UN chief commends peaceful polls in Gambia, congratulates President-elect Adama Barrow
Dec 03, 2016, at 02:02 pm
New York, Dec 3 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday commended the people of Gambia for the peaceful and orderly manner in which yesterday's presidential election was held and congratulated President-elect Adama Barrow.
Pakistan: 3 customs officials kidnapped
Dec 03, 2016, at 01:34 pm
Islamabad, Dec 3 (IBNS): Three officials of the Pakistan Customs were kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Gwadar district of the country on Friday, media reports said.
Already overstretched, aid agencies in Somalia need more resources to tackle severe drought – UN
Dec 03, 2016, at 05:08 am
New York, Dec 2 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Peter de Clercq, appealed on Friday for an urgent scale-up in humanitarian assistance, with relief agencies already overstretched as the country faces severe drought conditions, including food and water shortages.
Syria: UN refugee agency spotlights growing shelter needs as thousands flee Aleppo violence
Dec 03, 2016, at 05:05 am
New York, Dec 2 (Just Earth News): While reiterating its extreme concern about the civilian population in Syria’s war-battered Aleppo, the United Nations refugee agency on Friday said it is also focusing on the rapidly growing shelter needs for thousands of people fleeing the city’s eastern neighbourhoods.
UN welcomes ratification of new peace accord in Colombia
Dec 03, 2016, at 05:04 am
New York, Dec 2 (Just Earth News): Welcoming the Colombian parliament's ratification of the new Final Peace Agreement between the Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC-EP), United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council have expressed hope for its swift implementation for the benefit of all Colombians.
Canadian economy enhances with OPEC’s plans to cut oil production
Dec 03, 2016, at 02:20 am
Toronto, Dec 2 (IBNS): Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)’s decision to cut oil production and the consequent rise in oil prices lead to the strengthening of Canadian dollar against its U.S. counterpart on Wednesday, reported Global News.
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hoists World AIDS Day flag
Dec 02, 2016, at 11:59 pm
Toronto, Dec. 2 (IBNS): Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, wearing a red scarf given him by the AIDS Committee of Ottawa, hoisted World AIDS Day flag on Thursday at Parliament Hill, Global News reported.
Dec 02, 2016, at 10:27 pm
Beijing, Dec 12 (IBNS): At least 18 people were killed as a bus in which they were travelling plunged into roadside lake in China's Hubei Province on Friday, media reports said.
Dec 02, 2016, at 09:36 pm
Abbottabad, Dec 2 (IBNS) At least four people were killed as a truck fell in a ditch in Pakistan's Abbottabad area, media reports said on Friday.
Donald Trump names Gen. James Mattis as defence secretary
Dec 02, 2016, at 06:33 pm
Washington, Dec 2 (IBNS): US President-elect Donald Trump has named General James Mattis as the US Defence Secretary, media reports said.
Afghanistan: Pachir Agam district cleared of Islamic State, says officials
Dec 02, 2016, at 04:18 pm
Kabul, Dec 2 (IBNS): The key Pachir Agam district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar Province has been freed from Islamic State (IS) militants, the media quoted local officers as saying.
Syria: With winter closing in, UN envoys highlight humanitarian urgency of situation in Aleppo
Dec 02, 2016, at 01:18 pm
New York, Dec 2 (Just Earth News): With the humanitarian crisis in Syria’s devastated city of Aleppo deteriorating by the day, the United Nations Special Envoy for the country appealed for a pause in fighting so that much needed relief can reach the city’s population and those with urgent medical emergencies can be evacuated.
Asia-Pacific saw steady growth in 2016, but risks to financial stability remain – UN report
Dec 02, 2016, at 01:17 pm
New York, Dec 2 (Just Earth News): Issuing a year-end update to its flagship economic and social development report, the United Nations development arm for the Asia-Pacific region said on Thursday that resilient domestic demand and policy support supported the region notch a steady growth rate of five per cent but warned that risks remain to financial stability.
On eve of major UN conference, alarms raised that efforts to halt biodiversity loss are lagging
Dec 02, 2016, at 01:17 pm
New York, Dec 2 (Just Earth News): Time is running out to stop the global decline in biodiversity and protect ecosystems that are essential for the livelihoods and well-being of billions of people, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity warned on Thursday, as more than 190 countries prepare to meet on this issue in Cancun, Mexico.
Dec 02, 2016, at 01:15 pm
New York, Dec 2 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday apologized to the people of Haiti, expressing deep regret for the loss of life and suffering caused by the country’s cholera epidemic, and outlined the way forward including immediate steps to stem the outbreak and long-term support for those affected – while also highlighting the need for adequate funding of the proposal.
Dec 02, 2016, at 01:14 pm
New York, Dec 2 (Just Earth News): With “many of the warning signals of impending genocide†already present in South Sudan and amid a “mindboggling†scale of rape of women and girls, a team of United Nations human rights experts called on the international community to take immediate action to avert mass bloodshed, as they wrapped up a 10-day visit to the crisis-riven country.
