World Where You Live--14 Jan 2006 Edition

Let's take a spin 'round the globe, starting with... Sudan:

WaPo - Official Pushes for U.N. Force In Sudan
The United Nations' top envoy to Sudan said Friday that three years of diplomatic and African peacekeeping efforts have failed to restore calm to that country's Darfur region, and that a larger Western-backed peacekeeping force is urgently required to stem the bloodshed.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians may have been killed in a wave of violence in Darfur, U.N. officials and diplomats said, a catastrophe the Bush administration has characterized as genocide. The United Nations feeds about 3 million people displaced by violence in Darfur.

"Looking back at three years of killings and cleansing in Darfur, we must admit that our peace strategy so far has failed," [Jan] Pronk told the council. "All we did was picking up the pieces and muddling through, doing too little too late."

The downbeat remarks come as U.S., European and U.N. officials are considering contingency plans to have a U.N. peacekeeping mission replace or augment an African Union peacekeeping force of about 7,000.

Those plans have been complicated by stalled peace talks between Khartoum and Darfurian rebels, and Sudan's refusal to allow non-African peacekeepers into the country.

In Germany, the fight to uncover the truth about the beginnings of the Iraq war continue:

Boston Globe - German leaders want probe into reports of war aid
German opposition leaders yesterday demanded a formal parliamentary inquiry into reports that the country's intelligence service helped the United States identify bombing targets in Baghdad during the opening days of the Iraq war, even though Germany had objected to the US-led invasion.
[...]
Officials of the intelligence service and other ministries confirmed that the Schroder government authorized exchanges of intelligence information with the United States about installations in Baghdad despite its public opposition to the invasion. The officials insisted, however, that German agents on the ground in Baghdad only provided the United States with information intended to prevent accidental attacks against civilian installations, such as precise coordinates for schools, hospitals, and diplomatic compounds.

Even that limited assistance drew fire from opposition leaders, although government officials said it was only natural that German intelligence would cooperate on some level with its American ally.
[...]
But a German newspaper and public television, quoting an unidentified ''Pentagon official" and other sources, reported this week that intelligence agents in Baghdad also helped the United States identify bombing targets -- allegations that triggered outrage in Parliament.

In Paksitan, a missle strike aimed for an Al Qaeda leader missed its mark:

Melbourne Age - Osama's No. 2 'target of air strike'
A United States airstrike in Pakistan targeted al-Qaeda's right-hand man, US sources said, but Ayman al-Zawahri was away at the time, according to a senior Pakistani official yesterday.

The strike on Friday killed at least 18 people, including women and children, and three houses were destroyed in a village near the Afghan border, residents said.

Pakistan condemned the airstrike and regretted the loss of civilian lives, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said, adding "we will not allow such an incident to reoccur".

I wonder if Newsweek will be blamed if rioting happens? Also in Pakistan:

Reuters - Pakistan quake survivors under constant threat: UN
Cold and disease are constant threats in Pakistan's earthquake zone but the United Nations said on Saturday if donations are sustained, the more than three million survivors should make it through the winter.

"One hundred days into the process all is not well," chief UN relief coordinator Jan Vandemoortele told a news conference marking 100 days since the quake killed more than 73,000 people. "The survivors remain under constant threat and coughs, respiratory infection and pneumonia are widespread," he said.

More than two million people are camping out in tents or in simple shelters in the Himalayas but, so far, the huge relief effort organized by the Pakistani army and international agencies has averted a second wave of deaths.

Cagey Iran downplays their need for nukes as its president fuels the nationalistic fires:

AFP - Iran denies need for nuclear weapons
A defiant Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said his country had every right to possess nuclear technology but insisted it was not interested in acquiring nuclear weapons.

"We have repeatedly said the Iranian nation does not need nuclear weapons. We are a civilised nation. The people who are seeking to solve all equations with force and bullying are the people who want weapons," he told a news conference on Saturday, only his second since his shock election win last June.
[...]
"A few Western countries who have nuclear weapons are questioning Iran, even though with unprecedented inspections and supervision there is not the slightest evidence against Iran," he argued.

"They think they have the power and want to deprive Iran of its rights."

Ahmadinejdad has already vowed not to compromise "one iota" on his country's nuclear programme, especially efforts to master the fuel cycle.

In Canada, there's an election going on. Here's some policy announcements from the current Prime Minister, Paul Martin (of the Liberal Party):

CBC - Liberals would promote peace, democracy: Martin
Liberal Leader Paul Martin has announced four initiatives he said would enhance Canada's role in promoting peace and democracy in the world, including one aimed at preventing the weaponization of space.

During a campaign stop in Montreal on Saturday, Martin said a Liberal government would lead an international campaign at the United Nations to establish a treaty banning all weapons in space.

He said the Liberals would also establish the Canada Centre for Peace and Democracy in the Middle East. Martin said it would be based in the region and would help Palestinians in building a state founded on democracy, the rule of law, strong public administration and good governance.
[...]
Martin suggested the foreign policy of a Conservative government would hurt Canada's reputation.

"[Conservative Leader] Stephen Harper would renege on the Kyoto Accord on climate change. He would undermine the credibility of Canada in the world by removing Canada's signature from that agreement. Canada was a leader bringing together 150 countries here in Montreal to develop an ambition plan for the future, the Montreal conference on climate change."

But here's a bit of a bump in the road:

Edmonton Sun - Martin boots B.C. hopeful
Paul Martin's chances at forming the next government suffered another blow yesterday after he kicked out a B.C. Liberal candidate for allegedly trying to bribe a rival to drop out of the campaign.

Martin swiftly dropped the axe on Abbotsford candidate David Oliver after the riding's NDP candidate signed a sworn affidavit alleging the bribe offer.
[...]
After consulting with Liberal election campaign organizers, Martin asked Oliver not to campaign under the Liberal banner. It's too late to have him removed from the ballot.

Martin insisted that if Oliver wins, he won't sit as a Grit.

I have no idea what that means. Anyhoo, polling takes place on January 23rd, but Canada has a sensible early vote policy, where polling is open this weekend as well.