Switzerland

GENEVA, May 22 (Reuters) - Taiwan failed on Monday in its efforts to gain an invitation to the World Health Organization's annual assembly despite the island's assertion that support was growing for its participation.

The annual assembly in Geneva decided not to extend Taiwan an invitation to the event, which runs from May 21-30. China and Pakistan urged members to reject Taiwan's inclusion, while eSwatini and the Marshall Islands spoke in favour.

GENEVA, May 22 (Reuters) - The head of the World Health Organization urged countries on Monday to carry out reforms needed to prepare for the next pandemic, hailing their "historic" decision to accept a major budget hike at the U.N. agency's annual assembly.

Speaking at the assembly weeks after ending the global emergency status for the COVID-19 pandemic, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was time to advance negotiations on preventing the next pandemic.

19 May 2023; MEMO: The inclusion of the term "Islamophobia" in a UNESCO draft resolution on discrimination and racism is a positive step for all Muslim communities and humanity at large, Turkish First Lady said on Friday, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Emine Erdogan, in a tweet, said the development, which was made possible at the initiative of Turkiye, is "promising" and will "undoubtedly accelerate the fight against crimes committed openly against our religion".

GENEVA, May 16 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for caution when deploying large language model tools (LLMs) generated by artificial intelligence (AI).

In a statement released Tuesday, WHO said it was imperative for the risks of LLMs to be carefully examined.

LLMs are used to improve access to health information, as decision-support tools, and to enhance diagnostic capacity in under-resourced settings.

WHO has warned that the caution normally exercised for new technologies is not being consistently applied to LLMs.

GENEVA (AP) — The United Nations is racing to extend a deal that has allowed shipments of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea to parts of the world struggling with hunger, helping ease a global food crisis exacerbated by the war Russia launched more than a year ago.

The breakthrough accord that the U.N. and Turkey brokered with the warring sides last summer came with a separate agreement to ease shipments of Russian food and fertilizer that Moscow insists hasn’t been applied.

GENEVA, May 16. /TASS/: The threat to Russia resulting from NATO, US and Britain’s military policies in Ukraine was real, Gennady Gatilov, Russia's permanent representative to the UN headquarters in Geneva, said at the plenary session of the Conference on Disarmament on Tuesday.

"The threat to Russia's security from the military development of Ukraine's territory was real and acute and similar to what the US itself experienced during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis," he said.

GENEVA, May 16 (NNN-XINHUA) – The World Health Organisation (WHO), yesterday issued a recommendation, against the use of non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) for weight control or for reducing the risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

GENEVA (AP) — The 175 member countries of the U.N. migration agency were casting ballots on Monday to choose its leader for the next five years — an unusual contest between its European director-general and his American deputy who’s looking to oust him from the job.

International Organization for Migration director-general Antonio Vitorino of Portugal was looking at a possibly tough contest against his Biden administration-backed deputy, Amy Pope.

GENEVA (AP) — He’s European. She’s American. He runs the U.N. migration agency. She wants his job.

International Organization for Migration director-general Antonio Vitorino of Portugal faces what could be a tight race against his Biden administration-backed deputy, Amy Pope, as member countries of the Geneva-based agency choose its chief for the next five years on Monday.

The election comes as migrants have been on the move like never before, driven from their homes by factors including conflict, economic distress and the growing impacts of climate change.

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — UEFA insisted Friday that the Champions League final will be played in Istanbul, hitting back at a newspaper report that claims the European soccer body has explored Lisbon as a standby option if there is turmoil in Turkey after this weeekend’s elections.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is in a close race to extend his 20-year grip on power. He is seeking a third term in Sunday’s election.