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India strongly criticised Pakistan at the UN General Assembly for raising the Jammu and Kashmir issue, accusing Islamabad of misusing UN platforms to push a divisive agenda.

India Rebukes Pakistan's UN Remarks on Jammu and Kashmir

India Condemns Pakistan's UN Kashmir Remarks

India strongly criticised Pakistan at the UN General Assembly for raising the Jammu and Kashmir issue, accusing Islamabad of misusing UN platforms to push a divisive agenda.

India called out Pakistan for misusing UN platforms to drive its &ldquo;divisive agenda&rdquo; after Islamabad's envoy raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in the General Assembly.
Counsellor in the Permanent Mission of India to the UN Eldos Mathew Punnoose on Thursday said that the right to self-determination must not be abused to encourage secession in pluralistic and democratic states.
&ldquo;At a time when member states have to rise beyond their narrow considerations, Pakistan continues to misuse all platforms and processes in the UN to drive their divisive agenda,&rdquo; Punnoose said.
"This forum is no exception either and Pakistan made an unwarranted reference to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, an integral and inalienable part of India,&rdquo; Punnoose said, while delivering the national statement at the UN General Assembly Plenary on 'Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organisation&rsquo;.
&ldquo;The right to self-determination is a fundamental principle enshrined in the UN Charter. However, this right must not be abused to encourage secession in pluralistic and democratic states. Though habituated, Pakistan would do well if they do not resort to baseless allegations and falsehoods and portray a picture that is completely detached from reality,&rdquo; he said.
The strong retort by India came after Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad made a reference to Jammu and Kashmir in his remarks in the General Assembly.
Pakistan repeatedly raises the issue of Jammu and Kashmir at the United Nations and its various platforms but fails to get any traction from the wider international community on the matter.
Punnoose, in his remarks, also stressed that the Global South has its unique set of developmental challenges that cut across development financing and climate justice and financing, among other areas.
&ldquo;India has consistently endeavoured to bring these to the forefront across all UN platforms. Concerted and focused follow up action is required on this front. Moving forward, there is a need to translate the sentiments of the Global South to concrete and tangible steps,&rdquo; he said.
As the UN membership takes stock of the past, it is important to reflect upon the current context and the way ahead for the largest multilateral organisation, the United Nations.
&ldquo;United Nations is going through a crucial phase, as it faces various critical challenges. World citizenry expects the UN to deliver on each of the three pillars &ndash; peace and security, development and human rights,&rdquo; he said.
India emphasised that UN's inability to purposefully intervene on its critical functions leads to questions related to efficacy, legitimacy and credibility.
&ldquo;This is quite pronounced in case of maintenance of international peace and security. As conflicts rage across different parts of the globe, the world hopes the UN to deliver, to put an end to human suffering and misery," Punnoose said.

The UN forecasts India’s economy to grow 6.6% in 2026, driven by strong private consumption, public investment, and resilient domestic demand despite high US tariffs.

India projected to grow at 6.6%, resilient consumption, public investment to offset US tariffs impact: UN

The UN forecasts India&rsquo;s economy to grow 6.6% in 2026, driven by strong private consumption, public investment, and resilient domestic demand despite high US tariffs.

India is projected to grow at 6.6 per cent in 2026, registering an &ldquo;exceptionally high growth in a challenging global environment&rdquo;, with resilient private consumption and strong public investment largely offsetting the impact of high US tariffs, the United Nations has said.
The World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026 report released on Thursday by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs said that economic growth in India is projected to &ldquo;moderate&rdquo; from an estimated 7.4 per cent in 2025 to 6.6 per cent this year. India will remain the world's fastest major economy, it said.
&ldquo;Resilient private consumption, strong public investment, recent tax reforms, and lower interest rates are expected to support near-term growth. However, higher US tariffs could weigh on export performance in 2026 if current rates persist, as the US market accounts for about 18 per cent of total exports from India,&rdquo; the report said.
It added that while tariffs may adversely affect some product categories, key exports such as electronics and smartphones are expected to remain exempt.
&ldquo;Moreover, strong demand from other major markets, including Europe and the Middle East, is projected to partially offset the impact,&rdquo; it said, adding that on the supply side, continued expansion in manufacturing and services sectors will remain a key driver of growth throughout the forecast period.
The report stressed that India&rsquo;s growth will be supported by resilient consumption and strong public investment, which &ldquo;should largely offset the adverse impact of higher US tariffs".
"Recent tax reforms and monetary easing should provide additional near-term support," it added.
Ingo Pitterle, Senior Economist and Officer-in-Charge, Global Economic Monitoring Branch, Economic Analysis and Policy Division, UN DESA, told reporters at a briefing here that South Asia will remain the world&rsquo;s fastest growing region expanding by 5.6 per cent and much of this growth &ldquo;comes from India where robust domestic demand, easing inflation supported by a strong harvest and continued policy support are driving growth&rdquo;.
On the macroeconomic situation in India, Pitterle said the agency has &ldquo;significantly upgraded&rdquo; its 2025 and 2026 GDP forecast for the country, reflecting an &ldquo;exceptional combination of factors which have all worked in the direction of stronger growth in India, of a very dynamic economy&rdquo;.
He pointed to the strong consumer demand, public investment and falling inflation in India, partly due to a very abundant harvest.
The Reserve Bank of India could also lower interest rates and provide a monetary impulse.
&ldquo;So we had monetary impulse, we had a positive fiscal impulse to investment and we had positive impact on GDP from the agricultural sector on top of all the other strong growth drivers India was having. That&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;re seeing exceptionally high growth even in a context of a relatively challenging global environment,&rdquo; Pitterle said.
Director, Economic Analysis and Policy Division, UN DESA Shantanu Mukherjee added that there has been diversification of India's export markets to the European Union and the Middle East.
Reiterating that &ldquo;domestic drivers of growth have been exceptionally strong&rdquo; in India, Mukherjee said that one of the strongest exports from India at this point in time is services exports.
&ldquo;This has remained resilient even if merchandise exports have been affected by tariffs. Perhaps one way for India to continue to take advantage&rdquo; as AI is involved, is to &ldquo;further strengthen its services exports and rely on its skilled manpower to develop some of the applications that will take AI into a productivity boosting factor beyond where it is right now&rdquo;.
In India, consumer price inflation fell more than expected, averaging three per cent in the first nine months of the year amid favourable base effects and lower food prices. Inflation is forecast at 4.1 per cent, close to the central bank&rsquo;s midpoint target.
India also recorded strong growth in gross fixed capital formation, led by higher public spending on physical and digital infrastructure, defence and renewable energy.
In India, employment indicators remained broadly stable in 2025. The unemployment rate stood at 5.2 per cent in October 2025, compared with 4.9 per cent in 2024, while the labour force participation rate edged up in both rural and urban areas during the second half of the year.
The Indian rupee stabilised against the US dollar in the first half of the year, supported by broad dollar weakness. However, in the second half, the Indian rupee edged lower following stronger-than-expected growth in the US and ongoing trade negotiations.
Portfolio outflows and higher US tariffs added to depreciation pressures on the Indian rupee.
Nonetheless, robust economic performance in India is expected to provide support for the country&rsquo;s currency in the near term, it said.
The report highlighted that developments in India and Brazil illustrate how industrial policies that address structural supply constraints can mitigate inflationary pressures.
In India, programmes to expand the domestic production of edible oils and pulses, modernise fertilizer and storage infrastructure, and improve logistics &mdash; even if conceived mainly to boost rural incomes and food security &mdash; have reduced dependence on imports and exposure to global shocks.
The report said that global economic growth, estimated at 2.8 per cent for 2025, is forecast to decline slightly to 2.7 per cent in 2026 before edging up to 2.9 per cent in 2027&mdash;remaining well below the pre-pandemic (2010&ndash;2019) average of 3.2 per cent.
Growth in Europe, Japan, and the US is projected to hold broadly steady but proceed at a moderate pace, with monetary or fiscal support continuing to underpin demand.
Several large developing economies, including China, India and Indonesia, are expected to continue experiencing solid growth driven by resilient domestic demand or targeted policy measures.
It noted that the value of countries&rsquo; merchandise exports to the US also changed. A sharp decline in shipments from China &mdash; particularly of electronic goods such as laptops and smartphones &mdash; was offset by increased imports from Vietnam and other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economies.
"India has also strengthened its position within global electronics supply chains,&rdquo; it said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Human Rights Chief Volker Turk express concern over recent lynchings and call for investigations and protection of all minorities in Bangladesh.

UN Voices Concern Over Violence in Bangladesh Targeting Hindus

UN Concern Over Violence in Bangladesh

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Human Rights Chief Volker Turk express concern over recent lynchings and call for investigations and protection of all minorities in Bangladesh.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has voiced concern over the violence in Bangladesh, including the lynching of a Hindu man in the country.
&ldquo;Yes, we're very concerned about the violence that we've seen in Bangladesh,&rdquo; St&eacute;phane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, said at the daily press briefing on Monday.
He was responding to a question on the Secretary-General&rsquo;s response to the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh and especially the lynchings of Hindus in the last few days.
"Whether it's in Bangladesh or any other country, people who don't belong to the &lsquo;majority&rsquo; need to feel safe, and all Bangladeshis need to feel safe. And we're confident that the Government will do what it can to keep every single Bangladeshi safe,&rdquo; Dujarric said.
Dipu Chandra Das, a 25-year-old garment factory worker, was lynched to death by a mob and his body set on fire over alleged blasphemy in Baluka in Mymensingh last week.
Two more persons were arrested on Sunday in connection with Das&rsquo;s lynching. With the latest arrests, 12 people have been held for their alleged involvement in the murder, The Daily Star newspaper reported, quoting police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) sources.
Meanwhile, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk has said he was deeply troubled by the killing of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, a leader of last year&rsquo;s protests in Bangladesh, who died of his injuries after being shot last week.
Turk called for calm and for everyone to refrain from violence.
&ldquo;Retaliation and revenge will only deepen divisions and undermine the rights of all,&rdquo; he said.
&ldquo;I urge the authorities to conduct a prompt, impartial, thorough and transparent investigation into the attack that led to Hadi&rsquo;s death, and to ensure due process and accountability for those responsible.&rdquo;
With the parliamentary elections scheduled for February, Turk said it was vital to ensure an environment in which all individuals can participate safely and peacefully in public life, and freely express different views.
&ldquo;I urge the authorities to uphold the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and security of journalists at this critical time, and prevent further escalation of unrest,&rdquo; Turk said.
The High Commissioner said his Office stands ready to work with the authorities and all stakeholders to support efforts that uphold human rights and prevent further violence.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met global counterparts at the 80th UN General Assembly, discussing bilateral ties, regional developments, and global conflicts including Ukraine and EU relations.

Jaishankar Holds Bilateral Talks at UNGA, Strengthens Global Ties

Jaishankar Strengthens Global Ties at UNGA

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met global counterparts at the 80th UN General Assembly, discussing bilateral ties, regional developments, and global conflicts including Ukraine and EU relations.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a series of bilateral meetings with his counterparts from across the world on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, discussing a wide range of issues, including bilateral ties, regional developments, and global conflicts.
He shared about the meetings in a string of social media posts.
In a meeting with David van Weel of the Netherlands on Tuesday evening in New York, Jaishankar held an "insightful conversation on European strategic positioning and India's approach".
He also met Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, where he "valued his insights on recent developments in Europe" and the ongoing Ukraine conflict. The two ministers also discussed bilateral ties and cooperation between India and the European Union under Denmark&rsquo;s Presidency of the Council of the EU.
With Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, Jaishankar reviewed the progress of bilateral cooperation.
The External Affairs Minister also met with Mauritian Foreign Minister Ritish Ramful and discussed follow-up actions to the recent State Visit of Mauritian Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam to India.
In a meeting with Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel, Jaishankar reiterated India&rsquo;s "steadfast" support for the development of the Maldives.
Bilateral ties were also on the agenda in separate meetings with foreign ministers Lejone Mpotjoana of Lesotho, Melvin Bouva of Suriname, Abdisalam Ali of Somalia, Alva Baptiste of Saint Lucia, and Kamina J Smith of Jamaica.
Jaishankar congratulated Smith on her reappointment as Jamaica&rsquo;s Foreign Minister and expressed optimism about strengthening the India-Jamaica partnership.
He also had a "quick chat" with Singapore&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on the sidelines of the High-Level Meeting of Like-Minded Global South Countries.
In addition to his ministerial engagements, Jaishankar met Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of Dubai-based multinational logistics company DP World, to discuss "current developments in the international economy and their implications for connectivity and logistics".
Earlier, he attended an informal meeting of European Union Foreign Ministers, hosted by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas.
The meeting provided an opportunity for an "open exchange of views on multilateralism, India-EU partnership, Ukraine conflict, Gaza, energy and trade," Jaishankar said.&nbsp;

An escalator at the UN headquarters stalled as Donald and Melania Trump stepped on it, caused by a videographer triggering a safety mechanism.

Trump's Escalator Mishap at UN General Assembly

Trump's UN Escalator Mishap Highlighted

An escalator at the UN headquarters stalled as Donald and Melania Trump stepped on it, caused by a videographer triggering a safety mechanism.

An escalator at the UN headquarters that abruptly halted just as US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump stepped onto it was stalled after a videographer accompanying them likely triggered a safety mechanism inadvertently while trying to capture their arrival, a UN spokesperson has said.
The incident occurred Tuesday morning as Trump and the First Lady were making their way to the General Assembly hall for the US President&rsquo;s address to world leaders at the high-level 80th session of the UN General Assembly.
In scenes that were broadcast live and widely viewed across the globe, the escalator near the Delegate&rsquo;s entrance suddenly stopped soon after Trump and Melania stepped onto it.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
CLIP: "Bad escalator" President Trump referred to during his address to the U.N. General Assembly. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UNGA80?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UNGA80</a> <a href="https://t.co/S1w9kUOq1l">https://t.co/S1w9kUOq1l</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ja1JRyfF7m">pic.twitter.com/Ja1JRyfF7m</a>
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1970544863130399037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The abrupt halt briefly jolted the couple, who waited momentarily at the escalator and forced the First Lady to walk up the stalled escalator, with the President following closely behind.
Responding to questions on the incident, Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the President, First Lady, and their delegation had entered through the Delegate&rsquo;s entrance and passed through the security gates before approaching the escalator.
In an effort to document their arrival, a videographer from the US delegation stepped onto the escalator ahead of the President and First Lady, he said.
The videographer, who was walking backwards to capture footage of the couple, reached the top just as the First Lady and President Trump stepped on at the bottom. At that moment (9:50 am), the escalator came to a sudden stop, the Spokesperson said.
"Our technician, who was present at the location, reset the escalator as soon as the delegation had climbed up to the second floor,&rdquo; Dujarric said, adding that a subsequent investigation, including a readout of the machine's central processing unit, indicated that a built-in safety mechanism on the comb step was triggered at the top of the escalator.
"The safety mechanism is designed to prevent people or objects from accidentally being caught and stuck in or pulled into the gearing. The videographer may have inadvertently triggered the safety function described above,&rdquo; he said.
As Trump reached the top of the escalator, he was greeted by UN Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed.
&ldquo;The escalator just broke,&rdquo; Trump remarked, to which Mohammed responded, &ldquo;Oh my goodness.&rdquo; The incident was followed by another unexpected technical glitch -- a malfunctioning teleprompter in the General Assembly hall.
Beginning his speech, the US President joked, "I don't mind making this speech without a teleprompter because the teleprompter is not working.&rdquo; The comment drew laughter from world leaders gathered in the hall.
&ldquo;I feel very happy to be up here with you, nevertheless, and that way you speak more from the heart,&rdquo; Trump said, adding, &ldquo;I can only say that whoever is operating this teleprompter is in big trouble,&rdquo; prompting further laughter from the audience.
&ldquo;All I got from the United Nations was an escalator that, on the way up, stopped right in the middle. If the First Lady wasn't in great shape, she would have fallen, but she's in great shape. We're both in good shape. We both stood,&rdquo; Trump said, continuing to reference the incident humorously.
"And then a teleprompter that didn't work. These are the two things I got from the United Nations -- a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter. Thank you very much,&rdquo; he said.
This was Trump&rsquo;s first address to the UN General Assembly in his second term as President.
The US leader also mentioned the teleprompter and escalator incidents during a bilateral meeting with Guterres later in the day.
&ldquo;Thank you very much. It's always an honour to be here. We've done this before, and this was a little more exciting because of the escalator and the teleprompter. These things happen,&rdquo; Trump said in his bilateral meeting with the UN chief.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, in a social media post, reacted strongly to the incident.
"If someone at the UN intentionally stopped the escalator as the President and First Lady were stepping on, they need to be fired and investigated immediately,&rdquo; she said.
Leavitt also posted a screenshot of an article from The Times that said: &ldquo;To mark Trump's arrival, UN staff members have joked that they may turn off the escalators and elevators and simply tell him they ran out of money, so he has to walk up the stairs.&rdquo;

