UN chief applauds Malaysians for ‘strong commitment’ to democracy
May 11, 2018, at 02:28 pm
New York, May 11 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres congratulated the people of Malaysia on Thursday, following the peaceful holding of national and provincial elections, and praised voters for their “strong commitment” to the democratic process.
New UN agency guidelines aim to sustain forest benefits for future generations
May 11, 2018, at 02:19 pm
New York, May 11 (IBNS): New guidelines designed to give poor and isolated communities more of a say in how tropical forests are used and preserved around the world were published on Thursday, by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Complex and deadly new threats mean UN missions must adapt, argue Force Commanders
May 10, 2018, at 09:04 pm
New York, May 10 (IBNS): Evolving and increasingly deadly threats, together with deepening humanitarian crises mean that United Nations peacekeeping missions around the world need more support for ‘blue helmets’ on the ground, Force Commanders told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Honouring Second World War victims, UN chief calls neo-Nazism ‘a spreading cancer’
May 10, 2018, at 08:54 pm
New York, May 10 (IBNS): Paying tribute to all victims of the Second World War – on whose ashes the United Nations was founded – Secretary-General António Guterres described this year’s commemoration as more meaningful than any that has gone before.
'Uphold international humanitarian law' UN chief tells parties to Yemen conflict
May 10, 2018, at 08:52 pm
New York, May 10 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern on Wednesday over the “recent and sharp escalation” in the Yemen conflict, calling on all parties to make civilian protection a priority.
Libyans deserve justice, as war crime suspects remain at large: Prosecutor
May 10, 2018, at 08:51 pm
New York, May 10 (IBNS): Despite an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, a Libyan war crimes suspect remains at large and could have committed further murders, the ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Iran deal represents ‘significant verification gain’ – UN atomic energy chief
May 10, 2018, at 08:47 pm
New York, May 10 (IBNS): Speaking the day after the United States withdrew from an international agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme, the head of the United Nations atomic watchdog agency made it clear that Iran has consistently stuck to its commitments.
‘Gender-sensitive’ trade policies help empower East African women
May 10, 2018, at 08:45 pm
New York, May 10 (IBNS): Trade and employment laws which give women greater access to the economy across East Africa, can pave the way for more inclusive development and prosperity, according to a new report from the United Nations trade body.
State of emergency must be lifted for ‘credible elections’ in Turkey, says UN rights chief
May 10, 2018, at 08:44 pm
New York, May 10 (IBNS): Long-term restrictions on “freedoms of expression, assembly and association” are incompatible with the holding of “credible elections” in Turkey, said the United Nations human rights chief on Wednesday, calling on the Government to lift its extended state of emergency.
Lebanon elections ‘vital step’ in democracy-building: UN chief
May 10, 2018, at 08:43 pm
New York, May 10 (IBNS): Congratulating Lebanon on holding parliamentary elections on Sunday , United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on the country’s political leaders to work in "a spirit of unity".
Malaysia: 92-year-old Mahathir Mohamad set to become world's oldest leader
May 10, 2018, at 04:39 pm
Kuala Lumpur, May 10 (IBNS): At 92, Mahathir Mohamad is set to become the oldest leader in the world, after he registered a shock victory against his protege and former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Rival South Sudan leaders still ‘bent on armed confrontation’ – UN peacekeeping chief
May 09, 2018, at 02:34 pm
New York, May 9 (IBNS): The peace process in South Sudan is at a critical juncture while opposing sides allow themselves to get bogged down in arguments over ministerial quotas, the United Nations peacekeeping chief said on Tuesday, as the country prepares for a third round of regionally-backed peace talks.
‘Fabric of society’ at risk in Bosnia and Herzegovina, UN Security Council told
May 09, 2018, at 02:31 pm
New York, May 9 (IBNS): With elections looming, tensions across Bosnia and Herzegovina are rising alongside inflammatory rhetoric against the country’s long-standing peace agreement, a senior figure monitoring its implementation has warned.
UN chief ‘deeply concerned’ by US decision to exit Iran nuclear deal
May 09, 2018, at 02:28 pm
New York, May 9 (IBNS): Following a decision on Tuesday by the United States to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran, the United Nations chief said he was “deeply concerned” by the move, and called on all parties to preserve the deal.
Prevent terrorists profiting from cross-border crime, urges UN Security Council
May 09, 2018, at 02:26 pm
New York, May 9 (IBNS): The United Nations Security-Council on Tuesday called on all countries as well as international organizations to do more to stop terrorists enriching themselves through cross-border organized crime.
In Cuba, UN chief stresses Latin America’s courageous ‘development vision’
May 09, 2018, at 02:20 pm
New York, May 9 (IBNS): The United Nations chief on Tuesday highlighted the central role he hopes Latin America and the Caribbean region will play in ensuring “fair globalization” that leaves no one behind.
Smugglers see thousands of migrants in Yemen as ‘a commodity’, UN agency warns
May 09, 2018, at 02:14 pm
New York, May 9 (IBNS): With an estimated 7,000 migrants entering Yemen each month, most of them seeking to reach Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, the United Nations migration agency on Tuesday called for greater efforts to protect them from smugglers and other criminals.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari to visit London for health checkup today
May 08, 2018, at 10:06 pm
Abuja, May 8 (IBNS): Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari will arrive in London on Tuesday for a health checkup, officials said.
China: Former Communist leader Sun Zhengcai handed life term for taking bribes
May 08, 2018, at 05:31 pm
Beijing, May 8 (IBNS): A former Chinese Communist Party top brass has been given lifer for taking bribes.
May 08, 2018, at 01:46 pm
New York, May 8 (IBNS): Economies in the Asia-Pacific region registered robust growth in 2017 and prospects for this year look promising, the United Nations development arm in the region said, urging countries to take advantage of positive conditions and address underlying vulnerabilities.
UN chief denounces attack on village in north-west Nigeria
May 08, 2018, at 01:44 pm
New York, May 8 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned an attack this weekend on a village in the Nigerian province of Kaduna and underscored the need to hold the perpetrators to account.
‘Silence the guns’ urges UN disarmament chief as global week of action begins
May 08, 2018, at 01:40 pm
New York, May 8 (IBNS): The international community must present a united front against gun violence which kills nearly 250,000 each year and injures many more, said a senior United Nations official on Monday, marking the start of a Global Week of Action Against the scourge.
UN experts urges Poland to ensure unrestricted ‘civic space’ during climate talks
May 08, 2018, at 01:27 pm
New York, May 8 (IBNS): Poland’s new law designed to address safety concerns during the United Nations climate change conference to be held there later this year could infringe on the privacy of environmentalists and curtail their rights to protest peacefully, UN human rights experts said Monday.
Kansas bar shooter sentenced to life imprisonment for Srinivas Kuchibhotla's murder
May 05, 2018, at 06:51 pm
Olathe, Kansas, May 5 (IBNS) : The man who confessed to shooting and killing Srinivas Kuchibhotla, and Indian techie working in the US in an alleged hate crime at a Kansas bar last year, has been sentenced to life imprisonment, media reports said.
Turkey's President says over 4,300 terrorists neutralised since Operation Olive Branch
May 05, 2018, at 05:50 pm
Ankara, May 5 (IBNS): At least 4,376 militants have been neutralised since the launch of Operation Olive Branch by Turkish military, said country's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.
UN leaders vow to stamp out workplace sexual harassment
May 05, 2018, at 01:39 pm
New York, May 5 (IBNS): Leaders from across the UN system on Friday pledged to increase efforts to stamp out sexual harassment within their ranks; ensuring a zero-tolerance approach where abusers are held accountable, and staff feel safe to report incidents.
Ukraine: 200,000 children forced to learn in bullet-riddled classrooms
May 05, 2018, at 01:34 pm
New York, May 5 (IBNS): Some 200,000 girls and boys in eastern Ukraine are commuting to schools whose classroom walls are often riddled with bullets, and playgrounds scattered with metal remnants of war.
‘Bad’ fats targeted in new global health guidelines
May 05, 2018, at 01:31 pm
New York, May 5 (IBNS): People everywhere need to cut down on their consumption of artery-clogging fatty foods, the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging, in a new report released on Friday.
Children bear the brunt as violence escalates in Gaza - UNICEF
May 05, 2018, at 01:29 pm
New York, May 5 (IBNS): Highlighting the devastating impact of the humanitarian crisis and increasing violence on Gaza's children, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on all parties with influence on the ground to prioritize their protection.
Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupts, lava flows onto streets ; Evacuation of 1700 people on
May 04, 2018, at 06:21 pm
Honolulu, Hawaii, May 4 (IBNS) : Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano erupted on Friday (local Thursday), shooting off lava 100 feet high into the air and sending them down onto the streets as a mandatory evacuation drive is on for about 1,700 people living in the neighbourhood, media reports said.