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.
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.
Killing of Albino baby in Tanzania condemned by UN rights chief
Feb 20, 2015, at 03:24 pm
New York, Feb 20 (IBNS): United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Thursday condemned the latest attack against people with albinism in Tanzania that took the form of the “horrific murder and mutilation†of an albino baby and demanded such “terrible†crimes be halted.
Conflict forces thousands to flee in Darfur: UN reports
Feb 20, 2015, at 03:21 pm
New York, Feb 20 (IBNS): Some 41,000 people have been forced to flee conflict in Darfur so far this year, according to the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
UN urges to boost investments to tackle neglected tropical diseases
Feb 20, 2015, at 03:19 pm
New York, Feb 20 (IBNS): Scaling up investment to tackle leprosy, dengue fever, sleeping sickness and other neglected tropical diseases will improve the health and well-being of more than 1.5 billion people, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday, launching a new report stressing that countries must make firm and sustainable budgetary commitments if they are to meet the agency’s targets and accelerate progress.
UN agencies scale up humanitarian operations in Ukraine
Feb 20, 2015, at 02:51 pm
New York, Feb 20 (IBNS): Several days after parties to the conflict in Ukraine signed a ceasefire, United Nations agencies announced a scale up of their emergency operations to the country, delivering some 62 metric tons of humanitarian aid to the crisis-torn Donetsk region on Thursday.
UN rights chief calls on Syria to release detainees
Feb 20, 2015, at 02:42 pm
New York, Feb 20 (IBNS): Syrian authorities should release all those held by Government forces and its militias, without due process, in some cases for years on end, the United Nations rights chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein urged on Thursday.
Preventing violent extremism, promoting human rights go hand-in-hand: Ban
Feb 20, 2015, at 02:31 pm
New York, February 20 (IBNS): In Washington D.C. for a summit hosted by the United States on countering violent extremism, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon on Thursday warned leaders against “discarding our moral compass.â€
South Sudan: UN campaign for children forced out of school by war
Feb 20, 2015, at 02:12 pm
New York, Feb 20 (IBNS): UNICEF’s ‘Back to Learning’ campaign, which was launched in Juba on Thursday by the agency and the President of South Sudan Salva Kiir, will reach out-of-school children in all 10 states, including areas currently engulfed in conflict, over the next 12 months.
Feb 19, 2015, at 06:36 pm
New York, Feb 19 (IBNS) The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday urged the Government of Burundi to establish a climate of freedom and openness conducive to the holding of elections later this year and expressed concern about reports of intimidation, harassment, arbitrary detention and other curtailments to the enjoyment of the rights of freedom of peaceful assembly and expression.
UN official says recent terror attacks represent 'exact opposite' of values of peace, stability
Feb 19, 2015, at 06:34 pm
New York, Feb 19 (IBNS) The High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, Nassir Al-Nasser, said on Wednesday that the "vicious forces" of extremism, violence and terrorism should not hamper international efforts to prevent and combat such forces.
With Libya in 'imminent danger,' UN envoy urges support for push to end political, security crisis
Feb 19, 2015, at 06:32 pm
New York, Feb 19 (IBNS) Recent savage terrorist acts culminating in the beheading of 21 Coptic Christians highlight the "imminent danger" confronting Libya, its people and the wider region, the United Nations envoy to the country warned on Wednesday, urging swift agreement among the main parties on resolving the crisis and ending the military and political conflict.
UN political chief warns of 'increasingly toxic' Gaza; calls for new talks, international support
Feb 19, 2015, at 06:25 pm
New York, Feb 19 (IBNS) Briefing the United Nations Security Council after “another tumultuous and deadly month†in the Middle East, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, warned that further escalation remains possible in the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians and could be highly damaging to both parties and to the two-State solution.
Security Council extends UN Guinea-Bissau office for another year
Feb 19, 2015, at 06:21 pm
New York, Feb 19 (IBNS) The Security Council on Wednesday extended the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Peace-Building Office in Guinea-Bissau, known as UNIOGBIS, so that it can continue to assist in tackling a range of political, security and development challenges in the country.
Iran: UN experts urge 'immediate halt' over scheduled execution of juvenile
Feb 19, 2015, at 06:19 pm
New York, Feb 19 (IBNS)The Government of Iran must comply with its international human rights obligations and immediately halt its planned execution of a juvenile offender, two United Nations human rights experts urged on Wednesday.
Over 10,000 Afghanistani civilian casualties in 2014: UN
Feb 19, 2015, at 02:42 pm
New York, Feb 19 (IBNS): Civilian casualties in Afghanistan topped 10,000 in 2014, a 22 per cent increase compared to the past year, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Wednesday.