Mercedes Sayagues SAO TOME, Aug 11 2009 (IPS) – Zinaldina dos Reus, Zizi for her friends, is washing clothes by a stream near the airport in São Tomé. Her toddler plays nearby. Zizi, 21, can t remember the last time she or her husband had malaria, years ago. She credits the free bed nets and … Read more
Ranjita Biswas KOLKATA, India, Sep 9 2009 (IPS) – Muslim religious leaders may seem too conservative to promote the message of safe sex to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic. But that image seems to be changing. Thanks to community-based organisations and young social entrepreneurs working quietly in villages. In Kolkata, the capital of the West Bengal … Read more
Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS, Nov 19 2009 (IPS) – The international community, which has been hit by a financial meltdown and a global food crisis, claims it is doing its best to protect and safeguard the rights of children worldwide. But its best is still not good enough, complains the U.N. children s agency UNICEF, … Read more
Neena Bhandari interviews IRENE KHAN, secretary general of Amnesty International SYDNEY, Nov 22 2009 (IPS) – As the number of people living in poverty swell to over two billion, Amnesty International Secretary-General Irene Khan makes a strong argument for human rights to be made central to development and eradication of poverty. In her book, The … Read more
Paul Virgo ROME, Dec 17 2009 (IPS) – Climate change has given vegetarians a big, new stick to bash meat-eating with, albeit one they would have gladly done without. A Rome butcher carves chicken. Credit: Paul Virgo While some have long claimed that meat is murder of animals, they can now argue it is killing … Read more
Jim Lobe WASHINGTON, Jan 29 2010 (IPS) – The pledge by the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation to provide 10 billion dollars over 10 years on vaccines aimed at reducing child mortality in the world s poorest countries was hailed by global health organisations around the world Friday. The commitment, which will more than double the … Read more
Daniel Zueras SAN JOSÉ, Mar 8 2010 (IPS) – The Costa Rican government has declared retirement communities, aimed at attracting U.S. pensioners, to be of national interest. Plans to create retirement clusters providing complete health services for older adults are seen as a profitable prospect for this Central American country. Old people as a business: … Read more
Mel Frykberg GAZA CITY, Apr 13 2010 (IPS) – You feel very sleepy and dizzy. You put your head down and all you want to do is sleep. Everything feels very peaceful, you are not even aware what is happening and if there is no immediate intervention you are dead within minutes, Enaam Abu Nada … Read more
Marcela Valente BUENOS AIRES, May 11 2010 (IPS) – With the right treatment, mother-to-child transmission of congenital syphilis and HIV, the AIDS virus, can be prevented. But every year, thousands of babies are still being born with these diseases in Latin America and the Caribbean. In spite of the high level (94 percent) of women … Read more
Wambi Michael* KAMPALA, Jun 24 2010 (IPS) – Baroness Lynda Chalker, a former British government minister, has been at the forefront of the intellectual property rights crusade to pass laws against counterfeits in east Africa. These laws threaten the use of life-saving generics in countries that depend on such medicines for some 90 percent of … Read more