| |  | |  Health concerns mount as Pakistan braces for more rain United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon heads to flood-ravaged Pakistan this weekend as fears over more monsoon rain and the spread of water-borne diseases grip the country. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari -- who has faced broad criticism over his government's handling of the crisis -- visited a flood-hit area for the first time Thursday. Pakistan's vital agriculture industry has already sustained significant damage and will likely need billions of dollars in rehabilitation funds. More than 14 million people have been affected by the raging waters, and relief workers are struggling to reach people trapped in remote areas. AlertNet.org/Reuters (8/13) , The Globe and Mail (Toronto)/Reuters (8/13) , Der Spiegel (Germany) (English online version) (8/12) , The New York Times (free registration) (8/13)
|  |  | We need a complete revisit of what our policies in Kashmir have been. It is not about money -- you have spent huge amounts of money. It is not about fair elections. It is about reaching out to a generation of Kashmiris who think India is a huge monster represented by bunkers and security forces." Jawaharlal Nehru University strategic affairs professor Amitabh Mattoo. Read the full story. |
|  | "The floods, which the government says have affected 14 million people and killed 1,600, most of them in KP, have drastically worsened the situation. Wells, streams and springs have been contaminated, as has ground water." UN Dispatch | |
- UN denounces wartime rape
The use of rape as a weapon of war needs to be broadly recognized as a massive assault on the rights of women and girls, and perpetrators convicted, the United Nations officials with the Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative say. The initiative seeks to raise the profile of sexual violence in conflict among world leaders, while working to end the practice and protect survivors. CNN (8/13)       - Cameroon scrambles to prevent cholera spread
More than 2,500 cases of cholera -- 200 of them fatal -- have been reported in Cameroon since an outbreak of the water-borne disease began in June. Aid agencies fear it may spread to neighboring countries. UNICEF has distributed emergency medical kits to the affected region, where a chronic lack of access to potable water is helping spread the disease. CNN (8/12) - Landmark U.S.-Chinese solar-energy initiative may fizzle out
Vocal complaints from Chinese competitors over a lucrative agreement struck between a U.S.-based alternative-energy firm and China to build the world's largest solar-energy plant in the Mongolian desert may scuttle the deal -- which, one year after being signed, has yet to move forward into production. Chinese government officials in Inner Mongolia say that they intend to reopen the project to bidders, and observers believe that the preliminary agreement was simply a show of support for U.S. President Barack Obama's strategic energy-cooperation initiative. The Washington Post (8/13)  | - Rights groups concerned by Haiti sexual violence
Sexual assault has emerged as a critical concern for Haitian women in the aftermath of the Jan. 12 earthquake, but the government and international relief organizations are failing to provide services or protection, rights groups say. The United Nations deployed 100 female peacekeepers to contend with issues related to gender-based violence, but rights groups are calling on Haitian and international authorities to back trainings for Haitian police, increases to the number of female officers and more vigorous investigation of registered cases. AlertNet.org/Reuters (8/12) - Myanmar junta sets Nov. 7 date for election
On Nov. 7, Myanmar will stage its first election since the 1990 poll that saw National League for Democracy candidate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi promoted to power by a large majority -- a result that was overruled by the country's military junta. In the upcoming election, the junta seeks to transition from military rule to civilian order while still maintaining power. Western authorities have called on the ruling regime to release Suu Kyi from house arrest and honor the results of the 1990 election and have said that sanctions will remain in place until such a time. The New York Times (free registration) (8/13) , The Economist/Banyan's Notebook blog (8/13) - Afghan-only army operation falters
A military operation in Laghman province intended to flush out Taliban fighters and demonstrate the increasing capacity of Afghan armed forces has culminated with a plea from Afghan commanders for a rescue by NATO troops. Afghan officials believe the Taliban received forewarning of the attack and were ready to intercept government troops when they deployed Aug. 3, but are now surrounded. Afghanistan has increased the country's army to 134,000 soldiers and hopes to take over security from international forces. The New York Times (free registration) (8/12) - Foreign fighters are pouring into eastern Afghanistan
Foreign fighters linked to al-Qaida are crossing the mountainous border terrain -- with the help of Pakistani militants -- and escalating the security threat in eastern Afghanistan, even as the focus of the war remains in the south. Arab fighters, arriving primarily from Pakistan's Bajaur and Mohmand tribal regions, are increasing militant activity in the east, where insurgents have sought to isolate and separate the capital of Kabul from the rest of the country. Google/The Associated Press (8/13) - Iraqi government confirms dedication to U.S. withdrawal timetable
The Iraqi government has said that despite its concerns about the transition to being fully responsible for its own military and police security forces, Iraq will not consider renegotiating the timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. The comments came in response to remarks made by Gen. Babakir Zebari, chief of staff for the Iraqi army, who said that the U.S. should not withdraw troops immediately as the Iraqi military remains unprepared for the challenges posed by insurgent fighters -- and will not be ready for another 10 years. CNN (8/12) - Popular Kashmir revolt creates security, diplomatic crisis for India
Despite broad efforts to win the support of the people of Kashmir, the Indian government faces persistent frustration among Kashmiris, who have mounted for the third year in a row fierce demonstrations that have led to violent clashes. Unlike the Pakistan-sponsored insurgency that rocked Kashmir for years, the popular revolt is supported by large segments of the population beyond stone-throwing young men. Some 50 people have died in heated protests against the Indian military presence in Kashmir, whose residents demand self-determination. India has refused all outside offers for mediation. The New York Times (free registration) (8/12) - Israeli military chief defends use of force in flotilla raid
After testimony from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Israeli's chief military official provided the most detailed description yet of the bungled Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound Turkish aid flotilla -- the subject of an investigation by an Israeli appointed commission. Israeli chief of staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi said that the commandos who raided the aid flotilla were prepared for resistance but lacked intelligence on the level of force they would encounter. In his testimony before the panel, which seeks to determine whether the incident conforms with international law, he said that Israeli commandos responded with proportionate force. The Washington Post (8/12)  | |  | | | | | | | | Executive Assistant to the Executive Director, Development | United Nations Foundations | Washington DC, DC | | Business Operations Officer – Energy | United Nations Foundations | Washington DC, DC | | Executive Director, United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA) | United Nations Foundations | Washington DC, DC | | Executive Assistant to the Executive Director, Global Partnerships | United Nations Foundations | Washington DC, DC | | Administrative Assistant, Global Partnerships | United Nations Foundations | Washington DC, DC | | Director of IT | Trivedi Foundation | San Francisco / Los Angeles / New York, CA | | Sales Manager | Trivedi Foundation | San Francisco / Los Angeles / New York, CA | | Director of Marketing | Trivedi Foundation | San Francisco / Los Angeles / New York, CA | | SENIOR ADVOCATE/RESEARCHER (International Financial Institutions) | Human Rights Watch | Washington, DC | | Development Director | Crisis Action | New York, NY | | | |  | |  | |
 | - Which of these preventable diseases has the highest mortality rate among children?
| Malaria |  54.03% | | Measles |  18.16% | | Pneumonia |  17.87% | | HIV/AIDS |  5.33% | | Polio |  4.61% | |
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