UN Wire August 16, 2013

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Top Story Ban urges Israel, Palestinians to rise above "deep skepticism" to achieve peace United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who is visiting the Middle East, stressed that Israel and the Palestinian leadership need to "overcome the deep skepticism" resulting from the long stalemate between the two. "Both sides need to sustain an environment conducive for the peace process to move forward," Ban said, noting he was "troubled" by Israel's ongoing settlement projects in the West Bank. Al Jazeera (8/16), IsraelNationalNews.com (8/16), The Jerusalem Post (free registration) (8/16), Reuters (8/16) Share: Above the Fold Thousands of Syrian refugees used new bridge to cross into Iraq, UNHCR says Limited access leads to rising number of polio cases in Somalia, Kenya Why more women are needed in UN peacekeeping forces Technology is becoming an essential tool for emergency preparedness Fresh clashes between demonstrators, security forces leave dozens dead in Egypt UN Radio Quote of the Day Learn what energy poverty really means with @ONECampaign's interactive infographic: http://bit.ly/18yihaA Share: UN Dispatch "During the decades of devastating war, Afghan minorities, despite being part of the country with Afghan nationality, were deprived of their rights. The new Afghan constitution enshrines some minority rights, but human rights activists are concerned that as international forces withdraw in 2014, these newly-acquired gains might be jeopardized." UN Dispatch (8/16) Share: United Nations Thousands of Syrian refugees used new bridge to cross into Iraq, UNHCR says Between 5,000 and 7,000 Syrian refugees have used a new pontoon bridge to cross into the Kurdistan area of Iraq, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says. Most are families who are arriving from Aleppo and other war-torn areas. The new influx of refugees does affect UNHCR's aid program in Iraq, "but nonetheless it is the region where most refugees have come into," says UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards. Reuters (8/16) Share: Security Council presses Egypt to refrain from violence Reuters (8/15) Share: Ban appeals to donors to provide food, sanitation and health care aid to North Korea Reuters (8/15) Share: UN approves $6 million in aid for South Sudan's Jonglei State Sudan Tribune (8/15) Share: Health & Development Limited access leads to rising number of polio cases in Somalia, Kenya An African polio outbreak is rising rapidly, with 105 known cases in Somalia and 10 in Kenya, says the World Health Organization. "We're seeing more cases in this area this year than in the three endemic countries worldwide," says WHO's Oliver Rosenbauer. Lack of secure access is preventing health workers from reaching people in the affected area. The Washington Post (tiered subscription model) (8/16), Google/Agence France-Presse (8/16) Share: Pakistan polio efforts to receive Islamic Development Bank funding DAWN Media Group (Pakistan) (8/15) Share: Women & Girls Why more women are needed in UN peacekeeping forces Gender inequality and lack of understanding about United Nations efforts to improve opportunities for women are preventing more women from becoming UN peacekeepers, says a report from the International Peace Institute. "The UN is unlikely to reach its goals for gender equality in peacekeeping missions because it is not fully implementing its own two-pronged approach: increase the number of women in peacekeeping operations and integrate a gender perspective within these missions," says the study's author, Sahana Dharmapuri. PassBlue (8/12) Share: Technology Technology is becoming an essential tool for emergency preparedness Humanitarian workers increasingly are relying on technology to gain information and to spread the word about aid distribution during emergencies. Mobile phones, geographic information systems and even Twitter are being employed to help prepare for emergencies as well as providing assistance following these events. IRINNews.org (8/16) Share: Peacekeeping and Security Fresh clashes between demonstrators, security forces leave dozens dead in Egypt Pro-Morsi supporters clashed with Egyptian government security forces today, resulting in dozens of deaths. The continuing violence has caused Egypt's interim deputy vice president, Mohamed ElBaradei, to resign in protest. U.S. President Barack Obama canceled joint military exercises that were planned with U.S. and Egyptian troops. BBC (8/16), Al Jazeera (8/16), The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (8/16), The Christian Science Monitor (8/15) Share: Syrian rebels use Saudi-supplied missiles to attack government forces Reuters (8/15) Share: Increasing al-Qaida activity in Iraq worries U.S. officials The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (8/15) Share: Will new head of Iran's nuclear program take a flexible approach? Reuters (8/16) Share: Suicide bomber could be responsible for Beirut explosion Reuters (8/16) Share: Indonesian president wants to quell religious intolerance Reuters (8/16) Share: Liberia marks 10th anniversary of civil war's end The Guardian (London)/Poverty Matters blog (8/16) Share: Position Title Company Name Location Budget Analyst, Business Services and Budgets (2 openings) United Nations Foundation Washington, DC