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.
UN condemns murder of photojournalist in CAR
May 15, 2014, at 05:39 pm
New York, May 15 (IBNS): The United Nations has condemned the murder of well-known French photojournalist Camille Lepage, whose body was found in the Bouar region in the western part of war-torn Central African Republic (CAR), where she had been working.
May 15, 2014, at 05:34 pm
New York, May 15 (IBNS): The top United Nations official in Geneva on Wednesday urged bold action by diplomats at the start of the world body's first ever meeting on Lethal Autonomous Weapons (LAWS), better known as "killer robots," telling them: "You have the opportunity to take pre-emptive action and ensure that the ultimate decision to end life remains firmly under human control."
The New York Times Executive Editor replaced
May 15, 2014, at 05:29 pm
New York, May 15 (IBNS): The New York Times newspaper on Wednesday replaced its executive editor Jill Abramson with immediate affect.
S Korea ferry mishap: Captain, 3 others charged with murder
May 15, 2014, at 04:49 pm
Mokpo, May 15 (IBNS): Nearly a month after a ferry sank in South Korea, country's prosecutors on Thursday brought murder charges against the captain and three crew members of the ferry for abandoning the vehicle and attempting to evacuate passengers travelling in it.
Turkey mine mishap: Death toll at 274
May 15, 2014, at 04:28 pm
Istanbul, May 15 (IBNS): Death toll in the a blast and resultant fire at a Turkish mine on Tuesday has touched 274 on Thursday, media reports said.
Bangkok: Turtles from Indian seized at airport
May 15, 2014, at 04:17 pm
Bangkok, May 15 (IBNS): As many as 230 Hamilton turtles packed in four suitcases, which arrived on IndiGo Airlines flight from India, were seized by customs officials at Suvarnabhumi Airport, media reports said on Thursday.
UN concerned at deaths from boat accidents in Mediterranean
May 14, 2014, at 06:44 pm
New York, May 14 (IBNS): The United Nations on Tuesday voiced deep concern at the rising death toll from boat accidents in the Mediterranean Sea this year as increasing numbers of asylum-seekers and refugees make the journey on unsafe vessels, often at the hands of ruthless smugglers.
UN marks Buddhist holy day, Ban urges work for common good
May 14, 2014, at 06:41 pm
New York, May 14 (IBNS): The Buddhist teachings of peace, compassion and love should help guide governments and the international community, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, urging international cooperation for the betterment of all humankind.
Syria: UN-Arab League envoy Brahimi quits
May 14, 2014, at 06:36 pm
New York, May 14 (IBNS): Amidst an international community "hopelessly divided" over how to end more than three years of bloodshed in Syria, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday announced that he has regretfully accepted the resignation of Lakhdar Brahimi, the Joint United Nations-League of Arab States Special Representative on the crisis.
Libya: UN Court urges justice for perpetrators of serious crimes
May 14, 2014, at 06:33 pm
New York, May 14 (IBNS): Ensuring that there is no impunity for those alleged to have committed serious crimes in Libya is crucial to bring lasting peace to the country, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) stressed on Tuesday, as she lamented the slow progress to date in this vital aspect of the democratic transition.
UN backs universal education, condemns Nigerian abduction
May 14, 2014, at 06:30 pm
New York, May 14 (IBNS): Stressing the need to educate all children, the head of the United Nations education agency on Tuesday condemned the abduction of schoolgirls in Nigeria - calling it "an attack against the aspirations of these girls" - and urged greater cooperation among Member States on educational needs.
CAR: UN concerned over children witnessing brutality
May 14, 2014, at 06:12 pm
New York, May 14 (IBNS): The children of the Central African Republic (CAR) are witnessing terrible violence in what has become a forgotten crisis, a senior United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) official on Tuesday said, urging the international community to 'stand up' and stop and help end the crisis as soon as possible.
