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 United States is pushing to establish a formal deconfliction mechanism between Israel, Türkiye and Syr...
U.S. President Donald Trump has paused a planned 50 per cent tariff increase on Canadian goods for three days, saying Washington and Ottawa had rea...
A Syrian court on Tuesday sentenced Wassim al-Assad, a cousin of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, to death for crimes against humanity and war cri...
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington is not seeking an extension of its memorandum of understanding with Iran, claiming the U.S. already controls the Strait of Hormuz through its naval blockade.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Ukraine has targeted at least 20 Wildberries warehouses across Russia since 18 July, disrupting a major logistics network. Kyiv says the strikes aim to disrupt alleged military-linked supplies, while the attacks have caused billions of dollars in losses and wider economic pressure.
South Korea's presidential Blue House said on Monday it was reviewing U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on scaling back joint military drills. It added that it hoped a favourable relationship between Washington and Pyongyang could lead to meaningful talks.
Azerbaijan exported goods worth $17.372 million to Armenia between January and July 2026, according to data from the State Customs Committee, as commercial ties between the two South Caucasus neighbours showed signs of expansion.
The United States is pushing to establish a formal deconfliction mechanism between Israel, Türkiye and Syria after Israeli airstrikes on a Syrian airbase raised concerns about the risk of a wider regional confrontation.
U.S. President Donald Trump has paused a planned 50 per cent tariff increase on Canadian goods for three days, saying Washington and Ottawa had reached a preliminary agreement.
A federal judge has allowed the Trump administration to move forward with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Ethiopian nationals living in the United States, removing one of the last major legal obstacles to a broader effort to roll back humanitarian immigration protections.
With governments focused on conflicts in the Gulf and Ukraine, China is pressing ahead with a more assertive military and strategic posture across the Pacific, particularly around its immediate neighbourhood.
Britain will continue to support Ukraine “100 per cent” against Russia’s invasion, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Tuesday, after Moscow warned London of consequences over reports that British-made drones had been used in strikes on Russian territory.
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