Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Angus King (I-Maine) and U.S. Representatives Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.) and Jared Golden (D-Maine) introduced the Future Logging Careers Act to support America’s family-run timber industry.
This legislation would allow teenage members of logging families to gain critical, hands-on experience in the trade so they may carry on the family business. The Future Logging Careers Act would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to work in certain mechanized logging operations under parental supervision. Similar exemptions already exist for farming families.
“Idaho’s logging industry is rooted in family-run businesses, but current law is preventing them from passing down the trade,” said Risch. “The Future Logging Careers Act empowers timber families to prepare the next generation of loggers to properly manage our forests and support rural economies.”
“For centuries, logging has been synonymous with the success of Maine — creating good jobs, supporting proud, hard-working families and boosting local rural economies,” said King. “As we prepare for the next generation of Maine loggers, we should provide opportunities for young people to explore this exciting field in a safe and supervised way. The bipartisan Future Logging Careers Act would give aspiring, young loggers the option to jumpstart their career, get valuable hands-on experience, and begin critical training by logging with their parents or grandparents. I’m proud to join my colleagues in working to expand good job opportunities and further build upon our state’s rich forest heritage.”
“Pennsylvania has long been a leader in the forestry industry, and I have the great privilege of representing numerous family-owned logging businesses,” said Thompson. “By allowing young men and women to work alongside their families in this industry, we’re ensuring that the skills, knowledge, and traditions of logging can be passed down to the next generation.”
“Maine’s working forests are a distinct part of our identity, thanks to the passionate work of generations today and past,” Golden said. “To carry on that proud tradition, young Mainers need the personal investment that comes only from experiencing something with your own two hands — an opportunity that this bipartisan legislation would finally create.”
Additional cosponsors of the legislation include U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and John Cornyn (R-Texas).
The Future Logging Careers Act has received support from the American Loggers Council and the Associated Logging Contractors of Idaho.
“The timber industry is traditionally a multi-generational business where the skills and knowledge are passed on from one generation to the next. This succession process is critical to ensuring that the timber industry infrastructure remains viable to support public and private healthy forest management, rural jobs, wildfire mitigation, and U.S. made forest products. The Future Logging Careers Act will afford the timber industry sector of the agricultural economy the same opportunities and benefits currently extended to the family farm. Workforce development is critical to maintaining the resources necessary to provide the forest management services required to meet the U.S. sustainable healthy forests objectives for today and the future. The American Loggers Council appreciates the bipartisan/bicameral sponsorship of Senator Risch (ID) and Senator King (ME), and Representative Golden (ME) and Representative Thompson (PA), of the Future Logging Careers Act and their continued support of the American timber industry,” said Scott Dane, Executive Director of the American Loggers Council.
“We need this today, more than ever. With the modern mechanized logging practices of today, our contractors have invested millions of dollars in machinery which necessitates the need for equipment operators. In Idaho’s Forest Products Industry, like many others, there is a shortage of labor that is having devastating consequences for our members. We are in the process of a workforce development plan to attract, train and retain workers for our industry, but for now, we rely heavily on family. Our sons and daughters grow up in our family logging operations, visit our jobsites often and many develop a love for logging that fills us with pride. By the time they are 16, they are ready and willing to jump in and start working but are hamstrung by an archaic 1938 Law. We then lose our sons and daughters to other occupations where they are allowed to work, and sadly, many don’t return to the family logging businesses. The Associated Logging Contractors of Idaho fully supports theFuture Logging Careers Actand thank Senator Risch for introducing this important legislation,”said Clete Edmunson, Executive Director of the Associated Logging Contractors of Idaho.
?
The UN human rights chief has called on leaders and international stakeholders to radically rethink global drug policy, stating that the decades-long “War on Drugs” approach has “destroyed countless lives and damaged entire communities”.
Speaking at the ‘Dealing with Drugs II’ conference in Warsaw on Thursday, High Commissioner Volker Türk highlighted the urgent need for a human rights-based approach to drug regulation, pointing to record numbers of drug-related deaths and increasing drug use disorders.
The conference, which builds on January’s ‘Dealing with Drugs I’ meeting hosted by the Mayor of Amsterdam, brought together leaders and experts from across Europe and the world to share best practices and expertise.
“Criminalisation and prohibition have failed to reduce drug use and failed to deter drug-related crime. These policies are simply not working – and we are failing some of the most vulnerable groups in our societies”.
Global drug crisis
The High Commissioner’s address comes amid a surge in illicit drug production and distribution.
In Afghanistan, despite a 2022 Taliban ban that initially reduced opium cultivation by 95 per cent, 2024 saw a 19 per cent resurgence driven by economic hardship and rising prices. Meanwhile, North America faces an unprecedented fentanyl crisis, with synthetic drugs claiming lives at an alarming rate across the United States and parts of Asia and Africa.
From punishment to support
He emphasised the need for a radical shift in approach that prioritises health, dignity and inclusion.
“Instead of punitive measures, we need gender-sensitive and evidence-based drug policies, grounded by public health,” Mr. Türk urged. He also called for “inclusive access to voluntary medical care and other social services,” emphasising that harm reduction measures are essential in preventing drug overdose fatalities.
A key element of reform, Mr. Türk declared, is decriminalisation. “We need to start treating the person, not punishing the drug use disorder,” advocating for social reintegration support to accompany policy changes.
The High Commissioner pointed to clear evidence supporting this approach: “Focusing on inclusion and education over incarceration means that drug consumption falls. Choosing social reintegration over stigmatisation means that drug-related infections decrease”.
Soundcloud
Prioritising people
At the centre of policy development, Mr. Türk stressed the importance of a focus on people most affected by current drug policies.
“Historically, people who use drugs are marginalised, criminalised, discriminated against and left behind – very often stripped of their dignity and their rights,” he noted.
“We are destined to fail unless we ensure their genuine participation in formulating and implementing drug policy”.
“The evidence is clear. The so-called War on Drugs has failed, completely and utterly,” Mr. Türk concluded. “And prioritising people over punishment means more lives are saved”.
Coinciding with Universal Health Coverage Day on Thursday the World Health Organization (WHO) released its 2024 Global Health Expenditure Report, revealing troubling declines in government health spending.
The report, titled Global Spending on Health: Emerging from the Pandemic, shows a reduction in per capita government health expenditures in 2022 across all income groups, following a surge during the early COVID-19 pandemic years.
This concerning trend undermines progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC), a goal enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the agency said.
This year, Universal Health Coverage Day emphasises the urgent need for governments to prioritise financial protection, ensuring access to essential health services for all without risking financial hardship.
A global health emergency
The statistics are stark: 4.5 billion people worldwide lack access to basic health services, and 2 billion experience financial hardship from healthcare costs.
For many, the high price of medical care presents impossible choices between vital treatments and necessities like food and housing.
These challenges disproportionately impact vulnerable populations, including women, children, and adolescents, who face the greatest barriers to healthcare access.
“While access to health services has been improving globally, using those services is driving more and more people into financial hardship or poverty,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
“Universal Health Coverage Day is a reminder that health for all, means everyone can access the health services they need, without financial hardship,” he added.
The cost of inaction
Reduced government health investments can have far-reaching consequences.
Without sufficient funding, health systems waver, leaving populations vulnerable in both their routine health needs and crises.
The COVID-19 pandemic shed light on the connection between UHC and health security, underscoring the need for resilient health systems that protect everyone, everywhere.
Investing in health is not just a moral imperative but an economic one.
Access to affordable healthcare improves workforce participation, boosts productivity, and fosters social cohesion.
On the contrary, when healthcare costs force people into poverty, the economic ripple effects can be devastating.
UHC Day 2024: A call to action
Since the UN General Assembly’s endorsement of UHC in 2012, global leaders have reaffirmed their commitments in multiple declarations. Yet, financial protection has worsened over the last two decades.
This Universal Health Coverage Day, advocates are urging governments to meet their commitments by prioritising health funding in national budgets.
The 2024 UHC Day theme, “Health: It’s on the Government”, underscores the role of governments in ensuring equitable and affordable healthcare for all.
Advocates are calling on leaders to protect the poorest and most vulnerable from impoverishing health costs and to ensure no one has to choose between healthcare and basic needs.
The UN World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday launched a $56.4 million flash appeal to address urgent health needs in Syria, where years of conflict have cripped the healthcare system.
In addition, the developments since late November, culminating with the overthrow of the Assad regime added new dimensions to the crisis, including population displacements as well as return of Syrian refugees from neighbouring countries.
Since November 2024, over 882,000 Syrians have been displaced amid surging violence, further straining the country’s fragile healthcare system. Attacks on health facilities also escalated, with 37 incidents reported in the past month, according to WHO.
Over half of Syria’s hospitals are now non-functional, and 141 health facilities in northern Aleppo and Idlib face imminent closure due to funding shortages.
Healthcare under unprecedented strain
“The health infrastructure in Syria is severely strained, more than ever,” said Christina Bethke, acting WHO Representative for the country.
“Our teams are currently providing care through mobile clinics, restoring immunization services and integrating mental health support into health facilities, especially for those affected by trauma. This appeal is about safeguarding health and dignity while offering Syrians hope for a safer future.”
Fully funded, WHO’s six-month strategy aims to further strengthen trauma care, deploy ambulances, restore maternal and child health services, enhance disease surveillance, and enable timely patient referrals.
The agency also aims to bolster health system coordination through its hub in Gaziantep, Türkiye, which coordinates assistance to about five million Syrians, including those in hard-to-reach areas.
UNHCR highlights refugee challenges
Meanwhile, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported significant challenges for displaced populations and returning refugees, particularly for vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, women and children.
Those returning from neighbouring countries face severe hardships, with destroyed homes forcing them to live in tents, with extended family members or pay exorbitant rental fees.
Unexploded ordnance (UXO) particularly in agricultural land or homes near former frontline areas pose significant risks. Returnees also cited the need for legal assistance, psychosocial support and school rehabilitation.
In response, UNHCR partners in Aleppo, Hassakeh, Ar-Raqqa and rural Tartous have resumed protection activities, including programmes to keep children engaged, livelihood grants, relief distribution, prevention of sexual violence, and awareness sessions on UXOs and other harmful objects.
The Deputy Prime Minister of Mali outlined on Saturday the steps the Government has taken to rebuild trust among the country’s diverse communities and push back against terrorism, but he warned that “opportunistic’ terrorist groups, and their foreign sponsors threatened toundo this work.
Addressing the UN General Assembly’s annual debate, Abdoulaye Maiga said that since 2012, Mali had been experiencing a multifaceted crisis that led to the loss of more than half its territory and countless civilian lives.
This was largely due to violence perpetrated by an “opportunistic and incestuous association” of terrorist groups and other armed fighters. NATO’s “haphazard” military intervention in Libya had also played a part in worsening the situation throughout the Sahel.
Indeed, terrorist activities, instigated by sponsors inside and outside the region, had a dire impact on Mali’s security and stability due to rising violence, “all kinds of trafficking, money laundering and community conflicts,” the Deputy Prime Minister explained.
