Ban appoints officials to key development posts
May 08, 2014, at 05:17 pm
New York, May 8 (IBNS): United Nations' development efforts got a boost on Wednesday with the appointment of key positions in the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and at the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
UN urges insurgent group to release Nigerian schoolgirls
May 08, 2014, at 05:14 pm
New York, May 8 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's top envoy on children and armed conflict expressed deep concern about the fate of the 230 girls violently abducted from their school in in mid-April by Boko Haram militants in Nigeria's crisis-riven Borno State, and deplored the group's reported abduction on Tuesday of several more girls.
South Sudan: Ban urges peace as political rivals agree to meet
May 07, 2014, at 05:22 pm
New York, May 7 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday that South Sudan's President and his main political rival - whose respective forces are locked in an increasingly brutal conflict in the country - have said they plan to "sit down together" later this week for talks on ending nearly five months of fighting.
Ukraine: UN urges greater effort to resolve crisis
May 07, 2014, at 05:18 pm
New York, May 7 (IBNS): Increasing violence in eastern and southern Ukraine is resulting in more and more death and destruction, the top United Nations human rights official said on Tuesday, calling on all sides in the conflict to make a greater effort to find a peaceful resolution, particularly ahead of the 25 May presidential election.
UN disappointed by ruling in DR Congo mass rape trial
May 07, 2014, at 05:15 pm
New York, May 7 (IBNS): Disappointed by the ruling of a Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) military court which acquitted close to half of the 39 Congolese soldiers accused of mass rape in 2012, the United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said on Tuesday the decision fell short of the expectations of the numerous victims and confirmed the shortcoming of the country's justice system.
UN warns Boko Haram over sale of Nigerian schoolgirls
May 07, 2014, at 05:12 pm
New York, May 7 (IBNS): The United Nations human rights office on Tuesday lashed out at the militant group known as Boko Haram, which claimed responsibility for kidnapping more than 200 schoolgirls in Nigeria and now, referring to the girls as "slaves", says it plans to sell them "in the market" and "marry them off".
UN humanitarian chief meets with Central African refugees
May 07, 2014, at 05:08 pm
New York, May 7 (IBNS): The top United Nations relief official on Tuesday visited with mostly women and children fleeing violence in the Central African Republic (CAR) by taking refuge in Chad, where they are receiving food, vaccines and other support from UN agencies and partners.
UN urges Eritrea to end widespread arbitrary arrest
May 07, 2014, at 05:02 pm
New York, May 7 (IBNS): The Government of Eritrea needs to put an immediate end to the widespread practices of arbitrary arrest, ill-treatment and persecution, says an independent expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to look into the situation in the country.
Afghanistan: UN urges support for vulnerable communities
May 07, 2014, at 05:00 pm
New York, May 7 (IBNS): In the wake of last week's massive landslide in north-eastern Afghanistan, a senior United Nations relief official on Tuesday voiced deep concern about the impact of conflict and natural disasters in the country, and urged the world to step up support to vulnerable communities.
UN concerned over South Sudanese refugees flooding in Ethiopia
May 07, 2014, at 04:57 pm
New York, May 7 (IBNS): Waves of South Sudanese women and children are fleeing across the Ethiopian border, with more than 11,000 people crossing in the past 72 hours, the United Nations refugee agency on Tuesday said confirming that UN agencies and humanitarian partners are rushing food and medical supplies to the site.
UN reports positive financial situation, warns of cash flow
May 07, 2014, at 04:54 pm
New York, May 7 (IBNS): The top United Nations management official reported on Tuesday that at the end of 2013, the Organization's financial situation was "generally sound", but cautioned that the cash flow would get tighter in the final months of 2014, as several major contributors would pay their assessments between October and December.
Pak NA approves resolution to lift ban on YouTube
May 07, 2014, at 04:41 am
Islamabad, May 6 (IBNS) Pakistan's National Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution to unblock popular video-sharing website YouTube in the Asian nation.
May 07, 2014, at 04:21 am
Kano, May 6 (IBNS): Militants of suspected group Boko Haram have abducted eight more girls from village in Nigeria, media reports said on Tuesday.
China: Six injured in knife attack at railway station
May 07, 2014, at 01:59 am
Guangzhou, May 6 (IBNS): At least six people were injured in a knife attack at a railway station in China's Guangzhou city on Tuesday, media reports said.
Afghanistan: UN officials visit landslide-hit north-eastern province
May 06, 2014, at 06:19 pm
New York, May 6 (IBNS): Following a visit on Monday to the site of the massive landslide which killed hundreds in north-eastern Afghanistan late last week, two senior United Nations humanitarian officials highlighted the longer-term needs of people displaced by natural disasters in the country, as well as the need for long-term preventive measures.
