Asia

Southeast Asian countries benefit from Mekong River

The Mekong River is an important resource for millions of people in Asia as it runs through China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

This poses a challenge for the countries to ensure that all the people in the region benefit from its rich and diverse ecosystems.

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Garment industry in Bangladesh Rana Plaza: Never again

A year after Bangladesh’s deadliest industrial accident also known as the “Rana Plaza disaster”, safety conditions for workers have improved.

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Vaccines guarded against natural disasters in refrigerators in the Philippines

Vaccines are being guarded in refrigerators against future natural disasters in the Philippines, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

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Papua New Guinea struggles to meet MDG poverty targets

As countries around the world continue to push towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals or MDGs, there are a few states which are still struggling to meet the poverty targets.

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Women in Papua plant roots of independence

Papua, Indonesia’s easternmost province is one of the most remote and least developed corners on the planet.

It’s a hot spot for separatist fighters and a place where tribal culture is strong, including the domination of women by men.

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UN rapporteur waits to hear about execution of Iranian woman

The execution of an Iranian woman has reportedly been postponed following the intervention of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran.

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Countries urged to step up action against destructive banana disease

A destructive banana disease that has spread from Asia to Africa and theMiddle Eastposes a major risk to livelihoods and banana markets, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned.

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Evaluation tools central to success of development goals

Monitoring the success of development programmes, be they improving food production for farmers in Indonesia or ensuring clean water and sanitation for slum dwellers in India, requires strong evaluation methods according to ESCAP, the regional arm of the UN i

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"Digital smoke signals" used as disaster alert in Indonesia

An innovative approach to mining data from mobile phones and the internet has been developed in Indonesia as a tool to better understand and address development issues.

The United Nations' Pulse Lab Jakarta, located in Indonesia's capital, is using so-called "digital smoke signals."

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World must stop wasting good food: FAO

The world cannot afford to squander one third of total agricultural production through food loss and waste, according to a group of agricultural ministers from across Europe and Central Asia.

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