Syria: UN relief agencies amplify calls for access to besieged civilians
Jan 30, 2016, at 03:15 pm
New York, Jan 30 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With United Nations-mediated talks on ending the five-year crisis in Syria getting under way today as scheduled, UN relief agencies and their partners are reiterating their appeal for unhindered access by relief workers to more than four million desperate people spread across 18 besieged areas in the war-torn country.
Security Council urges Haitian parties to refrain from actions disrupting polls
Jan 30, 2016, at 03:12 pm
New York, Jan 30 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Expressing strong concern regarding the indefinite postponement of the final round of elections in Haiti – scheduled for 27 December but postponed, for the second time, to January 24 – the United Nations Security Council on Friday reiterated its condemnation of any attempt to destabilize the electoral process, and urged all parties and political actors to refrain from violence.
African Union: Ban discusses Burundi, South Sudan and counter-terrorism
Jan 30, 2016, at 03:07 pm
New York, Jan 30 (Just Eath News/IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday, in an address to the African Union Peace and Security Council, spotlighted three topics high on the regional body's agenda – counter-terrorism, and the ongoing crises in both South Sudan and Burundi – all of which require urgent attention at the continental-level and from the wider international community.
Paris Agreement 'decisive turning point' on climate change: UN Official
Jan 30, 2016, at 03:04 pm
New York, Jan 30 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Less than two months after 196 parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) adopted the Paris Agreement, the global community is already seeing signs of it being a decisive turning point, according to a senior UN official dealing with climate issues.
Los Angeles bound flight returns to Heathrow Airport after mysterious illness plague passengers
Jan 29, 2016, at 05:36 pm
London, Jan 29 (IBNS) A Los Angeles bound American Airlines Boeing 777 returned back to the Heathrow Airport just a couple of hours after it took off, owing to several passengers mysteriously falling ill, according to reports.
Disneyland Paris: Man carrying two guns arrested by police
Jan 29, 2016, at 04:57 pm
Paris, Jan 29 (IBNS) A 28-year-old man carrying two guns at an entrance to a Disneyland Paris hotel was arrested on Friday, according to reports.
More than half Yemen's population face hunger amid ongoing strife, FAO warns
Jan 29, 2016, at 02:46 pm
New York, Jan 29 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Some 14.4 million Yemenis, more than half of the population of Yemen, are food insecure, an increase of 12 per cent in just the last eight months, as ongoing conflict and import restrictions reduce availability and send prices soaring, the United Nations agricultural agency warned on Thursday.
WHO convenes emergency meeting to address 'dramatic' spread of Zika virus
Jan 29, 2016, at 02:45 pm
New York, Jan 29 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday called an emergency meeting for Monday on the "dramatic" rise in Zika virus infection – strongly suspected of causing birth malformations – warning that its "explosive" spread could eventually infect up to four million people before it is brought under control.
Libya: UN envoy condemns abduction of parliamentarian, calls for his release
Jan 29, 2016, at 02:42 pm
New York, Jan 29 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The most senior United Nations official in Libya on Friday strongly condemned the abduction of a member of the House of Representatives, just days after a significant step forward in the quest to end the country's political divisions and armed conflict.
UN envoy says Somalia's success depends on managing threats
Jan 29, 2016, at 02:40 pm
New York, Jan 29 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The Security Council heard on Thursday from the top United Nations official in Somalia that success in the country this year will depend upon managing threats, notably those posed by the terrorist groups Al-Shabaab, while announcing a "breakthrough" political achievement.
Livestock biodiversity must be preserved as tool against climate change: UN agency
Jan 28, 2016, at 02:13 pm
New York, Jan 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The genetic diversity of livestock can play a vital role in feeding the world in the face of hotter weather and the other effects of climate change, yet many valuable breeds continue to be at risk, the United Nations agricultural agency warned on Wednesday, calling for stronger global efforts to safeguard the existing gene pool.
Global investors must play full role in shifting world to clean energy: Ban
Jan 28, 2016, at 02:11 pm
New York, Jan 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): More than 500 global investors gathered at United Nations Headquarters in New York on Wednesday to mobilize the trillions of dollars needed to move the world onto the path of clean energy, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon challenging them to, at a minimum, double clean energy investments to $660 billion by 2020.
Security Council renews sanctions for Central African Republic
Jan 28, 2016, at 02:04 pm
New York, Jan 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Stressing the urgent need to end impunity in the Central African Republic (CAR) and bring to justice those who violate humanitarian law, the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday renewed its sanctions against individuals or groups implicated in the country's ongoing sectarian tensions.
Besieged Syrians believe the world has forgotten them: UN relief chief
Jan 28, 2016, at 02:00 pm
New York, Jan 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With United Nations-backed political talks on Syria set to begin later this week, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, on Wednesday urged the entire international community to get behind the process, which seeks to ease the suffering for millions of desperate people and end "one of the most savage and brutal conflicts of the 21st century."
Darfur: UN expresses grave concern over new hostilities and impact on civilians
Jan 28, 2016, at 01:58 pm
New York, Jan 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations on Wednesday expressed grave concern over the impact of the ongoing hostilities in Darfur on thousands of civilians who have been forced to flee their homes amid the conflict that began two weeks ago.
