Wednesday, October 14, 2009

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FIVE COUNTRIES SET TO RUN UNOPPOSED FOR NON-PERMANENT SECURITY COUNCIL SEATS
October 14, 2009 at 7:10 pm

FIVE COUNTRIES SET TO RUN UNOPPOSED FOR NON-PERMANENT SECURITY COUNCIL SEATS
New York, Oct 14 2009 7:10PM
The General Assembly is expected to elect Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Gabon, Liberia and Nigeria as non-permanent members of the Security Council for two-year terms starting on 1 January next year.

The five countries are set to run unopposed in their respective regions when voting takes place tomorrow at United Nations Headquarters in New York. This would mark the first time since 2004 that there has been a Security Council election with no contested seats.

Gabon and Nigeria have been endorsed as candidates by the African group and, if chosen, would succeed Burkina Faso and Libya. Brazil is set to replace Costa Rica in the Latin American and Caribbean category.

In Eastern Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina is the only declared candidate for the seat currently held by Croatia, while Lebanon won regional endorsement from the Asian group to succeed Viet Nam.

Council elections are conducted by secret ballot in the General Assembly, and winning candidates requires a two-thirds majority of ballots of members present and voting. Formal balloting takes place even when there is only one declared candidate per available seat.

The five countries chosen tomorrow will join Austria, Japan, Mexico, Turkey and Uganda, whose terms on the 15-member body end on 31 December 2010. The five permanent members are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Oct 14 2009 7:10PM
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POST OFFICES IN WEST AFRICA OFFER ELECTRONIC MONEY TRANSFER SERVICES UNDER UN SCHEME
October 14, 2009 at 7:10 pm

POST OFFICES IN WEST AFRICA OFFER ELECTRONIC MONEY TRANSFER SERVICES UNDER UN SCHEME
New York, Oct 14 2009 7:10PM
Some 300 post offices in six West African countries have begun offering electronic money transfers as part of a United Nations-backed initiative to use technology to help ensure that rural populations and migrant workers have access to better services.

The first phase of the joint project involving the Universal Postal Union (<"http://www.upu.int/">UPU), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (<"http://www.ifad.org/">IFAD) and Groupe La Poste is focused on post offices in Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal, the UPU announced today.

The 300 post offices are now connected to the UPU's worldwide electronic payment network, an application that allows the post offices to process the sending and receiving of customers' money.

The electronic payment network relies on the Postal Payment Services Agreement, an international pact that sets the rules of exchanges among member countries.
Oct 14 2009 7:10PM
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SPORTS CAN HELP REHABILITATE VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING – UN OFFICIAL
October 14, 2009 at 6:10 pm

SPORTS CAN HELP REHABILITATE VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING – UN OFFICIAL
New York, Oct 14 2009 6:10PM
Sports can play a significant role in helping victims of human trafficking overcome their trauma, a senior United Nations official said today.

"Physical activity and play, if taught and conducted properly, can serve as a very valuable method for rehabilitation and social reintegration into society," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace Wilfried Lemke said in Abuja, Nigeria, where he is attending the 3rd African Union (AU) sports ministers conference.

"Sports can also help traumatized children to forget the misery they went through as victims of ruthless traffickers," Mr. Lemke said on a visit with UN Office on Drugs and Crime (<"http://www.unodc.org/">UNODC) representative Dagmar Thomas to the housing and shelter facilities of Nigeria's National Agency for the Prohibition and Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

Mr. Lemke welcomed the joint efforts of NAPTIP and the international community to combat human trafficking in Nigeria.

He also underlined the dangers of exploitation of young athletes in regions throughout the world and expressed support for "the valuable work" of governments and organizations that combat such exploitation, citing the Association Culture Foot Solidaire that aims to protect young footballers from trafficking and exploitation.
Oct 14 2009 6:10PM
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BAN URGES OPINION-MAKERS TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT GREEN TECHNOLOGIES
October 14, 2009 at 6:10 pm

BAN URGES OPINION-MAKERS TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT GREEN TECHNOLOGIES
New York, Oct 14 2009 6:10PM
Green technologies generate not only environmental advances but also promote economic growth, Secretary Ban Ki-moon said today, calling on opinion-makers attending a forum in Seoul to encourage businesses and governments to make climate-friendly investments.

In a message to the World Knowledge Forum, delivered by the President of the United Nations Foundation Timothy Wirth, Mr. Ban called on governments "to show the flexibility and leadership" that will seal a "fair, ambitious and binding" global climate agreement at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December.

"Investing in green technologies yields not only environmental gains but also large-scale economic growth," he said.

Established in October 2000, the forum gathers more than 100 business executives and policy-makers from around the world to grapple with the major challenges facing humankind.

"The world is over-armed; the nuclear threat persists," said Mr. Ban, "but now is also a moment of opportunity, as momentum builds toward next year's nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference."

Urging participants to play their part in efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs), a set of targets for solving social and economic problems, Mr. Ban said the World Knowledge Forum could serve as a catalyst in the struggle to eradicate poverty.

"The global economic downturn threatens to push an additional 100 million people below the poverty line. Governments everywhere are facing increasing budgetary pressures but this is no time to renege on past pledges of aid and investment."

The focus of this year's forum is Asia, which "has a great stake in international efforts to combat climate change, reduce nuclear arsenals and overcome poverty," said Mr. Ban.
Oct 14 2009 6:10PM
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PLIGHT OF CONFLICT-DISPLACED CHILDREN DESERVES GREATER ATTENTION, SAYS TOP UN OFFICIAL
October 14, 2009 at 6:10 pm

PLIGHT OF CONFLICT-DISPLACED CHILDREN DESERVES GREATER ATTENTION, SAYS TOP UN OFFICIAL
New York, Oct 14 2009 6:10PM
A top United Nations official today urged that greater attention be given to the plight of internally displaced children, among the most vulnerable groups affected by armed conflict.

"This is becoming an increasing issue around the world," Radhika Coomaraswamy, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, told reporters ahead of the presentation of her annual report to the General Assembly.

She noted that annexed to her report is the "rights and guarantees" which should be accorded to children who are among internally displaced persons (IDPs), including the right to education, the liberty of movement, the right to protection against sexual and gender-based violence and the right to basic services.

Ms. Coomaraswamy also announced that she is sending Major-General Patrick Cammaert as her representative to Sri Lanka as soon as possible, and that the issue of IDP children "will be among the issues he will raise."

Last month the Special Representative voiced her concern to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council about the fate of internally displaced children who still remain in camps in the north of Sri Lanka following the end of the Government's military operation against Tamil rebels.

"We acknowledge the recent releases of some IDPs from the camps and hope that the others will also be allowed to leave if they wish to do so," she told the Council.

In her briefing to reporters, Ms. Coomaraswamy also welcomed the increased commitment of the international community to combat sexual violence in wartime through the adoption of Security Council resolutions 1882 in August and 1888 in September.

She also highlighted a number of other issues contained in her report, including sexual violence against boys, juvenile justice protections – to ensure that children are not prosecuted for war crimes – and the successes with some countries in ending the practice of using child soldiers.

In addition, she urged all countries to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child related to the recruitment and use of children, and announced the launch of a ratification campaign which will begin in 2010 towards this goal.
Oct 14 2009 6:10PM
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BAN WARNS OF LONG JOURNEY IN BATTLE AGAINST TERRORISM
October 14, 2009 at 5:10 pm

BAN WARNS OF LONG JOURNEY IN BATTLE AGAINST TERRORISM
New York, Oct 14 2009 5:10PM
The United Nations task force charged with coordinating the world body's counter-terrorism efforts met in Vienna today, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warning: "We are far from reaching safer shores."

The Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF), set up in 2006, brings together two dozen UN entities, working under mandates from the Assembly, the Security Council and various specialized agencies, funds and programmes.

"Countless innocent civilians and the United Nations itself have suffered heinous terrorist acts," Mr. Ban said a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=4157">message delivered by CTITF head Jean-Paul Laborde. "Our efforts to address this problem comprehensively are crucial to global security."

He noted that some are the entities in CTITF are focused directly on terrorism, while others bring expertise on non-proliferation, disarmament, education, cultural and inter-religious dialogue, human rights, peacekeeping, health and other issues.

"This range of experience allows the United Nations to address terrorism as part of our broader mission to promote development, human rights and peace. It also promotes synergies and information-sharing, and allows each entity to maximize its comparative advantage," Mr. Ban said, envisaging an enhanced role for the task force in ensuring overall coordination and interacting with Member States and other stakeholders.

"The United Nations has brought the world a long way in advancing multilateral counter-terrorism cooperation, but we are far from reaching safer shores. I am counting on the task force, with support from across the United Nations system, to advance our journey towards peace and security for all."

Today's meeting follows a two-day workshop of national counter-terrorism officials, the first ever such meeting on the working level, to devise ways to implement the UN's global counter-terrorism strategy, looking at actual practical aspects and identifying real needs and key gaps.
Oct 14 2009 5:10PM
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MEMBER STATES ELECT 31 COUNTRIES TO JOIN UNESCO'S GOVERNING BODY
October 14, 2009 at 5:10 pm

MEMBER STATES ELECT 31 COUNTRIES TO JOIN UNESCO'S GOVERNING BODY
New York, Oct 14 2009 5:10PM
Member States of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=29008&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO) today elected 31 countries to join the governing body of the Paris-based agency for the next four years.

The countries chosen join 27 others on the 58-member Executive Board of UNESCO, which meets twice a year to examine the implementation of the programme of work adopted by the agency's General Conference.

The candidate countries – which will serve through 2011 – were divided into five electoral groups based on geographical representation.

The new members are Monaco, Denmark, Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Poland, Latvia, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Saint Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Haiti, Peru, Venezuela, China, Viet Nam, Japan, India, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Kenya, Ghana, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Zimbabwe, Algeria, Egypt and Syria.
Oct 14 2009 5:10PM
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Breaking News: Dow closes over 10,000
October 14, 2009 at 4:16 pm

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***USATODAY.com Breaking News***

NEW YORK (AP) - The Dow Jones industrial average has closed above 10,000 for the first time in a year. Upbeat earnings reports from Intel Corp. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. gave the Dow its final push past the milestone. The Dow closed at 10,015.86, up 144.80, or 1.5%.

For more on this story, go to http://www.usatoday.com.




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UN POLITICAL CHIEF BEGINS WEEK-LONG VISIT TO SOUTHERN AND EASTERN AFRICA
October 14, 2009 at 4:10 pm

UN POLITICAL CHIEF BEGINS WEEK-LONG VISIT TO SOUTHERN AND EASTERN AFRICA
New York, Oct 14 2009 4:10PM
The United Nations political chief departs today for a week-long trip to Africa's south and east to strengthen the world body's partnerships with key Member States and regional organizations on such issues as conflict prevention, peacemaking and post-conflict peacebuilding.

Under-Secretary-General B. Lynn Pascoe will visit South Africa, Angola, Burundi, Uganda and Kenya during the trip, in which he will meet with key Government officials as well as representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

The situations in Somalia, Burundi, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the areas affected by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and Madagascar are all expected to be on the agenda, while Mr. Pascoe is also slated to visit the UN Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB) in Bujumbura and the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) in Nairobi.
Oct 14 2009 4:10PM
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UN WAR CRIMES TRIAL OF KARADŽIć TO START LATER THIS MONTH AFTER APPEAL REJECTION
October 14, 2009 at 4:10 pm

UN WAR CRIMES TRIAL OF KARADŽI&#263; TO START LATER THIS MONTH AFTER APPEAL REJECTION
New York, Oct 14 2009 4:10PM
The genocide trial of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadži&#263; before the United Nations war crimes tribunal for the 1990s Balkan conflicts will start on 26 October at the latest after the rejection of his appeal that he enjoys immunity through an earlier deal with United States officials.

Mr. Karadži&#263; was appealing the rejection in July by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (<"http://www.icty.org/sid/10248">ICTY) of his claim to immunity from prosecution due to an agreement he says he struck in 1996 with US officials led by Richard Holbrooke.

He claimed he had been assured immunity from any subsequent war crimes prosecution if he gave up politics and withdrew from public life. Mr. Holbrooke has denied making such an agreement, and the ICTY ruled in July that Mr. Karadži&#263; could not show that any such agreement was arranged under the authority of the UN Security Council, which set up the tribunal to handle the cases of the worst atrocities in the wars.

"Even if the alleged agreement were proved, it would not limit the jurisdiction of the tribunal, it would not otherwise be binding on the tribunal and it would not trigger the doctrine of abuse of process," the ICTY's appeals chamber said on Monday. But it added that Mr. Karadži&#263; may present during the course of his trial evidence supporting the allegations, which could be considered for the purpose of sentencing.

After more than a decade as a fugitive, Mr. Karadži&#263; – who served as the president of Republika Srpska and commander of Bosnian Serb forces during part of the 1990s – was arrested a year ago and transferred to The Hague to stand trial on charges of genocide, complicity in genocide, extermination, murder, wilful killing, persecutions, deportations, inhumane acts and other crimes.
Oct 14 2009 4:10PM
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BREAKING NEWS ALERT
October 14, 2009 at 4:03 pm

DOW CLOSES OVER 10,000 FOR FIRST TIME IN A YEAR

Read More:
http://email.foxnews.com/t?ctl=1CF2:F33A46C824EAA06697200F74A7B4E747&

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FOOD AID NEEDED IN NEPAL FOR THOUSANDS HIT BY FLOODING AND LANDSLIDES, UN REPORTS
October 14, 2009 at 3:10 pm

FOOD AID NEEDED IN NEPAL FOR THOUSANDS HIT BY FLOODING AND LANDSLIDES, UN REPORTS
New York, Oct 14 2009 3:10PM
Flooding and landslides triggered by torrential rainfall in the middle and far western regions of Nepal this month have killed 58 people, displaced an estimated 2,600 families and affected over 18,000 more, the United Nations reported today.

"Those affected are in need of food aid," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) said. "Access to clean drinking water has also become a problem because of the contamination of water sources. In some areas, it is estimated that between 15 and 40 per cent of the rice crop has been destroyed and a considerable number of livestock lost."

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO), immediate seed support to farmers is needed to prevent a food crisis next year. FAO has deployed an agriculture assessment team to Banke, Bardiya, Kailali and Kanchapur.

The latest floods have exacerbated the effects of previous flooding in August and September, and many bridges and roads have been partially or completely destroyed.

The UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) is assisting 10,000 families with water treatment tablets for 10 days and providing washing materials for 5,000 families. It is also making available 6,000 health and hygiene kits as required.
Oct 14 2009 3:10PM
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HONDURAN PRESIDENT'S OUSTER IS 'COUP D'ÉTAT,' UN SECRETARIAT REAFFIRMS
October 14, 2009 at 3:10 pm

HONDURAN PRESIDENT'S OUSTER IS 'COUP D'ÉTAT,' UN SECRETARIAT REAFFIRMS
New York, Oct 14 2009 3:10PM
A recent Honduran media report implying that the United Nations Department of Political Affairs (DPA) does not consider the ouster of President José Manuel Zelaya as a coup d'état is inaccurate, the world body said today.

In a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=4159">statement issued by his spokesperson, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted that the UN position on the legality of Mr. Zelaya's removal was clearly articulated by General Assembly Resolution 63/301 adopted on 1 July, which "condemns the coup d'état in the Republic of Honduras that has interrupted the democratic and constitutional order and the legitimate exercise of power in Honduras."

The statement calls the report "highly misleading," noting that it appears to refer to an analysis submitted by a consultant as representing DPA's views. "The Department of Political Affairs routinely receives reports and analyses of this type from consultants, academics and other experts," it added. "But its views are strictly in line with that outlined in the General Assembly Resolution.

"The Secretary-General urges the parties in Honduras to avoid distractions at this critical moment in the negotiations and remain focused on arriving at a consensual agreement to end the crisis in Honduras through dialogue. He continues to strongly support [the Organization of American States] OAS-led efforts to assist the parties in reaching a solution," it concluded.
Oct 14 2009 3:10PM
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FORMER RWANDAN INTELLIGENCE CHIEF PLEADS NOT GUILTY IN UN WAR CRIMES COURT
October 14, 2009 at 3:10 pm

FORMER RWANDAN INTELLIGENCE CHIEF PLEADS NOT GUILTY IN UN WAR CRIMES COURT
New York, Oct 14 2009 3:10PM
A former Rwandan intelligence chief who was caught recently after being on the run for nine years entered a plea of not guilty today as he made his first appearance in front of the United Nations tribunal which indicted him for his role in the country's 1994 genocide.

The start date of the trial of Idelphonse Nizeyimana, a former second in command for intelligence and military operations at an officers' school, will be announced later by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (<"http://www.ictr.org/">ICTR), which is based in Arusha, Tanzania.

