Myanmar floods deal major blow to agriculture: UN agency
Sep 04, 2015, at 02:43 pm
New York, Sep 4 (IBNS): Heavy storms, floods and landslides across nearly all of Myanmar have destroyed huge swaths of rice paddies, as well as fish and shrimp ponds, and are expected to severely limit the availability of food if aid is not provided to farmers swiftly, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned on Thursday.
UNESCO chief condemns killing of Philippine journalist, calls for inquiry
Sep 04, 2015, at 02:42 pm
New York, Sep 4 (IBNS): The head of the United Nations agency charged with promoting press freedom condemned on Thursday the killing of Philippine journalist Cosme Diez Maestrado, who was shot by unknown assailants on 27 August in Ozamiz City in the Philippines.
Beijing: Ban urges China to help build momentum ahead of Paris conference
Sep 04, 2015, at 02:40 pm
New York, Sep 4 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday thanked China for its efforts to address climate change, both through its actions and policies, and called for Beijing's continued support for building momentum ahead of the Paris Climate Change Conference.
Spotlighting sustainable development, 'Global Goals' campaign launched at UN
Sep 04, 2015, at 02:38 pm
New York, Sep 4 (IBNS): As United Nations Member States prepare to adopt a new set of Sustainable Development Goals, a ground-breaking collaboration of campaigners, public figures, companies and civil society groups is uniting to tell seven billion people in seven days that "it's time to change the world."
UNICEF chief urges to take action, as Europe’s refugee and migrant crisis deepens
Sep 04, 2015, at 02:35 pm
New York, Sep 4 (IBNS): As the "heart-breaking" image of a drowned refugee boy who washed up on a beach in Turkey ricocheted around the world on social media, Anthony Lake, Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday made a powerful plea for action to protect migrant and refugee children.
Liberia declared free of Ebola transmission as number of cases remains stable
Sep 04, 2015, at 02:34 pm
New York, Sep 4 (IBNS): The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday declared Liberia free of Ebola virus transmission after the disease had resurfaced in June, and as the country enters a 90-day period of heightened surveillance, the number of cases in the rest of West Africa remained stable at three for the fifth consecutive week.
Guatemala: After President's resignation, Ban calls for peaceful elections
Sep 04, 2015, at 02:32 pm
New York, Sep 4 (IBNS): Taking note of the resignation of President Otto Pérez Molina of Guatemala, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday said he trusted that the authorities would abide by the Constitution and ensure an orderly democratic transition.
14 killed in Malaysian boat mishap
Sep 04, 2015, at 12:03 am
Port Klang, Sept 3 (IBNS): At least 14 people were killed as a boat migrant workers capsized off Malaysia’s western coast on Thursday, media reports.
"China to cut troops by 300,000"
Sep 03, 2015, at 10:57 pm
Beijing, Sept 3 (IBNS): China on Thursday announced that the number of its troops will be cut by 300,000.
Somalia: Security Council condemns Al Shabaab attack on African Union base
Sep 03, 2015, at 02:55 pm
New York, Sep 3 (IBNS): The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday strongly condemned the recent attack perpetrated by Al Shabaab against a base belonging to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in Janaale District, which resulted in a number of deaths and injuries.
'Tangible' results on Libyan political agreement: UN envoy
Sep 03, 2015, at 02:51 pm
New York, Sep 3 (IBNS): "Tangible" results have been achieved for a political deal in Libya, but concrete solutions to the conflict will only be reached when all parties agree on a final draft, the United Nations envoy facilitating efforts to restore peace in the North African country said on Wednesday.
UN-backed summit opens to harnesses global momentum to eliminate viral hepatitis
Sep 03, 2015, at 02:47 pm
New York, Sep 3 (IBNS): Delegates from more than 60 countries are gathered in Glasgow for the first-ever World Hepatitis Summit that began on Wednesday aiming to provide "a wake-up call to build momentum to prevent, diagnose, treat – and eventually eliminate – viral hepatitis as a public health problem," the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.
Syria: UN agency discovers nine suspected cases of typhoid near Yarmouk camp
Sep 03, 2015, at 02:44 pm
New York, Sep 3 (IBNS): Following humanitarian operations in the southern Syrian town of Yalda, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said it has identified nine new suspected cases of typhoid and one case of scabies.
Baghdad had highest level of civilian casualties in August: UN Iraq mission
Sep 03, 2015, at 02:42 pm
New York, Sep 3 (IBNS): Terrorism, violence and armed conflict in Iraq killed more than 1,300 people and injured over 1,800 others last month, reflecting a “steadily increasing number of casualties,†according to casualty figures released by the United Nations Assistance Mission in the country (UNAMI).
UN relief official in Yemen condemns 'despicable' killing of two Red Cross workers
Sep 03, 2015, at 02:40 pm
New York, Sep 3 (IBNS): The top United Nations relief official in Yemen, Johannes Van Der Klaauw, has strongly condemned Wednesday’s killing of two staff members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the Amran Governorate of the country.
