UN chief condemns terrorist attack in Turkey's Istanbul

Dec 12, 2016, at 03:24 pm

New York, Dec 12 (Just Earth News): Senior United Nations officials, including Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the head of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) condemned last night's terrorist attack in the Turkish city of Istanbul that killed dozens of people and injured many more.

Terrorism 'will not stop the momentum,' says UN envoy, condemning attack in Somali capital

Dec 12, 2016, at 03:21 pm

New York, Dec 12 (Just Earth News): Condemning – in the strongest possible terms – a terrorist attack outside the seaport in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) for the country said that the bloody act will not stop the momentum of the electoral process.

EU condemns Cairo's Coptic cathedral bombing

Dec 12, 2016, at 03:09 pm

Zurich, Dec 12 (BNS): The European Union on Monday condemned the bombing at Cairo's Coptic cathedral that left several people killed.

Mogadishu: Suicide blast kills 16

Dec 11, 2016, at 10:00 pm

Mogadishu, Dec 11 (IBNS): At least 16 people were killed in a suicide car bomb attack in Somalia capital Mogadishu on Sunday, media reports said.

Cairo: Blast at Coptic cathedral kills 20

Dec 11, 2016, at 09:12 pm

Cairo, Dec 11 (IBNS): At least 20 people are feared to been killed as a blast rocked Cairo's Coptic cathedral on Sunday, media reports said.

Turkey: Twin blasts rock Istanbul, kill 29, injure 166

Dec 11, 2016, at 05:12 pm

Istanbul, Dec 11 (IBNS): At least 29 people were killed and about 166 injured as two bombs exploded near a football stadium in Turkey's Istanbul city, media reports said.

Nigeria: Church roof collapses, kills 60

Dec 11, 2016, at 01:56 pm

Uyo, Dec 11 (IBNS): The roof of a church collapsed in Nigeria's Uyo area, killing at least 60 people, media reports said on Sunday.

Turkey: Istanbul bombings kills 29

Dec 11, 2016, at 01:28 pm

Istanbul, Dec 11 (IBNS): At least 29 people have been killed as two blasts rocked close to a football stadium at Istanbul city in Turkey on Saturday, media reports said.

‘The price of no change is unacceptable’ – UN and civil society global campaigns aim to end violence against women

Dec 11, 2016, at 01:00 pm

New York, Dec 11 (Just Earth News): A global effort to end violence against women is now underway: 16 days of activism began on 25 November with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against and will continue through 10 December, Human Rights Day galvanizing the work of UN Women’s ‘Orange the World’ campaign and the United Nations Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence Against Women initiative.

Worried for the safety of civilians in Libya's Ganfouda, UN envoy calls for a safe passage to allow evacuations

Dec 11, 2016, at 12:57 pm

New York, Dec 11 (Just Earth News): Expressing deep concern that civilians remain in Ganfouda area of the Libyan city, Benghazi, despite a unilateral ceasefire announced by the Libyan National Army, the United Nations envoy for the country called on the parties to provide another safe passage to allow for the evacuation of all civilians who wish to leave in a secure and dignified manner.

Gambia: UN Security Council calls on outgoing President to 'respect' peoples' choice and to carry out a peaceful transition

Dec 11, 2016, at 12:57 pm

New York, Dec 11 (Just Earth News): Strongly condemning the outgoing Gambian President's rejection of the official election results proclaimed by the country's Independent Electoral Commission, the United Nations Security Council urged him to carry out a peaceful and orderly transition process.

Libya: UN envoy welcomes temporary cessation of hostilities for civilian evacuation in Ganfouda

Dec 11, 2016, at 04:47 am

New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News): Welcoming the announcement of a temporary cessation of hostilities by the Libyan National Army in the Ganfouda area, in the Libyan city of Benghazi, to allow evacuation of civilians, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Libya called on the parties to the conflict to ensure that civilians are protected.

Ghana: Congratulating new President, UN chief thanks outgoing leader for preserving peace during polls

Dec 11, 2016, at 04:41 am

New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has congratulated the Nana Akufo-Addo on his election as President of Ghana and thanked outgoing President John Dramani Mahama for his role in defusing tensions and preserving peace during the election period.

Post defeat, Gambian leader rejects election results, calls for fresh polls

Dec 10, 2016, at 05:22 pm

Banjul, Dec 10 (IBNS): Defeated a week ago in the Presidential polls, Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh has called for a fresh election while discarding the present result.

UN Internet Governance Forum closes with call to close ‘digital divide’

Dec 10, 2016, at 01:17 pm

New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News): Underlining the urgency to close the “digital divide” – socio-economic inequalities that impact access to or use of information and communication technologies – the 11th annual United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) closed on Friday with a call for concerted actions to ensure that all people in all countries are able to reap the benefits of the Internet.

UN interagency operation provides vital aid to 42,000 people in eastern Mosul

Dec 10, 2016, at 01:16 pm

New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News): Joint efforts by three United Nations agencies – the World Food Programme (WFP), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) – saw over 42,000 people in eastern Mosul receive food, dignity kits, water purification tablets, jerry cans, and baby hygiene kits yesterday, marking the largest humanitarian aid delivery since the beginning of the current conflict.

‘Stand up for someone’s rights on Friday,’ UN urges on Human Rights Day

Dec 10, 2016, at 01:15 pm

New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News): Upholding human rights is in the interest of all and are at the heart of the work and identify of the United Nations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has stressed ahead of Human Rights Day, calling on the international community to “stand up for someone’s right on Friday, Saturdayand every day.”

Human rights violations in DPR Korea ‘warning signs of instability and conflict,’ Security Council told

Dec 10, 2016, at 01:14 pm

New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News): Citing human rights violations in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), senior United Nations officials on Friday highlighted the need for the Security Council to pay attention to the situation “of great concern.”

Greece: UN agency cites struggle to provide shelter for asylum-seekers as winter arrives

Dec 10, 2016, at 01:13 pm

New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News): As winter closes in on Greece, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Friday that improving living conditions for asylum-seekers and migrants is the ‘number one priority’ for humanitarian actors in the country and urged the European Union to speed up its relocation efforts.

Honouring victims of genocide, UN chief decries attempts to separate people into ‘us and them’

Dec 10, 2016, at 01:13 pm

New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News): Marking the second International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime, United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon on Friday urged Member States to honour those victims by “working even harder against expressions of hatred, intolerance, racism and xenophobia.”

UN relief wing allocates $58 million for life-saving assistance in war-torn Yemen

Dec 10, 2016, at 01:12 pm

New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News): Amid soaring malnutrition and collapsing basic services in Yemen, a staggering 18.8 million people need humanitarian assistance, the United Nations relief wing has reported as it allocated $58 million through the Humanitarian Pooled Fund to bolster life-saving activities across the crisis-gripped country.

‘Outraged’ UN Member States demand immediate halt to attacks against civilians in Syria

Dec 10, 2016, at 01:11 pm

New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News): Expressing “outrage” at the escalation of violence in Syria, particularly war-battered Aleppo, the General Assembly – the universal body comprising all 193 United Nations Members States – on Friday adopted a resolution demanding an immediate and complete end to all attacks on civilians as well as an end to all sieges in war-ravaged country.

Nearly 535 million children living in crisis-hit countries – UNICEF

Dec 10, 2016, at 05:19 am

New York, Dec 9 (Just Earth News): As the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) prepares to mark the 70th anniversary of its work for the world's most vulnerable children, the agency on Friday issued a stark warning that despite significant progress, too many children are still being left behind, with nearly 535 million of them living in harsh conditions, lacking access to decent health, education and protection services.

UN report reveals convergence of environmental crime with corruption, raft of other illegal activities

Dec 10, 2016, at 05:16 am

New York, Dec 9 (Just Earth News): A new report by INTERPOL and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) links environmental crimes with other serious illegal activity, including corruption, counterfeiting, drug trafficking, cybercrime, and financial crimes as well as with terrorist organizations and non-State armed groups.

On International Day, UN urges world to stand united against corruption

Dec 10, 2016, at 05:15 am

New York, Dec 9 (Just Earth News): No country is immune, and every country bears a responsibility to end corruption, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Friday, warning that corruption is a “broad barrier” in the path to world's achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Ban congratulates Ghana on peaceful elections but urges peaceful resolution of any disputes

Dec 10, 2016, at 05:14 am

New York, Dec 9 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has congratulated the people of Ghana for exercising their democratic rights and peacefully conducting the presidential and parliamentary elections on 7 December.

South Korean parliament votes to impeach President

Dec 09, 2016, at 07:33 pm

Seoul, Dec 9 (IBNS): The South Korean parliament on Friday voted to impeach President Park Geun-hye over corruption scandal, according to media reports.

In Vienna, Ban visits fusion restaurant that exemplifies ‘togetherness’ of refugees and locals

Dec 09, 2016, at 12:47 pm

New York, Dec 9 (Just Earth News): During his trip to Vienna, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday visited a restaurant where refugees work together with locals to serve Austrian-Arab fusion cuisine, using this opportunity to showcase the UN system-wide initiative to counter xenophobia launched in September.

UN rights expert calls on countries to comply with laws that protect environment defenders

Dec 09, 2016, at 12:46 pm

New York, Dec 9 (Just Earth News): Governments must abide by the existing laws that protect indigenous and local communities who are stewards of key natural resources from which all humankind benefits, a United Nations human rights expert told the UN Conference on Biological Diversity on Thursday.

Myanmar must strengthen effort to diffuse tension in Myanmar – UN Special Adviser

Dec 09, 2016, at 12:45 pm

New York, Dec 9 (Just Earth News): The Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Myanmar, Vijay Nambiar, said on Thursday that the UN is “seriously concerned” by the developing situation in Northern Rakhine state and has called on the security forces to act in accordance with the “rule of law and accepted international norms,” and to exercise caution in avoiding disproportionate responses that could cause violence to civilians.