Leaders from more than 100 countries are in New York this week for the United Nations' annual high-level summit — a COVID-inflected, semi-locked-down occasion that takes place in one of the pandemic's hardest-hit cities.

It will be a departure from the UN General Assembly's last in-person meeting in 2019 — and far different, too, from last year’s all-virtual version.

President Joe Biden of the United States, Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro are among the heads of state expected to attend the summit from September 20 to 27.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as France's Emmanuel Macron and Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi, are among the no-shows.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-united-nations-general-assembly-history-significance-and-functions-414393">In Pics | United Nations General Assembly- History, significance, and functions</a> 
 
The following are the major issues that are expected to dominate discussions at the UN and on the sidelines this year:&nbsp;

Climate crisis:

In the run-up to November's major climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, some 40 world leaders will attend a confidential meeting on climate change co-chaired by Guterres and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

"We need immediate action on cash, automobiles, coal, and trees," said Barbara Woodward, Britain's UN ambassador. 
She stated that this entails funding $100 billion to assist disadvantaged countries in dealing with climate change and obtaining ambitious emission reduction goals from countries.&nbsp;

COVID-19 vaccinations:

On Wednesday, Biden will host a virtual summit focused on taking tangible steps to stop the pandemic.

As many countries struggle to procure vaccines, Biden plans to call on world leaders to give one billion COVID-19 vaccines as a group, to inoculate 70% of the world in the following year.

According to an invitation made by the Biden administration, the US will also call for the contribution and delivery of one billion test kits by 2022, as well as an acceleration of a previously stated pledge of 2 billion doses. They're referred to as "draught targets" in the text.&nbsp;

Afghanistan:

The UN is in a pickle, having warned of a "humanitarian disaster" if aid does not continue to flow into the war-torn country.

Few countries want to recognise or assist the Taliban administration, which includes sanctioned terrorists and has a lengthy history of human rights violations, but they also don't want the withdrawal of international forces to trigger a refugee crisis or worsen existing problems.

In a meeting on Wednesday, the foreign ministers of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, China, and France — are likely to discuss Afghanistan.&nbsp;

Iran: Iran's new president will not attend, but Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian will represent the Islamic Republic. Talks over the UN-backed Iran nuclear deal have stalled, and the US and its Western allies have warned that time is running out to keep the accord alive.&nbsp;

Quad Alliance:&nbsp;

The leaders of three of America's closest Asian friends, including Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, will travel to Washington on Friday for the Quad bloc's first in-person meeting.

The Indo-Pacific alliance is largely viewed as an attempt to present a united face against China's regional ambitions, and the gathering is expected to draw Beijing's ire.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Leaders from more than 100 countries are in New York this week for the United Nations' annual high-level summit — a COVID-inflected, semi-locked-down occasion that takes place in one of the pandemic's hardest-hit cities.

Leaders from more than 100 countries are in New York this week for the United Nations' annual high-level summit — a COVID-inflected, semi-locked-down occasion that takes place in one of the pandemic's hardest-hit cities. It will be a departure from the UN General Assembly's last in-person meeting in 2019 — and far different, too, from last year’s all-virtual version. President Joe Biden of the United States, Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro are among the heads of state expected to attend the summit from September 20 to 27. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as France's Emmanuel Macron and Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi, are among the no-shows. In Pics | United Nations General Assembly- History, significance, and functions The following are the major issues that are expected to dominate discussions at the UN and on the sidelines this year: Climate crisis: In the run-up to November's major climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, some 40 world leaders will attend a confidential meeting on climate change co-chaired by Guterres and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. "We need immediate action on cash, automobiles, coal, and trees," said Barbara Woodward, Britain's UN ambassador. She stated that this entails funding $100 billion to assist disadvantaged countries in dealing with climate change and obtaining ambitious emission reduction goals from countries. COVID-19 vaccinations: On Wednesday, Biden will host a virtual summit focused on taking tangible steps to stop the pandemic. As many countries struggle to procure vaccines, Biden plans to call on world leaders to give one billion COVID-19 vaccines as a group, to inoculate 70% of the world in the following year. According to an invitation made by the Biden administration, the US will also call for the contribution and delivery of one billion test kits by 2022, as well as an acceleration of a previously stated pledge of 2 billion doses. They're referred to as "draught targets" in the text. Afghanistan: The UN is in a pickle, having warned of a "humanitarian disaster" if aid does not continue to flow into the war-torn country. Few countries want to recognise or assist the Taliban administration, which includes sanctioned terrorists and has a lengthy history of human rights violations, but they also don't want the withdrawal of international forces to trigger a refugee crisis or worsen existing problems. In a meeting on Wednesday, the foreign ministers of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, China, and France — are likely to discuss Afghanistan. Iran: Iran's new president will not attend, but Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian will represent the Islamic Republic. Talks over the UN-backed Iran nuclear deal have stalled, and the US and its Western allies have warned that time is running out to keep the accord alive. Quad Alliance: The leaders of three of America's closest Asian friends, including Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, will travel to Washington on Friday for the Quad bloc's first in-person meeting. The Indo-Pacific alliance is largely viewed as an attempt to present a united face against China's regional ambitions, and the gathering is expected to draw Beijing's ire. (With inputs from agencies)

United Nations General Assembly 2021: Here's what to watch for

In Pics | United Nations General Assembly- History, significance, and functions

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to stall the implementation of Citizenship (Amendment) Act after a three judge-bench led by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde along with Justice BR Gavai and Justice Surya Kant heard 20 petitions challenging the Act.&nbsp;

Up to 60 petitions have been filed so far questioning the legal validity of the Act that has stirred violent protests throughout the country.

