Secretary-General Kofi Annan today announced a series of disciplinary measures, including calls for the resignation of senior UN officials, following the release of a critical report by a panel that identified institutional and individual failures in assessing the security situation in Baghdad prior to the terrorist attack last August that killed 22 people, including the UN's top envoy in Iraq.

An independent investigation into responsibility for security failures in the lead-up to the deadly bombing of United Nations offices in Iraq last year found senior UN officials in charge of staff safety were lax in carrying out their duties and “blinded” by the belief that the world body would not come under attack despite warnings to the contrary.

Calling on the Israeli Government today to restore full access to Gaza for humanitarian aid, the UN Special Coordinator's Office (UNSCO) said new Israeli-imposed restrictions on staff movements may force humanitarian agencies to cut back on assisting Gaza's civilian population.

The United Nations Security Council today failed to adopt a resolution that would have condemned the assassination of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, with the United States vetoing what it called a one-sided text.