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| UN CALLS FOR ACTION AND INVESTMENT TO ERADICATE GLOBAL POVERTY
October 17, 2009 at 11:10 am
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| UN CALLS FOR ACTION AND INVESTMENT TO ERADICATE GLOBAL POVERTY
New York, Oct 17 2009 11:10AM
The United Nations today marked the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declaring that the fight against a scourge that afflicts over a billion people around the world is at a critical juncture. "At a time of multiple global crises, the poorest and most vulnerable have a special claim on our attention," he said in a < http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/sgsm12530.doc.htm>message. "We know that, in any recession, those hurt first - and worst- are the poor." He noted that according to recent estimates, the global economic crisis has claimed at least 50 million jobs this year and up to 100 million more people are expected to fall below the poverty line in 2009. Climate change further compounds the problem. "Now is the time to amplify the voices of the vulnerable and ensure that the world follows up on its pledges," he said. "With the rig
ht investments and concrete action, we can build upon the gains, fulfil our commitments, and ensure that every man, woman and child has the opportunity to make the most of their potential." The Day's theme this year is "Children and Families Speak Out against Poverty," and UN Children's Fund (<http://www.unicef.org/>UNICEF) Executive Director Ann M. Veneman highlighted the harm that poverty and its concomitant ills of malnutrition and lack of education inflict on the young. "Early childhood, in particular, lays the foundation for a lifetime. Children who are chronically undernourished before their second birthday are likely to have diminished cognitive and physical development for the rest of their lives," she said in a <http://www.unicef.org/media/media_51437.html>message. "Investing in better nutrition for children helps improve their lives and contributes to the development of their communities. Research shows that every dollar spent on vitamin A and zinc supplementation for
children creates benefits that exceed $17. Noting the importance of investment in education, she cited experts' estimate that one dollar invested in girls' education provided a ten-fold return in increased productivity.
"Studies also show that educated adolescents are more likely to wait until they are out of their high-risk teenage years before starting a family and have healthier babies," she said. The UN Independent Expert on human rights and extreme poverty, Magdalena Sepúlveda, stressed that 2009 has been one of record job losses, with malnutrition expected to reach a historic peak of over 1 billion people and tightening budget constraints threatening investment in education and health care. "The crisis is not over," she said in a <http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/6BBF6127CD7E6D96C1257651004B1AA9?opendocument>statement. "In fact, its full impact, particularly on the most vulnerable, is still unfolding. From a human rights perspective, we are far from a r
ecovery on the contrary, poverty and hunger are still increasing." Echoing those comments, UN human rights chief Navi Pillay noted that although economists are now seeing signs of recovery, it is likely to have little if any impact on the daily lives of many millions of the world's poorest people for a long time to come.
"The prosperity of our society tomorrow depends to a considerable degree on the situation of our children today," she said. "Children of poor families are amongst the hardest hit in times of economic crisis, and the lack of social protection measures will have lifelong consequences for them, and for the societies in which they live." Meanwhile, Helen Clark, the head of the UN Development Programme (<http://www.undp.org/>UNDP), used her <http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/2009/october/helen-clark-international-day-for-the-eradication-of-poverty.en>message for the Day to call for action to tackle the impoverishment associated with climate disasters in the develo
ping world.
"Efforts to eradicate poverty and to tackle climate change cannot be separated," she stated, noting that the effects of climate change weigh disproportionately on the poorest, and on women and children. She called on countries to reach a climate change deal this December in Copenhagen that is "positive for our climate and for poverty reduction and development." As this year's Day falls on a weekend, the UN will be holding a full programme of activities at UN Headquarters in New York on Monday, coinciding with the observance of the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. These will include testimonies from children and families living in poverty and an interactive panel discussion on the theme "Children: the future and present -- participation in poverty reduction and the accountability for rights." Yesterday Mr. Ban used a visit to the UN International School (UNIS) in New York to rally children in the battle against extreme poverty, inviting
his youthful listeners to first crouch and then rise in a symbolic gesture of the UN's "Stand Up Against Poverty" campaign. Oct 17 2009 11:10AM
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| Today's News from TheEagle.com
October 17, 2009 at 10:14 am
