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- Ban Ki-moon talks about "transition" in Egypt
The United Nations on Thursday appeared to be filling the vacuum left by a cautious United States in calling for an immediate transition toward a more democratic government in Egypt. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon -- citing more than a decade of warnings by the world body about a "democracy deficit" in the Arab world -- is enlisting an international alliance to help smooth the political and institutional change. CBS News/Political Hotsheet blog (2/3)       - UN launches campaign to stamp out sea piracy
The UN International Maritime Organization on Thursday launched a renewed drive to deter seizures of ships by Somali pirates, urging governments to better coordinate military intervention, as well as subsequent prosecutions, and instructing shipping companies to adhere to guidelines governing their defense. "Although piracy manifests itself at sea, the roots of the problem are to be found ashore," said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who added that more must be done to bolster Somalia's economy and civil society. Bloomberg Businessweek (2/3) , Google/Agence France-Presse (2/3)  | - Politics and the Global Fund story
 Columnist Michael Gerson notes how opponents of international aid institutions are fanning the flames of controversy with regard to financial corruption revealed by an internal investigation of grant-making by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The amount of the corruption at issue represents a tiny fraction of the total amount distributed by the Global Fund. "The most important response, however, is to make sure the right people get punished -- not an African child who needs a bed net, or the victim of a cruel and wasting disease," Gerson writes. The Washington Post (2/4) - Mosquito discovery raises fears for anti-malaria effort
A newly identified subspecies of mosquito that is particularly susceptible to the malaria virus and has a definite preference for human blood could complicate efforts to combat the spread of malaria, according to a study published in the journal Science. French scientists discovered the subtype of the Anopheles gambiae mosquito in Burkina Faso. AlertNet/Reuters (2/3) - Drought speeds Amazon warming
Global warming could yet be accelerated further by the far-reaching drought in the rain forests of the Amazon, where the so-called "lungs of the world" last year produced more carbon dioxide than they absorbed. It is the second time in a decade for the phenomenon, which not only caused many trees to wither and die, but expelled some 8 billion tons of carbon dioxide -- more than the total carbon emissions each year produced by the United States. The Independent (London) (2/4) , The Guardian (London) (2/3) - The high cost of blocking the Internet
Egypt's five-day blockage of the Internet was an expensive move, costing the country about $90 million in lost business, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In all, blocked telecommunications and Internet during the unrest yielded a loss of 3% to 4% of gross domestic product, or about $18 million a day. There could be future costs as well, as businesses question whether to set up operations in a country where telecommunications can be shut down abruptly. National Journal/Tech Daily Dose blog (2/3) - Egyptians rally in Alexandria
Tens of thousands of protesters thronged today in the Egyptian port city of Alexandria to demand the swift departure of President Hosni Mubarak. The Muslim Brotherhood was prominent in the crowds, which were described as "joyous and determined." Mass gatherings across Egypt marked the 11th day of protests on what activists have designated as Mubarak's "day of departure." Al-Jazeera (2/4) - Future of Egypt is likely to be decided by its army
 International negotiators are working behind the scenes to shape the political transition in Egypt, but the final shape of the government there depends more than anything on the country's secretive army, which, unlike politicians and police, is respected by the populace. The 1952 revolution -- tantamount, the author writes, to a military takeover -- ushered in 57 years of rule in which the army served as the backbone of the administrations of three different leaders. The Guardian (London) (2/3) - Performer is back on ballot in Haiti presidential runoff
The electoral council in Haiti on Thursday returned to the presidential ballot musician Michel Martelly, better known as Sweet Micky, for the scheduled March 20 runoff with leading vote-getter, and former first lady, Mirlande Manigat. Martelly was initially excluded from the vote, leading to days of fierce protests, but was restored after the government dropped its favored candidate under intense diplomatic pressure after an investigation by international experts who found that initial results were tainted. The New York Times (free registration) (2/3)  | |  | | | | | | Administrative Associate, Public Affairs | United Nations Foundations | Washington, DC | | Administrative Associate, Energy Access | United Nations Foundations | Washington, DC | | Associate, Executive Office | United Nations Foundations | Washington , DC | | Manager, UNA Education Programs | United Nations Foundations | New York City, NY | | Major Gifts Officer, Nothing But Nets and Global Partnerships | United Nations Foundations | Washington, DC | | Senior Officer, Medical Safety | The Pew Charitable Trusts | Washington, DC | | Regional Manager for Europe | Center for Reproductive Rights | New York, NY | | | |  | |  |
- Why do you think it is important to have a strong U.S.-UN relationship?
 | An international institution is necessary to maintain global peace and security | | To prevent and control the spread of disease | | To achieve the Millennium Development Goals | | To collaborate on worldwide issues such as climate change |
- UNF's Girl Up empowers females for change
The United Nations Foundation's Girl Up initiative is looking to mobilize 100,000 American teenage girls to promote awareness about poverty, gender violence and child marriage using Twitter, Facebook and other online tools to encourage engagement. TIME (2/14) |
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