| UN EXPERT RAISES CONCERN OVER POLICIES MARGINALIZING TRADITIONAL SEED VARIETIES
October 21, 2009 at 7:11 pm
|
| UN EXPERT RAISES CONCERN OVER POLICIES MARGINALIZING TRADITIONAL SEED VARIETIES
New York, Oct 21 2009 7:10PM
Government policies in many developing countries which promote the planting of a narrow base of agricultural crops may hurt farmers in the long run, a United Nations human rights expert warned today.As a result of the global food crisis, developing countries "have massively reinvested in agriculture and have sought to provide farmers with the means of production they need to produce food," Olivier de Schutter, the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, <"http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs//2009/091021_de_Schutter.doc.htm">told reporters in New York. However, there is increasing pressure for farmers to use more uniform, genetically improved commercial seed varieties that have been adjusted to produce higher yields in certain instances and become more resilient to specific diseases. These seed varieties have been catalogued, certified and given patents. More traditional seed systems, on the other hand, emerged from farmers saving, replanting and exchanging seeds on informal and local markets, a system which still dominates many developing countries and on which farmers largely depend. "As a result of a number of pressures, these commercial varieties are now threatening to disrupt the balance between these two seed systems," said Mr. de Schutter. An increasingly wide range of government-supported seed certification schemes which approve commercial varieties only allow traditional seeds to be sold through very limited channels. In addition, governments provide support packages, including seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and sometimes access to credit, that induce farmers to adopt the modified commercial seed varieties. "We have today barely 150 crops cultivated in the world and most efforts in fact are going into improving 12 varieties, particularly four major types of crops – wheat, maize, rice and potato – for human consumption and, in addition, within each crop genetic diversity is disappearing," said Mr. de Schutter. He noted that in Sri Lanka in 1959, for example, some 2,000 varieties of rice were cultivated, whereas today, there are fewer than 100, and some 75 per cent of agro-biodiversity has been lost as a result of the pressure towards to the adoption of uniform improved seed varieties. "This genetic erosion is a source of vulnerability because it means that we will be unable to respond to attacks of nature," stressed Mr. de Schutter. "We will be unable to develop new varieties if new pests and diseases attack." Recommending that States re-examine their seed regulations to make them more hospitable to traditional farmers' varieties, he also pushed for the development of local seed exchanges, community seed banks and seed fairs, noting that some countries, such as India, the Philippines and Mali, are already moving in this direction. Professor de Schutter, who teaches at the University of Louvain in Belgium and Columbia University in the United States, serves in an independent and unpaid capacity as Special Rapporteur and reports to the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council.
Oct 21 2009 7:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| GUINEA: UN PLAN FOR PROBE INTO BLOODY CRACKDOWN GETS GREEN LIGHT
October 21, 2009 at 5:10 pm
|
| GUINEA: UN PLAN FOR PROBE INTO BLOODY CRACKDOWN GETS GREEN LIGHT
New York, Oct 21 2009 5:10PM
A proposed international probe into last month's deadly crackdown on unarmed demonstrators in Guinea has received the green light from local and regional stakeholders, with the army captain who seized power in a coup d'état pledging full cooperation, a senior United Nations official reported today."All fully support the establishment by the Secretary-General [Ban Ki-moon] of an international and independent commission of inquiry," Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Haile Menkerios told reporters after briefing the Security Council on his return from the region, where he held wide-ranging talks on the crackdown in which at least 150 people were killed and many others raped. He said Mr. Ban, who announced last week that he would set up the commission to investigate the crackdown by security forces on 28 September in Conakry, the capital, "with a view to determining the accountability of those involved," intended to deploy the it as soon as possible, adding that it should be able to complete its work within a month once it is in the field. While in the region, Mr. Menkerios conferred with Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, head of the National Council for Democracy and Development (NCDD), which seized power in December after the death of then president Lansana Conté; African Union (AU) Chairman Jean Ping; Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission President Mohamed ibn Chambas; ECOWAS mediator President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso; and Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua. "Both President Dadis Camara and his Government… welcomed the establishment of the commission of enquiry and promised that they were going to cooperate with it fully, including facilitating its work," he said. "They expressed this in writing in a letter that they shall do so." Mr. Compaoré believes "the very fact that it is deployed and the work that this commission will do will positively contribute to peace and longer-term reconciliation inside the country," he added, stressing the "tremendous expectation" by the victims, the opposition and the public in Guinea. Asked about guarantees for the commission's safety, Mr. Menkerios said the "importance of security, not just for the commission, but most importantly for the population, for the victims, for witness that may come and present their testimonies" is highly appreciated by ECOWAS, the AU and the parties themselves. Mr. Compaoré will make the question of minimum security guarantees for the population the first agenda item in the mediation effort, he added, noting that human rights organizations say they have information that they will share it with the commission. He also noted that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is going to deploy as many humanitarian rights observers as possible. If that doesn't work, "then the question of the deployment of military observers, security observers might be the next step," he said. "If this doesn't work, of course, the last might be the question of a form of intervention [which] then may be required. This remains to be decided in due process." Mr. Ban has said he remains deeply concerned by the tense situation in Guinea and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has called the crackdown a "blood bath."
Oct 21 2009 5:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| IRAQIS TOP LENGTHENING LISTS OF ASYLUM-SEEKERS IN INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS – UN
October 21, 2009 at 5:10 pm
|
| IRAQIS TOP LENGTHENING LISTS OF ASYLUM-SEEKERS IN INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS – UN
New York, Oct 21 2009 5:10PM
Iraqis head the list of the growing number of people seeking asylum in industrialized countries again this year, just ahead of people searching for safety from war-torn Afghanistan and Somalia, according to a report published by the United Nations refugee agency today.Some 185,000 asylum-seekers filed applications in the opening six months of 2009 across 38 European countries, the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea (ROK), representing a 10 per cent increase on the same period last year. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/4adf12516.html">UNHCR) report showed that 13,200 claims came from Iraqis, making it the top country of origin for the fourth successive year, 12,000 came from Afghans and 11,000 from Somalis as security conditions continued to deteriorate in large parts of those countries. The other main countries of origin were China, Serbia (including Kosovo), Russia, Nigeria, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with Europe receiving 75 per cent of all asylum applications and the US the country that received the highest number, 23,700, or 13 per cent of all applications. "These statistics show that ongoing violence and instability in some parts of the world force increasing numbers of people to flee and seek protection in safe countries," said High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres. "There is an acute need for countries to keep their asylum doors wide open to those who are in genuine need of international protection," Mr. Guterres added. France ranks as the second recipient nation with 10 per cent of all claims (19,400), followed by Canada (18,700), the United Kingdom (17,700) and Germany, ranked fifth (12,000). The UNHCR report noted that the majority of claims by Iraqis were submitted in Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, as well as in neighbouring Turkey, while Afghan claims were mostly filed in the UK or Norway, and Somalis mainly applied for asylum in Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden. The report's authors said that second half of the year may witness a further increase in the number of claims, based on seasonal patterns over the past 10 years.
Oct 21 2009 5:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| TOP UN HUMANITARIAN OFFICIAL VISITS LONG-DISPLACED UGANDANS
October 21, 2009 at 5:10 pm
|
| TOP UN HUMANITARIAN OFFICIAL VISITS LONG-DISPLACED UGANDANS
New York, Oct 21 2009 5:10PM
The top United Nations humanitarian official today witnessed first-hand the challenges faced by internally displaced persons (IDPs) in northern Uganda, some of whom are still in camps more than three years after an end to vicious fighting with the rebel Lord's Resistance Army."Humanitarian, recovery and development actors must redouble their commitment to working with the Government and people of Uganda to help the most vulnerable members of the displaced population return to their homes, and to ensure that those who have already returned have the basic services they need," Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes said in Pader district in the Acholi region. "Since my first trip here in May 2007, there has been a dramatic improvement in the situation," he added, noting that 85 per cent of the camp population across the Acholi region has now returned to their original homes. "However, some areas still lack the basics of clean water, and access to health and educational facilities, to make returns fully sustainable." Mr. Holmes, who will attend an African Union (AU) Special Summit on Refugees, Returnees and IDPs during his four-day visit to Uganda, stressed that development efforts needed to be stepped up as emergency relief needs lessen. "Meanwhile most of the 15 per cent remaining in camps are particularly vulnerable – widows, the elderly and disabled, child-headed households and those suffering from HIV/AIDS," he said. "We must do more to help them too regain an independent life outside the camp." Meeting with displaced and host communities in the Geregere and Omot IDP camps, as well as representatives of regional and local government and UN and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in the area, Mr. Holmes heard from a number of extremely vulnerable individuals about the difficulties impeding their return. Among the chief reasons were age and disability, which prevented them from building shelters or farming, as well as illness and disease. Lack of access to anti-retroviral medications in some health centres means that those living with HIV/AIDS cannot access treatment outside the camps. Others face difficult disputes over land rights and ownership and are unable to use the land for production until the cases are settled. The LRA, which terrorized northern Uganda for two decades, has been accused of committing atrocities including mutilations and the recruitment of child soldiers. On Friday, Mr. Holmes is expected to visit the Karamoja region in the northeast, one of the most under-developed and marginalized regions of the country, exemplifying the complex interaction between the effects of climate change, and more traditional humanitarian and development issues.
Oct 21 2009 5:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| NORWAY TEAMS UP WITH UN DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TO REDUCE ARMED VIOLENCE
October 21, 2009 at 5:10 pm
|
| NORWAY TEAMS UP WITH UN DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TO REDUCE ARMED VIOLENCE
New York, Oct 21 2009 5:10PM
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has teamed up with Norway in a new drive to try to reduce armed violence, which kills more than 2,000 people every day, most of them civilians. "Together we will work to build a framework for practical action – between governments, international organizations, and civil society – aimed at achieving measurable reductions in the global burden of armed violence by 2015," said <"http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/2009/october/undp-norway-pledge-to-reduce-armed-violence.en">UNDP chief Helen Clark, who is in Oslo as part of a four-day visit that also includes stops in Finland and Sweden. Miss Clark, who discussed the issue with Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, said the challenge is to analyze how armed violence evolves in a given country and support the local authorities in addressing the root causes of the problem. According to UNDP, armed violence is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide among people aged 15 to 44. The threat of violence also impacts society by preventing children from going to school, keeping marketplaces from functioning, and placing a burden on already scarce resources in the health sector. It is no less than "a global crisis," stated the agency, which is affecting the lives and security of hundreds of thousands of people, threatening international peace and security and development. Mr. Støre highlighted the need to strengthen the justice sector in many countries, and called for controlling illegal weapons and addressing impunity as first steps. There are estimated to be between 600 million and 875 million small arms and light weapons circulating around the world, 400 million of which are held illegally.
