Previewing work ahead, UN Assembly President says Member States must agree a bold post-2015 agenda
Jan 16, 2015, at 01:50 pm
New York, Jan 16 (IBNS)As the New Year begins, the 193-Member States of the United Nations are squarely focused on agreeing on a bold, ambitious and transformative post-2015 agenda that leaves no-one behind and provides a new framework for development and international cooperation for the next fifteen years, General Assembly President Sam Kutesa told reporters on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia: public flogging of blogger 'cruel and inhuman,' says UN rights chief
Jan 16, 2015, at 01:45 pm
New York, Jan 16 (IBNS) The top United Nations human rights official has issued an appeal to the Saudi Arabia to halt the punishment of Ra'ef Badawi, an online blogger sentenced to public flogging for "peacefully exercising his right to freedom of opinion and expression," according to the UN human rights office (OHCHR).
UN 'barbershop' conference aims to dispel stereotypes, promote gender equality
Jan 16, 2015, at 01:44 pm
New York, Jan 16 (IBNS) Looking to promote change in how men and boys think and talk about women’s empowerment and gender equality, the United Nations is hosting at its New York Headquarters a two-day high-level “Barbershop†event, which this afternoon focused on initiatives that aim to support non-sexist male attitudes and behaviours between men.
Afghanistan: UN-backed mine clearing project reports 34 killed during 2014
Jan 16, 2015, at 01:42 pm
New York, Jan 16 (IBNS) The United Nations-supported Mine Action Programme in Afghanistan (MAPA) has said on Thursday that while 2014 could prove to have been a major turning point in the country’s long and tortured history, it was also a year that had inflicted “immense and unprecedented tragedy†on the programme’s personnel.
UN envoy says Syria set back 40 years by war, calls for renewed push towards solution
Jan 16, 2015, at 01:41 pm
New York, Jan 16 (IBNS) With the “devastating conflict†in Syria entering its fourth year, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria said on Thursday that continued fighting in the country is a “disgrace†that has set the country back 40 years.
Israeli-Palestinian conflict heads into uncharted territory as mistrust deepens, UN official warns
Jan 16, 2015, at 01:40 pm
New York, jan 16 (IB NS) The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is now entering uncharted territory as tensions between the two sides escalate and an “ever-widening trust deficit†risks hampering future peace talks, a senior United Nations political official told the Security Council on Thursday as he urged Palestinians and Israelis to “plot a course†and work towards a negotiated resolution.
Libya: UN-mediated peace talks resume in Geneva as parties seek political settlement
Jan 16, 2015, at 01:39 pm
New York, Jan 16 (IB NS) The new round of United Nations-led political talks aimed at easing the deepening political and security crisis afflicting Libya continued into its second day of dialogue on Thursday as national stakeholders and the United Nations Support Mission (UNSMIL) in the North African country resumed their meetings in Geneva amid encouraging developments.
Pakistan: 6 militants killed in US drone strike
Jan 16, 2015, at 01:57 am
Peshawar, Jan 15 (IBNS) At least six militants were killed in a suspected US drone strike in Pakistan's South Waziristan tribal agency on Thursday, media reports said.
2015 presents historic opportunity to improve people's lives, says UN Assembly President
Jan 15, 2015, at 02:09 pm
New York, Jan 15 (IBNS) The next several months will present a historic opportunity to agree on an "inspiring" agenda that will directly improve the lives of people around the world, United Nations General Assembly President Sam Kutesa said today as he outlined his objectives for 2015.
Top UN relief official warns humanitarian workers facing ‘increasingly complex’ situations
Jan 15, 2015, at 02:08 pm
New York, Jan 15 (IBNS) During a lecture delivered at the Council on Foreign Relations, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator described the increasingly complex environments in which humanitarian actors work, as they deal more and more with the consequences of crises whose roots lie in poor governance, political paralysis, underdevelopment, and rising levels of poverty and inequality.
UN envoy says Libya talks will 'take time' to end fighting, agree political settlement
Jan 15, 2015, at 02:07 pm
New York, Jan 15 (IBNS) The top United Nations official in Libya, Bernardino Leon, has said today that a new round of UN-led political talks in Geneva to bring peace to the country represent the start of a "long process", aimed at bringing an end to fighting in the country and to reach a political settlement.
Security Council reaffirms peacebuilding as key element of UN post-conflict assistance
Jan 15, 2015, at 02:06 pm
New York, Jan 15 (IBNS) Peacebuilding is of "critical importance" as the foundation for sustainable peace and development in countries emerging from conflict, the United Nations Security Council declared today, unanimously adopting its latest measure reaffirming commitment to the practice.
Journalism after 'Charlie': in Paris, UNESCO hosts day of reflection, free speech debate
Jan 15, 2015, at 02:05 pm
New York, Jan 15 (IBNS) In the wake of last week’s attack against French satirical magazineCharlie Hebdo, the United Nations agency mandated to protect free expression today hosted at its Paris headquarters a day of reflection and held a wide-ranging debate on press freedom.
Syrian refugees face 'abject poverty, dire living conditions,' UN study warns
Jan 15, 2015, at 02:04 pm
New York, Jan 15 (IBNS) As the Syrian civil war continues to rage into its fifth year, large numbers of refugees fleeing the hostilities are steadily slipping into abject poverty due to the breadth of the crisis and “insufficient support†from the international community, the head of the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) warned on Wednesday.
