Biodegradable plastics are not the answer to reducing marine litter: UN
Nov 18, 2015, at 03:41 pm
New York, Nov 18 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Widespread adoption of products labelled "biodegradable" will not significantly decrease the volume of plastic entering the ocean or the physical and chemical risks that plastics pose to marine environment, accord to a United Nations report released on Tuesday.
Myanmar: Ban phones election victor, mentions UN support for democratic reform
Nov 18, 2015, at 03:39 pm
New York, Nov 18 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday phoned Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of Myanmar’s National League for Democracy (NLD), to congratulate her on its resounding success in this month's elections, pledging continued United Nations support for democratic reform efforts.
French investigators searching for another suspect in the Paris attacks
Nov 18, 2015, at 03:00 pm
Paris, Nov 18 (IBNS): French officials are looking for another suspect in connection with the deadly militant attacks in Paris last week that left more than 120 people dead, media reports said on Wednesday.
Russia plane crash was a terrorist act: Official
Nov 17, 2015, at 09:54 pm
Moscow, Nov 17 (IBNS): Russia has confirmed that it was an act of terror that had brought down the Russian A321 airliner in Egypt recently, media reports said.
France launches fresh airstrikes on IS strongholds in Syria
Nov 17, 2015, at 05:56 pm
Paris/Washington, Nov 17 (IBNS) France has launched fresh airstrikes against ISIS targets in Syria as the Pentagon chief urged European countries to join a military coalition to defeat Islamic Statein the wake of the Paris attacks, The Guardian reports.
Obama refuses to block entry of Syrian refugees, says strategy against IS working
Nov 17, 2015, at 05:31 pm
Antalya, Turkey, Nov 17 (IBNS) US President Barack Obama has declared that his strategy against the Islamic State is working, while rejecting calls for blocking entry of Syrian refugees, The New York Times reports say.
Hollande calls for constitution amendment to eradicate IS
Nov 17, 2015, at 04:40 pm
Paris, Nov 17 (IBNS) French President Francois Hollande on Monday called for amendment to the constitution to fight potential terrorists at home and for an aggressive drive to "eradicate" the Islamic State abroad, The New York Times says in a report.
Harvard University evacuates four buildings following bomb scare
Nov 17, 2015, at 03:05 pm
Washington, Nov 17 (IBNS): The Harvard University on Monday said it evacuated four buildings on it campus after receiving an 'unconfirmed bomb threat'.
Ethiopia: UN allocates emergency funds to tackle severe drought
Nov 17, 2015, at 01:57 pm
New York, Nov 17 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With Ethiopia experiencing its worst drought in decades the United Nations is reporting deepening food insecurity and "severe emaciation and unusual livestock deaths" as the Organization's humanitarian wing has allocated $17 million in emergency funding to help the Government tackle climate challenges and ensure timely food relief.
Spike in number of refugee and migrant children on the move in Europe: UNICEF
Nov 17, 2015, at 01:54 pm
New York, Nov 17 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With record numbers of child refugees and migrants – 700 a day seeking asylum in Europe –the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said it has identified five groups of vulnerable children and is mobilizing tailored actions to meet their needs.
'Tolerance must be taught, nurtured and defended,' says Ban
Nov 17, 2015, at 01:52 pm
New York, Nov 17 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Tolerance is much more than passively accepting the "other;" it brings obligations to act, and must be taught, nurtured and defended, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday, calling on the world to recognize the mounting threat posed by those who strive to divide, and pledge to forge a path defined by dialogue and mutual understanding.
Warring factions in Libya show little regard for civilian life: UN
Nov 17, 2015, at 01:50 pm
New York, Nov 17 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Libya continues to be embroiled in political strife and deadly violence – with all parties committing possible war crimes amid multiple armed conflicts affecting several regions and contributing to a general breakdown of law and order, according to a new United Nations human rights report released on Monday.
El Niño on track to be among worst ever, but world better prepared for fallout: UN
Nov 17, 2015, at 01:45 pm
New York, Nov 17 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The current El Niño, a weather pattern of devastating droughts and catastrophic floods that can affect tens of millions of people around the globe, is expected to strengthen further by year's end, on track to be one of the three strongest in 65 years, according to the latest update from the United Nations weather agency.
Status quo simply cannot continue in Syria: UN humanitarian chief
Nov 17, 2015, at 01:43 pm
New York, Nov 17 (Just Earth News/IBNS): More than five years since the unrest in Syria began, senior United Nations officials on Monday stressed to the Security Council that the status quo in the war-torn country cannot continue, highlighting the effects of the conflict on civilians, especially women and children.
Widespread misunderstanding about antibiotic resistance threatens public health: WHO
Nov 17, 2015, at 01:40 pm
New York, Nov 17 (Just Earth News/IBNS): A recent multi-country survey revealed that people are confused about the rising threat of antibiotic resistance to public health and are unclear about how to prevent it from growing, World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday at the launch of a global campaign at the initiation of the first World Antibiotic Awareness Week.
