News headlines in February 2013, page 4

HAVANA, Feb 26 (IPS) - The new faces in key positions in parliament and other branches of the Cuban state will need to prove their charisma and potential political leadership, possibly in a more participative way, in the context of current economic and social changes, analysts say.

WASHINGTON, Feb 26 (IPS) - On the eve of resumed talks between Iran and the P5+1 (the U.S., Britain, France, Russia, China plus Germany) in Almaty, Kazakhstan over its nuclear programme, two former hostages of the U.S. embassy takeover in Tehran argued that the aura of mistrust that has dogged relations for decades must be addressed.

WASHINGTON, Feb 25 (IPS) - Two European policymakers on Monday called on their U.S. counterparts to rethink opposition to proposals for a small tax on stock purchases and other financial transactions, which proponents say could raise hundreds of billions of dollars for poverty alleviation, action on climate change and financing international development.

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 25 (IPS) - Lesedi Mogoatlhe has dedicated her life to empowering African youth by helping them to find their voices through radio journalism.

WASHINGTON, Feb 25 (IPS) - "Going to Tehran" arguably represents the most important work on the subject of U.S.-Iran relations to be published thus far.

UXBRIDGE, Canada, Feb 25 (IPS) - Green energy is the only way to bring billions of people out of energy poverty and prevent a climate disaster, a new study reveals.

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 25 (IPS) - Amidst the rising tide of racial and religious intolerance worldwide - including xenophobia, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia - the U.N. Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) will meet in the Austrian capital of Vienna later this week to strengthen cross-cultural relations in a world it describes as "alarmingly out of balance".

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 25 (IPS) - Some of the most harrowing cases of gender-based violence Kathryn Bolkovac came across while working as a U.N. human rights investigator in Bosnia involved a perpetrator dubbed "the Doctor" by the women and girls he abused.

EIN GEDI, Israel, Feb 25 (IPS) - The World Bank has declared the Red Sea-Dead Sea canal project feasible. Designed to "save the Dead Sea", "desalinate water and/or generate hydroelectricity at affordable prices in Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority", and "build a symbol of peace in the Middle East", the scheme, green groups warn, is fraught with environmental hazards.

NAIROBI, Feb 25 (IPS) - Days ahead of Kenya's general elections, the country's former deputy Minister of Information Koigi Wamwere has slammed calls for power-sharing among minority ethnic groups in the next government, calling it a "dangerous concept".