President Donald Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the US from the UN Human Rights Council and prohibiting any future funding for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. Trump also directed the US to review its participation in UNESCO, citing concerns about anti-Semitism and anti-Israel sentiment within the organizations. The executive order argues that the UNHRC, UNESCO, and UNRWA have drifted from their missions and act contrary to US interests. Trump previously halted funds for UNRWA during his first term, and President Joe Biden put a block on US funds for UNRWA in January 2024 over allegations that staff for the agency participated in Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack against Israel.
Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been appointed as the United Nations' special envoy for global education.
On the occasion of International Museum Day Monday, two studies by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and the International Council of Museums said that museums have been especially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly 90 per cent of them, or more than 85,000 institutions, having closed their doors for varying lengths of time during the crisis.
Indian authorities need to look into the death of journalist Hem Chandra Pandey who was killed early this month in an encounter with police in Andhra Pradesh along with top Maoist leader Cherukuri Rajkumar alias Azad, a top United Nations official said.
The global financial crisis sweeping through Wall Street and European banking sector will touch the lives of the world's most vulnerable, push millions into deeper poverty and lead to the deaths of thousands of children, a new United Nations study said.
The report by the UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation also said that primary school enrolments increased significantly in much of the developing world over the past few years, but high costs continued to limit access to education.
Thirty manuscripts of the ancient Hindu text Rig Veda dating from 1800 to 1500 BC are among 38 new items that have been added to the United Nations heritage list to help preserve them for posterity.
India strongly condemned the 'barbaric' terror attack by the Taliban on a school in Pakistan that killed 141 people, mostly children, as United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council called for perpetrators of the blood-curdling attack to be brought to justice.
'For some South Asians, it may be tempting to think "I'm not Muslim, this doesn't really affect me".' 'But please know, it affects all of us,' says Arun Venugopal, a reporter at WNYC in New York.
Anwesha Bhattacharya-Arya writes an open letter to the President on the sorry state of affairs in India.
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