Thursday, September 30, 2010

Is aid working? Is this the right question to be asking? | openDemocracy

Is aid working? Is this the right question to be asking? | openDemocracy:

"The systemic and cumulative effect of (all) aid agencies placing in the public domain evidence so heavily weighted in favour of aid’s successes is to discourage serious public debate about aid and its merits, a situation fuelled by aid’s critics adopting a very similar approach.� Aid’s supporters cite cases of aid to press the general case that “aid works”, aid’s critics cite particular examples of aid’s failures to try to make the general case that “aid doesn’t work”.� The result is that public discussions of aid are characterised by a lack of effective debate and engagement, conducted more like ships passing in the night.�"

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Energy-generating soccer ball wins Popular Mechanics prize



Energy-generating soccer ball wins Popular Mechanics prize: "What a kick! A soccer ball that generates electricity that could help light African homes has won recognition in the sixth annual Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Awards, the magazine announced today."

Nepal has lessons to teach on TB | Global development | guardian.co.uk

Nepal has lessons to teach on TB | Global development | guardian.co.uk:

"Nepal, famous for its beautiful trekking routes and for being home to eight of the world's 10 highest mountains, including Everest, is also well-known in the small circle of world TB experts for running one of the innovative programmes to fight the disease in modern times, in the developing world."

Why is the Gates foundation investing in GM giant Monsanto? | John Vidal | Global development | guardian.co.uk

Why is the Gates foundation investing in GM giant Monsanto? | John Vidal | Global development | guardian.co.uk:

"The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is sponsoring the Guardian's Global development site is being heavily criticised in Africa and the US for getting into bed not just with notorious GM company Monsanto, but also with agribusiness commodity giant Cargill."

Iranian pioneer of reform bloggers jailed for 19 years - Middle East, World - The Independent

Iranian pioneer of reform bloggers jailed for 19 years - Middle East, World - The Independent:

"An Iranian court has sentenced the founder of one of the first Farsi-language blogs, credited with sparking the boom in Iranian reform bloggers, to more than 19 years in prison.

The Iranian-Canadian Hossein Derakhshan, 35, was a controversial figure among Iran's blogging community. Writing his blog from Canada, he was initially a critic of Iran's clerical leadership and in 2006 visited Israel – Iran's arch enemy – saying he wanted to act as a bridge between the two countries' peoples."

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Africa's wind of change, 50 years on - Africa, World - The Independent

Africa's wind of change, 50 years on - Africa, World - The Independent:

"On the eve of Black History Month, Africans reflect on their independence

By Paul Bignell
Sunday, 26 September 2010"

Op-Ed Columnist - Birth Control Over Baldness - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - Birth Control Over Baldness - NYTimes.com:
"Family planning has long been a missing — and underfunded — link in the effort to overcome global poverty. Half a century after the pill, it’s time to make it a priority and treat it as a basic human right for men and women alike around the world."

Friday, September 24, 2010

Reuters AlertNet - Want to fight poverty? Help countries build their own capacity

Reuters AlertNet - Want to fight poverty? Help countries build their own capacity:

"This post is written by Porter McConnell who works for the Aid Effectiveness Team at Oxfam America.
A new Oxfam America report released last week suggests that US foreign aid hasn't always done the best job of supporting capacity building in poor countries. When we rely on US personnel and systems instead of relying on a country's own people and systems, we forget that fighting poverty starts with helping people in poor countries invest in their own human capital, organizations, and institutions. And we forget that donors don't do development, people develop themselves.
The report outlines where US foreign aid needs improvement, and concrete steps to make those improvements."

Reuters AlertNet - 19 pct of gay, bisexual men in US cities have HIV

Reuters AlertNet - 19 pct of gay, bisexual men in US cities have HIV:

"23 Sep 2010 16:00:12 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Nearly half of infected men don't know their status-CDC
* CDC calls for renewed HIV prevention efforts
CHICAGO, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Nearly one in five gay and bisexual men in 21 major U.S. cities are infected with HIV, and nearly half of them do not know it, U.S. health officials said on Thursday.
Young men, and especially young black men, are least likely to know if they are infected with HIV, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Op-Ed Columnist - Boast, Build and Sell - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - Boast, Build and Sell - NYTimes.com

World leaders have flown in first class to the United Nations this week to discuss global poverty over cocktails at the Waldorf Astoria.

The U.N. set eight landmark antipoverty objectives in 2000, so this year’s General Assembly is reviewing how we’re doing after a decade. We’re off-track on most of these Millennium Development Goals, so let me offer three suggestions for how the humanitarian world might do better in framing the fight against poverty:

First, boast more.