Having witnessed the failure of international forces on its territory since 2013 to deal with these issues, Malian authorities decided to “take their fate in their own hands.” Since 2021 Mali had launched a vast campaign to re-equip and reorganize the Malian defense and security forces.
After a subsequent national assessment, Malian authorities and citizens had together concluded that their country, its people and its defense and security forces had been “left pillaged and polluted; battered and humiliated; high and dry and stabbed in the back,” by parties that had instigated violence, and looted the country’s raw materials for their own gain. Such was the case for much of Africa.
Considering this “ruthless reality of international relations”, especially as it pertains to Africa, Mali’s president had earlier this year launched a ‘national programme for education on values’ aiming for Malians to recommit to their origins, “without which it would be difficult to image a bright future for our country in its legitimate quest to restore its sovereignty,” Mr. Maiga explained.
As for Mali’s ongoing political transition, he recalled that the Malian people had chosen to undertake political reforms before holding elections to establish good governance, among other goals. In addition, to further foster national unity, “which is the basis for all development efforts”, the president, on 31 December 2023, the holding of the three phase inter-Malian dialogue for peace and reconciliation. The aim is to allow the nation to seek Malian solutions for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts.
“We call on all Malians to support this trend towards reconciliation, a key step towards returning to constitutional order,” Mr. Maiga said, going on to note that while the outcomes of the reconciliation process were still a guiding principle, the newly reinvigorated security forces had been successful in, among others, efforts to recover all regions form the hands of terrorist groups, particularly in Kidal.
Even though the terrorist groups had been “severely weakened” as Malian defense forces have been deployed throughout the country, those “criminals” continued “desperate attempts to undermine Mali’s territorial integrity, he said, denouncing the support of such actors by “foreign State sponsors”.
Mr. Maiga also recalled that, earlier this year, the member States of the Confederation of the States of the Sahel sent a joint letter to the Security Council to condemn Ukrainian authorities’ support for international terrorism; denounce the aggression against Mali; and demand that the Council take appropriate measures against the Ukrainian Government.
He also criticized France for its acts of aggression against Mali and its involvement in promoting terrorism in the Sahel through armed, economic and media terrorism.
Finally, the Deputy Foreign Minister expressed surprise at the “fierce hostility” from some officials of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) “who are acting on orders of imperialists and neocolonial entities”.
Every September when UN Headquarters in New York is swamped – massive motorcades, intense security, snipers on rooftops and world leaders descending along with throngs of diplomats, media and celebrities – it’s not easy to grasp what exactly is going on or what was achieved.
Let’s try to unscramble those 10 days for you. This year, some 235 events and hundreds of speakers later, the spotlight was shone on what the world was facing – how to move towards a revamp of an outdated global economic order, forging new pathways to peace, and finding solutions to the growing threat of nuclear war, global public health challenges, climate disruption and dangerous levels of impunity, inequality and uncertainty.
Kicking off the Summit of the Future (22-23 September) ahead of the General Assembly’s annual high-level week, Secretary-General António Guterres’ clarion call for change made the stakes plain: “We cannot build a future fit for our grandchildren with systems built for our grandparents.”
More than 140 leaders spoke in the action-packed gathering while the UN was taken over by youth and civil society. The end-goal? Torchbearers of change trying to chart a course to rejig a UN that can be fit for purpose and ready to meet 21st century challenges with modernized, upgraded institutions that do not reflect the world of 1945.
The good news is they agreed on a rescue plan to steer the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) back on track, a groundbreaking Pact for the Future that now needs to be implemented. Despite a last-minute challenge from a group of countries opposed to the pact, UN Member States actually inked a deal – and agreed on the need for justice and reform.
Soundcloud
The big wins? Economic justice pledges included a promise to overhaul the international financial architecture so that developing countries reeling under a debt burden can begin to invest in development and not be crippled by debt repayments. Security Council reform saw a groundswell of support to expand and balance rights of membership. Strong backing was expressed for Africa to have permanent representation in the Security Council – along with other contenders like Brazil, India, and Japan. South African Prime Minister Cyril Ramaphosa called for the Security Council to be “more representative and inclusive,” noting that Africa and its 1.4 billion people remain excluded from this key decision-making structure.
A group of experts delivered findings on the critical need to embrace digital innovation and harness how artificialintelligence could transform our world; but equally to close the digital divide and ensure guardrails around a responsible advance for humanity.
A Global Digital Compact was agreed, with the aim of opening the doors to a brave, new and accountable digital world order.
On the sidelines, a dark moment was captured in a conversation on the future of women in Afghanistan – actress Meryl Streep questioned how it was possible that cats and birds had more freedom in the country where girls were banned from education. “A cat may go sit on her front stoop and feel the sun on her face. She may chase a squirrel into the park. A squirrel has more rights than a girl in Afghanistan today because the public parks have been closed to women and girls by the Taliban,” Streep said. “This is a suppression of the natural law.”
In a devastating testimonial during a ministerial meeting “The Cost of Inaction in Sudan”, Sudanese activist Nisreen al-Saem lamented that the war in her country was a “war on women” and appealed: “Oh, Burhan and Hemediti, we’re tired, unite the Sudanese people and lay down your arms”.
As the General Assembly began its 79th session, 190 countries out of 193 Member States spoke in what is not a debate at all – but a chance for governments to speak their mind on the state of the world or their region or pressing global problems. Highlighting an ignominious fact, Iceland’s Foreign Minister Thordis Kolbrun Reykfjord Gylfadottir – as one of only 19 women speaking in the hallowed hall – chastised: “I thought we had come further than this.”
Another female leader, the outspoken premier of Barbados, Mia Mottley, a fierce advocate of the Bridgetown Initiative which aims to kickstart global financial restructuring exhorted global institutions to give developing countries – especially small vulnerable ones – “seats at the tables of decision-making”.
The chorus was loud on the need for institutional reform at the UN, stoked by fears of an outdated and archaic institution unable to keep pace with a world that has changed profoundly.
If the UN is to become a “central platform for finding common ground” according to the Minister for External Affairs of India, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, “it cannot, by remaining anachronistic.” In his swansong speech, US President Joe Biden reminded fellow leaders: “Never forget we are here to serve the people, not the other way around.”
Soundcloud
The eclipse of multilateralism and international law bubbled up repeatedly – Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Vivian Balakrishnan, warned that multilateralism is not an option but an existential necessity while Amery Browne, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago wagged his finger at the selective respect for international law.
A refrain heard repeatedly on the war in Ukraine and Gaza was captured by Denmark’s Foreign Minister, Lars Rasmussen, who worried that the respect for international law is slowly being undermined and flagged that, “Wars of aggression and altering borders is — and should remain — a thing of the past.”
Many sounded the alarm on the climate-security nexus with President Ramkalawan of the Seychelles flagging this as an existential issue that would plague future generations – a sentiment widely echoed by the young activists who flocked to the UN.
As nation after nation spoke out about the unimaginable destruction and devastation in Gaza following the terror attacks launched by Hamas on 7 October 2023, and with the drumbeat of war growing in the region, Brazil’s President Luiz Ignacio Lula had warning words: “The right to defense has become the right to vengeance.” While committing to sending forces to counter the deteriorating security in Haiti, President William Ruto of Kenya regretted that the Charter’s foundations have been shaken.
The President of the General Assembly, Philemon Yang pleaded for an end to the spiralling conflict and retribution between Israel and Gaza and a return to a solution grounded in international law for the good of Israelis and Palestinians. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to the UN to “set the record straight” in a session that was sparsely attended because of a walkout – but his speech was watched by record numbers online illustrating how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict dominated the discussions.
The entire General Assembly session was supposed to be about the future, devoted to uplifting commitments to reset the world on the path to sustainable development, to rethink how we can make the world more equitable and efficient, find ways to tackle public health threats like Anti-Microbial Resistance and to showcase how the world can leverage the potential of new technologies. Yet, the focus inevitably ended up on what the Secretary-General called “the purgatory of polarity” and the threat of an “age of impunity.”
In the spirit of the Pact for Future Generations, heartwarming moments came from youth who showed up for the Action Days and the SDG Media Zone. Sanjana Sanghi, a UN Development Programme climate activist from India, praised the positivity of the younger generation that inspired hope. She summed up the buzz felt around the UN campus: “I am deeply inspired by these young changemakers who are passionately working to address climate issues and secure a sustainable future for everyone.”
*This is not an official record. It is a snapshot of this year’s General Assembly High-Level Week.
A former combatant fighting for the rights of her people on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines has been talking about how she has swapped her combat fatigues for jilbabs [outer garment] and her life in the jungle for a more peaceful rural community.
A former combatant fighting for the rights of her people on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines has been talking about how she has swapped her combat fatigues for jilbabs [outer garment]and her life in the jungle for a more peaceful rural community.
Suraida ‘Sur’ Amil joined the Bangsamoro Islamic Women Auxiliary Brigade (BIWAB) as an 18-year-old with the with the goal of achieving autonomy for the predominantly Muslim regions of Mindanao.
After an agreement was signed to end the insurrection and provide a greater autonomy and self-governance for the people of Bangsamoro, she participated in a reconciliation programme supported by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to reintegrate and rehabilitate former combatants.
Suraida ‘Sur’ Amil is now a community peace advocate.
“From an early age growing up in Bangsamoro, I saw how difficult life was for my parents. They faced different forms of discrimination, and they witnessed the brutality of the nine-year-long martial law which was declared in 1972 and which deeply affected many communities across Mindanao, including Muslim populations.
My parents had a hard life, they lived in poverty and were not able to achieve their dreams. This has affected my life and the life of my nine other siblings. I had hoped to become a teacher but I was never able to do so as I did not finish school due to the lack of financial support.
At eighteen I realized I had to fight for the rights of our people for our self-determination, not just for my generation but also for future generations.
A friend of mine was a member of BIWAB and as soon as I heard about its goals, it made me think about the suffering my parents had experienced and what I could do to improve the situation for our community.
If you ask me whether I would choose war or peace, of course I would never choose war over peace, but we had to fight for that peace.
Suraida ‘Amil joined the Bangsamoro Islamic Women Auxiliary Brigade (BIWAB) as an 18-year-old.
I spent time operating in the jungles as a combatant. It was a harsh environment living in the mountains alongside wild animals without the comforts of home.
But women are very strong; they have the ability to become fighters while at the same time be providers for their families.
Ballpens not guns, jilbabs not military uniforms
In 2014 the peace agreement for Bangsamoro (the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, CAB) was signed and so little by little we are transforming ourselves into civilians. I have swapped my combat boots for lipstick, I carry ballpens for writing rather than a gun for shooting, I wear a jilbab and not a military uniform and I have moved out of the jungle and back into my community.
I have become a peace facilitator and work with people in my local area on issues such as gender-based violence and how to prevent violent extremism.
Islam teaches us to be kind to one another and not to harm other human beings. We have a saying in Islam that if we save one life, it is as if we have saved humanity.
I value and am proud of my role as a peace advocate in my community.
As part of the workshop discussion on modern forms of communications, which I participated in, I learned how to promote the awareness and prevention of violent extremism on social media.
