US to NATO members: Increase defence spending or face consequences
Feb 16, 2017, at 09:13 pm
Washington, Feb 16 (IBNS): US has warned that it will moderate its commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) if the alliance members do not increase their defence spending, according to media reports.
PODCAST: The power of bearing witness – how rape became an ‘act of genocide’
Feb 16, 2017, at 03:33 pm
New York, Feb 16 (Just Earth News): Shame and stigma prevent many rape survivors in conflict zones from reporting the horrific abuses they endure at the hands of war but the criminals whose sole aim in carrying out these horrific deeds is to torture and humiliate their enemy.
UN kicks off preparations for upcoming summit on oceans, launches voluntary commitment website
Feb 16, 2017, at 03:32 pm
New York, Feb 16 (Just Earth News): The world dumps the equivalent of one garbage truck of plastic into the ocean every minute, the United Nations heard on Wednesday at the start of a two-day meeting to prepare for this June's Ocean Conference that will aim to help safeguard the planet's oceans and help them recover from human-induced proble
Feb 16, 2017, at 03:30 pm
New York, Feb 16 (Just Earth News): Despite improving security situation in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR), concerns remain in other parts of the country, the top United Nations peacekeeping official told the Security Council on Wednesday, underlining the need for continued international attention.
In Cairo, UN chief Guterres underscores political solutions to ease tensions in regional hotspots
Feb 16, 2017, at 03:29 pm
New York, Feb 13 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday reiterated his commitment to fighting terrorism but underlined also the importance of political solutions to the crises in Syria and the wider region, and put his weight behind the intra-Syrian negotiations expected to begin later this month in Geneva.
Innovative, coordinated response helps end yellow fever outbreak in Angola, DR Congo – UN agency
Feb 16, 2017, at 03:27 pm
New York, Feb 16 (Just Earth News): With concerted response, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have successfully controlled one of the world’s largest and most challenging outbreaks of yellow fever, the United Nations health agency announced.
Teleworking may seem easier, but it could disrupt your work-life balance – UN reports
Feb 16, 2017, at 03:03 pm
New York, Feb 16 (Just Earth News): Using smartphones, laptops and other technology to work from home can be a blessing – it does away with rush hour traffic, for example – but it also diminishes personal space and contact with colleagues, according to a new study released on Wednesday by the United Nations labour agency and a private sector partner, which recommends how to address these work-life disparities.
Feb 16, 2017, at 03:01 pm
New York, Feb 13 (Just Earth News): Urging action for greater freedoms, stronger respect and more compassion, the United Nations human rights arm on Wednesday launched a $253 million appeal – its largest to date – to bolster its 2017 work programme to protect and advance the rights of people around the world.
UN emergency food agency to feed some 220,000 people in conflict-affected Ukraine
Feb 16, 2017, at 03:00 pm
New York, Feb 13 (Just Earth News): Access to food is becoming harder in eastern Ukraine as prices are outpacing incomes, the United Nations emergency food agency on Wednesday said, warning that without longer-term intervention, more people will need humanitarian aid in the months and years to come.
Julian Assange calls Pamela Anderson ' attractive personality'
Feb 16, 2017, at 02:57 pm
Los Angeles, Feb 16 (IBNS): Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has said actress Pamela Anderson has an attractive personality.
Kim Jong-nam: Post-mortem finished
Feb 16, 2017, at 02:36 pm
Seoul, Feb 16 (IBNS): The post-mortem examination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's brother Kim Jong-nam has been completed, media reports said on Thursday.
Pakistan: Suicide blast in Mohmand Agency kills 5
Feb 15, 2017, at 10:50 pm
Mohmand Agency, Feb 15 (IBNS): In a suicide attack at Mohmand Agency headquarters in Pakistan on Wedneaday, at least five people were killed, media reports said.
Pakistan: Explosion kills 2 in Peshawar
Feb 15, 2017, at 10:08 pm
Peshawar, Feb 15 (IBNS): An explosion occurred in Pakistan's Peshawar city on Wednesday which killed at least two people, media reports said.
Nine countries join UN-supported network to halve maternal, newborn deaths in clinics
Feb 15, 2017, at 07:00 pm
New York, Feb 15 (Just Earth News): A health network is being created, with support of United Nations agencies, in nine countries – Bangladesh, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda – whose Governments have pledged to halve maternal and newborn deaths in health facilities by 2022.
Synthetic drugs are making headway in Afghanistan, UN agency reports
Feb 15, 2017, at 06:43 pm
New York, Feb 15 (Just Earth News): Methamphetamine is increasingly being seized by law enforcement in Afghanistan, and there is also evidence that it is being produced in the country, according to the first of its kind assessment on synthetic drugs released on Tuesday by the United Nations drug and crime agency.
