Month: July 2021 (Page 3 of 4)

WHO chief: ‘Early stages’ of COVID third wave, amid Delta surge.

July 15, 2021 / Michael Maas / 0 Comments

The variant’s spread, along with increased social mobility and the inconsistent use of proven public health measures, is driving an increase in both case numbers and deaths, the head of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (World Health Organization) said on Wednesday.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the recent data in an address to the Emergency Committee on COVID-19, established under the International Health Regulations (IHR), a treaty that guides global response to public health risks.

Recalling the sustained decline in COVID-19 cases and deaths that was being driven, in recent months, by increasing vaccination rates in Europe and North America, he sounded alarms over the fresh reversal of that positive trend.

“Unfortunately…we are now in the early stages of a third wave”, he said according UN News.

Delta variant dominates

Last week marked the fourth consecutive week of rising cases of COVID-19 globally, with increases recorded in all but one of WHO’s six regions.

Deaths are also rising again, after 10 weeks of steady decline.

Meanwhile, said Tedros, the virus is continuing to evolve, resulting in more transmissible variants.

“The Delta variant is now in more than 111 countries and we expect it to soon be the dominant COVID-19 strain circulating worldwide, if it isn’t already,” he said.

The spread of the Delta variant – one of the main drivers of the current increase in transmission – is also being fuelled by increased social mobility and the inconsistent use of proven public health and social measures.

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Conflict, climate change, COVID, pushes more people into hunger.

July 13, 2021 / Michael Maas / 0 Comments

Global hunger levels have skyrocketed because of conflict, climate change and the economic impact of COVID-19; and one in five children around the world is stunted, UN agencies warned on Monday.

New data that represents the first comprehensive global assessment of food insecurity carried out since the coronavirus pandemic began, indicates that the number of people affected by chronic hunger in 2020, rose by more than in the previous five years combined.

Reversing this situation will likely take years if not decades, maintained the World Food Programme (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF.

Food system reform call

“The pandemic continues to expose weaknesses in our food systems, which threaten the lives and livelihoods of people around the world,” the heads of those UN agencies wrote in this year’s report.

It notes that around a tenth of the global population – between 720 million people and 811 million – were undernourished last year.

Some 418 million of that number were in Asia and 282 million were in Africa.

Globally, 2.4 billion people did not have access to sufficiently nutritious food in 2020 – an increase of nearly 320 million people in one year.

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Joe Biden backs Trump rejection of China’s South China Sea claim.

July 12, 2021 / Michael Maas / 0 Comments

The Biden administration on Sunday upheld a Trump-era rejection of nearly all of China’s significant maritime claims in the South China Sea.

The administration also warned China that any attack on the Philippines in the flashpoint region would draw a U.S. response under a mutual defense treaty.

According AP News the stern message from Secretary of State Antony Blinken came in a statement released ahead of this week’s fifth anniversary of an international tribunal’s ruling in favor of the Philippines, against China’s maritime claims around the Spratly Islands and neighboring reefs and shoals.

China rejects the ruling.

Ahead of the fourth anniversary of the ruling last year, the Trump administration came out in favor of the ruling but also said it regarded as illegitimate virtually all Chinese maritime claims in the South China Sea outside China’s internationally recognized waters.

Sunday’s statement reaffirms that position, which had been laid out by Trump’s secretary of state, Mike Pompeo.

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UN chief Antonio Guterres: “Ensure reproductive health rights for all on World Population Day”.

July 11, 2021 / Michael Maas / 0 Comments

In his message for World Population Day according UN News, observed on Sunday, the UN chief called for closing gaps in access to sexual and reproductive health services which the crisis has created.

Erosion of women’s reproductive rights has been one of the fallouts from the COVID-19 pandemic, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said.

The pandemic “continues to upend our world, reaching one grim milestone after another,” said Mr. Guterres.

Last week, the global death toll due to COVID-19 officially surpassed four million.

