OPED: Will the Upcoming Election Bring Islamic Legitimacy to Pakistan?

It is almost universally acknowledged that Pakistan emerged a separate state in 1947 primarily on the basis of religion.  Yes, an Islamic state, but isn’t history rather murky on the question of legitimacy in Islam?  There are monarchies and then there are dictators/despots, followed by pseudo democracies, and finally normal democracies, all claiming to be legitimate Islamic states.  What makes a state truly an Islamic state?

The West Disappoints Azerbaijan Government Critics

(EurasiaNet) - Democratisation activists in Azerbaijan are increasingly pessimistic about what they describe as the West’s lack of support for reform and the protection of basic rights in the energy-rich South Caucasus country.

Providing Safety, Combating Impunity on World Press Freedom Day

Securing the safety of journalists and media workers is an urgent matter. More than 600 journalists and media workers have been killed in the last ten years. In other words, every week a journalist loses his or her life while bringing news and information to the public. These statistics highlight the relevance of the World Press Freedom (WPF) Day, which remains the fundamental principles of press freedom.

U.N. Says Somalia Famine Killed Nearly 260,000

(Al Jazeera) - Almost 260,000 people, half of them young children, died of hunger during the last famine in Somalia, according to a U.N. report that admits the world body should have done more to prevent the tragedy.

Google, Alliance of Civilizations & World Bank Organize Unique Digital Journalism Training

The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and Google, in partnership with the World Bank, organized a two-day Digital Training programme for 25 top social media editors and web journalists from 11 countries, including Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, Syria, Libya among others. The primary focus was on web tools for better newsgathering and reporting across cultures.

In U.S.-Mexico Relations, a Shift from Security to Economy

Ahead of President Barack Obama’s trip to Mexico and Costa Rica, experts here are expecting that security will take a back seat to issues of economic cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico.

Aiming to Conserve Energy, Antigua Turns to Its Residents

In drought-plagued Antigua, where water and energy top the list of most precious resources, one campaign is encouraging islanders to conserve both of these commodities. The campaign, Green Antigua, of the state-owned Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) has caught the attention of Brian Cooper, a British scientist who moved here in 1986.

Post-Conflict Trauma Haunts Solomon Islands

After ten years of working towards peace and reconciliation in the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, following a five-year civil conflict known as the ‘Tensions’ (1998-2003) which left 30,000 people displaced and hundreds unaccounted for, people now go about their daily lives in improved freedom and personal security. But below the surface, untreated post-conflict trauma continues to impact many individuals and communities.

Ivorians Snub Government

Last week’s local elections in Côte d’Ivoire were supposed to be a contest between members of the current governing coalition. But in municipal races, independent candidates claimed more seats than either of the coalition’s two main parties, suggesting possible dissatisfaction with President Alasanne Ouattara at the local level.

No Consensus on Judicial Reforms in Argentina

Comprehensive judicial reforms pushed by the government of Argentina on the argument that they will democratise the justice system are moving ahead in Congress in the midst of staunch resistance by the opposition, heated debate, and threats of future lawsuits challenging them as unconstitutional.

Portugal’s Carnation Revolution under the Shadow of the Troika

The anniversary of the peaceful Carnation Revolution that overthrew Portugal’s 1926-1974 dictatorship has gone from being a popular celebration to a day of mass protests against the draconian austerity policies of the government of Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho.

Come Grab Our Land

Bordered by a rubber plantation in the west, a forestry plantation in the east and a palm oil farm in the south, the 18 local communities that live in Ocean Division, southern Cameroon, have had an uphill struggle for the rights to their land.

Villagers Become ‘Water Scavengers’

For the last 13 years, Trynos Mbweku, the headman of Mwenezi district in southeastern Zimbabwe, has had to use a cart to fetch water from the only remaining borehole in his area, which lies some 10 kilometres from his home.

Trade Unions Fight Walmart in Mexico

Trade unions in Canada, the United States and Mexico are preparing protests and legal action against the Mexican subsidiary of Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, which is accused of paying bribes and breaching labour rights.

Tackling Malawi’s Doctor Deficit

In Malawi, where the healthcare system frequently makes headlines for its shortages of drugs and medical workers, a fact that is often overlooked is that two out of four central hospitals do not have a specialist physician in attendance.

Migration: A Process, Not a Problem

From 155 million in 1990, the number of migrants in the world today has reached 214 million, with “one in every seven persons on the globe…in a migratory status”, according to William Lacy Swing, director-general of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

Paraguay’s Colorado Party Back in Power

Paraguay’s right-wing Colorado Party, which ruled the country for 60 years until 2008, will return to power under President-elect Horacio Cartes, who won Sunday’s presidential elections by a wide margin.

Wind Brings Light to Somaliland

A wind turbine, situated some 20 kilometres outside of Somaliland’s capital Hargeisa, has become a significant totem of the country’s changing energy landscape.

California Rethinks Cooperation with Deportation Programme

Challenges are mounting to a key U.S. immigration enforcement programme that requires local police to share the fingerprints of individuals they arrest, triggering a federal investigation into the immigration status of the detainee.

World Bank Urged to Include Human Rights in Safeguards Review

Backed by the German government and prominent civil society voices, United Nations experts are calling for the World Bank to explicitly incorporate international human right standards into its “safeguards” to minimise negative impacts of bank financing on vulnerable communities and environments.

Money becomes the priority in anti-malaria struggle

The global fight against malaria has now come down to a question of money, according to Jeffrey Sachs, the United Nations Special Advisor for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), whose 2015 target date is approaching fast.