Voices of indigenous peoples must be heard on issues affecting them, UN rights body told
Sep 18, 2014, at 03:17 pm
New York, Sept 18 (IBNS) The voices of indigenous peoples must be effectively heard and they must be consulted on issues that affect them, including rights to land and resources, the United Nations Human Rights Council heard on Wednesday.
Citing 'official obstruction,' UN body dealing with torture suspends Azerbaijan visit
Sep 18, 2014, at 03:16 pm
New York, Sept 18 (IBNS): A United Nations human rights body on Wednesday announced that it has decided to suspend its visit to Azerbaijan due to obstructions it encountered in carrying out its mandate under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, to which the south Caucasus country is a party.
UN deputy envoy welcomes reconciliation conference in southern Somalia
Sep 18, 2014, at 03:15 pm
New York, Sept 18 (IBNS) A senior United Nations official on Wednesday welcomed the opening of the Kismayo reconciliation conference in the southern Somali port town as a step towards strengthening the country and consolidating peace in the region.
Rajnath to attend SAARC Home Ministers' meet in Kathmandu
Sep 17, 2014, at 07:24 pm
New Delhi, Sept 17 (IBNS): Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will be attending the Sixth Meeting of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Ministers of Interior / Home to be held in Nepal on September 19.
Forced displacement in Somalia shows '‘no signs of easing,' UN agency warns
Sep 17, 2014, at 03:02 pm
New York, Sept 17 (IBNS) Alarming circumstances such as forced evictions, drought, conflict and lack of livelihood have forced over 130,000 people from their homes in Somalia so far this year, with the majority being internally displaced, warned the United Nations refugee agency on Tuesday.
Middle East: UN envoy announces deal on reconstruction in Gaza
Sep 17, 2014, at 03:02 pm
New York, Sept 17 (IBNS) With the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire holding in the Gaza Strip, the United Nations has reached agreement with Israel and Palestinian Authority on a new reconstruction mechanism for the enclave as "an important step" in the right direction to kick start recovery and rehabilitation and give hope to the people there, a senior UN envoy announced on Tuesday.
Post-2015 development agenda takes centre stage as General Assembly's 69th session opens
Sep 17, 2014, at 03:01 pm
New York, Sept 17 (IBNS) The United Nations General Assembly opened its 69th annual session on Tuesday with the body's new President declaring that it would be a historic opportunity to formulate a post-2015 development agenda that is transformative, brings tangible results in fighting poverty, and leads to improving lives of all people.
World hunger falls, but number of undernourished remains 'unacceptably high' – joint UN repor
Sep 17, 2014, at 02:58 pm
New York, Sept 17 (IBNS) More than 800 million people – or one in every nine on the planet – suffer from hunger, but a new joint UN agency report released on Tuesday stated that the Millennium Development Goal of halving the proportion of undernourished people by 2015 is still within reach.
UN rights office urges review of Malaysia's colonial-era Sedition Act
Sep 17, 2014, at 03:49 am
New York, Sept 16 (IBNS) The United Nations human rights office on Tuesday urged Malaysian authorities to immediately stop investigations and prosecutions under a 1948 law that curbed free speech and freedom of expression in the South-east Asian nation.
UN rights office urges impartial probe into killing of protesters in Yemeni capital
Sep 17, 2014, at 03:45 am
New York, Sept 16 (IBNS) The United Nations human rights office on Tuesday called on Yemeni officials to conduct an "independent, prompt and effective investigation" into the killing earlier this month of nine protesters in the capital, Sana'a.
U.S. military conducts airstrikes against ISIL
Sep 17, 2014, at 03:08 am
Tampa, Sept 16 (IBNS) The USA has said military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Iraq, employing attack and fighter aircraft to conduct two airstrikes Sunday and Monday in support of Iraqi Security Forces near Sinjar and southwest of Baghdad.
President commends post-2015 agenda progress as General Assembly concludes 68th session
Sep 16, 2014, at 02:17 pm
New York, Sept 16 (IBNS) Closing the current session in the newly-renovated General Assembly Hall, President John Ashe on Monday expressed gratitude to Member States for their cooperation in focusing on perhaps the biggest generational challenge of the United Nations: crafting an inclusive, participatory, people centred post-2015 development agenda.
UN labour agency partners with retailer H&M on social sustainability
Sep 16, 2014, at 02:16 pm
New York, Sept 16 (IBNS) The United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) on Monday announced a unique partnership with retail giant H&M to promote sustainable global supply chains in the garment industry.
UN urges young people to engage in democracy – and for politicians to engage youth
Sep 16, 2014, at 02:15 pm
New York, Sept 16 (IBNS) The United Nations on Monday marked the annual International Day of Democracy with calls on young people to lead a major push for inclusive democracy around the world.