Oct 21 2009 5:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| RECORD-BREAKING 173 MILLION PEOPLE TAKE STAND WITH UN AGAINST POVERTY
October 21, 2009 at 4:10 pm
|
| RECORD-BREAKING 173 MILLION PEOPLE TAKE STAND WITH UN AGAINST POVERTY
New York, Oct 21 2009 4:10PM
Smashing a Guinness World Record, more than 173 million people around the world joined forces with the United Nations to call on global leaders to stamp out poverty and take action to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs) by their deadline of 2015.Over 3,000 events were held in more than 120 countries in the fourth year of the "Stand Up, Take Action, End Poverty Now!" campaign over the weekend. Nearly 60 million more people took part in the festivities this year compared to 2008. "We know that if we take a stand – if we act – we can end poverty in our lifetimes," said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who was joined by 1,500 schoolchildren at the UN International School (<"http://www.unis.org/">UNIS) in New York on Friday in calling for an end to hunger, which currently afflicts 1 billion people worldwide. At least 100 million people in Asia took part in the campaign, while Africa saw the participation of almost 40 million, the Arab region over 30 million, Europe more than 2 million, Latin America and North America some 200,000 each; and Oceania more than 170,000. "We have seen citizens determined to show their governments that they will hold them accountable for keeping their promises to end hunger, improve maternal health and abolish trade-distorting agricultural subsidies," said Salil Shetty, Director of the UN Millennium Campaign. "They will not accept excuses for breaking promises to the world's poorest and most vulnerable, who have already been hardest hit by the global food, economic and climate crises they had no role in causing." Despite the deadly typhoons which recently slammed into the Philippines, over 35 million people took a stand in that country, while the Irish rock band U2 brought 50,000 concertgoers to their feet during a show in the United States.
Oct 21 2009 4:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| SEAL THE DEAL: CLIMATE CHANGE COULD STEM GLOBAL TOURISM, UN CAUTIONS
October 21, 2009 at 4:10 pm
|
| SEAL THE DEAL: CLIMATE CHANGE COULD STEM GLOBAL TOURISM, UN CAUTIONS
New York, Oct 21 2009 4:10PM
Rising sea levels could inundate coastal holiday spots while melting snow caps could spell an end to ski resorts, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (<"http://www.unwto.org/">UNWTO) has warned, as climate change threatens tourism, a lucrative industry for the world's poorest nations.Tourism is what "fuels the economy and drives people" in poor countries, Geoffrey Lipman, Assistant Secretary-General of the UNWTO, told the UN News Centre. Nearly one third of the $735 billion generated by tourism in 2006 went to developing nations, with the industry serving as one of the major export sectors for poor countries. From 2000-2007, international tourism, the main source of foreign exchange in nearly all of the States classed as least developed countries (LDCs), recorded 110 per cent growth in these nations. Although many people look at tourism as a "sort of flippant activity," they often do not realize that the industry constitutes 5 per cent of economies, having a catalytic effect on a further 5 per cent, Mr. Lipman noted. As a result, "anything which affects the industry has a big spin-off effect on the economy," he said, pointing to the 2001 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom where the "biggest hit came from the reduction in tourism revenues." Developing countries, Mr. Lipman underscored, are often "unspoiled and undeveloped," pointing the way towards a new form of 'green' tourism. The industry accounts for 5 per cent of global annual greenhouse gas emissions, most of which can be pinned on air, car, rail and other forms of transportation. Air transport, in particular, has been targeted for its emissions, but, like other sectors, it has the potential to become more sustainable through implementation of more efficient engines and experimenting with biofuels, among others, Mr. Lipman said. "You can't walk to the Maldives," he said. "We want more planes flying, not less." The solution, Mr. Lipman stressed, does not lie in curtailing long-haul flights which could hurt the economies of developing nations which rely heavily on tourism for income. The UNWTO official recommends that people travel responsibly. "You can choose what you do and how you do it," he said, calling on travellers to opt to stay in resorts that are identifiably trying to reduce their carbon footprints and to offset their flights by buying carbon credits. For their part, governments must not consider taxes on travelling as a "cash cow" and must also not "cynically impose heavy taxes just so they can detract people from flying," he said. Climate-induced environmental changes – including water availability, biodiversity, and coastal erosion – will have an impact on tourism, according to a <"http://www.unwto.org/sdt/news/en/pdf/climate2008.pdf">report produced last year by UNWTO, along with the UN World Meteorological Organization (<"http://www.wmo.int/">WMO) and the UN Environment Programme (<"http://www.unep.org/">UNEP). For example, changes in agricultural production could hurt wine tourism, while increases in temperature are forecasted to hurt ski resorts in the European Alps, Eastern and Western North America, Australia and Japan. As a result, adaptation to climate change is vital tourism, according to Mr. Lipman. Poorer nations must be provided with the necessary technology and financing "to create jobs, not just helping foreign tourists have a good time." Nations are expected to 'seal the deal' on a new climate change agreement – intended to go into effect after the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012 – this December in Copenhagen, Denmark. Along with emissions reductions targets by industrialized nations, helping developing countries adapt to global warming's effects is also a large component of the pact set to be reached in the Danish capital. Tourism has reached a crossroads, but Mr. Lipman voiced optimism that the industry will rise to the climate challenge. In the face of the oil crisis and hijackings of previous decades, tourism "found ways to respond and overcome it. There is no reason why it can't adopt now."
Oct 21 2009 4:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| HEAD OF UN FOOD PROGRAMME PLEDGES FULL SUPPORT TO STORM SURVIVORS IN THE PHILIPPINES
October 21, 2009 at 4:10 pm
|
| HEAD OF UN FOOD PROGRAMME PLEDGES FULL SUPPORT TO STORM SURVIVORS IN THE PHILIPPINES
New York, Oct 21 2009 4:10PM
The head of the United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/stories/world-steps-help-hungry-philippines">WFP) today pledged the agency's full support to the Government and people of the Philippines as they seek to deal with the effects of the violent storms that devastated parts of the country last month."WFP is here to support the Government's efforts to help the people of the Philippines overcome this calamity. I have no doubt that together, we can," Executive Director Josette Sheeran said as she began her three-day visit to the country. The Philippines was battered by two successive storms in September – tropical storm Ketsana (also known as Ondoy) and typhoon Parma – which led to more than 500 deaths and displaced scores of thousands of others, and caused crop damage estimated at over $160 million. Ms. Sheeran, together with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and WFP's National Ambassador Against Hunger KC Concepcion, toured some of the hardest hit communities and helped distribute vital food rations. "I travelled by boat in an area 65 kilometres north of Manila where I saw whole neighbourhoods literally inundated with waist-high stagnant water, and met people who have lost all of their belongings – furniture, clothes, food – and are now receiving vital help from the Philippines Government and humanitarian agencies like WFP," she said. As part of the UN's humanitarian response, WFP is providing food relief and logistics support with helicopters, trucks, boats and telecommunications equipment to reach and connect to isolated areas. The agency is initially providing critical food to more than 1 million of the 8 million people affected by the floods. It is also coordinating with national authorities to ensure a seamless transition from emergency relief to recovery. Ms. Sheeran voiced her confidence that the country and its people will overcome this calamity. "The floods have damaged, homes, businesses and crops, but they have not dampened the great spirit and resilience of the Filipino people."
Oct 21 2009 4:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| CENTRAL AMERICA MOST CRIME-RIDDEN REGION IN WORLD, UN REPORT FINDS
October 21, 2009 at 3:10 pm
|
| CENTRAL AMERICA MOST CRIME-RIDDEN REGION IN WORLD, UN REPORT FINDS
New York, Oct 21 2009 3:10PM
Central America has become the region with the highest levels of non-political crime worldwide, with an average murder rate of 33 per 100,000 inhabitants last year, three times greater than the global average, a new United Nations report warns, noting that crime threatens the region's development. Some 79,000 people have been murdered in the region over the past six years, but despite these heightened levels of violence, solving the problem of insecurity is possible within the framework of democracy, according to the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Report on Human Development in Central America 2009-2010. "Apart from its economic costs, which are concrete and indisputable, one of the main reasons why this is a crucial issue is that violence and crime are affecting the day-to-day decisions of the population, making insecurity a clear hindrance to human development," <"http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/2009/october/amrica-central-el-respeto-al-estado-de-derecho-es-el-remedio-ms-eficaz-contra-la-violencia-.en">UNDP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean Rebeca Grynspan said. "One of the most difficult costs to quantify is that of lost freedoms," she added. "No aspect of human security is as basic as keeping the population from being victimized by fear and physical violence." Security involves intelligent diagnosis, a real political will and an integrated system for adopting and executing short- and long-term actions, the report says. "Security is everyone's right, and the State has the duty to provide it," said Hernando Gómez Buendía, the general coordinator of the report. "Without security, there is no investment. Without investment, there is no employment, and without employment, there is no human development. Security is an essential part of the development strategy of nations and cities." Security requires a very hands-on management of the problem, and an intelligent citizen security strategy for human development would not be complete without the participation of local governments, according to the report. This assumes direct knowledge of the problem, proximity, decentralization and flexibility on the part of national and local authorities. Both the strong-arm and the soft touch approaches have failed and must evolve toward a "smart" strategy of citizen security for human development with a new comprehensive strategy that includes preventive and coercive actions, congruence with the justice system and respect for the values of civility, it adds. Real political will, clear leadership, and continuity from one government to the next are crucial.
