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- IAEA complains about information shortage
The International Atomic Energy Agency has publicly complained of a lack of timely communications from the Tokyo Electric Power Co. about the unfolding crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi facility. The IAEA itself has come under criticism for reportedly allowing firms to cut corners in plant design. However the IAEA does not have the right to inspect plants for safety violations in the manner it inspects possible nuclear weapons sites. Bloomberg (3/16), The Guardian (London) (3/15)       - India seeks polio eradication
Health workers, vaccines, unusual transportation methods and villages feature in this photo essay chronicling India's massive January polio vaccination campaign. Officials hope the campaign - which vaccinated 172 million children -- will result in the eradication of the disease from the country. The Guardian (London) (3/16) - Cholera epidemic in Haiti could double
 The effects of the deadly cholera outbreak in Haiti have been severely underestimated, with numbers of those affected by the disease likely to be about 779,000, or double the initial estimates, according to U.S. researchers. The adjusted numbers also predict 11,100 deaths by the end of next fall. BBC (3/15) - Down economy threatens AIDS efforts
 UN agencies fear for the future of successful HIV/AIDS treatment programs as donor countries, under economic strain, scale back funding. Some 5.2 million people in developing countries take the anti-retroviral medication that suppresses the disease and allows them to live normal lives, but they represent only a third of the estimated 15 million in need of the drugs. The Guardian (London)/Global Health blog (3/15) - How dangerous is the Fukushima event?
A Bloomberg article notes that in a worst-case scenario -- one which experts say is unlikely to occur -- radioactive cesium and iodine isotopes from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility could become airborne and potentially spread beyond the evacuated area. Cesium is the more lethal, durable substance. Writing in Slate, William Saletan suggests equipping the nuclear plants of the future with additional redundancies to protect against a catastrophic natural disaster -- including long-life batteries to power cooling equipment in the event of failure and robots designed to work on containment in the event of a breach. Bloomberg (3/16), Slate (3/16) - Chernobyl is still not safe for human residents
Twenty-five years after the Chernobyl nuclear plant explosion, the area around the plant remains deserted, uninhabitable because of high radiation levels. Nearly 300,000 people fled the affected area, and researchers believe it could take between 180 and 320 years before the area is safe for people to resettle. The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (3/15) - South Korea to chronicle North's abuses
South Korean authorities opened a center this week to document human rights abuses in North Korea in the hopes the information collected can be used to promote accountability for perpetrators, and integration and compensation for victims, after reunification. Human rights advocates broadly welcomed the government's support. The Wall Street Journal/Korea Real-Time blog (3/16) - Gadhafi reclaims rebel territories
Forces loyal to Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi were on the verge of overrunning rebel positions in the country, including the eastern city of Benghazi, as world powers faced criticism for inaction to protect civilians. The U.N. Security Council was considering a new draft resolution mandating additional economic and political sanctions, yet it remained divided over the efficacy of a no-fly zone. The Guardian (London) (3/15), CNN (3/16) - Egypt replaces dreaded secret police with new agency
The Egyptian leadership has dissolved its State Security Investigation Service, derided for decades of human rights abuses linked to spying and torture. In the same breath, however, it created a new agency, the National Security Force, to be ostensibly charged with "protecting the domestic front and combating terrorism" -- a move some see more as a rebranding than meaningful change. BBC (3/15), The New York Times (free registration) (3/15) - Protesters cleared, marches banned in Bahrain crackdown
 Military forces in Bahrain today swept hundreds of protesters from the Pearl roundabout, and elsewhere, as the monarchy imposed a three-month state of emergency banning all gatherings and marches, and imposing a curfew across the main island of Manama. At least two protesters and three policemen were reportedly killed in the crackdown, which was carried out with the help of troops from Saudi Arabia. Reuters (3/16)  | |  | | | | | | Collaboration and Partnering, Advisor | World Vision International | TBD, United Kingdom | | Advocacy Manager, Global Vaccines Campaign | United Nations Foundations | Washington DC, DC | | Associate Director, Outreach and Events | United Nations Foundations | Washington DC, DC | | Administrative Assistant, Nothing But Nets | United Nations Foundations | Washington DC, DC | | Regional Leader, East Asia | World Vision International | Bangkok, Thailand | | | |  | |  |
- The UN is helping Japan and the Pacific
The earthquake and tsunami in Japan remind us that the UN stands ready to provide relief after natural disasters around the world. Currently OCHA is helping to coordinate the search and rescue efforts and the IAEA is monitoring the nuclear reactor situation and providing regular updates. Visit the UN Foundation homepage and our Facebook page to monitor the latest news about the situation, and the UN's response. |
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