Joe Biden's Advisor Catherine Russell is director of UNICEF
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the appointment of Catherine Russell, an assistant to U.S. President Joe Biden, as the next head of the U.N. children's agency UNICEF.
Ms. Russell also heads the White House Office of Presidential Personnel and served as the State Department's Ambassador-at-large for global women's issues from 2013 to 2017.
She will succeed Henrietta Fore, who resigned in July because of a family health issue.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced the Secretary-General's appointment of Ms. Russell following consultations with UNICEF's executive board.
Elon Musk is Time's 2021 'Person of the Year'
Tesla (TSLA.O) Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk was named Time magazine's "Person of the Year" for 2021, a year that saw his electric car company become the most valuable carmaker in the world and his rocket company soar to the edge of space with an all-civilian crew.
Musk is also the founder and CEO of rocket company SpaceX, and leads brain-chip startup Neuralink and infrastructure firm The Boring Company.
Last year (2020), U.S. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris were jointly given the "Person of the Year" title. Time began this tradition in 1927. Facebook (FB.O) CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon (AMZN.O) founder Jeff Bezos have also received the title in the past.
Dubai First in World to Go 100% Paperless
Dubai became the world's first government to turn 100 per cent paperless, the Emirate's Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced, pointing at savings of 1.3 billion Dirham (USD 350 million) and 14-million-man hours.
All internal, external transactions and procedures in the Government of Dubai are now 100 per cent digital and managed from a comprehensive digital government services platform.
The achievement of this target marks the beginning of a new stage in Dubai's journey to digitise life in all its aspects - a journey rooted in innovation, creativity, and a focus on the future.
The US, UK, Europe and Canada have expressed plans to digitise government operation on a larger scale, which encompass government procedures and citizen identifications. However, sceptics have argued its vulnerability to cyber-attacks.
Dec 13, 2021
Dubai - the World's First Govt to Become 100% Paperless
Dubai has become the world's first government to turn 100 per cent paperless, the Emirate's Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has announced, pointing at savings of 1.3 billion Dirham ($350 million) and 14-million-man hours.
All internal, external transactions and procedures in the government of Dubai are now 100 per cent digital and managed from a comprehensive digital government services platform.
US to Rename Street in front of Saudi embassy 'Jamal Khashoggi Way'
The street in front of the embassy of Saudi Arabia will be called "Jamal Khashoggi Way," after the Washington city council voted to honor the Saudi journalist murdered by government agents.
The council voted unanimously to symbolically name the 700-foot (213-meter) stretch of New Hampshire Avenue that runs between the embassy and the Watergate complex for Khashoggi, a dissident journalist working for The Washington Post at the time of his murder in Turkey.
"Through his journalism, Jamal Khashoggi was a fierce advocate for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law," said a council report on the bill.
"By designating the street fronting the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia after Jamal Khashoggi, the District is creating a memorial in his honor that cannot be covered up or repressed," it said.
New Caledonia rejects independence from France in third referendum
Residents of the Pacific territory of New Caledonia voted overwhelmingly to remain part of France in a third referendum that was boycotted by pro-independence groups.
Police reinforcements have been sent to the territory known as "the pebble", which is of strategic importance to France and is part of a wider tussle for influence in the Pacific between Western countries and China.
90.23 percent of ballots counted, 96.32 percent of voters had voted "No" to independence in a result that will raise fears of unrest and questions about the legitimacy of the process.
US Imposes Sweeping Human Rights Sanctions on China, Myanmar and North Korea
The United States imposed extensive human rights-related sanctions on dozens of people and entities tied to China, Myanmar, North Korea and Bangladesh, and added Chinese artificial intelligence company SenseTime Group to an investment blacklist.
Canada and the United Kingdom joined the United States in imposing sanctions related to human rights abuse in Myanmar, while Washington also imposed the first new sanctions on North Korea under President Joe Biden's administration and targeted Myanmar military entities, among others, in action marking Human Rights Day.
Saudi Arabia Govt Bans Tablighi Jamaat
Saudi Arabia government has banned the Tablighi Jamaat calling it one of the gates of terrorism.
Saudi Islamic Affairs Ministry has directed the mosques to warn people during Friday sermon against the Tablighi Jamaat.
Government has also warned people against associating with the Tablighi Jamaat which has been banned in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi government also asked mosques to inform people about the danger that Tablighi Jamaat pose to society.
G7 nations warn Russia of 'massive consequences' if it invades Ukraine
The Group of Seven richest democracies, or G7 nations, warned Russia of "massive consequences" if it launches military offensive against Ukraine.
The continued military build-up in areas close to Ukraine has raised concern over a Russian invasion, with US intelligence officers determining that the attack can take place as early as January 2022.
