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.
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.
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.
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.
UN condemns crackdown on journalists in Ethiopia
May 03, 2014, at 05:43 pm
New York, May 3 (IBNS): The United Nations human rights chief on Friday condemned the crackdown on journalists in Ethiopia and the increasing restrictions on freedom of opinion and expression in the Horn of Africa nation.
UN urges US to impose death penalty moratorium
May 03, 2014, at 05:28 pm
New York, May 3 (IBNS): The suffering of United States inmate Clayton Lockett during his execution in Oklahoma on Apr 29 could amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment according to international human rights law, the United Nations said on Friday, calling on the US authorities to impose an immediate moratorium on the use of the death penalty.
South Sudan: UN calls on all parties to end fighting
May 03, 2014, at 05:20 pm
New York, May 3 (IBNS): United Nations agencies are calling on the parties to the conflict in South Sudan to provide safe access to enable humanitarian assistance to reach vulnerable people, including 125,000 Sudanese refugees in Maban County, in Upper Nile state.
Ban to dispatch top political aide to Ukraine
May 03, 2014, at 05:18 pm
New York, May 3 (IBNS): As the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) convened its second urgent session this week on the situation in Ukraine, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reiterated his grave concern over the rising tensions in the country's east and south, particularly events in the crisis-gripped city of Slovyansk, where two Ukrainian military helicopters were shot down overnight and a group of European observes captured on 26 April remains in detention.
Cambodia: UN agenda seeks asylum reform, freedom of expression
May 03, 2014, at 05:14 pm
New York, May 3 (IBNS): Amidst reports that Cambodia has agreed in principle to house asylum seekers that had tried to enter Australia, a United Nations senior human rights official wrapping up her visit to the country on Friday urged its Government to respect its international commitments.
UN agency scales up food assistance in CAR
May 03, 2014, at 05:09 pm
New York, May 3 (IBNS): As the unprecedented crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR) continues to deepen, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has accelerated its operations - distributing 60 percent more food in April than in March.
UN urges action before South Sudan plunges deeper into crisis
May 03, 2014, at 05:00 pm
New York, May 3 (IBNS): Senior United Nations officials on Friday reported a drastic deterioration in the human rights situation in South Sudan, marked by increasing ethnic violence and revenge killings, and urged the UN Security Council (UNSC) not to simply stand by as the world's youngest nation plunges deeper into crisis.
DR Congo: UN peacekeepers on alert after battling rebel group
May 03, 2014, at 04:55 pm
New York, May 3 (IBNS): Mayi-Mayi rebels attacked United Nations peacekeepers in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where the Mission is on alert monitoring and the situation, it was announced on Friday.
SKorea: 2 subway trains collide, 170 injured
May 03, 2014, at 05:29 am
Seoul, May 2 (IBNS): At least 170 people were injured as two subway trains collide in Seoul on Friday, media reports said.
Accountability key to ensuring development progress: UN
May 02, 2014, at 05:51 pm
New York, May 2 (IBNS): As Member States continue work on a new post-2015 development agenda, United Nations officials on Thursday stressed the need for a robust yet flexible accountability framework to assess progress and achieve results, as well as ensure that all actors honour their commitments.
UN honours traditional farming sites in China, Iran, Korea
May 02, 2014, at 05:48 pm
New York, May 2 (IBNS): The birthplace of jasmine tea and a nearly 3,000 year old irrigation system are among the traditional farming sites designated "globally important" land use systems or landscapes by the United Nations food and agricultural agency, it was announced on Thursday.
UN marks free media as vital to sustainable development
May 02, 2014, at 05:45 pm
New York, May 2 (IBNS): Free media, traditional and new, are indispensable for development, democracy and good governance, United Nations officials said on Thursday, spotlighting Press Freedom Day - observed annually on May 3 - to urge Governments, societies and individuals to actively defend this fundamental right as a critical factor in achieving internationally agreed development goals.
UN lauds incredible resilience of Iraqi voters
May 02, 2014, at 05:41 pm
New York, May 2 (IBNS): United Nations officials on Thursday congratulated the people and Government of Iraq for turning out in significant numbers in Wednesday's elections, and commended the electoral authorities and security personnel for their efforts.