"Designing for impact” is the theme of this year’s Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) meeting, the annual philanthropic TED-like session now underway in New York.

Former President Bill Clinton framed the discussion in his opening remarks on Sunday, as noted in TIME: “Today we want to talk about how you can design your actions in advance to make it more likely they will succeed.”

He went on to challenge Walmart to open a store in Libya creating jobs in the world's hot spot for trouble and woes. "If the new president of Libya asked you to open a store in Tripoli, would you consider it?" Clinton asked Walmart CEO Mike Duke, part of the opening panel that included U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Queen Rania of Jordan and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim. Duke's dry-witted response: his "small company from Arkansas" has operations in regions of sub-Saharan Africa, but no presence or plans for Tripoli.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced, "I'm going to sound an alarm to all the leaders. We are living in an era of insecurity, injustice, inequality and intolerance, and what should we do?" as he called on business leaders like Walmart to act "for humanity" and not just for profit.Continue reading...

The United Nations today launches a first-of-its-kind mobile app, bringing the UN's latest news directly to consumers. The app aggregates news feeds from multiple UN agencies and programs to deliver an integrated, real-time stream in six languages.

Users can personalize the app by selecting topic areas and regions of interest to follow, while visually impaired users can use the voice-reader feature.

On hand for the kick-off event today in New York will be Kiyo Akasaka, UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, singer-songwriter and UN Messenger for Peace Stevie Wonder and Disney's High School Musical star and UN Youth Champion Monique Coleman.

The app is available on Android and iPhone/iPad and Windows Phone platforms and enables users to support UN Foundation campaigns and programs, including Nothing but Nets, Girl Up, the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, the Better World Campaign, and the United Nations Association of the USA.

The United Nations Foundation is a public charity created in 1998 with a $1 billion gift from Ted Turner. Its work focuses on reducing child mortality, empowering women and girls, new energy sources, peace and human rights and innovative technology in the health category.Continue reading...