World
Head Of United Nations Calls Global Situation ‘Unsustainable’ As Annual Meeting Of Leaders Opens
United Nations — The head of the United Nations warned the gathered leaders of nations Tuesday that impunity, inequality, and uncertainty are driving modern civilization towards “a powder keg that risks engulfing the world” — the latest in a series of clarion calls from Antonio Guterres in recent years that the global situation is becoming intolerable and untenable.
“We can’t go on like this,” the secretary-general declared in an ominous state-of-the-world address as he started the annual high-level meeting of the United Nations’ 193 member countries.
He stated that the world is in “an era of epic transformation” with unprecedented difficulties, including widening geopolitical divisions, global warming, and wars raging in the Middle East, Ukraine, Sudan, and elsewhere with no end in sight.
“We are edging towards the unimaginable – a powder keg that risks engulfing the world,” Guterres addressed presidents, prime ministers, and ministers in the huge General Assembly auditorium.
Head Of United Nations Calls Global Situation ‘Unsustainable’ As Annual Meeting Of Leaders Opens
However, he did not go so far as to proclaim that hope was lost. “The challenges we face,” he replied, “are solvable.”
It’s not an easy time for the world.
The world leaders’ gathering began amid growing global tensions, major wars in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan, and the possibility of a greater conflict in the Middle East. That, according to Guterres, is exacerbated by what he describes as spreading impunity among leaders and many people around the world.
“I cannot recall a time of greater peril than this,” Jordan’s King Abdullah II declared.
Guterres described the situation in Gaza as “a nonstop nightmare that threatens to take the entire region with it.” He claimed that increased air raids along the Israel-Lebanon border have brought Lebanon “to the brink.”He added there is no sign of an end to the war in Ukraine, which began after Russia invaded in February 2022. As a result, he added, “a brutal power struggle has unleashing horrific violence — including widespread rape and sexual assaults” or “a humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding as famine spreads.”
The UN head also cited “appalling levels of violence and human suffering” ranging from Myanmar and Congo to Haiti, Yemen, and beyond, as well as a rising terrorist threat in Africa’s Sahel region. He described the Summit of the Future, which came before Tuesday’s opening of the almost week-long global conference, as a first step. “But we have a long way to go.”
The world’s nations adopted a “Pact for the Future” at the two-day summit, which lays out a 42-page blueprint to begin addressing challenges ranging from combating climate change and poverty to putting limits on artificial intelligence and reforming the United Nations and other global institutions established after World War II to meet the needs and threats of the twenty-first century.
Guterres stated that meeting the challenges of a “whirlwind” requires confronting the three drivers of “unsustainability”: the uncertainty of unmanaged risks, the inequality that underpins injustices and grievances, and the impunity that undermines international law and the United Nations’ founding principles.
“A growing number of governments and others feel entitled to a ‘get out of jail free’ card,” he remarked, alluding to the popular board game Monopoly.
In his final speech to fellow leaders, US President Joe Biden acknowledged the challenges of Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and other global hotspots, but remained hopeful.
“There will always be forces that pull our countries apart … a desire to retreat from the world and go it alone,” he explained. “Our task is to make sure that the forces holding us together are stronger than the forces pulling us apart.”
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, whose country speaks first in a tradition dating back to the early years of the United Nations, criticized Israel’s attacks in Gaza and Lebanon, saying, “The right to self-defence became a right for vengeance, which prevents a deal for the release of hostages and delays a cease-fire.”
Lula condemned the eighth consecutive year of global military spending exceeding $2.4 trillion. “Those resources could have been used to fight hunger and deal with climate changes,” he told reporters.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with Jordan’s Abdullah. Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s new president, was also on hand.
On Monday, Iran’s Shah accused Israel of desiring a greater Middle East war and preparing “traps” to draw his country into a larger confrontation. He cited the lethal explosions of pagers, walkie-talkies, and other electronic devices in Lebanon last week, which he blamed on Israel, as well as the death of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, only hours after Pezeshkian’s inauguration.
“We don’t want to fight,” Iran’s president stated. “It’s Israel that wants to drag everyone into war and destabilise the region.” Iran backs both Hamas in Gaza and Lebanon’s Hezbollah terrorists.
Pushing the idea of ‘right makes might’
President David Miliband of the International Rescue Committee recalled that at the United Nations’ founding conference in San Francisco in 1945, then-US President Harry Truman pleaded with delegates to reject the premise of “might makes right” and replace it with “right makes might,” as enshrined in the U.N. Charter.
Head Of United Nations Calls Global Situation ‘Unsustainable’ As Annual Meeting Of Leaders Opens
“Almost 80 years later, we have seen the terrible consequences of the failure to flip this equation,” Mr. Miliband added. “In contexts like Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, might is making right.”
