| UN APPEALS TO COMBATANTS IN PAKISTAN TO ENSURE SAFETY OF CIVILIANS FLEEING CONFLICT
October 24, 2009 at 4:10 pm
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| UN APPEALS TO COMBATANTS IN PAKISTAN TO ENSURE SAFETY OF CIVILIANS FLEEING CONFLICT
New York, Oct 24 2009 4:10PM
Amid mounting numbers of Pakistanis crossing inhospitable mountain terrain to escape fighting between Government forces and militants, aid agencies have urged the warring parties to observe international humanitarian law ensuring safety for civilians, the United Nations humanitarian arm said today.To date around 139,000 people have fled the conflict in the South Waziristan region into the bordering North West Frontier Province (NWFP), according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA). "Those leaving South Waziristan have travelled over a forbidding terrain, with limited supplies and in conditions of fear and hardship," said UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Pakistan Martin Mogwanja. "As displaced civilians reach areas of relative safety, the United Nations and its humanitarian partners are working to make sure th
at they have the support -- even simple necessities, from food and water to blankets and health protecting vaccines -- to weather this terrible time," added Mr. Mogwanja. OCHA said that the humanitarian community in Pakistan calls upon the combatants to respect humanitarian law and its principles of distinction between civilians and combatants, as well as proportionality in the means and methods of warfare. Underscoring that attacks on civilians are absolutely prohibited and that civilians have to be granted safety and safe passage, OCHA highlighted the need to ensure the continuation of assistance. The UN and its partners have been providing aid in the form of registration to assess the numbers and needs of the internally displaced persons (IDPs), food rations, vaccination for children, household items and hygiene kits, and access to drinking water. In the last 10 days alone, 57,600 IDPs have been registered in two NWFP districts -- Dera Ismail Khan and Tank. Most of the IDPs a
re taking shelter in host communities, with friends and families, or in rented homes, following a pattern set in other recent conflicts
in Pakistan. At present no camps have been set up in the two hosting districts, but the humanitarian community stands ready to assist with tents, sanitation and other facilities if needed.
As international aid organizations have no direct access to the conflict areas in South Waziristan, humanitarian assistance is delivered through local partners in Dera Ismail Khan and Tank.
UN agencies and their partners have distributed over 1,000 tons of food to around 30,000 people, while 35,000 have received hygiene kits to prevent the spread of disease in these difficult, congested conditions. Agencies have also rehabilitated water supplies and installed hand pumps, ensuring that 45,000 IDPs have access to safe water. Many of the children have never been vaccinated, and measles immunization campaigns have already reached over 180,000 children, both f
rom IDP and host community families, OCHA said.
Oct 24 2009 4:10PM
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| SENIOR UN OFFICIAL DEPLORES LATEST KIDNAPPING OF AID WORKER IN DARFUR
October 24, 2009 at 1:10 pm
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| SENIOR UN OFFICIAL DEPLORES LATEST KIDNAPPING OF AID WORKER IN DARFUR
New York, Oct 24 2009 1:10PM
The top United Nations humanitarian official in Sudan today condemned the kidnapping of a staff member of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the latest in a series of aid worker abductions in the country's war-scarred region of Darfur."The kidnapping of Gauthier Lefevre serves nothing but to undermine humanitarian work in the region, at the sole expense of those who benefit from such endeavour," said UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan Ameerah Haq. "It harms the chances of creating a safe and secure environment for delivering humanitarian relief and impacts negatively on our ability to deliver food and basic health and welfare services in areas where they are most needed," added Ms. Haq. The French-British national was snatched by gunmen on Thursday while retuning to Al Geneina - the capital of West Darfur state - from a field mission to help local communities
obtain clean drinking water. Ms. Haq called on the kidnappers to immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Lefevre in a news release, underscoring the serious security concerns in Darfur for all humanitarian organizations working in the region. Last week, an armed rebel group in North Darfur state released two staffers of the international non-governmental organization (NGO) GOAL who had spent three months in captivity. At the end of August, two civilian staff members from the joint UN-African Union peacekeeping mission, known as UNAMID, were also abducted from their home in the West Darfur town of Zalingei and have yet to be released.
