United Nations

Stripping Russia’s veto power on the Security Council is all but impossible. Perhaps we should expect less from the UN instead

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has lambasted the UN Security Council yet again, saying in a speech this week that as long as Russia has veto power on the body, it…

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‘Stop the war’ and Zelenskiy need not speak, UN Security Council chair tells Russia

By Gabriela Baczynska UNITED NATIONS, (Reuters) - It was to be Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskiy's first in-person appearance at a U.N. Security Council meeting on Moscow's invasion of his country…

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Dozens of nations to sign U.N. ocean treaty but implementation still awaits

By Daina Beth Solomon Sept 20 (Reuters) - A new U.N. treaty to protect the world's oceans is expected to be signed by dozens of countries on Wednesday, another step…

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EU to ask China at UN to push Russia towards ‘just peace’ in Ukraine

By Gabriela Baczynska UNITED NATIONS, Sept 20 (Reuters) - European Council President Charles Michel will ask China directly at the United Nations Security Council to do more to push Russia…

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India PM urges UN to rethink priorities for the 21st century

By Arpan Chaturvedi and Rupam Jain NEW DELHI, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on the United Nations to reform in line with 21st century realities…

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UN Security Council meets for first time on AI risks

By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS, (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council held its first meeting on artificial intelligence on Tuesday where China said the technology should not become a…

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UN food aid deliveries by AI robots could begin next year

AI-powered robotic vehicles could deliver food parcels to conflict and disaster zones by as early as next year in a move aimed to spare the lives of humanitarian workers, a…

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Mali asks United Nations to withdraw peacekeeping force

By Michelle Nichols NEW YORK (Reuters) - Mali's interim military authorities asked for a United Nations peacekeeping force to leave "without delay", citing a "crisis of confidence" between Malian authorities…

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Gender biases not improved over past decade, U.N. says

Inequality has remained stagnant in last decade Nearly 90% of men, women hold fundamental biases against women Education gap-income link no longer valid By Federica Urso June 12 (Reuters) -…

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Five nations elected to U.N. Security Council, but Belarus denied

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations General Assembly elected Algeria, Guyana, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and South Korea to the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday for two-year terms starting on…

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UPDATED: Food security, ammunition in focus as EU leaders discuss Ukraine war with UN chief

UN chief Guterres is guest at EU summit Ukraine Zelenskiy due to address summit by video link Impact of war on global food security tops summit agenda Leaders also to…

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UN report says Belarus rights abuses may amount to ‘crime against humanity’

GENEVA, March 17 (Reuters) - U.N. rights experts accused Belarus of systematic abuses, including the repression of protesters and dissidents that could amount to crimes against humanity, in a report…

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Nations secure U.N. global high seas biodiversity pact

By David Stanway March 5 (Reuters) - Negotiators from more than 100 countries completed a U.N. treaty to protect the high seas on Saturday, a long-awaited step that environmental groups…

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U.N. rights chief warns of backsliding on global freedoms

GENEVA, Feb 27 (Reuters) - The United Nations Human Rights chief Volker Turk warned on Monday that human rights gains made in recent decades were being reined back and even reversed, citing…

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Russia’s UN diplomat accuses West of arm twisting in vote isolating Moscow

Feb 26 (Reuters) - Russia's senior diplomat to the United Nations accused the West on Sunday of "cowboy" methods and "arm twisting" of some countries during last week's United Nations General Assembly…

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U.N. to mark one year of Ukraine war with vote to ‘go down in history’

By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS, (Reuters) - Marking one year of war, Ukraine and Russia lobbied countries at the United Nations on Wednesday for backing ahead of a vote by…

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UN to mark Russia invasion of Ukraine anniversary by urging ‘just peace’

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Marking one year since Russia invaded Ukraine, the UN General Assembly will vote next week on a draft resolution stressing "the need to reach,…

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Invited by Russia, Roger Waters tells UN: Ukraine invasion illegal

UNITED NATIONS, (Reuters) - Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters on Wednesday evening addressed the U.N. Security Council at Russia's invitation, condemning Moscow's invasion of its neighbor as illegal - though…

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UPDATED: Senior Hezbollah official says ‘unintentional incident’ led to Irish soldier death, party not involved

