UN study tackles violence against women in Arab region using economic model

Oct 07, 2017, at 04:38 am

New York, Oct 6 (Just Earth News): An economic model to estimate the costs of intimate partner violence – the most common form of violence against women in the Arab world – was spotlighted this week at the United Nations regional commission, based in Beirut, Lebanon.

Join global treaty to root out the scourge of illegal fishing, urges UN food security agency

Oct 07, 2017, at 04:36 am

New York, Oct 6(Just Earth News): Calling for strengthening the fight against illegal fishing, the United Nations food security agency has urged all countries to join a landmark global treaty that aims to rid the world of the multibillion-dollar scourge.

September ‘deadliest month’ of 2017 for Syrians, UN relief official reports

Oct 07, 2017, at 04:33 am

New York, Oct 6(Just Earth News): Hospitals, ambulances, schools and displaced people escaping violence are being routinely targeted by airstrikes in Syria, resulting in high numbers of deaths and injuries, and making September the deadliest month of the year, according to the United Nations regional relief coordinator for the crisis.

Cameroon: UN rights office urges meaningful dialogue to address decades-long grievances

Oct 07, 2017, at 04:32 am

New York, Oct 6(Just Earth News): Voicing concern over tensions in Cameroon, the United Nations human rights wing has urged the Government and dissatisfied groups to engage in a meaningful political dialogue to fully address long standing grievances.

UN peacekeeping chief seeks Security Council support for speedy deployment of uniformed personnel

Oct 06, 2017, at 01:36 pm

New York, Oct 6(Just Earth News): The United Nations peacekeeping chief on Thursday said rapid deployment of uniformed personnel to the field is a costly, complex and difficult process that requires the commitment of the contributors, the host country and neighbors, as well as the support of the Security Council.

UN report reveals shocking levels of grave violations against children affected by conflicts

Oct 06, 2017, at 01:34 pm

New York, Oct 6(Just Earth News): More than 15,500 children became victims of widespread violations – including shocking levels of killing and maiming, recruitment and use, and denial of humanitarian access – a new United Nations report has revealed.

Mali continues to make progress, but swift action needed as civilians still face threats – UN envoy

Oct 06, 2017, at 01:33 pm

New York, Oct 6(Just Earth News): While recent crises threatening the peace process in Mali had been overcome and new agreements reached, progress must be accelerated as the situation remains perilous for peacekeepers and civilians, the head of United Nations peacekeeping efforts in the West African country told the Security Council on Thursday.

Security Council authorizes UN Mission to verify truce between Colombian Government and ELN

Oct 06, 2017, at 01:32 pm

New York, Oct 6(Just Earth News): Acting unanimously, the United Nations Security Council on Thursday expanded the mandate of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia, tasking it to monitor a temporary bilateral ceasefire between the Colombian Government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) armed group.

Vegetable oils lift food prices in September; cereal prices down on bumper crop prospects

Oct 06, 2017, at 01:32 pm

New York, Oct 6(Just Earth News): Global food prices rose slightly in September, as firmer prices of vegetable oils and dairy products offset declining prices for staple cereal grains, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Thursday.

Security Council re-authorizes operations to disrupt migrant smuggling off coast of Libya

Oct 06, 2017, at 01:31 pm

New York, Oct 6(Just Earth News): The Security Council on Thursday extended by one year the authorization for Member States to inspect vessels on the high seas off the coast of Libya that they have reasonable grounds to suspect are being used for migrant smuggling or human trafficking.

INTERVIEW: In fighting for girls’ education, UN advocate Malala Yousafzai finds her purpose

Oct 06, 2017, at 01:30 pm

New York, Oct 6(Just Earth News): More than 260 million children, adolescents and youth are out of school around the world, according to the United Nations. Despite some progress in achieving gender equality in the world’s poorest countries, far more girls than boys still do not have access to a quality education,

FEATURE: In Western Afghanistan, an ancient love of poetry thrives again

Oct 06, 2017, at 01:27 pm

New York, Oct 6(Just Earth News): As she begins to read her poem, Fatema’s voice is faint and unsure of itself. She has been writing poetry only for the last six months because, as she explains, she wants to get in touch with her inner feelings. What emerges in her recitation has echoes of Afghanistan’s ancient past, and signs of a new and modern passion. What is heard, translated from Dari, is a short narrative about the horrors of war – “The color of blood and cold corpses … fresh bodies thrown into battle” – and Fatema’s own story, one that ends with the hope that, “somewhere between the lines, set in the sweetness, is a space without war.”

Asylum and refugee protection represent ‘humanity at its best,’ says senior UN official

Oct 06, 2017, at 01:26 pm

New York, Oct 6(Just Earth News): Warning of threats to the global asylum environment, the United Nations refugee agency’s protection chief on Thursday stressed the importance of sustained engagement by the international community to keep refugees high on the political agenda.

US education secretary DeVos cancels Ontario visit

Oct 06, 2017, at 05:13 am

Ottawa, Oct 5 (IBNS): US president Donald Trump's education secretary, Betsy DeVos, has cancelled her Ontario visit, media reports said.

Canada relaxes requirements for attaining citizenship, to be effective from next week

Oct 06, 2017, at 05:12 am

Ottawa, Oct 5 (IBNS): The federal government has recently taken up a decision to relax some of the requirements necessary to attain the citizenship of the country.

