Siriel-Media

DEVELOPMENT-NIGER: Three Million Children Threatened by Hunger	more
Women have been left in charge of many of the households in the village of Zamkoye-Ko�ra, in western Niger, as food shortages have driven male family members to leave in search of work elsewhere. A national survey of vulnerable households shows that 5.4 million people face food insecurity across Niger.
UNICEF Funding Falls Short Leaving Millions of Children at Risk	more
If the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) had 1.28 billion dollars it could help 97 million people around the world.
Photos of Armed Children Ignite Scandal in Venezuela	more
A radical political group based in a working class neighbourhood of the Venezuelan capital has sparked a furore by publishing photographs of children from the community, with their faces partially hidden, brandishing AR-15 assault rifles.
Social Media Saved Africa's Oldest Community Station	more
When a financial crisis threatened the existence of Africa's oldest community station, Bush Radio, an outpouring of sympathy and appeals went viral on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. In the end, it was this outspoken support that showed financial backers that the station was worth saving.
Political and Economic Turmoil Threaten Women's Progress	more
As UN Women celebrated its first birthday, its executive director Michelle Bachelet stressed that political upheveal and shrinking budgets are no excuse to push back the hard-won gains made by the women's movement globally.
Russia Sticks to Its Guns Against Heavy Hitters Backing Syria	more
The political heavy hitters were all there at a key Security Council meeting early this week to decide on the future of beleaguered Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
BANGLADESH: Coup Bid Reveals Extremism Within Army	more
Bangladesh's army has won paludits as leading United Nations peacekeepers, but the January coup attempt against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government has exposed lurking religious extremism within its ranks.
POLITICS-SENEGAL: Violence After Validation of Wade Candidacy	more
It was stones against tear gas in the Senegalese capital this morning as students protested the killing of one of their own on Tuesday evening. At least four people have died since Jan. 27, in wider demonstrations against the controversial validation of President Abdoulaye Wade's candidacy for re-election for a third term.
CUBA: Party Aims for Efficient, Inclusive Socialism	more
Cuba's communist leaders have mapped out a strategy to modernise their country's one-party socialist model and make it more efficient, which implies making it more inclusive and representative of a society that is increasingly diverse.
UGANDA: Using Community Radio to Heal After Kony's War	more
Radio Mega FM's transmission tower rises from the centre of Gulu town, transmitting talk shows and the latest Ugandan radio hits to listeners across the district. But it also serves as something of an informal memorial to community radio-driven peace efforts during the Lord's Resistance Army's destruction of northern Uganda.
Guatemala Heeds the Cries of Femicide Victims	more
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.
Rights Groups Denounce Duvalier Ruling, U.S. Urges Appeal	more
International and local human rights groups Tuesday strongly denounced the ruling by an investigating judge in Haiti that former dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier should not face charges for massive human rights abuses committed during his 15-year reign, from 1971 to 1986.
BALKANS-SOCIETY: First Abused, Then Imprisoned	more
The women languishing in Serbia's Pozarevac Penal Correctional Institution are victims twice over: survivors of decades of domestic violence, they have been imprisoned for killing their partners and often spend up to 15 years in jail.
ZAMBIA: Chinese Underage Sex Scandal Sparks Emotive Debate	more
Zhang Daliu, 46, a carpenter from China never imagined himself in the dreadful confines of a stinking and overcrowded Zambian jail where conditions are so terrible that they lead to gastronomic disorders and skin diseases within days of confinement.
MIDEAST: And At Last There Was Water	more
Only days ago, turning on the tap was cause for concern. Would there be running water? Now, it's reason for celebration.
Occupy DC Protesters Stay Put Amid Eviction Threats	more
Two days after some 400 people were arrested during a protest organised by Occupy Oakland on the U.S. west coast, members of Occupy DC say they have no plans to leave despite the threat of police action.
US-BAHRAIN: Rights Groups Oppose Smaller Arms Transfer	more
The decision by the administration of President Barack Obama to approve limited transfers of military equipment to Bahrain is coming under renewed fire by human rights and pro-democracy groups here.
HONDURAS: Support for President Lobo Hits All-Time Low	more
Last Friday marked two years since the inauguration of Porfirio Lobo as president of Honduras, amidst accusations of corruption, an unprecedented crime wave, and his lowest approval rating yet.
Chileans Disillusioned with Pinochet-Era Political System	more
Chile's political system is "exhausted" and urgently needs reform to truly represent its citizens, consolidate democracy and ensure governability, say experts consulted by IPS.
U.N. Arms Embargoes Busted by Ships from the West	more
When the Security Council penalises governments with economic sanctions and arms embargoes, the world body's 193 member states are mandated to help implement the wide-ranging punitive measures imposed on these countries.
SYRIA: "Street Fighting Rages" Near Damascus	more
Fighting is continuing in the eastern suburbs of Damascus, according to activists, as Syrian security forces appeared to be reasserting their control over the restive fringes of the country's capital.
CHINA: In Chains, And Writing Out	more
Liu Xiaobo, the imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, has been placed at the forefront of the fight for human rights in China once again with a new collection of works published in translation this January.
PAKISTAN-INDIA: Women Expose Secret Genital Cutting Rite	more
"It was a dark and dingy room, where an elderly woman asked me to take off my panties, made me sit on a low wooden stool with my legs parted and then did something?I screamed out in pain," recalls Alefia Mustansir, 40, of her childhood experience.
The Ancient Wither in New Iraq	more
"I'd say there are around 5,000 of us in the country, but if you ask me next week we may well be under 3,000. After twenty centuries of history in Mesopotamia, we Mandaeans, are about to vanish." Anxiety about the future of his people is more than evident in the figures given by Saad Atiah Majid, chairman of Basra's Mandaean Council.
PAKISTAN: New Rehab Plan Brings Hope for War-Disabled	more
The prolonged United States-led war against terrorism has left a large number of people disabled in Pakistan, compelling the government to institute a rehabilitation plan that will include imparting vocational skills.
THEMATIC SOCIAL FORUM: Working Towards a Never-Ending Democracy	more
For five centuries, Europe has taken it upon itself to enlighten the world, teaching it ways to address and overcome crises, from ideas and wars to missionary work and genocides.
GUATEMALA: R�os Montt to Stand Trial for Genocide	more
After a hearing that lasted more than 11 hours, a Guatemalan court ordered the trial of former dictator Efra�n R�os Montt (1982-1983), who could face up to 30 years in prison if he is convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity.
INDIA: Male Activists Enhance Pre and Postnatal Care	more
The primitive Juang tribe in remote Nola village on Chandragiri hill experienced its first three institutional childbirths only a month ago.
DEVELOPMENT: Uniting Against Extreme Poverty	more
When Louisam�ne Joseph Alionat unexpectedly began singing in a packed hall at the United Nations cultural agency here this week, it was an attempt to give encouragement to her peers engaged in the uphill battle of trying to end extreme poverty.
HEALTH-SOUTH AFRICA: HIV-Related Deaths Slow Economy	more
If there was no HIV/AIDS, South Africa would have 4.4 million more people than today, the size of a major city. This significant slow-down in population growth is causing a slow down in economic growth and resulting in social ills, researchers warn.