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| UN Wire |
| June 26, 2009 |
Kenyan troops mass on Somalia border
Kenyan troops massed along the border with Somalia appear ready to join Ethiopian troops to intervene in fighting between the shaky government and Islamist rebels. Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga urged East African nations to send troops, while militants in Somalia threatened retaliation to nations that took the advice. The Christian Science Monitor (6/26)
Antonio Mazzitelli, regional head of the UNDOC. Read the full story.
The fact that big traffickers do not any longer have certain partners in power clearly have disrupted the routes. A trafficker would never bring 2 tons of drugs to a country where he is not sure he can operate."
Excerpts from UN Dispatch
UN Dispatch: Not everyone, evidently, is as unconvinced as we are that Ban Ki-moon is "the world's most dangerous Korean." Pegging off the rather tendentious Jacob Heilbrunn FP piece of that title, Michael Keating at World Politics Review concurs that Ban's tenure at the UN has not been far short of failure. UN Dispatch (1/21)
United Nations Radio
Princess Haya calls for donations for Pakistan UN Radio (12/14)
UN envoy to meet with Myanmar junta
UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari will meet with Myanmar junta officials in advance of a possible meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Gambari is seeking a meeting with imprisoned pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi, but it's not clear whether that will be permitted. BBC (6/26)
Act now to prevent eco-migration, legal questions
Questions over how the world will deal with large-scale climate-related migrations in the decades to come and avoid placing millions of potential eco-migrants into a legal limbo are beginning to garner serious attention, The Economist writes. Efforts taken now to mitigate climate change effects could help prevent some of the worst-case scenarios from occurring. The Economist (6/25)
East Asia looks to lead on green power
Asia is leading the charge to develop more eco-friendly technology, with Japan and South Korea partnering with Beijing to combine their engineering prowess with China's manufacturing capabilities. The three have individually put significant investment into new technologies, outpacing the U.S. TIME (subscription required) (6/25)
Other News
Iranians mourn Neda under tight security watch
Militia figures in Iran maintained tight security around the grave of Neda Agha-Soltan, a woman whose death -- captured on film -- has electrified the people of Iran. Her death and grave have become a symbol for those killed in the violence after the election. Los Angeles Times (6/26)
India launches identity card plan
India soon will begin issuing national identity cards to its citizens in a bid to improve delivery of social services and other government aid while aiding the country's security efforts. The move is part of a larger push by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to honor campaign promises around economic development and reform. NYTimes.com (6/25)
UNESCO reviews German sites
Germany's Elbe Valley will lose its status as a World Heritage Site because of plans to erect a bridge across the valley, UNESCO said. Another German site, the Wadden Sea tidal flats, is being considered as an addition to the list. Der Spiegel (Germany) (English online version) (6/25)
Chinese government effectively disbarring human-rights lawyers
Chinese officials are de facto banning human-rights lawyers from practicing law by refusing to renew their legal licenses. Human-rights groups say China's best defense attorneys, such as Hu Jia -- who spoke out against the Tiananmen Square massacre and exposed HIV/AIDS numbers in China -- have effectively been disbarred. The Washington Post (6/26)
Other News
Suspect North Korean cargo ship may test new sanctions
A North Korean cargo ship allegedly transporting weapons bound for Myanmar could provide a first test of new UN sanctions against the rogue nation and a U.S. pledge to request permission to board suspect vessels. North Korea has said it would perceive any effort to intercept its ships as an act of war. The destroyer U.S.S. John S. McCain is tailing the ship off the Chinese coast. The Independent (London)/The Associated Press (6/24)
U.S. diplomacy suffers from lack of language skills
The U.S. is facing mounting global pressure to rapidly respond to situations that require foreign-language skills, but the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development continue to fall behind because of a lack of support for recruitment and training of these personnel, according to this piece by eight former secretaries of state. Politico (Washington, D.C.) (6/25)
Ahmadinejad gets another boost from Iran's Guardian Council
Iran's Guardian Council declared the country's disputed presidential elections the "healthiest" since 1979, dealing a further blow to opposition efforts to challenge the results. Protests have been muted by a government crackdown, though some opposition figures vow to continue the fight. NYTimes.com (6/26)
UNODC: West Africa no longer a drug trafficking haven
Leadership changes and increased international attention have helped drive down the rate of drug trafficking through the troubled West Africa region during the past 18 months, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says. "If the political will at national level is maintained, the route can be closed down," UNODC regional head Antonio Mazzitelli said. AlertNet/Reuters (6/26)
Reports: Mass North Korea demonstration condemns external pressure
Pyongyang media says 100,000 North Koreans turned out to rail against the U.S., South Korea and the United Nations, and demonstrate support for government efforts to stand up to external pressure. Reports in the official media said Pyongyang never would abandon its nuclear program and repeated government threats to unleash a "fire shower of nuclear retaliation" against Washington and Seoul. NYTimes.com (6/25)
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