Turkish mine accident kills four
May 14, 2014, at 05:30 am
Istanbul, May 13 (IBNS): At least four miners are feared dead in a blast and fire at a Turkish mine on Tuesday, media reports said.
UN urges continued international support for Central Africa
May 13, 2014, at 05:24 pm
New York, May 13 (IBNS): Significant gains have been made in recent years in combating the threat of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) but the countries of Central Africa still face numerous challenges that require continued international support, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council on Monday.
Iraq: UN concerned over ongoing fighting in Fallujah
May 13, 2014, at 05:22 pm
New York, May 13 (IBNS): The top United Nations envoy in Iraq says he remains concerned at reports of increased armed activities in Fallujah, in Anbar province, and its impact on civilians.
UN seeks involvement of indigenous peoples in development agenda
May 13, 2014, at 05:19 pm
New York, May 13 (IBNS): Indigenous peoples must be a part of the ongoing process to define a global development agenda beyond 2015, United Nations officials said on Monday, calling for explicit assertion of their collective rights as well as the promotion of traditional knowledge to tackle issues such as climate change, as the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues opened its 2014 session.
Norwegian General to head UN peacekeeping force
May 13, 2014, at 05:17 pm
New York, May 13 (IBNS): Major General Kristin Lund, of Norway, has become the first woman ever to serve as Force Commander in a United Nations peacekeeping operation, it was announced on Monday.
Ban urges restraint amid breaches of South Sudan ceasefire
May 13, 2014, at 05:15 pm
New York, May 13 (IBNS): Political dialogue is the only answer to the conflict in South Sudan, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed on Monday, as he urged maximum restraint by all parties amid accusations of breaches of the ceasefire agreement signed just a few days ago.
Ban urges Israelis, Palestinians to resume negotiations
May 13, 2014, at 05:12 pm
New York, May 13 (IBNS): Continued inaction in the Middle East peace process could lead to further instability in the region, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned on Monday at an international meeting in Turkey, reiterating his calls on Israelis and Palestinians to avoid unilateral steps that would aggravate the situation and diminish prospects for negotiations to resume.
Libya: UN condemns attacks on security personnel, civilians
May 13, 2014, at 05:08 pm
New York, May 13 (IBNS): The United Nations mission in Libya on Monday voiced deep concern about ongoing violence across the country and condemned attacks on security personnel and civilians.
Despite recent escalation, conflict in Ukraine can be averted: Ban
May 13, 2014, at 05:06 pm
New York, May 13 (IBNS): There is still time to avert a full-blown conflict in Ukraine, where the crisis continues to escalate, particularly in the east and south of the country, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday.
New video 'show' abducted girls
May 13, 2014, at 06:45 am
London, May 12 (IBNS): A video released by militant group Boko Haram claimed to show the abducted Nigerian school girls, media reports said.
British PM joins 'Bring Back Our Girls' campaign
May 12, 2014, at 02:34 am
London, May 11 (IBNS) British Prime Minister David Cameron has promised that the country would 'do what we can' to find out over 200 schoolgirls abducted by militants in Nigeria.
Two regions of Ukraine holding referendums
May 11, 2014, at 08:25 pm
Donetsk, Ukraine, May 11 (IBNS): Pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine's two eastern regions are voting on Sunday in referendums to split from the rest of the former Soviet republic even as the move is condemned by the Ukrainian government and the United States.
US President, First Lady heartbroken over Nigeria abductions
May 11, 2014, at 05:04 am
Washington, May 10 (IBNS): US First Lady Michelle Obama on Saturday said she and her husband President Barack Obama were 'outraged and heartbroken' over the kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian girls from their school dormitory by militants last month.
Venezuela: UN concerned at renewed violence, use of force
May 10, 2014, at 05:31 pm
New York, May 10 (IBNS): The United Nations human rights office on Friday voiced concern at renewed violence in Venezuela, and at the reported excessive use of force by the authorities in response to protests.