UN chief appoints new Special Coordinator for Middle East peace
Feb 06, 2015, at 06:32 pm
New York, Feb 6 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday appointed Nickolay Mladenov of Bulgaria as his new Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Personal Representative to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority, the UN Spokesperson's office announced today.
Security Council condemns Boko Haram attacks along Chad-Cameroon border
Feb 06, 2015, at 06:31 pm
New York, Feb 6 (IBNS): The United Nations Security Council on Thursday condemned "in the strongest terms" the escalation of attacks perpetrated by Boko Haram terrorists along the border between Cameroon and Nigeria, including back-to-back attacks this week that killed Chadian and Cameroonian troops, as well as "a sizeable number of civilians."
Sealing borders 'will continue to fail on massive scale,' UN rights expert tells European countries
Feb 06, 2015, at 06:29 pm
New York, Feb 6 (IBNS): Migrants will continue to arrive and stay in Europe "no matter what," so the overall goal should be to ensure they use official channels to enter and stay, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants said today.
UN chief says 'challenging period' in Yemen's political transition must be overcome
Feb 06, 2015, at 06:24 pm
New York, Feb 6 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday urged parties to the Peace and National Partnership Agreement in Yemen overcome the current impasse so the peaceful democratic transition that was launched in 2011 can be fulfilled.
Feb 06, 2015, at 06:23 pm
New York, Feb 6 (IBNS) Despite the efforts of Guinea-Bissau authorities, the situation remains fragile and the country still needs the support of the international community, the top United Nations envoy there told the Security Council today.
In South Sudan, senior UN official says 'no doubt' rights violations are ongoing
Feb 06, 2015, at 06:20 pm
New York, Feb 6 (IBNS): Warring parties in the South Sudan conflict say they are close to signing a peace deal, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ivan Å imonovic, told reporters in Juba on Thursday as he confirmed that while fighting has decreased, rights violations continue in the world's youngest country.
'Last mile in fight against Ebola will be the hardest,' says senior UN relief official
Feb 06, 2015, at 06:19 pm
New York, Feb 6 (IBNS) The international community's mobilization in the global Ebola response has been "very impressive and effective" but efforts to reach zero cases must continue unabated, a top United Nations humanitarian official has confirmed.
In Washington, UN rights chief says atrocities can be prevented through better global leadership
Feb 06, 2015, at 06:17 pm
New York, Feb 6 (IBNS) World leaders too often choose to violate international law and set aside moral principles, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said today, as he warned against "sinking into a state of paralysis" and called for a deeper form of education that equips people with moral courage to act toward one another with responsibility and care.
Development must be built on inclusive policy aligned with people's needs, aspirations - Ban
Feb 06, 2015, at 06:14 pm
New York, Feb 6 (IBNS) Senior United Nations officials on Thursday addressed the Commission for Social Development as it marked the 20th anniversary of the Copenhagen Declaration the outcome of a summit which emphasized, for the first time, the need to put people at the centre of development with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday that the world's current generation is the first able to wipe out extreme poverty and the last that could address the worst impacts of climate change.
New UN sustainability agenda needs low-carbon growth to meet goals, Ban tells Delhi summit
Feb 06, 2015, at 06:13 pm
New York, Feb 6 (IBNS) Speaking via video message to the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit organized by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) of India, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday called for countries to take a low-carbon approach to development in the coming years.
Great Lakes region must unite to stamp out armed groups in DR Congo, urges UN envoy
Feb 06, 2015, at 05:56 pm
New York, Feb 6 (IBNS) Countries must come together to “neutralize all negative forces†terrorizing the population in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United Nations Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region urged on Thursday following meetings with top Rwandan officials to discuss recent peace and security developments in the region.
More than 17 killed in China fire
Feb 06, 2015, at 05:53 pm
Beijing, Feb 6 (IBNS): More than 17 people were killed in a fire in south China's Guangdong Province, media reports said on Friday.
Feb 06, 2015, at 05:51 pm
New York, Feb 6 (IBNS) Concerned by the ongoing political crisis in Somalia and its negative effect on delivery of progress for the Somali people, the United Nations Security Council on Thursday encouraged greater efforts from the country's political leadership – including the President, Prime Minister and Parliament – to work together to quickly establish an inclusive, representative Government.
UN chief 'gravely concerned' as civilian death toll from Ukraine conflict continues to rise
Feb 06, 2015, at 05:49 pm
New York, Feb 6 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced grave concern over the continuing hostilities in eastern Ukraine amid an escalating rebel offensive which has locked civilians in a zone of intense fighting.
Two people died in murder-suicide in South Carolina
Feb 06, 2015, at 05:40 pm
Washington, Feb 6 (IBNS): Two people died in an incident of “isolated†murder-suicide on Thursday at the University of South Carolina, media reports said.
Feb 05, 2015, at 06:11 pm
New York, Feb 5 (IBNS) The United Nations’ top political official said on Wednesday that Burkina Faso’s transitional institutions must continue to respect the aspirations of the Burkinabe people and ensure full respect for human rights and the physical integrity of all citizens.
