UN rights office urges Ethiopia to ensure independent probe of reported violations in Oromia region

Aug 20, 2016, at 01:26 pm

New York, Aug 20 (Just Earth News): Voicing concern over serious human rights violations in the Oromia and Amhara regions of Ethiopia earlier this month, the United Nations human rights chief on Friday urged the Government to ensure access for independent observers to affected areas and to work towards opening up political and democratic reform.

INTERVIEW: Funding to prevent cholera is crucial to advance development in Haiti – UNICEF’s Marc Vincent

Aug 20, 2016, at 01:24 pm

New York, Aug 20 (Just Earth News): Earlier on Friday, the spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke about how the UN system is actively working to develop a package that would provide material assistance and support to those Haitians most directly affected by the outbreak of cholera in the Caribbean nation.

Security Council expresses ‘regret’ over postponed electoral process in Somalia

Aug 20, 2016, at 01:19 pm

New York, Aug 20 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Security Council on Friday expressed regret over a postponed timeline for this year’s parliamentary and presidential elections in Somalia, calling on all stakeholders to follow the revised 2016 electoral calendar “without further delay.”

Citing UN’s moral responsibility, Ban pledges support to Haiti in overcoming cholera epidemic

Aug 20, 2016, at 01:18 pm

New York, Aug 20 (Just Earth News): Noting that a United States federal appeals court has upheld the United Nations’ immunity from a damage claim filed on behalf cholera victims in Haiti, the Organization on Friday said that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon deeply regrets the “terrible suffering” of the Haitian people and that the UN has a moral responsibility to the support the victims and the country in overcoming the epidemic.

UN experts press Turkey to adhere to human rights obligations despite state of emergency

Aug 20, 2016, at 01:16 pm

New York, Aug 20 (Just Earth News): United Nations human rights experts on Friday urged Turkey to uphold its obligations under international human rights law despite the attempted mid-July coup and during the subsequent state of emergency.

'Alarming' disparity in broadband connectivity within Asia-Pacific, UN regional study finds

Aug 20, 2016, at 01:13 pm

New York, Aug 20 (Just Earth News): New findings by the economic and social development arm of the United Nations in the Asia-Pacific have revealed that nearly 75 per cent of the region's broadband capabilities and access are concentrated in countries in East and North-East Asia while the Pacific subregion accounts for a mere 1.93 per cent.

Nigeria’s military gains against Boko Haram uncover vast humanitarian needs – UN

Aug 20, 2016, at 04:12 am

New York, Aug 19 (Just Earth News): The United Nations refugee agency said on Friday that it is increasingly alarmed at the unfolding situation in north-east Nigeria where the advancing military campaign against Boko Haram has exposed “catastrophic” levels of suffering among a population outside humanitarian reach over months or years.

'We cannot and will not leave anyone behind,' says UN chief on World Humanitarian Day

Aug 20, 2016, at 04:07 am

New York, Aug 19 (Just Earth News): With a record 130 million people worldwide now dependent on humanitarian assistance, Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon stressed that though solutions to the crises that plunged these people into such desperate hardship are neither simple nor quick, “there are things we can all do – on Friday, and every day. We can show compassion, we can raise our voices against injustice, and we can work for change.”

South Sudan: Hundreds of children recruited into armed groups, reports UNICEF

Aug 20, 2016, at 04:03 am

New York, Aug 19 (Just Earth News): Reporting that 650 children have been recruited into armed groups in South Sudan since January, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNCEF) called on Friday for an immediate end to recruitment and an unconditional release of all children by armed actors.

Proposed Montreal dog bylaw aims to euthanize dangerous dogs

Aug 20, 2016, at 01:23 am

Montreal, Aug 19 (IBNS): The city of Montreal has revealed its proposed new animal control bylaw to tackle the issue of dangerous dogs, according to media reports.

US Amabssador Richard R. Verma condoles spiritual leader Pramukh Swami Maharaj's death

Aug 20, 2016, at 12:26 am

Washington, Aug 19 (IBNS): US Amabssador Richard R. Verma on Friday condoled the passing away of Indian spiritual leader Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

Afghanistan: Taliban rocket kills 2

Aug 20, 2016, at 12:02 am

Kabul, Aug 19 (IBNS): A rocket attack carried out by Taliban in eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan has killed at least two people, media reports said.

Terrorism: Twitter blocks additional 235,000 accounts

Aug 19, 2016, at 03:33 pm

New York, Aug 19 (IBNS): Micro-blogging site Twitter, which is used by celebrities, politicians and common man across the globe to share their ideas and opinions on numerous issues, on Friday said it has suspended additional 235,000 accounts for violating its policies related to promotion of terrorism in the last six months.

'We have to be the hope' for people most in need, says top UN humanitarian official

Aug 19, 2016, at 01:33 pm

New York, Aug 19 (Just Earth News): Praising the spirit and drive of relief workers, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O'Brien, has said the global humanitarian community is determined to not let political disagreements, conflicts or natural disasters get in the way of their ability to help the people who are most in need.

