UN Wire Tue, Oct 01, 2013 -President urges citizens to "put Nigeria first," avoid extremism

October 1, 2013 FOLLOW THE UN FOUNDATION   News covering the UN and the world SIGN UP | FORWARD | ADVERTISE | DONATE Top Story Report: Fewer people go hungry, but more effort needed on food-security MDG United Nations food agencies report that efforts to combat hunger have shown progress, with a 17% decline in the world's chronically hungry since the 1990-92 period. But the agencies warn that efforts need to be increased if the world is to meet the Millennium Development Goal of halving hunger by 2015. "With a final push in the next couple of years, we can still reach it," the UN agencies said in the report. Reuters (10/1), The Guardian (London) (10/1) Share: Above the Fold Countries unprepared for larger share of elderly, UN study says How will the U.S. government shutdown affect aid agencies? Organic farming's benefits require further research President urges citizens to "put Nigeria first," avoid extremism UN Radio Quote of the Day @UNFoundation: A big week in the fight against global poverty: trib.al/gXRLDUZ #MDG Share: UN Dispatch "A series of car bomb blasts in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, has killed at least 47 people and injured many more, officials say. ... More than 5,000 people have been killed so far this year, according to United Nations data." UN Dispatch (10/1) Share: United Nations Countries unprepared for larger share of elderly, UN study says Most countries are ill-prepared to handle the increasing number of senior citizens, a United Nations report finds. Lack of data has contributed to the absence of planning, the report argues. "Unless you measure something, it doesn't really exist in the minds of decision-makers," says John Beard of the World Health Organization. ABC News/The Associated Press (10/1), The Guardian (London) (9/30) Share: Will Syrian opposition be ready for peace talks in November? Peace talks on Syria are slated for mid-November, but Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he does not think the Syrian opposition could unify in time. Meanwhile, the United Nations inspection team met with Syrian officials to discuss plans for the elimination of Syria's chemical-weapons stockpiles. Reuters (10/1), Reuters (10/1), The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (10/1) Share: UN encourages youths to participate in post-2015 goals process The InterDependent (9/30) Share: Health & Development How will the U.S. government shutdown affect aid agencies? The impact of the U.S. government shutdown on aid agencies depends on how long federal agencies will be closed, writes Paul Stephens. Grants and funding that are already approved are expected to be unaffected. Devex.com (free registration) (10/1) Share: Fuel, food subsidies cut as Zambia faces budget constraints IRINNews.org (9/30) Share: How data can help combat diseases VentureBeat (9/29) Share: Climate and Energy Organic farming's benefits require further research Organic farming has the potential to boost crop yields and farmer income, but a lack of objective research makes it difficult to broaden the use of the method. "What is missing is hard data on performance: There are so few case studies analyzing objectively what is going on," says Steve Franzel of the World Agroforestry Centre in Kenya. SciDev.net (10/1) Share: Pakistan looks to biogas Thomson Reuters Foundation (10/1) Share: Peacekeeping and Security President urges citizens to "put Nigeria first," avoid extremism Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan marked the country's 53rd anniversary of independence by urging citizens to work together and avoid extremism. "Our people are divided in many ways -- ethnically, religiously, politically and materially," Jonathan said, adding, "We have a duty as Nigerians, whatever may be our differences, to always put Nigeria first." Reuters (10/1) Share: Rwanda's president deflects questions on DR Congo Reuters (9/30) Share: Kenyan panel may seek to close Somali refugee camps BBC (9/30) Share: Hundreds of protesters arrested in Sudan Reuters (10/1) Share: Al-Qaida group says it set off Monday's Baghdad bombings Al Arabiya (United Arab Emirates)/The Associated Press (10/1) Share: Islamists capture Yemeni military base ABC News/The Associated Press (9/30) Share: ICC seeks to arrest Cote d'Ivoire politician for postelection violence Reuters (10/1) Share: Position Title Company Name Location Program Manager Social Science Research Council Brooklyn, NY Network Administrator United Nations Foundation Washington, DC Click here to view more job listings.