Sea level rise 'is accelerating'

Global sea levels could rise by about 30cm during this century if current trends continue, a study warns.

UN: U.S. ALIGNED WITH IRAN IN ANTI-GAY VOTE
Rice Must Explain Repressive UN Ban on LGBT Rights Groups

(Washington, D.C., January 25, 2006) - In a reversal of policy, the United States on Monday backed an Iranian initiative to deny United Nations consultative status to organizations working to protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. In a letter to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, a coalition of 40 organizations, led by the Human Rights Campaign, Human Rights Watch, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, called for an explanation of the vote which aligned the United States with governments that have long repressed the rights of sexual minorities.

ECOSOC UNFAIRLY DISMISSES ILGA AND LBL
ECOSOC dismisses two LGBT organizations without fair hearing!


In an unprecedented move, the Economic and Social Council dismissed the applications of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) and the Danish Association of Gays and Lesbians (LBL*) for observer Status at the United Nations this Monday January 23 2006. For the first time in its history, the ECOSOC dismissed summarily the application of an NGO without the hearings accorded to other applicants.

“It is a clear violation of due process and an attempt to discriminate against LGBT NGOs on procedural grounds” says Rosanna Flamer Caldera, Co-secretary General of ILGA, a worldwide network of over 400 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups.