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.
South Sudan: UN urges political rivals to end dispute
May 10, 2014, at 05:29 pm
New York, May 10 (IBNS): Warning that the litany of grave atrocities committed in South Sudan and catalogued in a new United Nations report bears the grim hallmarks of genocide, the Organization's human rights chief on Friday called on the sparring political leaders there to take immediate steps to stop the killing, "before the fire they have ignited [brings] the entire country down in flames."
UN concerned by recent wave of attacks in northeast Nigeria
May 10, 2014, at 05:19 pm
New York, May 10 (IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency said on Friday it is alarmed at the recent wave of attacks on civilians in north-east Nigeria which has led to population displacement both inside the country and into neighbouring States.
UNICEF concerned over education system in CAR
May 10, 2014, at 05:16 pm
New York, May 10 (IBNS): More than half way through the 12-month school year, almost two thirds of schools in the conflict-ridden Central African Republic (CAR) remain closed, according to a recent survey by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and its partners.
UN appeals for urgent funding in Somalia
May 10, 2014, at 05:13 pm
New York, May 10 (IBNS): Poor rains, high food prices and ongoing conflict have intersected to push Somalia once gain to the brink of crisis, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in the country said on Friday, warning that without immediate action, the fragile food security situation could worsen in the coming months, especially if funding shortages force essential projects to shut down.
UNSC demands immediate release of abducted Nigerian girls
May 10, 2014, at 05:11 pm
New York, May 10 (IBNS): The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Friday demanded the "immediate and unconditional" release of the schoolgirls abducted a few weeks ago by Boko Haram militants in Nigeria, and called on the international community to work closely with the authorities to ensure their safe return.
UN urges Azerbaijan to drop charges against rights defenders
May 10, 2014, at 05:08 pm
New York, May 10 (IBNS): Three human rights defenders facing 12 years in prison for charges brought against them in the aftermath of Azerbaijan's 2013 presidential elections have drawn the serious concern of United Nations independent experts.
UN counts on Catholic Church to help promote dignity for all
May 10, 2014, at 05:05 pm
New York, May 10 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday hailed the personal commitment of Pope Francis I to eradicating poverty and promoting sustainable development, and said he counted on the Catholic Church to continue working closely with the United Nations to promote a life of dignity for all.
Nigeria: In wake of abductions, Ban set to send high-level envoy
May 09, 2014, at 05:41 pm
New York, May 9 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday voiced his deep concern at the fate of the recently kidnapped schoolgirls in Nigeria during a phone call with the country's President, Goodluck Jonathan, who has accepted the United Nations chief's offer to send a high-level envoy to discuss how the world body can support the Government tackle internal challenges.
UN concerned over disparity in access to clean water, sanitation
May 09, 2014, at 05:38 pm
New York, May 9 (IBNS): Despite a narrowing disparity in access to cleaner water and better sanitation between rural and urban areas, sharp inequalities still persist around the world, says a new United Nations report.
Ban congratulates South Africa on peaceful polls
May 09, 2014, at 05:36 pm
New York, May 9 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has congratulated the people and Government of South Africa on the peaceful holding of parliamentary and provincial elections, amid reports of high voter turnout.
UNSC creates new medal to honour courage of personnel
May 09, 2014, at 05:33 pm
New York, May 9 (IBNS): The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday decided to create 'the Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage' in honour of a United Nations peacekeeper credited with saving hundreds of, perhaps even a thousand, Rwandans from death during the 1994 genocide.
South Sudan: UN reports gross rights abuses in conflict
May 09, 2014, at 05:30 pm
New York, May 9 (IBNS): Gross human rights abuses have been committed by both sides in the brutal conflict that erupted in South Sudan at the end of last year, including rapes, mass killings and torture, and, according to a new United Nations report released on Thursday, civilians were not only caught up in the violence, they were directly targeted, often along ethnic lines.
Syria: UN urges complete removal of chemical weapons
May 09, 2014, at 05:27 pm
New York, May 9 (IBNS): The head of the Joint Mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations (OPCW-UN) on Thursday called for safe and unfettered access to the remaining eight per cent of Syria's chemical weapons material that needs to be removed and destroyed.