Ban welcomes ministerial meeting on dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Gabon
Jan 22, 2016, at 01:42 pm
New York, Jan 22 (Just Earth News/IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General on Thursday welcomed the holding of a trilateral ministerial meeting on the dispute between Equatorial Guinea and the Gabonese Republic.
NATO Secretary General to attend the World Economic Forum
Jan 21, 2016, at 10:11 pm
London, Jan 21 (IBNS) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, will attend the World Economic Forum meetings in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan 22 and Jan 23.
Yemeni journalist's death in air strike deplored by UNESCO
Jan 21, 2016, at 03:23 pm
New York, Jan 21 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Deploring the death of Yemeni journalist Almigdad Mojalli, who was killed by shrapnel in an air strike in Sana'a, the capital, the United Nations agency responsible for defending media freedom on Wednesday called on all sides in the strife-torn country to ensure the safety of all journalists.
UN agency calls on donors to support Syrian farmers in their hour of need
Jan 21, 2016, at 03:21 pm
New York, Jan 21 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With the war in Syria now approaching its sixth year, agricultural production has plummeted and food supplies are at an all-time low, pushing millions of people into hunger, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization stressed on Wednesday, calling on governments to boost funding to help farmers keep their lands in production and prevent the situation from deteriorating even further.
Israel must immediately halt planned relocation of Palestinian Bedouin: UN officials
Jan 21, 2016, at 03:17 pm
New York, Jan 21 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Senior United Nations officials for the occupied Palestinian territory have called for an immediate end to Israeli plans to transfer Bedouin living in the Jerusalem area for a settlement expansion, long recognized as a violation of international law and an obstacle to realizing a two-state solution to the Middle East crisis.
Half the population of Central African Republic faces hunger, UN warns
Jan 21, 2016, at 03:16 pm
New York, Jan 21 (Just Earth News/IBNS): An emergency food security assessment by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and its partners has revealed that half the population of the Central African Republic (CAR) – nearly 2.5 million people – faces hunger.
Business must play part in achieving new Sustainable Development Goals: Ban
Jan 21, 2016, at 03:14 pm
New York, Jan 21 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Speaking at the Global Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called on the world’s business community to play its full role in helping to achieve the ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which seeks to eliminate poverty, hunger and a raft of social ills, all within 15 years.
Ban welcomes request by Colombian Government and FARC to set up UN political office
Jan 21, 2016, at 03:13 pm
New York, Jan 21 (Just Earth News/IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the joint request from the Colombian Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC-EP) on Tuesday announcing their decision to request the UN Security Council to establish a political mission in the country to monitor any future ceasefire agreement.
Global foreign direct investment hit eight-year high in 2015: UN report
Jan 21, 2016, at 03:09 pm
New York, Jan 21 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows rose by 36 per cent in 2015, reaching their highest levels since the financial crisis, according to a report out on Wednesday from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), which pegged the increase to a wave of cross-border mergers and acquisitions.
UN congratulates Libyans and Presidency Council on naming unity government
Jan 20, 2016, at 03:04 pm
New York, Jan 20 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Senior United Nations officials on Tuesday welcomed the nomination of the Government of National Accord in Libya by the Presidency Council as a significant step forward in the quest to end the country's political divisions and armed conflict.
'Staggering' civilian death toll in Iraq: UN report
Jan 20, 2016, at 03:02 pm
New York, Jan 20 (Just Earth News/IBNS): A United Nations report released on Tuesday details the severe and extensive impact on civilians of the ongoing conflict in Iraq, with at least 18,802 civilians killed and another 36,245 wounded between January 2014 and October 2015, while another 3.2 million people have been internally displaced due to violence.
Long-term funding crucial to monitoring nuclear agreement with Iran: UN
Jan 20, 2016, at 03:01 pm
New York, Jan 20 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The head of the United Nations nuclear agency on Tuesday called for long-term predictable funding to monitor Iran’s agreement with the international community to never seek, develop or acquire nuclear weapons.
Winter poses hazards to child refugees and migrants arriving in Europe: UN
Jan 20, 2016, at 02:59 pm
New York, Jan 20 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With children now accounting for more than one in three of the tens of thousands of refugees and migrants flooding into Europe, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday voiced concern at the impact recent sub-zero temperatures and snowy conditions were having on them.
Aid deliveries reach four Syrian towns while situation in east grave: UN
Jan 20, 2016, at 02:57 pm
New York, Jan 20 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Overnight aid deliveries reached the Syrian towns of Madaya, Zabadani, Kefraya and Foah, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which on Tuesday announced it is planning on delivering more assistance.
UN rights experts welcome Iran prisoner releases
Jan 20, 2016, at 02:56 pm
New York, Jan 20 (Just earth News/IBNS): United Nations human rights experts on Tuesday welcomed Iran’s weekend release of four Iranian-Americans in an apparent prisoner swap with the United States, and called on Tehran to pave the way for the freeing of all remaining unlawfully detained prisoners.
Fate of civilians in armed conflict 'grim' with thousands killed: Security Council
Jan 20, 2016, at 02:54 pm
New York, Jan 20 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With scores of civilians being killed in conflicts worldwide, tens of thousands facing starvation in besieged cities, and hospitals under attack, the United Nations Security Council held a day-long session on Tuesday amid calls for greater accountability and expanded use of the International Criminal Court.
