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- UN official spotlights food waste at summit
Some 1.3 billion metric tons of food -- one-third of all the food produced worldwide -- is lost or wasted annually at a time when 925 million people are going hungry in developing countries, Jose Graziano da Silva, director-general of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, told a meeting of agriculture ministers in Germany. Dacian Ciolos, the European Union's agriculture commissioner, said, "If we let these foods rot, we waste financial resources, we waste natural resources and we also waste labor." Bloomberg (1/23)      - UN budget, transparency top U.S. reform agenda
The U.S. ambassador for UN management and reform, Joseph Torsella, has put forth a plan that the world body's largest donor is expected to pursue over the next few years, including salary freezes, cuts in health and pension costs and a condition that compensation audits be posted online. Peter Yeo, executive director of the Better World Campaign, issued a statement on the proposal, saying that the "reform initiatives ... build upon serious reforms currently underway in New York which will reduce costs and promote American interests." Devex.com/Pennsylvania Ave. blog (1/20), UN Dispatch (1/20), Bloomberg Businessweek (1/20)  | - Pakistan struggles to make progress against polio
Child malnutrition and vaccination refusals are hindering Pakistan's effort to battle polio, and the health community is seeking new ways to address the problem. Despite authorities' backing for an ambitious vaccination program last year, the number of cases in 2011 actually increased over 2010. IRINNews.org (1/23) - Want to help India's children? Empower mothers
 A growing body of global research is pointing India toward a solution for its child-malnutrition crisis, which rivals that of sub-Saharan Africa: Give women legal control of the land they farm with their husbands. "Women in India have a lower status and therefore less control over resources, both land and money, and consequently do not have the leverage to ensure that their children's needs are met," writes Renee Giovarelli, executive director of the Landesa Center for Women's Land Rights. The Guardian (London)/Poverty Matters blog (1/20) - Kenya goes solar to help farmers
Kenyan officials are turning to solar-powered pumps to help farmers manage the effects of climate change, secure a stable water supply and improve food security. Authorities have teamed up with the private sector to install 2,000 solar systems that are made up of a solar panel, pump, purification system and holding container. AlertNet (1/23) - Is plan to save Ecuador's Yasuni ahead of its time?
The fundraising mission to save Ecuador's Yasuni National Park from oil drilling is amassing donations from individuals, as well as corporations and national governments, to preserve biodiversity, help isolated tribal communities and prevent carbon from escaping into the atmosphere. But one former politician and conservationist thinks the world is not ready to support the innovative concept to save the forest known as "the lungs of the world." BBC (1/21) - UN remains concerned by Sudan region
Sudanese authorities will continue to limit United Nations access to conflict-ridden border areas despite calls for increased access to battle famine conditions in the regions. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has raised concerns over violence in the Sudan and South Sudan border areas, and he has given his support to African Union efforts to mediate the crisis. Google/Agence France-Presse (1/21), Reuters (1/22) - EU bans Iranian oil as IAEA rebuffs link to scientist's killing
The UN's International Atomic Energy Agency, officials from which are slated to travel to Iran this month to discuss the country's controversial nuclear program, has rejected claims that it leaked information that was used to assassinate a high-profile Iranian scientist. The European Union, which buys some 20% of Iranian oil, today banned all new oil contracts with the country as a sanction for Iran's nuclear activities. Reuters (1/20), BBC (1/23) Top five news stories selected by UN Wire readers in the past week. - Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.
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