Drought drives food price spike in East Africa, UN warns
Feb 15, 2017, at 06:37 pm
New York, Feb 15 (Just Earth News): East Africa’s ongoing drought has sharply curbed harvests and drive up the prices of cereals and other staple foods to unusually high levels, posing a heavy burden to households and special risks for pastoralists in the region, the United Nations agricultural agency said on Tuesday.
Guinea-Bissau: Sustaining economic growth requires political stability, says UN envoy
Feb 15, 2017, at 06:33 pm
New York, Feb 15 (Just Earth News): In the face of continued political crisis in Guinea-Bissau, a more sustained and well-coordinated approach is required to sustain economic gains, said the United Nations envoy for the country, calling for “faithful†implementation of a regionally-brokered road-map.
UN food relief agency working with Sri Lanka to end hunger and malnutrition
Feb 15, 2017, at 06:11 pm
New York, Feb 15 (Just Earth News): Sri Lanka is making efforts to achieve zero hunger and zero under-nutrition, having launched a national review of food security and nutrition with the United Nations emergency food relief agency.
Guterres announces steps towards reforming Organization’s peace and security architecture
Feb 15, 2017, at 06:06 pm
New York, Feb 15 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday announced the establishment of an internal review team that will take forward the reforms to the UN Secretariat peace and security strategy, functioning and architecture, which he outlined when he was appointed the Secretary-General last year.
Ukraine: UN warns of civilian casualties in ‘face to face’ fighting in country's east
Feb 15, 2017, at 06:03 pm
New York, Feb 15 (Just Earth News): Intensified fighting between Government and non-Government forces near densely populated areas in eastern Ukraine is endangering civilians, the senior United Nations humanitarian representative in the country told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday.
North Korea confirms Kim Jong-nam's death
Feb 15, 2017, at 05:51 pm
Pyongyang, Feb 15 (IBNS): North Korea has confirmed the death of its leader Kim Jong-un's half brother Kim Jong-nam, media reports said.
Canada: Brampton house fire kills three
Feb 15, 2017, at 02:42 am
Toronto, Feb. 14 (IBNS): Peel Regional Police received a call shortly after 4 a.m. on Tuesday about a fire on Madison Street, near Dixie Road and Bovaird Drive East, near Toronto, media reports said.
Kim Jong-un's half-brother killed
Feb 15, 2017, at 01:16 am
Seoul, Feb 14 (IBNS): North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother was killed in Malaysia, south Korean media reports said.
Pakistan condemns North Korea's missile attack
Feb 15, 2017, at 12:37 am
Karachi, Feb 14 (IBNS): Pakistan has condemned the missile attack carried out recently by North Korea.
Pakistan: 6 killed in Karachi road mishap
Feb 14, 2017, at 11:41 pm
Karachi, Feb 14 (IBNS): At least six people were killed as a bus overturned in Pakistan's Karachi city on Tuesday, media reports said.
Feb 14, 2017, at 11:30 pm
Rome, Feb 14 (Just Earth News) The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of Indonesia signed a financial agreement Monday to fund a rural development project that will greatly improve access to water for irrigation and consequently improve food security, incomes and livelihoods for up to 24 million smallholder farmers. This is the largest project that IFAD has ever contributed to in its 40 years of operation.
Trudeau meets Trump, takes up border security, economy
Feb 14, 2017, at 05:44 pm
Washington, Feb 14 (IBNS): Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met US President Donald Trump here on Monday, taking up key issues of border security and economy.
US national security adviser Michael Flynn quits
Feb 14, 2017, at 04:45 pm
Washington, Feb 14 (IBNS): US national security adviser Michael Flynn has resigned over alleged contacts with Russia, the White House had announced.
-1487047413.jpg "Civilians in Syria’s ‘Four Towns’ need support as humanitarian catastrophe looms – UN relief official")
Feb 14, 2017, at 03:43 pm
New York, Feb 14 (Just Earth News): A senior United Nations relief official has on Monday called on all parties to come to an agreement and allow immediate and unfettered humanitarian access to more than 60,000 civilians trapped in four Syrian towns of Al-Zabadani, Al-Fu’ah, Kafraya and Madaya.
-1487047208.jpg "UN Security Council urges joint measures to protect ‘critical infrastructure’ from terrorist attacks")
Feb 14, 2017, at 03:40 pm
New York, Feb 14 (Just Earth News): Given the importance of critical infrastructure for a country’s prosperity and security and against the backdrop of increasingly diverse physical and cyber threats from terrorist groups, the United Nations Security Council on Monday underlined the need for international collaboration – both domestically and across borders – to ensure their protection.