New UN report lays bare widespread ISIL ‘atrocities’ committed against Yazidis in Iraq

Aug 19, 2016, at 01:31 pm

New York, Aug 19 (Just Earth News): A new United Nations report lays bare the widespread and systematic manner in which the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, Da’esh) has committed “terrible atrocities” against the Yezidi and other ethnic and religious communities, the UN envoy for Iraq said on Thursday, calling for the perpetrators to be fully and properly held to account.

Syria: Citing lack of action, UN envoy cuts short humanitarian taskforce meeting

Aug 19, 2016, at 01:30 pm

New York, Aug 19 (Just Earth News): The United Nations envoy for Syria abruptly suspended the regular international humanitarian taskforce meeting in Geneva on Thursday shortly after it started, saying it made “no sense” to continue unless there is a pause in the fighting so aid convoys could reach besieged areas of the war-ravaged country.

UN rights experts urge Philippines to end wave of extrajudicial killings amid major drug crackdown

Aug 19, 2016, at 01:22 pm

New York, Aug 19 (Just Earth News): Amid a recent massive anti-crime and anti-drug crackdown in the Philippines that has claimed the lives of more than 850 suspected criminals, two United Nations human rights experts on Thursday urged the Government to end the wave of extrajudicial executions and killings, stressing that drug charges should be “judged in a court of law, not by gunmen on the streets.”

Long-term resettlement solutions needed for refugees on Manus Island – UNICEF Australia

Aug 19, 2016, at 01:21 pm

New York, Aug 19 (Just Earth News): Amid news of an agreement to close the Australian immigration detention centre on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday underscored the importance of finding permanent and sustainable resettlement solutions that address the needs of the refugees.

Turkey: 14 killed, 220 injured in attacks on police, military

Aug 19, 2016, at 05:04 am

Ankara, Aug 18 (IBNS): At least 14 people were killed and more than 220 were injured in the string of bombings in Turkey's Elazig city, media reports said.

UN reports reveal 'mixed' progress on efforts to end child refugee detention

Aug 19, 2016, at 04:21 am

New York, Aug 18 (Just Earth News): While two new reports released on Thursday as part of a new global strategy by the United Nations refugee agency found an overall drop in the total number of refugee children detained in 12 focus countries, they also revealed mixed progress in two critical target areas: ensuring alternatives to detention, and improving detention conditions.

Sudan: Ban 'disappointed' at failure to reach truce agreement

Aug 19, 2016, at 04:19 am

New York, Aug 18 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed disappointment that Sudan's warring parties failed to reach an agreement on a cessation of hostilities in Darfur and the two states of Blue Nile and South Kordofan, during the last round of negotiations.

UNESCO chief denounces killing of Iraqi journalist

Aug 19, 2016, at 04:18 am

New York, Aug 18 (Just Earth News): The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom on Thursday condemned the killing of a Kurdistan TV cameraman on 14 August, the second such murder in Iraq in a week, urging measures to improve the safety of journalists in the country.

Syria conflict: Image of injured boy goes viral, receives shocked expressions

Aug 19, 2016, at 02:01 am

Aleppo, Aug 18 (IBNS): The haunting image of a 5-year-old boy rescued from the rubble after a devastating airstrike in Syria's Aleppo has gone viral and drew outrage in social media.

Explosion rocks Kabul

Aug 18, 2016, at 09:00 pm

Kabul, Aug 18 (IBNS): An explosion rocked Afghanistan's Kabul city on Thursday, media reports said.

Argentina: Ruling to release woman jailed after miscarriage, a step forward for Human Rights

Aug 18, 2016, at 08:31 pm

New York, Aug 18 (IBNS): A ruling to release a woman sentenced to eight years in prison after having a miscarriage in Argentina is a step forward for human rights in the country, Amnesty International said.

Afghanistan: Ashraf Ghani wishes nation on I-Day

Aug 18, 2016, at 08:09 pm

Kabul, Aug 18 (IBNS): Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani on Thursday wished his nation on the occasion of Independence Day.

Turkey: Car bomb detonation kills three, 50 injured

Aug 18, 2016, at 07:39 pm

Ankara, Aug 18 (IBNS): At least three people died and 50 others sustained injuries following the detonation of a car bomb near a police station in Turkey's Elazig city, reports said.

South Sudan: One year since peace deal, justice still elusive for victims

Aug 18, 2016, at 04:15 pm

New York, Aug 18 (IBNS): Renewed violence underscores the urgency of bringing to account those responsible for crimes under international law committed during South Sudan’s armed conflict, said Amnesty International and International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) today, a year on from a faltering peace agreement.

Yemen: Ban again calls for end to hostilities as ground fighting, airstrikes escalate

Aug 18, 2016, at 01:23 pm

New York, Aug 18 (Just Earth News): Alarmed by escalating airstrikes and ground fighting in Yemen and along the Saudi Arabia-Yemen border since, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon repeated his call on all the parties to the conflict to immediately cease all hostilities and for the Yemeni parties to return to the recently-ended direct talks facilitated by his envoy.

UN health agency names Michael Bloomberg Global Ambassador on noncommunicable diseases

Aug 18, 2016, at 01:22 pm

New York, Aug 18 (Just Earth News): The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday named Michael R. Bloomberg, former New York City mayor and philanthropist, as its Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs).