UN anti-crime chief urges better use of Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
Oct 18, 2016, at 01:31 pm
New York, Oct 18 (Just Earth News): Citing indisputable negative impacts of transnational organized crime on people’s lives and societies, the United Nations top anti-crime official on Monday stressed the need to make better use of the existing global convention and its protocols to tackle this illicit act.
Oct 18, 2016, at 01:30 pm
New York, Oct 18 (Just Earth News): As the world marks the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, one man who has spent many years working to end poverty among the world’s poorest populations is calling for action now, by investing more in the rural poor.
Sustainable food systems vital to achieving 2030 Agenda nutrition targets – UN Rome-based agencies
Oct 18, 2016, at 01:28 pm
New York, Oct 18 (Just Earth News): Opening its 43rd plenary session in Rome on Monday in the wake of major global agreements on sustainable development and climate change, the main United Nations body focused on food security and nutrition, called for an urgent transformation of the world’s food system and nutrition to eradicate all forms of extreme poverty, hunger, and malnutrition by 2030.
Oct 18, 2016, at 01:27 pm
New York, Oct 18 (Just Earth News): Opening on Monday the United Nations Habitat III conference in the Ecuadorian capital, Quito, Secretary-General Ban-Ki-Moon told the gathered delegations that “transforming our world for the better†means re-making towns and cities through sustainable development.
Central African Republic: UN Mission condemns ‘cowardly’ attacks on peacekeepers
Oct 18, 2016, at 01:26 pm
New York, Oct 18 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Central African Republic (MINUSCA) on Monday strongly condemned repeated assaults against its peacekeepers, in the wake of two attacks over the past five days.
‘Aleppo will not be there’ in two months if diplomatic stalemate continues, warns UN envoy
Oct 18, 2016, at 01:25 pm
New York, Oct 18 (Just Earth News): Between now and December, “if we cannot find a solution, Aleppo will not be there anymore,†warned United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, speaking to reporters after a meeting on Monday with Foreign Ministers of the European Union in Luxembourg.
Agriculture must adopt climate-smart practices to better help poverty reduction – UN report
Oct 18, 2016, at 04:26 am
New York, Oct 17 (Just Earth News): The rapid transformation of farming and food systems to cope with a warmer world, such as adopting climate-smart practices, particularly to curb greenhouse gas emissions, is critical for hunger and poverty reduction, the United Nations agriculture agency said on Monday in a new report.
UN calls for protection of civilians as Iraq begins military operations to retake Mosul
Oct 18, 2016, at 04:25 am
New York, Oct 17 (Just Earth News): As a large-scale military offensive gets under way to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) fighters, senior United Nations officials on Monday are stressing the need to ensure that civilians in the city are protected and able to access to humanitarian assistance.
Oct 18, 2016, at 04:23 am
New York, Oct 17 (Just Earth News): Poverty is both a cause and consequence of marginalization and social exclusion, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday, stressing that to fulfil the promise of the 2030 Agenda to leave no one behind, “we must address the humiliation and exclusion of people living in poverty.â€
Agriculture must transform to feed a hotter, more crowded planet, UN says on World Food Day
Oct 17, 2016, at 03:50 am
New York, Oct 16 (Just Earth News): To mark World Food Day 2016, the United Nations is highlighting the close links between climate change, sustainable agriculture, and food and nutrition security, with the message: “The climate is changing. Food and agriculture must, too.â€
'The United Nations is with you,' Ban tells people of Haiti after witnessing hurricane's wrath
Oct 16, 2016, at 02:38 pm
New York, Oct 16 (Just Earth News): Haiti is facing its largest humanitarian disaster since the 2010 earthquake, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Saturday in Port-au-Prince, where he urged friends of the island nation worldwide to “step up†and provide the resources the Haitian people so desperately need in the wake of the “utter devastation†wrought by Hurricane Matthew.
Rural women's empowerment critical to UN Sustainable Development Agenda – Ban
Oct 16, 2016, at 04:42 am
New York, Oct 15 (Just Earth News): Marking the International Day of Rural Women, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed that rural women are critical to the success of almost all of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as they all “have gender equality and women's empowerment at their core.â€
Green transformation 'unstoppable' as countries agree to curb powerful greenhouse gases – UN
Oct 16, 2016, at 04:41 am
New York, Oct 15 (Just Earth News): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have welcomed the landmark deal struck on Saturday by nearly 200 countries to reduce the emissions of potent chemicals used in air conditioners and refrigerators – a move that could prevent up to 0.5 degrees Celsius of global warming by the end of this century.
Burundi: Security Council hopes for ‘swift solution’ between government and human rights bodies
Oct 15, 2016, at 01:44 pm
New York, Oct 15 (Just Earth News): Expressing “deep concern†over the political situation in Burundi, the United Nations Security Council reiterated its demand that all stakeholders to refrain from any action that could threaten peace and stability in the country or undermine the East African Community-led inter-Burundian dialogue.
UN deputy chief briefs Member States on new UN approach to cholera outbreak in Haiti
Oct 15, 2016, at 01:42 pm
New York, Oct 15 (Just Earth News): Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said on Friday that the first track of the new United Nations approach to tackling cholera involves intensifying efforts to treat and eliminate the disease and boost access to clean water and sanitation; and the second track aims to develop a framework proposal to Member States for material assistance to those Haitians most affected by cholera after the 2010 outbreak.