Cyprus: UN envoy concerned about 'impasse' in negotiations
Jan 15, 2015, at 02:02 pm
New York, Jan 15 (IBNS) The United Nations Special Adviser on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, voiced concern that, despite some recent openings in the talks, it has been impossible to get negotiations back on track.
UN strongly deplores civilian deaths as Ukraine fighting continues
Jan 15, 2015, at 01:43 pm
New York, Jan 15 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the shelling which resulted in the deaths of at least 11 civilian bus passengers amid ongoing fighting in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk.
Imran Khan, wife visit Peshawar school, face protest
Jan 15, 2015, at 05:54 am
Peshawar, Jan 14 (IBNS): Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan and his wife Reham Khan were booed by grieved parents as the couple visited Peshawar's Army Public School , which was attacked by militants in December, on Wednesday to meet the students.
CVR of crashed AirAsia aircraft lifted
Jan 14, 2015, at 11:50 pm
Jakarta, Jan 14 (IBNS) The National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) of Indonesia on Wednesday announced that Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) of QZ8501 aircraft has been found and lifted from the seafloor.
Al Qaeda claims responsibility for Charlie Hebdo massacre
Jan 14, 2015, at 11:24 pm
Cairo, Jan 14 (IBNS) The Yemen branch of terror outfit Al Qaeda on Wednesday owned responsibility for last week's brutal attack on French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in which 12 people were killed.
Japan sanctions record $42 billion military budget to counter China
Jan 14, 2015, at 07:57 pm
Tokyo, Jan 14 (IBNS): Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government approved a record $42 billion military budget on Wednesday, media reports said.
UN hosted Libya political talks to open tomorrow in Geneva
Jan 14, 2015, at 05:48 pm
New York, Jan 14 (IBNS) The United Nations is gearing up to kick-start a new round of political talks this week aimed at easing the deepening political and security crisis afflicting Libya, the UN Mission in the strife-torn country has announced.
'Dysfunctional' Haitian Parliament deplored by UN and partners
Jan 14, 2015, at 05:46 pm
New York, Jan 14 (IBNS) Urging all Haitian stakeholders to form a consensus Government, the top United Nations official in in the country joined the ambassadors of several countries on Tuesdayin deploring the fact that the Haitian Parliament became "dysfunctional" after failing to hold elections within its constitutional framework.
Cote d'Ivoire: Welcoming recent progress, UN envoy urges vigilance in run-up to elections
Jan 14, 2015, at 04:43 pm
New York, Jan 14 (IBNS) While praising Cote d'Ivoire's significant progress towards lasting peace and economic recovery, the top United Nations official in the country told the Security Council on Tuesday that vigilance and determination will still be required to hold onto recent gains and lay the ground for presidential elections next fall.
Central African Republic: UN agency warns of food insecurity amid ongoing instability
Jan 14, 2015, at 04:37 pm
New York, Jan 14 (IBNS) The unpredictable and hostile security situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) is having severe consequences for the country’s population still in dire need of humanitarian assistance, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) declared on Tuesday.
New UNICEF 'atlas' charts development disparities affecting China's children
Jan 14, 2015, at 04:32 pm
New York, Jan 14 (IBNS) A newly published atlas outlining the vast socio-economic discrepancies separating millions of Chinese rural children from their urban counterparts has been released in an effort to address the country’s inequalities and boost assistance for China's most vulnerable youths, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced on Tuesday.
UN rights office 'deeply deplores' latest Boko Haram attack in Nigeria
Jan 14, 2015, at 04:24 pm
New York, Jan 14 (IBNS) The United Nations human rights office has condemned the latest spate of violence committed by Islamist extremist group Boko Haram amid reports of renewed mass killings and mass forced displacement in north-eastern Nigeria.
Kerry lauds Pak's efforts against terrorism, announces $250 million aid
Jan 14, 2015, at 01:02 am
Islamabad, Jan 13 (IBNS): Pakistan Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met in Pakistan's Islamabad on Tuesday for the fifth Ministerial level Pakistan-U.S. Strategic Dialogue, where the later lauded the South Asian nation's efforts to fight terrorism.
Cities in Central Asia, Caucasus sign up to UN campaign to become more resilient
Jan 13, 2015, at 07:26 pm
New York, Jan 13 (IBNS) Eight cities in Central Asia and the Caucasus, including capitals Tbilisi and Bishkek, have signed on to strengthen community resilience by integrating disaster risk reduction into their national and local policy, representing a big boost for the United Nations initiative which already has over 2,400 participants worldwide.
UN Afghanistan mission welcomes Government's nomination of unity cabinet
Jan 13, 2015, at 07:22 pm
New York, Jan 13 (IBNS) The nomination of Afghanistan's unity cabinet, part of a wider move to bring together the country's political factions is an important milestone in the nation's political development, the top United Nations envoy there announced on Monday.
Burundi: UN electoral mission prepared to help country in 'decisive' return to peace
Jan 13, 2015, at 07:17 pm
New York, Jan 13 (IBNS) The United Nations Electoral Observation Mission in Burundi, known by its French acronym MENUB, officially launched its activities on Monday in the capital of Bujumbura as the country prepares for critical elections to be held later this year amid an atmosphere of reconciliation.