At first ‘playable’ UN conference, tech experts, gamers drive new thinking on global development

Mar 04, 2017, at 01:39 pm

New York, Mar 4 (Just Earth News): Hands-free gardening for a greener future, video gamers using their skills to help achieve the United Nations-led Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – these were just a few of the innovative and forward-looking ideas in the spotlight at the world body’s first ever ‘playable’ policy conference, held in the German city of Bonn.

In Iraq, UN's focal point for conflict-related sexual violence visits abused women

Mar 04, 2017, at 01:37 pm

New York, Mar 4 (Just Earth News): The United Nations focal point for ending conflict-related sexual violence is in Iraq where she on Friday met with survivors of rape and other abuse by the Islamic State (ISIL).

UN migration agency launches $24.6 million appeal for drought-hit Somalia

Mar 04, 2017, at 01:36 pm

New York, Mar 4 (Just Earth News): To meet the emergency needs of over a million Somalis affected by drought, the United Nations migration agency is appealing to international donors for $24.6 million in funding.

Iraq: 15,000 children flee west Mosul over past week as battle intensifies, says UNICEF

Mar 04, 2017, at 01:30 pm

New York, Mar 4 (Just Earth News): Some 15,000 children have over the previous week fled the western section of Iraq’s Mosul city where fighting between the Government forces and terrorists is intensifying by the day, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reported.

‘Political leadership needs to support its own people,’ urges UN mission chief in South Sudan

Mar 04, 2017, at 05:30 am

New York, Mar 3 (Just Earth News): The top United Nations official in South Sudan is calling on the country’s political leadership to support its own people in the wake of a famine affecting some 100,000 people, and calling for local authorities to provide humanitarian access to those most in need.

Yemen: UN migration agency reports displacement spike in Taiz Governorate

Mar 04, 2017, at 05:28 am

New York, Mar 3 (Just Earth News): With nearly 274,000 people displaced, Yemen’s Taiz is now among the crisis-torn country’s top five hosting governorates for such populations, a United Nations report has found.

UN expert urges greater protection of people with albinism from witch doctors

Mar 04, 2017, at 05:27 am

New York, Mar 3 (Just Earth News): In the wake of a high-profile conviction of a mastermind who murdered and dismembered a woman with albinism, a United Nations independent expert is calling for additional oversight of traditional healers who use body parts in witchcraft rituals and so-called medicines.

UN agencies supporting Kenyans in drought-hit areas

Mar 04, 2017, at 05:26 am

New York, Mar 3 (Just Earth News): Some 2.7 million people in parts of Kenya are in urgent need of water and sanitation following the onset of a severe drought, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Friday announced, noting the UN's support for what the Government is calling a “national disaster.”

NATO Deputy Secretary General to visit London

Mar 04, 2017, at 12:55 am

London, Mar 3 (IBNS): The NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller will travel to London on Monday.

University of Leicester researchers measure Big Ben’s bong

Mar 03, 2017, at 09:01 pm

London, Mar 3 (IBNS): A team from the University of Leicester’s Department of Engineering has, for the first time ever, vibration-mapped the famous London bell Big Ben in order to reveal why it produces its distinct harmonious tone.

France presidential elections: Investigators raid Francois Fillon's home

Mar 03, 2017, at 04:56 pm

Paris, Mar 3 (IBNS): French investigators have raided conservative presidential candidate Francoise Fillon's home in Paris over a fake job scandal, the BBC reported.

Syrian Army recaptures Palmyra city

Mar 03, 2017, at 03:10 pm

Palmyra, Mar 3 (IBNS): The Syrian Army has captured Palmyra city from the militant group ISIS, media reports said.

China: Bus-truck collision kills 10

Mar 03, 2017, at 02:55 pm

Beijing, Mar 3 (IBNS): A cement tanker crashed into a bus in China's Yunnan Province on Thursday which left at least 10 people killed, media reports said on Friday.

‘Communicating SDGs’ key to achieving global development targets – senior UN official

Mar 03, 2017, at 02:02 pm

New York, Mar 3 (Just Earth News): Bringing together a diverse array of partners to communicate the Sustainable Development Goals was a key focus on day two Global Festival of Ideas for Sustainable Development, a ‘playable’ United Nations conference that aims to chart a new way of thinking on addressing some of the world’s most complex development challenges.

Hunger persists in chronic conflict zones despite strong global harvests – UN

Mar 03, 2017, at 06:28 am

New York, Mar 3 (Just Earth News): Despite robust food supply conditions, droughts are worsening food security across swathes of East Africa, and access to food has been dramatically reduced in areas suffering civil conflicts, a new United Nations report has found.

