EU launches biometric entry system for non-EU travellers
From Sunday, all non-EU citizens, including British visitors, will face new biometric checks when entering and exiting the EU under its long-delayed E...
As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary, it seeks efficiency improvements and budget cuts amid ongoing financial constraints.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced a renewed push to improve efficiency and reduce costs as the organization faces financial strains. He emphasized that the effort is unrelated to the U.S. government’s Department of Government Efficiency under President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
“We are talking about completely different processes, methodologies, and objectives. This is a continuation and intensification of ongoing work,” Guterres said.
Financial Struggles and Reform Plans
The UN has faced a liquidity crisis for seven years due to delayed or incomplete payments from member states. The 2025 budget is $3.7 billion, but the U.S. owes $1.5 billion, and China now pays its dues later in the year. Only 75 out of 193 member states have fully paid their obligations.
To address the issue, Guterres formed the UN80 task force, led by Under-Secretary-General Guy Ryder, to focus on three key areas:
Efficiency Improvements – Identifying ways to optimize resources and streamline operations.
Mandate Review – Evaluating how well the UN is implementing directives from member states.
Structural Adjustments – Assessing potential long-term changes to improve effectiveness.
Global Uncertainty and UN's Role
Guterres acknowledged that financial challenges come amid growing global instability. He stressed that ensuring financial stability is crucial for the UN’s mission.
“The United Nations has never been more needed. Our values remain relevant, and the challenges are greater than ever,” he said.
The 80th anniversary serves as a moment for the UN to reassess its structure and financial sustainability while continuing its global efforts.
Video from the USGS (United States Geological Survey) showed on Friday (19 September) the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupting and spewing lava.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
Authorities in California have identified the dismembered body discovered in a Tesla registered to singer D4vd as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who had been missing from Lake Elsinore since April 2024.
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on 13 September with no tsunami threat, coming just weeks after the region endured a devastating 8.8-magnitude quake — the strongest since 1952.
Russia’s central bank has ruled the state violated minority shareholders’ rights in seized assets, signaling rare pushback against nationalisation.
A newly elected German mayor survived multiple stab wounds in a shocking family attack.
Cristiano Ronaldo has become football’s first billionaire player, according to Bloomberg, which tracks the world’s richest individuals.
Germany has ended its fast-track citizenship programme, reflecting a shift in public attitudes toward migration and integration.
Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of the U.S.-proposed Gaza deal, which will see the release of all Israeli hostages, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment