Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)
Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet K. Dhillon and U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced that a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C. returned an indictment charging Elias Rodriguez with murder of a foreign official, hate crimes, firearms offenses, first-degree murder, and assault with intent to kill, for the shooting of Israeli Embassy staffers leaving a reception hosted at the Capital Jewish Museum (CJM). Rodriguez had previously been charged by complaint with murder of a foreign official, firearm offenses, and first-degree murder on May 22.
Joint Security Council Stakeout by Ambassador Michael Imran Kanu, Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the United Nations, on behalf of the Permanent Representatives of ECOWAS, on Combating Terrorism through Regional Leadership and Multilateral Cooperation.
On 9 August 1995, a world sacred pipe ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York honored the first-ever International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.
At that ceremony, Chief Oren Lyons of the Onondaga Nation, along with Melissa Fawcett of the Mohegan Tribe, delivered powerful messages calling for unity, recognition and Indigenous rights.
Every 9 August, people around the world are encouraged to spread the UN’s message on the protection and promotion of the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
HUMANITARIAN FUNDING
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today warned that more than halfway through the year, the humanitarian funding landscape remains dire. As of now, less than 17 per cent of the $46 billion required to meet global humanitarian needs in 2025 has been received. This marks an alarming 40 percent drop compared to the same time last year.
This funding shortfall is a stark reminder that millions of vulnerable people will go without the aid they desperately need. As we have repeatedly warned, the UN and its partners are being forced to do more with less – at tremendous cost to people.
In June, facing the deepest funding cuts ever to hit the international humanitarian system, OCHA launched a hyper-prioritized global appeal to help 114 million people by targeting the most urgent needs within the broader 2025 Global Humanitarian Overview.
LEBANON
In southern Lebanon, the peacekeepers of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) continue to observe Israel Defense Forces ground and air military activities, including airstrikes by fighter jets yesterday in Sector East. According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health, Israeli air strikes yesterday led to fatalities, including one child. The UN once more urges the parties to refrain from any activities that may endanger civilians.
In a major operation to find unauthorized weapon caches and infrastructure, UNIFIL peacekeepers – working in coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces – were deployed over a 320 square kilometer area in Sector West this week. The discoveries included networks of seven fortified tunnels, three bunkers, artillery, rocket launchers, hundreds of explosive shells and rockets, anti-tank mines, and about 250 ready-to-use improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Mortar shells and rockets were also found in Sector East. In addition, unexploded ordnance was discovered in different areas, including an anti-tank mine and rockets in Sector West and mortar rounds in Sector East. They were all referred to the Lebanese Army.
UNIFIL demining teams recently completed the clearance of mines and vegetation around five Blue Line markers ahead of the markers’ refurbishment. These are among about 10 markers damaged or destroyed during recent hostilities. Clearance operations around the remaining markers will begin next week.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=07%20August%202025
The theme for International Youth Day 2025, "Youth Advancing Multilateral Cooperation Through Technology and Partnerships," highlights the vital role young people play in redefining multilateral diplomacy.
This year’s observance, organized in collaboration with UNITAR and AFS Intercultural Programs, provides a dynamic platform for young leaders, policymakers, diplomats, innovators, and civil society actors to engage in meaningful conversations on how technology and partnerships can strengthen global cooperation. Open to all through public registration, the event will encourage diverse participation, ensuring that voices from various backgrounds contribute to shaping a more connected and collaborative world.
Joint press encounter by Security Council signatories of Shared Commitments on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), led by Ambassador Eloy Alfaro de Alba, Permanent Representative of Panama to the United Nations, and President of the Security Council President for the month of August, at the Security Council Stakeout.