UN relief official in Yemen condemns 'despicable' killing of two Red Cross workers
Sep 03, 2015, at 02:39 pm
New York, Sep 3 (IBNS): The top United Nations relief official in Yemen, Johannes Van Der Klaauw, has strongly condemned Wednesday’s killing of two staff members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the Amran Governorate of the country.
Security Council adjusts Liberia sanctions; keeps arms embargo in place
Sep 03, 2015, at 02:36 pm
New York, Sep 3 (IBNS): The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday renewed an arms embargo on non-State actors in Liberia for nine months while terminating other sanctions on the country, including a travel ban and asset freeze on those deemed a danger to its stability.
FAO and MasterCard join forces to support refugees and small-scale farmers
Sep 03, 2015, at 02:34 pm
New York, Sep 3 (IBNS): Residents at the Kakuma refugee camp in north-western Kenya will soon be able to buy charcoal produced in an environmentally-friendly way by local farmers as part of an innovative new alliance between the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and MasterCard to support small farmers and poor families.
UN: Commemorative plaque joins 'Tree of Peace and Unity' marking end of WW II
Sep 03, 2015, at 02:32 pm
New York, Sep 3 (IBNS): A ceremony to dedicate a commemorative plaque marking the end of the Second World War in Asia and the Pacific was organized at United Nations Headquarters on Wednesday.
UN envoy hails opening of ICC trial against Congolese rebel leader
Sep 03, 2015, at 02:29 pm
New York, Sep 3 (IBNS): As the International Criminal Court (ICC) trial of Congolese rebel leader Bosco Ntaganda opened on Wednesday, the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict said that it served as a powerful reminder to military leaders accused of similar acts that justice will ultimately prevail.
UN: Parliamentarians pledge to place democracy at service of sustainable development
Sep 03, 2015, at 02:27 pm
New York, Sep 3 (IBNS): Parliamentary leaders from some 140 countries on Wednesday declared that the United Nations must remain the cornerstone of global cooperation as an Organization that embodies the ardent hope of people around the world and pledged to place "democracy at the service of peace and sustainable development for the world the people want."
Gunman kills 2 Red Cross members in northern Yemen
Sep 03, 2015, at 01:03 am
Sana'a, Sept 2 (IBNS) Two members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were gunned down by a man who opened fired when the deceased were travelling in a convoy between Saada and Sana’a, officials said on Wednesday.
Yemen: UN warns of 'untenable' humanitarian situation and increase in causalities
Sep 02, 2015, at 02:44 pm
New York, Sep 2 (IBNS): The UN human rights office said on Tuesday it is alarmed by the steep increase in the number of civilian casualties in Yemen's Taiz governorate in recent weeks, as well as by the "untenable" humanitarian situation which is being made worse by the blockage of supply routes into Taiz city by local "popular committees" affiliated with the Houthis.
UN environment agency unveils low-cost device for air quality monitoring
Sep 02, 2015, at 02:42 pm
New York, Sep 2 (IBNS): A ground-breaking air quality measuring device expected to cost up to 100 times less than existing solutions has the potential to "revolutionize" air quality measurement in developing countries and help prevent deaths from air pollution that claim 7 million lives each year, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Ebola case in Sierra Leone prompts expansion of experimental vaccine trial: WHO
Sep 02, 2015, at 02:40 pm
New York, Sep 2 (IBNS): The detection of a new case of Ebola in Sierra Leone over the weekend after the West African country had marked almost three weeks of zero cases has prompted the use of an experimental vaccine to fight the disease, according to the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO).
Asylum-seekers pass through former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia daily: UNICEF
Sep 02, 2015, at 02:38 pm
New York, Sep 2 (IBNS): The number of “exhausted and desperate†women and children making their way from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq through the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia seeking refuge in Europe has tripled in the past three months, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.
UN refugee agency delivers aid to non-government controlled area in Ukraine
Sep 02, 2015, at 02:37 pm
New York, Sep 2 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency announced on Tuesday that it managed to deliver humanitarian aid to non-Government-controlled areas in eastern Ukraine for the first time in several weeks, including to Horvlika and other nearby areas north of Donetsk, which experienced heavy fighting in August.
UN hands over draft global sustainability agenda to Member States
Sep 02, 2015, at 02:35 pm
New York, Sep 2 (IBNS): The United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday approved a resolution sending the draft '2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development' to Member States for adoption later this month, bringing the international community "to the cusp of decisions that can help realize the… dream of a world of peace and dignity for all," according to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
UN official stresses role of parliaments in success of development agenda
Sep 02, 2015, at 02:33 pm
New York, Sep 2 (IBNS): Parliaments have a critical role in translating the new sustainable development agenda – which world leaders will adopt later this month at the United Nations – into real improvements for the lives of the world's people, says the head of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
Volatile Syria requires sustained donor support: UN relief chief
Sep 02, 2015, at 02:31 pm
New York, Sep 2 (IBNS): Even as aid agencies continue to reach those impacted by the Syria conflict, the needs of the 7.6 million people displaced by the war and the 4 million others who have sought refuge in neighbouring countries are "greater than ever," and the world’s worst humanitarian crisis looks set to deteriorate even further unless a political solution is found, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator said on Tuesday.