PALESTINE: Red Cross Vouchers to Ease Hunger

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is undertaking a major relief effort in the Palestinian territories, aimed at helping around 120,000 of the most impoverished residents of urban centres on the West Bank.

HUMAN RIGHTS: UN Studies Measure to Urge Military Court Ban

United Nations experts are discussing a proposal to annul the authority of military tribunals to carry out trials involving human rights crimes, such as extra-judicial executions, forced disappearances and torture.

DISARMAMENT: A Proposal to Kickstart Multilateral Conference

An initiative sponsored by Algeria, Belgium, Colombia, Chile and Sweden may be the key to resolving differences that have kept the international Conference on Disarmament at an impasse for the last four years.

RIGHTS: Corporate Responsibility Core of UN Sub-Commission Debate

The initiative under discussion at the United Nations to establish human rights principles applicable to transnational corporations has brought to light the discrepancies among the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) dedicated to this issue.

RIGHTS: Water Should Not Be Subject to Market Rules – UN Report

A United Nations report on the right to potable water recognises that this element is an economic good but suggests it would be dangerous to subject water to the laws of the market.

SALUD: Dengue Reappears Worldwide with a Vengeance – WHO

Dengue fever is seeing an upsurge and continues to spread around the world, particularly in Latin America and Asia, while the African population seems to be protected from the disease by genetic factors, according to international health officials.

TRADE: WTO Review Condemns Europe’s Farm Policy

The protectionist stance of the European Union (EU) has hampered the expansion of agriculture in developing countries, say World Trade Organisation (WTO) member states in a study of the bloc's policies.

LABOUR-LATAM: Unemployment Reaches ‘Lost Decade’ Levels

Unemployment in Latin America this year will reach its highest level since the "lost decade" of the 1980s, driven by widespread and devastating economic crisis, says the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in a new report.

HUMAN RIGHTS: Brazilian to Succeed Mary Robinson in UN

Brazilian United Nations career diplomat Sergio Vieira de Mello will replace former Irish president Mary Robinson as UN high commissioner for human rights on Sep 12.

TRADE: WTO Backpedals on Issues Dear to Developing South

The trade questions of greatest interest to the countries of the developing South are far behind schedule in the multilateral negotiations under way at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

TRADE: Report Warns Developing South on Services

The countries of the developing South should not agree to new commitments in the negotiations for liberalising trade in services as long as adequate research and data is lacking, says a prominent expert as time runs out at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for reaching an accord in the services sector.

SOUTHERN AFRICA: 60 Million at Risk in Humanitarian Crisis

More than 300,000 people may die over the next six months in southern Africa due to severe food shortages and the spread of disease, warned the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

ECONOMY: Global System Shows ‘Enormous Resilience’ to Crises

The global economy and financial system have shown "enormous resilience" to recent turmoil, the Bank of International Settlements (BIS), which coordinates central banks and is governed by countries of the industrialised North, said Monday.

RIGHTS: Russian Women Trafficked for Sex Trade all over the World

The trafficking and sexual exploitation of women and children from Russia is "easily tolerated" by authorities in that country and other nations, the International Organisation of Migration (IOM) warned Friday.

DEVELOPMENT: Mixed Marks for Arab World

A new study on human development in the Arab world released Tuesday highlights considerable progress in some areas, counterbalanced by major shortcomings such as weak personal and institutional freedoms, weak empowerment of women, and a flimsy knowledge base.

HEALTH: More Studies Needed on Carcinogen in French Fries, says UN

Research on a carcinogenic substance found in french fries and other starchy foods cooked at high temperatures will be extended to developing countries, two United Nations agencies announced.

RIGHTS-LATAM: UN’s Robinson Worried about Future of Democracy CORRECTION

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, expressed concern about the growing scepticism evident throughout Latin America about the democratic process and predicted that this phenomenon will be aggravated by the region's economic crisis.

RIGHTS-LATAM: UN’s Robinson Worried about Future of Democracy

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, expressed concern about the growing scepticism evident throughout Latin America about the democratic process and predicted that this phenomenon will be aggravated by the region's economic crisis.

HEALTH: AIDS is Ravaging Africa

AIDS is destroying sub-Saharan Africa, where over 28 million people are living with HIV/AIDS today, a specialised United Nations agency warned the Group of Eight (G-8) leading industrial countries on the eve of their summit in Canada.

AGRICULTURE: NGOs Speak Out on Behalf of Poor Farmers at WTO

Non-governmental groups are demanding that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) engage in debate on initiatives aimed at protecting the interests of the poorest farmers worldwide, an effort to reduce poverty and uphold farmers' rights.

TRADE: NGOs Demand Access to Affordable Drugs for Poor Countries

Prominent non-governmental organisations upbraided rich countries for failing to live up to their commitments in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to help people in poor countries gain access to affordable medicines.