Israeli punitive demolitions of Palestinian homes violates international law: UN official
Nov 17, 2015, at 01:38 pm
New York, Nov 17 (Just Earth News/IBNS): While recognizing Israel's "serious security challenges," a senior United Nations official on Monday called its punitive demolition of the homes of alleged attackers "inherently unjust" and against international law, noting that 20 Palestinians, eight of them children, were made homeless in the past three days.
'No turning back in Myanmar,' says UN human rights expert in wake of elections
Nov 17, 2015, at 01:35 pm
New York, Nov 17 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Welcoming the recent elections in Myanmar as 'a new chapter in the country's history,' United Nations Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee on Monday reaffirmed her commitment to work with all parties in the country to improve the human rights situation there, saying "the people have expressed the will for change. There is no turning back now."
France observes a minute of silence to mourn Paris attacks
Nov 17, 2015, at 04:29 am
Paris, Nov 16 (IBNS): France on Monday noon fell silent nationwide to mourn for the victims of the deadly Paris attacks that left about 129 people killed on Friday.
Paris attacks were organised from Syria?
Nov 16, 2015, at 09:56 pm
Paris, Nov 16 (IBNS) French PM Manuel Valls has said that the militant attacks carried out in French capital Paris on Friday were organised from Syria, media reports said.
Despite improvements in road safety, world still facing fatality figures: Ban
Nov 16, 2015, at 01:53 pm
New York, Nov 16 (Just Earth News/IBNS): On the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is highlighting that despite improvements in road safety, the world still faces some shocking injury and fatality figures.
G20 Summit: Ban says response to terrorism needs to be robust
Nov 16, 2015, at 01:51 pm
New York, Nov 16 (Just Earth News/ IBNS): While the G20 Summit opened day in the Turkish city Antalya, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he will stress to world leaders that the global response to terrorism needs to be robust, but always within the rule of law and with respect for human rights.
Suspected ISIS terrorist blows himself up in Turkey
Nov 15, 2015, at 09:36 pm
Ankara, Syria, Nov 15 (IBNS): Ahead of the crucial G20 Summit in the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya where world leaders have gathered to attend, a suspected Islamic State jihadist blew himself up in southeastern Turkey near the Syrian border during a police raid on late Saturday, media reports said.
Nov 14, 2015, at 09:13 pm
London Nov 13 (IBNS) A Birmingham (UK) researcher is exploring new ways to enhance the experience of deaf musicians with new visual and touch techniques.
Paris attackers blamed Hollande for interfering in Syria : Witness
Nov 14, 2015, at 06:13 pm
Paris, Nov 14 (IBNS) One of the assailants in Paris reportedly blamed French President Francois Hollande for intervening in Syria's war while justifying the attacks they carried out in Paris on Friday killing more than 120 people and injuring over 200.
Some 3,300 people a day still arriving on Lesvos :UN refugee agency
Nov 14, 2015, at 05:00 pm
New York, Nov 14 (Just Earth News/IBNS) : Despite dangerous sea conditions, the United Nations refugee agency on Friday reported that the number of refugees and migrants arriving on Lesvos continues to be high, at an average of 3,300 people per day so far in November.
UN says 13 million affected by disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Nov 14, 2015, at 04:56 pm
New York, Nov 14 (Just Earth News/IBNS) : A staggering 13.2 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean were affected by disasters between January and October 2015, a report from the United Nations relief wing revealed, warning the situation could be further exacerbated by the current powerful El Niño.
World Diabetes Day: UN calls for action to turn tide of growing global epidemic
Nov 14, 2015, at 04:52 pm
New York, Nov 14 (Just Earth News/IBNS) : With the World Health Organization (WHO) warning that diabetes will be the 7th leading cause of death by 2030, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is emphasizing that people must take steps towards leading healthy lives while governments create conditions to stem the global epidemic.
UN Police play crucial role for success of peacekeeping missions : UN Officials
Nov 14, 2015, at 04:49 pm
New York, Nov 14 (Just Earth News/IBNS) : Though generally far less numerous than the military component in United Nations peacekeeping operations, UN Police play a vital role in protecting civilians and training local forces, facing multiple challenges and dangers in fulfilling their mission, the Security Council heard on Friday.
Ukraine: UN warns 700,000 children at risk due to severely damaged heating systems
Nov 14, 2015, at 04:46 pm
New York, Nov 14 (Just Earth News/IBNS) : About 700,000 children in Donetsk and Luhansk in Eastern Ukraine are in danger of the potential failure of the heating systems during the winter months, said United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Friday adding that conflict in the region has heavily damaged the interlinked water, heating and electricity service.
Measles vaccination saved 17 million lives since 2000 :UN
Nov 14, 2015, at 04:41 pm
New York, Nov 14 (Just Earth News/IBNS) : The number of measles-related deaths has decreased by 79 per cent since the beginning of the century, but the United Nations health agency is warning that 2015 global milestones and measles elimination goals are off track.