Vienna, Austria | AFP | The UN and Bogota signed a major pact Friday to uproot Colombia’s booming cocaine business, as part of ongoing peace efforts between the government and drug trade-controlling rebels. The deal worth $315 million dollars (270 million euros) aims to wean farmers off growing coca — …
Read More »What is the Paris Agreement?
Paris, France | AFP | On December 12, 2015, 195 countries gathered in the French capital to conclude the first truly universal climate treaty, the Paris Agreement, aimed at preventing the worst-case scenarios of global warming. The Palestinian Authority and Nicaragua have since also signed up, while President Donald Trump announced …
Read More »UN chief to highlight world’s ‘forgotten crisis’ in C. Africa
United Nations, United States | AFP | UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is traveling to the Central African Republic next week to draw attention to the world’s “forgotten crisis” and its heavy toll on aid workers and UN peacekeepers. “The Central African Republic is very far from the attention of the international …
Read More »UN-backed Libya talks hit new snag
Tunis, Tunisia | AFP | Talks between representatives of rival authorities in strife-torn Libya have hit a new snag after a parliamentary delegation suspended its participation in the UN-backed discussions hosted by Tunisia. Years of political turmoil since the 2011 overthrow of long-time dictator Moamer Kadhafi have left Libya divided between …
Read More »South Sudan’s government lukewarm about new peace push: UN
United Nations, United States | AFP | South Sudan’s government has shown little interest in a new regional peace initiative that the United States has described as a final chance to end the war, the UN peacekeeping chief said Tuesday. The UN Security Council has thrown its weight behind the drive …
Read More »DRC wins seat on UN rights council despite US opposition
United Nations, United States | AFP | The Democratic Republic of Congo was elected to the UN Human Rights Council on Monday despite opposition from the United States and a leading rights group. DR Congo was among the 15 countries who won seats during a vote at the UN General …
Read More »A simple question for men on contraceptives
Why does the burden of preventing pregnancy fall mostly on women? Kampala, Uganda | FLAVIA NASSAKA | At the National Conference on Family Planning held in Kampala on Sept.27, it emerged that there is a simple question about contraceptives that many men cannot answer. It all started when one of …
Read More »UN chief hopes Iran nuclear deal will survive
United Nations, United States | AFP | UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “very much hopes” the nuclear deal with Iran can be salvaged, a spokesman said Friday, as President Donald Trump was set to de-certify the 2015 agreement. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Guterres considers the deal to be a “very important …
Read More »UN fears 2017 will be record year for attacks on schools
United Nations, United States | AFP | With 500 attacks on schools documented in just six months, 2017 is shaping up as a record year for the number of schools bombed and destroyed in war zones like Yemen, South Sudan and Syria, a UN official said Friday. Last year, the …
Read More »US, Israel pull out of UN cultural body over ‘anti-Israel’ bias
Paris, France | AFP | The United States and its ally Israel said Thursday they were pulling out of the UN’s culture and education body, in a move that underlined Washington’s drift away from international institutions. The US decision, announced in Washington, follows years of tension at the organisation which it …
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