Oct 21 2009 3:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| UN ANTI-CRIME CHIEF CALLS FOR SCALED-UP RESISTANCE AGAINST AFGHAN DRUGS TRAFFICKING
October 21, 2009 at 3:10 pm
|
| UN ANTI-CRIME CHIEF CALLS FOR SCALED-UP RESISTANCE AGAINST AFGHAN DRUGS TRAFFICKING
New York, Oct 21 2009 3:10PM
The United Nations drug and crime tsar today called for intensified efforts to combat the devastating global impact of Afghanistan's multi-billion dollar opium trade, fuelling addiction, the spread of HIV, a rise in criminal activity, as well as insurgencies and terrorism. Afghanistan produces almost all the world's opium – the raw material for heroin – which has a $65 billion global market catering to 15 million addicts, causing up to 100,000 deaths per year, spreading HIV at an unprecedented rate, and funding the Taliban and Al-Qaida, according a new UN Offices on Drugs and Crime (<"http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/2009/October/new-report-on-devastating-impact-of-afghan-opium.html">UNODC) report. "I urge the friends of Afghanistan to recognize that, to a large extent, these uncomfortable truths may be the result of their benign neglect," said UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa. Afghanistan traffics some 900 tons of opium, 92 per cent of the total world's production, and 350 tons of heroin every year across its porous borders, over Balkan and Eurasian drug routes and into Europe, Russia, India and China, said the report. Spotlighting corruption and lawlessness in Afghanistan, as well as its uncontrolled borders, as the root of the problem, the report noted that just 2 per cent of opiates produced are seized by authorities in the country, compared to 36 per cent of cocaine produced in Colombia. In addition, the "Addiction, Crime and Insurgency: The transnational threat of Afghan opium" report noted that in the south and east of the country, smuggling prospers because of centuries-old Pashtun and Baluchi cross-border tribal links, the chaos caused by insurgency, disregard for international obligations in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and the violation of trade transit agreements with neighbours. "The Afghanistan-Pakistan border region has turned into the world's largest free trade zone in anything and everything that is illicit – drugs of course, but also weapons, bomb-making equipment, chemical precursors, drug money, even people and migrants," said Mr. Costa. The report highlights that 20 per cent of Afghan opiate shipments are intercepted worldwide, compared to twice as much for cocaine from Andean countries, and while Iran seizes 20 per cent of the illicit drug crossing its borders, Russia confiscated just 5 per cent and European Union (EU) countries, such as Bulgaria, Greece and Romania, captured less than 2 per cent of their opiate trade. Calling for more resources to tackle the problem at its source, Mr. Costa stressed that seizing "Afghan opium where it is produced is infinitely more efficient and cheaper than trying to do so where it is consumed." The cost of law enforcement grows in proportion to the value of the drug on the street, with a gram of heroin worth $3 in Kabul costing $100 in London, Milan or Moscow. "The Taliban's direct involvement in the opium trade allows them to fund a war machine that is becoming technologically more complex and increasingly widespread," said Mr. Costa. "Newly born narco-cartels in and around Afghanistan are blurring the difference between greed and ideology." Mr. Costa said that many of the drug barons, with links to insurgency, are known to Afghan and foreign intelligence services. "Why have their names not been submitted to the UN Security Council… in order to ban their travel and seize their assets?" He warned that the "perfect storm" of drugs and terrorism that has swamped the Afghanistan-Pakistan border for years, may be heading to Central Asia, threatening to engulf the region in large-scale terrorism and endangering its massive energy resources. "Opium hasn't caused such grief since the plague of addiction in China a century ago," said Mr. Costa, with the report noting that the number of people dying every year from drug overdoses in NATO countries – around 10,000 – is five times higher than the total number of NATO troops killed in Afghanistan in the past eight years. And over 30,000 Russians are dying annually from Afghan drugs, which is more than the total number of Red Army soldiers who died in their 10-year Afghan war.
Oct 21 2009 3:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| UN-BACKED VACCINATION SCHEME IN TAJIKISTAN ACHIEVES ALMOST UNIVERSAL SUCCESS
October 21, 2009 at 2:10 pm
|
| UN-BACKED VACCINATION SCHEME IN TAJIKISTAN ACHIEVES ALMOST UNIVERSAL SUCCESS
New York, Oct 21 2009 2:10PM
Nearly every Tajik child between the ages of one and 14 received vaccinations against measles and rubella during a two-week, United Nations-backed campaign this month to fight the spread of the diseases in the mountainous Central Asian country.The immunization campaign, run by Tajikistan's health ministry and supported by the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO), reached more than 2.2 more children, or 97 per cent of those children between the ages of one and 14. The vaccinations took place in clinics, schools and pre-school institutions across the landlocked country, while mobile units were used to reach children in the most remote districts. At least 6,000 health workers were needed to carry out the campaign. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) reported that those children who missed out on vaccinations will have another opportunity to be immunized between now and the end of this month. Vaccinating against rubella will also become a part of routine immunization treatment in Tajikistan as of next month, OCHA added. Meanwhile, the UN aid wing reported that the latest national data indicates that 44 people have been killed, nearly 40,000 hectares of cultivated land affected and $22 million of damage caused by natural disasters in Tajikistan so far this year. The greatest destruction was wrought by spring floods and mudflows, but earthquakes, avalanches and disease epidemics also made an impact. In August the UN and humanitarian partners launched an appeal for $7.7 million to assist Tajiks still suffering as a result of the natural disasters, particularly the spring floods and mudflows. Earlier this month only $1.2 million had been received from the international community.
Oct 21 2009 2:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS CONTINUE TO RISE, UN REPORTS
October 21, 2009 at 1:10 pm
|
| GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS CONTINUE TO RISE, UN REPORTS
New York, Oct 21 2009 1:10PM
Harmful greenhouse gas emissions produced by industrialized countries rose for the seventh consecutive year in 2007, the United Nations reported today.Data submitted to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (<"http://unfccc.int/">UNFCCC), an international treaty encouraging nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, showed that emissions from the 40 industrialized countries with reporting obligations under the Convention rose by 1 per cent from 2006 to 2007. Although emissions from these nations remain 4 per cent below 1990 levels, the release of harmful gases into the atmosphere has crept up by 3 per cent from 2000 to 2007. In addition, the group of 37 industrialized countries with targets under the Kyoto Protocol, an auxiliary agreement to the UNFCCC, minimally increased emissions from 2006 to 2007 by 0.1 per cent. Although emission levels for these countries currently stand at around 16 per cent below the 1990 baseline, much of the reduction comes from the economic decline of Eastern and Central European economies in transition in the 1990s, and since 2000 emissions have grown among this group by 3 per cent. The Kyoto Protocol has stronger and legally binding measures committing States to cutting emissions by an average of 5 per cent against 1990 levels over the five-year period from 2008 to 2012. "The continuing growth of emissions from industrialized countries remains worrying, despite the expectation of a momentary dip brought about by the global recession," said Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC. "So the numbers for 2007 underscore, once again, the urgent need to seal a comprehensive, fair and effective climate change deal in Copenhagen in December," said Mr. de Boer, referring to the conference in the Danish capital where it is hoped countries will reach agreement on a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol, whose first commitment period expires in 2012.
Oct 21 2009 1:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| UN ENVOY DISCUSSES RECENT INCIDENTS IN SOUTHERN LEBANON WITH ARAB LEAGUE OFFICIAL
October 21, 2009 at 1:10 pm
|
| UN ENVOY DISCUSSES RECENT INCIDENTS IN SOUTHERN LEBANON WITH ARAB LEAGUE OFFICIAL
New York, Oct 21 2009 1:10PM
The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon met today with the head of the Arab League to discuss several recent incidents, including the September rocket attack on Israel and the discovery of some listening devices in south Lebanon. Michael Williams told reporters in Cairo afterwards that he and Amr Moussa are "disturbed" by these challenges to resolution 1701 – the 2006 Security Council text that helped to end that year's war between Israel and Hizbollah. Mr. Williams said that they agreed that it is very important to help move the parties forward towards a permanent ceasefire, in accordance with resolution 1701, which calls for respect for the so-called Blue Line that separates Israeli and Lebanese sides, the disarming of militias and an end to arms smuggling, among other measures. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had condemned the incident on 11 September, in which at least two rockets were fired into northern Israel from southern Lebanon. He urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, noting that such incidents pose a serious challenge to the implementation of resolution 1701. In recent weeks, several explosions have occurred in southern Lebanon. They are being investigated by the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/">UNIFIL) in conjunction with the Lebanese Armed Forces.
Oct 21 2009 1:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| LAOS: UN AND PARTNERS LAUNCH $10 MILLION APPEAL FOR FLOOD VICTIMS
October 21, 2009 at 1:10 pm
|
| LAOS: UN AND PARTNERS LAUNCH $10 MILLION APPEAL FOR FLOOD VICTIMS
New York, Oct 21 2009 1:10PM
The United Nations and its humanitarian partners today launched a flash appeal for $10 million to provide six months of aid to nearly 180,000 typhoon victims in some of the poorest regions of Laos.According to the Laotian Government, 482 villages across five southern provinces were affected by floods and landslides due to last month's passage of typhoon Ketsana, which damaged infrastructure and limited or totally cut off access to the majority of victims living in mountainous and remote areas, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) said. The storm struck at a time when household food stocks were at their lowest levels and farmers were preparing for the upcoming harvest, exacerbating food insecurity by destroying stocks and damaging crops. Government agencies, with support from humanitarian organizations, launched extensive search and rescue operations and released emergency relief stocks. The Government released more than $1.3 million for emergency relief, but the extent of the damage requires additional resources to alleviate the suffering of those affected, OCHA said. Initial assessments by humanitarian agencies have identified the most immediate needs in the affected provinces as food, drinking water, health, sanitation, shelter and road clearance for access. The flash appeal will be revised once results from detailed assessments become available. The typhoon and a second one that followed also wreaked havoc in the Philippines, where the international humanitarian community earlier this month launched a $74 million appeal for immediate aid for more than 1 million victims. Some $19 million, or 27 per cent, has so far been pledged or contributed.
Oct 21 2009 1:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FAILING UPROOTED SOMALIS, SAYS UN RIGHTS EXPERT
October 21, 2009 at 1:10 pm
|
| INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FAILING UPROOTED SOMALIS, SAYS UN RIGHTS EXPERT
New York, Oct 21 2009 1:10PM
Expressing his shock at the level of violence faced by civilians in Somalia, an independent United Nations human rights expert today rebuked the international community for failing the 1.5 million people uprooted from their homes in the Horn of Africa nation."Serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, in particular indiscriminate attacks and shelling of areas populated or frequented by civilians, are being perpetrated by all parties to the conflict with total impunity," <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/E16D50453D3903E3C1257656004AE0ED?opendocument">said Walter Kälin, the Secretary-General's Special Representative on the human rights of internally displaced persons (IDPs), who wrapped up a week-long visit to Somalia today. These acts could be tantamount to war crimes, he said, adding that people are also fleeing their homes due to death threats, the risk of targeted killings and forced recruitment by militias. During visits with IDPs, Mr. Kälin was told that violations, also including rapes, are especially rampant in areas controlled by those acting under the umbrella of anti-Government groups. He called on all parties to the long-running conflict – including State actors, rebel groups and militias – to abide by their obligations under international law, while urging international troops to ensure that their operations do not affect civilians. In spite of the risk of aid diversion, donors must not reduce their levels of humanitarian assistance, the expert stressed. "This would not only mean punishing the most vulnerable among already destitute communities, but also playing into the hands of radical elements who could easily exploit the situation." He also underscored the right of all Somalis to seek safety away from their own communities or seek asylum in another countries. "They must not be sent back to areas they have fled and where their lives and safety would be at risk," Mr. Kälin said. During his visit to Somalia from 14 to 21 October, he held talks with representatives from the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) as well as authorities from Somaliland and Puntland, as well as with UN agencies, humanitarian organizations, and civil society representatives. Mr. Kälin also visited the Dadaab site in Kenya, designed for 90,000 people but now host to some 285,000 refugees, mostly from Somalia.
