Climate action ‘cannot trample over the poor’, says Guterres, launching new initiative to protect key minerals for clean energy transition

PNP DeskApril 26, 2024September 20, 202404 mins

The newly established Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals brings together a diverse group of governments, organisations and UN bodies to develop a set of common and voluntary principles to protect environmental and social standards aimed at embedding justice in the energy transition. “A world powered by renewables is a world hungry for critical minerals,”…

One year of the Black Sea Initiative: Key facts and figures

PNP DeskJuly 10, 2023September 14, 2024011 mins

Also known as the Black Sea Grain Initiative, it has been run by the Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) in Istanbul, staffed by Russia, Türkiye, Ukraine, and the UN. Here are the main facts and figures you need to know: What has the Black Sea Grain Initiative achieved since being signed in July 2022?   Nearly one…

Twitter users are worried about Elon Musk’s new initiative

PNP DeskJuly 3, 2023September 14, 202403 mins

Elon Musk, file photo Twitter CEO Elon Musk’s new move to secure the microblogging website has left users worried. Elon Musk on Saturday decided to limit the number of tweets reached by Twitter users due to data scraping and system manipulation. This move has upset many Twitter users and forced them to leave the platform….

Initiative to enhance crucial role of women in countering hate speech launched

PNP DeskJune 12, 2023September 13, 202404 mins

The bold new plan is being released a few days ahead of the second UN-stipulated International Day for Countering Hate Speech. The Plan of Action for Women in Communities to Counter Hate Speech and Prevent Incitement to Violence that Could Lead to Atrocity Crimes (otherwise known as The Napoli Women in Communities Plan of Action)…

Black Sea Grain Initiative extended on deadline day

Black Sea Initiative exports top 30 million tonnes from Ukraine, as talks continue over renewal

PNP DeskMay 11, 2023September 12, 202404 mins

That was the message conveyed by the UN Humanitarian Affairs chief, Martin Griffiths, to a meeting held on Thursday in Istanbul, to discuss the future of the Initiative, with senior official from the signatories to the deal, Russia, and Ukraine, together with the UN and Türkiye, which also mediated the agreement. Vital for global food…

Initiative aims to prevent Hep C infection in marginalized groups in low-income countries

PNP DeskApril 17, 2023September 11, 202405 mins

Marginalized groups are disproportionately affected by the blood-borne disease, which can cause serious liver damage and cancer when left untreated, according to Unitaid, a global health agency hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO). The funding will support the integration of hepatitis C testing and treatment within harm reduction programmes in 10 countries and trial…

World Tuberculosis Day: WHO ramps up initiative to combat killer disease

PNP DeskMarch 23, 2023September 11, 202403 mins

On the eve of World Tuberculosis Day, WHO announced that it will expand the scope of a five-year-old initiative in efforts to eradicate one of the world’s top infectious killers by 2030. TB mainly affects the lungs, but it is preventable, treatable and curable. Although deaths have dropped by nearly 40 per cent globally since…

Extreme weather: UN global early warning initiative ‘fast-tracked into action’

PNP DeskMarch 21, 2023September 11, 202407 mins

UN chief António Guterres convened an Advisory Panel of top UN agency officials which met for the first time to inject more “political, technical and financial clout to ensure that Early Warnings for All becomes a reality for everyone, everywhere”, said WMO in a press release. Tuesday’s panel included development banks, humanitarian organisations, civil society…

Black Sea Grain Initiative extended on deadline day

PNP DeskMarch 18, 2023September 11, 202403 mins

The announcement was made in a Note to Correspondents, released by the UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson’s office on Saturday, which emphasized that the Initiative allows for the “facilitation of the safe navigation for the exports of grain and related foodstuffs and fertilizers, including ammonia, from designated Ukrainian seaports.” Following the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces…