Thousands of migrants remain trapped by fighting in and around Tripoli, UN agency IOM has warned, more than a month after an assault on the Libyan capital began, led by self-style

Explorer Paul Rose is usually found in the world’s wildest places where he works with scientists to find solutions to climate change. For the last two weeks though, he’s been in downtown Geneva at a major UN conference, to encourage countries to ban widely used toxic substances and plastic pollutants. 

The greatest threat to the traditional way of life across the Pacific region, is climate change, says Simona Marinescu, UN Resident Coordinator for the 28 islands that make up Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau. Paulina Greer spoke to Ms. Marinescu, on a recent visit to UN Headquarters in New York.

A newly-passed Security Council resolution on sexual violence in conflict, “reinforces” the mandate of the UN’s top official dealing with the issue, cementing a “survivor-centred” approach in “all aspects of prevention and response”. That’s according to the UN’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramilla Patten, in an in-depth interview with UN News following the resolution passed late last month.

At least 80,000 people die from snakebites every year, but the UN health agency has a plan to help the rural communities who are worst affected. That’s according to Dr. Bernadette Abela-Ridder, head of the World Health Organization’s Neglected Zoonotic Diseases unit. 

An new initiative to track terrorists has been launched at UN headquarters. The programme from the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) provides countries with the tech to improve surveillance. Conor Lennon from UN News asked Jelle Postma from UNOCT why the UN had launched the initiative.

UN staff in Cox’s Bazar are monitoring Cyclone Fani’s movements very closely for any potential impact on what is the world’s largest refugee camp, agencies said on Friday. The cyclonic storm made landfall close to Puri, in eastern India, and it’s expected to reach the southwestern part of Bangladesh during Friday night.  IOM Deputy Chief of Mission in Bangladesh, Manuel Pereira, spoke to UN News’s Alexandre Soares by phone, from Cox’s Bazar.

Marking World Press Freedom Day on Friday, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is launching a campaign highlighting the vital role journalists play in maintaining a healthy democracy. Speaking to UN News’s Li Zhang, UNESCO media chief, George Papagiannis, underlined that “communities need to have a free, independent and vibrant press” so that citizens can “participate intelligently in their civic duties” especially when it comes to election time.