Guatemala bars UN anti-corruption investigator from re-entering country

Sep 06, 2018, at 09:13 am

New York, Sept 6 (IBNS): Guatemalan authorities informed United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday that they have barred Commissioner Ivan Velasquez, of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), from re-entering the country.

Iraq milestone: Some four million people return home, displacement drops to four-year low

Sep 06, 2018, at 08:44 am

New York, Sept 6 (IBNS): For the first time in nearly four years, the number of displaced Iraqis has fallen below two million, according to a new report released on Tuesday by the United Nations migration agency.

UN Chief commends Mauritania for peaceful election process

Sep 06, 2018, at 08:41 am

New York, Sept 6 (IBNS): UN Secretary-General Antonió Gutteres has welcomed the “peaceful conduct” of the Mauritanian elections that took place on 1 September.

Mike Pompeo visits Pakistan, meets PM Imran Khan

Sep 05, 2018, at 07:03 pm

Islamabad Sept 5 (IBNS): Visiting Pakistan, US  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday.

Afghanistan: Roadside bombing kills district police chief in western Badghis

Sep 05, 2018, at 04:00 pm

Kabul, Sept 5 (IBNS): A roadside bombing in Afghanistan's western Badghis province on Tuesday killed a district police chief, media reports said on Wednesday.

Liberals won't compromise on culture, dispute resolution in NAFTA negotiations: Canada PM Trudeau

Sep 05, 2018, at 01:43 pm

Ottawa, Sept 5 (IBNS): Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday cleared that the Liberals won't compromise on culture and dispute resolution during the talks over North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), media reports said.

My victory is of the downtrodden masses of Pakistan: New President Alvi says

Sep 05, 2018, at 10:03 am

Islamabad, Sept 5 (IBNS): Newly elected President of Pakistan  Dr Arif Alvi  has termed his win in the polls as the victory of the 'downtrodden masses of Pakistan'.

Africa’s Lake Chad Basin: Over $2.1 billion pledged, to provide comprehensive crisis response

Sep 05, 2018, at 09:15 am

New York, Sept 5 (IBNS): A United Nations-backed humanitarian conference to raise much needed resources for relief, development and peacebuilding programmes in Africa’s Lake Chad Basin concluded on Tuesday, raising some $2.17 billion in support and about $467 million in concessional loans for the crisis-ridden region.

Major increase in Europe’s refugee and migrant death rate: UNHCR

Sep 05, 2018, at 09:12 am

New York, Sept 5(IBNS): The number of refugees and migrants reaching the European continent is going down, but the rate of fatalities has gone up dramatically, according to a new report from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR

It’s time to apply maximum ‘moral pressure’ to save lives in Syria’s Idlib: UN negotiator

Sep 05, 2018, at 09:09 am

New York,Sept 5 (IBNS): All countries with influence over the grinding conflict in Syria should use all the “moral pressure” they can to avoid a full-scale military attack on Idlib, particularly Russia and Turkey, the United Nations top negotiator Staffan de Mistura said on Tuesday.

New home for scores of South Sudan's displaced

Sep 05, 2018, at 09:07 am

New York, Sept 5 (IBNS): Nearly 3,500 people displaced by violence in South Sudan have been relocated from a UN-run camp in the capital, Juba, to temporary housing, the organization’s mission in the country, UNMISS, reported on Tuesday.

Tobacco control, a ‘major component’ of environmental protection efforts – UN health official

Sep 05, 2018, at 09:01 am

New York, Sept 5 (IBNS): From deforestation to soil degradation and pollution, tobacco production and its use by consumers, is “tremendously destructive” for the environment, although control measures can help curb its negative environmental effects, including the damaging impact of climate change, the head of the UN tobacco control treaty watchdog – formally known as the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC - has told UN News.

Ceasefire agreement reached in Libyan capital, announces UN mission

Sep 05, 2018, at 08:58 am

New York, Sept 5 (IBNS): An agreement on a ceasefire in Tripoli has been reached under the auspices of Ghassan Salame, the top United Nations official in Libya, the Organization’s Support Mission in the country, UNSMIL, has announced.

With AI, jobs are changing but no mass unemployment expected – UN labour experts

Sep 05, 2018, at 08:56 am

New York, Sept 5 (IBNS): The rise of frontier technologies like Artificial Intelligence has caused fears of robots taking over blue-collar jobs, but a United Nations expert says humans still have the upper hand given their creativity and ability to form relationships. 