I am now living a life of peace but my message to my young daughter has always been that she should always fight for her rights.
When you are fighting for a noble cause, it doesn’t matter if you gain or you lose something, because it is the cause itself which truly matters.”
Suraida Amil participated in the Strategic Communications workshop on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) under the EU-STRIVE programme.
More than 100 governments made historic commitments to end childhood violence on Thursday at alandmark eventin Bogotá, Colombia.
Among the pledges, nine countries pledged to ban corporal punishment – an issue that affects three out of every five children regularly in their homes.
“Despite being highly preventable, violence remains a horrific day to day reality for millions of children around the world – leaving scars that span generations,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General.
“Today countries made critical pledges that, once enacted, could finally turn the tide on childhood violence,” he added.
One billion children affected
Over half of all children aged two to 17 worldwide – some one billion – are estimated to suffer some form of violence, such as child maltreatment (including corporal punishment, the most prevalent form of childhood violence), physical or emotional abuse and sexual violence.
Some three in five children are regularly punished by physical means in their home, and one in five girls and one in seven boys experience sexual violence.
For some of these children, violence results in death or serious injury. Every 13 minutes, a child or adolescent dies as a result of homicide – equating to around 40,000 preventable deaths each year. Moreover, violence, often involving firearms or other weapons, is now the leading cause of death among adolescent males.
For others, experiencing violence has devastating and life-long consequences. These include anxiety and depression, risky behaviours like unsafe sex, smoking and substance abuse and reduced academic achievement.
Violence against children is also often hidden, with WHO estimates that fewer than half of affected children tell anyone they experienced violence and under 10 per cent receive any help.
Enacted prevention strategies
At the Bogotá conference, countries committed to a range of evidence-based strategies aimed at preventing childhood violence.
Key measures include expanding parenting support programmes to encourage positive, non-violent discipline. School-based programmes targeting bullying and enhancing social skills also play a crucial role in fostering safer learning spaces.
Additionally, governments pledged to improve child-friendly health and social services to support young survivors, while new digital safety initiatives aim to protect children from online exploitation.
Research shows that implementing these strategies could reduce violence against children by 20 to 50 per cent, underscoring the importance of these new commitments in turning the tide on childhood violence.
Marking the inaugural International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organised Crime on Friday, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has called for unified global efforts to counter these pervasive threats.
Proclaimed by the General Assembly in March 2024, the observance honours victims of organised crime – including law enforcement and judicial personnel who have lost their lives in pursuit of justice.
The inaugural theme: Organised crime steals, corrupts and kills. It’s time we pull together to push back, underscores the urgency of collective action.
Speaking to UN News, Candice Welsch, UNODC Regional Representative for the Andean Region and southernmost areas of South America, emphasised the global nature of the threat: “Almost all organised crime is transnational, it does not take place within a single country, but often crosses borders within regions and even beyond.”
“Therefore, this UN observance aims at boosting action by governments, the private sector, civil society and the public,” she said.
Pillar of international cooperation
The UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime adopted in 2000 and ratified by 192 States, serves as the cornerstone of UNODC’s efforts to combat and eventually eliminate the scourge of transnational organised crime.
“We are working hard to strengthen cooperation between countries so that they can share information and intelligence between police forces, or so that border agencies and prosecutors can conduct joint operations,” said Ms. Welsch.
UNODC’s efforts include bolstering local, national and international capacities to better understand and combat these challenges.
UN Video | United Nations takes on organized crime
Cocaine, deforestation, community impact
In the Andean region, Colombia and Ecuador face significant challenges with transnational criminal groups. Colombia’s coca cultivation reached 253,000 hectares in 2023, yielding an estimated 2,664 metric tons of cocaine in 2022, according to UNODC data.
However, the issue is not confined to drug trafficking. Illegal mining, deforestation and wildlife trafficking – particularly in the Galapagos Islands – are also on the rise.
These activities disrupt security for communities, exacerbate gang violence and contribute to high homicide rates, impacting indigenous communities and young people who face recruitment risks. Migrant flows through the region also make vulnerable populations susceptible to human trafficking and other abuses.
To address these challenges, UNODC supports alternative development programmes for farmers reliant on coca cultivation. These initiatives promote legal crops such as coffee, cocoa, vanilla and sacha inchi, a nutrient-rich Amazonian plant.
“What we are trying to do with alternative development programmes is to offer these communities ways to move towards licit economies and a more secure future,” said Ms. Welsch.
UN News / David Mottershead
A former opium poppy farmer cultivating tomatoes in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. (file)
Since 2016, UNODC has aided over 85,000 households through alternative development initiatives, such as poultry farming projects that provide both food security and income generation for families affected by drugs.
Southeast Asia: The Golden Triangle’s drug economy
Myanmar has surpassed Afghanistan as the world’s leading opium producer, with production rising 36 per cent in 2023.
Collaborating on security issues can be challenging for states, but the UN plays a crucial role in fostering dialogue – Jeremy Douglas, UNODC
The country also leads global methamphetamine production, which has become the dominant drug according to UNODC data, with seizures quadrupling between 2013 and 2022.
Furthermore, criminal groups in the Golden Triangle – Myanmar, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and Thailand – have expanded into online scams, wildlife trafficking, money laundering and human trafficking.
In response, UNODC has promoted regional cooperation through the establishment of approximately 120 border liaison offices to facilitate intelligence sharing and coordinated action.
“Collaborating on security issues can be challenging for States, but the UN plays a crucial role in fostering dialogue,” said Jeremy Douglas, former UNODC Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific and now Chief of Staff and Strategy Advisor to the Executive Director.
UN News/Daniel Dickinson
Goods being loaded onto a boat in Lao People’s Democratic Republic to be transported across the Mekong river to Thailand. (file)
Global drug crisis
The impact of transnational crime extends far beyond producer countries.
New synthetic drugs are on the rise, particularly in North America, which faces a fentanyl crisis, as well as in areas of Asia and Africa.
Western and Central European countries, particularly those with a North Sea coastline, also face considerable challenges, with their ports becoming major entry points for cocaine.
In the Sahel, illicit gold and fuel trafficking undermine governance and security and complicates sustainable development, depriving the nation of critical income.
Wildlife crimes, gold smuggling, and organised fraud are just a few examples of how these crimes converge, exploiting fragile ecosystems and vulnerable communities worldwide.
Nevertheless, UNODC remains committed to supporting global efforts.
People-centred approach
“Despite these challenges, there is hope,” Ms. Welsch said.
She highlighted the importance of public awareness campaigns targeting youth and community programmes involving parents and teachers, as well as the need to ensure that everyone who requires treatment for drug abuse can access it.
“The only way to overcome global problems is to galvanise international action. That is why UNODC is joining forces with partners to help secure our common future,” she concluded.
A UN human rights expert on Fridaystrongly condemnedthe jailing of a 68-year-old paediatrician in Moscow, describing the case as another example of Russia’s “systematic suppression of dissenting voices”.
Dr. Nadezhda Buyanova was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison for allegedly making anti-war remarks concerning Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, during a private medical consultation.
“It is appalling to sentence a doctor for unproven private comment in the course of her professional duties,” said Mariana Katzarova, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation.
The case originated when the widow of a Russian serviceman killed in Ukraine filed a complaint alleging that Dr. Buyanova made derogatory statements about her deceased husband during their child’s medical appointment.
Russia the aggressor
According to the complaint, the doctor allegedly described the father as a “legitimate target for the Ukrainian army” and stated that “Russia is to blame as it is the aggressor”.
The court reportedly relied on a pre-trail interview with the seven-year-old and the advanced phrasing involved suggested the testimony had likely been scripted. The child was not allowed to be cross-examined, undermining the fairness of proceedings, said the independent Human Rights Council-appointed expert.
Trial concerns
Dr. Buyanova, who was born in Lviv, Ukraine, has rejected the allegations against her. Responding to accusations of anti-Russian bias, she stated, “I am related to three ethnicities: Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian. I don’t want to have to choose between them”.
“This rushed trial based primarily on the testimony of a seven-year-old child, is yet another example of sham trials in Russia, targeting individuals simply for their anti-war stance,” Ms. Katzarova said.
The proceedings have raised concerns regarding unfairness for relying on the child’s testimony whose statement contained advanced phrasing, while denying the defence of any opportunity for cross-examination.
Systemic repression
The case has sparked widespread protest within Russia’s medical community, with more than 1,000 doctors signing an open letter advocating for Dr. Buyanova’s release.
Their protest emerges against a backdrop of intensifying repression, with current estimates indicating between 1,372 and 1,700 political prisoners detained in Russia, many for opposing the war in Ukraine.
“This case reflects the pattern of widespread and systemic suppression of any peaceful anti-war expression, targeting human rights defenders, political opposition and ordinary citizens for expressing views challenging state narratives,” Ms, Katzorva said.
In her September report to the UN Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur urged the Russian Government to cease using its judicial system as a political tool to silence civil society and dissenting voices.
“Buyova’s case is yet another emblematic case in Russia meant to gag war critics and instil fear among the Russian people,” Ms. Katzarova concluded.
“Buyanova must be released immediately and all charges against her dropped. Laws that stifle freedom of expression such as ‘war-censorship’ laws should be urgently repealed”.
Special Rapporteurs and other independent rights experts work on a voluntary basis, are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. The belong to no organisation or government, serving in a purely individual capacity.
A UN independent human rights expert on Tuesday called for an end to Russia’s severe crackdown on the legal profession, condemning the prison sentences handed down to three lawyers last week who defended the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
Their trial, held in the Petushki district court of the Vladimir region, was criticized as a sham.
“This week, when we mark the International Day of the Endangered Lawyer, the Russian Government continues reprisals against lawyers for carrying out their professional duties,” Ms. Katzarova said.
She called for the immediate release of three lawyers, and for the verdict against them to be annulled.
Chilling effect
The sentencing of Mr. Kobzev, Mr. Liptser and Mr. Sergunin serves as a “chilling warning” to lawyers considering politically sensitive cases in Russia, Ms. Katzarova said, describing the charges as baseless under international law.
“The term ‘extremism’ has no foundation in international law and constitutes a violation of human rights when used to trigger criminal liability,” she said.
The trial took place behind closed doors, although around 50 people were allowed into the courtroom as the verdict was handed down, including journalists and lawyers, according to a news release issued by the Special Rapporteur.
Five others, four of them journalists, were arbitrarily detained, apparently to prevent them from attending the hearing. They were later released.
“The persecution of lawyers and journalists is part of an alarming pattern of targeted repression and State control that is silencing independent media and the legal profession throughout Russia,” Ms. Katzarova added.
Escalating repressions
The Special Rapporteur’s 2024 report to the UN Human Rights Council documented continuing attacks on the legal profession in Russia.
“Lawyers have been imprisoned, prosecuted, disbarred and intimidated simply for carrying out their professional duties,” Ms. Katzarova said.
She noted “widespread use” of vague legal definitions and unpredictable, often abusive, interpretations, as well as closed trials which have allowed Russian authorities to misuse and instrumentalise counter-extremism, counter-terrorism and national security legislation to stifle critics, ban anti-war speech, imprison legitimate political opponents and punish and endanger their defence lawyers.