Mr. Nizeyimana faces five counts of genocide or complicity in genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, and crimes against humanity for his actions during the genocide, when an estimated 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and Hutu moderates were killed by Hutu militants, mainly by machete, during a period of less than 100 days.

His alleged crimes include ordering the execution of former Rwandan Queen Rosalie Gicanda, a symbolic figure for all Tutsis.

Mr. Nizeyimana, through the chain of command, is alleged to have exercised authority over soldiers and personnel and was perceived as a member of the elite inner circle (Akazu) of the late President Juvenal Habyarimana.

He was arrested in Kampala, Uganda, on 5 October and was transferred to the UN Detention Facility in Arusha the following day.
Oct 14 2009 3:10PM
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Today's Tech News: Musicians ditch studios for tech such as GiO for Macs
October 14, 2009 at 2:20 pm

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URGENT SHELTER NEEDED FOR INDONESIAN QUAKE VICTIMS AHEAD OF RAINY SEASON – UN
October 14, 2009 at 2:10 pm

URGENT SHELTER NEEDED FOR INDONESIAN QUAKE VICTIMS AHEAD OF RAINY SEASON – UN
New York, Oct 14 2009 2:10PM
The top United Nations emergency relief official took a helicopter tour today of the worst affected rural areas in the wake of last month's earthquake in the Indonesian island of Sumatra, flying over valleys ravaged by dozens of landslides.

"We need to work with the Government to ensure temporary shelter solutions quickly, with the rainy season soon upon us, but then move to more durable housing as soon as possible," Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes said of the quake, which killed over 700 people, with 300 more missing, and injured over 2,200.

One community he visited lost more than 130 people, with many of the bodies unrecoverable and the survivors, still in shock, wondering how and where they can rebuild their lives. Hospitals, schools, infrastructure and 135,000 homes were severely damaged, according to initial assessments, especially in Padang city and the Padang Paramian district.

"People are thinking about how they should rebuild their homes, but the issue is also whether many should be relocated away from the landslide risk, as this part of Indonesia is so earthquake prone," Mr. Holmes said. "The fact that today is the International Day of Disaster Risk Reduction serves to remind us that disaster reduction measures have to be a huge priority in Indonesia."

He met with the governor of West Sumatra, the director of the Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency (BPNB) and representatives of the many international humanitarian agencies now on the ground, commending the Government for responding effectively and coordinating well with the significant international response.

Last week the humanitarian community, in close consultation with the Government, launched a $38-million Humanitarian Response Plan, identifying acute needs to be addressed within 90 days and identifying 74 projects.
Oct 14 2009 2:10PM
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GOVERNANCE TOPS UN-BACKED TALKS BETWEEN CYPRIOT LEADERS
October 14, 2009 at 2:10 pm

GOVERNANCE TOPS UN-BACKED TALKS BETWEEN CYPRIOT LEADERS
New York, Oct 14 2009 2:10PM
Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders met today to continue discussions on governance, focusing on the executive, as part of ongoing United Nations-backed talks to unify the Mediterranean island, the world body said today.

Speaking to the press after the meeting in Nicosia, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative Tayé-Brook Zerihoun said Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat also discussed other aspects related to governance.

"The atmosphere was good. They will continue their discussions tomorrow and hopefully move ahead on these issues," <"http://www.unficyp.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=2411">said Mr. Zerihoun, who also heads the UN peacekeeping force, known as <"http://www.unficyp.org/">UNFICYP, which has been deployed since 1964 to prevent inter-communal fighting on the island.

He added that tomorrow the "much awaited" planting of olive trees will take place, as well as an event featuring civil society representatives from both communities who will be expressing their solidarity and support for the talks.

In May last year, Mr. Christofias and Mr. Talat committed themselves to working towards "a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality, as defined by relevant Security Council resolutions."

The partnership would comprise a Federal Government with a single international personality, along with a Turkish Cypriot Constituent State and a Greek Cypriot Constituent State, which would be of equal status.
Oct 14 2009 2:10PM
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Breaking News: Dow hits 10,000
October 14, 2009 at 1:48 pm

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***USATODAY.com Breaking News***
NEW YORK (AP) - The Dow Jones industrial average has topped 10,000 for the first time in a year. The Dow crossed five figures seven months after it hit a 12-year low of 6,547.05 on March 9. Upbeat earnings reports from chip maker Intel Corp. and banker JPMorgan Chase & Co. gave the Dow its final push; the average then slipped back several points after crossing the milestone.
For more on this story, go to http://www.usatoday.com.




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NEARLY FIVE MILLION CHILDREN IN HORN OF AFRICA NOW HUNGRY, UNICEF SAYS
October 14, 2009 at 1:10 pm

NEARLY FIVE MILLION CHILDREN IN HORN OF AFRICA NOW HUNGRY, UNICEF SAYS
New York, Oct 14 2009 1:10PM
The United Nations Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_51409.html">UNICEF) sounded the alarm on the worsening humanitarian situation in the Horn of Africa today, noting that nearly five million children under the age of five in the region are now hungry.

This marks an increase of 1 million since May, while the number of people in need of emergency assistance in the region has also risen, climbing from 20 million earlier this year to 24 million, the agency said.

During 2009, some 500,000 under-five children will suffer from life-threatening severe acute malnutrition.

The food insecurity has been in large part triggered by prolonged drought resulting in less than half the normal rainfall, which has lead to enormous losses in livestock and surging food prices.

The El Niño weather pattern is expected to result in flooding in parts of the Horn of Africa, which could lead to further crop failures and raise the spectre of water-borne diseases and acute malnutrition. It could also disrupt education services in a region where schooling is already in flux due to chronic emergency situations.

Also contributing to food insecurity in the area is the continuing conflict in Somalia, which has impacts extending beyond its borders, UNICEF said in a news release issued in Nairobi.

The agency said that in spite of its joint efforts with regional governments and non-governmental organizations, "our efforts are increasingly being stretched because our emergency programmes are severely underfunded," said Elhadj As Sy, UNICEF's Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa.

As of the end of last month, UNICEF had received just over one third of the $189 million needed in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia and parts of Uganda.

Thanks to UNICEF's support, Ethiopia has made strides in supporting severely malnourished children at the community level, with the number of treatment sites surging from 500 in 2007 to over 3,200 currently.

In Uganda, almost 5,000 children have been treated for severe acute malnourishment.

"These examples show that much can be achieved even under the most difficult circumstances," Mr. Sy noted.

He underscored the need to address the root causes of the recurrent crises in the Horn of Africa to achieve sustainable results in a region where nearly half of all children under the age of five are chronically malnourished and one in eight children die before reaching their fifth birthday.

"If we don't manage to reduce the severe vulnerability of children and their families, we will see situations like the one we have now occurring over and over again."
Oct 14 2009 1:10PM
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Daily Travel News: More than a dozen cruise lines roll out sales
October 14, 2009 at 12:46 pm

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ISRAEL, PALESTINIANS MUST REFRAIN FROM INCREASING TENSIONS – TOP UN OFFICIAL
October 14, 2009 at 12:11 pm

ISRAEL, PALESTINIANS MUST REFRAIN FROM INCREASING TENSIONS – TOP UN OFFICIAL
New York, Oct 14 2009 12:10PM
Worrying developments on the ground have increased tensions in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over the past month and it is vital that both sides refrain from provocative actions, the top United Nations political official said today.

"While the immediate crisis may have passed, we remain concerned about the broader situation in East Jerusalem and the potential for renewed tensions," Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe told the Security Council, referring to incidents around the Haram al Sharif/Temple Mount site, sacred to both Jews and Muslims.

"Even with the full determination and support of the international community to achieve a two-State solution, the essential ingredient is political will from the parties to meet their obligations and negotiate an end to the conflict," he said in the regular monthly report on the conflict to the 15-member body.

Mr. Pascoe cited clashes in Jerusalem between Israeli police and Muslim worshippers at al-Aqsa mosque and subsequent confrontations, with the Islamic Movement of northern Israel claiming radical Jewish groups intended to alter the status quo of the holy site. "The Israeli authorities strongly deny these rumours," he said. "Bitter accusations from both sides, however, underline the gulf of mistrust that exists."

He stressed that the issue of the Old City of Jerusalem will only be fully resolved in final-status negotiations as part of the Roadmap peace plan championed by the so-called Quartet – the UN, European Union, Russia and the United States – that calls for two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.

"Until then, the repeated call of the Quartet on Israel to refrain from provocative actions in East Jerusalem and on the Palestinian Authority to refrain from incitement remains more relevant than ever," he stressed, also citing continuing Israeli "illegal" settlement activity in Palestinian areas.

