One year on, UN experts urge Brazil to urgently boost efforts to address impacts of dam collapse
Nov 05, 2016, at 01:34 pm
New York, Nov 5 (Just Earth News): Voicing concern over the many pressing human rights impacts on some six million people since the worst mine disaster occurred in Brazil one year ago, a group of United Nations human rights experts on Friday issued a strong call on the Government to immediately redouble efforts to solve health problems and speed up the resettlement process of those affected.
‘Climate action starts in the kitchen,’ says UN, launching #Recipe4Change campaign
Nov 05, 2016, at 01:33 pm
New York, Nov 5 (Just Earth News): With the Paris Agreement on climate change entering into force on Friday, famed chefs Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca are joining the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Fund (SDG Fund) to tackle climate change from a different perspective: sustainable cooking.
One month after Hurricane Matthew, needs in Haiti remain ‘vast,’ UN reports
Nov 05, 2016, at 01:32 pm
New York, Nov 5 (Just Earth News): As Haiti struggles to recover from the massive destruction wrought by Hurricane Matthew, which pummelled the tiny island one month ago on Friday, the United Nations warned that while its seems as if “the world has moved on,†Haiti’s needs are vast, exemplified by the nearly 600,000 children being stalked by disease, hunger and malnutrition and in need of assistance.
Some 3,500 people fleeing South Sudan each day due to ongoing conflict – UN refugee agenc
Nov 05, 2016, at 01:31 pm
New York, Nov 5 (Just Earth News): The ongoing conflict in South Sudan has led to immense suffering and displacement, with an average of 3,500 people fleeing the country each day to neighbouring countries, prompting the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), national authorities, and other humanitarian actors to race to create safe and humane conditions for arrivals – 90 per cent of whom are women and children.
Nov 05, 2016, at 04:45 am
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Friday warned that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) fighters have taken some 1,600 civilians to Mosul city in an attempt to shield themselves from airstrikes, and that nearly 400 women from Kurdish, Yezidi or Shi’a Muslim communities in Tal Afar are now being held captive.
On historic day for climate action, Ban urges sustained momentum for better, safer future
Nov 05, 2016, at 04:44 am
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): As the Paris Agreement on climate change enters into force, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for the same determination going forward to implement the Agreement as well as to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Pregnant women, children among the victims in latest Mediterranean tragedy – UNICEF
Nov 05, 2016, at 04:40 am
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): A number of children and pregnant women were among the 240 people reported to have drowned off the coast of Libya while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea this week, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said.
Liberian land rights defenders on run after threats from police
Nov 05, 2016, at 04:31 am
Washington, DC Nov 4 (IBNS): Alfred Brownell, a campaigner for the land rights of Liberia's local communities, and his staff at Green Advocates have gone underground after threats from the police.
Innovative film marks 120th anniversary of the first medical X-ray
Nov 05, 2016, at 04:19 am
Birmingham, Nov 4 (IBNS): On World Radiography Day and the International Day of Radiology, to be observed on Nov 8, a new film has been commissioned to coincide with the anniversary of the first medical X-ray performed in Birmingham 120 years ago.
South Sudan: UN peacekeeping chief sets up task force after probe into mission’s performance
Nov 04, 2016, at 01:48 pm
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): After an independent inquiry found that the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) failed to protect civilians as deadly violence broke out in and around its premises in the capital, Juba, in July, the top UN peacekeeping official on Thursday announced that he has established a task force to carry out the probe’s recommendations, which include ensuring greater accountability of the mission’s leadership.
UN agency working to address women’s health and protection needs in storm-hit Haiti
Nov 04, 2016, at 01:47 pm
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): With some 546,000 women of reproductive age in Haiti affected by Hurricane Matthew, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has urged greater attention to women’s vulnerability in the aftermath of the storm, which devastated not only people’s livelihoods but health facilities and other vital infrastructure.
UN Security Council ‘strongly condemns’ ceasefire violations in Mali
Nov 04, 2016, at 01:46 pm
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): Strongly condemning repeated violations of the ceasefire arrangements by the Plateforme and Coordination in and around northern Mali’s restive Kidal town, the United Nations Security Council on Thursday warned that such acts threaten the viability of the peace agreement in the country and called on the armed groups to immediately cease hostilities and return to dialogue.
Ban welcomes announcement of adoption of new Constitution in Côte d'Ivoire
Nov 04, 2016, at 01:44 pm
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed on Thursday the announcement of the adoption of the new Constitution in Côte d'Ivoire by the Commission Electorale Indépendante, which followed the 30 October constitutional referendum.
Displaced amid Mosul offensive, close to 10,000 children in urgent need of aid, says UNICEF
Nov 04, 2016, at 01:43 pm
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): Some 20,700 people have been displaced since the operation to liberate the Iraqi city of Mosul from terrorists started on 17 October, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Thursday, estimating that 9,700 of them are children in urgent need of assistance.
African Union-UN mission in Darfur welcomes unilateral six-month truce by two armed groups
Nov 04, 2016, at 01:42 pm
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): Welcoming a six-month unilateral cessation of hostilities by the Sudan Liberation Army-Minni Minnawi and the Justice and Equality Movement-Gibril, the African Union (AU)-United Nations mission in Darfur on Thursday called on Abdul Wahid El Nur, the leader of the Sudan Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid to also make a similar declaration.
