
The Take: Will budget cuts cause the end of the UN as we know it?
United Nations agencies are facing an unprecedented financial crisis, with the United States abruptly pulling aid, European contributions shrinking, and global budgets shifting to defence. Deep cuts, mass layoffs and sweeping reforms are under way, jeopardising food, shelter and other aid for millions around the world. How can the UN adapt to survive?
In this episode:
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé and Tamara Khandaker, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Kisaa Zehra, Mariana Navarrete and our host, Manuel Rapalo. It was edited by Alexandra Locke.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is Hisham Abu Salah. Alexandra Locke is The Take's executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio.
Connect with us:
@AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Al Jazeera
3 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
UK sanctions Israeli ministers for 'inciting violence'
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy says the UK has sanctioned far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for inciting violence against Palestinians.


Al Jazeera
6 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
Iran threatens to strike US bases if conflict erupts over nuclear programme
Iran's defence minister has said his country would target US military bases in the region if conflict breaks out with the United States, as President Donald Trump said he was losing confidence that a nuclear deal would be agreed. Washington and Tehran have held five rounds of talks since April as Trump seeks an agreement that would place constraints on Iran's uranium enrichment. He has threatened to attack Iran if no deal can be agreed. Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said on Wednesday that Iran would target US military bases in the region if the US attacked it first. 'Some officials on the other side threaten conflict if negotiations don't come to fruition. If a conflict is imposed on us … all US bases are within our reach and we will boldly target them in host countries,' Nasirzadeh told reporters, the Reuters news agency reported. The sixth round of talks is expected later this week, with Trump saying they will take place on Thursday, and Tehran saying they will be held on Sunday in Oman. Trump said that he was growing less confident that a nuclear deal would be reached, in comments in a podcast released on Wednesday. 'I don't know,' the US leader told the podcast Pod Force One on Monday, when asked whether he thought he could strike a deal with Iran. 'I'm less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago. Something happened to them, but I am much less confident of a deal being made,' he said. Trump repeated the US position that Iran would be stopped from developing a nuclear bomb, regardless of whether a deal was reached. 'But it would be nicer to do it without warfare, without people dying, it's so much nicer to do it,' he told the podcast. 'But I don't think I see the same level of enthusiasm for them to make a deal.' Iran insists that its nuclear programme is purely for civilian purposes, but Western powers have long expressed fear that Tehran intends to develop a nuclear weapon. In the next round of talks, Iran is expected to deliver its counter to a previous US offer that was rejected by Tehran. The global nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is currently meeting in Vienna, where it is poised to vote on a resolution to censure Iran over accusations it has failed to comply with nuclear non-proliferation obligations. Iran has promised a 'proportionate' response to any action against it by the watchdog or Western powers. Russia has also called for greater efforts to find a resolution to the nuclear issue. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who oversees arms control and US relations, said on Wednesday that Moscow could provide practical help to strike a solution, offering that Russia could remove nuclear material from Iran to be converted into civilian reactor fuel. 'We are ready to provide assistance to both Washington and Tehran, not only politically, not only in the form of ideas that could be of use in the negotiation process, but also practically,' Ryabkov told reporters, according to Reuters. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also weighed in on the impending talks, stressing that Iran did not wish to develop nuclear weapons, and calling for the continuation of its enrichment programme under the supervision of the IAEA. 'President Trump entered office saying that Iran should not have nuclear weapons. That is actually in line with our own doctrine and could become the main foundation for a deal,' Araghchi wrote on X. 'As we resume talks on Sunday, it is clear that an agreement that can ensure the continued peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program is within reach — and could be achieved rapidly,' he wrote. 'That mutually beneficial outcome relies on the continuation of Iran's enrichment program, under the full supervision of the IAEA, and the effective termination of sanctions.' President Trump entered office saying that Iran should not have nuclear weapons. That is actually in line with our own doctrine and could become the main foundation for a deal. As we resume talks on Sunday, it is clear that an agreement that can ensure the continued peaceful… — Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 11, 2025Another major sticking point in the talks has been Iran's missile programme, which would be used in the delivery of any nuclear weapon. Nasirzadeh also said on Wednesday that Iran had successfully tested a missile carrying a 2,000kg (4,410lb) warhead last week. He did not specify whether this was a variant of the Khorramshahr ballistic missile – Iran's longest-range projectile that can travel over 2,000km (1,240 miles) – or a new model, or provide further details about the missile. During his first White House term from 2017-2021, Trump pulled the US out of a 2015 deal between Iran and world powers that placed limits on Tehran's uranium enrichment drive in exchange for relief from sanctions.


Al Jazeera
6 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
How the Los Angeles protests unfolded: A visual guide
Parts of downtown Los Angeles were under a nighttime curfew on Tuesday after LA Mayor Karen Bass declared a local emergency to 'stop the vandalism' and 'to stop the looting'. The protests began on Friday after United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities conducted a series of immigration raids across the city. The next day, US President Donald Trump issued an executive order to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops to LA without California Governor Gavin Newsom's consent. Trump ordered the deployment of 700 Marines and an additional 2,000 National Guard forces on Monday. This provoked an ongoing battle between state and federal authorities, with Newsom calling Trump's order a 'blatant abuse of power' and Mayor Bass describing the deployment as an 'intentional effort to sow chaos'. On the federal side, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem referred to Los Angeles as a 'city of criminals' and accused local officials of inaction. Morning: ICE conducted coordinated raids across LA, targeting a Home Depot, garment factories, warehouses and street vendor locations. At least 44 individuals were arrested for 'immigration violations'. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said they included gang members and criminals. The raids quickly triggered protests and demonstrations blocked entrances and exits for the Edward R Roybal Federal Building in Downtown LA, where the detainees were being David Huerta, president of Service Employees International Union (SEIU), one of the largest and most influential labour unions in the country, was arrested outside a garment warehouse where protesters had gathered to oppose an immigration raid. Huerta was taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Downtown LA, where protesters assembled in solidarity. Evening: The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) declared the area an unlawful assembly, deployed tear gas, issued tactical alerts and made several arrests. Morning: The next morning, reports emerged of more immigration raids, this time outside a Home Depot store in Paramount, about 26km (16 miles) southeast of downtown LA, where day labourers often gather in hopes of being hired for short-term jobs. There, protesters clashed with security forces, who used tear gas and flashbang grenades to disperse the crowd. Afternoon: The protests escalated as demonstrators blocked streets, threw stones and set a vehicle on fire. The LA County Sheriff declares the gathering an unlawful assembly and uses tear gas to disperse the President Trump orders at least 2,000 National Guard troops to be deployed to Los Angeles, federalising them under Title 10 of the US Code, which allows the federal government to mobilise National Guard units without the consent of state governors. It marked the first time since 1965 that a president had deployed National Guard troops to a state without a governor's request. Morning: About 300 National Guard troops arrive in downtown LA, Paramount, and neighbouring Compton to secure federal sites, prompting anger and fear among many residents. On the most intense day of demonstrations so far, thousands of protesters gathered in downtown LA near the Metropolitan Detention Center, where they were met by National Guard troops deployed to support immigration officials. Afternoon: Large crowds march from City Hall to the Federal Detention Center. The LAPD once again issues dispersal orders and begins arrests. Protesters briefly block sections of the 101 Freeway, disrupting one of Los Angeles' busiest highways. Some demonstrators also set fire to several self-driving cars, escalating tensions further. In response, authorities deployed tear gas, rubber bullets and flashbang grenades to disperse the crowd. Morning: After a relatively calm night, the fourth day begins with renewed ICE raids targeting workplaces across Southern California, including in suburban areas like Santa Ana and Paramount. Thousands gather for a large rally at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles, organised by the SEIU. The demonstration, joined by local officials and members of Congress, calls for an end to the raids, the immediate release of the SEIU's Huerta, and the withdrawal of National Guard troops from the city. Huerta is later released on a $50,000 bond. Afternoon: The state of California files a lawsuit against President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, arguing that the Title 10 deployment of National Guard troops unlawfully oversteps state sovereignty. Trump doubles the number of National Guard troops from 2,000 to 4,000, while also deploying 700 Marines in a domestic deployment not seen in decades. Evening: Protests continue around the federal building, with a mix of peaceful rallies and sporadic clashes with police. Authorities deploy tear gas and rubber bullets, and hundreds of arrests are reported throughout the day. The protests entered their fifth day, with demonstrations remaining mixed, many peaceful, while others involved vandalism, looting, rock throwing and the use of crowd-control measures. Newsom and Bass continued to condemn the military presence as illegal and damaging, warning it tarnishes the city's image as it prepares for major events like the 2028 Olympics and the World Cup. A Pentagon official estimated that the deployment of Marines and National Guard troops to Los Angeles will cost about $134m. Despite mounting criticism, President Donald Trump doubles down on his decision to deploy the National Guard and Marines to confront protesters in Los Angeles. Mayor Bass announces a curfew for a portion of the downtown area, effective from 8pm on Tuesday until 6am on Wednesday. The curfew covers an area of approximately 20sq km (7.7sq miles). The state of California has the largest Latino or Hispanic population of any US state, both in total numbers and as a share of its population, with nearly half of its residents identifying as such in the 2024 Census. Los Angeles is the United States's second-largest city, after New York City, with a population of some 3.8 million residents within its city limits. The city is home to more than 1.35 million migrants, which means that one in every three residents is a migrant, according to the LA city government in Angeles is one of many self-claimed sanctuary cities across the US, which limit their cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, particularly US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), to protect undocumented citizens from detention and deportation. Sanctuary laws differ from place to place. Some ban asking about immigration status, while others only refuse to hold people on ICE detainers. Being in a sanctuary city or state does not mean someone is safe from deportation. ICE can still operate and arrest people in sanctuary jurisdictions. The most recent protests in LA are part of a series of continuing demonstrations by civil society and various groups opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) due to the detention and deportation of community members. According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), an organisation that tracks political violence and protests worldwide, at least 2,112 demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement have occurred since January 2025. These protests are shown on the map below.