Taking cognisance of the issue, the G7 delegates condemned Russia's military build-up and called on Kremlin to de-escalate.
Chile Prez Brings Law to Legalise Same-sex Marriage
Chile's center-right President Sebastián Piñera signed into law a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, days after it was approved by Congress in a historic vote.
The law "puts all love relationships between two people on an equal footing," Piñera said at a ceremony at La Moneda government palace together with LGBT activists, representatives of civil society, legislators and officials.
Lawmakers passed the law, in a milestone for the conservative South American nation after a decade-long legal battle and with the country delicately poised ahead of a crossroads election this month.
Dec 12, 2021
UN Suspends Food Aid in Ethiopian Towns after Warehouses Looted
The World Food Programme (WFP) has suspended distribution of food aid in two northern Ethiopian towns after gunmen looted its warehouses.
The United Nations said, looters from rebel Tigrayan forces held aid staff at gunpoint in the town of Kombolcha.
They stole large quantities of essential food supplies, including some for malnourished children.That led to the decision to halt food distribution in Kombolcha and nearby Dessie, two strategic towns in Amhara that sit on the road to the capital Addis Ababa.
The Tigrayan rebels have not commented on the allegations that their fighters stole food aid. The Ethiopian government recently announced that it had recaptured the towns from the Tigray rebels. But the rebels said the army had only recovered areas they had abandoned.
Putin Compares Donbas War Zone to Genocide
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been hardening his rhetoric over the situation in Ukraine, saying the war in the country's east looks like genocide.
Russian-backed rebels have been fighting Ukrainian troops there since 2014, and tensions have been growing as Russia amasses troops on the border.
Meanwhile US President Joe Biden discussed recent talks with Mr Putin in a call to his Ukrainian counterpart.
There are fears that Russia is planning to invade Ukraine, which Russia denies.
Tuesday's Biden-Putin video call was seen as an attempt to ease tensions.
Washington and its allies have warned the Kremlin of tough sanctions if it again attacks its neighbour.
Russia has accused Ukraine of provocation, and sought guarantees against eastward Nato expansion and deployment of weapons close to Russia.
Ukrainian authorities have said Moscow could be planning a military offensive at the end of January, although US officials say it is not yet clear whether President Putin has made a decision.
Dec 11, 2021
UN General Assembly grants Observer Status to International Solar Alliance
UN General Assembly has granted Observer Status to International Solar Alliance.
In a tweet, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations T S Tirumurti termed the decision as historic.
He said, in the last six years, International Solar Alliance has become an example of positive global climate action through partnerships to benefit global energy growth and development.
Nicaragua cuts ties with Taiwan in favour of Beijing
Nicaragua has become the latest country to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favour of China.
Taiwan said it was "deeply saddened", adding that Nicaragua had "disregarded [their] many years of friendship".
The decision was praised by China, which demands that any country that wants diplomatic relations with it must cut existing ties with Taipei.
It comes as the US State Department called for democracies to "expand engagement with Taiwan".
Dec 10, 2021
US President Joe Biden Opens Democracy Summit Without China & Russia At White House
United States President Joe Biden opened the first of the two Summits for Democracy by noting that 50% of all democracies across the globe experienced a decline in at least one aspect of democracy in the last decade.
Biden said at the White House, "In the face of sustained and alarming challenges to democracy, universal human rights, and all around the world, democracy needs champions," while adding that the virtual event has been on his "mind for a long time." Biden avered, "I wanted to host this summit because ... here in the United States we know as well as anyone that renewing our democracy and strengthening our democratic institutions requires constant effort."
Addressing more than 100 leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector, US President said that the challenges posed to democracy are further "exacerbated" by global challenges which are "more complex than ever". Biden also called for a shared effort to address the concerns.
China is world's biggest captor of journalists: RSF Report
A new report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has said China is the world's biggest captor of journalists with at least 127 reporters currently detained.
China has justified the arrests of reporters and citizen journalists by accusing them of provoking trouble. The report titled 'The Great Leap Backwards of Journalism in China' reveals China's violations against its own international commitments to freedom of opinion and expression.
The report demonstrates how Beijing views journalism - not as a tool to provide information to the public to make informed decisions, but as an instrument of state propaganda.
UK, Canada join Diplomatic Boycott of Beijing Winter Games
Canada joined Australia, Britain and the United States in a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, with China calling the boycotts "political posturing" and a smear campaign.
The United States was the first to announce the boycott this week, saying its government officials would not attend February's Beijing Olympics because of China's human rights "atrocities", weeks after talks aimed at easing tense relations between the world's two largest economies.
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