Inside the UN’s fight to end cultural heritage trafficking

On Sunday, a foot patrol of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was targeted by an Israeli army Merkava tank positioned inside Lebanese territory. Israel said it had been a case of “misidentification”.UN News’s Nancy Sarkis spoke to UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel, who said the incident is part of a “deeply worrying escalation” along the Blue Line of separation.Ms. Ardiel pointed to warning fire near civilians and new Israeli-built concrete walls that straddle the Blue Line, stressing that “any attack on peacekeepers is unacceptable.”

Last year, 37,000 stolen cultural objects – including artifacts, artworks, coins, and instruments – were seized by international police agency, Interpol, and law enforcement.The illicit trade in cultural property is one of the world’s oldest and most profitable forms of criminal activity – and it is increasingly being facilitated online. UN News’s Cristina Silveiro has been speaking to Krista Pikkat, Director for Culture and emergencies for UN agency UNESCO, about the fight against illicit trafficking in stolen heritage worldwide. 

As COP30 brings leaders and negotiators together from around the world, the spotlight is not only on policy but also on the real-life experiences of those most affected by climate change.From Ethiopia, Mekebib Tadesse, representing the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) delegation, brings a firsthand perspective on the human and humanitarian dimensions of the crisis.In an interview with Felipe Carvalho – who's in Belem for UN News – Mekebib shared insights on how climate change is upending his home country.

Climate change is no longer a distant threat; it is already reshaping lives and communities around the world.Extreme weather – from unprecedented tornadoes to rising seas and creeping desertification – is forcing millions on the run, often within their own countries.At COP30 in Belém this week, Ugochi Daniels, Deputy Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), stressed the importance of local, people-centred solutions.“Early warning systems, predictable funding, and locally led adaptation are critical,” she told UN News’s Felipe de Carvalho. 

At a time when false narratives about climate change are spreading faster than ever online, the UN education and culture agency, UNESCO, is calling for stronger global cooperation to safeguard information integrity.Speaking to UN News’s Felipe de Carvalho in Brazil’s coastal city of Belém which is hosting COP30, Guilherme Canela, UNESCO’s Head of Digital Policies who takes a lead on promoting accurate information regarding climate change, says misinformation has become one of the most significant global risks – alongside climate change itself.He stressed that protecting reliable, science-based information is essential for effective climate action.

Filipinos are picking up the pieces after super typhoon Fung-Wong ripped through the country.Eight people including three children are reported to have died because of the typhoon, but it could have been much worse: over a million people were evacuated from homes in 13 of the country’s 18 regions, in one of the Philippines’ largest ever pre-emptive operations.Arnaud Peral, the UN Resident Coordinator in The Philippines, told UN News’s Conor Lennon the way authorities prepared for the impact is testament to the coordination between the government, the United Nations and the international NGOs on the ground.

People being held in prisons in Haiti are dying of starvation in subhuman conditions according to the UN’s Designated Expert on the human rights situation in the Caribbean island nation, William O'Neill.Haiti is facing an increasingly perilous security crisis as gangs compete to control the capital, Port-au-Prince, and surrounding areas, impacting an already dysfunctional justice system.Prisons are severely overcrowded, and some detainees can wait for years to be tried for minor offences, including the theft of chickens or shoes.Daniel Dickinson began by asking Mr. O’Neill to describe the conditions he has witnessed in Haitian prisons.

With half the world’s population under 30, sidelining young people is no longer an option. That’s according to UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, Felipe Paullier, who champions the determination and creativity of the world’s youth.He’s been at the World Summit for Social Development in Doha this week, issuing a strong call to action and urging world leaders to put young people at the heart of decision-making.In an interview with UN News’s Abdelmonem Makki, he said that real progress means making space, so young people have a main seat at the table: “They’re not waiting for us,” he adds, “they’re finding solutions.” 

For millions of people with disabilities around the globe, the World Social Summit happening in Doha this week, represents something more powerful than promises – it represents hope.That’s according to Fatma Al Jassim, who is in Doha representing the Global Disability Innovation Hub, a pioneering research centre in the UK, dedicated to driving disability innovation for a fairer world.Speaking to UN News’s Abdelmonem Makki, Ms. Al Jassim explained why true inclusion is key to real change. 

Nearly 30 years after the landmark Copenhagen Declaration – when governments pledged to make societies fairer and more inclusive – conversations about putting social development back at the centre of the global agenda have taken on renewed importance.To understand why it’s so critical, and how social protection connects to the broader pursuit of social justice, UN News’s Vibhu Mishra has been speaking to Srinivas Tata, of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).They’re both in Doha where the Second World Summit for Social Development is in full swing, and Mr. Tata began by explain why social justice is not just a vague concept – but an achievable goal.