Syria: UNRWA reaches near Yarmouk camp as typhoid outbreak hits Palestinian refugees
Aug 20, 2015, at 02:28 pm
New York, Aug 20 (IBNS): The United Nations relief agency responsible for the welfare of Palestine refugees across the Middle East announced on Wednesday it has conducted its first humanitarian mission to Yalda, near the besieged Yarmouk camp in Syria, where six cases of typhoid have been confirmed.
UNESCO chief deplores killing of two leading scholars of Syrian antiquities
Aug 20, 2015, at 02:23 pm
New York, Aug 20 (IBNS): Within one week, the Syrian cultural heritage community suffered two immense blows with the murder of archaeologist Khaled Assad in Palmyra, and the killing of the Assistant Director of laboratories at the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums, Qasem Abdullah Yehiya, in Damascus, according to the United Nations.
UN reports new allegations of sexual misconduct by peacekeepers in Central Africa
Aug 20, 2015, at 02:21 pm
New York, Aug 20 (IBNS): A series of new “disturbing†allegations of misconduct in the Central African Republic were announced on Wednesday by the Deputy Special Representative and Deputy Head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the country (MINUSCA).
Palestinian children can return to UN-run schools this year due to fund-raising
Aug 20, 2015, at 02:20 pm
New York, Aug 20 (IBNS): The United Nations relief agency dealing with Palestinian refugees has declared the school year open will on time on Wednesday for the 500,000 boys and girls in the increasingly unstable Middle East, where multiple crises and a major funding shortage nearly forced the delayed of the opening of 685 schools in the region.
Libya: UN agency helps country upgrade response to boats in distress of its coast
Aug 20, 2015, at 02:18 pm
New York, Aug 20 (IBNS): Following a spate of deadly shipwrecks of the coast of Libya, the UN refugee agency has announced that it has set up a forum to improve the country’s response to boats in distress its waters by streamlining information sharing and coordination with international organizations
Security Council warned that 'risk of escalation in Israel and Palestine is palpable'
Aug 20, 2015, at 02:16 pm
New York, Aug 20 (IBNS): The top United Nations political official on Wednesday warned the Middle East has recently witnessed "unconscionable" hate crimes, "reprehensible" retaliatory violence, provocations at Jerusalem's holy sites, and a worrying increase in rockets launched from Gaza towards Israel, as he urged all sides to work together to reduce tensions and prevent extremist attacks.
Somalia: UN urges resolution to crisis after legislators approve motion to impeach President
Aug 20, 2015, at 02:15 pm
New York, Aug 20 (IBNS): Envoys from the United Nations and other international organizations on Wednesday joined to express deep concern that a parliamentary motion to impeach Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud would impede progress on the country’s peace and State-building goals.
Security Council: UN relief chief cites massive human suffering in Yemen
Aug 20, 2015, at 02:13 pm
New York, Aug 20 (IBNS): Just back from Yemen and “shocked†by what he saw there, the top United Nations humanitarian official told the Security Council on Wednesday that the scale of human suffering is nearly incomprehensible, and that unless stakeholders get the parties to stop the fighting and return to the negotiating table, soon “there will be nothing left to fight for.â€
Security Council strongly condemns seizure of UAE embassy in Yemen
Aug 20, 2015, at 02:12 pm
New York, Aug 20 (IBNS): The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday condemned “in the strongest term†the storming and seizure of the United Arab Emirates embassy in Sana’a, Yemen, by the Houthis on the 17 August 2015.
Thai police release sketch of Bangkok blast suspect
Aug 19, 2015, at 10:45 pm
Bangkok, Aug 19 (IBNS): The Thailand Police have released the sketch of a suspect behind the blast in capital Bangkok on Monday,media reports said.
Aug 19, 2015, at 05:38 pm
New York, Aug 19 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General on Tuesday expressed serious concern about the recent escalation of violence along the Line of Control between India and Pakistan, which reportedly resulted in a number of casualties on both sides, including civilians.
UN chief welcomes peaceful parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka
Aug 19, 2015, at 05:35 pm
New York, Aug 19 (IBNS) Applauding the people of Sri Lanka for their peaceful and broad-based participation in yesterday’s parliamentary elections, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has encouraged the new Government to make further progress on good governance, accountability and reconciliation.
After new displacements, UN officials call for an immediate halt to demolitions in the West Bank
Aug 19, 2015, at 05:32 pm
New York, Aug 19 (IBNS) Senior United Nations officials are calling on Tuesday for an immediate freeze on demolitions in the West Bank, after dozens of structures were demolished yesterday by Israeli authorities in Palestinian Bedouin refugee communities, near East Jerusalem.
Record civilian casualties and widening conflict stretch humanitarian capacities in Afghanistan : UN
Aug 19, 2015, at 05:30 pm
New York, Aug 19 (IBNS) The Afghan conflict has intensified in 2015, resulting in record high levels of civilian casualties and new displacements that are stretching the humanitarian community’s ability to sufficiently meet life-saving needs, the United Nations relief wing reported today.
