(Peace and Security – Occupied Palestinian Territory – Media) More than 260 media professionals were killed in the recent hostilities in Gaza – the deadliest conflict for journalists in decades. The issue was in the spotlight at UN Headquarters on Monday during a forum focused on the dangers and complexities of reporting from the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The conversation “could not be more timely, nor more necessary,” said Melissa Fleming, head of the Department of Global Communications (DGC) which organized the 2025 United Nations International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East. “This seminar is inviting us to consider how journalism in Israel and Palestine, particularly in Gaza and the West Bank, has become both a battleground and a lifeline,” she said. – In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, journalism is ‘both a battleground and a lifeline’ | UN News
(Peace and Security – Gaza) The UN says humanitarian partners in Gaza are scaling up winterisation efforts as cold weather and heavy rain continue to impact displaced Palestinians. More than 230,000 families – that’s around 1.15 million people – received monthly food parcels between 1 and 27 November, through 59 distribution points, including 21 in northern Gaza. Shelter partners distributed over 8,800 blankets and more than 300 tents, with additional tarpaulins and mattresses arriving this week. – Gaza: UN reports expanded winterisation efforts as cold weather intensifies | UN News
(Peace and Security) Civilian deaths and injuries from landmines and explosive remnants of war have risen to their highest level in four years, according to the Landmine Monitor 2025 report launched in Geneva on Monday. It documents 6,279 casualties in 2024. Children remain especially vulnerable, particularly in conflict-affected countries where displaced families are returning to heavily contaminated areas. “Civilians made up 90 per cent of casualties in 2024,” said Loren Persi, Impact Team Lead for the report. “And children remained a significant portion of all casualties, almost half…In Afghanistan, 77 per cent, so over three-quarters of all casualties, were children, which is horrific.”. The launch was led by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) and hosted by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR). – Landmine casualties hit four-year high as treaty setbacks deepen | UN News
(UN Affairs) With nearly $1.6 billion in unpaid dues, the UN Secretary-General warned on Monday that chronic late payments are hampering the world body’s ability to function, even as sweeping cuts move forward through the General Assembly’s main budget committee. António Guterres told the Fifth Committee the UN is facing its most fragile cash position in years, despite sharp reductions already built into next year’s budget plans. “Liquidity remains fragile, and this challenge will persist regardless of the final budget approved,” he said, pointing to the “unacceptable volume of arrears” owed by Member States. – UN chief warns unpaid dues near $1.6 billion, as budget cuts deepen | UN News
(Health) The UN World Health Organization (WHO) has issued its first guideline on the use of a new class of weight-loss medicines, marking a significant shift in global health policy as obesity rates continue to rise. The guidance focuses on GLP-1 therapies – medicines such as liraglutide, semaglutide and tirzepatide – and offers conditional recommendations on how they can be used safely as part of long-term treatment. – WHO backs wider use of weight-loss medicines, calling obesity a chronic disease | UN News
