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- Israeli development plan draws criticism
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that an Israeli plan to raze 22 Palestinian homes and erect an archaeological center in East Jerusalem violated international law -- and threatened to scuttle international efforts to broker a peace between Israel and Palestine. The Jerusalem City Council approved the archaeological center plan Monday, drawing criticism from human-rights organizations as well as peace advocates. Google/Agence France-Presse (6/23)        - WHO study points to cheaper polio vaccines
A lower dose of polio vaccine administered just below the skin is cheaper to obtain and as effective as the traditional larger doses, doctors from the World Health Organization report. Public health planners hope to use the findings to craft more cost-friendly polio-immunization programs for developing countries that are struggling to eradicate the crippling disease. AlertNet.org/Reuters (6/23) - Africa faces a brighter future as economic growth continues
 Economies across Africa have expanded steadily since the 1980s -- accelerating the pace after 2000, and even managing to grow during the 2010 global economic crisis -- creating a consumer class and business environment that offers industry some of the best opportunities in the developing world, according to a report from consulting firm McKinsey. Increased political stability, the end of several violent conflicts and economic reforms are among the main contributing factors to the growth. The New York Times (free registration) (6/23) - Rape incidents are rising in wake of Haiti earthquake
Sexual assaults in Haiti have risen dramatically in the wake of January's devastating earthquake, aid groups and Haitian authorities warn. Tens of thousands of women and girls are living on Haiti's streets or squeezed into camps without sufficient security. Joint Haitian-United Nations police patrols have deployed at some camps in an effort to improve security conditions. The New York Times (free registration) (6/23) - Whaling talks collapse after stalemate
Talks hosted by the International Whaling Commission in an effort to reduce whaling by Japan, Norway and Iceland collapsed after delegates could not agree on the size of the cap on whaling to replace a 24-year-old moratorium on commercial whaling. Countries are divided between those who want to prevent all whale hunting and those who believe that the commission should act to regulate and reduce commercial whaling. The New York Times (free registration) (6/23) - Call for bluefin protections grows during Gulf spill
Conservationists are petitioning the U.S. government to declare bluefin tuna an endangered species over fears the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico may decimate the fish population. Scientists say billions of fish eggs and larvae have died as a result of the spill, which began in the middle of the annual April spawning season. Previous efforts to secure international protections for the bluefin have faltered over objections of countries that hunt and sell the valuable fish. The New York Times (free registration) (6/23) - Developing world post offices are tech hubs
Post offices in the developing world are becoming technology centers, offering Internet, fax, photocopying and other services in remote areas, according to reports from the International Telecommunication Union and Universal Postal Union. In Botswana, authorities are also offering Internet and computer-use training at dozens of post offices. PC World/IDG News Service (6/22) - Tibetan activists face new crackdown
Human-rights advocates report that Tibetans are the subject of a new crackdown that has targeted activists previously thought immune to the scrutiny of the Chinese government. Environmentalist Karma Samdrup, an apolitical figure who has supported philanthropy and arts collections, has been targeted by the Chinese police for "tomb robbing" -- a charge that had been dropped but was revived after Samdrup appealed over his brothers' labor camp sentences. The New York Times (free registration) (6/23) - Frustration in France over World Cup takes on racial tinge
The frustration and collapse of the French soccer team at the World Cup has revealed the underlying divide in French society, with some French lawmakers making remarks about the mostly minority team that appeared to have an ethnic dimension. French junior minister for the suburbs, Fadela Amara -- who represents a largely minority district -- criticized French President Nicolas Sarkozy's handling of the national debate on race, saying, "We're building a highway for the National Front." The New York Times (free registration) (6/23) - U.S. looks beyond Karzai influence
Afghan President Hamid Karzai's half brother -- Ahmed Wali Karzai -- is frustrating U.S.-led plans to push the Taliban out of the southern city of Kandahar. The younger Karzai, head of Kandahar's regional council, has been repeatedly accused of profiting from the narcotics trade, corruption and appropriation of security forces personnel for his own use. U.S. officials are hoping Kandahar's regional governor, Tooryalai Wesa, can emerge as the city's power broker. National Public Radio (text and audio) (6/24) - Australia gets first female leader
Australia welcomed its first female prime minister today after the ruling party voted to oust Kevin Rudd and replace him with Julia Gillard. Rudd faced plummeting popularity over education and environmental policies, and a tax war with the mining industry. The Welsh-born Gillard's first move after assuming office was a conciliatory gesture toward miners. The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) (6/24) , The Guardian (London) (6/24) - Salvadoran President Funes is under fire for rising crime
Rising violence in El Salvador threatens to undermine the efforts of Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes, who has been criticized by opponents and supporters alike for an administration described as corrupt and ineffective. Critics say that Funes has been unable to marshal reforms to the police or justice system and has not challenged the traditional blocs of economic power -- some of which are under the influence of drug traffickers and organized crime. Los Angeles Times (6/24)  | |  | | | | | | | | Executive Director | Cultural Survival | Cambridge, MA | | Online Communications Senior Associate, Public Affairs Girl Up Campaign | United Nations Foundation (UNF) / Better World Fund (BWF) | Washington, DC | | Campaign Associate, Girl Up Campaign | United Nations Foundation (UNF) / Better World Fund (BWF) | Washington, DC | | Communications Associate, Public Affairs Girl Up Campaign | United Nations Foundation (UNF) / Better World Fund (BWF) | Washington, DC | | Systems Administrator | United Nations Foundation (UNF)/Better World Fund (BWF) | Washington, DC | | Pledge Guarantee for Health (PGH) Associate | United Nations Foundation (UNF)/Better World Fund (BWF) | Washington, DC | | Managing Director, Thought Leadership | United Nations Foundation (UNF) / Better World Fund (BWF) | Washington, DC | | UNITED KINGDOM DIRECTOR | Human Rights Watch | London, United Kingdom | | | |  | |  | |
- Should all country governments allow refugees to return to their homes no matter how long they have been displaced?
 | Yes | | No |
- ICT and maternal health
A consortium of international groups including the mHealth Alliance announced today a call for collaboration to accelerate the use of modern information and communications technologies (ICTs), especially wireless, to improve maternal and newborn health in the developing world. They called for financial and organizational support to leverage the growing use of wireless technology to expand the reach of proven maternal and newborn health interventions. "We are proud to be joining with these partners," said David Aylward, executive director of the mHealth Alliance, an umbrella group launched last year by the Rockefeller, UN and Vodafone Foundations. UN Foundation (6/24) |
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