On Holiday Travel

SECURITY COUNCIL MEETS ON GAZA FIGHTING, BAN RENEWS CEASEFIRE CALL

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:10:00 +0000

SECURITY COUNCIL MEETS ON GAZA FIGHTING, BAN RENEWS CEASEFIRE CALL
New York, Jan 6 2009 6:10PM
The Security Council convened on the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza this evening, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warning that today's deadly Israeli shelling of United Nations schools where hundreds of Gazans had sought refuge made a ceasefire more urgent than ever.

<B><I>MORE LATER</I></B>
Jan 6 2009 6:10PM
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UN REACHES VILLAGES IN NORTH-EASTERN DR CONGO ATTACKED BY UGANDAN REBELS

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:10:00 +0000

UN REACHES VILLAGES IN NORTH-EASTERN DR CONGO ATTACKED BY UGANDAN REBELS
New York, Jan 6 2009 4:10PM
The United Nations refugee agency has reached towns in the strife-torn eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the scene of bloody attacks carried out by the notorious Ugandan rebel group known as the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

Over the weekend, a team from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/496385334.html">UNCHR) and other UN agencies carried out a mission in the towns of Tadu and Faradje in Orientale Province.

Faradje, which lies 100 kilometres west of the DRC's border with Sudan and Uganda, was attacked from 25-26 December, leaving over 70 people dead and displacing nearly 40,000 others. Those who fled the town and local organizations said that more than 80 women were raped during the two-day period.

UNHCR said that people in the district are shocked and traumatized by the attacks. "Our mission found Faradje pillaged and destroyed by fire," agency spokesperson Ron Redmond told reporters in Geneva.

Over 800 houses, three schools, government buildings and health care centres had burned, with most families losing their annual harvest in the fire.

The nearby village of Nagero came under attack on 3 January, claiming eight lives and uprooting 3,500 people.

Up to 500 Congolese civilians have been killed since the start of a joint Congolese, Sudanese and Ugandan operation against the LRA on 14 December, Mr. Redmond said.

According to UN estimates, over 50,000 people have been forced to flee their homes since mid-December, on top of 50,000 others in the region who were displaced by an earlier escalation of clashes between last September and November.

Mr. Redmond said the agency has received a preliminary report of another attack yesterday on the village of Napapo which claimed up to eight lives and houses were set on fire. "An unknown number of people were reportedly kidnapped," he said, adding that there are reports that this incident has uprooted even more people.

The UNHCR team has met with local non-governmental organizations and the newly displaced are currently being registered in Tadu, Faradje and neighbouring villages.

Key needs include food, shelter and medicine, Mr. Redmond said. "However, the area remains highly volatile and insecurity is a key obstacle for access by us and other agencies."
Jan 6 2009 4:10PM
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GUNMEN KILL UN FOOD AID WORKER IN SOUTHERN SOMALIA

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:10:00 +0000

GUNMEN KILL UN FOOD AID WORKER IN SOUTHERN SOMALIA
New York, Jan 6 2009 1:10PM
The United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=3030">WFP) has urged all parties to the ongoing conflict in Somalia to ensure the safety of humanitarian aid workers after one of the agency's staff members was gunned down while monitoring a school feeding programme in the southern part of the war-torn nation.

WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran condemned the killing of 44-year-old Somali national Ibrahim Hussein Duale, calling it a "shocking attack on one of our staff while he was doing his job."

Mr. Duale was shot by three masked gunmen while he was monitoring school feeding in a WFP-supported school in Yubsan village, six kilometres from the Gedo region capital of Garbahare in southern Somalia. Witnesses say the gunmen approached him while he was seated, ordered him to stand up and then shot him.

Mr. Duale, who joined WFP in 2006, leaves behind a wife and five children. He is the third WFP staff member killed since August 2008 in Somalia, one of the most dangerous places in the world for humanitarian workers. Five WFP-contracted transport staff were killed in Somalia in 2008.

Somalia, which has not had a functioning national government since 1991, has been plagued by fighting and humanitarian suffering for decades. Continuing instability, coupled with drought, high food prices and the collapse of the local currency have only worsened the dire humanitarian situation in recent months.

The UN estimates that some 3.2 million people, or 40 per cent of the population, are in need of assistance.

"We call on all parties to allow us to do our job – providing food to feed the hungry at this critical time," said Ms. Sheeran. "We are an impartial international organization and we need a minimum of security to serve the Somali people."

Despite the precarious security situation, WFP has been feeding more than 1.5 million people every month in Somalia. Some 90 percent of the agency's food aid for Somalia arrives by sea on ships currently escorted by European Union naval vessels to protect them from piracy.
Jan 6 2009 1:10PM
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9.1 MILLION PEOPLE INTERNALLY DISPLACED IN CENTRAL, EAST AFRICA, UN REPORTS

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:10:00 +0000

9.1 MILLION PEOPLE INTERNALLY DISPLACED IN CENTRAL, EAST AFRICA, UN REPORTS
New York, Jan 6 2009 1:10PM
There were 9.1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Central and Eastern Africa region as of December 2008, according to a United Nations report released today, 400,000 less than at the end of June, but because of the fluidity of the situation officials advised against laying too much store on the reduction.

They noted that IDPs are sometimes continually moving, either returning home or being uprooted a second time.

The number of refugees forced to seek haven outside their homelands as of December stood at 1.8 million, with most of them hosted by Chad, Tanzania and Kenya.

Half the IDPs – 4,576,250 – are in Sudan alone, with 2,700,000 of them in the war-torn Darfur region, according to the Displaced Populations Report for July-December 2008 by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA).

