Ecobreves – ARGENTINA: Land Donation Conditioned on Creation of National Park

) The Conservation Land Trust (CLT) has conditioned the donation of 150,000 hectares from the Iberá Natural Reserve, in the northeastern Argentine province of Corrientes, on the government’s creation of a national park.

Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Sustainable Production Program Targets Two Thousand Poor Families

Some 2,000 families in poor rural areas of Honduras will take part in pilot initiatives in ecotourism, sustainable agriculture and local marketing of their products thanks to 6.8 million dollars in financing from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Gender must be on COP17 agenda: SADC

The head of SADCs gender unit, Magdeline Mathiba-Madibela, says climate change affects women in Southern Africa and their plight must be discussed at COP 17 in Durban later this month. Zukiswa Zimela interviews Mathiba-Madibela in Gaborone and asked her what is needed to protect women against climate change.

AFRICA: Failure to Adopt Technology in Libraries Results in Fewer Users

Simret Mebrahtu has been an infrequent visitor to the National Library of Uganda in the centre of Kampala for nearly two years. A student, she stops by every couple of weeks to use the cheap internet connection if one of the few computers is available.

SYRIA: Rights Group Details Brutal Ongoing Crackdown in Homs

At least 587 civilians in Homs were killed by Syrian government forces between mid-April and August, the highest number of casualties for any single governorate, reveals a report released by Human Rights Watch Friday.

DEVELOPMENT: UNESCO Turns On the Radio

The demise of radio has been predicted for many years, but the medium is adapting, transforming and proving to be a cost-effective tool in development, experts say.

MIDEAST: Jailed Activists Get Little Help

As a number of international activists remain in an Israeli prison following the take-over of two Gaza-bound aid ships late last week, the activists have condemned their respective governments for failing to apply pressure on Israel to release the detainees and to respect international law.

Palestine Pushes On at United Nations

Palestine plans to continue its bid to become a full member at the United Nations, even with the odds stacked against the Palestinians receiving the requisite nine votes from the Security Council.

OP-ED: Rwandan Refugees Fear Cessation Clause

They should be wary of each other. The historical conflict between their ethnicities has resulted in Africa’s largest genocide.

MIDEAST: Festive Season Highlights Deprivation

Crowds of women waving coupons worth two kilograms of beef line the stairwell to Secours Islamique France’s Gaza City office several hours before the aid agency begins its meat distribution for Eid. Aid workers struggle to climb the stairs, hauling large bags of fresh meat to assist impoverished families in Gaza this holiday season.

U.S. Move Hurts More Than UNESCO

The United States’ decision to cut funding for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation will hurt the specialised agency’s work, officials here say.

U.S.: Occupy Activists, Union Leaders Find Common Cause

When Mary Clinton, 25, joined other activists to help organise the Occupy Wall Street movement on Sep. 17, she never imagined the gamble would turn into a "populist left movement of the 21st century".

Ecobreves – BRAZIL: Agriculture That Protects the Environment

A project based on planting trees in combination with crops is aimed at reducing water consumption and agrochemical use in agriculture in two rural areas of the southern Brazilian state of São Paulo.

Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Cleaner Production Policy Proposed

The Ministry of Environment of Honduras will present a draft public policy later this year aimed at cleaner production through the combined efforts of the state and private sectors in the development of measures to conserve energy, water and raw materials.

Ecobreves – CUBA: Japanese Funding for Waste Collection

The collection and treatment of household waste in the Cuban capital will be stepped up through a cooperation project funded by the Japanese government.

The Bronx: Portrait of a borough – A documentary by Christian Papesch

The Bronx is one of the poorest Congressional Districts in the United States. In no other county of the 62 in the state of New York is the unemployment rate as high, and the average income as low, as in New York City's fourth-largest borough. Ismael Betancourt Jr. who received his B.S. from Columbia University, his MBA from Harvard University Graduate School of Business and his MA in Political Science from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, founded the Bronx Transformation Project last year. Its goal is to facilitate cooperation, trade, integration and development among and between the different cultural communities in and beyond the borders of Bronx. For his documentary, “The Bronx“, IPS correspondent Christian Papesch visited Betancourt, his borough and its people. He met a teacher from Puerto Rico, an imam from West Africa and the Catholic editor of an Islamic newspaper. And he portrays a district that is multicultural, self-confident and far from being as pessimistic as its statistics may suggest.

Zambian farmers blame climate change for drought

Zambian farmers say a lack of rain is putting a strain on their crops and they are starting to point their fingers at climate change. Brian Moonga reports from Lusaka.

Women Losing Ground in Economic, Political Equality

While gender equality ratios have improved in 85 percent of countries over the past six years, economic participation and political empowerment for women has failed to match the steady progress of health and education, says a new report by the World Economic Forum.

WEST AFRICA: Niger River under Pressure from Dams

Several major new dams are being constructed on the Niger River. It's a positive sign of growing investment in agriculture and energy, but it also has some observers worried.

Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Proposal to Compensate National Park for Water Supply

This November the Honduran Congress will study a bill aimed at authorizing payment for environmental services to La Tigra National Park, the main green area and source of water for Tegucigalpa.

Ecobreves – LATIN AMERICA: Activists Call for Common Front to Defend Whales

More than 60 environmental organizations from throughout Latin America and the Caribbean have called on the region’s governments to use diplomatic action to stop Japan from beginning its annual whale hunt in the Southern Ocean this December.