Senators urge US House to pass Kids Online Safety Act
A bipartisan effort to protect children from the harms of social media is running out of time in this session of the U.S. Congress. If passed, the Kids Online Safety Act would institute safeguards for minors’ personal data online. But…
Syria: UN envoy concludes talks in Damascus, citing hope for democratic future
“It’s early days,” Geir Pedersen said referring to the dramatic events of less than two weeks ago that ended decades of dictatorship. “But I think it is important to say that there is a lot of hope that we can…
Tensions escalating over DPR Korea, political affairs chief warns Security Council
Briefing ambassadors, Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo highlighted the need for de-escalation and dialogue, while also noting “indications” that DPRK is continuing to actively pursue its nuclear weapons programme. “Diplomatic engagement remains the only pathway to sustainable peace and the complete and…
Winter rains and aid obstacles worsen ordeal for one million Gazans
In an update, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, stressed that attacks on civilian infrastructure have not stopped, “particularly in North Gaza, where the UN World Health Organization (WHO) reports appalling conditions at Kamal Adwan Hospital – and where 61…
Occupied Palestinian Territory: Security Council hears of ongoing violence, ‘relentless’ Israeli settlement expansion
Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General in the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), presented the latest quarterly report on the implementation of Council resolution 2334 (2016). It calls for Israel to immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in…
‘We must not normalise the war in Ukraine,’ warns country coordinator
The UN’s top official in the country – who also coordinates all the organization’s humanitarian work there – emphasised the urgent need for peace, justice, and sustained international support. In October and November alone, over 2,180 civilian deaths and injuries…
VOA Kurdish: Syrian currency gets boost in value, but prices remain high
After the fall of the regime of Bashar al-Assad, the value of the Syrian currency increased against the U.S. dollar, but the price of goods remains high. Residents say that traders are exploiting this situation and that official monitoring institutions…
G20 watchdog urges governments to address non-bank financial risks
ZURICH — The Financial Stability Board (FSB) on Wednesday pitched recommendations for governments to reduce risks around hedge funds, insurers and other non-bank financial intermediaries, which now account for almost half of global financial assets. The sector of non-bank financial…
Nissan, Honda confirm talks on closer collaboration but say there’s been no decision on a merger
BANGKOK — Japanese automakers Nissan Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. confirmed Wednesday that they are discussing closer collaboration but denied reports they have decided on a merger. Nissan’s share price soared more than 22% in Tokyo after reports citing…
Zelenskyy to meet with NATO, European leaders in push to bolster defenses
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to meet Wednesday with NATO chief Mark Rutte and European leaders in Brussels as Ukraine seeks to bolster its defenses against Russian forces. Zelenskyy on Tuesday cited an urgent need to boost military aid…