19:00
UK contributes over £1 million to support UN peacekeeping operations
The UK has announced a raft of investment for international initiatives to support UN peacekeeping activity.
Deadly Floods in Spain Highlight Urgency of Climate Action, UN Warns
Reuters
In response to devastating floods that have claimed over 150 lives in Spain, the UN is emphasizing the need for immediate global action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
In response to devastating floods that have claimed over 150 lives in Spain, the United Nations is emphasizing the need for immediate global action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and bolster early warning systems worldwide.
The extreme weather in Spain follows a troubling global pattern of increasingly frequent and intense weather events, a trend linked to climate change, according to Clare Nullis, spokesperson for the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO). “The flooding we’re seeing in Spain is just one of many extreme weather and water-related disasters around the world this year. Almost every week, we’re seeing shocking images of devastation,” she told journalists in Geneva.
In Spain, the Valencia region has been hardest hit, with some areas receiving an entire year’s worth of rainfall within just eight hours. The Spanish meteorological agency, AEMET, has been issuing continuous alerts via the common alerting protocol - a global standard for hazard warnings across all media. On Friday, the southwest province of Huelva was placed on red alert, the highest warning level.
The Spanish floods are part of a larger pattern, Nullis noted, recalling that parts of Central Europe also experienced unprecedented rainfall in mid-September. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), climate change has made extreme weather events more likely and more severe.
The WMO’s recent report on global water resources highlights a warming atmosphere's role in accelerating the hydrological cycle. Rising temperatures lead to more atmospheric moisture, resulting in heavier rainfall and, consequently, flooding. “As the air warms, it becomes more moist,” Nullis explained. “Every additional fraction of warming increases atmospheric moisture content, which heightens the risk of extreme precipitation and flooding.”
Nullis stressed that immediate steps are essential to mitigate climate change impacts and prevent similar disasters worldwide. “A good start would be reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” she urged, adding that early warning systems must prompt “informed early action.”
The WMO will release its latest State of the Global Climate update at the COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan later this month, providing more insights into the year’s extreme weather events and their connection to climate change.
16:00
World news
Kremlin rejects UN ruling holding Russia responsible for downing of Malaysian airliner
The Kremlin on Tuesday addressed the United Nations aviation council's ruling regarding the 2014 downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine, expressing concerns about the investigation's impartiality and reiterating its position on the matter.
03:25
UN to Discuss Regulation of AI-Controlled Autonomous Weapons as Time Runs Out
Countries will meet at the United Nations this week to discuss the regulation of AI-controlled autonomous weapons, which are increasingly used in modern warfare. Experts warn that failing to regulate this new technology could lead to serious risks, and time is running out.
18:00
artificial intelligence
Countries meet at UN to discuss regulation of AI-driven autonomous weapons
Countries are gathering at the United Nations on Monday to reignite efforts to regulate AI-controlled autonomous weapons, as experts warn that urgent action is needed to prevent misuse of these increasingly prevalent technologies in modern warfare.
14:20
World news
UN Chief, Pakistan PM hold talks on South Asia security
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif engaged in their second call this week to discuss rising tensions in South Asia, stressing the need for restraint and diplomatic solutions.