India told the UN that achieving a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict requires practical, actionable steps through direct dialogue, not just reaffirmations on paper.

India reiterates support at UN for two-state solution to Israel-Palestinian conflict

India told the UN that achieving a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict requires practical, actionable steps through direct dialogue, not just reaffirmations on paper.

India told a high-level UN conference that global efforts must now focus on achieving a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict through "purposeful dialogue and diplomacy".
It also said that one should not be content with paper solutions but strive to achieve practical ones.
India&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish said on Tuesday that deliberations during the preparation for the UN High-Level International Conference on &lsquo;The Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution&rsquo; confirm that the international community continues to believe there is no substitute for a two-state solution.
He said the conference offers an opportunity to reflect on the path traversed so far in the journey towards achieving peace through a two-state solution. &nbsp;&ldquo;Our efforts must now focus on how to bring about a two-state solution through purposeful dialogue and diplomacy, and bringing the parties to the conflict to engage directly with each other," Harish said.
"Reaffirmation of support must take the form of actionable steps that pave the way for the two-state solution. Identification of such steps and their implementation modalities demand our collective attention and effort,&rdquo; he said in the UN General Assembly.
The high-level conference on July 28-30 is co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France.
A 25-page outcome document titled &lsquo;New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution&rsquo; asserted that the war in Gaza must end now and Hamas must free all hostages.
&ldquo;In the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority,&rdquo; the outcome document said.
It added that following a ceasefire, a transitional administrative committee must be immediately established to operate in Gaza under the umbrella of the Palestinian Authority.
Harish noted that certain action points are emerging from the UN conference, and following up on them is the key.
"Let us not be content with paper solutions but strive to achieve practical solutions that actually make a tangible difference in the daily lives of our Palestinian brothers and sisters,&rdquo; he said, expressing India&rsquo;s complete readiness to contribute to this &ldquo;noble endeavour.&rdquo; Harish said India has been clear on the measures that must be undertaken in the short term.
These include an immediate ceasefire, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian assistance, release of all hostages, and the path of dialogue and diplomacy.
"There are no alternatives to these measures,&rdquo; he said.
Noting that in 1988 India became one of the first countries to recognise the State of Palestine with firm support and commitment to the two-state solution, Harish underlined that the overall sentiment in this forum is clear.
&ldquo;It is also India&rsquo;s earnest desire to see peace and calm prevail in the Middle East. Lasting solutions are required to achieve this,&rdquo; he said.
Asserting that humanitarian aid to Gaza needs to flow without impediments, India said Palestinians in Gaza must have access to food, fuel and other basic necessities without hindrance.
&ldquo;Humanitarian assistance is vital in sustaining life and must remain outside the realm of politics or conflict,&rdquo; Harish said, underlining that the humanitarian assistance pillar demands &ldquo;our immediate attention and action.&rdquo; India voiced concern that the human suffering in Gaza continues unabated, tens of thousands have been killed, several medical facilities damaged or destroyed, and children deprived of schooling for more than 20 months.
India also stressed that the plight of the hostages should not be forgotten.
&ldquo;There can be no justification whatsoever for terrorism, for addressing any root cause or political grievance.&rdquo; &nbsp; Noting that civilians, including women and children, have the right to lead normal lives, India said that in the years ahead, &ldquo;meticulous reconstruction and rehabilitation" efforts of a substantially large scale will be required.
Highlighting the vital aspect of security, India said a stable arrangement that suitably caters to the security needs of both sides is necessary.
&ldquo;Neither party should feel insecure. A sovereign, viable and independent State of Palestine within recognised and mutually agreed borders, living side by side with Israel in peace and security, is a prerequisite for enduring peace and sustainable development.&rdquo; &nbsp;India further said that while aid and support are essential for the Palestinian people in rebuilding their lives, it is equally important to create hope and economic structures conducive for investment and employment. &nbsp;India has been making concerted efforts to bring about a tangible impact on the daily lives of the Palestinian people by implementing human-centric projects in diverse sectors. The total commitment by India on this front stands at around USD 160 million.
&ldquo;Economic prospects and viability for a Palestinian state are crucial,&rdquo; Harish said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the conference that the central question for Middle East peace is the implementation of the two-state solution. &nbsp;&ldquo;My central question to those who stand in the way is this: What is the alternative?&rdquo; Guterres said, questioning whether the alternative is a one-state reality where Palestinians are denied equal rights, and forced to live under perpetual occupation and inequality or a one-state reality where Palestinians are expelled from their land.
&ldquo;That is not peace. That is not justice. That is not in accordance with international law. And that is not acceptable,&rdquo; the UN chief said.
Guterres stressed that statehood for the Palestinians is a right, not a reward. &ldquo;And the denial of statehood would be a gift to extremists everywhere.&rdquo; UN agencies warn that key food and nutrition indicators in Gaza have exceeded famine thresholds, reaching their worst levels so far.&nbsp;

At a UN event, Amit Shah hailed India’s cooperatives as engines of rural empowerment, innovation, and self-reliance, emphasizing their expansion into digital, energy, and financial sectors.

Amit Shah Highlights India's Cooperative Transformation at UN Event

Amit Shah Highlights Cooperative Innovation at UN

At a UN event, Amit Shah hailed India&rsquo;s cooperatives as engines of rural empowerment, innovation, and self-reliance, emphasizing their expansion into digital, energy, and financial sectors.

Cooperatives in India have gone beyond their traditional boundaries and are now a medium for innovation and self-reliance in areas such as digital services, energy and financial inclusion, Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah told the UN.
Shah delivered a pre-recorded video message on Monday at a special commemorative event on &lsquo;Cooperatives and Sustainable Development: Maintaining momentum and exploring new avenues&rsquo;.
&ldquo;In India, cooperation is a vibrant and community-driven system that envelopes every sector - from agriculture to finance, from consumption to construction, and from rural empowerment to digital inclusion through mutual collaboration and democratic participation,&rdquo; Shah said.
"Its unique strength lies in the fact that it delivers benefits at the local level while also becoming a powerful medium for providing dignified livelihoods in rural and underdeveloped areas.&rdquo; Shah said the event&rsquo;s theme reflects that the idea of cooperation is not only relevant in today's modern world but is also essential for sustainable and inclusive development.
&ldquo;In India, cooperatives have now gone beyond their traditional boundaries and have become a medium for innovation and self-reliance in areas such as digital services, healthcare, education, energy, organic farming, and financial inclusion,&rdquo; he said.
Shah said that technological innovation is making cooperatives more inclusive today.
The Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Kenya and the Permanent Mission of Mongolia to the United Nations, organised the event to mark the International Year of Cooperatives 2025 at the United Nations Headquarters.
Shah voiced his firm belief that the principles of cooperatives, their values, and their people-centric approach make them one of the most impactful models of human-centred development.
The Ministry of Cooperation was established in July 2021, and Shah became the first Minister of Cooperation of the country.
He said the setting up of the Ministry of Cooperation in 2021 has proven to be a historic and decisive step.
Today, over 840,000 cooperative societies in the country have more than 320 million members actively engaged. &nbsp;With a view to make cooperative products globally competitive, India has set up three multi-state cooperative societies - Bharatiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited (BBSSL), National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL) and National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL).
The objectives of these societies are to provide farmers with direct access to global markets, quality inputs, branding, marketing and a fair share in export profits.
"These institutions represent powerful steps toward transforming producers from local to global,&rdquo; Shah said at the event, which was attended by representatives of UN member states, UN agencies, senior government officials, cooperative leaders, and other key stakeholders from around the world.
&ldquo;Cooperation is laying a strong foundation of service, self-reliance, employment, and innovation, ensuring that every Indian becomes both a participant in and beneficiary of development. This model is offering a clear and strong identity to India's concept of inclusive development on the global stage,&rdquo; he said.
Shah pointed out that India has recently established the Tribhuvan Sahkari University, which will serve as a hub for education, research, innovation, and leadership development at the national level in the cooperative sector.
Alongside this, the formulation of the National Cooperation Policy marks a historic step toward making the cooperative movement more transparent, accountable, and future-oriented, he said.
He further noted that India's world-largest grain storage plan is being implemented through cooperatives, emphasising that this initiative not only strengthens food security but also ensures organised markets and increased prices for farmers. &nbsp;India&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the UN ​Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish highlighted the vital role played by the cooperative sector in India&rsquo;s national growth.
Noting the steps taken by the Government of India to strengthen the cooperative sector, including the National Cooperative Policy 2025-45, he stressed the need to use new and emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, to make cooperatives more effective and capable of facing emerging new challenges.
Managing Director of National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) Deepak Agarwal gave a detailed presentation on the Indian cooperative sector, highlighting the spirit of collaboration and shared ownership, a press release issued by the Indian mission said.

The UN projects India’s economy to grow by 6.6% in 2025, supported by strong private consumption, infrastructure investment, and export performance. 

India’s Economy to Expand 6.6% in 2025: UN

The UN projects India&rsquo;s economy to grow by 6.6% in 2025, supported by strong private consumption, infrastructure investment, and export performance. Inflation is forecast to decline to 4.3%, staying within the RBI&rsquo;s target range.

The Indian economy is projected to expand by 6.6 per cent in 2025, primarily supported by robust private consumption and investment, according to a United Nations report.
The report titled <a href="https://desapublications.un.org/publications/world-economic-situation-and-prospects-2025" target="_blank">'the UN World Economic Situation and Prospects 2025'</a> was released on Wednesday.
It also said that the near-term outlook for South Asia is expected to remain robust, with growth projected at 5.7 per cent in 2025 and 6.0 per cent in 2026, &ldquo;driven by strong performance in India as well as economic recovery in a few other economies&rdquo;, including Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
The Indian economy grew by 6.8 per cent in 2024 and is forecast to expand by 6.6 per cent in 2025. The Indian economy is projected to return to the 6.8 per cent growth in 2026.
&ldquo;The economy of India, the largest in the (South Asia) region, is forecast to expand by 6.6 per cent in 2025, primarily supported by robust private consumption and investment. Additionally, capital expenditure on infrastructure development is expected to have strong multiplier effects on growth in the coming years,&rdquo; the report said.
It added that strong export growth in services and certain goods categories, particularly pharmaceuticals and electronics, will bolster economic activity for India. On the supply side, expansion in the manufacturing and services sectors will keep driving the economy throughout the forecast period.
Meanwhile, favourable monsoon rains in 2024 have improved the summer-sowing areas for all major crops, boosting agricultural output expectations for 2025.
Investment growth has remained particularly strong in East Asia and South Asia, partly driven by domestic and foreign investments in new supply chains, particularly in India, Indonesia, and Vietnam, the report said.
In India, the public sector continues to play a pivotal role in funding large-scale infrastructure projects, physical and digital connectivity, and social infrastructure, including improvements in sanitation and water supply. Strong investment growth is expected to continue through 2025.
Consumer price inflation in India is forecast to decelerate from an estimated 4.8 per cent in 2024 to 4.3 per cent in 2025, staying within the 2&ndash;6 per cent medium-term target range set by the central bank. While decreasing energy prices have contributed to the ongoing decline, adverse weather conditions have kept prices of vegetables, cereals, and other staples elevated in 2024, resulting in spikes in the country&rsquo;s headline inflation in June and September.
It said that several developing economies, including China, India, and Mexico, have maintained robust investment growth, while African nations have faced limited public investment due to high debt servicing burdens, and Western Asia has experienced low investment growth amid subdued oil revenues.
Global economic growth is forecast at 2.8 per cent in 2025 and 2.9 per cent in 2026, largely unchanged from the rate of 2.8 per cent recorded in 2023 and estimated for 2024.
The positive but moderately slower growth projected for the two largest economies&mdash; China and the United States of America&mdash;will likely be complemented by mild recovery in the European Union, Japan, and the United Kingdom and strong performance in several large developing economies, notably India and Indonesia, it said.
China is facing the prospect of gradual economic moderation, with growth estimated at 4.9 per cent in 2024 and projected at 4.8 per cent in 2025. Public sector investments and strong export performance are partly offset by subdued consumption growth and lingering weakness in the property sector.
The Chinese authorities have stepped up policy support to lift property markets, address local government debt challenges, and boost domestic demand; the impacts of relevant initiatives are expected to be manifested over time, it said.
The shrinking population and rising trade and technology tensions, if unaddressed, could threaten the country&rsquo;s medium-term growth prospects, it said.
Among developing countries, robust momentum in India and modest growth acceleration in Africa, Western Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean will offset a slight moderation of growth in China.
The report noted that weaker external demand, persistent debt challenges, and social unrest and political turmoil in some economies may undermine the outlook for the South Asian region.
&ldquo;However, risks to the outlook are tilted to the downside owing to the possible escalation of geopolitical tensions, deceleration in external demand, ongoing debt challenges, and social unrest. In addition, as the region is highly vulnerable to the impact of climate hazards, extreme weather events pose a significant risk,&rdquo; it said.
It said that the labour market situation in developing countries remains challenging, with significant variations in the outlook driven by differing economic conditions and policy responses. Some economies have exhibited resilience, it said adding that employment indicators in India have remained robust.
In India, employment indicators have remained strong throughout 2024, with labour force participation near record highs, the report said, citing the Reserve Bank of India data.
Urban unemployment stood at 6.6 per cent during this period&mdash;virtually unchanged from the rate of 6.7 per cent recorded in 2023. Although there has been progress in female labour market participation in the country, substantial gender gaps remain.
Climate-related shocks have battered South Asia in 2024. During the first half of the year, several of the region&rsquo;s countries&mdash;including Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka&mdash;experienced heatwaves, droughts, and irregular rainfall patterns, which led to reduced crop yields and elevated food prices.
Additionally, extreme weather events have disproportionately affected poor rural households, leading to reductions in income and widening income inequality, the report said.

