Ban welcomes 'reunification' accord signed among opposing South Sudanese factions
Jan 24, 2015, at 06:14 pm
New York, Jan 24 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday welcomed the signing of a peace deal between opposition factions in South Sudan, calling for the accord's immediate implementation, as well as the commitment of the country's leaders to follow through with ongoing negotiations towards ending the year-long conflict.
Demolitions, displacements in West Bank 'must stop immediately,' urges UN envoy
Jan 24, 2015, at 06:08 pm
New York, Jan 24 (IBNS) The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory expressed concern on Friday over the Israeli authorities' recent spate of demolitions of Palestinian homes in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Delhi gets ready for Obama's visit
Jan 24, 2015, at 05:02 pm
Washington, Jan 24 (IBNS): US President Barack Obama will leave Andrews Air Force Base on Saturday evening on his three-day landmark trip to India on an invitation by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, media reports said.
Death toll in Ukraine conflict exceeds 5,000, may be 'considerably higher' – UN
Jan 24, 2015, at 02:52 pm
New York, Jan 24 (IBNS) More than 5,000 people have now been killed since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine in mid-April last year, the United Nations human rights office said on Friday as it expressed fear that the real figure may be 'considerably higher.'
Yemen: UN chief voices deep concern at crisis as country's leadership resigns
Jan 24, 2015, at 02:51 pm
New York, Jan 24 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced serious concern about developments in Yemen following the resignation of the country's President and Prime Minister amid a takeover of the capital by Houthi militants.
UN pays tribute to late Saudi King's role in advancing development, humanitarian causes
Jan 24, 2015, at 02:51 pm
New York, Jan 24 (IBNS) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has "learnt with sadness" of the death of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the late King of Saudi Arabia and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 90.
Jan 23, 2015, at 03:14 pm
Riyadh, Jan 23 (IBNS) Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has died on Friday, reports said.
Security Council strongly condemns terrorist attack in eastern Ukraine
Jan 23, 2015, at 03:01 pm
New York, Jan 23 (IBNS) The United Nations Security Council has condemned 'in the strongest terms' Thursday's shelling which resulted in the deaths of more than 10 civilians in eastern Ukraine amid intensifying clashes between Government and opposition forces.
Ban nominates experts to review peacebuilding architecture
Jan 23, 2015, at 02:59 pm
New York, Jan 23 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday nominated an Advisory Group of Experts to conduct a policy and institutional review of the peacebuilding architecture and then to develop recommendations based on this work.
UN Messenger of Peace honoured for anti-hunger efforts
Jan 23, 2015, at 02:56 pm
New York, Jan 23 (IBNS) UN Messenger of Peace recognized for work to United Nations Messenger of Peace Princess Haya Al Hussein, of Jordan, was on Thursday awarded the 2015 Hunger Hero Award by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) during a ceremony at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Somalia: UN, international partners call for resolution of country's political crisis
Jan 23, 2015, at 02:54 pm
New York, Jan 23 (IBNS) The United Nations and its international partners on Thursday voiced concern over delays in the resolution of Somalia's long-standing political crisis and in the implementation of a stability-building mechanism as they called on the Horn of Africa nation's President, Prime Minister and Federal Parliament 'to unite for the greater good of the country.'
UN Libya Mission condemns attack against Central Bank in Benghazi
Jan 23, 2015, at 02:51 pm
New York, Jan 23 (IBNS) The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Thursday condemned the reported armed attack against the country’s Central Bank branch in the eastern city of Benghazi.
UN lauds Mali for stemming Ebola epidemic, flags need to boost cross-border surveillance
Jan 23, 2015, at 02:47 pm
New York, Jan 23 (IBNS)The United Nations on Thursday commended Mali for stemming the Ebola outbreak and urged the West African nation to remain vigilant as neighbouring countries continue to report new cases as part of the epidemic that has recorded nearly 22,000 cases and more than 8,600 deaths to date.
DR Congo: Ban urges calm in Kinshasa; peacekeeping chief backs gradual drawdown of UN mission
Jan 23, 2015, at 02:46 pm
New York, Jan 23 (IBNS) Amid the deteriorating situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where the capital, Kinshasa, is gripped by clashes between demonstrators and security forces, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday urged maximum restraint on all sides, while the head of United Nations peacekeeping operations briefed the Security Council on broader efforts to help stabilize the vast country.
UN has 'duty to speak out' against anti-Semitism, Ban tells General Assembly
Jan 23, 2015, at 02:43 pm
New York, Jan 23 (IBNS) During an informal meeting of the General Assembly this morning to address concerns of a rise in anti-Semitic violence worldwide, top United Nations officials echoed the view of keynote speaker Bernard-Henri Levy who lamented the ‘renewed advance of this radical inhumanity.’
