Lots of action at the UN this week as the Commission for the Status of Women kicks off. In UN-speak the meeting is officially called the"15-year review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) and the outcomes of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly (2000)." Try saying that 10 times fast. Or don't. Most folks call this meeting "Beijing+15."
Courtesy of Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky, millions of Americans have seen how a single United States senator can use procedural chicanery to prevent important legislation from moving forward. By withholding his "consent" from a resolution extending unemployment benefits to out of work Americans last week, Bunning prevented social security checks from reaching many thousands of people in need.
Fresh from the State Department:
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs commissioned this short film on the UN's Haiti rescue efforts. It's very powerful viewing and well worth 6.5 minutes of your time.
During the question and answer session at an excellent conference underway Georgetown University Law Center, I asked Judge Richard Goldstone his reaction to the General Assembly vote on his Gaza Report that took place on Friday. The resolution -- which passed 98 to 8 with 33 abstentions -- gave both sides to the conflict five months to implement credible accountability mechanisms for alleged war crimes. A similar vote occurred at the General Assembl
The Pan American Health Organization released a new assessment of the Chile earthquake this morning that contains some facts and figures about the destruction wrought by the 8.8 magnitude quake and its several aftershocks. At least 700 people are confirmed killed, though that number is likely to rise. The report also notes ominously that there are "silent areas" in which, so far there has been no news.
An 8.8 magnitude Earthquake struck Chile this morning. The New York Times reports that at least 83 people are dead. That toll is likely to rise.
This was to be expected. The resolution (below) gives both Israel and the Palestinian side five months to conduct investigations that are "independent, credible and in conformity with international standards into the serious violations of international humanitarian and international human rights law," that were alleged in the Goldstone Report. A similar resolution passed in November by a vote of 114 Yes votes, 18 No votes, and 44 abstentions (mostly from Europe).
A few days ago there was an odd juxtaposition of Yemen-related news. On the one hand, U.S.