UN News Centre

The United Nations today appointed Red, the leader of the “Angry Birds” mobile game characters, as an envoy to inspire climate action toward a sustainable and happier future for all.

The United Nations refugee agency has stressed the importance of ensuring safeguards in carrying out today’s agreement between the European Union (EU) and Turkey on the situation of refugees and migrants making their way to Europe.

As the first week of the new round of intra-Syrian talks ended today, the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria said the “proximity system” of the discussions, whereby parties are meeting indirectly through his mediation, has contributed to the talks moving forward.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today the appointment of Nicholas Haysom of South Africa as his Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan.

Deeply concerned by the continued suspension of electoral rounds in Haiti, the United Nations Security Council today called for the completion of the polling cycle without further delay to allow the Haitian people the opportunity to vote for their elected representatives in a free, fair, inclusive and transparent contest.

An independent United Nations expert on the situation of human rights defenders today urged the Government of Honduras “to take immediate and concrete actions, or risk turning the country into a lawless killing zone for human rights defenders.”

Fifteen years after a landmark document to combat racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia was adopted in Durban, South Africa, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today said he is concerned that the political will that existed then is under threat.

The United Nations relief wing today reported that humanitarian partners are rushing to provide emergency assistance to an estimated 35,000 people who have been newly displaced in hard-to-reach areas west of Ramadi.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) today said it is deeply troubled by the arrest on Monday in Bahrain of the social media activist and human rights defender, Zainab Al Khawaja, who was detained along with her one-and-a-half year old son.

The issue of refugees and migration has risen to the top of the international community’s agenda with the massive flow of people seeking safety and new lives in Europe of late.

The United Nations Security Council today endorsed the joint statement announced on Monday by United States Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) Ceasefire Taskforce, on the terms of a nationwide cessation of hostilities in Syria, and demanded that the agreement take effect at midnight Damascus Syria time.

The United Nations deputy humanitarian chief today called on all parties to the conflict in South Sudan to protect civilians and grant safe and unhindered humanitarian access as she wrapped up a two-day visit to the African country.

As the process to select the next United Nations Secretary-General gets under way, the President of the General Assembly announced today that he will hold a series of informal dialogues and meetings with all potential candidates from 12 to 14 April.

Concerned with the increasing number of border restrictions along the Balkan land route, including in Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on the countries to keep their borders open &#8220in a spirit of responsibility sharing and solidarity.&#8221

As the full picture of the worst cyclone ever to hit Fiji becomes more apparent, the United Nations Children&#39s Fund (UNICEF) estimates that up to 120,000 children across the county may be badly affected.

A United Nations rights expert today urged the Government of the Russian Federation not to implement an extradition treaty signed with the Democratic People&#39s Republic of Korea (DPRK) earlier this month.

As part of a joint effort to increase protection for the growing numbers of children and others with specific needs arriving in Europe, two United Nations agencies have agreed to set up special support centres for children and families along the most frequently used migration routes across the continent.

The United Nations Security Council today extended the mandate of the UN Integrated Peace-Building Office in Guinea-Bissau, known as UNIOGBIS, for an additional 12 months so that it can continue to assist the country in its path towards peace and reform.

The principle of &#8220responsibility to protect,&#8221 a call for putting into action legal commitments to protect populations from atrocity crimes, has seen mixed results since its inception in 2005, the United Nations deputy chief said today, urging the international community to make the protection of populations from such heinous acts &#8220a living reality.&#8221

International task forces established to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access and a ceasefire in Syria &#8220are moving in the right direction,&#8221 a United Nations mediator said today, ahead of a Friday deadline to accept a truce.