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- UN's role in Libya shows focus on rights
 The authorization by the United Nations of enforcement of a no-fly zone over Libya using "all necessary measures" marks a turning point in international relations that emphasizes the value of human rights over peace. The move -- despite its unpredictable consequences -- also repudiates the doctrine that all states are sovereign and may solve domestic affairs internally, even if oppressing their own people. Spiegel Online (Germany) (3/25)       - Militancy is linked to spike Pakistan polio
Pakistan registered more polio infections in 2010 than any other country, a disheartening setback in a fight it appeared to be winning as recently as 2007. The 144 cases, coupled with at least 15 new cases this year, can be attributed to a host of factors, not least among them the vigilance of armed militants who oppose vaccinations for children and prevent medical teams from entering certain regions. IRINNews.org (3/25) - Highly radioactive water in Japan could reach ocean
Japanese nuclear regulators are reporting that water highly contaminated with radiation -- at least four times the permissible exposure for plant workers, and 100,000 times greater than normal -- could leach into the ocean from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Workers on Sunday were struggling to contain the contamination, which has prevented people from returning to homes within a 12-mile radius of the plant. The New York Times (free registration) (3/28) 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.
- Monitoring could benefit gas industry
Hydraulic fracturing technology, which has helped open up new reserves of natural gas in the U.S., can potentially replace dirtier fossil fuels and help the U.S. on a path toward energy independence. But, note former U.S. Senator and current UN Foundation President Timothy E. Wirth and former Colorado state Rep. Alice Madden, the gas industry is getting a lot of bad press on the hydraulic fracturing issue. Wirth and Madden suggest the gas industry should welcome independent regulation and monitoring to guard against environmental degradation and stay on the good side of public opinion. The Denver Post (3/28) - EC looks to curb transportation emissions
The European Commission has floated proposals aimed at promoting significant cuts to transportation emissions by 2050. The proposals include a ban on petrol and diesel cars in European city centers, and a shift away from driving cars to using trains for middle distance journeys. BBC (3/28) - Japan's energy crunch could make for long, hot summer
Households in Tokyo could face higher utility bills, as well as blackouts in summer, as policymakers in Japan debate ways to conserve electricity in light of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis that have crippled the nation's energy grid. "As one of the world's most energy-efficient countries, our margin for additional conservation is rather limited, but we don't have any choice," said a Cabinet spokesman. The Wall Street Journal (3/28) - Amnesty: Death penalty use dropped in 2010
While the number of countries that carried out the death penalty rose by four to 23 in 2010, the overall number of people executed dropped from 714 to 527, Amnesty International says in a report. The figures do not include China, which carries out more death penalty sentences than any other country, according to this article. BBC (3/27) - Yemen political crisis, violence continues
Dozens of people died in an explosion at an ammunition factory Sunday, while attempting to ransack supplies after militants seized control of the building -- raising fears Yemen's security situation is deteriorating rapidly. The explosion followed weekend clashes between security forces and pro-democracy protesters. Embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has faced months of anti-government demonstrations, warned that the country is headed for civil war. Bloomberg (3/28), CNN (3/28) - Syria to lift dreaded emergency law as protests spread
 An adviser to Syrian President Bashar Assad said Sunday that the authoritarian government plans to lift the highly restrictive emergency law of 1963 that has kept the Baath Party in power and nearly all others powerless. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday urged Assad by telephone to show "maximum restraint" in responding to the popular protests, chiefly in the country's south, over which security forces have reportedly killed dozens. Al-Jazeera (3/27), Los Angeles Times/Babylon & Beyond blog (3/26)  | |  | | | | | | Regional Manager for Asia (Based Overseas) | Center for Reproductive Rights | Kathmandu, Nepal | | Administrative Assistant, Partnership Development | United Nations Foundations | Washington DC, DC | | Communications Officer, mHealth Alliance | United Nations Foundations | Washington DC, DC | | Coordinator, Pledge Guarantee for Health | United Nations Foundations | Washington DC, DC | | Internship, UN Election Advocacy | Human Rights Watch | New York, NY | | Vice President for Programs | Trickle Up | New York, NY | | Collaboration and Partnering, Advisor | World Vision International | TBD, United Kingdom | | | |  | |  |
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