Empower teachers; give them the freedom to teach, UN urges on World Day

Oct 06, 2017, at 04:55 am

New York, Oct 5(Just Earth News): Underscoring the critical important role teachers play in ensuring the future for every society, the United Nations on Thursday called for empowering educators with the freedom and support they need to undertake their vital mission.

Partnerships will play key role in future of work in Europe and Central Asia - UN labour agency

Oct 06, 2017, at 04:52 am

New York, Oct 5(Just Earth News): The United Nations International Labour Organization’s 10th European Regional Meeting concluded on Thursday with a call for a future of work where partnerships play a key role in promoting dialogue, social progress and economic growth in the region.

One year on from Hurricane Matthew, Haiti's children still incredibly vulnerable to disasters – UNICEF

Oct 06, 2017, at 04:50 am

New York, Oct 5(Just Earth News): One year has passed since Hurricane Matthew made landfall in southwest Haiti – leaving terrible destruction in its wake – but children and adolescents on the island still remain highly vulnerable to the effects of natural disasters and extreme weather events, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has warned.

Iraqi army recaptures Hawija, kills at least 196 IS militants

Oct 05, 2017, at 06:50 pm

Baghdad, Oct 5 (IBNS): Iraqi army claimed recapture of Hawija, an Islamic State (IS) stronghold on Wednesday, reports said.

Had no idea, says Vegas shooter's partner

Oct 05, 2017, at 05:52 pm

Las Vegas, Oct 5 (IBNS): Partner of Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock, Marilou Danley, who appeared before police recently, said that she had no idea what her partner was planning, according to reports.

Expert meeting at UN aspires to create ‘space’ for women in science and technology

Oct 05, 2017, at 01:13 pm

New York, Oct 5(Just Earth News): A three-day event on how to, among other things, improve women’s involvement in the aerospace sector as well as in the fields of science, technology and mathematics, kicked off on Wednesday under the leadership of two United Nations offices.

Libya: UN Mission condemns deadly bombing in Misrata

Oct 05, 2017, at 01:12 pm

New York, Oct 5(Just Earth News): Condemning an attack against a court house in the Libyan city of Misrata, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) underscored that those behind the incident must be held accountable.

Switzerland needs to do more to keep ‘dirty money’ at bay, urges UN expert

Oct 05, 2017, at 01:12 pm

New York, Oct 5 (Just Earth News): Highlighting the problems posed by illicit financial flows globally, including undermining rule of law and human rights, a United Nations human rights expert has called on Switzerland to ensure that so called dirty money – which stems from tax evasion and corruption – does not enter its financial market.

Rohingya refugees living in ‘dire’ conditions, senior UN officials warn, appealing for assistance

Oct 05, 2017, at 01:11 pm

New York, Oct 5(Just Earth News): The human tragedy unfolding in southern Bangladesh is staggering in its scale, warned two senior United Nations officials on Wednesday as they wrapped up a mission to Cox’s Bazar with calls for a “significant increase in assistance” for the thousands of Rohingyas have settled in the area after fleeing violence in neighbouring Myanmar.

Counselling and dieting among new UN health agency guidelines on child obesity

Oct 05, 2017, at 05:04 am

New York, Oct 4(Just Earth News): An estimated 41 million children under five years old are obese or overweight, United Nations health experts warned on Wednesday, launching new guidelines to tackle what they call a global epidemic.

UN chief to visit storm-ravaged islands of Antigua, Barbuda and Dominica this weekend

Oct 05, 2017, at 05:03 am

New York, Oct 4(Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced on Wednesday that he will be visiting hurricane hit islands of Antigua, Barbuda and Dominica this Saturday to survey the damage caused by multiple storms and what more the UN can do help people recover.

Sustainable cities key to implement SDGs, says head of UN regional development arm

Oct 05, 2017, at 05:02 am

New York, Oct 4(Just Earth News): Noting the high speed of urbanization in Latin America and the Caribbean, the United Nations development arm in the region underlined the need to keep a close watch on the provision of services, equipment, mobility, housing and urban land to make sure they can match pace with the demand.

Canadian satellite aids in hurricane recovery

Oct 04, 2017, at 10:24 pm

Toronto, Oct 4 (IBNS): When Hurricane Irma last month hit the Caribbean region -- a region that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands and the surrounding coasts -- leading to huge destruction, authorities on the ground faced difficulties in tracking the hurricane and assess the damages, media reports said.

Global Goals embraced by Japanese society, UN deputy chief says, wrapping up Tokyo visit

Oct 04, 2017, at 10:59 am

New York, Oct 4(Just Earth News): Concluding her three-day visit to Japan on Tuesday, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed on Tuesday noted how much the Japanese society has embraced the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a compass guiding to a more prosperous future for themselves.

In Bangladesh, UN aid chief urges scaling up response for Rohingya refugee crisis

Oct 04, 2017, at 10:58 am

New York, Oct 4(Just Earth News): With over half a million Rohingya refugees having fled their homes in Myanmar since violence erupted in late August, the top United Nations humanitarian official has underscored that the solution to the crisis needs to be found within Myanmar.