Oct 21 2009 1:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| Today's Tech News: Marketers salivating over smartphone potential
October 21, 2009 at 12:27 pm
|
| To view the latest USA TODAY Tech headlines on your mobile device, click here.
If you have trouble reading this e-mail newsletter click here.
To make changes to your e-mail subscriptions, click here  | | |  |  |  | | | | Marketers salivating over smartphone potential | | By Jon Swartz, USA TODAY
The majority of people who participate on social networks do so from their PCs. Yet a growing number many of whom can't afford a PC or would rather not use one are using mobile devices to tell their friends where they are and what they're up to and for sharing pictures. Read more | | |
|
| | | |  | | | |  | 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.
To UNSUBSCRIBE, please click here.
Make sure you receive our e-mails. Please add newsletters@e.usatoday.com to your address book. To find out more information on our e-mail newsletters, click here to visit our FAQ. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions for this newsletter, please contact us by e-mailing emailnewsletters@usatoday.com. For newspaper home delivery, please click here USATODAY.com is a free service dedicated to providing the best news on the Web. To review your privacy with USATODAY.com please go to http://privacy.usatoday.com © 2009 USA TODAY 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA 22108 |    |
| CHILDHOOD VACCINES AT ALL-TIME HIGH, BUT POOREST 20 PER CENT STILL LACK ACCESS – UN
October 21, 2009 at 12:10 pm
|
| CHILDHOOD VACCINES AT ALL-TIME HIGH, BUT POOREST 20 PER CENT STILL LACK ACCESS – UN
New York, Oct 21 2009 12:10PM
Reversing a downward trend, childhood immunization rates are now at their highest ever, but due to a funding gap of at least $1 billion life-saving vaccines still do not reach some 24 million children – one in five born each year – who are most at risk in the poorest countries, according to a new United Nations report released today."The stakes are high. <"http://www.who.int/immunization/sowvi/en/index.html">WHO [UN World Health Organization] has estimated that if all the vaccines now available against childhood diseases were widely adopted, and if countries could raise vaccine coverage to a global average of 90 per cent by 2015 an additional two million deaths a year could be prevented among children under five years old," it says. The report, <I><"http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2009/9789241563864_eng.pdf">The State of the World's Vaccines and Immunization</I>, released jointly by WHO, the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) and the <"http://www.worldbank.org/">World Bank, notes that more infants are being immunized today than ever before – a record 106 million in 2008 – according to new data. But it calls on donor nations to address a funding gap in the poorest nations and communities where preventable diseases take their deadliest toll. "With the exception of safe water, no other modality, not even antibiotics, has had such a major effect on mortality reduction," it declares. The gains made are impressive but major efforts are needed to ensure that they are protected during the current global economic crisis, and development of new vaccines that could save millions of additional lives every year must not slow down, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan, World Bank Managing Director Graeme Wheeler and UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman write in a joint foreword. "They need to be sustained and improved. New and improved vaccines are urgently needed to prevent the unacceptable toll of sickness and deaths from diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and AIDS. Continued investments are essential to ensure the breakthroughs needed in the research and development of these next-generation vaccines," they add. "Experience shows that economic crises can lead to government cuts in social sector spending, a decline in international development assistance, an increase in poverty, and an upsurge in deaths among children under five years old. This must not be allowed to happen again." The release of new evidence of success in overall global immunization coincides with the pandemic influenza (H1N1) immunization campaigns by many countries, underscoring the unparalleled role of vaccines in preventing communicable diseases and the challenges of reaching the most vulnerable communities. "The influenza pandemic draws attention to the promise and dynamism of vaccine development today," Dr. Chan said on the report's launch. "Yet it reminds us once again of the obstacles to bringing the benefits of science to people in the poorest nations. We must overcome the divide that separates rich from poor – between those who get life-saving vaccines, and those who don't." Ms. Veneman noted that measles deaths worldwide fell by 74 per cent between 2000 and 2007, with vaccinations playing an important role. "Such progress must inspire new efforts to immunize children around the globe against life-threatening diseases," she said. The report attributes the reversal of the downward trend in great part to developing countries that made good use of the GAVI Alliance – a vaccine-financing partnership that includes WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Since 2000, this has increased the introduction of new and underused vaccines, which now reach more than 200 million children in developing countries. It notes that the global vaccine market has tripled over the last eight years, reaching more than $17 billion in revenue, due to rising demand via UN procuring agencies and a renaissance in vaccine discovery and development. Significantly, manufacturers in developing countries are now meeting 86 per cent of global demand for traditional vaccines, such as those against measles, whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria. "We have seen a dramatic turnaround in the availability of vaccines in even the poorest countries," Mr. Wheeler said. "Yet the international community, together with the countries themselves, must ensure that new and existing technologies actually reach the most vulnerable populations, especially children."
Oct 21 2009 12:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| Entertainment news: Big flops, breakout hits are equally rare on TV this fall
October 21, 2009 at 12:02 pm
|
| To view the latest USA TODAY Entertainment headlines on your mobile device, click here. If you have trouble reading this e-mail newsletter click here. To make changes to your e-mail subscriptions, click here  | | | | | | g |  | | | | 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.
To UNSUBSCRIBE, please click here.
Make sure you receive our e-mails. Please add newsletters@e.usatoday.com to your address book. To find out more information on our e-mail newsletters, click here to visit our FAQ. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions for this newsletter, please contact us by e-mailing emailnewsletters@usatoday.com. For newspaper home delivery, please click here USATODAY.com is a free service dedicated to providing the best news on the Web. To review your privacy with USATODAY.com please go to http://privacy.usatoday.com © 2009 USA TODAY 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA 22108 |    |
| BREAKING NEWS ALERT
October 21, 2009 at 11:31 am
|
| | SKY NEWS REPORTS CONVICTED LOCKERBIE BOMBER ABDEL BESET AL-MEGRAHI HAS DIED Read More:
http://email.foxnews.com/t?ctl=1E69:F33A46C824EAA0667385997BDD29F4D7& ----- FOX News never sends unsolicited email. You received this mail because you requested a subscription to Breaking Alerts from FOXNews.com. To unsubscribe from FOX News Alerts, click here: http://email.foxnews.com/u?id=F33A46C824EAA0667385997BDD29F4D7 To unsubscribe from ALL FOX News emails, click here: http://email.foxnews.com/u?id=F33A46C824EAA0667385997BDD29F4D7&global=1
Copyright 2009 FOX News Network, LLC
1211 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY
All Rights Reserved |
| CHILDREN BEARING BRUNT OF CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC'S TROUBLES, SAYS UNICEF OFFICIAL
October 21, 2009 at 11:10 am
|
| CHILDREN BEARING BRUNT OF CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC'S TROUBLES, SAYS UNICEF OFFICIAL
New York, Oct 21 2009 11:10AM
Children in the Central African Republic (CAR) are paying a heavy price for the troubles faced by the country, and their plight could worsen without urgent international support, said a senior official with the United Nations Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF)."Children in CAR are in the eye of a storm," the agency's Deputy Executive Director, Hilde Johnson, <"http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/car_51469.html">said during a visit to the country last week. "The problems they are facing today will only be exacerbated by the triple threat of instability, the dwindling State budget and decline in donor spending," she added. CAR is one of the most impoverished countries in the world and, according to UN humanitarian officials, the number of people affected directly or indirectly by conflict is estimated to be more than 1 million – out of a population of 4 million. It also has some of the worst child welfare indicators in the world, according to UNICEF, which says that about one in six children dies before reaching the age of five. In addition, only 38 per cent of girls and 53 per cent of boys of official primary school age are enrolled in school, and many drop out before finishing the last primary grade. The country's health care system is also one of the weakest in the world and basic services are almost nonexistent, the agency noted in a news release. The global economic crisis, coupled with a 39 per cent funding gap in humanitarian aid is only making the situation worse. "CAR has been a donor orphan for a while," said Ms. Johnson, "but at this juncture, the risk of further crisis is too significant to ignore. The limited resources available in this country are in no way commensurate with the enormous needs and dismal indicators." The Deputy Executive Director, who also visited neighbouring Chad during her trip, stressed the need for financial, political and diplomatic support by international partners to ensure the rights of Central African children and to enhance their protection.
Oct 21 2009 11:10AM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| UN ATOMIC WATCHDOG ANNOUNCES DRAFT DEAL ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR FUEL
October 21, 2009 at 11:10 am
|
| UN ATOMIC WATCHDOG ANNOUNCES DRAFT DEAL ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR FUEL
New York, Oct 21 2009 11:10AM
Nearly three days of talks supported by the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (<"http://www.iaea.org/">IAEA) wrapped up today with a draft agreement on how to provide Iran with fuel for a civilian nuclear research facility.Those taking part in the discussions at the IAEA's Vienna headquarters – Iran, France, Russia and the United States – have until Friday to approve of the draft text, which is a "balanced approach on how to move forward," the agency's Director General, Mohamed ElBaradei, <"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KU6vccHnAo">told reporters. He expressed optimism that the four nations would endorse the draft agreement, which would be a "very important confidence-building measure that can defuse the crisis that has been going on for a number of years and open space for negotiations." The fuel is for use at a research reactor in Iran's capital, Tehran, which produces medical radioisotopes for therapeutic and diagnostic procedures. If the four countries taking part in the talks endorse the draft agreement, it would then be forwarded to the IAEA Board of Governors for formal ratification. "I must say that everybody who participated at the meeting was trying to help, trying to look to the future and not to the past, trying to heal the wounds that existed for many, many years," Mr. ElBaradei noted. He voiced hope that if approved, the agreement will "open the way for a complete normalization of relations between Iran and the international community." The IAEA was selected as the venue for the discussions because Iran has requested the body to facilitate talks with potential nuclear fuel suppliers. Earlier this month, it was announced after talks between Mr. ElBaradei and Iranian authorities that IAEA inspectors will visit a newly disclosed uranium enrichment facility under construction in Qom, south-west of the capital. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that the facility violates Security Council resolutions because of the delay in its disclosure. During his talks in New York in September with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Mr. Ban repeated his call for the country to implement Security Council resolutions and cooperate with the IAEA on resolving outstanding concerns regarding its nuclear programme. Iran has stated that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, but some other countries contend it is driven by military ambitions. The issue has been of international concern since the discovery in 2003 that the country had concealed its nuclear activities for 18 years in breach of its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Oct 21 2009 11:10AM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| Daily Travel News: Kentucky hopes for big haul from coal mine tourism
October 21, 2009 at 11:08 am
|
| To view the latest USA TODAY Travel headlines on your mobile device, click here. If you have trouble reading this e-mail newsletter click here. To make changes to your e-mail subscriptions, click here  | | | | | | |   | | | |  | Seattle, Detroit get boost from Delta's international route adjustments
Read more |  | | | |  One less fee
Some hotels serve up free phone calls |  |  Hallowed ground
History-filled Gettysburg-Monticello route gains new status | | |  | | | | Advertisement <  
 Top 10 Travel Deals | Powered by ShermansTravel.com | | | | | 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.
