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- UN service can be valuable to political careers
Careers in diplomacy at the United Nations have long been viewed by many American politicians as a place for officials to end their careers, but a number of prominent individuals have used their UN service as springboard to higher office. Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Slovenia's current president, Danilo Turk, all spent time among the UN diplomatic corps. ForeignPolicy.com/Turtle Bay blog (8/30)       - Exit interview: Israel's UN ambassador Gabriela Shalev
Gabriela Shalev, who has represented Israel at the UN for two tumultuous years, is returning home to write and teach. She says she is pleased with the prospect of direct Israeli-Palestinian talks. "On the verge of my leaving ... this makes me feel better -- that I know that there's some kind of a hope around the corner." Google/The Associated Press (8/31)  - UN calls on donors to help flood-stricken Niger
Niger is in need of immediate aid to help almost 200,000 people displaced by flooding in recent weeks, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says. Flooding has increased food insecurity in Niger, where more than 15 million people were already facing hunger as a result of failed harvests. OCHA is appealing to donors for $230 million to fund relief efforts. CNN (8/30) - India approves altered nuclear power deal
The Indian Parliament approved a civil nuclear power deal with the U.S. on Monday, aimed at attracting foreign investment and expertise to expand India's nuclear power capabilities. Political concerns delayed passage of the deal for years, and some observers worry compromises made to secure approval -- such as liability guidelines for both operators and suppliers -- may keep foreign energy companies away. The New York Times (free registration) (8/30) - Russia submits first monitored emissions trading project
Russian authorities have submitted the country's first project for consideration under track two of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change tradable carbon emissions-reduction mechanism. Russia has proposed building additional electricity generation capabilities onto the Shaturskaya plant near Moscow by means of an energy-efficient combined cycle gas turbine. Track two projects under the UNFCCC are subject to outside emission-reduction verifications. Bloomberg (8/30) - Climate-change skeptic Lomborg has a change of heart
Bjorn Lomborg, one of the world's foremost climate-change skeptics, has changed his mind about the threat that climate change poses -- and posed a new course for meeting the challenge. In a book to be published next month, Lomborg will outline his change of heart on the threat of carbon emissions and call for $100 billion annually in investments in eight solutions, including clean energy resources and climate engineering research. Lomborg says that research and development hold more promise to curb carbon emissions than political promises for cuts -- some of which have failed to materialize or have already been broken. The Guardian (London) (8/30)  | - Groups file suit to stop U.S. kill order
The American Civil Liberties Union and Center for Constitutional Rights have filed suit against the U.S. government for authorizing the Central Intelligence Agency to kill radical cleric Anwar Al-Awlaki, who is a U.S. citizen. The lawsuit contends the U.S. government does not have the right to order the death of an American citizen off a field of battle or without judicial review. Officials argue Al-Awlaki has joined enemy forces during a time of war and is actively plotting attacks against American targets. The New York Times (free registration) (8/30) , AlertNet.org/Reuters (8/30) - Emerging Palestinian state to make its case in summit with Israel
Palestinian authorities meeting with U.S. and Israeli authorities for the Israeli-Palestinian summit this week have one thing behind them that they have lacked in the past: an outline for a potential Palestinian state in the West Bank. With increasing economic stability and security in the West Bank, President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority will argue to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that control of the West Bank should be relinquished to the emerging Palestinian civil authority -- but prospects for a breakthrough in this regard are not promising. The New York Times (free registration) (8/30) - Strategic shifts, big capture in Mexican drug war
Even as the bloody drug war in Mexico continues, it has changed shape considerably, with Mexican drug traffickers and smugglers disguising themselves in phony uniforms -- even dressing themselves as Texas sheriffs. On the official side of the conflict, Mexican authorities have fired 3,200 federal police officers over the course of the year -- almost 10% of the country's federal law enforcement officers -- to modernize the department and weed out endemic corruption. The authorities can also claim a victory in the capture of Edgar "La Barbie" Valdez, a notorious drug lord. The Washington Post (8/30) , Los Angeles Times (8/31) , Reuters (8/31)  | |  | | | | | | | | Executive Assistant | Social Science Research Council | Brooklyn, NY | | Deputy Director, Women and Population | United Nations Foundations | Washington DC, DC | | Executive Director, Europe and Central Asia Division | Human Rights Watch | London, United Kingdom | | Senior Associate, Foundation Relations | United Nations Foundations | Washington DC, DC | | Online Communications Associate | United Nations Foundations | Washington DC, DC | | PROGRAM ASSISTANT FOR UNAIDS COMMUNICATIONS AND CONSULTATION FACILITY | International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO) | Toronto, Canada | | Operations Assistant | United Nations Foundations | Washington DC, DC | | SENIOR ADVOCATE/RESEARCHER (International Financial Institutions) | Human Rights Watch | Washington, DC | | | |  | |  | |
- World leaders will gather in September for a UN Summit on the Millennium Development Goals. What issue should be at the top of the agenda?
 | Child health | | Climate and energy | | Education | | Gender equality | | Preventable diseases |
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