UN News

"United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who is currently travelling in the Middle East, today strongly condemned the bombings in Amman, Jordan, and reiterated his longstanding call for the adoption of a comprehensive international treaty to fight the scourge of terrorism." Link

Selected summary of United Nations related news and events Iran to Propose Peace Solution to UN Attack Shows Boldness of Somali Pirates Experts Meet to Draw up Bird Flu Battle Plan Bird Flu Pandemic May Have Worldwide Cost of $800 Billion CONGO: Food Shortage Looming, FAO Official Says Cocaine Smugglers Using High-Tech Boats World Tourism Faces Growing Climate-Change Risk, UN Agency Says

From Reuters: "Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq al-Shara said on Monday that Damascus was keen to cooperate with a United Nations probe into the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri."

An auditing board sponsored by the United Nations recommended yesterday that the United States repay as much as $208 million to the Iraqi government for contracting work in 2003 and 2004 assigned to Kellogg, Brown & Root, the Halliburton subsidiary. The work was paid for with Iraqi oil proceeds, but the board said it was either carried out at inflated prices or done poorly. [Full Story]

Selected summary of United Nations related news and events Bird flu pandemic may force countries to shut down, says UN official United Nations Launches Children's AIDS Campaign General Assembly designates International Holocaust Remembrance Day U.N. Agencies Say Quake Donations Lagging Syria 'will let Hariri death inquiry see Assad relatives' Bolton on U.N. Demands for Syrian Cooperation Escalating Climate Change Impacting Human Health Drying Lakes 'will soon be swamps' JORDAN: The Fight Against Drug Addiction Reaches Women

Selected summary of United Nations related news and events Checking for the avian influenza virus in a market in Bangkok, Thailand United States, United Nations Back New Bird Flu Control Campaign Bird Flu 'set to hit Africa next' Bird Flu Could Hit U.S. Next Year U.N.: Pakistan Facing New Wave of Deaths UN Increases Appeal for Pakistani Quake Relief by 80 Per Cent to $550 Million PAKISTAN: Interview with UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Jan Vandemoortele Senior UN Envoy Discusses Upcoming National Elections With Iraqi President U.N. Puts Children in Forefront of AIDS Effort

"Monday, October 24, 2005 is United Nations Day, marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. This day commemorates the many ways the world has benefited from the lifesaving work of the UN." [Read more] Click here to read 60 Ways the United Nations makes a difference (pdf file)

From the Washington Post: "High-ranking Syrian officials and their Lebanese allies were involved in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, with suspicion cast even on President Emile Lahoud, a U.N. investigation said on Thursday. The inquiry into the February 14 killing, led by veteran German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis, has established "that many leads point directly toward Syrian security officials as being involved with the assassination," said the investigation report submitted to the 15-nation U.N. Security Council." [Full Article] Blogs commenting on The Mehlis Report: American Future Captain's Quarters Counterterrorism Blog Liberals Against Terrorism The Moderate Voice Nathan Newman Suburban Guerrilla Syria Comment

Selected summary of United Nations related news and events WFP Chief Warns of Huge Aid Challenge in Pakistan NATO Joins Forces with UNHCR to Airlift Urgently-needed Tents to Pakistan Top US Diplomat Says UN Checking Iraqi Referendum Results Rice Meets Annan in Advance of UN Hariri Report Women Bosses Could Help UN Fight Sex Abuse - Report