News headlines for “Free Trade and Globalization”, page 389
Interoceanic Canal Bogged Down in Nicaragua
- Inter Press Service

MANAGUA, Apr 08 (IPS) - Nearly three years after Nicaragua granted a 50-year concession to the Chinese consortium HKND to build and operate an interoceanic canal, the megaproject has stalled, partly due to a severe drought that threatens the rivers and lake that will form part of the canal.
Need to Encourage Agriculture
- Inter Press Service

JUBA, South Sudan, Apr 08 (IPS) - Facing an unprecedented economic crisis, South Sudan -- the newest nation of the world -- has urged its 12 million inhabitants to turn to agriculture instead of depending on declining oil revenues.
OPINION: Learning for History for Progress
- Inter Press Service

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Apr 07 (IPS) - The Chinese character for crisis combines the characters for ‘danger' and ‘opportunity'. Our ability to improve the human condition depends critically on our ability to recognize and address dangers, but also to seize opportunities made possible by recognizing that crises offer rare opportunities to pursue extraordinary options not normally available.
Sri Lanka Braces for Extreme Heat
- Inter Press Service

VAVUNIYA, Sri Lanka, Apr 07 (IPS) - Sri Lanka is facing the heat from a scorching sun for the past one month. In recent times, the country has imposed power cuts after almost a decade. The main reason was the stoppage at a coal power plant, but engineers at the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) admit that the island's hydro-power generation capacity is at such a critical low that without additional coal, diesel and renewable generation, the country's full demand for power cannot be met.
Global Guidelines on Land Tenure Making Headway in Latin America
- Inter Press Service

SANTIAGO, Apr 07 (IPS) - Voluntary guidelines on land tenure adopted by the international community to combat the growing concentration of land ownership and improve secure access to land have begun to make headway in Latin America, a region that is a leader in the fight against hunger and that is taking firm steps towards achieving food security.
OPINION: Indian Economy: Fading Promise or Gearing for Growth
- Inter Press Service

NEW DELHI, Apr 06 (IPS) - It was in 2001 that the Chief Economist of Goldman Sachs, Jim O'Neill, coined the acronym, BRICs, to denote the special category of large emerging economies, which he predicted were destined to transform the structure of the global economy, through sustained growth in the twenty first century. According to him, the BRICs, namely, Brazil, Russia, India and China, which at the turn of the century accounted for 25% of global Gross domestic product (GDP), could double their share to 50%.
Papua New Guinea First to Finalize National Climate Plan Under Paris Agreement
- Inter Press Service

WASHINGTON DC, Apr 01 (IPS) - On March 29, Papua New Guinea became the first country to formally submit the final version of its national climate action plan (called a "Nationally Determined Contribution," or NDC) under the Paris Agreement. The small Pacific nation's plan to transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2030 is no longer just an "intended" nationally determined contribution (INDC) – it is now the country's official climate plan.
Women Benefit From Simple Economic Ventures
- Inter Press Service

GAZA, Mozambique, Apr 01 (IPS) - Angelina Chiziane starts her day by getting her husband ready for work in a small village in the southern province of Gaza, Mozambique, some 216 kilometers away from the capital, Maputo.
OPINION: Ignore Standard Good Governance Prescriptions To Accelerate Development
- Inter Press Service

ROME, Mar 31 (IPS) - Many well-meaning people believe that "good governance" is key to inclusive development. But research claiming that "good governance" is essential for rapid growth suffers from serious methodological or conceptual limitations. Existing definitions are extremely broad, suffer from functionalist tautology, or mainly refer to corruption.
Benefits of Backpack Biogas
- Inter Press Service

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, Mar 31 (IPS) - Billions of dollars of aid has been pumped into Africa. Yet effective change too often remains an elusive outcome, leading to a vicious cycle: more needs, more aid but still little change. How to resolve this seemingly intractable dilemma?
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