Oct 24 2009 1:10PM
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| PEACEKEEPERS HELP CELEBRATE UN DAY ON THE ORGANIZATION'S 64TH BIRTHDAY
October 24, 2009 at 11:10 am
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| PEACEKEEPERS HELP CELEBRATE UN DAY ON THE ORGANIZATION'S 64TH BIRTHDAY
New York, Oct 24 2009 11:10AM
Peacekeepers deployed in operations around the world today joined in celebrations marking United Nations Day on the world body's 64th birthday.On this day in 1945, the UN Charter entered into force, an achievement that is commemorated annually on 24 October to remind the Organization of its commitment to preserving peace, providing security and helping those in need. The joint UN-African Union peacekeeping mission in the western Sudanese region of Darfur, known as <"http://unamid.unmissions.org/">UNAMID, observed the Day with an official ceremony at its headquarters in the state of North Darfur. UNAMID police and military paraded for an audience that included senior mission officials, UN Country Team representatives and North Darfur Government officials, as well as staff from the mission and UN agencies. The celebration also included presentations of peace songs by school child
ren from El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, and children from the Abu Shock camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs). In addition, Gambian and Rwandan UNAMID contingents performed cultural displays, with the Filipino police unit performing martial arts exercise. During the event, the acting Joint Special Representative for UNAMID Henry Anyidoh urged the civilian, military and police staff to continue their task in serving the cause of peace, stability and development in Darfur and for the Darfurians. He also read a message from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon released on Friday, calling on his UN colleagues to "redouble our efforts on behalf of the vulnerable, the powerless, the defenceless. Let us stand more united than ever -- united in purpose and united in action to make the world a safer, better place." In his message for UN Day, Mr. Ban added that the Organization is "forging a new multilateralism that can deliver real results for all people, especially those most i
n need." In Timor-Leste today the UN mission (<"http://unmit.unmissions.org/">UNMIT) helped organize a Model UN conference in the country's capital, Dili, to commemorate the occasion. The conference re-created the historic Security Council session of October 1999, responding to the eruption of violence, in which up to 2,000 people were killed, in the aftermath of the UN-organized Popular Consultation that saw Timorese turn out in huge numbers to vote for independence over autonomy within Indonesia.
"UNMIT and the whole United Nations family in Timor-Leste have been happy to support the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its initiative to conduct this first Model UN," said Finn Reske-Nielsen, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Timor-Leste.
Oct 24 2009 11:10AM
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| Today's News from TheEagle.com
October 24, 2009 at 10:07 am
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| Celebrity look-a-likes Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:07 PM PDT Ashley Bennett, recreation manager for the city of Bryan, sorts through some Shrek-themed pumpkins while preparing for the annual Fall Fest and Pumpkin Walk at the Palace Theater on Friday. The event, hosted by the city of Bryan and the Children's Mu ... | | Community mourns family killed in wreck Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:23 PM PDT Things looked normal at the Perez home in College Station on Friday. A vehicle was in the driveway, clothes were drying on a line in the backyard, toys were scattered across the yard and cats were patiently waiting by the front door. Nothing about th ... | | School, community faced with helping grief process Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:07 PM PDT Coping with the death of an entire family can be difficult. And explaining the loss to children can be uncomfortable.College Station school officials on Friday were faced with the task of informing students about a car wreck that killed a family of f ... | | Yell leader adviser sidelined for video Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:07 PM PDT The way some see it, they were a group of guys -- four of Texas A&M's five yell leaders -- goofing off and being college kids on the way to last week's football game against Kansas State. But according to university officials, posting a two-minut ... | | Special Olympics draws big crowd Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:06 PM PDT It would be impossible to count the number of high fives and smiles exchanged among the 1,600 Special Olympics athletes and the 1,000 or so volunteers at the Anderson Track Complex on the Texas A&M campus Friday night at the Fall Classic's openin ... | | Prenatal Clinic Point of Light Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:06 PM PDT The Brazos Valley turns out to be a little brighter than originally thought. During last week's coverage of the Presidential Forum on Service featuring former President George H.W. Bush and President Barack Obama, a story highlighting Points of Light ... | | Bryan man pleads guilty in