are at the united nations general assembly kicks off a 2 day virtual meeting on the coronavirus pandemic today comes as the virus continues to spread across the globe more than 16000000 cases have been recorded so far with more than 1500000 deaths from cove in 1000 north and south america as well as europe have seen a massive resurgence in recent weeks in asia india has fought is has fared far worse than its neighbors the un conference is meant to address the negative effects of the pandemic on jobs economics and global trade and travel. let's turn now to professor calypso which alkie do is she is the director of the global health policy at the center for global development a very warm welcome professor good to have you here with us now it's a very delicate balancing act for policymakers around the world i mean how should they balance economic losses a covert fatigue that is setting in among the general public and the still rising a number of infections. as you say it's a very difficult balance i don't think there's a as straightforward answer but i think what is important is to continue

as the secretary general of the united nations giving remarks said to the general assembly in a special session in response to the call that 19 pandemic the message from the secretary general there seems to be more needs to be done let's bring in james bass our diplomatic editor in new york james a special session of the u.n. sick of the general assembly sorry what c.m. what are they trying to achieve. well this is something that the president of the general assembly organized he has admitted that this should have happened many months ago and is an example of the world not working as one to try and deal with a pandemic the fact it's taken so long and that is the aim of the session is to try and get everyone talking together and get it get them working together but it's very clear from what for the secretary general was a very strong speech that antonio good terrorist does not believe that is happening and he had strong criticism there saying that the efforts so far to help the developing nations are totally insufficient for the scale of the crisis and he called out that powerful group o

this is deed of lean years of live from berlin a moment of reckoning at the united nations general assembly world leaders convene for a special session focusing on the coronavirus of endemic as a global death toll surges above one and a half 1000000 think collectively calvi a path out of the pandemic also coming up. germany's public health agency warns the country is still far from containing the 2nd wave of corona virus infections this week's daily death tolls are the highest since the start of a pandemic. i'm told me a lot of boy it's good to have you with us covered 19 and the road to recovery that's the focus of a special session of the u.n. general assembly almost $100.00 world leaders are taking part of a 2 day meeting coincides with the release of a u.n. study that shows that more than 1000000000 people could be living in extreme poverty by 2032 to the long term effects of the coronavirus. german chancellor angela merkel addressed the assembly via video link she stressed the need for global cooperation to ensure equal but equal access to vaccines around the world through the need we

security council are the decisions of the united nations and that is what the united nations is about is the decisions of the security council and all the general assembly you signed their outlook on the board on the rules it events are very scary and since inside inside the united nations there are many organisations which are actually secretariat's and western clubs close clubs composed of mostly western diplomats human rights activists and so on and so forth you have a representative on the numerous again and or no other myanmar is out of mind all reports on this can you know we have this same reports on almost every country. we can present them you know and producing those reports is a profession for many many people really abductions utterly to tell us on the real it is a real it is torture ill treatment extradition feeling well you know i don't know months of many cases or for this appearance of people in ukraine for example russia itself soon as it was ability to rebel crimea for these things going on in crimea is that where the russian absolutely russia is absolutely responsible for the crime ear there is law and order there and there are no lot

this is news to live from berlin a moment of reckoning of the united nations general assembly world leaders convene for a special session focusing on the coronavirus pandemic as the global death toll surges above one and a half 1000000 but can be collectively caught up passed out of the pandemic also coming up. germany's public health agency warns the country is still far from containing the 2nd wave of corona virus infections this week's de de death tolls are the highest since the start of the pandemic. i'm told me a lot of boy it's good to have you with us covert 19 on the road to recovery that's the focus of a special session of the u.n. general assembly almost $100.00 world leaders are taking part in a 2 day meeting coincides with the release of a u.n. study that shows that more than 1000000000 people could be living in extreme poverty by 2030 due to the long term effects of the coronavirus coming a german chancellor angela merkel addressed the assembly via video link and she stressed the need for global cooperation to ensure equal access to vaccines around the world through lack of nee

this is news to live from berlin a moment of reckoning of the united nations general assembly world leaders convene for a special session focusing on the coronavirus pandemic as the global death toll surges above one and a half 1000000 but can be collectively call out of the pandemic also coming up. germany's public health agency was the country is still far from containing the 2nd wave of corona virus infections this week's day in day death tolls on.

