Asylum seekers subject to systematic pushbacks at Europe’s borders, says UNHCR
Jan 29, 2021, at 03:19 pm
New York: UN refugee agency, UNHCR, called on Thursday for an end to “systematic” expulsions and pushbacks of refugees and asylum-seekers at Europe’s land and sea borders.
Make 2021 a year of possibility and hope, UN chief tells General Assembly
Jan 29, 2021, at 03:14 pm
New York: Following an “annus horribilis” of death, disaster and despair, 2021 must be a year of transformation, Secretary-General António Guterres told the UN’s 193 Member States on Thursday.
Escalating hostilities in Yemen’s Hudaydah put thousands of civilians at risk
Jan 29, 2021, at 03:10 pm
New York: Civilians in Yemen’s Hudaydah Governorate, face a growing threat from escalating clashes, with shelling of residential areas ongoing, endangering thousands.
Guterres calls for ‘renewed approach to multilateralism’, through new peacebuilding appeal
Jan 27, 2021, at 07:18 pm
New York: Against the backdrop of a COVID-19 crisis that has exacerbated pre-pandemic challenges and a global ceasefire appeal to combat it, the UN chief called for new peacebuilding funds on Tuesday, promising a “renewed approach to multilateralism and international cooperation”.
UN ready to support Palestinian elections, new envoy tells Security Council
Jan 27, 2021, at 05:33 pm
New York: Palestinian elections scheduled for later this year will be a crucial step towards unity, the new UN envoy in the region, Tor Wennesland, said on Tuesday in his first briefing to the Security Council.
UN rights experts urge Israel to respect international obligations
Jan 27, 2021, at 05:24 pm
New York: UN independent rights experts on Tuesday, described Israel’s conviction of human rights defender Issa Amro earlier this month, as showing disdain for the country’s international obligations.
Mozambique: UN responds as thousands are caught in the wake of devastating Cyclone
Jan 27, 2021, at 03:43 pm
New York: UN agencies are ramping up efforts on Tuesday to help communities in Mozambique hit hard by Tropical Cyclone Eloise, which barrelled through the country just three weeks after the devastating Tropical Storm Chalane.
Security Council reforms must reflect 21st century realities, says UN Assembly President
Jan 27, 2021, at 03:18 pm
New York: The President of the General Assembly, on Monday, underscored the importance of effectiveness and efficiency for all bodies of the United Nations so that the Organization can deliver results for people everywhere.
Ballistic missile intercepted near Saudi Arabia's capital of Riyadh
Jan 26, 2021, at 11:52 pm
Riyadh/Sputnik: An explosion was heard in the Saudi Arabia's capital of Riyadh on Tuesday, while social networks users posted videos of a ballistic missile interception, Al Arabiya outlet reported.
In Davos speech, UN chief highlights private sector role in pandemic recovery
Jan 26, 2021, at 03:55 pm
New York: The private sector has a key role to play in lifting countries out of both the COVID-19 and climate crises, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told international business leaders on Monday.
Syria: 18 children killed since the start of the year, UNICEF reports
Jan 26, 2021, at 02:57 pm
New York: The brutal fighting in Syria continues to exact a terrible toll on children, with at least 18, including a one-year-old killed in incidents involving explosive weapons and unexploded ordnance, since 1 January, UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Sunday. At least 15 others were wounded.
Shining a light on sexually exploited women and girls forced into crime
Jan 26, 2021, at 02:46 pm
New York: Trafficked and sexually exploited woman and girls can find themselves facing prosecution and conviction for those very same crimes, in some countries, a new UN report shows. The study aims to help prosecutors to better handle these complex cases, and protect the genuine victims.
Biden promises 1mln vaccinations daily in 3 weeks
Jan 26, 2021, at 02:27 pm
Washington/Sputnik: US President Joe Biden told reporters that in three weeks the country will be able to perform one million of vaccinations a day with a potential of reaching 1.5 million.
Employee reveals UN passed dissidents’ info to China
Jan 26, 2021, at 07:23 am
Geneva: The UN Human Rights Office is facing the heat for sharing the names of Chinese government opponents, including Uighur activists, Tibetans and Hongkongers, who took part in UN activities, for a long period of time, triggering a massive controversy.
Pandemic disruption to learning is an opportunity to reimagine, revitalize education
Jan 24, 2021, at 10:50 pm
New York: To mark the third International Day of Education on Sunday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres paid tribute to the resilience of students, teachers and families in the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic that, at its peak, forced almost every school, institute and university to close its doors.
