Egypt: Ban and Arab League Secretary-General discuss regional challenges

New York, Mar 30 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Nabil El-Araby Secretary General of the League of Arab States pledged on Sunday, continued cooperation between the two organizations and discussed strengthening international efforts on a range of issues as the League's Summit continued in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

Air Canada flight skids off runway, 23 hurt

Ottawa, Mar 29 (IBNS): At least 23 passengers were injured as an Air Canada flight skidded off the runway while it was landing at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport in the Canada's Nova Scotia province on Sunday, officials said.

Singapore: Thousands of mourners gather to bid farewell to Lee

Singapore, Mar 29 (IBNS): Singapore's former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was remembered by his country men with a heavy heart at his state funeral on Sunday, where the procession through the city's streets drew thousands of mourners despite heavy rain.

In Egypt, Ban calls on Arab leaders to strengthen bonds for region's people, global security

New York, Mar 29 (IBNS) With a raft of ills plaguing the Arab world – from the “shameful” conflict in Syria to the "tinderbox" that is Gaza and the steadily unraveling situation in Yemen –Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday called upon leaders gathered in Egypt to work with each other and the United Nations to "strengthen our bonds for the people of this region and the security of our world."

'We must respond,' declares UNESCO chief, launching #Unite4Heritage campaign in Baghdad

New York, Mar 29 (IBNS) Taking an innovative step to support Iraqi youth and to mobilize young people worldwide for the protection of cultural heritage, Irina Bokova, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launched on Saturday at Baghdad University #Unite4Heritage, a social media campaign to counter the propaganda of cultural cleansing in Iraq and other crisis-torn counties.

UN strongly condemns deadly terrorist attack on Mogadishu hotel

New York, Mar 29 (IBNS): The top United Nations official in Somalia along with the members of the UN Security Council have strongly condemned yesterday's terrorist attack on a hotel in Mogadishu city that resulted in the death of many civilians, including the Somali Federal Government's Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva, Ambassador Yusuf Bari-Bari.

Demanding 'immediate' ceasefire in Libya, Security Council extends UN mission in crisis-torn country

New York, Mar 29 (IBNS) Unanimously adopting two separate resolutions on Libya, the Security Council, in the first, called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and extended the United Nations Support Mission there (UNSMIL) until 15 September, and in the second, adjusted the arms embargo on the country in light of the terrorist threat there.

US cop indicted for using unreasonable force on Indian Sureshbhai Patel

Washington, Mar 28(IBNS) A US police officer, accused of throwing to the ground and causing partial paralysis of a 57-year-old Indian has been indicted on Friday by grand jury on a civil rights charge for the use of unreasonable force.

Ban calls on defence chiefs for unity on UN peacekeeping

New York, Mar 28 (IBNS): At the first-ever United Nations Chiefs of Defence Conference on Friday, the Secretary-General appealed to senior military officials for more troop contributions from States around the world and for political will and purpose.

Ban urges to end violence against religious minorities in Middle East

New York, Mar 28 (IBNS): Millions of lives in the Middle East, and the very social fabric of entire countries, are at stake, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned on Friday morning, calling for urgent action from the Security Council to end the religiously and ethnically-motivated violence sweeping the region and end impunity for those committing crimes against humanity.

UN envoy appreciates progress in Libya's latest peace talks

New York, Mar 28 (IBNS): Libyan stakeholders have reached a consensus on a range of issues, including on the need for a unity government and security arrangements, and are now convinced that there is a political solution to the country’s crisis, Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), Bernardino Léon, said at the conclusion of the latest round of peace talks which he praised for making “very important progress.”

Cyclone Pam: UN reports Vanuatu islands reached with relief supplies

New York, Mar 28 (IBNS): Two weeks after Cyclone Pam hit Vanuatu, the United Nations says it has reached all 22 storm-affected islands of the country, with food for more than 160,000 people.

UNESCO calls for the protection of cultural heritage in Yemen

New York, Mar 28 (IBNS): The escalation of armed conflict in Yemen threatens the country’s cultural heritage, warned the head of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the world body’s agency responsible for protecting cultural property.

UN condemns kidnapping of DR Congo refugees

New York, Mar 28 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has on Friday strongly condemned the recent kidnapping of Congolese refugees by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), calling for an immediate release of those still in captivity.

Malawi leader condemns attacks on people with albinism: UN

New York, Mar 28 (IBNS): The United Nations Human Rights office on Friday welcomed Malawi President Peter Mutharika's strong statement condemning the recent spate of attacks on people with albinism in his country and urged that the measures he outlined to arrest those responsible for such attacks and better protect albinos be launched “without delay.”