A polarised Security Council has failed to deal with current peace and security challenges, with Council members sharply divided on conflicts such as the Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas war.

India’s Call for UN Reforms: A Vision for Global Relevance

A polarised Security Council has failed to deal with current peace and security challenges, with Council members sharply divided on conflicts such as the Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas war.

As the United Nations prepares to celebrate its 80th anniversary next year, India stressed that reform is &ldquo;key&rdquo; to the organisation&rsquo;s &ldquo;relevance&rdquo; in addressing current and future global challenges, as world leaders signed off on an ambitious pact in 2024 to transform global governance and drive sustainable action.
When world leaders descended at the UN Headquarters in September for the high-level 79th session of the General Assembly, they adopted by consensus the landmark &lsquo;Pact of the Future&rsquo; &ndash; a document that covers themes from peace and security, sustainable development to climate change, digital cooperation, human rights, gender, youth and future generations, and transformation of global governance.
Underlining the need for reform, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t need a crystal ball to see that 21st Century challenges require problem-solving mechanisms that are more effective, networked and inclusive. We can&rsquo;t create a future fit for our grandchildren with systems built for our grandparents.&rdquo;
India has been at the forefront of years-long efforts calling for reform of the Security Council, including expansion in both its permanent and non-permanent categories, saying the 15-nation Council, founded in 1945, is not fit for purpose in the 21st Century and does not reflect contemporary geo-political realities. Delhi has underscored that it rightly deserves a permanent seat at the horse-shoe table.
A polarised Security Council has failed to deal with current peace and security challenges, with Council members sharply divided on conflicts such as the Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas war.
Guterres noted that many of today&rsquo;s pressing issues were not foreseen when the UN&rsquo;s multilateral framework was created 80 years ago.
India&rsquo;s message to the international community was that reforms in global institutions are essential for global peace and development.
&ldquo;Reform is the key to relevance&hellip; Global action must match global ambition,&rdquo; Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his address to the UN&rsquo;s Summit of the Future, where the Pact was adopted.
Modi&rsquo;s clarion call for change from the UNGA lectern came amid ongoing global conflicts, including the Ukraine war entering its third year, the Israel-Hamas war, and escalating global threats like terrorism, climate crises, economic inequality, and attacks on women&rsquo;s rights.
Amid these global challenges, India consistently advocated dialogue and diplomacy to arrive at solutions and resolve conflicts. When Modi met Ukraine&rsquo;s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the Summit of the Future before wrapping up his three-day visit to the US, he reiterated India&rsquo;s willingness to play a constructive role in the quest for a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri emphasised Modi&rsquo;s commitment to finding a way forward and contributing in any way possible to a resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The Modi-Zelenskyy meeting was the third in about as many months. Modi met the Ukrainian leader in Kyiv in August, just weeks after he met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in July. In June, Modi held a bilateral meeting with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy.
Modi held bilateral talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, expressing concern over the Gaza crisis and advocating a two-state solution for sustainable peace in the region.
Modi also met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia in October amidst heightened tensions between Iran and Israel. Modi emphasized the need for dialogue and diplomacy to de-escalate tensions in the volatile region.
Terrorism continued to pose a significant threat to peace and security globally in 2024.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar&rsquo;s General Assembly address in September marked a strong stance, explicitly condemning Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;cross-border terrorism policy&rdquo; for the first time in six years from the UNGA lectern while delivering the national statement at the high-level General Debate.
He asserted that terrorism is antithetical to everything that the world stands for. &ldquo;When this polity instils such fanaticism among its people, its GDP can only be measured in terms of the radicalisation and its exports in the form of terrorism,&rdquo; Jaishankar said.
&ldquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s cross-border terrorism policy will never succeed. And it can have no expectation of impunity. On the contrary, actions will certainly have consequences. The issue to be resolved between us is now only the vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan. And of course the abandonment of Pakistan&rsquo;s longstanding attachment to terrorism,&rdquo; he said.
His statement echoed late External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj&rsquo;s 2018 address, which criticised Pakistan&rsquo;s continued glorification of terrorism.
&ldquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to terrorism as an instrument of official policy has not abated one bit&hellip; Pakistan glorifies killers; it refuses to see the blood of innocents,&rdquo; Swaraj had said in her powerful takedown of Pakistan from the UNGA podium.
The UN&rsquo;s ability to maintain peace and security remains under scrutiny as its Security Council grapples with polarization and fails to maintain international peace and security.
Pakistan, which has an &ldquo;all-weather ally&rdquo; in China, is set to sit at the Security Council horse-shoe table for a two-year term as an elected non-permanent member beginning January 1, 2025.
It should come as no surprise that Pakistan will use its UNSC tenure to raise the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and propose discussions at the multilateral forum on the bilateral issue, despite past failures to garner support from the wider UN membership.
Recalling the origins of the UN at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington DC 80 years ago, Jaishankar in his UNGA address stressed that reforming multilateralism is imperative to address today&rsquo;s dual crises of peace and prosperity.
&ldquo;The debates of that era centred around ensuring world peace, a prerequisite for global prosperity. Today, we find both peace and prosperity equally endangered,&rdquo; he said.
&ldquo;We see that vividly in every challenge and every crisis. Reforming multilateralism is, therefore, an imperative,&rdquo; Jaishankar said.
India&rsquo;s strong call for change resonates globally as the UN nears its 80th year, striving to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving world.
The world body also faces its litany of uncertainties with Donald Trump&rsquo;s return to the US President in 2025.
Known for his criticisms of the UN, Trump&rsquo;s first term from 2017-2021 saw the US withdraw from several UN agencies, including the Paris Climate Agreement, the UN Human Rights Council and UNESCO, and cut funding to the United Nations Population Fund, the organisation&rsquo;s reproductive health agency.
Following Trump&rsquo;s election victory, Guterres reaffirmed the importance of US-UN cooperation, expressing readiness to engage constructively with the incoming administration.
In his first term, Trump described the UN as hampered by &ldquo;bureaucracy and mismanagement&rdquo;, calling for reforms to advance its mission. The US remains the largest contributor to the UN, accounting for 22 per cent of the regular budget.
All eyes will be on how the relationship between the UN and the incoming Trump administration pans out given his past criticisms of the world body.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Editorji News Desk and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Ahead of the vote, Israel's UN envoy Danny Danon said: "The resolutions before the assembly today are beyond logic. (...) The vote today is not a vote for compassion. It is a vote for complicity."

UN Pushes for Gaza Ceasefire, Urges Humanitarian Aid Amid Ongoing Conflict

Ahead of the vote, Israel's UN envoy Danny Danon said: "The resolutions before the assembly today are beyond logic. (...) The vote today is not a vote for compassion. It is a vote for complicity."

