General News

Engaging local communities and incorporating traditional cultures is key to managing disasters in Indonesia.

That’s according to Dian Triansyah Djani, the country's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, speaking ahead of the UN’s first World Tsunami Awareness Day.

UN figures show that Indonesia was the worst-hit country during the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.

More than 150,000 people died there.

Additional action to slowdown global warming is needed at all levels of society, to avoid climate “disaster”.

That’s according to Shereen Zorba, Global Head of Science-Policy networks at the UN Environment Programme, UNEP.

Zimbabwe’s human rights record has been in the spotlight at the UN.

In a scheduled review of the country this week, the government responded to concerns about serious restrictions on freedom of expression and the excessive use of force by security services.

Harare was also pushed for news of journalist Itai Dzamara, who went missing 18 months ago.

Daniel Johnson has more from Geneva.

Duration: 3'16"

Greener or more environmentally-friendly airplanes can bring benefits to nature and society and help reduce poverty; that’s according to Nancy Young, an aviation expert appointed by the UN Secretary-General to provide recommendations on sustainable transport.

The UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), is hoping to achieve carbon neutrality within the industry by 2020 by “moving forward” technology, operations, infrastructure and alternative fuels.

A “forgotten population” of refugees from across Africa is living in limbo in Egypt according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

People who have fled turmoil and conflict in countries like Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan, and who are hoping to reach Europe are getting stranded in Egypt, whilst waiting to be certified as asylum seekers.

A large proportion of aid for the region is being directed towards refugees from Syria who have made their way to the North African country.

Protecting Afghan civilians means protecting journalists too and monitoring their safety, according to the deputy head of the UN Mission in the country (UNAMA).

Pernille Dahler Kardel, was speaking on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, marked each 2 November, and said it was time for the government to follow through on its pledges to protect media workers.

A “moment now of hope” has arrived in the Central African Republic (CAR) which could represent a new era of reconciliation and development.

That’s the view of UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, speaking in the capital of CAR, Bangui, shortly after meeting the country’s new president, Faustin-Archange Touadéra.

Three years of fighting between Christian and Muslim armed factions fuelled instability across the country.

Armed groups in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continue to be a “growing threat” to the peace and stability of the entire region.

That’s according to the UN Special Envoy for Africa’s Great Lakes countries, Said Djinnit, in a report to the Security Council on Wednesday.

Matthew Wells reports.

Duration: 2'28"

Media workers in Afghanistan “self-censor” their work due to a lack of safety according to a senior Afghan journalist speaking on the UN’s International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.

Deadly threats are commonplace in the South Asian country, making it one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a media worker.

Mohammad Hamed Haleemi has been speaking to the Director of the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee, Najib Sharifi.

Duration: 2’23”

The way in which corruption is measured in Africa is unreliable and it doesn’t give the whole picture, a new report by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has found.

The assessment is based mostly on an individual’s perception of the extent of the crime and often ignores the international dimension of corrupt acts and practices.