Ban condemns killing of UN peacebuilding partner in Guinea
Feb 11, 2015, at 05:27 pm
New York, Feb 11 (IBNS) The Secretary-General has on Tuesdaycondemned, in the strongest terms, the killing of Thierno Aliou Diaoune, National Coordinator for the UN Peacebuilding Fund, in Conakry, Guinea, on 6 February 2015.
'Vigilant, determined, united': UN urges cohesive front against terrorism
Feb 11, 2015, at 05:26 pm
New York, Feb 11 (IBNS) The international community must remain united in countering the threat of global terrorism despite the attempts by extremist groups to “spread fear by competing in brutality,†United Nations Deputy-Secretary-General Jan Eliasson declared today.
On Safer Internet Day, UN joins global call to boost online safety for children
Feb 11, 2015, at 05:13 pm
New York, Feb 11 (IBNS) The United Nations on Tuesdayjoined the global call for child online safety, with human rights experts flagging the need to tackle online child sexual abuse and the head of the UN agency for information and communication technology urging greater worldwide collaboration to ensure what has become a priority for many countries.
Violence in northern Nigeria sparks major new exodus into Niger border region, UN warns
Feb 11, 2015, at 04:16 pm
New York, Feb 11 (IBNS) The spread of violent attacks across the border from northern Nigeria into Niger is causing widespread displacement and hampering efforts to provide humanitarian assistance in the area, a spokesperson for the United Nations food relief agency said today.
Proposed amendments to military court laws in Thailand draw UN rights office concern
Feb 11, 2015, at 04:05 pm
New York, Feb 11 (IBNS) The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is concerned that a number of proposed amendments to Thailand’s law relating to military courts, which are due for consideration this week, are not in line with international standards, according to a the High Commissioner’s spokesperson.
UN calls for boosted search, rescue efforts as migrants die of hypothermia in Mediterranean
Feb 11, 2015, at 03:41 pm
New York, Feb 11 (IBNS) The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has urged European nations to ramp up search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean Sea following the region’s first major maritime tragedy this year in which dozens of people perished, apparently from hypothermia.
New UN rights report depicts 'turmoil, lawlessness' in Libya
Feb 11, 2015, at 03:38 pm
New York, Feb 11 (IBNS) A report produced jointly by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights and the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) "paints a bleak picture" of the human rights situation in the country during 2014, the High Commissioner’s spokesperson said on Tuesdayin Geneva.
Mozambique: UN chief welcomes dialogue between President and opposition leader
Feb 11, 2015, at 03:38 pm
New York, Feb 11 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the meetings between Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi and the head of the opposition RENAMO party, Afonso Dhlakama, adding his approval of the progress made in talks between the two leaders and congratulating them both for their "commitment to dialogue," the UN Spokesperson's office has announced.
Feb 10, 2015, at 08:46 pm
New York, Feb 10 (IBNS) Continued conflict in South Sudan risks depriving the country of a generation of "lost" children, warned United Nations humanitarian chief Valerie Amos on Monday during a press conference in Juba, the capital of the strife-torn nation.
At thematic debate, UN calls on Member States to boost funding for post-2015 development
Feb 10, 2015, at 08:44 pm
New York, Feb 10 (IBNS) The world has embarked on a "crucial last stretch" to the post-2015 development agenda and towards securing a sustainable future for all, United Nations Deputy-Secretary-General Jan Eliasson declared on Monday, adding that the international community would finally have a chance to provide "a life of dignity" for millions of people.
Fight against child labour gaining momentum in Kosovo, UN agency says
Feb 10, 2015, at 08:42 pm
New Delhi, Feb 10 (IBNS) The International Labour Organization (ILO) on Monday spotlighted the fight against child labour in Kosovo, where, it said, children as young as 10 are forced to work on garbage dumps or in the fields risking their health, and noted that progress is being made to eliminate such "unacceptable ways of providing financial support to a family."
Government institutions must deliver equally to provide 'true stability,' Ban tells Dubai summit
Feb 10, 2015, at 08:41 pm
New York, Feb 10 (IBNS) Opening the 2015 Government Summit in Dubai, the Secretary-General on Monday drew attention to the world's pressing security and development challenges, calling on Governments to help foster a more peaceful and sustainable future, and describing how the United Nations can give support.
UNICEF, David Beckham launch new initiative to boost funding for world's children
Feb 10, 2015, at 08:39 pm
New York, Feb 10 (IBNS) International football icon and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Goodwill Ambassador, David Beckham, on Monday announced his latest fundraising initiative, launched in tandem with the UN agency and aimed at boosting assistance for the world's youth, amid the planet's worsening humanitarian crises.
UN rights report points to 'increasing regularity' of attacks on girls seeking education
Feb 10, 2015, at 08:37 pm
New York, Feb 10 (IBNS): A new United Nations human rights report seeking to analyse the problem of attacks against girls trying to access education found that schools in at least 70 different countries were attacked in the five years between 2009 and 2014, with many attacks specifically targeting girls, parents and teachers advocating for gender equality in education.
