News headlines in July 2012

CARACAS, Jul 31 (IPS) - After a six-year delay, Venezuela finally became the fifth full member of South America’s main trade bloc, Mercosur, on Tuesday, bringing with it huge oil and natural gas reserves and a market hungry for the abundant agricultural production of its new partners to the south.

UNITED NATIONS, Jul 31 (IPS) - When South Korea picked an oceans theme for the 2012 Yeosu World Expoit became host to the largest marine-themed event in history, with the potential to make a concrete contribution to sustainable development and simultaneously buoy the Korean global image.

BANGALORE, Jul 31 (IPS) - It took six years for a dedicated team of scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India, wildlife officials from six Indian states and officials from the federal ministry to secure international protection for one of India’s most precious biological reserves.

LIMA, Jul 31 (IPS) - A random review by the Peruvian government of 205 environmental impact assessments approved between 2001 and 2010 revealed that 86 percent lacked complete information on how they had received the green light from the authorities.

TORONTO, Jul 31 (IPS) - First Nations’ leaders are calling on the Canadian government to establish an independent commission of inquiry to investigate at least 582 missing and murdered indigenous women and girls - a wish which was not immediately granted by provincial premiers meeting last week.

MBABANE, Jul 31 (IPS) - Swazis should not see the ongoing nationwide one-month teachers’ strike as a movement capable of overthrowing the political regime here, despite the fact that civil servants and nurses have joined the action, according to political analyst Dr. Sikelela Dlamini.

CAIRO, Jul 31 (IPS) - With the election of the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi as Egypt's first-ever freely elected president, the Gaza file – especially as it pertains to Egypt's border with the besieged enclave – is fast becoming one of the new president's first major foreign policy challenges.

UNITED NATIONS, Jul 31 (IPS) - As a follow up to the Rio+20 summit, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Tuesday announced the appointment of a High-level Panel to advise on the global development agenda beyond 2015, the target date for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

NEW YORK, Jul 31 (IPS) - UN Women , which  has launched an online discussion about violence against women,  is offering a chance to civil society organizations worldwide to provide their views from their own cultures.

MBABANE, Jul 31 (IPS) - Swazis should not see the ongoing nationwide one-month teachers’ strike as a movement capable of overthrowing the political regime here, despite the fact that civil servants and nurses have joined the action, according to political analyst Dr. Sikelela Dlamini.