UN Wire Wed, Oct 16, 2013 -On World Food Day, efforts to improve food security, reduce hunger show results

October 16, 2013 FOLLOW THE UN FOUNDATION   News covering the UN and the world SIGN UP | FORWARD | ADVERTISE | DONATE Top Story On World Food Day, efforts to improve food security, reduce hunger show results World Food Day is today and highlights the need to decrease food waste, promote healthy diets and show how better nutrition improves a country's economy. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization says that global investments of $1.2 billion annually for five years would yield better health and fewer child deaths as well as producing economic value of $15.3 billion each year. Channel NewsAsia/Agence France-Presse (10/16), IRINNews.org (10/16), The Guardian (London) (10/16) Share: Above the Fold Direct grants for specific services show results, U.K. report says Better understanding needed of sexual-violence victims, ICRC says Extreme-weather events threaten anti-poverty efforts, report says Nuclear talks continue as Iran shows willingness to make a deal UN Radio Quote of the Day @UNFoundation: 1.1 million malaria deaths have been averted since 2000. #EndPoverty to improve access to medicines for all people: bit.ly/15zVjB Share: UN Dispatch "While thousands are reported to protest in Baku, the lack of international attention -- both from the media and from political players -- to the blatantly undemocratic nature of the regime in Azerbaijan is troublesome." UN Dispatch (10/15) Share: Health & Development Direct grants for specific services show results, U.K. report says U.K.'s Independent Commission for Aid Impact said that directly funding aid programs that improve services is a cost-effective option for reducing inefficiencies. ICAI added that program goals "need to be clearer, more realistic and more specific to each country context." Devex.com (free registration) (10/16) Share: MSF calls on world community to make Syrian aid a priority Medecins Sans Frontieres wants the global community to improve efforts to provide humanitarian aid in Syria just as it did with the issue of chemical weapons. "[W]e really believe that this should be repeated to get more medicine and food in numerous enclaves where all aid is blocked," says MSF Operations Director Bart Janssens. Voice of America (10/15) Share: Death toll from Philippines earthquake passes 140 BBC (10/16) Share: Women & Girls Better understanding needed of sexual-violence victims, ICRC says The International Committee of the Red Cross is focused on helping victims of sexual violence in armed conflicts, writes Anastasia Moloney. A lack of information is preventing an accurate picture of victims, she argues. Thomson Reuters Foundation (10/16) Share: Laotian girls receive cervical cancer immunizations BBC (10/14) Share: Climate and Energy Extreme-weather events threaten anti-poverty efforts, report says The Overseas Development Institute warns that extreme-weather events such as droughts are a crucial factor in poverty rates in many parts of the world. BBC (10/15), Thomson Reuters Foundation (10/16), The Guardian (London) (10/16) Share: Peacekeeping and Security Nuclear talks continue as Iran shows willingness to make a deal Iran may be willing to reduce its uranium-enrichment program and allow spot checks on its nuclear facilities in return for an end to economic sanctions against the country, an Iranian official indicated. Negotiations are next scheduled for early November. BBC (10/16), Reuters (10/16), The Washington Post (tiered subscription model) (10/16) Share: Ban decries violence in Iraq during holiday United Press International (10/15) Share: 3-site attack by militants in Nigeria Reuters (10/15) Share: Where will Egypt turn to as U.S. reduces military aid? Reuters (10/16) Share: Land mine explodes, more than 20 dead in Syria BBC (10/16) Share: Former Cote d'Ivoire fighters becoming highway bandits IRINNews.org (10/16) Share: N. Korea needs to abide by UN resolutions, IAEA head says GlobalPost.com/Yonhap News Agency (10/16) Share: Deputy president wants to stay in Kenya while being tried by ICC Reuters (10/15) Share: Number of war-related deaths in Iraq pegged at over 450,000 BBC (10/16) Share: Position Title Company Name Location Associate, Business Services, Budgets, and Reporting United Nations Foundation Washington, DC Senior Campaign Associate, Nothing But Nets United Nations Foundation Washington, DC Program Manager Social Science Research Council Brooklyn, NY