World population to reach 8 billion this year, as the growth rate slows

7/12/22, 6:57 AM

15 November 2022 is predicted to be the day that the global population reaches eight billion. The projection is revealed in the UN’s World Population Prospects 2022 report, which also shows that India is on course to surpass China as the world’s most populous country in 2023.

WHO: Nearly one billion people have a mental disorder

6/22/22, 7:20 AM

Nearly one billion people worldwide suffer from some form of mental disorder, according to the latest UN data – a staggering figure that is even more worrying if you consider that it includes around one in seven teenagers.

What can the UN do? Check the top 5 questions answered

4/6/22, 10:51 AM

The current war in Ukraine, following the Russian invasion, has sparked all sorts of questions about the United Nations, particularly the role of the Security Council, the General Assembly and the Secretary-General.

Ukraine: UN’s Guterres joins call for Bucha war crimes probe

4/6/22, 8:22 AM

UN chief António Guterres on Tuesday added his voice to the growing international calls for a war crimes investigation into the killing of civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha.

Recent terrorist attacks in Israel undermine ‘prospects for peace’: Guterres

3/31/22, 8:29 AM

Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday night condemned recent terrorist attacks in Israel that have claimed the lives of at least 11 Israeli citizens.

Fighting child marriage in India, thanks to school and a mobile phone

3/31/22, 7:50 AM

With the help of innovative mobile phone services, UN agencies are working with the Government of Rajasthan, India, to combat child marriage.

Taliban’s backtracking on girls’ education, ‘deeply damaging’

3/26/22, 8:13 AM

Following a U-turn over re-opening girls’ secondary schools in Afghanistan on Wednesday, the UN human rights chief shared her “profound frustration and disappointment” that six months after the Taliban seized power, high school girls have yet to return to the classroom.

UN alarm over mounting Ukraine casualties, amid desperate scenes in Mariupol

3/26/22, 6:22 AM

Ongoing violence in Ukraine has left millions of people “in constant fear” of indiscriminate shelling, the UN warned on Friday, as efforts continued to reach the country’s most vulnerable populations, one month on from the Russian invasion.

First Person: Witnessing the pain of Ukraine refugees wrenched apart

3/22/22, 6:25 AM

The UN has helped tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees to cross into Poland and other neighbouring countries. Chris Melzer, the spokesperson for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in Germany, told UN News that he has witnessed many traumatic scenes, of families ripped apart by the crisis.

International Court orders Russia to ‘immediately suspend’ military operations in Ukraine

3/18/22, 7:53 AM

Russia must immediately suspend military operations in Ukraine, the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on Wednesday, in The Hague.

To attack babies is ‘an act of unconscionable cruelty’: UN top officials urge end to attacks on health care in Ukraine

3/14/22, 12:30 PM

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, 31 attacks on health care have been documented by the World Health Organization. These incidents have killed and injured civilians, as well as destroyed facilities and ambulances, disrupting access to essential health services.

Concern for women and children caught up in Ukraine conflict

3/1/22, 8:56 AM

The intensification of the Russian offensive in Ukraine is having devastating consequences on women and children, senior UN officials have reported.

Stop weapons supply to Myanmar, rights expert urges

2/23/22, 10:29 AM

Weapons exports to the military rulers in Myanmar by UN Member States must stop, the UN independent expert on the human rights situation in the country said on Tuesday.

COVID-19 cases in the Americas reach highest level yet

1/28/22, 10:44 AM

More than eight million new COVID-19 cases were reported in the Americas last week, the highest weekly caseload since the start of the pandemic, the head of the regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO) told journalists on Wednesday.

First Person: The entrepreneur helping Middle Eastern women enter the digital economy

1/5/22, 11:48 AM

Mona Ataya, a Palestinian-Lebanese entrepreneur based in the United Arab Emirates, runs the largest online marketplace for mothers in the Middle East. In recognition of her achievements, she has been chosen as one of the six eTrade for Women Advocates for 2021-2022, by the UN trade agency, UNCTAD.

Escalation in Yemen ‘worst in years’ – UN top envoy

12/29/21, 2:32 PM

The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, said on Tuesday that a recent military escalation in the country is “among the worst” in years and increasingly putting civilians in crosshairs.

Myanmar: Attack leaves 35 dead, including 4 children

12/29/21, 10:24 AM

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) condemned on Tuesday the reported killing of at least 35 people, including four children and two humanitarian workers, in the Kayah state, in Myanmar.

Infectious diseases present ‘clear and present danger’ everywhere

12/27/21, 10:46 AM

COVID-19 continues to demonstrate how quickly “an infectious disease can sweep across the world”, pushing health systems to the brink and upending daily life for all of humanity, the UN chief said on Monday, marking the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness.

Experts call for the immediate release of Kashmiri human rights defender

12/24/21, 3:59 AM

Authorities in India must stop targeting prominent Kashmiri activist Khurram Parvez, a group of independent UN human rights experts said on Wednesday while calling for his immediate release from detention.

UN humanitarians aid Philippines response to Super Typhoon Rai

12/21/21, 8:44 AM

Reports of “utter devastation” caused by Super Typhoon Rai have continued to come in from the Philippines, where the UN is helping respond to urgent needs.