| |  | |  Chinese president lauds rights gains, admits shortcomings When pressed by reporters, Chinese President Hu Jintao said Wednesday that China has room for improvement in the area of human rights. U.S. President Barack Obama made human rights a centerpiece of his talks with Hu during a state visit in Washington, D.C., urging greater freedoms in general as well as a real dialogue with the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan leader. BBC (1/20) , The Washington Post (1/20)
|  |  | China is a developing country with a huge population, and also a developing country in a crucial stage of reform. In this context, China still faces many challenges in economic and social development. And a lot still needs to be done in China, in terms of human rights." Chinese President Hu Jintao. Click here for the full story. |
|  | "The Security Council formally approved 2,000 additional peacekeepers for Ivory Coast ... Still, it chilling to think that two genocide experts have legitimate fears that ethnic based violence may soon erupt." UN Dispatch | |
- UN boosts contingent in Cote d'Ivoire
 The UN Security Council on Wednesday elected to send an additional 2,000 peacekeeping troops to Cote d'Ivoire as the impasse drags on two months after Alassane Ouattara won the election for president, but incumbent Laurent Gbagbo refused to step down. BBC (1/19)      - UN to send human rights investigators to Tunisia
The United Nations has announced that it is sending a human rights team to Tunisia to investigate violence and advise the nascent government, which has been freeing political prisoners. Nearly three dozen relatives of ousted leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali have been arrested while trying to leave the country, while demonstrations were continuing in the capital, Tunis. BBC (1/19) - WHO chief urges action on vaccination perceptions
The global health community needs to address persistent "mistrust" in vaccine safety as illnesses such as the measles and the H1N1 influenza surge, says Margaret Chan, head of the World Health Organization. WHO reports show that the rate of incomplete vaccinations for children stand at 44% due in a large part to parents' opinions of the associated benefits. Google/Agence France-Presse (1/17) - USAID wants to expand while trimming fat
The head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, in anticipation of close scrutiny by conservative lawmakers, suggested on Wednesday cost-cutting measures could save hundreds of millions of dollars at the same time the agency embraces expansion. Among the measures are administrative reform, and changes in the agency's systems of procurement and contract management. AlertNet/Reuters (1/19) - European "garbage" hotel opens in Madrid
A German artist has created a five-story hotel made entirely from garbage. The Beach Garbage Hotel in Madrid opened this week featuring walls covered in objects thrown up by the tides at European beaches. BBC (1/20) - Developing nations embrace mobile health apps
Mobile health applications not only help developing nations care for poor populations but also will provide new revenue streams for global carriers, Pyramid Research reports. "Health care solutions that are delivered via mobile technology are creating a new frontier of innovation that is driving down costs, increasing access and improving quality of care," said Denis Culver, analyst and the report's author. Business Daily (Nairobi, Kenya) (1/18) - Clinton, Suu Kyi discuss Myanmar's future
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton promised Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi American support for her efforts to rebuild civil society and promote democracy in the country. The two spoke by telephone Wednesday, the first time in 15 years a Cabinet-level U.S. official was able to have a live conversation with the Nobel laureate. The Washington Post (1/19) - U.S. considers resumption of Guantanamo trials
The Obama administration is expected to soon lift a ban on new cases for Guantanamo Bay detainees, clearing the way for military commissions to levy new charges. Legal procedures against detainees were halted when Barack Obama assumed office as part of his bid to close the detention center. Officials have identified more than 30 detainees for eventual prosecution and are considering a parole review-like system for dozens of others. The New York Times (free registration) (1/19) - Suicide attacks target Iraqi police
A suicide attacker detonated a vehicle outside the Baquba police station today in the second attack on police installations in the Iraqi city in two days highlighting fears for Iraqi security forces as U.S. forces withdraw. Wednesday's attack targeted a police recruitment center. The two attacks left more than 60 people dead and dozens injured. BBC (1/20) - Survey shows South Sudanese poll tilts for independence
 A poll by the Reuters news agency confirms that voters last week overwhelmingly chose independence from the north in at least nine of 10 states in South Sudan. Meanwhile, in the north, protesters were attacked by riot police in Khartoum after demanding the release of opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi, who was detained after called for a popular revolt. AlertNet/Reuters (1/19) , Reuters (1/19)
- How large of a role should the United Nations play in world affairs in 2011?
 | A leading role where all countries are required to follow UN policies | | A major role where the UN establishes policies, but individual countries still act separately when they disagree | | A minor role, with the UN serving mostly as a forum for communication between nations, with no policy role |
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