Displacement in the region is triggered mainly by intra-State conflicts and natural disasters such as floods and drought, with 72 per cent in the Greater Horn of Africa region, reflecting mainly the combined internal displacement from the strife-related crises in Sudan and Somalia.

Frequently, several of these causes affect a country or region at the same time, creating complex humanitarian emergencies. Scarcity of resources, limited access to land and inconclusive peace and reconciliation processes create multiple challenges for the process of return, according to the report, which covers Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Republic of Congo, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda.

Humanitarian response to both acute and long-term displacement is often hampered by lack of access to the affected people due to ongoing conflict and persistent high insecurity including targeting of humanitarian workers and assets, the report notes.

Data was obtained from UN agencies, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the Red Cross family, governments and local authorities.

On 18 December, marking the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes launched a global campaign to raise awareness about the plight of IDPs. The campaign focus in 2009 will be on preventing displacement and finding solutions to the problem.
Jan 6 2009 1:10PM
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DOZENS KILLED IN ISRAELI STRIKES ON UN SCHOOLS IN GAZA

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:10:00 +0000

DOZENS KILLED IN ISRAELI STRIKES ON UN SCHOOLS IN GAZA
New York, Jan 6 2009 12:10PM
More than 30 people have been killed in two separate Israeli strikes on clearly-marked United Nations schools where civilians were seeking refuge from the ongoing violence in Gaza, an official with the world body said today.

John Ging, Director of Operations in Gaza of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), said that 30 people died and 55 others were injured when three Israeli artillery shells landed at the perimeter of a UN school in the Jabaliya refugee camp.

UNRWA's education programme has been suspended since the start of Israeli air attacks on Gaza, which the Jewish State says it launched in response to rocket attacks by Hamas militants, on 27 December.

"Those who were in the school were all families seeking refuge," Mr. Ging said of the school that was hit in Jabaliya, which usually serves as a girls' preparatory school.

Another artillery shell struck an empty boys' school in Jabaliya, he said.

In a separate attack last night, three Palestinians, who had sought refuge in a small co-educational UN school in Gaza City, died when an Israeli missile hit the building's toilet facilities.

The three men who were killed were "Gazans who had fled their home earlier that day," the UNRWA official said, adding that they thought "they would be safe in a UN school in Gaza City."

He underscored that all UN schools in Gaza are clearly marked, flying the UN flag, and that the Organization has provided the GPS coordinates of all of its installations in the area to Israel.

These attacks reinforce the urgent need for a ceasefire to end the mounting casualties, Mr. Ging said. "I sincerely hope that for the sake of those that have died, that it would not have been in vain."

Demanding an independent investigation into the attacks on the UN schools, he stressed that "there has been too little accountability for actions on all sides" and that "we must uphold the rule of law even during times of conflict."
Jan 6 2009 12:10PM
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CIVILIANS WISHING TO FLEE GAZA MUST BE PERMITTED TO DO SO, STRESSES UN REFUGEE CHIEF

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:10:00 +0000

CIVILIANS WISHING TO FLEE GAZA MUST BE PERMITTED TO DO SO, STRESSES UN REFUGEE CHIEF
New York, Jan 6 2009 10:10AM
The top United Nations refugee official has stressed that civilians wishing to leave Gaza, where an Israeli military operation in response to Hamas rocket attacks has entered its 11th day, must be allowed to do so, and reminded neighbouring States of their responsibility to provide access to safety for those fleeing the ongoing violence.

"Those who are compelled to flee the Gaza Strip should be able to do so and to find safety and security in other countries according to international law," UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres said in a <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/4962330a4.html">statement issued yesterday.

There has been no large-scale movement out of Gaza because of the Israeli blockade. However, Mr. Guterres urged that "all borders and access routes concerned should be kept open and safe, and Palestinians endeavouring to leave Gaza should not be prevented from doing so."

He called for strict adherence to humanitarian principles in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, where an already dire situation has been made worse by the Israeli offensive which began on 27 December.

The UN estimates that Palestinian deaths have reached 500 and are rising, and some 2,500 have been injured in the conflict.

The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, John Holmes, told reporters yesterday the humanitarian crisis was "increasingly alarming," with the people of Gaza becoming more cold, hungry, often lacking power, water and other basic services as well as facing the constant threat of bombing and shelling.

Amid the worsening humanitarian environment, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has been struggling to carry out vital tasks such as distributing food and medical supplies.

Mr. Guterres joined Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other senior UN officials in calling for an immediate halt to the violence and for humanitarian access for fuel and food into Gaza.

"It is absolutely imperative that the immediate delivery of humanitarian assistance to the civilian victims of this conflict be facilitated, including access from Egypt and Israel," he stated, calling on the international community and all humanitarian actors to support UNRWA's efforts to help the innocent victims.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has provided some emergency assistance to Egypt's Red Crescent Society in case it is needed for the care of any Palestinians admitted into Egypt. The refugee agency stands ready to deploy an emergency team and equipment to the area as required.
Jan 6 2009 10:10AM
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BAN MEETS WITH ARAB MINISTERS IN BID TO SECURE ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASEFIRE

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:10:00 +0000

BAN MEETS WITH ARAB MINISTERS IN BID TO SECURE ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASEFIRE
New York, Jan 5 2009 6:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon intensified his diplomatic drive to secure a Gaza ceasefire today, <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3646">calling on Arab foreign ministers to help ensure that Israel end its "clearly excessive" military assault and Hamas stop its "terribly counter-productive" and "completely unacceptable" rocket attacks.

