UN - UN Affairs

1. UN chief hails Pope Francis as ‘a transcendent voice for peace’

   UN Secretary-General António Guterres has joined the world in mourning the death of His Holiness Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday in Vatican City aged 88. 

2. UN rolls out key initiative to combat antisemitism

   Amid rising concerns over antisemitism worldwide, the UN on Friday announced the roll out of a major action plan to combat the scourge – aimed at enhancing monitoring and response across the whole UN system.

3. Pact for the Future: Countries urged to translate pledges into action

   UN Member States met on Wednesday for the first of three key meetings to advance a global agreement that pledges concrete actions to achieve a safer, more peaceful, sustainable and inclusive world for generations to come. 

4. Guterres urges governments to free detained UN personnel and ensure their safety

   UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for the immediate release of 52 United Nations personnel currently detained worldwide, including 23 being held by the de facto authorities in Yemen.

5. Cyprus talks show ‘new atmosphere’ between divided island’s leaders: Guterres

   UN-led efforts to kick-start talks on the divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus have resulted in agreements on new trust-building measures.