United Nations // Current

Latin American Youth go Green at CILA 2009!

over 1200 youth gathered from all over Latin America for the International Conference... more

achanceforpeace
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3 days ago
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Iran tested advanced nuclear warhead design – secret report

Looks like the US wasn't so wrong about Iran developing nuclear weapons...now multiple... more

402Chicago
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4 days ago
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Sri Lanka: Notes from a War on Terror

Vanguard correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to Sri Lanka during the final days... more

MarianaVanZeller
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6 days ago
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Al Aqsa is the red line, warns OIC

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=127984&d=2&m=11&y=2009&pix=kingdom.jp... more

bielski
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9 days ago
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Unitarian Universalists Promote Climate Action at the United Nations

The Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office (UU-UNO) has declared Climate Change one of this year's pressing issues! Their newly-formed Climate Change Initiative is charged with finding ways to preserve the Earth and to examine the global inequities caused by climate disruption. They have formed a Task Force website at http://www.digitaluniverse.net/uuuno/ where you can follow current events related to climate change, discuss plans with other members, and join events to help the cause.

One event currently being promoted is the Intergenerational Spring Seminar in April 2010. Still in the planning stages, this event will bring together UUs from all over North America. At the New York City United Nations Office, participants will gain an understanding of why climate change is happening, the global dangers it poses, how this relates to the Unitarian Universalist faith, and what actions should be taken in the face of this change. There will be speakers from a wide variety of backgrounds, including scientists, social advocates, activist leaders, and ministers. At the end of the three-day conference, participants will work together to draft a statement to the Secretary General of the United Nations. This statement will determine the future mission of the UU-UNO Climate Change Task Force.

The office is still recruiting a variety of volunteers to help plan the Spring Seminar. Volunteers will gain great experience in leadership and event planning and can participate in the Seminar free of charge. It is possible to volunteer from anywhere in the US, since the work can be done over the phone and internet. The office currently needs volunteers familiar with web programming and audio/video broadcast to help set up a live feed of the Seminar which will be put on the web for all to see. This is the first year the web will be used to widen the audience of the Seminar, so even if you can't attend in person, you will still be able to view the event and discuss it with other UUs in real-time on the UU-UNO website!

There are other kinds of volunteers needed as well; including Food Organizers, Youth Leaders, and more. You can read more about the Seminar and how to become a volunteer on the event page linked to at the top of this article.

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written by Jessica Ansel, Spring Seminar Planning Co-ChairThe Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office (UU-UNO) has declared Climate Change... more

fernweher
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11 days ago
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Gunmen Storm UN Guest House in Afghanistan

Taliban militants wearing suicide vests stormed a guest house used by U.N. staff in... more

ebindelglass
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14 days ago
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Clinton, Obama admin, reject UN anti-defamation of religion efforts

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on behalf of the Obama administration, issued a... more

locutus
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14 days ago
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U.N. Investigates U.S. & Canada But Ignores Worst Abusers

No bias here, right.... Oh, wait til she goes to the next country on her list... guess... more

plusaf
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14 days ago
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7 Dead in attack on UN in Kabul; Taliban "This is our first attack."

KABUL (AP) -- Gunmen with automatic weapons and suicide vests stormed a guest house used by U.N. staff in the heart of the Afghan capital early Wednesday, killing at least seven people including three U.N. staff, officials said. A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility, saying it was meant as an assault on the upcoming presidential election.

Heavy gunfire reverberated through the streets shortly after dawn and a large plume of smoke rose over the city following the attack on the hostel in the Shar-e-Naw district. Kabul police chief Abdul Rahman Rahman said seven people were killed, including some attackers.

U.N. spokesman Adrian Edwards confirmed that three U.N. staff were among the dead and one was seriously wounded. He said 20 U.N. staff were living at the guest house, some of them known to be registered there but he was unsure whether all were there at the time of the attack.

Flames could be seen on the roof of the guest house. Hours after the attack began, three explosions could be heard but it was unclear if they were from that location.

Following the attack, a rocket slammed into the grounds of the luxury Serena Hotel, which is favored by many foreigners. The device failed to explode but filled the lobby with smoke, forcing guests and employees to flee to the basement, according to an Afghan witness who asked that his name not be used for security reasons.

The guesthouse attack was the third major one in the capital in recent weeks.

On Oct. 8, a suicide car bomber detonated his vehicle outside the Indian Embassy, killing 17 people - mostly civilians - and wounding at least 76 more. The Afghan Foreign Ministry hinted at Pakistani involvement - a charge Pakistan denied.

On Sept. 17, a suicide car bomber killed six Italian soldiers and 10 Afghan civilians on one of Kabul's main roadways.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attack in a telephone call to The Associated Press, saying three militants with suicide vests, grenades and machine guns carried out the assault.

He said three days ago the Taliban issued a statement threatening anyone working on the Nov. 7 runoff election between President Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah.

"This is our first attack," he said.

Afghans vote Nov. 7 in a second round election after U.N.-backed auditors threw out nearly a third of Karzai's votes from the Aug. 20 ballot, determining widespread fraud. That pushed Karzai's totals below the 50 percent threshold needed for a first round victory in the 36-candidate field.

The Taliban warned Afghans to stay away from the polls or risk attacks. Dozens of people were killed in Taliban attacks during the August balloting, helping drive down turnout.KABUL (AP) -- Gunmen with automatic weapons and suicide vests stormed a guest house... more