An increasing amount of economic data is being published which is showing that economic global recovery is faltering at least in the developed world.
On Wednesday the World Bank lowered its growth forecast for 2012 to 5.4 percent for developing countries and 1.4 percent for high-income countries.
The International Monetary Fund is predicting strong growth this year but says there are risks.
Scholars, policy makers and former United Nations officials are gathering in London on Wednesday to mark the 70th anniversary of the Declaration by United Nations.
The declaration in January 1942 was agreed by 26 nations which fought against Germany, Italy and Japan during the Second World War.
It called for an end to totalitarianism and military regimes.
The term United Nations was actually used by United States President Franklin Roosevelt during the war to refer to the allies that were fighting the axis powers.
People who gather in large crowds run a higher risk of catching communicable diseases, especially if that crowd is made up of people from different countries or cultures.
The UN’s World Health Organization says these so-called “mass gatherings” can pose a risk to the health of a country….depending on what surge capacity the country has; in other words how well it can respond to a sudden outbreak of a disease.
Patrick Maigua has been speaking to Dr Maurizio Barbeschi from WHO about how these risks can be managed.
Africa’s economy continues to grow strongly defying the global trend according to a United Nations economic report.
The World Economic Situation and Prospects report for 2012 is forecasting up to six percent growth across the continent over the coming year, much better than countries in the developed world.
Breaking the silence surrounding the issue of violence against women has been one of the greatest achievements of the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women.
That’s according to the President of the grant-making body, Meryem Aslan.
According to the UN, one out of three women globally has suffered violence at least once in her lifetime.
Ms. Alsan speaks about the efforts led by the Fund since 1996 to free the world from this form of violence.
Duration: 3'57"
The creation of jobs in Haiti is being seen as a key element in the recovery of the Caribbean island, two years after it was devastated by an earthquake.
Over 200,000 people were killed when the earthquake struck on January 12th 2010.
The United Nations supported Haiti through the immediate crisis and the reconstruction that followed.
And as Donn Bobb reports, attention is now focused on long-term economic recovery.
Duration: 2’23”
China has reported that a man has died after contracting bird flu also known as the H5N1 virus.
Women around the world are acting with dignity and determination to overcome the abuses that they frequently face. That’s according to the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, who has been discussing the challenges the world body faces in 2012. He said the establishment last year of the new agency UN Women showed the United Nations is committed to helping women overcome the problems they face. Maha Fayek asked the Secretary-General what women around the world are expecting from him.
Duration: 2'55"
A “massive” emergency operation has been launched in South Sudan following inter-ethnic violence in Jonglei state.
The Government of South Sudan declared the area a disaster zone after 6000 Lou Nuer youths went on a rampage attacking rival Murle people.
Around 60,000 people are now in need of humanitarian aid.
Donn Bobb asked the United Nations humanitarian chief in South Sudan, Lise Grande for an update on the situation.
Duration: 2’43”
People around the world and especially in Asia, have high expectations that the United Nations can help to tackle global problems including climate change. That’s what United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon has said as he started his second five-year term this month.