The UN General Assembly on Wednesday overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, a symbolic gesture rejected by the United States and Israel.
The resolution -- adopted by a vote of 158-9, with 13 abstentions -- urges "an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire," and "the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages" -- wording similar to a text vetoed by Washington in the Security Council last month.
At that time, Washington used its veto power on the Council -- as it has before -- to protect its ally Israel, which has been at war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian militant group's October 7, 2023 attack.
It has insisted on the idea of making a ceasefire conditional on the release of all hostages in Gaza, saying otherwise that Hamas has no incentive to free those in captivity.
Deputy US Ambassador Robert Wood repeated that position Wednesday, saying it would be "shameful and wrong" to adopt the text.
Ahead of the vote, Israel's UN envoy Danny Danon said: "The resolutions before the assembly today are beyond logic. (...) The vote today is not a vote for compassion. It is a vote for complicity."
The General Assembly often finds itself taking up measures that cannot get through the Security Council, which has been largely paralyzed on hot-button issues such as Gaza and Ukraine due to internal politics, and this time is no different.
The resolution, which is non-binding, demands "immediate access" to widespread humanitarian aid for the citizens of Gaza, especially in the besieged north of the territory.
Dozens of representatives of UN member states addressed the Assembly before the vote to offer their support to the Palestinians.
"Gaza doesn't exist anymore. It is destroyed," said Slovenia's UN envoy Samuel Zbogar. "History is the harshest critic of inaction."
'Price of silence'
That criticism was echoed by Algeria's deputy UN ambassador Nacim Gaouaoui, who said: "The price of silence and failure in the face of the Palestinian tragedy is a very heavy price, and it will be heavier tomorrow."
Hamas's October 2023 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. That count includes hostages who died or were killed while being held in Gaza.
Militants abducted 251 hostages, 96 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed at least 44,805 people, a majority of them civilians, according to data from the Hamas-run health ministry that is considered reliable by the United Nations.
"Gaza today is the bleeding heart of Palestine," Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour said last week during the first day of debate in the Assembly's special session on the issue.
"The images of our children burning in tents, with no food in their bellies and no hopes and no horizon for the future, and after having endured pain and loss for more than a year, should haunt the conscience of the world and prompt action to end this nightmare," he said, calling for an end to the "impunity."
After Wednesday's vote, he said "We will keep knocking on the doors of the Security Council and the General Assembly until we see an immediate and unconditional ceasefire put in place."
The Gaza resolution calls on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to present "proposals on how the United Nations could help to advance accountability" by using existing mechanisms or creating new ones based on past experience.
The Assembly, for example, created an international mechanism to gather evidence of crimes committed in Syria starting from the outbreak of civil war in 2011.
A second resolution calling on Israel to respect the mandate of the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and allow it to continue its operations was passed Wednesday by a vote of 159-9 with 11 abstentions.
Israel has voted to ban the organisation starting January 28, after accusing some UNRWA employees of taking part in Hamas's devastating attack.

Afghanistan&rsquo;s Taliban rulers have issued the country&rsquo;s first set of laws that require a woman to conceal her face, body and voice outside the home.

UN denounces Taliban's 'vice and virtue' law that prohibits Afghan women from speaking

Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers have issued the country’s first set of laws that require a woman to conceal her face, body and voice outside the home.

Afghanistan&rsquo;s Taliban rulers have issued the country&rsquo;s first set of laws that require a woman to conceal her face, body and voice outside the home.

Afghanistan&rsquo;s Taliban rulers have issued the country&rsquo;s first set of laws that require a woman to conceal her face, body and voice outside the home.
The new law also adds some limitations for men. It says that males required to cover their bodies from their navels to their knees when they are outside their homes.
While the Taliban does not clearly state a punishment for offenders, detention is almost assured. Authorities will then decide on an appropriate punishment. The move has received foreign condemnation.
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In a post on X, the human rights body voiced concern over the use of UAPA to silence critics. It repeated a call to review the anti-terror law and release human rights defenders detained under it. 

UN Human Rights Office urges India to drop cases against Arundhati Roy over Kashmir comments

In a post on X, the human rights body voiced concern over the use of UAPA to silence critics. It repeated a call to review the anti-terror law and release human rights defenders detained under it.&nbsp;

The top UN human rights official on Thursday voiced concern over the use of anti-terror law in India to silence critics and urged authorities to drop cases against author Arundhati Roy over comments on Kashmir.
"#India: We are concerned by the use of #UAPA anti-terror law to silence critics. Repeat call for review of law &amp; release of human rights defenders detained under it. Urge authorities to drop cases against&rdquo; Arundhati Roy and Sheikh Showkat Hussain over comments on Kashmir,&rdquo; the UN Human Rights Office, led by High Commissioner Volker Turk, said in a post on X.
Earlier this month, Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena accorded sanction to prosecute Roy and former Central University of Kashmir professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for allegedly making provocative speeches at an event in 2010.
Roy, a Booker Prize-winning author, and Hussain had been named in an FIR registered on October 28, 2010. The two had allegedly made provocative speeches at a conference organised under the banner of &lsquo;Azadi &ndash; The Only Way&rsquo; on October 21, 2010, in New Delhi.
Roy, 62, was on Thursday honoured with the prestigious Pen Pinter Prize 2024 for her "unflinching and unswerving" writings. The prize, established in 2009 by the charity English PEN, defends freedom of expression and celebrates literature in memory of Nobel-Laureate playwright Harold Pinter.&nbsp;
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/arundhati-roy-awarded-pen-pinter-prize-for-her-unflinching-writing-1719542199587">Arundhati Roy awarded Pen Pinter Prize for her &lsquo;unflinching&rsquo; writing</a>

Isreal calls for sanctions on Iran, while Tehran wants punitive action to stop Gaza 'genocide'.

UN calls for de-escalation, as Israel and Iran trade barbs at Security Council meet

Isreal calls for sanctions on Iran, while Tehran wants punitive action to stop Gaza 'genocide'.

Israel and Iran accused one another Sunday at the United Nations of being the main threat to peace in the Middle East, each calling on the Security Council to impose sanctions on their sworn enemy.
"The mask is off. Iran, the number one global sponsor of terror, has exposed its true face as the destabilizer of the region and the world," Israel's UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan told an emergency meeting of the Security Council convened after Tehran's unprecedented attack on Israel overnight.
"The mask comes off and the gloves must come on," he said, imploring the body to "take action."
Erdan asked the Security Council to designate the Revolutionary Guards, the Islamic Republic's ideological army, as a terrorist organization and to "impose all possible sanctions on Iran before it's too late."
In particular, he referred to the "snapback" mechanism that allows members of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal -- which the United States exited in 2018 -- to reimpose international sanctions against Tehran.
Addressing the emergency meeting, Iran's UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani insisted the Islamic republic was exercising its "inherent right to self-defense."
"The Security Council... failed in its duty to maintain international peace and security," Iravani said.
Therefore, Tehran "had no choice" but to respond, he said, adding that his country does "not seek escalation or war," but will respond to any "threat or aggression."
He also lashed out at Israel.
"It is time for the Security Council to shoulder its responsibility and address the real threat to international peace and security," Iravani said.
The body "must take urgent and punitive measures to compel this regime to stop a genocide against the people of Gaza."
Late Saturday, Iran launched a direct attack on its arch foe Israel for the first time, firing more than 300 missiles and drones.
Nearly all were intercepted by Israel and others, including the United States, Jordan and Britain.
Iran said its attack came in response to a deadly April 1 air strike on Tehran's consulate building in Syria's capital Damascus that was widely blamed on Israel.
That attack killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards, including two senior generals.
On Sunday United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged restraint, telling the emergency meeting that "neither the region nor the world can afford more war."
"Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate," he said.
Guterres also repeated his condemnation of Iran's strikes on Israel, and the attack on Iran's consulate in Damascus.
"It's time to step back from the brink," Guterres said.
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/g7-ready-to-take-measures-over-destabilisation-by-iran-1713146336643">G7 'ready to take measures' over destabilisation by Iran</a>

A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made these remarks while he was responding to a question on the political unrest in India ahead of the upcoming national elections

'Hope everyone's rights protected in India': UN on Kejriwal's arrest

A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made these remarks while he was responding to a question on the political unrest in India ahead of the upcoming national elections

