UN raises serious concerns trial of former Maldives President

Mar 19, 2015, at 03:20 pm

New York, Mar 19 (IBNS): The United Nations human rights chief expressed strong concerns on Wednesday about the hasty and apparently unfair trial of the former President of the Maldives, Mohammed Nasheed, who received a 13-year jail sentence for the unlawful detention of a criminal court judge in 2012.

Mali: Security Council regrets death of two UN peacekeepers

Mar 19, 2015, at 03:19 pm

New York, Mar 19 (IBNS): The Security Council expressed their regret at the death of two Dutch peacekeepers serving with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali resulting from a helicopter accident in the region of Gao.

UN chief urges more global support to resolve Libya crisis

Mar 19, 2015, at 03:17 pm

New York, Mar 19 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday stressed the importance of international support as the United Nations seeks to promote dialogue to resolve the crisis in Libya, as he met with senior Italian officials in Rome.

Haiti progressing towards 2015 elections, UN envoy tells Security Council

Mar 19, 2015, at 03:16 pm

New York, Mar 19 (IBNS): The Government of Haiti has made progress towards the holding of elections critical for the country’s stability and development, the top United Nations official in the Caribbean nation told the Security Council on Wednesday.

UN urges Myanmar authorities to address signs of backtracking

Mar 19, 2015, at 03:11 pm

New York, Mar 19 (IBNS): The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar on Wednesday called on the country’s authorities to address ongoing challenges to the democratic reform process "before they undermine the success achieved so far."

UN officials condemn deadly attack on Tunisia's Bardo Museum

Mar 19, 2015, at 03:10 pm

New York, Mar 19 (IBNS): Senior United Nations officials have condemned the attack on Wednesday against the Bardo Museum in the Tunisian capital which resulted in a number of deaths, and voiced solidarity with the Government and people of the North African nation.

UN envoy pleads to end child rights abuses, promote safe schools

Mar 19, 2015, at 03:09 pm

New York, Mar 19 (IBNS): The United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown, called on Wednesday for “fundamental changes” to strengthen the global commitment to defending the rights of schoolgirls and boys, as he said that 2015 should be the year to end violations of children’s rights.

Nigeria: UN political chief hails progress as country prepares to vote

Mar 19, 2015, at 03:08 pm

New York, Mar 19 (IBNS): Nigeria has made "noteworthy" progress in the preparations for the upcoming elections, the top United Nations political official said on Wednesday, as he wrapped up a visit to the country, whose citizens will head to the polls beginning on 28 March.

19 killed in Tunis attack

Mar 19, 2015, at 03:36 am

Tunis, Mar 18 (IBNS): At least 19 people were killed as gunmen attacked Bardo Museum in Tunisia's Tunis city on Wednesday, media reports said.

Gunmen attack Tunisia museum, 8 killed

Mar 19, 2015, at 01:09 am

Tunis, Mar 18 (IBNS): At least eight people were killed as gunmen attacked the Bardo Museum in Tunisia's capital Tunis on Wednesday, media reports said.

Need for targeted disaster response, Pacific leaders say at UN conference

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:33 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): With reports slowly emerging about the damage wrought in Vanuatu, which suffered the brunt of Cyclone Pam that pummeled the South Pacific over the weekend, leaders from the region made a joint call on Tuesday from a United Nations conference on disaster resilience for scaled-up storm recovery efforts, as well as durable partnerships that would help their countries strengthen capacities to deal with such extreme weather events.

UN report highlights terrifying impact of Ebola on nine million children

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:26 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): Some nine million children have seen “death and suffering beyond their comprehension,” and protecting them and their communities is critical in the fight against Ebola in West Africa, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said in a report released on Tuesday.

UN panel urges referral of Syria to ICC

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:25 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): A culture of impunity continues to flourish inside Syria amid a conflict that has generated over four million refugees and hundreds of thousands of dead, the head of a United Nations-mandated Commission of Inquiry said on Tuesday, urging the international community to step up efforts in bringing the four-year-long war to a close.

FAO boosts food security efforts in countries affected by Syria crisis

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:24 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS: The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has announced a scale-up in its support to Jordan and other countries in the Middle East affected by the humanitarian crisis in Syria that has entered its fifth year.

UN focuses on priority needs for cyclone-hit Vanuatu

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:22 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): In spite of logistical challenges facing the humanitarian response in Vanuatu, a nation that comprises over 80 islands, United Nations agencies continue to scale up their efforts to assist with priority needs including the provision of food, water and healthcare in the wake of the devastating cyclone that battered the country over the weekend.New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): In spite of logistical challenges facing the humanitarian response in Vanuatu, a nation that comprises over 80 islands, United Nations agencies continue to scale up their efforts to assist with priority needs including the provision of food, water and healthcare in the wake of the devastating cyclone that battered the country over the weekend.