“In addition to the millions of lives tragically lost, there has been a less visible toll: a shocking rise in domestic violence as women were forced into isolation with their abusers; empty maternity wards as women postponed motherhood; and unintended pregnancies due to curtailed access to contraceptive services,” said the UN Secretary-General.

The UN estimates that the pandemic will push some 47 million women and girls into extreme poverty. Additionally, many girls now out of school may never return to the classroom.

“In every corner of the world, we are seeing a reversal of hard-won gains and an erosion of women’s reproductive rights, choices and agency. With the onset of the pandemic, resources for sexual and reproductive health services were diverted,” the UN Secretary-General said.

“These gaps in access to health rights are unacceptable. Women cannot be alone in this fight,” he added.

“As we mark World Population Day, let us pledge to ensure the reproductive health rights of everyone, everywhere.”

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UN chief Antonio Guterres welcomes Security Council extension of vital cross-border aid operation in Syria.

July 10, 2021 / Michael Maas / 0 Comments

The United Nations chief has welcomed a decision on Friday by the Security Council to extend the UN cross-border aid operation in northwest Syria for another 12 months, providing a lifeline for more than 3.4 million people in need, including some one million children.

Secretary-General António Guterres said via his Spokesperson, that the authorization to continue using the Bab al-Hawa border crossing, due to expire on Saturday, was essential, as it “remains a lifeline for millions of people in the area, and beyond.”

Antonio Guterres according UN News:

“However, needs continue to outstrip the response”, the statement continued. “As the Secretary-General has highlighted to the Council, with additional crossings and expanded funding, the United Nations could do more to help the rising number of people in need.”

The compromise resolution after weeks of delay, emerged from discussions on Friday morning, and was unanimously adopted. It calls for a “substantive” UN report to be provided on aid access across the Syria-Turkish border at Bab al-Hawa, after six months, with a focus on “transparency in operations, and progress on cross-line access in meeting humanitarian needs”.

However, the operation will not depend on reauthorization in January, and can extend through to July next year.

Top United Nations Haiti envoy hails commitment to hold new elections.

July 9, 2021 / Michael Maas / 0 Comments

The UN Special Representative for Haiti on Thursday, acknowledged the legitimacy of Prime Minister Claude Joseph to lead the Caribbean nation, following the “cowardly” assassination of President Jovenel Moïse on Wednesday, and welcomed his government’s commitment to hold national elections later this year.

Acoording UN News: Helen La Lime, who also heads the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) said the prime minister, who now leads the government in line with the country’s constitution in the event of a sitting president’s death, was committed “to dialogue, and to continuing with a process to hold elections according to the electoral calendar that was released just last week.”

She said that would mean a first round of elections on 26 September, with a second round, set for November.

National investigation underway

Speaking via video link to reporters in New York, Ms. La Lime said that “all efforts must be made” to bring those responsible for the assassination of the president to justice, and that a national investigation led by Haitian police, was now underway, following a number of arrests.

“It is too early for me to comment on exactly what went on and the circumstances surrounding this abhorrent act of violence…

We will continue to wait for further developments, and to assist as we can.”

She said the Government was “very serious” about ensuring that the perpetrators are caught and said BINUH would provide any help at its disposal to aid the investigation.

The World Government Movement believe violence in this world must stop and we need Jesus to help us to create Heaven on Earth.

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COVID death toll passes 4 million: Global Vaccine Plan essential, declares UN chief Antonio Guterres.

July 8, 2021 / Michael Maas / 0 Comments

The global death toll due to COVID-19 officially passed four million late on Wednesday, marking yet another “grim milestone” and underlining the urgent need for the world to put a Global Vaccine Plan in place to get the pandemic under control, the United Nations chief said in a statement according UN News.

“Many of us know this loss directly and feel its pain”, said UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

“We mourn mothers and fathers who gave guidance, sons and daughters who inspired us, grandmothers and grandfathers who shared wisdom, colleagues and friends who lifted our lives.”

