Ban saddened by death of Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov, pays tribute peace and security efforts

Sep 03, 2016, at 03:57 pm

New York, Sept 3 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is saddened to learn of the death of President of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, according to the UN chief’s spokesperson.

UN Security Council arrives in South Sudan, aims to ‘move the ball’ on country’s stability

Sep 03, 2016, at 03:54 pm

New York, Sept 3 (Just Earth News): A delegation from the United Nations Security Council on Friday arrived in South Sudan, where it will reinforce recent messages made to the authorities as well as discuss how the UN peacekeeping mission there can help them improve the security and humanitarian situation in the wake of recent violence.

UN refugee agency: 2016 is deadliest year for refugees crossing to Europe via Central Mediterranean

Sep 03, 2016, at 03:53 pm

New York, Sept 3 (Just Earth News): The United Nations refugee agency on Friday flagged that while the number of deaths of refugees seeking safety via the Turkey-Greece route into Europe has fallen dramatically, the use of the North Africa-Italy route has remained constant – with the latter experiencing an increase in the number of deaths, making 2016 the deadliest year so far for refugees in the Central Mediterranean.

Mozambique: UN expert warns masterminds of attacks against persons with albinism still at large

Sep 03, 2016, at 03:51 pm

New York, Sept 3 (Just Earth News): A United Nations human rights expert on Friday said that despite all the success in tackling crimes against persons with albinism in Mozambique, their situation remains precarious as the authorities have yet to identify and arrest the masterminds behind such crimes.

DR Congo: UN chief notes launch of national dialogue towards elections, urges more inclusive process

Sep 03, 2016, at 03:50 pm

New York, Sept 3 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has taken note of the 1 September launch of the national dialogue in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and urged the political groups that have not yet joined the dialogue to “play a constructive role which contributes to the holding of timely and credible elections,” according to his spokesman.

UN Security Council strongly condemns terrorist attack against Chinese Embassy in Kyrgyzstan

Sep 03, 2016, at 03:49 pm

New York, Sept 3 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Security Council has strongly condemned the recent terrorist bomb attack against the Chinese Embassy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, which caused injuries of embassy staff, stressing that diplomatic and consular premises must not be violated.

Blast in Philippines kills 10

Sep 03, 2016, at 03:47 am

Manila, Sept 2 (IBNS): At least 10 people were killed as blast hit Davao City in Philippines on Friday, media reports said.

New Zealand: 7.1 earthquake hits nation, no casualty

Sep 02, 2016, at 03:40 pm

Wellington, Sept 2 (IBNS): An earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter Scale hit east coast of New Zealand on Friday.

FEATURE: WFP in Emergency Operation to Assist Around 80,000 South Sudanese Refugees in Uganda

Sep 02, 2016, at 02:05 pm

New York, Sept 2 (Just Earth News): Halima, aged 22, is from the village of Yei in South Sudan. Now, though, Yei is only a name, and a distant dream for her and her four children. Bidi Bidi: she will have to get used to that, as the new name for her new home. Bidi Bidi. Besides this name and its new beats, she will learn new names, of new neighbours, too. Her husband is not here with her; he was shot dead two weeks ago, when her village was attacked.

INTERVIEW: Upcoming visit a chance for the Security Council to see, firsthand, the challenges facing the people of South Sudan

Sep 02, 2016, at 02:04 pm

New York, Sept 2 (Just Earth News): A delegation from the United Nations Security Council is expected to visit South Sudan next week. The visit comes after the 15-member Council recently approved the deployment of a 4,000-strong protection force responsible for providing a secure environment in and around Juba, under the authority of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), in the wake of recent violence stemming from political differences.

UN envoy eyes new political initiative in Syria talks; his advisor says taskforce ‘failed’ people of Darayya

Sep 02, 2016, at 02:02 pm

New York, Sept 2 (Just Earth News): The United Nations envoy for Syria said on Thursday that he plans to present a “quite clear political initiative” during the week preceding the General Assembly so that the stalled peace talks could resume by the time the Security Council holds another meeting on Syria on 21 September.

UN agency applauds US leadership on refugees as 10,000th Syrian refugee arrives

Sep 02, 2016, at 02:01 pm

New York, Sept 2 (Just Earth News): The United Nations refugee agency has welcomed the news of the arrival of the 10,000th Syrian refugee in the United States.

UN General Assembly President underscores importance of fostering a ‘Culture of Peace’ in challenging world environment

Sep 02, 2016, at 02:00 pm

New York, Sept 2 (Just Earth News): Drawing attention to violence and terrorism affecting many parts of the world, the President of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday underscored that importance of promoting a global culture of peace.

UN agriculture chief stresses role of healthy oceans as drivers of Africa’s prosperity

Sep 02, 2016, at 01:58 pm

New York, Sept 2 (Just Earth News): Addressing an African ministerial conference, the head of the United Nations agricultural agency on Thursday stressed the need to mitigate the impacts of climate change and illegal fishing on oceans and coastal communities as fisheries and aquaculture emerge as driving forces behind the transformation of the continent’s economies.

UN’s top relief official: World body is impartial in its humanitarian work in Syria as it is elsewhere

Sep 02, 2016, at 01:57 pm

New York, Sept 2 (Just Earth News): The top United Nations relief official on Thursday outlined how the humanitarian work of the world body in war-torn Syria is guided by impartiality and the key imperative of saving lives.

UN Secretary-General calls for restraint amid electoral crisis in Gabon, supports call for transparent verification of results

Sep 02, 2016, at 01:56 pm

New York, Sept 2 (Just Earth News): Voicing deep concerns about the unfolding electoral crisis in Gabon, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday called for restraint and the upholding of international standards of human rights there –and expressed UN support for a transparent verification of its recent presidential election results.

In Sri Lanka, UN chief highlights key role of young people in building peace and sustainable development

Sep 02, 2016, at 01:55 pm

New York, Sept 2 (Just Earth News): Involvement of all sections of the society, in particular its young people, in bottom-up peace building approaches is vital to ensure sustainable social justice, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday at a youth event in Sri Lanka.

In 10 countries with highest out-of-school rates, 40 per cent of children are not accessing basic education

Sep 02, 2016, at 04:40 am

New York, Sept 1 (Just Earth News): As millions of children around the world prepare to return to school this month, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday highlighted that in the top ten countries with the highest rates of children missing out on primary education, nearly two in every five children – 18 million – are out of school.

Time to improve governance in labour migration in Latin America and Caribbean – UN

Sep 02, 2016, at 04:38 am

New York, Sept 1 (Just Earth News): With migrant workers representing 64 per cent of the 232 million migrants in the world in 2015, it is urgent to deal “correctly” with labour migration by implementing good governance mechanisms, a United Nations report on these movements in Latin America and the Caribbean has warned.

Iraq: More than two-thirds of those killed in August civilians, reports UN mission

Sep 02, 2016, at 04:37 am

New York, Sept 1 (Just Earth News): Civilians continue to disproportionately bear the burden of acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in Iraq, accounting for more than two-thirds of those killed or injured in the month of August, the United Nations mission announced on Thursday.

Inclusive education vital for all, including persons with disabilities – UN rights experts

Sep 02, 2016, at 04:36 am

New York, Sept 1 (Just Earth News): Inclusive education is central to achieving high quality education for all learners, including those with disabilities, and for the development of inclusive, peaceful and fair societies, UN human rights experts have said in authoritative new guidelines on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

UN envoy tells Security Council that military escalation in Yemen aiding spread of terrorist groups

Sep 01, 2016, at 02:06 pm

New York, Sept 1 (Just Earth News): The United Nations envoy for Yemen told the Security Council on Wednesday that the military escalation in Yemen will provide opportunities for the spread of terrorist groups, as Al Qaida and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) continue to wreak havoc in many parts of Yemen.

UN Secretary-General 'deeply concerned' at reports of violence in wake of Gabon elections

Sep 01, 2016, at 02:05 pm

New York, Sept 1 (Just Earth News): Taking note of the official announcement of provisional results of Gabon's presidential election, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday expressed deep concern about reports of arson and clashes between protesters and security forces in the country's capital, Libreville.

UN-supported ‘historic’ training to monitor ceasefire between Government and FARC-EP starts in Colombia

Sep 01, 2016, at 02:04 pm

New York, Sept 1 (Just Earth News): Following a recent agreement to end more than 50 years of conflict between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP), a seven-day training session on monitoring and verifying their bilateral ceasefire has begun in the country’s western city of Popayan, with United Nations support.

Ban notes developments in Brazil, extends best wishes to new President

Sep 01, 2016, at 02:03 pm

New York, Sept 1 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has taken note of the decision by the Brazilian Senate to impeach President Dilma Rousseff and of the subsequent swearing in of acting President Michel Temer as President of Brazil.

Senior UN official deeply concerned over reports of children used in fighting ISIL in Iraq

Sep 01, 2016, at 02:02 pm

New York, Sept 1 (Just Earth News): The top United Nations humanitarian official in Iraq has expressed deep concern over reports that boys are being sent to areas near front lines in the country’s war, possibly to join armed groups fighting against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Nuclear tests: 20 years after its adoption, the test ban treaty is yet to get into force

Sep 01, 2016, at 02:01 pm

New York, Sept 1 (Just Earth News): Adopted 20 years ago by the United Nations General Assembly, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) has not yet got into effect, and will only come into force once ratified by eight specific countries that have not done it yet.

UN calls for ‘breakthrough’ in bringing nuclear test ban treaty into force

Sep 01, 2016, at 02:00 pm

New York, Sept 1 (Just Earth News): The United Nations on Wednesday spoke up for an early entry into force a global treaty that bans nuclear explosions on the Earth’s surface, in the atmosphere, underwater and underground, with a senior official describing the treaty as a “low-hanging fruit.”

UN agency lays foundation for its biggest logistics base in Gaza

Sep 01, 2016, at 01:59 pm

New York, Sept 1 (Just Earth News): The United Nations relief agency charged with the well-being of Palestinian refugees has started work on what will become its largest logistics base in the Gaza Strip.

Myanmar’s promising path to reconciliation to require compromise, Ban tells peace conference

Sep 01, 2016, at 01:58 pm

New York, Sept 1 (Just Earth News): Addressing a major peace conference in Myanmar, the United Nations chief on Wednesday highlighted that the country’s path to reconciliation is a promising one, but that after decades of conflict it will not be easy and will require compromise for all involved.