Rajapakshe defeated : Sirsena new Sri Lanka President
Jan 09, 2015, at 09:36 pm
Colombo, Jan 9 (IBNS) Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa bowed out of power after a decade of rule accepting a heavy defeat to opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena on Friday.
Operation underway to capture Charlie Hebdo suspects
Jan 09, 2015, at 08:46 pm
Paris, Jan 9 (IBNS) French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve on Friday said an operation is underway to capture the two suspects- both brothers- in the massacre of journalists and cartoonists in the office of Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine two days ago.
Darfur: UN receives reports of significant civilian displacement
Jan 09, 2015, at 07:40 pm
New York, Jan 9 (IBNS) The United Nations Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Thursday said that it has received reports of significant civilian displacement in Sudan's North Darfur and South Darfur states.
Senior UN official warns Security Council of 'fragile political situation' in West African countries
Jan 09, 2015, at 07:38 pm
New York, Jan 9 (IBNS) West Africa’s political landscape remains delicate as nations across the region continue to grapple with insecurity, terrorist threats and tensions ahead of a busy election cycle, the United Nations senior official there told the Security Council this afternoon.
'We need to find a way to live together,' says UN chief in special plea for tolerance
Jan 09, 2015, at 07:33 pm
New York, Jan 9 (IBNS) Making an impassioned appeal for tolerance, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday called for understanding among all communities to heal the tensions within societies – a particularly poignant plea following yesterday’s horrific attack on the staff at French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, and in the face of ongoing sectarian violence across Africa’s Sahel region being fuelled by Boko Haram.
Security Council calls on DR Congo leader to approve joint action to 'neutralize' rebels
Jan 09, 2015, at 07:30 pm
New York, Jan 9 (IBNS) The Security Council on Thursday called on the authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to “swiftly approve†plans to begin joint operations between the Congolese military and the United Nations peacekeeping force to “neutralize†a rebel group with a long history of heinous crimes in the eastern regions of the vast country.
Jan 09, 2015, at 07:27 pm
New York, Jan 8 (IBNS) Top United Nations officials on Wednesday attended a special screening in New York of the movie Selma, about the historic struggle of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s marches from Selma to Montgomery Alabama that led to United States President Lyndon Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Jan 09, 2015, at 07:24 pm
New York, Jan 9 (IBNS) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon looked forward to a “year of opportunity,†as he briefed the 193-Member United Nations General Assembly on his priorities for 2015, and called for transformative global action that would ensure sustainable development and human dignity for all.
'Gaps left by our fallen staff members can never be filled' - UN chief
Jan 09, 2015, at 07:21 pm
New York, Jan 9 (IBNS) At a solemn event at United Nations Headquarters this morning,Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon honoured colleagues killed on duty, as he explained that while demand for humanitarian workers is growing at an unprecedented rate, direct attacks against those vital actors are on the rise.
UN and partners stress need for end to political impasse in Haiti before week's end
Jan 09, 2015, at 07:17 pm
New York, Jan 9 (JEN) Less than a week before the Parliament in Haiti becomes dysfunctional, the United Nations and its international partners noted with deep concern that no solution to the political crisis has yet been found.
UN mourns slain French cartoonists
Jan 09, 2015, at 07:12 pm
New York, Jan 9 (IBNS) The United Nations agency tasked with defending freedom of expression, in solidarity with France, joined the country on Thursday in mourning those killed in the deadly attack on Charlie Hebdo magazine.
AirAsia QZ 8501: SAR team confirms recovery of aircraft tail
Jan 08, 2015, at 11:33 pm
Surabaya, Jan 8 (IBNS): The National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) Republic of Indonesia on Thursday confirmed that the SAR team retrieved a visual confirmation of the tail part of ill-fated QZ 8501's aircraft.
Terror dogs France as policewoman killed :'Jihadi' brothers located
Jan 08, 2015, at 11:23 pm
Paris, Jan 8 (IBNS) The two brothers, suspected to be the main culprits in the massacre of 12 people in Wednesday's attack on Charlie Hebbdo, were reportedly located as France continued to be dogged by 24 hours of terror with a gunman killing a woman police officer and explosion and shootings taking place in several areas.
Woman officer dies in second Paris shooting
Jan 08, 2015, at 09:05 pm
Paris, Jan 8 (IBNS): After the horrifying attack on a satirical magazine in Paris killing several journalists a day ago by suspected Islamic radicals, another attack was reported in the French capital region on Thursday killing a woman police officer.
Second terror attack in Paris, shots fired at cops
Jan 08, 2015, at 08:33 pm
Paris, Jan 8 (IBNS): After the horrifying attack on a satirical magazine in Paris killing several journalists a day ago by suspected Islamic radicals, another attack was reported in the French capital on Thursday.
