Zimbabwe Struggling to Pay Laid-Off Workers

As former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe employees went to the Labour Court in Harare last week hoping for a ruling in favour of the finalisation of their retrenchment packages, the country’s public and private sectors continue to lay off workers without paying the promised compensation.

Inhospitable Flows the Nile

A 4,200-year-old relief in the Tomb of Mereruka in Sakkara depicts the staggering array of fish that once inhabited the Nile River and its wetlands. Ancient Egyptian fishermen with linen nets haul in their bounty, including the sacred Oxyrhynchus, a snub-nosed fish that was captured and nurtured but never eaten.

U.S. Unveils Major New Proposal to Cut Vehicle Emissions

Environmentalists and public health advocates are lauding a key, long-awaited proposal put forward by President Barack Obama’s administration that would require cleaner gasoline and more effective technologies on vehicles, cutting various harmful emissions by 40 to 80 percent.

Thailand Holds Peace Talks with Muslim Rebels

Thai authorities and Muslim rebels leaders have started peace talks aimed at ending almost a decade of unrest in the country’s far south, as fresh violence killed at least five people.

Will CAR Rebels Respect the Peace Agreements?

Despite assurances by the leader of the Séléka rebel alliance, self-proclaimed president of the Central African Republic Michel Djotodia, that a “red brigade” would be established to stop the looting and violence that has ensued since Sunday’s coup, citizens do not feel security has been restored.

Nuclear Safety Plan Has Ukrainians Worried

A 300 million euro loan to improve nuclear safety in the Ukraine has been attacked by environmental groups who say it will instead be used to keep ageing reactors working well beyond their planned lifespans – increasing the risks of a nuclear accident – while doing nothing to address serious issues with the country’s energy intensity.

Argentina vs Holdouts Could Set Precedent for Future Debt Crises

The fate of countries with major debt problems is at stake in federal courts in New York, which are to decide in April whether or not they accept Argentina’s proposal to the bondholders who rejected two restructurings of sovereign debt.

PERU: Stepping Up Protection for Native Groups in Voluntary Isolation

In the dense Amazon rainforest of Peru, there are five reserves inhabited by indigenous groups who have chosen to remain totally or partially isolated from the rest of society. But these areas are not officially demarcated as indigenous lands, and only one is protected with a control post.

U.S. Congress Inches Away from the Straight and Narrow

Even as the issue of gay marriage continues to make waves in the U.S., change is inexorably arriving in the halls of power, with a record seven openly homosexual or bisexual members of the new U.S. Congress.

Learning from History to Eliminate Remnants of Slavery

“On the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, we tell the world to never forget this global crime against humanity,” said Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in a statement to mark the Day.

Naming Femicide to Fight Violence Against Women in Ecuador

Ecuador hopes to move forward in the fight against violence against women by typifying femicide – gender-motivated killings – as a specific crime in the new penal code.

Civil Society Seeks to Influence Mexican Mining Law Reform

Two separate bills to reform Mexico’s mining laws, one from the government and the other from academics and NGOs, agree on the urgent need for major changes in the rules governing the industry.

Advocates See Historic Chance to Turn Tide on TB

Patients, doctors and international aid groups are calling on donors and governments to support measures that would make treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis more effective and accessible.

Global Development Agenda Shaped by Public Outreach Effort

The United Nations Thursday presented its initial findings from a global conversation through which people were invited to help Member States shape the future development agenda.

Promoting Happiness to Build the Future We Want

The importance of emotional well-being has gained attention on the international stage marking the first ever International Day of Happiness (IDH). U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Wednesday called on the international community to commit to an inclusive and sustainable human development that will improve the well-being of those who lack basic services needed to pursue happiness.

HONDURAS: Activists Protest Lack of Transparency in Extractive Industry

The Honduran government’s announcement of its plans to join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) has raised expectations as well as doubts, particularly due to the speed with which it aims to complete a process that has taken several years in other countries of the region.

Global Experts Call for Lifelong Learning on Development Agenda

“Inequalities limit education and learning opportunities for the most disadvantaged and excluded children.” Geeta Rao Gupta, Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF, told a gathering of over 100 representatives from  UN agencies, donors, academia and civil society organisations.

Low Expectations Colour Obama’s Israel Trip

With Barack Obama set to travel on his first trip to Israel as president, expectations for a major breakthrough on the long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian “peace process” are low to nonexistent.

Dependent on Venezuela’s Oil Diplomacy

Venezuela’s economic challenges, more than the uncertainty over who will succeed late president Hugo Chávez, could threaten the oil diplomacy he practiced in the region.

Russia to Get Venezuelan Oil for a Few Cents a Barrel

Russian state oil firm Rosneft and Venezuela’s PDVSA (Petróleos de Venezuela S.A.) have agreed to form a partnership to exploit an oilfield with estimated reserves of 40 billion barrels, strengthening the alliance between the two countries.

EDUCATION EXPERTS MEET IN SENEGAL TO DISCUSS POST-2015 AGENDA

Around 75-100 education experts -- representing governments, the United Nations, multilateral and bilateral organizations, civil society/non-governmental organizations (NGO)s, youth and the private sector--  will meet in Dakar, Senegal to  discuss achievements and challenges – specifically on both the “Education For All” goals and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).