The United Nations culture and science body awarded a life sciences prize in a Paris ceremony Tuesday boycotted by European leaders because the prize is funded by the leader of Equatorial Guinea. Human rights groups accuse Teodoro Obiang of corruption and allowing citizens of the African nation to live in poverty despite the country’s oil […]
UNESCO to Announce Fate of Obiang Prize
Posted March 8th, 2012 at 12:15 am (UTC-5)
The U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is set to announce whether it will go forward with a controversial $3-million prize funded by Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema. The prize, for life science research, has been on hold for more than three years. Rights groups and Western nations say Mr. Obiang’s dismal human-rights record […]
US Warns UNESCO to Stay Out of Palestine Debate
Posted October 5th, 2011 at 9:00 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the U.N. cultural agency should “think again” about plans to vote on Palestinian membership as U.S. lawmakers threatened to cut tens of millions of dollars in funding for the organization. Clinton said she finds it “inexplicable” that the Paris-based U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization would consider moving […]
Palestinians Nearing UNESCO Membership
Posted October 5th, 2011 at 6:20 pm (UTC-5)
Palestinians have moved one step closer to full membership in the United Nations cultural agency, as its board decided to let 193 member countries vote on admission later this month. The latest move in the Palestinians’ bid for statehood recognition drew swift U.S. and Israeli condemnation and a cool response from France. But the Paris-based […]
UNESCO Declares Two Rainforests as Endangered Sites
Posted June 23rd, 2011 at 5:05 am (UTC-5)
The United Nations’ cultural body has placed rainforests in Indonesia and Honduras on its list of endangered sites because of illegal activities. The U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization announced Wednesday that it was placing Indonesia’s Sumatran rainforest on its Danger List due to years of agricultural encroachment, road construction, illegal logging and poaching. UNESCO […]