Referring to a recent report of a UN mission that found evidence that both sides in the three-week war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza in December and January committed serious war crimes and breaches of humanitarian law, Mr. Pascoe reiterated Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's call that all parties carry out a credible investigation into the conduct of the conflict without delay.

"The Secretary-General believes that international humanitarian law needs to be fully respected and civilians must be protected in all situations and circumstances," he said, also noting a "worrying increase in violence" in the area, with 12 missiles fired from Gaza into Israel during the last month, and nine Israel incursions and 12 air strikes. "It is essential that calm not only be restored, but solidified," he warned.

Despite extensive discussions, Israel has not yet approved the UN's Gaza recovery proposals for schools, clinics and housing destroyed or damaged in the fighting, and is still blocking exports out of the area, while food and hygiene items continue to make up the bulk of the imports it allows in.

"The pattern of events over the last month in the Middle East is a powerful reminder that without a credible political horizon – including commitments made, monitored and kept on the ground, and a calling to account when obligations are breached – forces of violence, tension and extremism on both sides will fill the vacuum," he concluded.

"Now, more than ever, it is vital that politics is made credible, and those who try to undermine politics by changing facts on the ground or resorting to violence are not allowed to set the agenda."

More than 40 countries are scheduled to speak in the Council's ensuing open session.

In his latest <"http://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N09/515/08/pdf/N0951508.pdf?OpenElement">report
to the Council and General Assembly on the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine, which was released yesterday, Mr. Ban called on the parties to honour all existing agreements and pursue an irreversible effort towards the two-State solution.
Oct 14 2009 12:10PM
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UN CALLS FOR GREATER EFFORTS TO PREVENT MILLIONS OF CHILDREN DYING OF DIARRHOEA ANNUALLY
October 14, 2009 at 12:11 pm

UN CALLS FOR GREATER EFFORTS TO PREVENT MILLIONS OF CHILDREN DYING OF DIARRHOEA ANNUALLY
New York, Oct 14 2009 12:11PM
United Nations agencies today called for a renewed push to save the lives of millions of children in poor countries who die each year from diarrhoea.

"It is a tragedy that diarrhoea, which is little more than an inconvenience in the developed world, kills an estimated 1.5 million children each year," <"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_51407.html">said UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/index.php">UNICEF) Executive Director, Ann M. Veneman.

"Inexpensive and effective treatments for diarrhoea exist, but in developing countries only 39 per cent of children with diarrhoea receive the recommended treatment," added Ms. Veneman at the joint launch with the World Health Organization (WHO) of a new report on the issue.

The report released today by UNICEF and WHO outlines a seven-point plan to reduce the number of children contracting and dying from diarrhoea, the second deadliest illness for the young behind pneumonia.

The prevention strategies laid out in the plan include: fluid replacement to prevent dehydration; zinc treatment; rotavirus and measles vaccinations; promotion of early and exclusive breastfeeding and vitamin A supplementation; improved water supply quantity and quality, including treatment and safe storage of household water; support for community-wide; and encouraging hand washing with soap.

"We know where children are dying of diarrhea," noted WHO Director-General Margaret Chan at the launch of the "Diarrhoea: Why Children Are Still Dying and What Can Be Done" report.

"We know what must be done to prevent those deaths," said Ms. Chan. "We must work with governments and partners to put this seven-point plan into action."

UNICEF and WHO underscored the urgent need to refocus energies on preventing and treating diarrhoea after the international community shifted its attention away from the problem in the wake of successful campaigns in the 1970s and 1980s.

Treating diarrhoea with low concentrations of oral rehydration solution and zinc tablets decrease the severity and duration of the attack, and are simple, inexpensive and life-saving, the agencies said.

In addition, access to clean water and good hygiene practices are effective in preventing childhood diarrhoea. Hand washing with soap alone can reduce the incidence of diarrhoeal disease by over 40 per cent.

Although 90 per cent of diarrhoeal diseases worldwide are attributable to unsafe water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene, in 2006 an estimated 2.5 billion people were not using clean sanitation facilities, and nearly one in every four people in developing countries was practicing open defecation.
Oct 14 2009 12:11PM
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OVER 100,000 IRAQIS UPROOTED BY COLLAPSE OF ANCIENT WATER SYSTEM – UNESCO
October 14, 2009 at 12:11 pm

OVER 100,000 IRAQIS UPROOTED BY COLLAPSE OF ANCIENT WATER SYSTEM – UNESCO
New York, Oct 14 2009 12:11PM
The collapse of ancient underground aqueducts, triggering severe water shortages, has driven over 100,000 people in northern Iraq from their homes in recent years, according to a new study by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=29008&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO).

The agency's <"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=46631&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">study is the first to document how drought has led to a steep drop in water flows in the centuries-old system, known as karez, that hundreds of communities depend on.

Karez were designed specifically for arid climates to remain productive during dry spells, but UNESCO found that since the onset of drought four years ago, 70 per cent of them have dried up, also propelled by the overexploitation of groundwater pumped by modern wells.

By this August, only 116 of 683 karez – a single karez could potentially provide enough water for almost 9,000 people and irrigate more than 200 hectares of farmland – in northern Iraq were in operation.

Prior to the drought, political turmoil, abandonment and neglect posed the greatest threats to karez, but today few Iraqis know how to maintain or repair them, further resulting in their state of disrepair.

Entire communities have had to abandon their homes to find new sources of water. Jafaron, one of the hardest-hit villages, saw most of its karez dry up, leaving its irrigated land, the only source of food, barren.

If conditions do not improve quickly, a further 36,000 people – currently relying on water tanks, which must be refilled several times a day by trucks travelling long distances – will be forced to move.

Oct 14 2009 12:11PM
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Entertainment News: Courteney is a real 'Cougar'
October 14, 2009 at 12:01 pm

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Courteney is a model 'Cougar'
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HEALTHY OCEANS NEW KEY TO COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE, UN AGENCIES STRESS
October 14, 2009 at 11:10 am

HEALTHY OCEANS NEW KEY TO COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE, UN AGENCIES STRESS
New York, Oct 14 2009 11:10AM
Healthy oceans play a key role in combating climate change, a group of United Nations agencies said today, calling on governments to consider a 'Blue Carbon' fund able to invest in the maintenance and rehabilitation of key marine ecosystems.

In a new report released today, the agencies estimate that carbon emissions – equal to half the annual emissions of the global transport sector – are being captured and stored by marine ecosystems such as mangroves, salt marshes and seagrasses.

They add that a combination of reducing deforestation on land as well as restoring the coverage and health of these marine ecosystems could deliver up to 25 per cent of the emissions reductions needed to avoid 'dangerous' climate change.

The report comes fewer than 60 days before the crucial UN climate change convention meeting in Copenhagen where governments are aiming to 'seal the deal' an ambitious new agreement to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

"We already know that marine ecosystems are multi-trillion dollar assets linked to sectors such as tourism, coastal defense, fisheries and water purification services – now it is emerging that they are natural allies against climate change," said Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

"Indeed this report estimates that halting losses and catalyzing the recovery of marine ecosystems might contribute to offsetting up to seven per cent of current fossil fuel emissions and at a fraction of the costs of technologies to capture and store carbon at power stations," he added.

At the same time, the report warns that far from maintaining and enhancing these natural carbon sinks, humanity is damaging and degrading them at an accelerating rate. It estimates that up to seven per cent of these 'blue carbon sinks' are being lost annually, or seven times the rate of loss of 50 years ago.

"If more action is not taken to sustain these vital ecosystems, most may be lost within two decades," states the report, launched by UNEP, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Luciano Fonseca of the UNESCO Commission explained that the ocean's absorption of the planet's excess heat "is like a glass of whisky with ice. As long as the ice is there the whisky stays cool. The energy that is going into the glass, from your hand and room temperature, is working to convert the ice to liquid. As soon as the ice melts the whisky turns warm."

Meanwhile, Ichiro Nomura, Assistant Director-General for Fisheries and Aquaculture at FAO, noted that fishing and aquaculture communities will be heavily impacted by climate change and have a key role to play in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems.

"An ecosystem approach to the management of ocean and coastal ecosystems cannot only enhance their natural carbon sink capacity, but also offers a way to safeguard and strengthen food and livelihood security for fisheries-dependent communities," he added.
Oct 14 2009 11:10AM
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ECONOMIC CRISIS EXPOSES FRAGILE GLOBAL FOOD SYSTEM, NEW UN REPORT SAYS
October 14, 2009 at 10:10 am

ECONOMIC CRISIS EXPOSES FRAGILE GLOBAL FOOD SYSTEM, NEW UN REPORT SAYS
New York, Oct 14 2009 10:10AM
The economic turmoil sweeping the globe has lead to a sharp spike in hunger affecting the world's poorest, uncovering a fragile global food system requiring urgent reform, according to a report issued today by two United Nations agencies.

