‘Put an end to the death penalty now’, urges Guterres, marking World Day
Oct 11, 2018, at 07:59 am
New York, Oct 11 (IBNS): Progress made toward eliminating the death penalty has been “marred by setbacks,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in a statement on Wednesday, marking the 16th World Day Against the Death Penalty.
Kenya bus crash leaves 50 dead
Oct 10, 2018, at 05:12 pm
Nairobi, Oct 10 (IBNS): A bus crashed in Kenya and left at least 50 people killed on Wednesday, media reports said.
Former Guatemalan Vice President Roxana Baldetti sentenced to prison in 'Magic Water' scandal
Oct 10, 2018, at 01:15 pm
Guatemala City, Oct 10 (IBNS): Disgraced former Guatemalan Vice President Roxana Baldetti has been sentenced to 15- and -half years in prison after a national court found her guilty in the 'Magic Water' scandal.
Oct 10, 2018, at 09:49 am
New York, Oct 10 (IBNS): With the help of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), Colombia is showing “extraordinary solidarity” towards Venezuelans displaced amid the country’s on-going economic and political crisis, said agency chief, Filippo Grandi on Tuesday.
Oct 10, 2018, at 09:47 am
New York, Oct 10 (IBNS): Efforts to assist the tens of millions who’ve been forced from their homes are being increasingly constrained by severely limited funds, a new report from the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has warned, urging greater international attention and support.
First South Sudan river convoy in five years, delivers UN aid to remote areas
Oct 10, 2018, at 09:42 am
New York, Oct 10 (IBNS): For the first time since civil war erupted in South Sudan in 2013, a United Nations food convoy has managed to deliver thousands of tonnes of aid by river, to people in seven hard-to-reach locations, saving millions of dollars on costly aid flights.
Venezuela prisons ‘beyond monstrous’, UN warns, highlighting plight of Colombian detainees
Oct 10, 2018, at 09:36 am
New York, Oct 10 (IBNS): Conditions in Venezuela’s prisons are “beyond monstrous”, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday, before calling for an independent and transparent investigation into the death of a leading political opponent of the Government.
Killing and rape of Bulgarian investigative reporter is an ‘outrage’ - UNESCO chief
Oct 10, 2018, at 09:31 am
New York, Oct 10 (IBNS): The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), has condemned the “brutal” killing of investigative reporter Victoria Marinova, whose body was found on Saturday in the Bulgarian city of Ruse, bearing signs of suffocation and sexual assault.
Oct 10, 2018, at 09:28 am
New York, Oct 10 (IBNS): The “apparent enforced disappearance” of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi who was last seen reportedly visiting his country’s consulate in Istanbul last week, requires a full investigation involving both Turkey and Saudi Arabia, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.
Oct 10, 2018, at 09:22 am
New York, Oct 10 (IBNS): North Korea’s humanitarian situation remains dire, with widespread chronic food insecurity and malnutrition, the United Nations emergency food relief agency has warned, urging greater and sustained funding for its aid operations there.
Japan: Zookeeper mauled to death by rare white tiger
Oct 09, 2018, at 01:10 pm
Tokyo, Oct 9 (IBNS): A rare white tiger killed a zookeeper in its enclosure in a zoo in Japan, reports said.
Google decides to shut down Google+ after users' personal data exposed
Oct 09, 2018, at 09:55 am
New York, Oct 9 (IBNS): Internet search engine Google on Monday announced that it has decided to shut down social network Google+ for consumers.
UN recognizes postal service as ‘a true partner for all’ delivering good to the world
Oct 09, 2018, at 09:05 am
New York, Oct 9 (IBNS): Marking World Post Day, top United Nations officials highlighted the importance of the postal sector not just for delivering mail but also “delivering good to the world”.
Bullying: Protection for children is a ‘fundamental human right’ says top UN advocate
Oct 09, 2018, at 09:02 am
New York, Oct 9 (IBNS): Around 130 million, or one-in-three children worldwide, experience some form of bullying, the United Nations stated on Monday, in its latest report on how children can be better-protected. This form of violence has long-lasting and direct consequences for their health, school performance and overall well-being.
Oct 09, 2018, at 08:58 am
New York, Oct 9 (IBNS): The constantly-evolving ‘nexus’ between crime and terrorism, ranging from simple deals to complex symbiotic relationships, demands greater understanding to break the illicit flow of black-market cash across borders, a United Nations meeting heard on Monday.
Cutting-edge tech a ‘double-edged sword for developing countries’: UN report
Oct 09, 2018, at 08:54 am
New York, Oct 9 (IBNS): The latest technological advances, from artificial intelligence to electric cars, can be a “double-edged sword”, says the latest UN World Economic and Social Survey (WESS 2018), released on Monday.
Oct 09, 2018, at 08:42 am
New York, Oct 9 (IBNS): Putting the latest peace deal into real effect across South Sudan, must include addressing “in a stronger manner, the challenges facing women and girls”, said the UN’s leading voice for gender-equality, who is part of a joint United Nations-African Union delegation to the country this week.
Nordhaus, Romer get Nobel Prize in Economics
Oct 08, 2018, at 04:05 pm
Oslo, Oct 8 (IBNS): In a significant announcement, the Nobel Prize in Economics was given to William Nordhaus for his work on climate economics and Paul Romer for his work on the endogenous growth theory on Monday.
Brazil vote: Far right Bolsonaro wins first round, to lock horns with Haddad in second
Oct 08, 2018, at 02:55 pm
Brasilia, Oct 8 (IBNS): Brazil's far right candidate Jair Bolsonaro won the first round of votes in the presidential polls, surging ahead of closest rival Fernando Haddad by over 16 percent votes.
Oct 08, 2018, at 09:21 am
New York, Oct 8 (IBNS): Senior United Nations officials on Sunday called for stronger joint humanitarian and development interventions in Chad as the crisis-riven central African country as it tackles poverty, displacement, malnutrition, and lack of access to basic social services.
Journalist Jamal Khashoggi killed in Saudi consulate, claims Turkey
Oct 07, 2018, at 09:03 pm
Istanbul, Oct 7 (IBNS): Turkish officials have claimed that Washington Post writer Jamal Khashoggi is feared to have been killed.
Oct 07, 2018, at 05:08 pm
New York, Oct 7 (IBNS): The top United Nations relief and development officials on Saturday called for national and international partners to step up support for humanitarian efforts in north-eastern Nigeria and help millions of people rebuild their lives in the region that has been ravaged by Boko Haram’s near decade-long insurgency.
In DR Congo, UN Security Council says December polls are ‘historic opportunity’ for country
Oct 07, 2018, at 04:45 pm
New York, Oct 7 (IBNS): The United Nations Security Council wrapped up on Saturday a two-day mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where the body’s 15 members pledged to support the process in the run-up to long-delayed elections, set for late December, and called for the polls to be credible and peaceful.
Japan's famous Tsukiji market closes, fish vendors relocate
Oct 06, 2018, at 11:41 am
Tokyo, Oct 6 (IBNS): Ending an era of fish vending in one of Japan's most popular tourist attraction site, the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo held its pre-dawn tuna auction for one final time before relocating to a new place.
Concern rising over fate of Rohingya refugees sent home by India: UNHCR
Oct 06, 2018, at 07:38 am
New York, Oct 6 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has voiced ‘great concern’ for the safety and security of seven Rohingya men who have been sent home by Indian authorities, after reportedly being denied access to lawyers, or full consideration of their asylum applications.
Execution of juvenile offender in Iran ‘deeply distressing’ – UN rights chief
Oct 06, 2018, at 07:36 am
New York, Oct 6 (IBNS): Denouncing the execution of a juvenile offender in Iran, whose trial was also reportedly marred by irregularities, the top United Nations human rights official has called on the country to end the use of the death penalty for those under-18, in line with its obligations under international law.
Access still an obstacle to reaching stricken communities on Indonesian island: UN agencies
Oct 06, 2018, at 07:33 am
New York, Oct 6 (IBNS): Aid is getting through to victims of last Friday’s deadly earthquake and tsunami, which struck the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, but stricken communities are still in dire need, UN aid agencies said on Friday.
Idea of ‘homogenous’ Polish culture is a myth: UN human rights expert
Oct 06, 2018, at 07:31 am
New York, Oct 6 (IBNS): An independent UN rights expert has accused the Polish Government of disseminating the “myth” of a “homogenous” Polish culture, in a statement released on Friday.
Nobel Peace Prize goes to UN Goodwill Ambassador and Congolese doctor, highlighting sexual violence
Oct 06, 2018, at 07:27 am
New York, Oct 6 (IBNS): Nadia Murad, a Yazidi rights activist and the first Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and Denis Mukwege, a gynecologist who helps victims of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), were awarded the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday.
Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege awarded Nobel peace prize
Oct 05, 2018, at 03:27 pm
Oslo, Oct 5 (IBNS): Campaigners against rape in warfare Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege have been awarded the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize.