Iraq: UN reports rights violations of increasingly sectarian nature
Feb 24, 2015, at 02:49 pm
New York, Feb 24 (IBNS): A report released on Monday by the United Nations documents widespread human rights violations of an increasingly sectarian nature in Iraq, as well as a deterioration of the rule of law in large parts of the country.
2015 pivotal for finalizing universal climate change agreement: Ban
Feb 24, 2015, at 02:33 pm
New York, Feb 24 (IBNS): "This year is pivotal for global action on climate change", United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday in New York, emphasizing that all the major advances of 2014 have set the stage for success in 2015.
Photo competition shines spotlight on UN's zero hunger goal
Feb 24, 2015, at 02:31 pm
New York, Feb 24 (IBNS): Scenes of families eating together in Burundi, Laos and the Philippines on Monday won a photo competition judged by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver aimed at demonstrating “the simple yet powerful role provided by sitting tougher and eating as a family,†the World Food Programme (WFP) announced.
Development system must adapt to post-2015 agenda: UN officials
Feb 24, 2015, at 02:30 pm
New York, Feb 24 (IBNS): The United Nations officials on Monday underlined the importance of ongoing review and reform of the Organization’s development system as Member States met to begin the UN Economic and Social Council’s (ECOSOC) Operational Activities Segment.
WHO urges global switch to smart syringes by 2020
Feb 24, 2015, at 02:28 pm
New York, Feb 24 (IBNS): The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday called for all countries to switch by 2020 to new ‘smart’ syringes that cannot be used more than once as an “absolutely critical†stop to protect millions of people from deadly infections acquired through unsafe injections.
Technology boost for UN peacekeepers essential: UN experts
Feb 24, 2015, at 02:26 pm
New York, Feb 24 (IBNS): From the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to the Central African Republic (CAR), United Nations’ peacekeeping missions must make greater use of technological advances in order to better confront the dynamic challenges of the 21st century, according to a group of UN experts.
UN chief discusses key issues with Russian officials
Feb 24, 2015, at 02:24 pm
Kolkata, Feb 24 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met on Monday, with the Foreign Minister of Russia to discuss among other issues, the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, expressing his expectation that all concerned parties would live up to their commitments to the truce agreed in Minsk on 12 February.
Ban stresses UN’s impact in past 70 years
Feb 24, 2015, at 02:22 pm
New York, Feb 24 (IBNS): In a Security Council meeting on Monday, in which Member States reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nations Charter, the Secretary-General said the UN was an Organization with major achievements to its credit, multiple crises on its agenda, and tremendous opportunities ahead.
Girl suicide bomber kills five in Nigeria
Feb 24, 2015, at 05:44 am
Abuja, Feb 23 (IBNS): A girl suicide bomber, who was just seven year old, blew herself and killed five others in northeast Nigeria on Sunday, reports said.
Ex-Maldives Prez denied bail, manhandled outside court
Feb 24, 2015, at 04:22 am
Male, Feb 23 (IBNS): A day after being arrested by the Maldives police, former President Mohamed Nasheed was on Tuesday denied bail by the court.
Reuters' Pak-Afghan bureau chief found dead in Islamabad
Feb 24, 2015, at 02:16 am
Islamabad, Feb 23 (IBNS): Reuters' Pakistan and Afghanistan bureau chief Maria Golovnina, who was based in Pakistan's Islamabad, was found dead at her office in the capital city's F-8 sector, media reports said on Monday.
Former Maldives President arrested
Feb 23, 2015, at 12:15 am
Male, Feb 22 (IBNS): In a significant development, the Maldives police have arrested country's former President Mohamed Nasheed, media reports said on Sunday
Feb 22, 2015, at 07:08 pm
Manikganj , Feb 22 (IBNS): A launch capsized in Padma river at Manikganj district in Bangladesh on Sunday, media reports said.
On Mother Language Day, UN spotlights role of native tongue in education
Feb 22, 2015, at 03:01 pm
New York, Feb 22 (IBNS) Mother tongue education is not only a force for quality learning, it is also essential to bolster multilingualism and respect for linguistic and cultural diversity at a time when societies are transforming quickly and many languages are under threat, the United Nations agency mandated with promoting education said today.
Security Council condemns 'heinous' bomb attacks in Libya
Feb 22, 2015, at 03:00 pm
New York, Feb 22 (IBNS) The United Nations Security Council has strongly condemned Friday's deadly bomb attacks in al-Qubbah, Libya, claimed by an affiliate of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known by its Arabic acronym, Da'esh.
Experts urge technology boost for UN peacekeepers
Feb 21, 2015, at 04:20 pm
New York, Feb 21 (IBNS): A group of United Nations experts have urged the Organization’s peacekeeping presence to incorporate technological advances into its operations in order to better confront the dynamic challenges of the 21st century, the UN’s spokesperson’s office said on Friday.
Agriculture must change, FAO chief tells Paris summit
Feb 21, 2015, at 04:18 pm
New York, Feb 21 (IBNS): The model of agricultural production that predominates today is not suitable for the new food security challenges of the 21st century and the need to be more sustainable, inclusive and resilient, the head of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Friday.
Ban spotlights role of United States and its youth in UN’s success
Feb 21, 2015, at 04:16 pm
New York, Feb 21 (IBNS): The United States and its young people, in particular, are essential to the success of the United Nations, Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said on Friday in his remarks to the UN Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) Members Day gathering at Headquarters.
Massive fire in Dubai skyscraper, no casualty
Feb 21, 2015, at 04:06 pm
Dubai, Feb 21 (IBNS) The major fire which had broke out at Torch skyscraper in Dubai has been brought under control, media reports said on Saturday.
Ban calls on Nigerian government to uphold new date for polls
Feb 21, 2015, at 03:46 pm
New York, Feb 21 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly urged the Government of Nigeria to ensure that the new dates set for the country’s general elections are maintained following the vote’s recent postponement, according to the United Nations spokesperson’s office.
UN deplores racist incident in build-up to European football match
Feb 21, 2015, at 03:44 pm
New York, Feb 21 (IBNS): Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has strongly condemned the racist behaviour exhibited by fans of the English football club, Chelsea, during the lead-up to a European match in Paris, France, and urged authorities to “re-energize†their efforts in combatting intolerance.
Social Justice Day: UN spotlights human trafficking
Feb 21, 2015, at 03:42 pm
New York, Feb 21 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General said on Friday that the World Day for Social Justice comes at a pivotal moment for people and the planet, adding that this year's commemoration focuses on the scourge of human trafficking and the plight of approximately 21 million women, men and children in various forms of modern slavery.
Ban expresses hope of ceasefire to senior Ukrainian official
Feb 21, 2015, at 03:41 pm
New York, Feb 21 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday spoke by telephone with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Pavlo Klimkin, voicing his concern at the “still dangerous†situation on the ground and expressing hope that the ceasefire agreed to on 12 February in Minsk firmly takes hold across the region.
Rights of people with disabilities cannot be ignored: UN
Feb 21, 2015, at 03:38 pm
New York, Feb 21 (IBNS): “One billion people, 15 per cent of the world’s population, are persons with disabilities, and their rights cannot be ignored,†a group of United Nations human rights experts said on Friday, as they urged negotiators and UN Member States to include rights of such persons in the new development framework.
Syria: UN chief appeals for de-escalation of conflict
Feb 21, 2015, at 02:34 pm
New York, Feb 21 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has appealed on Friday to all warring parties in Syria to de-escalate the conflict in order to provide a reprieve for the country’s long-suffering civilians.
Libya: UN condemns cowardly terror attack
Feb 21, 2015, at 02:32 pm
New York, Feb 21 (IBNS): United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has strongly deplored a string of suicide car bombings that struck the eastern city of Al-Qubbah in the latest terror attack to afflict the war-torn country.
WHO approves rapid test for Ebola
Feb 21, 2015, at 02:28 pm
New York, Feb 21 (IBNS): United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday announced that it has approved for use a rapid diagnostic test kit for Ebola that can provide results in 15 minutes and correctly identify 92 percent of patients infected by the disease that has killed more than 9,400 people, mainly in West Africa.
UN rights experts describe unconscionable suffering of Syrians
Feb 21, 2015, at 02:26 pm
New York, Feb 21 (IBNS): Four United Nations human rights experts briefed the Security Council on Friday on a new report into human rights and humanitarian law violations in Syria since the uprising in the country began, saying unthinkable crimes continue occurring daily, with victims' voices in danger of being lost amid the horrors of the conflict.
Human chain formed outside Pakistan imambargah
Feb 21, 2015, at 04:47 am
Karachi, Feb 20 (IBNS) Days after terror attacks on imambargahs in different cities of Pakistan disrupted peace in the country, citizens were seen forming a human chain around Imambargah Shah-i-Najaf in Karachi in a bid to send a strong message of unity, media reports said.
Feb 21, 2015, at 02:27 am
Mogadishu, Feb 20 (IBNS): Twin attacks hit a hotel in Somali capital Mogadishu which killed at least 20 people, media reports said.