Tag - UN

UN, Syrian govt implicated in aid failures after quake: Commission

a UN-appointed commission of inquiry said that the UN and the Syrian government were responsible for delays in getting emergency aid to people after earthquake. The commission's chairman Paulo Pinheiro called for an independent investigation. He described the situation as “the wholesale failure by the [Syrian] government and the international community, including the United Nations, to rapidly direct urgent life-saving support to Syrians in the direst need.”

March 14, 2023By Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Read more...

Türkiye quake damage estimated to exceed $100bn: UN

Damage from the catastrophic earthquake that struck Türkiye and Syria last month has been estimated at over $100 billion for Türkiye alone, the United Nations said on Tuesday. “Already it is clear that just the damages alone will amount to more than $100bn,” Louisa Vinton of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) told reporters. He added that the recovery costs “will be on top of that”.

March 7, 2023By UncategorizedRead more...

WHO chief visits rebel-held northwest Syria

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visited rebel-held northwestern Syria on Wednesday. This is his first trip to areas outside Damascus's control since a devastating quake last month. Tedros was the highest-ranking United Nations official to visit the rebel-held zones since the February 6 quake. He entered from neighboring Turkey via the Bab al-Hawa crossing and visited several hospitals and a shelter for those displaced, the correspondent said.

March 1, 2023By UncategorizedRead more...

UN chief in Iraq for ‘solidarity’ visit

Baghdad: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Iraq to "break cycles of instability and fragility" after talks with senior officials in Baghdad. The UN chief's visit came as Iraq prepared to mark the 20th anniversary of the US-led invasion that toppled longtime dictator Saddam Hussein. Guterres said he wanted to demonstrate "solidarity" with Iraq "in the consolidation of its democratic institutions and advancing peace".

March 1, 2023By UncategorizedRead more...

UN wants $4.3bn to help millions in war-torn Yemen

Geneva: The United Nations appealed for $4.3 billion on Monday to deliver aid this year to millions of people going hungry in war-ravaged Yemen. It also urged authorities to turn a fragile truce into lasting peace. "Together, let us at long last turn the tide of suffering. Let us give hope to the people of Yemen," UN chief Antonio Guterres said in opening Monday's conference in Geneva.

February 27, 2023By UncategorizedRead more...

Zelensky asks President Alvi to back ‘peace resolution’ in UN

Islamabad: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky held a telephone call with President Arif Alv to discuss a resolution calling for a "just and lasting peace". The resolution would be presented in the United Nation General Assembly (UNGA) ahead of the anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Taking to Twitter, Zelensky penned that “Had a phone call with President of Pakistan Arif Alvi. We noted the importance of the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty of states, respect for the UN Charter......continue being a guarantor of world food security.”

February 23, 2023By World, World, World, World, World, World, World, World, World, World, World, World, World, World, World, World, World, World, World, World, World, World, World, World, Read more...

UN chief: Invasion of Ukraine ‘an affront to our collective conscience’

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opened the special session of the UN General Assembly by condemning Moscow’s February 24, 2022, attack on Ukraine. “That invasion is an affront to our collective conscience,” Guterres said. He called the anniversary “a grim milestone for the people of Ukraine and the international community”.

February 23, 2023By UncategorizedRead more...

UN reports over 17,000 civilian casualties in Ukraine

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported 17,831 civilian casualties in the Russia-Ukraine war including 6,884 killed and 10,947 injured. “Most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects, including shelling from heavy artillery, multiple launch rocket systems, missiles, and air strikes,” the OHCHR said in a statement.

December 28, 2022By Uncategorized, , , Read more...

UN to convene ‘no-nonsense’ climate summit

According to the reports, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced that he would convene a ”Climate Ambition Summit” in September 2023, saying ”it will be a no-nonsense summit. No exceptions. No compromises.” Speaking at his year-end news conference, he warned that the world was still moving in the wrong direction to fight climate change. ”The 1.5-degree goal is gasping for breath. National climate plans are falling woefully short,” he said, referring to the goal of limiting the Earth’s warming to 1.5°C (2.7°F)

December 20, 2022By UncategorizedRead more...

“Stand and deliver,” asserts UN chief at COP27 climate summit

Sharm El-Sheikh: On Nov 17, negotiators at the COP27 climate summit in Egypt must overcome a "breakdown in trust" between rich and poor nations to deliver a deal to save the world from the worst of global warming, U.N. chief Antonio Guterres stated. "We are at crunch time in the negotiations," he said. "Global emissions are at their highest level in history - and rising. Climate impacts are decimating economies and societies - and growing. We know what we need to do - and we have the tools and resources to get it done," he added.