"As leaders I believe we must do more," he told Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa, the foreign ministers of Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and other Arab representatives in a meeting at UN Headquarters in New York in which he called for an immediate and durable ceasefire that is fully respected by all.

"Our task is to find fast and real solutions. It is regrettable that the call by the Security Council has not been heeded by the parties concerned. I believe that the Security Council should live up to its responsibilities under the UN charter and bring this crisis to an end and establish a durable, permanent peace in the region," he said.

After Israel launched a ground offensive into Gaza on Saturday in addition to its then week-old air attacks, the Council held a closed meeting but reached no formal agreement, although Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert of France, which holds the Council Presidency this month, said there were "strong convergences" to express concern at the stepped up violence and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

"We must work together, urgently and practically, so that the Council can act quickly and decisively. As Secretary-General, I want to help facilitate a speedy and effective international consensus to end this violence," Mr. Ban told the Arab leaders, adding that the UN is doing all it can to "feed and help the men, women and children of Gaza and ease their suffering in the midst of this frightening and dangerous ordeal.

"I am trying hard to use the moral authority of my office to bring an end to this trauma," he said, voicing deep concern at "the terrible crisis unfolding before us."

Mr. Ban added, "We must insist that Israel end its military assault, which is clearly excessive. We must insist that Hamas end immediately its rocket attacks, which are so terribly counter-productive, in addition to being completely unacceptable. There must be an immediate ceasefire, durable and fully respected by all."

Gaza's civilian population is "being subjected to a massive trauma that is not of their own making… I am also deeply worried about what the further escalation of this conflict could mean for stability in the region," he said.

The foreign ministers present were Salaheddine al-Bashir of Jordan, Fawzi Salloukh of Lebanon, Abdel-Rahman Shalgam of Libya, Fassi Fihri of Morocco and Mhamad Husayen al-Shali of UAE. The UN permanent representatives of Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Syria and the Palestinian representative also participated.
Jan 5 2009 6:10PM
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DARFUR: MORE RAPID-RESPONSE POLICE JOIN UN-AFRICAN UNION PEACEKEEPING FORCE

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:10:00 +0000

DARFUR: MORE RAPID-RESPONSE POLICE JOIN UN-AFRICAN UNION PEACEKEEPING FORCE
New York, Jan 5 2009 5:10PM
Two new contingents of Nigerian police officers trained in high-risk operations have joined the joint United Nations-African Union (AU) peacekeeping mission in the war-ravaged Darfur region of Sudan.

The new contingents – each comprising 140 personnel – bring the total number of Formed Police Units (FPUs) serving with the mission, known as UNAMID, to five, following the earlier arrival of units from Bangladesh, Indonesia and Nepal.

FPUs are specialized, self-sufficient and fully mobile rapid reaction units that are entirely composed of police officers from a single contingent, with expertise in crowd management and other police tactical operations.

The Nigerian police will be deployed in West Darfur, and <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unamid/index.html">UNAMID expects to have 19 FPUs once at full strength.

Last week, as the mission marked its first anniversary, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon confirmed that troop levels have exceeded 60 per cent of the full authorized strength.

The hybrid force was set up by the Security Council to protect civilians on the western flank of Sudan, where an estimated 300,000 people have been killed and another 2.7 million have been forced from their homes since fighting erupted in 2003, pitting rebels against Government forces and allied Janjaweed militiamen.

One year on from transferring the task of suppressing the violence to UNAMID from the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS), some 12,374 blue helmets are now in place across Darfur, which is 63 per cent of the 19,555 military personnel authorized by the Security Council.
Jan 5 2009 5:10PM
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JOINT UN ASSESSMENT UNDERWAY IN QUAKE-HIT INDONESIA

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:10:00 +0000

JOINT UN ASSESSMENT UNDERWAY IN QUAKE-HIT INDONESIA
New York, Jan 5 2009 3:10PM
A joint United Nations assessment mission is being carried out in the Indonesian province of West Papua, where a series of earthquakes yesterday injured hundreds, damaged more than 800 houses and sent some 14,000 fleeing from their homes.

Local officials say at least five people were killed in the quakes, the first of which hit at 4:43 a.m. local time and measured 7.2 on the Richter scale, according to the Indonesian National Meteorological Geophysical and Climatology Agency.

A second earthquake measuring 7.6 hit at 7:33 a.m. local time, followed by over a dozen aftershocks.

According to official data released by the provincial disaster coordinating unit in West Papua, four of those killed were in Manokwari, which is situated 95 kilometres from the epicentre of the quakes, and one person in Sorong.

Some 250 people were injured, while more than 800 houses, 34 government buildings, four schools, and 11 places of worship were damaged. The Indonesian National Meteorological Geophysical and Climatology Agency predicts that aftershocks will continue in the next three to seven days.

An estimated 14,000 people who fled their damaged homes or left their houses fearing more earthquakes or aftershocks have sought accommodation in shelters for displaced people.

The Indonesian Government has reportedly transported relief supplies, including food, medical supplies, tarpaulins, water purification equipment and generators to the affected areas.

UN agencies in the provincial capital Jayapura have met to consider what assistance could be provided to local authorities in the affected areas if required.

The assessment mission is being carried out by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Jan 5 2009 3:10PM
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UN CONTINUES ASSISTING DISPLACED IN VOLATILE EASTERN DR CONGO

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:10:00 +0000

UN CONTINUES ASSISTING DISPLACED IN VOLATILE EASTERN DR CONGO
New York, Jan 5 2009 2:10PM
The United Nations is continuing to rush assistance to help those uprooted by clashes in the war-torn far east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), including victims of violence at the hands of the notorious Ugandan rebel group known as the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

Since 28 December, more than 300 people have been killed during LRA attacks in north-eastern DRC, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the National Refugee Commission.

