"The United States and France agreed Saturday on a draft U.N. Security Council resolution that calls for a "full cessation" of fighting between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas, but would allow Israel to defend itself if attacked.
"WHO and health partners are supporting the national authorities in meeting the urgent needs of the rapidly increasing number of displaced people, including access to safe drinking water, health care, vaccines and life saving medications. Collaboration with other health agencies such as UNICEF, UNFPA, the Lebanese Red Cross and others is instituted through the Health Cluster mechanism, and the UN Flash Appeal launched on 24 July. Eighteen health projects are listed under the Flash Appeal, for a total requirement of US$ 32 428 200. Pledges thus far include US$ 1 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), US$ 381 000 from Australia, 200 000 Euros from Italy, 100 000 Euros from Ireland, US$ 600 000 from Sweden, US$ 660 000 from Canada, 1 000 000 Euros from Norway and 500 000 Euros from ECHO."
"Britain and the US say a deal is close to being reached on the resolution which would set the stage for an international force for south Lebanon. But France says there must be a halt to the clashes before UN forces can be sent in." Link
In a deeply misleading paragraph, the Conservative Voice claims, "The United Nations' second in command Malloch Brown [sic] said Wednesday that Hezbollah is not a terrorist organization. As Brown reports directly to UN Sec. Gen. Kofi Annan, this statement is believed to reflect the position of the entire UN body."
The brief article includes no direct quotes from the Deputy Secretary General. In fact, it does not even get his name right. (His first name is "Mark", not "Malloch," which is part of his surname.) Presumably, their article is based on Malloch Brown's recent and widely discussed interview with the Financial Times. A quick review of the transcript reveals that it would be quite a stretch to interpret Malloch Brown's comments as anyway supportive of Hezbollah.
Writing in Democracy Arsenal, David Shorr asks how long it will take commentators to start talking about the crisis in Lebanon and Israel as a "failure" of the United Nations.
"United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan met Tuesday with the five permanent members of the Security Council in informal talks focused on the crisis in the Middle East and how best to stop the bloodshed in a conflict that has killed hundreds of people and forced almost a million others to flee their homes across the region.
"President Bush acknowledged growing international pressure for an immediate Middle East cease-fire Monday but dismissed any idea of simply "stopping for the sake of stopping" without a plan for lasting peace. Bush said the United States was working with allies for a United Nations Security Council resolution to get a "sustainable cease-fire, a cease-fire which will last" - but not necessarily anything immediate." [More]
Though it will probably not make it onto the network news programs, the Democratic Republic of Congo began polling for its first multiparty elections in nearly 50 years. This was no small feat: Congo is considered among the most hellish places on earth, where the pathologies of sub-Saharan Africa have combined with a uniquely bloody history to claim millions of lives.