He said that while vaccines “offer a ray of hope” most of the world lagged behind: “The virus is outpacing vaccine distribution.

This pandemic is clearly far from over; more than half its victims died this year.

Many millions more are at risk if the virus is allowed to spread like wildfire.”

The more COVID-19 spreads, the more variants we see, the UN chief noted, some of which are more transmissible, more deadly and more likely to undermine the effectiveness of current vaccines.

“Bridging the vaccine gap requires the greatest global public health effort in history”, he said, calling for a Global Vaccine Plan to at least double production of vaccines and ensure equitable distribution, using the UN-supported COVAX international COVID inoculation facility, as the main platform.

Mr. Guterres said an effective global plan would support implementation and financing; increase countries’ readiness and capacity to roll out immunization programmes, and tackle “the serious problem of vaccine hesitancy.”

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UN condemns ‘abhorrent’ assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse

July 7, 2021 / Michael Maas / 0 Comments

Perpetrators behind the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse must be brought to justice, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

UN News: Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the incident in the strongest terms, according to a statement issued by his Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric.

“The Secretary-General calls on all Haitians to preserve the constitutional order, remain united in the face of this abhorrent act and reject all violence”, it said.

President Moïse, 53, was shot dead in an overnight attack in his private residence in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. His wife, Martine, was also injured and is receiving treatment, according to media reports.

The entrepreneur and politician was elected in November 2016 and began serving the following February.

Antonio Guterres has extended his deepest condolences to the people and Government of Haiti, and to the family of the late President.

The UN will continue to stand with the Government and the people of Haiti, the statement continued.

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Michelle Bachelet: From political crisis, to ‘multi-dimensional human rights catastrophe in Myanmar’.

July 7, 2021 / Michael Maas / 0 Comments

Michelle Bachelet, UN rights chief, said the rights situation in Myanmar has changed from a political crisis to a “multi-dimensional human rights catastrophe,” noting that nearly 900 people have been killed and 200,000 forced to flee their homes because of military raids.

She noted that the World Food Program has estimated that more than 6 million people are in severe need of food aid.

The comments came during a Human Rights Council debate that prompted a string of statements by countries that denounced the violence, urged the release of political prisoners, and called for a return to democracy, aid deliveries and the rule of law, among other things.

“People across the country continue peaceful protests despite the massive use of lethal force against them, including heavy weaponry.

A civil disobedience movement has brought many military-controlled government structures to a standstill,” Bachelet said according ABC News.

“At the same time, Myanmar’s people have shown incredible resilience in organizing systems of mutual solidarity and support.”

“It is incumbent on the international community to stand united in pressuring the military to halt its continuing attacks on the people of Myanmar and return the country to democracy, reflecting the clear will of the people,” Bachelet said.

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Japan: UN chief praises work of emergency responders in wake of deadly landslide.

July 7, 2021 / Michael Maas / 0 Comments

The UN chief on Monday extended his condolences to the families of those who died in a landslide, which struck the Japanese coastal city of Atami in Shizuoka Prefecture, over the weekend.

According to news reports, at least four have been declared dead, with around 80 still missing, when record high levels of rain fell across the region, triggering the landslide in the residential area.

The resort town of around 36,000, famous for its hot springs, is near Mount Fuji, some two hours southwest of Tokyo. Officials have reportedly warned that more heavy rains are forecast this week, keeping the area on high alert.

In a statement released by his Spokesperson, Secretary-General António Guterres said he was saddened by the reported loss of life and destruction caused.

“He extends his deep condolences to the families of the victims, the Government and people of Japan. He commends the work of the emergency responders and wishes a speedy recovery to those who are injured.

“The United Nations stands in solidarity with the Government and people of Japan”, the statement concluded.

The World Government Movement thanks UN News for providing this news to us.

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Delta variant dominates

Food system reform call

National investigation underway

The UN chief on Monday extended his condolences to the families of those who died in a landslide, which struck the Japanese coastal city of Atami in Shizuoka Prefecture, over the weekend.

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