News headlines in November 2012, page 23

WASHINGTON, Nov 02 (IPS) - A few weeks ago, President Barack Obama was seen as certain to collect the majority of women's votes in the Nov. 6 presidential election. Four days before the election, however, the women's vote is thought to be divided equally between Obama and his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney.

ROME, Nov 02 (IPS) - Despite a sudden increase in July this year, prices of cereals on world markets remained fairly stable. But there are no grounds for complacency, as cereals markets remain vulnerable to supply shocks and disruptive policy measures. In this context, the good harvests that are expected in the Southern Hemisphere are important.

NAIROBI, Nov 02 (IPS) - As Kenya gets ready for voter registration this month, ahead of the country's Mar. 4, 2013 polls, women's rights organisations are hoping that the provisions for gender equality in the new constitution will mean significantly increased representation in the government.

RIFT VALLEY, Kenya, Nov 02 (IPS) - Kenya's Ogiek community, the indigenous group of hunter-gatherers who were evicted from the Mau Forest three years ago, say they will no longer sit by and watch logging companies profit from the resources of their traditional home while they live in poverty in tented camps around the forest without even the most basic of services, like sanitation.

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua, Nov 02 (IPS) - In the 1980's, Caribbean countries wanted to shore up their prospects of social and economic development in the coming decades, so they looked to the financial services sector to spur employment and development. They managed to develop a robust industry, particularly in the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands.

NEW YORK, Nov 02 (IPS) - As the East Coast deals with the havoc and devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy, climate scientists are seeing yet another reason to put climate change and global warming on the current political agenda.

BUENOS AIRES, Nov 01 (IPS) - A new law lowering the voting age from 18 to 16 expands the political rights of young people in Argentina.

WASHINGTON, Nov 01 (IPS) - Representatives of nearly 40 civil society organisations from throughout the Americas gathered here on Wednesday to express concerns with proposed changes to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 01 (IPS) - Upheaval over a new system of press regulation, which envisages stronger government intervention in the media, is posing a growing threat to Britain's age-old press freedom and to that same freedom worldwide.

MEXICO CITY, Nov 01 (IPS) - Non-governmental organisations in Mexico are presenting a complaint Friday Nov. 2 before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights about government mistreatment and "social cleansing" of thousands of people living on the street in several of the country's cities.