Jezebel: Un

Some Idiot Ships 30 Pounds of Cocaine to the UN Building

Cassie Murdoch — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:15:00 EST

Somewhere there is a drug dealer who is really pissed that 30 pounds of his choice coke has gone missing. But if he wanted it so badly, he shouldn't have mailed it to the United Nations. The cocaine was sent inside fake diplomatic pouches, and ended up in the UN's mailroom last week. People there immediately recognized the pouches as knock-offs. The real diplomatic mail bags have "United Nations" printed on them, as well as the logo. But these only had the logo, and didn't have any address, manifest, or anything—and yet for some reason DHL delivered them no questions asked. It's highly unlikely that some diplomat was having a load of coke delivered for a party. Instead, they think the fake pouches, which originated from Mexico, were meant to ensure the packages made it through border security without being inspected—but it looks like the plan worked a little too well. More »

How Birth Control Can Bring Us Closer to World Peace

Erin Gloria Ryan — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:30:00 EDT

Sometime within the last day or so, it's estimated that the world's 7 billionth child was born. This child, like all children, was gestated in the body of a woman and like most children, is likely to be fed, bathed, and raised primarily by a woman. Whether the world that the child inhabits as he or she grows up is one of Utopian stability or nightmarish Orwellian permanent war and famine depends largely on the choices available to the world's women, and, more specifically, their access to reproductive health. More »

UN Recommends Everyone Stop Telling Women What To Do With Their Bodies

Erin Gloria Ryan — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:20:00 EDT

The UN recently issued a report that declares that countries that restrict access to either abortion or contraception are violating a woman's human rights. The report also declares it Officially Messed Up when a woman is prosecuted for taking illegal drugs or drinking during her pregnancy, because it's her body and the state has no right to it. The Pope, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rick Perry now agree: The UN sucks. More »

Text Messages Are Saving Pregnant Women's Lives

Irin Carmon — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 18:15:00 EST

A joint UN initiative equipping pregnant women and health care workers in Rwanda with mobile phones has led one hospital to see maternal deaths decline. They went from ten the previous year — to zero. More »

Iran Named To UN Gender Equality Group Despite Obvious Issues

Anna North — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 17:30:27 EDT

This week the UN gave Iran a four-year seat on its Commission on the Status of Women. But some activists criticize the decision, saying "Iran's discriminatory laws demonstrate that the Islamic Republic does not believe in gender equality." [FOX News] More »

Colorful Language

Anna Holmes — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:10:00 EDT

[Geneva, September 14. Image via Getty]

Dear Governor Palin: Why So Afraid Of The Fourth Estate?

Megan Carpentier — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Hey, Sarah, what's up? No, it's cool, you can talk to me. Remember? You're a hockey mom! Only lipstick separates you from a pitbull! You're sassy, you're brassy, you're utterly convinced you're ready to lead this country! You don't hesitate or blink! So, why are you trying so hard to avoid answering questions from reporters? More »

Aussies Upset Over Daring Girls' Didgeridoos • UN Says Sexism Rife In The UK

Maria — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:30:00 EDT

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Indigenous Australian commentators are aghast that the Down Under version of the Daring Book for Girls teaches and encourages girls and young women to learn and play the didgeridoo, an instrument that is taboo for women to even touch.• A woman is suing a UK hospital over a C-section that was performed on her without effective pain relief. • Want to end your marriage? A company Japan employs "professional seducers" to tempt and film the husbands of women who are agitating to get a divorce. • More »

Sexual Abuse By Aid Workers Is Underreported In Developing, Struggling Nations

Jessica G. — Tue, 27 May 2008 09:30:00 EDT

There's no way to sugarcoat or qualify this: news wires are abuzz with reports of widespread abuse of minors by UN peacekeepers and other humanitarian workers in post-conflict nations. According to a report released today by UK nonprofit Save the Children that focuses on the Ivory Coast, Haiti, and southern Sudan, "the perpetrators of sexual abuse of children could be found in every type of humanitarian organization at all levels." In Sudan, "people don't report [sexual abuse] because they are worried that the agency will stop working here, and we need them," a teen says. There are many specific instances of abuse described by the the organization, but the most chilling so far is the story of 'Elizabeth' (pictured above left), a 13-year-old from the Ivory Coast. More »

High Times

Dodai Stewart — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:40:00 EST

The United Nations has released a report blaming celebrities for sending the wrong message to young people when it comes to cocaine. Yeah. The UN. The report says authorities treat stars "leniently" and fail to make an example of them. In Europe, Britain is one of the countries with the highest level of cocaine use, reports the Telegraph. So the home of Pete Doherty, Amy Winehouse and Kate Moss is one of the main targets for cocaine traffickers, according to the International Narcotics Control board, a UN agency. Drugs are a problem, sure. But doesn't the UN have bigger fish to fry? [Telegraph] More »

Fergie's Bodily Functions Strike Again

Jennifer — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 19:00:00 EDT

Poor Fergie reportedly barfed all over herself while at the Minnesota State Fair. Maybe it was all the fried food on a stick? [Dlisted]

R.I.P. Lady Bird

Jennifer — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 19:10:13 EDT

America's best-monikered First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson, died this afternoon at the age of 94. She was one of the first people (sorry, Al!) to bring environmentalism center-stage. [CBS News]