Oct 13, 2016, at 12:57 pm
New York, Oct 13 (Just Earth News): While Haiti is still counting its dead and assessing the damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, the powerful Category 4 storm that battered the tiny island nation last week, a senior United Nations peacekeeping official on Wednesday reported that significant headway is being made clearing the roads to make facilitate the movement of humanitarian aid.
Colombia: Ban welcomes announcement of talks between Government and National Liberation Army
Oct 13, 2016, at 12:56 pm
New York, Oct 13 (Just Earth News): Welcoming the announcement that formal negotiations between the Government of Colombia and the National Liberation Army (ELN) will begin later this month, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday expressed hope that the two sides will reach a sustainable peace agreement as soon as possible.
In wake of Hurricane Matthew, UN to deliver food for 180,000 people in hard-hit eastern Cuba
Oct 13, 2016, at 12:54 pm
New York, Oct 13 (Just Earth News): The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is working with the Cuban Government to provide food for 180,000 people in hard-hit eastern areas of the island as they cope with the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew.
Syria: Conflict plunging to new ‘lows,’ UNICEF says, deploring killing of school children
Oct 13, 2016, at 12:53 pm
New York, Oct 13 (Just Earth News): Deploring yesterday’s deadly attack on a primary school in the Syrian city of Darra, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reiterated its call on all parties to the conflict to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law and protect children and schools.
Oct 13, 2016, at 12:52 pm
New York, Oct 13 (Just Earth News): Nicholas Haysom has experience in challenging political situations. His service with the United Nations has seen him serve as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s top political advisor at UN Headquarters in New York – but has also involved service in some of the toughest field assignment locations, such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
Undernutrition taking huge toll on Chad’s economy, new UN-supported study finds
Oct 13, 2016, at 12:50 pm
New York, Oct 13 (Just Earth News): Chad’s economy is losing 575.8 billion CFA francs ($1.2 billion) per year, or 9.5 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP), to the effects of childhood undernutrition and resultant increased healthcare costs, additional burdens on the education system and lower productivity by the workforce, a new United Nations-backed study has revealed.
Rising inequality, precarious jobs threaten progress in Eastern Europe and Central Asia – UN
Oct 13, 2016, at 12:49 pm
New York, Oct 13 (Just Earth News): One third of the Eastern European and Central Asian workforce performs precarious jobs that include informal and vulnerable jobs, while approximately $65 billion in illicit cash leaves the region annually, according to a new report launched on Wednesday by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Afghanistan: UN mission condemns killing of worshipers in Shia mosque attack
Oct 13, 2016, at 03:49 am
New York, Oct 12 (Just Earth News): The United Nations mission in Afghanistan has condemned last night's attack at the Shia mosque in the capital, Kabul that killed at least 18 civilians and injured more than 50 others.
Oct 13, 2016, at 12:41 am
London, Oct 12 (IBNS): Former British Prime Minister David Cameron on Wednesday shared he has joined the National Citizens Service Trust as the Chairman.
Oct 12, 2016, at 03:07 pm
New York, Oct 12 (Just Earth News): Welcoming the start of an inclusive dialogue among political leaders, civil society and religious communities of Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon encouraged all the parties to engage in constructive discussions and “seize this opportunity for a favourable outcome†in the interest of the country’s people.â€
UN rights expert warns about growing restrictions on civil society in Egypt
Oct 12, 2016, at 03:06 pm
New York, Oct 12 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, warned on Tuesday about growing restrictions on civil society in Egypt, with human rights defenders and organizations in particular being targeted.
Oct 12, 2016, at 03:05 pm
New York, Oct 12 (Just Earth News): With Haiti facing the dual challenges of addressing the impact of Hurricane Matthew and restarting preparations for the holding of the much-anticipated elections, the United Nations envoy for the Caribbean country on Tuesday expressed support for the recommended extension of the UN mission there by six months until mid-April 2017.
Myanmar: UN adviser expresses deep concern at recent violence in Rakhine, calls for calm
Oct 12, 2016, at 03:01 pm
New York, Oct 12 (Just Earth News): The United Nations envoy for Myanmar on Tuesday expressed his deep concern at the violent attacks by unidentified individuals and groups against border guards and security forces on 9 October and the resultant fighting that claimed the lives of security personnel and civilians in the three affected areas of Northern Rakhine.
UNICEF gears up to vaccinate 41 million children after polio outbreak in north-eastern Nigeria
Oct 12, 2016, at 03:00 pm
New York, Oct 12 (Just Earth News): More than 41 million children are expected to get vaccinations against polio as part of a major new health campaign by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in the Lake Chad basin, aimed at the recent outbreak of polio in north-east Nigeria.
Oct 12, 2016, at 02:59 pm
New York, Oct 12 (Just Earth News): Warning of an extremely fragile political situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where “actors on all sides appear more and more willing to resort to violence to achieve their ends,†the top United Nations official in the country called on Tuesday on the Security Council to urge the parties to return to dialogue, guarantee the right to peaceful opposition and to end impunity for violence.
