As Ethiopia battles devastating drought, UN sends in emergency health team
Dec 05, 2015, at 02:22 pm
New York, Dec 5 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With Ethiopia battling its worst drought in 30 years due to the El Niño weather pattern, with 8.2 million people already in urgent need of food aid, the United Nations has sent an emergency health team to help support the Government's response to a crisis that is expected to become even worse over the next eight months.
Southeast Asian nations pledge cooperation on Bay of Bengal migration: UN agency
Dec 05, 2015, at 02:20 pm
New York, Dec 5 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Southeast Asian countries on Friday affirmed that the only way to reduce loss of life at sea is by working together on comprehensive and sustainable approaches to mixed migration movements, the United Nations refugee agency said as the resumption of dangerous sea journeys in the region loomed.
UN-backed platforms show greenhouse gas emission reductions
Dec 05, 2015, at 02:19 pm
New York, Dec 5 (Just Earth News/IBNS): A new report by Yale University finds that the combined greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments recorded in two United Nations-backed platforms by cities, regions and companies alone surpasses the global emissions of the iron and steel sector.
Celebrity chefs serve up free meals from discarded food: UN agency
Dec 05, 2015, at 02:15 pm
New York, Dec 5 (Just Earth News/IBNS): For those who have never tried 'rejected' veggie curry made with 'saved' coconut milk served with 'broken rice' and washed down with corn cob tea, two United Nations agencies have joined up with an Australian food charity for an event with a menu that also included 'fish scrap cake' and 'rescued' mango relish, accompanied by 'leftover' nine-grain followed by 'rescued' bread pudding for dessert.
COP21: UN emphasizes impact of young and future generations to tackle climate change
Dec 04, 2015, at 02:54 pm
New York, Dec 4 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The halls of the United Nations climate change conference (COP21) grew livelier on Thursday as hundreds of participants gathered to mark "young and future generations day," an opportunity for youth to remind world leaders and negotiators of the need to reach an ambitious climate agreement to secure their future, according to the UN Envoy on Youth.
Yemen: Ban calls for investigation after Saudi-led airstrikes destroy health clinic
Dec 04, 2015, at 02:52 pm
New York, Dec 4 (Just Earth News/IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the airstrikes carried out on Wednesday by the Saudi-led Coalition on a mobile health clinic run by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Taiz city, Yemen, which injured seven people and destroyed the clinic.
Children under five account for one third of deaths from foodborne diseases: UN
Dec 04, 2015, at 02:51 pm
New York, Dec 4 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Diarrhoeal diseases are responsible for more than half of all foodborne diseases globally and of all those who fall ill after consuming contaminated food, 420,000 people die – almost third of them children under the age of five, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday in its first ever report on the issue.
UN refugee agency concerned by violence at Greek border, calls for improved security
Dec 04, 2015, at 02:48 pm
New York, Dec 4 (Just Earth News/IBNS): As a result of restrictions imposed by the authorities along the Western Balkans route, tensions have been rising at the border between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, prompting the United Nations refugee agency to call on the authorities of both countries to manage the border in a manner consistent with human rights and refugee-protection principles.
Food prices fall in November amid 'robust' global inventories: UN agency
Dec 04, 2015, at 02:44 pm
New York, Dec 4 (Just Earth News/IBNS): November saw a decrease in major food commodity prices as the cost of most globally-traded staples fell, the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) reported on Thursday as it also warned of deteriorating food security in areas affected by conflict or severe weather.
Fundamental change needed to address women's health in conflicts: UN
Dec 04, 2015, at 02:42 pm
New York, Dec 4 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Of the more than 100 million people in need of humanitarian aid this year due to conflict and natural disasters, 26 million are women and adolescent girls of reproductive age, yet efforts to meet their desperate needs are seriously underfunded, a United Nations report warned on Thursday, calling for fundamental change in the situation.
Ban delivers favourable report card on early-stage talks at Paris climate summit
Dec 04, 2015, at 02:41 pm
New York, Dec 4 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon gave a favourable report card today to the early stages of the United Nations climate change conference (COP21) in Paris, while at the same time urging both developed and developing countries to do more to reach universal agreement to mitigate the threat.
COP21: Digital map launched by UNICEF helps youth tell their climate change stories
Dec 04, 2015, at 02:39 pm
New York, Dec 4 (Just Earth News/IBNS): A digital mapping project called 'Act Now For Tomorrow,' which was recently launched by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), is helping young people around the world identify climate issues in their communities and find ways to address them.
Ban appoints officials for roles in UN Agenda 2030 advisory board and peacekeeping operations
Dec 04, 2015, at 02:37 pm
New York, Dec 4 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon on Thursday announced the appointment of David Nabarro of the United Kingdom as Special Adviser on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
COP21: UN joins France and private sector partners for action on electro-mobility
Dec 04, 2015, at 02:36 pm
New York, Dec 4 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Recognizing that transportation has the highest growth in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of any industrial sector, transport representatives at the United Nations climate change conference (COP21) presented 10 initiatives on Thursday that aim to reduce these emissions and build more sustainable transport systems.
Slavery Abolition Day: Ban warns of enslavement, trafficking risks for refugees
Dec 03, 2015, at 03:31 pm
New York, Dec 3 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With more than 60 million people driven from their homes and millions more crossing borders to seek a better life, the risk of mounting human trafficking and enslavement with all its "horrific abuse" must be confronted, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned on Wednesday.
