Syria: Ban condemns bombings in Damascus
Feb 02, 2016, at 02:11 pm
New York, Feb 2 (Just Earth News/IBNS): In the wake of a "heinous" terrorist bombing outside Damascus on Sunday, which reportedly killed more than 60 people, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday urged Syrian Government and opposition negotiators at UN-mediated talks in Geneva to "agree on immediate improvements to Syria’s dire humanitarian situation."
At Youth Forum, UN launches new initiative to tackle employment crisis
Feb 02, 2016, at 02:09 pm
New York, Feb 2 (Just Earth News/IBNS): As more than 800 young leaders gather in New York for the annual United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum, UN officials on Monday launched a new initiative to tackle youth unemployment, making it clear that success in fighting poverty and inequality will largely depend on them being a driving force.
Don't just seek to resolve war once it erupts, prevent it in the first place: Ban
Feb 02, 2016, at 02:02 pm
New York, Feb 2 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Speaking in a region that is witnessing widespread turmoil – from Syria to Yemen – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told Oman's National Defence College on Monday that preventing conflicts rather than resolving them once they have erupted is the surest path to stability.
Zika virus an international public health emergency: WHO
Feb 02, 2016, at 02:00 pm
New York, Feb 2 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Meeting on Monday on the Zika virus outbreak, the World Health Organization announced that the recent cluster of neurological disorders and neonatal malformations reported in the Americas region constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.
UN-brokered Intra-Syrian talks officially start in Geneva with opposition meeting
Feb 02, 2016, at 01:58 pm
New York, Feb 2 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The delayed intra-Syrian talks to end five years of bloody warfare officially started in Geneva on Monday with two hours of talks between the United Nations mediator and the opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC).
Libya: $166 million UN-backed humanitarian appeal barely one per cent funded
Feb 02, 2016, at 01:56 pm
New York, Feb 2 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Almost two months after its launch, a humanitarian appeal to aid 1.3 million vulnerable people in conflict-torn Libya is 99 per cent unfunded, a senior United Nations official for the North African country warned on Monday, calling on the international community to step up to the plate.
Nigeria: Boko Haram attack on village kills 50
Feb 01, 2016, at 03:35 pm
Maiduguri, Feb 1 (IBNS) A gun and bomb attack by suspected militant group Boko Haram, reports said.
Ban urges world to support Ethiopia's efforts to battle worst drought in 30 years
Feb 01, 2016, at 02:00 pm
New York, Feb 1 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The international community must stand with the people of Ethiopia in their time of need, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, urging donors gathered in Addis Ababa to step up assistance to the drought-hit country, which is battling the effects of one of the most powerful El Niño events in recorded history, made worse by the impact of climate change.
Syria: High Negotiations Committee arrives in Geneva where UN-mediated talks are under way
Feb 01, 2016, at 01:59 pm
New York, Feb 1 (Just Earth News/IBNS): United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura has met with the delegation of the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) at their hotel in Geneva following their arrival last night in Geneva, where UN-mediated intra-Syrian talks began Friday after days of delays.
Crisis-torn Burundi's leaders should pursue dialogue, listen to concerns of their people - UN chief
Feb 01, 2016, at 01:59 pm
New York, Feb 1 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The Government and people of Burundi should resolve the country's months-long political crisis through inclusive dialogue, United Nations Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon said as he wrapped up three days of wide-ranging meetings with African Union (AU) leaders today, warning that the deteriorating situation in Burundi is "a source of great concern, not only in the region, but in the continent and the world."
NATO warns Russia over alleged violation of Turkey's airspace
Jan 31, 2016, at 09:04 pm
New York, Jan 31 (IBNS): Asking to take all necessary measures to ensure no more violations occur, NATO on Saturday warned Russia after Turkey summoned the Russian ambassador over the claimed violation of its airspace.
In Addis Ababa, Ban urges leaders to build on progress in human rights and women's empowerment
Jan 31, 2016, at 02:48 pm
New York, Jan 31 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Hailing vital commitments the African Union (AU) has made on human rights and women's rights, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday encouraged the continent's leaders to move on from setting standards to what he called “the three I's†– Implementation, Institution-building and Investment in real change – and set a shining example for the wider world.
UN chief 'alarmed' by Hamas leadership's pledge to keep building tunnels, firing rockets at Israel
Jan 31, 2016, at 02:34 pm
New York, Jan 31 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Alarmed by recent statements from the Hamas leadership in Gaza about the group's intention to continue building tunnels and firing rockets at Israel, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday said such remarks and actions do "serious disservice" to the enclave's long-suffering people and put at risk the international community's humanitarian and development efforts.
Security Council condemns terrorist attack on mosque in eastern Saudi Arabia
Jan 30, 2016, at 03:20 pm
New York, Jan 30 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Security Council has strongly condemned the terrorist attack at a mosque in the Ehsaa region of Saudi Arabia on Thursday, which left many people dead and wounded.
Syria: UN relief agencies amplify calls for access to besieged civilians
Jan 30, 2016, at 03:15 pm
New York, Jan 30 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With United Nations-mediated talks on ending the five-year crisis in Syria getting under way today as scheduled, UN relief agencies and their partners are reiterating their appeal for unhindered access by relief workers to more than four million desperate people spread across 18 besieged areas in the war-torn country.
