Condemning violence in Yemen, UN rights chief urges protection of civilians Children in Al-Mazrak IDP camp in Haradh, northern Yemen. Photo: OCHA The United Nations human rights chief today condemned the killing of unarmed civilians in Yemen in recent days, and stressed that lethal force and heavy weapons must not be used against peaceful protesters. […]

Spanish soccer star kicks off UN campaign to save endangered orangutans Spanish soccer star Carles Puyol Soccer star Carles Puyol, who led Spain to the World Cup title last year, is the face of a new United Nations campaign to save endangered orangutans that could face extinction within the next few decades. “Act Now for Orangutans” is […]

Spanish Soccer Star Kicks Off Orangutan Campaign Spanish soccer star Carles Puyol, who captains FC Barcelona and led Spain to the World Cup title one year ago, is now tackling an even bigger challenge – saving orangutans. Puyol is featured in “Act Now for Orangutans,” a new campaign from the Great Apes Survival Partnership (GRASP) […]

Migiro calls on nations to continue fight against racism and xenophobia Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas Countries must boost their efforts to combat systematic discrimination, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said today while urging States to continue to combat racism, xenophobia and intolerance. In her remarks marking the closure of the International Year for People of […]

UN agencies condemn violence against Mexican peace activists Two United Nations agencies have strongly condemned the recent murder of a Mexican peace activist and the attempted killing of the chief of a women’s rights organization in the same country and called on the Government to investigate and prosecute those responsible. Nepomuceno Moreno Núñez, a member […]

Chinese health coverage improves with government efforts A new study of health insurance in nine Chinese provinces shows that individual coverage surged within a two-year time frame, from 2004-2006, coinciding with new government interventions designed to improve access to health care. The changes were most dramatic in rural areas. PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Health care […]

UN-backed initiative enlists celebrity help in fight against tuberculosis A new initiative to combat tuberculosis (TB), an illness which claims the lives of over one million people each year, has recruited international celebrities in an effort to maintain awareness towards eradicating the disease, the United Nations health agency announced today. The group of nine celebrities […]

Volunteers are powerful force for peace and development – UN report Stressing that volunteerism contributes to the well-being of individuals, communities and society, a new United Nations report released today urges countries not to forget this largely untapped asset. The State of the World’s Volunteerism Report by UN Volunteers (UNV) presents for the first time empirical evidence […]

UN report highlights need to make television more accessible to persons with disabilities  ITU Secretary General Hamadoun Touré Television should be made more accessible to persons with disabilities, argues a new United Nations report released today, which identifies different accessibility options that would enable users to fully access audiovisual content. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), […]

Infectious fungus, thought to be asexual, isn’t Candida tropicalis turns out to have sex, making it the second medically important member of the genus to be capable of mating. Sex may improve the survival of the species, particularly when it’s under pressure. It may also mean the species can achieve greater virulence or drug resistance more […]