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| Obama: Service is much more important than politics Posted: 16 Oct 2009 05:43 AM PDT President Barack Obama was welcomed by a standing ovation and traditional Aggie "whoops" Friday on the Texas A&M campus where he called on all to get more involved in their communities.Citing host George H.W. Bush's vision for public service as t ... | | Obama salutes B-CS volunteers Posted: 16 Oct 2009 06:10 PM PDT President Barack Obama urged residents to become active in improving their communities during a 22-minute speech at Texas A&M University on Friday, naming local residents and organizations as examples of how people can make a difference. "When it ... | | 1,000 protesters include few from A&M Posted: 16 Oct 2009 06:09 PM PDT They came from across Texas by the busload to protest President Barack Obama's visit to Aggieland. But though Texas A&M is known as one of the nation's most conservative public universities, few Aggies joined the crowd. Kelsey Berger sat along a ... | | Big Event director becomes the newest Point of Light Posted: 16 Oct 2009 05:41 PM PDT For a few seconds Friday afternoon, Texas A&M junior Mallory Myers was the focus of President Barack Obama's speech delivered on campus.While encouraging students to get involved in volunteering even though it can feel like "a bit of a chore," Ob ... | | President 'draws inspiration' from cadets Posted: 16 Oct 2009 12:46 PM PDT About 5:20 p.m. Friday, President Barack Obama, former President George H.W. Bush and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stopped at Duncan Dining Center on the Texas A&M campus. Obama's remarks to the assembled members of the Corps of Cadets: I'm ... | | Students unruffled by Obama's presence Posted: 16 Oct 2009 05:42 PM PDT Classes went on as usual at Texas A&M on Friday, and many students said President Barack Obama's visit to the campus wasn't a topic of discussion. Aggies were studying for classes and playing sports, and most seemed to not pay much attention to ... | | Elder Bush sees 'ugliness' in attacks on Obama Posted: 16 Oct 2009 10:18 AM PDT Former President George H.W. Bush doesn’t like the “ugliness†President Barack Obama has faced since taking office, but he thinks it’s no worse than his son experienced and is not about Obama being black.Bush, who was hosting Obama at a volunteerism ... | | Attendees left forum motivated to help Posted: 16 Oct 2009 06:10 PM PDT When he woke up Friday morning, Jeff Schiefelbein wasn't sure if he'd be attending the Presidential Forum on Service, where former President George H.W. Bush and President Barack Obama addressed a full house at Rudder Auditorium about the importance ... | | Talk focuses on need to boost volunteerism Posted: 16 Oct 2009 05:43 PM PDT Civic leaders gathered Friday at the George Bush Presidential Library and resolved to step up efforts to ensure the success of the volunteerism movement.More than 100 people participated in the Points of Light Foundation roundtable discussion a few h ... | | Police investigating death of A&M student killed by train Posted: 16 Oct 2009 03:10 AM PDT Police said they are investigating the death of a 22-year-old Texas A&M student hit by a train early Friday on campus. Officers received a report at 2:09 a.m. about a pedestrian struck by a train in the area of Wellborn Road north of Old Main Dr ... | | Memorial set for ex-Eagle writer Posted: 16 Oct 2009 06:19 PM PDT Eagle Staff ReportA memorial service for a former Eagle sportswriter is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday at Crosspoint Community Church in Katy.Scott Kaiser, who was also a former sportswriter for Houston-area community papers and was working as the Kat ... | | BV area is hub of activity this weekend Posted: 16 Oct 2009 05:45 PM PDT Eagle Staff ReportSo much to do. So little time. Brazos Valley has all kinds of events scheduled for this weekend: An air show, concerts, a mushroom festival, rodeo, a celebration of dogs and planned explosions. * The annual Coulter Air Classic is se ... | | Text of President Obama's speech Posted: 16 Oct 2009 01:21 PM PDT REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT THE POINTS OF LIGHT 20TH ANNIVERSARY Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. So, howdy, Aggies.AUDIENCE: Howdy!It is an honor to be here with all of you today at this outstanding university.Now, I was told that if the wi ... | | Texas jobless rate rises to 8.2 percent Posted: 16 Oct 2009 05:43 PM PDT AUSTIN -- The state unemployment rate jumped to 8.2 percent in September and an additional 44,700 jobs were lost, the Texas Workforce Commission said Friday.In August, the jobless rate hit 8 percent for the first time in 22 years. The state has lost ... | | Wal-Mart launches war on book prices Posted: 16 Oct 2009 05:18 PM PDT CHICAGO -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has launched a full-fledged price war with Amazon.com Inc. and a nation of book retailers, lowering online prices on certain highly anticipated hardback titles to $9.The volley of discounts, which began Thursday when t ... | | U.S. deficit hits $1.42T Posted: 16 Oct 2009 05:18 PM PDT WASHINGTON -- The federal budget deficit has surged to an all-time high of $1.42 trillion as the recession caused tax revenues to plunge while the government was spending massive amounts to stabilize the financial system and jump-start the economy.Th ... | | College Station to vote on red-light cameras: Figures don't support safety assertions Posted: 16 Oct 2009 05:05 PM PDT By JIM MANESS "Those who would give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin, 1775 Red-light cameras take away constitutionally guaranteed essential libert ... | | College Station to vote on red-light cameras: Number of accidents reduced Posted: 16 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT By LARRY RINGERThis Nov. 3, College Station will be voting on whether to keep our red-light safety program, a program I support because it is a valuable and lawful tool to keep all of us, including our students, safer. Unfortunately, some of the crit ... | | Preacher puts reporting background