"GENERAL ASSEMBLY"

Asked about countries introducing digital biometric database and its relationship to welfare system, Special Rapporteur Philip Alston said, “when governments have this sort of huge power that is represented in a comprehensive biometric national database, we would want some very strong protections.” UNIFEED

General Assembly elects 14 member states to Human Rights Council, appoints new Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services at 17th plenary meeting.

Briefing by Reem Abaza, Spokesperson for the President of the 74th Session of the General Assembly.

Briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

After presenting his annual report to the General Assembly, the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants, Felipe González Morales, said “there is a very worrisome trend of hate speech in many countries around the world” and called on leaders to “refrain from having an inflammatory, xenophobic, discourse,” and instead promote initiatives to prevent this trend from expanding in their societies. UNIFEED

In a message marking the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, UN chief António Guterres said, “ending extreme poverty is at the heart of the world’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and build a sustainable future for all.” UNIFEED

General Assembly pays tribute to Fiftieth Session President Diogo Freitas Do Amaral, praising statesman as pillar of democracy in Portugal at 16th plenary meeting.

Briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Adopting two resolutions, General Assembly endorses political declaration on renewing efforts to realize 2030 Agenda, recognizes observance at 15th plenary meeting.

Nils Melzer, Special Rapporteur on Torture told reporters that he visited Julian Assange at Belmarsh Prison in London on 9 May with two medical experts and have concluded that Assange “has been exposed to psychological torture for a prolonged period of time.” UNIFEED