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- North Korea asks UN for Cheonan probe
North Korean officials have requested the United Nations Security Council back their call to open a new investigation into the March sinking of the South Korean vessel, Cheonan, that would involve direct talks between North and South Korea. A South Korean inquiry into the incident placed blame of North Korea -- a charge Pyongyang denies. The U.S. and other Western council members say there is no need for another investigation. AlertNet.org/Reuters (6/30)       - Costa Rican to head UN's Guatemala corruption efforts
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed Costa Rican Attorney General Francisco Dall'Anese Ruiz as the new head of the UN's International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala on Wednesday. Dall'Anese replaces Carlos Castresana, who resigned in June over concerns Guatemalan authorities were making insufficient efforts to support the commission's efforts on corruption and politically motivated violence. CNN (6/30)  - Women's advocates battle rise of DR Congo rapes
Public health and women's rights advocates warn the prevalence of sexual assault as a weapon of war in the Democratic Republic of Congo over the past decade is translating into higher occurrences of civilian rape. A recent study showed a 17-fold increase in the incidence of rapes between 2004 and 2008, prompting many observers to caution sexual assault has gained a disturbing level of social acceptance in DR Congo. The Christian Science Monitor (6/30) - HIV/AIDS trends are evolving across Middle East, North Africa
 HIV/AIDS infections are growing across the Middle East and North Africa, according to a study by researchers in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The authors found several countries have high infection rates within specific high-risk groups but have yet to experience generalized epidemics. Researchers, who compiled existing data from across the region in an attempt to provide a comprehensive picture of infection trends, warned there is a general dearth of available data in the region. IRINNews.org (6/30) - Russia launches floating nuclear station project
Russia launched the first of a half-dozen planned vessels Wednesday that will house offshore nuclear power stations. Authorities see the floating power stations as a way to avoid any possible repeats of the devastating 1986 Chernobyl meltdown in Soviet-controlled Ukraine, but critics worry Russia has a spotty record of nuclear and naval disasters. AlertNet.org/Reuters (6/30) - New tool allows eye prescriptions via cell phone
Patients may soon be able to order new eyeglass prescriptions via a cellular telephone application developed by MIT Media Lab researchers. The application, called NETRA, uses a small plastic device held over the unit's screen to scan and record a refractive diagnosis. The World Health Organization estimates 2 billion people suffer from refractive conditions. Bloomberg Businessweek/IDG News Service (6/28)  | - Spy bust bares classic "sleeper"-style espionage
The recent arrest of 11 suspected elite Russian spies living in the U.S. has exposed the nature of the "illegals" program, legendary secret agents who operate without diplomatic cover, as well as uncomfortable truths about the nature of contemporary U.S.-Russian relations. Though none of the alleged spies was arrested on charges of espionage, the bust reveals that the Russian "illegals" network -- a cloak-and-dagger program from the height of Cold War intrigue -- still persists today, and may have even expanded under the control of Vladimir Putin and other recent Russian leaders The New York Times (free registration) (6/29) - Merkel's candidate wins narrow victory
The candidate backed by Chancellor Angela Merkel's government emerged as Germany's new president Wednesday after three rounds of voting in the legislature. Observers characterized Christian Wulff's difficult election as an embarrassment for Merkel and symbolic of growing rifts within her ruling coalition. The Independent (London) (7/1) , Der Spiegel (Germany) (English online version) (6/30) - Calderon calls for unity after popular candidate's assassination
After the high-profile assassination of popular gubernatorial candidate Rodolfo Torre, Mexican President Felipe Calderon called on rival political parties in Mexico to unite in a constructive debate about building a consensus policy for fighting crime stemming from drug trafficking. Candidates and officials from the rival Institutional Revolutionary Party have condemned Calderon's policies as ineffective since he launched the drug offensive in 2006 -- during which time 23,000 people have died. Los Angeles Times (6/30)  | |  | | | | | | | | Communications Director, Global Health | United Nations Foundation (UNF) / Better World Fund (BWF) | Washington, DC | | Deputy Executive Director, Communications and Public Affairs | United Nations Foundation (UNF) / Better World Fund (BWF) | Washington, DC | | Executive Director | Cultural Survival | Cambridge, MA | | Online Communications Senior Associate, Public Affairs Girl Up Campaign | United Nations Foundation (UNF) / Better World Fund (BWF) | Washington, DC | | Campaign Associate, Girl Up Campaign | United Nations Foundation (UNF) / Better World Fund (BWF) | Washington, DC | | Communications Associate, Public Affairs Girl Up Campaign | United Nations Foundation (UNF) / Better World Fund (BWF) | Washington, DC | | Systems Administrator | United Nations Foundation (UNF)/Better World Fund (BWF) | Washington, DC | | Pledge Guarantee for Health (PGH) Associate | United Nations Foundation (UNF)/Better World Fund (BWF) | Washington, DC | | Managing Director, Thought Leadership | United Nations Foundation (UNF) / Better World Fund (BWF) | Washington, DC | | | |  | |  | |
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| | | 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: - Wednesday, June 30, 2010
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