BUENOS AIRES, Aug 13 (IPS) - Immortalised by a famous tango, the "Niebla del riachuelo" (Mist over the Riachuelo river) has begun to dissipate over Argentina's most polluted river, much of which is lined by factories and slums. But two centuries of neglect and a complex web of political and economic interests are hindering a clean-up plan that requires a broad, concerted effort.

SYDNEY, Aug 13 (IPS) - A pledge by political leaders two years ago to accelerate efforts toward closing the gender gap in the Pacific Islands has been boosted with the announcement that three women will take the helm of the regional intergovernmental organisation, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, headquartered in Suva, Fiji.

WASHINGTON, Aug 13 (IPS) - For the second time this year, an internal auditor has criticised the World Bank's private sector investment agency over dealings in Honduras, and is warning that similar problems are likely being experienced elsewhere.

MALAGA, Spain, Aug 12 (IPS) - José María Gómez squats and pulls up a bunch of carrots from the soil as well as a few leeks. This farmer from southern Spain believes organic farming is more than just not using pesticides and other chemicals – it's a way of life, he says, which requires creativity and respect for nature.

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Aug 12 (IPS) - Children are often the forgotten ones when policy-makers map out strategies to deal with climate change, even as they are least capable of fending for themselves in times of trouble.

WASHINGTON, Aug 12 (IPS) - The Islamic State's territorial expansion and barbaric executions in Iraq and Syria are a gathering threat and must be confronted. American air bombardment, however, is the wrong course of action, and will not necessarily weaken ISIS or DA'ISH, as it's known in Arabic.

SYDNEY, Aug 12 (IPS) - Suicide rates in the Pacific Islands are some of the highest in the world and have reached up to 30 per 100,000 in countries such as Samoa, Guam and Micronesia, double the global average, with youth rates even higher.

OAKLAND, United States, Aug 12 (IPS) - Mostly unreported as the Ukraine conflict captures headlines, international financing has played a significant role in the current conflict in Ukraine.

HARARE, Aug 12 (IPS) - Ethel Maziriri, 27, holds an Honours Degree in Social Work from the University of Zimbabwe, but instead of working in her chosen profession, she works as a cashier in one of the country's leading clothing retail company. And it's not by choice.

COYHAIQUE, Chile, Aug 12 (IPS) - The southern region of Aysén in Chile's Patagonian wilderness has the highest energy costs in the entire country. And the regional capital, Coyhaique, is the most polluted city in the nation, even though it has huge potential for hydroelectricity and wind power.