A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said we very much "hope&rdquo; that in India and any country that is having elections, people&rsquo;s "political and civil rights" are "protected" and everyone is able to vote in a "free and fair" atmosphere.
Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric made these remarks on Thursday while he was responding to a question on the &ldquo;political unrest&rdquo; in India ahead of the upcoming national elections in the wake of the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the freezing of the opposition Congress Party's bank accounts.
&ldquo;What we very much hope that in India, as in any country that is having elections, that everyone's rights are protected, including political and civil rights, and everyone is able to vote in an atmosphere that is free and fair,&rdquo; Dujarric said at the daily press briefing Thursday.
The response from the United Nations comes a day after the US also reacted to a similar question on Kejriwal&rsquo;s arrest and freezing of the Congress party&rsquo;s bank accounts.
On Wednesday, hours after India summoned a senior US diplomat to protest remarks on Kejriwal's arrest, Washington reiterated that it encourages fair, transparent, timely legal processes.
On the US diplomat being summoned in Delhi, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not going to talk about any private diplomatic conversations. But of course what we have said publicly is what I just said from here, that we encourage fair, transparent, timely legal processes. We don&rsquo;t think anyone should object to that, and we&rsquo;ll make the same thing clear privately.&rdquo; Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) officials summoned Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria Berbena to their office in South Block in the Indian capital. The meeting lasted for more than 30 minutes.
On Thursday, India said the US State Department's recent remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal are "unwarranted" and asserted the country is "proud of its independent and robust democratic institutions" and committed to protect them from any form of undue external influences.
Any "external imputation" on India's electoral and legal processes is "completely unacceptable", MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in New Delhi during his weekly press briefing.
In India, legal processes are driven "only by the rule of law", Jaiswal said on Thursday.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said in a statement that India took strong objection to the remarks of the Spokesperson of the US State Department about certain legal proceedings in India.
&ldquo;India&rsquo;s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted,&rdquo; the MEA had said. &nbsp; The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Kejriwal in a money laundering case linked to the excise policy 'scam'.
The case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 which was later scrapped.&nbsp;

The World Meteorological Organization has issued a warning that cautions against rapidly rising temperatures this year.

UN climate agency issues ‘red alert’, says 2024 may break heat records

The World Meteorological Organization has issued a warning that cautions against rapidly rising temperatures this year.

The UN weather agency is sounding a &ldquo;red alert&rdquo; about global warming, citing record-smashing increases last year in greenhouse gases, land and water temperatures and melting of glaciers and sea ice, and warning that the world's efforts to reverse the trend have been inadequate.
The World Meteorological Organization said there is a &ldquo;high probability&rdquo; that 2024 will be another record-hot year.
The Geneva-based agency, in a &ldquo;State of the Global Climate&rdquo; report released Tuesday, ratcheted up concerns that a much-vaunted climate goal is increasingly in jeopardy: That the world can unite to limit planetary warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) from pre-industrial levels.
&ldquo;As Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization, I am now sounding the red alert about the state of the climate,&rdquo; said Celeste Saulo.
The 12-month period from March 2023 to February 2024 pushed beyond that 1.5-degree limit, averaging 1.56 C (2.81 F) higher, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Service.
It said the calendar year 2023 was just below 1.5 C at 1.48 C (2.66 F), but a record hot start to this year pushed beyond that level for the 12-month average.
Omar Baddour, WMO's chief of climate monitoring, said the year after an El Ni&ntilde;o event &mdash; the cyclical warming of the Pacific Ocean that affects global weather patterns &mdash; normally tends to be warmer.
&ldquo;So we cannot say definitively about 2024 is going to be the warmest year. But what I would say: There is a high probability that 2024 will again break the record of 2023, but let&rsquo;s wait and see,&rdquo; he said.
The latest WMO findings are especially stark when compiled in a single report. In 2023, over 90% of ocean waters experienced heat wave conditions at least once. Glaciers monitored since 1950 lost the most ice on record. Antarctic sea ice retreated to its lowest level ever.
Saulo called the climate crisis &ldquo;the defining challenge that humanity faces&rdquo; and said it combines with a crisis of inequality, as seen in growing food insecurity and migration.
WMO said the impact of heatwaves, floods, droughts, wildfires and tropical cyclones, exacerbated by climate change, was felt in lives and livelihoods on every continent in 2023.
But the agency also acknowledged &ldquo;a glimmer of hope&rdquo; in trying to keep the Earth from running too high a fever. It said renewable energy generation capacity from wind, solar and waterpower rose nearly 50% from 2022 to a total of 510 gigawatts.
The report comes as climate experts and government ministers are to gather in the Danish capital, Copenhagen, on Thursday and Friday to press for greater climate action, including increased national commitments to fight global warming.
Also Watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/pia-canada-mystery-why-cabin-crew-are-vanishing-after-leaving-pakistan-1710779106522">PIA-Canada mystery: Why cabin crew are vanishing after leaving Pakistan</a>

A UN official said that new mothers should be wrapping their arms around their babies and not their body bags.&nbsp;

'Stillborns, sickly newborns': UN official 'terrified' for new mothers, babies in Gaza

A UN official said that new mothers should be wrapping their arms around their babies and not their body bags. 

A UN official said that new mothers should be wrapping their arms around their babies and not their body bags.&nbsp;

The humanitarian situation in Gaza is a "nightmare" for mothers and babies, with doctors reporting small and sickly newborns, stillbirths and women forced to undergo C-sections without adequate anesthesia, a UN official said Friday.
"I'm personally leaving Gaza this week terrified for the one million women and girls of Gaza... and most especially for the 180 women who are giving birth every single day," Dominic Allen, UN Population Fund (UNFPA) representative for the state of Palestine, said in a video news conference from Jerusalem.
"Doctors are reporting that they no longer see normal-sized babies," &nbsp;Allen said after visiting hospitals still providing maternity services in the north of Gaza, where need is especially great.
"What they do see though, tragically, is more stillborn births... and more neonatal deaths, caused in part by malnutrition, dehydration and complications."
The numbers of complicated deliveries are roughly twice what they were before the war with Israel began -- with mothers stressed, fearful, underfed and exhausted -- and caregivers often lacking necessary supplies.
"We have had reports of insufficient anesthetic being available" for Caesarean sections, "which again is unthinkable."
"Those mothers should be wrapping their arms around their children," he said. "Those children should not be wrapped in a body bag."
Israel has defended its policies as it pursues its stated goal of destroying Hamas, saying the UN should send more aid to the war-ravaged territory, pushing back on reports by the UN and NGOs that cumbersome Israeli inspections are blocking food and other essentials.
Allen said Israeli authorities had refused to allow in some UNFPA supply shipments, such as kits for midwives, or had removed supplies like flashlights and solar panels.
"It's a nightmare which is much more than a humanitarian crisis," he said. "It is a crisis of humanity... beyond catastrophic."
What he saw while driving through Gaza, he said, "really broke my heart."
Everyone he passed or spoke to, Allen said, "was gaunt, emaciated, hungry" and exhausted from the daily struggle to survive.
At one military checkpoint, he said, he saw a boy who appeared to be about five years old walking with his hands held high, clearly frightened, as his slightly older sister followed behind, holding a white flag.
The war began October 7 when a surprise attack by Hamas militants resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.
Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 31,490 people in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to the health ministry.

5 men in a row spoke at the opening on a UN meeting women empowerment and equality.&nbsp;

UN meet on women equality begins with 5 male speakers, attendees baffled

5 men in a row spoke at the opening on a UN meeting women empowerment and equality. 

