World Bank safeguards 'go out of their way' to avoid references to human rights – UN expert

Dec 18, 2014, at 03:14 pm

New York, Dec 18 (IBNS) The United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Philip Alston, on Wednesday urged the World Bank to recognize the central importance of human rights to its draft environmental and social policies, also known as safeguard policies, which apply to its investment project financing.

Pakistan lifts moratorium on death penalty

Dec 18, 2014, at 02:22 am

Peshawar, Dec 17 (IBNS): A day after Pakistan witnessed a deadly attack at a school which killed 141 people, including 132 school children dead, country's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday approved the removal of moratorium on death penalty.

No difference between good and bad Taliban: Sharif

Dec 18, 2014, at 12:39 am

Peshawar, Dec 17 (IBNS) Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday sent out a strong message to terrorists and said his country will like to see a complete elimination of terrorism from the nation.

Pakistan army chief visits Kabul

Dec 17, 2014, at 11:37 pm

Kabul, Dec 17 (IBNS): Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif visited Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Wednesday.

Two explosions outside Pakistan college: TV report

Dec 17, 2014, at 10:44 pm

Peshawar, Dec 17 (IBNS) Two explosion occurred outside a girls' college close to Pakistan's Peshawar city on Wednesday, TV report said.

10 killed in Afghanistan militant attack

Dec 17, 2014, at 10:33 pm

Kabul, Dec 17 (IBNS): At least 10 people, including four militants, were killed as terrorists stormed into the New Kabul Bank branch in Afghanistan's Lashkargah area on Wednesday, media reports said.

Australia: Man arrested for allegedly making threat call to Auburn mosque

Dec 17, 2014, at 10:12 pm

Sydney, Dec 17 (IBNS): The Australian Police on Wednesday said they have arrested a man for allegedly making a threatening phone call to a mosque in Auburn in western Sydney on Tuesday.

Sharif vows to continue fight against terrorism

Dec 17, 2014, at 09:40 pm

Peshawar, Dec 17 (IBNS) A day after the school horror that claimed 132 lives of children besides others in a Taliban attack in Peshawar, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Wednesday said his government will combat the terrorists.

In Nepal, UN meeting seeks to boost development ranking of Asia-Pacific's poorest nations

Dec 17, 2014, at 03:10 pm

New York, Dec 17 (IBNS) A United Nations-backed meeting focusing on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) of Asia and the Pacific kicked off on Tuesday as international delegates, UN officials and Government ministers embarked on discussions over how to help the region's poorest nations "graduate" to a higher level of development.

Global intellectual property filings see boost in 2013 – UN report

Dec 17, 2014, at 03:10 pm

New York, Dec 17 (IBNS) Despite an uneven global economic recovery, international patent requests continued to surge in 2013, extending the run of strong annual increases in intellectual property (IP) filings to a fourth consecutive year, a new United Nations study reported on Tuesday.

Cooperation with Africa must occur at earliest signs of crisis, Ban tells Security Council

Dec 17, 2014, at 03:09 pm

New York, Dec 17 (IBNS) Cooperation between the African Union and the United Nations on peace and security is crucial and should occur systematically at the earliest signs of crisis said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon this morning as he urged the Security Council to work more effectively to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts on the African continent.

'A dark day in a bleak year for children': UNICEF condemns attack on schoolchildren in Yemen

Dec 17, 2014, at 03:09 pm

New York, Dec 17 (IBNS) The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has deplored the killing of at least 15 school girls in a car bombing in Yemen adding to the grim toll of what it described as "a dark day in the closing weeks of a bleak year" for children around the world.

Syria: UN food agency's operations secure after funding drive; must raise more in 2015

Dec 17, 2014, at 03:08 pm

New York, Dec 17 (IBNS) Having raised $88 million in a 10-day global fundraising effort, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on Tuesday said its funding for December 2014 was secure and the agency could resume providing food assistance through electronic vouchers to 1.7 million refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Turkey.

UN envoys welcome conviction of Congolese army officer for crimes against humanity

Dec 17, 2014, at 03:07 pm

New York, Dec 17 (IBNS) United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zainab Hawa Bangura welcomed on Tuesday the conviction of a senior army officer in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for crimes against humanity, saying the verdict sends a "very clear message to perpetrators of sexual violence in DRC that they cannot hide behind a badge or evade justice with a uniform."

UN Asia-Pacific forum begins registration, statistics partnership to improve data, policies

Dec 17, 2014, at 03:06 pm

New York, Dec 17 (IBNS) The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) has announced its involvement in an international partnership to improve civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems in the Asia-Pacific region.

