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With 104 votes in favor, 48 contrary and 31 abstentions, the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee (or Third Committee) of the UN General Assembly approved the renewal of the “universal moratorium on the death penalty,” first adopted in 2007.Then, the Committee had approved the moratorium with a mere 99 “yes” and 52 “no” and 33 abstentions; the Assembly backed the moratorium in a 104-54 vote (29 abstentions).
Benedict XVI says world hunger has its roots in a variety of issues that can be summarized by a false perception of the values that should regulate international relations. The Pope affirmed that national selfishness, unbridled speculation, corruption, consumerism and arms races are consequences of this false perception. He said this in a message for World Food Day ‘08, sent to the director-general of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). This year’s theme for the U.N. day was “World Food Security: The Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy.”
Those who have contributed least to the problems of climate change are the ones who will suffer its consequences the most, says an official from the U.S. Bishops’ Conference. John Carr, Secretary of the Bishops’ Panel on Social Development and World Peace, addressed a Senate committee with the message that the poor are those made most vulnerable by climate change.
For the first time since 2002 the number of refugees in the world has increased. According to a report released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there were 9.9 million people forced to leave their countries by war, poverty and natural disasters by the end of 2006.