UN-backed narcotics control body calls for more policies to address drug dependence among women

Mar 03, 2017, at 06:27 am

New York, Mar 3 (Just Earth News): Citing a significant rise over the past year in the number of women dying from drug overdoses globally, the independent expert body which monitors Governments’ compliance with the United Nations international drug control treaties is on Thursday calling for the implementation of gender-sensitive drug policies and programmes.

Civilian casualty figure in Iraq tops 1,000 – UN reports

Mar 03, 2017, at 06:26 am

New York, Mar 3 (Just Earth News): More than 1,000 civilians were killed or injured last month in Iraq, the United Nations mission in the country has announced.

Financial speculation led to unsustainable global housing crisis, UN expert says

Mar 03, 2017, at 06:25 am

New York, Mar 3 (Just Earth News): The world's money markets have priced people out of cities, a United Nations independent expert has said, blaming financial markets and speculators for treating housing as a “place to park capital.”

UN envoy condemns firing of rocket from Gaza towards Israel

Mar 03, 2017, at 06:24 am

New York, Mar 3 (Just Earth News): Condemning a rocket fired from Gaza towards Israel, a senior United Nations envoy has called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid escalation of the situation.

Srinivas Kuchibhotla's widow says she wants to return to USA to fulifl husband's dreams

Mar 02, 2017, at 05:21 pm

New Delhi, Mar 2 (IBNS) : Sunayana Dumala, the widow of Srinivas Kuchibhotla -- the Indian techie who was shot dead last month in Kansas City in a hate crime, says she wants to return to USA to fulfil her "husband's dream," The Times of India reported.

War crimes committed by all parties in battle for Aleppo – UN-mandated inquiry on Syria

Mar 02, 2017, at 05:30 am

New York, Mar 1 (Just Earth News): The battle late last year for control over Syria’s war-ravaged Aleppo was a stage of unrelenting violence, with civilians on both sides falling victim to war crimes committed by all parties, read a report issued on Wednesday by the United Nations-mandated Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria.

DR Congo security forces committed rights violations against protestors in December 2016 – UN probe

Mar 02, 2017, at 05:29 am

New York, Mar 1 (Just Earth News): Defence and security forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) used excessive, disproportionate and at times lethal force to prevent and contain demonstrations in December 2016, in violation of international human rights law and standards, a UN report has found

'Make some noise' for safe, supportive HIV/AIDS care, says UN on Zero Discrimination Day

Mar 02, 2017, at 05:28 am

New York, Mar 1 (Just Earth News): The United Nations agency leading the world's HIV/AIDS response is urging everyone to 'make some noise' for zero discrimination in healthcare settings.

UN rights office disappointed with Thai Government’s refusal to criminalize enforced disappearance

Mar 01, 2017, at 02:06 pm

New York, Mar 1 (Just Earth News): The United Nations human rights office on Tuesday urged the Government of Thailand to criminalize enforced or voluntary disappearance and torture.

Sustainable Development Goals critical for better future for all – deputy UN chief Amina Mohammed

Mar 01, 2017, at 02:05 pm

New York, Mar 1 (Just Earth News): Delivering her first address as the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed underlined that Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are essential for a safe and secure future that brings prosperity, opportunity and human rights for all.

Russia, China block Security Council action on use of chemical weapons in Syria

Mar 01, 2017, at 02:04 pm

New York, Mar 1 (Just Earth News): With ‘no’ votes from permanent members Russia and China, the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday failed to adopt a resolution that would, according to press reports, have imposed sanctions against parties using chemical weapons in war-torn Syria.

People fleeing war more likely to find shelter in poorer countries, UN refugee agency

Mar 01, 2017, at 02:03 pm

New York, Mar 1 (Just Earth News): Most of the 3.2 million people driven forcibly from their homes in early 2016 found shelter in low- and middle-income countries, according to a new study by the United Nations refugee agency.

With virtual and augmented reality, UN ‘ideas forum’ to explore collaboration on Global Goals

Mar 01, 2017, at 02:02 pm

New York, Mar 1 (Just Earth News): Policy makers, activists and private sector representatives from over 80 countries will join gaming experts and simulators on Wednesday in Bonn, Germany, at the start of the first “playable” sustainable development conference organized by the United Nations and partners.

UN migration agency reports surge in displacement from Mosul as fighting intensifies

Mar 01, 2017, at 06:08 am

New York, Mar 1 (Just Earth News): The United Nations migration agency today reported thousands of new arrivals at Iraqi sites for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) fleeing Mosul’s western sector where fighting is taking place between the Government forces and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) terrorists.

Migrating children and women, suffer ‘sexual violence, exploitation, abuse and detention’ – UN agency

Mar 01, 2017, at 06:06 am

New York, Mar 1 (Just Earth News): A senior United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) official is calling the routes from sub-Saharan Africa into Libya and across the sea to Europe one of the “world’s deadliest and most dangerous for children and women,” as the agency reported that nearly half of the women and children interviewed after making the voyage were raped.