Plastic waste causes $13 billion in annual damage to marine ecosystems: UN
Jun 24, 2014, at 09:52 pm
New York, June 24 (IBNS): Concern is growing over widespread plastic waste that is threatening marine life – with conservative yearly estimates of $13 billion in financial damage to marine ecosystems, according to two reports issued at the inaugural meeting of the United Nations Environment Assembly.
Marking International Widows' Day, Ban urges end to harmful practices, abuse against women
Jun 24, 2014, at 09:38 pm
New York, June 24 (IBNS): No woman should lose her status, livelihood or property when her husband dies, yet millions of widows in our world face persistent abuse, discrimination, disinheritance and destitution stressed United Nation Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Monday in his message for this year’s International Widows’ Day.
Top UN humanitarian official urges greater effort to foresee, prevent crises
Jun 24, 2014, at 09:31 pm
New York, June 24 (IBNS): While the United Nations and its partners continued over the past year to meet the needs of an ever-increasing number of desperate people – from Syria to the Central African Republic, the Philippines and beyond – the world body’s Emergency Coordinator Monday called for “a new [humanitarian] business model†– one that manages risks rather than deals with crises.
UN peacebuilding forum examines progress, challenges in assisting post-conflict nations
Jun 24, 2014, at 09:24 pm
New York, June 24 (IBNS): While international aid is necessary to help countries emerging from conflict to consolidate peace and embark on much-needed development, it is vital to help them generate their own resources and capacities, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson stated Monday, as he addressed the first annual session of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission.
UN political chief urges restraint by Israelis, Palestinians
Jun 24, 2014, at 07:26 pm
New York, June 24 (IBNS): Amid a “critical†security situation on the ground, the United Nations political chief Monday called on Israelis and Palestinians to exercise maximum restraint and find a way to return to negotiations.
New UN high-level body on environment opens inaugural session in Nairobi
Jun 24, 2014, at 07:22 pm
New York, June 24 (IBNS): A United Nations body that focuses on the environment and has representatives from all 193 UN Member States is meeting for the first time Monday in Nairobi, to discuss issues such as illegal wildlife trade, chemical waste and air pollution, and new universal development goals.
Removal of Syria's chemical weapons material complete: OPCW-UN mission
Jun 24, 2014, at 07:16 pm
New York, June 24 (IBNS): The Joint Mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations (OPCW-UN) announced Monday that the removal of Syria’s chemical weapons material is now complete.
UN rights chief warns as Egypt sentences journalists
Jun 24, 2014, at 05:54 pm
New York, June 24 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay expressed deep concern over a string of recent court decisions in Egypt, including the verdicts and heavy jail sentences handed down Monday to three Al Jazeera journalists, as well as 11 other defendants who were tried in absentia.
Ban says Israelis, Palestinians must show restraint
Jun 23, 2014, at 06:11 pm
Washington, June 23 (IBNS) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has stressed the need to avoid an escalation of tensions in the wake of the recent abduction of three Israeli teenagers and the increased violence and mass arrests in the West Bank.
Ukraine peace plan will reduce violence, ease tensions: Ban
Jun 23, 2014, at 06:08 pm
Washington, June 23 (IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has hailed a peace plan put forward by Ukraine's President, Petro Poroshenko, and said he hopes it will reduce violence and tensions in the eastern part of the country.
Iraq: Militants capture another town
Jun 23, 2014, at 03:59 am
Baghdad, June 22 (IBNS): The militants have captured another town in conflict-hit Iraq, media reports said on Sunday.
Jun 21, 2014, at 04:22 am
Hama, June 20 (IBNS): At least 34 people were killed in a car bomb blast at Hama province in Syria on Friday, media reports said.
UN refugee agency opens office in southern Syria
Jun 20, 2014, at 06:01 pm
Washington, June 20 (IBNS) As part of an ongoing plan to expand the reach of its humanitarian efforts in Syria, the United Nations refugee agency has opened a field office and warehouse in the southern city of Sweida and stocked it with aid items for onward delivery to thousands of internally displaced civilians.
Mali's leaders must do more: UN
Jun 20, 2014, at 05:58 pm
Washington, June 20 (IBNS) A senior United Nations relief official on Thursday highlighted the need for “courageous leadership†by the authorities in Mali to tackle the country’s political issues, warning that the already grave humanitarian situation is likely to deteriorate unless peace and stability are restored.
Ban urges Syrian parties to end violence
Jun 20, 2014, at 05:55 pm
Washington, June 20 (IBNS) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday strongly condemned the continued heavy shelling, aerial attacks and use of barrel bombs by the Syrian Government, and renewed his appeal to all parties to the conflict to end violence and seek a political solution.
Violence spreads in Iraq; UN warns of impact on minorities
Jun 20, 2014, at 05:52 pm
Washington, June 20 (IBNS) Two special advisors to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned on Thursday what could amount to war crimes committed in Iraq by terrorist and armed groups, such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and raised special concern about the impacts of the deteriorating security situation on religious and other minorities.
