UN: Can you spare 67 minutes to take action on Nelson Mandela Day?
Jul 18, 2014, at 06:59 pm
New York, July 18 (IBNS) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will be among citizens around the world who will be volunteering 67 minutes of their time on Friday, Nelson Mandela Day, to make a small gesture in solidarity with humanity – one minute for every year of the South African leader’s public service.
UN chief, special envoys pledge to 'spare no effort' to end Syria bloodshed
Jul 18, 2014, at 06:56 pm
New York, July 18 (IBNS): UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, flanked by his new special envoys for Syria, on Thursday pledged to “spare no effort†to help end the bloodshed and bring about a peaceful resolution to the conflict that brought untold suffering to millions.
Ban expresses condolences after crash of Malaysia Airlines flight in Ukraine
Jul 18, 2014, at 06:53 pm
New York, July 18 (IBNS):United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed his condolences following on Thursday’s crash of a Malaysia Airlines plane in Ukraine, and called for a full investigation into the disaster.
Ban appoints Algerian diplomat Said Djinnit as envoy for Great Lakes region
Jul 18, 2014, at 06:50 pm
New York, July 18 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday announced that he has appointed Said Djinnit of Algeria as his special envoy for the Great Lakes region of Africa tasked with bringing international awareness to the area’s challenges.
UN officials urge greater investment to boost Africa's development prospects
Jul 18, 2014, at 06:46 pm
New York, July 18 (IBNS) United Nations officials on Thursday stressed the need to harness the necessary resources to take Africa’s progress to the next level, calling for increased investment to boost the continent’s development prospects.
UN mission welcomes start of audit of Afghan presidential run-off election
Jul 18, 2014, at 06:43 pm
New York, July 18 (IBNS): The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has welcomed the start on Thursday of the audit of the results of last month’s presidential run-off election.
On criminal justice day, UN urges ratification of treaty setting up International Criminal Court
Jul 18, 2014, at 06:40 pm
New York, July 18 (IBNS) Justice matters, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed, calling for universal ratification of the Rome Statute, which was adopted 16 years ago on Thursday and established the International Criminal Court (ICC), the world’s first permanent court set up to try war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
Recent turmoil in Libya could escalate quickly, threaten fledgling transition: UN envoy
Jul 18, 2014, at 06:22 pm
New York, July 18 (IBNS) The top United Nations envoy to Libya on Thursday warned that the risk of a major escalation of the recent fighting in the capital is high and threatens the fledgling political process in the country.
New UN food safety standards include cap on levels of lead in infant formula
Jul 18, 2014, at 06:10 pm
New York, July 18 (IBNS) The United Nations body responsible for setting food safety standards this week adopted guidelines to protect consumers worldwide, including setting out maximum levels of lead in infant formula and arsenic in rice.
There can be no military solution, Ban says as Israel launches ground offensive against Gaza
Jul 18, 2014, at 06:00 pm
New York, July 18 (IBNS): UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday voiced his regret that Israel has launched a ground offensive against Gaza, despite calls for restraint, and stressed that there can be no military solution to the conflict which flared up over a week ago.
Central African Republic: Security Council briefed on roll-out of UN peacekeeping mission
Jul 17, 2014, at 04:02 pm
New York, July 17 (IBNS)The insecurity in the Central African Republic (CAR) remains a great concern, the top United Nations peacekeeping official said on Wednesday, highlighting the need for airlift capacity and other logistical assistance to increase the number of UN 'blue helmets' in the country.
UN relief chief warns of looming disaster amid linked crises in Sudan and South Sudan
Jul 17, 2014, at 04:02 pm
New York, July 17 (IBNS) Deeply concerned by the escalating and increasingly interlinked crises in Sudan and South Sudan, where violence is sparking refugee flows and disrupting harvests again this year, the top United Nations relief official warned on Wednesday that the humanitarian situation is deteriorating for hundreds of thousands of people in both countries.
Israel agrees to 'humanitarian pause' in war-torn Gaza Strip, UN envoy confirms
Jul 17, 2014, at 04:01 pm
New York, July 17 (IBNS) After days of escalating violence and follow-on civilian suffering in the Gaza Strip, the United Nations special envoy for the Middle East confirmed on Wednesday that Israel has agreed to a five hour humanitarian pause – set to begin on Thursday morning – and repeated his call on Hamas to respect the lull "in the interest of the people of Gaza."
As violence flares, UN rights expert urges Cambodia to lift protest ban
Jul 17, 2014, at 04:00 pm
New York, July 17 (IBNS)The United Nations expert on the situation of human rights in Cambodia urged all sides to immediately exercise utmost calm and restraint, and reiterated his call for an end to the official ban on demonstrations.
