G-15 Calls for Heightened South-South Cooperation

The G-15 foreign ministers, meeting on the sidelines of the General Assembly last week, renewed their commitment for enhanced engagement and cooperation among themselves, as well as with the relevant Geneva-based institutions. Their primary focus was on newly emerging areas of cooperation in step with the evolving post-2015 development agenda.

Alliance of Civilizations Seeks Global Harmony for Development & Prosperity

Speaking at the annual UNAOC ministerial meeting on “Global Harmony for Development and Prosperity”,  Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, the U.N.  High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations said  that without global harmony, as enunciated in the U.N. charter, “the development and prosperity that our nations deserve will be difficult to achieve. “

Latin America Stirs the Marijuana Pot

In Latin America, where marijuana is the most widely consumed illegal drug, there is basically no home-grown research into its effects and properties. But possible legalisation in Uruguay and the Mexican capital could open the door to new studies.

MDG Fund, Boosted by Spain, Benefits Nine Million People Worldwide, Says UNDP

At a U.N. ceremony  Wednesday, the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund (MDG-F) presented the results of its work, which it claims has directly benefitted nine million people around the world. Created from a US$ 900 million donation from Spain in 2007, the MDG-F administers development programmes in over 50 countries through the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) and its worldwide network of agencies.

Minorities & Indigenous Peoples Suffer More ill-Health & Poorer Quality of Care

Minorities and indigenous peoples suffer more ill-health and receive poorer quality of care, says a new report from an international rights organisation.

Bloomberg’s Love-Hate Relationship with NYC Press Corps

Mayor Mike Bloomberg has always had a love-hate relationship with the New York city press corps covering City Hall and municipal politics.

U.S. Citizens’ Rights Will Not Be Affected Despite Arms Trade Treaty, Says Kerry

At a treaty-signing ceremony Wednesday, 17 member states were the latest signatories to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), bringing the total to 107.

Sponsor a University Student in Spain

Adopt a tree. Adopt a polar bear. Sponsor a child in a poor country. The concept has caught on in Spain’s troubled academic system and now people and companies can sponsor a university student.

Bolivian President on Fighting Poverty and Intimidation by U.S.

At a press conference Tuesday with Bolivian President Evo Morales, the denial of airspace to his presidential jet by several European countries in July this year (covered by IPS here) was foremost among the minds of many journalists .

Foreign Aid Study Posits Path to Ending Extreme Poverty

The number of people living in extreme poverty, subsisting on 1.25 dollars a day or less, has fallen from 43 percent of the world’s population in 1990 to 21% percent today. A new report on foreign aid and investment makes the case for a figure of zero by 2030.

Disability Linked to U.N.’s Development Agenda

Despite its well-intentioned fight against global poverty, the U.N.’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)  marginalizes  persons with disabilities.

Millions Still Awaiting Education in Conflict Zones

The warning came from world leaders, international organisations and civil society: that 28.5 million children in countries affected by conflict are still being denied access to learning – and that they must not be made to wait any longer for an education.

ODA Struggles as Post-2015 Draws Near

Millennium Development Goal Eight has become a big focus for the Secretary General and other United Nations officials as the deadline draws nearer.  In a press conference last week,  Secretary General Ban Ki-moon launched the Millennium Development Goals Gap Task Force Report 2013.

Asian-Pacific Countries Adopt Ground Breaking Agenda on Population, Development and Rights

A regional ministerial meeting of Asian and Pacific governments last week declared that gender equality and sexual and reproductive rights are indispensable to sustainable development and must be a key part of the post-2015 development framework.

Killers Roam Free in Nepal

When the police finally arrested a man this month in the Nepali capital for the murder of a teenager nine years ago, it became a matter of life and death for Nanda Prasad Adhikari and his wife Ganga Maya.

Greek State Workers Rally Against Job Cuts

(Al Jazeera) - Thousands of civil servants have marched through the Greek capital, Athens, and the second largest city, Thessaloniki, amid a two-day nationwide strike against planned job cuts.

Trinidad Cracks Down on Destructive Shrimp Trawling

Dianne Christian Simmons recalls the days when she would head out with her husband on fishing expeditions in the Gulf of Paria, a 3,000-square-mile shallow inland sea between Trinidad and Tobago and the east coast of Venezuela.

Free Lunches Come at an Environmental Cost

In spite of India’s much-publicised national renewable energy policy as part of its international commitments to reduce carbon emissions, its Mid Day Meal (MDM) Scheme, the world’s largest school lunch programme, has no energy conservation or even a fuel policy in its workings. Approximately 120 million children in 12.65 million schools around the country get a hot, cooked meal at lunch time every day.

Uzbekistan to Allow Cotton Harvest Monitoring

(EurasiaNet) - Giving in to sustained international pressure, authoritarian Uzbekistan is opening up its cotton fields to international monitors this fall. The International Labour Organisation has confirmed to EurasiaNet.org that it is sending a mission to monitor the Uzbek cotton harvest, which starts in mid-September.

Argentina’s Imports Climb Despite State Controls

To maintain its trade surplus, Argentina continues to control imports – a strategy that has bolstered its national industry but is questioned by importers, partners in the Mercosur trade bloc, and rich countries.

Seeds of Conflict Sprout in the Balkans

This year, summer in the Balkans has been nice and warm, leaving behind a land of plenty, and enough food on the table. Except that people are talking about tomatoes “that don’t taste as they used to,” watermelons that are too watery, cabbages that are hard to slice through and onions that do not sting your eyes.