United Nations | DD News

September 8, 2025 9:56 AM

UN says time is short to stop famine spreading as Israel bombards Gaza City

There is a "narrow window" to prevent famine from spreading further in Gaza, a top U.N. official said on Sunday, calling on Israel to allow unimpeded aid delivery in the territory, where it is fighting Palestinian militant group Hamas. According to a global hunger monitor, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are already experiencing or at risk of famine in areas including Gaza City, the enclave's largest urban centre, where Israel has launched a new offensive against Hamas. Israel, which sto...

September 3, 2025 11:15 AM

US peacekeeping cuts could limit UN ability to protect civilians, says UN

United Nations peacekeeping missions are under severe financial pressure and U.S. cuts could limit their ability to protect civilians in places like South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, a U.N. peacekeeping spokesperson said on Tuesday. U.S. President Donald Trump last week unilaterally canceled $4.9 billion in foreign aid authorized by Congress. This includes some $800 million in peacekeeping funding appropriated for 2024 and 2025, according to a Trump administration message to Con...

August 20, 2025 1:56 PM

India slams Pakistan over sexual violence against women

In a scathing rebuttal at the United Nations, India slammed Pakistan for failing to address rampant sexual violence against women, particularly from minority communities. Speaking at an open debate in the UN Security Council on conflict-related sexual violence on Tuesday, India’s Charge d’Affaires Eldos Mathew Punnoose said Pakistan’s record on the issue was “shameful.” “The utter impunity with which the Pakistan army perpetrated heinous crimes of gross sexual violence against hund...

August 15, 2025 2:15 PM

Plastic pollution treaty stalled as Geneva talks end without deal

Delegates discussing the world's first legally binding treaty to tackle plastic pollution failed to reach consensus, diplomats said on Friday, voicing disappointment and even rage that the 10-day talks produced no deal. Delegates had been seeking a breakthrough in the deadlocked United Nations' talks in Geneva, but states pushing for an ambitious treaty said that the latest text released in the early hours of Friday failed to meet their expectations. French ecology minister Agnes Pannier-Runac...

August 11, 2025 10:47 AM

Australia to recognise Palestinian state at United Nations in September

Australia will recognise a Palestinian state at next month's United Nations General Assembly, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday, a move that adds to international pressure on Israel after similar announcements from France, Britain and Canada. "Australia will recognise the State of Palestine at the 80th Sessions of the United Nations General Assembly in September, to contribute to international momentum towards a two-state solution, a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages," ...

August 10, 2025 2:56 PM

Trump nominates State Dept spokeswoman Bruce as US deputy representative to UN

President Donald Trump said on Saturday he was nominating State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce as the next U.S. deputy representative to the United Nations. Bruce has been the State Department spokesperson since Trump took office in January. In a post on social media in which Trump announced her nomination, the president said she did a "fantastic job" as State Department spokesperson. Bruce will need to be confirmed for the role by the U.S. Senate, where Trump's Republican Party holds a m...

August 6, 2025 10:47 AM

UN alarmed by reports about possible expansion of Israeli Gaza operations

The United Nations on Tuesday called reports about a possible decision to expand Israel's military operations throughout the Gaza Strip "deeply alarming" if true. U.N. Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenca told a U.N. Security Council meeting on the situation in Gaza that such a move "would risk catastrophic consequences ... and could further endanger the lives of the remaining hostages in Gaza. "International law is clear in the regard; Gaza is and must remain an integral part of the fut...

July 31, 2025 11:52 PM

Trump wants deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine by August 8, US tells UN

U.S. President Donald Trump has made clear that he wants a deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine by August 8, the United States told the United Nations Security Council on Thursday. “Both Russia and Ukraine must negotiate a ceasefire and durable peace. It is time to make a deal. President Trump has made clear this must be done by August 8. The United States is prepared to implement additional measures to secure peace,” senior U.S. diplomat John Kelley told the 15-member council. Trump said...

July 29, 2025 3:49 PM

Global hunger falls but conflict and climate threaten progress, UN says

The number of hungry people around the world fell for a third straight year in 2024, retreating from a COVID-era spike, even as conflict and climate shocks deepened malnutrition across much of Africa and western Asia, a U.N. report said on Monday. Around 673 million people, or 8.2% of the world's population, experienced hunger in 2024, down from 8.5% in 2023, according to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report, jointly prepared by five U.N. agencies. They said the report ...

July 18, 2025 4:30 PM

India reaffirms commitment to ‘Pact for Future’ at UN dialogue

India reiterated its strong commitment to the Pact for the Future and its annexes, the Global Digital Compact (GDC) and the Declaration on Future Generations, during the third interactive informal dialogue held to review the pact. Describing the initiative as a vital step in the global community’s collective efforts to address emerging and long-term challenges, India emphasised the importance of inclusive, forward-looking international cooperation. The informal interactive dialogue on Thursd...