Taxing sugary drinks can curb global epidemic of obesity and diabetes – UN health agency
Oct 12, 2016, at 02:57 pm
New York, Oct 12 (Just Earth News): Unhealthy diet accounts for more than 11 million deaths annually, with four million deaths due to obesity, the United Nations health agency said on Tuesday, launching a new report that says taxing sugary drinks can yield major health benefits, such as reducing obesity, type 2 diabetes and tooth decay.
Oct 12, 2016, at 02:56 pm
New York, Oct 12 (Just Earth News): Girls are the sometimes-hidden change-makers of the present and future, and to make sure their voices are heard, the United Nations is marking the International Day of the Girl Child by calling on governments, civil society groups, and communities to provide more and better gender data to so that in the sustainable development era, no girls are left behind.
Haiti: Seeking to fend off cholera threat, UN agencies deliver aid, call for risk reduction
Oct 12, 2016, at 02:53 pm
New York, Oct 12 (Just Earth News): One week after Hurricane Matthew slammed into Haiti, United Nations agencies are continuing the massive relief effort under way on the ground, scrambling to fend off the threat of cholera, delivering life-saving supplies and rehabilitating damaged infrastructure, such as schools.
Oct 11, 2016, at 01:47 pm
New York, Oct 11 (Just Earth News): Marking World Mental Health Day 2016, the United Nations has highlighted the importance of making mental healthcare available to everyone who needs it – with a focus this year on providing immediate support to those in psychological distress after a crisis.
Oct 11, 2016, at 01:43 pm
New York, Oct 11 (Just Earth News): Recent unrest in the Central African Republic (CAR) demonstrates that the situation there remains fragile, and “spoilers are still active, on both sides,†the United Nations peacekeeping chief said on Monday, telling the Security Council that the international community must stand firm and support the Government’s efforts to ensure lasting peace.
In Malawi, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson spotlights efforts to end child marriage
Oct 11, 2016, at 01:42 pm
New York, Oct 11 (Just Earth News): Thanks to growing implementation of a law passed last year, child marriage may soon be a relic of Malawi’s past, and on the eve of the International Day of the Girl Child, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson visited the country to celebrate the achievements of UN Women, the Malawian Government, local chiefs and girls who have returned to school after having their marriages annulled.
UN experts call on Ethiopia to allow international panel to help probe violence against protesters
Oct 11, 2016, at 01:38 pm
New York, Oct 11 (Just Earth News): Urging Ethiopian authorities to end their violent crackdown on peaceful protests, which has reportedly led to the death of over 600 people since November 2015, two United Nations human rights experts on Monday further called on the Government to allow an international commission of inquiry to investigate the protests and the violence used against peaceful demonstrators.
UN appeals for $120 million to launch ‘massive response’ in storm-ravaged Haiti
Oct 11, 2016, at 01:34 pm
New York, Oct 11 (Just Earth News): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday announced the launch of a near $120 million appeal to fund United Nations aid activities in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti, where the rising death toll coupled with the start of the rainy season has prompted the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to sound the alarm on the threat of waterborne diseases to children living in the worst-affected areas.
New UN manual gives more say to indigenous peoples in development projects that affect them
Oct 11, 2016, at 01:33 pm
New York, Oct 11 (Just Earth News): The United Nations agricultural agency on Monday unveiled a new manual that seeks to ensure that indigenous peoples, custodians of more than 80 per cent of global biodiversity, are able to freely give or deny their consent in development interventions that affect their natural resources or their way of life.
On World Day against Death Penalty, Ban says practice 'has no place in the 21st century'
Oct 11, 2016, at 01:28 pm
New York, Oct 11 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday called the death penalty a cruel and inhumane practice – one that 65 countries globally retain for terrorism-related offenses – which is the focus of this year's World Day against the Death Penalty.
South Sudan: Alarmed by violence in Yei, UN mission calls for immediate end to hostilities
Oct 11, 2016, at 01:25 pm
New York, Oct 11 (Just Earth News): Extremely concerned by the continuing deterioration of the security situation in the South Sudanese town of Yei, where an estimated 100,000 people are trapped, the United Nations mission in the African country on Monday called on warring factions to immediately end all hostilities.
Oct 11, 2016, at 01:23 pm
New York, Oct 11 (Just Earth News): Announcing the launch on Monday of a new platform for scaling up innovative finance solutions to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the initiative can help in identifying and piloting innovative finance instruments that can drive investment and support well thought-out SDG interventions.
Police nabs IS suspect in Germany
Oct 10, 2016, at 11:56 pm
Leipzig, Oct 10 (IBNS): A Syrian man arrested by German police following a two-day manhunt, had a probable IS link, BBC reported.
Oct 10, 2016, at 06:38 am
New York, Oct 10 (Just Earth News): Senior United Nations officials, including Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, have condemned an attack in the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, that killed more than 140 people and injured at least five hundred more. They also called for swift and impartial investigations into the incident.
Oct 10, 2016, at 06:36 am
New York, Oct 10 (Just Earth News): Marking World Post Day, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) has stressed that putting customers at the heart of its service and adjusting to rapid technological modernization remains the top priority of the postal services worldwide.