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The demand by the Security Council for aid access to war-torn Syria has not produced the intended result, the United Nations humanitarian chief said today, while warning that the needs of those affected are rising steadily as the conflict rages on.

As the Philippines continues to rebuild from Typhoon Haiyan, the top United Nations official on disaster risk reduction is among the more than 150 representatives, mostly from Asia and Europe, participating in a conference that will detail new policies and principles involving disaster preparation.

Given that the 30 June 2014 deadline for the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons programme will not be met, the focus now is on the immediate removal of the remaining materials, the head of the Joint Mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations (OPCW-UN) said today.

Citing aerial attacks, use of heavy weaponry and civilian casualties in Benghazi and elsewhere in eastern Libya, the United Nations today called for an end to the bloodshed and urged the country’s officials to agree on precise means to counter terrorism and other challenges to security and state authority.

Over 1,000 participants from government, business, international organizations and civil society groups gathered today at United Nations Headquarters to kick off a three-day forum designed to mobilize investment and action to realize the goal of ensuring sustainable energy for all.

Thousands of women and children fleeing the Central African Republic (CAR) for Cameroon arrive in a ‘shocking state,’ malnourished and dangerously ill, the heads of two United Nations humanitarian agencies said today, warning that their funds are nearly exhausted and that hundreds of thousands of people could die unless urgent contributions are received.

The United Nations human rights chief today called for concerted efforts to urgently address female genital mutilation, calling it a form of gender-based discrimination and violence that must be eradicated if women, girls and their communities are to thrive.

The United Nations human rights chief today condemned the reported “cold-blooded” mass execution in Iraq in recent days, while Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged that the perpetrators of those crimes be brought to justice while also calling on Iraqi leaders to prevent sectarian reprisals.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Spain’s Queen Sofia today highlighted the continued need for girls’ education, addressing the livelihood challenges faced by today’s youth and continuing to combat intolerance, while the United Nations chief also recognized the contributions rendered by King Juan Carlos during his reign.

Taking note of the official release of the results of the recent election in Egypt, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced his hope that President-elect Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will support the people’s aspirations for a stable and democratic country.