| |
- UN is asked to review unmanned weapons
A UN investigator has called for the creation of a panel to study the ethics and legality of unmanned military weapons because they raise "serious concerns that have been almost entirely unexamined by human rights or humanitarian actors." It is unclear whether lethal weapons, such as the U.S. drones used extensively above in Pakistan and Afghanistan, should ever be fully automated, Christof Heyns says in a report to the UN human rights committee. The Washington Post/Reuters (10/24)       - UN marks charter anniversary
The United Nations marked the 65th anniversary of the world body's charter Sunday amid calls for reform to update the institution to reflect a changed modern reality. The UN has grown from an original 51 members to the current 192, and now faces persistent calls for reforms such as a change to the permanent members of the Security Council. Deutsche Welle (10/23) - Are U.S. politicians listening to constituents on UN?
 Sixty-five years after the United Nations charter was ratified, the world body remains the only global institution with the ability to reach people in need in remote villages around the world and an important tool for progress in which the U.S. must remained engaged, writes Timothy Wirth, president of the UN Foundation. Public opinion polls demonstrate Americans continue to support the UN's work and U.S. politicians would be well-served to take note, Wirth writes. The Huffington Post (10/23)  - Haiti's cholera total rises
An outbreak of cholera across Haiti has afflicted thousands, and resulted in the deaths of more than 250, yet health officials believe the epidemic can be contained. "We must gear up for a serious epidemic, even though we hope it won't happen," said Nigel Fisher, the UN's humanitarian coordinator for Haiti. The outbreak of the disease appears to center around the Artibonite River watershed, which is being taxed by the influx of refugees from the January earthquake. Reuters (10/25) , CNN (10/25) - UNICEF measures cost of Nigeria's cholera outbreak
Heavy rains and flooding in rural areas have fueled the spread of a cholera outbreak that has killed more than 1,500 people in Nigeria, UNICEF says. The country has registered more than 38,000 cases of cholera since January. Reuters (10/25) - Tamils are wary of government efforts
Sri Lanka's Tamils are struggling to retain a sense of optimism as the pace of reconstruction and signs of economic development after decades of warfare have yet to translate into tangible gains for most. Food prices remain high, political efforts to resolve Tamil concerns have stalled, and many Tamils complain the government's efforts are limited to areas with Sinhalese majorities. The Toronto Star (10/23) Top five news stories selected by UN Wire readers in the past week. - Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.
- Floods in Borneo are linked to deforestation
The so-called "timber mafias" responsible for vast logging in Indonesia have stripped Borneo of much of its rain forests, resulting in months of flooding that already has overcome villages -- although the monsoon season has yet to begin. The rate of deforestation, which also endangers wildlife, is "one of the largest unfolding disasters on the planet." The Guardian (London) (10/24) - Camp for Somalis continues to expand
Dadaab, one of the world's longest running and largest refugee camp, continues to be inundated with civilians fleeing the chaos of Somalia. With a camp population of more than 300,000 people, the eastern Kenyan refuge has spawned an economy of its own and become a place some residents would be reluctant to leave. The Toronto Star (10/23) - Is China is helping Iran skate by sanctions?
UN, Western and Asian sanctions against Iran are having little effect on the country's economy because of vibrant business ties with other countries, particularly China. The country is supplying versions of just about everything that was once imported from Western countries, and carrying out transactions without the barriers to banking thrown up by other countries. Los Angeles Times (10/25) - Japan, India look to boost joint fortunes
Japanese and Indian prime ministers jointly called for a bilateral economic partnership deal and civil nuclear pact today that would see Asia's second and third largest economies more closely intertwined than ever before. Observers see the move as an effort by Japan to offset the growing economic power of China in the aftermath of a diplomatic rift between Tokyo and Beijing. Reuters (10/25) - EU moves to welcome Serbian membership efforts
Foreign ministers representing the European Union voted today to reopen membership talks for Serbia, despite objections from some member countries that Belgrade could do more to see that war crimes suspect Ratko Mladic is caught. The decision included a statement that progression toward membership would be tied to assessments by all member countries that Serbia is cooperating with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia's war crimes investigations. The New York Times (free registration) (10/25)
- 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 | | Helping more than 30 million refugees fleeing war, persecution or famine | | Helping eliminate smallpox and enriching the lives of the world's children through immunization programs | | Promoting international cooperation on monetary issues and encouraging stable exchange rates among nations | | Something else |
 | - 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. |
 | Key Sites
| | |
This SmartBrief was created for eleccion@yahoogroups.com
| | | About UN WIRE | | UN Wire is a free service sponsored by the United Nations Foundation which is dedicated to supporting the United Nations' efforts to address the most pressing humanitarian, socioeconomic and environmental challenges facing the world today. | | | | | | | | Recent UN Wire Issues: - Friday, October 22, 2010
- Thursday, October 21, 2010
- Wednesday, October 20, 2010
- Tuesday, October 19, 2010
- Monday, October 18, 2010
| | | Lead Editor: Adam Mazmanian
Contributing Editor: Juliette Terzieff
Mailing Address:
SmartBrief, Inc.®, 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005 | | | | | | © 1999-2010 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment