Death Valley temperature, likely highest since 1931: UN weather agency
Aug 19, 2020, at 03:57 pm
New York: “All indications” suggest that the extreme temperature reading of 54.4 degrees Celsius recorded in California’s Death Valley on Sunday, is legitimate, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Tuesday.
UN and partners launch $565 million appeal for Lebanon
Aug 15, 2020, at 10:26 pm
New York: The UN and aid partners are seeking $565 million to address the overwhelming needs in Lebanon following the deadly explosions that flattened large areas of the capital, Beirut, nearly two weeks ago.
‘Urgent need’ to stop erosion of nuclear order, major UN disarmament forum hears
Aug 14, 2020, at 03:05 pm
New York: The lack of trust and cooperation among States, and the diminished faith in “the very multilateral institution that was designed to maintain global peace and security”, must be overcome, a high-level UN official told a prominent disarmament conference on Thursday.
UN censures ‘heinous attacks’ in Lake Chad Basin
Aug 05, 2020, at 04:05 pm
New York: The Secretary-General strongly condemned “heinous attacks” against civilians in the Lake Chad Basin, a UN spokesperson said on Monday.
Keep Turkey’s Hagia Sophia ‘a space for meeting of cultures’, UN rights experts urge
Aug 01, 2020, at 02:18 pm
New York: The historic Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, designated a mosque once again earlier this month by the Turkish Government, should be maintained as an inter-cultural space “reflecting the diversity and complexity of Turkey and its history”, said two independent human rights experts on Friday.
COVID-19: UN chief outlines path to sustainable, inclusive recovery in Southeast Asia
Jul 31, 2020, at 03:36 pm
New York: Tackling inequality, bridging the digital divide, greening the economy, and upholding human rights and good governance will be critical for Southeast Asia to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Secretary-General said on Thursday.
UN-African Union mission condemns recent spate of deadly attacks in Darfur
Jul 29, 2020, at 06:15 pm
New York: The joint UN-African Union Mission in Darfur, UNAMID, is calling for the Sudanese Government to arrest those responsible for the recent spike in violent attacks against peaceful protestors, civilians and displaced persons in various locations across the province.
Human rights report details ‘heartbreaking’ accounts of women detained in DPRK
Jul 29, 2020, at 06:14 pm
New York: Women forcibly returned to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) are subjected to torture, ill treatment, sexual abuse, and other violations, according to a report published on Tuesday by the UN Human Rights office.
Young innovators vying for top UN environmental prize
Jul 21, 2020, at 03:33 pm
New York: Thirty-five young people with innovative ideas for tackling challenges such as protecting indigenous Amazonian land through adventure travel, converting harmful emissions into valuable commodities in the United States, and generating electricity from water in Nigeria, have been named as regional finalists for one of the UN’s most prestigious environmental awards.
UN-African Union mission working to restore calm after recent Darfur violence
Jul 15, 2020, at 10:51 pm
New York: The joint UN-African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) is working with Sudanese and local authorities to de-escalate tensions following recent violent incidents in two nearby towns, including a deadly attack on a camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs).
UN condemns deadly attack against peacekeepers in Central African Republic
Jul 14, 2020, at 03:30 pm
New York: A UN peacekeeper from Rwanda was killed and two others were wounded in a deadly attack in the Central African Republic on Monday.
Women and girls deserve more protection in emergencies, UN rights council hears
Jul 14, 2020, at 02:40 pm
New York: The collective impact of climate change, COVID-19 and conflict mean that well over 200 million people will likely need humanitarian assistance by 2022, the UN’s deputy rights chief said on Monday.
Jul 05, 2020, at 05:40 pm
New York: A new UN report on the private sector, released by UN Global Compact, shows that progress on bringing about a sustainable future for people and the planet is patchy, and the majority of companies involved in the Compact, are not doing enough to help bring about the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
UN honours fallen colleagues and legacy of hope they leave behind
Jul 01, 2020, at 05:24 pm
New York: Fallen UN colleagues were honoured on Tuesday at a solemn ceremony commemorating their bravery, and having served the UN cause of saving future generations “from the scourge of war and to pursue better standards of living for all in larger freedom”, said Secretary-General António Guterres, paying tribute.
Speak out against torture, an ‘abhorrent denial of human dignity’, urges UN chief
Jun 27, 2020, at 04:38 pm
New York: Torture is an “egregious abuse of human rights”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Friday, the International Day in Support of the Victims of Torture.
Speak out against torture, an ‘abhorrent denial of human dignity’, urges UN chief
Jun 26, 2020, at 09:50 am
New York/IBNS: Torture is an “egregious abuse of human rights”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Friday, the International Day in Support of the Victims of Torture.
