United Nations

The UN Secretary-General is “appalled” by the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as civilians face yet another wave of mass displacement with few safe places to go.

Agricultural land is more than just a resource to produce food – for many older adults around the world, a land deed is the only safety net they have as they enter their old age. As a result, they hold onto it tightly.  

Temperatures across lower South America have plummeted – falling as low as -15° Celsius or 5° Fahrenheit in some places – as a rare polar cold wave grips the region, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported on Thursday. 

The landmark Financing for Development conference in Sevilla has concluded with a renewed sense of resolve and a focus on action that can change lives worldwide, according to UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed.

Civil society organisations have welcomed the consensus reached at the landmark sustainable development conference concluding this Thursday in Sevilla, while cautioning that real progress will depend on sustained action.

A key water reservoir serving Khan Younis in southern Gaza has become inaccessible following new Israeli displacement orders, sparking fears of a collapse in the city’s water distribution network and worsening already dire humanitarian conditions, the United Nations warned on Wednesday.

The UN’s top human rights official on Wednesday expressed grave alarm that six European countries are either in the process of or are considering withdrawing from the international treaty prohibiting anti-personnel mines. 

Space technologies are no longer a distant frontier but a critical foundation for daily life and global development, the UN Deputy Secretary-General said on Wednesday.

Nations taking part in a flagship UN conference have pledged to address the debt crisis in the Global South and boost sustainable development. However, the real test will be whether or not these commitments will be translated into action.

More than 1.3 million people have been displaced in Haiti as surging gang violence, lawlessness, and impunity expose the population – especially women and girls – to heightened risks of exploitation and sexual violence.

A senior UN official has told UN News that the global development challenge is not lack of money, but how to align public and private capital flows. The Sevilla Agreement adopted this week, sets out a roadmap for all UN Member States — except the US which pulled out earlier this month — with the aim of mobilizing that capital.

A new mechanism offering debt-distressed countries a way to coordinate action and amplify their voice in the global financial system, has been launched at the UN’s pivotal sustainable development conference in Sevilla. 

The General Assembly on Monday approved a $5.38 billion budget for UN peacekeeping operations for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, down slightly from the previous year, as delegates wrapped up weeks of negotiations amid warnings about persistent funding challenges.

The United Nations on Tuesday reported that humanitarian operations in Gaza are facing escalating strain, as ongoing fuel shortages, access restrictions and military activity continue to undermine aid delivery and essential services. 

UN humanitarians on Tuesday sounded the alarm over worsening humanitarian conditions in Sudan, as escalating violence continues to displace civilians and the rising risk of severe flooding during the current rainy season. 

A clearer picture of needs across Iran is beginning to emerge after the conflict this month with Israel, which left hundreds dead, several hospitals hit and a spike in Afghan refugees returning home, the UN’s top official in Tehran said on Tuesday.

Conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa in the last two years reportedly killed, maimed, or displaced over 12 million children across the region, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Developing countries currently face a staggering $420 billion annual gap in the funding needed to achieve gender equality, UN Women estimates. This gap means that programmes and services for women and girls are chronically underfunded.  

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) marks 50 years since it entered into force on Tuesday, celebrating five decades of protecting endangered wildlife from overexploitation through international trade.

Spain and Brazil have launched a joint initiative to promote higher tax contributions from the super-rich worldwide, aimed at tackling soaring inequality by ensuring those with the most pay their fair share.