14:36

View from Afghanistan

Taliban official tells UN Pakistan airstrikes on Afghanistan targeted civilians

The Taliban's Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, has accused Pakistan of deliberately targeting civilians in recent airstrikes on Afghanistan, telling a senior United Nations official the attacks did not hit armed groups, as the UN confirmed more than a dozen members of one family were killed.

00:46

Politics

U.N. chief: Ukraine war ‘a stain on our collective conscience’ and urges unconditional ceasefire

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has called for an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, describing the conflict as “a stain on our collective conscience”.

12:14

Debt

UN: US has paid $160 million towards its $4 billion debt

The United States has paid about $160 million of the more than $4 billion it owes to the United Nations, a UN spokesperson said on Thursday. The payment came as U.S. President Donald Trump hosted the first meeting of his 'Board of Peace' initiative, which experts say could undermine the UN.

15:57

Board of Peace

'War in Gaza is over,' says U.S. President Trump as Board of Peace unveils reconstruction plans

The Board of Peace will be "looking over the United Nations," said U.S. President Donald Trump at the inaugural Washington meeting, where representatives from over 20 countries gathered to unveil plans for Gaza’s reconstruction and coordinate international support.

10:44

Board of Peace

Is the Board of Peace a long-term solution for global security?

The Board of Peace is entering uncharted territory, with questions over its ability to manage Gaza reconstruction, its potential to rival the United Nations, and its impact on strategic allies in the Middle East and South Caucasus.

03:30

Gaza reconstruction

UNDP chief: Gaza rubble removal may take 7 years

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has warned that clearing the vast of rubble in Gaza could take up to seven years at the current pace, as the overwhelming majority of residents continue to live in what it describes as extremely dangerous conditions.

20:16

Nuclear Talks

Iran ‘fully prepared to defend itself,' says Iranian FM Araghchi at UN Disarmament Conference

Tehran’s right to develop and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes is “inherent, inalienable, and non‑negotiable,” Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, told the high-level segment of the United Nations Conference on Disarmament in Geneva on Tuesday (17 February).

18:51

West Bank

Türkiye condemns Israel's West Bank land move as illegal under international law

Ankara has condemned an Israeli plan to register large areas of the occupied West Bank as state property, a move widely criticised internationally and described by the UN and the International Court of Justice as inconsistent with international law governing occupied territories.

08:07

Board of Peace

Israel joins Trump’s 'Board of Peace' initiative

Israel has joined U.S. President Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace' initiative, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday (11 February) during his visit to Washington where he met Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

22:30

UN-Türkiye

Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan discusses global issues with UN chief over phone

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a phone conversation with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday, diplomatic sources said.

12:26

UN funding

UN at risk of 'imminent financial collapse' due to U.S. debt, warns Secretary-General Guterres

The United Nations faces the risk of “imminent financial collapse” because of unpaid contributions, including substantial arrears from the United States, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned.

14:58

AZERBAIJAN-AFGHANISTAN

Afghanistan seeks Azerbaijan’s support for COP31 participation

Afghanistan is seeking Azerbaijan’s support to help secure its official participation in the upcoming United Nations COP31 global climate change conference, scheduled to be held in Türkiye, as Kabul looks to strengthen its engagement on climate diplomacy and technical cooperation.

22:00

Gaza ceasefire

Palestine’s UN envoy says Gaza ceasefire depends on full Israeli withdrawal

Palestine’s ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, has said the permanence and success of the Gaza ceasefire depend on a full Israeli withdrawal from the territory and an end to efforts to dictate Gaza’s future.

16:15

Women's Rights

UN says restoring Afghan women’s rights is 'essential' after Kabul visit

The United Nations has renewed calls for the immediate lifting of restrictions on Afghan women’s access to education, work and public life, after a three-day visit to Kabul by its senior political affairs official.

10:01

Iran protests

Iran arrests 150 alleged protest organisers in Yazd

Tasnim News Agency says more than 150 people identified by Iranian authorities as organisers and key actors in recent unrest in Yazd have been arrested.

09:03

Rebuilding Gaza

Coastal skyscrapers and a new airport: U.S. unveils 'New Gaza' rebuild plan

Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s senior adviser, unveiled plans for a “New Gaza” on 23 January in Davos. The initiative to rebuild the war‑torn territory with residential, industrial, and tourism zones accompanies the launch of Trump’s Board of Peace to end the Israel-Hamas war.

02:30

Syrian government

UN agencies take responsibility for IS camps in Syria after Kurdish retreat

United Nations agencies have taken over the management of vast detention camps in northeastern Syria housing tens of thousands of people associated with Islamic State (IS), after Kurdish-led forces guarding the sites withdrew amid clashes with Syrian government troops.

05:58

Water crisis

World enters era of ‘global water bankruptcy’, UN scientists warn

The world has already entered an era of global water bankruptcy, with irreversible damage to rivers, aquifers, lakes and glaciers pushing billions of people into long-term water insecurity, according to a major United Nations report released on Tuesday.

18:22

Afghanistan emergency

'Humanitarian crisis' in Afghanistan as hunger, cold and displacement plague millions

Afghanistan is confronting an escalating humanitarian emergency as freezing winter conditions, widespread food insecurity and sharp reductions in international aid leave millions struggling to survive, aid agencies have warned.

13:50

Middle East

Israeli forces begin bulldozing UNRWA offices in east Jerusalem

The United Nations says Israeli crews have begun bulldozing the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) headquarters in east Jerusalem. The move comes amid increasing crackdowns on humanitarian groups.

11:43

Gaza Board of Peace

China says it received invitation to join 'Board of Peace' on Gaza

China said on Tuesday that the United States has invited Beijing to take part in President Donald Trump’s proposed 'Board of Peace' initiative on Gaza.

10:37

Morning Brief

AnewZ Morning Brief - 17 January, 2026

Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 17th of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.

04:00

Election

UN urges Uganda to lift internet blackout ahead of election

The United Nations has called on Uganda to lift a nationwide internet blackout ahead of Thursday’s general election, describing the restrictions as “deeply worrying.”

15:20

Gaza Strip

UNICEF: Six children die from extreme cold in Gaza

Six Palestinian children have died from hypothermia in Gaza this winter, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday (13 January). The agency warned that more than 100 children have been killed since a ceasefire took effect in early October, 2025.