World needs to move beyond ‘conceptual debate’ and improve protection from atrocities, urges Guterres

Sep 07, 2017, at 09:47 am

New York, Sept 7(Just Earth News): Highlighting increased atrocity crimes – genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity – in many parts of the world, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday called for concrete action to protect the vulnerable and to reverse such negative trends.

Mali: UN chief condemns latest attack on peacekeepers

Sep 07, 2017, at 04:45 am

New York, Sept 6(Just Earth News): Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned an attack against a United Nations convoy in the Kidal region of Mali that left two peacekeepers dead and two others seriously injured.

Ahead of Hurricane Irma, UNICEF preparing supplies and communication lines to youth

Sep 07, 2017, at 04:44 am

New York, Sept 6(Just Earth News): If Irma stays on its current track as a category 5 hurricane, it will bring devastating damage within hours to parts of the Caribbean, affecting the lives of hundreds of thousands of children, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Wednesday cautioned.

Syria: UN probe documents use of chemical weapons and other crimes against civilians

Sep 07, 2017, at 04:42 am

New York, Sept 6(Just Earth News): Despite reduced violence in some places in Syria, warring parties continued to perpetrate unthinkable crimes against civilians, including the use of chemical weapons by Government forces, a group of United Nations investigators said on Wednesday as they released a new report.

Conflict, widespread poverty stall progress on education rates over past decade – UNICEF

Sep 07, 2017, at 04:36 am

New York, Sept 6(Just Earth News): Pervasive levels of poverty, protracted conflicts and complex humanitarian emergencies have led to stagnation in reducing the global out-of-school rate over the past decade, prompting the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to call for more investments.

DPRK's nuclear risk 'most dangerous crisis we face on Tuesday,' warns UN chief Guterres

Sep 06, 2017, at 09:46 am

New York, Sept 6(Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday “unequivocally” condemned the latest nuclear and missile tests by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), denouncing them as “profoundly destabilizing for regional and international security.”

Imposing sanctions on Mali, Security Council targets those undermining peace process

Sep 06, 2017, at 09:45 am

New York, Sept 6(Just Earth News): The Security Council on Tuesday established a sanctions regime on Mali, introducing a travel ban and assets freeze that will apply to individuals and entities engaged in actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, or stability of the conflict-torn African country.

In Ethiopia, UN agency chiefs say more investment is needed to bolster drought-prone areas

Sep 06, 2017, at 09:44 am

New York, Sept 6(Just Earth News): More investment is needed in long-term projects to protect people in developing countries from droughts, the heads of the United Nations food agencies on Tuesday said after a visit to Ethiopia where 9.5 million people are hungry.

'New Urban Agenda,' reform of UN-Habitat take spotlight at high-level General Assembly talks

Sep 06, 2017, at 09:43 am

New York, Sept 6(Just Earth News): The United Nations deputy chief on Tuesday said that the Organization is failing to deliver sufficiently in cities, and its work in and on urban areas must be reinvigorated, as the General Assembly kicked off a high-level meeting on a new UN approach to the rapidly urbanizing world.

Colombia: UN welcomes ceasefire pact between Government and ELN rebels

Sep 06, 2017, at 09:42 am

New York, Sept 6(Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday welcomed the announcement by the Government of Colombia and the National Liberation Army (ELN) of a temporary bilateral cease-fire from 1 October 2017 to 12 January 2018.

Surge in number of civilians fleeing Myanmar's Rakhine for Bangladesh – UN agencies

Sep 06, 2017, at 04:34 am

New York, Sept 5(Just Earth News): More than 123,000 people from Myanmar's Rakhine state have fled to Bangladesh since the latest outbreak of violence, the United Nations migration agency on Tuesday announced seeking $18 million to urgently help the refugees.

Yemen: UN report urges probe into rights violations amid 'entirely man-made catastrophe'

Sep 06, 2017, at 04:33 am

New York, Sept 5(Just Earth News): The United Nations human rights chief has called for an independent, international investigation into the allegations of serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Yemen, in a new report published on Tuesday.

Burundi: UN independent panel calls for ICC probe into possible crimes against humanity

Sep 06, 2017, at 04:31 am

New York, Sept 5(Just Earth News): Having concluded that serious human rights violations, including executions and sexual violence, are continuing in Burundi with impunity, a United Nations-appointed expert panel will ask the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open an investigation into possible crimes against humanity.

Allowing Japan, South Korea to buy increased amount of highly sophisticated military equipment from US: Trump

Sep 06, 2017, at 12:51 am

Washington, Sept 5 (IBNS): US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said his government is selling Japan and South Korea a “substantially increased” amount of US military equipment.

Australia: Same sex marriage vote could hit a bump. Here's why:

Sep 05, 2017, at 04:04 pm

Sydney, Sep 5 (IBNS): Come Sep 12, Australians will take part in a vote to decide whether to legalise same sex marriages or not, but that could all come to an abrupt end.

