Political polarization in Iraq threatens reconciliation efforts: UN official
Nov 12, 2015, at 02:38 pm
New York, Nov 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi faces "immense challenges" to his efforts to bring reconciliation and broaden the political process in his strife-torn nation, confronting obstacles from all sides, the top United Nations official in the country warned the Security Council on Wednesday
Political polarization in Iraq threatens reconciliation efforts: UN official
Nov 12, 2015, at 02:37 pm
New York, Nov 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi faces "immense challenges" to his efforts to bring reconciliation and broaden the political process in his strife-torn nation, confronting obstacles from all sides, the top United Nations official in the country warned the Security Council on Wednesday
UN conference reaches agreement on radio spectrum for global flight tracking
Nov 12, 2015, at 02:32 pm
New York, Nov 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): An agreement has been reached at the United Nations World Radiocommunication Conference in Geneva on the allocation of radiofrequency spectrum to allow the use of satellites for real-time global flight tracking in civil aviation, which could help prevent a repeat of the "tragic loss" of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 in March 2014.
Ban warns against cuts in development aid to finance response to refugee crisis
Nov 12, 2015, at 02:29 pm
New York, Nov 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Reducing development assistance to finance the cost of refugee flows is counter-productive, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned on Wednesday, declaring that "helping people in need should not be a zero-sum game."
UN human rights experts welcome release of Egyptian journalist and rights defender
Nov 12, 2015, at 02:27 pm
New York, Nov 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): UN human rights experts on Wednesday welcomed the release of Egyptian journalist Hossam Bahgat but expressed their "grave concern" over the "very difficult environment" for journalists and human rights defenders in Egypt that deters reporting and intimidates writers and activists of all kinds.
Small group of countries driving innovation in breakthrough technologies: UN report
Nov 12, 2015, at 02:24 pm
New York, Nov 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Japan and the United States lead a small group of nations that are driving innovation in 3D printing, nanotechnology and robotics, three frontier technologies that hold the potential to boost future economic growth, according to a new report by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
UN rights experts urge Iran to stop silencing journalists' dissenting voices
Nov 12, 2015, at 02:22 pm
New York, Nov 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Expressing concern over the detention, prosecution and intimidation of journalists and bloggers in Iran before the upcoming parliamentary elections, United Nations human rights experts on Wednesday called on the Government to stop "silencing dissenting voices" and to stand by its international obligation on freedom of expression.
Security Council condemns attack against UN peacekeeping mission in Central Africa
Nov 12, 2015, at 02:20 pm
New York, Nov 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The Security Council on Wednesday strongly condemned the attack against a checkpoint of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), which followed an outbreak of violence in a camp for internally displace people in the town of Batangafo, during which one peacekeeper from Cameroon was killed.
UN's ECOSOC President urges stronger cooperation to thwart tax evasion
Nov 12, 2015, at 02:16 pm
New York, Nov 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Citing an enormous loss of $100 to $240 billion dollars in uncollected global corporate income tax revenues each year, Oh Joon, President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on Wednesday stressed the need to curb tax evasion and avoidance and called for stronger international tax cooperation.
Ban calls on world leaders to shun xenophobia, open their hearts to refugee influx
Nov 12, 2015, at 02:12 pm
New York, Nov 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Voicing deep concern at those who exploit the suffering of refugees to stoke xenophobia and spew hate speech, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called on European leaders, and the world at large, to stand true to the values of human of rights and respect the dignity of people fleeing conflict and poverty in Syria and elsewhere.
Afghanistan killings: Thousands protest in Kabul
Nov 11, 2015, at 11:54 pm
Kabul, Nov 11 (IBNS): Thousands of people protested against the killing of seven civilians by Islamic State (IS) insurgents in southern Zabul province on Wednesday, media reports said.
Mark Zuckerberg misses being in India on Diwali
Nov 11, 2015, at 09:33 pm
New York, Nov 11 (IBNS): Social Networking site Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday said he is missing being in India for Diwali festival.
Syria: Envoy says UN ready to support Vienna talks for political solution to conflict
Nov 11, 2015, at 02:37 pm
New York, Nov 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Seeking to maintain momentum for renewed diplomacy towards a political settlement of the conflict in Syria, the United Nations Special Envoy on the crisis said on Tuesday that the UN is ready to support any decision taken at the next round of international talks in Vienna this weekend and that he hopes the discussions yield some deliverables for the long-suffering Syrian people – namely, a lessoning of the violence.
Science stands at heart of sustainable future, UNESCO says on World Science Day
Nov 11, 2015, at 02:35 pm
New York, Nov 11 (Just Earth News/ IBNS): Citing science, technology and innovation as key components of the upcoming United Nations climate change negotiations in Paris, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Tuesday urged governments to "do everything to support societies across the world, on every continent, to create and share knowledge."
UN launches 2016 International Year of Pulses, celebrating benefits of legumes
Nov 11, 2015, at 02:32 pm
New York, Nov 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Under the slogan 'nutritious seeds for a sustainable future,' the United Nations, led by its Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), on Tuesday launched the 2016 International Year of Pulses to raise awareness about the protein power and health benefits of all kinds of dried beans and peas, boost their production and trade, and encourage new and smarter uses throughout the food chain.
