New York

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Russia has asked for 56 visas from the United States to allow Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his delegation to travel to New York for the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations this month, but so far has received none.

UNITED NATIONS, Sep 02 (APP): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned Friday’s attack at a mosque in western Afghanistan that left 18 people dead and 23 injured, according to a UN spokesperson.

“The Secretary-General condemns today’s attack and conveys his deep condolences to
the families of those killed and wishes a prompt recovery to the injured,” Spokesperson
Eri Kaneo said in a statement at the regular noon briefing.

“The right to freedom of religion must be protected at all times,” the statement added.

NEW YORK, Sept 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Oil prices fell yesterday, amid strength in the U.S. dollar.

The West Texas Intermediate for Oct delivery lost 2.94 U.S. dollars, or 3.3 percent, to settle at 86.61 dollars a barrel, on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for Nov delivery decreased 3.28 dollars, or 3.4 percent, to close at 92.36 dollars a barrel, on the London ICE Futures Exchange.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday warned of challenges for peacekeeping operations, while calling for increased capabilities to meet global policing needs.

Addressing the third UN Chiefs of Police Summit, Guterres said the gathering comes at a critical time for the United Nations Police, for peacekeeping as well as for the global community.

NEW YORK, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- New York State started to prohibit concealed carry of weapons in designated sensitive areas across the state on Thursday after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the state's century-old concealed carry weapons law in June.

Concealed carry permit holders are not allowed to bring their firearms into sensitive locations, including Times Square, bars, libraries, schools, government buildings and hospitals, according to the new law, which took effect on Thursday.

New York, Sep 2 (PTI) Laxman Narasimhan, a veteran in leading and advising global consumer-facing brands, has been named as the new CEO of coffee giant Starbucks, joining a growing cohort of Indian-origin business leaders at the helm of global corporations.

Narasimhan, 55 was previously the CEO of UK-based Reckitt Benckiser, a multinational consumer health, hygiene and nutrition company.

UNITED NATIONS, Sep 01 (APP): United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Thursday announced the appointment of Imran Riza of Pakistan as his Deputy Special Coordinator for Lebanon and also Resident Coordinator for the Arab country.

Riza, a career UN official will serve in the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL), which assists the country in forging a peaceful, stable and democratic future.

In addition, Riza will also serve as Humanitarian Coordinator.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 1 (NNN-XINHUA) – The Pakistani people are facing “a monsoon on steroids,” UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, said, calling on the international community to take urgent action, to help the government and people of Pakistan in their hour of need.

“Pakistan is awash in suffering. The Pakistani people are facing a monsoon on steroids – the relentless impact of epochal levels of rain and flooding,” the UN chief said, in a video message, on the launch of flash appeal in support of flood response for Pakistan.

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 31 (APP): The United Nations has stepped up its efforts to provide relief to the affectees of the devastating floods in Pakistan that have killed more than 1,000 people and displaced 33 million, as Secretary-General Antonio Guterres prepares to a pay a “solidarity” visit to the country next week, a UN spokesman said Wednesday.

As part of UN’s emergency response, Spokesman Stephane Dujarric told the regular noon briefing in New York that UNHCR, the UN Refugee agency, is providing tents and other relief items from existing stocks in Quetta and Peshawar.

NEW YORK, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The United States needs a "miracle" to avoid an economic recession, a renowned U.S. economist has said.

In an interview with U.S. business news channel CNBC on Monday, Stephen Roach, a senior fellow at Yale University's Jackson Institute of Global Affairs, said persistent inflation will lead to a pullback in consumer spending, which will in turn "reverberate through the broader economy and create pain in the labor market."