UN panel urges referral of Syria to ICC

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:25 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): A culture of impunity continues to flourish inside Syria amid a conflict that has generated over four million refugees and hundreds of thousands of dead, the head of a United Nations-mandated Commission of Inquiry said on Tuesday, urging the international community to step up efforts in bringing the four-year-long war to a close.

FAO boosts food security efforts in countries affected by Syria crisis

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:24 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS: The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has announced a scale-up in its support to Jordan and other countries in the Middle East affected by the humanitarian crisis in Syria that has entered its fifth year.

UN focuses on priority needs for cyclone-hit Vanuatu

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:22 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): In spite of logistical challenges facing the humanitarian response in Vanuatu, a nation that comprises over 80 islands, United Nations agencies continue to scale up their efforts to assist with priority needs including the provision of food, water and healthcare in the wake of the devastating cyclone that battered the country over the weekend.New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): In spite of logistical challenges facing the humanitarian response in Vanuatu, a nation that comprises over 80 islands, United Nations agencies continue to scale up their efforts to assist with priority needs including the provision of food, water and healthcare in the wake of the devastating cyclone that battered the country over the weekend.

UN envoy welcomes lifting of house arrest of Yemeni leaders

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:20 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): The United Nations Special Adviser on Yemen, Jamal Benomar, welcomed the lifting of the house arrest of the country’s Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and other Cabinet members as a “good gesture that may restore the missing confidence in the current political negotiations.”

Ethiopia: UN agency begins relocation of flood-affected refugees

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:19 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday it has begun the relocation of more than 50,000 South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia from flood-prone areas ahead of the rainy season, which is expected to start in late April.

Rights abuses in former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: UN

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:18 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Tuesday that it is deeply concerned about the prolonged political impasse in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and its human rights implications.

Eighty countries adopt call to action at first UN conference on dementia

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:17 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): A two-day ministerial conference on dementia hosted by the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) ended in Geneva on Tuesday with 80 countries calling for action to address “a tidal wave” of new cases of the disease projected to cost the world $1.2 trillion by 2050.

Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi calls for push to end child labour

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:16 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): Depriving children of their childhood and their freedom is “the biggest crime against humanity,” child rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi said on Tuesday during a visit to United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Darfur security, humanitarian situations deteriorated: UN

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:15 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): The security and humanitarian situations in the Darfur region of Sudan “deteriorated significantly” over the past year, the head of United Nations peacekeeping told the Security Council on Tuesday, adding that there had also been no tangible progress toward resolving the conflict.

Bulgarian national appointed head of UN regional centre in Central Asia

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:13 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Petko Draganov of Bulgaria as his Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), located in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

UN official urges more rapid change for gender equality

Mar 18, 2015, at 02:12 pm

New York, Mar 18 (IBNS): A senior United Nations official on Tuesday stressed the need for more rapid advancements on gender equality, saying the pace of change since the 1995 World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, on many issues has not been sufficient and major disparities between genders remain.

Prince Harry to embed with the Australian Army

Mar 17, 2015, at 05:46 pm

Sydney, Mar 17 (IBNS): Prince Harry is all set to be embedded with the Australian Army, officials said on Tuesday.

12 death row prisoners hanged in Pakistan

Mar 17, 2015, at 03:16 pm

Islamabad, Mar 17 (IBNS): Pakistan hanged to death twelve death row convicts in different cities across the country on Tuesday, media reports said.

Sendai: Early warning saves lives, but communities need targeted

Mar 17, 2015, at 02:37 pm

New York, Mar 17 (IBNS): When disaster strikes, the surest way to save more lives is to get targeted, practical information quickly out to communities, United Nations experts told delegations gathered in Sendai, Japan, but stressed that even the most technically impressive systems “are useless” if people are not reached or do not understand the warning.

Ban promises necessary action to assist cyclone-hit Vanuatu

Mar 17, 2015, at 02:36 pm

New York, Mar 17 (IBNS): With United Nations relief agencies stepping up their response in Vanuatu after the country was hit by Cyclone Pam, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday that the event “tragically underscored” the importance of global efforts on disaster risk reduction.

Eritrea: UN-mandated inquiry finds human rights abuses

Mar 17, 2015, at 02:34 pm

New York, Mar 17 (IBNS): A four-month United Nations investigation into the human rights situation in Eritrea has found “very clear patterns” of violations and abuses, according to a report delivered on Monday at the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva.

