HARARE, Mar 12 (IPS) - African wetlands are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems on the continent, covering more than 131 million hectares, according to the Senegalese-based Wetlands International Africa (WIA).

ROME, Mar 12 (IPS) - The world is clearly splitting into two parallel worlds, with each going their own way, in what we could call the ‘Acapulco paradox'.

BUENOS AIRES, Mar 12 (IPS) - Industrial soy production continues to expand in Argentina, pushing small farmers out of the countryside and replacing other crops and cattle. It presents a challenge in a country where 70 percent of the food consumed comes from family farms, but which also needs the foreign exchange brought in by what has been dubbed "green gold".

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 12 (IPS) - A group of international women peacemakers announced on Wednesday at the United Nations their intention to walk across the two mile De-Militarized Zone (DMZ), in a call for peace and reunification of Korea.

, Mar 12 (IPS) - Audible gasps echoed through the United Nations' Trusteeship Council chamber on Tuesday, with audiences told the grim impacts of unsafe reproductive practices on women worldwide.

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 11 (IPS) - Speaking at a ceremony to honour 10 "extraordinary women" from Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America for their exceptional courage and leadership in advocating peace, justice, human rights and gender empowerment, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Heather Higginbottom cited the former president of Malawi Dr. Joyce Banda, recognised at the United Nations as a relentless advocate for women's rights.

VIENNA, Mar 11 (IPS) - In the face of the growing number of crises taking place at the same time worldwide, humanitarian aid organisations – many of which have already reached their financial and logistic limits – are in desperate need of global coordination.

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 11 (IPS) - A single image can be more powerful, more descriptive and more potent than an entire essay – ‘ a picture says a thousand words,' as the cliché goes.

CANBERRA, Australia, Mar 11 (IPS) - As conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere pushed the number of refugees to 13 million last year, the international community is struggling to shoulder the humanitarian responsibility of protecting those fleeing violence and persecution in their homelands.

SYDNEY, Mar 11 (IPS) - With less than a year to go before the United Nation's annual climate change meeting scheduled to take place in Paris in November 2015, citizens and civil society groups are pushing their elected leaders to take stock of national commitments to lower carbon emissions in a bid to cap runaway global warming.