World Day: UN labour agency urges for occupational safety and health

Apr 29, 2015, at 02:32 pm

New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): Member States must work harder to consolidate safety and health prevention measures in the workplace, the head of the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) declared on Tuesday as he urged the global community to do its utmost in reducing the number of occupational deaths, injuries and diseases around the world.

Vatican: Ban and Pope Francis discuss climate change, Mediterranean migration

Apr 29, 2015, at 02:31 pm

New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): During a meeting with His Holiness Pope Francis on Tuesday, United NationsSecretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he very much looked forward to the Pontiff's encyclical on climate change, which he said he believed would act as a moral voice on the issue.

Burundi: Ban condemns violence after President nominated as candidate

Apr 29, 2015, at 02:29 pm

New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has on Tuesday condemned the outbreak of violence in Burundi following the nomination of President Pierre Nkurunziza as the presidential candidate of the country’s ruling party, and appealed to all Burundians to “safeguard the hard won gains” made in peace and democracy.

UN refugee agency assists hundreds of Libyans rescued at sea

Apr 29, 2015, at 02:28 pm

New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): The heads of United Nations agencies with a stake in the current crisis in the Mediterranean Sea have pledged to working closely with the European Union (EU) following its decision “to mobilize all efforts at its disposal to prevent further loss of life at sea and to tackle the root causes of the human emergency.”

Security Council extends UN Western Sahara mission through April 2016

Apr 29, 2015, at 02:27 pm

New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): The Security Council on Tuesday extended for another year the mandate of the United Nations mission tasked with monitoring the ceasefire in Western Sahara, known by the acronym MINURSO.

Air pollution in Europe costs $1.6 trillion a year in deaths and diseases: UN study

Apr 29, 2015, at 02:26 pm

New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): The United Nations health agency reported on Tuesday in first-of-its-kind study that air pollution across Europe is costing “a staggering” $1.6 trillion a year in deaths and diseases, which amounts to nearly one tenth of the region’s gross domestic product.

UN official in South Sudan urges release of remaining child soldiers

Apr 29, 2015, at 02:25 pm

New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): The United Nations Special Representative for South Sudan, Ellen Margrethe Løj, travelled to Pibor town in the eastern part of the country, where she met some of the recently released child soldiers and urged the release of the remaining children still being held by a militia group in the region.

Yemen: UN warns of impact to relief efforts amid ongoing fighting

Apr 29, 2015, at 02:24 pm

New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): The continuing violence in Yemen has heavily impacted the country’s healthcare facilities and services further aggravating an already precarious humanitarian situation, the United Nations relief arm has warned.

UN peacekeeping chief wraps up trip to Central African Republic

Apr 29, 2015, at 02:22 pm

New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): The United Nations peacekeeping chief finished a four-day trip to the Central African Republic on Tuesday, his visit to the country coinciding with the UN stabilization Mission there achieving full operational capability for the first time.

Ban warns global tide of nuclear abolition has ebbed causing tensions

Apr 29, 2015, at 02:21 pm

New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): Achieving a world free of nuclear weapons is “one of the most crucial debates of our time,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday, emphasizing that the international tide of nuclear abolition – so strong in 2010 – has ebbed and mounting tensions between nuclear-armed States have produced a return to Cold War mind sets.

Mali: UN official urges parties to ‘immediately cease hostilities’

Apr 29, 2015, at 02:20 pm

New York, Apr 29 (IBNS): Amid an upsurge in violence in Mali, the top United Nations official there on Tuesday warned parties about the serious consequences their actions could have on the country’s peace process.

Earthquake tremors hit Pakistan

Apr 28, 2015, at 06:46 pm

Peshawar, Apr 28 (IBNS): Pakistan was jolted by an earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale on Tuesday, media reports said.

Violence erupts in Baltimore after Freddie Gray's funeral

Apr 28, 2015, at 05:52 pm

Baltimore, Apr 28 (IBNS) Violence protests erupted in the streets of Baltimore city in the US over the death of Freddie Gray who was fatally injured in police custody, media reports said on Tuesday.

Ban welcomes peaceful presidential election in Togo

Apr 28, 2015, at 03:39 pm

New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday welcomed the peaceful conduct of the presidential election in Togo, which took place on Saturday.

Nepal: UN agencies rush supplies to earthquake survivors

Apr 28, 2015, at 03:38 pm

New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency announced on Monday that it is rushing critical supplies to Nepal in the wake of the devastating earthquake that has reportedly killed more than 3,000 people and injured thousands more on Saturday, and pledged that it ready to provide any assistance needed to help survivors through these difficult times.