the united nations general assembly kicks off a 2 day virtual meeting on the coronavirus pandemic today although it comes as the virus continues to spread across the globe more than 16000000 cases have been recorded so far with more than 1500000 deaths from covert 19 north and south america as well as europe have seen a massive resurgence in recent weeks in asia india as far as fared far worse than its neighbors the u.n. conference is meant to address the negative effects of the pen demick on jobs economics and global trade and travel. let's turn now to professor calypso a choky do is she is the director of the global health policy at the center for global development a very warm welcome professor good to have you here with us now it's a very delicate balancing act for policymakers around the world i mean how should they balance economic losses a covert fatigue that is setting in among the general public and the still rising a number of infections. as you say it's a very difficult balance i don't think there's a as straightforward answer but i think what is important is to continue the

this is a deed of news live from berlin and a moment of reckoning at the united nations general assembly world leaders convened for a special session focusing on the coronavirus pandemic as the global death toll surges above one and a half 1000000 they collectively carved a path out of the pandemic also coming up germany's public health agency was the country still far from containing the 2nd wave of corona virus infections this week's dead daily death tolls are the highest since the start and ever. i'm told me a lot of boy it's good to have you with us covert 19 and the road to recovery that's the focus of a special session of the un general assembly almost 100 of world leaders are taking part out of today's summit coincides with the release of a u.n. study that shows that more than 1000000000 people could be living in extreme poverty by 2030 due to the long term effects of the corona virus. a german chancellor angela merkel addressed the assembly via video link and she stressed the need for global cooperation to ensure equal access to vaccines around the world through the need we must

the coronavirus pandemic will the world pass or fail this test for multilateralism the united nations general assembly is meeting in a 2 day session to discuss the international response since the 1st outbreak my next guest sees serious wrists ahead if and every country for itself attitude determines how the coronavirus vaccines are distributed thomas boy he is director of the global health program at the council on foreign relations he joins me tonight from washington d.c. mr boykins good to have you on the day we have been in this pandemic almost a year now what grade would you give multi-lateralism and public health. so for the most part i think the best grade you could give multilateralism is. a c. minus there is one area where countries have cooperate and that's around the science to one aspect of the global response and has worked well within 10 days of the publication of the genetic sequence. we had at trials candidate identified to me during a back scene it was within in trials just $66.00 days later and we have the vaccines that look close to approval in the european union and the us less tha

this is deed of lean years live from berlin a moment of reckoning at the united nations general assemblyworld leaders convene for a special session focusing on the coronavirus endemic as a global death toll surges above one and a half 1000000 think collectively caused a passed out of the pandemic also coming up. gemini's public health agency warns the country is still far from containing the 2nd wave of corona virus infections this week's daily death toll.

the coronavirus pandemic will the world pass or fail this test for multilateralism the united nations general assembly is meeting in a 2 day session to discuss the international response since the 1st outbreak my next guest sees serious wrists ahead if and every country for itself attitude determines how the coronavirus vaccines are distributed thomas boy he is director of the global health program at the council on foreign relations he joins me tonight from washington d.c. mr boyd it's good to have you on the day we have been in this pandemic almost a year now what grade would you give multi-lateralism and public health. so for the most part i think the best grade you could give multilateralism is. a c. minus there is one area where countries have cooperate and that's around the science to one aspect of the global response of has worked well within 10 days of the publication of the genetic sequence. we had at trials candidate identified to me during the vaccine it was within in trials just $66.00 states later and we have vaccines that look close to a group in the european union and the us less than a