November 17, 2022By WeatherRead more...

UN calls for release of Turkish medical association head

Geneva: On Nov 8, United Nations experts called on Ankara to release the head of Turkey's medical association. She was arrested after she called for an investigation into allegations of chemical weapons used by the Turkish army. Sebnem Korur Fincanci was jailed on charges of "spreading terrorist group propaganda." President Tayyip Erdogan strongly denied the accusations she made and said that legal action would be taken against anyone making such allegations.

November 8, 2022By UncategorizedRead more...

UN fears Ukrainian refugee crisis

On October 11, the United Nations refugee chief warned that more people would be forced to flee their homes in Ukraine after Russia conducted air attacks. “The horror of what happened in Ukraine today … is inexcusable,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told journalists. “The bombing of civilians, of houses … of non-military infrastructure in an indiscriminate manner in many cities across Ukraine, means the war is becoming harder and more difficult for civilians,” Grandi said.

October 11, 2022By UncategorizedRead more...

UN to launch fresh appeal for Pakistan flood victims

Islamabad: It emerged on Friday that the United Nations would launch a fresh appeal next week for Pakistan flood victims. It also laid bare that its initial $160 million appeal was insufficient to meet the country's needs. Julien Frederic Morcom-Harneis, the United Nations resident coordinator and humanitarian coordinator in Pakistan, said: “We will appeal for life-saving drugs along with our partners. The reconstruction and rehabilitation phase will come later.”

September 30, 2022By WorldRead more...

“War crimes were committed in Ukraine”: U.N

Geneva: On September 23, the head of a U.N.-mandated investigation body laid that war crimes including rape, torture, and confinement of children had been committed in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. "Based on the evidence gathered by the Commission, it has concluded that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine," Erik Mose, who heads the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, told the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.

September 23, 2022By UncategorizedRead more...

“Pakistan should suspend debt repayments”: UN paper

Pakistan should suspend international debt repayments and restructure loans with creditors after recent floods added to the country's financial crisis, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing a UN policy memo. The memorandum states: "the country's creditors should consider debt relief so that policymakers can prioritize financing its disaster response over loan repayment." The memo further proposed debt restructuring or swaps, where creditors would let go of repayments in exchange for Pakistan agreeing to invest in climate change-resilient infrastructure, FT said.

September 23, 2022By UncategorizedRead more...

Greece complains to NATO, UN over Turkey’s remarks

Athens: On September 7, Greece sent letters to NATO and the United Nations, complaining over what it called "inflammatory" statements by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. As per the reports of diplomatic sources, it also asked them to condemn Ankara's behavior. On Monday, the European Union voiced concern over statements by Erdogan accusing Greece, an EU member, of occupying demilitarised islands in the Aegean.

September 7, 2022By Uncategorized, , Read more...

UN must ensure security of Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant: Zelenskiy

Lviv: On August 18, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that the United Nations must ensure the security of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant occupied by Russian forces. "Particular attention was paid to the topic of Russia's nuclear blackmail at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. This deliberate terror......have global catastrophic consequences for the whole world," Zelenskiy wrote on the Telegram.

August 18, 2022By Uncategorized, Read more...

China seeks to stop UN rights chief from releasing Xinjiang report

Geneva: On July 19, it was reported that China was asking the United Nations human rights chief to bury a highly-anticipated report on human rights violations in Xinjiang. The letter authored by China expressed "grave concern" about the Xinjiang report and aims to halt its release, said four sources. United Nations High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet has faced severe criticism from civil society for being too soft on China during a May visit. [7/19, 11:21 PM] Alina: China struggles to get report on Xinjiang canceled

July 19, 2022By Uncategorized, Read more...

UN calls for an immediate end to war in Ukraine

On April 24, the United Nations Ukraine crisis coordinator, Amin Awad, called for an “immediate stop” to fighting in Mariupol to allow the evacuation of trapped civilians in the battered city “today”. “The lives of tens of thousands, including women, children, and older people, are at stake in Mariupol,” Awad said in a statement. “We need a pause in fighting right now to save lives. The longer we wait the more lives will be at risk. They must be allowed to safely evacuate now, today. Tomorrow could be too late,” he added.

April 24, 2022By Politics, Politics, Politics, Politics, Politics, PoliticsRead more...

