The Week with IPS 8/29

  2016/8/26

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	Tracing War Missing Still a Dangerous Quest in Sri Lanka Amantha Perera As Sri Lanka readies to begin the grim task of searching for thousands of war missing, those doing the tracing on the ground say that they still face intimidation and threats while doing their work. The government will set up the Office for Missing Persons (OMP) by October following its ... MORE > >
	The Lesser Sex Rose Delaney Sakina’s  glare is empty. Her defeated, glassy eyes scan the room passively. The subdued silence and withered frame expose her fragility. As a young girl, she endured both the physical and emotional trauma that had aged her into a state of lifelessness. Sakina’s childhood innocence had ... MORE > >
	Asia, Looking Beyond the Green Revolution IPS Correspondents More than 2.2 billion people in Asia rely on agriculture for their livelihoods, but the Asian Development Bank warns that stagnant and declining yields of major crops such as rice and wheat can be ultimately linked to declining investments in agriculture. Public investments in agriculture in India, ... MORE > >
	Ships Bring Your Coffee, Snack and TV Set, But Also Pests and Diseases Baher Kamal “Every evening, millions of people all over the world will settle into their armchairs to watch some TV after a hard day at work. Many will have a snack or something to drink… … That TV probably arrived in a containership; the grain that made the bread in that sandwich came in a bulk carrier; ... MORE > >
	Smart Technologies Key to Youth Involvement in Agriculture Friday Phiri She is only 24 and already running her father’s farm with 110 milking cows. Cornelia Flatten sees herself as a farmer for the rest of her life. “It’s my passion," says the young German. "It is not just about the money but a way of life. My dream is to grow this farm and transform it to improve ... MORE > >
	Concern over Profit-Oriented Approach to Biodiversity in Latin America Emilio Godoy In July 2015, the Mexican government granted a U.S. corporation permission for the use of genetic material obtained in Mexican territory for commercial and non-commercial purposes, in one of the cases that has fuelled concern in Latin America about the profit-oriented approach to ... MORE > >
	US, EU Accused of Paying Lip Service to Global Arms Treaty Thalif Deen The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which was aimed at curbing the flow of small arms and light weapons to war zones and politically-repressive regimes, is being openly violated by some of the world’s arms suppliers, according to military analysts and human rights organizations. The ongoing ... MORE > >
	Uruguay’s Victory over Philip Morris: a Win for Tobacco Control and Public Health Germán Velásquez In a landmark decision that has been hailed as a victory of public health measures against narrow commercial interests, an international tribunal has dismissed a claim by tobacco giant company Philip Morris that the Uruguay government violated its rights by instituting tobacco control ... MORE > >
	India's New Maternity Benefits Act Criticised as Elitist Neeta Lal The passage of the landmark Maternity Benefits Act 1961 by the Indian Parliament, which mandates 26 weeks of paid leave for mothers as against the existing 12, has generated more heartburn than hurrahs due to its skewed nature. The law will also facilitate ‘work from home’ options for nursing ... MORE > >
	UN Admits it Needs to do More After Causing Haiti Cholera Epidemic Phoebe Braithwaite Update: On Thursday 18 August the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld the immunity of the UN from legal proceedings in the case of Georges et al v. United Nations et. al (the Haiti Cholera case) in accordance with the UN Charter and other international treaties. Six ... MORE > >
	The Time is Ripe to Act against Drought Monique Barbut Let us start with some good news.  Sort of.  The strongest El Niño in 35 years is coming to an end. In 2015/2016 this “El Niño effect” led to drought in over 20 countries .  There were scorching temperatures, water shortages and flooding around the world.  Worst hit were eastern and southern ... MORE > >