Children suffering devastating impact of Gaza conflict: UN panel –

Speakers highlight, kids perform to create awareness to adopt low-carbon life style –

Colourful N.Y. parade marks American Thanksgiving holiday –

NEW YORK, Nov 22 (APP): A colourful parade, with giant balloons, floats, marching bands and clowns marked the American Thanksgiving holiday that drew thousands of spectators, giving a festive look to a city still coping with the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.Thanksgiving Day, a secular holiday, is a harvest festival celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada, where families gather to celebrate the occasion.Traditionally, it is a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general.The sunny weather quickly surpassed 50 degrees. Some parade-goers had  camped out to get a good spot, staying snug in sleeping bags.

Pakistan calls for promoting equitable geographic representation in UN workforce –

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 22 (APP): Pakistan has called for addressing some deficiencies in the U.N. workforce like the under-representation of developing countries, particularly in senior management posts, in an effort to promote equitable geographic representation. Speaking in a debate on the U.N.’s human resources management in the General Assembly’s Budget Committee, Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Masood Khan said the organization had to go a long way to attain a global character, orientation and composition. “It (U.N.) has to cover some ground urgently to reflect geographic diversity,” he said. Human resources machinery still suffered fundamental deficiencies, including a flawed recruitment and selection system, inadequate strategic and workforce planning, under-representation of a large number of developing countries at professional and senior levels, and the absence of a well-defined accountability framework.

Pakistani-American filmmaker’s work gets recognition at festivals –