Japan Boosts Complex Fight to Eliminate Leprosy in Brazil; Why Environmental and Humanitarian Action Must Be Linked; and more

Drought, Disease and War Hit Global Agriculture, Says U.N. James Reinl The United Nations has warned of drought, disease and war preventing farmers from producing enough food for millions of people across Africa and other regions, leading to the need for major aid operations. A report called the Crop Prospects and Food Situation by the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture ... MORE > >

Today’s Menu: Pesticide Salad, Leaded Fish with Plastic, Chemical Fruit Baher Kamal In case you were not aware or just do not remember: all you eat, drink, breathe, wear, take as a medicine, the cosmetics you use, the walls of your house, among others, is full of chemicals. And all is really ALL. For instance, in your bathroom, formaldehyde often sits in your shampoo, ... MORE > >

A Lifelong Battle Against the "Disease of Silence" Mario Osava Yohei Sasakawa has dedicated half of his 80 years of life to combating the "disease of silence" and is still fighting the battle, as president of the Nippon Foundation and World Health Organisation (WHO) goodwill ambassador for elimination of leprosy, formally known as Hansen's Disease. His ... MORE > >

In Era of Reform, Ethiopia Still Reverts to Old Tactics to Censor Press Muthoki Mumo On June 22, Ethiopia was plunged into an internet blackout following what the government described as a failed attempted coup in the Amhara region. In the aftermath at least two journalists were detained under the country's repressive anti-terror law, part of an uptick in arrests that CPJ has ... MORE > >

What Should FAO's New Director General Focus on? Daud Khan On 23 June 2019 Mr Qu Dongyu of China was elected as the new Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization. FAO is one of the largest UN specialized agencies with a budget for 2018-19 of US.5 billion, offices in over 130 countries and more than 11,000 employees. Mr Qu takes ... MORE > >

Will the UN & World Bank Continue to Lag Behind Europe in Ending Male Leadership? Thalif Deen The nominations of Christine Lagarde of France as the first woman to head the European Central Bank (ECB) and Ursula von der Leyen of Germany as the first woman to lead the 28-nation European Commission, have been described as significant landmarks in the higher echelons of international ... MORE > >

Right to Information in Latin America & the Caribbean Luis Felipe López-Calva Transparency is a critical element of making governance more effective. By making information available, it creates a foundation for greater accountability to citizens. In recent decades, transparency has been on the rise across Latin America and the Caribbean. According to data from the ... MORE > >

Industrial Policy Finally Legitimate? Jomo Kwame Sundaram For decades, the two Bretton Woods institutions have rejected the contribution of industrial policy (IP), or government investment and technology promotion efforts, in accelerating and sustaining growth, industrialization and structural transformation. Finally, two International Monetary Fund ... MORE > >

Japan Boosts Complex Fight to Eliminate Leprosy in Brazil Mario Osava When cases of Hansen's disease, better known as leprosy, increase in Brazil, it is not due to a lack of medical assistance but to the growing efficacy of the health system in detecting infections, contrary to the situation in other countries. This unique aspect of the disease was highlighted ... MORE > >

Of Leaders Then and Now Issa Sikiti da Silva Richard Dossevi parks his motorcycle taxi on one of the busiest street corners in Cotonou, Benin's commercial capital, to wait for commuters amid the summer heat. It has been four years since he left his native Togo to seek work opportunities in neighbouring Benin. He found none. So the ... MORE > >

Solar Collectors and Solidarity Change Lives in Argentina Daniel Gutman "This is the best thing ever invented for the poor," says Emanuel del Monte, pointing to a tank covered in black tarps protruding from the roof of his house. It forms part of a system built mostly from waste materials, which heats water through solar energy and is improving lives in ... MORE > >

Zero Population Growth vs Population Control Marian Starkey Knowledge is power, but with the caveat that said knowledge is based in fact. Otherwise, it’s misinformation. I appreciate the journalism of IPS. Similarly, I respect and spend much of my time advocating for Americans to demand that the United States support the work of the UN Population Fund ...MORE > >

Australia’s Forgotten Asylum Seekers Charlotte Munns As the focus of Australian politics shifts away from refugee and asylum-seeker policies, the government avoids accountability for inhumane actions. Despite clear concerns that Australia’s offshore processing facilities for asylum seekers in Nauru and Manus Island are violating basic human ... MORE > >