Author Archives: Matthew Cordell 
Displacement on the Rise
The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, created by the Norwegian Refugee Council at the request of the UN, has published a disturbing report (pdf full report, pdf fact sheet) no
Plugging the Leak Update
Bad news: the cap didn’t work. The 40-foot-tall, 98-ton, iron cap that BP was hoping to use to clog the leak over the weekend has become clogged itself, by “deep-sea crystals…a slushy mix of gas and water, and been tossed aside.
As Yahoo notes, the cap took two weeks to build and 3 days to put into place. During that time 85,000 barrels of oil have spilled into the Gulf.
I’m Sure Mom Likes Stale Chocolates…
…but wouldn’t she really prefer to save a life in Africa this Mother’s Day?
Both UNICEF and the Nothing But Nets offer some pretty compelling ways to send love in your mother’s name this Sunday. Trust me, she’ll be proud.
Michael Mann-hunt Continues
If Virginia (Professor Michael Mann’s former haunt) and Penn State (Professor Michael Mann’s current home) face off again next year, I already know who I’
Plugging the Leak
The BBC is reporting a possible short-term solution that BP is cooking up to stem the oil geyser in the Gulf of Mexico — a rusty metal box. The 40-foot-tall, 98-ton iron cap — being built by Wild Well Control…no joke — will be lowered onto the leaky valve and the oil will be funneled up to a ship on the surface, hopefully as soon as the end of the week.
Climate Science is Complicated
According to Reuters, a week of clear skies over Europe has given scientists another rare glimpse into the effects of aviation on the Earth’s climate. Given that there are roughly 100,000 flights every day, getting control samples is usually impossible.
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The SC; HRC; DPRK; South Sudan
The SC: The Security Council today held its last consultations under the Council Presidency of ROK. Tomorrow, Russia will take over the rotating Presidency of the Security Council for March under Ambassador Vitaly Churkin.
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The SG; Mali; Middle East; Palestine
The SG: At the Fifth Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations in Vienna, Austria today, the SG emphasized the role of youth in ensuring a “prosperous, equitable and peaceful future.”
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The SG; DRC; HRC; Palestinian Prisoner
The SG: In Ethiopia over the weekend, the SG is now in the United Arab Emirates. Today he met with Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, where the two discussed developments in the region, including Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan, and in the Middle East Peace Process.
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