For the first time, Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, Saudi Arabia and Thailand have demonstrated that they have implemented best practice policies for the removal of industrially produced trans fatty acids (iTFA), supported by appropriate monitoring and enforcement systems. Obtained WHO certification.
Trans fats, both industrially produced and naturally occurring, are associated with an increased risk of heart attack and heart disease.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said they had “no known health benefits, but the health risks are enormous.” Additionally, fried foods, cakes, and prepared foods are often high in sugar, fat, and salt.
In 2018, WHO set an ambitious goal to completely eliminate iTFA from the global food supply by the end of 2023. Although the goal was not achieved, significant progress was made towards this goal in all regions of the world, the UN agency said.
A total of 53 countries now have 'best practice' policies in place to address mass-produced trans fats in food. This covers 3.7 billion people, or 46% of the world's population, an increase from just 6% just five years ago.
Ukraine: New attacks deepen suffering for winter-weary civilians
The latest attacks in Ukraine are causing further suffering to civilians already enduring harsh winter conditions, the United Nations Humanitarian Affairs Office OCHA said on Monday.
OCHA cited reports from Ukrainian officials that more than a dozen civilians had been killed or injured in attacks in eastern, central and southern Ukraine over the past three days. Homes, schools, hospitals and energy infrastructure were also affected.
“Authorities said shelling caused damage to homes and power grids in the eastern region of Kharkiv,” the UN agency said in a statement.
“According to the governor, attacks over the weekend also damaged housing, educational and communication facilities in the southern region of Kherson.”
OCHA and partners continue to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to people in these areas.
Convoy delivers aid supplies
On Friday, Dennis Brown, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, led a convoy to the Kherson region. The trucks delivered food, medicine, winter clothing, solar lamps, hygiene products, children's supplies and other items to around 800 people in need.
Another convoy arrived in Kharkiv Oblast on Friday carrying blankets, bottled water, solar lamps, medical and hygiene kits, supplies for the disabled, and construction materials to repair damaged homes. is.
February 24 marks the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
During 2023, the United Nations and partners deployed more than 107 humanitarian convoys to support around 400,000 people in frontline areas in the country's east and south.
PGA Public Relations Office
General Assembly President Dennis Francis is meeting with researchers from the Shanghai Institute of International Studies.
President of the General Assembly calls for renewed commitment to the UN Charter
With the world at a “tipping point”, countries need to recommit to the core principles of the United Nations Charter, the President of the United Nations General Assembly said in China on Sunday.
Dennis Francis, keynote speaker at the Shanghai Institute of International Studies, discussed how the worsening effects of climate change, hunger and multidimensional poverty are hindering efforts to create a safer, more just and sustainable world. emphasized.
Meanwhile, geopolitical divisions are creating new conflicts and deepening existing ones in Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.
Mr. Francis said these alarming developments expose the limits of the multilateral system and raise legitimate questions about both the relevance and capacity of the United Nations to resolve complex problems.
“They demand that we strengthen our foundations and recommit to the core principles of the Charter of the United Nations, which has provided us with a guiding light from our turbulent past since the founding of the United Nations,” he said. said.
He praised China for continuing to play a leading role in world affairs, noting that China was the first country to sign the UN Charter (the UN's founding document) and has since “remarkably steadfastly supported multilateralism.” “I support it,” he said.
“Since the horrific attack on Israel on October 7, the escalation in violence in the Middle East and the terrible humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip continue to project the worst aspects of the human condition, the very things the Charter seeks to avoid. “It happened,” Francis said.
He said the General Assembly had been “proactive and ambitious” on the crisis, resuming its 10th emergency session on the Middle East and adopting two resolutions that received overwhelming support from 193 member states. Ta.