UN seeks $1.06 billion to help fragile countries create ‘firewall against famine’
Feb 09, 2018, at 01:50 pm
new York, Feb 9 (JEN): Ongoing conflicts and climate-related shocks have left millions of people on the brink of starvation, the United Nations agriculture agency warned on Thursday as it launched a $1.06 billion appeal to save lives and livelihoods, and tackle acute hunger in 26 countries.
UN releases $9.1 million to fill 'critical healthcare gaps' in Yemen
Feb 08, 2018, at 02:26 pm
New York, Feb 8 (JEN): With only 50 per cent of medical facilities fully functional in Yemen, the United Nations health agency is striving to fill a “critical” healthcare shortage and will use a $9.1 million emergency response grant to assist 630,000 vulnerable people in districts around Sana'a and al-Hudayda.
UNICEF helping to restore health services for children and families returning to war-torn Mosul
Feb 08, 2018, at 02:20 pm
New York, Feb 8 (JEN): Warning about the “alarming” state of Iraq’s healthcare system, especially in war-ravaged areas in and around Mosul, the United Nations children’s agency has stepped up its support to help the Government provide critical medical services so that children and families affected by violence and displacement can resume their lives.
Let Olympic Flame ‘shine as a beacon to human solidarity,’ UN says ahead of Pyeongchang Games
Feb 08, 2018, at 02:14 pm
TNew York, Feb 8 (JEN): his week the world will gather in PyeongChang, Republic of Korea, for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, unified in what United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called “the Olympic Spirit: in solidarity; mutual respect; and friendly competition.”
Feb 08, 2018, at 02:07 pm
New York, Feb 8 (JEN): Even though significant differences persist between political leaders in Kosovo, the potential for trust and more forward-looking decision-making to address the challenges there should not be underestimated, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today.
Maldives: Democracy under ‘all-out assault,’ warns UN rights chief
Feb 08, 2018, at 12:32 pm
New York, Feb 8 (JEN): The declaration of the state of emergency in the Maldives by President Abdulla Yameen and the resulting suspension of constitutional guarantees have undermined the checks and balances necessary in any functioning democracy, the United Nations human rights chief warned Wednesday.
Singapore government tells citizens to avoid travelling to Maldives
Feb 07, 2018, at 08:05 pm
Singapore City, Feb 7 (IBNS): The Singapore government has urged all its citizens to avoid travelling to Maldives, as the latter is undergoing a state of emergency amid severe political crisis.
Liberia: UN mission farewell ceremony honours last departing police and military personnel
Feb 07, 2018, at 04:10 pm
New York, Feb 7 (JEN): After 14 years of serving in the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), an official farewell ceremony was held on Tuesday in the capital, Monrovia, to honour the last departing Police and Military personnel serving there.
Migrant deaths along US-Mexico border remain high despite drop in crossings – UN agency
Feb 07, 2018, at 04:04 pm
New York, Feb 7 (JEN): The number of migrants losing their lives attempting to cross the United States-Mexico border in 2017 remained high in spite of substantial decrease in the number of arrests along the frontier, the United Nations migration agency reported on Tuesday.
Syria: UN urges an end to hostilities, warns of grave and deepening humanitarian crisis
Feb 07, 2018, at 03:55 pm
New York, Feb 7 (JEN): Senior United Nations officials in Syria warned on Tuesday of the dire humanitarian crisis in several parts of the country, calling on warring parties to immediately stop fighting so aid and basic services can reach those in need, and the sick and critically wounded can evacuate.
‘Protect children and their digital footprint,’ urges UNICEF on Safer Internet Day
Feb 07, 2018, at 03:40 pm
New York, Feb 7 (JEN): Every half a second, every day, a child goes online for the first time – tapping into all the great opportunities the Internet has to offer, but facing grave risks, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said Tuesday, calling for urgent action to protect them from sexual exploitation, cyberbullying and the misuse of their private information.
Feb 07, 2018, at 03:34 pm
New York, Feb 7 (JEN): Female genital mutilation is a violent act that, among other things, causes infection, disease, childbirth complications and death, said the Executive Directors of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in a joint statement for the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
6.4 magnitude earthquake hits Taiwan, hotel collapses
Feb 07, 2018, at 05:21 am
Taipei, Feb 6 (IBNS): A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck the northeast of the city of Hualien in Taiwan on Tuesday night leading to the collapse of a hotel, media reports said.
Feb 06, 2018, at 09:57 pm
New York, Feb 6 (JEN): International consensus on a two-State solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could be eroding “at a time when it is more important than ever,” Secretary-General António Guterres said on Tuesday, calling the ‘question of Palestine’ one of the longest unresolved issues on the agenda of the United Nations.
Female genital mutilation ‘not acceptable’ in the 21st century – UN envoy on youth
Feb 06, 2018, at 09:52 pm
New York, Feb 6 (JEN): Speaking a day ahead of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation, the United Nations youth envoy people underscored that the ghastly practice is an aversion to the human rights of millions and keeps them from achieving their full potential.
