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Researchers Criticize AIDS Spending

Nearly 3 million lives have been saved by HIV/AIDS treatment but scare resources are being misspent and stigma is still keeping the most vulnerable from seeking help, according to a new book by researchers commissioned by the U.N.

The failings are particularly worrying at a time when worldwide recession and donor fatigue are hurting spending on AIDS, the researchers say.

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Lebanon Files U.N. Complaint over Israeli Violation, Shami to Meet Ban

Amid increased Israeli military activity on the border with Lebanon in the past few days, the Lebanese permanent mission to the U.N. filed Tuesday a complaint against Israel with the Security Council over a recent border violation.

On January 24 an Israeli patrol crossed the technical fence into a disputed area between the occupied Shebaa Farms and the liberated outskirts of the town of Kfar Shouba.

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Williams Tells Berri that Cabinet Should Represent Interests of All Lebanese

United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams stressed to Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday the need for the formation of a cabinet that has “the broadest possible base.”

“I underlined with the speaker the need for the new government to have the broadest possible base and to represent the interests of all Lebanese,” Williams said after meeting Berri in Ain el-Tineh.

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UN Says Number of Internet Users Worldwide Reaches Two Billion

The number of Internet users worldwide has reached the two billion mark, the head of the U.N.'s telecommunications agency, Hamadoun Toure, said on Wednesday.

"At the beginning of the year 2000 there only 500 million mobile subscriptions globally and 250 million Internet users," he said.

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Ban Says Tribunal Work Should not be Affected by Political Developments

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expects Lebanon’s new government to abide by its obligation to cooperate with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, his spokesman said.

Ban “expects any government that is formed in Lebanon to abide by the international obligations that Lebanon has undertaken,” spokesman Martin Nesirky told a news briefing in New York on Tuesday.

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U.N. Stresses Dialogue but Remains Mum on Political Makeup of Lebanon Cabinet

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon’s acting deputy spokesperson rejected to comment on attempts by the Hizbullah-led alliance to form a new government in Lebanon, saying cabinet formation should be done through dialogue.

“We wouldn’t comment on the precise political makeup of any government. We have simply stressed in general that we would like the process by which a government is formed in Lebanon to be one of dialogue,” said Farhan Haq.

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Iran Hangs 2 Activists Held in Anti-Ahmadinejad Demos Last Year

Iran hanged on Monday two activists it said were members of an exiled group opposed to the 2009 presidential poll result, despite U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urging that they be freed.

The executions were the first reported hangings of protesters who staged demonstrations against the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a poll they said was rigged.

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World Leaders to Discuss Junk Food Ad Ban at UN

The U.N. health agency says world leaders will discuss efforts to clamp down on junk food marketing to children when they meet in New York on Sept 19-20.

The World Health Organization says heads of state will use the U.N. General Assembly meeting to talk about limiting the number and type of ads that children are exposed to.

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Ban Stresses ‘Open Dialogue,’ Says Lebanon Should Continue to Fund Tribunal

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon has stressed that the Lebanese government should “abide by its commitments” and continue to pay its share of the international tribunal’s funds.

In remarks to Arab satellite TV network al-Arabiya, Ban said Lebanon should be loyal to its commitments because the court was established by the Security Council upon the demand of the Lebanese people and government.

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Le Roy: UNIFIL Took ‘Precautionary Measures’ to Confront any Possible Deterioration of Situation

U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Affairs Alain Le Roy expressed “deep concern” over the situation in Lebanon and said UNIFIL has taken “precautionary measures” to confront any possible deterioration.

“We are deeply concerned over the political developments particularly in Beirut,” Le Roy said in New York on Thursday.

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