News headlines in April 2018, page 7

ROME, Apr 11 (IPS) - The United Nations, which is battling some of the world's worst humanitarian crises in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, still remains focused on one of its equally daunting undertakings: how to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030.

KBAL ROMEAS, Cambodia, Apr 10 (IPS) - Suddenly the road ends. The cart track disappears under the water. A vast lake stretches out in front of me. I have to transfer from a motorbike to a canoe. "Tuk laang," my guide says coolly. "The water is rising."

UNITED NATIONS, Apr 10 (IPS) - One year into the most recent series of protests and a humanitarian crisis with no end in sight, international groups have called for action to help protect Venezuelans. A complex political and economic crisis in Venezuela has left millions without access to basic services and resources, prompting UN agencies and human rights groups like Human Rights Watch to speak up and urge action.

ROME, Apr 10 (IPS) - Roberto Savio is founder of IPS Inter Press Service and President EmeritusIt is now clearly evident that w e are in a period of transition, even though we remain uncertain as to its outcome.The political, economic and social system that has accompanied us since the end of the Second World War is no longer sustainable.

UNITED NATIONS, Apr 10 (IPS) - Dr. Richard Munang is UN Environment's Africa regional climate change programme coordinator and Robert Mgendi is UN Environment's adaptation policy expert. "If you wish to move mountains tomorrow, you must start by lifting stones today"—so goes an African proverb, crystallising the solutions to the continent's socio-economic inequalities.

NEW YORK, Apr 10 (IPS) - Gulnoza Said, Committee to Protect Journalists, Europe and Central Asia Research Associate*President Ilham Aliyev claims that in Azerbaijan the internet is free and press freedom is guaranteed. But ahead of the April 11 snap elections, authorities have systematically silenced critical voices online through amending laws and blocking news websites, and hackers have attacked independent news outlets.

WASHINGTON DC, Apr 09 (IPS) - Matthew Soursourian and Michael Joyce, the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP)*Research increasingly demonstrates that poor customers, just like other customers, value their privacy and care deeply about the protection of their personal data. But what do providers think about obtaining, using, storing and sharing personally identifiable information?

NEW YORK, Apr 09 (IPS) - Peter A Gallo is a former investigator at the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS)*Under-Secretary-General Jan Beagle recently spoke at an event at the International Peace Institute on the subject of ‘Combating Sexual Harassment in the United Nations.' She spoke eloquently and coherently, but what she said, unfortunately, was largely an exercise in distraction and futility.

RANGPUR, Bangladesh, Apr 09 (IPS) - Most migrants to Europe, Australia and the United States from Rangpur in northern Bangladesh leave home at a young age and return when they have just passed middle age.

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Apr 06 (IPS) - Miroslav Lajčák, President of the UN General Assembly, in an address to the mid-term ministerial conference of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)I am honoured to pay a visit to the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to address this Ministerial Meeting. I would like to use this opportunity to commend the role of the Non-Aligned Movement in promoting peace, security and development around the world.I also want to start by acknowledging the commitment of Venezuela, as Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement. I also thank Azerbaijan for welcoming us all to Baku, as the host of this conference.