United Nations : Political and economic turmoil threaten women's progress    (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
As UN Women celebrated its first birthday, its executive director Michelle Bachelet stressed that political upheaval and shrinking budgets are no excuse to push back the hard-won gains made by the women's movement globally.

US : Early end to combat role in Afghanistan draws cheers, jeers, confusion    (PRIV)
(IPS, Washington)
US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta's surprise announcement Wednesday that US troops will phase out their combat role in Afghanistan by mid-2013 is drawing mixed reactions, as well as a fair bit of confusion, from both critics and supporters of the 11-year-old war here.

Development : "Occupy" is the watchword at Social Forum    (PRIV)
(IPS, Porto Alegre)
Traditional social movements of homeless and landless people have for years been organising occupations as a pressure tactic. Now "occupying" is a key element for fighting the capitalist system in its hour of crisis, and also in the realm of virtual reality.

Laos : ASEAN attempts to build on a shared language - music    (PRIV)
(IPS, Vientiane)
A landmark concert featuring artistes from eight of the ten South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) took place here on January 21, in an effort to build a regional community through the common language of music.

Brazil : Deepens strategic cooperation with Cuba    (PRIV)
(IPS, Havana)
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's visit to Cuba served to further strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries, leverage the South American giant's investments in the Caribbean island, and deepen political ties.

Guatemala : Heeds the cries of femicide victims    (PRIV)
(IPS, Guatemala City)
The relentless wave of femicides in Guatemala, which has one of the highest female murder rates in the world, has prompted actions by the government, civil society groups, and two Nobel Peace laureates to try to put a stop to this brutal violence against women, which has reached horrific proportions.

West Africa : Water shortage threatens wildlife    (PRIV)
(IPS, Ouagadougou)
The story of a pair of buffalo aggressively prowling the edges of a village in eastern Burkina Faso is a warning sign of severe water stress in the region which threatens humans and wild animals alike.