There is no information yet from nine villages occupied for two days by the LRA. Congolese armed forces, known as FARDC, are deployed in several villages to ensure the safety of civilians, but no military presence has been set up in the high-risk zone of Bangadi.

The LRA, which has been fighting Ugandan forces since the 1980s and has since spilled over into Sudan and DRC, are notorious for human rights abuses including the killing and maiming of civilians, and the abduction and recruitment of children as soldiers and sex slaves.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has distributed more than 20 tons of food to 7,300 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and their host families affected by LRA violence.

In North Kivu province – where hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes in recent months due to stepped up fighting between FARDC and a rebel group militia known as the National Congress in Defense of the People (CNDP), among others – armed groups have blocked the road between the capital Goma and the town of Rutshuru.

This has led to further displacements, and houses are reported to have been looted. Aid agencies have sounded the alarm on the recruitment of child soldiers, as well as on the large number of unaccompanied children who lack the necessary protection and the food needs among IDPs.

UNCHR said that nearly 4,000 people were transferred from a camp in Kibati, north of Goma, to settlements in Mugunga, but noted that all have since returned to Kibati.

WFP plans to distribute 90 tons of food to a camp housing over 1,000 people in Bambu camp which has experienced a large fire.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that cholera, measles, sexually transmitted diseases and malnutrition are the key concerns for the aid workers in the region.
Jan 5 2009 2:10PM
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LEADERS HOLD FURTHER TALKS AS UN-LED NEGOTIATIONS ON CYPRUS RESUME

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:10:00 +0000

LEADERS HOLD FURTHER TALKS AS UN-LED NEGOTIATIONS ON CYPRUS RESUME
New York, Jan 5 2009 1:10PM
The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders resumed their United Nations-led negotiations aimed at reunifying the Mediterranean island as they held their first meeting for 2009 today in Nicosia.

Last May, Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat committed to a partnership that will comprise a Federal Government with a single international identity, along with a Turkish Cypriot Constituent State and a Greek Cypriot Constituent State, which will be of equal status.

"They have reached full agreement on the issue of harmonization and cooperation between the Federal Government and the Constituent States, or the federal units," Tayé-Brook Zerihoun, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Cyprus, told reporters after the three-hour meeting, which took place at the UN Protected Area.

"They are also very close to full convergence on the issue of hierarchy of norms and have decided to continue discussion on the matter in order to overcome the remaining obstacles," he added.

The two leaders will meet again on 12 January, when they will be joined by the Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alexander Downer. They have agreed to take up the issue of past agreements at that meeting.

The full-fledged power-sharing negotiations, central to the reunification process in Cyprus – where UN peacekeepers have been deployed since March 1964 to prevent further fighting between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities – began last September.
Jan 5 2009 1:10PM
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AMBULANCES FACE GROWING DIFFICULTY IN REACHING GAZA WOUNDED, UN WARNS

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:10:00 +0000

AMBULANCES FACE GROWING DIFFICULTY IN REACHING GAZA WOUNDED, UN WARNS
New York, Jan 5 2009 12:10PM
Ambulances and medical workers in Gaza are facing increasing difficulty in reaching the wounded, some are being killed in doing so, and a "humanitarian breathing space" is vital to ensure that food and medical supplies reach those in need as Israel's offensive entered its 10th day, the top United Nations relief official in the area said today.

"Large numbers of people including many children are hungry, they are cold, they are without ready access to medical facilities, they are without access to electricity and running water, above all they are terrified. That by any measure is a humanitarian crisis," UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory Maxwell Gaylard told a news briefing.

"There is an overall atmosphere of fear. More than half of the population are children. The spectre of internal displacement is emerging with growing numbers seeking shelter and already there are several thousand civilians in UNRWA's seven shelters," he said, referring to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

The UN has raised its concerns with the Israeli authorities at the highest levels, in particular the need for humanitarian access for fuel and food into the Gaza Strip and medical patients leaving the Strip, he added, noting: "We are receiving regular cooperation from those authorities. They are in contact with us not just on a day-to-day basis but even more regularly and we are in contact with them."

Mr. Gaylard said Palestinian deaths have reached 500 and are rising, and some 2,500 have been injured in the offensive which Israel says it launched to end Hamas rocket attacks against its southern cities and towns. A week of air strikes expanded into a land offensive over the weekend.

"Electricity and communications are down over much of the Strip both on account of lack of fuel and damage to critical infrastructure. Over a million people are currently without power, and over a quarter million without running water, some for up to six days," he added.

The fuel crossing from Israel at Nahal Oz was opened today for urgently needed industrial fuel and "we hope that this crossing will now remain open in order for sufficient supplies to enter over the coming days, and for the Gaza power plant to continue to operate on a more sustained basis," he said.

He stressed the power supply crisis has been exacerbated by damage to 10 transformers and at least 6 electricity lines coming in from Israel and Egypt as a result of collateral damage during fighting.

Major priorities include the need to bring in wheat grain in bulk through the conveyor system at the Karni crossing and industrial fuel through Nahal Oz, he noted.

"We need a humanitarian breathing space to operate and to ensure that assistance particularly food and medical [supplies] reaches the people," he stressed. "Ambulances, staff, patients must be able to move freely. This includes the ability to leave and seek medical treatments unavailable in Gaza. International medical emergency teams need to be allowed in to support emergency capacity at Shifa hospital."

