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- UN renews commitment to female peacekeepers
Government leaders last week agreed to establish indicators to help the United Nations measure the involvement of women in peacekeeping efforts throughout the world. The decision, a decade after a landmark Security Council resolution strengthening such roles for women, follows publication of a report showing that many UN agencies in conflict zones only partially follow the resolution. IRINNews.org (10/29)       - Ban skirts talk of human rights in China
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon apparently sidestepped issues of human rights at a meeting today in Beijing with Chinese President Hu Jintao. Rights advocates had asked Ban to raise the continued imprisonment of literary critic Liu Xiaobo, who recently was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Google/The Associated Press (11/1) - How will Saudi Arabia, Iran affect UN Women?
Women's rights activists are raising concerns over the expected election of two Islamic states, Iran and Saudi Arabia, to the board of the new UN agency dedicated to women. Some say that the countries, long criticized for their treatment of women, will cool efforts to improve women's rights worldwide. Los Angeles Times (10/31)  - Local militias complicate Afghan aid picture
Humanitarian work and civilians in need of aid are under threat in Afghanistan because of a spike in the government's use of local armed groups to counter insurgents. More armed groups mean more complicated security negotiations amid a backdrop of more complex agendas, aid workers say. IRINNews.org (11/1) 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.
- Critics lambaste Serengeti highway plan
Scientists and conservation groups are raising concerns over a plan by Tanzania's president, Jakaya Kikwete, to build a highway through the Serengeti park that would bisect the annual migration route of more than 2 million wildebeest, zebras and other animals. Critics warn the highway could disrupt the entire local ecosystem and cost Tanzania millions in tourism dollars that help drive the economy. The New York Times (free registration) (10/30) - Domestic concerns undercut U.S. climate goals
The withering prospects of passing a climate bill in the United States are causing the government to re-evaluate its pledges to cap greenhouse gases and help developing countries preserve their natural habitats, especially tropical forests. Already the U.S. domestic concerns are dimming hopes for a meaningful accord at UN climate talks starting this month in Cancun, Mexico. The Washington Post (11/1) - Controversy swirls around Zimbabwe's diamonds
The battle over whether to allow Zimbabwe to sell its diamonds on the international market threatens to dismantle the multinational system in place to prevent the trade in blood diamonds. Human-rights groups have repeatedly raised alarms over violence that surrounds Zimbabwe's diamond supply, believed to be as plentiful as 25% of the world's potential supply. Diplomats and civil society groups will meet this week in an attempt to set conditions for sales. The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (10/31) - Myanmar's youth find opportunity for change
Younger generations in Myanmar are using mediums such as hip-hop music and community theaters to sidestep official censors and express their hopes for change. About one-third of Myanmar's population is in the 15 to 24 year age range, and despite being cut off from the world by a repressive military regime they are taking aim at HIV/AIDS, poverty, political freedom and other challenges they see for their country. TIME (10/31) - Yemen is in spotlight after cargo plane bombs are confirmed
The discovery of two bombs in cargo packages originating in Yemen has highlighted the importance of intelligence sharing between countries and confirmed fears that Yemen has emerged as a prime operating area for al-Qaida. Western intelligence agencies have been closely monitoring Yemen where the instability of a civil war has given al-Qaida room to operate. TIME (10/31) , The Toronto Star (10/31)
- What is mobile technology's most important role in disasters?
 | Help prepare and warn people of an imminent disaster | | Help reconnect dispersed people affected by the disaster | | Allow quick and effective medical and rescue responses | | Allow swift exchange of news and developments | | All of the above |
- 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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