United Nations

The U.N. World Food Program’s World Pulses Day on Feb. 10, promotes the sustainability and versatility of legumes, an underappreciated Canadian food staple. (U.N. World Food Program)

Victoria-founded grocer teams with U.N. to provide, promote legumes on World Pulses Day

SPUD will donate over 10,000 meals in B.C. and Alberta – all for just $1,500

The U.N. World Food Program’s World Pulses Day on Feb. 10, promotes the sustainability and versatility of legumes, an underappreciated Canadian food staple. (U.N. World Food Program)
Britain’s Alok Sharma, President of the COP26, second left, gestures as delegates applaud, flanked by Patricia Espinosa, left, UNFCCC Executive-Secretary, during the closing plenary session at the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit, in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. Environmental groups and politicians in Canada are reacting with a mix of hope, discouragement and determination to news that a last-minute deal had been reached at the United Nations climate change conference. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Alberto Pezzali

Green groups greet climate deal with hope, frustration after last-minute compromise

Climate Action Network Canada warned Canadian politicians they will be held to the deal’s pledges

Britain’s Alok Sharma, President of the COP26, second left, gestures as delegates applaud, flanked by Patricia Espinosa, left, UNFCCC Executive-Secretary, during the closing plenary session at the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit, in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. Environmental groups and politicians in Canada are reacting with a mix of hope, discouragement and determination to news that a last-minute deal had been reached at the United Nations climate change conference. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Alberto Pezzali
People start to gather near the Action Zone inside the venue of the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit in Glasgow, Scotland, Friday, Nov. 12, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Alastair Grant

COP26 to accelerate climate action already underway in Canada, experts say

Climate activists may have to continue to push the government along

People start to gather near the Action Zone inside the venue of the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit in Glasgow, Scotland, Friday, Nov. 12, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Alastair Grant
In this long time exposure photo, trucks and cars roll on a highway in Frankfurt, Germany, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

UN chief laments ‘leadership gap’ ahead of climate talks

Secretary-General told reporters that time is running out to cut greenhouse gas emissions

In this long time exposure photo, trucks and cars roll on a highway in Frankfurt, Germany, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Susannah Goshko. (The Canadian Press)

British envoy seeks Canada’s climate change help at UN talks in Glasgow

Canada has doubled its financial commitments to climate financing and raised its emissions-reductions targets

Susannah Goshko. (The Canadian Press)
Geert Jan Van Oldenborgh, climate scientist and Pearson College graduate in 1980, was recognized as one of Time Magazine’s top 100 influential people of 2021. (Courtesy of Pearson UWC)

Metchosin school alumnus featured in Time’s Top 100 Influential People list

Geert Jan van Oldenborgh, colleagues revolutionize linking climate change to extreme weather

Geert Jan Van Oldenborgh, climate scientist and Pearson College graduate in 1980, was recognized as one of Time Magazine’s top 100 influential people of 2021. (Courtesy of Pearson UWC)
Harvey Weinstein arrives at a Manhattan courthouse for jury deliberations in his rape trial in New York. (AP/Seth Wenig)

Weinstein brought to California to face further rape charges

He could be arraigned on 11 sexual assault counts, including 4 counts of rape

Harvey Weinstein arrives at a Manhattan courthouse for jury deliberations in his rape trial in New York. (AP/Seth Wenig)
Conservative Sen. Claude Carignan leaves the Senate Chamber on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on June 19, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Bill to implement UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples clears Senate

Passage of this bill in the upper chamber means it will soon receive royal assent

Conservative Sen. Claude Carignan leaves the Senate Chamber on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on June 19, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
The former Kamloops Indian Residential School is seen in Kamloops, B.C., on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Ground-penetrating radar has located what are believed to be the unmarked graves of 215 students at the former school. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

U.N. seeks full probe into death of Indigenous students at residential schools

Human rights office wants ‘prompt and exhaustive investigations’ into Canada’s deaths, unmarked graves

The former Kamloops Indian Residential School is seen in Kamloops, B.C., on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Ground-penetrating radar has located what are believed to be the unmarked graves of 215 students at the former school. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Some people said the deaths reflect an urgent need for radical changes to American policing — a need that the Chauvin verdict cannot paper over. For others, the shootings are a tragic reminder of the difficult and dangerous decisions law enforcement face daily. (Black Press Media files)

