Children have been victims of the recent escalation of conflict in Gaza and southern Israel. The Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict says that since Wednesday, 60 Palestinian children were reportedly injured and at least four reportedly killed during Israeli airstrikes including an 11 month old boy, as [...]
Thousands of Burundian refugees in Tanzania will be returning to their homeland over the next few weeks after losing their refugee status, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). UNHCR says the refugees, who have been in Tanzania for 20 years, are taking advantage of a last opportunity to get help so that they [...]
The continued firing of rockets on Israel from Gaza and Israeli airstrikes on Gaza are dangerous and must stop, says UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. In a statement on Friday, the Secretary-General warns that a new cycle of bloodshed will make neither Israelis nor Palestinians more secure. UN Spokesperson Martin Nesirky says the Secretary-General plans [...]
Fifteen million babies globally are born prematurely each year and one million of them die, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Yet, the agency adds, 75 per cent of these children could be saved without expensive, high technology care. WHO says that more than half of the world's pre-term babies are born in Southern [...]
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he is determined that the United Nations learns from its failure to meet its responsibilities during the final months of the Sri Lankan civil war. Mr. Ban this week received a report from a panel he commissioned to look into criticisms from another expert group on the UN's response to [...]
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is providing over 9,000 cholera kits to respond to an outbreak of the disease in Haiti. It says that with several new outbreaks of cholera recorded by Haiti's national alert since the passage of Hurricane Sandy, there are now more than 3,500 confirmed cases. The Haitian Ministry of Health [...]
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is providing over 9,000 cholera kits to respond to an outbreak of the disease in Haiti. It says that with several new outbreaks of cholera recorded by Haiti's national alert since the passage of Hurricane Sandy, there are now more than 3,500 confirmed cases. The Haitian Ministry of Health [...]
NARRATOR: Despite recognizing the need to make the Security Council more representative and fit to tackle complex global challenges, delegates remained divided on the future makeup of the 15-nation body, as the General Assembly on Thursday discussed the Council's work and reforming its structure Jamaica, spoke on behalf of the L69 Group of countries –a [...]
NARRATOR: St. Vincent and the Grenadines says that in this era of economic globalization and international diplomatic engagement across the ideological spectrum, the Embargo against Cuba harkens back to an isolationist era. Ambassador Camillo Gonsalves pointed out that throughout the extended struggle with the effects of the Embargo, Cuba has remained a staunch and abiding [...]
NARRATOR: The Caribbean Community – CARICOM has stressed that despite significant challenges, Cuba continues to show itself to be a key regional and international partner and actor. Word of this comes from Barbados' representative Ambassador Joseph Goddard, who spoke on behalf of CARICOM.. TAPE: CARICOM Member States, in keeping with our policy of mutual respect, [...]
The UN General Assembly on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to condemn the U.S. commercial, economic and financial embargo against Cuba for the 21st year in a row. The final vote was 188-3, with Israel and Palau joining the United States. The Marshall Islands and Micronesia both abstained. Last year’s vote for the symbolic measure was almost [...]
More than 2,000 Sudanese refugees have arrived at South Sudan's largest refugee settlement in Yida over the past week to escape fighting in their country, according to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR). UNHCR says it is building a water point on the road between Yida and the border to ensure refugees have access to [...]
More than 222 million women around the world would like to use family planning but cannot, says Richard Kollodge, editor of the State of the World Population Report 2012. The theme of this year's report, By Choice, Not by Chance: Family Planning, Human Rights and Development, emphasizes a woman's right to decide on the [...]
Two Croatian officials have been acquitted of crimes against humanity and war crimes related to the Yugoslavia war in the 1990s. The Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) on Friday ordered the release of Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markač. Donn Bobb reports. Mr. Gotovina, a Colonel General of the [...]
India holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council in November. Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri says the agenda will cover "every possible global hotspot," as well as thematic debates, including on piracy and women, peace and development. UNFPA calls for redoubling of efforts to provide family planning More than 220 million women worldwide want [...]
Former South Sudanese refugees are now helping Sudanese refugees who have fled to their country. The refugees have escaped fighting between the Sudanese army and armed rebel forces in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states. The work of helping the refugees has a special meaning for the field workers of the United Nations refugee agency [...]
The people of Sierra Leone head to the polls on Saturday in their third elections since the end of 11 years of civil war in 2002. That's another sign that the country is moving from the post-conflict state to the path of development, says Jens Anders Toyberg-Frandzen, Executive Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Sierra [...]
A major vaccination campaign is to be carried out in Sudan's Darfur region, to contain the outbreak of yellow fever, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). To-date over 370 suspected cases have been reported, including 110 deaths. Most of the cases have been reported in Central, South, West, North and East Darfur region. The [...]
The UN Human Rights Office(OHCHR) says it was unacceptable that civilians continue to bear the greatest burden of tension between the Israeli government and Palestinians. UN Human rights chief Navi Pillay says the protection of civilian lives was an obligation for all states under international law. The High Commissioner says she was concerned over the [...]
The people of Sierra Leone are being urged to come out to vote and refrain from violence in the general elections on Saturday. The appeal has come from Jens Anders Toyberg-Frandzen, Executive Representative of the UN Secretary-General in the West African country. He says the United Nations has provided technical and political support to Sierra [...]
