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As part of ongoing efforts to end the unrest in Timor-Leste, the Secretary-General's Special Representative today flew to the mountain headquarters of an armed group that has demanded the removal of the Prime Minister, while on the humanitarian front United Nations agencies report that food aid is now being supplied to refugee camps further from the capital.

The World Cup and the United Nations, which both bring countries together, are striving for the shared goal of celebrating humanity, Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said as football teams prepare for the global sporting event starting on Friday.

Reacting to clashes in the capital of Somalia and surrounding areas, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today urged those concerned to resolve their differences through talks in accordance with the country’s Transitional Federal Charter.

The first of three dozen policewomen and social workers, supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), have arrived on the Indonesian island of Java to monitor child rights and trafficking issues and provide psychosocial support for children in the aftermath of last month’s devastating earthquake that killed more than 6,000 people.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) today voiced deep concern about continuing acts of violence committed against innocent civilians in the country – most recently the deadly attack on the Russian Embassy.

The special United Nations General Assembly meeting to assess the progress made in combating AIDS since it issued its Declaration of Commitment to a comprehensive battle against the pandemic five years ago ended today with a pledge to set “ambitious national targets” this year, including interim targets for 2008.

The United Nations Security Council and Secretary-General Kofi Annan condemned the killing today in Baghdad of one employee of the Russian Embassy and the kidnapping of four others.

The United Nations today launched a $103-million appeal to aid more than 200,000 victims of last week’s earthquake in the Indonesian island of Java, targeting emergency shelter, medical assistance, clean water and sanitation, food and child protection over the next six months.

Women who have had Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) are significantly more likely to experience difficulties during childbirth and their babies are more likely to die as a result of the traditional yet gruesome practice, according to a new United Nations study released today, which reiterated calls for total abolition of a practice that currently affects 100 million people worldwide.

The United Nations refugee agency voiced alarm today over a fresh spate of killings, kidnappings and threats in Baghdad that have led to mounting fear among Iraq’s 24,000-strong Palestinian refugee community, sending hundreds of them fleeing to border areas.