crime spree Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:07 PM PDT -- Eagle Staff ReportA 24-year-old Bryan man pleaded guilty Friday to a series of charges related to a two-week crime spree in June and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.Oscar Caballero accepted a plea bargain and was sentenced to 30 years each for ... | | 3-car wreck affects Texas 6 traffic flow Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:07 PM PDT -- Eagle Staff ReportThe southbound lanes of Texas 6 were closed for about an hour Friday afternoon because of a chain-reaction accident involving three vehicles.College Station police said a vehicle traveling south ran into the vehicle in front of i ... | | Bryan center plans fundraising festival Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:07 PM PDT -- Eagle Staff ReportThe North Bryan Community Center will host its second annual fall festival from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 7. The festival will include food, a car wash, bingo, children's games and more. Lunch will be $9 for adults and $4 for chi ... | | Man tried to pose as officer, police say Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:07 PM PDT -- Eagle Staff ReportAuthorities said a 19-year-old College Station man used strobe lights on his pickup to impersonate a police officer and pull a vehicle over.Two College Station police officers were at the Lincoln Center on Thursday when a car pul ... | | Security videos fuel Bryan man's arrest Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:07 PM PDT -- Eagle Staff ReportBryan police arrested a man on four charges of burglary of a building after spotting him on security videos, authorities said. Police said an investigation into a string of burglaries on East 29th Street led to James Aron Black, ... | | Home sales hit record rate Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:05 PM PDT WASHINGTON -- Racing to complete their purchases before a tax credit for first-time owners expires, homebuyers pushed sales up last month by the largest amount in more than 26 years.After jumping 9.4 percent in September, home resales are up nearly 2 ... | | 2 wrongly convicted go free Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:06 PM PDT DALLAS -- A packed Dallas County courtroom erupted in joyous shouts and applause Friday as two men wrongly convicted of capital murder 12 years ago were set free.Claude Simmons Jr., 54, and Christopher Scott, 39, had been serving life sentences for t ... | | Dallas reviews no-English citations Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:06 PM PDT DALLAS -- Dallas police officers have improperly cited drivers for not being able to speak English 38 times in the past three years, Chief David Kunkle said Friday.The discovery came after a woman was pulled over earlier this month for making an ille ... | | Prop 9 aims to protect access to beaches Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:06 PM PDT AUSTIN -- Fifty years after the Legislature passed the Open Beaches Act, Texans will get a chance to enshrine public access to the coast in the state constitution.Supporters say Proposition 9 would help protect beach access from the threat of lawsuit ... | | US drones protecting ships from Somali pirates Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:48 PM PDT NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) -- For the first time, sophisticated U.S. military surveillance drones capable of carrying missiles have begun patrolling waters off Somalia in hopes of stemming rising piracy.Three ships have been seized in a week off Africa's la ... | | Bank failures top 100, point to serious troubles Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:05 PM PDT WASHINGTON -- The cascade of bank failures this year surpassed 100 on Friday, the most in nearly two decades. And the trouble in the banking system from bad loans and the recession goes even deeper than the number suggests.Dozens, perhaps hundreds, o ... | | Hudson healing heartbreak Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:05 PM PDT CHICAGO -- In the year since three members of her family were killed in Chicago, Grammy and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson has found ways to heal and start a new life.And it appears the 28-year-old is happy again.The actress and singer has gushed over ... | | Film on gay neo-Nazis honored Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:05 PM PDT ROME -- A Danish movie about a gay love affair between two members of a neo-Nazi group won top honors Friday at the Rome Film Festival, while Helen Mirren won the best actress award.Mirren won for her depiction of Leo Tolstoy's wife in Michael Hoffma ... | | Religion Briefs Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:35 PM PDT Polygamous group challenges ruling SALT LAKE CITY -- A polygamous sect is asking the Utah Supreme Court to overturn a state court decision that stripped the religious purposes from its communal land trust.Attorneys for the Fundamentalist Church of Je ... | | Religion notes Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:06 PM PDT Saturday * Galilee Missionary Baptist Church, 804 N. Logan Ave. in Bryan, will have its Junior Mission Prayer Breakfast from 9 a.m. to noon. The guest speaker will be Sister Raquel Hurst of Living Branch Christian Center in Calvert.Sunday* First