Enabling youth to shape their own future key to Arab region’s development progress – UN report
Dec 02, 2016, at 01:13 pm
New York, Dec 2 (Just Earth News): The future of development and security in Arab countries depends on investing in their youth populations, which are better educated and more connected than ever before, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said in a new report on the region.
One in three people suffers malnutrition at global cost of $3.5 trillion a year – UN
Dec 02, 2016, at 01:12 pm
New York, Dec 2 (Just Earth News): As an United Nations international meeting on ways to improve diets and ensure sustainable food systems kicked off in Rome, Italy on Thursday, participants were told that one in three people on the planet suffers some form of malnutrition, impacting public health and economic development at an estimated cost of $3.5 trillion per year.
Dec 02, 2016, at 05:22 am
New York, Dec 1 (Just Earth News): The Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), Ertharin Cousin, has wrapped up a visit in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), where she reiterated the agency’s commitment to working with the Government to help the country achieve middle-income status and to support food and nutrition security for all.
On World AIDS Day, UNICEF warns of sharp rise in new HIV infections among adolescents
Dec 02, 2016, at 05:21 am
New York, Dec 1 (Just Earth News): New HIV infections among adolescents are projected to rise from 250,000 in 2015 to nearly 400,000 a year by 2030 if progress stalls in reaching adolescents, warns a report released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday, which is observed annually as World AIDS Day.
Colombia: Santa Rosa incident constituted ceasefire protocol violations, finds UN-led mechanism
Dec 02, 2016, at 05:20 am
New York, Dec 1 (Just Earth News): Following its investigation into a 13 November incident in Colombia's Santa Rosa municipality that resulted in the death of two Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC-EP) members, a United Nations-coordinated tripartite ceasefire monitoring mechanism has said that the events of that day constituted violations of the ceasefire protocol.
Canadian economy costs billions of dollars due to lack of sleep
Dec 02, 2016, at 04:03 am
Toronto, Dec 1 (IBNS): A new study 'Why Sleep Matters — The Economic Costs of Insufficient Sleep' revealed that a lack of sleep among Canada's working population is costing the economy up to $21.4 billion (U.S.) a year — which is 1.35 per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), reported the star.com
Canada: PM Trudeau approves long-pending pipeline projects
Dec 01, 2016, at 10:26 pm
Calgary, Dec 1 (IBNS Canada): Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government gave its approval to two much-awaited pipeline projects, one that of Kinder Morgan Pipeline to Vancouver and the other of Enbridge Inc's extension of Pipeline to Wisconsin, US, according to media reports.
Introduction of electric cars likely to reduce gasoline demand
Dec 01, 2016, at 10:04 pm
Calgary, Dec 1 (IBNS): The International Energy Agency believes that the demand for gasoline is now on a downward spiral and may even flatten over the next 25 years, according to media reports.
Canadian city mulling introduction of driver-less shuttle services
Dec 01, 2016, at 09:33 pm
Calgary, Dec 1 (IBNS): The Canadian city of Calgary has been trying to introduce a driver-less shuttle that would operate between Zoo LRT Station and Telus Spark Science Museum, according to media reports. The driver-less shuttle operation is expected to begin in 2018, media reported.
Afghanistan: ISIS commander killed during operation
Dec 01, 2016, at 06:27 pm
Kabul, Dec 1 (IBNS): An ISIS commander has been killed by Afghan forces during an anti-terrorism operation, local Khaama Press reported.
As 2016 draws to a close, UN rights chief outlines enormity of challenges to human rights
Dec 01, 2016, at 01:13 pm
New York, Dec 1 (Just Earth News): Highlighting the challenges to human rights around the world, the United Nations human rights chief called on the international community to act collectively for the common good and to do “everything possible†to prevent the situation from deteriorating.
Nearly half of children in Mosul now cut off from clean water as conflict intensifies – UNICEF
Dec 01, 2016, at 01:12 pm
New York, Dec 1 (Just Earth News): Destruction of a major water pipeline has left nearly half of the children in the Iraqi battleground city of Mosul cut off from access to clean water, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Wednesday.
Cultural traditions in Portugal, Uganda and Ukraine added to UNESCO heritage protection list
Dec 01, 2016, at 01:11 pm
New York, Dec 1 (Just Earth News): With the current session of the United Nations committee tasked with safeguarding intangible cultural heritage under way, three cultural elements in Portugal, Uganda and Ukraine have been inscribed to the United Nations list of cultural traditions in need of urgent protection.
New UN report reveals barriers to inclusive development and highlights key steps to progress
Dec 01, 2016, at 01:10 pm
New York, Dec 1 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs has just released its 2016 Report on the World Social Situation, which includes important new findings about persisting inequalities in education and economic opportunity and, challenges the international community to work harder to break down barriers to participation.