Security Council urges Haitian parties to refrain from actions disrupting polls
Jan 30, 2016, at 03:12 pm
New York, Jan 30 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Expressing strong concern regarding the indefinite postponement of the final round of elections in Haiti – scheduled for 27 December but postponed, for the second time, to January 24 – the United Nations Security Council on Friday reiterated its condemnation of any attempt to destabilize the electoral process, and urged all parties and political actors to refrain from violence.
African Union: Ban discusses Burundi, South Sudan and counter-terrorism
Jan 30, 2016, at 03:07 pm
New York, Jan 30 (Just Eath News/IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday, in an address to the African Union Peace and Security Council, spotlighted three topics high on the regional body's agenda – counter-terrorism, and the ongoing crises in both South Sudan and Burundi – all of which require urgent attention at the continental-level and from the wider international community.
Paris Agreement 'decisive turning point' on climate change: UN Official
Jan 30, 2016, at 03:04 pm
New York, Jan 30 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Less than two months after 196 parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) adopted the Paris Agreement, the global community is already seeing signs of it being a decisive turning point, according to a senior UN official dealing with climate issues.
Los Angeles bound flight returns to Heathrow Airport after mysterious illness plague passengers
Jan 29, 2016, at 05:36 pm
London, Jan 29 (IBNS) A Los Angeles bound American Airlines Boeing 777 returned back to the Heathrow Airport just a couple of hours after it took off, owing to several passengers mysteriously falling ill, according to reports.
Disneyland Paris: Man carrying two guns arrested by police
Jan 29, 2016, at 04:57 pm
Paris, Jan 29 (IBNS) A 28-year-old man carrying two guns at an entrance to a Disneyland Paris hotel was arrested on Friday, according to reports.
More than half Yemen's population face hunger amid ongoing strife, FAO warns
Jan 29, 2016, at 02:46 pm
New York, Jan 29 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Some 14.4 million Yemenis, more than half of the population of Yemen, are food insecure, an increase of 12 per cent in just the last eight months, as ongoing conflict and import restrictions reduce availability and send prices soaring, the United Nations agricultural agency warned on Thursday.
WHO convenes emergency meeting to address 'dramatic' spread of Zika virus
Jan 29, 2016, at 02:45 pm
New York, Jan 29 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday called an emergency meeting for Monday on the "dramatic" rise in Zika virus infection – strongly suspected of causing birth malformations – warning that its "explosive" spread could eventually infect up to four million people before it is brought under control.
Libya: UN envoy condemns abduction of parliamentarian, calls for his release
Jan 29, 2016, at 02:42 pm
New York, Jan 29 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The most senior United Nations official in Libya on Friday strongly condemned the abduction of a member of the House of Representatives, just days after a significant step forward in the quest to end the country's political divisions and armed conflict.
UN envoy says Somalia's success depends on managing threats
Jan 29, 2016, at 02:40 pm
New York, Jan 29 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The Security Council heard on Thursday from the top United Nations official in Somalia that success in the country this year will depend upon managing threats, notably those posed by the terrorist groups Al-Shabaab, while announcing a "breakthrough" political achievement.
Livestock biodiversity must be preserved as tool against climate change: UN agency
Jan 28, 2016, at 02:13 pm
New York, Jan 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The genetic diversity of livestock can play a vital role in feeding the world in the face of hotter weather and the other effects of climate change, yet many valuable breeds continue to be at risk, the United Nations agricultural agency warned on Wednesday, calling for stronger global efforts to safeguard the existing gene pool.
Global investors must play full role in shifting world to clean energy: Ban
Jan 28, 2016, at 02:11 pm
New York, Jan 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): More than 500 global investors gathered at United Nations Headquarters in New York on Wednesday to mobilize the trillions of dollars needed to move the world onto the path of clean energy, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon challenging them to, at a minimum, double clean energy investments to $660 billion by 2020.
Security Council renews sanctions for Central African Republic
Jan 28, 2016, at 02:04 pm
New York, Jan 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Stressing the urgent need to end impunity in the Central African Republic (CAR) and bring to justice those who violate humanitarian law, the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday renewed its sanctions against individuals or groups implicated in the country's ongoing sectarian tensions.
Besieged Syrians believe the world has forgotten them: UN relief chief
Jan 28, 2016, at 02:00 pm
New York, Jan 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With United Nations-backed political talks on Syria set to begin later this week, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, on Wednesday urged the entire international community to get behind the process, which seeks to ease the suffering for millions of desperate people and end "one of the most savage and brutal conflicts of the 21st century."
Darfur: UN expresses grave concern over new hostilities and impact on civilians
Jan 28, 2016, at 01:58 pm
New York, Jan 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations on Wednesday expressed grave concern over the impact of the ongoing hostilities in Darfur on thousands of civilians who have been forced to flee their homes amid the conflict that began two weeks ago.
Education key to preventing genocides, says Ban honouring Holocaust victims
Jan 28, 2016, at 01:56 pm
New York, Jan 28 (Just Earth News/IBNS): As the global community gathered to commemorate the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi extermination camp 71 years ago, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stressed that the most effective way to stand up for human rights, fight xenophobia and prevent new genocides is by educating new generations about the horrors of the Holocaust.