UNESCO appeals for safeguarding world's endangered archives
Oct 28, 2015, at 02:54 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): Against the backdrop of a large share of the world’s audiovisual heritage already lost forever, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Tuesday warned that only 10 to 15 years are left to transfer remaining audiovisual recordings to digital media before they too vanish.
Syrians living tragedy and despair barely imaginable five years ago: UN relief official
Oct 28, 2015, at 02:53 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): The most senior United Nations humanitarian official on Tuesday stressed that the failure of parties to the conflict in Syria to uphold the basic tenets of international law has propelled the Syrian people to levels of tragedy and despair which could barely have been imagined five years ago.
UN report reveals urgent need for systematic approach to youth violence prevention
Oct 28, 2015, at 02:51 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): While youth violence is not a simple problem with easy solutions, a new report launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) underscores that prevention programmes can improve a broad range of health, education and social outcomes – and lead to potentially substantial economic savings.
Despite raging conflict, scores of refugees continue to arrive in Yemen by sea: UN
Oct 28, 2015, at 02:50 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): The ongoing conflict and the widening humanitarian crisis in Yemen has not deterred nearly 70,000 refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants to reach the country by sea causing the Yemini population to 'bear the brunt,' said the United Nations refugee agency on Tuesday.
Cholera spreading in Iraq, suspected case reported in Syria: WHO
Oct 28, 2015, at 02:46 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday that it would start vaccine treatments for cholera beginning this weekend to prevent further outbreaks in Iraq, where the disease has now been confirmed in 15 out of 18 governorates, while the agency also reported a suspected case was also found in northern Syria.
Yemen: Ban calls to halt operations after Saudi-led airstrikes destroy hospital
Oct 28, 2015, at 02:44 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS):United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday condemned airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition that hit the Hayadeen Medical Hospital in the Sa'dah governorate, which is run by Médecins Sans Frontières with support from the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Nauru: OHCHR raises concerns about sexual assault allegations by asylum-seekers
Oct 28, 2015, at 02:42 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): Underscoring the "fragile mental and physical condition" of 'Abyan' (the pseudonym for a Somalian refugee), who was allegedly raped in Nauru in July and was returned by Australia, the United Nations human rights office on Tuesday called upon both countries to urgently provide decent mental and physical care for her, including provisions to terminate her pregnancy, if she desires.
Burundi: Ban welcomes African Union decision on addressing political and security crisis
Oct 28, 2015, at 02:39 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): In a phone call on Tuesday, United Nations Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon and Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, discussed the situation in Burundi, with Ban welcoming recent decision by the AU Peace and Security Council on addressing the country's political impasse.
Côte d’Ivoire: Ban welcomes completion of first round of presidential elections
Oct 28, 2015, at 02:37 pm
New York, Oct 28 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday welcomed the successful completion of voting in the first round of presidential elections in Côte d'Ivoire, which took place on Sunday.
UN chief welcomes Israel's commitment to restore calm at holy sites in Jerusalem
Oct 27, 2015, at 02:57 pm
New York, Oct 27 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday welcomed the statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterating Israel's commitment to uphold the status quo at the Haram al Sharif/Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Yemen: UN envoy says negotiations only way to end cocktail of dramatic crises
Oct 27, 2015, at 02:53 pm
New York, Oct 27 (IBNS): Stressing that a political solution is key to resolving the "terrible cocktail" of crises in Yemen, the United Nations Special Envoy for the country on Monday announced that preparations have begun for talks between the conflict parties.
UN report links processed meats to cancer in humans
Oct 27, 2015, at 02:47 pm
New York, Oct 27 (IBNS):The cancer research arm of the World Health Organization (WHO) has determined that the consumption of processed meats like hotdogs, ham, sausages and meat-based sauces causes colorectal cancer, while eating red meat like beef, pork and lamb is "probably carcinogenic to humans."
El Niño will 'test' disaster resilience in hazard-prone Pacific region: UN
Oct 27, 2015, at 02:46 pm
New York, Oct 27 (IBNS): Amid growing fears that the irregular climatic activities of El Niño will result in severe weather events across the hazard-prone region of small islands and atolls in the Pacific, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) on Monday addressed a gathering in Suva, Fiji, of disaster reduction and humanitarian response partners from across the region at a joint programme of events around regional resilience to disasters and emergency management.
UN human rights chief sends assessment mission to South Sudan
Oct 27, 2015, at 02:44 pm
New York, Oct 27 (IBNS): After reports of alleged violations and abuses of human rights committed by both parties to the conflict in South Sudan, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is deploying a 10-member mission to the country to assess the situation.
UN official welcomes EU agreement on plan for Western Balkans migration route
Oct 27, 2015, at 02:42 pm
New York, Oct 27 (IBNS): As European leaders met this week to hammer out a 17-point plan of action on the Western Balkans migration route for refugees and migrants fleeing Syria and other strife-torn regions, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees commended the fact that a consensus had been reached.
