United Nations

16:38

Climate assistance

EU adds $17m to WFP programme as climate shocks deepen Afghanistan’s food crisis

The European Union has added $17.4 million to its ongoing partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Afghanistan, extending support for climate-resilient livelihoods, school feeding and agribusiness as drought and food insecurity continue to strain rural communities.  

15:41

Child hunger

UNICEF warns 3.7 million Afghan children are acutely malnourished as services shrink

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says 3.7 million children across Afghanistan are suffering from acute wasting, a dangerous form of malnutrition, including around one million with severe acute malnutrition, as hospitals and aid services face rising demand and funding shortages.  

13:27

West Bank

UN condemns Israeli forces' entry into East Jerusalem training centre

The UN has condemned the entry of Israeli forces into a UNRWA training centre in East Jerusalem, warning the move could disrupt vital education for young Palestinians.

08:40

Syria-Israel

Syria condemns Israeli strike near Damascus and calls for UN action

Syria has called for international action after an Israeli drone strike hit a civilian vehicle near Damascus, warning that continued Israeli attacks could deepen instability and put civilians at greater risk.

12:42

Colonialism

Baku hosts conference on Belgium’s colonial legacy and reparations

An international conference in Baku on 21 August is putting Belgium’s colonial record in Africa under renewed scrutiny. Officials, United Nations experts, researchers and human rights advocates are gathering to discuss whether the country has done enough to address the legacy of its rule.

13:01

Humanitarian aid workers

World Humanitarian Day: 907 aid workers attacked in 2025 as violence reached a new high

A record number of humanitarian workers were killed, injured or kidnapped in 2025, with the growing use of armed drones contributing to mounting risks in conflict zones, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

11:00

View from Afghanistan

UN urges sustained Afghanistan engagement five years into Taliban rule

The United Nations has urged sustained international engagement with Afghanistan five years into Taliban rule, warning that restrictions on women and terrorism concerns risk undermining gains from improved security.

07:35

World News

UN report says $50 million hostage ransom boosted al Qaeda-linked militants in West Africa

A ransom payment estimated at $50 million for the release of a hostage held by al Qaeda-linked militants in Mali has significantly strengthened the group's operations across West Africa and provided funding to other branches of the global extremist network, according to a United Nations report.

15:34

Uzbekistan extremism

Uzbekistan eases extremism laws but retains broad online controls

Uzbekistan has eased parts of its extremism legislation following criticism from UN rights experts, while retaining broad state powers over materials and organisations deemed extremist.

17:32

Climate change

Europe faces more frequent, prolonged extreme heat, WMO warns

Europe is facing more frequent and prolonged extreme heat, with climate change making heatwaves increasingly intense and widespread, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned on Tuesday.

16:56

Global food prices

Global food prices rise to highest level since 2023, UN Food Agency says

Global food commodity prices rose in July to their highest level since January 2023, driven by higher cereal, sugar and vegetable oil prices, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

13:50

View from Afghanistan

UN warns soaring fertiliser prices could jeopardise Afghanistan’s 2027 wheat harvest

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned that soaring fertiliser prices could threaten Afghanistan’s 2027 wheat harvest despite favourable growing conditions, appealing for $38.3 million to support farmers before planting.

21:54

View from Afghanistan

More than 100,000 return to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan in two weeks

More than 100,000 people entered Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan between 19 July and 1 August, increasing pressure on communities and humanitarian organisations already struggling with poverty, limited services and funding shortages.

10:43

View from Afghanistan

UN warns crisis in Afghanistan is increasing risk of human trafficking

The United Nations has warned that Afghanistan’s worsening humanitarian and economic crises are leaving more people vulnerable to human trafficking, with returnees, women, children and indebted families facing the greatest risks.

13:35

Refugee policy

Malaysian authorities release more than 100 Rohingya refugees from detention

Malaysian authorities have released more than 100 Rohingya Muslim asylum seekers who were detained earlier this week, with the group being sent to various locations across the country.

19:43

Neocolonialism

French overseas territories dispute widens as activists reject interference claims

The diplomatic dispute over France's overseas territories is widening, with pro-independence leaders in the Caribbean and the Pacific rejecting claims by French lawmakers that Azerbaijan is interfering in France's internal affairs.

18:21

United Nations

U.S. walks out of UN Security Council as France criticises Washington

U.S. diplomats walked out of a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine after accusing France of making "disingenuous grandstanding" by comparing Washington with North Korea, Russia and other authoritarian states.

15:49

UN Israel Syria

UN to submit report on Israeli violations in Syria as al-Sharaa eyes broader peace

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN will submit a detailed report to the Security Council documenting what he described as Israeli violations in Syria. At the same time, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa says he is working towards a security agreement with Israel. 

14:54

Explainer

What does the UN secretary-general do and who could be next?

The United Nations will choose its next secretary-general this summer, with António Guterres set to leave office after two terms. Several candidates have entered the race to become the UN’s 10th chief, but the selection process remains shaped by negotiations among major powers.

10:46

U.S.-Israel relations

Netanyahu says New York mayor is 'fomenting hate' ahead of UN visit

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he intends to travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly this September, dismissing calls from the city's mayor that he should not be welcome.

19:14

Politics

Israeli settlers set fire to West Bank mosques after deadly clashes

Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian villages in the West Bank early on Sunday, setting fire to two mosques and scrawling graffiti on buildings, Palestinian officials said.

15:38

Politics

Guterres makes first visit to Syria by UN chief since 2009

UN Secretary General António Guterres arrived in Damascus on Saturday for the first trip to Syria by a serving United Nations' chief since 2009, before the start of a civil war that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.

22:10

United Nations

UN Secretary-General candidates pledge reforms ahead of key vote

Six candidates vying to become the next United Nations Secretary-General have called for restoring the organisation's credibility, strengthening multilateralism and reforming the UN, during the first public town hall debate ahead of a decisive Security Council vote next week.

14:59

UN Report

Children killed, women at risk as violence escalates in Sudan's Kordofan

Women and girls in Sudan's Al-Obeid face a dire choice between the threat of drone attacks during the day and sexual violence when they go out to fetch water in the besieged city, UN Women reports.