Central African Republic passes 'critical milestone' towards lasting peace – UN peacekeeping chief

Apr 16, 2016, at 01:46 pm

New York, Apr 16 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Expectations are high for the Central African Republic's new Government to restore durable peace and improve people's living conditions, the United Nations peacekeeping chief said on Friday, stressing that the first hundred days will be decisive.

Zika: UN health agency launches database on worldwide virus research

Apr 16, 2016, at 01:44 pm

New York, Apr 16 (Just Earth News/IBNS):The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) have launched a new Zika Research Projects List, a database that lists and categorizes all scientific studies on the Zika virus worldwide.

UN agency and Google collaborate on satellite data tools to manage natural resources

Apr 16, 2016, at 01:42 pm

New York, Apr 16 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Google on Friday announced plans to work together to make high-resolution satellite data a common tool in managing the world’s natural resources, ultimately boosting efforts towards the pursuit of sustainable development.

UN report urges rights-based approach to reduce HIV infections among drug users

Apr 16, 2016, at 01:41 pm

New York, Apr 16 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Ahead of next week’s General Assembly special session on drugs, the United Nations agency leading the world’s HIV/AIDS response has released a new report, which warns that many countries are failing to reduce new HIV infections due to the absence of health- and rights-based approaches, particularly as regards drug use.

Rights experts urge UN to compensate displaced Roma poisoned in camps in Kosovo

Apr 16, 2016, at 01:38 pm

New York, Apr 16 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Two United Nations independent experts on Friday called on the world body to hold the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) accountable for leaving Roma families exposed to lead poisoning in camps for those internally displaced in the territory.

UNICEF, World Bank urge greater investment in early childhood development

Apr 16, 2016, at 01:37 pm

New York, Apr 16 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The heads of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank Group are jointly urging global and national leaders to step up action and investments in nutrition and early childhood development programmes as a critical foundation for equitable development and economic growth.

UN agency boosts efforts to detect and prevent spread of damaging wheat rusts

Apr 16, 2016, at 01:35 pm

New York, Apr 16 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Friday it is expanding a partnership to inhibit the ongoing spread of wheat rusts, a group of fungal plant diseases that block the production of the staple grain and other crops, which is raising concern in Central Asia and the Middle East.

Security Council strongly condemns firing of ballistic missile by DPR Korea

Apr 16, 2016, at 01:34 pm

New York, Apr 16 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Security Council has strongly condemned the firing of a ballistic missile earlier on Friday by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and urged the country to refrain from further actions.

NATO Deputy Secretary General to attend GLOBSEC 2016 Global Security Forum

Apr 15, 2016, at 10:04 pm

NATO Deputy Secretary General to attend GLOBSEC 2016 Global Security Forum

Belgium minister quits

Apr 15, 2016, at 09:49 pm

Brussels, Apr 15 (IBNS) Belgian transport minister Jacqueline Galant on Friday quit from his post.

World’s largest, fastest vaccine rollout targets polio’s ‘final strongholds’ – UN initiative

Apr 15, 2016, at 01:42 pm

New York, Apr 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS):Holt In a massive undertaking aimed at stamping out polio once and for all – dubbed ‘the switch’ – a United Nations-backed eradication initiative will next week begin the largest and fastest globally coordinated rollout of a vaccine into routine immunization programmes in history.

In Nigeria's restive northeast, fate of thousands of abducted women remains unknown – UN

Apr 15, 2016, at 01:38 pm

New York, Apr 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS):The plight of 219 Chibok schoolgirls abducted two years ago is all too common in Nigeria's conflict-affected north-eastern communities, and up to 7,000 women and girls might be living in abduction and sex slavery, senior United Nations officials warned on Thursday.

Iran: UN rights chief calls for end to executions for drug offences

Apr 15, 2016, at 01:36 pm

New York, Apr 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS):The United Nations human rights chief on Thursday appealed to Iran to halt executions for drug offences until the new Parliament debates a proposed law that would remove the mandatory death penalty for drug crimes.

‘We need improvement,’ on humanitarian access, says UN envoy for Syria

Apr 15, 2016, at 01:34 pm

New York, Apr 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS):The day after a new round of intra-Syrian talks began in Geneva, the United Nations envoy mediating a solution to the crisis reported on Thursday on the latest humanitarian assessment, stressing the need for improvement amidst a picture that is frustrating but not “completely negative.”

'Two-state solution in danger,' warns new report from UN office on Middle East peace process

Apr 15, 2016, at 01:32 pm

New York, Apr 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The viability of a two-state solution, which envisages peaceful co-existence of both Israel and Palestine, is in danger due to the negative trends on the ground, including recent violence, ongoing settlement activity, demolitions, incitement, and the absence of Palestinian unity, a new United Nations report warned on Thursday.

