WHO taken aback as measles resurfaces in Europe

Feb 26, 2015, at 03:00 pm

New York, Feb 26 (IBNS): European policymakers, healthcare workers, and parents must step up their efforts to vaccinate children against measles amid an ongoing outbreak across the continent, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday, warning that a recent resurgence in the disease threatened Europe’s goal of eliminating measles by the end of 2015.

Cutting crime important to sustainable development: UN Assembly

Feb 26, 2015, at 02:57 pm

New York, Feb 26 (IBNS): Reducing violent crime is critical to sustainable development, the top United Nations ant-crime official told the General Assembly on Wednesday, spotlighting that while global progress has been made in combatting the scourge, homicide levels in low and lower-middle income countries have increased by 10 per cent over the last decade.

Paraguay: Ban sets sights on post-2015 development agenda

Feb 26, 2015, at 02:55 pm

New York, Feb 26 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on the Government of Paraguay to join forces with the United Nations and forge ahead in framing the post-2015 agenda for a new generation of sustainable development goals, noting that the country had “an important role to play across the board.”

Natural disasters in Asia and Pacific affects 80 million people

Feb 26, 2015, at 02:53 pm

New York, Feb 26 (IBNS): When leaders and decision makers from across Asia and the Pacific gather next month in Japan to discuss how to reduce disaster risks, their top priority will be to build resilience in a region that saw some 80 million people affected and nearly $60 billion in economic losses incurred by natural disasters last year.

Middle East: UN envoy condemns arson attack on mosque

Feb 26, 2015, at 02:51 pm

New York, Feb 26 (IBNS): The United Nations envoy for Middle East peace on Wednesday condemned an arson attack on the Al-Huda mosque near Bethlehem in the West Bank, calling for a swift investigation and saying that extremists “must not be allowed to turn this conflict into a religious one.”

Bangla court issues arrest warrant against Khaleda Zia

Feb 25, 2015, at 08:26 pm

Dhaka, Feb 25 (IBNS) A court in Bangladesh on Wednesday issued arrest warrants against former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and two others in connection with two cases of embezzlement of funds.

West Africa: UN launches improved fish drying technique

Feb 25, 2015, at 03:18 pm

New York, Feb 25 (IBNS): A newly developed fish drying technology is improving food quality and saving lives in West Africa, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced on Tuesday as it launched its effort to boost food safety and working conditions across the region.

UN nuclear chief meets Iranian minister to boost understanding

Feb 25, 2015, at 03:16 pm

New York, Feb 25 (IBNS): The head of the UN atomic watchdog held a meeting in Vienna on Tuesday morning with the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister to follow-up on talks held earlier this month.

Central Africa: Surge in violence triggers new displacement

Feb 25, 2015, at 03:14 pm

New York, Feb 25 (IBNS): An upsurge in violence in the Central African Republic (CAR) has triggered fresh displacement inside the country and across the border into the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday.

Ban meets Ukrainian minister, discusses conflict

Feb 25, 2015, at 03:12 pm

New York, Feb 25 (IBNS): The United Nations Secretary-General met on Monday in New York with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Pavlo Klimkin, to discuss the conflict in the east of that country.

UN launches humanitarian appeal for Ukraine

Feb 25, 2015, at 03:11 pm

New York, Feb 25 (IBNS): The enormous humanitarian needs of the people of Ukraine have intensified since January this year, outstripping local capacities, the United Nations’ official in Ukraine said on Tuesday as the international community launched a new humanitarian appeal for the country.

Worrying situations for displaced families from Iraq: UN officials

Feb 25, 2015, at 03:09 pm

New York, Feb 25 (IBNS): The United Nations Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General, Lise Grande, along with Neill Wright, the country’s UN refugee agency (UNHCR) representative, on Tuesday visited Iraqi families recently displaced from Al Baghdadi district in the western province of Anbar.

Philippines radio journalist shooting, UN calls for investigation

Feb 25, 2015, at 03:07 pm

New York, Feb 25 (IBNS): The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has denounced the latest killing of a journalist in the Philippines and urged authorities to investigate the murder and “provide the media with as safe an environment as possible to ensure the public’s right to be kept informed.”

Security Council renews Yemen sanctions panel

Feb 25, 2015, at 03:05 pm

New York, Feb 25 (IBNS): Under the terms of a resolution unanimously adopted by the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday, members decided to extend the mandate of the group of four experts on Yemen, which was established to oversee sanctions measures employed against individuals and entities designated as threatening peace, security or stability in the country.

Ban taps veteran diplomat Kubiš to head up UN Iraq mission

Feb 25, 2015, at 03:04 pm

New York, Feb 25 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Jan Kubiš of Slovakia as his new Special Representative for Iraq, a United Nations spokesperson announced on Tuesday.

WHO's appeal to tackle needs in four crisis-torn nations

Feb 25, 2015, at 03:02 pm

New York, Feb 25 (IBNS): The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday appealed to donors to provide $1 billion for life-saving health needs ranging from childhood vaccinations to surgical care for the severely wounded for some 25 million people caught up in conflict across the Central African Republic, Iraq, South Sudan and Syria.

South Sudan gripped by serious failure of leadership: UN official

Feb 25, 2015, at 02:59 pm

New York, Feb 25 (IBNS): Amid a worsening humanitarian situation and a fragile security environment, the continuing tensions between South Sudan’s rival factions risk plunging the country into further violence, the United Nations peacekeeping official warned on Tuesday.

Event stresses on extractive industries to sustainable growth in Africa

Feb 25, 2015, at 02:58 pm

New York, Feb 25 (IBNS): The United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) held a meeting at Headquarters in New York on Tuesday on the role of the extractive industry in Africa.

Nigeria: Suicide bombings kill 27

Feb 25, 2015, at 05:08 am

Abuja, Feb 24 (IBNS): At least 27 people were killed as suicide bombings rocked bus stations at two areas in northern Nigeria on Tuesday, media reports said.

Czech Republic shooting kills 8

Feb 25, 2015, at 03:06 am

Prague, Feb 24 (IBNS): At least eight people have been killed during a shooting attack at Druzba restaurant in Czech Republic town of Uhersky Brod on Tuesday, media reports said.

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.

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