WTD: UN spotlights broadband for sustainable development
May 18, 2014, at 05:37 am
New York, May 17 (IBNS): With digital development now well recognized as a transformative tool to fast-track sustainable development, the United Nations is marking World Telecommunication and Information Society Day with calls on the global community to roll-out high-speed broadband networks, making digital communication affordable as well as universally accessible.
Guinea-Bissau polls: UN chief urges high turnout, peaceful vote
May 18, 2014, at 05:31 am
New York, May 17 (IBNS): On the eve of run-off presidential elections in Guinea-Bissau, United Nations UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged voters to show the same sense of civic duty exhibited during the first round of the polls “by turning out in large numbers and in a peaceful manner.â€
Bangladesh ferry disaster toll at 54
May 18, 2014, at 04:19 am
Dhaka, May 17 (IBNS): The death toll in Thursday's Bangladesh ferry disaster touched 54 on Saturday as 23 more bodies were rescued by rescuers, media reports said.
Ban saddened by Turkish coal mine tragedy
May 17, 2014, at 05:29 pm
New York, May 17 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed his solidarity with the people of Turkey following the coal mine tragedy in Soma, and said he hopes that measures will be taken to prevent such disasters in the future.
UN alarmed by deteriorating human rights situation in Ukraine
May 17, 2014, at 05:25 pm
New York, May 17 (IBNS): A United Nations report released on Friday documents an "alarming" deterioration of the human rights situation in eastern Ukraine, including serious problems emerging in Crimea, citing numerous examples of targeted killings, torture and beatings, abductions, intimidation and some cases of sexual harassment, committed mostly by anti-Government groups.
UN concerned over Sudanese woman facing death penalty
May 17, 2014, at 05:21 pm
New York, May 17 (IBNS): The United Nations human rights office on Friday voiced deep concern about the situation of Meriam Ibrahim, the pregnant Christian Sudanese woman who was sentenced to 100 lashes and to death by a Sudanese court for apostasy and adultery.
UN moves vital food aid in north-west Syria
May 17, 2014, at 05:18 pm
New York, May 17 (IBNS): The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday it has started moving more food supplies from Turkey into north-east Syria to assist displaced families, while noting continued challenges with humanitarian access to those in need inside the war-torn nation.
UN concerned over latest fighting in northern CAR
May 17, 2014, at 05:12 pm
New York, May 17 (IBNS): As fighting worsens in northern Central African Republic, United Nations humanitarian agencies and partners are working to protect displaced people and children, and to support conflict-hit farmers, it was announced on Friday.
Mali: UN to restore Timbuktu's cultural heritage
May 17, 2014, at 05:09 pm
New York, May 17 (IBNS): The United Nations and the European Union have forged an agreement on Friday to fund the restoration of cultural heritage in Timbuktu that was destroyed by extremists after fighting broke out in 2012 between Malian Government forces and Tuareg rebels.
Myanmar: UN concerned about access to thousands displaced
May 17, 2014, at 05:05 pm
New York, May 17 (IBNS): With increased fighting in parts of Myanmar that is preventing access to civilians, the United Nations and humanitarian partners on Friday said they were seriously concerned by the displacement of thousands of people over the past weeks and called for an end to the fighting.
UN highlights role of families in achieving development
May 16, 2014, at 05:55 pm
New York, May 16 (IBNS): United Nations officials are using this year's International Day of Families to highlight the vital role that these critical social units found in every society play in achieving globally agreed development goals and advancing a better world for all.
UN condemns conviction, sentencing of Saudi blogger
May 16, 2014, at 05:53 pm
New York, May 16 (IBNS): A group of independent United Nations human rights experts on Thursday expressed alarm at the conviction by a Saudi court of online activist and blogger Raef Badawi, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison, 1,000 lashes and a 1 million Saudi riyal fine.
UN report shows rich-poor longevity divide persists
May 16, 2014, at 05:50 pm
New York, May 16 (IBNS): People everywhere are living longer, the United Nations health agency on Thursday reported, mostly because fewer children are dying, certain diseases are in check, and tobacco use is down, but conditions in low-income countries continue to plague life quality there.
Afghanistan: UN welcomes release of presidential election results
May 16, 2014, at 05:47 pm
New York, May 16 (IBNS): The United Nations mission in Afghanistan has welcomed Thursday's announcement of the final results of the recent presidential election and stressed the importance of cooperation between the electoral institutions and candidates ahead of the run-off scheduled for next month.
UN urges protection for Albinos after Tanzania killing
May 16, 2014, at 05:45 pm
New York, May 16 (IBNS): The barbaric murder of a woman with albinism in Tanzania has prompted the United Nations human rights chief to call for greater protection for this "exceptionally vulnerable" community.