“This practice must end,” she added.
Independent expert
The mandate of the Special Rapporteur was established by the Human Rights Council in October 2022, and subsequently extended.
Ms. Katzarova was appointed as the Special Rapporteur by the Council in April 2023 and assumed her function on 1 May 2023. She is not a UN staff member, does not draw a salary, and serves in her individual capacity, independent of the UN Secretariat.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) issued an alert on Tuesday over intensifying hostilities in the northeast in recent days.
Between 16 and 18 January, at least three civilians were killed and 14 injured in shelling and other attacks impacting Manbij, Ain al-Arab and other villages near the Tishreen Dam in the eastern Aleppo region.
UN partners also reported that shops in the main market were damaged when an improvised bomb detonated inside a car in Manbij.
These incidents have forced people from their homes and obstructed aid access, OCHA reported after sending a mission to the city on Monday.
The mission visited the Manbij National Hospital and met with local officials, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and local non-governmental organizations to identify and address the issues at stake, according to Farhan Haq, the Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General.
OCHA and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also completed a monitoring mission on Monday to the Ain Al Bayda water station in eastern Aleppo.
Deadly remains
UN partners have recorded 69 explosive ordnance incidents over the first two weeks of January due to contamination, in which 45 people were killed and 60 others wounded.
“Since 26 November, a total of 134 new areas with explosive remnants of war have been identified by partners across five governorates – Idlib, Aleppo, Hama, Deir-ez-Zor and Latakia,” said Mr. Haq.
As people continue to move and return to their communities, UN partners are calling for increased and flexible funding for mine action, including risk education and emergency clearance.
Meanwhile, with water and sanitation services suspended in many displacement camps due to funding gaps affecting more than 635,000 people, OCHA asked for increased funding to ensure the continuation of its services.
$770 million response plan launched in Mali
On Tuesday, the UN in collaboration with Mali’s transitional authorities, launched a $770 million humanitarian needs and response plan in the capital Bamako to support millions of people across the country this year.
Two girls at the Barigondaga displacement site in Mali.
The plan aims to address the urgent needs of 4.7 million people affected by conflict, displacement, health emergencies and climate shocks, according to the Deputy Spokesperson.
Mostly women and children
Nearly 80 per cent of the people to be reached with aid are women and children who are in need of food, water, healthcare and protection support.
Last year, UN partners mobilised nearly 40 per cent of what was required – just over $270 million – enabling lifesaving assistance and protection to reach 1.8 million people.
The Acting UN Humanitarian Coordinator on the ground, Khassim Diagne, said it is urgent that the entire humanitarian community and donors renew their commitment to addressing essential needs in the region.
UN rights experts urge Thailand to halt Uyghur deportations
Independent UN human rights experts have called on Thailand to immediately stop the deportation of 48 Uyghurs to China, citing serious concerns over potential torture and inhumane treatment.
“The treatment of the Uyghur minority in China is well-documented,” the Human Rights Council-appointed experts stated. “We are concerned they are at risk of suffering irreparable harm.”
The experts emphasised the international prohibition on refoulement, which forbids returning individuals to countries where they face real risks of torture or cruel treatment. They urged Thailand to provide urgent medical care to the mostly Muslim Uyghurs being held.
The 48 individuals are part of a larger group of around 350 Uyghurs detained in Thailand since 2014 after crossing the border irregularly. They have reportedly been held incommunicado for over a decade, without access to legal representation, family members or UN officials.
No return
“It is our view that these persons should not be returned to China,” the experts said. “They must be provided with access to asylum procedures and humanitarian assistance, including medical and psycho-social support.”
The experts highlighted that 23 of the 48 Uyghurs held suffer from severe health conditions, including diabetes, kidney dysfunction and paralysis. “It is essential they receive appropriate medical care,” the experts added.
Thai authorities were reminded of their obligation to treat all detainees humanely and with dignity, ensuring access to legal representation, medical assistance and the ability to communicate with lawyers and family members.
The plea underscores the urgent need for Thailand to uphold international human rights standards and protect the Uyghur detainees from potential harm.
Special Rapporteurs and other experts are not UN staff, receive no salary for their work and are fully independent of any government or organization.
The international community must continue to show solidarity with Ukraine, a senior UN aid official said on Tuesday, marking 1,000 days since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the country.
The “grim milestone” fell as Ukraine fired long-range American-made missiles into Russia for the first time, according to media reports.
‘Not just numbers’
Conflict erupted in Ukraine over a decade ago following Russia’s occupation of Crimea in the east and escalated on 24 February 2022 with the full-scale assault on the country.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, detailed the death and destruction that has occurred since then.
More than 39,000 civilians have been killed or injured, and over 3,400 schools and hospitals have been damaged or destroyed, while 10 million people have fled their homes.
“These are not just numbers; each one of them represents countless stories of individual unimaginable pain for the people of Ukraine,” he said.
Stand with Ukraine
Although the UN “cannot erase the horrors of the war”, Mr. Schmale said it has worked with national and international organizations and the Government to address the acute needs of the most vulnerable, which includes people with limited mobility and older persons.
“As Ukrainians brace for another winter of war, the UN’s support and the solidarity of the international community must remain firm,” he said.
“I urge the international community to stand with Ukraine and to continue recognizing and supporting the heroic work of the many first responders, including volunteers.”
Pain, suffering and rights violations
The UN human rights office, OHCHR, provided further information on the war’s toll in a statement marking the “grim milestone”.
OHCHR has verified that at least 12,162 civilians, including 659 children, have been killed since 24 February 2022, while at least 26,919 have been injured.
“As the High Commissioner has said, it has been 1,000 days too many of senseless pain and suffering. Violations of human rights have become the order of the day, both in the conduct of hostilities and in areas under occupation,” Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence told journalists in Geneva.
Strikes in Kharkiv in September left dozens of families homeless and caused multiple injuries.
Airstrikes continue
He said that over the past two days, at least 30 civilians have reportedly been killed in a series of deadly strikes in residential areas in Sumy City, Odesa and Hlukhiv.
“In the very latest attack on Hlukhiv, which occurred late last night, nine civilians, including a child, were reportedly killed, and 11, including two children, injured,” he said, noting that search and rescue operations are ongoing.
He added that the Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, Danielle Bell, visited several locations in Zaporizhzhia on Monday that had recently been struck by Russian glide bombs.
The locations included an oncology centre which was hit on 7 November as cancer patients were receiving chemotherapy, and an apartment building where half the structure was destroyed by another glide bomb the same day. Ten people were killed.
Stop the violence
“We call on all parties to ensure the safety and protection of civilians. Effective measures must also be taken to fully and impartially investigate where there are credible allegations of violations,” said Mr. Laurence.
“The violence must stop – for the sake of the people of Ukraine, the people of Russia, and the world.”
Separately, the UN Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine highlighted the immense suffering caused by Russia’s violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.
Widespread, systematic torture
These include the indiscriminate use of explosive weapons with wide area effects, the targeting of civilian objectives, “massive waves of attacks” on energy infrastructure, and the forced transfer and deportation of children.
The Commission drew attention to its report issued last month which concluded that torture committed by Russian authorities against Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war amounts to a crime against humanity.
“Such crimes are among the most serious under international law,” members said, adding that torture “has been widespread, systematic, and committed as a coordinated state policy.”
Warmth and dignity in winter
Meanwhile, 1,000 days of war have left more than 14.6 million Ukrainians in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, including 3.5 million displaced within the country, said Amy Pope, Director General of UN migration agency, IOM.
“As winter arrives, the persistent attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure – decimating 65 per cent of the country’s generation capacity –have left communities struggling without adequate electricity, heating, or water,” she said
“This is a matter of survival for millions of people and requires the international community to stand together in solidarity.”
Ms. Pope called on governments, private sector leaders, and people worldwide to sustain their support for those in greatest need.
“Together, we can ensure that even in the darkest of winters, there is warmth, dignity, and the promise of a peaceful future,” she said.
The UN human rights chief on Mondayurged Georgian authoritiesto respect and protect rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, following four nights of protests marred by violence.
The legitimate protests were dispersed using disproportionate and, in some cases, unnecessary force by the police in the capital, Tbilisi, according to the statement from High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
Dozens of protesters and media workers were reportedly injured during the demonstrations sparked by a prime ministerial announcement postponing negotiations on joining the European Union.
Security forces reportedly used pepper spray, water cannons and chemical irritants against protesters and journalists. Some were also reportedly chased and beaten by unidentified assailants.
“The use of unnecessary or disproportionate force against protesters and media workers is extremely worrying,” said Mr. Türk. “All Georgians from across the political spectrum should be able to express their views about the future of their country freely and peacefully.”
International human rights standards stipulate that States must promote an enabling environment for the exercise of right, including peaceful assembly, without discrimination, said UN rights office OHCHR.
Any use of force by security personnel must remain “an exception and comply with the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, precaution and non-discrimination.”
Protesters must show restraint
High Commissioner Türk also called on protesters to exercise their rights peacefully. Reports indicate rocks, fireworks and bottles were thrown at security forces, in addition to causing damage to the parliament building. The Ministry of Interior said at least 113 of its staff were injured.
The Special Investigation Service of Georgia – an independent institution accountable to Parliament that investigates allegations against law enforcement officials – announced that it has launched a probe into the abuse of official authority by police officers.
“All those found responsible for violations should be held accountable, and allegations of ill-treatment of detainees should also be investigated,” the High Commissioner said.
Individual officers from riot control squads or special police units, lack individual identification numbers or nametags – making accountability more difficult.
“These incidents underscore once again the need to address this long-standing concern when it comes to establishing individual responsibility of law enforcement officers in Georgia,” said the rights chief.
According to the Guide on Less Lethal Weapons in Law Enforcement, issued by OHCHR in 2020, authorities should ensure that “law enforcement officials be identifiable, for example by wearing nametags or individually assigned service numbers”.
Scores detained
Latest figures from the Ministry of Interior indicate that at least 224 people were detained during the four nights of protests. They face charges of petty hooliganism and disobeying lawful police orders. “Reports that a number of children are among those detained are particularly worrying,” Mr. Türk said. “All their rights must be fully respected.”
He added that all those detained for the legitimate exercise of their rights to freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly must be freed “immediately and unconditionally.”
“Those facing other charges should be guaranteed all their rights to due process, presumption of innocence, legal counsel, as well as the right to challenge the lawfulness of their pre-trial detention, and adequate medical care if needed.”
The UN’s humanitarian coordinator and refugee chief are in Ukraine this week where they will unveil the latest plans to assist millions impacted by the full-scale Russian invasion.
More than 12.7 million people inside Ukraine require aid, as do the more than 6.8 million Ukrainian refugees worldwide.
On Tuesday, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher visited the Kharkiv region, located in the east.
Support in frontline areas
He travelled to the village of Shevchenko, some 30 kilometres from the front lines, and another city, Kupiansk, which is on the front lines.