South Sudan: UN chief looks forward to President Kiir's endorsement of peace agreement
Aug 19, 2015, at 05:27 pm
New York, Aug 19 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday welcomed the signing by former South Sudan Vice President Riek Machar and the Former Detainees of the compromise peace agreement put forth by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development Partners Forum (IGAD) mediation, meant to end the conflict raging in the country for the past 20 months.
Aug 19, 2015, at 05:24 pm
New York, Aug 19 (IBNS) The escalating refugee crisis in Greece is continuing, with migrant arrivals accelerating “dramatically,†the United Nations warned today, urging the Greek Government to strengthen reception facilities and services and for wider Europe to bolster humanitarian coordination.
Evolving peacekeeping landscape requires stronger global-regional partnership, Security Council told
Aug 19, 2015, at 05:18 pm
New York, Aug 19 (IBNS) Since the United Nations increasingly shares responsibility for peace and security with regional organizations, everything possible should be bone to help them resolve regional problems and to include the States concerned in solutions,Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.
Aug 19, 2015, at 03:53 pm
New York, Aug 19 (IBNS) Welcoming Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's commitment to strictly enforce his 'zero tolerance' policy against sexual exploitation or abuse by United Nations personnel, the Security Council on Tuesday stressed the importance of the UN quickly investigating the most recent allegations of misconduct by peacekeepers, and if substantiated, working with the troop contributing countries involved to ensure those responsible are held accountable.
Aug 19, 2015, at 03:52 pm
New York, Aug 19 (IBNS) On the eve of World Humanitarian Day, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is drawing attention to the 100 million people affected by natural disasters, conflict, hunger and disease, whose needs are far outstripping the capacity to help them, but he is also reminding the international community that "each one of us can make a difference" and "create a more humane world."
Libya: UN human rights office alarmed by reports of ISIL-led violence, reprisal killings
Aug 19, 2015, at 03:34 pm
New York, Aug 19 (IBNS) The United Nations human rights office on Tuesday expressed concern over violence in Sirte, Libya, involving militants claiming allegiance to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
Bloggers killings: Police arrest three suspects
Aug 19, 2015, at 12:46 am
Dhaka, Aug 18 (IBNS): Three suspected militants have been arrested by security officials in Bangladesh in connection with the killings of bloggers Avijit Roy and Ananta Bijoy.
All 54 passengers of the Indonesian plane that crashed are dead
Aug 18, 2015, at 09:51 pm
Jakarta, Aug 18 (IBNS) All 54 people on board a Trigana Air aircraft were killed in a crash two days ago in Indonesia's Papua province, media reports said on Tuesday.
Aug 18, 2015, at 08:19 pm
New York, Aug 18 (IBNS): Horrified by the "total disrespect" for civilian life in Syria, as evidenced by airstrikes on a market in Douma, the top United Nations humanitarian official today warned that the protracted conflict in the country not only severely affects the lives of millions of people, but also threatens the stability of the entire region and beyond.
UN chief condemns terrorist attack in eastern province of Pakistan
Aug 18, 2015, at 08:14 pm
New York, Aug 18 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the bomb attack in District Attock, in Pakistan’s Punjab Province, and was saddened to learn that the attack had killed more than a dozen people, including Punjab's Home Minister, Shuja Khanzada, and injured many others.
Burundi: Ban condemns assassination of senior army officer amid 'troubling' political violence
Aug 18, 2015, at 08:11 pm
New York, Aug 18 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the assassination Burundi’s former Army Chief of Staff, Colonel Jean Bikomagu, who was shot dead by unknown assailants in the capital, Bujumbura, on Aug 15, the second killing of a senior official in the crisis-torn country this month.
Aug 18, 2015, at 08:09 pm
New York, Aug 18 (IBNS): The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) on Tuesday said that it is determined to investigate fully all allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by its forces in the country and to hold to account perpetrators of such acts.
UN atomic energy agency receives documents from Iran on nuclear programme
Aug 18, 2015, at 08:06 pm
New York, Aug 18 (IBNS): The United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has received from Iran information on its nuclear activities in accordance with an agreement signed between the two parties in order for the watchdog agency to assess possible military dimensions of the programme by year's end.
Alarmed by escalation of conflict in Ukraine, Ban calls on parties to resume dialogue
Aug 18, 2015, at 08:03 pm
New York, Aug 18 (IBNS): Seriously alarmed by the recent escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine, which has reportedly resulted in the death of civilians on both sides of the contact line, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called all parties to end hostilities and resume talks.
Shocked by explosion in Bangkok, UN chief hopes perpetrators will be 'brought to justice'
Aug 18, 2015, at 08:01 pm
New York, Aug 18 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General ban Ki-moon was shocked to learn of an explosion on Monday close to a shrine in the centre of Thailand's capital, Bangkok, which caused the loss of life of innocent civilians.
Guinea-Bissau: Security Council says dialogue key to peaceful resolution of country's crisis
Aug 18, 2015, at 07:58 pm
New York, Aug 18 (IBNS): Expressing concern over the current political developments in Guinea-Bissau, the United Nations Security Council has called on leaders to seek dialogue and consensus in resolving the crisis in the interest of peace in the country.