News headlines in 2013, page 72

MANAMA, Aug 21 (IPS) - On Aug. 14, the 42^nd anniversary of Bahrain's independence from Britain, an online group called Tarmarod ("rebellion" in Arabic) officially joined Bahrain's democracy movement that began in February 2011.

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 21 (IPS) - Even as the United Nations laments the fact that more than 2.5 billion people in the developing world are still without adequate sanitation, both Japan and South Korea have gone upscale: offering automated toilets and piped-in classical music.

SAN SALVADOR, Aug 21 (IPS) - Josefina Escamilla was in the Salvadoran capital to protest against UK brewing giant SABMiller, whose local subsidiary plans to drill a new water well on land alongside her community that, she says, will cause water scarcity for local residents.

GENEVA, Aug 21 (IPS) - On Aug. 31, I will be stepping down after eight years as Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

NEW YORK, Aug 21 (IPS) - U.S. Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel welcomed Chinese Defence Minister Chang Wanquan to the Pentagon Monday as part of Chang's four-day tour of U.S. defence compounds.

MBABANE, Aug 21 (IPS) - Archaic and chauvinistic practices are being used to prevent Swazi women from taking part in the upcoming primary elections, despite the country having a constitution that guarantees their rights, says political analyst Dr. Sikelela Dlamini.

WASHINGTON, Aug 20 (IPS) - Countries in nearly every region of the world are continuing to turn to a U.S.-led model of prison privatisation despite mounting evidence that such systems are often neither cost-efficient nor able to provide adequate services.

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 20 (IPS) - Upon first glance, the emergency checklist distributed in Haiti after the 2010 earthquakelooks like any other. Organised into key categories like water, sanitation and hygiene, and psychosocial support, the information is typical of the kind circulated for emergency response.

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 20 (IPS) - Death threats are hardly uncommon in Colombia. In fact, if you are a human rights activist, it is practically guaranteed.

WASHINGTON, Aug 20 (IPS) - The United States government is recommending new preparations aimed at protecting vulnerable communities from climate change-related disasters, a year after a major hurricane devastated swaths of the country's East Coast.