Unit ... | | Red light camera debate raises issue of intercession Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:06 PM PDT Attention, red light camera supporters and haters alike: Will you help me come to terms with a related problem, please? It'll be fun: We'll get out on the highway, looking for adventure and whatever comes our way -- because my issue is about driving. ... | | Letters for October 24 Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:05 PM PDT Public should have been allwoed to vote first I have recently received two glossy promotions in the mail from those who support the red-light cameras. Why is so much money being spent to shape public opinion? If it is true that something in ... | | Calendar Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:06 PM PDT SaturdayEVENTS38th Annual Open Buckle Horse Show and Playday, 8 a.m. Dick Freeman Arena, College Station. Sponsored by the Brazos County Equestrian 4-H Club. Events include halter and performance events, leadline and walk trot. Playday begins at 6 p. ... |  |
| 10/24 NBA.com: Lakers News
October 24, 2009 at 12:00 am
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| 10/24 KPHO.com - Video
October 24, 2009 at 12:00 am
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| H1N1 Shots Available At 48 Valley Places Saturday
October 23, 2009 at 3:26 pm
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| | 50,000 total doses to be administered. They include the shot and nasal mist. |
| Motel Burns In Chandler
October 23, 2009 at 1:00 pm
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| | Firefighters put out a blaze at a Super 8 in Chandler. |
| Truck Crashes Into Queen Creek Walmart
October 23, 2009 at 12:58 pm
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| | Authorities declared a first-alarm hazmat call. |
| Teacher Pays It Forward To Student's Family
October 23, 2009 at 12:53 pm
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| | Fifth-grade teacher Lillian Linn pays it forward to Seth Monteverde's family. |
| Legislature Plans To Increase Its Budget
October 23, 2009 at 12:17 pm
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| | Despite the budget cuts that are hitting all state agencies, the legislature's budget will actually increase slightly. |
| Schools See High Absentee Rates
October 23, 2009 at 12:01 pm
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| | With the H1N1 flu going around, schools are seeing an unusually high absentee rate. |
| Report: Fraud Rife In Homebuyer Program
October 23, 2009 at 11:54 am
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| | Scammers are taking advantage of the government's First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit, according to a new report. |
| CBS 5 Morning News Blitz
October 23, 2009 at 10:24 am
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| | Miss the morning show? We've got your back! Watch our daily news blitz for the latest top stories. | 
| 10/24 NBA.com - Dunk of the Night
October 24, 2009 at 12:00 am
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| Dunk of the Night
October 22, 2009 at 4:27 pm
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| | Kenyon Martin flushes the two-hand dunk and taps the backboard. | | |  |
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| 10/24 NBA.com - Play of The Day
October 24, 2009 at 12:00 am
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| Play of the Day
October 22, 2009 at 4:23 pm
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| | Known as the most fundamentally sound player of the game, Kobe Bryant spins for two points. | | |  |
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| 10/24 NBA.com - Assist of the Night
October 24, 2009 at 12:00 am
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| Assist of the Night
October 22, 2009 at 4:27 pm
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| | Sergio Rodriguez finds Donte Greene on the alley-oop pass. | | |  |
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| 10/24 Arizona Cardinals : News
October 24, 2009 at 12:00 am
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| 10/24 Phoenix Local News
October 24, 2009 at 12:00 am
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| WITH CONCERTS, FILMS AND CEREMONIES, UN MARKS ITS 64TH BIRTHDAY
October 23, 2009 at 7:10 pm
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| WITH CONCERTS, FILMS AND CEREMONIES, UN MARKS ITS 64TH BIRTHDAY
New York, Oct 23 2009 7:10PM
The United Nations marked its 64th birthday today with ceremonies around the world, a concert at its New York Headquarters paying tribute to its blue helmet peacekeepers, and a call from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to stand up for the vulnerable, powerless and defenceless.UN Day in fact falls on 24 October, the anniversary of the day in 1945 that the UN Charter entered into force, but as the date this year falls on a Saturday, many of the ceremonies were held on Friday. "On this UN Day, let us resolve to redouble our efforts on behalf of the vulnerable, the powerless, the defenceless. Let us stand more united than ever – united in purpose and united in action to make the world a safer, better place," Mr. Ban said in a video message released ahead of the Day. "The United Nations is doing its utmost to respond – to address the big issues, to look at the big