UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday unveiled the UN80 Initiative to enhance the organization's efficiency and effectiveness as it approaches its 80th anniversary.
Speaking at a press conference in New York, Guterres stressed the urgency of reforms, citing global challenges and financial struggles. "The United Nations has never been more needed," he said, emphasising its role in peace, development, and human rights.
He acknowledged the UN's ongoing liquidity crisis due to delayed and incomplete payments from member states. To address this, he announced a task force led by Under-Secretary-General Guy Ryder to focus on efficiency, mandate reviews, and structural reforms.
"Budgets at the United Nations are not just numbers on a balance sheet -- they are a matter of life and death for millions around the world," Guterres said, vowing to work with General Assembly President Philemon Yang on reform proposals.
Welcoming proposed Ukraine ceasefire
Guterres welcomed a US-backed 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine as a "positive step" toward peace. Talks in Jeddah, attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and Saudi officials, resulted in Ukraine’s conditional acceptance of the proposal.
US President Donald Trump expressed hope that Russia would agree, with further discussions expected soon.
On trade tensions, Guterres warned against economic conflicts, stating, "When we enter into a trade war, I believe, all will lose."
A Mexican-owned bank branch on the outskirts of Peru’s capital, Lima, was damaged in a powerful explosion on Sunday, authorities said. No injuries w...
The United States has suspended approvals of almost all visitor visas for individuals holding Palestinian passports, The New York Times reports....
A man was arrested after allegedly driving a car onto the grounds of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Woollahra, eastern Sydney....
Ukrainian authorities have arrested a suspect in the fatal shooting of former parliament speaker Andriy Parubiy in Lviv, President Volodymyr Zelensyy ...
Abu Obeida, the spokesman for Hamas's armed wing, has been killed in an aerial attack in Gaza City, according to Israel....
UN chief António Guterres has urged swift global action on AI governance, calling for the immediate creation of an independent scientific panel. Speaking at the 3rd AI Summit in Paris, he stressed the need for a unified approach to AI regulation to ensure it serves humanity’s best interests.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres calls on G20 leaders to tackle global crises, push for peace, reform international systems, and take urgent climate action ahead of the Rio Summit. “Our times demand bold leadership and swift solutions,” he urged.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
Iran has inaugurated a $70 million water diversion initiative aimed at increasing the capital’s water supply.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Sunday in Tianjin ahead of a regional summit, pledging to resolve long-standing border disputes and strengthen bilateral cooperation.
A Liberia-flagged Israeli-owned tanker reported a nearby explosion from an unidentified projectile while sailing close to Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on Sunday.
A Mexican-owned bank branch on the outskirts of Peru’s capital, Lima, was damaged in a powerful explosion on Sunday, authorities said. No injuries were reported.
The United States has suspended approvals of almost all visitor visas for individuals holding Palestinian passports, The New York Times reports.
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