Bosnia and Herzegovina's politics hurting citizens: UNSC
May 16, 2014, at 05:43 pm
New York, May 16 (IBNS): Ahead of the 'hotly contested' elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a senior United Nations official on Thursday warned the UN Security Council (UNSC) that the country is politically heading in the wrong direction and that politicians might try to raise inter-ethnic tensions to divert attention from real problems.
Nigeria: UN to support efforts to release abducted schoolgirls
May 16, 2014, at 05:40 pm
New York, May 16 (IBNS): The United Nations is committed to supporting Nigeria's efforts to ensure the release of the schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram militants, the world body's newly-appointed envoy to the country said on Thursday, as he announced that the UN has initiated preparation of a "support package" that will include assistance for affected families and the girls after their release.
UN urges governments to buy local food in public projects
May 16, 2014, at 05:36 pm
New York, May 16 (IBNS): Public procurement can contribute to making food systems more fair and sustainable, and help realize the human right to adequate food, according to a United Nations independent expert.
Egypt: UN urges reform to legal system following death sentences
May 16, 2014, at 05:34 pm
New York, May 16 (IBNS): In the wake of the second wave of mass death sentences handed down in Egypt last month, a group of African and United Nations human rights experts on Thursday called on authorities to bring the country's legal system into compliance with international and regional standards.
UN concerned over drought impact on crops in Syria
May 16, 2014, at 05:29 pm
New York, May 16 (IBNS): Drought and ongoing conflict are not only adding pressure to Syria's already dire food security situation, but also increasing the need for imports and driving up prices, according to the latest outlook issued by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).
UN urges support for Yemenis in need of assistance
May 16, 2014, at 05:25 pm
New York, May 16 (IBNS): Nearly 15 million people in Yemen - over half the population - are in need of some form of humanitarian aid this year, the top United Nations relief official in the country said on Thursday, urging the international community to provide the critical funds necessary for the response.
Syria: UN seeks expanded aid access to Palestinian refugees
May 16, 2014, at 05:21 pm
New York, May 16 (IBNS): A senior United Nations official has highlighted the extreme hardship faced by Palestinian refugees in Syria as a result of the ongoing armed conflict, and stressed the need to improve conditions to enable the delivery of critically-needed humanitarian assistance.
Bangladesh ferry capsizes, 12 drowned
May 16, 2014, at 03:23 am
Dhaka, May 15 (IBNS): At least 12 people were drowned as a ferry carrying nearly 200 passengers capsized during a nor'wester in the Meghna river at Munshiganj in Central Bangladesh on Thursday, reports said.
Death toll rises to 282 in Turkey mine mishap
May 15, 2014, at 10:07 pm
Istanbul, May 15 (IBNS): The death toll in a blast and resultant fire at a Turkish mine on Tuesday has touched 282 on Thursday, triggering a day-long strike by country's trade unions to protest against the mishap.
South Sudan: UN welcomes deal to resolve conflict in Pibor
May 15, 2014, at 06:23 pm
New York, May 15 (IBNS): The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has welcomed the signing of an agreement between the Government and the South Sudan Democratic Movement/Army (Cobra Faction) on the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Greater Pibor County, Jonglei state.
Ban calls for optimizing benefits for migrants
May 15, 2014, at 06:15 pm
New York, May 15 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called on all countries to rally around the common goal of creating regular, safe and orderly channels of migration and to optimize the benefits of this phenomenon - for those people crossing borders and for society as a whole.
UN report reveals record people displaced by war
May 15, 2014, at 06:12 pm
New York, May 15 (IBNS): Conflict and violence uprooted a record 33.3 million people within their countries last year, according to a new United Nations-backed report released on Wednesday, which adds that 63 per cent of them are in five countries - Syria, Colombia, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Sudan.
UN urges release of abducted Nigerian school girls
May 15, 2014, at 06:06 pm
New York, May 15 (IBNS): The United Nations expert committee tasked with monitoring discrimination against women on Wednesday added its voice to the chorus of condemnation of the abduction of over 200 girls from their school in north-eastern Nigeria and called for their immediate release.
UN deeply concerned over Burundi political infighting
May 15, 2014, at 06:00 pm
New York, May 15 (IBNS): The political situation in Burundi remains tense with limited political space not conducive to the protection of human rights, a United Nations envoy on Wednesday told the UN Security Council on Wednesday, warning that as the country approaches elections in 2015, there is a possibility of violence.
UN condoles Turkish coal mine tragedy
May 15, 2014, at 05:43 pm
New York, May 15 (IBNS): United Nations officials have offered their condolences to the families affected by the coal mine explosion in the town of Soma in western Turkey that reportedly resulted in at least 245 deaths.