BEIRUT, Dec 15 (Reuters) - A senior Hezbollah official on Thursday said an "unintentional incident" had led to the death of an Irish soldier on a U.N. peacekeeping mission in…

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Iran likely to be ousted from U.N. women’s body

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Iran appears set to be ousted from a U.N. women's body on Wednesday for policies contrary to the rights of women and girls, but…

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Photo Story: Celestial Sphere at UN in Geneva returns after renovation

The big sculpture 'Celestial Sphere' by Paul Manship after its renovation has returned to its place in front of the Palais des Nations at the European headquarters of the United…

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Pope urges UN reform

Pope Francis said the need to reform the United Nations was "more than obvious" after the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war exposed its limits, in an extract of his…

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UPDATED: Russia’s Lavrov calls U.N. resolution condemning Ukraine annexation ‘anti-Russian’

Oct 13 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that a United Nations resolution condemning Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territories was "anti-Russian" and that it had been…

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U.N. publicly rejects Russia’s call for secret vote on Ukraine

The United Nations General Assembly voted on Monday to reject Russia's call for the 193-member body to hold a secret ballot later this week on whether to condemn Moscow's move to…

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U.S. candidate beats Russian to head U.N. telecoms agency

GENEVA, Sept 29 (Reuters) - The U.S. candidate Doreen Bogdan-Martin on Thursday decisively beat a Russian candidate to be the next Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union in an election…

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Countries step up to try and avert famine in Horn of Africa

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Countries this week pledged hundreds of millions of dollars in additional aid for the Horn of Africa as they sounded the alarm on a drought in…

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Lavrov defends Russia at U.N. showdown rife with anger over Ukraine war

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov defended Moscow's war in Ukraine at the U.N. Security Council as the United Nations warned Moscow against annexing Ukrainian regions and…

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UN showdown looms between Lavrov, West over atrocities in Ukraine

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will face off on Thursday with his Ukrainian and Western counterparts, including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, when…

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World leaders lash Russia over Ukraine invasion, referendum plans

KYIV/UNITED NATIONS, Sept 21 (Reuters) - World leaders meeting at the United Nations in New York denounced Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as Moscow-installed leaders in occupied areas of four Ukrainian…

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Ukraine to dominate as world leaders gather at United Nations

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russia's invasion of Ukraine and a global food crisis aggravated by the war will be the focus of world leaders when they convene at the United…

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UN draws deep from emergency funds amid record humanitarian aid gap

GENEVA (Reuters) - Faced with a record $32 billion shortfall in humanitarian aid funding, the United Nations is dipping deep into its emergency fund to support critical programmes in 11…

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Ukraine wants U.N. to allow Zelenskiy to address world leaders via video

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The 193-member United Nations General Assembly is on Friday due to consider a proposal for Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to address the annual gathering of world…

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U.S. allows Russia’s Lavrov to travel to United Nations

UNITED NATIONS, (Reuters) - The United States has given Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov a visa to travel to New York for the United Nations' annual gathering of world leaders…

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New U.N. Libya envoy is Senegal’s Bathily – statement

TUNIS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres has appointed Senegalese diplomat and former government minister Abdoulaye Bathily as his Libya envoy, the U.N. Libya mission said in a statement…

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UN rights chief’s tenure ends in disappointment for China activists

GENEVA, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Michelle Bachelet, once a political detainee under Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and a doctor for tortured children, pledged to be the champion of victims when…

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U.N. humanitarian agencies face record funding gap this year

GENEVA, Aug 12 (Reuters) - U.N. humanitarian projects face a record funding gap this year, with only a third of the required $48.7 billion secured so far as global needs…

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UN chief demands international access to Ukraine nuclear plant after new attack

Aug 8 (Reuters) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Monday for international inspectors to be given access to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant after Ukraine and Russia traded accusations over the shelling…

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UN extends Libya mission for 3 months at Russia’s insistence

The U.N. Security Council voted to extend its political mission in Libya, but at Russia's insistence for only three months rather than a year-long mandate. The council's three African members…

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Ukraine, Russia sign deal to reopen grain export ports

