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UN in Washington
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November 14: Michelle Bachelet, Under Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, speaks on a roundtable discussion titled, Why Women Matter in Peacebuilding, at the Council on Foreign Relations.
November 15: Ibrahim Gambari, Joint African Union/United Nations Special Representative at the AU/UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), is in Washington to meet with U.S. officials.
November 16: Anthol Soper with the United Nations Police in the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations speaks at a U.S. Institute of Peace event titled, Police Corruption: What Past Scandals Teach Us About Current Challenges beginning at 9:30 a.m.
November 17: Francois Grignon with the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations speaks on a Better World Campaign panel titled, Sudan & South Sudan: United States and United Nations Engagement, in the Rayburn House Office Building beginning at 1 p.m. R.S.V.P. to: coo@unausa.org
November 17: Angela Kane, Under-Secretary-General for Management, is in Washington meeting with U.S. officials.
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| Calendar |
November 11
The Security Council is briefed by the Department of Political Affairs (DPA) in the afternoon.
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Watch live coverage of many of the events listed above at www.un.org/webcast
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| UN News Center - New York | 
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Death toll passes 3,500 as Syrian crackdown continues, says UN human rights office
The brutal crackdown on dissent in Syria continues unabated despite the signing of an Arab League peace plan last week, the United Nations human rights office reported today, adding that the death toll has now surpassed 3,500.
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Syrian protesters
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"We are deeply concerned about the situation and by the government's failure to take heed of international and regional calls for an end to the bloodshed," Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), told reporters in Geneva.
More than 60 people are reported to have been killed by military and security forces in recent days, including at least 19 on Sunday, said Ms. Shamdasani.
While the Syrian government announced the release of 553 detainees on Saturday on the occasion of Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, tens of thousands remain in detention and dozens continue to be arbitrarily arrested every day.
Read more
Related press releases
Secretary-General Condemns Killing Friday of Dozens of Civilians in Syria, Adding to 'Alarming' Death Toll of Well Over 3,000 People
Security Council Fails to Adopt Draft Resolution Condemning Syria's Crackdown on Anti-Government Protestors, Owing to Veto by Russian Federation, China
Security Council, in Statement, Condemns Syrian Authorities for 'Widespread Violations of Human Rights, Use of Force against Civilians'
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Security Council stresses need to end impunity after latest attack on peacekeepers The Security Council has stressed the need to end impunity for those who attack peacekeepers, after one soldier serving with the joint United Nations-African Union mission in Darfur was killed and two others injured on November 6 in the latest incident in the Sudanese region.  | |
File Photo, Um Kadada, Sudan - An Egyptian peacekeeper with the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) boards an armored personal carrier (APC) before an evening patrol to Hali Mussa in late September 2011. UN Photo/Albert Gonzalez Farran
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"The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the attack on a UNAMID patrol in Darfur," the 15-member body stated on Nov. 7, referring to the peacekeeping mission by its acronym. "They called on the government of Sudan to bring the perpetrators to justice, and stressed that there must be an end to impunity for those who attack peacekeepers," added a statement issued to the press by Ambassador José Filipe Moraes Cabral of Portugal, which holds the Council's rotating presidency for this month. Sunday's attack, which was also condemned by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, took place near Nyala, the capital of South Darfur. It comes less than one month after three peacekeepers were killed in an ambush in North Darfur and is the latest in a series of hostile actions directed at UNAMID personnel, as well as aid workers. Read more Related headline Darfur: Ban deplores attack on UN-African Union peacekeepers Related press briefings Press Conference by United Nations Force Commanders in Darfur, Democratic Republic of the Congo Press Conference by Head of Joint African Union-United Nations Darfur Operation Press Conference on Expulsion of Non-Governmental Organizations from Darfur Related press releases Security Council Press Statement Following Attack on United Nations Darfur Mission Secretary-General Condemns Deadly Attack on Darfur Peacekeeping Patrol Security Council Is Told Implementation of Doha Document for Peace, Key to Success in Darfur, Needs Full Support of All Parties
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Greater coordination key to response to chemical or biological terror threat
The world needs to enhance its capacity to prevent and respond to the threat of terrorism using chemical or biological weapons, with currently no single agency with overall responsibility for that task, according to a United Nations report unveiled today.
UN and other international entities that provide technical assistance to states in the prevention of and preparedness for chemical and biological terrorism should more effectively share information to ensure that the support given is tailored to countries' needs, the report prepared by the UN Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) says.
"Measures to develop and enhance preparedness against chemical and biological weapons use by terrorists should be pursued in a broader CBRN [Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear] context," according to a summary of the report, entitled Interagency Coordination in the Event of a Terrorist Attack Using Chemical or Biological Weapons or Materials.
The report points out that organizations providing or facilitating legal assistance on the adoption and national application of instruments against chemical and biological terrorism should enhance their coordination and information-sharing. CTITF could facilitate the institutionalization of a platform for regular exchanges between those organizations.
Read more
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UN welcomes rock bank Linkin Park's support for sustainable energy initiative
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed members of the award-winning alternative rock band Linkin Park to United Nations headquarters in New York, where they announced their commitment to support his initiative aimed at ensuring universal energy access by 2030.  | |
November 8, 2011, United Nations, New York - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) meets with members of the Grammy-winning alternative rock band, Linkin Park, at UN headquarters. During a press conference the band pledged their support for Mr. Ban's "Sustainable Energy for All" initiative. The band members, from left: Joe Hahn, Brad Delson, Mike Shinoda, and Rob Bourdon. UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras
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"I don't know much about rock music. I stopped listening after Elvis!" Mr. Ban quipped during a press briefing. "But this much I do know: bands such as Linkin Park reach tens of millions of people." The Secretary-General spoke about the band's continuous support in the past for humanitarian causes, including other UN initiatives such as their contribution to the "Not Alone" video, which sought to raise awareness and funds for Haiti after it was hit by a devastating earthquake last year. The initiative was launched in September, and at its core is the vision of achieving universal access to modern energy services, doubling the rate of improvement in energy efficiency and doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix, all by 2030. Currently, some 1.4 billion people worldwide are estimated to lack access to electricity, with another billion having to deal with unreliable electricity networks. In total, nearly three billion people rely on solid fuels such as coal or traditional biomass for their basic cooking and heating. Read more
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Week in Pictures
Special Representative and UNMIL Staff on Day of Run-Off | |
November 8, 2011, Monrovia, Liberia - Ellen Margrethe Løj (center), Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Liberia, confers with peacekeepers and staff members of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) on the day of the country's presidential run-off election. Peacekeepers from UNMIL are providing security during the election day, in capital Monrovia as well as in other parts of the country. UN Photo/Staton Winter
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About the United Nations in Washington
As the United Nations office in Washington, D.C, the UN Information Center serves as the focal point for UN news and information to advance understanding of the UN and its work, and to serve as a resource for United States government officials, NGOs, civil-society organizations and the American people.
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