First Person: Swapping guns for ballpens in the Philippines
A former combatant fighting for the rights of her people on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines has been talking about how she has swapped her combat fatigues for jilbabs [outer garment]and her life in the jungle for a…
Nepal: Hundreds killed as ‘unprecedented’ flash floods strike capital Kathmandu
Many of the deaths have occurred in the capital, Kathmandu, which witnessed the most intense rains in over half a century. Hundreds of houses along with schools and hospitals have been damaged and the southern portion of the city remains…
Indian minister says ‘we can change the world for the better’
“Conversations have become difficult, agreements even more so,” he said. “This is surely not what the founders of the UN would have wanted for us. Reforming multilateralism is, therefore, an imperative.” The General Assembly must ask itself “how has this…
China is committed to dialogue, ‘not throwing gas on the fire’, Foreign Minister Wang says
To that end, China, jointly with Brazil and other countries of the Global South, launched a Group of Friends for Peace, he said in his address the UN General Assembly. “Its very purpose is to uphold the purposes and principles…
From vulnerability to action: Asia-Pacific leaders urge global responsibility
Prime Ministers of Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Tuvalu and Tonga underlined the UN’s role as a platform for driving unified, decisive action to mitigate this threat. Indeed, the theme of collective action echoed strongly through…
At UN, Muhammad Yunus urges world leaders to ‘invest in your young citizens’
“I stand in this parliament of nations thanks to an epochal transformation that Bangladesh witnessed this July and August,” said Mr. Yunus, Chief Adviser of the interim Government. The “power of populace,” in particular the youth, helped liberate Bangladeshis from…
Nepal’s Prime Minister highlights climate crisis, global inequality at UNGA
Prime Minister Oli warned of a looming climate catastrophe, resurgent geopolitical rivalries, and escalating military expenditures, which he said are driving the world toward instability. “Both people and planet stand on the brink of climate catastrophe,” he cautioned, pointing to…
Gaza crisis reveals ‘true nature’ of Israeli regime, Iranian President says
Addressing the general debate at the Assembly’s 79th session, Masoud Pezeshkian, who assumed office in July, also expressed readiness to engage with the partners of the stalled Iranian nuclear deal. On the situation in Gaza, he emphasized that the world…
Afghanistan: No future without women’s participation
These were just some of the chilling observations and testimony from Afghan women, together with supporters from around the world, who convened at UN Headquarters on Monday to discuss inclusion and women’s rights going forward. “Now, more than ever, it’s…
Afghanistan: UN warns of growing crisis under increasingly authoritarian Taliban rule
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, said the country’s de facto rulers who have imposed their own interpretation of strict Islamic law have “delivered a period of stability not seen in decades” in Afghanistan, yet the…