The indigenous people of Ifugao in the Philippines are famous for their ingenuity in constructing beautifully landscaped rice terraces. The Ifugao Rice Terraces, in fact, were inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995. But Ifugao is also a remote, mountainous and rugged area where women have traditionally given birth at home with risks [...]
Weather experts in China and The Philippines have issued warnings for high winds, torrential rains, flash floods and landslides as a result of a severe tropical storm. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) says China is facing the third tropical cyclone in very close succession, with the approach of severe storm Haikui. More than 450,000 people [...]
The head of the United Nations humanitarian agency (OCHA), Valerie Amos, is continuing her mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where over two million people have been displaced by conflict. Ms. Amos, who arrived in the capital, Kinshasa, on Monday, is discussing the humanitarian crisis in the eastern part of the country with [...]
All support to army mutineers known as M23 who are committing human rights violations in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo must end immediately. That's the message sent by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the International Conference on the Great Lakes region meeting in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, on [...]
As fighting continues in Syria, United Nations agencies are working to address the problems created by the conflict. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the country's health sector, for example, has been profoundly affected by the fighting. Gerry Adams reports. Duration: 2’47″
Japan is determined to ensure that nuclear weapons are totally eliminated, according to its representative to the United Nations in Geneva. Ambassador Mari Amano spoke as the UN Conference on Disarmament continued to discuss the core issues on its agenda. He reminded the meeting of the United States atomic attacks on the Japanese cities of [...]
Authorities in Bangladesh have been urged to allow non-governmental organizations to continue helping thousands of people who fled Myanmar to the south-eastern part of the country. The appeal has come from the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) following the banning of three NGOs from helping unregistered people in unofficial camps near Cox's Bazar. UNHCR spokesperson [...]
1. UN chief says “United international pressure can make a difference” on Syria 2. UN General Assembly meets to denounce Syria crisis 3. Urgent food assistance sent to Syria's Aleppo city by World Food Programme 4. Security Council president, France's ambassador says inaction on Syria “a shame” 5. UNHCR : Nearly 200,000 Syrians flee fighting [...]
A new government-run insurance scheme in Cambodia means workers who are injured on the job or in transit to their workplace now receive compensation. Administered by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), the system was developed with support from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the government of the Republic of Korea. Dianne Penn has [...]
Hospitals and clinics in Syria are facing shortages in medicines and pharmaceutical products, says the World Health Organization (WHO). The United Nations health agency says that before the conflict broke out, Syria produced 90 per cent of its medicines and drugs locally. Furthermore, WHO says 90 per cent of the country's pharmaceutical plants are located [...]
A cholera outbreak in the Sahel region of Africa is putting many people, especially children, at severe risk, according to the United Nations children's agency (UNICEF). The agency warns that next week is expected to see the peak of admissions of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition into treatment centres across the Sahel. It says [...]
