Shibbir Ahmed, New York — UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for a major overhaul of the international system, saying the institutions created after the Second World War must change to reflect the growing economic and geopolitical influence of emerging economies. Speaking to leaders at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Sunday, Guterres said the world of today is fundamentally different from that of 1945 and that global institutions must reflect current economic, demographic and geopolitical realities.

“Today’s economic, demographic and geopolitical realities are not those of 1945,” Guterres said. “Our institutional structures must reflect it.”

He said the countries represented at the summit reflected the changing balance of global power and pointed to the emergence of an increasingly multipolar world. Guterres argued that multipolarity can bring greater balance and equity to international institutions, but said that would require reforms to bodies including the UN Security Council and the Bretton Woods institutions.

The UN chief outlined four priorities for what he described as inclusive global growth: financing, technology, climate justice and peace. On development financing, Guterres said developing countries need substantial international support to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. He urged multilateral development banks to become “bigger, better and bolder” to help meet the scale of financing required. Turning to artificial intelligence, he warned that the benefits of the technology remain concentrated among a relatively small number of companies and countries.

“Unchecked, the AI divide will widen every other divide — in income, in opportunity, in security, and in sovereignty,” Guterres warned.

Climate change was another major focus of his address. Guterres pointed to extreme heat, melting glaciers, wildfires and devastating floods as signs of the worsening climate crisis and warned that a stronger El Niño could make conditions even more difficult as the world approaches the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold above pre-industrial levels.

He called on wealthy nations to honor existing climate-finance commitments, including increased adaptation financing and stronger support for countries facing loss and damage. He also criticized the exploitation of critical minerals, calling for an end to what he described as “plundering.”

On peace and security, Guterres highlighted conflicts and crises in Gaza, the wider Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan. He urged countries to uphold the UN Charter, including the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity and the peaceful settlement of disputes. Guterres said reforming the international system should be viewed as a shared responsibility rather than a concession to emerging powers.

“As we move irreversibly to a multipolar world, all countries must work to strengthen and safeguard a multilateral system that delivers for all with the United Nations at its centre,” he said.

The BRICS summit, hosted by India, brought together leaders of major emerging economies and senior international officials as discussions focused on global governance, economic cooperation, development, technology, climate change and international peace and security.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York — Iran has said the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz will remain closed despite efforts to revive regional diplomacy, as a planned meeting between Iran and Gulf states was postponed and concerns over global energy supplies continued to grow.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said an agreement reached with Oman over arrangements for maritime traffic through the strait would not mean the waterway would be reopened. Tehran has linked any reopening to the United States returning to commitments made under an earlier peace understanding.

The planned meeting in Oman, which was expected to bring together Iran, Iraq and Gulf Arab states to discuss navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, was postponed on Monday. Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said the delay was intended to allow more time to build consensus among the participating countries.

The diplomatic setback comes as tensions around the region’s major energy routes continue to rise. Shipping traffic through Hormuz has fallen sharply, with only a small number of commodity vessels recorded passing through the waterway over the weekend, well below the recent daily average.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints, carrying a significant share of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. Disruption to the route has already contributed to a sharp increase in oil prices, with Brent crude rising above $107 a barrel on Monday.

Iran has also warned vessels that violate its maritime protocols. Its Strait Authority issued an updated list of 77 vessels accused of violating Iranian rules and warned that sanctioned ships could face penalties including fines, detention or confiscation.

The stalled diplomacy has increased fears that the disruption could persist, putting further pressure on global energy markets, shipping costs and economies dependent on Gulf oil and gas.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York — Nearly 86,000 people have fled their homes in Yemen as fighting between government forces and Iran-backed Houthi rebels intensifies, the United Nations said, citing displacement figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

IOM said 85,818 people had been displaced by the renewed fighting, including 82,164 since the beginning of September alone. The latest wave of displacement has followed intensified hostilities along Yemen’s western coast and in parts of Taiz and Al-Hodeidah. Taiz has emerged as one of the areas hardest hit by the renewed fighting, with about 9,280 households—nearly 56,000 people—displaced, according to IOM figures.

The escalation comes as the Houthis advance along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, raising fears of a wider conflict and further civilian displacement. The Iran-backed group has made gains in areas near the strategic port of Mocha and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The Bab el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is one of the world’s most important maritime routes. Any prolonged disruption in the area could affect international shipping, global trade and energy supplies.

The humanitarian crisis is also spilling beyond Yemen’s borders. More than 2,000 Yemenis fleeing the violence have reached Djibouti by sea, according to IOM. The crossings add another layer of danger for people already displaced by the conflict.

IOM Director General Amy Pope warned that behind the displacement figures are families who have repeatedly lost their homes and livelihoods. Many people fleeing the latest violence are crossing the sea with little more than what they can carry because they have few remaining options for safety.

Yemen has endured more than a decade of conflict since the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. A UN-brokered truce in 2022 brought a period of relative calm and largely halted major fighting, but it expired after six months without producing a lasting political settlement.

The renewed offensive has raised fears that Yemen could once again descend into prolonged large-scale warfare. Humanitarian agencies have warned that continued fighting and repeated displacement will put additional pressure on families already struggling with poverty, food insecurity and limited access to basic services.

With tens of thousands of people newly displaced and thousands more crossing the sea to Djibouti, the latest escalation threatens to deepen one of the world’s longest-running humanitarian crises.