High-level UN forum on development cooperation paves way for ‘leaving no one behind’

Apr 08, 2016, at 12:40 pm

New York, Apr 8 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Following a day of fruitful discussions in workshops and informal meetings, the United Nations Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) High-level Symposium officially opened on Thursday in Brussels, Belgium, with senior UN officials urging delegations to ensure such cooperation is ‘a better fit’ for implementing the 2030 Agenda, including for vulnerable countries.

Rising hunger in Central America and Haiti as El Niño follows prolonged drought – UN agency

Apr 08, 2016, at 12:38 pm

New York, Apr 8 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations food relief agency committed on Thursday to assisting 1.6 million people hit by droughts exacerbated by El Niño in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Haiti and building resilience against future climatic shocks.

In Geneva, senior UN official urges all-inclusive approach to stop virulent spread of violent extremism

Apr 08, 2016, at 12:36 pm

New York, Apr 8 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Violent extremism is an affront to the very purposes and principles of the United Nations, the Head of the world body’s Geneva headquarters said on Thursday, urging government delegations and experts gathered there to back the comprehensive approach needed to proactively address the drivers of the scourge, including through support of the Secretary-General’s action plan on the issue.

Remembering on Rwanda, Ban urges a firm stand against hate speech

Apr 08, 2016, at 12:33 pm

New York, Apr 8 (Just Earth News/IBNS): On the 22nd anniversary of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday highlighted the role hate speech plays in inciting division and violence, and urged the international community to “fight genocide ideology.”

On World Health Day, UN urges global efforts to halt rise in diabetes

Apr 08, 2016, at 12:31 pm

New York, Apr 8 (Just Earth News/IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon marked World Health Day with a strong call for stepping up global efforts to halt the rise in diabetes and improve the lives of those living with this dangerous but preventable and treatable disease.

Global food prices edge up in March; cereal production outlook robust – UN

Apr 08, 2016, at 12:29 pm

New York, Apr 8 (Just Earth News/IBNS): World cereal production in 2016 is set to reach 2,521 million tonnes, just 0.2 per cent below last year’s and the third-highest on record, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Thursday.

Pakistan: Peshawar blast kills cop

Apr 07, 2016, at 09:45 pm

Peshawar, Apr 7 (IBNS) A bomb blast in Pakistan's Peshawar city killed a police officer and injured two others on Thursday, media reports said.

Bangladesh: Blogger hacked to death in Dhaka

Apr 07, 2016, at 06:16 pm

Dhaka, Apr 7 (IBNS) The repeated killings of secular bloggers in Bangladesh continues as yet another blogger was hacked to death in broad daylight by suspected Islamist militants for expressing secular views, in Dhaka on Wednesday, according to reports.

‘If we work and build together,’ a more sustainable world will be a safer world, Ban says in California

Apr 07, 2016, at 01:37 pm

New York, Apr 7 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon continued his programme in California on Wednesday, where he received an honorary doctorate from Loyola Marymount University, after addressing yesterday the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, where he gave the audience an overview of United Nations efforts to meet on Wednesday’s global challenges, from humanitarian crises to climate change to sustainable development.

Political progress to end Darfur conflict through dialogue ‘remains elusive’ – UN peacekeeping chief

Apr 07, 2016, at 01:35 pm

New York, Apr 7 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Intensified fighting since January has resulted in a rapidly worsening security situation and large-scale displacement in Sudan’s Darfur region, the top United Nations peacekeeping official warned on Wednesday, stressing that it is important that Security Council “impress on all parties to the conflict […] that a political solution remains the only viable option.”

UN agency condemns large-scale home demolitions in West Bank

Apr 07, 2016, at 01:33 pm

New York, Apr 7 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has condemned on Wednesday’s large scale home demolitions by Israeli authorities in the Bedouin refugee community of Um al Khayr in the South Hebron Hills.

Prosecutor to appeal UN tribunal's acquittal of Vojislav Šešelj of war crimes in the Balkans

Apr 07, 2016, at 01:31 pm

New York, Apr 7 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The long-serving Prosecutor of the United Nations tribunal for the former Yugoslavia on Wednesday announced that he will appeal The Hague-based court's recent acquittal of Serbian politician Vojislav Šešelj on war crimes charges in connection with actions committed by Serbian forces between August 1991 and September 1993.

Libya: senior UN relief official calls for independent probe into migrant deaths at detention centre

Apr 07, 2016, at 01:29 pm

New York, Apr 7 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Expressing deep regret and concern over the deaths of four migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa in a detention centre in al-Zawiya, Libya, the senior United Nations humanitarian official in that country has called on Wednesday for an independent, impartial and full investigation into their deaths.

‘We need to rethink our daily lives,’ warns UN health chief, urging action to halt rising tide of diabetes

Apr 07, 2016, at 01:28 pm

UN experts urge Mexico to counter current ‘smear campaign,’ support right defenders

Apr 07, 2016, at 01:26 pm

New York, Apr 7 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Three United Nations human rights experts on Wednesday urged the Government of Mexico to express its full support for the work of human rights defenders and civil society organisations, and actively counter the current stigmatisation campaign to undermine their work.

