Because of the blockade 70% of the Gaza area is without electricity. The United Nations has even ceased trying to aid the regions because of the eighteen month long blockade of Gaza.

Brad Keenan

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Syria was initially implicated in the death of the leader, but they have denied such accusations. Syria has provided “generally satisfactory” cooperation with the UN’s investigation thus far. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said that a special tribunal to try this case would begin in March of 2009. The motive for the killing was likely Hariri’s opinions about Syria. He was very critical of Syria and supported the 2004 UN resolution that called for Syria’s withdrawal from Lebanon. Hariri’s death did bring about anti-Syrian demonstrations and sentiments.

Samantha Foley

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

“The government of Lebanon deposited its instrument of accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) with the Secretary-General of the United Nations,” the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said in a statement. “Upon official confirmation of receipt of the instrument by the United Nations, the Convention will enter into force for Lebanon 30 days after the deposit and this country will become the 185th State Party to the CWC.”

Lebanon’s addition to the list brings the Chemical Weapons Convention closer to the goal of having the 10 remaining nations who have yet to sign the agreement to do so without delay. Within the Middle East, nations such as Egypt, Syria and Israel, have yet to sign. OPCW Director-General Rogelio Pfirter stated that back in April he had hopes of Lebanon signing up to the treaty in the near future.

Venus Vahedi

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

The British government today accused Iran of failing to cooperate with a United Nations watchdog. This failure has contributed to the UK becoming increasingly concerned with Iran’s nuclear program and whether or not they are creating nuclear weapons. A report by the UN nuclear watchdog states that Iran plans to start installing an extra 3,000 centrifuges that enrich uranium early next year in addition to the 3,800 already in operation and another 2,000 that are gradually being introduced. Thus far the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been unable to determine whether the enrichment of this uranium is for the purposes of creating nuclear weapons, and this possibility has led to much concern for Western nations such as the UK and the United States, along with the Western ally of Israel. Ahmadinejad’s previous comment that he would like to “wipe Israel off the map” make the possibility of Iran possessing weapons of mass destruction extremely worrisome. Iran has so far refused to answer questions from the IAEA, but continues to insist its uranium enrichment is merely for purposes of creating more electricity. British Foreign Secretary David Millband stated today that while Iran has been offered economic, cultural and scientific incentives to cease its uranium enrichment program, severe sanctions will also need to be enforced if Iran continues to disregard the requirements of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Britain, the United States, China, Russia, France and Germany have previously offered to halt seeking more sanctions if Iran agrees to stop this program. It appears that the long disagreement between much of the world and Iran regarding nuclear power is nowhere near a resolution, but the British are certainly refusing to give up.

Kayla Cahoon

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Holly MacGillivray

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

The United Nations has sent 11 trucks carrying supplies in order to help refugees who have had their homes destroyed by the flood.  Along with the UN, Saudi Arabia will be sending $100 million in aid, food, and medicine for all of the people of Yemen that were affected by the flood.

Brad Keenan

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

The New York Times has reported that Iranian United Nations ambassador, Mohammed Khazee, announced Monday at a meeting of the UN General Assembly, that six world powers, namely the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, have refused to respond to its proposal “for negotiations without preconditions, aimed at resolving its nuclear stand-off with the West.” One significant component of US presidential candidate Barack Obama’s foreign policy is his declaration that his administration would meet with hostile nations such as Iran without preconditions, which Khazee seems to agree would be more conducive to reaching a solution than imposing a fourth round of UN sanctions. Iran’s counter-offer to western demands for suspension of enrichment work in exchange for economic and political incentives, has not been formally rejected by these six nations, but has simply continued to be ignored. Khazee maintains that western insistence that Iran terminate its uranium enrichment program violates international law, and that these countries have no right to make such a demand. He also continues to insist that Iran has no intention of using its nuclear program to create atomic weapons, and has dismissed the intelligence reports that suggest otherwise as fabricated documents that the Iranian government has never seen. The International Atomic Energy Agency says, however, that they have no reason to believe that Iran is in fact not engaging in the manufacturing of atomic weapons.

Kayla Cahoon

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Despite the UN’s report and repeated calls for reparations, Israel has so far refused to comply and has withheld compensation to Lebanon.

The full story was published September 9, 2008.

Stefanie Demetriades

Bookmark It

Hide Sites