5 men in a row spoke at the opening on a UN meeting women empowerment and equality.&nbsp;

The UN's preeminent body promoting equality for women and girls opened its annual meeting Monday with five male speakers in a row &ndash; a lineup that made some of the men uneasy and was somewhat baffling to the hundreds of women in the packed General Assembly chamber.
Achim Steiner, the head of the U.N. Development Program and the last of the male speakers, said when he stepped to the microphone: &ldquo;I am very conscious of the fact that I am yet another man standing at this podium addressing you.&rdquo; He said he had two choices: &ldquo;Don't speak or stand up&rdquo; and support gender equality.
Croatia's UN Ambassador Ivan &Scaron;imonovic, the third male speaker representing the U.N. Economic and Social Council, apologized for the absence of the council's president, a woman, who had a family emergency. So, he said, &ldquo;you are getting the male vice president, adding to the agenda disbalance of this opening.&rdquo; The first woman to speak was sixth in line, Chetna Gala Sinha, who represented civil society and was loudly cheered when she was called to the podium.
Sinha moved from Mumbai to a drought-prone village in India's Maharashtra state three decades ago and helped local women start a bank. Now, she said, &ldquo;our women want to go from microcredit to micro-enterprise&rdquo; so &ldquo;there has never been a better time to invest in women&rdquo; &mdash; a theme of this year's meeting of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women, along with addressing poverty.
After a speech by a young woman from Malawi representing youth, the commission's chair, Philippines U.N. Ambassador Antonio Lagdameo, invited the head of the U.N. agency promoting women's rights and gender equality to take a seat on the podium.
Sima Bahous, the executive director of UN Women, began by saying: &ldquo;It's great to be here. I feel the energy in the room is getting better as we see more women coming to the stage.&rdquo; The audience applauded loudly.
Almost every speaker &mdash; male and female &mdash; spoke of the plight of women and girls caught in conflict, especially in the Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza.
Lagdameo, the commission chair who opened the meeting, asked participants to express solidarity with all women and girls in conflict situations. &ldquo;Our thoughts are with you as we strive for peace,&rdquo; he said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the second speaker, told the meeting that women and girls are suffering most &ldquo;from wars waged by men,&rdquo; singling out Gaza.
He noted Ramadan, the Muslim holy month that started Monday in Gaza, should be a time of compassion, but instead families are struggling to survive. He reiterated his call for a humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza and a silencing of guns in all conflicts including Sudan.
Last week Guterres said achieving legal gender equality could take 300 years, and on Monday he cited two worrying trends: Patriarchy is regaining ground as autocrats and populists attack women's freedoms and their sexual and reproductive rights, and the domination of digital technologies and artificial intelligence by men is leaving women's needs and rights ignored.
Bahous told the commission that a backlash against gender equality is rising &ldquo;with a ferocity and anger that is unfamiliar to many of us,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Peace feels painfully distant, war painfully prevalent, suffering painfully ubiquitous.&rdquo; If spoken commitments to equality could be matched by funding in budgets, &ldquo;more than 100 million women and girls could be lifted out of poverty," she said. She added that closing gender gaps in employment could boost gross domestic product per capita by 20%.
The U.N. Development Program's Steiner told the commission: &ldquo;We have to face a harsh truth, gender inequality and the poverty experienced by so many women and girls are not inevitable outcomes of the crisis we face, but rather a consequence of systemic failures." Solving the problem of over 300 million women and girls living in extreme poverty can only be solved by making gender equality &ldquo;a core value&rdquo; at every stage of public financing, he said.

The International Organization for Migration said the total number of deaths in 2023 was nearly 20% more than the previous year.

Over 8,500 migrants died worldwide last year, a record since UN started counting in 2014

The International Organization for Migration said the total number of deaths in 2023 was nearly 20% more than the previous year.

A total of 8,565 migrants died on land and sea routes worldwide last year, the UN migration agency said Wednesday, a record high since it began counting deaths a decade ago.
The International Organization for Migration said the biggest increase in deaths last year was on the treacherous Mediterranean Sea crossing, to 3,129 from 2,411 in 2022. However, that was well below the record 5,136 deaths recorded on the Mediterranean in 2016 as huge numbers of Syrians, Afghans and others fled conflicts toward Europe.
IOM said the total number of deaths among migrants in 2023 was nearly 20% more than the previous year.
It said most of the deaths last year, about 3,700, came from drowning.
The count also includes migrants who vanished &mdash; often while trying to cross by sea &mdash; and are presumed dead even if their bodies were not found.
The Geneva-based migration agency cautioned that the figures likely underestimate the real toll, and factors such as improved data collection methods play a part in its calculations.
"Every single one of them is a terrible human tragedy that reverberates through families and communities for years to come,&rdquo; IOM Deputy Director General Ugochi Daniels said in a statement.
Overall, the biggest jump in deaths in recent years was in Asia, where 2,138 migrants died last year, 68 more than in 2022. That was primarily because of increased deaths among Afghans fleeing to places like neighboring Iran and among Rohingya refugees on maritime routes, IOM spokesperson Jorge Galindo said in an email.
IOM said a record number of deaths also occurred in Africa last year &mdash; 1,866 &mdash; mostly in the Sahara Desert and along the sea route to the Canary Islands.
The agency cited difficulties in data collection in remote areas, such as in the dangerous Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama, where many migrants pass from South America on their way north.
IOM's Missing Migrants project, which tallies the figures, was set up in 2014 after a surge in deaths in the Mediterranean and an influx of migrants on the Italian island of Lampedusa off Tunisia.&nbsp;
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UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has said that India, Brazil, Germany and Japan should have permanent membership of UNSC.

India, Brazil, Germany, Japan should be permanent members of UNSC: UK

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has said that India, Brazil, Germany and Japan should have permanent membership of the UNSC.

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly called for an expansion of the United Nations Security Council, backing India&rsquo;s bid for a permanent membership of the UN body, along with Brazil, Germany and Japan.
He emphasised that Africa deserves a louder voice on the world stage.
In his opening remarks at the Council on Foreign Relations on Tuesday, Cleverly said, &ldquo;I will summarize by saying that the challenges the world presents us are legion. But we do have the opportunity to make positive progress. We do have the opportunity to get the Sustainable Development Goals back on track.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It is going to mean that we work with our traditional friends and allies, but it also means that we have to give voice to the emerging powers in the world. The UK has encouraged an expansion of the United Nations Security Council for example, we believe that India, Brazil, Germany and Japan should have permanent membership, and Africa really deserves a louder voice on the world stage,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;
Notably, reforms in the global systems have been an issue continuously raised by India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at global fora. During his concluding address at the G20 Leaders Summit in Delhi, PM Modi reiterated his stance of making global systems in accordance with the &ldquo;realities of the present&rdquo; and took the example of the United Nations Security Council.
Further, in his address at the Council on Foreign Relations, Cleverly spoke about his visit to Beijing. He said he spoke with the Chinese government about areas where the two nations &ldquo;have deep, deep disagreements.&rdquo;
He spoke about China&rsquo;s treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority in Xinjiang, their failure to abide by the commitment to freely enter Hong Kong and their &ldquo;aggressive posture&rdquo; across the Taiwan Strait.
Cleverly said he engaged with them on some of the issues, which included economic recovery, after the conference, and how to take benefit from artificial intelligence.
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Multiple such incidents have been reported from Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

UN Security Council: India complains about Pakistan drones dropping weapons

Multiple such incidents have been reported from Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

Amid rising incidents of weapons being dropped into India by drones from Pakistan, Delhi raised the issue at a United Nations Security Council Open Debate.
Ruchira Kamboj, India's permanent representative to the UN said that such acts are not possible without help of the neighbouring country's government.
Multiple such incidents have been reported from Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. Many drones have been shot down by Indian security forces.
They are usually found to be carrying weapons or illegal drugs.
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