Cash also needs to be replenished in Gaza. "Without cash people cannot procure food, even when it is available. Without cash, UNRWA cannot pay its suppliers and contractors, let alone its 10,000 staff, all of whom are essential if distributions are to take place, shelters to be managed, and operations to be maintained," he added.

Meanwhile, at UN Headquarters in New York Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is pressing ahead with diplomatic efforts to end the crisis. He is meeting with members of the Security Council, which was unable to reach a consensus during its emergency session on Saturday to bring about an end to the violence, as well as with Arab leaders.
Jan 5 2009 12:10PM
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FRESH FIGHTING UPROOTS ANOTHER 50,000 SOMALIS, COMPOUNDING PRESENT CRISIS – UN

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:10:00 +0000

FRESH FIGHTING UPROOTS ANOTHER 50,000 SOMALIS, COMPOUNDING PRESENT CRISIS – UN
New York, Jan 5 2009 10:10AM
The top United Nations relief official in Somalia has voiced grave concern at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the strife-torn nation, where fresh clashes last week have reportedly killed more than 40 people and displaced over 50,000.

Up to 90 per cent of the population of Dhuusamarreeb and Guriceel towns, in Galgaduud region in central Somalia, have fled their homes since fighting began on 27 December. Many of them had already been displaced due to previous violence in the capital, Mogadishu.

"I am extremely alarmed by the fighting that has taken place in central Somalia during the past week," stated UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Mark Bowden. "I strongly condemn the unacceptable number of casualties and massive displacement of civilians who continue to bear the brunt of conflict and insecurity in the country."

Mr. Bowden called for a cessation of all hostilities to allow urgently needed humanitarian assistance to be provided to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Dhuusamarreeb and Guriceel, as well as in other parts of Somalia, where the UN estimates that some 3.2 million people, or 40 per cent of the population, are in need of assistance.

The majority of those recently displaced are scattered in the surrounding villages and are in desperate need of shelter, water, non-food items and food assistance, according to a news release issued by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The situation for the recently displaced is made worse by a general lack of humanitarian access in Galgaduud region due to deteriorating security.

The recent fighting has compounded an already grave humanitarian crisis in Galgaduud region, which is experiencing a serious drought in addition to hosting some 130,000 IDPs from Mogadishu.

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IRAQ: TOP UN ENVOY CALLS ATTACKS AGAINST PILGRIMS ‘APPALLING AND UNJUSTIFIED’

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:10:00 +0000

IRAQ: TOP UN ENVOY CALLS ATTACKS AGAINST PILGRIMS 'APPALLING AND UNJUSTIFIED'
New York, Jan 5 2009 10:10AM
The top United Nations envoy to Iraq today strongly condemned recent attacks which have killed at least 40 pilgrims and wounded dozens more in Baghdad ahead of a major religious celebration.

"Appalling and unjustified crimes" is how Staffan de Mistura, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq, described the <"http://www.uniraq.org/newsroom/getarticle.asp?ArticleID=935">attacks, which occurred as pilgrims were preparing for the Ashura commemorations to mourn the death of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.

Media reports say a woman wearing an explosives belt blew herself up near one of the country's most sacred Islamic shrines in the Al Kadhimiya area of the capital on Sunday, killing at least 40 people and injuring scores more. In addition, a booby trap detonated today wounded another dozen civilians.

Mr. de Mistura extended the UN's sincere condolences to the families of the victims and its wishes for the full and speedy recovery of the wounded.
Jan 5 2009 10:10AM
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UNITED NATIONS HAS KEY ROLE TO PLAY IN ENDING GAZA CONFLICT, SAYS BAN

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 03:10:00 +0000

UNITED NATIONS HAS KEY ROLE TO PLAY IN ENDING GAZA CONFLICT, SAYS BAN
New York, Jan 4 2009 10:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today said that the United Nations has an important role to play in halting the violence in Gaza, expressing regret that the Security Council did not reach agreement yesterday evening on how to end the conflict.

Despite the 15-member body's lack of concurrence during its emergency session which took place hours after Israel launched a ground offensive into Gaza, Mr. Ban -- who is scheduled to meet with Arab leaders tomorrow at UN Headquarters -- said that he is pressing ahead with diplomatic efforts.

"Given the crucial juncture at which we have arrived in the search for a ceasefire, I appeal to all members of the international community to display the unity and commitment required to bring this escalating crisis to an end," he said in a statement issued by his spokesperson.

The Secretary-General said that he has recalled Robert Serry, UN Special Coor
dinator for the Middle East Peace Process, to New York to brief him on the situation on the ground as well as political efforts to bring an end to the clashes.

"Meanwhile I remain extremely concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation on the ground," he said. "We are in close contact with the Israeli authorities to press them to open not only the Kerem Shalom crossing, but also Karni and Nahd Oz, to allow in, particularly, wheat grain and fuel for the power plant, as well as other essential supplies."

Israel has cited rocket and other attacks by militants in Gaza against Israeli civilians as the reason for its military offensive and closing crossings into Gaza for much of the previous two months.

Following last evening's closed Council meeting, Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert of France, which holds the Council Presidency this month, said that while there was "no formal agreement" among the 15 members, he witnessed "strong convergences" to express concern over the step
ped up violence and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

"There was also strong convergence to express full support to the regional and international diplomatic efforts which are underway to resolve the crisis and to call all parties to resume peace talks," he told reporters.

Jan 4 2009 10:10PM
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GHANA: SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES PEACEFUL POLLS

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 03:10:00 +0000

GHANA: SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES PEACEFUL POLLS
New York, Jan 4 2009 10:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today congratulated the people and Government of Ghana on the peaceful and organized end to their recent presidential and legislative elections.

