No Escape for Palestinian Women Forced into Prostitution

Doctors in Argentina Sound the Alert on Vaccine Sceptics

Argentina is one of the countries in Latin America with the highest levels of vaccination coverage. But experts are concerned about the growing campaign by vaccine critics against immunisation.

Ethiopian Journalists Hope New Council Will Ease Restrictions

Several Ethiopian publications are coming together to set up a ‘press council’ with the hope of easing restrictions on the media in Ethiopia. The journalists suggested the idea of the council at a May 3 meeting held at the behest of the Ministry of Information to discuss media reforms in the country.

Climate Change Makes Life Tougher for Solomon Island Farmers

Life is difficult enough for communities on the remote southern Weather Coast of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.  Sustaining a livelihood from the land is a daily struggle on the steep coastal mountain slopes that plunge to the sea, made worse by the absence of adequate roads, transport and government services. And now, climate change is taking its toll on the already precarious food situation here.

Stockout Risks of South Africa’s New ARV Programme

“If I don’t have my pills, I don’t know what will happen. I will probably get sick again, very sick. Maybe I will die this time,” says Xoliswa Mbana* as she readies her four young children for school in the impoverished informal settlement of Masiphumelele, in Cape Town, South Africa.

‘Pirates’ Contest Icelandic Elections – And Win

With an unprecedented number of political parties contesting Iceland’s latest elections, Icelanders are discovering that if they are passionate about a particular issue, they need simply to find like-minded people and establish a political party.

UN Focuses on MDGs Relating to Health

As the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) move towards their deadline in less than 1000 days, the United Nations hosted an event focusing primarily on health related goals.

U.N. Says Somalia Famine Killed Nearly 260,000

(Al Jazeera) - Almost 260,000 people, half of them young children, died of hunger during the last famine in Somalia, according to a U.N. report that admits the world body should have done more to prevent the tragedy.

Google, Alliance of Civilizations & World Bank Organize Unique Digital Journalism Training

The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and Google, in partnership with the World Bank, organized a two-day Digital Training programme for 25 top social media editors and web journalists from 11 countries, including Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, Syria, Libya among others. The primary focus was on web tools for better newsgathering and reporting across cultures.

In U.S.-Mexico Relations, a Shift from Security to Economy

Ahead of President Barack Obama’s trip to Mexico and Costa Rica, experts here are expecting that security will take a back seat to issues of economic cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico.

Aiming to Conserve Energy, Antigua Turns to Its Residents

In drought-plagued Antigua, where water and energy top the list of most precious resources, one campaign is encouraging islanders to conserve both of these commodities. The campaign, Green Antigua, of the state-owned Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) has caught the attention of Brian Cooper, a British scientist who moved here in 1986.

Post-Conflict Trauma Haunts Solomon Islands

After ten years of working towards peace and reconciliation in the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, following a five-year civil conflict known as the ‘Tensions’ (1998-2003) which left 30,000 people displaced and hundreds unaccounted for, people now go about their daily lives in improved freedom and personal security. But below the surface, untreated post-conflict trauma continues to impact many individuals and communities.

Ivorians Snub Government

Last week’s local elections in Côte d’Ivoire were supposed to be a contest between members of the current governing coalition. But in municipal races, independent candidates claimed more seats than either of the coalition’s two main parties, suggesting possible dissatisfaction with President Alasanne Ouattara at the local level.

No Consensus on Judicial Reforms in Argentina

Comprehensive judicial reforms pushed by the government of Argentina on the argument that they will democratise the justice system are moving ahead in Congress in the midst of staunch resistance by the opposition, heated debate, and threats of future lawsuits challenging them as unconstitutional.

Portugal’s Carnation Revolution under the Shadow of the Troika

The anniversary of the peaceful Carnation Revolution that overthrew Portugal’s 1926-1974 dictatorship has gone from being a popular celebration to a day of mass protests against the draconian austerity policies of the government of Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho.