Page 5 - United Nations

Iran meets UN nuclear watchdog in Geneva ahead of second round of US talks

Iran's top diplomat met with the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency on Monday, ahead of a second round of negotiations with the United States over Tehran's nuclear program. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and said he would also meet with Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi of Oman, which is hosting the US-Iran talks in Geneva on Tuesday. "I am in Geneva with real ideas to achieve a fair and equitable deal," Araghchi wrote on X. "What is not on the table: submission before threats." Iran open to compromise in exchange for sanctions relief ------------------------------------------------------------ On Sunday, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi signaled that Tehran could be open to compromise on the nuclear issue, but is looking for an easing of international sanctions led by the United States. "The ball is in America's court. They have to prove they want to have a deal w

AI usage in disaster management needs legal framework: UNDRR official

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can play a vital role in disaster management, specially in minimising losses but it would need legal and policy framework for such new age technologies to be able to be relied upon by officials at ground level who would take decisions for preventive actions, a top official of UNDRR said on Monday. Addressing a session at the AI Impact Summit, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Chief Intergovernmental Interagency cooperation and Partnerships Branch Sujit Mohanty said India has done a lot of work in using AI predictive analysis in disaster management. "This whole technology space is really growing well, growing fast... You are seeing solutions which were not possible earlier...," he said, citing the usage of AI in predicting and analysing the risk disasters. However, he said, "At the same time, I think we should be mindful that, at the end of the day, is it really helping those who are there to make decision of people's life and thei

India a successful emerging economy, right place for AI summit: UN chief

India is a "very successful" emerging economy with a bigger influence in global affairs, and is the "right place" to host the AI summit,UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said. In an exclusive interview with PTI at the UN Headquarters ahead of the IndiaAI Impact Summit 2026, Guterres underscored that Artificial Intelligence should benefit the entire world and not just be a privilege reserved for developed nations or two superpowers. "I strongly congratulate India for organising this Summit. It's absolutely essential that AI develops itself to the benefit of everybody, everywhere and that countries in the Global South are part of the benefits of AI," he said. The high-powered event being held from February 16 to 20 will be the first-ever AI summit hosted in the Global South and is anchored in the three guiding principles of 'People, Planet and Progress'. Guterres, who will be travelling to India to attend the Summit, asserted "it would be totally unacceptable that AI would be

At least 6,000 killed over 3 days in RSF attack on Sudan's el-Fasher: UN

More than 6,000 people were killed in over three days when a Sudanese paramilitary group unleashed "a wave of intense violence shocking in its scale and brutality" in Sudan's Darfur region in late October, according to the United Nations. The Rapid Support Forces' offensive to capture the city of el-Fasher included widespread atrocities that amount to war crimes and possible crimes against humanity, the UN Human Rights Office said in a report released on Friday. "The wanton violations that were perpetrated by the RSF and allied Arab militia in the final offensive on el-Fasher underscore that persistent impunity fuels continued cycles of violence," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk. The RSF and their allied Arab militias, known as Janjaweed, overran el-Fasher, the Sudanese army's only remaining stronghold in Darfur, on Oct. 26 and rampaged through the city and its surroundings after more than 18 months of siege. The 29-page UN report detailed a set of atrocitie

New AI panel to give insights on opportunities, risks and impacts: UN chief

It will issue an annual report containing evidence-based scientific assessments that synthesise and analyse existing research related to the technology's opportunities, risks and impacts

UN waiting to see how much US intends to pay of $4 billion it owes

The United Nations said Monday it's waiting to find out how much of the nearly USD 4 billion the United States owes the world organisation the Trump administration intends to pay and when the money will arrive. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned last week that the world body faces "imminent financial collapse" unless its financial rules are overhauled or all 193 member nations pay their dues, a message clearly directed at the United States. The US owes USD 2.196 billion to the UN's regular operating budget, including USD 767 million for this year, according to a UN official. The US also owes USD 1.8 billion for the separate budget for the UN's far-flung peacekeeping operations, and that also will rise. The US Mission to the United Nations confirmed that US Ambassador Mike Waltz said the Trump administration planned to make a significant down payment on its arrears in a matter of weeks, with the final amount still to be determined. His comments were first reported by ...

India pays $35.18 mn to UN Regular Budget for 2026, joining honour roll

India has paid USD 35.18 million to the UN Regular Budget for 2026, joining the "honour roll" of 47 Member States who have paid their regular budget dues in full to the world body on time. The UN Committee on Contributions said that as of February 3, 2026, 47 Member States have paid their regular budget assessments in full, within the 30 day due period specified in UN financial regulations. India contributed USD 35.18 million to the 2026 United Nations Regular Budget and made the payment on February 3. Listing the countries making it to the "honour roll" of Member States who have paid their regular budget assessments in full, Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, asked a quiz-style question at the daily briefing about India. "This country is the home of The Statue of Unity, the world's tallest statue, with a height of 182 metres. [...] Yes, very good, India," Dujarric said, referring to the statue of Indian political leader Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

