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Revealed: The extensive perks UN officials receive amid budget crisis
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United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has directed staff to slash budgets ahead of the 2026 budgetary vote as part of a wider reform effort through his UN80 Initiative.
Much of the belt-tightening comes at a time when the Trump administration has looked to save money with the help of DOGE. In March, Guterres warned about cuts to U.S. spending at the U.N., stating that «going through with recent funding cuts will make the world less healthy, less safe, and less prosperous.» The U.S., as the top funder to the world body, has given billions over the last few years, while paying around a third of its budget.
However, organizational belt-tightening does not appear to have hit senior-level U.N. staff.
«The American people don’t even see this,» a diplomatic source told Fox News Digital. «These people that are appointed to care for the poor of the world, get better perks than any investment banks out there.»
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Flags of the U.N. and U.S. fly outside the United Nations headquarters ahead of the 78th session of the General Assembly in New York City on Sept. 15, 2023. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
The diplomatic insider told Fox News Digital that the current «zero-growth» budget for 2026 still includes «a lot of perks» for professional- and director-level U.N. staff along with assistant-secretaries, under-secretaries and the secretary-general.
Fox News Digital recently reported that Guterres earned $418,348, which is a higher base salary than President Donald Trump receives. And that doesn’t include some of the perks the U.N. chief gets, including a plush Manhattan residence and chauffeur-driven car.
Additionally, though U.N. documents say senior-level U.N. staff are «going to be the first thing to be reduced,» the source says that «in the budget of 2026, none of that is touched.»
Here is a list of perks:
Salary and Multiplier
U.N. professional staff, including Guterres, are paid a general salary as well as an additional multiplier of their salary based on their post. Multipliers are meant to «preserve equivalent purchasing power for all duty stations» and can range from 16% in Eswatini, Africa, to 86.8% in Switzerland, according to data provided to Fox News Digital by a U.N. source.
The U.N. pay scale has been set to compare with «equivalently graded jobs in the comparator civil service in Washington, D.C.,» with compensation about «10 to 20% ahead of the comparator service» to «attract and retain staff from all countries, including the comparator.»
Secretary-General António Guterres speaks during a press conference at the United Nations Visitors Plaza on April 19, 2022, in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
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Housing Allowance and Tax Exemption
Other expenses that may be compensated for include taxes paid and housing costs.
U.N. staff’s rent may be subsidized by up to 40% if it «exceeds a so-called rent threshold» based on an employee’s income.
Many member states exempt U.N. employees from paying taxes, but employees of the organization who must pay taxes at their duty station are reimbursed for the cost.
Dependent Costs
There are substantial benefits for staff with dependents.
Staff receive an allowance of 6% of their net income if their spouses earn less than an entry-level general service U.N. salary.
Staff who are parents receive a flat allowance of $2,929 for children under 18, or who are under 21 and in secondary schooling. A second child allowance for staff without spouses is set at $1,025.
The United Nations building in New York City, Feb. 23, 2023. (Reuters/Mike Segar/File Photo)
U.N. employees may receive grants to cover a portion of the education costs for dependent children through up to four years of post-secondary education. Reimbursements are calculated on a sliding scale. In a sample calculation, the U.N. explains that it would reimburse $34,845 of a $47,000 tuition.
Boarding fees may also be reimbursed up to $5,300 during primary and secondary education.
Pension Fund, Healthcare Fees
U.N. staff have access to the U.N. joint staff pension fund, which allows employees to contribute 23.7% of «pensionable remuneration, with two-thirds paid by the organization and one-third by the staff member.»
Travel Fees
The U.N. pays travel expenses for staff «on initial appointment, on change of duty station, on separation from service, for travel on official business, for home leave travel, and on travel to visit family members.» In some instances, the U.N. also pays for eligible spouses and dependent children to travel.
Travel expenses include a «daily subsistence allowance (DSA)» meant to cover «the average cost of lodging and other expenses.» Eligible family members receive half the DSA, while director-level staff and above receive an additional DSA supplement.
Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
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Hardship, Relocation, Mobility and Other Incentives
For staff who change assignments at certain duty stations, U.N. mobility incentives begin at $6,700 and can grow to more than $15,075.
If changing stations for an assignment lasting more than a year, settling-in benefits comprise 30 days’ DSA for staff and half-DSA for eligible families, as well as one month of net pay and one month of post adjustment at the assignment duty station. Moving expenses may include the full or partial removal and transport of household goods, or the storage of those items.