Education key to preventing genocides, says Ban honouring Holocaust victims
Jan 28, 2016, at 01:56 pm
New York, Jan 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): As the global community gathered to commemorate the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi extermination camp 71 years ago, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stressed that the most effective way to stand up for human rights, fight xenophobia and prevent new genocides is by educating new generations about the horrors of the Holocaust.
Science and technology can help save lives: UN official
Jan 28, 2016, at 01:51 pm
New York, Jan 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The first-ever United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) gathering of scientists to discuss disaster risk management kicked off on Wednesday in Geneva, Switzerland, seeking to map out a scientific and technological approach to the issue while addressing the importance of partnership.
Eritrea: UN deputy relief chief urges support for vulnerable communities
Jan 28, 2016, at 01:49 pm
New York, Jan 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Kyung-wha Kang, wrapped up a three-day visit to Eritrea on Tuesday, where she urged broader support for the Government’s efforts to meet basic needs and build resilience of the country’s most vulnerable communities.
Palestinians losing hope under 'stifling' Israeli occupation: UN chief
Jan 28, 2016, at 01:47 pm
New York, Jan 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Amid ongoing violence in the Middle East, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reiterated on Wednesday that he can understand why Palestinians are losing hope in the face of nearly 50 years of Israeli occupation, a statement that has provoked criticism that he was "giving terror a tailwind."
India and Armenia Sign Protocol amending the India-Armenia Double Taxation Avoidance Convention
Jan 27, 2016, at 06:26 pm
New Delhi, Jan 27 (IBNS) A Protocol to amend the existing Double Taxation Avoidance Convention was signed by the Government of India and the Government of Armenia here on Wednesday, a government release said.
I will destroy ISIS: Donald Trump
Jan 27, 2016, at 03:18 pm
Washington, Jan 27 (IBNS) US Presidential candidate Donald Trump has vowed to destroy militant group ISIS.
Failure in Syria not humanitarian but political, says senior UN relief official
Jan 27, 2016, at 02:26 pm
New York, Jan 27 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Senior United Nations relief officials working on the front lines of the conflict in Syria stressed on Tuesdaythat only a political solution will end the five-year war, insisting that humanitarians have been doing all that they can to assist millions of desperate people who have lost nearly everything and are "now beginning to lose hope that the world cares."
Team of experts delayed from entering Burundi to investigate human rights abuses - UN
Jan 27, 2016, at 02:23 pm
New York, Jan 27 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported on Tuesdaythat a team of independent experts mandated to probe violations and abuses in Burundi has not been able to enter the country.
UN chief delivers impassioned plea to Israelis and Palestinians to compromise for peace
Jan 27, 2016, at 02:20 pm
New York, Jan 27 (Just Earth News/IBNS):Condemning Palestinian attacks against Israeli civilians, highlighting growing Palestinian frustration at a half century of occupation, and calling on Israel to change its settlement and other policies, United Nations Secretary-General on Tuesdayurged both sides to seize the “historic challenge†of compromise to secure a two-state solution.
As food emergency intensifies in drought-hit Ethiopia, UN appeals for more resources
Jan 27, 2016, at 02:16 pm
New York, Jan 27 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Despite the well-coordinated response already under way to offset the impacts of an El Niño-induced drought in Ethiopia, the United Nations humanitarian wing has warned that the scale of the developing emergency exceeds resources and that more funding is urgently needed to ensure food distribution and child protection amid ongoing malnutrition and water shortages.
Senior UN official points to science as 'vital' in managing disaster risk, promoting development
Jan 27, 2016, at 02:14 pm
New York, Jan 27 (Just Earth News/IBNS): On the eve of the first-ever gathering of scientists to discuss disaster risk management, the head of the United Nations office tasked with synergizing disaster reduction activities emphasized on Tuesdaythe importance of government leaders and decision makers’ attention to the role of science in lowering the exposure to extreme disaster events and promoting sustainable development.
UNICEF launches $2.8 billion humanitarian appeal for children
Jan 27, 2016, at 02:08 pm
New York, Jan 27 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesdayannounced the launch of a $2.8 billion appeal to reach 43 million children in humanitarian emergencies worldwide, with for the first time ever the largest portion of the appeal – 25 per cent – going towards their education.
As refugee and migrant flood into Europe continues, UN and partners seek $550 million for 2016
Jan 27, 2016, at 02:05 pm
New York, Jan 27 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With no let-up in the flood of people pouring into Europe as they flee conflict in the Middle East and elsewhere, the United Nations refugee agency and its partners are appealing to donors for $550 million to support the ongoing humanitarian response for 2016.
Sexual harassment suit: Yoga guru fined $924,500
Jan 26, 2016, at 10:15 pm
Los Angeles, Jan 26 (IBNS) Bikram Choudhury has been directed by a Los Angeles jury to pay about $924,500 to a lawyer who has alleged that the Yoga teacher had sexually harassed her while she used to work for him.
At least 25 killed in suicide attack in North Cameroon
Jan 26, 2016, at 05:38 pm
Yaounde, Jan 26 (IBNS) At least 25 people were killed and another 62 injured in a suicide attack on Monday in the northern part of Cameroon.