News headlines in December 2021, page 5

A long-term lack of funding for the UN’s relief agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, now represents an “existential” threat, its top official warned on Thursday.  

ROME, Dec 23 (IPS) - Between the COVID-19 pandemic and the deadly manifestations of the climate crisis, there were few places to hide for most of us in 2021.

Ageing billionaires riding booming stock markets could take their first flights into space in their own rockets, but for the rest of Planet Earth’s 8 billion people with their feet on the ground it was a year of placing hope in the hands of scientists and our political leaders to turn the tide.

NEW YORK, Dec 23 (IPS) - When my assistant handed me copy expressing my greetings and good wishes for 2022 for approval, I paused, thinking, “is that all I can say, just hope for a better, brighter new year?”

The Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, has been awarded the 2021 Champions of the Earth Award, the UN’s highest environmental honour, for her policy leadership.

Two UN-appointed independent rights experts condemned the arbitrary execution in the strongest terms on Wednesday, of an Iranian Kurdish prisoner as a sign of “clear disregard for their obligations under international human rights law”.

The Security Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted a resolution clearing the way for aid to reach Afghans in desperate need of basic support, while preventing funds from falling into the hands of the Taliban, a move welcomed by the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator as a “milestone” decision that will save lives.

As many friends and families consider whether to celebrate Christmas together, the UN health agency issued a reminder on Wednesday that “anyone who ignores COVID-19 is…perpetuating it”. 

Nairobi, Kenya, Dec 22 (IPS) - Seychelles’ 115 islands are an exotic ocean ecosystem of beaches, coral reefs, and unique plant and animal species. Concerned with the impacts of climate change, the country has committed to decarbonize by 2050.

Blanket COVID-19 vaccine booster programmes could prolong the pandemic and increase inequity, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Wednesday. 

NEW DELHI, India, Dec 22 (IPS) - Marital rape has now been criminalized without exception in the Maldives, as part of a raft of significant amendments to the Sexual Offences Act (2014). The First Amendment to the Sexual Offences Act was ratified on 6 December 2021 by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.