The combination of the food and economic crises have pushed more people into hunger, with the number of hungry expected to top 1 billion this year, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The agency, along with the World Food Programme (WFP), said in their "The State of Food Insecurity" report that nearly all of the world's undernourished live in developing countries.

Even before the onset of the current crises, the number of hungry has been growing slowly and steadily over the past decade, it noted.

Strides in improving access to food were made in the 1980s and early 1990s, thanks to stepped up agricultural investment after the global food crisis of the early 1970s. However, official development assistance (ODA) fell between 1995-1997 and 2004-2006, resulting in surges in the number of undernourished in most regions.

The increase in the number of the world's hungry in times of both low prices and economic prosperity as well as periods of price spikes and recessions shows how weak the global food security governance system is, according to FAO.

"World leaders have reacted forcefully to the financial and economic crisis and succeeded in mobilizing billions of dollars in a short time period," said Jacques Diouf, the agency's Director-General. "The same strong action is needed now to combat hunger and poverty."

The world has the economic and technical know-how to eradicate hunger, but the political will is missing, he stressed.

"Investing in agriculture in developing countries is key as a healthy agricultural sector is essential not only to overcome hunger and poverty, but also to ensure overall economic growth and peace and stability in the world."

For her part, Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of WFP, said that speedy action is crucial to address food insecurity.

"At a time when there are more hungry people in the world than ever before, there is less food aid than we have seen in living memory," she said. "We know what is needed to meet urgent hunger needs – we just need the resources and the international commitment to do the job."
Oct 14 2009 10:10AM
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FIRST UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE IN EUROPEAN UNION OPENS IN BRUSSELS
October 14, 2009 at 10:10 am

FIRST UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE IN EUROPEAN UNION OPENS IN BRUSSELS
New York, Oct 14 2009 10:10AM
The first United Nations human rights office in the European Union opened today in Brussels, marking what the world body's top rights official hopes will be a new era of cooperation with countries in the region.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (<"http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Pages/WelcomePage.aspx">OHCHR) is headquartered in Geneva but has never before opened a national or regional office in Western Europe.

"We already have 10 other regional offices in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia, and we are now present in 55 countries around the world in all. Europe was in many ways the missing piece in the puzzle," High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said as she opened the new office at the EU's headquarters in Brussels.

The main aim of the new Regional Office, she said, will be to strengthen engagement with European countries in the implementation of international human rights standards as well as to forge stronger partnerships with regional organizations such as the EU and its relevant institutions. The office would also work with the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

"The EU is, of course, already an important partner for us, both as a donor and as a strong moral voice on many human rights problems facing people all over the world," <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/d42b205918981319c125764f003f5180?opendocument">said Ms. Pillay.

"When the EU speaks, people listen. When the UN speaks on human rights issues, people also listen, and when we are in tune we can be an important force for change."

The High Commissioner noted that EU countries themselves face a number of human rights challenges.

"This office will help EU countries in their efforts to combat racism and discrimination, and to tackle human rights violations related to migration and poverty, as well as deficits in other economic and social rights, particularly for minorities such as the Roma," she said. "A particular challenge in recent years has been ensuring that counter-terrorism measures do not undermine human rights standards."

While in Brussels Ms. Pillay also took part in a joint OHCHR-EU conference on combating all forms of discrimination – with a particular focus on discrimination based on race, gender and disabilities – and met with Belgian and EU officials.
Oct 14 2009 10:10AM
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Today's News from TheEagle.com
October 14, 2009 at 10:08 am

Today's News from TheEagle.com

Link to        All Stories       | The Bryan College Station Eagle

Working on the railroad

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

Union Pacific workers repair a section of track at the railroad crossing at Bryan Avenue and 28th Street in downtown Bryan on Tuesday. ...

Obama visit is Friday

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

President Barack Obama's speech on volunteerism Friday at Texas A&M will be broadcast live on KAMU-TV for people who won't be able to see it in person, university officials said Tuesday.Details of the event are still being worked out and an offic ...

Letter from Bush to the Aggie community:

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

To My Fellow Members of the Texas A&M Family:Howdy! As you have probably heard, I have invited the 44th President of the United States of America to come visit the Bush Library and Texas A&M, and President Obama has graciously accepted. Alon ...

Senate committee approves health care plan

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 08:11 AM PDT

WASHINGTON â€" With support from a lone Republican, a key Senate committee Tuesday approved a middle-of-the-road health care plan that moves President Barack Obama’s goal of wider and affordable coverage a giant step closer to becoming law.Maine Republ ...

Speech likely to draw rallies

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

Republican organizers expect a few thousand protesters at Texas A&M for President Barack Obama's visit Friday, including busloads from Houston, San Antonio, Dallas and other parts of the state. "We felt it was our responsibility to host something ...

Navasota teacher arrested

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

A Navasota elementary school teacher has been arrested after a complaint that he touched a student inappropriately.Navasota police arrested Roberto Andaverde, 34, at his home Friday, said Lt. Jorge De La Cruz. He was being held in the Grimes County J ...

Ex-tax official is vindicated

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

In 1992, Brazos County Tax Collector Gerald "Buddy" Winn was forced to pay more than $10,000 to cover money reported missing from his office's accounts. He argued at the time that the money wasn't actually missing, but had no way to prove it. And on ...

Judge Sims won't seek another term

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

Brazos County Judge Randy Sims will not seek re-election in 2010, he announced Wednesday. The decision was widely expected around the Brazos County Courthouse, and Sims has told people for months that he won't run again."I just don't think that any c ...

Bryan moves to scrap BVSWMA

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

The Bryan City Council on Tuesday hired a law firm to create a corporation to replace the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency.The College Station City Council postponed a similar vote last month that would have allowed for the creation of a n ...

Bryan hosting livestock events this weekend

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

Eagle Staff ReportA cattleman's education clinic and the annual youth commercial heifer show are set for this weekend at the Brazos Valley Livestock Commission in Bryan.The 23rd Annual Brazos Valley-Brock Faulkner Cattleman's Clinic will be Friday, f ...

Texas Transportation Institute hires Wood

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

The Texas Transportation Institute recently hired a former Bryan district engineer for the Texas Department of Transportation to oversee several major programs.Bryan Wood started his new job Oct. 1. He's now the head of the department's Constructed F ...

Scotty's House gets taken off jury list

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

-- Eagle Staff ReportThe Brazos County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to remove the charity Scotty's House from the list of agencies to which residents may donate juror payments.The decision was made by a 3-2 vote. Those who voted for the change s ...

3 guilty of harboring illegal immigrants

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

It took a federal jury about two hours of deliberation to convict three men connected to the construction of new-student housing at Texas A&M-Kingsville of conspiring to harbor illegal aliens. The decision against William Holtzapfel, 53, of Houst ...

Report: Unsafe abortions kill 70,000 annually

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

NEW YORK -- Increased contraceptive use has led to fewer abortions worldwide, but deaths from unsafe abortion remain a severe problem, killing 70,000 women a year, a research institute reported Tuesday in a major global survey.More than half the dea ...

Panel passes health care bill

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

WASHINGTON -- Historic legislation to expand U.S. health care and control costs won its first Republican supporter Tuesday and cleared a key Senate hurdle, a double-barreled triumph that propelled President Barack Obama's signature issue toward votes ...

4.5 million Ford vehicles added to recall

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday that it would add 4.5 million older-model vehicles to the long list of those recalled because a defective cruise control switch could cause a fire.The latest voluntary action pushes Ford's total recall due to fa ...

Mayor on trial over theft

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

BROWNSVILLE -- A bank teller allowed a South Texas mayor to deposit a $26,000 check made out to someone else into his business account, the clerk testified Tuesday at the politician's theft trial, because he did not think the well-known figure would ...

Man arrested in 1990 assault

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

DICKINSON -- Authorities Tuesday made an arrest in a nearly 20-year-old Southeast Texas case in which an 8-year-old girl was attacked and left for dead in a field, unable to cry out for help because her throat had been slashed.DNA evidence tested las ...

High court to hear Skilling's appeal

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court said Tuesday it would take up former Enron CEO Jeff Skilling's appeal of his convictions for his role in the collapse of the energy giant, accepting another high-profile challenge to a favorite tool of prosecutors in w ...

