LATIN AMERICA: Wave of Water Privatisation Over; Coverage Challenge Remains

Now that the wave of water privatisation of the 1980s and 1990s has let up, the main challenge facing water utilities in Latin America is expanding coverage of high-quality water services.

Iran Battles U.S. At UN Human Rights Council

Forty-nine United Nations member-states have co-sponsored a resolution asking for a special mechanism to monitor Iran's human rights situation, which is expected to be voted later this week at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC).

Top Army Commanders Defect in Yemen

Several top Yemeni army commanders have declared their support for anti-government protesters seeking the resignation of the country's president, Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Q&A: “Women Must Be Part of the Peace Equation”

Eleven years ago, 192 countries – all the United Nations member states – agreed to step up the integration of women in international peacebuilding and security processes, a promise that has remained largely unmet.

PERU: Fujimorismo Candidates Allegedly Tied to Drug Trade

Congressional candidates nominated by the party of presidential hopeful Keiko Fujimori to stand in the Apr. 10 elections in Peru failed to inform the electoral authorities that they are under investigation for drug trafficking and money laundering.

EGYPT: Revolutionary Youth Give Clinton The Cold Shoulder

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last week paid a highly-publicised visit to Cairo's Tahrir Square, the epicentre of Egypt's recent popular uprising. But young leaders of the revolution declined an invitation to meet with her, citing Washington's tepid support for anti-government protesters over the course of the 18-day rebellion.

LIBYA: Uprising Revives Entrenched Racism Towards Black Africans

Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi's use of African mercenaries to quell the uprising against his autocratic regime has revived a deep-rooted racism between Arabs and black Africans.

MOZAMBIQUE: Educator in the Foothills of Her Political Career

If women like Judith Mussacula realise their aspirations to become the next generation of Mozambican politicians, the country's future will be in safe hands.

Syria Protesters Torch Buildings

Crowds have set fire to the courthouse and other buildings on a third straight day of demonstrations in the southern Syrian city of Daraa.

Muslim Brotherhood Goes Mainstream in Egypt

Egyptians voted in a nationwide referendum yesterday on proposed amendments to the constitutional articles that govern the electoral process. But regardless of the outcome, political analysts are certain that the Muslim Brotherhood, outlawed throughout the 30-year rule of ousted president Hosni Mubarak, remains poised to be an electoral force to be reckoned with.

High Turnout Marks ‘Orderly’ Egypt Vote

Long lines, orderly queues and a mostly calm and jubilant atmosphere marked Egypt's first nationwide vote since a popular uprising forced Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's long-time president, to step down in February, leaving the country without a constitution and under the control of an unelected military council.

LIBYA: Broad German Consensus Against a ‘Risky War’

The decision by the German government not to support the U.N. Security Council resolution adopted last Thursday to establish a "no-fly zone" in Libyan airspace expresses a widespread concern in Germany against military interventions abroad.

Forced Closure of HRW Worries Uzbek Rights Groups

Western powers must prove that their support for human rights is "on the right side of history" following the forced closure of the only independent international rights group in Uzbekistan, a country ruled by a repressive regime since 1991, rights defenders say.

Swazi Government Challenged

Swaziland's autocratic government is facing a growing challenge as a sharp decline in customs revenue forces budget cuts. Thousands of protesters brought the Swazi capital of Mbabane to a standstill Friday as they took to the streets to oppose imminent salary cuts to civil service wages - and demand changes to the country's government.

MEXICO-US: Little Spillover of “Narco-Deaths”

In the U.S. city of El Paso, Texas the media sounded the alarm: six murders committed in just two months, more than the 2010 total of five. Just across the Mexican border, in the sprawling border city of Ciudad Juárez, no one doubts that this year's homicide rate will surpass last year's record: 3,111.

LIBYA: Obama Threatens Military Action if Attacks Resume

U.S. President Barack Obama issued an ultimatum to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on Friday, less than 24 hours after the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution to "take all necessary measures" short of deploying an "occupation force".

Cambodia Struggles to Stem Domestic Worker Abuse

Cambodia’s fledgling domestic worker export industry continues to come under scrutiny amid allegations that women have been forcibly detained in privately run training centres.

Israel Deploys a Miniature Missile Defence System

Amidst recrudescence of tension on this critical front, the Israeli army is hoping to gain the technological upper hand in missile combat with 'Palestinian militants' by equipping one of its most sophisticated tanks with a miniature missile defence system.

Deep Divisions Over Egypt’s Referendum

Egyptians go to the polls Saturday to vote on a package of constitutional amendments which, in some ways, mirrors the longtime demands of the Egyptian opposition.

FILM: What a Palestinian Girl Saw Through Her Window

At the 331st meeting of the Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People held at United Nations headquarters Thursday, delegates made speeches most likely doomed to be lost in the abyss of countless Security Council resolutions, numerous rulings by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the basic provisions of the Geneva Conventions.

INDIA: Engaging Africa With Software and Soft Power

India cannot match China’s massive investments in Africa, but it is using its information technology capabilities and its affordable university courses to stay relevant on the continent.