Global Issues News Headlines

Climate Change-Mexico: A Policy of Pretence

2009-11-20T00:00:00-08:00

Although it is the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases in Latin America and the Caribbean, after Brazil, and will be hosting next year's United Nations climate meeting, Mexico is heading to the Cophenhagen summit practically empty-handed.

Q&A: 'Karzai Assigned a Rabbit to Take Care of the Carrot'

2009-11-20T00:00:00-08:00

In the aftermath of national elections widely condemned as fraudulent, the United States and its allies are wondering what to do about Afghanistan.

Haiti: Shooting Incident Sparks Anger at U.N. Troops

2009-11-20T00:00:00-08:00

Under a beating sun in the grassy field where two U.N. helicopters landed in Grand Goave last week, 19-year-old Benson Blanc moved his hands as if rapid-firing a gun into the ground in front of him and made a 'tok-tok-tok-tok' sound. This is how the soldiers opened fire, he said.

U.S.: Obama Returns to Greater Middle East Mess

2009-11-20T00:00:00-08:00

As Barack Obama arrives home from his weeklong tour of East Asia, he confronts a growing list of ever more urgent problems in the Greater Middle East that he inherited from George W. Bush's 'global war on terror'.

Biodiversity: Plants Finally Get DNA Barcodes

2009-11-20T00:00:00-08:00

Advances made in genetic profiling could be used to fight illegal timber trading, provide authentication of herbal medicines and map entire food chains, according to experts at a conference of the Mexican Academy of Sciences.

Rights-Laos: How Women Cope With Disability - Part 1

2009-11-20T00:00:00-08:00

Before 2002, Chanhpheng Sivila held training workshops for the many Lao disabled women and men at her own house.

Cambodia: Once ‘Extinct’ Crocodile Claws Its Way Back to Survival

2009-11-20T00:00:00-08:00

Siamese crocodiles once ranged far and wide across South-east Asia, from Indonesia to Vietnam, Laos to Thailand. But habitat loss and poaching virtually wiped out the three-metre long animals. Twenty years ago they were classified as effectively extinct in the wild.

Q&A: Maternal Mortality Rates ‘One of the Saddest Cases’ in Asia

2009-11-20T00:00:00-08:00

Nearly 15 years after a landmark international conference to advance the rights and freedoms of women, the picture in the Asia-Pacific region is mixed, says a leading women’s rights advocate and senior United Nations official.

Climate Change-Thailand: Bangkok: A Future Filled with Floods

2009-11-20T00:00:00-08:00

Thailand’s capital, dubbed the ‘City of Angels’ and the ‘Venice of the East’, is threatened by long-term flood inundation as rising sea waters triggered by global weather change and monsoonal rains combine.

Energy-Tanzania: Charcoal A Dirty Trade-Off

2009-11-19T00:00:00-08:00

The sun is setting slowly over Dar es Salaam's Tabata Changombe neighbourhood. Ameenah and Skukulu Juma lean against the corrugated iron walls of their makeshift charcoal shop.