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- Ban pushes elusive Cyprus deal
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is visiting Cyprus in the hopes of forging a political agreement between Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders and end decades of tensions and failed reunification efforts. "Reaching a mutually acceptable conclusion will require courage, flexibility and vision as well as a spirit of compromise," Ban said. The Washington Post/The Associated Press (1/31) , The New York Times (2/1)       - UNESCO campaigns to protect Haiti artifacts
UNESCO is calling for a ban on the trade of Haitian artifacts in the wake of the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake in a bid to prevent the looting of cultural artifacts that occurred in Iraq and Afghanistan during recent periods of crisis, agency Director-General Irina Bokova says. UNESCO is seeking UN troops to provide security and a Security Council resolution endorsing a temporary ban. The Washington Post/The Associated Press (1/29) - UN to send senior envoy to North Korea
United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe will travel to North Korea this month for wide-ranging talks, the UN says. Pascoe also will visit China, Japan and South Korea, the three other Asian countries involved in suspended talks to address concerns about North Korea's nuclear program. AlertNet.org/Reuters (1/31) - Haiti relief may be raising hopes for U.S. aid too high
Relief workers and U.S. troops have been more successful in delivering food aid, but expectations of future U.S. assistance might be rising to unrealistic heights. U.S. representatives insist they will not take responsibility for reconstruction and continue to describe efforts as "Haiti-led." The Washington Post (2/1) - UN launches major Haiti food distribution plan
The United Nations launched a large-scale distribution program to provide food aid to 2 million Haitians. Under the program, only women will be able to collect food by trading in vouchers at distribution centers in a bid to prevent the repeat of recent incidents of violence and looting. The New York Times (1/30) , BBC (1/31) Top five news stories selected by UN Wire readers in the past week. - Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.
- China leading the world on renewable energy technology development
China has emerged as the world's largest wind turbine and solar panel producer, and is looking to put the same kind of emphasis on building nuclear reactors and the most efficient kinds of coal power plants. The U.S. and other Western countries are offering renewable energy industries incentives to challenge the growing dominance of China. The New York Times (1/30) - Israel, Pacific islands strike up unlikely friendship
The Federated States of Micronesia and the Pacific island nation Nauru have struck a relationship with Israel that is as strategic as it is unlikely. Lacking friendly neighbors or many votes of support on various issues in the UN, Israel has sought the votes and support of remote Pacific nations that have no neighbors and little to offer to garner public support. For Micronesia and Nauru, Christian nations that for the most part sympathize with Israel's plight, they require support for global environmental policies that will alleviate the threats of catastrophic climate change, which these vulnerable nations consider grave. The Washington Post (2/1) - Rape leaves trail of destruction through DRC
 An epidemic of brutal rapes during the past decade in the Democratic Republic of Congo is destroying generations of women and tearing at the social fabric of the country, Nicholas Kristoff warns. Women and girls are traumatized first by their attackers, then by a lack of access to proper medical care and the families that refuse to take them back. The New York Times (1/30) - Sri Lankan government accused of media crackdown
Critics have accused newly re-elected Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa of orchestrating a media crackdown after reports of and inquiries into the conduct of the election. Human-rights organizations say the government has intimidated journalists, blocked Web sites, stormed offices and detained reporters. The Independent (London) (2/1) - Russia looks to calm restive Dagestan
Violence is on the rise during the past year in Dagestan, where chronic corruption and political power struggles have rendered local authorities impotent. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is looking for an individual able to take charge of the troubled republic when its current president's term ends Feb. 20. The New York Times (1/30) - Assassination of Hamas figure deals blow to smuggling
Israeli and Hamas officials acknowledged Mahmoud Mabhouh, a senior Hamas figure assassinated in a Dubai, United Arab Emirates, hotel room, was pivotal to smuggling operations that brought anti-aircraft missiles and other weapons into the Gaza Strip under Hamas control. Israeli officials have not responded to Hamas' claims that Israel was behind the operative's death. Defense experts noted that though Hamas lacks the ability to strike back in a significant way abroad, the organization could likely depend on Hezbollah to take revenge against Israel for the assassination. Los Angeles Times (2/1) , The Jerusalem Post (free registration) (2/1) - Blackwater faces bribery inquiry
The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating whether private U.S. security firm Blackwater Worldwide attempted to bribe Iraqi officials in hopes of retaining security contracts there after a deadly shooting incident left 17 Iraqis dead. The movement to investigate the firm on bribery charges comes after U.S. Vice President Joe Biden announced the Obama administration would appeal a federal court's decision to acquit five former Blackwater agents of criminal charges related to the 2007 incident in Nisour Square in Baghdad. The New York Times (1/31)
- UN Foundation lauds Gates Foundation for vaccination pledge
United Nations Foundation President Timothy E. Wirth welcomed the announcement by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that it would commit $10 billion to research, develop and deliver life-saving vaccines during the next decade. "The Gates Foundation's commitment sends a clear message that investment in immunizations is one of the smartest ways to save and improve millions of lives in developing countries," Wirth said. Click here for the full statement at the UN Foundation Web site. |
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