Syria: UN says aid convoys unable to reach besieged areas despite US-Russia deal on ceasefire
Sep 16, 2016, at 01:28 pm
New York, Sept 16 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria on Thursday said the ceasefire following last Friday’s Russia-United States agreement is largely holding but that desperately-awaited humanitarian convoys are unable to move due to a delay in getting permits from the Syrian Government.
New UN report reveals millions of refugee children ‘missing out’ on education
Sep 16, 2016, at 01:27 pm
New York, Sept 16 (Just Earth News): In a new report, the United Nations refugee agency said that more than some six million school-age children under its mandate have no school go to and that refugees are five times more likely to be out of school than the global average.
Sep 16, 2016, at 01:26 pm
New York, Sept 16 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday called for intensified efforts to encourage Israelis and Palestinians to take the difficult steps required to change the current destructive trajectory of the conflict, which is heading towards a “one-state reality†rather than a peaceful resolution.
MH370: Investigators say Tanzania debris part of missing plane
Sep 16, 2016, at 05:54 am
Dodoma, Sept 15 (IBNS): Australian investigators on Thursday said that the large item of debris which was found off the coast of Tanzania belongs to the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, media reports said on Thursday.
Indonesia and EU agree to start the FLEGT licensing scheme for verified legal timber products
Sep 16, 2016, at 05:17 am
Jakarta, Sept 15 (IBNS): Indonesia and the European Union on Thursday agreed that beginning Nov 15, Indonesia can issue 'FLEGT' licences to verify legal timber products it exports to the EU.
UN health agency provides emergency support as floods and landslides cause havoc in DPRK
Sep 16, 2016, at 04:10 am
New York, Sept 15 (Just Earth News): Responding urgent humanitarian needs triggered by flash floods and landslides in the northern provinces of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United Nations health agency is providing emergency health kits and supplies that will benefit some 260,000 persons for about three months.
Democratic principles at core of UN 2030 sustainability agenda, Ban says on International Day
Sep 16, 2016, at 04:09 am
New York, Sept 15 (Just Earth News): Emphasizing the links between the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and people's fundamental needs, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has marked the International Day for Democracy by stressing that delivering solutions to on Thursday's challenges also requires an integrated and interconnected response.
Civilian casualties up 66 per cent in eastern Ukraine during summer – UN report
Sep 16, 2016, at 04:08 am
New York, Sept 15 (Just Earth News): A new United Nations report released on Thursday shows a 66 per cent increase in the number of conflict-related civilian casualties in eastern Ukraine and describes the deterioration of the human rights situation there, as a result of escalating hostilities between the Government and non-Government forces from June to August.
German woman killed, 14 injured in Bali boat explosion
Sep 15, 2016, at 06:02 pm
Bali, Indonesia, Sept 15 (IBNS) ; A boat ferrying passengers from Bali to Gili Islands exploded on Thursday, killing one person and injuring 14 others, media reports said.
New UN exhibit highlights need to fill in ‘blank spaces’ for child-related data
Sep 15, 2016, at 01:30 pm
New York, Sept 15 (Just Earth News): Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday joined the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in launching a ‘Time Machine’ that will use data storytelling to highlight the lack of availability of statistics on children and particularly those related to child-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicators.
UN expert urges Kuwait to redouble efforts to stop trafficking, exploiting domestic workers
Sep 15, 2016, at 01:29 pm
New York, Sept 15 (Just Earth News): While welcoming Kuwait’s commitment to fight trafficking in persons, a United Nations human rights expert on Wednesday urged the Government to further strengthen its assistance and support measures for trafficked and exploited domestic workers, adopt prevention measures, and fully protect their rights.
Security Council approves three-month extension for UN Mission in Liberia
Sep 15, 2016, at 01:26 pm
New York, Sept 15 (Just Earth News): The Security Council this morning extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) through the end of the year, while reaffirming its readiness to consider withdrawing the operation and transitioning to a future UN presence there following a proposed mid-November review of situation on the ground in the country.
Refugees see mobile connectivity as critical lifeline – new UN report
Sep 15, 2016, at 01:24 pm
New York, Sept 15 (Just Earth News): Many refugees view access to a mobile phone and the Internet as being as critical to their safety and security as food, water and shelter, according to a new report out on Wednesday from the United Nations refugee agency and a technology consulting company.
Sep 15, 2016, at 01:23 pm
New York, Sept 15 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday that the global challenges pertaining to refugees and migrants, climate change, and the war in Syria are the major topics that will likely figure prominently in this year’s high-level week at the United Nations.
IMF head praises Canada-EU trade deal
Sep 15, 2016, at 07:23 am
Ottawa, Sept 14 (IBNS): Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in her recent visit to Ottawa has said she hopes Canada and the European Union (EU) settle down their still-unsigned free trade agreement.
