Breaking the Ghostly Silence on Rape

It was the ghostly silence that struck him hardest as he walked through the Colombo suburb of Kirulapone the day after the lifeless body of a six-year-old girl had been discovered floating in a filthy canal, Kumar de Silva, a well-known local media personality, told IPS.

Iran Diplomacy Runs into Sanctions-Happy U.S. Congress

Congress’s rush to pass new sanctions against Iran ahead of the August recess comes amidst an intensified drive to pin the Iranian government to deadly acts of international terrorism and amplified moves by U.S. politicians to demonstrate their support for Mideast ally Israel ahead of the November presidential election.

Caribbean Sees Progress on HIV/AIDS, Fears Funding Cuts

Ian McKnight, executive director of the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVCC), used one word – “tokenistic” – to sum up his perspective on the 19th International AIDS Conference that ended here over the weekend.

Lebanon Heading for Failed State Status?

Every day Lebanon is being plunged further into a state of general insecurity, as chaos from the war in Syria seeps across the border.

Trading Across the Line of Control

As part of recent confidence building measures aimed at minimising tensions between India and Pakistan, which arose largely due to conflicting claims over Kashmir, the two countries have decided to make the Valley an economic bridge, rather than a bone of contention.

Israeli Group Maps Palestinian Removals

Sitting in an airconditioned car along Road 60 in the heart of the occupied West Bank, Ovad Arad explained how he goes about his job: driving unannounced into Palestinian towns and villages, taking photographs, having coffee with families, and leaving almost as quickly as he arrived.

Ecobreves – MEXICO: Cultural Program to Promote Natural Heritage

The National Commission of Protected Natural Areas has launched a cultural program to strengthen the conservation of natural heritage in Mexico.

Ecobreves – ARGENTINA: Sale of Materials Contaminated with Cyanide Denounced

An environmental organization in the central Argentine province of Córdoba has accused a company devoted to the final disposal of hazardous waste of illegally selling contaminated materials.

Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Support for Community Forestry

The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) has ratified its support for forest protection initiatives in Honduras, and especially those that involve communities in responsible forest management, the country’s vice president, María Antonieta Guillén, told Tierramérica.

Ecobreves – BRAZIL: Indirect Energy Consumption Is Double Household Electricity Bill

The monthly light bill paid by Brazilians represents only 32 percent of what they actually spend on electricity. All of the rest is paid for through the goods and services they consume, according to the Economic Research Institute Foundation at the University of São Paulo.

And How Muslims Hold the Key to Christ

“A prayer knocks till the door opens,” a songster from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre sings from outside the door.

PERU: Fujimori’s Lawyers See Opportunity in Reduction of Death Squad Sentences

Former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori's defence lawyers said the Supreme Court decision to reduce the prison sentences of army intelligence agents found guilty of human rights abuses is "relevant" to his case.

Pouring Edible Oil on Pakistan’s Troubled Areas

PESHAWAR,  Jul 28 2012 (IPS) -Taking turns to lug a heavy can of edible oil, Mushtari and Sheema Gul, twin sisters aged nine, trip home happily from their school in Ghareebabad village in Pakistan’s troubled Bajaur Agency.

U.N. Chief Recounts Poverty and Plenty in South Korea

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a former foreign minister of South Korea, is visibly emotional whenever he speaks about the striking political and economic achievements in his home country.

Schoolgirls Beat Taliban

Far from fears that female education is on the decline after the Taliban campaign against girls’ schools, female students outclassed their male counterparts in the secondary school examination for 2012.

AIDS Meet Ends with Talk of Cure, But Realities of Scourge Persist

As the International AIDS Conference ended in Washington on Friday, organisers unveiled groundbreaking new research on the promise of early anti-retroviral (ARV) drug therapy.

Hezbollah Losing its Grip

Since its inception, Hezbollah’s clout within its community has been solid. However, in recent weeks, the Party of God has been facing increasing difficulties controlling its support base and stymieing discontent. These developments have led analysts to question whether or not Hezbollah is losing its grip on its followers.

Children Injured in Police Crackdown on Chile’s Mapuche Indians

“We have been trampled by this racist Chilean state, which oppresses us. The police force represses all Mapuche people…they shoot at us in cold blood.”

Paraguay Opens Doors to Unregulated Foreign Investment

In his first month as president of Paraguay, Federico Franco has thrown open the doors of his country to foreign investments that have raised questions about environmental safety.

Govts Boost Nukes While Cutting Aid, Social Services

As U.N.-led talks on disarmament resume in Geneva Monday, calls are growing for nuclear-armed nations to cut spending on their stockpiles and instead divert resources to development.

Military Service Leaves Culture of War Behind in Guatemala

“I feel proud to be a part of this change. Malnutrition cannot be wiped out in just two or three years, but this is the beginning and I want to be a part of it,” says Isabela Tzoc, a civic service volunteer involved in a youth programme aimed at fighting extreme poverty in Guatemala.