Pakistan freezes Hafiz Saeed's JuD's bank accounts
Jan 22, 2015, at 11:45 pm
Islamabad, Jan 22 (IBNS): In an attempt to combat against terrorism, the Pakistani government on Thursday said the bank accounts of Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) have been frozen and also imposed foreign travel restrictions on the group's leader and 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, reports said.
Ukraine ceasefire exists 'in name only,' UN political chief tells Security Council
Jan 22, 2015, at 03:46 pm
New York, Jan 22 (IBNS) After weeks of relative calm, the United Nations political chief said the Security Council was meeting on Wednesday amid the ‘worst hostilities’ in eastern Ukraine since the Minsk Protocol was agreed on 5 September, with the urgently needed sustainable ceasefire presently existing in name only.
Darfur: UN humanitarian office reports mass displacement amid ongoing hostilities
Jan 22, 2015, at 03:43 pm
New York, Jan 22 (IBNS) The United Nations Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is reporting that thousands of people in North Darfur are now confirmed as displaced following ongoing fighting in the region, a UN spokesperson announced on Wednesday.
Mali: UN mission wards off rebel attack; urges armed groups to respect ceasefire
Jan 22, 2015, at 03:42 pm
New York, Jan 22 (IBNS) The United Nations Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has confirmed it used force in response to machine gun fire directed at its troops and towards the town inhabited by civilians, on Tuesday in Tabankort, in the restive north of the country.
Genocide occurs when 'warning signs' ignored, action not taken – UN deputy chief
Jan 22, 2015, at 03:35 pm
New York, Jan 22 (IBNS) During a commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi death camp today, United Nations Deputy-Secretary-General Jan Eliasson called for reflection on how better to prevent horrific crimes witnessed during the Holocaust and other genocides.
UN political chief says Burundi making strides towards 'peaceful, credible' elections
Jan 22, 2015, at 03:31 pm
New York, Jan 22 (IBNS) Amid a flare-up in fighting and ongoing political tensions between the Government and opposition members, the organization of legitimate elections in Burundi remains ‘one of the most pressing challenges’ facing the African country in 2015, the top United Nations political official declared on Wednesday.
Central African Republic: UN investigators urge establishment of war crimes tribunal
Jan 22, 2015, at 03:25 pm
New York, Jan 22 (IBNS) United Nations-mandated investigators warned on Wednesday that war crimes are being committed in the Central African Republic and called for the establishment of a ‘truly international’ tribunal with international judges who could objectively investigate and prosecute perpetrators of such crimes in the war torn country.
Mali: UN conference to examine conservation of country's precious ancient manuscripts
Jan 22, 2015, at 03:16 pm
New York, Jan 22 (IBNS) The United Nations agency mandated to protect cultural sites around the world will examine long-term conservation of Mali’s invaluable ancient manuscript collection at an international conference set to kick off in the country’s capital, Bamako, next week.
Afghanistan: 23 militants killed
Jan 21, 2015, at 09:00 pm
Kabul, Jan 21 (IBNS) At least 23 militants have been killed during militant operations in Afghanistan's Tashguzar area, media reports said on Wednesday.
Central African Republic: UN relief official calls for kidnapped aid worker's release
Jan 21, 2015, at 07:41 pm
New York, Jan 21 (IBNS) A senior United Nations relief official in the Central African Republic (CAR) has strongly condemned the abduction of a French aid worker by unknown assailants and called for her immediate release, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Tuesday .
UN chief appoints new Special Envoy in move to end Tuberculosis
Jan 21, 2015, at 07:40 pm
New York, Jan 21 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Eric Goosby of the United States as his new Special Envoy on Tuberculosis (TB), the UN Spokesperson's office announced on Tuesday .
Southeast Asia: UN rights office appeals for halt in executions for drug crimes
Jan 21, 2015, at 07:38 pm
New York, Jan 21 (IBNS) The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Tuesday expressed concern over the use of the death penalty for drug-related crimes in Southeast Asia and urged authorities to abolish the punishment amid reports that eight more people had been sentenced to death for heroin trafficking.
Ban welcomes transfer to ICC of alleged perpetrator of Uganda war crimes
Jan 21, 2015, at 07:31 pm
New York, Jan 21 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the transfer to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on Tuesday of senior Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Dominic Ongwen, as well as his surrender on 6 January in the Central African Republic.
Children suffering 'dire consequences' of conflict in northern Nigeria-UN agency
Jan 21, 2015, at 07:24 pm
New York, Jan 21 (IBNS) Women and children make up the vast majority of the latest wave of refugees fleeing violence in northern Nigeria, the United Nations Children’s Fund warned on Tuesday , spotlighting its ongoing efforts to provide basic assistance, including safe water, nutrition, health, education and protection services to affected children in the region.
DR Congo: UN Mission deplores loss of life as police, protesters clash in capital
Jan 21, 2015, at 07:22 pm
New York, Jan 21 (IBNS) The head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Tuesday condemned the deaths and injuries that occurred when protests turned violent on Monday in the streets of the country’s capital, Kinshasa.