To UNSUBSCRIBE, please click here.
Make sure you receive our e-mails. Please add newsletters@e.usatoday.com to your address book. To find out more information on our e-mail newsletters, click here to visit our FAQ. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions for this newsletter, please contact us by e-mailing emailnewsletters@usatoday.com. For newspaper home delivery, please click here USATODAY.com is a free service dedicated to providing the best news on the Web. To review your privacy with USATODAY.com please go to http://privacy.usatoday.com © 2009 USA TODAY 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA 22108 |    |
| UNESCO HEAD SPEAKS OUT AGAINST MURDER OF MEXICAN REPORTER
October 21, 2009 at 10:10 am
|
| UNESCO HEAD SPEAKS OUT AGAINST MURDER OF MEXICAN REPORTER
New York, Oct 21 2009 10:10AM
The head of the United Nations agency tasked with upholding press freedom today condemned the killing of a radio presenter in Mexico, stressing that the murder affects the whole of Mexican society.The body of Fabián Ramírez López, 42, was found in the coastal city of Mazatlán on 11 October after an anonymous telephone call to La Magia 97.1, the radio station where he worked. He had last been seen two days earlier on his way to the station. "It is essential for democracy and rule of law that journalists and media workers should be able to continue exercising the basic human right of freedom of expression without fearing for their lives," <"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=46750&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">said Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=29008&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO). According to the International Press Institute, a non-governmental organization, six journalists have been killed in Mexico so far this year, making the country one of the most dangerous in the world for media professionals.
Oct 21 2009 10:10AM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| Today's News from TheEagle.com
October 21, 2009 at 10:06 am
|
| | |  |
| Sharing the love Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT Westley Brenner, 22, a senior math major at Texas A&M, stands by a table of artwork spontaneously created by passing A&M students during "One Lovepalooza" held outside G. Rollie White Coliseum on Tuesday afternoon. The event, which included l ... | | Brazos taps out incentives fund Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT Brazos County officials said they would be unlikely to provide any new cash incentives to businesses considering a move to the area in the immediate future because of a lack of available funds. The county's economic development incentive fund in the ... | | Blinn looking to lease space Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT Blinn College's ballooning enrollment and its desire to expand its nursing program have led the community college to pursue space on the Texas A&M Health Science Center campus. "We're out of space here, plain and simple," said Dan Holt, Blinn pre ... | | Hearne rally to be held later Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT A woman whose son was killed in Hearne last year said Tuesday that a rally planned with a controversial community activist will likely be rescheduled within a week.The rally, originally scheduled for Monday at St. Mary's Catholic Church, was canceled ... | | Man dies in Bryan motorcycle wreck Posted: 21 Oct 2009 01:54 AM PDT Police said they are investigating a motorcycle crash that killed a man early Wednesday in Bryan.Officer Jason James said the man was driving eastbound on West Villa Maria Road -- near the municipal golf course between Lakeview Street and Wellborn Ro ... | | Amnesty period expires soon Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT Time is running out for residents with warrants to pay fines without the risk of incarceration. Friday marks the end of a warrant amnesty period and, on Monday, law enforcement officers will begin arresting those with outstanding warrants who failed ... | | Brenham shooting suspect's bail $1M Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT A Brenham woman remained in jail Tuesday on $1 million bail in the shooting of her husband.Officers responded Friday night to reports of someone being shot at a home on South Baylor Street."When officers got on scene, we could hear a subject screamin ... | | Camp For All to host fundraiser Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT More children and adults with special needs and challenging illnesses could get the chance to go to camp after Camp For All's Nov. 7 fundraiser. The event encourages participants to dress in their favorite clothing from the 1950s, '60s or '70s and da ... | | More than 250 vote early on first day Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT More than 250 residents cast ballots on the first day of early voting for the Nov. 3 election.Early voting began Monday and runs through Oct. 30. College Station residents are deciding whether the city will continue using cameras to issue citations t ... | | Watchdog group labels Hutchison a 'porker' Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:50 PM PDT AUSTIN, Texas -- Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison received the dubious "porker of the month" award Tuesday from a government spending watchdog group.Washington, D.C.-based Citizens Against Government Waste said Hutchison deserved the award because she calle ... | | Weather postpones Hard Hats event Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT The Texas Medical Association's Hard Hats for Little Heads event for Bryan and College Station second-graders has been postponed in anticipation of rain Thursday. The Texas Medical Association is giving out more than 3,500 helmets to Texas children t ... | | Texas now has almost 1 million swine flu doses Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:50 PM PDT AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas has been allocated 960,400 doses of the swine flu vaccine.The Texas Department of State Health Services said Tuesday that the number of vaccine doses earmarked over the last three weeks add up to nearly a million.Texas was al ... | | Violins for Valley deadline is today Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT Wednesday is the deadline to make reservations for Saturday's Violins for the Valley finale, a violin art fundraiser for the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra. The finale will be from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Miramont Country Club in Bryan.Local artists crea ... | | FAA investigating Colo. balloon flight Posted: 21 Oct 2009 12:39 AM PDT FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- The Federal Aviation Administration has opened its own investigation into the 50-mile flight of the helium balloon that briefly delayed flights at Denver International Airport after a couple reported that their 6-year-old son m ... | | CS man accused of burglarizing home Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT A 19-year-old College Station man was in jail Tuesday, accused of stealing jewelry and electronics from a home.College Station police said their investigation of the burglary on Cloverdale Circle on Sunday led them to Nathan Lawson.Officers executing ... | | Afghans race to organize runoff Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT KABUL -- Facing Taliban threats and approaching winter snows, Afghan election officials must now scramble to organize a runoff presidential election on Nov. 7 after a grim President Hamid Karzai bowed to intense U.S. pressure and acknowledged Tuesday ... | | Colleges tuition rises Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT With the economy struggling, parents and students dared to hope this year might offer a break from rising college costs. Instead, they got another sharp increase.Average tuition at four-year public colleges in the U.S. climbed 6.5 percent, or $429, t ... | | Scientist in secrets case appears in court Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT WASHINGTON -- A scientist who allegedly tried to sell classified secrets to Israel had worked on the U.S. government's Star Wars missile shield program, and the Justice Department declared Tuesday that he had tried to share some of the nation's most ... | | Exporters to China, India seeing rebound Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT Companies that ship coal, chemicals, soft drinks and purses to such emerging markets as India and China appear to be snapping out of the recession faster than those that are closely tied to the U.S. and Europe.Earnings reports out Tuesday show that s ... | | Tax credit may be extended amid woes Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration said Tuesday it was concerned about the cost of extending a popular tax credit for first-time homebuyers, a program already under scrutiny for fraudulent claims.The Internal Revenue Service has opened 107,000 ex ... | | Metals Could Create New Cancer Drug Posted: 20 Oct 2009 07:13 PM PDT (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Drugs made with unusual metals could form an effective treatment against colon and ovarian cancer, including cancerous cells that have developed immunity to other drugs, according to research at the University of Warwick and th ... | | 200 DeGeneres followers go to Dallas dealership Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT DALLAS -- About 200 followers of comedian Ellen DeGeneres gathered at a Dallas car dealership hoping to get on her TV show and to win a new car after getting a series of tweets.A Twitter account for DeGeneres' daytime talk show sent out the tweets pr ... | | AP: Artist made up Obama poster story Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT NEW YORK -- In court papers filed by The Associated Press, the news organization said Shepard Fairey concocted the story that he was mistaken about which photo he used to create the famous Obama HOPE poster and disputed his contention that he has not ... | | Fruit takes special attention Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT Dear Lisa: I've seen pomegranates mentioned a lot in recipes, so I was intrigued and purchased one. It was completely inedible, and I threw it out. Was it under-ripe? Are they supposed to be peeled and/or cooked first? What can you tell me about sel ... | | Pasta recipe takes pumpkin beyond the pie Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT Pumpkins aren't just an icon of Halloween. They also are a sign of healthy eats.Like carrots, pumpkins are loaded with the antioxidant beta-carotene, potassium and fiber. Plus, with only 49 calories per cup (cooked), this tasty squash is a great fit ... |  |
| TOP UN OFFICIAL CONCERNED OVER DELAY IN AMENDING IRAQI ELECTION LAW
October 21, 2009 at 9:10 am
|
| TOP UN OFFICIAL CONCERNED OVER DELAY IN AMENDING IRAQI ELECTION LAW
New York, Oct 21 2009 9:10AM
The top United Nations official in Iraq voiced his concern today that the delay in passing amendments to the country's 2005 election law could disrupt the timeline and preparations for the holding of next January's parliamentary polls.Ad Melkert, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq, emphasized that the date of 16 January is crucial as it is still within the limits set by the Constitution. "Time is critical and further delays in ratifying the amendment clarifications and the legal framework can adversely affect both the current electoral timeline, and ultimately the credibility of the electoral process," he <"http://www.uniraq.org/newsroom/getarticle.asp?ArticleID=1158">said. In a news release issued by the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (<"http://www.uniraq.org/">UNAMI), Mr. Melkert urged all members of the Council of Representatives to ensure that the necessary progress is made to avoid disruptions to the electoral process. Two weeks ago the Council delayed a decision on the election law amid disagreement over several aspects of proposed amendments and a desire of some parliamentary members to evaluate the performance of the Independent High Election Commission (IHEC), which is tasked with staging the polls. "It is the collective responsibility of members of Parliament to now rise to the occasion and be ready to account to the Iraqi people who expect to exercise their right to express their preference in the upcoming elections," stated Mr. Melkert. He added that it is equally important that Iraqi parliamentarians recognize that the focus should remain on the national process and overcome any narrow considerations that could be the source of the current stalemate.
