All sides in Syria killing thousands of detainees in crimes against humanity, UN reports

Feb 09, 2016, at 03:34 pm

New York, Feb 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Thousands of detainees have been killed while in the custody of the warring parties in Syria over the past four and a half years, with thousands held by the Government beaten to death or dying from torture and anti-Government groups brutalizing and executing prisoners in war crimes and crimes against humanity, a United Nations commission reported today.

Unprecedented food crisis looms over strife-torn South Sudan, UN agencies warn

Feb 09, 2016, at 03:29 pm

New York, Feb 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS) South Sudan faces unprecedented levels of food insecurity, with 2.8 million people, nearly 25 per cent of the population, in urgent need of aid, at least 40,000 of them on the brink of catastrophe, at a time when the war-torn country is traditionally most food secure, United Nations agencies warned today.

Syria: UN relief chief calls on Government to halt attacks displacing 30,000 civilians

Feb 09, 2016, at 03:26 pm

New York, Feb 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS) The United Nations emergency relief chief on Monday called on the Syrian Government and other parties to honour their duty to protect civilians and allow safe access for aid as tens of thousands of people were reported to have been displaced from Aleppo and elsewhere in the war-torn country's north by heavy Government bombardment.

Special UN event mobilizes action towards ending female genital mutilation within 15 years

Feb 09, 2016, at 03:21 pm

New York, Feb 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Marking the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), dozens of women, girls, experts, and United Nations officials gathered on Monday at a special event at UN Headquarters to discuss ways of eliminating the harmful practice by 2030 and to celebrate the increased mobilization against it.

Seasoned official appointed to coordinate UN efforts to curb sexual abuse by peacekeepers

Feb 09, 2016, at 03:16 pm

New York, Feb 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Facing a series of allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday named Jane Holl Lute, an American official with wide-ranging United Nations experience, to coordinate efforts to curb the scourge.

In Somalia, food security and malnutrition situation is 'alarming' – UN report

Feb 09, 2016, at 03:06 pm

New York, Feb 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS) According to a new United Nations food security and nutrition assessment, the situation in Somalia is alarming and could get worse, especially in parts of Puntland and Somaliland, which have been hard hit by drought exacerbated by El Nino.

This must be 'year of traction' to propel 2030 development Agenda, says UN chief

Feb 09, 2016, at 03:00 pm

New York, Feb 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Just as 2015 was a year of “global action” with the adoption of the ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, so 2016 must be a year of “global traction” to ensure that 3.1 billion people worldwide are not left behind in the race to end poverty, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday.

Ban condemns arson attack on West Bank synagogue, urges respect for sanctity of all holy sites

Feb 09, 2016, at 02:59 pm

New York, Feb 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the arson attack on 6 February against a synagogue in the West Bank and called for a thorough investigation to quickly bring the perpetrators to justice.

Boat capsizes in Aegean, 27 refugees killed

Feb 09, 2016, at 02:55 am

Ankara, Feb 8 (IBNS): At least 27 refugees were killed as the boat in which they were traveling capsized off Turkey’s Edremit Bay on Monday, media reports said.

Afghanistan: Three ANA soldiers killed in suicide attack

Feb 08, 2016, at 10:15 pm

Kabul, Feb 8 (IBNS) At least three Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers were killed as the vehicle in which they were traveling was targeted by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan's Mazar-i-Sahrif city on Monday, media reports said.

Spain: Seven arrested over suspected IS links

Feb 08, 2016, at 09:36 pm

Valencia, Feb 8 (IBNS) Spanish Police have claimed to have arrested seven people for their suspected links with militant groups Al-Qaeda and the ISIS, media reports said on Monday.

Condemning DPR Korea's missile launch, Security Council to pursue 'significant measures' in response

Feb 08, 2016, at 03:49 pm

New York, Feb 8 ( (Just Earth News/IBNS) Following emergency consultations today, the United Nations Security Council strongly condemned the missile launched by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and announced that it will "expeditiously" adopt a new resolution in response to "these dangerous and serious violations."

Haiti: Ban welcomes agreement reached towards 'swift' conclusion of ongoing electoral cycle

Feb 08, 2016, at 03:15 pm

New York, Feb 8 ( (Just Earth News/IBNS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the agreement reached by Haitian stakeholders, noting that it provides for immediate arrangements to preserve the institutional continuity of the country as well as a road map for the swift conclusion of the ongoing electoral cycle.

UN chief calls on DPR Korea to halt 'provocative actions' following missile launch

Feb 08, 2016, at 03:10 pm

New York, Feb 8 ( (Just Earth News/IBNS) Following a missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling on the country's Government "to halt its provocative actions and return to compliance with its international obligations."

