News

07.05.2008 UNITED NATIONS, May 7 (OneWorld) - A major U.S.-based humanitarian aid group is urging the Bush administration to revise its aid policy toward Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) and provide immediate assistance to the cyclone victims in that country.

07.05.2008 Jesus León Santos, the leader of a democratic farmer-to-farmer network, recently received a prestigious environmental award for promoting sustainability through traditional agriculture in Oaxaca, Mexico.

07.05.2008 Sri Lanka’s worsening human rights record and failed promises for improvement undermine its claim for a place on the UN Human Rights Council, a coalition of national and international NGOs said in a letter released today.

07.05.2008 NGO representatives in Chad are mourning the killing by bandits of Pascal Marlinge, the country director of Save the Children UK.

07.05.2008 NEW YORK, May 6 (OneWorld) - Women's rights advocates in the United States have launched a novel global initiative aiming to help millions of women across the world who face violence at the hands of men.

06.05.2008 The United States should repeal restrictions on humanitarian assistance to Burma and help those affected by Cyclone Nargis, said an international refugee agency yesterday, higlighting the "tremendous need inside Burma."

06.05.2008 UNITED NATIONS, May 5 (OneWorld) - The United Nations is facing scathing criticism from the world's indigenous communities for its attempts to promote carbon trading as a tool to address climate change concerns.

06.05.2008 Tighter government monitoring to prevent the continued dumping of toxic e-waste on the developing world is demanded by the world federation of consumer organisations.

05.05.2008 Today's Millennium Development Goals summit in London is in danger of becoming an empty gesture for the world’s poor and a public relations stunt for big companies, campaigners warned today as they launched an alternative action plan and challenged UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to support it.
+ Brown slated on ‘cynical’ poverty event

05.05.2008 As of Monday Morning, almost 4,000 people are believed to have died -- and tens of thousands more were forced to flee their homes -- as Cyclone Nargis hit Burma this weekend. A thorough damage assessment will be difficult, notes the United Nations.

05.05.2008 Public bicycle rental programs are quickly springing up across Europe; cities including Washington, DC, Beijing, Moscow, and Tel Aviv may also soon be launching similar services.

04.05.2008 The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has entered into force, a month after the required 20th country ratified the treaty.

03.05.2008 UNITED NATIONS, May 2 (OneWorld) - The global food crisis is likely to persist if speculative investment by the corporate world is not reined in soon, warned a top expert responsible for reporting to the United Nations on human rights violations.

02.05.2008 Global press freedom continued its six-year decline in 2007, says a new report from a democracy and freedom research institute.
From: Freedom House

02.05.2008 Many British food and drinks processing companies have much to do before they can claim to be operating sustainably in terms of water consumption, concludes a new report.
From Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility

02.05.2008 UNITED NATIONS, May 1 (OneWorld) - The Canadian government has drawn fierce condemnation from the world's indigenous communities for its refusal to sign an international document that recognizes native people's right to self-determination.

02.05.2008 Demand for biofuels is destroying tribal peoples’ land and lives, according to a new report. Palm oil is one of the most destructive crops followed by sugar cane, soy, corn, manioc and jatropha.
From: Survival

01.05.2008 Despite insisting a week ago that Unilever would not be bounced into taking action, company boss Patrick Cescau has performed an about-turn and announced that his company supports a moratorium on rainforest destruction in Indonesia.