UNITED NATIONS, Oct 19 (IPS) - Social development in a global context shows the risk of trending downwards and not recovering if countries do not minimize the long-term impacts of multiple crises and work towards building up their resilience. As much as this will require national political will, it will also need global cooperation for it to be possible.

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 18 (IPS) - Last month, world leaders gathered at the time of the UN General Assembly in New York and agreed on a pioneering Pact for the Future. This global accord has implications across a broad range of issues that affect every country. It offers much hope for the poorest and most vulnerable countries on the planet, known as Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 18 (IPS) - In the midst of Israel's ground incursion of southern Lebanon, frequent airstrikes have demolished civilian infrastructure, which is only contributing to the increasing rates of civilian casualties and displacement. Humanitarian organizations fear that conditions in Lebanon will soon resemble those of Gaza if a ceasefire isn't reached soon.

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, Oct 18 (IPS) - Juan López was gunned down on 14 September. An environmental activist, community leader and member of the Municipal Committee in Defence of the Commons and Public Goods of Tocoa, he was the latest victim of extractive greed in Honduras. Communities protecting the rivers that flow through the Bajo Aguán region have seen several of their leaders assassinated.

SANTA FE, New Mexico USA, Oct 18 (IPS) - Two years ago world leaders from nearly 200 countries made a landmark commitment to protect and conserve at least 30% of the planet's land, ocean, and freshwater by 2030 - an initiative known as "30x30".

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 18 (IPS) - When Dr Gamani Corea, a former Secretary-General of the Geneva-based UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was holding court in the delegate's lounge, I asked him what he thought of the bitter dispute between then Secretary-General (SG) Boutros Boutros-Ghali (1992-1996) and the United States over the Egyptian's determination to win re-election for a second term.

A young Gazan footballer who says he feels like he is “dying every day,” is trying to keep his dream alive of one day playing the game professionally, despite living “under constant fire.’

The UN Security Council on Friday renewed for one year the sanctions regime on Haiti – including a targeted assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo measures – aimed at curbing the illicit flow of weapons to criminal gangs which have sown chaos across the Caribbean island nation.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expressed its deep concern over disturbing reports that Iranian border police opened fire on a group of Afghan migrants, resulting in deaths and injuries.

The UN Secretary-General has said the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar should lead to a swift end to the year-long war in Gaza, the release of all hostages and unimpeded delivery of aid, his Deputy Spokesperson told reporters on Friday.