The UN is working with local partners in these areas to provide transport to people living close to the front lines so that they can access basic services. Many are older and have limited mobility.
Mr. Fletcher was later joined by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, at a press conference with the governor of Kharkiv region.
Stay and deliver
He underscored the UN’s sustained commitment to stay and deliver for people as the war rages on.
Mr. Grandi wrote on social media that it had been valuable to meet the governor face to face.
“We assured him that the UN will continue supporting the authorities’ efforts to keep their people warm, strong and safe as a third consecutive winter increases hardship in Ukraine’s war-devastated frontline areas,” he said in a post on X.
Aid plans
The top UN officials will be in the capital, Kyiv, on Thursday to launch the 2025 humanitarian and refugee response plans alongside the Government.
The plans aim to ensure the continuation of critical assistance to people affected by the crisis.
A senior UN disarmament official on Thursday called on all parties to the conflict in Ukraine to exercise restraint and avoid actions that could further escalate the war.
Adedeji Ebo, Director and Deputy to the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, delivered the appeal at a Security Council briefing on the ongoing crisis, now nearing its 1,000-day mark since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Mr. Ebo warned that the situation remains dire for civilians, with intensifying attacks resulting in a record number of casualties in recent months.
“Attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are unacceptable,” he said, emphasizing that indiscriminate violence is prohibited under international law.
He reiterated that all parties in armed conflicts are obligated to protect civilians and respect international humanitarian laws.
Arms transfer
Mr. Ebo also informed Council members of continued transfer of arms to parties to the conflict, noting reports of continued shipments of conventional weapons and remotely operated munitions to Ukraine as well as of weapons such as uncrewed aerial vehicles, ballistic missiles and ammunition to Russia.
He also referred to recent reports which have not been confirmed by the UN of the presence of third-party military personnel from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the Russian Federation to assist in military operations against Ukrainian forces.
“We urge all concerned to refrain from any steps that may lead to further spillover and intensification of the war,” he said.
He also stressed that any transfer of weapons and ammunition must take place consistently with the applicable international legal framework, including relevant Security Council resolutions, and applicable sanctions and restrictive measures on such transfers.
Humanitarian impact
Mr. Ebo further noted the impact on civilians of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.
Between 24 February 2022 and 30 September 2024, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, recorded over 11,973 civilians killed and more than 25,943 civilians injured in Ukraine. September was the month with the highest number of civilian casualties in 2024, continuing a trend of higher civilian casualties that started in July.
“The use of explosive weapons in populated areas remains one of the most significant threats to civilians in armed conflict. Such use of these weapons is unacceptable, in view of the pattern of civilian harm and the likelihood of indiscriminate effects.”
Mr. Ebo renewed the UN’s support for “all meaningful efforts” to bring a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with international law, including the UN Charter and relevant General Assembly resolutions.
Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
February 11, 2025
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined their Senate colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation that would make high-quality job training more accessible.
“The last thing hardworking students should have to worry about is not being able to afford a pathway to a successful career,” Wyden said. “No student should ever be denied the chance to work hard and get ahead. The JOBS Act would make the playing field fairer by giving low-income students the chance to pursue their dreams of securing a good paying job.”
“In order for every American to have a good-paying job, they need access to affordable, high-quality job training,” Merkley said. “As employers face critical shortages of skilled workers, too many people are still struggling to find opportunities that match their potential. The bipartisan JOBS Act is a win for our workforce, a win for our businesses, and a win for our economy.”
The Jumpstarting Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act would allow students to use Pell Grants, need-based federal financial aid for undergraduates from low-income households, to pay for shorter-term job training programs.
Students now can only use Pell Grants for two-year and four-year colleges and universities. Students in shorter-term high-quality job training programs are ineligible for this crucial assistance. By expanding Pell Grant eligibility, the JOBS Act would allow students to have access to job training they might not be able to afford but that they need for careers in high-demand fields.
There is also a skilled labor shortage that is expected to intensify in the coming years, in part because unemployed Americans lack access to the job training needed to fill vacant jobs. The JOBS Act would allow Pell Grants to be used for high-quality job training programs that are at least eight weeks long and lead to industry-recognized credentials or certificates.
In addition to Wyden and Merkley, the legislation is led by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine, D-Va., Susan Collins, R-Maine, Tina Smith, D-Minn., and Roger Marshal, R-Kan. and cosponsored by Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Lisa Blunt Rochester D-Del., Cory Booker D-N.J., John Boozman, R-Ark., Shelley Moore Capito, R-W. V.a., Chris Coons, D-Del., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., Steve Daines, R-Mont., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., John Hoeven, R-N.D., Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Angus King, I-Maine, Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Jon Ossoff D-Ga., Gary Peters, D-Mich., Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Dan Sullivan, D-Ark., Thom Tillis, R-N.C., Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Mark R. Warner, D-Va., and Roger Wicker, R-Miss.
The JOBS Act is endorsed by Advance CTE, the American Association of Community Colleges, the Association for Career and Technical Education , the Association of Community College Trustees, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Business Roundtable, the Center for Law and Social Policy , the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance, Higher Learning Advocates, HP Inc., the Information Technology Industry Council, Jobs for the Future, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, NAF, the National Association of Workforce Boards, the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals, the National Skills Coalition, the Progressive Policy Institute, Rebuilding America’s Middle Class, and the Virginia Community College System.
The text of the bill is here.
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
The first subpoena I issued as the new chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations was to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for records relating to COVID-19 vaccine safety data and communications about the COVID-19 pandemic, including Dr. Anthony Fauci’s emails.
These records and data were previously withheld by the Biden administration. This is a culmination of a multi-year fight to overcome the obstruction of the Biden administration to get unredacted records and data about the COVID-19 pandemic and the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines. For years, Biden officials at HHS and its subcomponent agencies withheld crucial health information the public. Many of my 70 oversight letters were either completely ignored or inadequately addressed.
It is well past time to bring accountability and transparency back to our U.S. health agencies.
I made this announcement during Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s confirmation hearingbefore the Senate Finance Committee. Watch my call for this nomination to unify and heal our nation.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. joining forces with President Trump to address chronic illness was the answer to my – and millions of other Americans’ – prayers. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to confirm his nomination and give him the opportunity to Make America Healthy Again.
WATCH: Sen. Johnson’s entire 7-minute questioning of RFK Jr.
WATCH: News Nation interview with Sen. Johnson on RFK Jr. hearing
SOCIAL: Daily Signal X post
SOCIAL: Eric Daugherty X post
READ: Why Sen. Johnson suggests a Secretary of Information Extraction
My budget proposals are as close as we will ever get to zero-based budgeting. Use one of the pre-pandemic spending levels as a starting point instead of starting at $7 trillion and suffering death by a thousand cuts. I’ve suggested using $5.5 trillion (which would match Biden’s projected revenue) and add if we must.
If we use President Trump’s projected FY2025 outlays, plus Biden’s projected FY2025 spending for Social Security, Medicare, and Interest, then FY2025 outlays would equal $6.1 trillion. This will dramatically reduce the deficit, and put us in a position where actually balancing the budget is entirely doable.
We’ve got to bring spending down. It’s not a revenue problem, it’s a spending problem.
We just released the text of the Senate’s fiscal year 2025 budget resolution.
This will be the blueprint that unlocks the pathway for a fully paid-for reconciliation bill to secure the border, bolster our military, increase American energy independence, and begin the process of fiscal sanity.
WATCH: Newsmax interview on budget battle
WATCH: “I have greater faith in Elon Musk to root out waste, fraud, and abuse than unelected bureaucrats who refuse to be held accountable.”
READ: Sen. Johnson’s Wall Street Journal op-ed on fiscal sanity
SOCIAL: Sen. Johnson’s X post response to Elon Musk
WATCH: Badger Institute Speaker Series — Forthright facts from the Senate’s pre-eminent accountant
I joined the Megyn Kelly Show to talk about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination and restoring integrity to science. We need to make sure that the data is transparent and that everybody has a seat at the table.
On the Steve Deace Show, I talked about why ALL of Trump’s cabinet appointments must be approved and why we must balance the budget with out-of-the-box thinking.
On the Daily Signal podcast, I sat down with Fred Lucas to talk about serving as chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. I told him I’ll be like a mosquito in a nudist colony — it’s a target rich environment!
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
ICYMI: Senator Murray, Former WA Federal Workers Highlight How Trump Administration’s Unprecedented Assault on Federal Workers in WA State and Nationwide is Undermining Essential Services
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on President Trump signing a new executive order ordering massive, careless job cuts to federal agencies that are already understaffed—and are struggling to keep up with the demand for their services from the American people.
“Donald Trump and Elon Musk have never waited in line at a Social Security office or tried to get health care at the VA—and their reckless assault on our federal workforce shows that they sure couldn’t care less about the people who do. Arbitrary staffing cuts across government are the exact opposite of efficient; they will just make it harder for taxpayers to get the essential services they have earned. It means no one will be able to pick up the phone to help with your Social Security and Medicare benefits, it means energy and infrastructure projects will be delayed or canceled because their permits can’t get approved, and it means national parks will be closed because they don’t have the rangers to staff them.
“This executive action is yet another senseless move by two billionaires who have no clue what the federal government does or what it’s like for regular people who have to work every day for a living. Make no mistake, the contempt Trump and Musk have for federal workers will push out critical personnel across government—air traffic controllers, VA doctors, wildland firefighters, food safety inspectors, and more. Who on earth would want to work for someone who does nothing but denigrate their employees? This executive order will only make government worse and less efficient for the taxpayers who count on Social Security, Medicaid, and so much else.“
Just this morning, Senator Murray held a virtual press conference with former federal workers in Washington state to sound the alarm on the Trump administration’s all-out assault on America’s federal workforce. Senator Murray has spoken out forcefully on the Senate floor against this administration’s attacks on federal workers, and sent an open letter to federal workers and a warning to her constituents in Washington state outlining her concerns with the administration’s so-called “Fork in the Road” offer.
The mechanism to complete the work of UN war crimes tribunals continues to make progress in delivering justice for the most serious crimes in Rwanda and the States of the former Yugoslavia, top officials told the Security Council on Tuesday.
Briefing ambassadors Judge Graciela Gatti Santana, President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IMRCT), highlighted key achievements, ongoing challenges and her commitment to concluding the mechanism’s mandate.
“We are delivering justice in line with our statutory obligations, are doing so efficiently and with a completion mindset,” she said.
Its mandate includes conducting trials, handling appeals, managing archives and supporting national jurisdictions with evidence and expertise. It also supervises the enforcement of sentences, and tracks and prosecutes remaining fugitives, while also ensuring witness and victim protection.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías
Judge Graciela Gatti Santana, President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, briefs the Security Council.
Upholding the justice cycle
Judge Gatti Santana highlighted recent successes of the IMRCT, including the review of the final conviction in the Gérard Ntakirutimana case.
Mr. Ntakirutimana was originally convicted by Trial Chamber I of ICTR in February 2003, for his role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and was sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment. The review was ordered after Mr. Ntakirutimana claimed he uncovered new information that a witness had recanted evidence.
