Europe

Goodwill Ambassador Rita Levi Montalcini (centre) arriving to attend the World Summit on Food Security in November 2009 at FAO Headquarters in Rome.
FAO/Rocco Rorandelli

UN food agency chief mourns passing of Goodwill Ambassador Rita Levi Montalcini

31 December 2012
The head of the United Nations food agency today mourned the passing of renowned Italian scientist and physician Rita Levi Montalcini, who also served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the world body.
Metin Arditi.
UN Photo

UNESCO to name Swiss writer and philanthropist Metin Arditi as Goodwill Ambassador

18 December 2012
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will today name Swiss writer, academic, businessman and philanthropist Metin Arditi as its newest Goodwill Ambassador.
Security Council in session.
UN Photo/Ryan Brown

Citing need for staff retention, Security Council extends judges on UN Yugoslav tribunal

17 December 2012
Given the importance of staff retention for the timely completion of the work of the United Nations tribunal set up in the wake of the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s, the Security Council today adopted a resolution extending the terms of a number of judges so they can finish the cases assigned to them.
UN review finds that access to clean water among most pressing environmental challenges in Tajikistan

Tajikistan: UN review finds that access to clean water among most pressing environmental challenges

14 December 2012
Access to clean water and improved sanitation and waste management remain some of the most pressing environmental challenges for Tajikistan, according to a United Nations review of the Central Asian nation’s management of its environment, published today.
Courtroom 1 of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
ICTY

UN war crimes tribunal sentences Bosnia Serb intelligence chief over Srebrenica and Zepa

12 December 2012
A United Nations war crimes tribunal today sentenced a former Bosnian Serb military chief to life imprisonment after convicting him of genocide and other crimes linked in part to the murders of Bosnian Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica in 1995.
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova.
UNESCO/Francis Barrier

UNESCO chief denounces killing of Russian journalist in North Caucasus region

11 December 2012
The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom today denounced the murder of a Russian journalist in Russia’s North Caucasus region and urged authorities to do their utmost to bring his killers to justice.
A homeless man sits at the steps of a store in lower east side, Manhattan, New York City. (File)
UN Photo/Pernaca Sudhakaran

UN experts urge Hungary to reverse law criminalizing homelessness

11 December 2012
Recent legislation in Hungary outlawing homelessness risks having a discriminatory impact on those living in poverty, two United Nations independent experts warned today as they urged the authorities there to adopt a national housing strategy.
Milan Lukic enters courtroom of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) which confirmed his life imprisonment.
ICTY

UN genocide tribunal affirms life sentence of Serb paramilitary leader

4 December 2012
The United Nations war crimes tribunal set up in the wake of the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s today reaffirmed the life sentence of a Serbian paramilitary leader, Milan Lukic, who was previously found guilty of inhumane acts including murder, cruel treatment and violations of the laws of war.
A mother and her children at a detention centre in Greece.
UNHCR/J. Björgvinsson

Irregular migration in Greece must be addressed by European Union – UN expert

3 December 2012
A United Nations independent expert today called on Greece to boost measures to protect the rights of migrants, while stressing that it is also the European Union’s (EU) responsibility to address the plight of a growing number of irregular migrants trapped in the Mediterranean country on their way to European destinations.
Special Rapporteur Christof Heyns.
Jean-Marc Ferré

UN independent expert calls on Turkey to do more to fight impunity on extrajudicial executions

30 November 2012
While Turkey has made significant progress in protecting the right to life, it should step up efforts to prosecute those who commit unlawful killings, a United Nations independent expert said today following a visit to the country.