UN marks 'Day of Remembrance' with calls to end modern slavery
Mar 26, 2015, at 01:08 pm
New York, Mar 26 (IBNS): As the international community gathers to commemorate the millions of victims exploited by slavery and the transatlantic slave trade, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday warned that the insidious practice of forced bondage continued to reverberate around the world in various forms, from forced labour and trafficking to sexual exploitation and captivity in slavery-like conditions.
Libya: UN report documents targeting of human rights defenders
Mar 26, 2015, at 01:07 pm
New York, Mar 26 (IBNS): Armed groups across Libya have targeted human rights defenders seeking to shed light on abuses, according to a new United Nations report that outlines a litany of violent attacks and threats against defenders in the country, and in some cases even after they are forced to leave.
UN officials urge protection for war’s youngest victims
Mar 26, 2015, at 01:05 pm
New York, Mar 26 (IBNS): The international community must act “collectively and expeditiously†to thwart the growing number of children affected by armed conflicts, United NationsSecretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared on Wednesday, as the Security Council met to discuss the myriad horrors faced by children caught up in wars worldwide.
International Day: Ban calls for release of UN personnel unlawfully arrested
Mar 26, 2015, at 01:04 pm
New York, Mar 26 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Wednesday for the release of all United Nations personnel who have been unlawfully arrested and detained, in a message to mark the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members.
Lowest weekly total of Ebola cases in 2015 reported: WHO
Mar 26, 2015, at 01:02 pm
New York, Mar 26 (IBNS): The first case of Ebola in three weeks was found in Liberia, prompting heightened vigilance, while the United Nations health agency noted some improvements in Guinea, where the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Guinean Scouts held campfire sensitization sessions as part of its efforts to overcome community resistance to health interventions.
UN unveils permanent memorial to victims of transatlantic slave trade
Mar 26, 2015, at 01:00 pm
New York, Mar 26 (IBNS): United Nations officials on Wednesday welcomed the unveiling at the world body’s New York Headquarters of a permanent memorial to the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade which they acknowledged was one of the most horrific tragedies of modern history.
After Germanwings crash, crew members declare unfit to fly
Mar 25, 2015, at 03:25 pm
Frankfurt, Mar 25 (IBNS): After the tragic crash of its Airbus A320 in the French Alps between Barcelonnette and Digne on Tuesday with 150 people on board, Lufthansa's Germanwings airliner has announced that crew members have declared themselves unfit to fly resulting in the disruptions of several flights.
UN launches humanitarian appeal for battered Vanuatu
Mar 25, 2015, at 02:26 pm
New York, Mar 25 (IBNS): The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has launched a flash appeal for urgent funding to help with ongoing relief efforts in Vanuatu following the devastation wrought by Cyclone Pam.
UN chief urges to intensify efforts to end tuberculosis by 2035
Mar 25, 2015, at 02:24 pm
New York, Mar 25 (IBNS): With some 37 million lives saved between 2000 and 2013 through the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis, it is possible to end the epidemic by 2035,Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on World Tuberculosis Day, urging leaders to recommit to ending one of humanity's top killers.
UN to unveil permanent memorial honouring victims of slave trade
Mar 25, 2015, at 02:23 pm
New York, Mar 25 (IBNS): A permanent memorial to honour the victims of one of the most horrific tragedies of modern history will be revealed at United Nations Headquarters in New York on Wednesday, when the world marks the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Amid Yemen unrest, UNICEF warns of grave child rights abuses
Mar 25, 2015, at 02:21 pm
New York, Mar 25 (IBNS): Grave violations of children’s rights are continuing to take place in Yemen, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) confirmed on Tuesday, on the heels of a spate of recent attacks on mosques in Sana’a that killed 12 children and injured 20.
UN official meets with Nigerian refugees in northern Cameroon
Mar 25, 2015, at 02:19 pm
New York, Mar 25 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee chief António Guterres began a two-day visit to Cameroon on Tuesday to see the impact of the displacement crises in neighbouring Nigeria and Central African Republic (CAR), which have sent over hundreds of thousands fleeing for safety.
UN rights expert urges Chile to boost efforts in fighting extreme poverty
Mar 25, 2015, at 02:17 pm
New York, Mar 25 (IBNS): The issue of poverty continues to remain “under the radar†for many Chilean policy-makers despite the country’s impressive array of anti-poverty programmes, an independent United Nations human rights expert has warned.
Ban marks international day by stressing need for human rights
Mar 25, 2015, at 02:15 pm
New York, Mar 25 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday recalled, on the 35th anniversary of the assassination of Archbishop Óscar Arnulfo Romero of El Salvador, that the United Nations has over the past year supported commissions of inquiry on the Central African Republic, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Eritrea, the recent conflict in Gaza and Syria to further the icon’s work to see that truth prevails.
UN trade report urges to improve environment for e-commerce
Mar 25, 2015, at 02:14 pm
New York, Mar 25 (IBNS): The scope for developing countries to participate in and benefit from e-commerce is expanding, according to a new United Nations report released on Tuesday, with improved connectivity, new e-commerce applications, platforms and payment solutions, and the emergence of local e-commerce companies that are tailoring their services to local demands.
