General News

The Prosecutor of the UN-backed International Criminal Court (ICC) is calling on the international community to consider the challenges and needs of Libya, especially on issues of justice and accountability.

Speaking to the Security Council on Tuesday, Fatou Bensouda shared the Court’s latest report on the North African country, which underlined the deteriorating security conditions.

In 2011, Libya’s situation was referred to the ICC Prosecutor to investigate alleged crimes linked with the political upheaval.

Sexual violence is being committed in a widespread, systematic and sophisticated manner in Syria and Iraq, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, has warned.

Zainab Bangura, was speaking in New York following a recent mission to the region.

Violence against women has increased in the region following the emergence of the ISIL terrorist organization.

Stephanie Coutrix reports.

Duration: 1'51"

Women and children in Unity State in South Sudan are being driven out of their villages and into the bush to escape an upsurge in fighting, according to the UN.

The Organization and other aid agencies have been forced to suspend operations because of the violence, leaving 300,000 people without the emergency relief they need.

Sebit William asked UN Humanitarian Coordinator Toby Lanzer for an update.

Duration: 4'40"

Final preparations are under way for huge aid deliveries into Yemen as UN agencies wait to see if a proposed ceasefire holds between government and rebel troops.

Tens of thousands of people across Yemen desperately need help, UN refugee agency UNHCR said Tuesday.

Daniel Johnson has more.

Duration: 2’01”

An earthquake with a 7.3 magnitude has struck Nepal, two weeks after a devastating tremor killed more than 8,000 people in the country.

The quake which hit close to the town of Namche Bazaar, near Mount Everest and to the east of the Nepali capital Kathmandu, has reportedly killed at least 40 people.

Media reports say it was felt in northern India and Bangladesh.

Rupa Joshi works for the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, and is in Kathmandu.

She gave this eye-witness account to Eleuterio Guevane.

Forests need to be managed sustainably as they are directly linked to the living conditions of many rural populations, according to the Assistant Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Eduardo Rojas has been in New York for the UN Forum on Forests, which is discussing the creation of an “International Arrangement on Forests”.

Trillions of dollars may be needed to finance a new global development agenda, a senior UN official has said.

In September, the international community is due to meet in New York to decide on the so-called Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs.

They will replace the Millennium Development Goals which are due to expire at the end of this year.

Lessons must be learned from the handling of public health alerts like ebola, experts said on Monday.

The warning comes from a high-level panel of independent investigators called in by the World Health Organization (WHO) to investigate the response to the killer disease in West Africa.

Chief investigator Dame Barbara Stocking described Ebola as a “defining moment” for WHO.

Daniel Johnson reports.

Duration: 2’20”

Up to 20,000 people could die crossing the Mediterranean Sea in 2015 if the international community does not take action to stem the flow of migrants, a senior UN official has warned.

Many of the deaths have occurred as a result of unseaworthy boats operated by people traffickers.

Migrants are fleeing insecurity and poverty in Africa.

Daniel Dickinson reports.

Duration: 2'26"

Two public officials in Papua New Guinea are facing corruption charges for mismanaging more than US$2 million following a tip-off by mobile phone text message.

The text was sent anonymously as part of a UN-supported initiative called “Phones against Corruption”.

The initiative encourages people in one of the world’s most corrupt countries to pass on information about possible wrong-doing.

Roy Trivedy is the United Nations Development Programme Resident Representative in Papua New Guinea.

Daniel Dickinson asked him how the system works.