DR Congo: Denying visa to human rights researcher ‘regrettable,’ says UN rights chief

Aug 13, 2016, at 12:29 pm

New York, Aug 13 (Just Earth News): United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Friday said that the denial of visa to a human rights researcher in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a regrettable development.

Security Council approves regional protection force for UN mission in South Sudan

Aug 13, 2016, at 12:27 pm

New York, Aug 13 (Just Earth News): The Security Council on Friday authorized a 4,000-strong regional protection force within the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), “responsible for providing a secure environment in and around Juba,” the capital, which in early July was the scene of the latest eruption of deadly violence in the young country, exacerbating an already desperate humanitarian situation.

Diary from Syria: An eyewitness account of broken families, grief and survival

Aug 13, 2016, at 12:24 pm

New York, Aug 13 (Just Earth News): The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) supports more than 4 million people inside Syria with food assistance. Heading its operation there since December last year is Swiss national Jakob Kern.

Threat of wildfires expected to increase as global temperatures rise – UN

Aug 13, 2016, at 12:22 pm

New York, Aug 13 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) has warned that wildfires could become more frequent and more destructive as global temperatures rise and drought conditions plague many regions of the world.

Two-thirds of young people in more than 18 countries say they have been bullied – UNICEF poll

Aug 13, 2016, at 12:21 pm

New York, Aug 13 (Just Earth News): About 97 per cent of young people believe that bullying is a pervasive problem in their communities, and two-thirds say they have been bullied, a new survey conducted by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and their partners finds.

A political solution is the only solution,’ UN says, as rising violence deepens crisis in Yemen

Aug 13, 2016, at 12:19 pm

New York, Aug 13 (Just Earth News): The United Nations on Friday sounded the alarm over a spike in violence in crisis-torn Yemen, as the world body’s human rights wing reported the number of civilian casualties in the conflict has been “steadily mounting,” with some 815 casualties since April alone.

UN condemns bomb attacks in Thailand

Aug 13, 2016, at 12:17 pm

New York, Aug 13 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the bomb attacks in Thailand that took place on Thursday and Friday, expressing hope that the perpetrators will be quickly brought to justice.

Ban launches new initiatives enhancing UN efforts to work with and for world's youth

Aug 13, 2016, at 12:16 pm

New York, Aug 13 (Just Earth News): Bolstering the commitment of the United Nations to work with and for the world's youth, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday announced several key initiatives towards that end, including the formation of an expert group on 'youth, peace and security,' and naming a new envoy on youth employment.

South Sudan: Scale of refugee exodus straining capacity in neighbouring countries, warns UN

Aug 13, 2016, at 04:34 am

New York, Aug 12 (Just Earth News): The countries hosting refugees from their crisis-gripped neighbour, South Sudan, are straining under the sheer weight of the ongoing exodus as desperate people continue to arrive at their borders daily, joining hundreds of thousands of others that fled for safety before them, the United Nations has warned.

UN health agency boosts response to cholera outbreak in Central African Republic

Aug 13, 2016, at 04:28 am

New York, Aug 12 (Just Earth News): Amid the difficult humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic (CAR), the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners are stepping up efforts to respond to a recent cholera outbreak in villages along the Oubangui River and have stressed the urgent need for more resources and support for the country.

Australia and Nauru must end offshore detention; investigate claims of abuse – UN rights office

Aug 13, 2016, at 04:26 am

New York, Aug 12 (Just Earth News): Expressing concern about alleged violations against migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees, the United Nations human rights office on Friday reiterated its call for Australia and Nauru to end the practice of processing and keeping these people offshore.

On International Day, UN says youth can lead drive to set world on course to a more sustainable future

Aug 13, 2016, at 04:25 am

New York, Aug 12 (Just Earth News): The world's young people – who make up the largest generation of youth in history – can lead a global drive to break the patterns of the past and set the world on course to a more sustainable future, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said youth, with their creativity and idealism are the key to delivering the goals of the new UN sustainability agenda.

Two injured in shooting in shopping centre in Spanish city Zaragoza

Aug 12, 2016, at 09:28 pm

Zaragoza, Spain, Aug 12 (IBNS) : Two persons were seriously injured after a gunman went on a shooting spree at a shopping centre in Zaragoza in northeastern Spain on Friday, media reports said.

Philippines: Parañaque City Jail explosion kills 10

Aug 12, 2016, at 03:28 pm

Manila. Aug 12 (IBNS): At least 10 people were killed as an explosion hit Parañaque City Jail in Philippines on Thursday, media reports said.

Blasts rock southern Thailand

Aug 12, 2016, at 03:08 pm

Bangkok, Aug 12 (IBNS) : A series of blasts rocked southern Thailand on Friday, media reports said.

Nigeria reports first polio cases since 2014, highlighting urgency of immunization – UN health agency

Aug 12, 2016, at 01:33 pm

New York, Aug 12 (Just Earth News): After two children were paralyzed by polio in Borno state in north-eastern Nigeria, the first cases of wild poliovirus in more than two years, the United Nations health agency on Thursday stressed the need to prioritize immunization of children in hard-to-reach areas such as the Lake Chad region, spanning several countries and often affected by conflict.

