U.N.”Deeply Concerned” Over Journalists’ Sentences in Egypt

United Nations officials on Monday voiced their concerns over the verdicts and sentences of three Al Jazeera journalists and 11 others who were tried in absentia in Egypt, and called on the country to review the handling of these cases.

Pillay Alarmed by Inter-communal Violence in Sri Lanka

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay Monday expressed “alarm” at the growing inter-communal violence in Sri Lanka.

Report Shows Lack of Transparency in Small Arms Trade

Many countries have refrained from reporting their small arms exports while the weapons trade has continued to boom, according to a report released here.

Italian Priest & NGO Receive U.N. Population Award

A priest who spent decades treating patients in Africa and a non-governmental organisation (NGO) have received the 2014 U.N. Population Award for their contributions to the world’s population and health issues.

OPED: The G 77 Summit in Santa Cruz – a Game Changer?

As the Group of 77, celebrates its 50th anniversary this month, the largest single coalition of developing nations remains ever more relevant today than it was when it was founded in 1964.

UN Paints Stark Picture of Global Resource Consumption

UNITED NATIONS, June 7, 2014 (IPS) - A new UN report finds astronomical resource prices are doing little to stem their depletion around the world.

UN Paints Stark Picture of Global Resource Consumption

A new UN report finds astronomical resource prices are doing little to stem their depletion around the world.

World Conference Calls For ‘Youth Office’ at U.N.

As the United Nations reinforces the important role of youth in its proposed post-2015 development agenda, the World Conference on Youth (WCY) held in Sri Lanka last month adopted a historic declaration, including a proposal for the creation of a separate Youth Department/Office in the world body.

REN21 Report Promotes Renewable Energy Usage

A new report launched Wednesday alluded to the role renewable energy could play in improving energy security while also acting as a way to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

New UNFPA Report Emphasizes Need for Investments in Midwifery

As UN member states contemplate the important additives for the Post 2015 Development Agenda, health organisations are lobbying for investments in midwifery, a service experts believe could provide up to 90 percent of the care needed for newborns and pregnant mothers at the time of birth.

Bill De Blasio, Paris Mayor Share Goals, Progressive Mindsets

When New York city Mayor Bill de Blasio met the first female Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo on Friday, they realized they share a common political streak:  a progressive mindset.

A Guidance Note to Protect Schools and Hospitals

With increasing reports on targeted attacks on schools and hospitals in armed conflict areas, a guidance note aiming to help prevent and end these violations was launched on Wednesday.

UNICEF Recovery Efforts Still Strong in Aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan

In the aftermath of the deadly Typhoon Haiyan that hit the Philippines in November of 2013, recovery efforts are slowly making themselves visible—a feat that the Children’s Rights & Relief Organisation (UNICEF) has been pushing for.

Palestinian Cinema Seeks to Inform the World

‘Omar’, a thriller and love story by director Hany Abu-Assad, is the first movie of its kind to be funded almost entirely by Palestinians, using a majority-Palestinian crew.

Syria Peace Envoy Quits

After an unsuccessful two-year attempt to end the civil war in Syria, UN peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi has decided to step down by the end of May.

Nuke Free Mideast Conference in Limbo

With lingering doubts about the long-delayed international conference for a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East, a Finnish diplomat said there has been progress in getting the event underway.

Journalists Seek Protection in Proposed Post-2015 Agenda

As civil disputes, societal destruction and political unrest swept through the world last year, about 92 journalists were killed in the line of duty. Reporting from war zones—often without proper protection, journalists have continued to risk their lives to inform the general public.

Bringing Awareness to the Madhouses

Starting off with the high-energy number “Welcome to the Madhouse,” the new musical “Committed” gives the audience a mix of ups and downs along with humour, intelligence and awareness of mental health.

U.N. Focuses on Underwater Cultural Heritage of Small Islands

Large amounts of underwater shipwrecks are bringing new opportunities to Small Island Developing States (SIDS) through scientific cooperation and tourism, according to the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Migrants Traverse a Deadly Trail

Security enhancements on the U.S.-Mexico border reroute migrants into more perilous and dry areas, causing between 150 and 250 migrants to die in the desert every year.

Weiwei Exhibits His Art in Absentia

Without authorisation to leave China for the US, artist and activist Ai Weiwei has opened the last leg of his touring North-American exhibition in New York.