170 signatories endorse UN ceasefire appeal during COVID crisis
Jun 25, 2020, at 09:55 am
New York/IBNS: UN Member States, Observers and others, sent a strong political message this week, with the announcement that 170 signatories have now endorsed the UN’s call to silence the guns, and stand united against the global threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.
New Assembly president pledges to serve UN ‘as a whole’, building consensus
Jun 23, 2020, at 09:44 am
New York/IBNS: The expectations and views of each of the world’s regional groups and its members “will be equally important and valuable to me”, the newly elected president of what will be the 75th UN General Assembly, told an informal meeting of the world body on Monday.
New UN report offers blueprint for greener, more resilient world of work
Jun 20, 2020, at 04:33 pm
New York/IBNS: Jobs, livelihoods and the well-being of workers, families and businesses across the globe, continue to take a hit from the COVID-19 pandemic; with micro, small and medium enterprises in particular, suffering the dire economic consequences, according to a new policy brief released by the UN on Friday.
Syrian refugees resort to ever more desperate measures to resist pandemic impact
Jun 17, 2020, at 09:12 am
New York/IBNS: The COVID-19 crisis has caused a dramatic spike in the number of Syrian refugees in need of emergency assistance in the last three months, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday, in an appeal for funding to confront new challenges posed by the health emergency.
Iraq: UN probe into ISIL atrocities making ‘real progress’, Security Council hears
Jun 16, 2020, at 04:42 pm
New York/IBNS; The special UN Investigative Team probing ISIL atrocities in Iraq is making “real progress,” its chief said on Monday, as it begins to pinpoint the perpetrators of some of the worst crimes committed by the terrorist group during its years-long occupation of large swathes of the country.
Children caught in conflict facing ‘brutality and fear while the world watches’
Jun 16, 2020, at 04:32 pm
New York/IBNS: Boys and girls used and abused in armed conflict have had their childhoods replaced by “pain, brutality and fear while the world watches”, the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, said on Monday.
UN chief in ‘support migrants’ plea, as remittances drop by 20 per cent predicted
Jun 15, 2020, at 09:17 am
New York: Marking International Day of Family Remittances, The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has released a message appealing for “people everywhere” to support migrants, at a time when remittances – the money migrants send home to support their families – have fallen by more than $100 billion, causing hunger, lost schooling and deteriorating health, for tens of millions of families.
Funding shortfall affecting critical water, sanitation services in Yemen
Jun 13, 2020, at 04:44 pm
New York/IBNS: Children in the heart of the world’s worst humanitarian disaster need help more than ever, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday, in an appeal for more support to provide basic services in Yemen.
COVID-19 highlights ‘life and death’ stakes for greater digital cooperation
Jun 12, 2020, at 09:23 am
New York/IBNS: Managing the digital divide better, has become “a matter of life and death” for people unable to access essential healthcare information during the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN chief has told a virtual high-level meeting on rapid technological change.
New UN report highlights link between gender, climate and security
Jun 10, 2020, at 09:08 am
New York/IBNS: Even as countries buckle under the devastating social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, they must consider the links between gender inequality and crisis, particularly in communities affected by climate change and conflict.
As consumption rises, here’s why sustainable fisheries management matters
Jun 09, 2020, at 08:25 am
New York/IBNS: Global consumption of fish hit a record high in 2018 and is set to rise in the decade ahead, highlighting the need to ensure sustainable fisheries management, according to the latest report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Vital UN peace and security work continues amid COVID-19 challenge
Jun 05, 2020, at 09:20 am
New York/IBNS: The military chiefs at three UN missions in Africa and the Middle East have shared how they are protecting peacekeepers from COVID-19 while also fulfilling their mandates in rapidly changing environments.
Philippines drug campaign directive seen as ‘permission to kill’: UN rights office
Jun 05, 2020, at 08:46 am
New York: A campaign to eradicate illegal drugs in the Philippines that began in 2016 has led to the killing of at least 8,600 people but the real figure could be three times that number, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Thursday. In a report citing “near-impunity” for the killings, which have continued along with other alleged abuses during the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN office noted that the High Commissioner for Human Rights stood ready to assist “credible efforts towards accountability”, both nationally and internationally.
COVID-19: Act now or risk ‘unimaginable devastation’ globally, warns UN chief
May 29, 2020, at 09:46 am
New York/IBNS: Unless countries across the world act together now, the COVID-19 pandemic will cause “unimaginable devastation and suffering around the world”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday at a virtual high-level meeting on financing for development.