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The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) until 15 October, subject to any changes to the peacekeeping force deployed there by the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) made up of countries that used to be part of the Soviet Union.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan travels to Spain and the Netherlands next week to chair a meeting of top United Nations executives and help celebrate the 60th birthday of the World Court, the UN’s top judicial body.

A proactive, holistic approach is needed for developing countries to effectively deal with trade regulations on environmental health-related concerns, according to a report released today by a United Nations agency.

Denouncing the re-recruitment of child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), United Nations officials have called for the immediate release of youngsters by the various armed groups in the faction-ridden country.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has set up its first sub-regional office to serve the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – providing scientific and technical assistance to improve social, health and cultural welfare.

Nearly 9,000 Afghan refugees have gone home in the first month of the final year of the United Nations-assisted repatriation programme from Pakistan, citing jobs and shelter as key factors influencing their decision in an operation that is expected to cover some 400,000 by the end of 2006.

While hailing Turkey’s rights efforts and initiatives by noting that “significant progress” has been made, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism called today for more to be done to investigate allegations of torture, and to respect the linguistic and cultural rights of all groups living in the country, including the Kurds.

Some 500 refugees left an Ethiopian camp today in the first repatriation convoy to Sudan from Ethiopia under United Nations agreements that eventually aim to bring home the vast majority of the nearly 360,000 Sudanese who fled two decades of civil war in the south of Africa’s largest country.

As Canada’s Louise Fréchette departed the United Nations today after serving for eight years as its first Deputy Secretary-General, Kofi Annan paid tribute to her for leaving behind a more effective Organization.

The United Nations is sending an inter-agency assessment team to Iran after an overnight earthquake killed or injured hundreds and is ready provide any aid that may been needed and to mobilize international assistance, officials of the world body said today.