United Nations : S-G says his convictions remain the same (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
As Ban Ki-moon launched his second-five-year term as UN secretary-general last week, the international community remained focused on a rash of unresolved political problems: war crimes charges in Libya and Syria, human rights violations and civilian killings in Bahrain and Yemen, continued Israeli political repression in the occupied territories, and the threat of a new nuclear weapon state in the Middle East.

United States : Clinton revives dubious charge of "covert" Iranian nuclear site (PRIV)
(IPS, Washington)
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's charge Tuesday that Iran had intended to keep the Fordow site secret until it was revealed by Western intelligence revived a claim the Barack Obama administration made in September 2009.

United Nations : Despite initial euphoria, Palestine remains grounded (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
When Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the 193-member General Assembly last September, the rapturous welcome he received implicitly indicated the vibrant support for UN recognition of Palestine - if not in the Security Council, at least in the organisation's highest policy-making body.

Mideast : To go on talking (PRIV)
(IPS, Jerusalem)
A second meeting of Palestinian and Israeli negotiators took place this week in Amman, Jordan, and expectedly bore no tangible result - except for an agreed third round by month's end.

Agriculture : Bumper 2011 grain harvest fails to rebuild global stocks (PRIV)
(IPS, Washington)
The world's farmers produced more grain in 2011 than ever before. Estimates from the US Department of Agriculture show the global grain harvest coming in at 2,295 million tonnes, up 53 million tonnes from the previous record in 2009.

Haiti : Displaced mark a tragedy that could have been yesterday (PRIV)
(IPS, Port-au-Prince)
For two years now, since her husband was one of the estimated 230,000 Haitians killed in the massive earthquake of January 12, 2010 and she and her three children became homeless, little has changed for Dieulia St. Juste. A 38-year street vendor, she is still living in a tent camp next to the crumbled National Palace.