The court also issued a notice to the Centre on a batch of pleas challenging the CAA, asking the Centre to file its response by the second week of January.&nbsp;

The petitioners come from all walks of life including Political parties like Indian union of Muslim League, Asom Gana Parishad, Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam; leading politicians Jairam Ramesh, Mahua Moitra and Asaduddin Owaisi; a lawyers association from Assam and student movements like Democratic Youth Federation of India and All Assam Students Union.&nbsp;

The petitioners want the newly enforced law to be struck down as violative of Fundamental Rights (Article 14), opposed to Secularism that forms a basic feature of our Constitution and also wants the Court to decide whether religion can be the basis to declare someone a citizen as it has never happened in the past.

The petitioners want to know the basis on which Centre has concluded that non-Muslim migrants need to be included as citizens while denying it to Muslim migrants along with questioning the discretion of Centre to exclude Sri Lanka and Burma where religious persecution has forced many to take shelter in India.

They question the assumption that Muslims in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh face no discrimination and list out Shias and Ahmediyas in Pakistan and Hazaras in Afghanistan as examples.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 became an Act after receiving formal assent from President Ram Nath Kovind on December 13.&nbsp;

The highly contentious Act seeks to grant Indian citizenship to undocumented religious minorities-namely Hindus, Sikh, Jain, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from the neighbouring Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan who moved to the country before the date of December 31, 2014.

&nbsp;It amends the Citizenship Act, 1955 which regulates who may acquire Indian citizenship and on what grounds by adding provisions for Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian community in section 2, in sub-section (1), in clause (b) that they shall not be treated as illegal migrants. Illegal migrants are not eligible for Indian Citizenship.

&nbsp;Under the provisions for procurement of citizenship by naturalisation, the BJP lead Indian government seeks to amend the requirement that the applicant must have resided in India "not less than five years" in place of "not less than eleven years" for the mentioned six religious communities from the three Muslim majority countries through Section 2(1) (b).

The Bill also seeks to amend provisions related to Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders, making it possible to cancel OCI registration of these persons in case of violation of any law notified by the Central Government.

The apex court said it would hear petitions challenging the law on January 22 as December 18 is the last working day of the Supreme Court before it reopens January 1 after winter break.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to stall the implementation of Citizenship (Amendment) Act after a three judge-bench led by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde along with Justice BR Gavai and Justice Surya Kant heard 20 petitions challenging the Act.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to stall the implementation of Citizenship (Amendment) Act after a three judge-bench led by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde along with Justice BR Gavai and Justice Surya Kant heard 20 petitions challenging the Act. Up to 60 petitions have been filed so far questioning the legal validity of the Act that has stirred violent protests throughout the country. The court also issued a notice to the Centre on a batch of pleas challenging the CAA, asking the Centre to file its response by the second week of January. The petitioners come from all walks of life including Political parties like Indian union of Muslim League, Asom Gana Parishad, Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam; leading politicians Jairam Ramesh, Mahua Moitra and Asaduddin Owaisi; a lawyers association from Assam and student movements like Democratic Youth Federation of India and All Assam Students Union. The petitioners want the newly enforced law to be struck down as violative of Fundamental Rights (Article 14), opposed to Secularism that forms a basic feature of our Constitution and also wants the Court to decide whether religion can be the basis to declare someone a citizen as it has never happened in the past. The petitioners want to know the basis on which Centre has concluded that non-Muslim migrants need to be included as citizens while denying it to Muslim migrants along with questioning the discretion of Centre to exclude Sri Lanka and Burma where religious persecution has forced many to take shelter in India. They question the assumption that Muslims in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh face no discrimination and list out Shias and Ahmediyas in Pakistan and Hazaras in Afghanistan as examples. The Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 became an Act after receiving formal assent from President Ram Nath Kovind on December 13. The highly contentious Act seeks to grant Indian citizenship to undocumented religious minorities-namely Hindus, Sikh, Jain, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from the neighbouring Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan who moved to the country before the date of December 31, 2014. It amends the Citizenship Act, 1955 which regulates who may acquire Indian citizenship and on what grounds by adding provisions for Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian community in section 2, in sub-section (1), in clause (b) that they shall not be treated as illegal migrants. Illegal migrants are not eligible for Indian Citizenship. Under the provisions for procurement of citizenship by naturalisation, the BJP lead Indian government seeks to amend the requirement that the applicant must have resided in India "not less than five years" in place of "not less than eleven years" for the mentioned six religious communities from the three Muslim majority countries through Section 2(1) (b). The Bill also seeks to amend provisions related to Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders, making it possible to cancel OCI registration of these persons in case of violation of any law notified by the Central Government. The apex court said it would hear petitions challenging the law on January 22 as December 18 is the last working day of the Supreme Court before it reopens January 1 after winter break.

COVID-19: Sri Lanka bans all state, private functions 

functions

Functions, News on Functions, stories on Functions, articles on Functions, Functions stories at Wion, Functions news, Functions latest news