Hardship allowances of between $5,930 and $23,720 may be granted for non-local staff in certain duty stations. The U.N. issues allowances of $19,800 for staff with dependents and $7,500 for staff without dependents stationed at non-family duty stations «to recognize the increased level of financial and psychological hardship incurred by involuntary separation.» Danger pay of $1,645 may also be allocated to staff whose association or employment may make them «clearly, persistently, and directly targeted,» or in duty stations where there is a «high risk of becoming collateral damage in a war or active armed conflict.»
Terminated Employees
Terminated employees are also allowed separation payments, typically constituting several months’ pay if their appointment has been terminated due to «abolition of post or reduction of staff; poor health or incapacitation for further service; unsatisfactory service; agreed termination.» Those terminated for unsatisfactory service or misconduct may receive half the typical separation payment.
A repatriation grant may additionally be paid to staff who have been in expatriate service for at least five years, unless staff were «summarily dismissed.»
A U.N. armored personnel carrier on patrol near the Lebanon-Israel border on Oct. 5, 2024. (Carl Court/Getty Images)
Future Cuts to Senior Pay?
In response to questions about Fox News Digital’s source’s statements about U.N. employee compensation being on par with that of an investment banker, Guterres’ spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the assertion was «ludicrous» and «demonstrates an ignorance of both the United Nations and the investment banking worlds.»
Dujarric did not deny that the 2026 budget proposal includes no cutting of senior personnel or benefits. «The budget proposal for 2026 was prepared before the launch of the UN80 initiative,» he said. «We are currently working on identifying efficiencies, including reductions in post, and a revised proposal will be submitted to the General Assembly in the Fall for its deliberations, which usually take place between October and December.»
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Dujarric added that the International Civil Service Commission, an independent group of 15 expert appointees which creates the system of salaries, benefits and allowances for the U.N., is «undertaking a comprehensive review of the compensation package for the international Professional and higher category of staff,» with the results due for presentation in 2026.
«The secretary-general has no authority of the decisions of the ICSC or the appointment of its members,» he said.
El uso cotidiano de tecnología digital por parte de adultos mayores se asocia con una mejor salud cognitiva y un menor riesgo de demencia, según un análisis reciente de decenas de estudios científicos. Este hallazgo, publicado en Nature Human Behavior, desafía la percepción extendida de que la tecnología perjudica la mente, especialmente en un contexto donde los efectos negativos de los dispositivos electrónicos en jóvenes han generado preocupación. Sin embargo, la evidencia indica que, para quienes superan los 50 años, la tecnología puede convertirse en una aliada inesperada del cerebro.
El análisis, citado en un artículo por The New York Times, revisó 57 estudios con la participación de más de 411.000 personas mayores (edad promedio: 69 años) y encontró que cerca del 90% de las investigaciones reportaron un efecto protector de la tecnología digital sobre la función cognitiva. Los adultos mayores que utilizaban ordenadores, teléfonos inteligentes, internet o una combinación de estos dispositivos obtuvieron mejores resultados en pruebas cognitivas y presentaron tasas más bajas de deterioro mental o diagnóstico de demencia, en comparación con quienes evitaban o usaban menos la tecnología.
El tipo de tecnología empleada por este grupo abarca desde ordenadores personales y teléfonos inteligentes hasta el uso regular de internet. Los beneficios observados no se limitan a una sola función: el manejo de dispositivos digitales implica resolver problemas, adaptarse a actualizaciones constantes y aprender nuevas aplicaciones, lo que representa un desafío mental complejo. Además, la tecnología puede facilitar la vida diaria, como realizar compras, gestionar cuentas bancarias o mantener la comunicación con familiares y amigos, lo que contribuye a preservar habilidades funcionales y sociales.
Gran parte de la preocupación por la relación entre tecnología y cognición provino de estudios en niños y adolescentes, cuyos cerebros están en desarrollo.
Expertos en neurociencia y envejecimiento han aportado matices a estos resultados. Michael Scullin, neurocientífico y autor principal del análisis, señaló que “entre la generación pionera digital, el uso de tecnología cotidiana se ha asociado con menor riesgo de deterioro cognitivo y demencia”.
Por su parte, Murali Doraiswamy, director del Programa de Trastornos Neurocognitivos en la Universidad de Duke, consideró que estos hallazgos “son refrescantes y provocadores, y plantean una hipótesis que merece más investigación”.