1 verdict, then 6 police killings across America in 24 hours

At least six people were fatally shot by officers across the United States in the 24 hours after jurors reached a verdict in the murder case against Chauvin Tuesday

Some people said the deaths reflect an urgent need for radical changes to American policing — a need that the Chauvin verdict cannot paper over. For others, the shootings are a tragic reminder of the difficult and dangerous decisions law enforcement face daily. (Black Press Media files)
FILE - In this March 19, 2021, file photo, residents wearing masks ride pass government propaganda with slogans some of which read “Forever follow the Party” and “China’s Ethnicities One Family” in the city of Aksu in western China’s Xinjiang region. A human rights group appealed to the United Nations on Monday, April 19, 2021 to investigate allegations China’s government is committing crimes against humanity in the Xinjiang region. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

Group urges UN to probe China for crimes against humanity

The Chinese government rejects complaints of abuses and says the camps are for job training

FILE - In this March 19, 2021, file photo, residents wearing masks ride pass government propaganda with slogans some of which read “Forever follow the Party” and “China’s Ethnicities One Family” in the city of Aksu in western China’s Xinjiang region. A human rights group appealed to the United Nations on Monday, April 19, 2021 to investigate allegations China’s government is committing crimes against humanity in the Xinjiang region. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)
The U.N. health agency and its partners have found in a new study released Tuesday, March 9, 2021 that nearly one in three women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetimes, calling the results a “horrifying picture” that requires action by government and communities alike. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, file)

UN commission urges equality for women in decision-making

Despite some progress women have a long road to reach equality with men in elections or appointments to decision-making bodies

The U.N. health agency and its partners have found in a new study released Tuesday, March 9, 2021 that nearly one in three women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetimes, calling the results a “horrifying picture” that requires action by government and communities alike. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, file)
UBC professor Sheryl Lightfoot is also the Canada Research Chair of Global Indigenous Rights and Politics. (UBC)

Indigenous UBC professor appointed to prestigious United Nations position

Sheryl Lightfoot named North American member of UN’s Expert Mechanism on Rights of Indigenous Peoples

UBC professor Sheryl Lightfoot is also the Canada Research Chair of Global Indigenous Rights and Politics. (UBC)
The World Happiness Report revealing the world’s happiest countries shows Nordic countries topped the index, with Finland leading for the fourth consecutive year. (Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva via AP)

Happiness Report: World shows resilience in face of COVID-19

Annual U.N. report ranks 149 countries based on GDP per person, life expectancy and citizen opinion

The World Happiness Report revealing the world’s happiest countries shows Nordic countries topped the index, with Finland leading for the fourth consecutive year. (Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva via AP)
A third of the food raised or prepared globally is wasted, which depletes resources, says columnist. (Stock photo)

17% of food production globally wasted: UN report

That amounts to 1.03 billion tons of food going to waste each year

A third of the food raised or prepared globally is wasted, which depletes resources, says columnist. (Stock photo)
A man wearing shorts uses trekking poles as he walks through the snow at Burnaby Mountain Park in Burnaby, B.C., on Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. Canadians are “Angry Birds” when it comes to climate action, indicates a survey the United Nations calls the largest ever taken on the issue. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

UN survey uses Angry Birds to reveal Canadian, global opinions on climate policies

As people played the games, a questionnaire would pop up instead of an ad

A man wearing shorts uses trekking poles as he walks through the snow at Burnaby Mountain Park in Burnaby, B.C., on Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. Canadians are “Angry Birds” when it comes to climate action, indicates a survey the United Nations calls the largest ever taken on the issue. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
United States ambassador to the United Nations, Kelly Craft, right, casts a vote during U.N. elections, Wednesday, June 17, 2020, at U.N. headquarters in New York. Norway and Ireland won contested seats on the powerful U.N. Security Council Wednesday in a series of U.N. elections held under dramatically different voting procedures because of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo via AP)
United States ambassador to the United Nations, Kelly Craft, right, casts a vote during U.N. elections, Wednesday, June 17, 2020, at U.N. headquarters in New York. Norway and Ireland won contested seats on the powerful U.N. Security Council Wednesday in a series of U.N. elections held under dramatically different voting procedures because of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo via AP)