Faced with escalating global humanitarian needs, unchecked violence, untreated climate change, and rising severe poverty, Miliband addressed world leaders, asking, “How will you strengthen, not weaken, the principles of the United Nations Charter for the next 80 years?”
The assembly’s annual meeting, which concludes on September 30, came after the two-day Summit of the Future, which adopted a blueprint for bringing the world’s increasingly divided nations together to address 21st-century challenges ranging from conflicts and climate change to artificial intelligence and women’s rights.
The 42-page “Pact for the Future” calls on leaders from the 193 United Nations member nations to put commitments into actions that improve the lives of the world’s more than 8 billion people.
“We are here to bring multilateralism back from the brink,” Mr. Guterres remarked.
Leaders involved in conflicts will talk.
Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, were the centre of attention during last year’s United Nations General Assembly. However, as the first anniversary of Hamas’ deadly strike in southern Israel comes on October 7, the focus will undoubtedly be on the conflict in Gaza and the increasing violence across the Israeli-Lebanon border, which is now threatening to sweep throughout the Middle East.
On Thursday morning, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will address, followed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the afternoon.
Zelenskyy will be in the spotlight twice. He will speak Tuesday afternoon at a high-level meeting of the United Nations Security Council convened by the United States, France, Japan, Malta, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, whose foreign ministers are likely to attend. He will also speak to the General Assembly on Wednesday morning.
SOURCE | AP
World
Do Microplastics in the Atmosphere Endanger Your Fertility?
(VOR News) – It is quite possible that the presence of small microplastic particles in the air may be a contributing factor to a wide variety of health problems, including malignancies of the lungs and colon.
This is something that needs additional research to be determined. There is one more item to take into consideration, and that is the potential that this is the exact circumstance.
A recent study found that tires and debris that are decomposing shed minute fragments of plastic that go airborne, so creating a form of air pollution that is not particularly widely known. This type of pollution is caused by the degradation of plastic. An example of this type of pollution is that which is discharged into the atmosphere.
The industry refers to microplastic as “air pollution.”
According to the findings of a researcher named Tracey Woodruff, who is a professor of obstetrics, gynaecology, and reproductive sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, “These microplastics are basically particulate matter from air pollution,” and it is common knowledge that this particular type of air pollution is particularly hazardous.
The researchers who supplied background notes stated that the size of microplastics is less than 5 millimetres, which is smaller than a grain of rice.
This information was provided, according to researchers. These details were supplied by the researchers who conducted the study. These particulars were provided by researchers who were responsible for carrying out the study.
The amount of plastic that is created on a yearly basis by enterprises all over the world is roughly 460 million tonnes, as indicated by the data that were provided by academics all over the world. The forecasts indicate that by the year 2050, this quantity is anticipated to have increased to 1.1 billion tonnes.
Driving is a substantial contributor to the amount of plastic that is floating around in the atmosphere, according to the conclusions of the experts who conducted the study about the phenomenon. When tires are worn down to the point where they scrape against the surface of the road, they allow microplastics to be released into the environment.
As a result of the tires wearing down, this occurs. This impact is brought about as a consequence of the inevitable amount of wear and tear that tires are subjected to.
A study that was published on December 18 in the journal Environmental Science & Technology was the result of researchers conducting an examination of data collected from over 3,000 previous investigations.
The paper was published as a consequence of this procedure. The review was constructed with the help of this analysis that was carried out.
Microplastic used this analysis to put together the review.
A number of diseases, such as cancer, lung problems, and infertility, may be influenced by the presence of microplastics in the air, according to the data, which led to the conclusion that this may be the case.
Despite the fact that the vast majority of the studies that were incorporated into the study were carried out on animals, the researchers claimed that it is very certainly plausible that the findings can also be applied to people. The fact that the majority of investigations were conducted on animals does not change the reality that this is the case.
“We urge regulatory agencies and policy leaders to consider the growing evidence of health harms from microplastics, including colon and lung cancer,” stated Nicholas Chartres, the principal investigator and senior research fellow at the University of Sydney.
The organisation reported this comment. The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) issued a press release on behalf of the organisation that contained this statement. The news release was disseminated to the public. We are convinced that state officials will act quickly to make sure that no leaks of this kind occur, which is of the highest importance.
SOURCE: USN
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World
Russian Oil Ships In The Kerch Strait Are Undergoing Rescue Operations.
(VOR News) – Following Sunday’s powerful storm, a Russian oil tanker carrying hundreds of tonnes of oil products ultimately broke apart, causing an oil spill into the Kerch Strait below. Additionally, Russian officials reported that the damage was causing problems for another vessel.
Sunday, Russian authorities announced an emergency rescue operation.
