United Nations

The UN at 80: Navigating Crisis and Hope in a Divided World

On June 26, 1945, just months after World War II ended, 51 nations gathered in San Francisco to sign the UN Charter. By October 24, the organization officially came into force, born from a simple but profound purpose: to prevent another global catastrophe. Envisioned as the cornerstone of a new world order grounded in peace, justice and ...

France Opens 'Complicity in Genocide' Probe over Blocked Gaza Aid

French anti-terror prosecutors have opened a probe into "complicity in genocide" and "incitement to genocide" over French-Israelis suspected of having blocked aid intended for war-torn Gaza, a source close to the case said Friday. The investigation comes after the Jewish French Union for Peace (UFJP) and a French-Palestinian victim filed a legal ...

In Gaza, the Shadow of a Hamas Rival Gains Ground

As Hamas’s uncompromising stance continues to cost dozens of Palestinian lives daily, public anger is mounting. In this climate of deepening disillusionment and insecurity, Yasser Abu Shabab is emerging as a powerful new actor challenging the status quo. A Leader from a Powerful Bedouin Clan Yasser Abu Shabab comes from the Tarabin, a powerful ...

Lebanon Elected to UN Economic and Social Council for 2026–2028 Term

Lebanon has been elected to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the 2026–2028 term, following a vote held Thursday at UN headquarters in New York. The announcement comes on the heels of Lebanon’s recent appointment as one of the Vice Presidents of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, which is currently presided ...

UN Appoints Italian General Diodato Abagnara as New UNIFIL Commander

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Major General Diodato Abagnara of Italy as the new Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the UN announced on Wednesday. Major General Abagnara succeeds Lieutenant General Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz of Spain, who led the mission ...

US Expected to Block Gaza Ceasefire Vote at Security Council

The UN Security Council will vote Wednesday on a resolution calling for a ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access in Gaza, a measure expected to fail due to a US veto. It is the 15-member body's first vote on the subject since November, when the United States -- a key Israeli ally -- also blocked a text calling for an end to fighting. The ...

Rescuers say Israeli Fire Kills at Least 27 near Gaza Aid Point

Rescuers said the Israeli military killed at least 27 people on Tuesday in southern Gaza near a US-backed aid centre, with the army reporting it had fired on "suspects who advanced toward the troops". The shooting was similar to one Sunday morning in which rescuers said scores of people were killed and wounded at the same location, with ...

British FM Says Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for W. Sahara ‘Most Credible’ Solution

British foreign minister David Lammy said on Sunday that Morocco's autonomy plan for the territory of Western Sahara was the "most credible" solution to the decades-long dispute, reversing London's long-standing position. Western Sahara, a mineral-rich former Spanish colony, is largely controlled by Morocco but has been claimed in its entirety ...

Gaza Rescuers Say Israeli Fire Kills 31 Near Aid Site

Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli gunfire killed at least 31 Palestinians near a US-backed aid distribution site on Sunday, with both the group in charge of the site and the military denying any such incident took place. Israel has faced growing condemnation over the humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, where the United ...

Iran Warns of Retaliation if Europeans Make 'Political' Use of UN Nuclear Report

Iran on Sunday warned it would retaliate if European powers "exploit" a UN report showing it has stepped up production of highly enriched uranium. The report by the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran had sharply increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to up to 60 percent, close to the roughly 90 percent level needed for atomic ...

Berri Says Lebanon Requests UNIFIL Mandate Renewal

President of Parliament Nabih Berri told the newspaper Asharq al-Awsat that the issue of renewing the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was at the top of the agenda of his recent meeting with President Joseph Aoun. Berri said that a committee had been formed to draft a letter to the UN Security Council requesting ...

UN Warns All of Gaza at Risk of Famine

The UN warned Friday that the entire population of Gaza was at risk of famine, as an Israeli far-right minister urged the use of "full force" against Hamas. Negotiations to end nearly 20 months of war have so far failed to achieve a breakthrough, with Israel resuming operations in Gaza in March following a short-lived truce. Israel ...