With long-term strategy, UN protects civilians in Gaza from threat of unexploded munitions

Aug 12, 2016, at 01:31 pm

New York, Aug 12 (Just Earth News): Hostilities in the Gaza Strip dating back to 2014 and earlier still pose serious threats to life and physical integrity in the tine enclave as explosive remnants of war (ERW) and other legacy hazards remained littered throughout the strip, said the United Nations humanitarian wing, spotlighting a sustainable strategy to mitigate those risks.

‘Let’s build bridges, not walls,’ says UN chief, urging all countries to help refugees and migrants

Aug 12, 2016, at 01:30 pm

New York, Aug 12 (Just Earth News): Encouraging young refugees gathered for an event at resettlement centre in Los Angeles to “study hard [and] be a full part of your new communities,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the United States and other countries to keep reaching out to people in need, wherever they are, because “we will all be stronger” by building bridges instead of walls.

UN rights chief sees ‘worrying signs’ in Bulgaria’s detention regime for migrants

Aug 12, 2016, at 04:36 am

New York, Aug 11 (Just Earth News): United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Thursday expressed serious concern that virtually all people entering Bulgaria in an “irregular manner” are subjected to detention, and that they could be prosecuted and even jailed if they try to leave, “placing many of them in an invidious Catch-22 situation.”

Syria: UN refugee agency 'gravely concerned' by attacks on civilians, internally displaced persons

Aug 12, 2016, at 04:34 am

New York, Aug 11 (Just Earth News): The United Nations refugee agency has expressed grave concern at the dire situation of civilians in the Syrian city of Aleppo and at attacks on internally displaced people (IDP) settlements in its Idleb Governorate.

Former British retail chain head dubbed the unacceptable face of capitalism

Aug 11, 2016, at 09:29 pm

London/Toronto, Aug 11 (IBNS): A parliamentary probe into Sir Philip Green selling off British Home Stores (BHS) and a deficit in the company's pension account, has recently revealed that he had been siphoning off the company’s money for years allegedly to support his luxurious lifestyle, according to media reports.

Trump calls Obama 'founder of ISIS'

Aug 11, 2016, at 06:52 pm

Washington,Aug 11 (IBNS): Republican Nominee for President Donald J. Trump has slammed US President Barack Obama and accused him of creating the militant group Islamic State.

South Sudan crisis deepens as once-stable areas fall into violence – UN relief chief

Aug 11, 2016, at 12:42 pm

New York, Aug 11 (Just Earth News): Recently returned from a three-day visit to South Sudan, United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O’Brien on Wednesday painted a grave picture of the enormous humanitarian crisis facing the world’s newest country and the devastating impact of the ongoing violence on its people.

Child-directed advertising must be better regulated to curb adverse impacts – UN experts

Aug 11, 2016, at 12:39 pm

New York, Aug 11 (Just Earth News): Just head of International Youth Day, two United Nations human rights experts are drawing attention to the impact of commercial advertising directed at young children that instils, at an early age, over-consumption and indebtedness, and have urged the Governments to redefine those child-directed advertisements.

New law a ‘direct attack’ on free expression in Maldives, UN rights expert warns

Aug 11, 2016, at 12:37 pm

New York, Aug 11 (Just Earth News): Denouncing a new law in Maldives as a “direct attack” on free speech, a United Nations human rights expert warned on Wednesday that elements of the bill, such as the vague use of religion, social norms and defamation as reasons for punishing expression, contradict not only international norms, but also obligations set out in the country’s own Constitution.

UN study charts extent of unregulated gold mining in Colombia, links to organized crime

Aug 11, 2016, at 12:36 pm

New York, Aug 11 (Just Earth News): An estimated 60 per cent of Colombia’s alluvial gold exploitation – through mining streams or riverbeds, often dredged with heavy machinery – is not established within existing normative frameworks and in many cases finances and strengthens organized criminal groups, according to a joint United Nations and Colombian Government study.

Measures to control yellow fever still needed despite drop in number of cases – UN health agency

Aug 10, 2016, at 01:40 pm

New York, Aug 10 (Just Earth News): The United Nations health agency and its partners are continuing their programmes against yellow fever outbreaks even though the epidemic, first reported in January 2016, appears to be declining, with no new cases confirmed in the last six weeks.

Sudan: Ban welcomes signing of peace roadmap by opposition groups

Aug 10, 2016, at 01:37 pm

New York, Aug 10 (Just Earth News): Welcoming the signing by Sudanese opposition groups of an African Union-brokered roadmap for ending conflicts in the country, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday called the parties to “maintain this positive momentum” and work towards agreement on cessation of hostilities.

‘You are leaders of on Tuesday,’ says Ban, urging youth delegates in Argentina to back Global Goals

Aug 10, 2016, at 01:34 pm

New York, Aug 10 (Just Earth News): Young people are at the heart of many of on Tuesday’s challenges, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday in Buenos Aires, urging a gathering of youth and civil society delegates to claim the new UN Sustainable Development Agenda as their own and to hold their leaders accountable for its implementation.

UN chief honours Nagasaki victims, urges recommitment to ‘a more secure future for all’

Aug 10, 2016, at 01:33 pm

New York, Aug 10 (Just Earth News): Mourning those who perished in the 1945 atomic bombing and suffered through its horrendous after-effects, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday conveyed his solidarity to a peace memorial ceremony in Nagasaki, Japan, and urged all to “recommit to building a safer and more secure future.”