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'Hard power' can no longer stop conflicts nor the rise of violent extremism and “ancient hatreds” such as antisemitism and racial discrimination, the head of the United Nations cultural agency said today, insisting that “we need 'soft power' of education, knowledge, culture, communication, the sciences, to strengthen the values we share and recognize the destiny we hold in common.”

The United Nations population agency today urged governments and development partners to expand midwifery programmes and promote an environment where midwives can effectively serve the needs of women and their families.

Somalia is suffering from the largest cholera outbreak in the past five years and the number of people killed is expected to double by the end of June, the United Nations health agency.

Raising alarm over moves to impeach the Chief Justice of Nepal – who has been instrumental in a number of high-profile and politically sensitive decisions – the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, warned today that such actions suggest a concerted attempt by the Government to undermine the independence of the judiciary.

The United Nations migration agency has begun transferring South Sudanese refugees from Ethiopia's Pagak border entry point in Gambella to the Gore-Shembola refugee camp in Benishangul Gumuz Regional States – approximately 835 kilometres away.

Spotlighting the relationship between speeding and traffic fatalities – speeding contributes to one in three traffic deaths – the UN health agency, ahead of Global Road Safety Week, is urging countries to take measures to curb dangerous driving behaviour.

Saudi Arabia must stop using its anti-terror law to violate the right to free speech of its people, and end the use of torture terrorist suspects during investigations, a United Nations human rights expert urged at the end of his mission to the country.

While touring the Amazon region of Colombia where one of the monitoring mechanism facilities was set up under a historic peace agreement, a delegation from the United Nations Security Council met today with members of La Referma community, as well as Government representatives and FARC-EP members.

A United Nations peacekeeper from Liberia was killed and nine others injured when their camp came under attack in the Malian city of Timbuktu, the UN Integrated Mission in the country, known as MINUSMA, has reported.

Following today’s signing of a deal to setup so-called ‘de-escalation zones’ in Syria, the United Nations envoy for the war-torn country praised the agreement and said its success could bolster the path towards peace talks.