Netherlands politicians 'trying to score political points at expense of homeless migrants' – UN experts

Dec 17, 2014, at 03:05 pm

New York, Dec 17 (IBNS) In the Netherlands, assisting migrants living on the streets is not a matter of charity but rather an obligation of the Government, a group of United Nations human rights experts said on Tuesday as they urged Dutch authorities to immediately provide irregular migrants with "bed, bath and bread".

Taliban attack on Pakistan school an act of 'horror and rank cowardice', says UN chief

Dec 17, 2014, at 05:10 am

New York/Peshawar, Dec 16 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday strongly condemned the "blood-curdling attack" on a school in Peshawar, Pakistan, which has cost the lives of at least 130 people, the vast majority of whom were children.

Peshawar school attack: PM Modi calls Nawaz Sharif

Dec 17, 2014, at 04:30 am

New Delhi/Peshawar, Dec 16 (IBNS): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif to express his 'deep condolences' over the attacks carried out by militants at a school in Peshawar city which killed at least 141 people.

Militants intended to kill innocent kids: Bajwa

Dec 17, 2014, at 04:19 am

Peshawar, Dec 16 (IBNS) The Pakistani Army on Tuesday said the militants, who had attacked a school in Pakistan and killed more than 100 children, had no intentions of taking hostages.

Pakistan school siege ends: Reports

Dec 17, 2014, at 03:01 am

Peshawar, Dec 16 (IBNS): After a day-long brutality where 132 people, including school children, were killed at the Army Public School and College in Peshawar city by militants, the country's officials have said the siege at the educational institution is over, media reports said.

Pakistan: Malala, Kailash condemn terrorist attack in Peshawar school

Dec 17, 2014, at 02:32 am

Peshawar, Dec 16 (IBNS): Nobel Peace Prize winners Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi have condemned the militant attack at a school in Pakistan's Peshawar city which killed at least 132 people including children on Tuesday.

Pakistan school attack: Over 100 killed

Dec 16, 2014, at 09:08 pm

Peshawar, Dec 16 (IBNS): About 104 people including 84 students lost their lives in Pakistan as Tehreek-e-Taliban terrorists stormed into the Army Public School and College in Peshawar on Tuesday morning.

Pakistan: Terrorists attack army school, kill 23, about 500 taken hostage

Dec 16, 2014, at 08:03 pm

Peshawar, Dec 16 (IBNS): At least 23 school children were killed and about 500 have been taken hostages by Tehreek-e-Taliban terrorists on Tuesday after they stormed into the Army Public School and College in Paksitan's Peshawar.

Sydney cafe siege: 3 killed, 2 Indian nationals safe

Dec 16, 2014, at 06:37 am

Sydney, Dec 15 (IBNS) A 17-hour-long siege at a cafe in Australia's Sydney city came to an end with the death of three people, including the gunman who had held seventeen hostages on Monday, officials said.

Sydney cafe siege ends

Dec 16, 2014, at 03:11 am

Sydney, Dec 15 (IBNS) The Australian Police on Monday confirmed that the siege at the Lindt Cafe in Australia's Sydney city has ended.

PTI workers attack media persons?

Dec 16, 2014, at 03:10 am

Lahore, Dec 15 (IBNS) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers attacked media persons in Pakistan's Lahore city on Monday as they were covering their protest live from the city, media reports said.

Gas explosion at NE China coal mine

Dec 15, 2014, at 03:55 am

Harbin, Dec 14 (IBNS) A gas explosion at a coal mine in Jixi City in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province has left at least 10 people trapped underground, media reports said on Sunday.

Kabul: 7 killed in suicide attack

Dec 14, 2014, at 04:29 am

Kabul, Dec 13 (IBNS) At least seven people were injured in a suicide attack on a vehicle of the country's Ministry of Defence (MoD) in the Guzargah locality of Kabul on Saturday, media reports said.

In Peru, Ban commends development advances, says challenges remain

Dec 14, 2014, at 04:05 am

New York, Dec 13 (IBNS) Addressing the Congress of Peru on Friday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that despite impressive development achievements, big challenges remain – to address inequality and insecurity, deepen democracy, improve the quality of education, and protect the rights of all people regardless of gender, ethnicity, culture, religion or sexual orientation.

UN political chief welcomes commitment of Burundi’s Government to dialogue, elections

Dec 14, 2014, at 04:04 am

New York, Dec 13 (IBNS) As Under-Secretary-General Jeffrey Feltman wrapped up his visit to Burundi, he met on Friday with President, Pierre Nkurunziza, to discuss issues related to the drawdown of the United Nations Office in Burundi (BNUB), and establishment of the UN Electoral Observation Mission (MENUB).