270000000 people may starve world food program chief david beasley sounded the alarm at a united nations general assembly meeting friday about the reemergence of the virus pandemic and resulting humanitarian crisis reported r t news beasley said a humanitarian catastrophe is the vela ping with some $270000000.00 people on the pathway towards starvation quote 2021 is literally going to be catastrophic based on what we're seeing at this stage in the game because we've spent 19 trillion dollars that money may not and will not most likely be available for 2021 he's pointing out that. basically the shutdown and the supply chains in particular and the lack of attention essentially and the shutdown in so many economies and the ability to travel except for those of the right honorable grant shapps friends of his the military to travel is going to cost starvation for the world food program's you know countries in africa pakistan afghanistan like programs that help expectant mothers you know impoverished people giving them food like a lot of those are being hit hard. from an absence of donations also you know the

the coronavirus pandemic will the world pass or fail this test for multilateralism the united nations general assembly is meeting in a 2 day session to discuss the international response since the 1st outbreak my next guest sees serious wrists ahead if and every country for itself attitude determines how the coronavirus vaccines are distributed thomas boy he is director of the global health program at the council on foreign relations he joins me tonight from washington d.c. destroy it's good to have you on the day we have been in this pandemic almost a year now what grade would you give multi-lateralism and public health. so for the most part i think the best grade you could give multilateralism is is. a c. minus there is one area where countries have cooperate and that's around the science to one aspect of the global response and has worked well within 10 days of the publication of the genetic sequence. we had at trials candidate identified to me during the vaccine it was within in trials just $66.00 days later and we have vaccines that look close to approval in the european union and the us less tha

the coronavirus pandemic will the world pass or fail this test for multilateralism the united nations general assembly is meeting in a 2 day session to discuss the international response since the 1st outbreak my next guest sees serious risks ahead if and every country for itself attitude determines how the coronavirus vaccines are distributed thomas boy he is director of the global health program at the council on foreign relations he joins me tonight from washington d.c. mr boyd it's good to have you on the day we have been in this pandemic almost a year now what grade would you give multi-lateralism and public health. so for the most part i think the best grade you could give multilateralism is. a c. minus there is one area where countries have cooperate and that's around the science to one aspect of the global response and has worked well within 10 days of the publication of the genetic sequence. we had at trials candidate identified to me during a vaccine it was within in trials just $66.00 states later and we have a vaccine stent look close to approval in the european union and the us less than

security council are the decisions of the united nations and that is what the united nations is about is the decisions of the security council and all the general assembly you sign or i would talk on the record on group as it events a very scary end since our inside inside the united nations there are many organisations which are actually secretariat's and western clubs close clubs composed of mostly western diplomats human rights activists and so on and so forth you have no representative on the numerous and you can torture no other myanmar is out of mind all reports on this can you know we have this same reports on almost every country. we can present them you know and producing those reports is a profession for many many people are only abductions are treated tell us on the real it is a real it is torture ill treatment. well you know i don't know of many diseases or for the disappearance of people in ukraine for example russia itself no use of ability to rebel crimea for these things going on in crimea is not what the iranian absolutely russia is absolutely responsible for the crime ear there is law and order there and there are no lot of warnings to

in 1966, as west africa was being decolonized, the united nations general assembly agreed -- this is 1966 -- agreed that sahara deserves a referendum of self-determination for itswn future. the united states has supported this policy for decades and has worked to accomplish the referendum of self-determination. until today, this administration has continued our long history, one that has remained consistent across administrations, democrat and republican. we're not alone in this position. the african union, the united nations, the international court of justice, the european union have all agreed the sahari people have the right to decide what their own future is going to be. the president has been poorly advised by his team. he could have made this deal without trading away the rights of the -- of voiceless people. during my most recent visit to the sahari refugee camps, i have visited with children that lived there. they were joyous, happy, ordinary children who didn't know yet that they were part of a frozen, forgotten conflict where their hopes and freedoms were dying a cruel dea

security council are the decisions of the united nations and that is what the united nations is about is the decisions of the security council and all the general assembly you sign their outlook on the boat on group isn't to fancy very very ends inside inside inside the united nations there are many organisations which are actually secretariat's and western clubs close clubs composed of mostly western diplomats human rights activists and so on and so forth you have a representative on the numerous again on torture you know the number is out of my hands all reports on this can you know we have this same reports on almost every country. we can present them you know and producing those reports is a profession for many many people here lee abductions are going to tell you that on the real it is a real it is torture ill treatment extradition feeling well you know i don't know months amenities are for the disappearance of people in ukraine for example russia itself no use of ability to rebel crimea for these things going on in crimea is that what you already mean absolutely russia is absolutely responsible for the crime ear there is law and order there and th

