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The United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the world body’s nuclear watchdog, has made little progress in verifying Iran’s nuclear programme, according to its latest report, which comes as the Agency again calls on the Islamic Republic to cooperate to resolve the international dispute over its nuclear ambitions.

Warning that the United Nations is facing “a moment of truth,” Secretary-General Kofi Annan is urging all UN Member States to tone down their rhetoric over a proposed package of reform measures and join forces to reach a sensible compromise that will prevent a budget crisis and pave the way for more fundamental change later.

The world is making only slow progress towards the goal of 100 per cent safe, unpaid, voluntary blood donation, with most developing countries still depending on paid donors or family member donors, according to a new survey by the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO).

Secretary-General Kofi Annan is conducting intensive diplomacy with the leaders of Nigeria and Cameroon in a bid to achieve a breakthrough over their border dispute, a United Nations spokesman said today, predicting that an accord could be finalized on Monday.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan has sent members of the United Nations Security Council the latest report on the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a spokesman for the world body confirmed today.

While the number of refugees worldwide has reached a 26-year low, dropping by 1.1 million in 2005 to 8.4 million, the count of uprooted people of concern to the United Nations refugee agency has risen by 1.3 million to nearly 21 million due to an increase in those displaced within their own countries, according to a new report issued today.

Following severe flash floods and landslides in Thailand that have affected more than 340,000 people, completely destroyed 700 houses and damaged more than 1,000 roads and bridges, the United Nations Office has released emergency cash grants of over $100,000 for the purchase of relief supplies and materials for temporary shelter.

The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) today repeated calls to the Kyrgyz Government not to forcibly return four refugees to Uzbekistan who fled their country after last year’s killings in the city of Andijan, saying such extraditions would violate the 1951 UN Refugee Convention.

With more than 2 million internally displaced people (IDPs) uprooted by Colombia’s decades-long civil war and hundreds of thousands more seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, the United Nations refugee agency is calling for more international attention to be paid to the humanitarian crisis.

Facing a serious rise in the number of racist attacks in Russia, including murder, especially in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, a United Nations human rights expert is to pay a six-day visit to the country next week at the invitation of the Government.