Brazil’s “Other” Protesters

The young people who have been protesting in Brazil over the last few weeks, who say they are apolitical and who have organised over the social networking sites, were not entirely pleased with Thursday’s demonstrations by the country’s trade unions and social and popular movements.

Need to Protect DRC’s School Girls from Sexual Assault

In some Democratic Republic of Congo schools, teachers and senior authorities are using their status to abuse girls who do not know their rights, according to the African Association for the Defence of Human Rights.

Biofuels Get a Dubious Boost

In an unexpected move, European parliamentarians have approved a new biofuel regulation that will take emissions from indirect land use change into account. The new text allows the biofuel sector to expand, sending a clear signal to world food markets and jeopardising food security for the world’s poorest.

Honduras Shaken by High-Profile Murders

Honduran society remains shocked at the tragic fate of Aníbal Barrow, a journalist and university professor whose body was dismembered and scattered around a lake in Villanueva, in the northern province of Cortés.

Engaging Men to Eliminate Gender Based Violence

The vital role gender stereotypes play in promoting peace was highlighted at the United Nations this week.

Seven candidates attend event related to UNHRC elections

Only seven candidates running for  membership in the Geneva-based U.N.  Human Rights Council (UNHRC) this year showed up during an event Tuesday, which provided a platform for candidates to outline their plans and commitments towards protection of human rights as well as their vision for membership.

Without WFP Aid, Four Million Syrians Would Go Hungry

The Syrian food crisis has become so severe that without aid from the World Food Programme (WFP), millions of Syrians would go hungry.

U.N. Chief Shows Support for Revolutionary Solar Technology

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Tuesday  praised the work of Swiss engineers of a revolutionary solar powered plane. The aircraft recently completed a trans-American journey comprised of six legs taking roughly 20  hours each.

Are Cooperatives Crisis Proof?

“Cooperative enterprises remain strong in time of crisis." This was the mantra heard echoing around the world on Jul. 6, the International Day of Cooperatives.

Lebanon Struggles to Cope with Influx of Syrian Refugees

With no end in sight to the ongoing two-year conflict in Syria, both the Lebanese authorities and host communities are struggling to cope with the sheer number of Syrian refugees fleeing into the country.

Bigger Dangers Lurk Behind Berlusconi Scandal

The scandal around the under-age prostitute that former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi allegedly had sex with is not about just that one girl: an estimated 10,000 under-age girls become victims of sexual exploitation every year in Italy.

South American Leaders Demand Apologies from Europe

South American leaders demanded that the governments of France, Italy, Portugal and Spain provide explanations and public apologies to Bolivian President Evo Morales for refusing his presidential jet permission to fly through their airspace on his way home from Moscow.

Cyclone-Resistant Construction Materials, Cuban Style

Houses with sturdy masonry walls and reinforced concrete roofs, looking like they could survive any tropical storm or hurricane, are sprouting up on the outskirts of this city in central Cuba, thanks to the development of local production of construction materials.

Living Laboratory for Coping with Drought in Brazil

The first surprise on arriving at Abel Manto’s farm is how green it is, in contrast with the dry brown surroundings. His beans and fruit trees seem oblivious to the persistent drought in the semi-arid hinterland of northeast Brazil, the worst in 50 years.

Media Freedom Points to Progress in Afghanistan

With a little over a year to go before NATO begins the drawdown of its troops in Afghanistan, predictions about the country’s future run the gamut from utterly bleak to incredibly hopeful.

Getting Tough on Corruption in Cuba

As two separate trials of foreign businessmen continued amid extreme discretion, the Cuban government passed new anti-corruption measures, apparently indicating the Raúl Castro government’s desire to avoid loose ends with this thorny problem.

Working to Save Malawi’s Mothers

Charity Salima, 54, has helped to deliver over 4,000 babies in her maternity clinic in Area 23 – one of Malawi’s poorest and most populous townships – and has yet to record a single pregnancy-related death.

Obama Plan to Electrify Africa Offers a “New Model” of Aid

During an eight-day trip to Africa, President Barack Obama unveiled an ambitious plan to improve access to electricity across the continent, a move the White House says is designed to lift Sub-Saharan Africa out of poverty and help the region develop a stable middle class.

Obama Announces New U.S. Focus on Wildlife Trafficking

President Barack Obama on Monday announced a series of new initiatives to combat spiking levels of international poaching and draft a new national plan on wildlife trafficking, an industry that has grown so significantly in recent years that the president now calls it an “international crisis”.

U.S. Weighing Increase in Herbicide Levels in Food Supply

Environmental safety groups are stepping up efforts to prevent a reportedly dangerous yet widely used herbicide from being sold in the United States, even as the country’s primary environmental regulator is considering increasing the amount of the herbicide allowed in the U.S. food supply.

At Forty, CARICOM Has Few Laurels to Rest On

Four decades after they signed the treaty establishing the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), government leaders are gathering in Trinidad and Tobago, the birthplace of the integration process, as they seek to give greater meaning to the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) that encourages the free movement of nationals across the 15-member grouping.