(IANS)
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for stronger international cooperation in the face of threats to multilateralism.
United Nations, April 25: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for stronger international cooperation in the face of threats to multilateralism.
"UN member states, by ratifying or accepting the UN Charter, have committed themselves to the values of multilateralism and diplomacy for peace," Xinhua news agency quoted the UN chief as saying in his message for the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace, which falls on April 24 annually.
However, the multilateral system and the value of diplomacy "are under threat from all directions", Guterres said, citing causes "From the climate crisis to the multiplication of conflicts".
"We need to transform this moment of crisis into a moment for multilateralism. On the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace, I call on all governments and leaders to renew their commitment to dialogue and global solutions that are the only sustainable path for peace," added the Secretary-General.
The International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace was established on December 12, 2018 through a UN resolution and was first observed on April 24, 2019.
(IANS)
New Delhi, Dec 10: Several students from various institutions, who were heading towards the Jantar Mantar protest site to commemorate the Human Rights Day in the national capital, were detained after they clashed with the police, an official said on Sunday.
The official said that two police personnel sustained head injuries during the clash.
Some student organisations accused the police of mistreatment, claiming that the detained students were taken to an undisclosed location and subjected to physical abuse. The claim was refuted by the Delhi Police.
It was also claimed that one of the students, heading towards the Jantar Mantar, was missing.
The official said that a group of protestors came to Vijay Chowk and when they were asked to disperse as they were violating Section 144 of the CrPC, they became aggressive due to which they were detained.
"In the process, two police personnel sustained head injuries and action as per law is being taken," he added.
Read More National News
"The allegations regarding a missing person are wrong as the concerned individual has also been detained," said the official.
(IANS)
London, Dec 10: Severe asthma can be controlled using biologic therapies without the addition of regular high-dose inhaled steroids, which can have significant side effects, a new study has shown.
The study, published in the journal The Lancet, showed that 92 per cent of patients using the biologic therapy 'benralizumab' (a drug used for the treatment of asthma) could safely reduce inhaled steroid dose, and more than 60 per cent could stop all use.
"Biological therapies such as benralizumab have revolutionised severe asthma care in many ways, and the results of this study show for the first time that steroid-related harm can be avoided for the majority of patients using this therapy," said Professor David Jackson, Professor at King's College London, who led the study.
The study’s results could be transformative for severe asthma patients by minimising or eliminating the unpleasant, and often serious, side effects of inhaled steroids.
These include osteoporosis which leads to increased risk of fractures, diabetes and cataracts.
Asthma is one of the most common respiratory diseases worldwide - affecting almost 300 million people -- and around 3 to 5 per cent of these have severe asthma.
The study took place across 22 sites in four countries -- the UK, France, Italy, and Germany. A total of 208 patients were randomly assigned to taper their high-dose inhaled steroid by varying amounts over 32 weeks, followed by a 16-week maintenance period.
About 90 per cent of patients experienced no worsening of asthma symptoms and remained free of any exacerbations throughout the 48-week study, the researchers noted.
Read More Health and Wellness News
Benralizumab is a biologic therapy that reduces the number of inflammatory cells called eosinophil. This is produced in abnormal numbers in the airway of patients with severe asthma and is critically involved in the development of asthma attacks.
(IANS)
Dubai, Dec 10: Union Minister for Environment Bhupender Yadav on Sunday that there has been a significant shift in the global industrial landscape as industry transition has climbed higher on the international agenda since the launch of LeadIT in 2019.
However, he underlined the real transition challenges of technology transfer and finance are yet to be addressed.
Speaking at a side event on Partnerships for a Just and Equitable Industry Transition at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, the minister said that this challenge can be addressed by collaborative international mechanisms that need to ensure that barriers such as intellectual property rights are addressed to facilitate technology transfer from developed to developing countries.
He said the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT) 2.0 would focus on supporting low-carbon transitions on the ground through a structured framework and three pillars: a global forum for dialogue; technology transfer and co-development; and an industry transitions’ platform.
“Through these pillars, the members will continue to support, engage in and promote industry transitions,” he said.
Speaking of the collaboration with Sweden, Yadav said the India-Sweden joint declaration on industry transition platform is not merely a partnership between two nations but an alliance for a sustainable future.
“It is a testament to our collective resolve to address the climate crisis and shape a world where industries thrive harmoniously with the environment,” he said.
The minister also drew the attention of the audience to the objectives of India-Sweden industry transition platform that includes strengthening institutional framework; unlocking conditions for technology demonstration projects; fostering innovation, research and development, and capacity building and mobilisation of finance and investments.
Yadav invited the stakeholders to work together to harness the power of innovation, collaboration, and technology to shape an industry of the future -- an industry that is sustainable, resilient, and inclusive, driving prosperity for generations to come.
Romina Pourmokhtari, Minister for Climate and Environment of Sweden, said decarbonisation and green transition hold immense possibilities for regional development, new jobs, investments in new technologies and improved competitiveness.
While admitting that industrial development is vital for social and economic prosperity of all countries, she cautioned that lack of commercially viable low carbon tech and long-investment cycles in industrial sectors risk locking in carbon emissions for decades.
Read More International News
She went on to add that LeadIT provides an opportunity to foster partnerships between major industry transition frontrunners and ambitious economies that wish to align their industrial development with goals of the Paris Agreement.
(IANS)