News headlines for “Free Trade and Globalization”, page 504
U.S. Debating “Historic” Support for Off-Grid Electricity in Africa
- Inter Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jul 21 (IPS) - Pressure is building here for lawmakers to pass a bill that would funnel billions of dollars of U.S. investment into strengthening Africa's electricity production and distribution capabilities, and could offer broad new support for off-grid opportunities.
Spain: A Precarious Gateway to Europe for Syrian Refugees
- Inter Press Service

MALAGA, Spain, Jul 21 (IPS) - Little Samir covers his face with his hands as he plays under the orange tree in the centre of the inner courtyard of the Spanish Refugee Aid Commission (CEAR) centre in the southern city of Malaga. He is four years old and has spent nearly a year in Spain, where he arrived with his parents, fleeing the war in Syria.
Fragility of WTO’s Bali Package Exposed
- Inter Press Service

GENEVA, Jul 21 (IPS) - The "fragility" of the World Trade Organization's ‘Bali package' was brought into the open at the weekend meeting in Sydney, Australia, of trade ministers from the world's 20 major economies (G20).
U.S. Ranks Near Bottom Globally in Energy Efficiency
- Inter Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jul 18 (IPS) - A new ranking has lauded Germany for its energy efficiency, while condemning the United States for lagging near the bottom.
Do Not GM My Food!
- Inter Press Service

BERLIN, Jul 18 (IPS) - Attempts to genetically modify food staples, such as crops and cattle, to increase their nutritional value and overall performance have prompted world-wide criticism by environmental, nutritionists and agriculture experts, who say that protecting and fomenting biodiversity is a far better solution to hunger and malnutrition.
Caribbean Grapples with Intense New Cycles of Flooding and Drought
- Inter Press Service

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Jul 18 (IPS) - As unpredictable weather patterns impact water availability and quality in St. Lucia, the Caribbean island is moving to build resilience to climate-related stresses in its water sector.
As Winds of Change Blow, South America Builds Its House with BRICS
- Inter Press Service

MONTEVIDEO, Jul 18 (IPS) - While this week's BRICS summit might have been off the radar of Western powers, the leaders of its five member countries launched a financial system to rival Bretton Woods institutions and held an unprecedented meeting with the governments of South America.
U.S. Accused of Forcing EU to Accept Tar Sands Oil
- Inter Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jul 17 (IPS) - Newly publicised internal documents suggest that U.S. negotiators are working to permanently block a landmark regulatory proposal in the European Union aimed at addressing climate change, and instead to force European countries to import particularly dirty forms of oil.
Public Stockholding Programmes for Food Security Face Uphill Struggle
- Inter Press Service

GENEVA, Jul 17 (IPS) - Framing rules at the World Trade Organization for maintaining public stockholding programmes for food security in developing countries is not an easy task, and for Ambassador Jayant Dasgupta, former Indian trade envoy to the WTO, "this is even more so when countries refuse to acknowledge the real problem and hide behind legal texts and interpretations in a slanted way to suit their interests."
International Reform Activists Dissatisfied by BRICS Bank
- Inter Press Service

FORTALEZA, Brazil, Jul 17 (IPS) - The creation of BRICS' (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) own financial institutions was "a disappointment" for activists from the five countries, meeting in this northeastern Brazilian city after the group's leaders concluded their sixth annual summit here.
Global Issues