News from the United Nations

• New UN relief chief takes office November 18, 2024
  Tom Fletcher, UN’s new chief of humanitarian affairs, took office on Monday, pledging to defend humanitarian values while navigating operations amid growing global crises.
• ‘Cut the theatrics’: UN climate chief tells COP29 negotiators to focus on solutions as talks enter final week November 18, 2024
  As COP29 climate talks in Baku enter their final week, the UN climate chief told negotiators on Monday to “cut the theatrics,” get down to business and hammer out a new finance deal to compensate countries for climate-driven damages and pay for a clean-energy transition.
• SECURITY COUNCIL LIVE: Updates on Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine November 18, 2024
  The Security Council held three high-stakes high-level meetings on Monday in New York, with the United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary David Lammy presiding. Russia vetoed a draft resolution to protect civilians in Sudan, with ambassadors meeting next on Gaza and Lebanon, followed by another forthright debate on Ukraine. UN News app users can follow here.
• Lazzarini: Annexation of Gaza won’t create lasting Middle East peace November 18, 2024
  The head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, confirmed on Monday that a large convoy of humanitarian aid was looted inside Gaza at the weekend, amid a near-total breakdown in law and order and harassment of the agency’s staff by Israeli soldiers.
• Haiti: Over 20,000 flee as gang violence spurs mass displacement November 18, 2024
  Over 20,000 people have fled their homes across Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince in just four days amid escalating gang violence, with more than 17,000 seeking shelter in 15 displacement sites as critical supply chains collapse. 
• Ahead of G20 Summit in Brazil, Guterres urges bloc to take the lead on peace, climate and other challenges November 17, 2024
  The G20 group of developed economies must be at the forefront of global efforts to bring about peace, climate action, fairer international financial institutions and equitable access to emerging technologies, the UN Secretary-General said on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro.
• UN chief condemns Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy system November 17, 2024
  UN Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned the latest Russian drone and missile attack against the power grid and critical civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, his Spokesperson said on Sunday.
• Will COP29 deliver the trillions needed to tackle the man-made climate crisis? November 16, 2024
  The latest round of UN climate negotiations, COP29, opened this past Monday in Baku, Azerbaijan, following a year that broke multiple extreme heat records and saw widespread climate-driven chaos – from wildfires to destructive floods and hurricanes – hit nearly every corner of the world. A major increase in financial commitments to assist vulnerable countries […]
• Jeddah conference closes with adoption of global pledges to tackle antimicrobial resistance November 16, 2024
  The 4th Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) wrapped up on Saturday with the adoption of the Jeddah Commitments, which lay out practical, actionable and cross-sectoral steps stakeholders can take to address this complex health issue.
• Colombian conflict survivors turn forest heroes in search of climate change solutions November 16, 2024
  "What do I want the river to carry away? The deforestation," Sandra Donado says, her voice competing with the sudden storm lashing her canoe as it floats down the Guaviare River in Colombia’s Amazon biome region.