UN voices concerns over Missing Afghan Women Activists

On Wednesday, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) as well as the UN Secretary General’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, demanded information and action on the “disappeared” Afghan women activists, calling for their release.“Nearly three weeks after their disappearance, there is still no news about the whereabouts and well-being of four women activists and their relatives who were detained or abducted in Kabul in connection with the recent women’s rights protests,” the spokesperson of the UNHCHR, Liz Throssell, stated.

February 9, 2022By UncategorizedRead more...

UN is allocating 5b for Afghanistan

Afghanistan will get $5 billion from the United Nations. It emphasised that the organisation does not intend to create an alternative state in Afghanistan, but that system support is critical to the foundation's success in order to avoid losing the accomplishments of the previous two decades. The United Nations has said it plans to provide 5 billion to strengthen Afghanistan's economy. The United Nations is reportedly working on a 5 billion budget for the next year to provide services and assistance in Afghanistan.    

December 24, 2021By Politics, Uncategorized, Read more...

Africa’s glaciers’ melting leads to drought, floods: reports UN

It is reported that Africa's fabled eastern glaciers would evaporate in two decades leading to imminent drought, floods or extreme heat on 118 million poor people. The UN climate agency warned that climate change could also cut three percent off continental GDP by 2050. The report on the state of Africa's climate by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), the continent would be unable to adapt to increasingly periodic weather catastrophes.

October 19, 2021By Uncategorized, , Read more...

UN: Taliban to set forth plans for girls’ education soon

After four weeks of Afghan boys receiving secondary education but not girls, the Taliban will establish a framework that allows girls to attend school in Afghanistan "soon," according to a top UN official. Unicef deputy executive director Omar Abdi stated at UN "The de facto minister of education told us that they are working on a framework, which they will announce soon, that will allow all girls to go to secondary school, and we are expecting that to happen very soon"

October 17, 2021By Uncategorized, , Read more...

UN releases emergency funds for the Afghan health sector

The UN's Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, released a statement on Wednesday about issuing an emergency health relief fund of $45 million for Afghanistan. "The war-torn country's healthcare system has plunged into crisis after the Taliban took charge and healthcare workers are not paid," he added.

September 22, 2021By Uncategorized, , Read more...

US and China must avoid Cold war: UN Chief

Antonio Guerrero, UN Chief, spoke to The Associated Press about the pressing matter of the Cold war between the US and China. He warned both countries not to instigate a Cold war as the world had already been in crisis since 2019. He stated that both potential and influential economies must resolve their frivolous relationship and end their rivalry for world peace otherwise the repercussions would be borne by the whole planet.

September 20, 2021By Uncategorized, , Read more...

Libya Truce Takes Place With ‘Immediate Effect’: UN

Geneva, Oct 23 (AFP/APP): The national ceasefire signed Friday between Libya's two rival factions takes place with immediate effect, the UN's Libya envoy said following the signing ceremony at the United Nations in Geneva. "Today is a good day for the Libyan people", Stephanie Williams told a press conference, saying the delegations "signed a complete, country-wide and permanent ceasefire agreement with immediate effect".

October 23, 2020By Uncategorized, , , Read more...

UN Trade Body Projects 7-9% Year-on-Year Drop in Global Trade in 2020

GENEVA, Oct 21 (Xinhua/APP): A UN report on Wednesday forecast a 7 percent to 9 percent year-on-year drop in the value of global trade in 2020, despite signs of a weak rebound in the third quarter led by a recovery in China. In the latest quarterly report of the UNCTAD the Geneva-based trade body estimates world trade to be about 5 percent less in the third quarter than the same period in 2019,

October 21, 2020By Business, , , Read more...

AJK President Calls for Tripartite Talks under UN Supervision on Kashmir Issue

MIRPUR (AJK): Oct 19 (APP): AJK President Sardar Masood Khan Monday said that as a matter of principle, talks with India should be held only under the UN auspices, and the presence of the Kashmiris on the negotiations table is a must. He asserted that the UN supervision of the talks is essential in order to carry forward and implement the Security Council resolutions on Kashmir.

October 19, 2020By Uncategorized, Uncategorized, Uncategorized, , , , , Read more...

Shibli Declares Pakistan’s HRCUN Membership Diplomatic Achievement

ISLAMABAD, Oct 14 (APP): Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz Wednesday said Pakistan's membership to the Human Rights Council of the United Nations (HRCUN) for the next three years is a matter of honour and a big diplomatic achievement. It is a clear proof that the world considers Pakistan as an advocate and protector of human rights, he added.

October 14, 2020By Uncategorized, , , , Read more...