Social media platforms, technology companies, and religious and civil society leaders have a central role in combatting hate speech, “a clear warning sign” of genocide, the United Nations Secretary-General has said. 

The UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) which responds to crises around the world, consistently delivers “principled, coordinated, fast and agile” humanitarian action, the UN chief said on Tuesday, appealing for hundreds of millions of dollars for the year ahead. 

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday, announced the start of a year-long global campaign to help people quit tobacco, with millions citing the threat of COVID-19 as a new incentive to give up the habit.  

As countries plan to roll out COVID-19 vaccines in the coming days, weeks and months, health workers and other at-risk populations should be prioritized for vaccination, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.