Ban congratulates Somalia's new Prime Minister, urges creation of inclusive Government
Jan 03, 2015, at 10:22 pm
New York, Jan 3 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday called the new Prime Minister of Somalia, Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, to congratulate him on his recent appointment, expressing hope that he will move quickly to form an inclusive Government, with the full participation of women.
2014 one of Iraq's bloodiest years as casualty rates soar, UN mission reports
Jan 03, 2015, at 10:19 pm
New York, Jan 3 (IBNS) Casualty figures for Iraq in 2014 were at their highest in over five years amid a spate of deadly violence which has been convulsing the country, the United Nations mission in the country reported on Friday.
Mandate of UN-backed tribunal for Lebanon extended for three more years
Jan 03, 2015, at 10:19 pm
New York, Jan 3 (IBNS) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has extended the mandate of the United Nations-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), which was set up to try those responsible for the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri and 22 others, for a period of three years from 1 March 2015.
UN: Palestine moves to join International Criminal Court, numerous global treaties
Jan 03, 2015, at 10:18 pm
New York, Jan 3 (IBNS) Palestinian Authority officials on Friday presented to the United Nations documents for accession to 16 international conventions and treaties, including the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the world body has confirmed.
In call with Republic of Korea leader, Ban reaffirms support for peace on Korean Peninsula
Jan 03, 2015, at 10:17 pm
New York, Jan 3 (IBNS) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the President of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Park Geun-hye, discussed the country’s continued support for the work of the United Nations amid wider efforts to bring peace to the Korean Peninsula in a phone call on New Year's Day.
DR Congo: as deadline for surrender passes, UN and partners urge action against rebels
Jan 03, 2015, at 10:17 pm
New York , Jan 3 (IBNS) On Friday, as the six-month grace period for the full and unconditional surrender of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) armed group expires, the United Nations and its partners urged that “all necessary measures†be taken to disarm the rebels, who have had a long history of heinous crimes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Latest incidents at sea show need for action to protect migrants, stress UN officials
Jan 03, 2015, at 10:16 pm
New York Jan 3 (IBNS) Senior United Nations officials on Friday stressed the need for urgent action to protect migrants at sea following recent incidents in the Mediterranean involving hundreds of people stranded while attempting to reach Europe.
UNESCO chief deplores killing of broadcaster in DR Congo
Jan 03, 2015, at 10:10 pm
New York, Jan 3 (IBNS) The head of the United Nations agency mandated to defend freedom of expression and press freedom on Friday deplored the killing of journalist Robert Chamwami Shalubuto in Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Sony cyber attack: US imposes new sanctions on North Korea
Jan 03, 2015, at 06:28 pm
Washington, Jan 3 (IBNS) Reacting to the cyber attack against US company Sony Pictures Entertainment, the United States imposed fresh sanctions on North Korea, holding that they believed the Asian country was behind it.
UN chief conveys condolences after crash of Indonesian airliner
Jan 02, 2015, at 04:05 pm
New York, Jan 2 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed his "sincerest condolences" to the families of the crew members and passengers of downed AirAsia flight QZ8501 as recovery efforts continue amid harsh conditions in the Java Sea.
UN investigates civilian obstruction of peacekeepers in southern Lebanon
Jan 01, 2015, at 08:28 pm
New York, Jan 1 (IBNS) The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has reported that a patrol of peacekeepers was obstructed on Tuesday afternoon by a group of civilians who used motor vehicles to block a road near the village of Ramyah.
Expulsion of UN officials will constitute 'serious loss' for Sudan, warns Ban
Jan 01, 2015, at 08:23 pm
New York, Jan 1 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has reiterated his strong opposition to Sudan’s decision to expel from the country two senior UN officials, calling on the Government to reconsider the ruling and allow for essential work to be carried out.
Ukraine: UN kicks-off campaign to reach displaced persons with humanitarian aid
Jan 01, 2015, at 08:20 pm
New York, Jan 1 (IBNS) Amid continuing fighting and a deteriorating humanitarian situation in Ukraine, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Wednesday announced it is launching an initiative aimed at ferrying aid to the country’s internally displaced persons (IDPs), as well as other vulnerable citizens trapped by the ongoing hostilities.
UN requests appointment of panel to probe new information on Dag Hammarskjöld death
Jan 01, 2015, at 08:14 pm
New York, Jan 1 (IBNS) The United Nations General Assembly approved by consensus a resolution that requested Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to appoint an independent panel of experts to examine new information that has emerged on the death of former UN chief Dag Hammarskjöld.
Jan 01, 2015, at 08:08 pm
Beijing, Jan 1 (IBNS): At least 35 people were killed in a stampede in China's Shanghai city on Wednesday, media reports said on Thursday.
The Gambia: UN chief urges respect for rule of law amid reports of coup attempt
Jan 01, 2015, at 08:06 pm
New York, Jan 1 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has reiterated his "principled condemnation" of all attempts to seize power through unconstitutional means following reports of an attempted coup in The Gambia.
UN Security Council action on Palestinian statehood blocked
Dec 31, 2014, at 06:50 pm
New York, Dec 31(IBNS) Falling short of the required number of positive votes and faced with a veto from one of its permanent members, the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday failed to adopt a draft resolution that would have affirmed the "urgent need" to reach within 12 months a peaceful solution to the situation in the Middle East and would have paved the way to a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Senior UN envoy 'hopeful' over prospects for peace in Central African Republic
Dec 31, 2014, at 06:48 pm
New York, Dec 31 (IBNS) Strife-torn Central African Republic is showing signs of moving towards broad national dialogue – a direction prescribed by the Security Council as critical to ensure lasting peace – the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for the country has said on Tuesday.
South Sudan conflict 'devastating' for country's children – UN report
Dec 31, 2014, at 06:48 pm
New York, Dec 31(IBNS) The conflict in South Sudan has seriously hampered the protection of children, increasing their vulnerability dramatically, says a new report published this week by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Libya: UN mission condemns terrorist bombing against Parliament amid uptick in violence
Dec 31, 2014, at 06:47 pm
New York, Dec 31 (IBNS) The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has strongly deplored a terrorist attack against a hotel in the city of Tobruk where the country’s House of Representatives was in session just days after the Mission had warned that further violence risked plunging the country into "all-out war."
Bahrain must release arrested opposition leader, guarantee fair trial – UN rights office
Dec 31, 2014, at 06:42 pm
New York, Dec 31 (IBNS)The United Nations human rights office is urging Bahrain to immediately release opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman as well as all other persons convicted or detained for "merely exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly."
Urgent UN agency appeal raises $45 million to meet refugee food needs in Kenya
Dec 31, 2014, at 06:41 pm
New York, Dec 31 (IBNS)The United Nations has said on Tuesday that a strong response by donors to its urgent appeal for funding means that it can resume providing full food rations to refugees in Kenya in January.
Debris recovered belong to QZ8501, AirAsia confirms
Dec 31, 2014, at 01:42 am
Surabaya, Dec 30 (IBNS): Aviation company AirAsia Indonesia on Tuesday confirmed that the debris found earlier in the day belonged to its missing flight QZ8501 that went missing with 162 people on board on Sunday morning.
AirAsia: Over 40 bodies, debris recovered from sea
Dec 30, 2014, at 11:40 pm
Surabaya, Dec 30 (IBNS): More than 40 bodies and debris have been recovered on Tuesday from the Java Sea as search operation continued for the missing AirAsia Indonesia flight QZ8501 that went missing with 162 people on board on Sunday morning, reports said.
UN Mission condemns rocket attack against its camp in northern Mali
Dec 30, 2014, at 09:35 pm
New York, Dec 30 (IBNS) The United Nations Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) strongly condemned on Monday’s rocket attack on its camp in the northern city of Tessalit.
UN experts urge Bahrain to drop charges against women activists
Dec 30, 2014, at 09:33 pm
New York, Dec 30 (IBNS) A group of United Nations human rights experts are urging the government of Bahrain to drop charges against three women human rights activists exercising their rights to free expression and free association.
Lebanon: UN Special Coordinator meets Prime Minister to discuss year's challenges, progress
Dec 30, 2014, at 09:29 pm
New York, Dec 30 (IBNS) The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Derek Plumbly, met in Beirut on Monday with Prime Minister Tamam Salam to discuss the grave security challenges faced by the country this year, as well as progress made to promote dialogue between political parties.
South Sudan: UN boosts food assistance as 'very critical' Nile corridor reopens
Dec 30, 2014, at 09:27 pm
New York, Dec 30 (IBNS): A barge carrying a shipment of food destined for thousands of people in South Sudan has crossed over from neighbouring Sudan, reopening a long-closed river corridor along the Nile, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Monday.
Ban welcomes proposal for 'high-level dialogue' between two Koreas
Dec 30, 2014, at 07:20 pm
New York, Dec 30 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed a proposal by the Government of the Republic of Korea to kick-start a high-level dialogue with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in an effort to thaw relations between the two countries.
Death toll in Italian ferry fire touches 7
Dec 30, 2014, at 02:53 am
Corfu, Dec 29 (IBNS): The death toll in the fire incident on a Norman Atlantic ferry off Corfu has touched seven, media reports said on Monday.