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- UNHCR is a powerful symbol of stability
Created 60 years ago as a short-term agency to deal with post-World War II displacement issues in Europe, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has become a powerful symbol of the importance and efficacy of multinational efforts to address difficult humanitarian situations. While some critics charge the UNHCR is plagued by too much bureaucracy, supporters argue its work makes a significant contribution to global security and stability. The Economist/Eastern Approaches blog (12/14)       - WHO hails "milestone" in TB testing
A new machine that can confirm the presence of tuberculosis, as well as determine whether it is resistant to the most common TB drug, is being advocated by the World Health Organization even though it is comparatively expensive and fragile, and requires electricity to operate. The device can cut diagnosis time to two hours from up to three months, and eliminates the need for lab technicians. The New York Times (free registration) (12/13) - The unintended consequences of good intentions
Efforts by the international community to improve life in Haiti following the devastating earthquake may have inadvertently contributed to a surge in housing prices. The country's wealthy elite tend to disproportionately benefit from the presence of foreign aid workers. Los Angeles Times (12/13) - China's wind-power push
China has gained dominance in the market for wind turbines by acquiring the latest Western technology, then using its market power to favor Chinese manufacturers who subsequently become low-cost suppliers to the world. Such companies currently account for half of the world's $45 billion market for wind turbines. The New York Times (free registration) (12/14) - City lights are contributing to air pollution, study shows
A new study shows that bright lights, such as those from a city skyline, inhibit chemical reactions that, at night, help clean the air of pollutants emitted by factories and automobiles during the day. City lights can slow by 7% the cleansing of the nighttime skies. BBC (12/14) - ICC to charge Kenya politicians?
International Criminal Court Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo is compiling evidence to seek indictments against high-ranking Kenyan politicians over their roles in deadly violence that swept the country and left more than 1,000 people dead after disputed December 2007 elections. Ocampo is looking to charge the politicians with crimes against humanity for organizing a campaign to displace, torture and kill civilians. The New York Times (free registration) (12/15) - Report details decade of widespread rape in Colombia
Nearly 15,000 women and girls in Colombia were raped, and hundreds more forced into prostitution, by armed groups from 2001 and 2009, according to a new report. The country's armed forces also perpetrated some of the sexual violence, which the study shows targeted an average of five women a day. AlertNet (12/14) - U.S. reports highlight Afghanistan challenges
Two new intelligence reports show that while there has been some progress against the Taliban in Afghanistan, the chances of successfully ending the Afghan insurgency are hampered by Pakistan's continued inability to seal its side of the border and close down militant operations inside the country's tribal areas. The reports, called National Intelligence Estimates, represent the collective view of 16 U.S. intelligence agencies. The New York Times (free registration) (12/14) - Hopes for Middle East peace progress falter
Backing for progress on the two-state solution to conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in 2011 is waning as efforts to bring the two sides back to talks falter. Hamas leaders have indicated they would back an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza, and a truce with Israel, in an attempt to win over Palestinians weary from violence, but few hold out hope for any tangible progress if the two sides cannot be brought back to the negotiating table. National Post (Canada)/Reuters (12/15) , The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (12/14) - Report names Kosovo politician as leader of crime ring
A new Council of Europe report fingers Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci as a key player in a ring trafficking in Serbian organs after the 1998-99 conflict. The organs, the report charges, were shipped to international markets via Albania. Serbian foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic says the report calls into question Thaci's political future in Kosovo. Google/Agence France-Presse (12/15) , Reuters (12/15)  | |  | | | | |  |  Director | International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR-Net) | New York, NY | | Executive Director, Business Council for the United Nations / Director of Corporate Relations | United Nations Foundations | Washington DC, DC | | Communications Director, Strategic Energy and Climate Initiatives | United Nations Foundations | Washington DC, DC | | Executive Assistant | Arcus Foundation | New York, NY | | Director, Girl Up (The UN Foundations girl campaign) | United Nations Foundations | Washington DC, DC | | Program Associate - NYC Office | Arcus Foundation | New York, NY | | | |  | |  |
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