US talk show personality Larry King dies
Jan 24, 2021, at 04:09 am
Washington/UNI: Iconic US talk show personality Larry King died in hospital aged 87, his company Ora Media said in a statement published to his Twitter page.
Uganda troops kill 189 Al-Shabaab terrorists
Jan 23, 2021, at 11:10 pm
Kampala/UNI: The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), deployed in Somalia as part of the African Union’s (AU) peacekeeping mission, killed 189 Al Shabaab militants during several military operations, the UPDF said.
Jan 23, 2021, at 03:45 pm
New York: The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday announced the signing of an advance purchase agreement securing up to 40 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine, under the UN-led COVAX equitable vaccine supply programme.
Mali in transition: UN peacekeeping chief takes stock of political and security developments
Jan 23, 2021, at 03:42 pm
New York: Against the backdrop of a rapidly deteriorating security situation in Mali and the wider Sahel region, the UN peacekeeping chief concluded a visit to the restive northwest African nation on Thursday.
Sudan: 250 killed, over 100,000 displaced as violence surges in Darfur
Jan 23, 2021, at 03:20 pm
New York: A sharp uptick in intercommunal violence in Sudan’s Darfur region has forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes in search of safety, including many into neighbouring Chad, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported on Friday.
Antonio Guterres hails entry into force of treaty banning nuclear weapons
Jan 23, 2021, at 03:16 pm
New York: The first multilateral nuclear disarmament treaty in more than two decades, came into force just after midnight on Friday, hailed by the UN Secretary-General as “an important step towards a world free of nuclear weapons”.
Senior panel probing violations in Syria, examining new measures to safeguard humanitarians
Jan 22, 2021, at 04:06 pm
New York: The UN chief announced on Thursday that he has set up an independent Senior Advisory Panel on strengthening the mechanism whereby humanitarian workers and sites are better protected from attack in Syria, according to a statement released by his spokesperson.
Central African Republic: UN mission chief appeals for more peacekeepers
Jan 22, 2021, at 04:02 pm
New York: The top UN official in the Central African Republic (CAR) appealed to the Security Council on Thursday for more peacekeepers and equipment amid escalating violence surrounding elections last month.
Hurting Beijing: Denmark govt mulls Taiwan's WHO return
Jan 22, 2021, at 02:59 am
Copenhagen: The Denmark parliament is considering a resolution to support Taiwan's bid to return to the World Health Organization, a step that might annoy China.
‘Swift action’ needed in Tigray to save thousands at risk, UNHCR warns
Jan 20, 2021, at 03:54 pm
New York: Two months after conflict forced humanitarian workers to withdraw from the Tigray region of Ethiopia, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), on Tuesday, stressed the need for “swift action” to restore safe access to “save thousands of lives at risk”.
Israel: ‘Halt and reverse’ new settlement construction: UN chief
Jan 20, 2021, at 03:45 pm
New York: Israel’s decision to advance plans for some 800 new settlement units, most of which are located deep inside the occupied West Bank, has sparked the concern of UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Spectre of unrest, violent repression looming over Haiti, warns UN rights office
Jan 20, 2021, at 03:34 pm
New York: Increasing political tensions in Haiti coupled with insecurity and structural inequalities could result in protests followed by violent crackdowns by authorities, the United Nations human rights office (OHCHR) warned on Tuesday.
Swiss government calls on voters to reject burqa, niqab ban in upcoming referendum
Jan 20, 2021, at 03:08 pm
Bern/Sputnik: The Swiss government on Tuesday urged the country's voters to reject a proposal to ban full facial coverings, such as the Islamic burqa and niqab, in an upcoming March referendum.
Two UN peacekeepers killed in an ambush in Central African Republic
Jan 19, 2021, at 10:33 pm
Bangui/New York/New Delhi/Two United Nations peacekeepers were killed after their convoy was ambushed by members of the UPC and anti-Balaka armed groups in southern Central African Republic (CAR), the UN Mission in the country said on Monday.
Guterres commends Libya forum for breakthrough on interim leadership deal
Jan 19, 2021, at 03:56 pm
New York: The UN Secretary-General has praised the breakthrough made by a key committee of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum at the weekend, over an interim political leadership deal, ahead of nationwide elections at the end of the year.