Pregnant women, children among the victims in latest Mediterranean tragedy – UNICEF
Nov 05, 2016, at 04:40 am
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): A number of children and pregnant women were among the 240 people reported to have drowned off the coast of Libya while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea this week, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said.
Liberian land rights defenders on run after threats from police
Nov 05, 2016, at 04:31 am
Washington, DC Nov 4 (IBNS): Alfred Brownell, a campaigner for the land rights of Liberia's local communities, and his staff at Green Advocates have gone underground after threats from the police.
Innovative film marks 120th anniversary of the first medical X-ray
Nov 05, 2016, at 04:19 am
Birmingham, Nov 4 (IBNS): On World Radiography Day and the International Day of Radiology, to be observed on Nov 8, a new film has been commissioned to coincide with the anniversary of the first medical X-ray performed in Birmingham 120 years ago.
South Sudan: UN peacekeeping chief sets up task force after probe into mission’s performance
Nov 04, 2016, at 01:48 pm
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): After an independent inquiry found that the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) failed to protect civilians as deadly violence broke out in and around its premises in the capital, Juba, in July, the top UN peacekeeping official on Thursday announced that he has established a task force to carry out the probe’s recommendations, which include ensuring greater accountability of the mission’s leadership.
UN agency working to address women’s health and protection needs in storm-hit Haiti
Nov 04, 2016, at 01:47 pm
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): With some 546,000 women of reproductive age in Haiti affected by Hurricane Matthew, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has urged greater attention to women’s vulnerability in the aftermath of the storm, which devastated not only people’s livelihoods but health facilities and other vital infrastructure.
UN Security Council ‘strongly condemns’ ceasefire violations in Mali
Nov 04, 2016, at 01:46 pm
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): Strongly condemning repeated violations of the ceasefire arrangements by the Plateforme and Coordination in and around northern Mali’s restive Kidal town, the United Nations Security Council on Thursday warned that such acts threaten the viability of the peace agreement in the country and called on the armed groups to immediately cease hostilities and return to dialogue.
Ban welcomes announcement of adoption of new Constitution in Côte d'Ivoire
Nov 04, 2016, at 01:44 pm
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed on Thursday the announcement of the adoption of the new Constitution in Côte d'Ivoire by the Commission Electorale Indépendante, which followed the 30 October constitutional referendum.
Displaced amid Mosul offensive, close to 10,000 children in urgent need of aid, says UNICEF
Nov 04, 2016, at 01:43 pm
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): Some 20,700 people have been displaced since the operation to liberate the Iraqi city of Mosul from terrorists started on 17 October, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Thursday, estimating that 9,700 of them are children in urgent need of assistance.
African Union-UN mission in Darfur welcomes unilateral six-month truce by two armed groups
Nov 04, 2016, at 01:42 pm
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): Welcoming a six-month unilateral cessation of hostilities by the Sudan Liberation Army-Minni Minnawi and the Justice and Equality Movement-Gibril, the African Union (AU)-United Nations mission in Darfur on Thursday called on Abdul Wahid El Nur, the leader of the Sudan Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid to also make a similar declaration.
UN officials emphasize the need for coherence and coordination to achieve 2030 Agenda
Nov 04, 2016, at 01:41 pm
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): Meeting in Rome with members of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) the president of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) highlighted the “universal and inspirational†nature of the 2030 Agenda, adding that it is a tremendous benefit for system-wide coherence and coordination across all UN agencies.
Nov 04, 2016, at 01:39 pm
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): A day before the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change comes into force, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is urging the world to ‘dramatically’ step up its efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions – by some 25 per cent more than those pledged in Paris last year – “to meet the stronger, and safer, target of 1.5 degrees Celsius†global temperature rise.
FEATURE: Feudal-era Japanese village leader stands as beacon for tsunami education
Nov 04, 2016, at 01:38 pm
New York, Nov 4 (Just Earth News): Japan’s initiative to raise the awareness of the risks posed by tsunamis will this weekend mark a milestone when World Tsunami Awareness Day makes its debut on 5 November – an occasion that goes beyond paying tribute to the victims of tsunamis.
New UN health agency guidelines aim to stop surgical infections and arrest spread of ‘superbugs’
Nov 04, 2016, at 04:30 am
New York, Nov 3 (Just Earth News): Warning that millions of people die every year from preventable surgical infections, particularly in developing countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued new guidelines on Thursday on tackling hospital-acquired infections with the aim of saving lives, cutting costs and arresting the spread of ‘superbugs.’
UN rights experts urge DR Congo to lift 'unjustified' ban on protests
Nov 04, 2016, at 04:29 am
New York, Nov 3 (Just Earth News): Expressing concern over what they called an “unjustified†ban on protests in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a group of United Nations human rights experts on Thursday called on the authorities to protect the fundamental rights of the people and to revoke the prohibition.