South Sudan: UN agency warns of catastrophic food shortages if conflict continues
Feb 05, 2015, at 06:10 pm
New York, Feb 5 (IBNS) The ongoing conflict in South Sudan is sharply reducing food supplies and slowing humanitarian access to people in need, the United Nations children’s agency (UNICEF) said on Wednesday , urging warring groups in the country to follow up quickly on the ceasefire deal agreed on Monday.
Security Council condemns death of Spanish peacekeeper in Lebanon
Feb 05, 2015, at 06:08 pm
New York, Feb 5 (IBNS) The United Nations Security Council has strongly condemned the death of Lance Corporal Francisco Javier Soria Toledo of Spain, killed last week while deployed at a UN position in Lebanon along the border with Israel on the "Blue Line."
UN food aid agency condemns ISIL's 'manipulation' of desperately needed food in Syria
Feb 05, 2015, at 06:05 pm
New York, Feb 5 (IBNS) The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is "extremely concerned" about images circulating on social media showing WFP food boxes bearing Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) labels.
UN-hosted aviation safety conference recommends aircraft tracking every 15 minutes
Feb 05, 2015, at 06:03 pm
New York, Feb 5 (IBNS) Member States of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have recommended the adoption of a 15-minute aircraft tracking standard that "will be an important first step in providing a foundation for global flight tracking."
Armed groups to be 'neutralised' says UN DR Congo envoy after massacre near Beni
Feb 05, 2015, at 05:57 pm
New York, Feb 5 (IBNS) The head of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has on Wednesday strongly condemned massacre of civilians that took place in the area of Beni town in the vast country’s restive northeast.
Libya: UN mission condemns attack on oilfield, calls for immediate ceasefire
Feb 05, 2015, at 05:45 pm
New York, Feb 5 (IBNS) The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has strongly condemned the attack carried out by armed groups operating under the Alshuruq Operation in the 'oil crescent' area, causing many deaths and undermining the recent efforts of Libyan leaders to reach a peace pact.
UN Somalia envoy 'excited and worried' about political progress in year ahead
Feb 05, 2015, at 05:32 pm
New York, Feb 5 (IBNS) Underlining the importance of the partnership between the African Union and the United Nations in Somalia, which he called “unique, strong and essential for success,†the top UN official there briefed the Security Council on Wednesday on the challenges lying ahead for the country in 2015.
'It's now or never' for Central African Republic, UN warns urging more support to end crisis
Feb 05, 2015, at 05:30 pm
New York, Feb 5 (IBNS) The Head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Africa, Abdoulaye Dieye, began on Wednesday a week-long visit to the Central African Republic (CAR), calling on international partners to intensify their support for the country's ongoing transition process.
Role of health emerges as vital concern ahead of UN disaster risk reduction conference
Feb 05, 2015, at 05:28 pm
New York, Feb 5 (IBNS) As Member States accelerate efforts to finalize the successor to “the world’s most encompassing framework†on disaster risk reduction ahead of a critical United Nations conference in Japan next month, the role of health in building community resilience has suddenly come front and centre in the negotiation process, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) said on Wednesday .
UN Visitors' Centre reopens to public following 18-month renovation
Feb 05, 2015, at 04:52 pm
New York, Feb 5 (IBNS) Browse the shelves at the United Nations bookstore. Mail a postcard with a UN stamp. Take a guided tour in one of twelve languages. On Wednesday , with the official inauguration by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the UN's public space reopened for business with a newly renovated Visitors' Centre in the basement of the iconic General Assembly Building.
UN rights experts urge Bahrain to release arrested opposition leader
Feb 05, 2015, at 04:41 pm
New York, Feb 5 (IBNS) A group of United Nations human rights experts are urging the Government of Bahrain to release opposition politician and religious figure Sheikh Ali Salman who was arrested in December 2014 on charges that include inciting change of regime by non-peaceful means.
Taiwan: 25 killed in TransAsia plane crash
Feb 05, 2015, at 02:19 am
Taipei, Feb 4 (IBNS) At least 25 people have been killed as a TransAsia Airways flight crashed into a river in Taipei on Wednesday after hitting a bridge, media reports said.
'Youth lens' brings development challenges into sharper focus at UN forum
Feb 04, 2015, at 02:36 pm
New York, Feb 4 (IBNS) The emerging United Nations-led sustainability agenda, to be crafted around a set of sustainable development goals, must be inspired by and inspiring for the world’s young people, the President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) said on Tuesday as he closed the Council’s annual Youth Forum with a call for young people to amplify their voices and become more involved in building "the future we want."
UN chief, Security Council denounce 'appalling' murder of Jordanian pilot by ISIL
Feb 04, 2015, at 02:35 pm
New York, Feb 4 (IBNS): For the second time in as many days, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations Security Council have jointly condemned the brutal killing of a civilian by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) – this time deploring the group’s murder of Jordanian Royal Air Force pilot Lt. Muath Al-Kasasbeh.