UN aid agencies stepping up assistance for those fleeing Mosul fighting
Oct 27, 2016, at 01:39 pm
New York, Oct 27 (Just Earth News): As newly-displaced Iraqis are starting to arrive at camps set up by the United Nations for people fleeing the ongoing military offensive to wrest Mosul from terrorists, the Organization’s health and refugee agencies have ramped up their own operations to provide assistance and to respond to what has thus far been a ‘moderate’ influx.
Oct 27, 2016, at 01:35 pm
New York, Oct 27 (Just Earth News): With nearly 400,000 children facing starvation in Nigeria, and citizens suffering with little to no protection, security, food or access to clean water, “Nigeria is facing the worst humanitarian crisis on the African continent,†Peter Lundberg, the acting United Nations Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator, warned on Wednesday.
South Sudan: UN human rights chief warns of ‘alarming rise’ in ethnic hate speech
Oct 27, 2016, at 04:41 am
New York, Oct 26 (Just Earth News): An alarming rise in hate speech and incitement to violence against certain ethnic groups in South Sudan has prompted the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, to issue a warning that if the community and political leaders at the highest levels do not rein it in, mass atrocities in the country could erupt.
Ban condemns outbreak of violence and attacks on UN mission in Central African Republic
Oct 27, 2016, at 04:38 am
New York, Oct 26 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the outbreak of violence, on 24 October, in the Central African Republic's (CAR) capital, Bangui, that killed at least four civilians and injured nine others.
Fires engulf parts of France's Calais migrant camp
Oct 26, 2016, at 06:06 pm
Calais, France, Oct 26 (IBNS): An overnight fire engulfed parts of a migrant camp in France's Calais, reports said on Wednesday.
Oct 26, 2016, at 01:36 pm
New York, Oct 26 (Just Earth News): Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson on Tuesday urged the international community to show solidarity with the Haitian people as they struggle to cope with the impact Hurricane Matthew and an ongoing cholera epidemic, particularly through financial support for the new United Nations system-wide approach to tackle the spread of the disease.
Oct 26, 2016, at 01:35 pm
New York, Oct 26 (Just Earth News): The senior United Nations child rights envoy on Tuesday said she is heartened by the commitment of the Colombian Government and a the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC) to separate and reintegrate children associated with the armed group, despite the negative results of the recent referendum on the Colombian peace accord.
Women must have their ‘rightful place’ at the heart of building peace and security – UN chief
Oct 26, 2016, at 01:34 pm
New York, Oct 26 (Just Earth News): The urgent drive to bring women into their rightful place at the heart of building peace and security “must never stop,†United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Security Council on Tuesday, calling for key steps towards that goal, including holding all UN peace operations accountable for putting women and girls at the centre of their work.
UN receives reports of executions and use of ‘human shields’ by ISIL in battle for Mosul
Oct 26, 2016, at 01:33 pm
New York, Oct 26 (Just Earth News): As Iraqi Government forces close in on Mosul, the United Nations human rights wing said on Tuesday that it continues to receive reports of grave violations against civilians, including extrajudicial killings and summary executions, by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) extremists.
UN agency supporting French authorities in transferring refugees from Calais ‘Jungle’
Oct 26, 2016, at 04:22 am
New York, Oct 25 (Just Earth News): The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported on Tuesday that it is assisting French authorities as they begin to close the refugee camp in Calais known as ‘the Jungle,†and “environment not fit for human habitation†and which highlights the need for greater responsibility sharing and coordination between European Union member States.
Mediterranean death toll in 2016 ‘worst we have seen’ – UN refugee agency
Oct 26, 2016, at 04:18 am
New York, Oct 25 (Just Earth News): With just two months left in 2016, and despite a substantial drop in the number of migrants and refugees attempting to cross the Mediterranean, the number of people losing their lives has witnessed a three-fold overall increase this year, and in one particular route by more than five-fold, the United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday.
'An entire generation could be crippled by hunger' in Yemen – UN food relief agency
Oct 26, 2016, at 04:17 am
New York, Oct 25 (Just Earth News): The United Nations food relief agency on Tuesday said it is increasingly concerned about deteriorating food security and growing rates of child malnutrition in war-plagued Yemen, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.
Australia: 4 killed on theme park ride
Oct 25, 2016, at 10:14 pm
Sydney, Oct 25 (IBNS): At least four people were killed on a ride at a theme park in Australia on Tuesday, media report said.
Theme park ride turns fatal for 4 in Australia
Oct 25, 2016, at 07:12 pm
Queensland, Oct 25 (IBNS): Four people died while taking a ride at an Australian theme park in Queensland, reports said.
Oct 25, 2016, at 02:35 pm
New York, Oct 25 (Just Earth News): With efforts to respond to the plight of more than 60 million internally displaced people (IDPs) around the world is falling short, a senior United Nations humanitarian official reiterated the UN relief wing's call for a new approach to the crisis, in terms of coordination as well as better prevention and better solutions.