Concerned by recent violence in Myanmar, UN aid chief calls for stronger humanitarian action
Oct 15, 2016, at 01:40 pm
New York, Oct 15 (Just Earth News): Concluding a three-day mission to Myanmar on Friday , the top United Nations aid official called on all sides to find peaceful ways to resolve their differences and urged strengthened humanitarian action to support the people affected by violence in the Southeast Asian country.
Oct 15, 2016, at 01:39 pm
New York, Oct 15 (Just Earth News): A major global conference, aiming to set a ‘New Urban Agenda,’ which, in the words of the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, will “help us to rethink how we plan, manage and live in cities,†begins this weekend, in the Ecuadorian capital, Quito.
New UN report urges Liberia to act on rape – ‘legacy’ of impunity from 14-year civil conflict
Oct 15, 2016, at 01:38 pm
New York, Oct 15 (Just Earth News): A United Nations report released on Friday documents the high incidence of rape in Liberia and the widespread impunity enjoyed by perpetrators, and provides a number of recommendations to the Government, other national and international stakeholders, including the UN, to urgently combat the scourge.
Proper handwashing may save the lives of 800 children a day worldwide – UNICEF
Oct 15, 2016, at 01:37 pm
New York, Oct 15 (Just Earth News): On the eve of Global Handwashing Day, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reported that more than 300,000 children under the age of five died last year due to diarrhoeal infections linked to a lack of safe drinking water and sanitation – a rate of 800 per day that could have been prevented by proper handwashing.
Oct 15, 2016, at 01:36 pm
New York, Oct 15 (Just Earth News): To tackle illicit financial flows, a United Nations human rights expert has urged Secretary-General-designate António Guterres, as well as the UN General Assembly, to consider as a priority abolishing tax havens and convening a world conference on the issue, while safeguarding effective protection of whistle-blowers.
Ban welcomes reported release of 21 Chibok schoolgirls abducted in Nigeria
Oct 15, 2016, at 01:34 pm
New York, Oct 15 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday welcomed the reported release of 21 Chibok schoolgirls, who were abducted by the Boko Haram insurgent group more than two years ago, while expressing deep concern about the safety and well-being of the remaining schoolgirls and other victims still in captivity.
Haiti: UN supporting government to provide emergency food assistance to 750,000 people
Oct 15, 2016, at 01:33 pm
New York, Oct 15 (Just Earth News): United Nations relief agencies are continuing work on the ground to assist Haiti in the aftermath of powerful Hurricane Matthew with the World Food Program (WFP) on Friday helping to provide supplies for some 750,000 people, while the UN health agency and its regional partner have appealed to donors for $9 million for emergency health operations.
Central African Republic: UN rights office urges all parties to exercise ‘utmost restraint’
Oct 15, 2016, at 01:32 pm
New York, Oct 15 (Just Earth News): In the wake of a number of killings and attacks on civilians in the Central African Republic (CAR), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has called on all actors in the country to exercise restraint and prevent any further escalation in violence.
Only one out of six children under the age of two worldwide receives adequate nutrition – UNICEF
Oct 15, 2016, at 03:49 am
New York, Oct 14 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has issued a new report on Friday with the alarming statistic that five out of six children worldwide under two years old are not receiving adequate nutrition for growth and brain development.
UN refugee agency welcomes France’s decision to close Calais ‘jungle’ camp
Oct 15, 2016, at 03:43 am
New York, Oct 14 (Just Earth News): The United Nations refugee agency on Friday welcomed the announcement by President François Hollande earlier this month that France will close the informal camp for refugees and migrants in the northern port town of Calais, stressing the vital importance of finding proper alternative accommodation for the thousands of people there.
UN human rights chief expresses concern about Viet Nam's crackdown on blogger
Oct 15, 2016, at 03:42 am
New York, Oct 14 (Just Earth News): The United Nations human rights chief on Friday expressed concern about a growing crackdown by the Government of Viet Nam on human rights defenders, including the arrest this week of popular blogger and Government critic Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, known online as Mother Mushroom.
Thailand prepares to bid final goodbye to King Bhumibol
Oct 14, 2016, at 07:34 pm
New Delhi/Bangkok, Oct 14 (IBNS): President of India Pranab Mukherjee has condoled the passing away of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, a message from the President's Secretariat said on Friday.
New Zealand Prime Minister mourns death of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej
Oct 14, 2016, at 03:39 pm
Wellington, Oct 14 (IBNS): New Zealand Prime Minister John Key on Friday mourned the death of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Oct 14, 2016, at 01:37 pm
New York, Oct 14 (Just Earth News): Briefing the Security Council on Thursday, the top United Nations political official said that while the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) and its affiliates have continued to face military setbacks, they nevertheless continue to pose a significant and diversified threat.
Security Council dispatches UN special envoy to Burundi for talks on political crisis
Oct 14, 2016, at 01:36 pm
New York, Oct 14 (Just Earth News): The Security Council will dispatch a senior United Nations envoy to consult with officials in Burundi to “find a way forward on all issues related to peace and security and UN activities in the country,†after the Government earlier rejected a Council resolution on establishing a police officers’ component there and amid reports that it will withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC).