Western Sahara: UN chief reiterates call for 'true negotiations'
Nov 05, 2015, at 03:04 pm
New York, Nov 5 (IBNS): As the conflict over the future of Western Sahara nears its fortieth year, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling on all concerned, within the region and the wider international community, to take advantage of the "intensified efforts" of his Personal Envoy to facilitate the launching of true negotiations in the coming months.
UN expert launches survey to identify practices to protect human rights defenders
Nov 05, 2015, at 03:03 pm
New York, Nov 5 (IBNS): Human rights activists face increasing risks, a United Nations expert said on Wednesday at the launch of a worldwide survey to identify effective practices to protect human rights defenders.
Yemen: UN warns more than 1 million people could be impacted by flooding
Nov 05, 2015, at 03:01 pm
New York, Nov 5 (IBNS): While the United Nations is reporting that Cyclone Chapala – the rare tropical storm that slammed into Yemen's southern coast on Tuesday, dumping perhaps a year’s worth of rain in some areas – is expected to weaken to a tropical depression over the next 12 hours, the immediate concern remains the welfare of an estimated 1 million people, mainly in the two governorates of Shabwah and Hadramaut.
Peacekeeping envoy Kobler tapped to head up UN Mission in Libya
Nov 05, 2015, at 02:58 pm
New York, Nov 5 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday announced the appointment of Martin Kobler of Germany as his Special Representative and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).
'Climate change knows no national borders,' Ban says
Nov 05, 2015, at 02:56 pm
New York, Nov 4 (IBNS): With the "deadline" for concluding a universal climate agreement just four weeks away, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday warned that despite months of talks and critical pledges on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, key issues still remain in play – on equity and differentiation, on finance and ambition – requiring world leaders to give clear guidance to their negotiators to seek compromise and reach a fair, universal deal at the upcoming UN climate conference in Paris.
UNICEF official experiences 'humanity on the move' through Europe
Nov 05, 2015, at 02:54 pm
New York, Nov 5 (IBNS): As the number of women and children on the move in Europe continues to increase, an official from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Wednesday shared her eyewitness experience travelling with refugees and migrants for eight days along a difficult route from Greece to Slovenia, passing through the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Croatia.
No room for death penalty in 21st century, says UN official
Nov 05, 2015, at 02:52 pm
New York, Nov 5 (IBNS): Ahead of the launch of a new book by the United Nations on the global trend away from the death penalty, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights said on Wednesday that there has been a decline in the number of countries upholding capital punishment in the last 40 years.
UNESCO chief urges commitment for 'new humanism' on agency's 70th anniversary
Nov 05, 2015, at 02:50 pm
New York, Nov 5 (IBNS): Commemorating the 70th anniversary of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in a report to its 38th General Conference, which kicked off at the threshold of the new 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, the agency's chief looked back on past achievements while appealing for enhanced cooperation from member States to address UNESCO's priorities and tackle the current challenges.
UN agency to reduce poverty and increase in-comes in rural China
Nov 05, 2015, at 02:46 pm
Rome, Nov 5 (IBNS): The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has signed a US$43.5 million financing agreement with the People’s Republic of China in efforts to sustainably reduce rural poverty and improve the livelihoods of rural households in the Liupan Mountain Area of China.
Emergency declared in Maldives
Nov 04, 2015, at 08:08 pm
Male, Nov 4 (IBNS) Maldives President Abdulla Yameen on Wednesday declared a state of emergency, reports said.
Ireland to change its drug law, cocaine and heroine to be decriminalised
Nov 04, 2015, at 05:04 pm
Dublin, Nov 4 (IBNS) As part of their 'radical cultural shift', Ireland will be making changes in their drug law which will come into effect from next year, allowing its citizens to possess small amounts of drugs such as cocaine, cannabis and heroine for recreational use, media reports have said.
Iraq: WHO mobilizes immunization campaign to help control cholera outbreak
Nov 04, 2015, at 01:23 pm
New York, Nov 4 (IBNS): The World Health Organization (WHO) has mobilized 510,000 dozes of oral cholera vaccine (OCV) to be administered to an estimated 250,000 displaced persons in Iraq, in an effort to curtail the cholera outbreak which is now feared to be spreading to neighbouring countries.
UN calls for urgent action to address child statelessness
Nov 04, 2015, at 01:21 pm
New York, Nov 4 (IBNS): Stateless children across the world share the same feelings of discrimination, frustration and despair, according to a new United Nations report published on Tuesday, that warns that urgent action is needed before statelessness “sets in stone†problems haunting their childhood.
Peru: UN conference addresses poverty and inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean
Nov 04, 2015, at 01:19 pm
New York, Nov 4 (IBNS): As policymakers start putting into practice the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by world leaders in September, United Nations officials and Government representatives are meeting to discuss how to continue reducing poverty and inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean, despite the region's economic slowdown.
'Severe impact' feared in Yemen due to rain potential of cyclone Chapala
Nov 04, 2015, at 01:17 pm
New York, Nov 4 (IBNS): As cyclonic storm Chapala made landfall on Tuesday morning in the southwest of Riyan in Yemen with a surface wind speed of 120 to 130 kilometres per hour, United Nations agencies reported that although it had weakened rapidly, the impacts could be severe and challenging.