The Appeals Chamber conducted an expeditious review and upheld the convictions after considering all evidence.
“This process was key to the justice cycle and ensured that no miscarriage of justice had occurred. It also exemplified the institution’s dedication to ensure that any in-court proceedings are completed quickly and cost-effectively,” Judge Gatti Santana said.
Judge Gatti Santana further highlighted that the Mechanism’s other residual functions, including supervising the enforcement of sentences and assisting national jurisdictions continue to require time, attention, and resources.
The Mechanism remains best placed to execute them in the near term, given its institutional knowledge and the need to identify viable and just solutions for transfer or completion, she said.
Call for cooperation
However, she underscored the need for greater cooperation from States to address critical, unresolved challenges, including the case of six acquitted or released persons in Niger, which remains in a state of limbo.
Similarly, the case of Jojić and Radeta remains unresolved after nearly a decade due to Serbia’s lack of cooperation in arresting and transferring the accused.
Judge Gatti Santana also urged greater support regarding the conversion of the United Nations Detention Unit into a prison facility.
Located in a Dutch prison complex in The Hague, the Detention Unit holds four individuals – three convicted persons awaiting transfer to an enforcement State; and one detainee awaiting provisional release to a State.
UN Photo/Evan Schneider
Serge Brammertz, Prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals briefs the Security Council.
Safeguarding integrity of judgements
Mechanism Prosecutor Serge Brammertz also briefed Ambassadors, detailing progress on individual cases and broader efforts to support justice. He informed ambassadors the recent rejection of Gérard Ntakirutimana’s appeal and ongoing efforts to transfer Fulgence Kayishema from South Africa to the Mechanism for trial.
He highlighted the importance of safeguarding integrity of prior judgments, especially amid allegations of interference aimed at reversing convictions, stating that “review proceedings cannot be a license for convicted persons to rewrite history and erase their crimes by fabricating evidence.”
Locating missing persons
A standout initiative is the collaboration between the Office of the Prosecutor and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to locate missing persons from the Yugoslav conflicts of the 1990s.
This joint project has provided evidence and audiovisual material on over 12,000 missing persons, underscoring the humanitarian imperative of resolving these cases.
The Office also supports national authorities in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, where many fugitives and suspects remain unaccounted for. More than 400 requests for assistance were received in 2024, Mr. Brammertz said.
“It is clear that today, Member States need our help as much as ever before,” he added.
The number of victims of human trafficking detected globally is rising again after falling off during the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said in its latest report on the issue, covering 156 countries.
The 2024 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons reveals a 25 per cent increase between 2022 and 2019, as more children are exploited and forced labour cases spike due to vulnerabilities brought on by poverty, conflict and the climate crisis.
“Criminals are increasingly trafficking people into forced labour, including to coerce them into running sophisticated online scams and cyberfraud, while women and girls face the risk of sexual exploitation and gender-based violence,” said UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly.
“We need to step up criminal justice responses to hold those at the top of the criminal chain accountable, work across borders to rescue victims and ensure survivors receive the support they need,” she added.
Unaccompanied children at risk
The number of victims detected for trafficking for forced labour worldwide surged by 47 per cent between 2019 and 2022, according to the report.
The number of child victims increased 31 per cent in 2022 compared to 2019, with a 38 per cent rise recorded for girls.
More boy victims have been detected in areas where increasing numbers of unaccompanied and separated children had been recorded, the report said.
Child trafficking is also on the rise in high-income countries, often involving girls trafficked for sexual exploitation.
ILO
Natalia, a mother of two children from Belarus, became a victim of human traffickers (file).
Victims mainly women
The study found that women and girls continue to account for the majority of victims detected worldwide, or 61 per cent. Most girls, 60 per cent, continue to be trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
Regarding boys, some 45 per cent are trafficked for forced labour and another 47 per cent are exploited for other purposes, including forced criminality and begging.
Meanwhile, trafficking for forced criminality – which includes online scams – ranks third in the number of victims detected, jumping from one per cent of total victims detected in 2016 to eight per cent in 2022.
Special focus on Africa
The report features a special chapter on Africa, a region UNODC said has often been neglected in trafficking studies due to the difficulties in obtaining data.
The agency made extensive efforts to gather data from all regions of the continent, including through help from its field offices and joint initiatives with the UN migration agency IOM, the African Union Institute for Statistics (STATAFRIC), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and various national authorities.
The report detected that African victims account for the highest number of destinations reached. At least 162 different nationalities were trafficked to 128 different destination countries in 2022. Of the cross-border flows detected, 31 per cent involved citizens of African countries.
Most African victims are trafficked within the continent, where displacement, insecurity and climate change are making vulnerabilities worse.
UNODC warned that children are more frequently detected than adult trafficking in most parts of Africa, particularly for forced labour, sexual exploitation and forced begging.
The agency noted that a contributing factor to the global rise in child victims is the overall increase of the number of cases detected in sub-Saharan Africa.
As millions unwrap new gaming devices this holiday season, UN experts are warning that these digital playgrounds need next-generation protection against extremist exploitation.
In an industry that has outgrown Hollywood in sheer monetary value – reaching $196 billion in 2023 – these digital platforms are becoming recruitment grounds for extremists, prompting an unprecedented collaboration between counter terrorism specialists and gaming companies.
To discuss the growing threat, UN News’s Sarah Daly sat down with Steven Siqueira, Deputy Director of the UN Counter Terrorism Centre (part of the counter-terrorism office, UNOCT) and Leif Villadsen, Acting Director of the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI).
The senior officials hosted a landmark event on the issue called New Quest Unlocked held earlier in December, which brought together gaming companies, policymakers and researchers to address violent extremism in gaming spaces.
“The alarming trend has necessitated a collaborative research approach with the gaming industry and adjacent platforms,” Mr. Siqueira said, highlighting how extremist groups are increasingly targeting gaming spaces and adjacent platforms like Discord and Telegram.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity
UN News: Your joint event,New Quest Unlocked, brought together both UNICRI and UNOCT as well as gaming companies, policymakers and researchers. What prompted this collaboration?
Steven Siqueira: Last year in 2023, the gaming industry and adjacent platforms was a $196 billion industry. By comparison the movie industry was about 40 billion, so it’s five times the size of the movie industry.
Young people are being reached by terrorists and violent extremist groups through these platforms, with propaganda videos increasingly appearing across Discord, Telegram and Tiktok. This alarming trend necessitated collaborative research and working together with the gaming industry, adjacent platforms and of course, our members and member governments.
UN News: Recent intelligence reports suggest the threat level is higher than previously understood. What exactly are you seeing?
Steven Siqueira: While gaming has many positive aspects in terms of social interaction around the world – there’s also increasing risk that terrorists and violent extremist groups are using these platforms and the gaming adjacent platforms to get their message out.
The findings are stark: in Australia alone, approximately one in five counter-terrorism cases now involve young people, with gaming platforms playing a role in every investigated case.
Soundcloud
UN News: These findings challenge common perceptions about gaming platforms. How has the landscape evolved?
Steven Siqueira: The industry is not only open to young people. Increasingly, the average age of gamers is about 30-35 and it’s much more gender balanced than it has been in previous years.
UN News: Your research focuses particularly on Africa’s gaming market. Why is this region so crucial in understanding future challenges?
Leif Villadsen: Africa has indeed become one of the fastest growing markets for mobile games. With an unprecedented 11 per cent year-over-year growth rate, the continent represents both an extraordinary opportunity and a potential vulnerability.
We aim to better understand the industry, the community, the tactics used and the gaps and challenges in our own understanding of this threat across the continent.
UN News: You’re developing something called ‘gaming intelligence’ as part of global prevention strategies. How will this transform digital security?
Leif Villadsen: Gaming intelligence is focused on carrying intelligence from open-source platforms like in games, chats and social media to track extremist content and recruitment activities. This intelligence information will inform early warning systems help to detect and prevent radicalisation at an early stage.
UN News: How crucial is artificial intelligence to these global prevention measures?
Leif Villadsen: Given the size of the ecosystem, we are looking to develop and deploy advanced content moderation tools, with AI-based tools. However, the gaming community is filled with personalities with large followings so, we want to avoid any type of takedowns or massive actions which could be counterproductive and seen as suspicious by gamers.
It is crucial that we work with the gaming community, private sector companies and with gamers themselves, including young women and men to educate and build resilience across the community.
UN News: As we look toward 2025, what concrete outcomes, will make gaming spaces safer?
Leif Villadsen: By creating shared global standards and encouraging collaboration between governments, tech companies and civil society, we can provide a framework for addressing these threats in a more coordinating manner.
Steven Siqueira: The Global Digital Compact recognises these dual realities of the digital age and calls for unified global commitment to ensure that digital spaces are safe, inclusive and aligned with human rights principles.
Ultimately, finding the right actors in the gaming system – those who have a voice, but who are also open to understanding what the threat is and where to mitigate and how best to mitigate threats, could really help us strengthen and make the gaming ecosystem more resilient to violent extremism.
The General Assembly on Tuesday adopted the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, a landmark global treaty aimed at strengthening international cooperation to combat cybercrime and protecting societies from digital threats.
The agreement on the legally binding treaty marked the culmination of a five-year effort by UN Member States, with inputs from civil society, information security experts, academia and the private sector.
“This treaty is a demonstration of multilateralism succeeding during difficult times and reflects the collective will of Member States to promote international cooperation to prevent and combat cybercrime,” his spokesperson said in a statement.
The statement added that the Convention “creates an unprecedented platform for collaboration” in the exchange of evidence, protection for victims and prevention, while safeguarding human rights online.
“The Secretary-General trusts that the new treaty will promote a safe cyberspace and calls on all States to join the Convention and to implement it in cooperation with relevant stakeholders.”
“We live in a digital world, one where information and communications technologies have enormous potential for the development of societies, but also increases the potential threat of cybercrime,” he said.
“With the adoption of this Convention, Member States have at hand the tools and means to strengthen international cooperation in preventing and combating cybercrime, protecting people and their rights online.”
The resolution containing the Convention was adopted without a vote by the 193-member General Assembly.
A victory for multilateralism
Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) also described the adoption of the treaty as a “major victory” for multilateralism.
“It is a crucial step forward in our efforts to address crimes like online child sexual abuse, sophisticated online scams and money laundering,” she said.
Ms. Waly reiterated the UN agency’s commitment to support all nations in signing, ratifying and implementing the new treaty, as well as providing them with the tools and support they need to protect their economies and safeguard the digital sphere from cybercrime.
The Convention
The Convention against Cybercrime acknowledges the significant risks posed by the misuse of information and communications technologies (ICT), which enable criminal activities on an unprecedented scale, speed, and scope.
It highlights the adverse impacts such crimes can have on States, enterprises, and the well-being of individuals and society, and focuses on protecting them from offenses such as terrorism, human trafficking, drug smuggling and online financial crimes.
It also recognises the growing impact of cybercrime on victims and prioritises justice, especially for vulnerable groups. It further underscores the need for technical assistance, capacity-building and collaboration among States and other stakeholders.
