UN chief warns of ‘grave moment’ as final US-Russia nuclear arms treaty expires

In a statement issued as the treaty expired at midnight GMT Thursday, he said the world was entering uncharted territory, with no remaining legally binding constraints on the nuclear arsenals of the United States and the Russia – the two countries that together hold the vast majority of the world’s nuclear weapons. “For the first […]

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AI ‘moving at the speed of light’ warns Guterres, unveiling recommendations for UN expert panel

“AI is moving at the speed of light,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres, underscoring the urgency of regulating the breakthrough technology. “We need shared understandings to build effective guardrails, unlock innovation for the common good, and foster cooperation. The Panel will help the world separate fact from fakes, and science from slop.” The roots of […]

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‘We are dying’: Gaza’s cancer patients plead for a way out

“We are dying. Every day, between two and three patients die inside this hospital,” says Munther Abu Foul, a cancer patient lying on his bed in Gaza’s largest hospital. “I can’t get out of bed because of the pain. We want a solution – open the crossings.” His words capture the reality facing thousands of […]

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Intensifying ISIL threat highlights need to step up counter-terrorism measures

Alexandre Zouev, Acting Under-Secretary-General at the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), presented its latest report which highlights the group’s intensifying presence in Africa, the Middle East and beyond.  He said the threat posed by ISIL, also known by its Arabic acronym, Da’esh, has “increased steadily” since the previous report issued in August, “remaining multipolar and increasingly complex.”  Instability in West Africa   ISIL and its affiliates have continued to recruit foreign fighters, enhance their use of new […]

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UN Police ‘indispensable’ to fulfilling peacekeeping mandates, Security Council hears

Jean-Pierre Lacroix was speaking in the UN Security Council during the annual briefing by heads of police components of UN peace operations.  “Despite severe constraints, our police personnel continue to serve with dedication, professionalism and courage,” he said.  “They operate in environments of persistent insecurity, political volatility and growing operational risks.”  Key to peacekeeping   Peace operations depend on UN Police […]

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Cuba: UN warns of possible humanitarian ‘collapse’, as oil supplies dwindle

The United States has threatened to impose tariffs on any country providing oil to Cuba, increasing pressure on the island nation following a decades-long trade embargo and the US seizure of Venezuela’s leader Nicolás Maduro last month. Venezuela had been the main supplier of oil to Havana but Washington has been ratcheting up pressure on […]

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From rural margins to media trailblazers: India’s women journalists are rewriting the news

Khabar Lahariya, literally “news waves”, is an all-women media organisation run since 2002 by rural reporters, many of them Dalit, Adivasi and Muslim, dispatching fresh stories from some of the most marginalised regions. “We faced challenges at every level,” founder Kavita Devi told UN News. “People would say women can’t be journalists, but we went […]

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World News in Brief: UN condemns attack on civilians in Nigeria, updates from Gaza and West Bank, relief flights to resume in Yemen

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, António Guterres conveyed his “heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to the people and Government of Nigeria,” and wished a speedy recovery to those injured. “The Secretary-General reiterates the solidarity of the United Nations with the Government and people of Nigeria in their efforts to […]

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UN lauds $6 billion US funding approval towards ending HIV/AIDS

“This US investment will provide lifesaving support for millions of people in partner countries and help to ensure that the global HIV response remains efficient, data-driven and delivers results,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “I thank President [Donald] Trump and the US Congress for their continued commitment to HIV and global health.” The […]

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Pakistan: Guterres condemns deadly suicide bombing at Islamabad mosque

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Secretary-General António Guterres said he condemned the bombing “in the strongest terms.” Call for accountability “The Secretary-General reiterates that attacks against civilians and places of worship are unacceptable,” the statement said, stressing that those responsible “must be identified and brought to justice.” Mr. Guterres extended his condolences to […]

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