In February 2011, Libyans in several cities took to the streets to protest Muammar al-Qadhafi’s 42-year rule. They were influenced by the uprisings in neighboring Tunisia and Egypt, but the proximate cause was the arrest of a human rights activist in Benghazi. Security forces violently attacked the protesters, setting off clashes between Qadhafi loyalists and a combination of civilians and defectors from the police and military. The rebels in some areas—particularly in eastern Libya—were able to clear loyalist forces from their territory, leading to a months-long civil war with multiple, shifting battlefronts.
The city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is hosting the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), also known as "Rio +20" or the Earth Summit.
The Conference is taking place in Brazil on 20-22 June 2012 to mark the 20th anniversary of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), in Rio de Janeiro, where they drew up guidelines for sustainable societies for the 21st century, expressed as Agenda 21.In addition it also marks the 10th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg.
Syria has been the victim of massive human rights violations as government security forces have responded to protests with extreme violence. According to the UN, the estimated civilian death toll is over 9,000, with evidence of systematic acts of brutality, including torture and arbitrary arrests. This indicates that the Syrian military and government are conducting a clear policy of crimes against humanity.
The next United Nations press conference on sustainable development will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from June 20 to 22, 2012. More commonly known as, Rio +20, this international conference, marks the twentieth anniversary of the first Earth Summit also held in Rio de Janeiro, 1992. This conference will review the commitments made by member countries on the issue of a greener economy and the institutional framework for sustainable development.
