UN concerned over plight of refugees after 2 Iraqis die at Bulgarian border

Apr 01, 2015, at 01:38 pm

New York, Apr 1 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency on Wednesday expressed concern that people needing international protection are being blocked from entering the European Union, citing the deaths of two Iraqi men who were in a group of 12 Yazidi people allegedly beaten by Bulgarian border guards.

Singapore teen charged for posting video against ex-PM Yew, Christianity

Mar 31, 2015, at 05:00 pm

Singapore, Mar 31 (IBNS) A 16-year-old Singapore teenager, who was arrested for allegedly posting expletive-laden video in Youtube where he attacked country's late PM Lee Kuan Yew and Christianity , has been charged on Tuesday, media reports said.

Vanuatu: UN official warns secondary emergency looming

Mar 31, 2015, at 02:20 pm

New York, Mar 31 (IBNS): Two weeks after Tropical Cyclone Pam struck Vanuatu, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for the archipelago on a tour through one of the most severely affected provinces on Saturday, warned of a “secondary emergency” and urged a scale-up in efforts to provide the essentials to people in need.

Iraq: Ban pledges support as Government tackles ongoing threat from ISIL

Mar 31, 2015, at 02:18 pm

New York, Mar 31 (IBNS): Despite recent military gains against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), “vast challenges” remain ahead as the Government of Iraq fights to consolidate its territorial integrity against the terrorist threat, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday during an unannounced visit to Baghdad.

Syria: Before pledging conference, UN urges donors to stand by people

Mar 31, 2015, at 02:15 pm

New York, Mar 31 (IBNS): The crisis in Syria is getting much worse, characterized by shocking “levels of savagery,” the United Nations relief official has warned, urging countries to pledge as generously as possible ahead of the Third International Humanitarian Pledging Conference kicking off on Tuesday in Kuwait City.

UN calls for hydro-diplomacy as world faces growing water shortages

Mar 31, 2015, at 02:13 pm

New York, Mar 31 (IBNS): The international community must gear up for a new era of “hydro-diplomacy” as the threat of water scarcity risks plunging the world into a period of geopolitical tension and stunted development, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told delegates gathered at the General Assembly on Monday.

Boko Haram weak, but still committing horrendous acts: UN envoy

Mar 31, 2015, at 02:12 pm

New York, Mar 31 (IBNS): As the Security Council met on Monday morning to discuss threats to international peace and security caused by terrorism, top United Nations officials briefed the 15-member body on the impact of Boko Haram in Nigeria and beyond, warning of the group’s intensified violence and brutality.

Cyprus: UN envoy optimistic about re-start of structured negotiations

Mar 31, 2015, at 02:10 pm

New York, Mar 31 (IBNS): The United Nations Special Adviser for Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, will return to the Mediterranean island on 6 April 2015 to follow up on the encouraging indications received during his last trip regarding a possible resumption of negotiations.

UN stresses need for employment, to achieve sustainable development

Mar 31, 2015, at 02:08 pm

New York, Mar 31 (IBNS): United Nations officials on Monday underlined the importance for States to create employment opportunities and decent work for all in order to achieve poverty eradication and sustainable development, and to fulfil the objectives of the new UN development agenda.

Another blogger hacked to death in Dhaka

Mar 30, 2015, at 07:42 pm

Dhaka, Mar 30 (IBNS): Three people hacked to death blogger Washiqur Rahman at Tejgaon Industrial area in Bangladesh capital Dhaka on Monday, media reports said.

Welcoming peaceful Nigerian elections, Ban encourages patience

Mar 30, 2015, at 01:32 pm

New York, Mar 30 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has congratulated the people and Government of Nigeria on the largely peaceful and orderly conduct of Saturday's presidential and parliamentary elections.

Egypt: Ban and Arab League Secretary-General discuss regional challenges

Mar 30, 2015, at 01:31 pm

New York, Mar 30 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Nabil El-Araby Secretary General of the League of Arab States pledged on Sunday, continued cooperation between the two organizations and discussed strengthening international efforts on a range of issues as the League's Summit continued in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

Air Canada flight skids off runway, 23 hurt

Mar 30, 2015, at 02:46 am

Ottawa, Mar 29 (IBNS): At least 23 passengers were injured as an Air Canada flight skidded off the runway while it was landing at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport in the Canada's Nova Scotia province on Sunday, officials said.

Singapore: Thousands of mourners gather to bid farewell to Lee

Mar 29, 2015, at 07:32 pm

Singapore, Mar 29 (IBNS): Singapore's former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was remembered by his country men with a heavy heart at his state funeral on Sunday, where the procession through the city's streets drew thousands of mourners despite heavy rain.

In Egypt, Ban calls on Arab leaders to strengthen bonds for region's people, global security

Mar 29, 2015, at 03:50 pm

New York, Mar 29 (IBNS) With a raft of ills plaguing the Arab world – from the “shameful” conflict in Syria to the "tinderbox" that is Gaza and the steadily unraveling situation in Yemen –Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday called upon leaders gathered in Egypt to work with each other and the United Nations to "strengthen our bonds for the people of this region and the security of our world."

