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Hailing the immense power of sport to make the world a better, more tolerant place for all, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today encouraged all sportsmen and women to throw their energy into advocating the new sustainable development agenda currently being crafted by United Nations Member States.

Tennis legend and gender equality activist Billie Jean King has had a stellar career in sports, identifying the boundaries that divide people and tearing them down. She was the first woman athlete to win over $100,000 in prize money in 1971 and, 10 years later, the first professional athlete to be “outed” as gay. She remains a steadfast supporter of issues at the heart of the United Nations – fair play, tolerance and building “a world where we are all united; no borders.”

The United Nations refugee chief called today on the international community to step-up its efforts to ease the plight of Syrian refugees who continue to live in harsh conditions in informal settlements in southern Lebanon.

The United Nations official charged with coordinating the Middle East peace process said today that he is pleased by commitment made by the Palestinian Government to assume its rightful responsibilities in the Gaza Strip.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) announced today a new partnership with the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) to help strengthen cross-border investigations into match-fixing and manipulation of sports competitions, as well as bolstering measures to prosecute offenders.

The United Nations in Mali condemned today’s deadly attack on its Gao area compound that injured nine peacekeepers, killed at least three civilians and injured seven others, calling it a “cowardly and heinous” act.

The United Nations humanitarian office has reported that 1.2 million people in Ukraine have now been internally displaced because of conflict in the country.

As the great moral issue of our time, sexual violence in conflict is used to terrorise, displace and subjugate victims, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the issue told the Security Council today, urging the body to take action to deal with this growing threat.

The United Nations human rights chief said today that inside and outside Burundi, stakeholders are extremely concerned about tensions rising sharply as a series of pivotal elections set to take place between May and August this year get under way, and, with the country at “a crossroads,” Burundian parties must choose the path to democracy and the rule of law.

Nearly 11 million people in Yemen are severely food insecure and millions more are at risk of being unable to meet their basic food needs, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Agency (FAO) said today, calling for $8 million in funding to support farmers amidst the escalating conflict.