In 1955, 12-year-old Sadako Sasaki began folding a thousand paper cranes to try to heal her leukaemia, in accordance with a Japanese tradition. Despite surviving the bombing of Hiroshima a decade earlier, she had developed the “atom bomb disease.” Over half a century later, United Nations staff members hope to harness that same spirit to remind the world of the horrors wrought by nuclear weapons.

With monsoon rains expected to continue pummeling Pakistan for several more weeks, the United Nations warned today that the country’s south could also be affected by deadly flooding, which has already affected millions of people.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon honoured the victims of the Nagasaki atomic bombing today, noting that his visit to the Japanese city has strengthened his conviction that nuclear weapons must be outlawed.

The Security Council today voiced appreciation for the work of the United Nations office that is helping Central Asian nations address regional concerns, while reaffirming the need to provide the office with the support it needs.