Inter Press Service
IPS, civil society's leading news agency, is an independent voice from the South and for development, delving into globalisation for the stories underneath.
Updated: 5 hours 55 min ago
LEBANON: Rich Feast Through Month of Fasting
Although not a celebration in the traditional sense, Ramadan in Lebanon is a
time of joy for many, during which families reconnect and share their wealth with
the poor. But in this country of extremes, not everyone has the luxury of
celebrating the holy month.
MIDEAST: Pessimistic About Peace, Yet…
As President Obama on Wednesday initiates the ninth U.S. attempt in the last 30
years to bring about a final Palestinian-Israeli peace agreement, expectations
are low and pessimism is high.
U.N. Lagging on Water and Sanitation Development Goals
The United Nations stands accused of marginalising water and sanitation in its
much-touted Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aimed at improving the
lives of billions of people in the developing world.
Environmental Forensics for BP Gulf Spill
Stealthy submarine gliders slide through the depths of the Gulf of Mexico with
the precision of birds of prey. Robot-like rovers search for droplets of oil
thousands of metres under the surface. Powerful computerised analysers send
instant results to scientists on board the ship above. All of this to assess the
impact of disaster.
Uganda Could Become Regional Rice Exporter say Researchers
In a small garden at the Entebbe Botanical garden, about 40 kilometres from Kampala, a few yellowish plants are trying to adapt to their new environment.
ARGENTINA-BRAZIL: Nuclear Safeguards System an Example for the World
A system of mutual safeguards, created nearly two decades ago by Argentina and Brazil for in-situ verification of the peaceful use of nuclear power in both countries, serves as an international model of transparency and confidence building in this highly sensitive field.
RIGHTS-INDIA: Law to Restrict Foreign Funding Alarms NGOs
Voluntary and charitable organisations in India are aghast at a new law to restrict
foreign contributions, that was passed by both Houses of Parliament recently.
PHILIPPINES: Criminal Ban, Stigma Drive Unsafe Abortions
"I felt scared. When I looked around, all the mothers had
finished giving birth, while I was still there. The blood that
flowed from me had already dried and caked onto my body,"
Lisa, a 19-year-old married mother of three, says, recounting
her experience in post-abortion care at a public hospital here
in the Philippine capital.
SRI LANKA: Anger Rises Over Torture Case, But Solution Unclear
The ordeal of a Sri Lankan domestic worker whose Saudi Arabian
employer allegedly drove nails and metal wires into her body
has sent alarm bells ringing among government officials and
activists, but how such abuses can be stopped remain far from
clear.
Further Victims Identified in DRC Mass Rapes Case
The number of women raped by rebel groups during last month's raid of more
than a dozen villages centred around Walikale, Democratic Republic of the Congo
(DRC), has risen to over 240, U.N. officials told reporters here today.
COLOMBIA: US Military Aid Contingent on Reversal of Rights Record
As a new administration takes over in Bogotá, some groups are hoping for
change in the human rights record of Colombia - and that the U.S. will use its
clout in the country to ensure that change occurs.
Funding Begins Flowing for African Agriculture
The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) has received a major boost as several countries have begun drawing on funds from a $22 billion pledge made by the G8.
PERU: Quechua Congresswoman Fights Discrimination in Education
Hilaria Supa has broken down many barriers in her life. Now she has overcome another one, in an unprecedented achievement: this Quechua indigenous woman who never went to school is today chair of the congressional education committee in Peru.
BOTSWANA: HIV-positive Mothers Not Convinced to Exclusively Breastfeed
"An HIV-positive woman must never be encouraged to breastfeed because regardless of what the doctors or researchers say - it is too dangerous for the baby," says Koziba Kelatlhe an HIV-positive mother who was advised by health workers not to breastfeed her child.
SOUTH AFRICA: "Xenophobia Simmering Just Below Boiling Point"
"Xenophobia is part of life. We do not live easy here. We only survive," says
Somali shopkeeper, Abdinasir Shaikh Aden, looking tense.
Mexico Massacre Galvanises Migrant Rights Activists
Activists in Latin America have been galvanised by atrocities like the recent massacre of 72 migrants near the U.S. border to step up their efforts on behalf of migrant rights.
500,000 Pregnant Women at Risk in Pakistan Floods
Aid groups and U.N. agencies are raising the alarm over the vulnerability of
pregnant women and babies in flood ravaged Pakistan.
Fisheries Can Play Key Role in Africa
Fisheries contribute at least $10 billion dollars to African economies every year. In countries such as Angola, Egypt and Namibia, fisheries are vital economic drivers.
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Growing Seed Security
Farmer Obed Dlamini, like many of his colleagues from Swaziland, finds it difficult to find quality maize seeds each planting season. Not only are the seeds expensive but they are often not available.
Environmentalists Push For Coal-ash Regulation
In what promises to be a contentious, high-profile series of debates, the forces
of environmental protection will be lining up against those of the electric power
industry over the future status of coal-ash.