More ‘concrete steps’ needed by nations to counter terrorism, Ban tells Security Council

Apr 15, 2016, at 01:30 pm

New York, Apr 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Speaking at an open debate on countering terrorism, United Nations Secretary-General on Thursday called on Member States to take more concrete steps to stop fundraising through the smuggling of oil and gas, the illicit trade of cultural artefacts, kidnapping for ransom and donations from abroad.

UN agency urges parties to ensure rights of people displaced amid violence in eastern DR Congo

Apr 15, 2016, at 01:27 pm

New York, Apr 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency has expressed concern about the welfare of tens of thousands of internally displaced people (IDP) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who have been driven out of host sites due to fresh fighting between the Congolese army and rebel forces.

The next UN Secretary-General: last day of informal briefings

Apr 15, 2016, at 01:26 pm

New York, Apr 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The third and final session of informal briefings to hear the views of three more candidates for the position of the next United Nations Secretary-General is taking place at UN Headquarters in New York on Thursday, focusing on how they would tackle some of the world’s most urgent issues should they be selected to replace current UN chief Ban Ki-moon in January 2017.

Growing inequality among children in high income countries, UNICEF reports

Apr 15, 2016, at 01:24 pm

New York, Apr 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS): A new United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) report presents evidence on the ways inequality is affecting children in high income countries, in areas such areas as education and life satisfaction – with Denmark at the top and Israel and Turkey ranking the lowest overall.

Prince William, Kate commence Bhutan trip, meet country's royal couple

Apr 15, 2016, at 12:58 am

Thimpu, Apr 14 (IBNS) Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton reached Bhutan on Thursday as they commenced their two-day visit to the Himalayan nation.

FEATURE: at UN film screening, animal heist fable serves as poignant metaphor for Middle East relations

Apr 14, 2016, at 03:42 pm

New York, Apr 14 (Just Earth News/IBNS): A 15-foot giraffe is one of the main characters in Giraffada, a film shown at the United Nations, depicting the struggles of living in a Palestinian town as seen through the eyes of a young boy who has a close connection with the animal.

As new round of talks begins, UN envoy for Syria says cessation of hostilities must ‘continue to give hope’

Apr 14, 2016, at 09:16 am

New York, Apr 14 (Just Earth News/IBNS): On the first day of a new round of peace talks to end the five-year conflict in Syria, the UN mediator on the crisis emphasized that despite the cessation of hostilities still holding, he is concerned about the deterioration of the security situation in some locations.

Republic of Congo: top UN officials concerned by reported attacks against civilians

Apr 14, 2016, at 09:07 am

New York, Apr 14 (Just Earth News/IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he is “deeply concerned” about recent reports that security operations undertaken by the Government of the Republic of the Congo in an area of southern Brazzaville known as “the Pool” allegedly resulted in attacks against civilian targets and displacement of the population from the affected areas.

Ban urges insurance industry to take leadership in climate change response

Apr 14, 2016, at 09:06 am

New York, Apr 14 (Just Earth News/IBNS):The insurance industry is a key actor in forging new instruments to anticipate and manage climate risks, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday, urging the industry to continue to work with the United Nations to manage and reduce such risks and ultimately ensure a more sustainable world for all.

‘We cannot forget the girls from Chibok’ – UN child rights envoy

Apr 14, 2016, at 09:04 am

New York, Apr 14 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Marking two years since Boko Haram abducted 276 girls in Nigeria, a United Nations child rights envoy reiterated a call to bring them back, stressing that the international community must “be their voice” and help give children of Nigeria and the region the peaceful, stable lives they deserve.

Investing in treatment for depression and anxiety leads to four-fold return – UN report

Apr 14, 2016, at 09:03 am

New York, Apr 14 (Just Earth News/IBNS):Depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy $1 trillion each year, and every one dollar invested in scaling up treatment leads to a return of four dollars in better health and ability to work, according to a new study led by the United Nations health agency.

The next UN Secretary-General: informal briefings continue

Apr 14, 2016, at 09:01 am

New York, Apr 14 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Three more candidates for the position of the next United Nations Secretary-General will be heard on Wednesday, answering questions on how they would promote sustainable development, improve efforts to create peace, protect human rights, and deal with huge humanitarian catastrophes should they be selected to lead the 193-member Organization.

NATO Secretary General to visit London

Apr 13, 2016, at 09:41 pm

London, Apr 13 (IBNS) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will travel to London on Thursday, officials said.

With peace and stability gains, Côte d'Ivoire 'on the rights track' – UN peacekeeping chief

Apr 13, 2016, at 01:51 pm

New York, Apr 13 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With Côte d'Ivoire now firmly anchored on the path of peace, stability and economic recovery, the top United Nations peacekeeping official on Tuesday said that it is perhaps time to consider wrapping up the UN mission and begin to consider the Organization’s future role in supporting the consolidating the country’s gains.

Libya: UN development programme launches initiative to support country’s stabilization

Apr 13, 2016, at 01:49 pm

New York, Apr 13 (Just Earth News/IBNS):At a high-level meeting in Tunis, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched an initiative to assist with the stabilization of Libya and its new unity Government, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said on Tuesday.