The latest report on Monday (14 December, 2020) by the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Fatou Bensouda stated that there is “reasonable basis to believe” that the Philippines has committed crimes against humanity in connection with President Rodrigo Duterte’s so-called war on drugs operation. However, Bensouda’s report stressed that her office "anticipates deciding on whether to seek authorisation to open an investigation into the situation in the Philippines in the

China and India edged forward in their commitment to lower carbon pollution on Saturday, issuing a string of promises that experts said fell short of action needed from the two emerging giants.President Xi Jinping told a virtual climate summit that China would work to reduce the intensity of its emissions by 65 percent by 2030, compared with 2005 levels.Xi promised to "aim to peak carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions before 2030", repeating a pledge he made in September, when the world&#0

Thai democracy activists rallied at the United Nation's (UN) Bangkok office Thursday and asked the body to pressure the kingdom into repealing royal defamation laws they say are being used to suppress their movement.23 leaders are facing charges under the legislation for headlining demonstrations demanding reforms to the monarchy and more scrutiny of the royal family's financial arrangements.The kingdom's lese majeste laws shield the super wealthy King Maha Vajiralongkorn and t

The world is not yet sufficiently alarmed by how much the COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged the global economy. We track the daily numbers of infections and casualties. But we are oblivious to the job losses and lives upended, especially in the developing world, where the pandemic has barely elicited a public-health response.The pandemic’s impact on major economies has so far been four times worse than that of the 2008 global financial crisis.

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Thursday that the world could be fighting the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic for decades to come even if vaccines are quickly approved.Opening a special UN summit on the virus, being held virtually as a safety precaution, Guterres hailed the quick scientific progress but cautioned that vaccination was not a panacea for the ills affecting the planet."Let's not fool ourselves.

For much of its life, the United Nations (UN) has hidden behind the comfortable maxim that, “If we didn’t have it, we would have to invent it.” Now at the venerable age of 75 (old enough to have been a 2020 US presidential candidate), the organisation still enjoys widespread approval in global opinion polls. But beneath the surface, the UN faces difficulties that cannot be ignored. Judging by traditional and social media, the issues that the UN pushes tend to get little traction.

The oceans increasingly face a growing threat from plastics. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the world produces approximately 300 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, and most of this plastic ends up in the world’s oceans.Oceana, an international organisation focused on ocean conservation, estimates that 18.2 trillion pounds of virgin plastics have been produced to date.“Most plastic items never fully disappear; they just get smaller and

This year, the United Nations (UN) is marking its 75th anniversary – a milestone of extraordinary economic and social progress in Asia and the Pacific. While the Organization enjoys a lifespan almost equal to the world’s improved average life expectancy, the future lies with those who have recently embarked on theirs: our young people. As they continue breaking ground with entrepreneurial spirit to address defining issues of our time like climate change, technology and inequ

The United Nations (UN) at its 75th anniversary is an opportunity for stocktaking on the state of sustainable development in ASEAN.

2020 is proving to be a challenging year. Livelihoods, businesses and government operations have all been affected by the coronavirus pandemic which has claimed over one million lives worldwide.