The president of the U.N. General Assembly warned Wednesday that the multilateral system faces an existential moment as she fielded sharp questioning from journalists on the next secretary-general race, U.N. funding shortfalls and Israel’s restrictions on UNRWA. The sustained exchange revealed a press corps increasingly focused not on ceremony, but on whether the institution’s processes still carry real credibility.

At the Jan. 13 U.N. briefing, journalists sharply challenged officials over Iran’s protest death toll, Trump’s rhetoric, and the limits of U.N. action, turning the room into a test of credibility. Grim updates from Ukraine, Sudan and Gaza underscored the scale of global crises — and the widening gap between humanitarian need and political leverage.

The U.N. Secretary-General has condemned the deadly crackdown on protests in Iran, calling for restraint and the restoration of communications as reports mount of deaths, injuries, and widespread use of force against demonstrators.

As Washington moves to withdraw from multiple U.N. bodies and withhold funding, the daily U.N. press briefing turns into a tense exchange, revealing a press corps increasingly willing to challenge the limits of multilateralism, accountability, and the Secretary-General’s authority in a rapidly fragmenting world order.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and U.S. President Donald Trump are seen alongside a White House notice announcing Washington’s withdrawal from multiple U.N. entities. By ATN News Team UNHQ, New York : — The UN on Thursday expressed regret over the United States’ decision to withdraw from dozens of U.N. organizations, funds, programs, and coordination bodies, warning that the move will reduce U.S. participation across the multilateral system but stressing that the or

At the UN’s Jan. 7 briefing, reporters pressed the Secretary-General’s spokesperson on Venezuela, Syria, and sovereignty, testing how far the organization can go as major powers act faster than diplomacy and humanitarian stakes rise.

At the UN’s daily briefing, reporters pressed the Secretary-General’s spokesperson on Venezuela, Gaza, Sudan, and the limits of diplomacy. The exchange revealed growing unease over the UN’s ability to shape political outcomes while humanitarian crises multiply and civilians bear the cost of stalled consensus.

A tense UN briefing exposed growing strain on the international system after the U.S. military operation in Venezuela. Reporters pressed the Secretary-General’s office on legality, precedent, and credibility, while UN officials warned of rising instability and emphasized humanitarian consequences from Venezuela to Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine.

The United Nations secretary-general has warned that recent U.S. military action in Venezuela represents a dangerous precedent under international law, raising concerns about regional stability and respect for the U.N. Charter as tensions escalate.

The UN General Assembly approved a $3.45 billion budget for 2026 after months of difficult negotiations, locking in deep spending and staffing cuts as the organization faces severe cash-flow pressures and unresolved arrears from member states.