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- UN intervention in Africa marks policy shift
The new willingness by United Nations to take strong action -- underlined by what an official calls moral choice and military and legal imperative -- in order to save lives in places such as Cote d'Ivoire and Libya shows a policy shift in the world body, analysts say. "There is a new trend in the Security Council in which the responsibility to protect principle is gaining a new hold," said a French diplomat. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (4/5)       - Gaza investigators are split on findings
Pakistani human rights lawyer Hina Jilani, who was part of the four-person UN panel that reported on the Israeli attack of Gaza in 2008, has said that the group's findings still stand despite the retraction by Richard Goldstone, a South African judge, that Israel intentionally targeted civilians. An estimated 1,400 Palestinians died, at least half of whom were civilians. Jilani suggested that the portion of the report that Goldstone retracted was controversial and that it was not a widely held view that the Israeli Defense Forces targeted civilians. The Guardian (London) (4/5), BBC (4/5) - Annan touts African agriculture
Investment to support the development of small farming capabilities in Africa would reduce hunger and promote business, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan says. Africa contributes 3% to the global economy, but observers predict the rising value of the continent's land and crops could catapult its annual GDP from $1.5 trillion to $2.6 trillion by 2020. AlertNet (4/5) - Haiti earthquake survivors face eviction
About 25% of people left homeless by the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti face eviction from camps where they live as the rainy season approaches, the International Organization for Migration warns. Most of the forced moves are taking place in an orderly fashion, the IOM says, but in some cases people are pushed out violently in the middle of the night. AlertNet (4/5) - Kyoto disagreement dominates UN climate talks
United Nations backed talks on climate issues began Tuesday in Bangkok with heated debate over how to extend the Kyoto Treaty, which expires in 2012. Japan and Russia remain firmly opposed to extended emissions cuts in the existing agreement as the world's two largest polluters -- the U.S. and China -- are exempt. Developing countries want to see rich countries commit to a second phase and warn failure to reach consensus could affect efforts to reach broader climate change agreements. Google/Agence France-Presse (4/5) - Fukushima leak is plugged, but challenges remain
Fukushima nuclear plant operator Tepco says soil solidification processes have sealed a leak at the plant, but cleanup for thousands of tons of water contaminated by cooling efforts is still ahead. U.S. government engineers sent in to aid the Fukushima effort warn the plant faces others threats, such as increased stress on radioactive cooling water containment structures. BBC (4/6), The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (4/5) - Brazil is unswayed by criticism over huge Amazon dam
The Brazilian government has refused calls to suspend construction of what would be the world's third largest hydroelectric dam despite claims that indigenous groups in the Amazon had yet to be consulted properly. Critics say the project would displace up to 40,000 people by flooding more than 120,000 acres of rain forest, releasing large quantities of methane gas and spreading disease. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (4/5) - UN commends empathy for African refugees
The head of the UN Refugee Agency has praised the countries bordering African conflict zones, as well as Italy and Malta, for sheltering refugees and migrants fleeing violence and economic hardship. AlertNet (4/5) - Crackdown takes aim at China's art community
Artists have joined a chorus of criticism from Western governments and human rights groups toward Chinese authorities for the detention of artist Ai Weiwei. While lawyers, journalists and human rights activists are traditionally prime targets for Chinese authorities seeking to quiet dissent, at least five artists have been detained since March. The Guardian (London) (4/5) - ICC: Gadhafi planned civilian massacre
A chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court said that the Libyan regime had been planning to kill civilians in order to suppress a potential uprising like those seen in neighboring Tunisia and Egypt. "The planning at the beginning was to use tear gas and [if that failed to work] ... shooting," said Luis Moreno Ocampo, who is expected to request arrest warrants for Moammar Gadhafi, his sons and close aides. BBC (4/6) - WikiLeaks release prompts Ecuador expulsion of U.S. ambassador
Ecuadorean authorities announced Tuesday that American Ambassador Heather Hodges is to be expelled from the country over the contents of a 2009 diplomatic cable contained in documents released by WikiLeaks. Hodges accused a retired national police commander of corruption and indicated the belief that President Rafael Correa knew of the misdeeds. U.S. State Department officials called the expulsion "unjustified." Los Angeles Times (4/5)  | |  | | | | | | Major Gifts Officer, Nothing But Nets and Global Partnerships | United Nations Foundations | Washington, DC | | Senior Advocate/Researcher for International Financial Institutions | Human Rights Watch, Business and Human Rights Division | Washington, DC | | 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 | | Advocacy Director | Human Rights Watch | Washington, DC | | Internship, UN Election Advocacy | Human Rights Watch | New York, NY | | Regional Manager for Asia (Based Overseas) | Center for Reproductive Rights | Kathmandu, Nepal | | | |  | |  |
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