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."
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it launched fresh strikes on Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping, triggering Iranian attacks on Kuw...
The South Caucasus is increasingly being viewed not only through the lens of past conflicts but also as a strategic bridge linking Europe, the Caspian...
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gifted each NATO leader a revolver engraved with their name, along with ammunition at the alliance’s summit ...
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appealed to member states to urgently help plug a $100 million funding gap facing the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, warning it is close to "breaking point" after months of deep spending cuts.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday strongly condemned Russia’s recent missile and drone strikes on Ukraine. Kyiv reported that the attacks killed at least 25 people and injured 73 others.
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.
The U.S. says it has launched strikes on Iran after alleged attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington described the action as a response to threats against civilian shipping and a breach of the ceasefire.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran to end the conflict was "over", adding he did not want to engage with Tehran, calling the Iranian leadership "sick people".
NATO leaders are unveiling multi-billion-dollar arms deals in Ankara as President Donald Trump joins the summit, highlighting Europe's increased defence spending amid tensions over Russia and Iran, and following years of U.S. criticism of the alliance.
Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO, has described fresh U.S. strikes on Iran as "absolutely necessary," in remarks at the start of the second day of the alliance's sumit in the Turkish capital Ankara.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 8th of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
China's technology sector is producing billion-dollar startups at its fastest pace in nearly five years, with artificial intelligence and robotics driving a new wave of investment that is reshaping the country's innovation economy.
Western Europe experienced its hottest June since records began in 2026, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). The record-breaking month brought extreme heat, widespread disruption and thousands of excess deaths across parts of the continent.
South Korea's Supreme Court has upheld former President Yoon Suk Yeol's seven-year prison sentence in a case linked to his 2024 attempt to impose martial law.
Germany has reached an agreement with the U.S. to purchase Tomahawk cruise missiles and deploy them on German territory, Chancellor Friedrich Merz told lawmakers in Berlin on Thursday.
Australia and India have finalised an agreement allowing Australian uranium exports for India's nuclear energy sector, expanding cooperation on clean energy, critical minerals and infrastructure as the two countries strengthen their strategic and economic partnership.
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