Resilience Day: UN and partners launch initiatives to protect millions of people
Dec 03, 2015, at 03:29 pm
New York, Dec 3 (Just Earth News/IBNS): On the third day of the United Nations climate change conference (COP21), dubbed 'Resilience Day,' the UN and the Governments of Peru and France have announced major international partnerships that are mobilizing large-scale financing to protect people who are most vulnerable to climate impacts.
El Niño: UN emergency fund supports millions in affected countries
Dec 03, 2015, at 03:28 pm
New York, Dec 3 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Following the devastating impact of El Niño, the United Nations relief wing has announced that the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has provided some $76 million for life-saving activities in response to drought, drought-like conditions, floods and related insecurity, and other disasters in East Africa, Southern Africa, the Pacific Islands, South East Asia and Central America throughout 2015.
UN Middle East envoy calls for action on West Bank arson attack case
Dec 03, 2015, at 03:26 pm
New York, Dec 3 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Four months after the arson attack against the Dawabsha family in the West Bank village of Duma, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, on Wednesday expressed concern at the slow progress on the case and called on the Israeli authorities to "move swiftly in bringing the perpetrators of the this terrible crime to justice."
UN report warns of 'abhorrent violations' against children in war-torn Iraq
Dec 03, 2015, at 03:23 pm
New York, Dec 3 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Boys and girls in war-weary Iraq are suffering from grave violations with "dramatic consequences," according to the latest report from United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the situation of children and armed conflict in the country.
South Sudan at critical juncture, UN peacekeeping chief warns
Dec 03, 2015, at 03:22 pm
New York, Dec 3 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With both sides repeatedly violating the ceasefire, endangering progress so far made towards a political transition, the South Sudan peace process is at a critical juncture and in need of increased international support, the top United Nations peacekeeping official warned on Wednesday.
Yemen faces dire health crisis with funding gap and 15.2 million lacking care: UN
Dec 03, 2015, at 03:20 pm
New York, Dec 3 (Just Earth News/IBNS): More than 15.2 million Yemenis now lack access to health care services, well over half the war-torn country's total population, yet there is a 55 per cent gap in requested international funding to address the crisis, according to the United Nations health agency.
Ban calls for international aid for African communities attacked by Boko Haram
Dec 03, 2015, at 03:18 pm
New York, Dec 3 (Just Earth News/IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General on Wednesday called on the international community to provide urgent support for humanitarian aid to communities hit by the Nigerian-based Boko Haram, deploring its latest "appalling" attacks in Cameroon.
UN seeks to enlist citizens of world as foot soldiers in battle against hate speech
Dec 03, 2015, at 03:17 pm
New York, Dec 3 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations on Wednesday launched a campaign against hate speech, with senior officials calling for a global mobilization of citizens as foot soldiers in the battle to uproot a scourge that seeks to unleash a clash of civilizations in the name of religion.
Britain: Four suspected terrorists arrested
Dec 03, 2015, at 01:31 am
London, Dec 2 (IBNS) The police on Wednesday arrested four people from Britain's Luton town on suspicion of committing offences under the Terrorism Act.
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Two terrorists killed in Pakistan
Dec 02, 2015, at 10:54 pm
Karachi, Dec 2 (IBNS): Two militants were killed during an exchange of fire with Rangers at Northern bypass area in Pakistan's Karachi city, media reports said.
COP21: Ban tells African leaders they have stake in success of climate conference
Dec 02, 2015, at 03:10 pm
New York, Dec 2 (Just Earth News/IBNS): At a gathering of African leaders at the United Nations climate change conference (COP21), UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed that their continent has an enormous stake in the success of the global event which aims to reach a new universal climate agreement to limit the rise of global temperature.
UN marks World AIDS Day with hope as momentum builds to break epidemic
Dec 02, 2015, at 03:08 pm
New York, Dec 2 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The first World AIDS Day since political leaders committed to ending the epidemic by 2030 as part of the United Nations-led Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has generated "new hope" to break the epidemic and keep it from rebounding in "an unparalleled opportunity to change the course of history for ever."
Palau becomes first Pacific nation to join global pact to curb illicit fishing
Dec 02, 2015, at 03:06 pm
New York, Dec 2 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Taking a massive step towards ocean conservation, the island nation of Palau is the latest in a growing number of countries- and the first Pacific island state- to ratify an international agreement to combat illegal fishing, which is estimated to deprive the global economy of up to $23 billion each year and endanger biodiversity and food security in many countries, said the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) on Tuesday.
UN agency launches appeal to protect Palestinian refugees from winter’s weather
Dec 02, 2015, at 03:04 pm
New York, Dec 2 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Without international support, thousands of Palestinian refugees could be left in the cold this winter, a United Nations aid agency warned on Tuesday, launching a $2-million ‘Share Your Warmth’ appeal to stave off the rigours of the bitter weather many now face.
COP21: UN spotlights need to protect forests and agriculture to improve livelihoods
Dec 02, 2015, at 03:02 pm
New York, Dec 2 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The impacts of climate change on forests and agriculture were in the spotlight on Tuesday at the United Nations climate change conference (COP21), as new alliances among organizations and stakeholders were announced aiming to eliminate natural deforestation and forest degradation, and to prevent threats to sustainable farming and people’s livelihoods.