Tag: United Nations

UN slams Facebook decision on violent messages

  GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The UN voiced alarm Friday at Facebook’s decision to temporarily ease its policy on violent speech after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, warning it could spark “hate speech” against Russians. The policy decision from Facebook and Instagram’s parent company Meta on Thursday said the platforms would now allow statements like “death to Russian invaders” but not credible threats against civilians. “This is clearly a very, very complex issue, but it does […]

Rare UN General Assembly session to have say on Russia

  UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — Russia will find out just how isolated it is on the world stage Monday as the United Nations holds a rare emergency special session of the General Assembly to discuss whether to condemn Moscow’s attack on Ukraine. All 193 members will have their say as the global body decides if it will support a resolution condemning Russia’s “unprovoked armed aggression” in Ukraine and demand its immediate withdrawal. It is only […]

Russia blocks Security Council action on Ukraine

UN Photo/Mark Garten Security Council votes on draft resolution on Ukraine, 25 February 2022. Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Friday that would have demanded that Moscow immediately stop its attack on Ukraine and withdraw all troops, a move several Council members said was deplorable, but inevitable. Although Russia, a permanent member of the Council, refused to support the draft resolution, eleven of the 15-member UN body voted in favour while India, China and […]

UN chief appeals to Russia’s Pres. Putin to withdraw troops from Ukraine, warns of devastating global impact

UN Secretary General Guterres: “This conflict must stop now”   (Eagle News) – United Nations Secretary General once again appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin, this time asking him to “bring back” his troops to Russia to avoid devastating consequences of a war in Ukraine that would have an impact globally. “This is the saddest moment in my tenure the Secretary General of the United Nations. I started this meeting of the Security Council addressing […]

Violence against women rising amid pandemic, says UN on Int’l Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

  (Eagle News) – “Nearly 1 in 3 women have been abused in their lifetime,” according to the United Nations as it marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on Thursday, November 25. In fact, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report from the UN Women, cited data from 13 countries that 2 in 3 women reported that they or a woman they know experienced some form of violence.” “Only 1 […]

President Duterte to speak before UN General Assembly

(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte will address the United Nations General Assembly. The Palace said the President will speak on the first day of the High-Level General Debate of the 76th Session slated on Sept. 21. The Palace said the President is expected to discuss the country’s positions on global issues such as universal access to COVID-19 vaccines, climate change, and human rights. He is also expected to discuss  the situation of migrant workers […]

World leaders will hold closed-door climate meet at UN

UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will host a closed-door meeting of world leaders Monday on the sidelines of the General Assembly in New York to boost climate commitments. The roundtable comes less than six weeks before a major United Nations climate meeting, COP26, in Glasgow, aimed at ensuring the world meets its goal of holding century-end warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. “UNGA is the […]

Climate and weather related disasters surge five-fold over 50 years, but early warnings save lives – WMO report

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrLaT1wyLaE   Climate change and increasingly extreme weather events, have caused a surge in natural disasters over the past 50 years disproportionately impacting poorer countries, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) said on Wednesday. According to the agencies’ Atlas of Mortality and Economic Losses from Weather, Climate and Water Extremes, from 1970 to 2019, these natural hazards accounted for 50 per cent of all disasters, 45 per cent […]

UN to maintain Afghanistan mission after US, NATO withdrawal

  UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — The UN said Thursday it will maintain its political and humanitarian mission to Afghanistan despite the departure of US and NATO troops later this year. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman to the UN secretary-general, said it was “clear and obvious” that the troops’ departure “will have an impact on the country as a whole,” in response to questions about the mission’s future. “We will continue to study the situation, but our work […]

UN has first contact with Myanmar military since coup

  UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — The United Nations has had its first contact with the military in Myanmar since it launched a coup this week, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday, repeating calls for civilian leaders to be freed. “Our special envoy today had a first contact in which she expressed clearly our position to the deputy military commander,” Guterres told reporters, referring to Swiss diplomat Christine Schraner Burgener. Burgener was also in contact with other […]

World urged to move on ‘climate emergency’ after pandemic

by Jitendra JOSHI and Patrick GALEY in Paris Agence France-Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — The United Nations on Saturday urged leaders to declare a global climate emergency and shape greener growth after the coronavirus pandemic, as nations took gloomy stock five years since the landmark Paris Agreement. Fast-growing China, the world’s biggest emitter, outlined limited new ambitions in green energy at a virtual “Climate Ambition Summit” addressed by more than 70 leaders. In the […]

Pres. Duterte to reiterate call for equal access on COVID vaccines in UN special session on Dec. 3

Special Session to hone collective response of various countries on virus pandemic   (Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to reiterate his call for equal access to safe and effective vaccines for “rich and poor nations alike” on Dec. 3 when he delivers the Philippine statement on the 31st special session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. The special session will happen via video conference […]