Modest global growth set to continue for rest of year: UN economic report
May 23, 2015, at 03:52 pm
New York, May 23 (IBNS): A new United Nations report released on Friday says that modest paced global economic growth continues, and predicts a gradual improvement in the situation over the second half of 2015 and into next year.
International Day: Ban says biodiversity is essential to sustainable development
May 23, 2015, at 03:50 pm
New York, May 23 (IBNS): Variety of life on Earth is essential for the welfare of current and future generations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Friday on the International Day for Biological Diversity, as he called on the international community to recommit to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss particularly as the United Nations prepares to adopt a new set of development goals.
Burundi: UN appeals for wider cholera relief efforts
May 23, 2015, at 03:49 pm
New York, May 23 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced encouragement at the ongoing political dialogue in Burundi following weeks of tensions and a reportedly failed coup d'état in the country's capital of Bujumbura, according to a United Nations spokesperson.
Nepal: WHO marks one month since devastating earthquake as it ramps up aid
May 23, 2015, at 03:47 pm
New York, May 23 (IBNS): Nearly one month after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal, flattening large swathes of the country’s Kathmandu valley and affecting millions of people, the United Nations health agency is continuing its emergency response aimed at saving lives and addressing the urgent health needs of the Himalayan nation.
Hanoi: Ban lauds Viet Nam’s progress and leadership in field of development
May 23, 2015, at 03:44 pm
New York, May 23 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday began a two-day visit to Viet Nam and commended President Trương Tấn Sang for the “increasingly important role†his country is playing at the United Nations, including his efforts to combat climate change and in helping shape a new development agenda.
As South Sudan fighting intensifies, UN official warns of ‘persistent impunity’
May 23, 2015, at 03:43 pm
New York, May 23 (IBNS): The escalation of fighting in South Sudan has resulted in “alarming gross violations†of international human rights and humanitarian law as well as having exacted a terrible toll on the young nation’s civilian population, the United Nations human rights chief confirmed on Friday.
Thousands flee Syria’s besieged historic city of Palmyra, UN preparing for aid
May 23, 2015, at 03:41 pm
New York, May 23 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency and its partners are preparing aid for some 11,000 people fleeing the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra and surrounding villages, which have been overrun by militant forces this week.
UN condemns deadly terrorist attack on Shia mosque in Saudi Arabia
May 23, 2015, at 03:40 pm
New York, May 23 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations Security Council have strongly condemned the terrorist attack earlier on Friday that killed more than 20 people in a Shia mosque in the town of al-Qudaih in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.
Lebanon: Funding shortage forces UN to halt allowance for Palestine refugees
May 23, 2015, at 03:39 pm
New York, May 23 (IBNS): A $100 monthly housing stipend per family for Palestine refugees who have fled war-torn Syria for Lebanon will be suspended because of lack of funds, prompting the UN agency assisting those refugees in the Middle East to urgently appeal to donors “to provide the bare minimum assistance†to protect Palestinians from “disastrous†risks such as detention, abuse and deportation.
Yemen: UN urges all parties to adhere to international law as civilian toll grows
May 23, 2015, at 03:38 pm
New York, May 23 (IBNS): As the number of civilian casualties in the Yemen conflict tops 1,000, the United Nations human rights office on Friday urged all parties – coalition forces, the Yemeni armed forces, Houthis and other non-State armed groups – to adhere strictly to their obligations under international law and do all in their power to protect civilians.
Boko Haram militants ‘must be brought to justice’: UN chief
May 23, 2015, at 03:36 pm
New York, May 23 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said he is deeply troubled by Boko Haram’s “continuing indiscriminate and horrific attacks†against the civilian populations of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria, according to the United Nations.
Iraq: As fighting intensifies, UNWFP rushes supplies to thousands displaced
May 23, 2015, at 03:35 pm
New York, May 23 (IBNS): As tens of thousands of people continue to flee fierce fighting in the Ramadi district of Iraq, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is rushing food assistance there, a spokesperson confirmed in Geneva on Friday, as she appealed for $108 million to continue operations in the country until October 2015.
UN envoy continues Syria consultations, seeking to initiate political process
May 23, 2015, at 03:33 pm
New York, May 23 (IBNS): The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria has said on Friday that consultations on the future of the country continued on Friday, as he shared perspectives with several interested parties, according to a UN spokesperson.
UN warns 3,500 people stranded in Southeast Asian waters
May 23, 2015, at 03:32 pm
New York, May 23 (IBNS): More than 200 people stranded off the Myanmar coast were brought to shore on Friday, prompting the United Nations refugee agency to welcome the landing and appeal for the rescue of 3,500 others in distress at sea, saying “the priority is to save lives by getting people safely off these boats as soon as possible.â€
UN rights expert urges Nauru to revoke measures that could 'muzzle' dissent
May 23, 2015, at 03:30 pm
New York, May 23 (IBNS): Voicing concern over recent amendments to the Criminal Code in Nauru which “unduly restrict†freedom of expression, a United Nations expert on the issue on Friday urged the Government to revoke such measures to fulfil its human rights obligations.
