Sudan: Two UN agencies team up to help smallholder farmers, promote food security
Aug 30, 2016, at 01:31 pm
New York, Aug 30 (Just Earth News): Two United Nations agencies – the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) – on Monday agreed to strengthen their cooperation in Sudan to help smallholder farmers improve their production and thus promote food security.
Upcoming peace conference an opportunity to transform Myanmar – UN rights expert
Aug 30, 2016, at 03:58 am
New York, Aug 29 (Just Earth News): Speaking ahead of a major peace conference in Myanmar, a United Nations independent expert has urged its participants to prioritise human rights issues in their discussions over the coming days, and to do more to ensure the process is fully inclusive.
‘Make human rights the priority in all conservation efforts’ – UN experts urge governments
Aug 30, 2016, at 03:52 am
New York, Aug 29 (Just Earth News): Ahead of the world’s largest forum for the adoption of conservation policies on protected areas, two United Nations experts on environment and indigenous peoples on Monday highlighted that effective and sustainable conservation requires respect for human rights.
UN rights expert condemns Iran’s ‘illegal’ execution of 12 people on drug-related charges
Aug 30, 2016, at 03:50 am
New York, Aug 29 (Just Earth News): The United Nations rights expert on the situation of human rights in Iran has expressed outrage over the execution of 12 people on drug-related charges, just days after he had publicly appealed to the Iranian authorities not to go ahead with the capital punishment.
UN chief congratulates Gabon for peaceful presidential poll, urges acceptance of results
Aug 30, 2016, at 03:48 am
New York, Aug 29 (Just Earth News): While congratulating the people and Government of Gabon for the holding of a peaceful and orderly presidential election on Saturday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday also urged all Gabonese to accept the poll results.
Ban 'deeply concerned' over tensions in south-western Western Sahara
Aug 29, 2016, at 12:36 pm
New York, Aug 29 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is deeply concerned over the tense situation that has developed in the narrow buffer strip in south-western Western Sahara between the Moroccan berm and the Mauritanian border as a result of changes in the status quo and the introduction of armed units from Morocco and the Polisario Front in close proximity to each other.
Indonesian priest injured inside church in suspected terror attack
Aug 28, 2016, at 07:59 pm
Medan, Indonesia, Aug 28 (IBNS): In a suspected case of terrorist attack, a priest in a church in Indonesia's Medan city was injured after being stabbed by knife-wielding man on Sunday, media reports said.
UN envoy urges all sides to quickly agree truce to ease suffering in Aleppo
Aug 28, 2016, at 01:45 pm
New York, Aug 28 (Just Earth News): Stressing that “time is of the essence†amid the increasingly dire situation in Aleppo, the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria on Saturday called for all sides in the conflict to agree by Sunday on allowing aid delivery and repairs for the war-ravaged city's power and water systems to provide some relief for the nearly two million people trapped there.
Security Council strongly condemns DPRK missile launches
Aug 28, 2016, at 04:29 am
New York, Aug 27 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Security Council has strongly condemned the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) launch of a ballistic missile from a submarine on 23 August, which follows a series of recent tests and launches the Council said is a “grave violation†of the DPRK's international obligations and “in flagrant disregard†of repeated calls to halt such activity.
Italy conducts mass funeral for some victims of earthquake
Aug 28, 2016, at 01:41 am
Rome, Aug 27 (IBNS): Italy conducted mass funeral for some of the victims of the massive earthquake which hit the country on Wednesday.
Moscow warehouse fire: 16 killed
Aug 27, 2016, at 09:03 pm
Moscow, Aug 27 (IBNS): A fire broke out at a warehouse in Russia's Moscow city which left at least 16 people dead, media reports said on Saturday.
UN expert urges Iran to halt executions of 12 individuals for drug-related offences
Aug 27, 2016, at 01:38 pm
New York, Aug 27 (Just Earth News): The United Nations rights expert on the situation of human rights in Iran has called on the Government to immediately halt the execution of 12 individuals, all of whom have been reportedly sentenced to death for drug-related offences.
UN teams bring aid to besieged Syrian people despite extreme challenges
Aug 27, 2016, at 01:37 pm
New York, Aug 27 (Just Earth News): In the first full, completed, cross-line delivery via road in August, inter-agency convoys have reached some 75,000 people in al-Waer in Syria’s Homs province with life-saving humanitarian assistance, the United Nations humanitarian arm has reported.
Security Council reiterates commitment to Colombian peace process
Aug 27, 2016, at 01:36 pm
New York, Aug 27 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Security Council has warmly welcomed the conclusion of negotiations earlier this week between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army (FARC-EP), and congratulated the Colombian people in achieving a final peace agreement, bringing an end to more than 50 years of conflict.
Belgium: Blast rocks sports centre, kills 1
Aug 27, 2016, at 01:16 pm
Brussels, Aug 27 (IBNS): A blast at a sports centre near Belgium's border with France has killed on person on Friday, media reports said.
