News headlines in 2021, page 79

WASHINGTON DC, Oct 01 (IPS) - Most successful U.S. presidents have actively led efforts to advance arms control agreements and reduce the risk of nuclear war.

Although much has been achieved over the years, there are still 14,000 nuclear weapons and nine nuclear-armed states; progress on disarmament has stalled; and tensions between the United States and its main nuclear adversaries—Russia and China—are rising.

Multilateralism remains “the only way to address common challenges”, UN General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid told journalists on Friday, in his first press conference since the conclusion of the annual High-Level Week.

The first World Food Forum, a youth-led event aimed at harnessing the energy and creativity of young people, and featuring speeches from Heads of State and senior UN officials, opened  on Friday.  

ROME, Italy, Oct 01 (IPS) - Amidst the verdant hills and remote corners of Vietnam’s rural regions, the growth that has transformed the economy in this part of Southeast Asia in recent decades can be hard to see. Undernourishment among children still results in stunting – even in cities too where overweight/obesity is also on the rise.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Friday called for a prompt, thorough, and effective investigation into the killing of a veteran Rohingya refugee activist at a refugee camp in Bangladesh.   

Immediate action is needed to respond to the severe drought that is ravaging communities in Kenya’s dry regions – categorized as Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) - the UN’s humanitarian affairs office (OCHA) said on Friday. 

The delayed 2020 Dubai Expo, the first to be held in the Middle East, officially opened today. The United Nations will hold events and exhibits at a dedicated “UN Hub”, explaining the Organization’s central role in addressing the world’s problems. Here are some things to look out for during this six-month-long “mega-event”.

Marking the International Day of Older Persons this Friday, the United Nations is driving home the message that “digital equality” online, needs to be inclusive of everybody, regardless of age.  

STOCKHOLM / ROME, Sep 30 (IPS) - I assume channel surfing and internet browsing contribute to a decrease in people’s attention span. I am not familiar with any scientific proof, though while working as a teacher I found that some students may be exhausted when five minutes of a lesson has passed and begin fingering on their smartphones. They might also complain if a text is longer than half a page, while finding it almost impossible to read a book.

Growing polarization and intolerance are fuelling a rise in hate speech worldwide, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday, in remarks to the opening of an online forum to counter this “global firestorm” through the power of education.