Security Council urges broader global cooperation to tackle transfer of arms
May 23, 2015, at 03:29 pm
New York, May 23 (IBNS): The United Nations Security Council on Friday adopted a resolution urging stronger cooperation in stemming the “illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse†of small arms and light weapons, underlining the suffering they caused to civilians.
International Day: UN urges world to seek end of obstetric fistula in our lifetime
May 23, 2015, at 03:18 pm
New York, May 23 (IBNS): Obstetric fistula is a devastating yet completely preventable and, in many cases, treatable injury of childbirth, affecting at least two million women and girls worldwide and leaving them isolated from communities, the United Nations spotlighted ahead of the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula.
IS claims responsibility for Saudi suicide attack
May 23, 2015, at 04:17 am
Riyadh, May 22 (IBNS): The Islamic State (IS) group has claimed responsibility for the suicide attack on a Shia mosque in Saudi Arabia on Friday which killed at least 10 people.
Saudi Arabia: Suicide attack at mosque kills 10
May 23, 2015, at 12:16 am
Riyadh, May 22 (IBNS): A suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province has killed at least 10 people, media reports said on Friday.
UN agency brings relief supplies to people displaced by conflict in Libya
May 22, 2015, at 01:45 pm
New York, May 22 (IBNS): Ten trucks carrying vital relief supplies have crossed the border between Tunisia and Libya, as the United Nations hunger relief agency said on Thursday that it has resumed providing assistance in support of displaced people affected by the ongoing conflict in Libya.
On World Day, UN warns global cultural diversity ‘under attack’
May 22, 2015, at 01:44 pm
New York, May 22 (IBNS): As the planet’s cultural diversity comes under continued attack from militant groups espousing virulent forms of intolerance, the international community must fight back through openness and acceptance of the world’s myriad traditions, the United Nations cultural agency declared on Thursday.
UN hails outcome of Incheon forum as ‘huge step forward’ for education
May 22, 2015, at 01:43 pm
New York, May 22 (IBNS): The United Nations has hailed the “transformative†vision for education over the next 15 years that was adopted on Thursday at a global forum in Incheon, Republic of Korea, and which encourages countries to provide inclusive, equitable, quality education opportunities for all.
Tanzania: UNICEF works to halt cholera outbreak among Burundian refugees
May 22, 2015, at 01:39 pm
New York, May 22 (IBNS): The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is rushing critical relief supplies to Tanzania’s north-western border with Burundi amid a devastating cholera outbreak affecting tens of thousands of refugees there.
UN chief appoints expert panel to address humanitarian funding shortfalls
May 22, 2015, at 01:37 pm
New York, May 22 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed a high-level United Nations panel to address the yawning gap between resources and financing for the world’s ever-pressing humanitarian efforts.
UN condemns Canada’s deportation of Jamaican man with mental disability
May 22, 2015, at 01:36 pm
New York, May 22 (IBNS): After examining the case, a United Nations Committee has found that Canada’s deportation of a Jamaican man with a mental disability who had spent much of his life in Canada amounted to cruel and inhuman treatment, effectively leaving him without medical and family support.
Saving lives of migrants in Southeast Asian waters should be a priority: UN
May 22, 2015, at 01:34 pm
New York, May 22 (IBNS): A group of United Nations human rights experts on Thursday welcomed the Malaysian, Indonesian and Thai leaders’ decision not to pushback asylum seekers arriving in their territorial waters and urged the international community to assist those countries financially to protect the human rights of all migrants.
UN envoy says 2015 year of fear for children, urging schools funding in crisis zones
May 22, 2015, at 01:33 pm
New York, May 22 (IBNS): The United Nations education envoy told journalists in New York on Thursday that “shocking figures†relating to the position of children in emergency situations underlined the need for a new humanitarian fund to ensure the education of millions of children.
Ban meets Republic of Korea's Prez, spotlights importance of post-2015 agenda
May 22, 2015, at 01:32 pm
New York, May 22 (IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is on Thursday wrapping up his visit to the Republic of Korea (ROK) following a meeting with the country’s president Park Geun-hye and an appeal for greater dialogue across Asia, the United Nations confirmed on Thursday.
UN agency welcomes initial step on migration by Southeast Asian countries
May 21, 2015, at 03:04 pm
New York, May 21 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency welcomed on Wednesday the commitment announced by the Foreign Ministers of Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand to resolve the issue of the thousands of refugees and migrants stranded in boats in the Bay of Bengal and off the coast of Southeast Asia.
Ban announces inclusive consultations on Yemen; urges good faith engagement
May 21, 2015, at 03:03 pm
New York, May 21 (IBNS): The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, said on Wednesday that he is pleased to announce the launch of inclusive consultations aimed at restoring momentum towards a Yemeni-led political transition process, according to a statement released by his Spokesman.