UN chief congratulates US, Russia on nuclear arsenal cuts, urges further disarmament
Feb 06, 2018, at 09:47 pm
New York, Feb 6 (JEN): United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday congratulated the United States and Russia on successfully reducing their strategic nuclear forces to the level required by a new bilateral treaty signed in 2010, calling on both sides to engage in the necessary dialogue that will lead to further arsenal reductions.
Feb 06, 2018, at 09:42 pm
New York, Feb 6 (JEN): Evidence of the use, or likely use, of banned chemical weapons in Syria should be met with a “meaningful response” within the Security Council, the United Nations disarmament affairs chief said on Monday.
World ‘failing to stop the war on children,’ says UNICEF Middle East, North Africa director
Feb 06, 2018, at 09:37 pm
New York, Feb 6 (JEN): Describing January as “a dark month” in crisis-torn Middle East and North Africa, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) director for the region said Monday that the violence has had a devastating toll on children, who were being killed in ongoing conflicts or suicide attacks, or freezing to death as they fled active warzones.
Development indicators trending downward for world's poorest countries, UN warns
Feb 06, 2018, at 09:31 pm
New York, Feb 6 (JEN): The least developed countries (LDCs) – nations categorized as requiring special attention from the international community – will fall short of goals set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development unless urgent action is taken, new United Nations analysis has revealed.
Seven charged in Australia for sexually abusing minors
Feb 06, 2018, at 04:16 pm
Sydney, Feb 6 (IBNS): Seven people have been charged in Australia for physically and sexually abusing three minor boys between 2014 and 2016.
North Korea to send ceremonial head of state to South as tension eases
Feb 05, 2018, at 04:46 pm
Seoul/Pyongyang, Feb 5 (IBNS): With tension easing between the two Korean nations, the Kim Jong-un led regime will be sending its ceremonial head of state to South during the Winter Olympics.
Pressure mounts on South African President Jacob Zuma to step down
Feb 05, 2018, at 02:30 pm
Cape Town, Feb 5 (IBNS): Amid talks with senior members of ANC party, pressure has started to grow on South President President Jacob Zuma, media reports said.
Kurdish militias ambush Turkish Army Tank, at least seven troopers dead
Feb 04, 2018, at 04:53 pm
Damascus, Feb 4 (IBNS): Turkish military suffered a heavy loss as seven soldiers were killed during an offensive against Kurdish militias.
UN calls on Maldives to respect Supreme Court decision, says 'ready' to help ease political impasse
Feb 04, 2018, at 02:01 pm
New York, Feb 4 (JEN): Following the Maldives' Supreme Court decision ordering the release of convicted opposition leaders and the reinstatement of 12 parliamentarians, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed the world body's continued readiness to facilitate all-party talks in finding a solution to the Indian Ocean nation's political stalemate.
UN, African Union voice concern over protracted political crisis in Guinea-Bissau
Feb 04, 2018, at 01:50 pm
New York, Feb 4 (JEN): The top leaders of the African Union and the United Nations on Saturday expressed concern over the prolonged political crisis in Guinea-Bissau, condemning the recent actions taken by the national authorities to prevent a political party from holding its conference.
UN will ‘not tolerate’ sexual harassment in its ranks: Guterres
Feb 03, 2018, at 03:32 pm
New York, Feb 3 (JEN): Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday made clear that the United Nations will not tolerate sexual harassment “anytime, anywhere,” within its ranks and laid out a five-point plan to ensure equality across the Organization, which he said was critical to tackle on the challenge of such behavior.
Partnership key to ensuring all children can access education – senior UN officials
Feb 03, 2018, at 02:47 pm
New York, Feb 3 (JEN): Stressing the importance of quality education for the future of young people and children, senior United Nations officials, including the head of its education agency and the UN youth envoy, called for cooperation to strengthen education and learning programmes in all corners of the world.
UN forum’s key message: Young people must be meaningful participants in policy-making
Feb 03, 2018, at 02:40 pm
New York, Feb 3 (JEN): Young people must be involved at all levels of policy-making and in all processes that affect them, including in the design of national plans, according to a summary statement issued at the end of a United Nations forum on youth.
Ex-Cuban leader Fidel Castro's son commits suicide
Feb 02, 2018, at 02:39 pm
Havana, Feb 1 (IBNS): Eldest son of former Cuban President Fidel Castro- Fidel "Fidelito" Castro Díaz-Balart- committed suicide on Thursday, media reports said.
Feb 02, 2018, at 02:32 pm
New York, Feb 2 (JEN): The human cost of South Sudan’s long-running conflict has reached “epic proportions” with the number of refugees set to rise beyond three million by the end of this year, potentially making it Africa’s largest refugee crisis since the mid-1990s, the head of the UN refugee agency said on Thursday.