With 7,000 young women becoming HIV positive every day, it's no news that massive efforts are being made to specifically to target its prevalence among girls and young women in the world. And yesterday, a UN-backed guide was released in an attempt to decrease these staggering numbers. Via UN News Center:

At the publication's launch in Mexico City against the backdrop of the XVII International AIDS Conference, Purnima Mane of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) said that "girls and young women face double vulnerability, and double efforts are needed to protect them."

The guide "Make it Matter" was created by UNFPA, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Young Positives and the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS.

What really stands out about this guide is that its focus is not only on increasing access to reproductive and sexual health services for girls and young women (which is obviously a key component), but recognizes that there are a number of other factors - like socioeconomic status and certain patriarchal customs like child marriages - that contribute to this epidemic among the world's women.

You can find more information and download the full guide here.

>>China - Speaking in Thailand yesterday, President Bush denounced China's treatment of political dissidents and limitations put on the press and religion hours ahead of his arrival in Beijing. President Bush is in the middle of a seven-day trip to Asia, which also included a stop in South Korea and will culminate with his attendance at the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games in China on Friday.

>>Pakistan - Pakistan's ruling coalition today agreed to initiated impeachment proceedings against President Musharraf, expected to begin next week in the lower house of parliament, the National Assembly. It is expected that Musharraf will be asked to call a vote of confidence, and, if he refuses, the impeachment will begin. In order to be impeached two-thirds of both the upper and lower houses would need to approve; Musharraf would be the first. It was also announced today that Prime Minister Yousaf Gilani will attend the opening ceremonies of the Olympics Games, not Musharraf as previously planned.

>>Mauritania - A bloodless coup d'etat was executed in Mauritania on Wednesday by a group of senior military officers who arrested the president and the prime minister, the first democratically elected government in two decades. The coup directly followed the president's firing of the officers, some of whom were instrumental in the 2005 coup that led to President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi's election and were his supporters. The officers have committed to holding elections soon. The UN, U.S., EU, and AU all condemned the coup.

• On the lighter side...
• Myanmar Three Months Later
• Tapping the diplomatic reservoir
• Day 4 @ Bellagio: Commitments to mHealth & the Magic of Bellagio
• UNMIL Action Photos

• America - President Bush condemns China human rights record on eve of Olympics
• China - China's Leaders Are Resilient in Face of Change
• China - In Cleanup Effort, Beijing Moved Factories to Clog Air Elsewhere
• China - Olympic flame at Great Wall
• Pakistan - 25 Militants and 2 Troops Dead in Pakistan
• Pakistan - Musharraf Delays China Visit
• Russia - Russia denies sanctions deal after Iran snub
• Russia - Trappings of state accompany funeral of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
• Malaysia - Malaysia's Anwar charged with sodomy, granted bail
• Venezuela - Venezuelans protest against ban
• Venezuela - Mystery Disease Kills Dozens in Venezuela
• India - Strike paralyses Bengal enclave
• Iraq - Iraqis Fail to Agree on Provincial Election Law
• Iran - U.N. atomic inspector in Iran for talks: agency
• Zimbabwe - Mugabe, South Africa hail progress in Zimbabwe talks
• Somalia - Somalia 'threatens' Kenya peace
• Somalia - Canada escort in Somalia welcomed
• Georgia - Georgia fighting intensifies
• Israel - As a Gesture to Abbas, Israel Says It Will Release About 150 Palestinian Prisoners
• Rwanda - French Role in Genocide Denied
• Rwanda - Rwanda accuses French of genocide
• Japan - Japan to Protest Detentions
• Japan - Tokyo concedes end to long spell of growth
• Spain - Fall in output fuels Spanish recession fears
• Sudan - U.N. concerned at Sudan anti-terror courts
• Bolivia - Morales calls for Bolivian unity
• Afghan - 500: Deadly U.S. Milestone in Afghan War
• Colombia - Colombia Faulted for Use of Red Cross Symbol
• France - French trade deficit hits record level
• Italy - Silvio Berlusconi buys another villa as Italians struggle with credit crunch

Piracy is a big problem off of the Somali coast. World Food Program shipments have been held up, threatening the food security of an already vulnerable population. But, thanks to Canada, it looks like the WFP is about to get some relief. The Royal Canadian Navy is sending a frigate to the Horn of Africa to protect World Food Program Vessels. From the UN News Center:

Some 90 per cent of WFP food aid for Somalia arrives by sea. Since a naval escort system began last November, no escorted ships carrying WFP food have been attacked. The last escorted ship loaded with WFP food arrived in Mogadishu in late June.

There were a total of 31 incidents off Somalia in 2007 - the worst year on record for Somali piracy. Without escorts, WFP's whole maritime supply route is under threat, according to the agency, which noted that since the escorts ended in late June some shippers have refused to load WFP food for Somalia.

WFP urgently needs to double the amount of food it delivers to Somalia - which is facing a dire humanitarian crisis owing to drought, insecurity, failed harvests, the weakness of the Somali shilling and rising food and fuel prices - through the coming months so it can feed 2.4 million people by December.

Read more.

(Image: a Canadian Naval Vessel at flag lowering from Flickr user MiguelB)