SCIENCE: Bioterror Fears Dim Biotech Potential

Terrorists using biotechnology could create virulent new diseases that threaten millions of people and imperil future development of the technology, ethical experts warn.

CLIMATE CHANGE: Looking to Life After Kyoto

Even before the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol's first period can begin, a dialogue has been launched on limiting climate change after the current agreement ends in six years.

RUSSIA: Eighth in G8 But Not Last

As preparation of sorts for the G8 finance ministers meeting held in Moscow Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that Russia is a rightful member of the group, and therefore ready to assume chairmanship in July this year.

FINANCE: US Lawmakers Call Nigerian Debt “Odious”

Anti-debt campaigners and some U.S. lawmakers are joining forces to call on the George W. Bush administration to return debt arrears owed by Nigeria and to let the African nation spend the funds on health and education through a World Bank-sponsored fund.

FINANCE: IMF Debt Relief Welcomed as “First Step”

Nineteen of the world's poorest nations will get debt relief worth 3.3 billion dollars by early next year under a programme announced by wealthy nations, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Wednesday.

DEVELOPMENT: Post-Summit Dilemma of Promises and Delivery

Less than two weeks after the much-ballyhooed U.N. summit meeting of some 170 political leaders, the world's 132 developing nations want to sustain the pressure on rich donor nations to deliver on their promises.

DEVELOPMENT: World Bank, IMF Back Debt Cancellation

The World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) have agreed that the debts owed by 18 of world's poorest countries to them and to the African Development Bank will be cancelled "outright" and "upfront", bringing an end to the suspense surrounding the issue for nearly three months.

FINANCE: IMF Policies Thwart Poverty Goals – Report

If U.S. President George W. Bush is serious about his enthusiastic embrace last week at the United Nations of democracy and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to slash global poverty, he will press his treasury secretary and other members of the governing board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) meeting here this week to stop imposing strict spending limits on poor-country governments.

DEVELOPMENT: Indebted Countries Await Word on G8 Pledge

When the world's finance ministers converge on Washington for the annual meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) this week, they will determine the fate of an unprecedented proposal set forth by the richest countries of the world regarding their relationship with the poorest.

DEVELOPMENT: Calling the Debt Relief Bluff

Speaking on the sidelines of a major U.N. summit Thursday, British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned that the much-touted debt relief deal negotiated at the July G8 meeting in Gleneagles, Scotland is in serious danger of being scuttled.

POLITICS: G8 Debt Relief Could Lead to New Borrowing

Anti-debt campaigners leaked a document Tuesday showing that the World Bank is considering extending additional loans to countries eligible for a widely-publicised debt cancellation plan by the world's richest nations, a scheme that they say would defeat the purpose of the write-off.

DEVELOPMENT-AFRICA: Laying Out the Pros and Cons of the G8 Summit

Two years ago, Caroline Sande-Mukulira joined civil society activists in the French resort of Evian to plead Africa's cause.

G8 SUMMIT: Pop Campaign on Africa Fizzles Out

Outside of British officialdom, celebrations over increased G8 aid for Africa were confined mostly to a population of two - rock stars Bob Geldof and Bono.

G8 SUMMIT: London Blasts Spark Speculation and Sympathy in South Africa

Leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) major industrialized nations wrapped up their summit in Gleneagles, Scotland this week, amidst images of bloodstained commuters crying and struggling to get away from the scene of blasts that occurred in Britain’s capital – London.

G8 SUMMIT: No Solutions Here to ‘Climate Chaos’ – Activists

Around 500 activists in Glasgow said goodbye to the G8 Summit with a street party against climate change Friday, rejecting "any market-led techno-fixes to the climate crisis by an unelected global elite".

POLITICS-US: Familiar Debate Resumes in Wake of London Bombings

Thursday's London bombings that killed at least 49 people have rekindled a familiar debate in this country on the question first posed after the Sep. 11, 2001 attacks on New York and the Pentagon: "Why do they hate us?"

G8 SUMMIT: Middle East Gets Money and Advice

A three-billion-dollar offer to rebuild the Palestinian economy marked the strongest part of a G8 push at its summit to bring the Middle East around to its way.

G8 SUMMIT: Africa Is Offered a Little – At a Price

The G8 leaders offered Africa a little with one hand, but that offer cloaked intent to take back more - and with many more hands.

G8 SUMMIT: U.S. Trips Up Climate Agreement

The G8 countries remained divided over how to tackle global climate change at the end of their three-day summit here.

G8 SUMMIT: Don’t Forget Asia

Leading campaigners have warned against forgetting Asia's poor in the campaign to eradicate poverty in Africa.

G8 SUMMIT: London Blasts No Shock to Protesters in Gleneagles

After the massive protests around Scotland on the first day of the Group of Eight summit, Thursday was relatively a quiet day for activists: time to deal with those who got themselves arrested and get some rest before the next actions.