News headlines in 2011, page 52

The South Korean government has been campaigning to have its southern island of Jeju recognised as one of the seven new wonders of nature. A favourite honeymoon spot in Asia and an official 'island of peace', Jeju already boasts several UNESCO World Natural Heritage sites.

Dennis Ross, President Barack Obama's top Middle East aide who has attracted criticism for his allegedly strong pro-Israel sympathies, will leave his post at the end of this month, the White House announced here Thursday.

How does a freezer purchased with a microloan change the life of a poor woman in Senegal? What are the Study Solidarity Olympics? How many lives can an ambulance equipped to attend births save in Ethiopia?

The number of people flocking to cooperative banks has recently skyrocketed in the U.S., with 650,000 people and 84 million dollars joining credit unions just since late September. Their rationale: financial cooperatives offer a more secure and socially just alternative to big commercial banks — or a way for the 99 percent to fight the one percent.

Last Friday Benoit Miribel, President of Action Against Hunger, delivered a strong indictment of the outcome of the Group of 20 (G20) summit in the south of France: 'The G20 meeting in Cannes has been a missed opportunity.'

'In truth, none of the candidates and none of the parties have a programme for society,' asserts Mastaki Mushosi, one of the leaders of the National Union of Catholic School Teachers in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

For many immigrants living in the U.S., a good job can be hard to come by. For those who do find employment - generally in low-paying jobs — every paycheck counts. Which is why, when a paycheck is smaller than it should be — or when it doesn't show up at all — everything comes to a halt.

An original campaign led by men is getting thousands of men in Argentina to reflect on the abuse of power and commit themselves to helping eradicate violence against women.

Greek party leaders have agreed to name Lucas Papademos, a former European Central Bank vice-president, as prime minister of a new interim government until early elections, the president's office said.

Countries have chained themselves to a fossil fuel train that is headed straight off a cliff, warns the International Energy Agency (IEA).