Recall details

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

The recall covers the following model years: 1995-2003 Ford Windstar; 2000-2003 Ford Excursion diesel; 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 Ford F-Super Duty diesel; 1992-2003 Ford Econoline; 1995-2002 Ford Explorer; 1995-2002 Mercury Mountaineer; 1995-1997 and 2 ...

Pros and Cons of Robotically-Assisted Prostate Surgery

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 07:11 PM PDT

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- The use of minimally invasive procedures for radical prostatectomy may shorten hospital stays and decrease respiratory and surgical complications, but may also result in the increase of certain long-term complications, such as ...

Father of Smith's baby due to testify

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES -- The father of Anna Nicole Smith's daughter is due in court to testify at a preliminary hearing in the case involving the celebrity model's drug-overdose death.Defense attorneys said they had been notified by the prosecution that Larry ...

Klum says she, Seal have new baby girl

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 11:05 PM PDT

BERLIN -- German-born model Heidi Klum has given birth to a daughter, Lou Sulola Samuel -- her fourth child.Klum, who is married to Grammy-winning singer Seal, said on her Web site that the baby was born Friday.Klum already has two young sons with Se ...

Thermometer can help when baking breads

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 02:49 PM PDT

Dear Lisa: I recently heard someone talking about using a thermometer to test bread for doneness. Is that really a good way? What temperature should it be? -- Beth G.Dear Beth: Seasoned bakers often rely on the hollow sound that comes from thumping a ...

THATTAI

Posted: 13 Oct 2009 02:49 PM PDT

The name for these fried treats, thattai, may have been taken from the Tamil word meaning "flattie" or "pattie." These South Indian treats sometimes are found in shops, but connoisseurs swear by the fresh taste of homemade.Recipe is adapted from the ...
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UN OFFICIALS CALL FOR URGENT ACTION TO PROTECT HOSPITALS FROM NATURAL HAZARDS
October 14, 2009 at 9:10 am

UN OFFICIALS CALL FOR URGENT ACTION TO PROTECT HOSPITALS FROM NATURAL HAZARDS
New York, Oct 14 2009 9:10AM
United Nations officials are using the International Day for Disaster Reduction to urge governments to take practical steps to make hospitals safe from natural hazards, a need underscored by the recent tragedies that struck Asia and the Pacific.

"Health facilities must be better prepared to respond to local hazards. They must be designed, built and maintained so they can better protect health workers and patients alike when disaster hits," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2009/sgsm12520.doc.htm">message to mark the Day, observed annually on 14 October.

With weather-related disasters on the increase, it is critical to ensure that health facilities are prepared for emergencies and able to provide life-saving care in their wake, he said.

Mr. Ban noted that in Indonesia, hospital collapses during the recent earthquake in Sumatra caused additional loss of life. Earlier this year, in the Italian city of L'Aquila, the collapse of a newly built hospital provided a grim reminder that health systems in richer nations are also at risk.

The cost of making hospitals safe from disasters is relatively small, he said, noting that "the most expensive hospital is the one that fails."

This year's observance marks the culmination of a two-year Safe Hospitals campaign – a joint initiative of the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (<"http://www.unisdr.org/index.php">UNISDR), the World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO) and the <"http://www.worldbank.org/">World Bank – aimed at ensuring people's access to functioning health facilities during and after natural hazards.

"Since the beginning of the campaign, much has been achieved to make hospitals safer but more investments are still needed to improve the functionality of hospital when disasters occur," said Margareta Wahlström, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Hospitals and heath facilities are in the frontline when floods, hurricanes, cyclones, and earthquakes strike, according to a <"http://www.unisdr.org/eng/media-room/press-release/2009/PR-2009-17-ENG-IDDR2009.pdf">news release by the UNISDR. Many are adversely impacted because safety measures were not integrated in their design, construction and functionality.

There are at least 90,000 hospitals and other health facilities in the world's 49 least developed countries, many of which are vulnerable to disasters, including those related to the harmful effects of climate change.

"No new hospital should be built unless it can withstand the impact of natural hazards," Ms. Wahlström added. "Existing health facilities should also be assessed for their safety and action take to improve their safety and the level of their preparedness."

The Safe Hospitals campaign involves practical steps to make facilities safer, including the Hospital Safety Index, a checklist for assessing hospital preparedness. It has already been applied to many facilities in Latin America, as well as in Oman, Sudan and Tajikistan.

"Preparedness and risk reduction is the way ahead in health and humanitarian action," said Eric Laroche, WHO's Assistant Director-General for Health Action in Crises. "By working together, countries and communities can deal with these risks, particularly by reducing vulnerabilities and building capacities to mitigate and respond to all emergencies they may face."

Also emphasizing the importance of making hospitals safer is WHO Goodwill Ambassador and international film star Jet Li, who has seen first-hand the impact of the 2004 tsunami in the Maldives, last year's Sichuan earthquake and Typhoon Morakot, which struck Beijing and Taipei in August.

"For the victims of these disasters, the struggle is great," he said in a video message to mark the Day. "What is especially important is the safety of hospitals during these moments.

"Earthquakes, storms and flooding are becoming more and more common," he added. "I am appealing to all governments and cities to build hospitals so safe they are able to withstand earthquakes, tsunamis and other types of environmental stress. This way we are able to protect and save more lives."
Oct 14 2009 9:10AM
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Daily Briefing: DVR stats revive network hopes
October 14, 2009 at 6:30 am

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According to Nielsen, the top six series that scored substantial gains from viewing delayed one to seven days after they aired are ABC's 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'FlashForward,' pictured at left, CBS' 'The Mentalist' and 'CSI' at center and, at right, Fox's 'House' and 'Fringe.'
DVR stats revive network hopes
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NIELSENS: NBC's wedding and football are winners
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Debate on politics - Our view: Pragmatic 2010 candidates offer seeds of a GOP revival
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Column: Hey Rio, it's not over until Chicago says it's over!

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Sports Briefing: Dolphins combine blitz, glitz
October 14, 2009 at 6:06 am

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Dolphins owner Steve Ross, center, recruited several minority investors, including Serena and Venus Williams, who might be able to bring new fans to his team.
 
Glitz and glamour of Dolphins' owners bring NFL to new fans
By Tom Pedulla, USA TODAY
FERGIE JOINS FRAY: Owners approve singer as limited partner
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POWER RANKINGS: Two straight wins give Miami a huge bounce
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Kerasotis: Bowden deserves respect from Florida State.
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COOPERATION VITAL IN RUN-UP TO IVORIAN PRESIDENTIAL POLLS – SECURITY COUNCIL
October 13, 2009 at 6:10 pm

COOPERATION VITAL IN RUN-UP TO IVORIAN PRESIDENTIAL POLLS – SECURITY COUNCIL
New York, Oct 13 2009 6:10PM
The Security Council today called on all parties in Côte d'Ivoire to join forces to complete the remaining tasks – including the publication of the final voter list – ahead of the much-delayed presidential elections, scheduled to be held late next month.

The Council, welcoming the completion of the identification and registration of over 6.5 million Ivorians, urged the sides to "resolve differences in the spirit of reconciliation and dialogue," according to a press statement read out following a closed meeting by Le Luong Minh, Permanent Representative of Viet Nam, which holds the rotating monthly presidency.

The long-awaited polls, which were to have been held as far back as 2005, are now scheduled for 29 November.

The 15-member body again stressed its support for the Ouagadougou Agreement, the 2007 blueprint for political reconciliation in the West African country which has been divided since 2002 between the Government-held south and a northern area dominated by the rebel Forces Nouvelles.

Viet Nam's Ambassador said that the Council agreed that "the long-term peace, stability and development of Côte d'Ivoire was also dependent on the balanced and comprehensive settlement of many other security, socio-economic and cross-border challenges."

Unlike other peacekeeping operations around the world, including those in Liberia and Sierra Leone, the UN Mission in Côte d'Ivoire (<"http://www.un.org/depts/dpko/missions/unoci/">UNOCI) does not plan elections, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative Young-Jin Choi told reporters after briefing the Council.

"So it's not up to us to predict whether the elections will beheld on [29 November] or not," he said in response to a journalist's question.

In his latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2009/495">report on UNOCI, the Secretary-General said the remaining weeks until the much-anticipated polls are fraught with major obstacles, including disarmament of militias and reintegration of former rebels.

These "uncompleted tasks" could "create serious risks for the elections if they are not carefully managed, and, beyond the elections, adversely affect the prevailing stability," he wrote.