How to be a true (non-mosque fearing) American - How the World Works - Salon.com

How to be a true (non-mosque fearing) American - How the World Works - Salon.com

Seriously! Now THIS is an American sentiment I can support.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

BBC News - UN warns of refugee camp dangers to children

BBC News - UN warns of refugee camp dangers to children: "Camps for displaced people are among the most dangerous places for children caught up in war, a UN special investigator says.

Radhika Coomaraswamy, who has produced a report on the camps for the UN human rights council, said there was a lack of protection for children."

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Which Bottom Billion?


"With all the MDG stats flying around at the moment, you may have missed a new paper that presents one simple statistic that will, over time, revolutionise how rich countries use aid and support development. It is this: more poor people live in middle-income countries (MICs) than low income countries (LICs). Lots more.
According to Andy Sumner (at the Institute of Development Studies), who wrote this paper, approximately three quarters of the world's 1.3 billion poor people today live in MICs, with the others living in LICs, mostly in Africa."

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Bridging the Gulf: Bahrain's big experiment with democracy - Middle East, World - The Independent

Bridging the Gulf: Bahrain's big experiment with democracy - Middle East, World - The Independent:

"Though more liberal than its neighbours, the country is feeling the impact of political Islam.

By Joan Smith
Sunday, 12 September 2010"

BBC News - DR Congo bans mining in eastern provinces

BBC News - DR Congo bans mining in eastern provinces:

"Mining in three provinces of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has been banned by President Joseph Kabila.

He ordered the indefinite suspension during a visit to the mining hub town of Walikale; the mining industry later confirmed it was with immediate effect."

China rethinks its controversial one-child policy - Asia, World - The Independent

China rethinks its controversial one-child policy - Asia, World - The Independent:

"China's one-child policy, probably the most audacious exercise in social engineering the world has ever seen, could be up for review, as Beijing policymakers worry about the effects of a population ageing fast, with insufficient numbers of youngsters to support them."

Cholera epidemic kills 800 people - Africa, World - The Independent

Cholera epidemic kills 800 people - Africa, World - The Independent:
"The worst cholera epidemic in Nigeria in 19 years has killed nearly 800 people in two months. The disease is also spreading to Cameroon, Chad and Niger, where it has killed hundreds of others."

Friday, September 10, 2010

The Right-Wing Has Made It Next to Impossible for Many Women to Get Abortions | Reproductive Justice | AlterNet

The Right-Wing Has Made It Next to Impossible for Many Women to Get Abortions | Reproductive Justice | AlterNet: "The Right-Wing Has Made It Next to Impossible for Many Women to Get Abortions
For many women, getting access to abortion has become extraordinarily difficult. Conservatives' plan is to make it impossible."

Reuters AlertNet - World Water Week podcast: 90% of Gazan water not safe to drink

Reuters AlertNet - World Water Week podcast: 90% of Gazan water not safe to drink:

"07 Sep 2010 09:44:22 GMT
Source: Oxfam GB - UK
Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.

Palestinians and Israelies may soon be sharing water unsafe for drinking. Willow Heske talks to human rights organisations in Israel about concerns that both groups should have over the water and sanitation situation in Gaza."

Op-Ed Columnist - America’s History of Fear - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - America’s History of Fear - NYTimes.com: "But we have a more glorious tradition intertwined in American history as well, one of tolerance, amity and religious freedom. Each time, this has ultimately prevailed over the Know Nothing impulse.

Americans have called on moderates in Muslim countries to speak out against extremists, to stand up for the tolerance they say they believe in. We should all have the guts do the same at home."

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Alison Evans: 'Saving a life is expensive' | Katine | guardian.co.uk

Alison Evans: 'Saving a life is expensive' | Katine | guardian.co.uk: "'Aid is only one part of development. Development is messy and complex and subject to reversal and there are few magic bullets,' she says.

'The problem is that the critics of aid don't need to work hard,' she points out to me. 'Its defenders do.'"

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

BBC News - Climate shifts 'not to blame' for African civil wars

BBC News - Climate shifts 'not to blame' for African civil wars:

"'Targeted climate adaptation initiatives, such as those outlined in various UN (strategies), can have significant positive implications for social well-being and human security.

'But these initiatives should not be considered a replacement for traditional peace-building strategies."

Saturday, September 4, 2010

BBC News - Israeli academics boycott West Bank settlements

BBC News - Israeli academics boycott West Bank settlements:

"More than 150 Israeli academics say they will no longer lecture or work in Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

In a letter, they said they supported the recent decision by a group of actors and others not to take part in cultural activity there."
 
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