UN agency launches action plan to tackle threat of 'superbugs'
Sep 15, 2016, at 04:13 am
New York, Sept 14 (Just Earth News): The United Nations agricultural agency on Wednesday released a new action plan to help countries combat the spread of antimicrobial resistance in their food supply chains and to counter the growing threat of medicine-resistant ‘superbugs.’
Inclusive rural transformation requires investment; it will not happen automatically – UN report
Sep 15, 2016, at 04:12 am
New York, Sept 14 (Just Earth News): Economic growth is not enough to save those threatened daily with starvation and governments need to tailor policies and investments to transform rural areas in developing countries if they want to eliminate poverty – those are some of the key findings from a new report by the United Nations rural poverty agency.
Bihar: Unable to pay school fees, student commits suicide
Sep 14, 2016, at 03:36 pm
Patna, Sept 14 (The Bihar Post/IBNS): A schoolboy in Bihar committed suicide by hanging from a ceiling fan after he failed to pay his school fees.
Sep 14, 2016, at 01:01 pm
New York, Sept 14 (Just Earth News): Although political space has opened in Libya and there is progress in the fight against terrorism, the political divisions underpinning the North African country’s conflict are deepening, a United Nations envoy warned on Tuesday.
Sep 14, 2016, at 01:00 pm
New York, Sept 14 (Just Earth News): The United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday opened its 71st session, with an emphasis on ensuring that implementation of the new global development goals, adopted by its 193 Member States last year, is well underway.
Sep 14, 2016, at 12:59 pm
New York, Sept 14 (Just Earth News): Some 24 hours after the latest cessation of hostilities in Syria began, a United Nations envoy on Tuesday said that despite allegations of mortar shelling and airstrikes yesterday evening, violence in the country has declined substantially.
UN report calls for synergies between universal 2030 Agenda and goals for least developed countries
Sep 14, 2016, at 12:58 pm
New York, Sept 14 (Just Earth News): The world’s 48 least developed countries (LDCs) have experienced some positive developments, yet challenges remain with new risks and uncertainties threatening development gains, according to a new United Nations report released on Tuesday.
Almost 300,000 migrants and refugees reached Europe over past 8 months – UN partner agency
Sep 14, 2016, at 12:57 pm
New York, Sept 14 (Just Earth News): Close to 300,000 migrants and refugees have reached Europe between the start of this year and mid-September, with most of them entering through Greece and Italy, according to an update from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Tuesday.
More has to be done to deliver on European commitments for asylum seekers – UN refugee agency
Sep 14, 2016, at 12:56 pm
New York, Sept 14 (Just Earth News): Highlighting that the number of pledges to relocate asylum-seekers continues to be woefully low and its implementation slow and challenging, the United Nations refugee agency on Tuesday called on European countries to do more to deliver significantly on the commitments they have made.
Security Council approves proposed structure and size of UN Mission in Colombia
Sep 14, 2016, at 12:55 pm
New York, Sept 14 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday approved the Secretary-General’s recommendations regarding the size, operational aspects and mandate of the UN Mission in Colombia, including the deployment of 450 unarmed observers and the establishment of operation in 40 locations.
Sep 14, 2016, at 12:54 pm
New York, Sept 14 (Just Earth News): Addressing the 33rd session of the world body’s Human Rights Council, the United Nations rights chief on Tuesday highlighted the challenges confronting the international community and expressed particular concern over attempts by countries to block human rights scrutiny.
UN humanitarian official "deeply disturbed" by unrelenting attacks on civilians in Yemen
Sep 14, 2016, at 07:49 am
New York, Sept 14 (Just Earth News): The top United Nations humanitarian official in Yemen has voiced apprehension over a series of deadly air strikes on a water well which killed and wounded dozens of people in the country’s centre.
Study judges levels of drunkenness
Sep 14, 2016, at 05:08 am
London, Sept 13 (IBNS): When drunk and surrounded by other drinkers, people’s judgements of their own levels of intoxication and the associated risks are related to the drunkenness of their peers, not on the objective amount of alcohol they have actually consumed, reveals a study by Cardiff University.
UN food relief agency provides assistance to 140,000 people affected by flooding in northern DPRK
Sep 14, 2016, at 04:07 am
New York, Sept 13 (Just Earth News): The United Nations food relief agency has delivered food assistance to more than 140,000 people in the north of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), where they have been affected by some of the worst floods in recent history – and expressed concern about their continued vulnerability as an extremely cold winter is approaching and major food losses are expected.
Trade agreements should mainstream human rights – UN expert urges
Sep 14, 2016, at 04:05 am
New York, Sept 13 (Just Earth News): A United Nations independent expert on Tuesday called on States and Parliaments to ensure that all future trade agreements stipulate the primacy of human rights and to align existing treaties with the duty of States to fulfill binding human rights treaties and meet environmental and health goals.