-1420691832.jpg "Paris attack: 1 suspect surrenders")
Paris attack: 1 suspect surrenders
Jan 08, 2015, at 03:37 pm
Paris, Jan 8 (IBNS): One of the three suspected gunmen, who had carried out a brutal attack on the Paris office of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday, has surrended, media reports said.
UNICEF uses electronic vouchers to give Syrian refugee children access to winter clothes
Jan 08, 2015, at 03:36 pm
New York, Jan 8 (IBNS) As Jordan braces for a winter storm in the next few days, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in partnership with the UN World Food Programme (WFP), on Wednesday launched a winter cash assistance programme to provide vulnerable Syrian refugee children in Za’atari and Azraq refugee camps with monetary assistance to allow their families to buy them winter clothes.
UN refugee agency, Afghan Government launch winter assistance plan to help displaced
Jan 08, 2015, at 03:35 pm
New York, Jan 8 (IBNS) As the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) and its partners begin distributing cold-weather supplies to some of Kabul’s most vulnerable residents, the Agency’s representative in Kabul has warned that many people, especially children, are continuing to suffer, particularly those living in Kabul’s informal settlements.
Yemen: Ban condemns deadly attack on police academy, calls for accountability
Jan 08, 2015, at 03:32 pm
New York, Jan 8 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned in the strongest terms today’s attack against a policy academy in Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, and called for the perpetrators of the crime to be brought to justice.
Ban outraged by 'horrendous and cold-blooded' attack on French magazine
Jan 08, 2015, at 03:20 pm
New York, Jan 8 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday strongly condemned the appalling and "cold-blooded crime" committed by terrorists who attacked the French magazine Charlie Hebdo, which news reports indicate killed 10 media workers and two police officers.
UN report: 5.5 million displaced by war in first half of 2014, setting record
Jan 08, 2015, at 03:19 pm
New York, Jan 8 (IBNS) War across large swathes of the Middle East and Africa in the first six months of 2014 forcibly displaced some 5.5 million people, signalling yet another record, the United Nations reported on Wednesday.
In phone call with DR Congo President, Ban urges 'decisive action' against armed group
Jan 08, 2015, at 03:18 pm
New York, Jan 8 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in a phone call with Democratic Republic of the Congo’s President, Joseph Kabila, on Wednesday appealed for decisive action against the armed group FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda), after it failed to surrender on deadline.
Paris attack: 12 killed, French Prez calls shooting terror act
Jan 08, 2015, at 12:44 am
Paris, Jan 7 (IBNS): French President Francois Hollande has called the Paris magazine office attack as a 'terrorist' act which left at least 12 people killed.
British PM condemns Paris magazine office attack
Jan 07, 2015, at 10:57 pm
London, Jan 7 (IBNS): British PM David Cameron on Wednesday condemned the attack on the Paris office of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo which left at least 11 people dead.
Pakistani president signs 21st amendment bill into law
Jan 07, 2015, at 10:09 pm
Islamabad, Jan 7 (IBNS): Pakistan president Mamnoon Hussain on Wednesday signed into law the 21st Constitutional Amendment, media reports said.
Tail of missing AirAsia plane found
Jan 07, 2015, at 09:39 pm
Jakarta, Jan 7 (IBNS): In a significant development, Chief of Indonesias Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) F.H. Bambang Soelistyo has said rescuers have found part of the tail of crashed AirAsia flight QZ8501 in the Javas sea.
Pakistan supreme court ensures 26/11 accused Lakhvi remains in jail
Jan 07, 2015, at 08:03 pm
Islamabad, Jan 7 (IBNS) The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday ruled that 26/11 Mumbai attack key accused Zakir-ur-Rehman Lakhvi will remain in jail as it overturned the recent high court decision of suspension of detention order of the terrorist, media reports in Pakistan said.
Peace process in Mali at 'crucial stage' UN peacekeeping chief tells Security Council
Jan 07, 2015, at 03:38 pm
New York, Jan 7 (IBNS) Progress in the political process in Mali over the last three months has been “fairly modestâ€, with fighting continuing despite talks in Algiers that marked the first occasion when armed groups and the Government engaged in direct conversations, the head of United Nations peacekeeping operations said in a briefing to the Security Council today.
On first visit to hard-hit nations, new UN Ebola mission chief vows scaled-up support to end crisis
Jan 07, 2015, at 03:37 pm
New York, Jan 7 (IBNS) The new Head of the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, arrived in Liberia on Tuesday as part of his first tour of the countries in West Africa most affected by the outbreak of the virus.
UN Mission chief applauds joint operations against armed groups in eastern DR Congo
Jan 07, 2015, at 03:36 pm
New York, Jan 7 (IBNS) A joint operation by United Nations troops and the Congolese army (FARDC) took control of the main bases used by an armed group actively threatening security and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s long-troubled eastern region.