In Jordan, UN refugee agency chief urges greater efforts to end Syria conflict
Jan 20, 2016, at 02:53 pm
New York, Jan 20 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The international community must make greater efforts to end the conflict in Syria or risk prolonging the world's biggest humanitarian crisis for many years to come, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has said during a trip to the region.
UN experts urge France to protect fundamental freedoms while combatting terrorism
Jan 20, 2016, at 02:50 pm
New York, Jan 20 (Just Earth News/IBNS): A group of United Nations human rights experts warned on Tuesday that the current state of emergency in France and the country’s law on surveillance of electronic communications impose excessive and disproportionate restrictions on fundamental freedoms.
Ban names advocates to propel achievement of Sustainable Development Goals
Jan 20, 2016, at 02:49 pm
New York, Jan 20 (Just Earth News/IBNS): A queen, a crown princess, a president, a prime minister, a Chinese e-commerce pioneer, and a player often ranked as the world’s best footballer are among eminent Advocates appointed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday to help achieve the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which seeks to eliminate poverty, hunger and a raft of social ills, all within 15 years.
UN refugee agency warns over perilous Horn of Africa sea crossings
Jan 20, 2016, at 02:47 pm
New York, Jan 20 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Despite the ongoing conflict in Yemen, thousands of Ethiopians and Somalis are continuing to make a perilous sea crossing, which has already claimed at least three dozen lives this year, the UN refugee agency warned on Tuesday.
Global unemployment projected to rise over next two years, UN agency warns
Jan 20, 2016, at 02:45 pm
New York, Jan 20 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Despite falling unemployment in some developed economies, the global jobs crisis is likely to continue for at least the next two years, especially in emerging economies, topping 200 million by 2017, the United Nations labour agency warned on Tuesday, calling for urgent steps to boost jobs.
ISIS confirms Jihadi John's death
Jan 20, 2016, at 02:23 pm
New York, Jan 20 (IBNS): Militant groups ISIS has confirmed that its British militant known as Jihadi John died last year in November.
Japan: World's oldest man Yasutaro Koide dies
Jan 19, 2016, at 10:04 pm
Tokyo, Jan 19 (IBNS) The oldest living man on earth Yasutaro Koide died on Tuesday.
UN efforts to counter El Niño-exacerbated drought in southern Africa
Jan 19, 2016, at 02:52 pm
New York, Jan 19 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With 14 million people facing hunger in southern Africa as the El Niño weather pattern, the worst in over three decades, exacerbates drought, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Monday that it faces critical funding challenges in scaling up food and cash-based aid.
International tourism hits record 1.2 billion in 2015, UN reports
Jan 19, 2016, at 02:51 pm
New York, Jan 19 (Just Earth News/IBNS): International tourism grew by 4.4 per cent last year to a record 1.184 billion as calculated by overnight visitors to international destinations, 50 million more than in 2014, and the sixth consecutive year of above-average growth, UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) reported on Monday.
Libyan parties delay naming unity government, UN urges steps to end divisions
Jan 19, 2016, at 02:49 pm
New York, Jan 19 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations in Libya has expressed regret over the decision of the country’s Presidency Council to postpone the formation of a national unity government for 48 hours beyond the deadline set by a UN-facilitated political agreement, emphasizing that all efforts to combat and eliminate these terrorist groups must be led by the Libyan State.
UN envoy condemns stabbing attacks in Israeli settlements in West Bank
Jan 19, 2016, at 02:47 pm
New York, Jan 19 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Strongly condemning the two stabbing attacks on two women, one of them fatal, in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, a senior United Nations envoy on the Middle East on Monday called upon Israeli and Palestinian authorities to ensure that the perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice.
Counter-terrorism measures threaten remittances sent to Somali diaspora: UN experts
Jan 19, 2016, at 02:45 pm
New York, Jan 19 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Expressing concern over the impact on vital remittances from diaspora countries into Somalia caused by "necessary but less considered counter-terrorism regulations," United Nations rights experts on Monday warned the measures may "severely affect the human rights" of Somali people, while urging regulation-setting governments to guarantee the flow of such funds.
'Sharply deteriorating conditions' in besieged areas of Syria, UN agencies report
Jan 19, 2016, at 02:43 pm
New York, Jan 19 (Just Earth News/IBNS): United Nations humanitarian agencies expressed concern on Monday that an estimated 200,000 people are facing “sharply deteriorating conditions†in the besieged western side of Deir-Ez-Zor city in Syria, while the top UN relief official stressed that the world body continues to act "impartially, neutrally and independently" to reach people in need throughout the country.
Peru will compensate woman in historic human rights abortion case: UN
Jan 19, 2016, at 02:41 pm
New York, Jan 19 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Nearly a decade after the UN Human Rights Committee agreed that a Peruvian woman’s rights were violated for having been denied an abortion – and recommended that the Government compensate her – the UN human rights office announced on Monday that Peru has said it will pay compensation for having refused her access to a legal medical procedure.