El Niño drives concentration of C02 in atmosphere to new high – UN weather agency
Oct 25, 2016, at 02:34 pm
New York, Oct 25 (Just Earth News): Globally averaged concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere surged again to new records in 2016, and, based on readings of the longest-established greenhouse gas monitoring station at Mauna Loa, Hawaii, the United Nations weather agency predicts that carbon dioxide concentrations will not dip below pre-2015 levels for many generations.
UN statistics forum addresses efforts to support Global Goal on gender equality
Oct 25, 2016, at 02:33 pm
New York, Oct 25 (Just Earth News): On Monday marks the start of the 6th Global Forum on Gender Statistics, a two day event in Helsinki, Finland, that will highlight ways to improve data on gender in order to support better policies for women and girls and Goal 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UN rights experts call on US to abolish mandatory detention of migrants
Oct 25, 2016, at 02:32 pm
New York, Oct 25 (Just Earth News): Members of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention completed a two-week visit to the United States on Monday and called upon the Government to abolish its mandatory detention of migrants, particularly asylum-seekers, after it found serious racial and economic disparities and that many people were being held under punitive conditions.
Oct 25, 2016, at 02:31 pm
New York, Oct 25 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has regretted the decision of the South African Government to withdraw from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and expressed hope that the country will reconsider its decision before the withdrawal takes effect.
UN aid chief voices ‘deep frustration’ as medical evacuation plan for Aleppo scrapped
Oct 25, 2016, at 02:29 pm
New York, Oct 25 (Just Earth News): The United Nations humanitarian chief said on Monday he is “deeply frustrated and saddened†that the UN and its partners have been forced to abort current plans to evacuate critically injured and sick people from eastern Aleppo, Syria’s iconic city being razed by war.
After hurricane, UN assessment finds 800,000 Haitians in dire need of immediate food assistance
Oct 25, 2016, at 02:28 pm
New York, Oct 25 (Just Earth News): An assessment conducted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), together with the Haitian Government and its National Coordination for Food Security (CNSA), has determined that in the wake of Hurricane Matthew some 1.4 million people are in need of food assistance, 800,000 of whom are in a dire situation.
Perception that refugees are more prone to radicalization wrong and dangerous – UN rights expert
Oct 25, 2016, at 02:27 pm
New York, Oct 25 (Just Earth News): Presenting his new report to the General Assembly, the United Nations expert on counter-terrorism and human rights has warned that migration policies which are restrictive or violate fundamental human rights may in fact create conditions conducive to terrorism.
INTERVIEW: To be sustainable, cities should be more connected, inclusive and dynamic – ICAO chief
Oct 25, 2016, at 02:26 pm
New York, Oct 25 (Just Earth News): A Memorandum of Understanding to enhance cooperation between urban development and aviation was signed in Quito, Ecuador, during the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (HABITAT III).
Renewed deadly clashes in north-central Somalia send thousands fleeing in October – UN
Oct 25, 2016, at 02:23 pm
New York, Oct 25 (Just Earth News): Some 18 people have been killed and 60 injured due to ongoing fighting in Gaalkacyo, Somalia, over the past two weeks, according to the United Nations humanitarian wing, which also reported today that more than 75,000 people have been displaced, though local authorities have indicated that the number could be higher as more people continue to flee the violence.
New global league table of giving shows world becomes more generous than ever
Oct 25, 2016, at 02:13 pm
New Delhi, Oct 25 (IBNS): More people than ever before are helping others in countries across the globe, according to the CAF World Giving Index, the unique global index of generosity.
Iraq: ISIS executes seven of its fighters
Oct 25, 2016, at 01:45 pm
Baghdad,Oct 25 (IBNS): Militant group ISIS has executed seven of its men on Sunday, media reports said on Tuesday.
On World Polio Day, UN kicks off weeklong campaign to immunize 5.8 million Iraqi children
Oct 25, 2016, at 04:45 am
New York, Oct 24 (Just Earth News): Two United Nations agencies will support the Iraqi Ministry of Health in marking World Polio Day by launching a weeklong nationwide campaign to immunize Iraq’s children against the infectious viral disease.
In war-torn Syria, three million children out of school or at risk of dropping out – UNICEF
Oct 25, 2016, at 04:44 am
New York, Oct 24 (Just Earth News): With the start of the school year and the number of school attacks exceeding 4,000 in war-ravaged Syria, more than 1.7 million children there remain out of school and another 1.3 million are at a risk of dropping out, according to new education data.
Global Goals can 'propel us towards a better future for all on a healthy planet,' Ban says on UN Day
Oct 25, 2016, at 04:43 am
New York, Oct 24 (Just Earth News): In his last United Nations Day message as Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon recognized the efforts of courageous UN staff members who are on the frontlines of disaster and violence and continue to respond to the plight of the vulnerable people across the world.
France to clear Calais jungle camp
Oct 24, 2016, at 05:57 pm
Calais, France, Oct 24 (IBNS): The French Government on Monday is set to clear the Calais refugee camp, reports said.