Mark Zuckerberg wishes Happy Lunar New Year, speaks in Chinese

Feb 08, 2016, at 02:52 am

New York, Feb 7 (IBNS): Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has showed off his Chinese speaking skills in a video where he is seen wishing Happy Lunar New Year with his wife Priscilla and daughter Max.

NATO condemns North Korea for launching rocket

Feb 07, 2016, at 11:12 pm

London, Feb 7 (IBNS): NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday condemned North Korea for launching a rocket that is part of a program to develop intercontinental ballistic missile technologies.

North Korea launches rocket, US condemns move

Feb 07, 2016, at 04:18 pm

Seoul, Feb 7 (IBNS): Ignoring warnings from the part of Washington, North Korea on Sunday launched a rocket that is part of a program to develop intercontinental ballistic missile technologies, reports said.

Ban honours memory of Holocaust victims at New York synagogue

Feb 07, 2016, at 03:04 pm

New York, Feb 7 (IBNS) Visiting Park East Synagogue in New York City to honour the memory of the victims of the Holocaust, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday called on people to work together “to build bridges and end anti-Semitism, bigotry against Muslims, and all other forms of hatred.”

Nepal: 8 killed in road mishap

Feb 07, 2016, at 12:13 am

Kathmandu, Feb 6 (IBNS) A microbus met with an accident in Nuwakot district of Nepal which killed at least eight people on Saturday, media reports said.

PM Narendra Modi congratulates King and Queen of Bhutan for their first born

Feb 06, 2016, at 11:01 pm

New Delhi, Feb 6 (IBNS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated the King and Queen of Bhutan following the first of their first child.

28 IS militants killed in Afghanistan

Feb 06, 2016, at 10:20 pm

Kabul, Feb 6 (IBNS): At least 28 Islamic State (IS) insurgents have been killed in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province in the past 24 hours, media reports said.

Earthquake jolts Asian countries Taiwan and Nepal

Feb 06, 2016, at 07:06 pm

New Delhi, Feb 6 (IBNS): A 17-storied building came crashing down in Taiwan as quake hit its southern part on Saturday, killing at least seven and trapping many under the debris.

North Korea likely to launch rocket any time soon say experts

Feb 06, 2016, at 06:13 pm

Seoul, Feb 6 (IBNS) A United States think-tank said that satellite images of North Korea's Sohae rocket launch site from Wednesday and Thursday is probably an indication that Pongyang has started fuelling the rocket it plans to launch in the coming weeks, according to media reports.

Migration and multilateralism will be hallmarks of 2016, says senior UN official

Feb 06, 2016, at 02:06 pm

New York, Feb 6 (Just Earth News/IBNS) The world is facing a political, economic, moral and social crisis as governments and communities struggle to provide effective solutions for the unprecedented numbers of people fleeing war, instability or persecution, the top United Nations migration official said today, calling for deceive multilateral action to tackle "the global issues lurking behind today's vast movement of people."

'Violence must stop now,' says UN expert as fresh fighting displaces thousands in North Darfur

Feb 06, 2016, at 01:56 pm

New York, Feb 6 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Warning that, in the last two weeks, a new escalation of violence has forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee their homes in the Jebel Marra area of Darfur, a United Nations human rights expert on Friday called for an immediate end to hostilities that have triggered new protection and humanitarian concerns in the long-restive region of Sudan.

Senior UN officials urge elimination of ‘violent practice’ of female genital mutilation by 2030

Feb 06, 2016, at 01:54 pm

New York, Feb 6 (Just Earth News/IBNS) The most senior United Nations officials are urging the world to eliminate female genital mutilation (FGM) by 2030, calling it a “violent practice” that scars girls for life, endangering their health, depriving them of their rights, and denying them the chance to reach their full potential.

Twitter suspends 125,000 terrorism-related accounts since 2015

Feb 06, 2016, at 01:47 pm

New York, Feb 6 (IBNS): Micro-blogging site Twitter has said it has suspended 125,000 accounts for threatening or promoting terrorist acts, primarily related to ISIS since 2015.

Japan: Volcano Sakurajima erupts

Feb 06, 2016, at 12:14 am

Tokyo, Feb 5 (IBNS): Japan's volcano Sakurajima‬‬ has erupted on Friday, media reports said.

Julian Assange arbitrarily detained by Sweden and the UK, UN expert panel finds

Feb 05, 2016, at 11:37 pm

Geneva, Feb 5 (IBNS) WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been arbitrarily detained by Sweden and the United Kingdom since his arrest in London on Dec 7 ,2010, as a result of the legal action against him by both Governments, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said on Friday.

100 mine workers trapped in South Africa

Feb 05, 2016, at 09:38 pm

Johannesburg , Feb 5 (IBNS): Above 100 people were trapped inside a gold mine in South Africa's Mpumalanga province on Friday, media reports said.