The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended that the Economic and Social Council grant special consultative status to 14 organizations — including four new applicants and 10 groups whose applications had been deferred from previous sessions — while also postponing its consideration of 53 other applications.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is appealing for urgent safe passage and admission for 41 Syrian refugees stranded in dire circumstances on the remote Algerian-Moroccan border since 17 April.  Both Algeria and Morocco consider the group not to be in their respective territory.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

Only an end to war would reverse the suffering endured by the people of Yemen, a civil society representative from that country told the Security Council this morning, emphasizing the conflict was taking the greatest toll on women.

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message on Ramadan, in New York today:

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today deferred action on the applications of four entities seeking special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Elbio Rosselli (Uruguay):

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said today that it is concerned by the recent prosecution, arbitrary arrest, detention and ill-treatment of men perceived to be gay in Indonesia.  In the past two months, more than 150 men were reportedly arrested in Aceh, Surabaya and Jakarta and subjected to public humiliation.