February 29

The Orwell Prize 2008 Longlist

General Trackbacks (0)

The Orwell Prize 2008 longlist announced
The longlist for the 2008 Orwell Prize has been announced. 18 authors and 12 journalists are now in the running for two prizes that reward those who have most successfully achieved Orwell's aim 'to make political writing into an art'. A record 181 books have been submitted for this year's book Prize, surpassing both the Man Booker and Samuel Johnson Prizes. These include works by two Nobel Laureates (Doris Lessing and Orhan Pamuk), and the British Prime Minister (Gordon Brown). 54 journalists, including some of Britain's most renowned correspondents, have submitted for this year's journalism Prize, also a record.

Peter Scott's Library Blog 

February 29

Financing Energy Efficiency: China, India, And Brazil. World Bank

China Energy World Bank India Brazil Trackbacks (0)

Financing Energy Efficiency: Lessons from Brazil, China, India, and Beyond, is a new book recently released by the World Bank. The book focuses on China, India, and Brazil as three of the globe's top 10 energy consumers. The three countries hold 40 percent of the world's population and account for well over half of all energy demand by developing countries. By 2030, they'll be responsible for 42 percent of growth in energy demand worldwide. The book draws extensively on the results of a multiyear, global technical assistance effort known as the Three Country Energy Efficiency Project, a joint initiative of the World Bank, the UN Environment Programme's Denmark-based Risoe Centre (URC), and partners in Brazil, China, and India. Read more about the publication, including the press release from the website. Permanent Link: Financing Energy Efficiency
UN Pulse 

February 29

President Bush’S Africa Trip

Africa United States of America International relations Trackbacks (0)

President Bush’s Africa Trip
Source: Center for Strategic & International Studies

President Bush’s five-country Africa tour reminds us that presidential travel to Africa has become a new norm, following President Clinton’s visits (in 1998 and 2000) and President Bush’s 2003 trip. It brings to our attention just how much U.S. engagement in Africa has expanded over the past seven-plus years and asks us to ponder what has been gained, what leverage does the United States truly possess, and what more can and should be done to strengthen the U.S. approach to Africa.

When President Bush entered office in 2001, there were low expectations that Africa would merit much if any attention. This month’s tour, near the end of President Bush’s tenure in the White House, highlights four signature policy initiatives that have had significant impact in Africa, changed the pattern of U.S. foreign assistance delivered to the continent, and generally enjoyed broad bipartisan support among Americans. The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) will have expended over $18.8 billion by the end of September, at the close of its first five year phase, will have put close to 2 million persons on life-sustaining therapies. Some 65 to 70 percent of resources and persons reached are in Africa. The President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), a three-year $1.2 billion program centered in Africa, has brought dramatic gains in several focal countries; in 1997, U.S. malaria programs in Africa were $1 million per year. This year it will be $338 million. The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), an experiment in forging five year compacts with reasonably well-governed states, the majority in Africa, has substantial programs in 11 Africa countries, accounting for 65 percent of the over $5.5 billion committed worldwide. Liberia, the fourth priority focus of the president’s trip, involved U.S. military support to a regional intervention in 2003, followed by support to a UN peace operation, an electoral transition, and ongoing efforts at postwar reconstruction, including U.S.-led reform of the security sector.

+ Full Paper (PDF; 40 KB) http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/080219_morrison_bush_africa_trip.pdf

Docuticker