Corruption feeds and sustains wildlife and forest crime: UN anti-crime chief
Nov 04, 2015, at 01:16 pm
New York, Nov 4 (IBNS): Expressing concern that spiralling wildlife and forest crime – fuelled by corrosive corruption – can impede vital progress of the new global sustainable development agenda, the top United Nations anti-crime official and the head of the global UN–backed treaty on protecting endangered species today urged nations to step up the fight to disrupt criminal networks that supply the disastrous illegal trade.
UN humanitarian official in Libya calls for release of abducted aid workers
Nov 04, 2015, at 01:13 pm
New York, Nov 4 (IBNS): The top UN relief official in Libya on Tuesday condemned the abduction of two aid workers in southern Libya and warned that persistent threats against humanitarian workers is hindering the delivery of crucial aid to those in need in that part of the war-torn country.
Ban offers sympathies to Israel on 20th anniversary of assassination of Yitzhak Rabin
Nov 04, 2015, at 01:12 pm
New York, Nov 4 (IBNS): Marking the 20th anniversary of the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has offered his deepest sympathies to the citizens of the State of Israel, and, noting current tensions in the region, urged all parties to be guided by the late Israeli leader's realization "that the path to true security and strength is through dialogue and compromise."
'We need greater transparency, accountability,' Member States told at debate
Nov 04, 2015, at 01:10 pm
New York, Nov 4 (IBNS): To advance the values, principles and purposes of the United Nations, the General Assembly's role, authority, effectiveness and efficiency must be continuously reviewed and enhanced, the 193-member body's President, Mogens Lykketoft, said on Tuesday, stressing the need for transparency throughout the UN system.
Climate change poses 'major threat' to food security, warns UN expert
Nov 04, 2015, at 01:08 pm
New York, Nov 4 (IBNS): Climate change poses severe and distinct threats to food security, and could subject an additional 600 million people to malnutrition by 2080, a United Nations human rights expert warned on Tuesday.
More reliable data needed to combat racism and discrimination: UN rights expert
Nov 04, 2015, at 01:06 pm
New York, Nov 4 (IBNS): Governments need to improve data collection as a mean to better assess the situation of vulnerable groups, a UN independent expert on racism said on Tuesday, noting that "the right to be free from discrimination includes the right to access information that could serve as evidence to prove discrimination."
'Racial superiority' myth must be debunked, experts tell UN event
Nov 04, 2015, at 01:04 pm
New York, Nov 4 (IBNS): Debunking the myth of racial hierarchy, United Nations experts on racial discrimination on Tuesday said that it is imperative to deconstruct, on a global scale, the ideological myth of a superior race and the resulting conviction of a superior culture.
Nov 04, 2015, at 02:15 am
Kathmandu, Nov 3 (IBNS): At least 33 people were killed as the bus in which they were traveling veered off the road and plunged more than 100 metres down in Nepal's Ramche village on Tuesday, media reports said.
-1446556925.jpg "Pakistan flight makes emergency crash-landing, 10 injured")
Pakistan flight makes emergency crash-landing, 10 injured
Nov 04, 2015, at 12:22 am
Lahore, Nov 3 (IBNS) At least 10 people were injured as a Pakistani flight made an emergency crash-landing at Lahore's Allama Iqbal airport on Tuesday , media reports said.
Pakistan bans media coverage of 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed's Jamaat-ud-Dawa
Nov 03, 2015, at 02:53 pm
Islamabad, Nov 3 (IBNS) In a crucial move, the Pakistan government has banned media coverage of militant groups like LashÂkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaatud Dawa (JuD), media reports said on Tuesday.
'Cycle of impunity' must end, Ban declares, honouring killed journalists
Nov 03, 2015, at 01:56 pm
New York, Nov 3 (IBNS): Marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is honouring journalists and media workers who were killed in the line of duty for merely 'reporting the truth' and is underscoring the importance of protecting their rights and ensuring they can report freely.
Trade slows in Asia-Pacific as economies adjust to lower global growth: UN report
Nov 03, 2015, at 01:54 pm
New York, Nov 3 (IBNS): The regional trade and investment flows in Asia and the Pacific is decelerating as the economies in the region adjust to cyclical and structural changes resulting from the global economic downturn and the expected reduction in China's growth rate, says a new United Nations report launched on Monday.
Fight against corruption crucial to achieving sustainable development: UN forum
Nov 03, 2015, at 01:52 pm
New York, Nov 3 (IBNS): Ending corruption is vital to efforts to achieve sustainable development, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the world’s largest anti-corruption forum, which began on Monday in St. Petersburg, Russia.
UN treaty-making body opens with focus on rapidly expanding radiocommunications
Nov 03, 2015, at 01:51 pm
New York, Nov 3 (IBNS): The United Nations World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 opened on Monday in Geneva aiming to address the rapid evolution of information and communication technologies (ICT), to ensure the global management of the radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits, and to enable people to live and travel safely while enjoying high performance radiocommunications.
Food safety and trade should improve nutrition and boost development: UN agencies
Nov 03, 2015, at 01:50 pm
New York, Nov 3 (IBNS): The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreed on Monday to strengthen their cooperation to promote international food trade and safety in ways that improve nutrition and allow small-scale producers to have better access to international agricultural markets.