Ban saddened at death of UN envoy Norman Girvan
Apr 11, 2014, at 07:03 pm
New York, Apr 11 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday voiced his deep sadness at the death of Norman Girvan of Jamaica, who had been his Personal Representative on the Border Controversy between Guyana and Venezuela since April 2010.
Syria: UN strongly condemns car bomb attacks in Homs
Apr 11, 2014, at 07:01 pm
New York, Apr 11 (IBNS): Speaking out strongly against Wednesday's deadly car bomb attacks on a busy shopping street in the Syrian city of Homs, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator said such brutality serves to remind us again of the contempt the parties to this conflict show for human life.
Sudan: UN urges support to prevent further food crisis
Apr 11, 2014, at 06:59 pm
New York, Apr 11 (IBNS): The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on Thursday called for urgent support for farmers and herders in Sudan in order to help prevent a further worsening of the food security situation in the country.
UNSC establishes peacekeeping mission in CAR
Apr 11, 2014, at 06:54 pm
New York, Apr 11 (IBNS): Deeply concerned about the deteriorating security situation and ongoing human rights abuses in the Central African Republic (CAR), the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday approved the establishment of a nearly 12,000-strong United Nations peacekeeping operation to protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian access in the war-torn country.
Iran: UN appeals for medical care of political prisoners
Apr 11, 2014, at 06:51 pm
New York, Apr 11 (IBNS): A group of independent United Nations human rights experts on Thursday voiced alarm at the denial of medical care to two political prisoners in Iran who are at risk of dying in detention due to worsening health conditions, and urged the authorities to provide them with treatment.
Ban joins campaign to get all children into school by 2015
Apr 11, 2014, at 06:48 pm
New York, Apr 11 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday joined a prominent roster of global leaders, campaigners and celebrities in Washington, D.C. to help launch a new worldwide campaign that aims to get 57 million children into school.
Around half million people murdered worldwide in 2012: UN
Apr 11, 2014, at 06:45 pm
New York, Apr 11 (IBNS): Almost half a million people across the world lost their lives in 2012 as a result of intentional homicide, with the highest murder rates logged in the Americas and Africa, and the lowest in Europe, Asia and Oceania, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports.
UN concerned over eviction of indigenous group in Cameroon
Apr 11, 2014, at 06:42 pm
New York, Apr 11 (IBNS): The independent United Nations experts dealing with the rights of minorities and of indigenous peoples on Thursday voiced their concern about the eviction and demolition of houses of the Mbororo pastoralist community in Cameroon, and urged a solution to their plight.
UN concerned by political violence in Burundi
Apr 11, 2014, at 06:32 pm
New York, Apr 11 (IBNS): The United Nations on Thursday called on the Government of Burundi to address ongoing political violence and restrictions on human rights, saying it is receiving "troubling" information about recent developments in the country.
UN establishes peacekeeping mission in CAR
Apr 11, 2014, at 03:23 am
New York, Apr 10 (IBNS): Deeply concerned about the deteriorating security situation and ongoing human rights abuses in the Central Africa Republic (CAR), the UN Security Council on Thursday approved the establishment of a nearly 12,000-strong United Nations peacekeeping operation to protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian access in the war-torn country.
China: Bus overturns in Hainan province , 8 killed
Apr 11, 2014, at 01:48 am
Haikou, Apr 10 (IBNS) At least eight students were killed and above 30 others were injured as a bus in which they were traveling was overturned at Hainan province in China on Thursday, media reports said.
UN provides aid to besieged Syrians in eastern Aleppo
Apr 10, 2014, at 05:21 pm
New York, Apr 10 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) said on Wednesday it managed to bring humanitarian aid to a besieged neighbourhood in eastern Aleppo, an area that had been cut off from assistance since last June.
UN urges DR Congo to end impunity for sexual violence
Apr 10, 2014, at 05:18 pm
New York, Apr 10 (IBNS): United Nations officials on Wednesday called on the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to step up the fight against impunity for rape and sexual violence, which remain widespread and largely unpunished despite some progress in holding perpetrators accountable.
UN launches joint talks on development partnerships
Apr 10, 2014, at 05:13 pm
New York, Apr 10 (IBNS): The United Nations took a major step on the road towards crafting a new, sustainability-focused agenda, as two of the Organization's main bodies - the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) - brought Member States together to weigh action-oriented solutions for mobilizing new and existing development partnerships.
South Sudan: UN reaffirms commitment to protect civilians
Apr 10, 2014, at 05:07 pm
New York, Apr 10 (IBNS): The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said on Wednesday that since the hostilities that erupted between the Government and opposition forces last December, an average of 75,000 civilians have found refuge from violence in UN bases across the country.
UN urges Lithuania to reverse political ban on ex-president
Apr 10, 2014, at 04:56 pm
New York, Apr 10 (IBNS): The United Nations expert body monitoring civil and political rights found on Wednesday that Lithuania violated the rights of its ex-president, Rolandas Paksas, by introducing a rule banning impeached officials from holding high office - just weeks after he had been removed from his post for abuse of power.