France: Gunfire rocks Marseille
Feb 09, 2015, at 11:36 pm
Marseille, Feb 9 (IBNS): Amid reports of gunfire, the police have started their operation in French city of Marseille Monday, media reports said.
Prince Charles describes radicalisation of young people 'alarming'
Feb 09, 2015, at 05:18 am
London, Feb 8 (IBNS): Prince Charles of Britain has called the extent to which young people are becoming radicalised as 'alarming'.
Ban meets new Saudi king, looks forward to cooperation on development, climate, regional crises
Feb 09, 2015, at 04:55 am
New York, Feb 8 (IBNS) Paying tribute to the legacy of the late Saudi Arabian king Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the United Nations Secretary-General on Sunday looked forward to continued "fruitful cooperation" with the country's new king, Salman bin Abdulaziz, after a meeting in which the two discussed sustainable development, climate change and regional peace and security.
North Korea test-fires 5 short range missiles
Feb 09, 2015, at 04:37 am
Pyongyang, Feb 8 (IBNS): North Korea test-fired five short range missiles into the East Sea on Sunday, media reports said.
Baghdad celebrates lifting of curfew after 12 years
Feb 08, 2015, at 05:20 pm
Baghdad, Feb 8 (IBNS): People in Baghdad have indulged in a grand celebration after a 12-year-old curfew has been lifted from the Iraqi capital.
Feb 08, 2015, at 03:04 am
Baghdad, Feb 7 (IBNS) Three bomb attacks hit Iraqi capital of Baghdad which killed at least 34 people, media reports said on Saturday.
Reports: TransAsia flight pilots may have shut wrong engine
Feb 07, 2015, at 05:28 pm
Hong Kong, Feb 7 (IBNS): A finding by Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council revealed that twin-propeller plane that crashed in Taiwan's capital killing at least 35 people may have reacted to a stalled-engine alarm by shutting down the wrong engine, media reports said.
Kosovo: UN envoy calls on parties to engage in dialogue, make 'hard choices' for regional stability
Feb 07, 2015, at 04:27 pm
New York, Feb 7 (IBNS) Citing recent violent protests, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Kosovo told the Security Council on Friday that leaders must engage seriously in ongoing dialogue and make the hard choices required for regional stability.
'World must act responsibly,' say UN advisors urging restraint following latest ISIL atrocity
Feb 07, 2015, at 04:26 pm
New York, Feb 7 (IBNS):Members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) need to know that they will be held accountable for their crimes, two senior United Nations right officials declared on Friday, adding that recent murder of Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh was "yet another example of a deliberate grave abuse of human rights and international humanitarian law" perpetrated by the extremist group.
DR Congo: UN rights office urges release of illegally detained protestors
Feb 07, 2015, at 04:24 pm
New York, Feb 7 (IBNS) The United Nations human rights office on Friday raised serious due process concerns over the detention of at least 300 people – some for as long as three weeks and with no access to a lawyer – following recent demonstrations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Jailing of Burundian journalist raises concerns ahead of elections – UN rights office
Feb 07, 2015, at 04:24 pm
New York, Feb 7 (IBNS) The imprisonment of Burundian journalist Bob Rugurika raises serious concerns about the exercise of the freedom of expression in Burundi, particularly ahead of the upcoming elections, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Friday.
Security Council demands end to Mali violence, urges parties to reach peace deal
Feb 07, 2015, at 04:17 pm
New York, Feb 7 (IBNS) Demanding an immediate end to all hostilities in Mali, the United Nations Security Council on Friday urged Malian parties to “engage with sustained political will and a spirit of compromise†and make the necessary concessions to engage in talks towards a comprehensive, inclusive peace deal that addresses the root causes of the years-long crisis in the country.
Ban joins Arab League Secretary-General in urging donors to honour Gaza pledges
Feb 07, 2015, at 04:14 pm
New York, Feb 7 (IBNS) Expressing deep concern about the situation in Gaza, the Secretaries-General of the United Nations and the League of Arab States made an urgent appeal on Friday, asking donors to honour and disburse as soon as possible the financial commitments they made at an October 2014 conference convened to kick-start reconstruction in the war-torn enclave.
South Sudan: As top officials spotlight crisis, UN warns of 'dramatic' decline in food security
Feb 07, 2015, at 04:12 pm
New York, Feb 7 (IBNS) South Sudan is on the brink of a major food insecurity crisis as millions of people remain trapped by the country's ongoing internecine fighting, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned.
UN refugee agency says 'over a million' may already be displaced by eastern Ukraine violence
Feb 07, 2015, at 04:11 pm
New York, Feb 7 (IBNS) Nearly 1 million people may have now been displaced by the conflict in eastern Ukraine, with the recent upsurge in violence causing massive destruction of buildings and infrastructure, the collapse of basic services and a spike in the numbers fleeing fighting, the United Nations refugee agency reported on Friday.
Feb 07, 2015, at 04:07 pm
New York, Feb 7 (IBNS): On the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, marked every year on 6 February, and this year focused on ending the 'medicalization' of the procedure, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on health workers around the world to eliminate what he called a 'deeply harmful' practice.