UN chief: ‘We cannot defeat a pandemic in an uncoordinated way’
Dec 17, 2021, at 08:50 pm
Arguing that the world “cannot defeat a pandemic in an uncoordinated way”, the UN Secretary-General said on Thursday that countries “must take concrete action in the coming days” to vaccinate 40 per cent of the world’s population by the end of the year.
Migrant workers still at great risk despite key role in global economy
Dec 17, 2021, at 04:57 pm
New York: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the key role that migrant workers play in the global economy, as well as the “terrible risks” that they are forced to take, to find work.
UN rights office urges Colombia to reform policing of protests
Dec 16, 2021, at 10:46 pm
New York: Colombia must urgently reform how it polices protests in the wake of demonstrations earlier this year in which several people were killed or injured, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said in a report published on Wednesday.
COVID-19 leads to over 50 million more hungry people in Asia-Pacific
Dec 16, 2021, at 10:41 pm
New York: COVID-19 led to rising food insecurity for around 54 million people living in the vast Asia-Pacific region during 2020, according to a joint UN agency report published on Wednesday.
Fundamental freedoms squeezed in Ukraine, Human Rights Council hears
Dec 16, 2021, at 08:54 pm
New York: The UN Human Rights Council heard on Wednesday that fundamental freedoms in Ukraine have been squeezed in Government-controlled areas, as well as across the contact line in eastern territories, held by mainly pro-Russian separatists.
‘Additional effort and patience’ needed to revive Iran nuclear deal
Dec 15, 2021, at 11:43 pm
New York: Ongoing talks to get the Iran nuclear deal back on track indicate “additional effort and patience” are required for its full restoration, the UN political affairs chief told the UN Security Council in New York on Tuesday.
‘Restraint, de-escalation and dialogue’ needed to stem war in Yemen
Dec 15, 2021, at 10:49 pm
New York: Yemen is teetering on a new “fragmented and bloody” chapter of war as military escalation and conflict escalates, Special Envoy Hans Grundberg told the Security Council on Tuesday, calling for “restraint, de-escalation and dialogue”.
UN steps up action on sexual misconduct in wake of CAR allegations
Dec 14, 2021, at 11:08 pm
New York: The UN continues to take steps to address allegations of sexual misconduct by peacekeepers in the Central African Republic (CAR) in the wake of the repatriation of Gabonese troops three months ago.
Tackling corruption, important step for ‘inclusive, sustainable development’
Dec 14, 2021, at 10:34 pm
New York: Corruption spreads through societies and erodes people’s trust in leaders and institutions, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told an anti-corruption conference on Monday, stressing that “greed over need, harms us all”.
Chinese firm SenseTime postpones $767 mn HK IPO after US ban
Dec 13, 2021, at 09:01 pm
Beijing/UNI: Chinese artificial intelligence startup SenseTime Group on Monday postponed its Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) of $767 million after the US listed the firm in an investment blacklist.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa tests COVID-19 positive
Dec 13, 2021, at 03:46 pm
Johannesburg: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has tested COVID-19 positive.
Italy: Building collapse leaves 2 dead
Dec 12, 2021, at 10:16 pm
Ravanusa: At least two people died and seven others went missing after a building collapsed in Ravanusa city of Italy, media reports said on Sunday.
Another 633 Omicron cases identified in UK in biggest daily jump
Dec 12, 2021, at 06:14 am
London/UNI/Xinhua: Another 633 Omicron cases have been confirmed in Britain, the biggest daily increase since the COVID-19 variant was detected in the country, taking the total cases found in the country to 1,898, British health authorities said Saturday.
Senior White House official Catherine Russell appointed new UNICEF chief
Dec 11, 2021, at 11:24 pm
New York: UN Secretary‑General António Guterres announced on Friday, that Catherine Russell of the United States will become the next Executive Director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Sudan: Mistrust deepens following military takeover
Dec 11, 2021, at 11:20 pm
New York: In the wake of the 25 October military takeover in Sudan, discussions on the way forward are underway but restoring trust will be a challenge, the top UN official in the country, Volker Perthes, told the Security Council on Friday.