Easing plight of child migrants fleeing Central America requires 'compassionate solutions': Ban
Jul 17, 2014, at 04:00 pm
New York, July 17 (IBNS) Deeply concerned by the "urgent humanitarian situation" of unaccompanied child migrants from Central America, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called for Governments of countries where the children start, continue or finish their journeys, to protect their dignity and human rights.
In Dominican Republic, Ban hails collective effort to bolster human rights, development, peace
Jul 17, 2014, at 03:59 pm
New York, July 17 (IBNS)In a first-ever visit to the Dominican Republic, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday addressed the National Congress, saying “one country with dedication and solidarity can move the world,†helping to spur progress in across the three pillars of the UN – development, human rights and peace.
UN rights chief warns of 'disturbing lack of transparency' for digital mass surveillance
Jul 17, 2014, at 03:57 pm
New York, July 17 (IBNS) The top United Nations human rights official on Wednesday warned of the "disturbing†lack of transparency in governmental surveillance policies and practices, “including de facto coercion of private sector companies to provide sweeping access to information and data relating to private individuals without the latter’s knowledge or consent."
Air strikes kill above 25 militants in Pakistan
Jul 16, 2014, at 10:42 pm
Rawalpindi, July 16(IBNS Pakistan on Wednesday said more than 25 militants have been killed in air strikes in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) on Wednesday.
Jul 16, 2014, at 10:10 pm
Mosow, July 16 (IBNS) At least two people have been detained in connection with the metro train derailment in Moscow which left at 20 people killed on Tuesday, media reports said on Wednesday.
Israel urges people in Gaza to leave homes
Jul 16, 2014, at 10:07 pm
Gaza City, July 16 (IBNS) Amid air strikes, Israel has asked Palestinians living in eastern and northern Gaza to leave their homes, media reports said on Wednesday.
Ban praises Haitian police recruits, judicial institutions in strengthening rule of law
Jul 16, 2014, at 04:27 pm
New York,July 16 (IBNS) Calling them "the backbone" of Haiti, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesdaypraised national police recruits and the efforts under way to strengthen the rule of law in the country, as he continued his visit to the Caribbean nation.
Level of human loss, destruction in Gaza 'immense', says UN agency
Jul 16, 2014, at 04:26 pm
New York, July 16 (IBNS) The level of human loss and destruction in Gaza as a result of the ongoing conflict with Israel has been "immense,†the United Nations ,"gency tasked with assisting Palestinian refugees said today, noting that eight days of hostilities has claimed 174 lives and injured well over 1,100 people.
In Nigeria, UN envoy reviews efforts to release schoolgirls, meets with Malala Yousafzai
Jul 16, 2014, at 04:25 pm
New York, July 16 (IBNS) More than 90 days after hundreds of schoolgirls were kidnapped by Boko Haram rebels in north-eastern Nigeria, a United Nations envoy for the region got a first-hand account of the efforts underway to rescue the students and to fight terrorism in the region, and met with education activist Malala Yousafzai, who was spending her birthday in Nigeria to show solidarity with the girls and their families.
Recent crises show efforts to prevent relapse into conflict insufficient, Security Council told
Jul 16, 2014, at 04:24 pm
New York, July 16 (IBNS) The Chair of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) told the Security Council on Tuesdaythat the recent crises in the Central African Republic (CAR) and South Sudan are painful reminders that efforts to prevent relapse into conflict remain insufficient and tools are not fully adequate.
Development and alternative crops provide hope in war on illicit drugs :UN
Jul 16, 2014, at 04:23 pm
New York, July 16 (IBNS) Senior United Nations officials on Tuesdaycalled for a greater focus on development activities and alternative crops in countries where the tight grip of drug lords has disrupted peace, security and development, such as in Afghanistan and Myanmar.
New UN survey shows 10 million Yemenis still struggle for food
Jul 16, 2014, at 04:23 pm
New York, July 16 (IBNS) A new United Nations survey has found that over 10 million Yemenis – more than 40 per cent of the population – do not know where their next meal will come from.
Afghanistan: UN strongly condemns deadly attacks against civilians in Kabul, Paktika
Jul 16, 2014, at 06:49 am
New York, July 15 (IBNS) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations mission in Afghanistan strongly condemned two attacks that took place on Tuesday, one in Kabul and the other in the eastern province of Paktika, which have killed and injured scores of civilians.
Afghanistan: 89 killed in blast
Jul 16, 2014, at 03:18 am
Kabul, July 15 (IBNS) At least 89 people were killed in a blast in Afghanistan's Paktika province on Tuesday, media reports said.
Russia: Metro derailment kills 20
Jul 16, 2014, at 02:27 am
Moscow, July 15 (IBNS) At least 20 people died as a metro train derailed between two stations in Moscow on Tuesday, media reports said.
UK's top diplomat William Hague resigns
Jul 15, 2014, at 07:55 pm
London, July 15 (IBNS): British Foreign Secretary William Hague announced his resignation on Monday.