ISTANBUL/KYIV (Reuters) - Russia and Ukraine signed a landmark deal on Friday to reopen Ukrainian Black Sea ports for grain exports, raising hopes that an international food crisis aggravated by the Russian…

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UN calls on member states to stop weapons supply to Haiti gangs

The United Nations Security Council unanimously threatened targeted sanctions against criminal gangs and human rights abusers in Haiti and called on countries to stop a flow of guns to the…

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India to surpass China as most populous country in 2023 -UN report

NEW DELHI, July 11 (Reuters) - India is set to surpass China as the world's most populous country in 2023, with each counting more than 1.4 billion residents this year,…

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Libya talks in Geneva end without breakthrough

Libyan legislative leaders quit talks in Geneva on a constitution and elections without reaching a deal on Thursday, pausing diplomacy to resolve a standoff that has imperilled a two-year peace…

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Congo group tells U.N. woman made to cook and eat human flesh

A Congolese woman was kidnapped twice by militants in the Democratic Republic of Congo, repeatedly raped and forced to cook and eat human flesh, a Congolese rights group told the…

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EXPLAINER – U.N. plan to get Ukraine grains out faces hurdles

KYIV, June 8 (Reuters) - Turkey said this week a United Nations plan to set up a sea corridor for Ukrainian grain exports overseen by Ankara was "reasonable", but required more talks…

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Malta amongst new countries elected on the U.N. Security Council

The United Nations General Assembly elected Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland to the U.N. Security Council on Thursday (June 9) for a two-year term starting on Jan. 1, 2023. All five countries ran unopposed…

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No end to Ukraine war in sight, hunger crisis looms – UN

GENEVA, June 3 (Reuters) - United Nations officials warned on Friday that a protracted war in Ukraine threatened a hunger crisis in the country and around the world. Marking 100 days since…

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Amid criticism, North Korea takes over as U.N. disarmament president

North Korea, which is under sanctions for developing nuclear weapons in defiance of United Nations Security Council Resolutions, has taken over as head of a U.N. body aimed at striking…

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U.N. human-rights chief due to arrive in China for historic visit

BEIJING/GENEVA, May 23 (Reuters) - The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet begins a visit to China on Monday, the first trip by a holder of the…

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U.N. secretary general asks countries to ease barriers to green energy

WASHINGTON, May 18 (Reuters) - The U.N. secretary-general on Wednesday called for a global coalition to speed the deployment of battery technology, urging countries to ease intellectual property constraints to hasten the…

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Reproductive rights ‘foundation’ for empowerment of women, girls, says U.N.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres believes that sexual and reproductive health and rights are the "foundation for lives of choice, empowerment and equality for the world's women and girls," a U.N.…

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UN warns many Ukrainian refugees will not have homes to return to

Many of the nearly five million people who have fled Ukraine will not have homes to return to, the United Nations warned. When, at the end of January, Poland’s deputy…

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Millions of disabled people’s lives at risk in Ukraine, U.N. committee says

A U.N. committee said that the lives of some 2.7 million people with disabilities are at risk in Ukraine, citing reports that many are trapped or abandoned in their homes,…

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United Nations suspends Russia from human rights body over Ukraine

UNITED NATIONS, April 7 (Reuters) - The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday suspended Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council over reports of "gross and systematic violations and abuses of human…

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U.N. to vote on suspending Russia from Human Rights Council over Ukraine

UNITED NATIONS, April 7 (Reuters) - The United Nations General Assembly will vote on Thursday on a U.S. push to suspend Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council over reports of "gross…

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Pope laments UN powerless in war in Ukraine as he reflects on Malta visit

Pope Francis at his General Audience focusing on Malta notes how “the dominant logic are the strategies of the most powerful countries to affirm their own interests.” Malta, he says,…

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UN raises $2.44 bln for Afghan aid amid concerns on girls’ education

A total of 41 donor countries pledged more than $2.44 billion towards the United Nations $4.4 billion appeal for humanitarian aid in Afghanistan, the world body said, as international concerns…

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U.N. names experts to probe on possible war crimes in Ukraine

GENEVA, March 30 (Reuters) - The United Nations on Wednesday named three human rights experts to conduct an investigation into possible war crimes and other violations committed during the conflict in Ukraine.…

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