Rights abuses in Myanmar ‘deepening on an unprecedented scale’
Dec 11, 2021, at 08:52 pm
New York: More than 10 months since Myanmar's military seized power, the country’s human rights situation is deepening on an unprecedented scale, the UN rights office, OHCHR, has warned.
Greece: Pakistani national awarded life sentence for murdering 24-year-old with hammer in 2018
Dec 11, 2021, at 02:14 am
Crete, Greece/IBNS: A Pakistani national has been awarded a life sentence in the Greek city of Crete for the brutal murder of his 24-year-old compatriot with a hammer in October 2018.
Seven UN peacekeepers killed in latest Mali attack
Dec 10, 2021, at 06:40 pm
New York: On Wednesday morning, seven UN peacekeepers from Togo died and three others were seriously injured when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in the Bandiagara region in central Mali.
UN hails ‘strong political support’ to boost peacekeepers in the field
Dec 10, 2021, at 06:19 pm
New York: A meeting to boost support for UN Peacekeeping ended on Wednesday with 62 countries making new pledges, and advancing existing commitments, to help enhance the performance and impact of these operations worldwide.
Africa Free Trade Area, likely spur for growth and development
Dec 10, 2021, at 05:28 pm
New York: With productivity-boosting measures, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement could reduce poverty and inequality while spurring sustainable and inclusive growth, according to a report launched on Wednesday by the UN trade and development body, UNCTAD.
Unilateral sanctions particularly harmful to women, children, other vulnerable groups
Dec 10, 2021, at 05:07 pm
New York: Women, children and other vulnerable groups are more likely to have their human rights impacted by unilateral sanctions, an independent UN human rights expert alerted on Wednesday.
Sharjah cuts working week to 4 days, announces a 3-day weekend
Dec 10, 2021, at 04:56 am
Dubai/IBNS: The southern Gulf emirate of Sharjah on Thursday announced a shift to a three-day weekend for the official sector, media reports said.
Myanmar: Junta troops burn 11 villagers alive in Sagaing
Dec 09, 2021, at 02:54 am
Naypyitaw/UNI: Myanmar junta personnel massacred 11 civilians in northwestern Sagaing region by reportedly burning them alive in retaliation to militia attacks, according to local residents and militia.
Kenya: Three killed in suicide attack
Dec 09, 2021, at 02:43 am
Nairobi/UNI/Xinhua: Three people including a suicide bomber were killed in a blast in Kisumu County in Western Kenya, the police confirmed on Wednesday.
Countries with regulations against industrially produced trans fats tripled over the past year
Dec 08, 2021, at 11:50 pm
New York: Forty countries now have best-practice trans fat elimination policies in effect, protecting 1.4 billion people from this deadly food compound, according to a report released on Tuesday by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Bachelet describes ‘disastrous’ human rights situation across Occupied Palestinian Territory
Dec 08, 2021, at 11:15 pm
New Yok: The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, said on Tuesday that the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory has become “disastrous”, with severe infringements occurring effecting some four million people.
35.8 million face lean season food crisis in West Africa and Sahel
Dec 08, 2021, at 11:01 pm
New York: Growing food insecurity that is already affecting tens of millions of people across West Africa and the Sahel, must not be ignored by the international community, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
UNICEF launches record emergency appeal as escalating conflicts push millions to the brink
Dec 08, 2021, at 10:56 pm
New York: The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday launched an appeal for a record $9.4 billion as attacks against children continue to rise. Close to 24,000 grave violations against youngsters were confirmed last year, or 72 violations a day, according to the agency, in its largest ever appeal for funding.
Clashes displace thousands in Darfur, where 6.2 million will need assistance next year
Dec 08, 2021, at 10:45 pm
New York: With escalating violence displacing thousands of people since November, the humanitarian situation in Sudan’s Darfur is getting worse and around 6.2 million people will need humanitarian assistance next year, UN agencies reported on Tuesday.
Finland PM Sanna Marin caught clubbing despite COVID-19 exposure, apologises
Dec 08, 2021, at 03:49 pm
Helsinki/IBNS: Finland Prime Minister Sanna Marin courted a row after she was spotted clubbing despite coming in contact with a coronavirus positive patient.