UNSC condemns latest militant attacks in Pakistan that killed dozens

The UN Security Council strongly condemned the latest surge in militant attacks in southwestern Pakistan that has killed dozens of people, mostly civilians, as security forces on Wednesday pressed their operations in the insurgency-hit region. The authorities said scores of militants have been killed in recent days as Pakistani forces crack down on the insurgents in the volatile Balochistan province, where about a dozen coordinated attacks began on Saturday, targeting civilians and buildings housing police and security personnel. Federal and provincial officials said at least 36 civilians and 17 members of the security forces have been killed. Security forces so far killed 197 militants from the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, which has claimed responsibility for recent suicide bombings and gun attacks. In a statement issued overnight, UN Security Council President James Kariuki said council members condemned in the "strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attacks across

India among top drivers of global urban growth in 2025, shows UN report

While megacities often draw attention, the UN report shows that most urban growth is happening in smaller cities

'Financial collapse imminent': UN chief warns after US funding cuts

UN programmes worldwide face growing risk after the United States, the organisation's largest contributor, cut voluntary funding and withheld mandatory payments

UN chief cites India-EU FTA, stresses need to support 'multipolarity'

UN chief Antonio Guterres cited the FTA between India and the EU as he underlined the need to support "multi-polarity", emphasising that global problems will not be solved by "one power calling the shots", in a veiled reference to the US and China. "In the present moment, it is clear that the most powerful country in the world is the US. Obviously, we see - and many see in relation to the future - the idea that there are two poles, one centred in the US and one centred in China," Guterres said Thursday at a press conference here outlining his priorities for 2026. He added that "if we want a stable world, if we want a world in which peace can be sustained, in which development can be generalised, and in which, in the end, our values will prevail, we need to support multi-polarity. "We need to support a dense set of relations among different countries. And I see with a lot of positive expectations, recent trade agreements: You had the EU with Mercosur. You had EU with Indonesia. EU wi

US seeks to quell fears that Trump's 'Board of Peace' will replace UN

The Board of Peace is a core element of Trump's 20-point plan that helped broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas last year

Explained: Why the rules-based international order is being questioned

The rules-based international order, built after World War II to restrain power through law and institutions, is under scrutiny as Western leaders acknowledge gaps in how it has been applied

FDI inflows to India surged 73% to $47 billion in 2025, says UNCTAD

FDI inflows to India jumped 73% to $47 billion in 2025, driven by strong investments in services, IT, R&D and manufacturing, according to UNCTAD

For every $1 spent on protecting nature, $30 went into destruction: UNEP

Despite climate and biodiversity risks, a UN report finds the world spent $7.4 trillion damaging nature in 2023, around 30 times more than it invested in protecting ecosystems

US walks away from WHO leaving behind $260 million in unpaid dues

The withdrawal notice left the health organisation without its top donor. Between 2022 and 2023, the US contributed nearly $1.3 billion to the WHO

Trump calls for UN to work with new Board of Peace on Gaza, other conflicts

The reaction came after Trump formally launched the Board of Peace at the WEF, signing its charter and describing the move as a major step towards global conflict resolution

Trump's 'Board of Peace' adds to US challenges against UN authority

US President Donald Trump's ambition for the 'Board of Peace' to play a role in global conflicts beyond Gaza appears to be the latest US attempt to sidestep the UN Security Council, raising new questions about the relevance of the 80-year-old world body and uncertainty about its future as a primary force in brokering peace worldwide. Trump is establishing the board, to be composed largely of invited heads of state, as the UN has embarked on major reforms intended to modernise an organisation founded on the ashes of World War II and make it a more viable global player in the 21st century. A decades-long reform effort gained new impetus after the Trump administration last year set out to eliminate billions of dollars in funding to international organisations and humanitarian assistance at large. Cutting life-saving humanitarian efforts, consolidating major agencies and moving personnel out of New York headquarters are just a few of the changes the UN has made as it courts continued ..

'I wish we didn't need Board of Peace': Trump slams UN incompetency

When asked whether he wants the Board of Peace to replace the United Nations, Trump said they "haven't been very helpful," but believed in the organisation's potential

High Seas Treaty takes effect, setting new rules for ocean conservation

The world's first legally binding agreement to protect marine life in international waters took effect Saturday, marking a historic moment for ocean conservation after nearly two decades of negotiations. The High Seas Treaty will govern nearly half the planet's surface the vast ocean areas beyond any country's control. These waters face mounting threats from destructive fishing practices, shipping, plastic pollution, overfishing and potential deep sea mining, all compounded by climate change. The ocean absorbs carbon dioxide and produces oxygen, making its health critical for addressing the climate crisis. The treaty entered into force 120 days after it reached the threshold of ratification by 60 countries in September. As of Friday, 83 countries had ratified it, including the recent addition of major maritime powers such as China and Japan. The treaty creates the first framework for establishing Marine Protected Areas on the high seas, which make up about two-thirds of the world'