UN unveils alternative policy agenda to transform economies

Apr 28, 2015, at 03:37 pm

New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): A major new report released on Monday in seven locations around the world by the United Nations entity for gender equality and women’s empowerment (UN Women) calls for the transformation of economies to make women’s rights and equality a reality.

UN report finds world’s rural populations excluded from healthcare access

Apr 28, 2015, at 03:36 pm

New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): The majority of the world’s rural populations continue to live and work without essential healthcare services, in stark contrast to their urban-dwelling counterparts, according to a new report released on Monday by the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO).

Central Africa is becoming largest forgotten humanitarian crisis: UN

Apr 28, 2015, at 03:34 pm

New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): The Central African Republic (CAR) is quickly becoming the largest forgotten humanitarian crisis of our time with some 60 percent of its population in need of aid, including nearly 900,000 people forcibly displaced by conflict, but assistance programmes remain “dramatically underfunded,” the United Nations refugee agency said on Monday.

UN chief warns of ‘dangerous return’ to Cold War mentalities

Apr 28, 2015, at 03:32 pm

New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): Progress in working towards global nuclear non-proliferation has stalled and the trend towards “nuclear zero” is reversing, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned today as he called on Member States to urgently ramp up efforts in tackling nuclear disarmament.

Burundi: UN working to help relocate civilians fleeing election-related violence

Apr 28, 2015, at 03:31 pm

New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): Civil unrest erupted in Burundi this weekend after the ruling party overwhelmingly elected President Pierre Nkurunziza on Saturday as its candidate for the 26 June presidential election, the humanitarian wing of the United Nations reported on Monday, appealing for $11.6 million dollars to plan a response for the influx of people seeking refuge in neighbouring countries.

UN platform aims to bring pastoralists’ voices to global decision-making stage

Apr 28, 2015, at 03:29 pm

New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): Millions of pastoralists – from the Bedouin of North Africa to the Sherpa in Nepal and Navajo in North America – will benefit from a new online knowledge hub launched on Monday by the United Nations that will help them raise their voices in international policy debates and share valuable information to strengthen their agricultural livelihoods.

Ban urges action to ease plight of migrants crossing Mediterranean

Apr 28, 2015, at 03:28 pm

New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): The Mediterranean Sea has sadly become “a sea of tears, a sea of misery,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday aboard an Italian naval ship, where he called on the global community to unite and take action to address the root causes of the migrant crisis.

Gaza: Security Council receives report of inquiry into incidents during conflict

Apr 28, 2015, at 03:27 pm

New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): In a letter transmitting to the Security Council the public summary of a report of the Board of Inquiry regarding incidents in Gaza during the recent conflict, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday expressed his "profound and continuing concern” for civilian populations of the Gaza Strip and Israel.

Sustainability agenda must harmonize man’s relationship with planet: UN

Apr 28, 2015, at 03:25 pm

New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): As United Nations Member States prepare to adopt and move toward implementing a new development agenda, the President of the General Assembly said it is critical to ensure that “a harmonious relationship with our planet underpins our quest to achieve sustainable development.”

Cyprus: UN envoy welcomes Turkish Cypriot leader’s commitment to negotiations

Apr 28, 2015, at 03:23 pm

New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): The Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, has spoken with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, according to the United Nations Good Offices Mission.

45 killed as rain and storm hits Pakistan

Apr 27, 2015, at 06:33 pm

Islamabad, Apr 27 (IBNS) Windstorm coupled with heavy rains has collapsed structures and other incidents which has left 45 people dead in different parts of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province,media reports said on Monday.

Chernobyl disaster anniversary: Ban reiterates UN's commitment to those affected

Apr 27, 2015, at 02:10 pm

New York, Apr 27 (IBNS): In a message to mark the 29th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday remembered the hundreds of emergency workers who responded to the accident and the more than 330,000 people uprooted from their homes in its aftermath.

UN alarmed by malnutrition among children displaced from Yarmouk camp

Apr 27, 2015, at 02:08 pm

New York, Apr 27 (IBNS): As the United Nations agency tasked with supporting Palestine refugees continued on Sunday to provide essential humanitarian assistance to civilians who have been displaced from Yarmouk and to those hosting them, evidence of acute malnutrition was found in a large number of children.

UN responds to destruction, displacement in wake of Nepal earthquake

Apr 27, 2015, at 02:06 pm

New York, Apr 27 (IBNS): The United Nations relief wing said on Sunday that at least 2,200 people have died and over 5,800 are injured as a result of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal on Saturday.

Pakistan aircraft reach Nepal with relief supplies

Apr 27, 2015, at 01:40 am

New Delhi, Apr 26 (IBNS) Two Pakistani C-130 aircraft carrying relief supplies reached earthquake-hit Nepal on Sunday, officials said.