Read more about why the Convention against Cybercrime matters inthis explainer.
Next steps
The Convention against Cybercrime will open for signature at a formal ceremony to be hosted in Hanoi, Viet Nam, in 2025. It will enter into force 90 days after being ratified by the 40th signatory.
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season officially concludes this weekend, leaving a trail of destruction, loss of life and massive economic damage across the Americas and the Caribbean, the UN meteorological agency reported on Friday.
This year saw 18 named storms, 11 hurricanes, and five major hurricanes – classified as Category 3 or higher – marking the ninth consecutive above-average season for the Atlantic basin.
“Year after year, the climate crisis continues to break new records, resulting in more extreme weather events, including rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones, intense rainfall and flooding,” said Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Among them was Hurricane Beryl, which made history as the earliest Category 5 hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. Striking in July, Beryl left widespread devastation across the Caribbean.
While the storm caused extensive damage to homes and infrastructure, its impact on human life was mitigated by advances in early warning systems.
“Despite its ferocity, the hurricane resulted in fewer deaths compared to previous ones. This was thanks to advances in strengthening their early warning systems,” Ms. Saulo said.
A season of extremes
After the devastation unleashed by Hurricane Beryl in July, activity slowed in August due to atmospheric conditions over Western Africa impeding storm development.
However, storm frequency and intensity surged in early September, with seven hurricanes forming after 25 September – a record for late-season activity.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in late September as a Category 4 storm on Florida’s Gulf Coast, causing catastrophic flooding in the southern Appalachians, widespread wind damage across the eastern United States and storm surge flooding along Florida’s coast.
With over 150 direct fatalities, Helene became the deadliest hurricane to strike the country since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
In October, Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, as a Category 3 storm. It unleashed 46 tornadoes, torrential rainfall and severe flooding.
IOM/Gema Cortés
Aerial view of houses destroyed by Hurricane Beryl as it barreled through Union Island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Rising threats amid climate change
The 2024 hurricane season underscored the alarming trend of increasingly severe storms fueled by the climate crisis.
Rising global temperatures are intensifying tropical cyclones, leading to rapid storm intensification, heavier rainfall and more frequent flooding, according to the WMO.
While fatalities from tropical cyclones have decreased dramatically – from over 350,000 in the 1970s to fewer than 20,000 in the 2010s – economic losses have risen sharply. In 2024 alone, four US hurricanes caused damage exceeding $1 billion each.
Small island developing states in the Caribbean remain particularly vulnerable, with disproportionate impacts highlighting the need to scale up initiatives like the Early Warnings for All campaign, aimed at building resilience.
Migrants and refugees across Latin America and the Caribbean face profound challenges in accessing basic needs, formal employment and safe living conditions, UN agencies reported on Friday, launching a $1.4 billion regional plan to address their urgent needs.
The Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela (R4V), co-led by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced the 2025-2026 regional response plan to support over 2.3 million vulnerable individuals, including host communities, in 17 countries.
“The integration of refugees and migrants is crucial for building inclusive and resilient societies,” said Eduardo Stein, UNHCR-IOM Joint Special Representative for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela.
“When migrants and refugees are empowered to contribute fully to their communities, they enrich the social fabric while driving economic growth and innovation. By ensuring access to essential services, like labour markets and social networks, we create a win-win situation for refugees, migrants, and host communities.”
Since 2019, more than 4.5 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees have obtained regular status in 17 countries thanks to the proactive measures taken by host governments and support from the international community.
This regularization has enabled many to access documentation and protection, while also boosting local economies and fostering stability.
Challenges remain
Despite strides in regularization and support, many refugees and migrants continue to suffer with few job opportunities, substandard wages, and barriers to healthcare, education and essential services.
Among the 6.7 million Venezuelans residing in the region, 82 per cent are in informal jobs, 42 per cent cannot afford enough food and 23 per cent live in overcrowded conditions.
Migrants and refugees of other nationalities in transit across the region face even greater challenges, with up to 90 per cent lacking access to food, shelter and protection.
A call for solidarity
The newly launched regional response plan emphasises the need for sustained financial and political commitment from the international community.
“By securing this funding, life-saving assistance and long-term initiatives will be implemented that foster successful stabilization and socioeconomic integration while addressing discrimination and improving access to documentation, health care, education, and decent employment,” UNHCR and IOM said.
The plan will be implemented by 230 partner organizations, including UN agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society groups and the Red Cross.
An environmental lawyer has told UN News how children and teenagers from some of the most vulnerable neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, have been moved to tears after encountering nature for the first time.
Ana Di Pangracio works for the civil society organization Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales or FARN which is involved in projects to restore degraded land in Argentina.
She spoke to UN News in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where she was attending a UN conference (COP16) focused on desertification, drought and land restoration.
UN News/Daniel Dickinson
Ana Di Pangracio attends the COP16 desertification conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“We work in the Matanza Riachuelo basin which is a polluted area on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, which is home to around 4.5 million people, many of whom are living in socio-environmental vulnerable situations or other difficult circumstances.
Restoration activities include planting native flora and removing non-native invasive species across some 4.5 hectares, as well as building viewpoints and interpretative trails and cleaning up illegal garbage disposal.
Part of our work is bringing people, especially young people, to experience this restored natural wetland.
Many live close by in very urban, built-up areas and may come from challenging or violent environments but have never seen this land or had not even known of its existence.
Emotions and tears
Some are moved to tears when they experience nature for the first time in their lives.
We comfort them and tell them it is OK to be emotional; I’m really pleased that they are able to connect with nature in this way, as I can see that our work is having a big impact.
Some are moved to tears when they experience nature for the first time in their lives.
They tell their friends and teachers about the experience as well and so we get more visitors.
There is an educational element to our work as we teach the children about the importance of protecting wetlands but also the adjacent grasslands and native forest.
I am a birdwatching lawyer, and although I am no expert, I enjoy showing our visitors my favourite bird, the carancho, which is a very clever and funny bird which you can see across Argentina, including in urban areas. It is my way to connect with nature.
The recognition that the right to a healthy environment is a human right underpins all of our work.
An ibis and ducks graze the wetlands close to Buenos Aires.
There is a lot of land loss in Argentina, including areas which have become degraded by drought. In 2020, we experienced a three-year-long drought, the worst in over 60 years. This had serious social and environmental impacts.
UN desertification conference
It’s important to come to this conference of the UN Convention on Combatting Desertification (UNCCD) as it gives us the opportunity to engage with civil society constituencies and to consider the interface between national and global policy on a range of issues including land restoration and biodiversity.
If you believe in multilateralism, it is important to be here and civil society organizations (CSOs) can make a difference.
It was the pressure from CSOs which led to the inclusion of human rights and gender-focused elements in the Biodiversity Convention and its recently adopted Global Biodiversity Framework.
In the UNCCD, the issue of land tenure, reflected in COP decisions, was also promoted by CSOs.
A carancho sits on a sign in the wetlands in Buenos Aires Province.
The UNCCD process, and this COP16 is no exception, does facilitate inclusivity, as CSOs are able to access the plenary meetings and deliver statements so we are being listened to.
We are mindful that CSOs in other international fora like the UN climate COPs do not have the same level of access.
We have received a grant from the G20 Global Land Initiative and are presenting our work at the meeting in Riyadh. This support will enable us to carry on our work in the Matanza Riachuelo basin.
I’m excited to give more young people the opportunity to enjoy nature and for them to become the new guardians of wetlands and take the message back to their peers about the importance of preserving ecosystems for future generations.”
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Friday reiterated the need for accountability for post-electoral violence in Venezuela and alleged excessive use of force during protests that left at least 28 people dead.
Hundreds more were reportedly injured in clashes following the disputed elections and around 2,000 arrested, including teenagers, young adults, opposition members, human rights defenders, journalists and lawyers, as well as bystanders.
Since then, the Government has announced the conditional release of over 100 of those detained.
Addressing the UN Human Rights Council, High Commissioner Volker Türk termed the move “an important step” and called for review of cases of all those still held.
“I also urge the authorities to provide guarantees of a fair trial for detainees. This includes allowing them to designate a lawyer of their choice, and providing Indigenous People with interpreters,” he said.
Concern over anti-terror laws
The UN rights chief also voiced concern over the continued use of counter-terrorism legislation against protestors, including adolescents, as well as reports of enforced disappearances and ill treatment.
In addition, he urged authorities to ensure that detention conditions comply with international norms.
“The authorities must provide adequate food, drinking water and healthcare for all detainees, many of whom are incarcerated in overcrowded cells and are in critical need of medical attention,” he said.
Restricted civic space
Mr. Türk also highlighted the restrictive civic space in Venezuela, which has been increasingly monitored by his Office, OHCHR.
There have been reports of threats and harassment against human rights defenders, union leaders and journalists, further undermining freedom of expression and assembly in the country.
At least three non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are said to have ceased operations amid allegations of surveillance, persecution and acts of reprisal – including the cancellation of passports.
“This contributes to a climate of fear and social tension and prevents civil society organizations from conducting their vital work,” Mr. Türk warned, also noting concerns over suspension of salaries for workers over alleged political views.
Open for business
Mr. Türk also informed the Human Rights Council – the paramount rights body in the UN System – that his office has resumed operations in Venezuela, after it was reportedly ordered to suspend its work in February.
“My hope is that we will be able to restore our full presence,” he said.
“As in other situations, my Office can play an important role as a bridge-builder between the institutions of the State and the people of the country.”
OHCHR has been working in Venezuela since October 2019, providing technical assistance and monitoring the situation to protect and promote respect for human rights, enhance rule of law and protect democratic space.
In November, following several failed attempts, politicians of all stripes approved a bill to overhaul legislation that has been in effect since 1887, reflecting a deep-rooted practice that violates the rights of children and adolescents: according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). one in five girls aged between 14 and 18 is in a union.
“This approval has been possible because we have gathered the consensus of all political parties, highlights Senator Clara López. “It not only implies prohibition but also a robust public policy that reflects changing customs and raises awareness among the population about the great harm done to children and adolescents with marriages and unions”.
Courtesy Leonardo Vargas/Press Senate of Colombia
Activists celebrate the elimination of child marriage in the Colombian Parliament.
Advancing children’s rights
“We want to congratulate Colombia on the magnificent news,” says Bibiana Aido Almagro, the head of UN Women in Colombia.
“These practices severely affect the rights to life, health, education, and integrity of women and girls and negatively impact their development.”
Andrea Tague Montaña, gender and development officer at UNICEF in Colombia, agrees that the decision is a positive move.
“Child marriages and early unions are understood as harmful practices that not only lead to gender violence but also cause the victims, especially girls, to fall into poverty,” she warns. “They reinforce discrimination and the idea that the best thing that can happen to them is to marry and have children”.
By entering into an unequal power relationship with older partners, explains Ms. Montaña, girls have few opportunities to decide if they want to have sexual relations, how many children they want to have, or what kind of life they want to lead.
“They enter scenarios where, in many cases, they start fulfilling adult women’s roles. Child labour, domestic work, and caregiving become their almost daily tasks,” adds the UNICEF official.