picture. We are forging a new multilateralism that can deliver real results for all people, especially those most in need." At UN Headquarters a concert was being held on Friday evening in the General Assembly Hall with, for the first time since its inception, a theme: "A Tribute to Peacekeeping." Organized by the UN Department of Public Information (DPI) and the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), in partnership with the Culture Project, a New York based non-profit organization dedicated to artistic work focusing on social justice and civic engagement, it used different art forms to focus on the achievements and importance of UN peacekeeping. Musical performances by artists from a broad array of countries, oral presentations by public figures, and documentary film clips highlighting the faces and stories of the people in the field, paid homage to the blue helmets. Among the performers were John McLaughlin (United Kingdom) with the band Remember Shakti (India), Emmanual Jal (Sudan), Sister Fa (Senegal), Salman Ahmad (Pakistan), Harry Belafonte (United States), Angelique Kidjo (Benin), Lang Lang (China) and the Colombian band Aterciopelados. The concert also featured segments from a new documentary film on UN peacekeeping, <I>The War Against War</I>, directed by Fisher Stevens and giving insight into the formidable challenges facing peacekeepers and the committed individuals who serve some of the most victimized and vulnerable populations on Earth. The event aimed to create greater public awareness of the important mission performed by peacekeeping operations around the globe. The recent tragedy in the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/minustah/">MINUSTAH), when 11 peacekeepers died in a helicopter crash, has made the concert theme even more poignant, as the UN pays tribute to lives lost. At the UN's Asia hub in Bangkok, a joint four-day exhibition by 19 UN entities opened on 22 October in CentralWorld, the city's biggest shopping complex, with the theme "60 years of the UN in Thailand," because the organization moved to Bangkok from Shanghai, China, in 1949. The official UN Day ceremony itself will take place on 26 October, when the King's daughter Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva are expected to attend. The UN's European hub in Geneva celebrated the day today with a conference on "Comprehensive Human Security – from Theory to Practice," while in Vienna the publication <I>Together Strong – Die Vereinten Nationen</I> was launched on 20 October, containing a set of German-language teaching materials on the UN, 4,000 copies of which are to be distributed to secondary schools around Austria. In South America, meanwhile, the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (<"http://www.eclac.org/portofspain/">ECLAC) held a ceremony at its headquarters in Santiago, Chile, today.
Oct 23 2009 7:10PM
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| IRAN NEEDS MORE TIME TO CONSIDER NUCLEAR FUEL AGREEMENT, SAYS UN ATOMIC WATCHDOG
October 23, 2009 at 6:10 pm
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| IRAN NEEDS MORE TIME TO CONSIDER NUCLEAR FUEL AGREEMENT, SAYS UN ATOMIC WATCHDOG
New York, Oct 23 2009 6:10PM
Iran has asked for more time to consider a draft agreement on fuel for its civilian nuclear research facility, while the three other parties to the deal signalled their approval today, the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (<"http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/PressRelease/2009/prn200911.html">IAEA) reported today.On Wednesday, a three-day meeting at the agency's Vienna headquarters ended with a draft agreement on the provision of fuel for the site in Iran's capital, Tehran, which, among other activities, produces medical radioisotopes for therapeutic and diagnostic procedures. Iran informed IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei that it is "considering the proposal in depth and in a favourable light, but it needs until the middle of next week to provide a response," according to a statement. The other three nations taking part in the talks – France, Russia and the United States – all indicated their approval of the agreement today, which was the deadline set by Mr. ElBaradei earlier this week. "The Director General hopes that Iran's response will equally be positive, since approval of this agreement will signal a new era of cooperation," the IAEA statement noted. On Wednesday, Mr. ElBaradei called the draft text a "balanced approach on how to move forward," adding that its endorsement by all four countries would be a "very important confidence-building measure that can defuse the crisis that has been going on for a number of years and open space for negotiations." He also voiced hope that if approved, the agreement will "open the way for a complete normalization of relations between Iran and the international community." The IAEA was selected as the venue for the discussions because Iran has requested the body to facilitate talks with potential nuclear fuel suppliers. Earlier this month, it was announced after talks between Mr. ElBaradei and Iranian authorities that IAEA inspectors will visit a newly disclosed uranium enrichment facility under construction in Qom, southwest of the capital. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that the facility violates Security Council resolutions because of the delay in its disclosure. During his talks in New York in September with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Mr. Ban repeated his call for the country to implement Security Council resolutions and cooperate with the IAEA on resolving outstanding concerns regarding its nuclear programme. Iran has stated that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, but some other countries contend it is driven by military ambitions. The issue has been of international concern since the discovery in 2003 that the country had concealed its nuclear activities for 18 years in breach of its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Oct 23 2009 6:10PM