security council are the decisions of the united nations and that is what the united nations is about is the decisions of the security council and all the general assembly you signed or i would talk on the record on the rules it events a very very ends inside inside inside the united nations there are many organisations which are actually secretariat and western clubs close clubs composed of mostly western diplomats human rights activists and so on and so forth you have a representative on the norm or is a good man or no other myanmar is out of mind is all reports on this can you know we have this same reports on almost every country. we can present them you know and producing those reports is a profession for many many people are only abductions are treated tell us on the real it is a real it is torture ill treatment. well you know i don't know month amenities are for this appearance of people in ukraine for example russia itself soon as it was ability to rebel crimea for these things going on in crimea is that what all running i mean absolutely russia is absolutely responsible for the crime ear there is law and order there and there are no lot of warn

security council are the decisions of the united nations and that is what the united nations is about is the decisions of the security council and all the general assembly you signed their outlook on the board on group as it events are very scary and since inside inside the united nations there are many organisations which are actually secretariat's and western clubs close clubs composed of mostly western diplomats human rights activists and so on and so forth you have a representative on the numerous and your man who know the number is out of mind all reports on this can you know we have this same reports on almost every country . we can present them you know and producing those reports is a profession for many many people here lee abductions are going to tell you the only real it is a real it is torture ill treatment extradition feeling well you know i don't want amenities or for this appearance of people in ukraine for example russia itself to listen was ability to rebel crimea for these things going on in crimea is not what all running really absolutely russia is absolutely responsible for the crime ear there is law and order there and there are no

she has already won her 1st victory at the united nations in 2010 when the general assembly voted in favor of a resolution that recognized access to water as a universal right. it must be declared a public resource that belongs equally i was in the united nations up in the balcony the day that they voted and i thought we were going to lose i had staff with me they were trying we don't worry we're going to be back in 2 years or 5 years don't matter how long it takes we're going to be back and we'll do it and when they vote they vote they sit in their chairs and they vote alectryon ecclesia you know right away so boom 122 countries voted in favor and 41 but they abstained they didn't have the nerve to oppose even though they actually wanted to oppose. among the nations that are staying that they were australia united states and great britain countries that have all chosen to turn water into a financial product. the human family took an evolutionary step forward at that point and since then every country has ratified it in one way or another it's it's now universal so you've got it now y

emissions by 2050 to carbon neutrality, japan and korea are doing it, china and the general assembly of the united nationso emissions before 26, now we have an american administration committed to net zero and all of this presents 65% of admissions and i think it is time, to have an honest dialogue with countries like india and russia and indonesia, with brazil and all the others and create a momentum for a global coalition to net zero. that has indeed started and particularly impressive among younger people, after all, it is their world. the teenagers today were really going to have to face the consequences of what we do now. such passion there, he is 93, can you believe that real call to action. let's go back now to the young activists were just hearing about. 19—year—old from india's capital of delhi. since being diagnosed with bronchitis, he is been fighting air pollution in the city. the air quality did improve during the lockdown, but not the restrictions of ease, it is backed up to dangerous levels. here to tell is what it is like. when the air quality is really bad, we can actually smell the smoke

the united nations has held a special session of the general assembly to discuss the coronavirus pricesecretary general has called for a unified response but he also hit out at other countries. >> for the first time since 1945, the entire world is confronted by a common threat regardless of nationality. the world health organization provided factual information and scientific guidance that should have been the basis for a coordinated global response. unfortunately, many of these recommendations were not followed. and in some situations, there was a rejection of facts and -- when countries go in their own direction, the virus goes in every direction. >> iran has passed one million confirmed cases. covid-19 has killed nearly 50,000 people there. health minister says the actual number of deaths is actually probably much higher. iran introduced tougher restrictions to combat a third wave of infections. the discrepancy in the fatality rate. >> many people were not tested and some people died before a covid test could be carried out. figures are coming down slowly since the country introduced

