In the rolling hills of Indonesia’s West Java province, thousands of farmers are reaping tangible benefits from the digitization of their businesses and improved access to finance, thanks in part to a United Nations‑supported project.

Leaders from across the world are debating how industry can help tackle some of the world’s most urgent challenges – from climate change and food insecurity to the need for fairer supply chains – at the Global Industry Summit, which opened on Sunday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

In a pivotal outcome at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, countries agreed on a sweeping package to scale up climate finance and accelerate implementation of the Paris Agreement – but without a clear commitment to move away from fossil fuels.

Scolded for wanting to go to school as a girl and dismissed or ignored as an adult, Awrelia from Wau in South Sudan has learnt to advocate for herself, her children and for the women in her community.

The UN Deputy Secretary-General voiced deep alarm on Saturday over the latest mass abduction from a school in Nigeria, calling for the immediate release of those taken.

Ministers and leaders from across the world’s 44 least developed countries have pledged to accelerate industrialisation that benefits all, and strengthen resilience in the face of global challenges, at an international UN conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

BELÉM, Brazil, November 21 (IPS) - Belém, at the mouth of the Amazon River, was always going to be a symbolic host for the UN COP30 climate summit, but the mood here has gone far beyond symbolism.

SAN LUIS JILOTEPEQUE, Guatemala, November 21 (IPS) - Plagued by drought, farming families living within the boundaries of the Dry Corridor in eastern Guatemala have resorted to rainwater harvesting, an effective technique that has allowed them to cope.

UNITED NATIONS, November 21 (IPS) - As the digital landscape continues to expand and integrate into various aspects of daily life, humanitarian experts have raised concerns about the associated risks, particularly as artificial intelligence (AI), online anonymity, and the absence of effective monitoring frameworks heighten the potential for abuse and harassment. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by digital abuse, facing heightened risks, with nearly half of them worldwide lacking effective legal protections.

UNITED NATIONS, November 21 (IPS) - The 193-member General Assembly (GA), the UN’s highest policy-making body, has long been the repository for scores of long-winded outdated resolutions accumulated over several decades– and lying in cold storage.