UN News stories

24 stories found over the past 45 days
UN envoy hopes talks between Iraqi and Kurdish officials will resolve outstanding issues

28 April 2013 – Welcoming the meeting set for Monday between the leaders of Iraq and its Kurdistan region, a senior United Nations official said he hopes the talks will help resolve outstanding issues.

FEATURE: Aided by UN, star coach builds football team of Syrian refugees and young Lebanese

26 April 2013 – In Halba, in the district of Akkar, in northern Lebanon, a football team called “Al-Nour” – “the light” in Arabic – is drawing increasing attention from the inhabitants of the region. The team was set up by Tareq Al Awaychi, a former star of the Syrian team Al Karami, who had to flee the violence in his country that has killed over 70,000 people since the beginning of the uprising against the regime of President Bashar Al-Assad in March 2011.

Syrian refugees straining health services in region, UN warns in new report

26 April 2013 – The refugee crisis sparked by the conflict in Syria is increasingly straining health services in surrounding countries, while refugees are finding it harder to access the quality treatment they need, the United Nations refugee agency warns in report released today.

‘Iraq at a crossroads,’ UN envoys says, urging country’s leaders to diffuse escalating violence

26 April 2013 – The top United Nations official in Iraq today warned that the country could head towards the unknown if decisive measures are not taken immediately to stop escalating violence, following recent clashes that killed and wounded hundreds.

Iraq: UN envoy expresses disappointment at election delays in two provinces

24 April 2013 – The top United Nations official in Iraq today expressed his disappointment at the Government’s decision to postpone until early July Governorate Council elections in two western provinces, reportedly due to security concerns.

UN chief congratulates Iraqis on successful local elections

22 April 2013 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today congratulated the people of Iraq on their participation in the country’s Governorate Council elections, adding that by exercising their constitutional right to vote, the Iraqi people had “reaffirmed their desire” for democracy.

UN rights chief condemns multiple executions in Iraq as ‘obscene’

19 April 2013 – The United Nations human rights chief today condemned the rampant use of the death penalty by the Iraqi Government, which executed 21 people earlier this week, stressing the country’s justice system is still not functioning adequately and should not carry out capital punishment at all.

UN welcomes Germany’s offer to resettle residents of Iraq’s Camp Hurriya

18 April 2013 – The top United Nations officials in Iraq today welcomed a generous offer by Germany of humanitarian admission for approximately 100 residents from Camp Hurriya, located near the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and urged the camp residents to cooperate with the UN for a speedy and safe resettlement.

UN reinforces security in compounds following Boston terror bombings

17 April 2013 – The United Nations is beefing up security at its Headquarters in New York and at other compounds following Monday’s terror bombings at the Boston Marathon which killed three people and wounded 170 more.

UN has key role in empowering women in post-revolutionary Middle East, experts say

17 April 2013 – Amid the reverberations from popular uprisings known as the “Arab Spring,” the United Nations has a key role to play in supporting women in the Middle East by convening disparate voices and identifying new modes of cooperation, experts on women’s rights said during a “Classroom Conversation” with university students from around the world.