Tackling Sahel challenges requires cooperation: UN envoy
Jun 20, 2014, at 05:47 pm
Washington, June 20 (IBNS) The countries of Africa’s Sahel region – struggling to cope with terrorism, weak governance and recurrent droughts - need assistance to lay the foundations for stability and sustainable development, a United Nations special envoy told the Security Council on Thursday, urging greater cooperation between the region’s Governments, neighbours and international partners.
UNESCO chief denounces killing of journalists in eastern Ukraine
Jun 20, 2014, at 05:41 pm
Washington, June 20 (IBNS) The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom on Thursday denounced the killing earlier this week of two journalists covering the fighting in eastern Ukraine.
"American combat troops not going to fight in Iraq"
Jun 20, 2014, at 05:21 am
Washington, June 19 (IBNS): US President Barack Obama on Thursday said the country's combat troops will not fight in Iraq.
UN, Islamic cooperation body can work together to address global challenges, says Ban
Jun 19, 2014, at 10:11 pm
New York, June 18 (IBNS) In his address to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Wednesday highlighted ongoing collaboration between the two organizations on a range of immediate challenges and long-term pursuits, including the crises in Iraq, Syria and the ongoing peace efforts in the Middle East.
Human security approach essential to tackling 21st century challenges: UN
Jun 19, 2014, at 10:08 pm
New York, June 19 (IBNS) Human security – broadly defined by the United Nations as “the right of people to live in freedom and dignity, free from poverty and despair†– provides a new way of thinking about the range of 21st century challenges and how to respond to them, UN officials said Wednesday, backing this people-centred approach as vital to the ensuring sustainable development for all.
Asia-Pacific: UN launches Sustainable Energy for All Decade, regional hub
Jun 19, 2014, at 10:05 pm
New York, June 19 (IBNS) With an estimated 628 million people in Asia- and the Pacific lacking access to electricity and more than 1.8 billion using natural fuels, the United Nation office in the region launched Wednesday the UN Decade of Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL), underscoring the importance of clean forms of electricity in the post-2015 developing agenda.
Mali: UN peacekeeping chief cites progress on political track as key to stability
Jun 19, 2014, at 10:00 pm
New York, June 19 (IBNS) The time for peace talks in Mali is now, the United Nations peacekeeping chief told the Security Council today, underscoring the importance of a successful political process to the country’s stability and reversing the sharp deterioration in the security situation in the northern town of Kidal.
UN cites total breakdown of law and order as 'climate of fear' grips eastern Ukraine
Jun 19, 2014, at 09:51 pm
New York, June 19 (IBNS) With United Nations monitors reporting that armed separatists have used killings, abductions and torture to instil a "climate of intimidation and fear" in eastern Ukraine, the world body's human rights chief urged all armed groups to put down their weapons, end the violence and begin the process of long-term reconciliation.
Militants attack Iraq's largest oil refinery
Jun 19, 2014, at 06:00 am
Baghdad, June 18 (IBNS): Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants in Iraq attacked the country's biggest oil refinery on Wednesday, media reports said.
Ban hails 50 years of UN work on trade and development
Jun 19, 2014, at 05:50 am
Geneval, June 18 (IBNS) Arriving in Geneva to mark the 50th anniversary of the United Nations body that promotes international trade to fight poverty, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today that the complex effort needs to meet current and future goals in development, and sustainability requires innovation and stepped-up international partnership.
Impunity, unprecedented violence, denial of aid hallmarks of Syria conflict: UN
Jun 19, 2014, at 05:44 am
Geneva, June 18 (IBNS) The majority of civilians in Syria continue to bear the brunt of the ongoing conflict, the head of a United Nations-appointed human rights panel said Tuesday, noting that violence has escalated to an unprecedented level, humanitarian aid is arbitrarily denied and perpetrators of crimes have no fear of consequence.
Security Council expresses condolences for journalists killed in Ukraine
Jun 19, 2014, at 05:41 am
New York, June 18 (IBNS) The United Nations Security Council today voiced its deepest condolences to the families of all journalists who have been killed while covering the crisis in Ukraine, and encouraged a thorough investigation of all such incidents.
UN official lays out challenges, priorities for future of peacekeeping
Jun 19, 2014, at 05:38 am
New York, June 18 (IBNS) A top official of the United Nations presented to a Washington, DC-based think tank Tuesday a broad survey of new challenges, priorities and strategies for UN peacekeeping as the world Organization embarks on a major review of its operations, requested by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
UN surge Iraqi leaders to come together to on security crisis
Jun 19, 2014, at 05:33 am
Geneva, June 18 (IBNS) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the top United Nations envoy in Iraq are urging the country’s leaders to come together to address the rapidly deteriorating security situation and prevent sectarian reprisals amid the ongoing violence.