"Ghanaians can and should take pride in this democratic achievement," Mr. Ban said in a statement issued by his spokesperson. "With their continuing show of commitment to the democratic process, Ghana and its leaders are setting an admirable example."

He noted the dedication and professionalism of the West African nation's Electoral Commission, and commended the political parties and their leadership for their "statesmanlike conduct" during the polls' final stages.

Jan 4 2009 10:10PM
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SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS EMERGENCY MEETING AS ISRAELI FORCES ENTER GAZA

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 22:10:00 +0000

SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS EMERGENCY MEETING AS ISRAELI FORCES ENTER GAZA
New York, Jan 3 2009 5:10PM
The Security Council will hold an emergency meeting this evening, hours after Israel launched a ground invasion into Gaza.

On the eighth day of Israeli bombing raids on Gaza, Israeli troops have entered the area, according to media reports.

Israel has cited rocket and other attacks by militants in Gaza against Israeli civilians as the reason for its military offensive and closing crossings into Gaza for much of the previous two months.

During another emergency Council <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9560.doc.htm">meeting earlier this week, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3641">said the impact of the violence has been "nothing short of terrifying" for the 1.5 million residents of Gaza, and stressed the need for an urgent halt to the violence and for crucial humanitarian aid to reach those in need.

"I urge all members of the int
ernational community, in particular those in the region, to exert what influence they have on the parties to end this violence now," Mr. Ban told the meeting, which was convened at the request of Libya and Egypt on behalf of the Arab Group.

"I welcome the efforts underway, including by Arab and European leaders but I must repeat: not enough has been done, and more is urgently required," he said, stressing the urgent need for an end to the fighting.

Jan 3 2009 5:10PM
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BAN VOICES CONCERNS OVER THREATS AGAINST IRANIAN NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 17:10:00 +0000

BAN VOICES CONCERNS OVER THREATS AGAINST IRANIAN NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE
New York, Jan 3 2009 12:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today expressed his great concern over reports that Iranian lawyer, human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi has been threatened recently.

It has also been reported that her Center for the Defense of Human Rights has been broken into and materials taken, and that hostile crowds have gathered outside her office and home.

Mr. Ban "calls on the Iranian authorities to take immediate measures to prevent any further harassment and to ensure Shirin Ebadi''s safety and security," according to a statement issued by his spokesperson.

Jan 3 2009 12:10PM
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UN-BACKED BODY LISTS PUNISHABLE OFFENCES FOR UPCOMING IRAQI ELECTIONS

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 16:10:00 +0000

UN-BACKED BODY LISTS PUNISHABLE OFFENCES FOR UPCOMING IRAQI ELECTIONS
New York, Jan 3 2009 11:10AM
Interfering in the upcoming Iraqi polls by force or through threats is punishable by at least one year in prison, according to a list of offences issued today by an independent United Nations-backed elections body.

Ahead of the 31 January provincial elections in the nascent democracy, the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) said that intimidating or bribing its staff or voters is also carries a punishment of imprisonment for at least one year.

Other punishable offences include: carrying weapons inside or within 100 meters of a polling centre interfering with electoral materials, such as ballots destroying candidates' posters and impersonating a voter.

"Political parties will be punished for the offenses committed by their members, candidates and agents, payable by a fine of 50 million Dinars, and may be denied the votes they obtained in associated polling locations," IHEC
said in an update.

Earlier this week, a UN-backed blog was launched in Baghdad in a bid to motivate voters to go to the polls.

The blog called <"http://voteiraq.maktoobblog.com/">"Vote for Iraq" was launched with the support of the UN-led International Election Assistance Team (IEAT).

The site encourages users to use several formats -- including photos -- to express their views and enables links with other websites and online forums.

Jan 3 2009 11:10AM
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RETURNING REFUGEES TO AFGHANISTAN STRUGGLE TO EARN A LIVING WAGE, SAY UN AGENCY

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 23:10:00 +0000

RETURNING REFUGEES TO AFGHANISTAN STRUGGLE TO EARN A LIVING WAGE, SAY UN AGENCY
New York, Jan 2 2009 6:10PM
Many Afghani refugees returning to their homeland in recent years, mostly from Pakistan, are struggling to make a living and to cope with their new surroundings, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The ethnic Turkmen of Afghanistan were historically a nomadic, desert-dwelling people, accustomed to moving in search of water until war forced them to flee their homes nearly 30 years ago.

Now 85 Turkmen families, who had spent the last decade as refugees in Pakistan, have made home in Qalinbafan, a village on the site of government allocated land in the north of the war-torn Afghanistan.

Many of the families now eke out a livelihood weaving carpets, which are later sold to traders in Pakistan. A carpet that could take two labour intensive months for an experienced weaver to make may fetch around $10.

"We were in Pakistan for 10 years. I was comfortable there. Everything was cheap and we were paid well for the carpets. I don't know why we came back," Naseema, a 70 year-old grandmother of four who lives in a <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/495e12f74.html">UNHCR camp in Qalinbafan, told the agency.

Her three neighbours have erected a long tent on the compound to house a massive loom and the carpet they are making will take three months to complete. It will earn them $200 and sell for over $1,000 in the West.

"Our traditions have changed over the years," said a village elder. "Before, we used to make the girls start weaving as young as seven. Now they can go to school until they're about 15 [and] then start to weave."

In the Afghan refugee villages of Pakistan, UNHCR funds primary schools for children, often the only chance for girls to learn to read and write. Repatriation is likely to negatively affect opportunities for education for children as well as a family's income.

