UNHCR: Thousands of refugees flee DR Congo violence

Fresh rebel attacks against government troops in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have prompted tens of thousands of refugees in the area to abandon their camps in search of safety, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said. "They need shelter, they need water, they need a lot of assistance so we're going to have to move quickly to get that help to them because a lot of them are already in a weakened state," UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond said. CNN (11/13)

• Security Council urges Ethiopia, Eritrea to refrain from force 
• Haiti begins record vaccination campaign 
• Ban pays homage to the Amazon 
• UN envoy signals hope for Myanmar 
• Interview: Musharraf stands by state of emergency 

• Security Council urges Ethiopia, Eritrea to refrain from force
  Ethiopia and Eritrea should settle their lingering border dispute peacefully, the United Nations Security Council urged Tuesday. Ethiopia and Eritrea also need to take "concrete steps" toward implementing a previous border ruling made by a UN-appointed panel in the aftermath of their 1998-2000 war so they don't return to military conflict, the Council said. Google/Agence France-Presse (11/14)

• Commentary: When members agree, UN's soft power is hard
  The United Nations has limited so-called hard power, with moderate funds and no standing army, but it has considerable "soft power," that is, a legitimacy and ability to persuade governments to act responsibly, this commentary says. Ultimately, the world body's power depends on the extent to which its most powerful members can agree with one another, writes author and Harvard University professor Joseph S. Nye. The Daily Star (Lebanon) (11/14)

• Other News

• Canadian tapped to lead Hariri probe
  The Toronto Star/Associated Press (11/14)

• Haiti begins record vaccination campaign
  The goal of health officials is to vaccinate every Haitian child and many adults against various diseases, including polio, rubella and measles. The UNICEF-backed campaign will also distribute vitamin A, treat people for worms and inoculate women against tetanus. Yahoo!/Associated Press (11/13)

• World Bank: Africa's economic outlook brightens
  Africa has experienced healthy economic growth during the last decade, marking a distinct improvement over previous decades and setting a positive trend for the future, a World Bank official told BBC. But more investment in Africa is needed keep the economic development going long term, the Bank said in a recent report. BBC (11/14)

• Poll: What is the largest impediment to economic growth in Africa?
  

	Volatility
	Corruption
	Poor infrastructure
	High cost of exporting
	Other

• Gates Foundation, China team up for AIDS prevention
  The Chinese government will partner with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to prevent the spread of AIDS in the country. China will receive a $50 million grant from the foundation to promote prevention efforts in major cities that will focus on testing and counseling services for people at high risk of AIDS. The Seattle Times (11/14), The Wall Street Journal (free content) (11/14)

• Other News

• UN: Former Nigerian leaders plundered $400 million
  AllAfrica Global Media/Leadership (Abuja) (11/14)

• Report: Climate change to foment war, instability
  Climate change effects will put half of the world's countries at risk of war or serious political instability, International Alert predicts in a new report. "I would expect to see some pretty serious conflicts that are clearly linked to climate change on the international scene by 2020," the group's secretary general said. AlertNet/Reuters (11/13)

• Commentary: Soaring global energy demand brings huge challenges
  The massive rise in the use of energy by emerging countries such as China and India that is now under way will usher in a host of economic and environmental challenges, Financial Times columnist Martin Wolf writes. The high oil prices seen now are a necessary stabilizer, but they must be followed by "high prices on greenhouse gas emissions" and large-scale innovation, he argues. Financial Times (tiered subscription model) (11/14)

• Record pollution for China's Yangtze River
  A record-setting 27.7 billion tons of domestic and industrial sewage was dumped into China's Yangtze River last year, Chinese media reported Wednesday. Scientists have been warning that the high level of pollutants in the Yangtze is seriously damaging water quality. The Globe and Mail (Toronto)/Associated Press (11/14)

• UN envoy signals hope for Myanmar
  Ibrahim Gambari, the United Nations' special envoy to Myanmar, told the Security Council Tuesday that the country's military junta has taken some steps toward more political freedom for the people, but that concerns over human rights abuses remain very serious. Gambari said officials in Asian countries he recently visited told him sanctions against Myanmar would be counterproductive. Financial Times (tiered subscription model) (11/13)

• Report: Abuses abound in Serbian mental health institutions
  Neglect and abuse are rife at Serbian mental health institutions, warns a report released Wednesday by Mental Disability Rights International. The group says "filthy conditions, contagious diseases, lack of medical care and rehabilitation and a failure to provide oversight renders placement in a Serbian institution life-threatening." NYTimes.com (11/14)

• Mayor defends Mogadishu radio closures
  Mogadishu Mayor Mohamed Dheere defended authorities' closure of three radio stations Wednesday as necessary in the face of concerns over poor reporting and public safety. "These radios have generated violence by airing exaggerated false reports. So, we have to crack down on them because of national security interests," Dheere said. Human rights groups have roundly condemned the closures. AlertNet/Reuters (11/14)

• In Somali camp, woman tells of hard life: Faduma, 22, a mother of two, tells BBC of the tough life she and other refugees are faced with in a Mogadishu camp where they have taken shelter against violence. Problems range from lack of food and medicine to rape. BBC (11/14)

• UN inspectors receive nuclear blueprints from Iran
  The International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran has given it blueprints that show how to build nuclear weapons, a move diplomats at the United Nations agency said may be aimed at reducing the risk of new sanctions against the Islamic regime. The hand-over of the blueprints was a first step toward Iran meeting a series of IAEA demands. Daily Telegraph (London) (free registration) (11/14)

• Korean leaders meet to discuss peace effort
  The prime ministers of North Korea and South Korea met for the first time in 15 years Wednesday in a bid to push a peace deal between the two countries and discuss details of a large aid package for the impoverished North. South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun on Tuesday called for a meeting among China, the U.S. and the two Koreas to speed up the North's denuclearization efforts and to achieve a lasting peace agreement. AlertNet/Reuters (11/14), NYTimes.com (11/14)

• UNRWA prepares for refugee camp rebuild project
  The effort to restore buildings and infrastructure in the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp will be one of the largest humanitarian undertakings ever for the United Nations' Palestinian relief agency, Commissioner General Karen AbuZayd said Tuesday. The camp was largely destroyed during a three-month confrontation between the Lebanese government and militants earlier this year. IRINNews.org (11/14)

• United Nations
• Secretary-General
• UN News Centre
• Key UN Bodies, Agencies, Funds and Programs
• UN Foundation
• UN Dispatch

UN Radio News Service

Africa calls for greater representation on Security Council ... UN Radio

Subscriber Tools

Print friendly format | Web version | Search past news | Archive | Privacy policy

• Grab our News Widget