to good use Posted: 16 Oct 2009 05:18 PM PDT FALL CREEK, Wis. -- On the first Sunday morning of October, pastor Steve Scott looked far beyond the surroundings of his western Wisconsin congregation to find worthy subjects for their prayers: recent natural disaster victims in Indonesia and the Ph ... | | Religion notes Posted: 16 Oct 2009 06:10 PM PDT Sunday* Faith United Church UCC worships at the Brazos Center, 3232 Briarcrest Drive in Bryan. The 9:15 a.m. study includes Max Lucado's book 3:16. Fellowship is at 10 a.m., worship at 10:30 a.m. Pastor Karl Tewold's message this week is "Be Careful ... | | Calendar Posted: 16 Oct 2009 05:18 PM PDT MARK YOUR CALENDARSThe Bear Hugs! Teddy Bear and Stuffed Animal Collection Drive has begun and will run through Nov. 13 at Post Oak Mall. Bring in a new teddy bear or stuffed animal to help Santa provide for special needs children. The donation bin i ... | | Aggie junior named Point of Light Posted: 16 Oct 2009 05:15 AM PDT Texas A&M Big Event Director Mallory Myers on Friday was named a Point of Light for her efforts in overseeing the nation’s largest student-run service organization.Mallory, a senior political science major from Granbury, Texas, has in recent year ... | | Road closures for presidential visit Posted: 16 Oct 2009 06:22 AM PDT The area around the University Center Complex is expected to be congested throughout the day, particularly in the afternoon. From 3 to 6 p.m., specifically, entrance to the campus core from Lewis, Throckmorton, Coke and Houston streets will be restri ... | | Investigators find flaws in Army body armor tests Posted: 16 Oct 2009 05:11 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Army made critical mistakes in tests of a new body armor design, according to congressional investigators who recommend an independent review of the trials before the gear is issued to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.The Governm ... | | Swine flu hits hard, early -- claims 11 more kids Posted: 16 Oct 2009 05:08 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) -- Swine flu is causing unprecedented illness for so early in the fall -- including a worrisome count of child deaths -- and the government warned Friday that vaccine supplies will be even more scarce than expected through this month. ... |  |
| 10/17 azcentral.com | asu sports
October 17, 2009 at 12:00 am
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| ASU 'goes green' at Sun Devil Stadium
October 16, 2009 at 8:29 pm
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| | ASU to use renewable energy for home games. |
| ASU's Sullivan focused for UW
October 16, 2009 at 7:48 pm
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| | Does Danny Sullivan have a chance Saturday night? Against Washington, probably yes. With the Arizona State fans, not so much. |
| ASU vs. Washington - scouting report
October 16, 2009 at 7:21 pm
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| | Our scouting report and prediction for Saturday's game in Tempe. |
| Roque heads list of ASU Hall inductees
October 16, 2009 at 3:41 am
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| | Juan Roque, a consensus All-America tackle on the 1996 Pac-10 championship football team, and Mike Sodders, 1981 Baseball America national Player of the Year, are among those being inducted into the Arizona State Athletic Hall of Fame this weekend. | 
| 10/17 NBA.com - Dunk of the Night
October 17, 2009 at 12:00 am
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| Dunk of the Night
October 15, 2009 at 7:37 pm
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| | Ronnie Brewer gets out on the fast break and throws down a mini-windmill. | | |  |
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| 10/17 NBA.com: Lakers News
October 17, 2009 at 12:00 am
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| Lakers Practice Report: 10/16/09
October 16, 2009 at 6:23 pm
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| | Lakers Captain Derek Fisher goes one-on-one with Lakers.com's Mike Trudell about how hes managed to miss not a single game due to injury in four years, the particularly strong chemistry he feels with this team and more. | | |  |
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| 10/17 KPHO.com - Video
October 17, 2009 at 12:00 am
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| Arpaio Launches Crime Sweep In NW Valley
October 16, 2009 at 4:22 pm
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| | Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio sends his posse members and deputies on a crime-suppression sweep. |
| Fair Intern Eats Scorpion
October 16, 2009 at 12:50 pm
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| | CBS 5 News reporter Jose Miguel reports from the Arizona State Fair. |
| Woman: Firefighter Saved Husband's Life
October 16, 2009 at 12:41 pm
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| | Russ and Helen Wahl pay it forward to Scottsdale firefighter Michael Lyon, who saved Russ' life on a flight from Hawaii. |
| Lawmakers Raid Victims' Fund
October 16, 2009 at 12:32 pm
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| | State legislators say they don't see a problem with taking money from a fund designed to repay victims of fraudulent contract work. |
| Investigators Hunt For 5 Arsonists
October 16, 2009 at 12:31 pm
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| | Investigators with the Phoenix Fire Department say they're close to catching five arsonists. |
| Police: Neighbors Stole Man's Credit Cards
October 16, 2009 at 12:29 pm
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| | A Frenchman who winters in the state was surprised when his bank called him and said someone had charged $5,000 to his credit cards that stayed in Arizona. | 