UN urges immediate release of detained Egyptian human rights defender
Nov 11, 2015, at 02:30 pm
New York, Nov 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations has called for the immediate release of detained Egyptian human rights defender Hossam Bahgat with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon describing as "profoundly worrying" the latest in a series of such detentions.
Somalia: Security Council reauthorizes naval forces to fight piracy off East Africa
Nov 11, 2015, at 02:28 pm
New York, Nov 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday renewed for another year its authorization for international naval forces to join in fighting piracy off the coast of Somalia, stressing that while the threat from Somali pirates has declined, it still remains a matter of "grave concern."
Millions of children's lives at stake as El Niño strengthens: UNICEF report
Nov 11, 2015, at 02:26 pm
New York, Nov 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): As a result of a strengthening El Niño, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is warning that an estimated 11 million children are at risk from hunger, disease and lack of water in eastern and southern Africa alone, as the weather phenomenon has left droughts and floods in its wake throughout parts of Asia, the Pacific and Latin America.
Affordable vaccine brings Africa near elimination of meningitis A: WHO
Nov 11, 2015, at 02:24 pm
New York, Nov 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Scientists have found that 90 per cent of individuals vaccinated with a meningitis A vaccine costing less than 50 cents a dose had protective antibodies in their system 5 years later, bringing Africa close to elimination of the 'highly feared' disease on the continent, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday.
UN agency expands meals programme to more than 1,600 schools across Guinea
Nov 11, 2015, at 02:23 pm
New York, Nov 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): More than 240,000 children will receive daily hot meals in school this academic year in Guinea, according to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), which is expanding its school meals programme from 735 to 1,605 primary schools across the country.
'Turn digital divides into digital opportunities,' Ban tells annual UN forum
Nov 11, 2015, at 02:21 pm
New York, Nov 11 (Just Earth NEWS/IBNS): To cover the "breadth and depth" of the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals, the potential of the data revolution must be explored through the use of new and non-traditional sources of data, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed at the 10th annual Internet Governance Forum (IGF), which opened today in João Pessoa, Brazil.
Mali entering new era of opportunity with women central to recovery: UN relief official
Nov 11, 2015, at 02:19 pm
New York, Nov 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Mali is entering a new era of opportunity, but while significant progress has been made, the international community 'must not take its foot off the accelerator,' a senior UN relief official said on Tuesday, returning from a three-day visit to the country.
Saudi Arabia: Ban calls fighting terrorism with heavy-handed tactics counter-productive
Nov 11, 2015, at 02:15 pm
New York, Nov 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Speaking in a region that has been torn apart by violent extremism, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told Arab and South America leaders in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday that heavy-handed tactics in fighting terrorism only add fuel to the fire.
UN envoy commends South Sudanese opposition commanders' plan to prevent rape
Nov 11, 2015, at 02:13 pm
New York, Nov 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict on Tuesday commended 54 ranking members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Sudan People's Liberation Army-in Opposition (SPLA-IO) for signing "explicit undertakings' to prevent conflict-related sexual violence.
Ban stresses empowering youth to lead global progress
Nov 11, 2015, at 02:12 pm
New York, Nov 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday commemorated the fifth anniversary of the UN Academic Impact and lauded the contributions made by the initiative in providing the world with ideas for some of its most pressing problems.
Murder of two Syrian citizen journalists condemned by UNESCO chief
Nov 10, 2015, at 02:25 pm
New York, Nov 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Monday condemned the killing of two Syrian citizen journalists, found dead a little over a week ago in the city of Sanliurfa, in the southeast of Turkey.
Helsinki innovators' summit seeks to help make children a part of the solution: UNICEF
Nov 10, 2015, at 02:23 pm
New York, Nov 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): More than 500 leading thinkers from the technological, academic, corporate, development and humanitarian world are convening today in Helsinki, Finland, for a summit co-organized by the Finnish Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to explore new technologies to improve life for the world’s most vulnerable children.
Flooding in Baghdad, emergency response hurt by lagging funds: UN relief wing
Nov 10, 2015, at 02:21 pm
New York, Nov 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Torrential downpours have caused flooding in and around the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, prompting a state of emergency to be declared in areas overwhelmed by heavy rains, with more than 80,000 displaced people sheltering in some 40 sites and camps, according to the latest update from the United Nations humanitarian wing.
UN refugee agency delivers aid to eastern Ukraine for first time in months
Nov 10, 2015, at 02:20 pm
New York, Nov 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations refugee agency has managed to deliver aid for the first time in over two months to areas of eastern Ukraine beyond Government control where two million people are in urgent need of assistance, reaching 12,000 people – a "small drop in the ocean of needs" – with plans to expand greatly as the harsh winter sets in.
Greenhouse gas concentrations hit yet another record: UN weather agency
Nov 10, 2015, at 02:17 pm
New York, Nov 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced on Monday that the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached yet another new record high in 2014, continuing a relentless rise which is fuelling climate change and will make the planet more dangerous and inhospitable for future generations.