UK High Court says only Parliament can trigger Brexit
Nov 03, 2016, at 10:48 pm
New Delhi/London, Nov 3 (IBNS): The British government is in a fix after the country High Court has ruled that Parliamentary nod is needed for Brexit, according to media reports.
UN envoy calls for concerted efforts to avoid rolling-back of gains in Africa’s Great Lakes
Nov 03, 2016, at 01:24 pm
New York, Nov 3 (Just Earth News): The United Nations envoy for the Great Lakes region on Wednesday highlighted the challenges posed by armed groups which continue to threaten the region’s stability and called for concerted efforts to avert any reversal of the commendable gains it has achieved thus far.
Nov 03, 2016, at 01:23 pm
New York, Nov 3 (Just Earth News): Addressing the National Assembly of the Central African Republic (CAR) on Wednesday , United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told the legislators that the country’s people had given them a clear mandate, and as such, he urged them not only to play their traditional role as parliamentarians, “but also as defenders of dialogue and reconciliation.â€
On International Day, UN calls for end of impunity for crimes against journalists
Nov 03, 2016, at 04:42 am
New York, Nov 2 (Just Earth News): Warning that impunity for crimes against journalists is rampant, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called for immediate action to secure justice in cases here journalists have been attacked or killed and for concrete steps from all countries to ensure that media professionals are guaranteed space to operate free from harassment and intimidation.
Western Saharan refugees face looming food shortage, UN agencies warn in appeal for donor support
Nov 03, 2016, at 04:40 am
New York, Nov 2 (Just Earth News): Three United Nations agencies operating in Algeria appealed on Wednesday for continued donor support for refugees from Western Sahara, warning that insufficient funding makes imminent a cut in basic food rations.
Nov 03, 2016, at 04:39 am
New York, Nov 2 (Just Earth News): On the morning of 1 November 2015, the day before the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists last year, Abdalaziz Alhamza, co-founder of a campaign to expose atrocities committed against civilians in the Syrian city of Raqqa, received two photos. One was of his colleague – with no head.
Nov 03, 2016, at 04:36 am
New York, Nov 2 (Just Earth News): The Governments of France and the United Kingdom fell seriously short of their obligations under the international child rights convention by inadequately handling the situation of minors living at the Calais migrant camp in France, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has said.
Funding shortfall for UN emergency response fund could have 'devastating impact'
Nov 03, 2016, at 04:35 am
New York, Nov 2 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has warned that an imminent funding shortfall could severely impact its response to sudden onset or rapidly deteriorating emergencies as well as forgotten crises during the end of 2016 and early 2017 and ultimately have a devastating impact on the lives of people in need.
Chinese news agency confirms 33 miners killed in coal mine explosion
Nov 02, 2016, at 07:04 pm
New Delhi, Nov 2 (IBNS): In China, 33 miners were killed in an explosion in coal mine in central region of Chongqing, according to media reports on Wednesday.
Boat carrying 93 capsizes in Indonesia, 21 dead
Nov 02, 2016, at 06:46 pm
Batam, Indonesia, Nov 2 (IBNS): At least 21 people died after a speedboat carrying 93 migrant workers capsized off Nongsa waters in Indonesia's Batam on Wednesday, reports said.
British mum leaves husband to be with Afghan migrant
Nov 02, 2016, at 04:57 pm
London, Nov 2 (IBNS): A British woman, who volunteered in the makeshift Calais migrant camp in France, reportedly left her husband to be with an Afghan migrant, who she plans to marry soon, reports said.
Vietnam: Karaoke bar fire kills 13
Nov 02, 2016, at 02:46 pm
Hanoi, Nov 2 (IBNS): At least 13 people were killed as a fire broke out at a karaoke lounge in Vietnam, media reports said on Wednesday.
Nov 02, 2016, at 01:26 pm
New York, Nov 2 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday welcomed the election of Michel Aoun as the President of Lebanon, noting that it represents a long-awaited and critical step to overcome the country’s political and institutional crisis.
Security Council authorizes UN Mission in Colombia to verify ceasefire
Nov 02, 2016, at 01:25 pm
New York, Nov 2 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Security Council has sent a letter to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon authorizing the UN Mission in Colombia to verify the ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, following a request from the Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP).
UN chief appoints Izumi Nakamitsu of Japan as special adviser for refugee summit follow-up
Nov 02, 2016, at 01:24 pm
New York, Nov 2 (Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday announced the appointment of Izumi Nakamitsu of Japan as Special Adviser on Follow-up to the UN Summit on Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants, which was held on 19 September 2016.
Nov 02, 2016, at 01:23 pm
New York, Nov 2 (Just Earth News): The United Nations human rights wing on Tuesday received reports that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) is attempting to forcibly transfer tens of thousands of civilians closer to Mosul, including near its own military installations, which could be targets as the Iraqi Government’s offensive to retake the city intensifies.