Walter Boot, psicólogo especializado en envejecimiento, destacó que el estudio refleja el uso de tecnología en la vida real, donde los adultos mayores deben adaptarse a un entorno digital en constante cambio, lo que hace plausibles los resultados.
La experiencia de Wanda Woods, de 67 años, ilustra cómo la adaptación tecnológica puede integrarse en la vida cotidiana de los adultos mayores. Ella comenzó su relación con la tecnología en la adolescencia, cuando un curso de mecanografía la llevó a trabajar con procesadores de texto en la Agencia de Protección Ambiental. Décadas después, fundó un negocio de formación informática y actualmente es instructora en Senior Planet, una iniciativa en Denver que ayuda a personas mayores a familiarizarse con la tecnología.
Woods utiliza ordenadores, teléfonos inteligentes, relojes inteligentes y chatbots de inteligencia artificial para organizar viajes y actividades familiares, y afirma que mantenerse al día con la tecnología la mantiene activa y conectada: “Me mantiene informada también”.
La razón por la que la tecnología puede beneficiar al cerebro en la vejez radica en los desafíos que plantea. Según Scullin, estos dispositivos representan retos complejos que requieren perseverancia y aprendizaje continuo, lo que estimula procesos mentales asociados con la salud cognitiva. Incluso la necesidad de adaptarse a nuevas versiones de software o resolver problemas técnicos puede convertirse en un ejercicio mental positivo. Además, la tecnología fomenta la interacción social y puede compensar ciertas limitaciones de memoria mediante recordatorios y aplicaciones útiles.
No obstante, los especialistas advierten sobre los riesgos asociados al uso inadecuado o excesivo de la tecnología. Los fraudes en línea y las estafas afectan especialmente a los adultos mayores, quienes, aunque reportan menos incidentes que los jóvenes, suelen sufrir pérdidas económicas más elevadas. La desinformación y el aislamiento social por un uso excesivo de pantallas también representan amenazas. Doraiswamy subrayó que la tecnología no puede sustituir otras actividades beneficiosas para el cerebro, como el ejercicio físico o una alimentación saludable.
En las últimas décadas, la proporción de personas mayores que desarrollan demencia ha disminuido en Estados Unidos y varios países europeos, a pesar del aumento absoluto de casos debido al envejecimiento poblacional. Los investigadores atribuyen esta tendencia a factores como la reducción del tabaquismo, mayores niveles educativos y un mejor control de la presión arterial. Doraiswamy sugirió que la interacción con la tecnología podría estar contribuyendo a este patrón, aunque la relación exacta aún no se ha determinado.
El futuro de la relación entre tecnología y envejecimiento plantea nuevas preguntas. No está claro si los beneficios observados en la generación actual de adultos mayores se mantendrán en las próximas cohortes, que han crecido rodeadas de tecnología. Como señaló Boot, la tecnología evoluciona constantemente, por lo que el impacto sobre la salud cognitiva podría variar con el tiempo.
A lo largo de la historia, la llegada de nuevas tecnologías ha generado inquietud y escepticismo. Sin embargo, la experiencia muestra que, tras la alarma inicial, muchas innovaciones terminan aportando ventajas inesperadas, incluso para quienes más reticencia sentían al principio.
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WATCH: Texas state senator argues redistricting showdown could decide balance of power in future US Congress
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GOP Texas state senator Mayes Middleton told Fox News Digital that the stakes couldn’t be higher when it comes to Republicans’ redistricting fight with Democrats in Texas, arguing that the effort to redraw the maps in Texas could «save America.»
Middleton pointed out that if the results of the 2026 mid-term elections lead to another razor-thin majority for Republicans, the Congress «will know» that the Texas redistricting bill was responsible for the GOP maintaining its power. Meanwhile, despite Democrats’ attempts to halt the GOP redistricting effort by fleeing the state, Middleton expressed little concern that these challenges would amount to anything.
«Literally, this redistricting bill could save this entire nation. This is why this fight is so important to me,» Middleton said. «I will fight with everything in me to make sure that this map becomes law, and we get those five more Republican seats … It could literally save America.»
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Texas GOP state senator, Mayes Middleton, spoke to Fox News Digital about the ongoing redistricting battle in his state. (Getty Images/Fox News)
Despite the stakes, according to Middleton, he did not express concern about Democrats’ efforts to challenge the Republican redistricting bill, which has included dozens of Texas House Democrats fleeing the state to prevent the legislature from being able to conduct official business.