National institutions must wrap up the elections process in earnest, it added, and organize transparent polls, which will require the preparation of a final electoral list.

That list's publication and the resolving of any disputes resulting from it will be a "critical test" of the overall identification and voter registration process," the Secretary-General said.
Oct 13 2009 6:10PM
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TOP UN OFFICIAL CALLS FOR SWIFT AND ORDERLY RELEASE OF CHILD SOLDIERS IN NEPAL
October 13, 2009 at 5:10 pm

TOP UN OFFICIAL CALLS FOR SWIFT AND ORDERLY RELEASE OF CHILD SOLDIERS IN NEPAL
New York, Oct 13 2009 5:10PM
A senior United Nations official appealed today for the swift and orderly release of nearly 3,000 Nepalese minors who served as Maoist army personnel in the country's civil war and yet remain in temporary camps, three years after a peace deal ended the conflict.

"These children have a right to start their lives anew and help to build a peaceful and prosperous Nepal," said Radhika Coomaraswamy, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, according to a press release issued by her office.

Ms. Coomaraswamy also welcomed the re-launch of the discharge and rehabilitation process of over 4,000 former Maoist fighters – including the child soldiers – in Nepal.

"The United Nations and its partners stand ready to provide support and assistance for their successful rehabilitation into Nepali society."

The UN Mission in Nepal (<"http://www.unmin.org.np/">UNMIN), established in 2007 as a special political mission tasked with helping advance the peace process, has been extended through January 2010 to assist in the management of arms and army personnel contained in the cantonments.

The 2006 peace agreement ending the civil war led to the establishment of cantonments, or army camps, to provide temporary shelter for Maoist ex-combatants in several localities across Nepal.

Following earlier conversations with the Prime Minster of Nepal and the Chairman of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal - Maoist (UCPN-M), the Special Representative welcomed the re-launching of the rehabilitation process and noted that Chairman Prachanda of the UCPN-M has given her assurances that the orderly discharge would proceed immediately.

She called on all parties to ensure that the process proceeds smoothly and is completed at the earliest in compliance with international standards.

"I look forward to visiting Nepal in the coming weeks to witness for myself the discharge of these minors," stated Ms. Coomaraswamy.

The commitment of the Government of Nepal and the UCPN-M to move forward on the issue of discharge of minors is in line with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and Security Council resolutions 1539 (2004) and 1612 (2005) as well as the Council's recommendations on Children and Armed Conflict.
Oct 13 2009 5:10PM
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SEAL THE DEAL: UN LENDS A HAND TO COMMUNITY EFFORTS TO ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE
October 13, 2009 at 5:10 pm

SEAL THE DEAL: UN LENDS A HAND TO COMMUNITY EFFORTS TO ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE
New York, Oct 13 2009 5:10PM
With small communities the least equipped to cope with climate change, a United Nations-backed pilot project is helping to boost their resistance to coastal erosion, sea-level rise, increasingly erratic rainfall, and other effects of global warming.

Ten countries are taking part in the Community-Based Adaptation (<"http://sdnhq.undp.org/gef-adaptation/projects/websites/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=203">CBA) scheme, an initiative of the UN Development Programme (<"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP) which is funded by the Global Environment Facility (<"http://www.gefweb.org/">GEF), a global partnership among 178 countries, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector to address global environmental issues.

"We provide the technical support to the communities who want to understand what climate change is and how they could potentially deal with it," said Pradeep Kurukulasuriya, a UNDP technical advisor for GEF Adaptation Programming.

One of the CBA initiatives in Jamaica, a pilot country, seeks to help farmers in the Caribbean nation's Blue Mountains, where high-value cool-climate crops such as coffee are grown and which also serves as a watershed to the country's capital, Kingston.

Climate change is projected to increase the frequency and intensity of hurricanes and strong storms, while causing rainfall levels to decline, resulting in erosion and landslides in the region. This, coupled with unsustainable land management practices including slash and burn, which involves cutting and burning forests to create agricultural fields, is expected to make the area increasingly unsuited for farming crops requiring cool and moist climates.

The initiative aims to reforest slopes vulnerable to climate-driven erosion and landslides, as well as to promote soil conservation techniques and alternative livelihood practices.

"There is consultation with the communities at every level," said Dale Rankine, National Coordinator of GEF's Small Grants Programme (SGP).

"We engage and empower all communities," he said, underscoring the importance of local-level engagement in adaptation projects.

Nations are expected to 'seal the deal' on a new climate change agreement – intended to go into effect after the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012 ¬– this December in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Along with emissions reductions targets by industrialized nations, helping developing countries adapt to global warming's effects is also a large component of the pact set to be reached in the Danish capital.

Mr. Rankine stressed the need for the needs of local communities to be taken into global treaties on climate change. "If we continue to develop projects at the international level and decrease at the local level, [a Copenhagen deal] is going to fail," he said.

While many in Kazakhstan, another CBA pilot country, may not understand the global scale of climate change, they are well aware of declining precipitation and rising temperatures locally, said Stanislav Kim, Mr. Rakine's counterpart in the Central Asian nation.

Last year was the driest in the past three decades, he said, and as temperatures creep up, vegetation typically found in Kazakhstan's south has been increasingly spotted in the north.

With a large portion of the country's population relying on agriculture as a primary source of income, changing rainfall patterns is "the most critical" issue, according to Mr. Kim.

The nine CBA projects in Kazakhstan see to address climate-related threats, including increased risks of drought, soil salinization and erosion.

The sense of 'community' is slightly different in Kazakhstan than it is in other parts of the world, he said, since during the Soviet era, artificial settlements comprising people of disparate groups were forced to live together.

As a result, a community is oftentimes "not a real force," Mr. Kim said, with people living within them "not feeling common unity."

The CBA projects seek to highlight the importance of cooperation within communities in adapting to climate change, he noted.

Also opening the door to the possibility to change within communities are CBA projects in Samoa, where the seven projects that are part of the initiative are allowing the voices of more community members to be heard in determining how to protect the nation against encroaching climate change.

"Generally, in a highly structured and stratified society like Samoa, decisions are mainly made by the Matai or chiefly council," according to Sala Pio Tagiilima, who serves as the Sub-Regional Coordinator for the SGP in the Pacific island nation.

With Samoans worried about the impact of climate change, ranging from coastal flooding to prolonged droughts, the CBA programme, he noted, "has given the opportunity for everyone to express their views and raise important issues to be incorporated" into it.

The nation's leader, Prime Minister Tuila'epa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi, highlighted at the General Assembly's annual high-level debate last month that reaching a climate change agreement in Copenhagen will be a "test of multilateral solidarity."

Mr. Malielegaoi said time was already running out, especially for small island nations such as his own.

"Playing the 'blame and shame' tactics, or 'waiting to be led but not willing to lead,' are no longer options. For no single nation, no single group of nations, and no single organization on its own can win the war against climate change," he said.

The other seven countries taking part in the CBA programme are Bangladesh, Bolivia, Guatemala, Morocco, Namibia, Niger and Viet Nam. Each nation is expected to develop, plan and implement up to 20 community-level schemes, and it is hoped that communities in other nations will be able to replicate their successes.
Oct 13 2009 5:10PM
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MONTHS OF HARD WORK AHEAD IN STORM-BATTERED PHILIPPINES, SAYS TOP UN OFFICIAL
October 13, 2009 at 4:10 pm

MONTHS OF HARD WORK AHEAD IN STORM-BATTERED PHILIPPINES, SAYS TOP UN OFFICIAL
New York, Oct 13 2009 4:10PM
The crisis in the Philippines in the aftermath of two devastating storms that recently hit the country is not over, the United Nations humanitarian chief said today, as he appealed once again to donors to support the relief and recovery efforts.

"Even though the immediate effects of these typhoons have passed, we face many months of hard work, relief and recovery and reconstruction ahead. This crisis is by no means over. In some ways the hard work is just starting," John Holmes told a news conference in the capital, Manila.

Mr. Holmes, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, wrapped up a two-day visit to see first-hand the emergency response to tropical storm Ketsana (also known as Ondoy), which made landfall on 26 September, and typhoon Parma, which struck a week later.

The two successive storms affected over 6 million people, killing more than 500 and displacing scores of thousands of others, and caused crop damage estimated at over $160 million.

The UN has secured financial commitments amounting to nearly $19 million, out of the $74 million flash appeal it issued last week for the storm victims.

Mr. Holmes also warned of the serious health threat posed by stagnant water in flooded communities, stressing that it is crucial to get rid of the water rather than waiting for it to recede on its own.