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| UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF SPOTLIGHTS ROLE OF INDEPENDENT EXPERTS IN PREVENTING ABUSES
October 23, 2009 at 6:10 pm
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| UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF SPOTLIGHTS ROLE OF INDEPENDENT EXPERTS IN PREVENTING ABUSES
New York, Oct 23 2009 6:10PM
Alerting the international community to emerging humanitarian crises plays a key role in the prevention and management of violent conflicts, natural disasters and other emergencies, the top United Nations human rights official said today, praising efforts by independent UN experts for sounding the alarm over rights abuses."Violations [of human rights] are often a root cause of conflict and human rights are always an indispensable element in achieving peace and reconciliation," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay. "In other situations, such as financial, food and climate crisis, objective assessments of human rights enjoyment are indispensable in detecting underlying patterns and pointing to feasible and sustainable solutions," Ms. Pillay said at an event highlighting the role of UN rights experts under their "Special Procedures" mandate. Ms. Pillay said that Special Procedures – the general name for Special Rapporteurs, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Representative of the Secretary-General or Independent Expert – are well placed to function as early warning mechanisms. "The full potential of Special Procedures in early warning and conflict prevention has yet to be fully tapped," said Ms. Pillay, calling for enhanced measures to make better use of the information provided by these experts. The Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (<"http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Pages/WelcomePage.aspx">OHCHR) noted that in August 1993, the Special Rapporteur on Summary or Arbitrary Executions published a report on Rwanda, flagging that violence against Tutsis might fall under the scope of the Genocide Convention. The warning was not heeded and eight months later some 800,000 people were killed. More recently, in January 2009, the Representative of the Secretary-General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) warned that military operations against a rebel group in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could result in violent reprisals against the civilian population, which UN peacekeepers are currently trying to contain. These independent experts are appointed by the Secretary-General to work on behalf of the UN on a pro-bono basis and with a specific mandate from the Geneva-based Human Rights Council to investigate, monitor and recommend solutions to abuses. Currently there are 38 Special Procedure mandates, focusing on human rights issues either in specific countries (eight), or particular themes (30), such as extrajudicial execution, the right to food or racial discrimination.
Oct 23 2009 6:10PM
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| WOMEN BUSINESS EXECUTIVES HAVE KEY ROLE IN ENSURING BETTER WORLD – BAN
October 23, 2009 at 6:10 pm
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| WOMEN BUSINESS EXECUTIVES HAVE KEY ROLE IN ENSURING BETTER WORLD – BAN
New York, Oct 23 2009 6:10PM
Women business executives have a major role to play in helping help to achieve a green economy, safeguard the environment and improve living conditions around the world while at the same time ensuring the profitability of their enterprises, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today."We both recognize the important link between empowering women and achieving development," he said in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=4178">message to the 57th Congress of the Worldwide Network of Women Entrepreneurs (Femmes Chefs D'Enterprises Mondiales – FCEM) in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon. "Your organization and the United Nations share a common interest in promoting economic and social progress." Mr. Ban voiced the hope that those executives who are not yet members will join the UN Global Compact, the world's largest corporate responsibility initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with 10 universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. "Businesses that lead responsibly will help to green our economy, protect our environment and promote better living conditions around the world – all while realizing their own goals, too," Mr. Ban concluded. "I look forward to the contributions you and your entrepreneurial spirit will make to building a more prosperous future for all."