"The carpet business is not doing well," Abdul Manam, an elder who returned from the Jalozai camp in Pakistan last year, told UNHCR. "We were paid $60 per metre in Pakistan, but now we're paid $40 because of the weak rupee."

Since 2002 more than 5 million people have returned to Afghanistan, the majority from neighbouring Pakistan and Iran. Some 4.3 million of them were assisted through the voluntary repatriation programme for Afghan refugees run by UNHCR.

Although over 277,000 people returned to Afghanistan 2008 alone, 99 per cent of them from Pakistan, the agency estimates there are still 2.8 million registered Afghans living in Pakistan and Iran.

UNHCR has attributed the high numbers of returnees to three main factors: the high prices of food and fuel which have strongly impacted Pakistan's economy, the closure of the large Jalozai refugee camp in the Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP), and the "changing" security situation in Pakistan, particularly in NWFP, where the majority of Afghan refugees live.
Jan 2 2009 6:10PM
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YOUNG UKRAINIANS STAND UP AGAINST CORRUPTION IN SCHOOLS – UN

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 22:10:00 +0000

YOUNG UKRAINIANS STAND UP AGAINST CORRUPTION IN SCHOOLS – UN
New York, Jan 2 2009 5:10PM
More than 100 young Ukrainians have joined in a United Nations-backed essay competition in a bid to raise awareness of the negative effectives of corruption in higher education.

Participants, aged between 15 and 25 years, broached topics including the effects of bribery on the quality of schooling and whether standardized testing can curb corruption in the admissions process for universities.

The contest was sponsored by the <"http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:22023296~menuPK:51062075~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html">World Bank and the non-governmental organization Promoting Active Citizen Engagement in Combating Corruption in Ukraine (ACTION).

The jury – comprising representatives of the World Bank, ACTION, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and other groups – selected 14 winners representing different regions in the Eastern European nation out of 104 entries.

"Ukrainians see that corruption is a major problem for the country's development, but personally many of them are reluctant to do something about it in their daily lives," said Martin Raiser, World Bank Director for Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova.

This competition "shows that young people are ready to stand up for change and are thus and encouragement to everyone to make anti-corruption their own agenda," he added.
Jan 2 2009 5:10PM
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DR CONGO: UN CALLS ON REBELS TO RESUME TALKS WITH GOVERNMENT

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 22:10:00 +0000

DR CONGO: UN CALLS ON REBELS TO RESUME TALKS WITH GOVERNMENT
New York, Jan 2 2009 5:10PM
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) today called on the main rebel group in the east of the vast country to resume talks with the Government next week in a bid to end fighting that has forced over 250,000 from their homes since August.

The mission, known by its French acronym <"http://www.monuc.org/Home.aspx?lang=en">MONUC, said the mainly Tutsi rebel group known as the National Congress in Defense of the People (CNDP) would have an opportunity at the talks in Nairobi, Kenya, on 7 January to raise with the Government all issues of interest to it.

The Nairobi talks, guided by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Envoy Olusegun Obasanjo and African Union (AU) representative Benjamin Mkapa, began last month with the goal of ending the conflict, which has displaced more than 1 million people over the past few years, in eastern DRC.

MONUC rejected the CNDP's accusations questioning its commitment to stabilizing the situation and protecting the local population from the sufferings of war.

"Contrary to CNDP accusations, MONUC is tirelessly working to fulfil its mandate as a peacekeeping mission to ensure the protection of civilians, reinforce the DRC's legitimate institutions and foster national reconciliation and internal political dialogue," it said in a statement.

The mission called on the CNDP and all parties to refrain from any act that could provoke a resumption of hostilities. The region has also witnessed fighting among the mainly Hutu Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), the Mai Mai and other militant groups.

Meanwhile, in Kasai Occidental province in central DRC, the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO) is helping to contain an ongoing outbreak of deadly Ebola haemorrhagic fever, deploying five vehicles and sending in equipment and medical supplies. The UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF), MONUC and the UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=3027">WFP) are also joining in efforts to combat the outbreak.
Jan 2 2009 5:10PM
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GAZA CONFLICT THREATENS REGIONAL PEACE AND STABILITY, UN OFFICIAL CAUTIONS

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:10:00 +0000

GAZA CONFLICT THREATENS REGIONAL PEACE AND STABILITY, UN OFFICIAL CAUTIONS
New York, Jan 2 2009 3:10PM
The future of the Middle-East peace process, the stability of the region and the safety of ordinary people in the Gaza Strip have been seriously jeopardized by the "irresponsibility of Hamas rocket attacks" and the "excessiveness of Israel's response," a senior United Nations envoy to warned today, as diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict intensify.

On the seventh day of Israeli bombing raids on Gaza and with more than 400 Gazans reportedly killed and thousands wounded, Robert Serry, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, called for the international community to step up its attempts to end the growing humanitarian crisis.

"Much of Gaza's infrastructure has now been destroyed. The death and injury toll in Gaza continues to mount. Hamas rockets are now reaching 40 kilometres into Israel," Mr. Serry said via video-link from Jerusalem.

Israel has cited rocket and other attacks by militants in Gaza against Israeli civilians as the reason for its military offensive and closing crossings into Gaza for much of the previous two months.

With Israeli tanks on Gaza's border, the envoy underscored the urgency and importance of an immediate and lasting cessation of hostilities to avoid an even deeper and deadlier conflict.

He said that he will join a number of Arab leaders slated to arrive in New York next week to find a solution to the crisis.

