Reuters: "The U.N. Security Council pressed Lebanon on Wednesday to hold parliamentary elections on schedule and welcomed "noticeable progress" in Syria's withdrawal, but said all U.N. demands had not yet been met."
A sampling of United Nations related blog commentary
Pardon My English: "United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan: "In addition to actions already proscribed by existing conventions, any action constitutes terrorism if it is intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or non-combatants with the purpose of intimidating a population or compelling a government or an international organisation to do or abstain from doing any act." A clear definition of terrorism."
Stygius: "Considering that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has named a Special Adviser on UN Reform, who reports "directly to the Secretary of State," there's little weight to the "sky is falling" arguments that the UN is somehow unreformable if John Bolton's nomination fails."
Watchblog: "UN member nations are meeting to assess the state of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The consensus seems to be that it's inadequate, if not a disaster."
Selected summary of United Nations related news and events
SOMALIA, DEFORESTATION AMONG UN LIST OF '10 STORIES THE WORLD SHOULD HEAR MORE ABOUT'
Iran Stands by Nuclear Plans at U.N. Talks [NPR News audio]
UNICEF to support US $90 million in rebuilding tsunami affected schools
The Problem of Child Sex Tourism and Sex Trafficking in Asia
"For the first time ever a UN program, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has won the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award." LINK
A sampling of United Nations related blog commentary
Brothers Judd: "U.S. Lambastes Iran, N. Korea at U.N. Meeting" ... Good thing John Bolton hasn't been confirmed or they'd be feeling lambasteder."
Lucianne: "Sit-ins, human-chain demonstrations and a U.N. conference were underway or scheduled in countries from the Philippines to Senegal for the 15th annual World Press Freedom Day."
Polianna: "By simply pursuing the United Nations website one can find a multitude of sub-organizations that do everything from research on agriculture to preserving global culture to some of the best anti-poverty work being done today."
Sudan: The Passion of the Present: "Even though both the Bush administration and the United Nations have spoken out on the situation in Darfur, with U.S. officials even terming it a case of genocide, the Khartoum government has remained entrenched." [Washington Post]
Selected summary of United Nations related news and events
Annan warns on regimes' nuclear programmes
Entrenched stands threaten nuclear nonproliferation conference
India teams with UN to fight spread of HIV/AIDS
Press Freedom Day celebrated in region noted for press curbs
UNESCO Director-General Condemns Murder of Sri Lankan Journalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram "Taraki"
Struggling Nepal media marches on World Press Freedom Day
UN transfers refugees to new sites away from congested Rwanda-DR of Congo border
"The voice was soft, calm, familiar. But the scenario Kofi Annan sketched out was chilling.
A nuclear bomb goes off in a great city. Chaos ensues, and a frightened world asks, "Was this an act of terrorism? Was it an act of aggression by a state? Was it an accident?"
Tens or hundreds of thousands would be dead, the U.N. chief said, and questions, implications and dread would consume world leaders. Treaties might collapse, trade and economies totter, human rights and freedoms come under threat. And statesmen would ask: "How did it come to this?"
It was Monday's arresting opening to a monthlong conference reviewing the workings of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, at a moment of rising nuclear tensions in the world, on a day when speakers called for concessions from many sides - Iran, North Korea, America, Russia - to move toward a world free of the nuclear threat." More...
Selected summary of United Nations related news and events
Annan, General Assembly President express optimism over talks on UN reform
World gathers to review nuclear treaty
Nuclear conference opens, hears UN watchdog call for balance between security and development
U.N. Nuclear Non-Proliferation Conference
UN urged to investigate media killings in the Philippines
Downer asks UN for help in hostage crisis
Annan welcomes lifting of state of emergency, release of some prisoners in Nepal
Annan meets with 50 Jewish leaders from around the globe
A sampling of United Nations related blog commentary
Chrenkoff: "Good news from Afghanistan, Part 12 ... "UNICEF is planning to hold 18 workshops on children's rights in the forthcoming year to educate government officials about children's rights."
Mudville Gazette: "For the seventh time since it took force in 1970, the world's nations gather Monday to reassess how well the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty is keeping the lid on man's most terrible weapons."
Washington Note: "[America's Ambassador to the United Nations] must represent the best of who we are and be a no-nonsense advocate for American interests as well as committed to an institution that helps further global stability and which can address some of the world's most insoluble problems."