| 10/17 Phoenix Arizona East Valley Living Blog
October 17, 2009 at 12:00 am
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| SBA Launches New Online Training Course
October 16, 2009 at 6:05 pm
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| SBA Launches New Online Training Course: Winning Federal Contracts – A Guide for Women Entrepreneurs WASHINGTON ─ Women who own small businesses will be able to use a new online U.S. Small Business Administration training course to learn how to identify and take advantage of federal contracting opportunities. The new training course, Winning Federal Contracts: A Guide for Women Entrepreneurs, is part of an ongoing government-wide initiative to promote opportunities for women-owned businesses in the area of government contracting. This free online tutorial is a practical and easy to use guide that walks a woman-owned small business through the contracting process. SBA is committed to ensuring that women-owned businesses receive at least 5 percent of federal contracts and believes better training opportunities are central to meeting this government-wide goal. "Federal contracts can provide unique opportunities for women entrepreneurs and small business owners to grow their businesses and create jobs, particularly during these tough economic times," Administrator Karen Mills said. "It's also a win for federal agencies, by contracting with women-owned small businesses; they are working with some of the most innovative and dynamic companies in the country." The SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership oversees a national network of more than 100 Women's Business Centers (WBCs) that provide education and training to help women start and grow small businesses. In addition, the SBA has 68 district offices and other resource partners throughout the country available to train and counsel women-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs seeking government contracts. "This online training course makes critical information and training available to an even wider array of women entrepreneurs and small business owners," said Ana Harvey, assistant administrator for SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership. "SBA wants to help ensure they have the tools and resources they need to compete for and win federal contracts." The Winning Federal Contracts course is designed to help women entrepreneurs learn about the federal procurement process and to prepare them to compete for contracting opportunities. The self-paced guide uses audio and script to provide information about contract rules, how to sell to the government and where to find contracts. The Winning Federal Contracts course is available on SBA's Web site at www.sba.gov or directly at www.sba.gov/fedcontractingtraining. It is indexed by subject matter, and includes direct links to additional contracting resources. Source: SBA Technorati Tags: SBA, small business, Training  | | |  |
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| 10/17 NBA.com - Assist of the Night
October 17, 2009 at 12:00 am
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| Assist of the Night
October 15, 2009 at 7:36 pm
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| | Kobe Bryant had to know this pass to Lamar Odom would end up on the highlight reel. | | |  |
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| 10/17 Arizona Cardinals : News
October 17, 2009 at 12:00 am
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| 10/17 Phoenix Local News
October 17, 2009 at 12:00 am
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| Cars: New Golf belongs on Germany's autobahn
October 16, 2009 at 3:32 pm
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| To view the latest USA TODAY Money headlines on your mobile device, click here.
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To make changes to your e-mail subscriptions, click here  | | |  |  |  | | | | | |  | Today's question: | | Q: Porsche Panamera appears to be sweet, but wildly overpriced. What company offers the best compromise in luxury and sportiness for the price in this class? | | | A: : The supercharged, 510-hp Jaguar XF tops out in price about where the base Panamera begins. Smaller back seat. No awd. But really classy, sporty and fun. In fact, the 400-hp non-blown Jag XF is a royal ball for $60k or less. Maybe the fact it's less roomy means it's not in the same class, which would also eliminate the likes of Lexus GS and BMW 5s. The Audi A8L is certainly big enough and has awd and otherwise makes the grade as a drivers' car, for about 20k less that a Panamera. Maybe Acura RL (awd, no V-8, though) or the Infiniti M would sate for half the price. Still, I've driven all those and the Panamera does almost seem, as Porsche claims, unique; not in any 'class.' | | Read the latest Test Drive chat | | | | | |  | | | |  | Advertisement <   | | Sponsored Links To forward this e-mail to a friend, please click here. You are currently subscribed to this newsletter with the address: phoenixnews09@gmail.com.
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| Personal Finance: Cut your heating bills
October 16, 2009 at 2:22 pm
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To make changes to your e-mail subscriptions, click here  | | | | | | | | | |  | |  Your Money
Sandra Block: Time running out for car, home tax breaks | | | |  Investing
John Waggoner: Beware of emerging markets funds | | | |  Stocks or not
Dow climbs back to 10,000 again. But can it stick? | | | | | | | | | Advertisement <   | | Sponsored Links To forward this e-mail to a friend, please click here. You are currently subscribed to this newsletter with the address: phoenixnews09@gmail.com.
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| Daily Travel News: A guide to New York's new hotels
October 16, 2009 at 1:13 pm
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| UN'S IVORIAN OPERATION TAKES STEPS TO RESOLVE STATUS OF MILLIONS OF VOTERS MISSING FROM LIST
October 16, 2009 at 6:10 pm
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| UN'S IVORIAN OPERATION TAKES STEPS TO RESOLVE STATUS OF MILLIONS OF VOTERS MISSING FROM LIST
New York, Oct 16 2009 6:10PM
The United Nations top envoy to the Côte d'Ivoire is slated to hold a series of meetings next week in a bid to jump-start a critical step threatening to disrupt the nation's much-delayed presidential elections, scheduled for late next month.The initiative aims to give new impetus to efforts which would lead to the posting of the final voter list for the Côte d'Ivoire's long-awaited polls, which were to have been held as far back as 2005 and are now scheduled for 29 November. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative Young-Jin Choi plans to focus on the case of more than 2.75 million people who had registered during the identification and voter registration process but cannot be found in any of the historical files. Mr. Choi, who heads the UN peacekeeping mission in Côte d'Ivoire (<"http://www.un.org/depts/dpko/missions/unoci/">UNOCI), encouraged all concerned to continue efforts in tackling other urgent matters such as the logistical preparations for the posting of the electoral list, the printing of ballot papers and the updating of the electoral map, UNOCI spokesperson Hamadoun Touré told reporters in Abidjan, the capital of Côte d'Ivoire. In his report earlier this week to the Security Council on UNOCI, the Secretary-General said the remaining weeks until the much-anticipated polls are fraught with major obstacles, including disarmament of militias and reintegration of former rebels. On Tuesday, the Council welcomed the completion of the identification and registration of more than 6.5 million Ivorians, and urged all parties to "resolve differences in the spirit of reconciliation and dialogue," according to a press statement read out by Le Luong Minh, Permanent Representative of Viet Nam, which holds the body's rotating monthly presidency. In related news, Mr. Touré announced a four-day UNOCI military operation, codenamed "Umbrella 2," which kicked off today in western Côte d'Ivoire. The manoeuvres are aimed at testing the Force's capacity to carry out its task of providing security during the elections. The first phase of this operation, "Umbrella 1," was carried out in the Bangolo area in September.
Oct 16 2009 6:10PM
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| UN'S OVERALL FINANCIAL SITUATION 'MIXED,' TOP OFFICIAL REPORTS
October 16, 2009 at 6:10 pm
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| UN'S OVERALL FINANCIAL SITUATION 'MIXED,' TOP OFFICIAL REPORTS
New York, Oct 16 2009 6:10PM
The current financial picture of the United Nations is mixed, a top official reported today, as she urged Member States to ensure that the Organization remains on solid footing. "In order to maintain the financial health of the Organization, it remains as critical as ever for Member States to meet their financial obligations to the United Nations in full and on time and… let me urge all Member States to endeavour to do so," said Under-Secretary-General for Management Angela Kane. <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2009/gaab3921.doc.htm">Briefing the General Assembly committee dealing with administrative and budgetary issues, also known as the Fifth Committee, she said that cash balances are projected to be positive for all categories at year end, while adding that the final outcome will depend on last quarter contributions. In connection with the Organization's regular budget, she said that assessments and payments were both higher in 2009 than in 2008, by $619 million and $534 million respectively. She thanked the 120 Member States that have paid their regular budget contributions in full and urged the remaining 72 that have not yet done so to pay their assessed contributions for 2009 in full as soon as possible. The amount of unpaid assessed contributions stood at $830 million as of 13 October. The breakdown of that amount was highly concentrated, she noted, with 93 per cent owed by a single Member State – the United States – and 7 per cent owed by a number of others. "Clearly, the final picture for 2009 will largely depend on the action taken by these countries in the coming months," stated Ms. Kane. Turning to peacekeeping operations, she noted that the unpredictable nature of the demand for peacekeeping made it hard to predict financial outcomes. In addition, peacekeeping had a different financial period, running from 1 July to 30 June, rather than 1 January to 31 December. As of 13 October, the total amount outstanding for peacekeeping operations was over $2.1 billion, some $763 million lower than at the end of 2008. While unpaid assessments have decreased for peacekeeping operations, there have been increases for the regular budget, as well as for the UN's international tribunals and the Capital Master Plan (CMP) for renovating the Headquarters complex in New York. Currently, unpaid assessed contributions – comprising the regular budget, peacekeeping, tribunals and the CMP – total $3.1 billion, she said. The UN's regular budget is approved by the Assembly for a two-year period, and the budget for the biennium 2010-2011 is expected to be acted on before the end of 2009. Contributions are assessed on a scale based primarily on countries' ability to pay. In 2000, the Assembly fixed a maximum of 22 per cent of the budget for any one contributor.
Oct 16 2009 6:10PM
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| STRICKEN BY DROUGHT, THE HORN OF AFRICA READIES FOR EXPECTED FLOODING – UN
October 16, 2009 at 5:10 pm
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| STRICKEN BY DROUGHT, THE HORN OF AFRICA READIES FOR EXPECTED FLOODING – UN
New York, Oct 16 2009 5:10PM
Already in the midst of one of the worst droughts in a decade, countries in the Horn of Africa are bracing for potentially devastating flooding triggered by El Niño weather patterns, the top United Nations humanitarian official warned today.Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda are most likely to be hit by mudslides, crop destruction, water-borne diseases and disrupted road networks, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA), adding that Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia could also be affected. "More than 23 million people in pastoral, agricultural and sub-urban communities, as well as internally displaced people and refugees in the region, are reeling from the impact of water and food shortages, pasture scarcity, conflict and insecurity," said Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes. "While we cannot prevent these climatic shocks, we certainly can mitigate their disastrous effects through forward planning and the right funding from the donor community," said Mr. Holmes, who is also the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs. Meteorologists in the Horn of Africa have forecasted that the region's annual rainy season – from mid-October through the end of the year – will be more intense than usual due to the recurrence of the El Niño weather phenomenon, caused by a rise in temperature in the Pacific and Indian Oceans similar to those experienced in late 2006. The disappearance of vegetation as a result of the prolonged drought in much of the region is expected to worsen the effects of flooding. In Kenya, some 750,000 persons – 150,000 of whom are refugees – could be affected by heavy flooding and mudslides, and in Somalia, some 450,000 persons in the Juba and Shabelle river basins could also bear the strain. Uganda has drawn up flood contingency and evacuation plans, with the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) preparing to provide immediate support to 25,000 people, and an estimated 50,000 people in Tanzania could be directly affected if flood patterns mirror those of 2006-2007. Flood affected people in Djibouti could also suffer a deterioration of the ongoing cholera outbreak, as well as other water-borne diseases. Although the humanitarian community is undertaking flood contingency planning, funding and humanitarian access remain the most significant constraints, stressed OCHA.
Oct 16 2009 5:10PM
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| UN AID OFFICIALS VOICE CONCERN ABOUT ANGOLAN REFUGEES IN DR CONGO
October 16, 2009 at 5:10 pm
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| UN AID OFFICIALS VOICE CONCERN ABOUT ANGOLAN REFUGEES IN DR CONGO
New York, Oct 16 2009 5:10PM
United Nations humanitarian officials today voiced concerns for the health and living conditions of tens of thousands of Angolan refugees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as the two countries engage in retaliatory expulsions of each other's citizens.Between 20,000 and 40,000 Angolans have massed in DRC's Bas-Congo province near the Lufu and Kuzi border posts, and the concentration of people in such a small area poses health and sanitation concerns, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA). Earlier this week OCHA deployed an inter-agency mission to Bas-Congo province to assess the conditions for the people expelled, with the concern greatest for Angolans expelled from the Cataractes district of Bas-Congo. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/">UNHCR) complained to the Congolese Government about the expulsion of the Angolans and was assured that the forced moves would stop. The Angolan Government has also announced it has temporarily suspended expulsions of Congolese living in its territory. But OCHA said that humanitarian officials in the region are continuing to follow developments closely so they can respond quickly if the expulsions resume. Angola expelled about 2,000 people to the DRC in the first half of the year but the process has accelerated since then, with about 17,000 further expulsions in the past three months, and authorities in the DRC responding with their own expulsions.
