Geneva - A new award has been launched to honor efforts to respond to environmental emergencies, the United Nations said Monday, in an attempt to encourage action to curtail the impacts of man-made and natural disasters.
The non-monetary Green Star Awards will first be awarded next May in Brussels to charities, government and companies that help prevent and respond to disasters that can cause severe damage to the environment.
New York - Georgia on Monday renewed a charge that more Russian troops were being deployed in South Ossetia and Abkhazia despite a ceasefire brokered by the European Union following the brief war in August.
New York - South Africa's Academy Award winning actress and activist Charlize Theron said Monday that a woman is raped every 26 seconds in her country, a situation she described as "quite horrific."
Bonn, Germany - Industrialized countries are continuing to emit more greenhouse gasses despite goals set by the Kyoto agreement to curb carbon pollution, a UN body said Monday.
New York - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Friday the flare-up in fighting that violated the ceasefire in Gaza Strip has the potential to inflict more suffering and violence to the civilian population.
New York - Academy Award winner actress and activist Charlize Theron was named UN Messenger of Peace to lead the campaign to end violence against women, the UN said Friday.