UN envoy welcomes lifting of house arrest of Yemeni leaders

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:20 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): The United Nations Special Adviser on Yemen, Jamal Benomar, welcomed the lifting of the house arrest of the country’s Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and other Cabinet members as a “good gesture that may restore the missing confidence in the current political negotiations.”

Ethiopia: UN agency begins relocation of flood-affected refugees

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:19 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday it has begun the relocation of more than 50,000 South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia from flood-prone areas ahead of the rainy season, which is expected to start in late April.

Rights abuses in former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: UN

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:18 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Tuesday that it is deeply concerned about the prolonged political impasse in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and its human rights implications.

Eighty countries adopt call to action at first UN conference on dementia

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:17 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): A two-day ministerial conference on dementia hosted by the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) ended in Geneva on Tuesday with 80 countries calling for action to address “a tidal wave” of new cases of the disease projected to cost the world $1.2 trillion by 2050.

Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi calls for push to end child labour

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:16 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): Depriving children of their childhood and their freedom is “the biggest crime against humanity,” child rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi said on Tuesday during a visit to United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Darfur security, humanitarian situations deteriorated: UN

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:15 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): The security and humanitarian situations in the Darfur region of Sudan “deteriorated significantly” over the past year, the head of United Nations peacekeeping told the Security Council on Tuesday, adding that there had also been no tangible progress toward resolving the conflict.

Bulgarian national appointed head of UN regional centre in Central Asia

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:13 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Petko Draganov of Bulgaria as his Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), located in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

UN official urges more rapid change for gender equality

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:12 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): A senior United Nations official on Tuesday stressed the need for more rapid advancements on gender equality, saying the pace of change since the 1995 World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, on many issues has not been sufficient and major disparities between genders remain.

Prince Harry to embed with the Australian Army

Mar 17, 2015, at 05:46 pm

Sydney, Mar 17 (IBNS): Prince Harry is all set to be embedded with the Australian Army, officials said on Tuesday.

Sendai: Early warning saves lives, but communities need targeted

Mar 17, 2015, at 02:37 pm

New York, Mar 17 (IBNS): When disaster strikes, the surest way to save more lives is to get targeted, practical information quickly out to communities, United Nations experts told delegations gathered in Sendai, Japan, but stressed that even the most technically impressive systems “are useless” if people are not reached or do not understand the warning.

Ban promises necessary action to assist cyclone-hit Vanuatu

Mar 17, 2015, at 02:36 pm

New York, Mar 17 (IBNS): With United Nations relief agencies stepping up their response in Vanuatu after the country was hit by Cyclone Pam, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday that the event “tragically underscored” the importance of global efforts on disaster risk reduction.

Eritrea: UN-mandated inquiry finds human rights abuses

Mar 17, 2015, at 02:34 pm

New York, Mar 17 (IBNS): A four-month United Nations investigation into the human rights situation in Eritrea has found “very clear patterns” of violations and abuses, according to a report delivered on Monday at the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva.

UN launches social media campaign to create world’s happiest playlist

Mar 17, 2015, at 02:33 pm

New York, Mar 17 (IBNS): The question "Does happiness have a sound? And, if so, what does it actually sound like?" is what the United Nations is asking as it launches its latest campaign –#HappySoundsLike – an appeal for the global citizenry “to nominate a song that brings a smile to your face” ahead of this year’s International Day of Happiness, observed annually on 20 March.New York, Mar 17 (IBNS): The question "Does happiness have a sound? And, if so, what does it actually sound like?" is what the United Nations is asking as it launches its latest campaign –#HappySoundsLike – an appeal for the global citizenry “to nominate a song that brings a smile to your face” ahead of this year’s International Day of Happiness, observed annually on 20 March.

UN panel probing new information on Dag Hammarskjöld death

Mar 17, 2015, at 02:30 pm

New York, Mar 17 (IBNS): The United Nations on Monday announced the members of the Independent Panel of Experts tasked with examining new information related to the tragic death of former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld and his party in September 1961.

Security Council: UN envoy cites hope for Afghan peace process

Mar 17, 2015, at 02:28 pm

New York, Mar 17 (IBNS): The top United Nations envoy for Afghanistan on Monday said there was renewed hope for the peace process as he briefed the Security Council, which extended the mandate of the UN mission in the country for another year.