First nine months of 2015 are hottest on record, UN agency reports
Oct 27, 2015, at 02:41 pm
New York, Oct 27 (IBNS): Earth has just had the hottest January-September on record, the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Monday, adding that the average air and sea temperatures in September logged the greatest rise above monthly average in the 136-year historical record.
Mali: UN says three civilians killed, two peacekeepers wounded by mine explosions
Oct 27, 2015, at 02:37 pm
New York, Oct 27 (IBNS): The United Nations mission in Mali has condemned the explosion of a mine or an explosive device in the Kidal region of the country Saturday, killing three civilians and wounding two peacekeepers.
Valuing women's work key to achieving new global goal on gender equality: UN agency
Oct 27, 2015, at 02:00 pm
New York, Oct 27 (IBNS): Applauding the decision by Member States to include gender equality as a key plank of the newly-adopted 2030 Agenda, a senior United Nations labour agency official has stressed the importance of empowering women in employment, salaries and the working environment, urging governments to commit to this achievable, basic right.
Lawful civil society groups are not enemies of democracy, but key allies: UN expert
Oct 27, 2015, at 01:58 pm
New York, Oct 27 (IBNS): United Nations human rights expert Ben Emmerson on Monday urged governments across the world to ensure that civil society be included in global, co-ordinated efforts to counter the spread of terrorism.
UN special envoy condemns attack against Palestinian politician
Oct 26, 2015, at 01:33 pm
New York, Oct 26 (IBNS): Condemning Sunday's attack in Ramallah against a prominent Palestinian political figure, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov has called for a thorough investigation into the incident and has reiterated the call by top United Nations officials to reduce tensions in the region and avoid actions that would spark further violence.
Tony Blair apologises for Iraq war 'mistakes'
Oct 26, 2015, at 04:41 am
London, Oct 25 (IBNS): Former British PM Tony Blair has apologised for the 'mistakes' committed during the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Maldives Vice President Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor detained
Oct 25, 2015, at 04:24 am
Male, Oct 24 (IBNS): The Maldives Police on Saturday arrested the country's Vice President Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor in connection with an explosion aboard a boat carrying the Indian Ocean archipelago's president last month, media reports said.
ECOSOC President urges curtailing flow of illegal finances that cost Africa billions
Oct 24, 2015, at 02:52 pm
New York, Oct 24 (IBNS): In a "timely and necessary" meeting on illicit financial flows and their impact on development in Africa, Oh Joon, President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on Friday urged broader efforts to combat such flows, of IFFs from the continent could amount to a staggering $50 billion each year.
Burundi: UN warns of 'rapidly worsening' human rights and security situation
Oct 24, 2015, at 02:48 pm
New York, Oct 24 (IBNS): The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Friday expressed its concern over the "rapidly worsening" security and human rights situation in Burundi, where at least 198 people have been killed since April, including the execution of at least nine civilians ten days ago.
Yemen: UN rights office says civilians paying 'terrible toll'
Oct 24, 2015, at 02:46 pm
New York, Oct 24 (IBNS): The United Nations human rights office said on Friday that the humanitarian situation in Yemen's highland Taiz governorate is deteriorating rapidly in the wake of a recent attack by members of the Popular Committees affiliated with the Houthis which targeted residential areas and left 15 civilians dead, injured 73 others and left homes, shops, a clinic and a school partially destroyed.
UN remains 'beacon for all humanity,' says Ban ahead of 70th anniversary
Oct 24, 2015, at 02:44 pm
New York, Oct 24 (IBNS): Marking the 70th anniversary of the Organization ahead of UN Day on 24 October, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said there is only one flag that belongs to everyone – the blue flag of the United Nations.
'Still time to step back from brink,' says Ban, returning from Middle East
Oct 24, 2015, at 02:43 pm
New York, Oct 24 (IBNS): Upon his return from an emergency visit to the crisis-torn Middle East where he reported having "long and detailed" discussions with Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian leaders, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday said "there is still time to step back from the brink," despite anger and polarization in the region.
Europe: UNHCR appeals for protection against sexual abuse of women and children
Oct 24, 2015, at 02:41 pm
New York, Oct 24 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency on Friday expressed concern over the reported abuse of refugee and migrant women and children on the move in Europe, including "instances of children engaging in survival sex to pay smugglers to continue their journey," appealing to all concerned to take measures to ensure their protection.
As Côte d’Ivoire prepares for presidential polls, Ban urges peaceful process
Oct 24, 2015, at 02:38 pm
New York, Oct 24 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is closely following developments in Côte d’Ivoire ahead of this weekend’s presidential elections and has welcomed the commitment of national stakeholders to participate in the process in a peaceful and transparent manner.
UN and Middle East partners express concern over Israeli-Palestinian tensions
Oct 24, 2015, at 02:35 pm
New York, Oct 24 (IBNS): Underscoring the urgent need to restore calm amid escalating Israeli-Palestinians tensions, the United Nations and its Middle East Quartet partners on Friday encouraged Israel to work together with Jordan to uphold the status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem.