United Nations: Stalled escalators, the heating turned down, even the diplomats' bar closing early at 5 pm: already the UN budget crunch, one of the worst in a decade, is making itself felt in a series of measures announced by the world body on Friday.

"We really have no choice," said Catherine Pollard, a top official in the UN's management department. The main priority now is ensuring the next paycheck for the UN employees. In a letter to staff, Secretary General Antonio Guterres laid out the looming cutbacks he said would mean fewer flights and receptions, limits on hiring, fewer documents, reports and translations and even an end to water coolers.