'We must respond,' declares UNESCO chief, launching #Unite4Heritage campaign in Baghdad

Mar 29, 2015, at 03:46 pm

New York, Mar 29 (IBNS) Taking an innovative step to support Iraqi youth and to mobilize young people worldwide for the protection of cultural heritage, Irina Bokova, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launched on Saturday at Baghdad University #Unite4Heritage, a social media campaign to counter the propaganda of cultural cleansing in Iraq and other crisis-torn counties.

UN strongly condemns deadly terrorist attack on Mogadishu hotel

Mar 29, 2015, at 03:12 pm

New York, Mar 29 (IBNS): The top United Nations official in Somalia along with the members of the UN Security Council have strongly condemned yesterday's terrorist attack on a hotel in Mogadishu city that resulted in the death of many civilians, including the Somali Federal Government's Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva, Ambassador Yusuf Bari-Bari.

Demanding 'immediate' ceasefire in Libya, Security Council extends UN mission in crisis-torn country

Mar 29, 2015, at 03:08 pm

New York, Mar 29 (IBNS) Unanimously adopting two separate resolutions on Libya, the Security Council, in the first, called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and extended the United Nations Support Mission there (UNSMIL) until 15 September, and in the second, adjusted the arms embargo on the country in light of the terrorist threat there.

US cop indicted for using unreasonable force on Indian Sureshbhai Patel

Mar 28, 2015, at 04:33 pm

Washington, Mar 28(IBNS) A US police officer, accused of throwing to the ground and causing partial paralysis of a 57-year-old Indian has been indicted on Friday by grand jury on a civil rights charge for the use of unreasonable force.

Ban calls on defence chiefs for unity on UN peacekeeping

Mar 28, 2015, at 02:38 pm

New York, Mar 28 (IBNS): At the first-ever United Nations Chiefs of Defence Conference on Friday, the Secretary-General appealed to senior military officials for more troop contributions from States around the world and for political will and purpose.

Ban urges to end violence against religious minorities in Middle East

Mar 28, 2015, at 02:37 pm

New York, Mar 28 (IBNS): Millions of lives in the Middle East, and the very social fabric of entire countries, are at stake, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned on Friday morning, calling for urgent action from the Security Council to end the religiously and ethnically-motivated violence sweeping the region and end impunity for those committing crimes against humanity.

UN envoy appreciates progress in Libya's latest peace talks

Mar 28, 2015, at 02:35 pm

New York, Mar 28 (IBNS): Libyan stakeholders have reached a consensus on a range of issues, including on the need for a unity government and security arrangements, and are now convinced that there is a political solution to the country’s crisis, Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), Bernardino Léon, said at the conclusion of the latest round of peace talks which he praised for making “very important progress.”

Cyclone Pam: UN reports Vanuatu islands reached with relief supplies

Mar 28, 2015, at 02:33 pm

New York, Mar 28 (IBNS): Two weeks after Cyclone Pam hit Vanuatu, the United Nations says it has reached all 22 storm-affected islands of the country, with food for more than 160,000 people.

UNESCO calls for the protection of cultural heritage in Yemen

Mar 28, 2015, at 02:31 pm

New York, Mar 28 (IBNS): The escalation of armed conflict in Yemen threatens the country’s cultural heritage, warned the head of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the world body’s agency responsible for protecting cultural property.

UN condemns kidnapping of DR Congo refugees

Mar 28, 2015, at 02:30 pm

New York, Mar 28 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has on Friday strongly condemned the recent kidnapping of Congolese refugees by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), calling for an immediate release of those still in captivity.

Malawi leader condemns attacks on people with albinism: UN

Mar 28, 2015, at 02:28 pm

New York, Mar 28 (IBNS): The United Nations Human Rights office on Friday welcomed Malawi President Peter Mutharika's strong statement condemning the recent spate of attacks on people with albinism in his country and urged that the measures he outlined to arrest those responsible for such attacks and better protect albinos be launched “without delay.”

Syria: WHO unable to sustain operations without funding increase

Mar 28, 2015, at 02:26 pm

New York, Mar 28 (IBNS): Ahead of next week’s third International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria, the United Nations health agency’s top official in the country said on Friday that more than 16 million Syrians and Syrian refugees are in need of health support, but that she had so far received no new funding to meet the $124 million needed to finance humanitarian operations in the country this year.

Court charges former Khmer Rouge leader with inhuman crimes: UN

Mar 28, 2015, at 02:24 pm

New York, Mar 28 (IBNS): The United Nations-backed court set up to bring to trial those most responsible for crimes committed during Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge regime on Friday announced charges against former member Ao An of “crimes against humanity of murder, extermination, persecution on political and religious grounds, imprisonment, and other inhumane acts” committed at three sites.

Ban calls on all Nigerians to vote in large numbers

Mar 28, 2015, at 02:22 pm

New York, Mar 28 (IBNS): On the eve of presidential and parliamentary elections in Nigeria,Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on all Nigerians to exercise their civic responsibility by going to the polls to vote in large numbers.

Pentagon Center shopping plaza evacuated following bomb threat

Mar 28, 2015, at 05:10 am

Washington, Mar 27 (IBNS) A shopping plaza in US' Arlington city has been evacuated following a bomb threat to the shopping center’s central office, media reports said on Friday.