South Sudan: UN confirms weekend fighting in Unity state
May 06, 2014, at 06:12 pm
New York, May 6 (IBNS): Fighting with heavy and small arms fire resumed on Monday in South Sudan's Unity state where United Nations peacekeepers are protecting some 23,000 displaced civilians, a UN spokesperson confirmed.
UN spotlights role of culture in sustainable development
May 06, 2014, at 06:08 pm
New York, May 6 (IBNS): Culture, in all its multifaceted dynamism, must be thoroughly integrated in the post-2015 development agenda, senior United Nations officials told the General Assembly Monday, highlighting the need to recognize the vital role that culture plays in combatting poverty and promoting sustainable growth.
Syria: Gunfire forces UN to suspend food delivery
May 06, 2014, at 06:04 pm
New York, May 6 (IBNS): Gunfire stopped distribution of food on Monday in a besieged Palestinian refugee camp, a United Nations spokesperson confirmed on Monday, reiterating demands that the UN agency assisting Palestinian refugees be allowed to safely and without interruption distribute substantial quantities of food and other humanitarian assistance inside Yarmouk.
UN partners private sector to help map disaster risk
May 06, 2014, at 05:52 pm
New York, May 6 (IBNS): The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) has announced that it will partner with a California-based supplier of global geographic data to make available new technologies that can help communities and cities visualize disaster risk and take action.
DR Congo: UN supports rescue operation of shipwrecked passengers
May 06, 2014, at 05:48 pm
New York, May 6 (IBNS): At least one person died and 10 others are missing after a boat capsized in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the country (MONUSCO) reported on Monday, announcing that its peacekeepers rushed to the scene of the accident and were able to rescue more than a dozen passengers.
UNSC decries terrorist attack in Yemen
May 06, 2014, at 05:42 pm
New York, May 6 (IBNS): The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) strongly condemned Monday's deadly terrorist attack in Sana'a, as well as other recent terrorist attacks in Yemen, and stressed its support for President Abd Rabu Mansour Hadi and his Government to combat terrorism.
UN reports Internet well on way to 3 billion users
May 06, 2014, at 05:37 pm
New York, May 6 (IBNS): Releasing new statistics on Monday, the United Nations International Telecommunications Union (ITU) announced that by end 2014, there will be nearly three billion Internet users - two-thirds of them from the developing world - with mobile-broadband penetration approaching 32 percent.
US: Man pleads guilty to explosives charge
May 06, 2014, at 04:23 pm
Los Angeles, May 6 (IBNS) A man who left pipe bombs in a residential neighborhood in Palm Springs near the residence of an ex-girlfriend—and who became a fugitive after escaping from custody in a related case—pleaded guilty on Monday to a federal charge of possession of an unregistered destructive device.
6.0 earthquake rocks Thailand, no casualty
May 06, 2014, at 03:33 am
Bangkok , May 5 (IBNS): An earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter Scale hit northern Thailand on Monday.
6.0 earthquake strikes off Tokyo, 17 injured
May 06, 2014, at 01:39 am
Tokyo, May 5 (IBNS): At least 17 people were hurt as an earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale struck off the coast of Tokyo.
Somalia: UNSC condemns latest bombing in Mogadishu
May 05, 2014, at 05:16 pm
New York, May 5 (IBNS): The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Sunday strongly condemned the latest terrorist bomb attack in the Somali capital Mogadishu, for which the Islamic insurgent group Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility and which has caused numerous deaths and injuries.
Kenya: 3 killed in twin explosions in Mombasa
May 04, 2014, at 08:30 pm
Mombasa, May 4 (IBNS): At least three people were killed and several others injured after two explosions hit the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa on Saturday, media reports said.
Ukraine: Ban welcomes release of abducted military observers
May 04, 2014, at 05:45 am
New York, May 3 (IBNS) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the release earlier on Saturday of European military monitors and accompanying Ukrainian staff abducted a week ago in the country's crisis-torn eastern region, even as he expressed sadness at the loss of life amid fresh violence in the port city of Odessa.
UN cites press freedom as critical to reaching development goals
May 04, 2014, at 05:44 am
New York, May 3 (IBNS): The United Nations is marking World Press Freedom Day on Saturday with an appeal to all States, societies and individuals to actively defend press freedom as a fundamental right and as a critical contribution to achieving and sustaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
S Korea:Mechanical malfunction caused trains collision
May 04, 2014, at 05:19 am
Seoul, May 3 (IBNS): Two subway trains in South Korea's Seoul collided on Friday due to mechanical malfunction caused by a signal failure, media reports said on Saturday.