Ban Launches UN Ebola Response Mission
IMO Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has officially established the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response and has instructed the advance teams for the first-of-its-kind operation to head to its base in Accra, Ghana, by Monday, 22 September. Following the unanimous adoption of a key resolution by the 193-Member UN General Assembly, and after Thursday's historic meeting of the Security Council, which declared the Ebola outbreak in West Africa a threat to peace and security, Mr. Ban announced that he has now established the UN emegerncy response mission, to be known as UNMEER. The Mission's initial roll-out is a major step in the UN's expanding effort to tackle what World Health Organization chief Dr.
One Dead, Several Missing after Congo Boat Capsizes
At least one person died and a dozen others were missing after a boat capsized in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a spokesman for the United Nations mission in the country said on Monday. A U.N. drone spotted the vessel capsizing on Lake Kivu and peacekeepers intervened, Lieutenant-Colonel Felix Prosper Basse, a spokesman for the UN Stabilisation Mission in the DRC, told Reuters. "A corpse was recovered and 14 people were rescued. We were told about a dozen others are still missing," Basse said, adding that it was unclear how many people the boat had been carrying. The vessel had been travelling to Congo's North Kivu Province from South Kivu. Accidents are common on the Great Lakes of central Africa due to overloading, lack of maintenance and lax enforcement of safety standards.
Viking River Cruises Sets World Record: 10 Ships Inaugurated in One Day
Viking River Cruises (www.vikingrivercruises.com) set a world record with the christening of 10 new Viking Longships. “Today is a proud day for Viking and for river cruising. We are honored to showcase 10 of our revolutionary new Longships and to have had such a celebrated group of women helping us christen them,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises. Guests at the christening ceremony enjoyed remarks by each godmother and a presentation on the growth of river cruising by Hagen.
Joint Venture Joins U.S. Forces
In the fall of 1999, the situation in East Timor was tense. The United Nations mission was cut off from reinforcement and resupply, with 430 miles of open ocean between the chaotic Indonesian island and the UN's nearest supply base in Darwin, Australia. Then the Royal Australian Navy's Jervis Bay, a fast ferry built by INCAT Australia Pty., Ltd. and chartered by the Navy, came to the rescue. Making hundreds of crossings in an average of 11 hours for each trip, with an average speed of 43 knots fully loaded, the 292-ft. wave-piercing catamaran's performance "stunned" the United States Seventh Fleet representatives attached to the UN mission, according to RAN personnel.
