the Delhi Declaration on fighting terrorists using emerging technologies

Mystery of the missing millions: Why UN projects higher India population

Its estimate of India's population by the end of the decade is 41 mn higher than TGPP's 1.47 billion

WFP warns drought leading to food insecurity, acute malnutrition in Africa

The impact of drought in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia has led to food insecurity and a high level of acute malnutrition, the UN WFP has warned

Religious freedom, related human rights in India under threat: USCIRF

Religious freedom and related human rights in India are under ongoing threat, the US Commission for International Religious Freedom alleged on Tuesday in an unusual year-end update of the status of its assessment of religious freedom in the country. India has previously rejected the USCIRF's observations, terming them as "biased and inaccurate". The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is a Congressional-appointed body. Its recommendations are, however, not mandatory to be implemented by the US State Department. In its 2022 Annual Report early this year USCIRF recommended that the US Department of State designate India as a country of particular concern for engaging in or tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations, as set forth by the International Religious Freedom Act. The US State Department has refused to incorporate the commission's recommendations so far. Reiterating its recommendations of early this year, USCIRF argued t

Iran enriches uranium to 60% purity in response to UN watchdog order

Iran has begun producing enriched uranium at 60 per cent purity at the country's underground Fordo nuclear plant, official media reported on Tuesday, describing it as a response to a resolution by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog. The increased enrichment, reported by the official news agency IRNA, was seen as a significant addition to the country's nuclear programme. Enrichment to 60 per cent purity is one short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent. Nonproliferation experts have warned in recent months that Iran now has enough 60 per cent-enriched uranium to reprocess into fuel for at least one nuclear bomb. Iran is already enriching to 60per cent purity at its Natanz nuclear facility in central Iran. Fordo is some 100 kilometres (62 miles) south of the capital of Tehran. IRNA did not give details on the amount of the enriched uranium being produced. On Monday, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Nasser Kanaani, said his country took the steps in reac

Global intellectual property filings touch record levels in 2021: UN

The UN agency said that despite the disruption of the coronavirus pandemic, this bucked previous economic downturn trends.

Norway Foreign Ministry donates 220 m Kroner for civilians in Afghanistan

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Norway in a statement has announced a donation of 220 million Norwegian Kroner to the United Nations and the World Bank

Pakistan pushes to increase non-permanent members in UN Security Council

The Pakistani envoy also underscored the need for flexibility to achieve the required consensus among all UN member states to overcome the stalemate in the reform negotiations: Report

UN Secy, COP27 Prez urge nations to deliver through much-needed pacts

To this end, the COP27 Presidency, with the support of UN-Habitat, convened the first-ever Ministerial Meeting on Urbanization and Climate Change at a UN Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP)

Russia-Ukraine grain deal extended by four months in win for food prices

A wartime agreement that unblocked grain shipments from Ukraine and helped temper rising global food prices will be extended by four months, the United Nations and other parties to the deal said on Thursday, preventing a price shock to some of the world's most vulnerable countries where many are struggling with hunger. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the 120-day extension a "key decision in the global fight against the food crisis". Struck during Russia's war in Ukraine, the initiative established a safe shipping corridor in the Black Sea and inspection procedures to address concerns that cargo vessels might carry weapons or launch attacks. The deal that Ukraine and Russia signed in separate agreements with the UN and Turkey on July 22 was due to expire on Saturday. Russia confirmed the extension but said it expected progress on removing obstacles to the export of Russian food and fertilisers. Ukraine and Russia are key global suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil

War, slowdown prompt Tiruppur exporters to explore alternate markets

Move follows 21% YoY dip in exports in October; some exporters believe things will improve in the coming months as yarn prices have declined and dollar rates are favourable

Around 13% drug abuse victims in India are below 20 years: UN official

Child trafficking, child labour and exploitation by criminals often result in poor mental and physical health of children, leading to high risk of drugs and alcohol abuse

COP27 draft text omits India's proposal of phasing down all fossil fuels

The United Nations published a first draft of the climate deal on Thursday and it doesn't mention a phase down of all fossil fuels, a proposal that was put forward by India and supported by the European Union and many other countries. The draft encourages "the continued efforts to accelerate measures towards the phase down of unabated coal power and phase out and rationalize inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, in line with national circumstances and recognizing the need for support towards just transitions". Nearly the same language was used in the Glasgow Climate Pact last year. When contacted, a spokesperson of the Environment Ministry said the Indian negotiators do not wish to comment "as negotiations are going on". The cover text also doesn't mention when a loss and damage finance facility will be launched and what its contours will be. Poor and developing countries have demanded that the COP27 concludes with a decision to launch a fund to address loss and damage -- a term used

UN: India voices concerns on energy, food security due to Ukraine conflict

India's top ambassador to the UN, underscored the adverse impact of the Ukraine conflict, especially the developing countries

India's aviation safety rank to improve after UN agency audit: DGCA

Says country fared well in ICAO audit of Nov 9-16 covering legislation, licensing, operations, airworthiness, among other areas; India was placed below Pakistan and Nepal an earlier exercise

South Korea to provide $2.72 million to international global climate fund

Seoul will contribute 1.2 billion won per annum to the Adaptation Fund over the next three years from 2023, Yonhap news agency reported, citing a statement by the ministry

UN chief calls for making roads safe, reduce traffic deaths by half by 2030

One of the best ways to remember and honor the victims is by doing our part to make roads safer around the world

UN voices concern over reports of further curbs on rights of Afghan women

aliban prohibited Afghan women from visiting all public parks in the country. Taliban spokesperson said they have also banned women's public bathhouses as they are contrary to the sharia law.

Global population hits 8 bn: How it changes the world over next few decades

Much of the world's population growth has come in the last century as better living standards and health advancements extended life expectancy

UN human rights ooffice urges Iran to free detained peaceful protesters

The UN human rights office is calling on Iran's government to immediately release thousands of people who have been detained for participating in peaceful protests, faulting its increasing harshness as Western countries seek to ratchet up scrutiny of Tehran's crackdown against demonstrators. Spokesman Jeremy Laurence of the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said it was calling for all charges to be dropped against the demonstrators and cautioned that Iran can only mete out the death penalty for the most serious crimes" under international law amid concerns that some protesters could be facing capital punishment. Instead of opening space for dialogue on legitimate grievances, the authorities are responding to unprecedented protests with increasing harshness, Laurence said at a regular UN press briefing in Geneva. He said at least 10 protesters had been charged with offenses that carry the death penalty including one found guilty of either "waging war against God o