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UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to condemn Russia’s “attempted illegal annexation” of four Ukrainian regions and demand its immediate reversal, a sign of strong global opposition to the seven-month war and Moscow’s attempt to grab its neighbor’s territory.

The vote in the 193-member world body was 143-5 with 35 abstentions. It was the strongest support from the General Assembly for Ukraine and against Russia of the four resolutions it has approved since Russian troops invaded Ukraine Feb. 24.

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- The UN General Assembly on Tuesday elected 14 states into the Human Rights Council to succeed outgoing members.

Through secret ballot, Algeria, Morocco, South Africa, Sudan (for Africa); Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Vietnam (for the Asia-Pacific); Georgia, Romania (for Eastern Europe); Chile, Costa Rica (for Latin America and the Caribbean); Belgium, Germany (for Western Europe and other states), were elected for a three-year term beginning on Jan. 1, 2023.

NEW YORK, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Nearly half of the U.S. population (44 percent), or about 114 million Americans, give poor (30 percent) or failing (14 percent) grades to the country's healthcare system, with percentages climbing higher and growing even more negative when it comes to affordability and health equity, according to a new report from West Health and Gallup, the polling organization.

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 11 (APP): Pakistan, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” (developing countries and China), Monday called for emergency measures to overcome the recent “shocks” to the world economy, including the coronavirus pandemic and the spike in commodities prices that have disproportionately impacted the poorest countries.

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 10 (Reuters) - The United Nations General Assembly voted on Monday to reject Russia's call for the 193-member body to hold a secret ballot later this week on whether to condemn Moscow's move to annex four partially occupied regions in Ukraine.

The General Assembly decided, with 107 votes in favor, that it would hold a public vote - not a secret ballot - on a draft resolution that condemns Russia's "illegal so-called referenda" and the "attempted illegal annexation." Diplomats said the vote on the resolution would likely be on Wednesday or Thursday.

NEW YORK, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The thousands of newly arrived asylum seekers in New York City, the most populous city in the United States, are facing multifaceted challenges in taking roots amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Antonio Ovando, who arrived in New York City less than a week ago, was expecting some people from the city to bring some clothes on Sunday afternoon when he joined his family members and fellow asylum seekers around the entrance of a hotel in Staten Island.

NEW YORK, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden's lastest pardon for criminals convicted of marijuana possession under federal law is minimizing the dangers of drug use and has "sent the country the wrong signal at the wrong time," The Wall Street Journal has said.

Biden announced on Thursday that he's pardoning all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession, while the United States has been under criticism over the push to legalize marijuana nationwide.

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 08(APP): Pakistan has called on the United Nations to invest “more time and energy” to address situations where people are still forcibly denied the right to self-determination, as in Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine, saying the world body’s decisions must be consistently implemented.

NEW YORK, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released its 2021 Crime in the Nation Report, for which only 63 percent of the country's more than 18,000 law enforcement agencies submitted data, reported CNN on Wednesday.

This had been "the lowest level of participation the FBI has reported since at least 1979" and "only 52 percent of all agencies submitted a full year's worth of data," said the bureau.

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for international support for Pakistan in the wake of devastating floods.

The United Nations is working with the Pakistani government to convene a pledging conference to provide concrete support for rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts, he told the UN General Assembly, which is expected to adopt a resolution on solidarity with Pakistan.