Oct 23 2009 6:10PM
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| CLIMATE CHANGE TALKS MUST INCLUDE FOCUS ON ADEQUATE HOUSING, SAYS UN EXPERT
October 23, 2009 at 5:10 pm
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| CLIMATE CHANGE TALKS MUST INCLUDE FOCUS ON ADEQUATE HOUSING, SAYS UN EXPERT
New York, Oct 23 2009 5:10PM
The decisions to be taken in Copenhagen in December, when countries hope to reach agreement on a new climate change pact, must fully comply with human rights norms, including the right to adequate housing, an independent United Nations expert said today.Raquel Rolnik, the UN Special Rapporteur on adequate housing, said the international debate on climate change has to date focused on issues such as carbon credits and technological innovation. "However, current discussions are lacking concrete proposals to protect those worst affected by climate change – the poorest and those who live in vulnerable settlements," she told a news conference in New York. "This is what we must now bring to the core of the climate change debate." Global warming is increasing the magnitude and severity of extreme weather events, which often lead to disasters, she said earlier in the day as she presented her report to the General Assembly. Furthermore, the areas exposed to and constantly affected by flooding, landslides and earthquakes still attract the poor because of cheaper land and housing costs. "Market mechanisms – and unregulated markets – result in locations at risk of flooding and landslides being left for the poorest," she told reporters. "This population does not have the means to get insurance or move to other places when they are threatened by natural disasters." In particular, she emphasized the need for States to prioritize investments for irregular or unplanned settlements. "Those areas must be consolidated, must be urbanized and better protected from climate change-related disasters." She added that their inhabitants must be protected without destroying their livelihoods and social organizations. "There is a danger here of using climate change and the [insecurity] of the locations of the poor to promote resettlement and relocation of these communities to so-called safer places." The State must observe human rights norms so as to treat people with dignity, to safeguard due process, and to ensure appropriate housing alternatives and not just temporary shelter, said Ms. Rolnik. She said this is crucial given the lessons learned from past disasters, particularly in post-tsunami reconstruction. In some countries, certain villages were entirely relocated to resettle the inhabitants in safer locations and were never given the opportunity to return to their lands. But then the vacant lands became tourist resorts. "So it was not safe enough for the people to live there but it was suitable for tourist or commercial or industrial purposes," she noted. On mitigation and adaptation strategies, Ms. Rolnik stress that States must ensure that measures intended to protect people from the effects of climate change do not result in the unintended violation of other human rights.
Oct 23 2009 5:10PM
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| Cars: Suzuki's Kizashi delivers good things, but ...
October 23, 2009 at 3:22 pm
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| SOMALIA: UN POLITICAL CHIEF CALLS FOR INCREASED WORLD SUPPORT IN PUSH FOR PEACE
October 23, 2009 at 3:10 pm
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| SOMALIA: UN POLITICAL CHIEF CALLS FOR INCREASED WORLD SUPPORT IN PUSH FOR PEACE
New York, Oct 23 2009 3:10PM
The top United Nations political officer, co-chairing a high-level meeting in Kenya on implementing a peace pact between Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and some of its Islamist militant opponents, today called for an urgent increase in international support for the strife-torn country."Now is the time to move to action, not the time to talk. This is an excellent opportunity to turn around the terrible situation of the last 18 years in Somalia," Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe said of the country devastated by factional fighting and without a functioning central government since 1991. Together with TFG Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke, Mr. Pascoe chaired a meeting in Nairobi, Kenya's capital, of the High-Level Committee overseeing implementation of the UN-facilitated Djibouti peace agreements, signed in June 2008 between the TFG and the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS), one of the Islamist militant groups controlling large swathes of the Horn of Africa country. Since then an expanded parliament has been established and a new president, prime minister and cabinet selected, but vicious fighting has continued with other Islamic militants with civilians bearing the brunt of the latest upsurge. In September alone, 145 people were reportedly killed and another 285 injured in heavy clashes in the south central region, according to the UN refugee agency. Speaking to reporters after today's meeting, Mr. Pascoe said the Security Council was unanimously behind the TFG and confident that it is moving forward and that Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Mr. Sharmarke were doing everything possible to make it happen. He said members of the international community had to make good on their pledges at a donors' conference in Brussels in April to support the African Union (AU) peacekeeping mission in Somalia (known as AMISOM) and the strengthening of the TFG's security forces. A significant benchmark is the establishment of a well-organized security force by August 2011, the end of the TFG's current mandate. Just last week, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative for Somalia Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah stressed this requirement to a Nairobi meeting of the Joint Security Committee (JSC) of Somali officials and interested partners, set up in January under the Djibouti accords. Its members include the TFG security institutions, the AU, AMISOM, the UN, the European Union (EU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in East Africa, the Arab League, Norway and the United States. Mr. Pascoe, who was winding up a five-nation trip to Eastern and Southern Africa, focusing on UN-regional cooperation and regional hotspots, also met today with Kenyan President Mwai Kbaki, with whom he discussed constitutional reforms, the electoral process and the cross-border movement of Somali refugees. During previous stops in Uganda and Burundi, he expressed strong appreciation for the commitment and sacrifice of those nations which are deploying troops to AMISOM. His mission also took him to South Africa and Angola.
