MIDEAST: Israeli Military Fires Up the Creative Side

War brings economic development, we're told at times. Like the cliché or not, in their case, Israelis have become a successful start-up nation by building a powerful start-up military.

SOUTH KOREA: Trouble in Paradise – The Militarisation of Jeju Island

The South Korean government has been campaigning to have its southern island of Jeju recognised as one of the seven new wonders of nature. A favourite honeymoon spot in Asia and an official "island of peace", Jeju already boasts several UNESCO World Natural Heritage sites.

U.S.: “Israel’s Advocate” to Leave White House for Pro-Israel Think Tank

Dennis Ross, President Barack Obama's top Middle East aide who has attracted criticism for his allegedly strong pro-Israel sympathies, will leave his post at the end of this month, the White House announced here Thursday.

DEVELOPMENT: Showcasing Solidarity

How does a freezer purchased with a microloan change the life of a poor woman in Senegal? What are the Study Solidarity Olympics? How many lives can an ambulance equipped to attend births save in Ethiopia?

G20 Remiss in Tackling Food Security

Last Friday Benoit Miribel, President of Action Against Hunger, delivered a strong indictment of the outcome of the Group of 20 (G20) summit in the south of France: "The G20 meeting in Cannes has been a missed opportunity."

DR CONGO: No Real Programme Behind Campaign Promises

"In truth, none of the candidates and none of the parties have a programme for society," asserts Mastaki Mushosi, one of the leaders of the National Union of Catholic School Teachers in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

ARGENTINA: Fighting ‘Machismo’ Is a Guy Thing

An original campaign led by men is getting thousands of men in Argentina to reflect on the abuse of power and commit themselves to helping eradicate violence against women.

Papademos Named Greek Prime Minister

Greek party leaders have agreed to name Lucas Papademos, a former European Central Bank vice-president, as prime minister of a new interim government until early elections, the president's office said.

Time to Derail Fossil Fuel Train, Energy Agency Warns

Countries have chained themselves to a fossil fuel train that is headed straight off a cliff, warns the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Kenya’s Two Female Supreme Court Justices Set to Work

Deputy Chief Justice of Kenya’s Supreme Court Nancy Baraza, who made history as the first woman appointed to the post, has begun overhauling the country’s judiciary.

JAPAN: Training Volunteers to Deal With Disasters

Seven months after a massive earthquake and tsunami devastated northeastern Japan, Japanese citizens and relief organisations are working to learn from the tragedy in order to mitigate the fatal impact of future natural calamities at home and abroad.

Climate Change Arouses Scientific Curiosity in Mexico

Climate change has inspired dozens of scientists at Mexican public universities to conduct research on its effects and seek ways to confront them.

U.S.-UGANDA: Award Honours Courageous Gay Rights Activist

Frank Mugisha was just a young teenager in Uganda when he came out as gay. He faced bullying and threats, but he says the stories of lesbian, gay, and transgender friends he later met were much worse - some were kicked out of their homes by their families, subjected to sexual violence to "make them straight", or arrested.

EU Backs Timoshenko, More Than Ukrainians

The imprisonment of former prime minister Yuliya Timoshenko has raised questions about Ukraine’s democratic credentials. But these questions are mostly being raised abroad.

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.

PRIVATE OWNERSHIP COMES TO CUBA

Law 288 recently passed by the Cuban government finally made it legal to buy and sell private real estate on the island. Even the most hard-core of the Obama administration spokespeople have approved the development as "a positive step" in the process of change set in motion by the Cuban government and President Raul Castro.

IRAN: Calls for New Sanctions, Air Strikes Follow IAEA Report

A significant gap between the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama and staunchly pro-Israel majorities in both houses of Congress appears to have emerged over what to do in reaction to Tuesday's report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on possible military applications of Iran's nuclear programme.

BRAZIL: Proper Nutrition – the Next Food Challenge

Fighting malnutrition is not just about putting food on everyone's table every day, according to Brazil's Fourth National Conference on Food and Nutrition Security, meeting in the capital of the northeastern state of Bahia.

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.

IAEA’s “Soviet Nuclear Scientist” Never Worked on Weapons

The report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published by a Washington think tank Tuesday repeated the sensational claim previously reported by news media all over the world that a former Soviet nuclear weapons scientist had helped Iran construct a detonation system that could be used for a nuclear weapon.

Strike Prolonged in Controversial Papuan Mine

Union workers at Freeport Indonesia's Grasberg copper mine said they could extend their strike by another month, which would make it the longest mining stoppage in the country's history.