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Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of waging 'terror' over alleged attempted incursions into Crimea

Ukraine puts military units on high alert

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has instructed all military units near Crimea and in the easterly Donbass region to be at the highest level of combat readiness, following allegations of a Ukrainian incursion into Crimea.

News • 11 Aug 16

There is growing concern over North Korea's missile programme

UN chief 'deeply troubled' over N Korea actions

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said he is "deeply troubled" by North Korea's recent missile launches and has called on Pyongyang to "reverse its course".

News • 04 Aug 16

60,000 people have been forced from their homes in the area over the past month

UN urges allies to aid civilians who fled Fallujah

The UN Security Council has urged the international community to live up to its "moral and political obligation" to aid Iraqi civilians who fled an operation against the so-called Islamic State in Fallujah.

News • 22 Jun 16

North Korea has rejected the move as politically motivated

UN sets up group to pursue crimes by North Korea

The United Nations Human Rights Council has set up a group of independent experts to study how to bring to justice perpetrators of crimes against humanity committed by North Korea.

News • 24 Mar 16

The draft resolution was adopted by a vote of 14 in favour with Egypt abstaining

UN adopts protocol over sex abuse by peacekeepers

The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution that calls for the repatriation of peacekeeping units whose soldiers face allegations of sexual abuse.

News • 31 Mar 16

Kim Jong-un observes he North Korean military's winter training at an unknown location

North Korea to snub UN Security Council meeting

North Korea has said it will not send a representative to a UN Security Council meeting next week to discuss the country's human rights record and calls to refer Pyongyang to the International Criminal Court.

News • 19 Dec 14

The United Nations Security Council meeting on the ebola outbreak in west Africa

UN says Ebola is threat to international peace

The UN Security Council has declared the Ebola outbreak in Africa a "threat to international peace and security" and called on all states to provide urgent resources and assistance to help tackle the crisis.

World • 18 Sep 14

Navi Pillay suggested the Security Council come up with possible new responses to rights violations

UN rebuked over Security Council failures

Outgoing UN rights chief Navi Pillay has rebuked the Security Council for putting short-term geopolitical concerns and narrowly-defined national interests ahead of grave breaches of global peace and security.

News • 22 Aug 14

John Kerry speaks to the media after his arrival at the talks in Geneva

Kerry hopes to narrow 'gaps' in Iran nuclear talks

US Secretary of State John Kerry has said important gaps needed to be bridged in high-stakes talks with Iran on curbing its nuclear programme.

News • 08 Nov 13

Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said the kingdom could not take its seat unless unspecified reforms were introduced

Saudi Arabia declines UN Security Council seat

Saudi Arabia has announced it was declining its United Nations Security Council seat, citing "double standards" that made it hard for the world body to end conflict and wars.

News • 18 Oct 13

Catherine Ashton is leading talks about Iranian attempts to develop nuclear power

'Logical' proposals over Iran nuclear programme

Iran said it presented "logical" proposals in talks aimed at achieving a breakthrough in a decade-old standoff over its disputed nuclear programme

News • 15 Oct 13

Chen Kuo-chang, a senior technical specialist from Taiwan's Seismology Center points towards a North Korean map at the location that North Korea staged a nuclear test

Condemnation of North Korea nuclear test

The United Nations Security Council has "strongly condemned" North Korea's third nuclear test and vowed to take action.

News • 12 Feb 13

Pyongyang said it would hold no more talks on its nuclear programme

North Korea vows to boost nuclear capabilities

The UN Security Council has unanimously condemned North Korea's December rocket launch and expanded existing UN sanctions.

News • 23 Jan 13

Malian refugee children sit under a tent that serves as a classroom in the Goudebou refugee camp near the city of Dori

UN authorises Mali military action

The UN Security Council has authorised military action to take northern Mali from the control of al-Qaeda-linked extremists.

News • 21 Dec 12

A Palestinian family returns home after the ceasefire was announced

UN urges Israel and Hamas to uphold ceasefire

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held firm with scenes of joy among the ruins in Gaza over what Gazan militants hailed as a victory, and both sides saying their fingers were still on the trigger.

News • 22 Nov 12

Protests held in Syria against Bashar al-Assad

Thousands of Syrians have taken part in protests against President Bashar al-Assad's regime testing a shaky UN ceasefire, as state media said 18 security personnel were killed in attacks.

News • 20 Apr 12

Kofi Annan discussed the Syria crisis with Wen Jiabao in Beijing

UN powers cautious on Syria peace plan

Western nations have given a sceptical welcome to President Bashar al-Assad's acceptance of a UN-Arab League peace plan for Syria as the UN said the death toll for the uprising has passed 9,000.

News • 28 Mar 12

UN Security Council