What does ‘biodiversity’ mean and why is it important? In simple terms, biodiversity refers to all types of life on earth. The UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), describes it as “the diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems, including plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi”. These three levels work together to create life on…
Citing Gaza’s health authorities, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also noted that some 62,681 Palestinians have been injured by Israeli strikes launched in retaliation for Hamas-led massacres in Israel that left some 1,200 dead and around 250 people taken hostage. Two Israeli soldiers have also been killed in Gaza since…
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was addressing the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board when he said that “several outstanding issues” still needed to be resolved by governments and that time was “very short” to find consensus. “A failure to deliver the pandemic agreement and the International Health Regulations amendments will be a missed opportunity for which…
Displayed for all visitors to see, the tiny charcoal coloured block of Moon rock spent three decades in storage and made its re-appearance after a rigorous security process. To Anne Soiberg-Friedkin, who works in facilities management at UN Headquarters, having a piece of the Moon reflects the immense feats of humanity. “It’s so significant, it…
More than 130 countries are members of the bloc – the largest grouping of the global South, representing 80 percent of the planet’s population – and their solidarity and partnership are essential to building a sustainable, peaceful, and just world for all, he said. “Let us face it: those that benefit most from the present…
Selvan is heading out on his motorcycle to buy groceries from a nearby shop in the city of Jaffna in Sri Lanka, but the direct sunlight disturbs him, making it hard to concentrate, blurring his vision as his panic grows: he is back on a sinking ship packed with more than 300 other people, pounded…
Leaders from the 120-member bloc met amid deep division globally, including rising geopolitical tensions, climate catastrophe, widespread poverty and raging conflict in Sudan, Ukraine and Gaza. Danger and constraints “Following the abhorrent Hamas attacks on 7 October, the wholesale destruction of Gaza and the number of civilian casualties in such a short period are totally…
ISLAMABAD (Czechangez Khan Jadoon): Foreign Ministers of Pakistan and Iran during a telephonic talk agreed to restore bilateral ties to a high level, announces the Embassy of Iran in Islamabad. “FMs had a very good phone talk to restore relations to a high level. hoping that with my colleague’s help @rahimhayat, we can set a…
Reiterating urgent international calls for a ceasefire, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that there have been nearly 20,000 births since the start of widespread Israeli bombardment, in response to Hamas-led attacks in Israel that left some 1,200 dead and approximately 250 taken hostage. Chronic aid access problems have meant that Caesarean sections have been…
The court documents reveal a horrifying list of alleged crimes perpetrated by Mr. Epstein, including sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, rape, sex trafficking, slavery, torture and the forced disappearance of women and children. Mr. Epstein died in August 2019 after prison guards in New York found him unresponsive in his jail cell where he was…