He called their challenge «meritless,» pointing to litigation stemming from his home county of Galveston that found that «coalition districts» — districts formed by combining multiple minority groups to reach a majority — were in violation of the Voting Rights Act. As a result, Democrats cannot claim an obligation to create such districts to preserve minority voting power, Republicans argue.
«Before the Petteway case was decided, basically you could add together various minority groups to get above 50% and then, under [Democrats’] interpretation of the Voting Rights Act, they said that was a protected district,» Middleton explained. «And that actually began when Galveston County Commissioners Court redistricted, and the last Democrat in the Commissioners Court was drawn out of office, and they sued and said that was racist. But yet, not long after, maybe a month after, Harris County redistricted and drew out a Republican, and they said that was fine. So that shows you just the ridiculous hypocrisy of the left in this case.»
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Texas has become a flashpoint for the debate over partisan gerrymandering amid a battle between Republicans and Democrats in the state over the former’s attempts to redraw congressional districts mid-way through the decade. (Getty Images)
Civil arrest warrants were issued by the Texas House Republican majority earlier this week in an effort to compel the absent Democrats to return, but they are only enforceable within state lines and do not lead to jail time, since the warrants are not criminal. Still, Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton has called on a court in Illinois, where a large swath of the Texas House Democrats fled, to enforce the warrants against Democrats.
In addition to blocking Texas Republicans’ redistricting bill, the exodus of Texas Democrats is obstructing crucial legislation from making its way through the legislature, Middleton told Fox News Digital.
J.B. Pritzker, governor of Illinois, left, and State Representative Gene Wu, a Democrat from Texas, during a news conference at the Democratic Party of DuPage County office in Carol Stream, Illinois, US, on Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025. (Talia Sprague/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Middleton pointed to one bill being held up, Senate Bill 7, which aims to protect all-female spaces from being used by biological males who identify as transgender females. Others include a ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying, an election-crime enforcement bill and critical flood relief legislation.
«These are the conservative priorities that we were elected to get done. And the Democrats, of course, are looking for ways to block that are unlawful,» Middleton argued. «Frankly, they’re doing it in a way that will cause their office to be vacated if they don’t come back.»
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Hundreds of anti-Israel protestors arrested in London for supporting group banned under terrorism law
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Police in London arrested over 360 anti-Israel protesters on Saturday as throngs of people intentionally violated a new ban on support for a particular pro-Palestinian group.
The U.K. Parliament passed a ban on public support for Palestinian Action early last month after members of the group broke into a Royal Air Force base and vandalized aircraft. The U.K. ban states that supporting the organization is akin to supporting terrorism, and therefore illegal.
The anti-Israel protesters in London this weekend argue the ban is an illegal infringement on freedom of speech. London Police arrested at least 365 people before the demonstrations ended.
More than 500 protesters filled the square outside the Houses of Parliament on Saturday, many daring police to arrest them by displaying signs reading, «I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.» That was enough for police to step in.
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«We are confident that anyone who came to Parliament Square today to hold a placard expressing support for Palestine Action was either arrested or is in the process of being arrested,» the police force said in a statement.
The protest’s organizer, Defend Our Juries, said it intended for the protest to show that the new law was impossible to practically implement.
«The police have only been able to arrest a fraction of those supposedly committing ‘terrorism’ offenses, and most of those have been given street bail and allowed to go home,» Defend Our Juries, which organized the protest, said in a statement. «This is a major embarrassment to (the government), further undermining the credibility of this widely ridiculed law, brought in to punish those exposing the government’s own crimes.»
The protest comes just one day after the Israel’s security cabinet approved a plan to occupy Gaza City, marking an escalation in Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas.
The office said the Security Cabinet had adopted, by vote, five principles for concluding the war which include: the disarming of Hamas, the return of all hostages – living and deceased, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, Israeli security control in the Gaza Strip, and the establishment of an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.
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«A decisive majority of Security Cabinet ministers believed that the alternative plan that had been submitted to the Security Cabinet would neither achieve the defeat of Hamas nor the return of the hostages,» Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the nation’s war cabinet voted to take control over Gaza on Friday. ((Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images))
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Asked in an interview with Fox News ahead of the Security Cabinet meeting if Israel would «take control of all of Gaza,» Netanyahu replied: «We intend to, in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population to be free of Gaza.»
Fox News’ Bradford Betz and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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