United Nations

Blinken Proposes a Post-War Plan For Gaza, With a Role For The UN And The Palestinian Authority

On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken proposed sending an international security force to Gaza and placing the Palestinian territory under the responsibility of the UN, following the war with Hamas. As a ceasefire looks set to be signed after 15 months of war between Israel and the Palestinian movement that has left tens of thousands ...

Tensions Persist as Israeli Forces Remain Along Lebanon's Southern Border

With less than two weeks to go before the end of the ceasefire introduced on November 27, Israeli forces are still present in the areas along Lebanon's southern border. For the second consecutive day, the Israeli army continued its incursion into the villages of Mfaylha and Ras al-Dahr, west of Mays al-Jabal. Sweep operations are underway, ...

Iran, European Powers to Hold Nuclear Talks ahead of Trump Return

Iran is set to hold nuclear talks with France, Britain and Germany on Monday, just a week before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office. They are the second round of talks over Iran's nuclear programme in less than two months, following a discreet meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland, in November between Tehran and the three European powers, ...

Deadly Strikes in Gaza as a New Negotiation Round Starts in Qatar

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a delegation of senior officials to Qatar for negotiations on a hostage release and Gaza ceasefire deal, which remains plagued by deadly clashes. Netanyahu held a meeting in Jerusalem with US president-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, a representative of current US President ...

Guterres to Visit Lebanon Next Saturday

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres will visit Lebanon on Saturday to congratulate the new President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, and discuss the programs of UN agencies in the country. In a telephone call, Guterres welcomed the election of President Aoun and wished him success in his new functions. He also reaffirmed the ...

Lebanon Files Complaint to UN Security Council Over Israeli Violations

The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture, has instructed on Friday Lebanon’s permanent mission to the United Nations in New York to file a formal complaint to the UN Security Council. The move comes in response to what Lebanon describes as continuous Israeli violations ...

UN Allocates $30 Million for Crisis Response in Lebanon

The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, Imran Riza, announced on Friday the allocation of $30 million from the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund to address urgent needs arising from the recent escalation of hostilities. This funding aims to assist affected individuals, including displaced people and those returning to areas devastated by ...

Sudan: 3.2 Million Children at Risk of Severe Malnutrition Warns UNICEF

This year, 3.2 million children under the age of five are at risk of acute malnutrition in Sudan, an East African country devastated by a conflict between two warlords, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). "Among them, about 772,000 children are at risk of severe acute malnutrition," Eva Hinds, UNICEF Sudan's advocacy and ...

The Election of Joseph Aoun as President Applauded at Home

Reactions are pouring in following the election of General Joseph Aoun as President of the Republic on Thursday. Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, expressed his congratulations to Aoun on behalf of “the Lebanese nation and the Lebanese people,” underlining the critical circumstances that Lebanon is witnessing, particularly in the ...

Blinken Hopes for “Lasting Peace” in Lebanon as Israeli Troops Withdraw

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has expressed optimism on Wednesday for a “lasting peace” as Israeli troops begin withdrawing from southern Lebanon. Speaking at a news conference in Paris, Blinken confirmed that the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, in place for nearly a month, continues to hold. “The ceasefire is ...

The National Moderation Bloc Endorses General Joseph Aoun's Presidential Candidacy

The National Moderation Bloc has officially thrown its support behind General Joseph Aoun, the Army's Commander-in-Chief, for the upcoming presidential election set for Thursday. During a meeting at the bloc's headquarters in Saifi, MPs Walid Baarini, Mohammad Sleiman, Abdelaziz Samad, Sagih Atieh, Ahmad Rustom and Ahmad Kheir issued a statement ...

Is the world ready for the next pandemic?

An awkward question remains five years after Covid-19 began its deadly rampage: is the world ready to handle the next pandemic? The World Health Organization, which was at the heart of the pandemic response, has been galvanising efforts to determine where the next threat might come from and to ensure the planet is ready to face it. But while the ...