"Diplomatic efforts are underway involving many players, including the United States, the European Union (EU), the Arab League, Turkey and others, and we believe the roles of the Quartet [comprising the UN, EU, Russian and the US] and the Security Council are going to be very important."

While a ceasefire is vital, a return to the previous situation would not be enough to maintain security or find a durable peace, Mr. Serry said.

He stressed the need for the uninterrupted reopening of crossings into Gaza with a commitment from both sides to fully respect a ceasefire, including an end to all rocket attacks from Gaza and weapons smuggling into the Hamas controlled territory.

"It will also require bringing Gaza back into the fold of the Palestinian Authority through arrangements on the ground and renewed efforts to reunited Gaza and the West Bank," he said, adding that "it is more vital than ever that Israeli-Palestinian peace is achieved. The underlying issues must be addressed: end of conflict, end of occupation and the creation of the Palestinian State alongside a secure Israel."

Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/">WFP) has been distributing bread to families in the hardest-hit areas of Gaza, and said today that it urgently requires $9 million to meet additional food needs caused by the upsurge in fighting.

The bombing raids over the last week have greatly worsened the already harsh humanitarian situation in Gaza, which is home to an estimated 1.5 million people facing severe shortages of food, fuel and cooking gas.

"The current situation in Gaza is appalling and many basic food items are no longer available on the market," said Christine van Nieuwenhuyse, WFP Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Yesterday, the agency started handing out bread to around 15,000 people in the northern city of Beit Hanoun – one of the poorest areas in Gaza and the most heavily affected by the conflict.

However, the recent Israeli offensive has prevented WFP and its partners from operating at full capacity and has delayed the regular distribution of food to nearly 270,000 people in the region.

"We are responding to the immediate food emergency needs as much as we can, but the destruction of local infrastructure and the shortages of basic utilities such as fuel and gas means that more people will fall into poverty, and have no other option than to be assisted by the international community," said Ms. Nieuwenhuyse.

WFP's 3,300-ton food stockpile will run out during the next month as distributions resume, security permitting, with more food convoys expected to replenish the supplies.

Due to the scarcity of wheat, most of the mills and bakeries in Gaza have stopped working and there is an acute shortage of bread, the staple food for Palestinians.

In a related development, a group of independent UN human rights experts said today that it was "deeply alarmed" at the continuing violence in Gaza and called on all parties to end attacks putting civilian lives at risk.

"Both air strikes by Israeli Government forces and rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel are resulting in inexcusable loss of life and placing the civilian populations in the affected areas in extreme danger," said Asma Jahangir, chairperson of the experts' coordinating body, said in a statement.

She stressed that international human rights law "imposes binding obligations on all parties in situations of armed conflict."

The chairperson said that neither Israel's use of disproportionate force, missiles launched from Gaza, nor the general disregard for the safety of non-combatants can justify either side's aggression.

The UN experts voiced particular concern at the impact of the current violence and destruction of vital infrastructure on the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and called on all parties to ensure access for humanitarian relief efforts and supplies.

Independent experts, known as special rapporteurs, serve in an autonomous unpaid capacity and report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Jan 2 2009 3:10PM
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BANGLADESH’S NEW GOVERNMENT SHOULD REACH OUT TO OPPOSITION – UN OFFICIAL

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 19:10:00 +0000

BANGLADESH'S NEW GOVERNMENT SHOULD REACH OUT TO OPPOSITION – UN OFFICIAL
New York, Jan 2 2009 2:10PM
A senior United Nations electoral official today urged Bangladesh's newly elected Government to extend a hand of friendship to the opposition, saying there should not be "a feeling of winners and losers."

The head of the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's High-Level Panel to assess and report on the parliamentary elections, Francesc Vendrell, told a news conference in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, that he felt complaints by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) might not much change the outcome of the election, won by Sheikh Hasina's Grand Alliance, even if many of them turned out to be valid.

"I have to say I have been encouraged by the public statement and also from the private conversation with Sheikh Hasina," he said. "I think I have found that she has the right kind of spirit in reaching out to the opposition. I think that she has stressed that there is a role for the opposition in parliament."

The new government should now make the strengthening of democratic institutions a priority and ensure the independence of bodies that have been created over the past two years, such as the anti-corruption commission, he added.

He paid tribute to the professionalism of the Election Commission, noting that both domestic and international observers attested to the "credibility and fairness" with which it managed the process.

The three-member Panel – which also includes Bhojraj Pokharel, Nepal's Chief Election Commissioner, and Aracelly Santana, the former deputy director of the UN Electoral Assistance Division – will report back to Mr. Ban next week on the conduct of the elections.
Jan 2 2009 2:10PM
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UN HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERTS EXPRESS SHOCK AT SCALE OF ATTACKS IN GAZA

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Chapman) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:10:00 +0000

UN HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERTS EXPRESS SHOCK AT SCALE OF ATTACKS IN GAZA
New York, Jan 2 2009 1:10PM
A group of independent United Nations human rights experts today said it was "deeply alarmed" at the continuing violence in Gaza and called on all parties to end attacks putting civilian lives at risk.

She stressed that international human rights law "imposes binding obligations on all parties in situations of armed conflict."

The chairperson said that neither Israel's use of disproportionate force, missiles launched from Gaza, nor the general disregard for the safety of non-combatants can justify either side's aggression.

"They constitute clear violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law," she said.

"Independent human rights monitoring, including by the various UN Special Procedures, is particularly crucial in these circumstances which result in an exceptionally broad range of human rights violations."

Independent experts, known as special rapporteurs, serve in an autonomous unpaid capacity and report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Jan 2 2009 1:10PM
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