Some members of the Texas School Board could use some education themselves. In a controversial decision today, the board adopted new social studies and history curriculum that stretches credulity. A core of board members sought to use their position as platform to advance their ideological agenda, which apparently includes some UN-bashing. From the AP:
After issuing warning after warning, the World Food Program has begun to cut aid rations to some 3 million Yemenis who depend on WFP food aid. The WFP has only received about 30% of the $100 million it requested in emergency assistance for Yemen so it is reducing by half the amount
May 17 was international day against homophobia. As UNAIDS noted at the time, "Of the 192 member states of the United Nations, 85 have laws that still criminalize homosexual behavior." Apparently one of those countries is Malawi, where a gay couple was sentenced to 14 years of hard labor and imprisonment for...being a gay couple.*
Lots of goings on around the UN and Iran. As it happened, I attended a small press briefing with Ban Ki Moon at UN headquarters yesterday. He described the recent Brazil/Turkey fuel exchange deal as a potentially "positive step in building confidence if followed by broader engagement with the IAEA and international community." Meanwhile, moments before the conference began, Secretary Clinton declared to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that all five members of the Security Council have agreed on a draft sanctions resolution on Iran.
Fact 1: "Of the 192 member states of the United Nations, 85 have laws that still criminalize homosexual behavior and, in some of these countries, conviction can even result in the death penalty."
Reuters is reporting that Ban Ki Moon will nominate veteran Costa Rican diplomat Christiana Figueres as executive director of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The outgoing chief, Yvo de Boer, announced his retirement a few months ago, setting off an international race to become the next top climate diplomat. Here's what I wrote of that race at the time:
Christina Aguilera recently became a Good Will Ambassador for the World Food Program.
This absolutely defies comprehension.
Don't miss Una's post on this topic. A few weeks ago, she noted.