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.
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.
UN urges immediate halt to hostilities in Yemen, calls on all sides to abide by commitments
Jan 21, 2015, at 07:22 pm
New York, Jan 21 (IBNS) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday expressed grave concern about the deteriorating situation in Yemen, calling for an immediate ceasefire and the restoration of full authority to legitimate Government institutions.
ISIL unlawful 'shari'a courts' meting out 'monstrous’ punishments, UN warns
Jan 21, 2015, at 04:15 pm
New York, Jan 21 (IBNS): The United Nations human rights office on Tuesday confirmed that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has established unlawful, so-called 'shari'a courts’ in the territory under its control that have been carrying out cruel and inhuman punishments against men, women and children.
'No room for complacency' UN says, urging vigilance in Ebola fight as West Africa marks progress
Jan 21, 2015, at 04:07 pm
New York, Jan 21 (IBNS): One year has passed since Ebola began spreading in West Africa, ravaging villages and local economies, and yet, amid dramatic improvements in the three most affected countries, the United Nations can now report progress in the fight against the deadly virus, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced on Tuesday as he urged the global community to help the region regain its footing following the unprecedented outbreak.
UN lauds Somalia as country ratifies landmark children's rights treaty
Jan 21, 2015, at 04:00 pm
New York, Jan 21 (IBNS) The United Nations on Tuesday applauded Somalia's ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) – a move which was praised as being an "important step" towards protecting and promoting the rights of all children in the war-torn nation and an explicit commitment towards improving the lives of its youngest citizens.
Abe vows to save Japanese captives
Jan 21, 2015, at 03:29 am
Tokyo, Jan 20 (IBNS) Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has vowed to save the two Japanese hostages after the Islamic State group threatened to kill them.
Security Council strongly condemns escalating Boko Haram attacks, warns of 'crimes against humanity'
Jan 20, 2015, at 03:01 pm
New York, Jan 20 (IBNS) The United Nations Security Council on Monday condemned in the ‘strongest terms’ the recent escalation in attacks conducted by Boko Haram, and expressed its deep concern that the activities of the Islamist extremist group, including a spate of shocking suicide bombings across northern Nigeria, are undermining peace and stability in the West and Central African region.
Central African Republic: UN mission captures militia leader in high-profile arrest
Jan 20, 2015, at 02:46 pm
New York, Jan 20 (IBNS) The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (CAR) has announced the capture of Rodrigue Ngaibona, leader of the anti-Balaka militia, in what is being hailed as the Mission’s first high-profile arrest of 2015.
UN must boost links among development, security, human rights, Ban tells Security Council
Jan 20, 2015, at 02:36 pm
New York, Jan 20 (IBNS) Stressing that the United Nations is built around the three pillars of peace and security, development and human rights, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, on Mondayunderlined the need to pay attention to their interdependence, during an address to the Security Council.
Central Africa: UN envoy urges regional response to combat 'dangerous cancer' Boko Haram
Jan 20, 2015, at 02:22 pm
New York, Jan 20 (IBNS) The senior United Nations envoy in Central Africa on Mondaywelcomed Chad’s decision to send soldiers to Cameroon to help in the fight against Boko Haram, on the heels of several assaults on cross-border villages in northern Cameroon, which have raised fears that the insurgents are expanding their attacks.
France: Hostage crisis ends, gunman arrested
Jan 17, 2015, at 02:14 am
Paris, Jan 16 (IBNS) The hostage crisis at a post office in the city of Colombes, northwest of Paris, has come to an end as the gunman surrendered to the police on Friday,media reports said.
France: Gunman holds 2 hostages in Paris suburb post office
Jan 17, 2015, at 12:52 am
Paris, Jan 16 (IB NS) A gunman has taken two hostages in a post office in the city of Colombes, northwest of Paris, on Friday media reports said.
John Kerry meets Hollande, shows solidarity with France
Jan 17, 2015, at 12:20 am
Paris, Jan 16 (IBNS): US Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday met French president Francois Hollande in Paris and showed solidarity with the people of France in the wake of the recent terrorist attacks in the country.
Uber rape victim hires US lawyer
Jan 16, 2015, at 08:36 pm
New Delhi, Jan 16 (IBNS) The woman whose rape by a Uber cab driver inside the vehicle raised storm across the nation, has sought legal assistance from a US lawyer to sue the Sanfracisco-based taxi service company.
German minister Schauble to visit India to boost economic ties
Jan 16, 2015, at 07:25 pm
New Delhi, Jan 16 (IBNS): To boost economic ties, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble is scheduled to visit India on January 19-20.
Previewing work ahead, UN Assembly President says Member States must agree a bold post-2015 agenda
Jan 16, 2015, at 01:50 pm
New York, Jan 16 (IBNS)As the New Year begins, the 193-Member States of the United Nations are squarely focused on agreeing on a bold, ambitious and transformative post-2015 agenda that leaves no-one behind and provides a new framework for development and international cooperation for the next fifteen years, General Assembly President Sam Kutesa told reporters on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia: public flogging of blogger 'cruel and inhuman,' says UN rights chief
Jan 16, 2015, at 01:45 pm
New York, Jan 16 (IBNS) The top United Nations human rights official has issued an appeal to the Saudi Arabia to halt the punishment of Ra'ef Badawi, an online blogger sentenced to public flogging for "peacefully exercising his right to freedom of opinion and expression," according to the UN human rights office (OHCHR).
UN 'barbershop' conference aims to dispel stereotypes, promote gender equality
Jan 16, 2015, at 01:44 pm
New York, Jan 16 (IBNS) Looking to promote change in how men and boys think and talk about women’s empowerment and gender equality, the United Nations is hosting at its New York Headquarters a two-day high-level “Barbershop†event, which this afternoon focused on initiatives that aim to support non-sexist male attitudes and behaviours between men.
UN envoy says Syria set back 40 years by war, calls for renewed push towards solution
Jan 16, 2015, at 01:41 pm
New York, Jan 16 (IBNS) With the “devastating conflict†in Syria entering its fourth year, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria said on Thursday that continued fighting in the country is a “disgrace†that has set the country back 40 years.
Israeli-Palestinian conflict heads into uncharted territory as mistrust deepens, UN official warns
Jan 16, 2015, at 01:40 pm
New York, jan 16 (IB NS) The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is now entering uncharted territory as tensions between the two sides escalate and an “ever-widening trust deficit†risks hampering future peace talks, a senior United Nations political official told the Security Council on Thursday as he urged Palestinians and Israelis to “plot a course†and work towards a negotiated resolution.
Libya: UN-mediated peace talks resume in Geneva as parties seek political settlement
Jan 16, 2015, at 01:39 pm
New York, Jan 16 (IB NS) The new round of United Nations-led political talks aimed at easing the deepening political and security crisis afflicting Libya continued into its second day of dialogue on Thursday as national stakeholders and the United Nations Support Mission (UNSMIL) in the North African country resumed their meetings in Geneva amid encouraging developments.
2015 presents historic opportunity to improve people's lives, says UN Assembly President
Jan 15, 2015, at 02:09 pm
New York, Jan 15 (IBNS) The next several months will present a historic opportunity to agree on an "inspiring" agenda that will directly improve the lives of people around the world, United Nations General Assembly President Sam Kutesa said today as he outlined his objectives for 2015.
Top UN relief official warns humanitarian workers facing ‘increasingly complex’ situations
Jan 15, 2015, at 02:08 pm
New York, Jan 15 (IBNS) During a lecture delivered at the Council on Foreign Relations, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator described the increasingly complex environments in which humanitarian actors work, as they deal more and more with the consequences of crises whose roots lie in poor governance, political paralysis, underdevelopment, and rising levels of poverty and inequality.