World food prices hit lowest level in almost seven years: FAO
Sep 11, 2015, at 03:22 pm
New York, Sept 11 (IBNS): The price of major food commodities continued to drop through August due to abundant supplies, a decline in energy prices and concerns over the economic slowdown in China, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported on Wednesday.
Liberia making progress on numerous fronts, UN official tells Security Council
Sep 11, 2015, at 03:21 pm
New York, Sept 11 (IBNS): Liberia is working hard to build institutions, pass legislation and put in place mechanisms that will enable it to maintain stability without the presence of a peacekeeping force, the head of United Nations peacekeeping told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Darfur: UN humanitarian officials deplore fatal attack on health workers
Sep 11, 2015, at 03:19 pm
New York, Sept 11 (IBNS): United Nations humanitarian officials in Sudan have strongly condemned an attack carried out against health workers who were returning from a routine mission in West Darfur.
Global nuclear-test ban urgently needed for safer, more secure world: UN officials
Sep 11, 2015, at 03:18 pm
New York, Sept 11 (IBNS): Top United Nations officials on Wednesday highlighted the existential threat posed by nuclear testing, and called for all States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify the international treaty that seeks to achieve a ban on such testing.
UN envoy unveils plan to get 1 million Syrian children in school in 21 days
Sep 11, 2015, at 03:17 pm
New York, Sept 11 (IBNS): With more than 4 million children having left Syria – half of them for Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey – in a "crisis of biblical proportions," the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education on Wednesday said $250 million could get 1 million refugee children in school by the time the UN General Assembly meets later this month.
Rise in global tourism continues, despite concerns over safety and security: UN
Sep 11, 2015, at 03:15 pm
New York, Sept 11 (IBNS): International tourism figures grew by four per cent in the first half of 2015, an increase of 21 million when compared to the same period last year, the United Nations said on Wednesday.
Flags of non-member observer States to fly at UN offices
Sep 11, 2015, at 03:14 pm
New York, Sept 11 (IBNS): The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday decided that the flags of non-member observer States shall be raised at the world body’s headquarters and offices following the flags of its 193 Member States.
Syria: Ban promises establishment of chemical weapons accountability probe
Sep 11, 2015, at 03:12 pm
New York, Sept 11 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday welcomed the United Nations Security Council’s authorization to set up an investigative mechanism to identify who is responsible for the use of chemical weapons in Syria, promising its "speedy establishment" and urging full cooperation by all parties in Syria.
Libya: Security Council urges parties to finalize political accord
Sep 11, 2015, at 03:11 pm
New York, Sept 11 (IBNS): The Security Council on Wednesday extended the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) until 15 March 2016, while underscoring that there can be no military solution to the ongoing political crisis.
UN envoy on Yemen welcomes commitment of parties to upcoming peace talks
Sep 11, 2015, at 03:09 pm
New York, Sept 11 (IBNS): The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen on Wednesday welcomed the commitment of the Government, the Houthis and the General People's Congress to participate in peace talks that he will convene in the region next week.
Child mortality rates plunge by more than half since 1990: UN report
Sep 10, 2015, at 02:28 pm
New York, Sep 10 (IBNS): Child mortality rates have plummeted to less than half of what they were in 1990, but it is not enough to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of a two-thirds reduction over the past 15 years, according to a new report released on Wednesday by a number of United Nations agencies.
Relations on Korean peninsula 'taking a new turn,' says UN rights expert
Sep 10, 2015, at 02:26 pm
New York, Sep 10 (IBNS): At the end of a five-day visit to the Republic of Korea, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Wednesday that the relationship between the two countries is "taking a new turn."
South Sudan: UN agencies boost effort to avoid loss of young children's lives
Sep 10, 2015, at 02:25 pm
New York, Sep 10 (IBNS): Two United Nations agencies are intensifying their efforts to reverse "dire" malnutrition in South Sudan, where every two minutes another child becomes severely malnourished and brutal conflict has displaced millions of people, destroyed basic services and increased disease.
Watch the historic moment when UN adopts 'charter for people and planet': UN official
Sep 10, 2015, at 02:21 pm
New York, Sep 10 (IBNS): The top United Nations official who oversaw the negotiations that whittled down more than 500 proposals into 17 goals to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice and tackle climate change says it will be a "historic moment" when world leaders formally commit to the Sustainable Development Goals later this month.
Peace 'a distant dream' without development, UN high-level forum told
Sep 10, 2015, at 02:18 pm
New York, Sep 10 (IBNS): United Nations officials on Wednesday shared a common message that building a culture of peace means not just ending conflict but building inclusive societies that are able to develop and thrive in the absence of discrimination.
UN envoy urges constructive steps for Palestinian unity
Sep 10, 2015, at 02:17 pm
New York, Sep 10 (IBNS): The United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process urged all Palestinian leaders and factions to use the opportunity provided by the postponement of the meeting of the Palestine National Council to take constructive steps towards achieving unity.
Women must be empowered to counter terrorism and extremism: UN official
Sep 10, 2015, at 02:15 pm
New York, Sep 10 (IBNS): Increased attention needs to be given to women so they can be empowered to actively help counter terrorism and violent extremism around the world, a senior United Nations counter-terrorism official told a news conference in New York on Wednesday.
Mexico: UN experts welcome report on disappeared, executed and tortured students
Sep 10, 2015, at 02:14 pm
New York, Sep 10 (IBNS): A group of United Nations human rights experts on Wednesday welcomed a new report on the enforced disappearances, executions and torture of students from Ayotzinapa in the Mexican state of Guerrero in September 2014, and stressed the need for the national Government to implement its recommendations.
WHO warns Ebola outbreak in West Africa has 'a very nasty sting in its tail'
Sep 10, 2015, at 02:12 pm
New York, Sep 10 (IBNS):The United Nations health agency's special envoy on Ebola response on Tuesday said the outbreak in West Africa has a "very nasty sting in its tail," but projected that the goal of zero transmission in the human population remains "very possible within 2015."
Secretary-General discusses refugee, migrant crisis with UK Prime Minister
Sep 10, 2015, at 02:10 pm
New York, Sep 10 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday discussed the refugee and migrant crisis with Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom, as he continued to confer with European leaders on what has become the biggest influx of people into the continent in decades.
Queen Elizabeth II becomes Britain's longest-reigning monarch
Sep 10, 2015, at 12:28 am
London, Sept 9 (IBNS): Queen Elizabeth II has become the longest serving Monarch of Britain.
Literacy for all must stand at the heart of development agenda: UNESCO chief
Sep 09, 2015, at 03:22 pm
New York, Sep 9 (IBNS): Urging governments and partners to join forces for universal literacy as a key component of “the future we want,†the United Nations is emphasizing that literacy is essential to reach the newly-proposed Sustainable Development Goal on promoting inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all.
Close to 8,000 people killed in eastern Ukraine: UN report
Sep 09, 2015, at 03:21 pm
New York, Sep 9 (IBNS): Close to 8,000 people have lost their lives in eastern Ukraine since mid-April 2014, according to the latest report by the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in the country which was released on Tuesday.
Refugees have to be dealt with as human beings, stresses UN official
Sep 09, 2015, at 03:19 pm
New York, Sep 9 (IBNS): Refugees have to be dealt with as human beings, and the broader migrant community, including economic migrants, cannot be dismissed "with a wave of the hand," the top United Nations official dealing with migration said on Tuesday.
UN envoy says it is now time to have 'a real discussion' to end Syrian conflict
Sep 09, 2015, at 03:17 pm
New York, Sep 9 (IBNS): The United Nations Special Envoy on Syria on Tuesday said the images of the drowned Syrian toddler wearing a red shirt and blue shorts lying face down on a Turkish beach should be a wake-up call to the world that "there is no more time for long political processes," and it is now time to have "a real discussion" to end the conflict.
Ten years on, responsibility to protect must be more than words: UN officials
Sep 09, 2015, at 03:15 pm
New York, Sep 9 (IBNS): Citing numerous crises around the world, including in Syria, Yemen and South Sudan, United Nations officials on Tuesday stressed that the principle of ‘responsibility to protect’ endorsed by leaders a decade ago must be translated into action and more done to provide real protection for people in dire need.
UN human rights chief deplores continuing civil society crackdown in Azerbaijan
Sep 09, 2015, at 03:13 pm
New York, Sep 9 (IBNS): Condemning the recent imprisonment of journalist and human rights activist Khadija Ismayilova, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights voiced his concern on Tuesday over the ongoing targeting and suppression of civil society and independent voices in Azerbaijan.
UN peacekeeping chief announces weapons-free zone in Central African town
Sep 09, 2015, at 03:12 pm
New York, Sep 9 (IBNS): The United Nations has established a weapons-free zone in the town of Bambari in the Central African Republic (CAR), the world body’s peacekeeping chief announced on Tuesday at the end of a four-day visit to the country.
Mostly female anti-poaching unit from South Africa wins UN environmental prize
Sep 09, 2015, at 03:11 pm
New York, Sep 9 (IBNS): The Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit, a South African ranger group consisting mostly of women, has been named as one of the winners of the top United Nations environmental prize.
Israeli demolition orders boost vulnerability of West Bank Palestinians: UN
Sep 09, 2015, at 03:09 pm
New York, Sep 9 (IBNS): A new United Nations report shows that, according to official data released by the Israeli authorities, more than 11,000 demolition orders are currently outstanding in the 60 per cent of the West Bank over which Israel still retains direct control – known as Area C.