Syria: Ban condemns spiralling violence, urges end to conflict
Apr 09, 2014, at 05:11 pm
New York, Apr 9 (IBNS): Amid surging violence across Syria, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the killing of an elderly priest in Homs and the ongoing brutality against the civilian population, and urged all Syrians and their outside supporters to put a stop to this conflict, "now".
Europe: UN urges inclusion of Roma people in decision-making
Apr 09, 2014, at 05:04 pm
New York, Apr 9 (IBNS): On International Roma Day, the United Nations independent expert on minority issues is calling on all European countries and institutions to fully include Roma people in their decision-making processes at all levels.
New Zealand: UN concerned by arbitrary detention of Maoris
Apr 09, 2014, at 05:01 pm
New York, Apr 9 (IBNS): A United Nations human rights panel has voiced concerns about issues related to the deprivation of liberty in New Zealand, including the "disproportionate incarceration rates" of the Maori population, despite legal safeguards against arbitrary detention.
UN assists Syrians amidst fears of drought impact
Apr 09, 2014, at 04:57 pm
New York, Apr 9 (IBNS): While noting that the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) provided assistance to a record 4 million Syrians in March, a new report out on Tuesday highlights that, with only one month left in the rainy season, a potential drought may strain the country's already fragile food security situation.
Blast in Pakistan train kills 16
Apr 09, 2014, at 03:56 am
Sibi, Apr 8 (IBNS): At least 16 people were killed and several others were injured in a blast inside the bogie of Jaffer Express at Sibi Railway Station in Pakistan's Baluchistan province on Tuesday, media reports said.
UN condemns killing of two consultants in Somalia
Apr 08, 2014, at 07:15 pm
New York, Apr 8 (IBNS): Senior United Nations officials on Monday voiced outrage at the killing of two consultants working for the world body's arm dealing with drugs and crime who were shot by unknown gunmen in Somalia's Puntland region.
Kigali: Ban marks 20th anniversary of Rwandan genocide
Apr 08, 2014, at 07:03 pm
New York, Apr 8 (IBNS): Commemorating "one of the darkest chapters in human history," United Nations officials paid tribute this morning to the 800,000 men, women and children - overwhelmingly Tutsi, moderate Hutu and Twa - that were systematically killed 20 years ago in Rwanda, and urged the international community to work together and remain vigilant to prevent such atrocities from ever happening again.
UN forum to address challenges faced by world population
Apr 08, 2014, at 06:55 pm
New York, Apr 8 (IBNS): Member States on Monday kicked off a week-long assessment at United Nations Headquarters of action taken over the past 20 years to improve people's lives and address population issues amid changes in ageing, fertility, mortality, migration and urbanization.
UN urges states to sign treaty on migrant workers' rights
Apr 08, 2014, at 06:51 pm
New York, Apr 8 (IBNS): The expert members of the United Nations panel dealing with the rights of migrant workers and their families renewed on Monday their appeal to all countries to sign the international treaty on the rights of those workers, which went into effect almost 11 years ago.
UN launches response for flood-affected Solomon islands
Apr 08, 2014, at 06:47 pm
New York, Apr 8 (IBNS): The United Nations and its partners in the Pacific have begun deployments to Honiara on Monday in support of the Solomon Islands' Government response to what is considered to be "the worst floods ever seen in the country," killing at least 23 people and affecting another 50,000 across the country.
Crisis devastating economy, livelihoods in CAR: UN
Apr 08, 2014, at 06:40 pm
New York, Apr 8 (IBNS): The crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR) is devastating the economy and people's ability to secure basic necessities, says a new joint United Nations assessment, which warns that as the violence continues and the rains set in, providing the type of broad action needed to halt the country's downward spiral is becoming more difficult and expensive "with every passing day."
Philippines: UN seeks debt relief to support typhoon recovery
Apr 08, 2014, at 06:33 pm
New York, Apr 8 (IBNS): Voicing concern that the Philippines' post-typhoon reconstruction and recovery efforts could be undermined by its heavy debt load, a United Nations independent human rights expert on Monday issued a strong call on international creditors to cancel the country's debt and to provide unrestricted grant aid instead of new loans.
Cambodia: UN concerned over curbs affecting human rights
Apr 08, 2014, at 06:29 pm
New York, Apr 8 (IBNS): The United Nations independent expert on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, expressed concern on Monday that the country's National Assembly held its second session last week without the opposition representatives taking up their seat, and urged the legislature to upkeep the key principles of any law-making process: transparency, accountability and participation.
Pistorius apologises to girlfriend's family
Apr 08, 2014, at 06:09 am
Pretoria, Apr 7 (IBNS): Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius on Monday apologised to the family of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp who was shot dead last year.