Iraq milestone: Some four million people return home, displacement drops to four-year low

Sep 05, 2018, at 08:53 am

New York, Sept 5 (IBNS): For the first time in nearly four years, the number of displaced Iraqis has fallen below two million, according to a new report released on Tuesday by the United Nations migration agency.

UNHCR calls for action against xenophobic attacks in South Africa

Sep 05, 2018, at 08:48 am

New York, Sept 5 (IBNS): Authorities in South Africa are being urged by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, to act in the wake of recent violence against foreigners in the country, some of which has been deadly.

Canada: Quebec shelter to offer support to sex workers looking to escape industry

Sep 04, 2018, at 11:11 pm

Montreal, Sept 4 (IBNS): A Quebec shelter will welcome several sex workers who are looking to escape trade, media reports said.

PTI's Arif Alvi elected as new Pakistan President, says unofficial result

Sep 04, 2018, at 10:36 pm

Islamabad, Sept 4 (IBNS): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Arif Alvi has been elected as the 13th Pakistan President, according to an unofficial result of Geo News.

Trump warns Syria against carrying out strikes in Idlib; asks Russia, Iran to refrain

Sep 04, 2018, at 03:36 pm

Washington, Sept 4 (IBNS): US President Donald Trump has threatened Syria against recklessly carrying out strikes in rebel-held Idlib province, while asking Russia and Iran to refrain from joining Assad and his men.

Pakistan's electoral college to elect new President today

Sep 04, 2018, at 02:33 pm

Islamabad, Sept 4 (IBNS): Pakistan's electoral college, formed by a joint sitting of the senate and the newly elected national and provincial assemblies, will elect the country's 13th President on Tuesday, local reports said.

Paktia clash kills at least 21 Taliban militants

Sep 04, 2018, at 02:22 pm

Kabul, Sept 4 (IBNS): At least 21 Taliban militants were killed during a clash with security officials in Afghanistan's Paktia province, local Tolo News reported.

Founder of the Haqqani militant network Jalaluddin Haqqani passes away, confirms Afghan Taliban

Sep 04, 2018, at 10:01 am

Kabul, Sept 4 (IBNS): The Afghan Taliban on Tuesday confirmed that the founder of the Haqqani militant network has died.

Funding cuts blamed behind Brazil National Museum fire

Sep 04, 2018, at 09:46 am

Rio De Janeiro, Sept 4 (IBNS): Brazilian officials have blamed lack of funding as the cause behind the major fire which damaged National Museum on Sunday.

Afghanistan: US service member killed in 'insider' attack

Sep 04, 2018, at 09:22 am

Kabul, Sept 4 (IBNS): In an apparent insider attacker in eastern Afghanistan, a US soldier was killed, NATO-led Resolute Support Mission conformed on Tuesday.

China: 5.5 earthquake hits Xinjiang, no casualty

Sep 04, 2018, at 09:08 am

Beijing, Sept 4 (IBNS): An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter Scale hit northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Tuesday.

Unidentified men blow up three schools in Afghanistan

Sep 04, 2018, at 08:57 am

Kabul, Sept 4 (IBNS): Unidentified men blew up three schools with bomb in Afghanistan's southeastern Paktika province on Monday, media reports said.

Progress made but Lake Chad crisis is not over, says UN relief chief, urging greater support for region

Sep 04, 2018, at 08:51 am

New York, Sept 4 (IBNS): Despite improvements in the humanitarian situation in the Lake Chad region, millions continue to remain dependent on lifesaving assistance, the top United Nations relief official said on Monday, urging greater international support for the region to safeguard the progress achieved.

In Beijing, UN chief urges China, Africa for a win-win collaboration for ‘the future we want’

Sep 04, 2018, at 08:48 am

New York, Sept 4 (IBNS): Highlighting the economic and development progress made in China and Africa, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged them to unite their combined potential for peaceful, sustainable and equitable progress to the benefit of all humankind.

Journalists’ conviction in Myanmar a message that press ‘cannot operate fearlessly’ – UN rights chief

Sep 04, 2018, at 08:39 am

New York, Sept 4 (IBNS): Stressing that the legal process that led to the conviction of two Reuters journalists in Myanmar “clearly breached” international standards, the United Nations top human rights official called for their immediate and unconditional release.

Canada: Man arrested, charged following twin shootings in Brampton, Ontario

Sep 03, 2018, at 10:36 pm

Brampton, Sept 3 (IBNS): A 27-year old man was arrested and charged following twin shootings, which took place on Sunday, in Brampton, Ontario, media reports said.