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Executive Director Ertharin Cousin with a young recipient of WFP assistance, southern Madagascar
WFP/David Orr

UN food relief agency to scale up emergency operations in southern Madagascar

5 October 2016
Following a visit to Madagascar, the Executive Director of the United Nations’ food relief agency has announced plans to scale up humanitarian operations in response to rising levels of hunger and malnutrition as a third consecutive year of drought deepens the suffering of hundreds of thousands of people in the south of the island nation.
António Guterres, former UN High Commissioner for Refugees, addresses Member States regarding his candidacy for Secretary-General.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías

Portugal's António Guterres emerges as favourite for next UN Secretary-General

5 October 2016
Former Portuguese Prime Minister António Guterres has emerged as the clear favourite to become the next United Nations Secretary-General following the sixth secret ballot held today by the UN Security Council, which is expected to take a formal decision tomorrow and forward Mr. Guterres’ name to the 193-Member General Assembly for final confirmation.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (seated left), with the European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica (centre) and Chief Executive of Afghanistan Abdullah Abdullah at the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan.
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

‘Keep Afghanistan on the path towards stability,’ Ban tells Brussels Conference

5 October 2016
Addressing a conference aimed at charting a way forward for conflict-ravaged Afghanistan, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged the international community to sustain its commitment to support the country and its people, while stressing the importance of holding both donors and the Afghan Government accountable for aid effectiveness.
Investing in early childhood development is essential to helping more children and communities thrive.
WHO/D. Rodriguez

Investing in early childhood development helps communities thrive – UN-backed report

5 October 2016
An estimated 43 per cent – or 249 million – of children under five in low- and middle-income countries are at an elevated risk of poor development due to extreme poverty and stunting, according to a new United Nations-supported series from The Lancet.
Winston Mills-Compton teaches a class in mathematics at the Mfantsipim Boys School in Cape Coast, Ghana.
World Bank/Jonathan Ernst (file photo)

Nearly 69 million new teachers needed to achieve global education goals, UNESCO reports

5 October 2016
On World Teacher's Day, the United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has issued statistics revealing that close to 69 million new teachers are needed to provide quality universal primary and secondary education by 2030, the deadline of the new UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
A wide view of the Security Council.
UN Photo/JC McIlwaine (file)

Yemen: Security Council strongly condemns attack on vessel by Houthi forces

5 October 2016
The United Nations Security Council has strongly condemned an attack by Houthi forces on a United Arab Emirates vessel operating near Bab al-Mandeb Strait on 1 October.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) with Pope Francis during the opening ceremony of the Vatican conference on “Sport at the Service of Humanity.”
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

Sport and faith dive social change, foster tolerance towards achievement of Global Goals – UN chief

5 October 2016
Sport and faith are based on fundamental values of respect and friendship – at their best, they are open to everyone; they are diverse and inclusive; they transcend barriers of nationality and ethnicity, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in Rome today, urging the world to “summon the best from faith and sport to celebrate our common humanity.”
Photo: World Bank/Grant Ellis (file)
World Bank/Grant Ellis (file)

UN deputy chief urges increased participation of young people in peace and security decision-making

4 October 2016
With more young people around the world than ever before, it is necessary to include them when discussing global solutions related to peace, development and security, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General said today.
A woman crosses a muddy street in downtown Port-au-Prince after Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti on 4 October 2016, bringing heavy rains and winds.
UN/MINUSTAH/Logan Abassi

As Hurricane Matthew makes landfall in Haiti, UN relief agencies on standby to provide assistance

4 October 2016
Hurricane Matthew has made landfall in Haiti, bringing strong winds and torrential rains to the tiny island, the United Nations weather agency reported today, while UN relief agencies announced that they are mobilizing to assist, if requested, countries that are in the path of the dangerous Category 4 storm that is pummelling the Caribbean region.
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression David Kaye.
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré

Jailing teen blogger in Singapore sends wrong message on free expression–UN expert

4 October 2016
After a Singaporean teenage blogger was sentenced to jail for his social media posts, a United Nations human rights expert today warned that it is “exactly the wrong kind of message that any government should be sending to anybody, but especially to young people.”