Libya closer to brink of protracted conflict and strife, UN envoy warns
Sep 16, 2014, at 02:07 pm
New York, Sept 16 (IBNS) Three years after the fall of their former regime, the Libyan people find themselves nowhere closer to realizing their hopes and aspirations for a better future, the top UN official in Libya said on Monday, noting the urgency to take advantage of a "small window of opportunity."
Nuclear programmes of DPR Korea, Iran remain 'serious concern' – UN official
Sep 16, 2014, at 02:04 pm
New York, Sept 16 (IBNS): The nuclear programmes of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Iran remain matters of serious concern, the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said on Monday, as he called on both countries to cooperate fully to clear up outstanding issues.
UN rights office hails ratification of disability convention by 150 States as 'major milestone'
Sep 16, 2014, at 01:57 pm
New York, Sept 16 (IBNS) Guyana became the latest country to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which is widely regarded as the first international human rights treaty of the twenty-first century and one of the fastest to be ratified.
Malta ship sinking claims 500 lives: IOM
Sep 16, 2014, at 05:59 am
Geneva, Sept 15 (IBNS): About 500 people are feared dead after their ship was rammed by another boat near Malta coast last week, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said on Monday.
UN humanitarian chief urges sustained funding to assist millions of Iraqis in need
Sep 15, 2014, at 03:53 pm
New York, Sept 15 (IBNS) Sustained funding and support will be vital if the United Nations and its partners are to continue assisting the millions of Iraqis affected by the ongoing crisis in the country, particularly as winter approaches, the world body's top humanitarian official said on Sunday.
Ban strongly condemns latest attack on UN peacekeepers in Mali
Sep 15, 2014, at 03:51 pm
New York, Sept 15 (IBNS) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday strongly condemned an attack on a military vehicle of the United Nations mission in Mali that resulted in the death of a Chadian peacekeeper and left four other troops wounded.
Security Council deplores 'heinous' murder of British aid worker by Islamic militants
Sep 15, 2014, at 03:49 pm
New York, Sept 15 (IBNS) Members of the United Nations Security Council on Sunday strongly condemned the "heinous and cowardly" murder of David Haines, a British humanitarian aid worker, by the armed group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
ISIS releases video showing beheading of British hostage
Sep 14, 2014, at 04:59 pm
Baghdad, Sept 14 (IBNS): Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has released a video message targeting the British government and "Allies of America" where they show the beheading of British aid worker David Haines.
Ban appoints new UN envoy for West Africa
Sep 13, 2014, at 03:12 pm
New York, Sept 13 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Mohammed Ibn Chambas as his Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA).
On International Day, UN urges efforts to support South-South cooperation
Sep 13, 2014, at 03:11 pm
New York, Sept 13 (IBNS) Cooperation between and among developing countries offers a path to balancing growth and equity, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Friday, marking the United Nations Day of South-South cooperation with a call to encourage – and learn from – emerging partners in the global South to promote prosperity for all.
Colombian women's network receives annual UN refugee award
Sep 13, 2014, at 03:09 pm
New York, Sept 13 (IBNS) A Colombian women's rights group, whose members put their lives on the line to assist survivors of forced displacement and sexual abuse, is this year's winner of a prestigious award presented by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
UN-organized tsunami exercise shows Indian Ocean region now 'better prepared'
Sep 13, 2014, at 03:08 pm
New York, Sept 13 (IBNS) A decade after the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster, which killed nearly 250,000 people and left an arc of devastation across 12 countries, a warning system devised by the United Nations to assess communications flows and readiness procedures throughout the region is functioning "effectively," the world body has announced after a two-day simulation exercise.
UN rights official cites 'clear need' for vigilance on issue of privacy in digital age
Sep 13, 2014, at 03:07 pm
New York, Sept 13 (IBNS) Stating that the digital age has opened the door to emancipation for millions and has been perhaps the greatest liberation movement the world has ever known, a senior United Nations human rights official warned on Friday that digital platforms have sparked troubling concerns about the right to privacy, especially their vulnerability to surveillance, interception and data collection.
Ukraine: UN agency launches emergency food aid operation in country's east
Sep 13, 2014, at 03:06 pm
New York, Sept 13 (IBNS) The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is rolling out its first operation in Ukraine, providing food assistance to vulnerable people affected by the conflict with distributions in transit centres and public shelters in Donetsk and Luhansk in the country's east.
Australia raises terror alert level
Sep 12, 2014, at 04:39 pm
Canberra, Sept 12 (IBNS): Australia on Friday increased the terrorism threat level in the country from medium to high.
New UN envoy for Syria meets President, senior ministers in Damascus
Sep 12, 2014, at 04:02 pm
New York, Sept 12 (IBNS) On his first visit to Syria since being appointed United Nations Special Envoy for that country, Staffan de Mistura met with President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Thursday .