Oct 16 2009 5:10PM
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| UN HELPS SOUTHERN SUDAN CLEAN UP DISEASE-CAUSING WASTE
October 16, 2009 at 5:10 pm
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| UN HELPS SOUTHERN SUDAN CLEAN UP DISEASE-CAUSING WASTE
New York, Oct 16 2009 5:10PM
Some 16,000 volunteers will take to the streets of Juba, the capital of southern Sudan, next month in a United Nations programme to tackle health hazards caused by public dumping of waste in a rapidly growing metropolitan area that has endured repeated fatal outbreaks of cholera, water-borne diseases and malaria.The project is part of a £20 million United Kingdom-funded project to improve the sustainable use of natural resources in Africa's largest country, to be carried out by the UN Environment Programme (<"http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=599&ArticleID=6346&l=en">UNEP) over the next three years. UK Minister of State for International Development Gareth Thomas was visiting Juba today to launch the segment that aims to establish long-term waste management capacity in Southern Sudan. "The Juba clean-up not only marks the beginning of an important project that will have concrete and positive impacts on the population of southern Sudan – it also takes forward UNEP's collaboration with Sudan to improve environmental management as a critical pre-requisite of sustainable development," UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said in Nairobi, Kenya. The clean-up, which will be replicated in the nine states of southern Sudan, will be coupled with a sustained awareness-raising campaign to encourage the citizens of Juba to adopt an environmentally friendly attitude towards the disposal of waste in the city. UNEP's country-wide programme seeks to help the people of Sudan, a country ravaged by several current and recent conflicts, to achieve sustainable peace, recovery and development by improving the management of natural resources. The recently established UNEP office in Juba will also provide technical support to the Government to manage its forests and other valuable natural resources in a sustainable manner, and work to build the capacity of Government ministries to tackle environmental issues. After a peace agreement in 2005 ended two decades of war between the Government in Khartoum, in the north, and southern Sudanese rebels, UNEP conducted a post-conflict environmental assessment, making 85 recommendations and outlining a detailed $120- million action plan over three to five years.
Oct 16 2009 5:10PM
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| UN REVEALS FIVE WINNERS OF ITS 'CITIZEN AMBASSADOR' VIDEO CONTEST
October 16, 2009 at 5:10 pm
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| UN REVEALS FIVE WINNERS OF ITS 'CITIZEN AMBASSADOR' VIDEO CONTEST
New York, Oct 16 2009 5:10PM
"Every day I want you to wake up and know that you work for 6.7 billion real people, one person at a time. People with children, and dreams, and stories." With this moving message to world leaders, narrated over portraits she shot in North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Emily Troutman submitted a winning video to the United Nations' "Citizen Ambassadors" contest. Launched on 23 September to coincide with the start of the General Debate segment of the General Assembly, the campaign invited world citizens – youth in particular – to voice their opinions to heads of State and government by creating a video response to the question: "If you had the opportunity to speak to world leaders, what would you say?" The winners of the innovative outreach campaign were announced today, with honours awarded to the five best entries. Chosen from more than 400 videos, a shortlist of 20 finalists were viewed by a panel of United Nations staff members representing the Department of Public Information (DPI), the Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs (OCHA), the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and the UN Development Program (UNDP). The five winners were selected this week in a judging session which was videotaped and posted on the United Nations' YouTube channel. The winners, Ms. Troutman of the United States, Maricarmen Ortega of Mexico, Kirsty Matthews of Canada, Breno Coelho of Brazil, and Jeremy Walker of Canada, have been designated as "Citizen Ambassadors" for the UN. They have also been invited to visit the UN Headquarters in New York next week, where they will meet high-ranking officials, take a special tour of the complex, and enjoy VIP seating at the UN Day concert held in the General Assembly Hall on 23 October. Responding to her achievement, Ms. Matthews said: "Equality, sustainability and justice; these are the things that matter. I made this video to remind world leaders of that." Ms. Troutman said she was compelled to submit a video because "real change is only created by hope and empathy, by strength and commitment [and] by listening to others." The campaign is the latest in a series of initiatives launched by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that seek to increase awareness of the work of the UN and to engage a new generation of world citizens through enhanced use of the Internet and online social networking.
