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Saturday, November 7, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
Science and Technology
TECHNOLOGY: Africa Urged to Use IT to Kick-start Economic Growth
Africa must "think big" and come-up with a master plan to fast-track the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on the continent - if it is to use ICT to kick-start economic growth and social development in its countries, says South African President Thabo Mbeki.ENVIRONMENT: Farmers Abandoning Their Ploughs
More farmers in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan are using low-till agriculture than ever before, leading to increased yields, less herbicide use and improved water conservation, say agricultural researchers.TECHNOLOGY: Experts Discuss Ways of Bridging ‘Digital Divide’
The Information Society Technology (IST) that was intended to create an inclusive society in which all citizens may have an easy access to information and virtual communities, is actually widening the existing gaps between North and South, rich and poor, men and women, young and old.TECHNOLOGY-BRAZIL: New Strategies to Overcome Foreign Dependence
Most of the patents registered in Brazil belong to foreign companies, a clear indication of the country's level of technological dependence, which a conference this week made efforts to overcome.TECHNOLOGY-INDIA: Poor Man’s Computer to Help Basic Education
The first assignment of a poor man's hand-held computer, developed in this global information technology (IT) hub, is to bring basic education to tribal children in central India.HEALTH-ASIA: Local Technology a Good Prescription for Cheap Drugs
Asian governments and public health policymakers should learn from India's success in producing cheaper drugs with local technology, which shows that developing countries can challenge the stranglehold that multinational firms have on technology crucial to health, experts here say.BRAZIL-US: Rocket Launch Base Accord Faces Resistance in Congress
The Brazilian government is stepping up its efforts to prevent Congress from rejecting a treaty that will allow the United States to use the Alcantara base in northern Brazil for launching satellites.COMMUNICATION-VENEZUELA: ‘Infocentres’ Bring Internet to the People
In an attempt to narrow the technological divide between rich and poor in Venezuela, the government of Hugo Chávez has opened "infocentres" offering the public free access to the Internet, which critics say are a good idea but aimed at giving the government a propaganda boost.DEVELOPMENT-PERU: Social Costs of Failure to Invest in Science
Investment in science and technology in Peru, the lowest in the Americas in relative terms, continues to be excluded from government priorities, while some research centres are closing their doors and others are relegated to carrying out work that benefits transnational corporations.SCIENCE-RUSSIA: Discovery Claims Do Little to Improve Image
A group of Russian scientists has come up with sensational claims of fundamental discoveries. However, their assertions provide more questions than answers about the current, deplorable state of Russian science.SCIENCE-JAPAN: Ambition Soars with Supersonic Plane Project
It will fly 10 percent faster than the Concorde, have a far greater flying range, consume less fuel and produce engine noise levels akin to just that of a jumbo jet.TECHNOLOGY-BRITAIN: Strong Push for Biotech Research in London
The mapping of the human genome has led to a flood of research in London that is seeing a string of new companies do their bit to turn man into superman.TECHNOLOGY-BRITAIN: Strong Push for Biotech Research in London
The mapping of the human genome has led to a flood of research in London that is seeing a string of new companies do their bit to turn man into superman.SCIENCE: New Consortium Launches Banana Genome Project
International research centres have launched a five-year project to sequence the genome of the wild banana in hopes of learning how to make its domestic varieties, grown on three continents, more resistant to diseases and pests.CENTRAL AMERICA: NASA Donates Map for Protecting the Environment
The seven countries of Central America now have in their hands the maps and photographs provided by the satellites of the US-based NASA, allowing them to develop strategies for protecting the environment and for urban planning.TECHNOLOGY: ICT Not the Backbone of Development Says EU Official
The European Union Commissioner responsible for development and humanitarian aid, Poul Nielson, has cautioned against exaggerating the role of information and communication technology (ICT) in alleviating poverty./REPEAT/ COMMUNICATIONS-JAMAICA: Former Monopoly Creaks under Weight of Competition
Under threat of competition for the first time in its 100 year history in Jamaica, telecommunications giant Cable and Wireless Jamaica (C&WJ) went on a blitz to sign up new customers with attractive offers of lower price and improved quality for its cellular services.COMMUNICATIONS-JAMAICA: Former Monopoly Creaks under Weight of Competition
Under threat of competition for the first time in its 100 year history in Jamaica, telecommunications giant Cable and Wireless Jamaica (C&WJ) went on a blitz to sign up new customers with attractive offers of lower price and improved quality for its cellular services.SCIENCE: Important Clue Toward Finding Life on Other Planets
The discovery that a planet was probably consumed by its star marks a big step toward understanding planetary systems in general, and the possibility of one day finding other inhabited planets, Armenian scientist Garik Israelian told IPS.INDIA: Satellite Rocket Failure Affects Likely ICBM Plans
The failure of India's geo-stationary satellite launching rocket has not only delayed plans to enter the lucrative satellite launch market, but also to acquire inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) capability.SCIENCE: Brazil Showcases Cutting-Edge Genome Research
Brazil is celebrating its rite of passage into the ranks of the global scientific elite with an international conference on genome research that opened Monday in the town of Angra dos Reis, 180 kms south of Rio de Janeiro.« Previous Page — Next Page »
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