Ban appoints officials to key development posts
New York, May 8 (IBNS): United Nations' development efforts got a boost on Wednesday with the appointment of key positions in the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and at the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
UN urges insurgent group to release Nigerian schoolgirls
New York, May 8 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's top envoy on children and armed conflict expressed deep concern about the fate of the 230 girls violently abducted from their school in in mid-April by Boko Haram militants in Nigeria's crisis-riven Borno State, and deplored the group's reported abduction on Tuesday of several more girls.
South Sudan: Ban urges peace as political rivals agree to meet
New York, May 7 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday that South Sudan's President and his main political rival - whose respective forces are locked in an increasingly brutal conflict in the country - have said they plan to "sit down together" later this week for talks on ending nearly five months of fighting.
Ukraine: UN urges greater effort to resolve crisis
New York, May 7 (IBNS): Increasing violence in eastern and southern Ukraine is resulting in more and more death and destruction, the top United Nations human rights official said on Tuesday, calling on all sides in the conflict to make a greater effort to find a peaceful resolution, particularly ahead of the 25 May presidential election.
UN disappointed by ruling in DR Congo mass rape trial
New York, May 7 (IBNS): Disappointed by the ruling of a Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) military court which acquitted close to half of the 39 Congolese soldiers accused of mass rape in 2012, the United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said on Tuesday the decision fell short of the expectations of the numerous victims and confirmed the shortcoming of the country's justice system.
UN warns Boko Haram over sale of Nigerian schoolgirls
New York, May 7 (IBNS): The United Nations human rights office on Tuesday lashed out at the militant group known as Boko Haram, which claimed responsibility for kidnapping more than 200 schoolgirls in Nigeria and now, referring to the girls as "slaves", says it plans to sell them "in the market" and "marry them off".
UN humanitarian chief meets with Central African refugees
New York, May 7 (IBNS): The top United Nations relief official on Tuesday visited with mostly women and children fleeing violence in the Central African Republic (CAR) by taking refuge in Chad, where they are receiving food, vaccines and other support from UN agencies and partners.
UN urges Eritrea to end widespread arbitrary arrest
New York, May 7 (IBNS): The Government of Eritrea needs to put an immediate end to the widespread practices of arbitrary arrest, ill-treatment and persecution, says an independent expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to look into the situation in the country.
Afghanistan: UN urges support for vulnerable communities
New York, May 7 (IBNS): In the wake of last week's massive landslide in north-eastern Afghanistan, a senior United Nations relief official on Tuesday voiced deep concern about the impact of conflict and natural disasters in the country, and urged the world to step up support to vulnerable communities.
UN concerned over South Sudanese refugees flooding in Ethiopia
New York, May 7 (IBNS): Waves of South Sudanese women and children are fleeing across the Ethiopian border, with more than 11,000 people crossing in the past 72 hours, the United Nations refugee agency on Tuesday said confirming that UN agencies and humanitarian partners are rushing food and medical supplies to the site.
UN reports positive financial situation, warns of cash flow
New York, May 7 (IBNS): The top United Nations management official reported on Tuesday that at the end of 2013, the Organization's financial situation was "generally sound", but cautioned that the cash flow would get tighter in the final months of 2014, as several major contributors would pay their assessments between October and December.
Pak NA approves resolution to lift ban on YouTube
Islamabad, May 6 (IBNS) Pakistan's National Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution to unblock popular video-sharing website YouTube in the Asian nation.
Kano, May 6 (IBNS): Militants of suspected group Boko Haram have abducted eight more girls from village in Nigeria, media reports said on Tuesday.
China: Six injured in knife attack at railway station
Guangzhou, May 6 (IBNS): At least six people were injured in a knife attack at a railway station in China's Guangzhou city on Tuesday, media reports said.
Afghanistan: UN officials visit landslide-hit north-eastern province
New York, May 6 (IBNS): Following a visit on Monday to the site of the massive landslide which killed hundreds in north-eastern Afghanistan late last week, two senior United Nations humanitarian officials highlighted the longer-term needs of people displaced by natural disasters in the country, as well as the need for long-term preventive measures.