Switzerland

WHO extends emergency talks over coronavirus outbreak in China

GENEVA, Jan 23 (NNN-Xinhua) — The World Health Organization (WHO) extended to Thursday its emergency talks on whether the novel coronavirus outbreak in China constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

“There was an excellent discussion during the meeting today, but it was also clear that to proceed, we need more information,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a press conference after a closed-door meeting of an Emergency Committee.

WEF Annual Meeting Opens With Focus On Cohesive, Sustainable Development

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 22 (NNN-XINHUA) – The World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting, opened here yesterday with a focus on renewing the concept of stakeholder capitalism, to overcome income inequality, societal division and the climate crisis.

Themed “Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World,” the meeting convened around 3,000 participants from over 100 countries and regions.

WEF annual meeting opens with focus on cohesive, sustainable development

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- The World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting opened here Tuesday with a focus on renewing the concept of stakeholder capitalism to overcome income inequality, societal division and the climate crisis.

Themed "Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World," the meeting convened around 3,000 participants from over 100 countries and regions.

Pessimism at record level among CEOs: PwC survey

Davos, Jan 21 (PTI) A record level of pessimism has creeped into the CEOs across the world regarding the worldwide economic growth, a much sought after survey showed here on the first evening of the WEF annual meeting.

For the first time, more than half of the CEOs surveyed by global consultancy PwC said they believe the rate of global GDP growth will decline.

Trump to meet EU chief, Iraqi president in Davos

21 January 2020; AFP: US President Donald Trump will meet his Iraqi counterpart and the head of the European Union executive body during his visit to Davos in Switzerland this week, the White House said Monday.

The meeting with President Barham Saleh will be the first between Trump and Iraqi officials since tensions erupted over the US killing of a top Iranian general and a senior pro-Iranian Iraqi commander in Baghdad.

Greta Thunberg calls on world leaders to listen to young activists

DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - Greta Thunberg, who has inspired a new generation of activists to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos this year, urged world leaders to listen to young people on Tuesday.

“I’m not a person that can complain about not being heard,” she said, prompting laughter from the audience at a panel session titled “Forging a Sustainable Path Towards a Common Future” on the first day of the annual WEF meeting.

“The science and voice of young people is not the center of the conversation, but it needs to be.”

Killings in eastern Congo may amount to crimes against humanity: U.N.

GENEVA (Reuters) - Killings, rapes and other violence committed by an ethnic armed group in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo against a rival group may amount to crimes against humanity and possibly even genocide, the United Nations said on Friday.

The attacks in mineral-rich Ituri province have mostly targeted Hema herders, who have long been in conflict with Lendu farmers over grazing rights and political representation.

WTO helps transform int'l economic relations in past 25 years: Azevedo

GENEVA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Over the past 25 years, the World Trade Organization (WTO) has helped transform international economic relations, said Roberto Azevedo, director-general of the WTO, on Wednesday.

"Binding rules for global trade in goods and services have facilitated dramatic growth in cross-border business activity," said Azevedo in a written statement, marking the 25th founding anniversary of the WTO, which was established on Jan. 1, 1995.

Iran unveils development at Arak reactor in face of U.S. pressure

GENEVA (Reuters) - Iran unveiled a redevelopment of part of its Arak heavy water reactor on Monday - a move that did not breach international restrictions on its nuclear work but showed it is developing the sector in the face of U.S. pressure.

Iranian state media said technicians switched on a secondary circuit at Arak, a plant built to produce the heavy water used as a moderator to slow down reactions in the core of nuclear reactors.

Italy faces complaint at UN over ‘abusive’ Libya asylum returns

GENEVA, Dec 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Campaigners filed a complaint with the UN against Italy over a teenage migrant who was sent back to Libya in 2018 along with other migrants, where he was shot, beaten and subjected to forced labour.

The Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) lodged the case with the UN Human Rights Committee aiming to challenge the practice of EU coastal states like Italy engaging commercial ships to return vulnerable people to unsafe locations.

The NGO says it is the first case of its kind to target so-called privatised push-backs.

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