Oct 21 2009 9:10AM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| BREAKING NEWS ALERT
October 21, 2009 at 7:28 am
|
| | IRAN REPORTEDLY AGREES TO EXPORT MOST OF ITS WEAPONS-GRADE URANIUM Read More:
http://email.foxnews.com/t?ctl=1E48:F33A46C824EAA066E824B1D830AA530D& ----- FOX News never sends unsolicited email. You received this mail because you requested a subscription to Breaking Alerts from FOXNews.com. To unsubscribe from FOX News Alerts, click here: http://email.foxnews.com/u?id=F33A46C824EAA066E824B1D830AA530D To unsubscribe from ALL FOX News emails, click here: http://email.foxnews.com/u?id=F33A46C824EAA066E824B1D830AA530D&global=1
Copyright 2009 FOX News Network, LLC
1211 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY
All Rights Reserved |
| Daily Briefing: U.S. troops in Iraq have time on hands
October 21, 2009 at 7:14 am
|
| To view the latest USA TODAY News headlines on your mobile device, click here. If you have trouble reading this e-mail newsletter click here. To make changes to your e-mail subscriptions, click here  | | | | | | | | | | | |  | | | | | 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.
To UNSUBSCRIBE, please click here.
Make sure you receive our e-mails. Please add newsletters@e.usatoday.com to your address book. To find out more information on our e-mail newsletters, click here to visit our FAQ. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions for this newsletter, please contact us by e-mailing emailnewsletters@usatoday.com. For newspaper home delivery, please click here USATODAY.com is a free service dedicated to providing the best news on the Web. To review your privacy with USATODAY.com please go to http://privacy.usatoday.com © 2009 USA TODAY 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA 22108 |    |
| Sports Briefing: Bronx Bombers blast Angels
October 21, 2009 at 6:06 am
|
| To view the latest USA TODAY Sports headlines on your mobile device, click here.
If you have trouble reading this e-mail newsletter click here.
To make changes to your e-mail subscriptions, click here  | | | | | | | | | | | |  | | | | | 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.
To UNSUBSCRIBE, please click here.
Make sure you receive our e-mails. Please add newsletters@e.usatoday.com to your address book. To find out more information on our e-mail newsletters, click here to visit our FAQ. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions for this newsletter, please contact us by e-mailing emailnewsletters@usatoday.com. For newspaper home delivery, please click here USATODAY.com is a free service dedicated to providing the best news on the Web. To review your privacy with USATODAY.com please go to http://privacy.usatoday.com © 2009 USA TODAY 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA 22108 |    |
| 10/21 KPHO.com - Video
October 21, 2009 at 12:00 am
|
| | Please add updates@feedmyinbox.com to your address book to make sure you receive these messages in the future. | |
| Tonight At 10: Secrets Of A Spiritual Warrior
October 20, 2009 at 3:39 pm
|
| | Tonight at 10, 5 Investigates reporter Tammy Leitner delves into the world of the spiritual warrior. |
| 3 Hospitalized In East Valley Crash
October 20, 2009 at 3:30 pm
|
| | The driver of an SUV loses control and rams into a tree, and a mother and child get in the way.ea |
| KPHO.com Afternoon Webcast - 1 P.M.
October 20, 2009 at 2:59 pm
|
| | Get the latest news headlines with our early-afternoon webcast. |
| Repaving Project Disturbs Peaceful Neighborhood
October 20, 2009 at 11:48 am
|
| | A quiet Valley neighborhood finds its peace shattered when a company starts mining in a residential zone. |
| Sheriff: Mexican Looks Prompt Questions
October 20, 2009 at 11:19 am
|
| | Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Chief of Custody Jerry Sheridan defends Sheriff Joe Arpaio's remarks about how deputies know if someone is an illegal immigrant. |
| Home Gutted By 2nd Fire
October 20, 2009 at 11:05 am
|
| | A Chandler home is gutted after a fire breaks out for the second time that day. | | | 
| 10/21 Phoenix Local News
October 21, 2009 at 12:00 am
|
| | Please add updates@feedmyinbox.com to your address book to make sure you receive these messages in the future. | |
| SECRETARY-GENERAL UNVEILS SCULPTURE AT UN TO COMMEMORATE OLYMPIC TRUCE
October 20, 2009 at 7:10 pm
|
| SECRETARY-GENERAL UNVEILS SCULPTURE AT UN TO COMMEMORATE OLYMPIC TRUCE
New York, Oct 20 2009 7:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today highlighted the importance of the global call for a halt to all fighting during the Olympics, as he unveiled a sculpture at United Nations Headquarters, ahead of the Winter Games to be held in Vancouver, Canada, next year. "These pauses in fighting save lives," he said at the unveiling. "They make it possible for humanitarian workers to reach people in need. And they open up diplomatic space to negotiate lasting solutions. A truce is a prelude to true peace." Mr. Ban said he hoped that when athletes meet in Vancouver in 2010, fighters will lay down their arms. "Then the Olympic Games will have one clear winner: our world as a whole." The sculpture dedicated to the Olympic Truce is a contemporary aboriginal art piece atop a plinth. The box featured is an abstract reference to a traditional West Coast First Nations treasure box, while a hand – extended in friendship – symbolizes peace. It will stay at the UN for a month before being moved to the Olympic village. In 1992, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) renewed the ancient Greek tradition of the ekecheiria, or 'Olympic Truce,' by calling on all nations to observe the Truce. The General Assembly has urged Member States to observe the Olympic Truce from the seventh day before the opening to the seventh day after the closing of each Olympic Games. Today's unveiling took place in conjunction with the Assembly's adoption yesterday of the Olympic Truce resolution for the 2010 Winter Games. The event included the send-off of the Olympic Torch in the spirit of peace and friendship amongst the international community. Guests were also invited to sign their names to a log, which will be incorporated in the Truce installations for permanent display at the Olympic site. The UN and the IOC have in recent years strengthened their cooperation and mutual support through joint efforts in fields such as poverty alleviation, human and economic development and humanitarian assistance. Mr. Ban addressed the IOC Congress during his visit to Copenhagen earlier this month.
Oct 20 2009 7:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| SECURITY COUNCIL URGES STATES TO HELP IRAN IN BRINGING TERROR BOMBERS TO JUSTICE
October 20, 2009 at 7:10 pm
|
| SECURITY COUNCIL URGES STATES TO HELP IRAN IN BRINGING TERROR BOMBERS TO JUSTICE
New York, Oct 20 2009 7:10PM
The Security Council today condemned "in the strongest terms" the terrorist attacks in Iran which killed 57 people and injured 150 others on Sunday, and called on all States to "cooperate actively" with the Iranian authorities in bringing the perpetrators to justice."The members of the Security Council reiterated their determination to combat all forms of terrorism, in accordance with its responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations," the 15-member body said in a statement read out to the press by Ambassador Le Luong Minh of Viet Nam, which holds the Council presidency this month. The statement followed Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's strong condemnation, issued yesterday, of the attack on a meeting of the Revolutionary Guard in Pishin in Sistan-Baluchistan province of Iran, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan. "The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of this reprehensible act of terrorism to justice, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Iranian authorities in this regard," it said. "The members of the Security Council reaffirmed the need to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts." The Council expressed its condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the people and the Government of Iran.
Oct 20 2009 7:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| UNICEF GOODWILL AMBASSADOR CALLS FOR URGENT HELP FOR YEMENI CHILDREN
October 20, 2009 at 5:10 pm
|
| UNICEF GOODWILL AMBASSADOR CALLS FOR URGENT HELP FOR YEMENI CHILDREN
New York, Oct 20 2009 5:10PM
United Nations Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_51462.html">UNICEF) Goodwill Ambassador Mahmoud Kabil issued an urgent call today for assistance for children caught up in the clashes between Government forces and rebels rocking northern Yemen."I saw children on the brink of death due to acute malnutrition and dehydration," said Mr. Kabil, an Egyptian actor, who has just wrapped up a three-day visit to Yemen, where he met with children affected by the fighting. He said the situation was the worst he has seen since becoming UNICEF's Goodwill Ambassador for the Middle East and North Africa in 2003, and "not when I was in Darfur five years back, or anywhere in this region." During his trip, Mr. Kabil visited Al Mazrak camp in Hajjah governorate, roughly 20 kilometres from the Sa'ada governorate, where the conflict is raging. People continue to stream into the area around the camp, which lacks basic infrastructure. Over 50,000 people have been uprooted since the fighting between the Government and Al Houthi rebels resumed in earnest in August, bringing the total number of people forced from their homes since the conflict first started in 2004 to 150,000. In addition to those who have escaped the clashes, thousands of people are still trapped in Sa'ada, with little humanitarian assistance. "I call on parties involved in the conflict to search their soul and conscience," the Goodwill Ambassador, who also met with Yemeni officials while in the country, said. "The death and suffering of these children is killing your future and that of your country." Last week, along with another fellow UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, the United States actress Mia Farrow, Mr. Kabil visited to Gaza to witness first-hand the hardships children still face nine months after the three-week war between Israel and Hamas. They heard testimony from children who are now forced to work in tunnels to support their struggling families. The tunnels are used to smuggle in goods that are otherwise unavailable in Gaza. Unemployment rates are above 40 per cent and eight out of 10 families in Gaza rely on some form of food assistance. The visit to Gaza was the second leg of a journey to the occupied Palestinian territory for Mr. Kabil, who was in the West Bank during the month of Ramadan to show support for Palestinian children and families during the holy month. "I am happy to finally be able to visit the children of Gaza and express my solidarity with their families for the suffering they are enduring on a daily basis," he said. "The blockade and the recent fighting have left an indelible impact on children. Palestinian children have the same rights as all children everywhere and these rights need to be upheld."
Oct 20 2009 5:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| PAKISTANI VETERAN OF SOMALI OPERATION TO BECOME NEW UN MILITARY HEAD IN LIBERIA
October 20, 2009 at 5:10 pm
|
| PAKISTANI VETERAN OF SOMALI OPERATION TO BECOME NEW UN MILITARY HEAD IN LIBERIA
New York, Oct 20 2009 5:10PM
A Pakistani general who is a veteran of the United Nations quick reaction force in Somalia is set to become the next military head of the UN Mission in Liberia (<"http://unmil.org/">UNMIL), a spokesperson said today.Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has informed the Security Council of his intention to appoint Lieutenant General Sikander Afzal as UNMIL Force Commander in succession to Lieut.-Gen. A.T.M. Zahirul Alam of Bangladesh, whose duty ended yesterday, Marie Okabe added. In 1994 and 1995, Lieut.-Gen. Afzal commanded the quick reaction force of the UN Operation in Somalia II (UNOSOM II), which had been mandated to protect major ports, airports and infrastructure in the strife-torn country, provide humanitarian relief, help to reorganize the Somali police and judicial system, repatriate and resettle refugees and displaced people, and protect UN and other humanitarian personnel. Lieut.-Gen. Afzal, who was born in 1952, has had a distinguished military career since joining the Pakistani army in 1972, commanding armoured and infantry brigades, and serving as the director-general for strategic analysis in the country's Inter-Services Intelligence. Since 2006 he has been serving as corps commander with responsibility for more than 30,000 military personnel. In his new post he will head a force that numbered over 10,000 as of 31 August in a country where the UN Mission played a major role in restoring stability and a democratic government chosen in free elections after more than a decade of civil war. But in a report to the Security Council in August, Mr. Ban warned that the gains remain fragile, especially with regard to security, rule of law and job creation.