While in the Philippines, he met with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and other senior Government officials as well as UN humanitarian staff.

He also met with families living in evacuation centres and others still living in flooded areas in Pasig City, part of the Manila metropolitan area and one of the hardest-hit districts.
Oct 13 2009 4:10PM
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SECURITY COUNCIL LENGTHEN MANDATE OF EXPERTS MONITORING DARFUR SANCTIONS
October 13, 2009 at 4:10 pm

SECURITY COUNCIL LENGTHEN MANDATE OF EXPERTS MONITORING DARFUR SANCTIONS
New York, Oct 13 2009 4:10PM
The Security Council today voted unanimously to <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2009/sc9765.doc.htm">extend the mandate of the panel of experts monitoring sanctions imposed over the strife-torn Sudanese region of Darfur.

The 15-member body adopted a resolution allowing the group, which monitors an arms embargo, travel ban and assets freeze, to continue its work through 15 October next year.

The panel, established in March 2005, is tasked with monitoring the implementation of the arms embargo imposed by Council resolutions, and inform the sanctions committee about individuals who impede the peace process, violate international law or are responsible for offensive military overflights.

Determining that the situation in Sudan continues to present a threat to international peace and regional security, the Council requested in today's resolution that the panel coordinate its activities with the joint United Nations–African Union peacekeeping force, known as <"http://www.un.org/depts/dpko/missions/unamid/">UNAMID, which was established at the beginning of 2008.

UNAMID, which has lost 14 military personnel and three civilian police as a result of hostile attacks, currently stands at almost 19,000 military and police personnel, several thousand uniformed personnel short of its authorized full deployment of 26,000.

Since 2003, an estimated 300,000 people have been killed and 2.7 million others displaced in Darfur as a result of the conflict that has pitted rebels against Government forces and allied Janjaweed militiamen. All three groups have been accused of attacks against civilians and human rights abuses.
Oct 13 2009 4:10PM
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BREAKING NEWS ALERT
October 13, 2009 at 3:51 pm

FLORIDA JUDGE ORDERS RUNAWAY CHRISTIAN CONVERT WHO FEARED MUSLIM PARENTS TO RETURN TO OHIO

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Breaking News: Senate Finance Committee passes health care bill
October 13, 2009 at 3:07 pm

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***USATODAY.com Breaking News***

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate Finance Committee has approved a sweeping remake of the country's health care system, delivering a long-sought boost to President Obama's goal of expanding coverage. The 14-9 vote by the key panel sets up a debate on the Senate floor and moves a health care remake closer to reality than it has been for decades.

For more on this story, go to http://www.usatoday.com.




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BREAKING NEWS ALERT
October 13, 2009 at 2:56 pm

SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE APPROVES HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL

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Today's Tech News: PC prices should stay low even with the release of Windows 7
October 13, 2009 at 2:39 pm

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The average price of a PC fell to  $761 in the first half of this year, according to research firm Gartner.
 
PC prices should stay low even with the release of Windows 7
By Byron Acohido, USA TODAY
With Microsoft's new Windows 7 operating system due Oct. 22, PC prices have never been lower. Read more
Technology Live
Pharmacy scam accounts for 70% of spam in Sept.; RSS feed.
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First impressions of 'Brutal Legend'; RSS feed.
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UN AND NATIONAL FORCES INVESTIGATING REPORTED EXPLOSION IN SOUTHERN LEBANON
October 13, 2009 at 2:10 pm

UN AND NATIONAL FORCES INVESTIGATING REPORTED EXPLOSION IN SOUTHERN LEBANON
New York, Oct 13 2009 2:10PM
The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon said it is investigating, together with the national armed forces, a reported explosion that occurred on Monday in the southern town of Tayr Felsay.

A patrol from the UN force, known as <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/">UNIFIL, and a Lebanese patrol visited the site of the incident at around 11:30 last night. This morning, a UNIFIL investigation team, jointly with the Lebanese Armed Forces investigation team, inspected the site and the surrounding area.

"They are still in the process of analyzing the information and the available evidence to ascertain the circumstances and establish the facts concerning this incident," UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters.

Michael Williams, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, said after a meeting today with Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri that he was concerned about the reports of an explosion at Tayr Felsay.

"We are keeping a close eye on this, because of its relevance to resolution 1701," adding that he would await the outcome of the investigations.

Adopted three years ago, resolution 1701 helped to end the 2006 war between Hizbollah and Israel. It also called for renewed respect for the Blue Line separating the Lebanese forces and Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), the disarming of militias and an end to arms smuggling, among other elements.

Mr. Williams and Mr. Hariri also discussed the process of forming a government in Lebanon, which has still not taken place some four months after elections.

"The United Nations has repeatedly stressed the importance of forming the government as soon as possible to tackle the many challenges facing the country," said Mr. Williams.
Oct 13 2009 2:10PM
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FOOD SHORTFALLS HEAD LIST OF MOUNTING HUMANITARIAN CRISES IN KENYA, UN WARNS
October 13, 2009 at 2:10 pm

FOOD SHORTFALLS HEAD LIST OF MOUNTING HUMANITARIAN CRISES IN KENYA, UN WARNS
New York, Oct 13 2009 2:10PM
Severe food shortages continue to affect millions of hungry people in Kenya while refugees pour in from neighbouring countries and United Nations agencies brace the population for expected floods, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said today.

Food insecurity, largely due to prolonged drought in the Horn of Africa region, has led to the World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/countries/kenya">WFP) putting some 3.8 million people in Kenya on emergency food aid assistance, and another 1.5 million children on a school feeding programme.

The availability of food over the next three months is expected to remain uncertain despite the forecast of heavy rains related to El Niño weather patterns, according to <"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA.

Between 28 September and 1 October, World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO) conducted health sector emergency preparedness training in the eastern Garissa district in anticipation of flooding resulting from the forecasted rain. Some neighbouring districts have already developed similar emergency preparedness plans.

In addition, OCHA is supporting coordination and fund-raising efforts to address a reported re-emergence of a cholera outbreak in Turkana district in the north, which has claimed six lives and put 73 people in hospital.

With over 80,000 refugees streaming across borders into Kenya since the beginning of the year, the UN High Commission for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home">UNHCR) reported that the total number of refugees and asylum-seekers in Kenya stands at over 380,000.

According to


10/14 NBA.com: Lakers News
October 14, 2009 at 12:00 am

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Lakers Practice Report: 10/13/09
October 13, 2009 at 10:14 pm

Head Coach Phil Jackson talks about the team's progress and Guard Sasha Vujacic goes one-on-one with Lakers.com's Mike Trudell.
 

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10/14 NBA.com - Dunk of the Night
October 14, 2009 at 12:00 am

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Dunk of the Night
October 12, 2009 at 4:30 pm

LeBron James takes the pass and slams it home during the second quarter.
 

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10/14 KPHO.com - Video
October 14, 2009 at 12:00 am

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Woman: iPod Burned Me
October 13, 2009 at 12:35 pm

The Consumer Products Safety Commission is investigating reports of iPods overheating.

Doc: Bad Vaccine Reactions Very Rare
October 13, 2009 at 11:56 am

A Valley woman who was in perfect health at the beginning of the summer says vaccines made her seriously ill.

Caught On Camera: Men Steal Tools
October 13, 2009 at 11:45 am

Surveillance cameras catch men stealing tools, and the apartment complex manager is fighting back by distributing the footage.

Car Slams Into Pedestrian
October 13, 2009 at 11:40 am

A man is in the hospital after a car hits him.

Fans Celebrate Mercury's Victory
October 13, 2009 at 11:36 am

Valley Mercury fans celebrate the team's championship victory.
 

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10/14 Arizona Cardinals : News
October 14, 2009 at 12:00 am

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At The Epicenter
October 13, 2009 at 7:34 pm

Nose tackles Watson, Robinson relish one-on-one battles

DRC Wins POW
October 13, 2009 at 6:03 pm

Cornerback takes home NFC honor after key interception
 

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10/14 NBA.com - Assist of the Night
October 14, 2009 at 12:00 am

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Assist of the Night
October 12, 2009 at 4:33 pm

LeBron James throws a wonderful pass to Shaquille O'Neal, who finishes with a slam.
 

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10/14 azcentral.com | asu sports
October 14, 2009 at 12:00 am

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ASU women go to PG by committee
October 13, 2009 at 3:37 pm

Minus Briann January and Dymond Simon, 3 point guards will guide the Sun Devils.
 

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