News headlines
From the Biodiversity COP16 to the Climate COP29: Building Equitable Accountability, Alignment, and Adequacy on Finance
- Inter Press Service
BAKU, Nov 15 (IPS) - The United States just went through its most consequential election. While the outcome raises questions about what the re-election of Trump means for U.S. engagement in global climate talks moving forward (in view of his previous stunt), the game is still on, with or without him. Despite the challenges, local communities, cities, states, private actors, and the public more broadly have embarked on an unstoppable journey—upholding the spirit of the Paris Agreement.
Africa’s Demands: Continent’s COP29 Irreducible Minimums Amid Release of First Draft Text
- Inter Press Service
BAKU, Nov 15 (IPS) - As expected, climate finance has taken center stage in Baku COP29 in a bid to renew the global focus on finance as a means to transform climate ambitions into tangible, sustainable action.
‘Ending impunity for violations of Palestinians’ rights would strengthen global norms that protect all humanity’
- Inter Press Service
Nov 15 (IPS) - CIVICUS discusses the gender dimensions of genocide in Gaza with Kifaya Khraim, International Advocacy Coordinator at the Women's Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC). Founded in 1991, WCLAC is a feminist organisation that documents Israeli violations against Palestinian women and uses this evidence for international advocacy.
COP29 Negotiators Urged to Define Financial Path to Education for Climate-Affected Children
- Inter Press Service
BAKU, Nov 15 (IPS) - Directly destroying schools and learning materials, climate shocks are increasingly taking away the right to education. A staggering 400 million students globally experienced school closures from extreme weather since 2022. As COP29 negotiations deepen, defining a sustainable financial path to learning for vulnerable children, particularly those caught up in crises and conflict, is critical and urgent.
UN May Face Another Calamity – Under a Second Trump Presidency
- Inter Press Service
UNITED NATIONS, Nov 15 (IPS) - US President Donald Trump's return to the White House on January 20 next year may be another calamity for the United Nations—particularly if the second term turns out to be a re-run of his first presidency (2017-2021).
Trump's past track record included the US withdrawal from the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); threats against member states voting for anti-Israeli resolutions and slashing funds to a 72-year-old UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
French-Speaking African Nations Bartering Natural Resources for Russian Arms
- Inter Press Service
MOSCOW, Nov 15 (IPS) - At the first ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in the southern coastal city of Sochi, seeking to deepen political and business ties with African countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin in his message and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in his powerful speech underlined Russia's security support to fight terrorism and extremism across Africa.
Rights expert demands release of Russian doctor jailed for anti-war views
- UN News
A UN human rights expert on Friday strongly condemned the jailing of a 68-year-old paediatrician in Moscow, describing the case as another example of Russia’s “systematic suppression of dissenting voices”.
Rights experts call for immediate end to post-election violence in Mozambique
- UN News
UN independent human rights experts on Friday called on Mozambican authorities to prevent and end ongoing violence and repression of demonstrators in the wake of contentious general elections last month.
One in three women experiences gender-based violence
- UN News
Every year, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) campaign led by UN Women serves as a powerful reminder of the widespread violence women and girls face worldwide.
Antimicrobial resistance crisis ‘happening now,’ WHO’s Tedros stresses at Jeddah summit
- UN News
The top UN health official gave a sobering reality check as the Fourth Global High-Level Ministerial Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance began Friday in Jeddah: “AMR doesn't just threaten to make the medicines on which we depend less effective; it’s happening now.”