UN launches social media campaign to create world’s happiest playlist

Mar 17, 2015, at 02:33 pm

New York, Mar 17 (IBNS): The question "Does happiness have a sound? And, if so, what does it actually sound like?" is what the United Nations is asking as it launches its latest campaign –#HappySoundsLike – an appeal for the global citizenry “to nominate a song that brings a smile to your face” ahead of this year’s International Day of Happiness, observed annually on 20 March.New York, Mar 17 (IBNS): The question "Does happiness have a sound? And, if so, what does it actually sound like?" is what the United Nations is asking as it launches its latest campaign –#HappySoundsLike – an appeal for the global citizenry “to nominate a song that brings a smile to your face” ahead of this year’s International Day of Happiness, observed annually on 20 March.

Pakistan: UN chief deplores terrorist attack on Christian sites of worship

Mar 17, 2015, at 02:31 pm

New York, Mar 17 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the terrorist attacks committed against two Christian churches in Pakistan.

UN panel probing new information on Dag Hammarskjöld death

Mar 17, 2015, at 02:30 pm

New York, Mar 17 (IBNS): The United Nations on Monday announced the members of the Independent Panel of Experts tasked with examining new information related to the tragic death of former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld and his party in September 1961.

Security Council: UN envoy cites hope for Afghan peace process

Mar 17, 2015, at 02:28 pm

New York, Mar 17 (IBNS): The top United Nations envoy for Afghanistan on Monday said there was renewed hope for the peace process as he briefed the Security Council, which extended the mandate of the UN mission in the country for another year.

Countries urged to make dementia public health priority: WHO

Mar 17, 2015, at 02:27 pm

New York, Mar 17 (IBNS): The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday opened the first ever Ministerial Conference on Global Action Against Dementia by reminding health ministers from around the world, experts and civil society representatives that every four seconds someone is diagnosed with the incurable disease.

Nigeria: UN political chief delivers message of solidarity

Mar 17, 2015, at 02:19 pm

New York, Mar 17 (IBNS): The top United Nations political official arrived in Nigeria today for a two-day visit aimed at conveying the world body’s support and solidarity with the country ahead of the general elections starting on 28 March.

Women’s participation in sports key to boosting gender equality: UN

Mar 17, 2015, at 02:17 pm

New York, Mar 17 (IBNS): The greater participation of women and girls in sports can help lift their involvement in society, fight gender stereotypes and accelerate progress towards gender parity, the head of the United Nations entity for gender equality and women’s empowerment declared on Monday.

Nepal bus mishap kills 18

Mar 17, 2015, at 02:58 am

Jumla, Mar 16 (IBNS): At least 18 people were killed as a passenger bus dropped 200 metres down the road in Nepal's in Jumla district on Monday, media reports said.

Pakistan protests against blasts targeting churches

Mar 17, 2015, at 02:20 am

Lahore, Mar 16 (IBNS): A day after twin blasts targeting churches in Lahore city left 15 people dead, the Christian community protested against the attacks in various cities of Pakistan on Monday, media reports said.

Health at very center of disaster risk reduction: WHO

Mar 16, 2015, at 02:18 pm

New York, Mar 16 (IBNS): The Ebola outbreak in West Africa, powerful storms in the Asia-Pacific region and ongoing conflicts in Syria and elsewhere are all stark reminders that health and stronger health system capacities must be central to the new framework for managing disaster risk currently being discussed in Sendai, Japan, senior United Nations health agency officials emphasized on Sunday.

Ban praises Sendai earthquake recovery system

Mar 16, 2015, at 02:17 pm

New York, Mar 16 (IBNS): Integrating disaster risk reduction into development can save lives and livelihoods, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said as he toured Sendai, Japan, which was devastated four years ago by an earthquake and tsunami but which today, following an impressive rebuilding effort, is a reminder to the world that “we must turn all of the painful lessons of disasters into new policies for a better future.”

UN relief agencies ramp up support to cyclone-hit Vanuatu

Mar 16, 2015, at 02:15 pm

New York, Mar 16 (IBNS): Amid reports that powerful Cyclone Pam has impacted at least half the population of Vanuatu, the country's President, attending a United Nations conference under way in Japan aiming to reduce disaster risk, appealed for international support in anticipation of large-scale needs.

2 Indonesian planes crash during practice, pilots safe

Mar 16, 2015, at 12:33 am

Langkawi , Mar 15 (IBNS) Two Indonesian Air Forces Jupiter Aerobatic planes crashed during a practice session before an air show on Malaysia's Langkawi island on Sunday, media reports said.

Singh holds bilateral meeting with Ministers of Japan and Russia

Mar 16, 2015, at 12:13 am

Sendai, Mar 15 (IBNS) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh held bilateral meetings with Ministers of Japan and Russia during his visit to the 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction at Sendai in Japan on Sunday.