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- Palestinians mull UN approach as talks stall
Palestinian authorities are frustrated by progress with the U.S. as a mediator and are considering taking their concerns over Israel's continued expansion of settlements to the United Nations Security Council. Israeli construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem lacks international backing, and Palestinians would likely find a warm reception for their arguments on the illegality of construction. TIME (10/27)       - Hezbollah leader calls UN tribunal a threat
Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, on Thursday warned people against cooperating with the UN tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The remarks by Nasrallah are expected to further complicate the tribunal's work a day after a group of women beat and robbed two investigators. The New York Times (free registration) (10/28)  - Turmoil in India over high interest of microloans
Microlending has suffered a setback recently in India, where thousands of borrowers are refusing to repay loans at the urging of government leaders who are criticizing lenders for imposing especially high interest rates -- ranging from 25% to 100% annually -- and harassing borrowers. Some in government are blaming microlenders for the suicides of dozens of borrowers. The Wall Street Journal (10/28) - Indonesia struggles with rescue, warning system
Inclement weather is adversely affecting rescuers' efforts to reach people affected by a tsunami that hit the Mentawai islands off the west coast of Sumatra this week. Indonesian officials are considering updating the country's early warning systems, as existing machinery did not register an alert between the undersea earthquake and the tsunami that resulted. BBC (10/29) , The Christian Science Monitor (10/28) - Biodiversity talks are nearing agreement
Delegates at a UN conference on biodiversity in Japan are optimistic of reaching a deal on preservation of the world's natural habitats and the equitable sharing of their genetic resources. Central to any deal is a protocol addressing payment to developing countries for use, largely by rich countries, of their natural genetic materials. BBC (10/29) - HRW is concerned by Roma deportations to Kosovo
Human Rights Watch is sounding an alarm over the fate of Roma deported from Western European countries back to Kosovo where the rights watchdog says they face soaring unemployment, discrimination and inhumane living conditions. The attention of Kosovo authorities is focused on political survival, the group warns, and officials are unlikely to see the Roma plight as a priority. The Toronto Star (10/28) - EU, Iran plan resumption of nuclear talks
Iran has officially signaled a desire to relaunch talks on the country's nuclear program with the European Union as early as Nov. 10. EU officials are working to schedule a time and location for a meeting with Catherine Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief, which will also include representatives from the U.S., Russia, China, France and Britain. The New York Times (free registration) (10/29)
- This week, the United Nations celebrates its 65th birthday. What has been the UN's greatest accomplishment?
| Negotiating more than 172 peace settlements, preventing war |  48.84% | | Helping more than 30 million refugees fleeing war, persecution or famine |  23.77% | | Helping eliminate smallpox and enriching the lives of the world's children through immunization programs |  17.05% | | Something else |  8.01% | | Promoting international cooperation on monetary issues and encouraging stable exchange rates among nations |  2.33% |  | - Register now for the mHealth Summit in Washington, D.C.
The 2010 mHealth Summit brings together leaders in government, private sector/industry, academia and not-for-profit organizations to share information and experiences related to the intersection of mobile technology, health research and policy.Featured speakers include Bill Gates, Co-chair and Trustee of the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation; Aneesh Chopra, U.S. Chief Technology Officer; Dr. Julio Frenk Dean of Faculty, Harvard School of Public Health; and Ted Turner, Chairman, UN Foundation. The mHealth Summit takes place Nov. 8 to 10 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Click here for more information and to register. |
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