UN chief ‘looks forward’ to peaceful, credible presidential election in Gabon
Aug 27, 2016, at 04:38 am
New York, Aug 26 (Just Earth News): On the eve of the presidential election in Gabon, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday encouraged all Gabonese to vote responsibly and urged the candidates and other political stakeholders to abstain from any acts of incitement and maintain a peaceful atmosphere before, during and after the election.
UN agencies urge efforts to halt Gaza’s ‘de-development’ trajectory
Aug 27, 2016, at 04:37 am
New York, Aug 26 (Just Earth News): Marking the second anniversary of the 2014 ceasefire which ended the most devastating round of hostilities in Gaza, heads of United Nations agencies there have called for a greater flow of material and funding to address humanitarian needs and boost economic prospects for Gaza’s 1.9 million residents.
Greece facing ‘serious challenges,’ needs EU help to manage refugee crisis – UN agency chief
Aug 27, 2016, at 04:35 am
New York, Aug 26 (Just Earth News): Greece still faces great challenges in managing its refugee crisis, particularly if European Union countries do not step up their relocation and family reunion programmes, the head of the United Nations refugee agency said during a recent visit to the country.
UNESCO chief condemns killing of journalist in Brazil
Aug 27, 2016, at 04:34 am
New York, Aug 26 (Just Earth News): The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom has condemned the killing of João Miranda do Carmo, an online journalist in Brazil, and called for an investigation into the incident.
NATO Deputy Secretary General to visit Romania
Aug 27, 2016, at 04:33 am
Brussels, Aug 26 (IBNS): The NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ambassador Alexander Vershbow will visit Romania on Monday.
French court suspends burkini ban
Aug 27, 2016, at 02:11 am
Paris, Aug 26 (IBNS): In a major decision, a French court on Friday suspended controversial ban on the full-body burkini swimsuits by a French Riviera town.
Turkey terror attack kills 11 cops
Aug 26, 2016, at 09:31 pm
Ankara, Aug 26 (IBNS): In a terror attack carried out allegedly by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) using a bomb-laden truck , at least 11 police officials were killed and 78 people, including civilians, were wounded in Cizre district of Turkey on Friday, media reports said.
Italy declares emergency as fresh tremors hit nation
Aug 26, 2016, at 07:24 pm
Rome, Aug 26 (IBNS): As Italy was still reeling under the impact of Wednesday's massive earthquake, fresh tremors were felt on Friday morning, resulting in the country declaring an emergency, reports said.
Bolivia Minister abducted, beaten to death by striking miners
Aug 26, 2016, at 06:54 pm
La Paz, Aug 26 (IBNS) : A Bolivian Minister has been killed after being abducted by striking miners in Panduro, south of La Paz, BBC reported.
Turkey: At least eight police killed in Cizre bomb blast
Aug 26, 2016, at 06:52 pm
Ankara, Aug 26 (IBNS): At least eight police officials were reported dead after a large car bomb hit a riot police headquarters in Cizre, south-east Turkey, media reports said.
Aug 26, 2016, at 01:23 pm
New York, Aug 26 (Just Earth News): The United Nations envoy for Liberia on Thursday stressed the need for long-term, robust engagement by stakeholders, particularly the Security Council, towards a sustainable peace in the West African country.
Situation in Kosovo more stable, but underlying tensions remain – UN envoy
Aug 26, 2016, at 01:21 pm
New York, Aug 26 (Just Earth News): Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Kosovo Zahir Tanin told the United Nations Security Council on Thursday that while opposition parties in Kosovo continue to try to generate, exploit and, if possible, prolong moments of ‘crisis,’ they appear to have become aware that the use of violence is counterproductive to their objective of gaining more political influence.
Aid convoys ‘ready’ to enter Aleppo; UN envoys await Russia-US talks on truce
Aug 26, 2016, at 01:20 pm
New York, Aug 26 (Just Earth News): Reporting that the Russian Federation is backing a 48-hour humanitarian pause in and around Aleppo, senior United Nations envoys on the Syrian crisis on Thursday said they are “waiting for others on the ground to do the same,†and are ready to green light aid convoys to the war-ravaged city once assurances are received.
UN adviser on preventing genocide deplores ‘inflammatory statements’ by senior Burundi official
Aug 26, 2016, at 04:33 am
New York, Aug 25 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Special Adviser on Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, has expressed concern at inflammatory statements concerning the genocide in Rwanda that were made by a senior official of the ruling party in Burundi and cautioned that such statements could constitute incitement to violence.
Lake Chad Basin: Boko Haram-induced crisis is ‘children’s crisis,’ UNICEF warns
Aug 26, 2016, at 04:30 am
New York, Aug 25 (Just Earth News): Years of violence by Boko Haram in Africa’s Lake Chad basin, which includes Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, have led to a worsening humanitarian crisis that has displaced 1.4 million children and left at least one million still trapped in hard-to-reach areas, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said in a report released on Thursday.