UN officials emphasize the need for coherence and coordination to achieve 2030 Agenda
Nov 04, 2016, at 01:41 pm
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): Meeting in Rome with members of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) the president of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) highlighted the “universal and inspirational†nature of the 2030 Agenda, adding that it is a tremendous benefit for system-wide coherence and coordination across all UN agencies.
Nov 04, 2016, at 01:39 pm
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): A day before the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change comes into force, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is urging the world to ‘dramatically’ step up its efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions – by some 25 per cent more than those pledged in Paris last year – “to meet the stronger, and safer, target of 1.5 degrees Celsius†global temperature rise.
FEATURE: Feudal-era Japanese village leader stands as beacon for tsunami education
Nov 04, 2016, at 01:38 pm
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): Japan’s initiative to raise the awareness of the risks posed by tsunamis will this weekend mark a milestone when World Tsunami Awareness Day makes its debut on 5 November – an occasion that goes beyond paying tribute to the victims of tsunamis.
New UN health agency guidelines aim to stop surgical infections and arrest spread of ‘superbugs’
Nov 04, 2016, at 04:30 am
New York, Nov 3 (Just Earth News): Warning that millions of people die every year from preventable surgical infections, particularly in developing countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued new guidelines on Thursday on tackling hospital-acquired infections with the aim of saving lives, cutting costs and arresting the spread of ‘superbugs.’
UN rights experts urge DR Congo to lift 'unjustified' ban on protests
Nov 04, 2016, at 04:29 am
New York, Nov 3 (Just Earth News): Expressing concern over what they called an “unjustified†ban on protests in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a group of United Nations human rights experts on Thursday called on the authorities to protect the fundamental rights of the people and to revoke the prohibition.
UK High Court says only Parliament can trigger Brexit
Nov 03, 2016, at 10:48 pm
New Delhi/London, Nov 3 (IBNS): The British government is in a fix after the country High Court has ruled that Parliamentary nod is needed for Brexit, according to media reports.
UN envoy calls for concerted efforts to avoid rolling-back of gains in Africa’s Great Lakes
Nov 03, 2016, at 01:24 pm
New York, Nov 3 (Just Earth News): The United Nations envoy for the Great Lakes region on Wednesday highlighted the challenges posed by armed groups which continue to threaten the region’s stability and called for concerted efforts to avert any reversal of the commendable gains it has achieved thus far.
Nov 03, 2016, at 01:23 pm
New York, Nov 3 (Just Earth News): Addressing the National Assembly of the Central African Republic (CAR) on Wednesday , United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told the legislators that the country’s people had given them a clear mandate, and as such, he urged them not only to play their traditional role as parliamentarians, “but also as defenders of dialogue and reconciliation.â€
On International Day, UN calls for end of impunity for crimes against journalists
Nov 03, 2016, at 04:42 am
New York, Nov 2 (Just Earth News): Warning that impunity for crimes against journalists is rampant, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called for immediate action to secure justice in cases here journalists have been attacked or killed and for concrete steps from all countries to ensure that media professionals are guaranteed space to operate free from harassment and intimidation.
Western Saharan refugees face looming food shortage, UN agencies warn in appeal for donor support
Nov 03, 2016, at 04:40 am
New York, Nov 2 (Just Earth News): Three United Nations agencies operating in Algeria appealed on Wednesday for continued donor support for refugees from Western Sahara, warning that insufficient funding makes imminent a cut in basic food rations.
Nov 03, 2016, at 04:39 am
New York, Nov 2 (Just Earth News): On the morning of 1 November 2015, the day before the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists last year, Abdalaziz Alhamza, co-founder of a campaign to expose atrocities committed against civilians in the Syrian city of Raqqa, received two photos. One was of his colleague – with no head.
Nov 03, 2016, at 04:36 am
New York, Nov 2 (Just Earth News): The Governments of France and the United Kingdom fell seriously short of their obligations under the international child rights convention by inadequately handling the situation of minors living at the Calais migrant camp in France, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has said.
Funding shortfall for UN emergency response fund could have 'devastating impact'
Nov 03, 2016, at 04:35 am
New York, Nov 2 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has warned that an imminent funding shortfall could severely impact its response to sudden onset or rapidly deteriorating emergencies as well as forgotten crises during the end of 2016 and early 2017 and ultimately have a devastating impact on the lives of people in need.
Chinese news agency confirms 33 miners killed in coal mine explosion
Nov 02, 2016, at 07:04 pm
New Delhi, Nov 2 (IBNS): In China, 33 miners were killed in an explosion in coal mine in central region of Chongqing, according to media reports on Wednesday.
Boat carrying 93 capsizes in Indonesia, 21 dead
Nov 02, 2016, at 06:46 pm
Batam, Indonesia, Nov 2 (IBNS): At least 21 people died after a speedboat carrying 93 migrant workers capsized off Nongsa waters in Indonesia's Batam on Wednesday, reports said.