“These are girls who stop studying, who lose their rights by entering an early union. It is important to call on society to stop normalizing early unions; this is a violation of rights. Girls do not stop being girls because they are living with a man”.
The bill also establishes actions to strengthen national public policy on childhood and adolescence, including measures to restore the rights of children and adolescents affected by underage marriages and unions, with a special emphasis on remote rural areas – ensuring that indigenous peoples and other vulnerable communities can take part.
The new law comes into effect once it is signed by President Gustavo Petro.
Colombia and gender equality
Colombia ranks 20th worldwide in terms of the number of girls married or in unions before the age of 15, and 11th in Latin America and the Caribbean in adolescents who marry before the age of 18.
By adopting the decision to end underage marriage and unions, Colombia has taken a decisive step towards protecting children’s rights and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically, Goal 5 – achieving gender equality, empowering women and girls, and eliminating all harmful practices, such as child, early, and forced marriage, and female genital mutilation by 2030.
The missile, launched on 31 October at approximately 7:11am local time, reportedly flew for 1 hour and 26 minutes, covered approximately 1,000 kilometres, reaching an altitude of over 7,000 kilometres before landing in the sea.
“The DPRK described this latest launch as a ‘very crucial test’ that ‘updated the recent records of the strategic missile capability of the DPRK’,” Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for Asia at the UN Department of Political Affairs, told ambassadors.
“The Hwasong-19 sets new records in terms of flight duration and altitude and is the second solid-fuel ICBM developed by the DPRK which does not need to undergo fuelling prior to launch. It is reported to be larger than its predecessor, the Hwasong-18, and may be capable of carrying larger warheads or even multiple warheads.”
This latest test marks the 11th intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch by DPRK – more commonly known as North Korea – since announcing a new five-year military expansion plan in 2021.
Diplomatic engagement vital
Mr. Khiari noted that the launch also posed “serious risks” to international civil aviation and maritime traffic, with the potential for unintended incidents, as North Korea had issued no safety alerts.
“The DPRK’s launch of yet another ICBM is of serious concern and represents a grave threat to regional stability,” he stated, noting that despite numerous meetings of the Security Council in 2023 and 2024, the country “has not heeded calls to refrain from further launches.”
Secretary-General António Guterres also condemned the missile launch, urging the country to de-escalate and comply with international resolutions. He stressed that diplomatic engagement remains the “only pathway to sustainable peace and the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”
Uphold non-proliferation regime
Mr. Khiari also expressed concern about growing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, warning that DPRK’s “persistent pursuit” of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes – in violation of Security Council resolutions – continues to undermine the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime.
“There is a crucial need for practical measures to reduce tensions and reverse this dangerous trajectory,” he said, urging Member States to foster an environment conducive to dialogue and cooperation.
Concluding his briefing, Mr. Khiari said that the UN and its partners stand ready to assist DPRK in addressing the basic needs of its people.
He urged the country to facilitate the full return of the UN Resident Coordinator and the UN Country Team which leads the humanitarian effort.
Assistant Secretary-General Khiari briefing the Security Council.
Hold DPRK accountable: United States
US Ambassador and Alternate Permanent Representative Robert Wood described the missile launches by DPRK as a “direct violation” of multiple UN Security Council resolutions, with each launch allowing Pyongyang to further advance its weapons programmes.
“These are unacceptable attempts to undermine global peace and security and make us all less safe. This Council has the responsibility to hold the DPRK accountable,” he said.
“Yet we are here again today because two members of this Council – China and Russia – have repeatedly shielded the DPRK, contributing to the normalization of these tests and emboldening the DPRK to further violate this Council’s sanctions and resolutions.”
He alleged that “Russia’s willingness to openly violate this Council’s sanctions resolutions and to jeopardize international peace and security knows no bounds – as Russia, is unlawfully training DPRK soldiers in its territory.”
He claimed that DPRK has sent “around 10,000” soldiers to Russia, adding that these troops are not yet seen to have been deployed into combat against Ukraine’s forces, “but we expect them to do so in the coming days.”
“If these troops engage in combat or combat support operations against Ukraine, they would render themselves legitimate military targets,” he noted.
Japan: Missiles ‘more threatening than ever’
Japan’s Ambassador Yamazaki Kazuyuki “strongly urged” DPRK not to conduct further launches, to immediately and fully comply with all relevant Security Council resolutions, and to engage in diplomacy and accept the repeated offers of dialogue.
The most recent ICBM landed around only 200 kilometres from the Japanese island of Hokkaido, and was “more threatening than ever” due to its trajectory and flight time, he said.
“This launch has deteriorated the not only regional but entire global security situation even further, and has brought the gravest threat yet from North Korea to all citizens of the region and beyond,” he added.
Ambassador Yamazaki said increased military cooperation between Russia and North Korea poses a great concern to the international community.
He noted the lawlessness of Russia’s “procurement of ballistic missiles from North Korea, as well as the training of North Korean soldiers, both of which constitute serious violations of relevant Security Council resolutions.”
He added that DPRK’s “involvement in Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine would constitute a grave violation of international law, including the UN Charter.”
Republic of Korea: Missiles are a distraction
Joonkook Hwang, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea, recalled the Security Council meeting last week and the ignoring by Pyongyang of the “repeated calls” for restraint.
“North Korea launched another ICBM right after our meeting last Wednesday,” he said, adding: “its intention could be to distract the world’s attention from its troops in Russia, demonstrate themselves as larger than life, or gain diplomatic leverage amid the US presidential election.”
Questioning how could an “impoverished pariah regime” continue to develop its ballistic missile programme despite “rigorous” sanctions regime imposed by the Security Council, he emphasized the presence of “large loopholes” that enable DPRK’s access to the equipment, materials and technology necessary to advance its weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programmes.
He also warned of the challenges facing the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT).
“Once the NPT regime begins to erode and ultimately collapses, it will be extremely difficult to restore it,” he said, adding:
“The repercussion will have a deep and lasting impact on international peace and security, and Permanent Members of the Security Council will not be immune to it either.”
China: Prioritize peace and stability
China’s Ambassador Fu Cong said that the current situation on the Korean Peninsula “remains tense” with growing antagonism that is not in the interest of any party.
“China calls on all parties to bear in mind the overall peace and stability on the Peninsula and the world at large, exercise calm and restraint, and avoid intensifying and escalating tensions,” he said.
He noted that the longstanding issue of the Korea Peninsula is in essence a security issue, with its root cases stemming from the vestiges of the Cold War and lack of mutual trust between the US and DPRK.
“It is imperative for all parties to take a rational and pragmatic approach and work to build mutual trust,” Ambassador Fu said.
He added that the US, while claiming that it seeks to uphold the international non-proliferation regime and denuclearize the Peninsula, “has continued to increase the deployment of its strategic forces…and even transferred weapons-grade, highly enriched uranium to a non-nuclear weapon state under AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation framework.”
“These moves are tantamount to pushing the threat to the doorstep of China and other countries in the region, seriously jeopardising regional security and upsetting the strategic security balance,” he said.
Russia: The west only seeks to demonize DPRK
Anna Evstigneeva, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia said that the “collective West is methodically using” the Security Council to present Pyongyang as being responsible for the deteriorating situation on the Peninsula.
“We did not expect nor did we hear anything new from the group of countries that requested today’s meeting,” she said, adding that the “aim of convening the meeting is the same every time – to make yet another step towards demonizing the DPRK.”
She said that it would be “interesting” to hear from those that requested the meeting if even one of these meetings had any impact on resolving the Peninsula’s problems, of if they have even made one constructive proposal or launching dialogue.
“The answer is obvious to everyone in this Chamber.”
She added that the “real motives” of those that requested the meeting was for creating a negative information backdrop around Pyongyang and keeping afloat ineffective sanctions measures and justifying aggressive steps by the US and their allies in the region.
Song Kim, DPRK Ambassador and Permanent Representative, said that the missile test conducted on 31 October by his country, within the area around the Korean Peninsula, did not have “the slightest” impact on security of neighbouring countries.
He said the present meeting of the Security Council, convened at the request of the US, runs contrary to the spirit of the UN Charter of state sovereignty and non-interference in domestic affairs. It also sets the example of “extreme double standards”.
“I resolutely denounce the holding of another unlawful meeting by UN Security Council infringing upon the sovereign right of the DPRK at the instigation of the US and its followers,” he said.
“Like all strategic weapons tests we have conducted so far, the test launching of the ICBM Hwasong-19 is an exercise of the just and legitimate right to self-defence to reliably safeguard the security of our State as well as peace of the region involved against escalating reckless nuclear war threats of hostile forces,” he added.
Ambassador Kim further noted that “some countries” speak of violation of Security Council resolutions at every opportunity as a “cure-all prescription,” adding however that these resolutions are “nothing but illegal documents” going totally against the principle of the sovereign equality of the UN Charter.
Opium cultivation in Afghanistan spiked by 19 per cent in 2024, covering an estimated 12,800 hectares despite a ban imposed by the Taliban, a report released on Wednesday by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has revealed.
The rebound follows a massive 95 per cent decrease in 2023, when the ban nearly eliminated poppy production nationwide, leading to a severe decline in Afghanistan’s opium output.
UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly emphasized the urgency of sustainable alternatives for Afghan farmers, given their pressing challenges.
“With opium cultivation remaining at a low level in Afghanistan, we have the opportunity and responsibility to support Afghan farmers to develop sustainable sources of income free from illicit markets,” she said.
“The women and men of Afghanistan continue to face dire financial and humanitarian challenges, and alternative livelihoods are urgently needed.”
Shift in cultivation patterns
The UNODC report pointed to a notable geographic shift in cultivation patterns. While southwest Afghanistan has traditionally been the country’s opium hub, 59 per cent of opium cultivation this year has taken place in provinces in the northeast.
This represents a nearly four-fold increase in the region compared to last year, suggesting the potential for both adaptive planting practices and the influence of market pressures, as rural communities seek alternatives amidst strict enforcement of the opium ban.
A factor behind the resurgence in opium cultivation could be market dynamics combined with hardships farmers face, according to UNODC. Dry opium prices stand at approximately $730 per kilogramme in the first half of 2024, a steep increase from pre-ban levels, which averaged around $100 per kilo.
“The high prices and dwindling opium stocks may encourage farmers to flout the ban, particularly in areas outside of traditional cultivation centres, including neighbouring countries,” UNODC said.
Farmers left without sustainable alternatives faced a more precarious financial situation, underscoring the need for other income streams so they can become resilient against returning to poppy cultivation in the future, it added.
Need for support
Roza Otunbayeva, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan and head of the UN Assistance Mission in the country (UNAMA), acknowledged both the success in reducing opium output and the ongoing hardship faced by Afghan farmers.
“This is important further evidence that opium cultivation has indeed been reduced, and this will be welcomed by Afghanistan’s neighbours, the region and the world,” she said.
She also cautioned however that rural Afghan communities have lost a vital income source and urgently require international assistance to ensure a sustainable shift away from opium production.
“If we want this transition to be sustainable…they desperately need international support.”