security council are the decisions of the united nations and that is what the united nations is about is the decisions of the security council and all the general assembly you sign their outlook on the not on the rules it events are very scary and since our inside inside the united nations there are many organisations which are actually secretariat's and western clubs close clubs composed of mostly western diplomats human rights activists and so on and so forth you have no representative on the your disagreement or no other myanmar is out of mind all reports on this commune are we have this same reports on almost every country. we can present them you know and producing those reports is a profession for many many people really abductions are altered to tell us on the real it is a real it is torture ill treatment extrajudicial killings well you iowans amenities are for the disappearance of people in ukraine for example russia itself 30 years of ability to rebel crimea for these things going on in crimea is that when you run into an absolutely russia is absolutely responsible for the crime ear there is law and order there and there are no lot of warnings

the united nations is holding a special session of the general assembly to discuss the coronavirus crisis the secretary general has accused wealthier countries for not doing enough to help developing nations for the 1st time since 145 and world is confronted by a common student you got us of a nationality a new cd or face the world also going to ization provided factual information and scientific guidance that should have been the basie's for a quarter the navy global response and fortunately many of these recommendations were not followed and in some situations there was a rejection of facts and and a lot of those of the united nations and when countries go in there don't die in action dividers goes in everyone action america's top of disease expert anthony found she has apologized for criticizing britain's rapid approval of the pfizer biotech vaccine it followed criticism from e.u. regulations about the u.k.'s approach charlotte dallas has more. hope is housed in a belgian factory where millions of doses of the vaccine developed by german scientists from biotech and the u.s. pharmaceuti

they were able to purchase medicines to deal with covert patients the united nations has held a special session of the general assembly to discuss the coronavirus crisis the u.n. secretary general has called for a unified response but also his house that wealthier countries for not doing enough to help developing nations. for the 1st time since 945 entire world is confronted by a common threat regardless of nationality at the city of face the world us organization provided factual information and scientific guidance that should have been the basis for a court of the native global response and fortunately many of these recommendations were not followed and in some situations there was a rejection affects and and ignore those of the ivans. and when countries go in their own direction divided in action. aid workers say thousands of refugees a big stick to moving to a remote on and off bangladesh which the u.n. wants is prone to storms and flooding buses carrying hundreds of people left camps in cox's bazaar on thursday found the island. nearly 1000000 have been living in squalid camps in southeast bangladesh after things

the united nations has held a special session of the general assembly to discuss the coronavirus crisisthe u.n. secretary general has called for a unified response but he also hit out at wealthier countries for not doing enough to help developing nations for the 1st time she's 145 entire world is confronted by a common student regardless of nationality a new city or face the world us organization provided factual information and scientific guidance that should have been the basis for equality in a few global response unfortunately many of these recommendations were not followed and in some situations there was a rejection affects. and ignore those of the right. and when companies go in their own direction divided in everybody action. iran has now passed 1000000 confirmed cases covered 19 has now killed nearly 50000 people there but the health minister says the actual number of deaths is probably much higher iran introduced tougher restrictions to counter a 3rd wave of infections which included closing non-essential businesses said big as in iran he explains the discrepancy in the fatali

than $64000000.00 confirmed cases nearly $1500000.00 deaths the united nations is currently holding a special session of the general assembly on coronavirus diplomatic editor james bays is at the u.n. in new york and james that session is still ongoing but we understand the secretary general has addressed the meeting what did he have to say. well secretary general was the 1st to address the meeting one of only a couple of speakers who were actually in the room at the general assembly because of covert 19 most the leaders have submitted their speeches recorded speeches they're being played out from all of them for the secretary general he's normally very very diplomatic very careful with his language but this was a tough speech because he believes that the countries that are the richest that can help the most are not doing enough to help the poor countries on the earth deal with covert 19 extended lifesaving assistance to 6 the city of the most vulnerable companies so our global humanitarian response plan from the start we have called what a stimulus package was at least 10 percent of global g.d.p. and for depth relief for a