Oct 20 2009 5:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| CULTURAL DIVERSITY PROVIDES WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESS WORLD – UN REPORT
October 20, 2009 at 5:10 pm
|
| CULTURAL DIVERSITY PROVIDES WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESS WORLD – UN REPORT
New York, Oct 20 2009 5:10PM
Complying with cultural diversity, whether at the management, human resources or marketing level, can reap big dividends for businesses, according to a wide-ranging United Nations report on intercultural dialogue released today."The business world is beginning to understand and respond to the challenges of cultural diversity as a key factor of economic success," says the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=46731&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO) World Report <i>Investing in Cultural Diversity and Intercultural Dialogue</i>. "In an increasingly global marketplace, the capacity to create a universe with which consumers can identify adds significantly to a product's value. Today, cultural diversity has a central role to play in the conception, brand image and marketing strategies of products that are successful in the global market," it adds. Multinational corporations are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of diversifying and customizing their products to penetrate new markets and meet the expectations of local consumers, according to the report, which covers a raft of issues ranging from migration, to languages, education, sustainable development, and democratic governance. "As a result, cultural diversity today figures as prominently on private-sector agendas as it does on those of political decision-makers at the national or international level," it says, citing major global brands, such as Nike and Coca-Cola, which spend millions of dollars advertising and promoting their products to align with the cultures, needs and aspirations of consumers. Cultural diversity, too often reduced to the protection of heritages in danger, is also the development of intercultural skills, the search for an antidote to expressions of cultural isolationism, the lever of the effective exercise of universally recognized human rights and a means to reduce imbalances in the world trade in creative products, it adds. On another plane, the report notes that media and cultural industries represent more than 7 per cent of global gross domestic product (GDP) – approximately $1.3 trillion, or twice the level of receipts from international tourism – but Africa's share in the global trade in creative products remains marginal at less than 1 per cent of worldwide exports despite its abundance of creative talent. To improve this situation, it is urgent to invest in cultural diversity and dialogue, it stresses. "Through this World Report, UNESCO wishes to build on the advances of recent years and in particular to emphasize that cultural diversity has as its corollary intercultural dialogue, which implies a need to move beyond a focus on differences that can only be a source of conflict, ignorance and misunderstanding," UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura says in a foreword. "Cultural diversity is related to the dynamic process whereby cultures change while remaining themselves, in a state of permanent openness to one another. At the individual level, this is reflected in multiple and changing cultural identities, which are not easily reducible to definite categories and which represent opportunities for dialogue based on sharing what we have in common beyond those differences."
Oct 20 2009 5:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| GREEN PROJECTS IN SOUTH AFRICA AND TUNISIA RECEIVE UN AID
October 20, 2009 at 4:10 pm
|
| GREEN PROJECTS IN SOUTH AFRICA AND TUNISIA RECEIVE UN AID
New York, Oct 20 2009 4:10PM
Boosting energy efficiency in South African industry in the face of economy-threatening energy shortages and promoting environmentally-friendly production in Tunisia are the focus of two new United Nations projects signed today. The Swiss Government will help fund the UN Industrial Development Organization (<"http://www.unido.org/index.php?id=7881&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=413&cHash=df12243a99">UNIDO) projects under the accord signed in Bern, the Swiss capital. "South Africa's energy intensive industry was developed based on abundant and cheap energy resources," UNIDO Director-General Kandeh K. Yumkella said of the project that will help put in place energy management standards, ensure their adoption by industries at large and achieve a significant shift in energy practices by introducing a system optimization approach. "But in 2008, the country experienced an energy crisis with frequent blackouts. The energy shortages directly threaten the growth rate in the country and the region. Taking advantage of its experience UNIDO will contribute to a substantial improvement of energy efficiency in industry." The Swiss Government will contribute €2 million, while the South African Government will give another €5 million to the project, which will also lead to significant reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and, at the same time, increase the competitiveness of industries. A separate €1.5 million project, financed by Switzerland, will focus on promoting environmentally-friendly production in Tunisia. It will help increase the competitiveness of small- and medium-sized enterprises, and support the development of a regional network of such centres in the Middle East and North Africa. The project is aligned with a new programme that UNIDO is carrying out in cooperation with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and will contribute to UNIDO's Green Industry initiative, which aims to create national capacities in cleaner production, strengthen dialogue between industry and governments, and promote investments for development and transfer of cleaner technology. UNIDO is a specialized UN agency promoting industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability.
Oct 20 2009 4:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| TOP UN OFFICIAL TO SURVEY FOOD AID OPERATION IN STORM-BATTERED PHILIPPINES
October 20, 2009 at 3:10 pm
|
| TOP UN OFFICIAL TO SURVEY FOOD AID OPERATION IN STORM-BATTERED PHILIPPINES
New York, Oct 20 2009 3:10PM
The head of the United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/stories/flood-stricken-philippines-braces-new-typhoon">WFP) begins a three-day visit to the Philippines tomorrow to get a first-hand look at the impact of the devastating floods that have affected more than seven million people.The country was battered by tropical storm Ketsana (also known as Ondoy), which made landfall on 26 September, and then by typhoon Parma, which struck a week later. The storms led to more than 500 deaths and displaced scores of thousands of others, and caused crop damage estimated at over $160 million. WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran will travel with President Gloria Arroyo, and the agency's National Ambassador, KC Concepcion, to some of the worst-affected areas, according to a news release issued by the agency. They will see how food assistance is being provided to families whose homes have been destroyed, or made uninhabitable by the flooding. "WFP has a long history of providing food for the hungry in the Philippines, and when the floods hit people knew they could rely on our resources and expertise to get them food when they needed it," Ms. Sheeran said. As well as visiting the flood-affected areas, the Executive Director will meet senior Government officials, WFP staff, and representatives of non-government organizations (NGOs) and civil society groups that have been involved in relief efforts. The UN has appealed for $74 million to help one million people affected by the storms in the Philippines for the next six months. It has so far received $20 million.
Oct 20 2009 3:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| UN PROMOTES MEDIA COOPERATION IN RUN-UP TO IRAQI ELECTIONS
October 20, 2009 at 3:10 pm
|
| UN PROMOTES MEDIA COOPERATION IN RUN-UP TO IRAQI ELECTIONS
New York, Oct 20 2009 3:10PM
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (<"http://www.uniraq.org/">UNAMI) held a round-table meeting in Baghdad on Monday to discuss the role of the media in reporting the country's forthcoming parliamentary elections."The role of the media is key in ensuring the free and fair dimensions of elections," said the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq, Ad Melkert, who attended the talks. "This meeting is an important step in finding the common ground on which to work." The meeting was also attended by the heads of the three main Iraqi institutions involved in ensuring responsible, fair and accurate reporting in elections: the Iraqi Media Network (IMN), the Communications and Media Commission (CMC) and the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC). Participants agreed to form a working group, which will be facilitated by the UN, to organize a national workshop on a code of conduct for the media during elections, and to follow up on strengthening common ground between the three institutions.
Oct 20 2009 3:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| CALLING FOR MORE FEMALE POLICE, UN OFFICER WELCOMES NEW PACT WITH INTERPOL
October 20, 2009 at 3:10 pm
|
| CALLING FOR MORE FEMALE POLICE, UN OFFICER WELCOMES NEW PACT WITH INTERPOL
New York, Oct 20 2009 3:10PM
A senior United Nations official today welcomed a recent landmark agreement with the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) to strengthen police units in peacekeeping missions around the world, and called on Member States to contribute more women officers to those operations.The new agreement between the UN and INTERPOL aims to boost policing cooperation in restoring stability in post-conflict areas, UN Deputy Police Adviser Ann-Marie Orler told reporters in New York. The arrangement, agreed last week in Singapore, includes the exchange of information, cooperation in relation to interim law enforcement, security support to national police and training for the development of national police and other law enforcement agencies. "Our efforts to become more effective and highly professional through the development of strategic framework for international police peacekeeping depend on the commitment of Member States to provide well-qualified men and women who can contribute to fulfilling our core police functions and to train them in accordance to UN standards and values," said Ms. Orler. "We have a real chance of making real improvements and we are counting on Member States to support us in these efforts," she added. In August, the Police Division of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/dpko/">DPKO) launched a drive to recruit more police and more female police officers, targeting an increase in the number of women from 8 per cent today to 20 per cent in 2014, said Ms. Orler. "We encourage Member States to establish a policy that sets the percentage of their contribution of female police officers at a minimum of the same percentage of female officers they have in their national police," she said, noting that Liberia has already set the target. "The long-term goal is, of course, to have 50-50," stressed Ms. Orler. There are currently around 12,000 policemen and women, from over 100 countries, serving in 17 UN missions, compared to 2,400 a decade ago. The Security Council has authorized the deployment of a total of 15,000 UN police to peacekeeping operations.
Oct 20 2009 3:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| BAN TO DISCUSS CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT GOALS DURING TRIP TO SEATTLE
October 20, 2009 at 2:10 pm
|
| BAN TO DISCUSS CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT GOALS DURING TRIP TO SEATTLE
New York, Oct 20 2009 2:10PM
The subjects of climate change and the world's continuing efforts to achieve the social and economic targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will be high on the agenda when Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon travels to the United States city of Seattle next week.Mr. Ban is scheduled to arrive in Seattle on Sunday for a three-day visit in which he will meet with local leaders, civil society groups, the private sector and community representatives to discuss climate change and environmental and economic sustainability, his spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters today. The Secretary-General will also meet with Bill and Melinda Gates, whose philanthropic foundation bearing their names has worked with the UN on efforts to obtain the MDGs by the target date of 2015. Ms. Okabe said the focus of the meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Gates will be on advancing food security and global health, especially maternal, newborn and child health. While in Seattle Mr. Ban will also receive an honorary doctor of laws degree from the University of Washington and deliver a lecture on the world's common future in the face of climate change.