Oct 23 2009 3:10PM
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| ENVOY URGES CAUTION ON CUTS TO UN POLICE STRENGTH IN TIMOR-LESTE
October 23, 2009 at 3:10 pm
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| ENVOY URGES CAUTION ON CUTS TO UN POLICE STRENGTH IN TIMOR-LESTE
New York, Oct 23 2009 3:10PM
Any drawdown of international security forces in Timor-Leste should proceed with caution, the top United Nations envoy to the South Pacific nation warned today ahead of UN and Government reviews of the world body's peacekeeping presence in the fledgling country. In his final address to the Security Council, the Secretary-General's Special Representative Atul Khare said that President José Ramos-Horta and other leaders of Timor-Leste do not wish to be continually dependent on the deployment of UN police units in their country. "I also believe that the long-term sustainability of Timor-Leste's efforts depends on the ability of its own institutions to operate in a democratic, responsible and effective manner," said Mr. Khare, who heads the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (<"http://unmit.unmissions.org/">UNMIT). "At every step of the way, UNMIT and the UN country team have consciously endeavoured to work in a manner that enhances the capacity and credibility of the institutions of this young nation," said Mr. Khare. The Special Representative noted, however, that the success in supporting security forces instead of taking the lead in law enforcement means that progress depends on the rate of which local institutions develop, which can also include setbacks. "The touchstone for success in Timor-Leste is not whether crises occur, but how future crises are met and resolved," said Mr. Khare. "The goal should be to ensure that they are handled in a responsible manner that does not threaten the State, and instead provide an opportunity for enhanced social cohesion and development." He said that the future presence and role of the international security forces needs to be carefully taken into account in planning any modification of the composition and size of UNMIT. Current UNMIT strength stands at 1,578 police officers, 33 military personnel, around 1,200 international and local civilian staff and 195 UN Volunteers. "The United Nations and the Government of Timor-Leste should jointly agree on the criteria for each step in the process of downsizing the UNMIT police," said Mr. Khare. "It should be clearly agreed with the authorities, in advance of each stage, what support the UN will and will not provide." The UN presence in Timor-Leste began in 1999 when it conducted a "popular consultation" which saw a huge turnout of Timorese overwhelmingly vote for independence over autonomy within Indonesia. The eventual result was the birth of the State, but 1,500 to 2,000 people were killed in clashes in the immediate aftermath of the declaration. UNMIT received its mandate to restore public safety in the wake of an eruption of violence in 2006 – attributed to differences between eastern and western regions of the country – when 600 striking soldiers were fired, and the ensuing hostilities claimed dozens of lives and drove 155,000 people, or 15 per cent of the total population, from their homes. In his most recent report on UNMIT earlier this month, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed that the causes underlying the 2006 crisis, including the rising level of poverty, persistent unemployment, the lack of an effective land and property regime, and under-strength justice and security sectors, could still destabilize the country.
Oct 23 2009 3:10PM
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