64000000 confirmed cases worldwide and nearly 1500000 deaths the united nations is currently holding a special session of the general assembly to discuss that very crisis the u.n. secretary general is calling for unity but he also hates how it is that wealthier countries for not doing enough to help developing nations every extended lifesaving assistance to 6 the city of the most vulnerable companies small global humanitarian response plan from the start we have called for a stimulus package was at least 10 percent of global g.d.p. and for that relief for all countries that needed i welcome the steps that have been taken to help developing countries but they are totally insufficient for the scale of this crisis. many low and middle income developing countries need immediate support to avert the liquidity crisis they are being forced to choose between providing basic services for their people also receiving bams facebook has announced it will start removing posts that have false claims about coronavirus vaccines it says misinformation poses a risk of imminent harm to those posts will be taken social media company will label a

and a half 1000000 people have died from the fire as well the united nations is currently holding a special session of the general assembly on covert 19 in his opening statements the secretary general antonio caetera she emphasized again that governments must be united in their response to the pandemic for the 1st time since $145.00 entire world is confronted by a common threat regarded less of a nationality at the city or face the world us organization provided factual information and scientific guidance that should have been the basis for equality in a few global response unfortunately many of these recommendations were not followed and in some situations there was a rejection affects. and ignore those of the united nations and when countries go in their own direction the violence goes in every direction where diplomats get said james bases at the united nations he says the tone of the speech was a noticeable departure from are terrorists. the secretary general who is known as job to be very diplomatic was not very diplomatic in that speech calling out some of the richest nations on earth saying that the the help for de

united nations supremacy. that means submission to whatever is decided, whatever the majority in the general assembly believes. call me a literallyist, if you will, but when i hear the word multilateralism, i think of a many sided foreign policy, or working with a variety of other countries. as soon as one sees multilateralism in that way, one should be able to see more clearly that the trump administration and the state department under secretary pompeo has been vigorously multilateralists. not exclusively, but vigorously multilateralists. not least in its china policy. what should be seen at the center of that first? first, where we began. i believe the trump administration and secretary pompeo, i think, played a vital role in this matter, reoriented policy around typical china challenge. he has embraced dissidents, called attention to the outrageous abuses of human rights in china, we have prosecuted the -- the united states has prosecuted espionage and the stealing of trade secrets by china. we have taken tough stances in the south china sea and taiwan straits and international waters and, by the way, very

general assembly which is under way. james space there live for us at the united nations in new york thank you very much in deed well let's take a look at some of the countries we're following the cyrus coronavirus cases continue to climb iran has now passed 1000000 confirmed cases covered 19 a snow killed nearly 50000 people there but the health minister says the actual number of deaths is probably much higher for the run introduced tougher restrictions to counter a 3rd wave of infections which included causing nor essential businesses in russia they've reported more than $28000.00 new infections on thursday that's the highest increase yet its 2nd largest city of st petersburg has already announced restrictions around the new year holiday indonesia's also seeing a record daily rise in cases reporting more than 8300 on thursday though it has the highest number of infections and deaths in southeast asia several officials there have recently tested positive for the corona virus over its year low in hungary has just recorded 180 deaths its highest daily death toll a partial lockdown was introduced 3 weeks ago a curfew in for

first of all, in 1966, the united nations general assembly resolution agreed a resolution of self-determination should be held, and that is to allow the united nations endorsing the idea that a resolution of self-determination be made for the -- for the population of western sahara. that was 1966. we are in full agreement with that here in the united states. then because of the fact that morocco was trying to claim some ownership of the land that belonged to the people of western sahara in 1975, the international court of justice denied morocco the right to territory of western sahara. now, this is -- this is the international court of justice. that's supposed to be a final thing. and morocco then invaded western a. -- western sahara. keep in mind you have morocco, a very, very wealthy country with all kinds of resources, with people who have been sent out of their homes and out and living -- i have been there several times. the conditions are just not livable conditions. and then of course they were invaded by morocco. as a result of the international court of justice decision. well, that -- i