General News

Ten years ago, health experts pledged to give people living with HIV in resource-poor countries greater access to life-saving anti-retroviral treatment by 2005.

At the time, only about 300,000 people worldwide, most of them in Brazil, had access to these medicines at a cost of about $10,000 a year per patient.

Although nearly 10 million people now receive anti retroviral treatment which suppresses the HIV virus, challenges remain in preventing infections in adolescents.

Dianne Penn reports.

Duration: 3'44"

For nearly 30 years, the United Nations has observed 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

The date was chosen for its meaning and significance to Palestinians as it was on that day in 1947 that the UN General Assembly adopted what came to be known as the Partition Resolution which provided for the establishment in Palestine of a “Jewish State” and an “Arab State.”

So far only one, Israel, has come into being.

This Thursday, 28 November, is Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday in the United States. It’s a time when families gather to express gratitude for the many blessings they have received.

No doubt retailers, both brick-and-mortar stores and online, give thanks for the Friday and Monday after Thanksgiving. “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday,” as they are known, are among the biggest shopping days of the year.

South Sudan continues to confront pressing challenges which include addressing inter-communal violence and human rights abuses by the security forces.

However, Hilde Johnson, head of the UN mission in the country (UNMISS), believes the world’s youngest nation is at a crossroads and that there are signs of hope.

In a briefing this month to the Security Council, she stressed that the international community must help South Sudan consolidate peace, democracy and respect for fundamental human rights.

Up to 3,000 Eritreans are leaving their country each month to escape human rights violations perpetrated by the government and its security agencies, according to a United Nations human rights expert.

Sheila Keetharuth, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea is urging the Eritrean Government to stop human rights violations.

UN Radio’s Patrick Maigua spoke by phone with Ms. Keetharuth, who has just returned from a visit to Tunisia and Malta where she met with Eritreans in exile.

Duration: 4'26"

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday issued new guidelines for treating children under five with severe acute malnutrition.

According to the agency, there are almost 20 million children under-five years of age worldwide who have severe acute malnutrition.

WHO says “severe acute malnutrition is when children suffer severe wasting that may or may not be accompanied by swelling of the body with fluid retention.”

Music star David Guetta is behind some of the hottest songs played in clubs and at parties worldwide. Collaborating with singers and rappers, he has produced hits such as ‘I Gotta Feeling’ by the Black Eyed Peas.

The French DJ is helping the United Nations and its partners to raise money for humanitarian emergencies, such as the typhoon in the Philippines.

Dianne Penn reports on how he is helping to turn words into action that benefits people affected by disasters.

Duration: 2'50"

Governments worldwide are being advised by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to make milk and dairy products more accessible to the poor and vulnerable.

FAO’s latest publication entitled Milk and Dairy Products in Human Nutrition, says these products make for healthy bones and are a vital source of nutrition.

However, not everyone is fortunate enough to include them in their daily dietary consumption.

As the crisis continues to worsen in the Central African Republic, France is urging the Security Council to act urgently to avert a catastrophe.

The political and humanitarian situation in the country took a turn for the worse in December last year when a coalition of rebel forces, known as Séléka, launched attacks and captured a number of towns.

Delivering food to survivors remains a priority nearly three weeks after Typhoon Haiyan caused widespread devastation in the Philippines.

That’s according to the World Food Programme (WFP), which has airlifted tonnes of rice and high-energy biscuits to the country.

WFP and other UN agencies and their partners continue to support the Philippine authorities as they work to get millions of people back on their feet.

Dianne Penn reports.

Duration: 3'05"