According to the Russian state news agency TASS, which claimed the Emergency Situations Ministry as its source, the Volgoneft-212 tanker, carrying fuel oil and carrying thirteen crew members, ran aground and suffered damage to its bow. A shipment of fuel oil was being transported by the tanker.
Authorities have told the public that the damage was brought on by the extreme weather conditions that are currently occurring.
A second tanker, the Volgoneft-239, was damaged during the storm and is currently stranded in the same area with 14 crew members on board, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The tanker was discovered abandoned and alone in the same spot.
Additional tankers also suffered damage. The 132-meter-long cruiser, which was constructed in 1973, hangs the Russian flag around its neck.
The footage posted by state media showed the 136-meter Volgoneft-212 tanker, which was cut in two with its bow underwater, and waves crashing over its deck. At least one person lost his life as a result of this tragedy. This led to the opening of two distinct criminal investigations by the Russian authorities to look into potential violations of certain safety regulations.
Having flown the Russian flag since 1969, the yacht was finished.
Rosmorrechflot, the Russian government agency in charge of water transportation, reported a petroleum product spill.
It is believed that the cargo capacity of each tanker is around 4,200 tonnes of oil products.
The magnitude of the leak and the cause of the substantial damage one of the tankers received were not specified in the official remarks. This is in accordance with the official remarks.
Several news sites cited Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov as saying that President Vladimir Putin directed the formation of a working committee to handle the rescue effort and lessen the effects of the oil disaster.
Peskov recommended that the government appoint the working committee’s members. This comment was made public right after Putin met with the ministries responsible for ecology and disaster management.
The Russian government has said that it will be sending more than fifty individuals and pieces of equipment to the area in response to the current crisis. Mi-8 helicopters and rescue tugboats are examples of these people and tools.
The news that experts are presently investigating the damage at the event site was announced by Svetlana Radionova, who is in charge of Rosprirodnadzor, Russia’s natural resources regulating entity.
Kommersant reports that Volgoneft-212 used 4,300 tonnes of fuel oil.
The footage, which showed a partially submerged ship and murky water on rough seas, was posted to Telegram without the owner’s consent.
The warships were located in the Kerch Strait, which separates Crimea from the Russian mainland, when the distress signals were sent out.
The Kerch Strait is a crucial international marine passage that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Azov, allowing for easier traffic between the two bodies of water. It also acts as a border between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, which is under Russian occupation. The Kerch Strait is located in the centre of the two nations.
The peninsula has remained a major source of contention between the two national governments ever since Russia annexed it from Ukraine in 2014. Russia was the one who seized the peninsula. Ukraine brought legal action against Russia before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016.
Specifically, the lawsuit claimed that Russia intended to illegally take over a location. The argument was supported by evidence pertaining to Russia’s conduct in the region. In 2021, the Russian Federation closed the strait for several consecutive months
SOURCE: VN
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World
Japan List Cannabis as Narcotic Criminalizes Recreational Use
TOKYO – Japan updated its cannabis and narcotics control legislation on Thursday, criminalizing cannabis (Marijuana) use and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), imposing a maximum seven-year prison sentence.
While the possession, transmission, and cultivation of cannabis and THC were already prohibited in Japan, the new rules will classify them as narcotics and criminalize their use as well, with a prison sentence of up to seven years for violations.
The amended regulations also legalize medical items containing cannabis-derived compounds that are beneficial and safe.
In 2019, 1.8 percent of the Japanese population had used cannabis at least once, making it the country’s second most popular illicit substance behind methamphetamine.
In 2023, a record 6,703 people were probed in cannabis-related criminal cases in Japan, topping methamphetamine cases for the first time, according to the Health, Labour, and Welfare Ministry. Seventy percent of instances involved people under the age of thirty.
A nationwide poll performed the same year by the ministry’s research group estimated that approximately 200,000 people had consumed marijuana within the previous year.
Japan previously did not penalize cannabis usage, apparently taking into account farmers who may have accidentally ingested the drug while producing cannabis plants for use in hemp products.
The amendments will also lift a restriction on cannabis-derived medicines, putting them under a licensing system similar to other drugs used for pain relief and other purposes.
Drugs derived from cannabis plants were only allowed in clinical studies in Japan, but patient groups have been advocating for access to cannabis-derived cannabidiol treatments already licensed in Europe and the United States for illnesses like severe epilepsy.
Cannabis cultivation dates back to the Jōmon period of Japanese prehistory, roughly six to ten thousand years ago (source: Wikipedia).
Cannabis hemp, as one of Japan’s first cultivated plants, provided an essential supply of plant fibre for clothing, cordage, and Shinto ritual goods, among other uses.
For much of Japanese history, hemp was common for fabric and food before cotton emerged as the country’s dominant fibre crop during industrialization during the Meiji period.
Following the end of World War II and the occupation of Japan, the Cannabis Control Law prohibited cannabis possession and manufacturing.
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