UN council, assembly evacuated due to suspicious odour

The UN Security Council and General Assembly were evacuated on Tuesday due to a "suspicious odor," a UN spokesperson said.                                           

Spokesperson Farhan Haq said the evacuation was a precautionary measure. "We are currently trying to identify the odor with local authorities," he said.               

Both the Security Council and the General Assembly had scheduled meetings on Tuesday, which were delayed by the evacuation.                                           

The UN complex in Manhattan on the banks on the East River is currently undergoing a $2 billion refurbishment.