UN political chief urges Security Council to 'remain united, take appropriate action' on DPR Korea

Sep 05, 2017, at 04:55 am

New York, Sept 4(Just Earth News): The top United Nations political official on Monday urged the Security Council to remain united and take appropriate action against Sunday's nuclear explosive test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Following North's nuclear test, South Korea indulges in live-fire drill

Sep 04, 2017, at 04:40 pm

Seoul, Sep 4 (IBNS): South Korea has conducted a live-fire drill simulating an attack on North Korean nuclear zone, media reports said.

Rohingya crisis: Malala slams Myanmar govt, urges fellow Nobel laureate Suu Kyi to take steps

Sep 04, 2017, at 03:46 pm

London, Sep 4 (IBNS): Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai has urged fellow recipient Aung San Suu Kyi to look into the ongoing Rohingya crisis in the latter's country, while slamming the Myanmar government for the lack of competence in handling the matter.

UN atomic chief says DPR Korea's new nuclear test 'extremely regrettable act'

Sep 04, 2017, at 04:40 am

New York, Sept 3 (Just Earth News): Following today's reported nuclear bomb test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the head of the United Nations atomic agency has spoken against “an extremely regrettable act” that completely disregarded the international community's repeated demands.

North Korea tests Hydrogen bomb ten times powerful than last trial

Sep 03, 2017, at 08:17 pm

Pyongyang, Sep 3 (IBNS): North Korean state-run media has reported that the country has successfully tested a Hydrogen Bomb, which is way more powerful than an atomic bomb.

Spanish drug bust: At least 14 arrested, 3-kilo cocaine seized

Sep 03, 2017, at 07:18 pm

Majorca, Sep 3 (IBNS): At least 14 people have been arrested, including 12 Britons, in a drug bust in Spain's Majorca island, reports said.

Afghanistan: At least 12 insurgents killed in separate raids in Kandahar and Paktika provinces

Sep 03, 2017, at 07:09 pm

Kabul, Sep 3 (IBNS): At least 12 insurgents were killed in separate anti-terrorists raids in Kandahar and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan.

France: Lightning strike injures at least 15 people

Sep 03, 2017, at 07:06 pm

Paris, Sep 3 (IBNS): At least 15 people have sustained injuries in north-east France after being struck directly by lightning, reports said.

Iraq: ISIL targeting civilians to 'avenge' loss of Tal Afar, UN envoy says

Sep 02, 2017, at 09:39 am

New York, Sept 2 (Just Earth News): Fighters from the Islamic State (ISIL) are indiscriminately targeting civilians to avenge for their loss of Tal Afar, the top United Nations political representative in Iraqi on Friday said, condemning the latest attack in Baghdad.

Casualties from cluster munitions double in 2016; Syrians most-affected – UN-backed report

Sep 02, 2017, at 09:38 am

New York, Sept 2 (Just Earth News): Even as countries continue to ratify and implement the international treaty prohibiting the use of cluster munitions, casualties from these notorious weapons doubled in the past year, with civilians accounting for nearly all the victims, according to a United Nations-backed civil society report.

Guterres says UN ready to support relief efforts in South Asia countries hit by floods, landslides

Sep 02, 2017, at 09:37 am

New York, Sept 2 (Just Earth News): Saddened by the loss of life and the devastation caused by widespread floods and landslides due to torrential monsoon rains in Bangladesh, India and Nepal, Secretary-General António Guterres said on Friday that the United Nations is ready to support ongoing relief efforts.

UN allocates $21M to meet urgent needs in newly-accessible areas across Sudan

Sep 02, 2017, at 05:03 am

New York, Sept 1(Just Earth News): The United Nations on Friday allocated $21 million to provide life-saving food support, nutrition, water and sanitation, health and other assistance to thousands of Sudanese in newly accessible areas in Darfur's Jebel Marra area, South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

Afghanistan: UN mission confirms at least 44 civilians killed, injured in latest airstrikes

Sep 02, 2017, at 05:01 am

New York, Sept 1(Just Earth News): At least 28 women and children were killed and an additional 16 injured in air strikes this week in Afghanistan, the United Nations political mission in the country said in initial findings of its probe into the deaths.

Myanmar: UN expert urges efforts to break 'worsening cycle of violence' in Rakhine

Sep 01, 2017, at 09:39 am

New York, Sept 1(Just Earth News): A United Nations human rights expert has expressed alarm at the deteriorating situation in Myanmar's Rakhine State, affecting not just the Rakhine Buddhist and Rohingya Muslim populations but also other communities.

UN chief welcomes release of arrested leaders in Cameroon

Sep 01, 2017, at 04:27 am

New York, Aug 31(Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed yesterday's release of several leaders of the English-speaking regions in Cameroon's South West and North West as well as the dropping of all charges against them.