Fundamental freedoms inalienable and inherent – now and always: UN
Dec 11, 2015, at 03:08 pm
New York, Dec 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Marking this year's Human Rights Day amid extraordinary global challenges, the United Nations is calling on the world to recognize and guarantee fundamental freedoms – long recognized "as the birthright of all people" – freedom from fear, freedom from want, freedom of speech and freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
Yemen: UN delivers life-saving food aid to nearly 150,000 besieged residents in Taiz
Dec 11, 2015, at 03:07 pm
New York, Dec 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Braving fighting, airstrikes and checkpoints to bring life-saving aid to Yemenis living in dire conditions under a virtual state of siege, United Nations convoys have reached the central city of Taiz with enough food for nearly 145,000 people for a month, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Thursday.
World economic growth falls below last forecast, only modest improvement foreseen: UN
Dec 11, 2015, at 03:03 pm
New York, Dec 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The world economy has fallen below forecasts of even six months ago and will grow only modestly over the next two years due to “cyclical and structural headwinds,†including low commodity prices and stagnant investment, the United Nations reported on Thursday, urging steps to ensure stronger growth.
Powerful El Niño intensifying in Asia and the Pacific region: UN
Dec 11, 2015, at 03:01 pm
New York, Dec 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The ongoing El Niño weather pattern in the Asia and Pacific is likely to be one of the strongest since 1998 and will continue into early 2016, according to a new United Nations advisory, which urges regional cooperation for early warning, in-season mitigation, and long-term adaptation strategies to curb climate risk.
'We can consign rabies to the history books' with plan to eliminate virus: WHO
Dec 11, 2015, at 02:59 pm
New York, Dec 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Against the backdrop of one person dying every 10 minutes from rabies and that treatment for those bitten can cost 40 days of wages in some countries, the United Nations announced on Thursday a new framework to eliminate human rabies and save tens of thousands of lives each year by ensuring ready availability of vaccines and treatment, and emphasizing mass dog vaccinations to tackle the disease at its source.
UN human rights chief hails end of death penalty in Mongolia
Dec 11, 2015, at 02:57 pm
New York, Dec 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Hailing Mongolia's recent abolition of the death penalty, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, commended the move as a "welcome step in the fight for the human rights of all."
UN and Singapore agree to develop information management tool for peacekeeping operations
Dec 11, 2015, at 02:55 pm
New York, Dec 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations and the Government of Singapore on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on the development of an information management tool in support of UN peacekeeping operations that can aid in enhancing situational awareness, trend analysis and early warning capacities in field missions.
UN rights chief calls for DPR Korea to be referred to International Criminal Court
Dec 11, 2015, at 02:53 pm
New York, Dec 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The top United Nations human rights official on Thursday called on the Security Council to refer the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the International Criminal Court, citing continuing gross rights violations, "the institutional nature and severity of which pose a threat to international peace and security."
Rotary International President elect John Germ visits Kolkata
Dec 10, 2015, at 04:50 pm
Kolkata, Dec 10 (IBNS) Rotary International President elect John Germ from USA visited Kolkata for two days when he inaugurated the e learning project of Rotary India Literacy Mission ( RILM) worth Rs 1 crore at a program at the GD Birla Sabhaghar.
Australia: Fire-fighting robot unveiled
Dec 10, 2015, at 04:38 pm
Sydney, Dec 10 (IBNS): Fire fighters in Australia are using a fire-fighting robot to face their challenges, media reports said.
UN agencies launch $1.98 billion humanitarian appeal for Africa's Sahel region
Dec 10, 2015, at 03:11 pm
New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Warning of dire effects of climate change, abject poverty, fast population growth and a tormenting rise in violence and insecurity in Africa's Sahel region, United Nations agencies and partners on Wednesday launched the Sahel humanitarian appeal for 2016, which includes a regional plan that calls for $1.98 billion to provide vital assistance to millions of people in nine countries across the region.
COP21: Efforts advance on reaching climate change agreement, says UN official
Dec 10, 2015, at 03:09 pm
New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News/IBNS): A new stage in the development of a final agreement on climate change to limit global temperature rise to below two degrees Celsius or less has been reached on Wednesday, according to the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General on Climate Change.
New report signals progress towards malaria elimination: WHO
Dec 10, 2015, at 03:08 pm
New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The world is making "significant progress" toward malaria elimination with prevention and treatment efforts saving more than 660 million lives and $900 million in case management costs since 2001, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported.
Despite less fighting, eastern Ukraine still 'highly flammable,' UN reports
Dec 10, 2015, at 03:03 pm
New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Despite a significant reduction in hostilities in eastern Ukraine in the last few months in a conflict that has already left over 9,000 people dead and nearly 21,000 injured, serious human rights concerns persist, including killings, torture and impunity, the United Nations reported on Wednesday.
UN Security Council adopts first-ever resolution on youth, peace and security
Dec 10, 2015, at 03:01 pm
New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday adopted a historic resolution on youth, peace and security that urges greater representation by young men and women in the prevention and resolution of conflict amid "the rise of radicalization to violence and violent extremism amongst youth, which can be conducive to terrorism."
Anti-Corruption Day: UN says ending corrosive crime can boost sustainable development
Dec 10, 2015, at 03:00 pm
New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News/IBNS): To mark International Anti-Corruption Day, the United Nations is calling for people to join a worldwide campaign to raise awareness about what Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called a "corrosive" scourge, and encouraging people from all walks of life to take action against this crime.
UN champions prevention as best hope for eliminating violence against women
Dec 10, 2015, at 02:58 pm
New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News/IBNS): On a December evening in 2012, a 23-year-old physiotherapy student was beaten and brutally raped by five men and a youth on board an off-duty bus in the Indian capital, New Delhi. The injuries she sustained were so severe that she succumbed to them 13 days later, setting off protests in India and around the world for ending the scourge of violence against women.
UN marks first International Day to commemorate victims of genocide
Dec 10, 2015, at 02:56 pm
New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth NEWS/IBNS): The United Nations on Wednesday marked the first International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime to remember the victims of the "crime of crimes" and to call for action against the rise of hostility, xenophobia and intolerance across the world.
Finland: Ban urges dialogue to prevent polarization, racism against asylum-seekers
Dec 10, 2015, at 02:55 pm
New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News/IBNS): On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Finland's membership to the United Nations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commended the country on its leadership in advancing the Organization's work on peace and security, development and human rights, and expressed his gratitude for the country's solidarity with refugees in the region.
National policies on trade and agriculture key to tackling food security: UN agency
Dec 10, 2015, at 02:53 pm
New York, Dec 10 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The rules governing global trade of food and agricultural products should aim to improve countries' food security and other development objectives, according to a new United Nations report issued on Tuesday.
Syria: UNICEF plans to reach 2.6 million children with winter supplies and cash assistance
Dec 09, 2015, at 03:38 pm
New York, Dec 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Warning of harsh winter conditions looming for more than eight million Syrian children living inside the war-ravaged country or as refugees around the region and beyond, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced a package of assistance for 2.6 million Syrian children, including cash assistance, in addition to ongoing humanitarian programmes.
UN tests data collection system to track and curb attacks against health workers
Dec 09, 2015, at 03:37 pm
New York, Dec 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that it now testing a new system for collecting data to ensure that attacks against healthcare workers in the line of fire – from Afghanistan to Ukraine and Yemen – do not go unnoticed and that they are better protected from violence and harm.
COP21: Grassroots organizations spotlight women's voices at UN climate conference
Dec 09, 2015, at 03:36 pm
New York, Dec 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Dozens of non-governmental organizations rallying outside the United Nations climate change conference (COP21) in Paris on Tuesday voiced the importance of bringing more women to the forefront of discussions, both in terms of who is negotiating the new climate agreement and what will be written within its pages.
Ethiopia: UN urges support to mitigate most devastating drought in 30 years
Dec 09, 2015, at 03:34 pm
New York, Dec 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations on Tuesday stepped up its efforts to mitigate the effects of the worst drought to strike Ethiopia in 30 years, with an appeal from the heads of four UN humanitarian bodies for massive international funding now to pre-empt the high risk of death and large scale suffering later.
UN agency urges Jordan to allow 12,000 desperate Syrian refugees stranded at border
Dec 09, 2015, at 03:29 pm
New York, Dec 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Amid worsening conditions inside Syria, the United Nations refugee agency on Tuesday expressed grave concern for nearly 12,000 people trying to flee the country who are now stranded in remote areas along the north eastern Jordanian border, and urged the Government of Jordan to allow them entry, prioritizing admission for the most vulnerable.
Security Council urges increased funds to uproot terrorism from Africa's Sahel region
Dec 09, 2015, at 03:21 pm
New York, Dec 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Voicing grave concern at terrorist safe havens in Libya and the humanitarian crisis caused by Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria, the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday appealed for greater international security cooperation and more humanitarian aid to bring stability to sub-Saharan Africa.
UN expert urges Brazilian Government to ensure access to safe drinking water
Dec 09, 2015, at 03:18 pm
New York, Dec 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Hundreds of thousands of people affected in catastrophic collapse of a mining dam in southeastern Brazil still lack full access to safe drinking water and sanitation more than one month after the disaster, a United Nations expert warned on Monday, calling on the Government to urgently tackle the crisis and ensure people’s basic rights.
UN health agency outlines global trends and looks ahead to 2030 targets
Dec 09, 2015, at 03:16 pm
New York, Dec 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday issued a comprehensive analysis of global health trends since 2000, and laid out actions that should be prioritized over the next 15 years to achieve the newly-agreed United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), saying that universal health care is the “linchpin of development in health.â€
Armed groups pose threat to stability in Central Africa, UN envoy tells Security Council
Dec 09, 2015, at 03:12 pm
New York, Dec 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The violent activities of armed groups such as Boko Haram and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) have triggered a dire humanitarian and security crisis in Central Africa, the United Nations envoy on the region said on Tuesday, telling the Security Council the challenges faced by the affected countries should not be underestimated and ongoing vigilance and international support is needed.
4 injured in blast at Moscow bus stop
Dec 08, 2015, at 08:55 pm
Moscow, Dec 8 (IBNS) At least four people were injured in a blast at a Moscow bus stop, according to media reports.