Oct 20 2009 2:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| BAN SEES EARLY SIGNS OF MOVEMENT ON RECOVERING MISSING KUWAITIS FROM IRAQ
October 20, 2009 at 2:10 pm
|
| BAN SEES EARLY SIGNS OF MOVEMENT ON RECOVERING MISSING KUWAITIS FROM IRAQ
New York, Oct 20 2009 2:10PM
There are indications of movement on the issue of recovering the remains of Kuwaitis and other nationals missing since the 1990 Gulf war, according to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who also warns that progress on this front remains fragile. Earlier this year, Mr. Ban proposed a "confidence- and cooperation-building period" between Iraq and Kuwait that would last until June 2010 to further encourage the parties to achieve progress and to strengthen their cooperation. In a<"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2009/539"> report to the Security Council that was released today, Mr. Ban welcomes the fact that the first six months of this period have brought about some "initial indications of movement" on the issue of missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals. "Progress remains fragile, however. The main task of discovering and identifying the victims and, finally, closing their files lies ahead," he writes, adding that this objective can be achieved only through increased cooperation between the two countries. "I call on Iraq and Kuwait to redouble their efforts in the coming months to achieve visible and significant progress in the search for missing persons and property, including archives. "This will not only help to resolve the long-standing humanitarian issue but also increase mutual trust and confidence, thus contributing to the resolution of other outstanding problems between the two countries," he adds. High-level Coordinator Gennady Tarasov, the UN focal point on the issue, visited Kuwait from 30 May to 3 June to discuss ways to ensure the success of the confidence-and cooperation-building period. While there he had the chance to meet with both Kuwaiti and Iraqi representatives, who stressed their intention to accelerate practical steps to achieve progress. Among the developments during the past nine months, the report notes that the remains of the missing United States serviceman, Captain Michael Scott Speicher, had been found in Iraq. Efforts since 2003 have resulted in the recovery and identification of 236 individuals and the return of some Kuwaiti property. The report adds that the Kuwaiti national archives have not been found and no credible information about their whereabouts has emerged.
Oct 20 2009 2:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| BELGIAN RIGHTS DEFENDER, PAKISTANI PHILANTHROPIST WIN UN PRIZE FOR NON-VIOLENCE
October 20, 2009 at 2:10 pm
|
| BELGIAN RIGHTS DEFENDER, PAKISTANI PHILANTHROPIST WIN UN PRIZE FOR NON-VIOLENCE
New York, Oct 20 2009 2:10PM
A Belgian human rights defender and a Pakistani philanthropist were today awarded a prestigious United Nations prize that draws its inspiration from the life of Mahatma Gandhi for their work in promoting tolerance and non-violence.François Houtart of Belgium and Abdul Sattar Edhi of Pakistan were awarded the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)-Madanjeet Singh Prize on the unanimous recommendation of an international jury to <"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=46735&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura. They will share the $100,000 prizemoney and receive the award on 16 November, the International Day for Tolerance. Dedicated to advancing tolerance in the arts, education, culture, science and communications, the prize was created in 1995 on the 125th anniversary of the birth of the great Indian apostle of non-violence thanks to the generosity of Indian writer and diplomat Madanjeet Singh, who is also a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. It is awarded every two years to individuals or institutions for outstanding contributions towards its goals. Previous laureates include Myanmar Nobel Peace Prize laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen. Mr. Houtart, an ardent promoter of North-South cooperation and founder of the Tri-Continental Centre (CETRI), a non-governmental organization (NGO) renowned for its work on development issues, was honoured for his life-long devotion to world peace, intercultural dialogue, human rights and promotion of tolerance. A life-long human rights defender, he has contributed significantly to advancing inter-faith and inter-cultural dialogue. Mr. Edhi, one of the most active philanthropists in Pakistan through his Edhi Foundation, a non-profit social welfare programme with over 300 centres, received the accolade for life-long efforts to improve the conditions of the most disadvantaged groups in Pakistan and South Asia, and promote human dignity, human rights, mutual respect and tolerance. His foundation provides the needy with medical aid, family planning, emergency assistance and education, and sets up maternity homes, mental asylums, homes for the physically handicapped, blood banks and orphanages, among other services. Mr. Matsuura also decided to award two honorary mentions: to the Saint Petersburg Government Programme on Tolerance in Russia for its efforts to inculcate mutual respect and tolerance in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society, and eradicate all forms of discrimination; and to the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool, United Kingdom, for commemorating millions of enslaved Africans and fighting against legacies of slavery such as racism, discrimination, inequalities, injustice and exploitation.
Oct 20 2009 2:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| SHELTER URGENTLY NEEDED FOR INDONESIAN QUAKE VICTIMS, UN AID AGENCIES SAY
October 20, 2009 at 1:10 pm
|
| SHELTER URGENTLY NEEDED FOR INDONESIAN QUAKE VICTIMS, UN AID AGENCIES SAY
New York, Oct 20 2009 1:10PM
Finding shelter tops the list of priorities for emergency relief agencies scrambling to help hundreds of thousands of people in Indonesia devastated by last month's powerful earthquake off the coast of the island of Sumatra, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) said today.The 7.9-magnitude Indian Ocean earthquake on 30 September – which killed at least 1,117 people – either severely or moderately damaged over 200,000 households in need of emergency shelter in seven of the 19 districts in West Sumatra, according to OCHA. Some 96 per cent of houses, or almost 85,000, have been damaged in the worst-hit district of Padang Pariaman, National Disaster Management Agency has told OCHA. In addition, only 20 per cent of Padang city's 778,000 residents remains connected to the water distribution network, according to relief agencies working in the area. The UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) plans to provide generators to ensure continuous running of the four pumping stations in the city, with other aid groups working to improve water and sanitation. The damage to infrastructure includes almost 3,000 classrooms in 204 schools, affecting the education of around 90,000 students from pre-school to upper secondary level, and a further 73 madrasahs have also been damaged, the Ministry of Religious Affairs told OCHA. The Government and aid agencies have constructed 248 temporary classroom structures in Padang city, and provided 283 tents and basic teaching materials for 87,000 children, as well as recreation equipment for over 5,000 children. A team of 17 structural engineers deployed by the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP) and New Zealand Aid have assessed the structural damage to 120 public buildings to identify which need to be demolished or repaired. Their initial assessment found that 50 per cent are safe to occupy and 25 per cent are unfit.
Oct 20 2009 1:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| UN HELPS LAUNCH FOREST MONITORING SYSTEM TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE
October 20, 2009 at 12:10 pm
|
| UN HELPS LAUNCH FOREST MONITORING SYSTEM TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE
New York, Oct 20 2009 12:10PM
A new and free way to monitor the size and health of forests through satellite data and help curb greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation has been launched by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO) and its partners."Never before have data of this kind been provided directly to users in developing countries," said FAO Director General Jacques Diouf. "Monitoring will be cheaper, more accurate and transparent for countries that want to participate in reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation." The new system delivers data for 13,000 locations and provides tools for their interpretation. Nearly 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions – more than all the world's cars, trucks, ships and planes combined – result from deforestation and degradation of forests, and plans to slash these emissions are expected to be a component of the new climate change agreement that is set to be reached by nations in December in Copenhagen, Denmark. Last month, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for a cash injection to jump-start progress on the UN Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (<"http://www.undp.org/mdtf/un-redd/overview.shtml">UN-REDD) initiative aimed at combating climate change through creating incentives to reverse the trend of deforestation. "Sustainable forest management can create jobs and protect the livelihoods of indigenous people and local communities," he added, addressing the high-level gathering with 70 governments represented, including 14 heads of State and senior ministers, on the fringes of the General Assembly's annual General Debate. UN-REDD – launched last September by Mr. Ban in collaboration with the FAO, the UN Environment Programme (<"http://www.unep.org/">UNEP) and the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP) – compensates developing countries for reducing carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. But many issues must be solved before UN-REDD can work, FAO stressed. One such challenge is the need for measurement, reporting and verification systems of carbon to ensure that carbon accounting and payments are carried out transparently. "National monitoring systems must be enhanced, not just looking at carbon dynamics but also measuring multiple benefits of UN-REDD and drivers of deforestation," said Peter Holmgren, FAO's climate change focal point.
Oct 20 2009 12:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| UN AGENCY CALLS FOR HARNESSING OF UNTAPPED POTENTIAL OF REMITTANCES
October 20, 2009 at 12:10 pm
|
| UN AGENCY CALLS FOR HARNESSING OF UNTAPPED POTENTIAL OF REMITTANCES
New York, Oct 20 2009 12:10PM
A new United Nations report calls for the lifting of restrictions and costly fees imposed on the $40 billion that migrant workers send home to Africa each year, the world body's agency tasked with eradicating rural poverty said today.
"Supporting this people-to-people money flow to rural areas of Africa is especially vital now because of the recession," said International Fund for Agricultural Development (<"http://www.ifad.org/">IFAD) Assistant President, Kevin Cleaver.
"The power of remittances can be catalyzed by easing restrictions and making it less costly for African families to collect this money," added Mr. Cleaver ahead of the two-day Global Forum on Remittances 2009 in Tunis, Tunisia, organized by IFAD and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Global remittances top $300 billion per year, outstripping foreign direct investment (FDI) and development assistance combined, but high fees and logistical difficulties are hampering the power of remittances to lift people out of poverty, according to IFAD's report, entitled <i>Sending Money Home to Africa</i>.
The report, which will be presented at the 22-23 October Tunis gathering, noted that although transfer costs have declined significantly in Latin America and in Asia, sending money home to Africa is still expensive, with fees within the continent reaching 25 per cent of the sum.
In addition, some 30 to 40 per cent of all remittances to Africa head to rural areas where many recipients have to travel great distances to collect their cash as the number of collection points across the entire continent is the same as for Mexico, which has a tenth of the population.
The report finds that simply by expanding the kinds of institutions able to conduct remittance services to include microfinance institutions and post offices, the number of payment points would more than double.
World leaders attending the G8 group of industrialized countries summit in July also recognized the development impact of remittance flows and set a goal of reducing the cost of remittances by 50 per cent over the next five years, by promoting a competitive environment and removing barriers.
Oct 20 2009 12:10PM
________________For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ |
| Entertainment news: The search for Amelia Earhart endures
October 20, 2009 at 11:53 am
|
| To view the latest USA TODAY Entertainment headlines on your mobile device, click here. If you have trouble reading this e-mail newsletter click here. To make changes to your e-mail subscriptions, click here  | | | | | | |  | Search for Earhart endures
Where are you, Amelia Earhart, America's most famous missing person? Everywhere, as it turns out. And, starting Friday, she's on thousands of movie screens in the biopic Amelia, starring two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank. Read more | | | Too 'Wild' for kids?
Though rated PG, the movie plays like a grown-up flick in parts. The threat of violence to the child hero, Max, is palpable. Read more |  | | | | Scandalous read Brangelina and their brood? Jen and her men? Fuggedaboutit. Try Elizabeth Taylor, Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. Now there was a triangle. Read the review |  | | |
| | | | | | | | |
Technology Live
Game Hunters
Science Fair
Business Traveler
