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Head of UN meets China quake victims
Ban Ki-moon, the head of the UN, is visiting earthquake-hit areas of China.
It's meant to express solidarity with the victims.
He's taking on something of a 'disaster tour' as he arrives in China from Burma, where he's visited victims of the deadly cyclone. Ban Ki-moon, the head of the UN, is visiting earthquake-hit areas of China. It's meant to express solidarity with the victims. ... more -
Myanmar cyclone: Burma 'to let in all foreign aid workers'
Burma's top leader has agreed to let all foreign aid workers into the country for relief work in cyclone-hit areas. UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon made the announcement after meeting with Gen Than Shwe and 10 other junta officials in Burma's capital. Ban was there for what was called "a last-chance effort" to persuade them to accept much-needed aid and relief experts.
About 78,000 people died and 56,000 are missing after the 2 May cyclone. Ban called Gen Than's decision "a breakthrough."
Yesterday, Burma's junta told Ban that the first phase of relief effort is over. Ban took a "carefully managed tour" of the Irrawaddy delta yesterday to see for himself the damage caused by Cyclone Nargis. It was reported that Ban was taken to a well-managed relief camp, known by locals as a "happy camp." The visit was filmed by state run media, depicting scenes that sharply contrasted the reports from international aid agencies on the ground in Burma that the majority of the 2.4 million affected had yet to receive aid.
The international community remains skeptical about the junta's optimism about relief progress in Burma. Ban Ki-moon said he was "very upset" by what he saw during his tour, and encouraged Burmese not to lose their hope and courage. Burma's top leader has agreed to let all foreign aid workers into the country for relief work in cyclone-hit areas. UN secretary gener... more -
U.S. and U.K. oppose worldwide call for ban on cluster bombs
A conference taking place today in Dublin has been tipped by top UN officials and diplomats as likely to end with the signing of a treaty outlawing cluster bombs. Over one hundred nations are gathering in the Republic of Ireland capital - but the world's top users and stockpilers of the gruesome bombs will reportedly be conspicuously absent: the United States, Israel, China, Russia, India, and Pakistan will not be attending. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon actively advocates a ban.
Cluster blasts scatter hundreds of so-called "bomblets" over wide areas. Because they often fail to explode, the shrapnel effectively leaves behind a mine field which can kill or maim. There have been 13,000 confirmed injuries and deaths caused by cluster bombs, mostly in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Vietnam, and Laos, in Southeast Asia.
[Updated: May 19th] A conference taking place today in Dublin has been tipped by top UN officials and diplomats as likely to end with the signing of a tre... more -
UN Takes Zimbabwe to task
CNN reports on the UN Security Councils discussion regarding the election crisis in Zimbabwe.
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UN Discusses Zimbabwe Election Crisis
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told the Security Council on Wednesday that he was “deeply concerned” by the delay in releasing the results of the March 29 presidential election in Zimbabwe and said that international observers should monitor any second round of voting.
“The credibility of the democratic process in Africa could be at stake here,” Mr. Ban said.
Addressing the same meeting, Gordon Brown, the British prime minister, said it was obvious that Robert Mugabe, the longtime president of Zimbabwe, was trying to overturn an election that had gone against him.
“No one thinks, having seen the results at polling stations, that President Mugabe has won this election,” Mr. Brown said. “A stolen election would not be a democratic election at all." Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told the Security Council on Wednesday that he was “deeply concerned” by the delay in releasing the resu... more -
Violence in Afghanistan pushes the death toll over 8,000 last year
The United Nations has released statistics about the conflict in Afghanistan, reporting that a sharp increase in violence over the last year has left more than 8,000 people dead, at least 1,500 of them civilians.
According to UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon's report, "the number of violent incidents rose from an average of 425 a month in 2006 to 566 each month last year.
The number of suicide attacks rose to 160 in 2007 from 123 in 2006 — with 68 attempts thwarted in 2007 compared with 17 in 2006.
Ban claimed that while the insurgency drew strength from local people, much of the violence was led from abroad."
Ban also cited worrying trends including the emergence of insurgent activity in the previously calm northwest, and insurgents encroachments into areas bordering Kabul, as well as the adoption of new tactics by the opposition that targeted both government and civilians. The United Nations has released statistics about the conflict in Afghanistan, reporting that a sharp increase in violence over the las... more -
UN urges world to invest in women for peace and development
Ahead of International Women's Day, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for more integration of women into work usually handled by men, saying the world has at its disposal "the most significant and yet largely untapped potential for development and peace." Ahead of International Women's Day, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for more integration of women into work usually handle... more
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Al Gore, Arnold Schwarzenegger to Star at U.N. Meeting on Global Warming
No negotiating this time around, just an attempt to send a strong political message about how important the issue is ahead of the next negotiations in December.
The article says Bush is not speaking at this meeting, but will "dine" with the U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon afterwards. That's probably a good thing - if they let him talk he might say there's no science to prove global warming. No negotiating this time around, just an attempt to send a strong political message about how important the issue is ahead of the next... more
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