Oct 16 2009 5:10PM
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| REAL PROSPECT OF ENDING FIGHTING IN EASTERN DR CONGO, SAYS TOP UN ENVOY
October 16, 2009 at 4:10 pm
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| REAL PROSPECT OF ENDING FIGHTING IN EASTERN DR CONGO, SAYS TOP UN ENVOY
New York, Oct 16 2009 4:10PM
The top United Nations envoy to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) today voiced optimism that calm could soon return to the country's volatile eastern region, while noting that a number of challenges still remain. "There is now a real prospect that the conflicts that have long blighted the eastern Congo can be ended," Alan Doss, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for DRC and head of the UN peacekeeping force there, <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2009/sc9769.doc.htm">told the Security Council. Highlighting progress on a number of fronts, he stated that operations by the Congolese Army, known as FARDC, in North Kivu, South Kivu and Orientale provinces have significantly eroded the capacities of the Hutu rebel Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) and Ugandan rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). The nearly 19,000-strong UN force (<"http://monuc.unmissions.org/">MONUC), set up in 2000 to help restore peace after years of multiple civil wars, has been supporting the FARDC in efforts to flush out the rebels. Numerous waves of fighting over the years have produced around 2.2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in DRC. An estimated 1.7 million people remain displaced in the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu, with more than 400,000 persons having fled their homes since January. Mr. Doss reported that most of the IDPs who had been regrouped in camps at the outskirts of the North Kivu capital of Goma as a result of the earlier conflict with the rebel Congrès national pour la défense du peuple (CNDP) returned home. But there are still a lot of displaced people in North and South Kivu who are waiting for security to improve before returning home. In addition, more than 2,000 children have been separated from armed groups since the beginning of the year, and the integration of the CNDP and other Congolese armed groups is approaching completion. "Despite these positive developments, I do not want to imply that the troubles of eastern Congo are a thing of the past," he stated, adding that significant problems remain, including new population displacements and human rights violations, as well as an "appallingly high" level of violence against women. Yesterday the independent UN human rights expert Philip Alston called the joint Government-UN military offensive in the east "catastrophic," stating that Government troops have killed, raped or mutilated scores of civilians this year in the context of these operations. "I don't agree with his assessment," Mr. Doss told reporters, following his briefing to the Council. "We certainly would agree with him, however, that on the humanitarian side because of displacement… because of human rights violations, there are a lot of preoccupations... Yes, there are concerns and we have to deal with those concerns as we go forward." While noting that MONUC is mandated by the Council to help the Government deal with rebellions and armed groups that have created "untold misery" for the country, he stressed that it does not give unconditional support to the FARDC. "Putting an end to the armed groups, dealing with the issue of impunity and improving the discipline of the FARDC are all part of a broader effort to finally bring a very long-running conflict to an end in the eastern part of the country," he added. To underscore its full support for President Joseph Kabila's declared zero-tolerance policy for acts of sexual and gender-based violence, Mr. Doss said that MONUC will withdraw support from Congolese battalions that show a blatant disregard for international humanitarian law. In terms of looking ahead, he told the Council that the areas cleared of the presence of FDLR rebels by the Congolese armed forces must be fully secured to ensure continuing protection for the population and to allow displaced persons to return home. Major operations against the remaining rebel strongholds should be completed as soon as possible with proper regard for the protection of civilians, and the discipline of the FARDC and its allies requires constant attention "to signal that impunity will not be accepted," he added. The Special Representative noted that some observers have suggested that the military operations in the east should be suspended to give the Congolese armed forces time to "get its house in order" and improve discipline. He responded, however, that reducing the pressure now would give the rebels time to regroup and rearm. In a related development, UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres was today in Goma, where he urged the international community not to forget the Congolese in their hour of need, comparing the hundreds of thousands of IDPs there to the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Mr. Guterres will briefly visit Rwanda before attending a special summit of the African Union (AU) on forcibly displaced people that will be held in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, beginning on Monday.
Oct 16 2009 4:10PM
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| BAN ENLISTS UN SCHOOL IN WAR AGAINST POVERTY
October 16, 2009 at 4:10 pm
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| BAN ENLISTS UN SCHOOL IN WAR AGAINST POVERTY
New York, Oct 16 2009 4:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon used a visit to the United Nations International School (<"http://www.unis.org/">UNIS) in New York today to rally children in the battle against extreme poverty, a scourge that afflicts over a billion people around the world. "We know that investing in children and securing their rights is one of the surest ways to ending poverty. And I know that no one can better speak for young people than you," Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=4164">said, inviting his youthful listeners to first crouch and then rise in a symbolic gesture of the UN's "Stand Up Against Poverty" campaign on the eve of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. "We know that if we take a stand – if we act – we can end poverty in our lifetimes," he added of the first of the eight Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs), which seeks to halve by 2015 the proportion of people living on less than $1 a day. "You are the leaders of tomorrow. And every day you are learning more about our world and our challenges. One of our biggest global challenges is poverty." He said a great deal of progress had been made on getting more children into schools, especially girls, and on fighting malaria and measles and other diseases, but over 70 million children still could not even go to school, and many nations needed help, with the economic crisis making the situation more difficult for more people. "It can be difficult to understand, or even imagine, what extreme poverty feels like. But I know that we all feel compassion and solidarity with those who live it every day," Mr. Ban declared. "Together, let us pledge to stand up in the fight against poverty." The children then crouched at the sound of one and stood up at the sound of three, reciting with Mr. Ban the campaign's pledge: "We are standing now with millions of people around the world on this historic day, to show our commitment to the fight against extreme poverty, hunger and disease. "Today, we Stand Up together to call on our leaders to keep their promises and act now to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. We will continue to Stand Up, not just today but every day, to say: No more excuses, End Poverty and Inequality Now!" Mr. Ban then left his young audience with a final exhortation: "Keep taking a stand!" UNIS was founded in 1947 by UN-affiliated families. It has a multinational staff from 70 countries and over 1,450 students from 120 countries.
Oct 16 2009 4:10PM
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