U.S.-COLOMBIA: Free Trade Without Biopiracy?

Biopiracy could be a sticking point in the free trade negotiations that the United States is pursuing with three of the countries with greatest biodiversity in the world: Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

INDIA: Pro-Hindu Party Faces Split over Anti-Muslim Pogrom

India's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which lost power in recent elections, is in crisis after its leader, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, blamed his government's poll defeat on the party's failure to rein in the anti-Muslim pogrom in western Gujarat state in 2002.

POLITICS: Reagan’s Legacy Lingers in Today’s Afghanistan, Pakistan

Conservative opinion holds the Great Communicator Ronald Reagan, who died this month at 93, to be a great U.S. president. His greatness largely comprises his ability to convince his country's people, or a majority of them, that he stood for freedom and democracy and that communism was the worst of evils.

THAILAND: Muslim Leaders Take on Youth to Stem Southern Violence

The leaders of Thailand's Muslim minority have an emerging challenge before them in trying to stop their community's youth from falling prey to an interpretation of Islam that advocates violence to seek political aims.

HEALTH-AFRICA: Religious Leaders Focus on AIDS

A meeting of over 187 church leaders from across Africa has highlighted the role of female clergy in fighting the AIDS pandemic that has swept the continent.

ENVIRONMENT-SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo Steps Out of the Shadows

Tourism has long been viewed as one of the holy grails of job creation in South Africa, which is burdened by an unemployment rate of more than 30 percent. Certain parts of the country - Cape Town, and its surrounds for example - have become firm favourites with local and international visitors. Now the lesser known province of Limpopo is also hoping to take its place at the table.

ARGENTINA: Joining the Big Leagues in Spanish Language Training

Three public universities in Argentina have joined together to offer their own exam to assess and certify the Spanish language proficiency of non-native speakers, with the backing of the Education Ministry - a move that will make this country an even more attractive destination for ''language tourism''.

RIGHTS-PAKISTAN: Old Islamic Laws Trigger New Round of Debate

Age-old discriminatory customs are not uncommon in Pakistan, where a three-man village jury can allow a landlord to rape a woman to take revenge, and a whole tribe can be forced to flee its village if a woman dares to marry outside the tribe.

RIGHTS-KENYA: A Disturbing Trend in Female Genital Mutilation

A society free of female genital mutilation, also referred to as female circumcision, appeared somewhat distant this week after a group of women’s rights activists accused medical personnel of carrying out the practice.

DEVELOPMENT-NEPAL: Mountain Climbing Culture under Threat

For centuries, the Sherpas of Nepal revered the great mountains of the Himalayan region as dwelling places of gods and goddesses. The very thought of climbing them was considered blasphemous.

CULTURE: Multinational Grab in Multicultural Garb

The multinational companies backing what they call the Universal Forum of Cultures here would like everyone to believe this really is about culture.

POLITICS-CAMEROON: Church Vows to Exorcise “Demons of Electoral Fraud”

As candidates in Cameroon square up to each other for presidential elections in October, the Catholic Church is doing its best to ensure that the poll will not be an occasion for 'politics as usual' in the West African country.

RELIGION-INDIA: With Pro-Hindu Party Out, Church Activity Picks Up

Encouraged by the installation of a new government committed to the secular values enshrined in India's Constitution, churches in the country have begun reviving evangelical and charitable activities that were in limbo under the previous pro-Hindu coalition.

INDONESIA: Rights Advocate’s Expulsion a Step Backwards

Freedom of expression in Indonesia's emerging democracy suffered a big blow Sunday with the expulsion of a researcher with U.S. citizenship, in a well-respected think tank, who had exposed links between the Indonesian military intelligence and an Islamic group allegedly linked to terrorism.

CULTURE-CUBA: Attempted Renaissance of a Caribbean Chinatown

There is a place under the Caribbean sun in the Cuban capital where the calendars have 13 moons, where occasionally one hears the sound of an ancient gong, and where a tiger made of paper and silk might be seen making its way down the street.

RIGHTS-UGANDA: Odds Are Stacked Against Prosecuting Child Molesters

Incidents of sexual abuse, particularly of children, appear to be on the rise in Uganda. However, this apparent increase has not been matched by a similar rise in prosecutions. Instead, many families are still choosing to settle the cases out of court – despite the effect this could have on abuse victims.

ARGENTINA: Benetton Wins, Mapuches Lose

"Laws are for the ‘huincas' (whites). For us, democracy has not yet arrived," Mauro Millán, an indigenous leader from southern Argentina told IPS after a court ruling that reinstated to the Italian business group Benetton 300 hectares of land claimed by a Mapuche Indian family.

JAPAN: Debate Grows over An Empress at the Throne

Media reports suggesting that Japan's Crown Princess Masako is suffering from severe depression - linked to heavy pressure on her to produce a son - has revived a debate over the idea of allowing an empress to reign over the 2,000-year-old Chrysanthemum Throne.

DEVELOPMENT-SWAZILAND: Willing Hearts Do Battle With Empty Pockets

In a country where funds for social programmes are often lacking, volunteers find themselves being called on to fill the gap. Of late, however, the demands placed on these individuals have become increasingly burdensome.

ECONOMY-PORTUGAL: Soaring Eurocup Prices Could Hurt Tourism Industry

Perusing a multilingual menu in a restaurant in downtown Lisbon, IPS found that prices were significantly lower in the Portuguese section than in the pages printed in German, Spanish, French, English and Italian.

POLITICS-KENYA: New Constitution Takes Up Cudgels For Women

As the clock ticks closer to the deadline for introducing a new constitution in Kenya, Atsango Chesoni – for one – is filled with anticipation at the coming change.