By Kalinga Seneviratne SINGAPORE. 14 October 2023 (IDN) — In the aftermath of Palestinian group Hamas’s terror attack inside Israel on 7 October and the Israeli state’s equally terrifying attacks on Palestinian settlements in Gaza, the media across many parts of Asia tend to take a more neutral stand to that of their western counterparts, […]
A Trust Redeemed: Celebrating and Reinforcing Achievements
By Ramu Damodaran* NEW YORK | 14 October 2023 (IDN) — Among all the conditions that convened at the creation of the United Nations, and have sustained what will be its 78 years on October 24, none was as unequivocal and decisive as that of trust, the trust demanded between States and invested by them […]
Who’s WHO?
BY Aayusha Pokharel* KATHMANDU. 12 October 2023 (IDN) — The World Health Organisation (WHO) will be nominating its South East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) Director at its 76th session starting 30 October in New Delhi. Nepal’s candidate Shambu Prasad Acharya has emerged as a clear favourite among international public health practitioners. But vying for the […]
Hospitals in the Gaza Strip at a Breaking Point, Warns WHO
JERUSALEM | 12 October 2023 (IDN | WHO EMRO) — WHO warns that the health system in the Gaza Strip is at a breaking point. Time is running out to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe if fuel, life-saving health, and humanitarian supplies cannot be urgently delivered to the Gaza Strip amidst the complete blockade. Hospitals have only a few hours of electricity […]
Egypt Working to End Poverty, Hunger by 2027
By UNIC Cairo CAIRO. | 12 October 2023 (IDN) — Egypt has committed to end poverty and hunger by 2027. At the 2023 SDG Summit, Egypt laid out bold, concrete commitments to accelerate its progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The SDG Summit, convened by the President of the UN General Assembly at […]
UN Human Rights Council: Russia Loses, China Wins Narrowly
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS | 11 October 2023 (IDN) — The UN’s 47-member Geneva-based Human Rights Council (HRC) has had a longstanding notoriety for having several so-called “repressive regimes” and “authoritarian governments” as its members—elected by the 193-member General Assembly. At the elections, held by secret ballot on 10 October, the 15 new members […]
Is Russia Planning to Revoke its Ratification of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty?
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS | 10 October 2023 (IDN) — The Russian Federation, which made several implicit threats to use nuclear weapons in its ongoing military conflict in Ukraine, is reportedly toying with the idea of withdrawing its ratification of the landmark Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). The international wire service Reuters reported […]
Bonn Conference Sends Signal of Solidarity in Climate Action
By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN | 9 October 2023 (IDN) — Twenty-five countries have pledged 9.322 billion US dollars for climate change mitigation and adaptation in developing countries. According to German government sources, further pledges for significant funding are expected before the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference convenes from 30 November to 12 December 2023 in […]
Kenyan Police, to Fight Gang Violence in Haiti, Comes Under Fire
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS 7 October 2023 (IDN) — A Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission led by Kenya –assigned to the politically troubled Caribbean nation of Haiti—has come under fire even before it could get off the ground. Amnesty International (AI) Kenya says there is a need to thoroughly assess Kenyan security forces’ human […]
UN Human Rights Council: Are Inmates Taking over the Asylum?
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS. 5 October 2023 (IDN) — When the 193-member General Assembly (GA) elected some of the so-called “repressive regimes” as members of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in a bygone era, US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher remarked: “The inmates have taken over the asylum”. And, as an after-thought, he added: “I […]