Security Council urges effective steps to end tensions in South Sudan
Mar 25, 2015, at 02:13 pm
New York, Mar 25 (IBNS): The United Nations Security Council has voiced its “profound disappointment†at the failure of all parties in South Sudan to conclude an agreement that would bring the country closer to resolving its ongoing conflict and usher in a period of national unity and peace.
Airbus crashes in French Alps, 150 feared dead
Mar 25, 2015, at 02:11 am
Marseille, Mar 24 (IBNS): An Airbus A320 airliner, which was carrying 150 people, crashed in the French Alps between Barcelonnette and Digne on Tuesday, media reports.
Lufthansa's Germanwings plane crashes in France: All feared killed
Mar 24, 2015, at 10:27 pm
Marseille: An Airbus plane of Lufthansa's Germanwings budget airline crashed in southern France on Tuesday en route from Barcelona to Duesseldorf.
Central Africa in urgent need of agricultural assistance: FAO
Mar 24, 2015, at 01:53 pm
New York, Mar 24 (IBNS): The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has launched an urgent appeal to help provide farmers in the Central African Republic (CAR) with seeds and tools for the country’s upcoming planting season, warning that without additional assistance vulnerable populations risked a further deterioration of their livelihoods.
Singapore: UN offers condolences on death of former leader Lee Kuan Yew
Mar 24, 2015, at 01:51 pm
New York, Mar 24 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed deep sadness at the passing of Singapore’s former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, praising his “strong leadership and statesmanship†and describing him as “a legendary figure in Asia,†according to a United Nations spokesperson.
UN-backed report finds high levels of elephant poaching across Africa
Mar 24, 2015, at 01:50 pm
New York, Mar 24 (IBNS): An ongoing decline in overall elephant numbers remains likely as the poaching of African elephants continued to exceed population growth rates throughout 2014, a new United Nations-backed report warned on Monday.
Palestinian conflict continues to destroy human life: UN rights official
Mar 24, 2015, at 01:48 pm
New York, Mar 24 (IBNS): Violations of human rights “fuel and shape the conflict†in the occupied Palestinian territories, a senior United Nations official reported to the Human Rights Council on Monday.
UN chief stresses need to mitigate climate change patterns
Mar 24, 2015, at 01:47 pm
New York, Mar 24 (IBNS): With extreme weather and changing climatic patterns taking a heavier toll on the planet, mitigating and adapting to them remains “among the great tests of our time,â€Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday, as he stressed the need for timely, reliable information to further strengthen resilience.
Brussels: UN envoy urges to work together for peace in Libya
Mar 24, 2015, at 01:45 pm
New York, Mar 24 (IBNS): Stakeholders must work together to take Libya out of its “mess of a war†and begin rebuilding the conflict-ridden country into a modern, democratic state, a senior United Nations official said on Monday.
Liberia: UNICEF ambassador Orlando Bloom sees Ebola response
Mar 24, 2015, at 01:44 pm
New York, Mar 24 (IBNS): At the end of a four-day visit to Ebola-affected communities in Liberia, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Goodwill Ambassador and actor Orlando Bloom praised the efforts of people there who have been combatting the deadly virus.
Security Council: UN envoy says Yemen on rapid downward spiral
Mar 23, 2015, at 01:56 pm
New York, Mar 23 (IBNS): Yemen stands on the brink of civil war amid deepening political tensions and an uptick in sectarian violence, United Nations Special Adviser Jamal Benomar warned on Sunday as he explained that only through dialogue could the country achieve a peaceful political transition.
UN calls for global unity to conserve water on World Water Day
Mar 23, 2015, at 01:55 pm
New York, Mar 23 (IBNS): As the perils of climate change increasingly threaten the planet, the international community must unite in “a spirit of urgent cooperation†to address the many water-related challenges facing humanity, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared on Sunday.
More aid needed for 120,000 displaced by clashes in southern Philippines - UN agency
Mar 21, 2015, at 05:33 pm
New York, Mar 21 (IBNS) Intensifying armed conflict in the southern Philippines island of Mindanao has displaced some 120,000 people since late January, the United Nations refugee agency said on Friday , expressing particular concern for the safety of women and children who could be exposed to exploitation and abuse.
Yemen: UN chief strongly deplores terrorist bombings, urges continued peace talks
Mar 21, 2015, at 05:29 pm
New York, Mar 21 (IBNS) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned the terrorist attacks against two mosques in Yemen on Fridaythat have reportedly left dozens of people dead and wounded.
UN envoy says Libya on cusp of 'decisive moment' as parties resume peace talks
Mar 21, 2015, at 04:39 pm
New York, Mar 21 (IBNS) Negotiations between Libyan parties are entering a "decisive round" as continued fighting and the menace of terrorism cast a sense of urgency to the United Nations-facilitated talks, a senior official for the Organization said on Friday .