UN agencies ready to support Government-led relief efforts in quake-hit South Asia

Oct 27, 2015, at 02:39 pm

New York, Oct 27 (IBNS): United Nations agencies are mobilizing and stand ready to support Government-led relief operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday, adding that his thoughts are with the people of the two countries after a powerful earthquake struck Badakshan province in Afghanistan.

UN condemns attack in Afghanistan that killed two, injured six

Oct 27, 2015, at 02:03 pm

New York, Oct 27 (IBNS): The top UN official in Afghanistan has condemned the killing of two human rights workers on Monday by a remote-controlled explosive device in the eastern city of Jalalabad, saying "the climate of fear created by such attacks, threatens vital human rights work" being carried out throughout the country.

Afghanistan: Blast kills 2 AIHRC officials killed

Oct 26, 2015, at 11:45 pm

Kabul, Oct 26 (IBNS): A bomb blast in Afghanistan's Jalalabad area left two officials of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), media reports said.

Dhaka: 1 killed in homemade bomb explosions

Oct 24, 2015, at 04:10 pm

Dhaka, Oct 24 (IBNS): At least one person as killed in homemade bomb explosions in old Dhaka on Saturday, media reports said.

Ban condemns terrorist attacks in Pakistan on religious holiday

Oct 24, 2015, at 02:51 pm

New York, Oct 24 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned Friday's bombing of a procession of worshippers marking the Shia religious holiday of Ashura in Jacobabad, and the recent terrorist attacks in the Pakistani provinces of Balochistan and Sindh.

Six months after earthquake, Nepal racing against winter: UN relief official

Oct 24, 2015, at 02:49 pm

New York, Oct 24 (IBNS): As winter approaches, the top United Nations humanitarian official for Nepal on Friday stressed that shelter and food remain top priorities six months after the devastating earthquakes that shook the country in April.

Pakistan: Suicide attack kills 12

Oct 24, 2015, at 02:48 am

Jacobabad, Oct 23 (IBNS): At least 12 people were killed in a suicide attack which targeted a Muharram procession near Shershah Haveli in Jacobabad's Lashari Mohalla Friday, media reports said.

UN relief wing races against time to reach isolated areas of Nepal

Oct 21, 2015, at 04:32 pm

New York, Oct 21 (IBNS): As the approaching winter has left a small time window for aid workers to reach earthquake-hit, high-altitude areas in Nepal, the United Nations humanitarian wing and its partners are racing against the clock to ensure timely delivery of food and shelter supplies to the isolated communities.

Pakistan: Explosion in bus kills 11

Oct 20, 2015, at 06:14 am

Quetta, Oct 20 (IBNS): An explosion in a bus in Pakistan's Quetta city killed at least 11 people on Monday, media reports said.

Despite calm in Kunduz, conditions for humanitarian assistance not yet restored: UN

Oct 16, 2015, at 01:17 pm

New York, Oct 16 (IBNS): While reports indicate that Kunduz city centre in northeast Afghanistan remains relatively quiet, with sporadic fighting taking place on the outskirts, full conditions for the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance have not yet been restored, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Stuck in Pakistan for 11 years, Geeta recognises family, to return soon

Oct 15, 2015, at 05:48 pm

Karachi/New Delhi, Oct 15 (IBNS) Geeta, a deaf and mute Indian woman, who has been stranded in Pakistan for 11 years after accidentally crossing the border, is likely to be flown home soon, media reports said.

After six years on the rise, Afghan opium crop cultivation declines: UN survey

Oct 15, 2015, at 03:08 pm

New York, Oct 15 (IBNS): Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan decreased 19 per cent in 2015, compared to the previous year, according to the latest Afghanistan Opium Survey figures released on Wednesday by the Afghan Ministry of Counter Narcotics and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Suicide attack in Pakistan's PML-N MNA's office kills 7

Oct 15, 2015, at 12:39 am

Islamabad, Oct 14 (IBNS): At least seven people were killed as a suicide bomber blew up his explosives at the office of Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Amjad Farooq Khosa in Pakistan's Dera Ghazi Khan district on Wednesday, media reports said.

UN mission concerned by Taliban threats against Afghan media outlets

Oct 14, 2015, at 01:49 pm

New York, Oct 14 (IBNS): Expressing serious concerns at recent statements made from the Taliban that identified specific Afghan media outlets and its staff as targets, the United Nations Assistance Mission in the country (UNAMA) on Tuesday urged all parties to the conflict to respect and protect the right to freedom of expression.

UN relief official urges action to address urgent needs in Afghanistan and Pakistan

Oct 14, 2015, at 01:32 pm

New York, Oct 14 (IBNS): The head of Operations at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), John Ging, called on Tuesday for renewed international commitment to address urgent humanitarian needs, and to shore up regional peace and stability in Afghanistan and Pakistan, noting that the two countries were on differing humanitarian trajectories.

Pakistan: Landslide buries shanties in Karachi, 13 killed

Oct 13, 2015, at 10:39 pm

Karachi, Oct 13 (IBNS): AT least 13 people were killed in a landslide that buried shanties in Gulsitan-e-Jauhar area here on Tuesday, media reports said.

Afghanistan: UN urges prompt investigation into murder of mission staff member

Oct 13, 2015, at 02:23 pm

New York, Oct 13 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is deeply troubled and saddened over Monday's killing in Kandahar of Toorpaki Ulfat, a staff member of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

Nepal: Experts begin post-disaster work at damaged UNESCO heritage sites

Oct 09, 2015, at 02:54 pm

New York, Oct 9 (IBNS): International and national experts from the Nepalese Department of Archaeology and an archaeological team from Durham University have begun post-disaster excavation surveys and rescue excavations at earthquake damaged UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal.

Shahadat send to 3-day remand by Bangladesh court

Oct 08, 2015, at 08:47 pm

Dhaka, Oct 8 (IBNS): A Bangladesh court on Thursday sent cricketer Shahadat Hossain to three- day custody in connection with the case on torturing a domestic help.

UN refugee official calls for renewed international focus on Afghanistan

Oct 08, 2015, at 01:21 pm

New York, Oct 8 (IBNS): The United Nations’ most senior refugee official is appealing to the international community to refocus its attention on Afghanistan, warning that it would be dangerous to ignore the country, and praised Iran and Pakistan for hosting so many Afghan refugees.

No humanitarian agencies left in Afghan city of Kunduz after bombing: UN

Oct 07, 2015, at 02:01 pm

New York, Oct 7 (IBNS): There are currently no humanitarian agencies left in Kunduz, the north-eastern Afghan city where an air strike hit the Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) hospital, causing the deaths and injuries of medical personnel, patients and other civilians, the United Nations said on Tuesday.

JMB leader killed in grenade blast

Oct 07, 2015, at 12:15 am

Dhaka, Oct 6 (IBNS): Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) leader Mohammed Javed was killed in a grenade blast on Tuesday, media reports said.

No IS in Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina

Oct 04, 2015, at 11:20 pm

Dhaka, Oct 4 (IBNS): Amid reports of IS involvements in the killings of two foreign nationals in Bangladesh, country's PM Sheikh Hasina rejected the presence of the militant group in the Asian nation.

Afghanistan: UN strongly condemns 'tragic, inexcusable' Kunduz hospital airstrike

Oct 04, 2015, at 10:36 pm

New York, Oct 4 (IBNS) Senior United Nations officials on Saturday condemned what they called a “tragic” and “inexcusable” air strike on the Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) hospital in Kunduz, a city in northern Afghanistan, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of medical personnel, patients and other civilians.

Afghanistan: US raid on Kunduz hospital kills 9

Oct 04, 2015, at 01:12 am

Kunduz City, Oct 3 (IBNS) A US airstrike has left nine people killed in Médecins Sans Frontières' (MSF) hospital in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province on Saturday,media reports said.

Sheikh Hasina returns to Bangladesh

Oct 03, 2015, at 08:56 pm

Dhaka, Oct 3 (IBNS): Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina on Saturday returned to India after completing her visit to the US.

Japanese national shot dead in Bangladesh

Oct 03, 2015, at 08:35 pm

Dhaka, Oct 3 (IBNS): Unknown miscreants have shot dead a Japanese national in Rangpur district of Bangladesh, media reports said on Saturday.

Gandhi's dedication to non-violence still remains example for all: UN chief

Oct 03, 2015, at 02:26 pm

New York, Oct 3 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday called for a renewal of the commitment to non-violence and lives of dignity for all, noting that the example set by Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi is relevant now as it has ever been.

Independent UN rights experts renew appeal to Pakistan to end death penalty

Oct 03, 2015, at 02:13 pm

New York, Oct 3 (IBNS): A group of independent United Nations human rights experts on Friday reiterated their call on Pakistan to reinstate a moratorium on the death penalty and investigate cases where uncertain age determination processes have resulted in children being sentenced to death.

Nepalese Minister calls for enhanced partnerships to address global challenges

Oct 02, 2015, at 03:55 pm

New York, Oct 2 (IBNS): Noting that the number of least developed countries (LDCs) has grown from 25 to 48 since 1971, with only four countries "graduating" from this status, the Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal on Thursday told the United Nations General Assembly that their struggle has been "unfairly long."