Proponents said its passage is critical with 339 million people in need of humanitarian aid and nearly 50 million people on the verge of famine worldwide.
Humanitarian organizations gained an important new tool with the passage of a U.N. Security Council resolution that creates a standing exemption to the U.N.'s asset freeze measures.
The 15-nation council on Friday approved the resolution, co-drafted by Ireland and the United States, in a 14-0 vote from which India abstained on the grounds that terrorist groups might be able to misuse it to raise funds and recruit fighters.
The U.N. body also demands Israel be held accountable for possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
The ruling orders Israel to allow aid trucks loaded with food and supplies to enter Gaza unhindered "without delay."
WHO warns disease and hunger are at alarming levels in the Congo, where almost 10 million people are on the move.
The spending bill also has other 'key pro-Israel provisions' aimed at the U.N. and other international organizations.
The humanitarian nightmare and attacks on civilians in Gaza dominated the U.N. Security Council's quarterly open debate.
Climate scientists have warned for decades about bleaching of coral reefs, which are nurseries for commercial fisheries.
This year and next mark the countdown to a 2025 deadline for governments to strengthen their carbon-cutting plans.
A new U.N. report shows how prioritizing debt over services like health care and education plagues the developing world.