Sport plays essential role in advancing 2030 development agenda – UN

Apr 07, 2016, at 01:24 pm

New York, Apr 7 (Just Earth News/IBNS):Sport has an essential role to play in supporting the achievement of the post-2015 development goals, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said as he observed the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.

Fiji: UN warns of flooding as cyclone-battered country braces for another storm

Apr 07, 2016, at 01:22 pm

New York, Apr 7 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Less than two months after Tropical Cyclone Winston cut a path of destruction across Fiji, the country is bracing for the impact of another storm, the United Nations relief aid office said on Wednesday.

World military spending resumes upward course, says SIPRI

Apr 06, 2016, at 09:26 pm

Stockholm, Apr 6 (IBNS) World military expenditure totalled almost $1.7 trillion in 2015, an increase of 1 per cent in real terms from 2014, according to new figures from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Pakistan: 6 militants killed during police shootout

Apr 06, 2016, at 09:00 pm

Lahore, Apr 6 (IBNS) During a police shootout, at least six people have been killed in Saggian Bridge area of Lahore on Wednesday, media reports said.

Afghanistan: Gunmen attack vehicle, 1 killed

Apr 06, 2016, at 08:47 pm

Kabul, Apr 6 (IBNS): At least one person was killed as gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in Afghanistan's Ghazni province, media reports said on Wednesday.

UN to enforce ‘zero tolerance’ policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, senior official tells Member States

Apr 06, 2016, at 01:20 pm

New York, Apr 6 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Briefing the General Assembly on recent disturbing allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations peacekeepers, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Chef de Cabinet reaffirmed the Organization’s determination to tackle the issue head on and indicated that such violations, if verified, would trigger a decision by Ban to repatriate the units in question.

People-focused urban planning is key to sustainable future, Pritzker Prize winning architect says at UN

Apr 06, 2016, at 01:18 pm

New York, Apr 6 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The role that architecture can play in creating cities that are more sustainable and liveable – a vital element of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, in which economic inclusion, social development and environmental protection converge in a universal roadmap for global action – was in the spotlight at UN Headquarters on Tuesday as this year’s Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate discussed his work and the road to a more inclusive future.

Delays in implementing Mali peace deal mean gains for terrorists – UN peacekeeping chief

Apr 06, 2016, at 01:15 pm

New York, Apr 6 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Every day lost in the implementation of Mali’s peace agreement is a day gained for extremist and terrorist groups that have bet heavily that the process will fail, the top United Nations peacekeeping official told the Security Council on Tuesday, stressing that the Government and the armed groups who signed the deal must establish a timeline to resolve all pending issues.

UN deputy chief calls for greater investment and attention on peacebuilding, statebuilding

Apr 06, 2016, at 01:13 pm

New York, Apr 6 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Addressing an international forum on peacebuilding and statebuilding, the United Nations deputy chief on Tuesday highlighted the need for a greater investment in those activities and the importance of taking more preventive measures to reduce humanitarian needs.

UN agency to train dozens of experts on nuclear-related techniques to identify Zika

Apr 06, 2016, at 01:11 pm

New York, Apr 6 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations atomic energy agency plans to train dozens of participants this month from mostly Latin America and Caribbean countries on how to use nuclear-derived techniques to detect the Zika virus in as short a time as three hours.

Rwanda: chronic malnutrition rates drop but remain ‘stubbornly high,’ UN-backed study reveals

Apr 06, 2016, at 01:10 pm

New York, Apr 6 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Chronic malnutrition in Rwanda have fallen significantly in the last three years, but still remain stubbornly high, especially in rural areas, finds a new study conducted over three years by the Rwandan Ministry of Agriculture with support from the World Food Programme (WFP).

Surge in mob killings in Malawi draws serious concern of UN human rights office

Apr 06, 2016, at 01:07 pm

New York, Apr 6 (Just Earth News/IBNS):The United Nations human rights office on Tuesday expressed concern over the increased number of mob attacks in Malawi since the beginning of the year, in 2016 and called for Government agencies to support police and for the strengthening of the rule of law in the country to combat such violence.

UN refugee agency warns of spike in asylum-seekers fleeing violence in Central America

Apr 06, 2016, at 01:06 pm

New York, Apr 6 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The number of people fleeing violence in Central America has surged to levels not seen since the region was wracked by armed conflicts in the 1980s, the UN refugee agency warned on Tuesday, urging action to ensure that unaccompanied children and others receive the protection which they are entitled to.

WHO and partners appeal for $2.2 billion with humanitarian health needs at ‘all-time high’

Apr 06, 2016, at 01:03 pm

New York, Apr 6 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Ongoing turmoil in Syria and the impact of drought in Ethiopia are among the diverse and pressing crises cited by the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) as the agency and its partners appealed for some $2.2 billion to provide lifesaving health services to more than 79 million people in more than 30 countries facing protracted emergencies this year.

Food gap widens in conflict-stricken South Sudan – UN assessment

Apr 06, 2016, at 01:01 pm

New York, Apr 6 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Civil strife and unfavorable rains have further reduced crop production in South Sudan, contributing to a cereal deficit of 381,000 metric tons – 53 per cent greater than in 2015 – and aggravating the already severe food shortages, two UN agencies warned on Tuesday.