Apr 09, 2014, at 08:57 pm
Islamabad, Apr 9 (IBNS) At least 20 people were killed and over 100 others were injured in a bomb blast at a fruit market near Pir Wadhai town in Rawalpindi district of Pakistan on Wednesday morning, said reports.
UN condemns deadly attack in southern Afghanistan
Apr 09, 2014, at 05:15 pm
New York, Apr 9 (IBNS): The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has strongly condemned an attack in the southern province of Kandahar which killed 15 civilians and injured another five.
Syria: Ban condemns spiralling violence, urges end to conflict
Apr 09, 2014, at 05:11 pm
New York, Apr 9 (IBNS): Amid surging violence across Syria, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the killing of an elderly priest in Homs and the ongoing brutality against the civilian population, and urged all Syrians and their outside supporters to put a stop to this conflict, "now".
Europe: UN urges inclusion of Roma people in decision-making
Apr 09, 2014, at 05:04 pm
New York, Apr 9 (IBNS): On International Roma Day, the United Nations independent expert on minority issues is calling on all European countries and institutions to fully include Roma people in their decision-making processes at all levels.
New Zealand: UN concerned by arbitrary detention of Maoris
Apr 09, 2014, at 05:01 pm
New York, Apr 9 (IBNS): A United Nations human rights panel has voiced concerns about issues related to the deprivation of liberty in New Zealand, including the "disproportionate incarceration rates" of the Maori population, despite legal safeguards against arbitrary detention.
UN assists Syrians amidst fears of drought impact
Apr 09, 2014, at 04:57 pm
New York, Apr 9 (IBNS): While noting that the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) provided assistance to a record 4 million Syrians in March, a new report out on Tuesday highlights that, with only one month left in the rainy season, a potential drought may strain the country's already fragile food security situation.
US: Cop charged in cocaine trafficking conspiracy
Apr 09, 2014, at 03:18 pm
Newark, Apr 9 (IBNS) An internal affairs officer of the Miami-Dade Police Department was arrested Tuesday morning in Miami Gardens, Florida, and charged with allegedly aiding a narcotics trafficking organization—distributing cocaine from the Dominican Republic in New Jersey and elsewhere—by orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot; providing firearms and sensitive law enforcement information; and facilitating the transport of drug proceeds, New Jersey U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Blast in Pakistan train kills 16
Apr 09, 2014, at 03:56 am
Sibi, Apr 8 (IBNS): At least 16 people were killed and several others were injured in a blast inside the bogie of Jaffer Express at Sibi Railway Station in Pakistan's Baluchistan province on Tuesday, media reports said.
UN condemns killing of two consultants in Somalia
Apr 08, 2014, at 07:15 pm
New York, Apr 8 (IBNS): Senior United Nations officials on Monday voiced outrage at the killing of two consultants working for the world body's arm dealing with drugs and crime who were shot by unknown gunmen in Somalia's Puntland region.
Myanmar: UN alarmed at worsening human rights situation
Apr 08, 2014, at 07:11 pm
New York, Apr 8 (IBNS): An independent United Nations expert on Monday sounded the alarm on the deteriorating human rights situation in Myanmar's Rakhine state, adding that the evacuation of aid workers following recent attacks on the humanitarian community would have severe consequences for life-saving work in the area.
Kigali: Ban marks 20th anniversary of Rwandan genocide
Apr 08, 2014, at 07:03 pm
New York, Apr 8 (IBNS): Commemorating "one of the darkest chapters in human history," United Nations officials paid tribute this morning to the 800,000 men, women and children - overwhelmingly Tutsi, moderate Hutu and Twa - that were systematically killed 20 years ago in Rwanda, and urged the international community to work together and remain vigilant to prevent such atrocities from ever happening again.
Afghanistan: Ban welcomes polls as transition of power
Apr 08, 2014, at 06:58 pm
New York, Apr 8 (IBNS): United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon has congratulated the Afghan people for Saturday's historic presidential and provincial elections, which marked "an important step forward" in the country's path to democracy.
UN forum to address challenges faced by world population
Apr 08, 2014, at 06:55 pm
New York, Apr 8 (IBNS): Member States on Monday kicked off a week-long assessment at United Nations Headquarters of action taken over the past 20 years to improve people's lives and address population issues amid changes in ageing, fertility, mortality, migration and urbanization.
UN urges states to sign treaty on migrant workers' rights
Apr 08, 2014, at 06:51 pm
New York, Apr 8 (IBNS): The expert members of the United Nations panel dealing with the rights of migrant workers and their families renewed on Monday their appeal to all countries to sign the international treaty on the rights of those workers, which went into effect almost 11 years ago.
UN launches response for flood-affected Solomon islands
Apr 08, 2014, at 06:47 pm
New York, Apr 8 (IBNS): The United Nations and its partners in the Pacific have begun deployments to Honiara on Monday in support of the Solomon Islands' Government response to what is considered to be "the worst floods ever seen in the country," killing at least 23 people and affecting another 50,000 across the country.
Crisis devastating economy, livelihoods in CAR: UN
Apr 08, 2014, at 06:40 pm
New York, Apr 8 (IBNS): The crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR) is devastating the economy and people's ability to secure basic necessities, says a new joint United Nations assessment, which warns that as the violence continues and the rains set in, providing the type of broad action needed to halt the country's downward spiral is becoming more difficult and expensive "with every passing day."
Philippines: UN seeks debt relief to support typhoon recovery
Apr 08, 2014, at 06:33 pm
New York, Apr 8 (IBNS): Voicing concern that the Philippines' post-typhoon reconstruction and recovery efforts could be undermined by its heavy debt load, a United Nations independent human rights expert on Monday issued a strong call on international creditors to cancel the country's debt and to provide unrestricted grant aid instead of new loans.
Cambodia: UN concerned over curbs affecting human rights
Apr 08, 2014, at 06:29 pm
New York, Apr 8 (IBNS): The United Nations independent expert on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, expressed concern on Monday that the country's National Assembly held its second session last week without the opposition representatives taking up their seat, and urged the legislature to upkeep the key principles of any law-making process: transparency, accountability and participation.
US man pleads guilty to armed bank robbery
Apr 08, 2014, at 05:08 pm
Atlanta, Apr 8 (IBNS) Charles Johnson, III, 27, of Savannah, Georgia, pled guilty last week before United States District Court Judge B. Avant Edenfield to the armed bank robbery of the Savannah Bank branch located at 100 Chatham Parkway on July 11, 2013.
Pistorius apologises to girlfriend's family
Apr 08, 2014, at 06:09 am
Pretoria, Apr 7 (IBNS): Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius on Monday apologised to the family of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp who was shot dead last year.
MH 370: Malaysia hopeful after new lead
Apr 08, 2014, at 05:37 am
Kuala Lumpur, Apr 7 (IBNS) Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein on Monday said he feels that the detection of pulse signals in the southern Indian Ocean might lead to 'positive development' in the search for the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH370 aircraft which went missing last month.
Rwanda: Ban urges global support to prevent future atrocities
Apr 07, 2014, at 05:08 pm
New York, Apr 7 (IBNS): As Rwandans commemorate the genocide that took place 20 years ago, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed during a visit to Kigali on Sunday the need for the international community to learn from such atrocities and to ensure that the words 'never again' are translated into action.
Afghanistan votes to elect new president
Apr 06, 2014, at 05:23 am
Kabul, Apr 5 (IBNS): Defying Taliban threats , more than seven million voters exercised their franchise in the presidential and provincial polls in Afghanistan on Saturday, country's Independent Election Commission (IEC) said.
MH370: Chinese ship discovers pulse signal
Apr 06, 2014, at 04:41 am
Beijing, Apr 5 (IBNS): A Chinese ship, which is searching for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, on Saturday detected a pulse signal in the southern Indian Ocean waters, media reports said.
US: 13 arrested for drug distribution
Apr 05, 2014, at 06:46 pm
Salt Lake City, Apr 5 (IBNS) Thirteen arrests were made Wednesday as a part of a federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case targeting the distribution of methamphetamine and heroin in Utah by alleged members of the La Raza gang and their associates.
Ban hails role of women in achieving world free of landmines
Apr 05, 2014, at 06:10 pm
New York, Apr 5 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling for greater measures to involve more women at higher levels in mine action, stressing their vital role in advancing the vision of a world free of landmines.
UN deplores attack on journalists in Afghanistan
Apr 05, 2014, at 06:06 pm
New York, Apr 5 (IBNS): The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) strongly condemned the "abhorrent" attack on two international journalists working for the Associated Press on Friday which left one dead and the other wounded.
Somalia: UN calls for moratorium after execution of murderer
Apr 05, 2014, at 06:03 pm
New York, Apr 5 (IBNS): The United Nations human rights office Friday voiced its concern at the "hasty" judicial process in the Somali town of Kismayo that led to the execution of man nine days after he allegedly murdered an elder, and called on authorities to impose a moratorium on the death penalty.
Prague: Ban urges shared global responsibility for better future
Apr 05, 2014, at 05:59 pm
New York, Apr 5 (IBNS): From reducing poverty and hunger to addressing climate change, the world faces big challenges that cannot be tackled alone, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Friday, highlighting the importance of shared global responsibility in an address to students in the Czech Republic.
UNSC seeks peaceful, credible polls in Guinea-Bissau
Apr 05, 2014, at 05:54 pm
New York, Apr 5 (IBNS): The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has urged all national stakeholders in Guinea-Bissau to facilitate the conduct of peaceful and credible elections on Apr 13, when citizens of the West African nation will participate in long-delayed president and legislative elections.