News headlines in December 2016, page 2

DHAKA, Dec 27 (IPS) - There is no exaggerating how crucial water is for human survival, particularly in countries like Bangladesh, which is crisscrossed by rivers. The level of water in a river here directly affects the lifestyles and livelihoods of the people living on its two sides, so much so that rivers and water bodies of varied sizes are an inseparable part of Bengali culture and heritage.

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 27 (IPS) - Two years after the UN Arms Trade Treaty entered into force many of the governments which championed the treaty are failing to uphold it, especially when it comes to the conflict in Yemen.

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 27 (IPS) - The United States has had a longstanding love-hate relationship with the United Nations ever since 1952 when the world body began operations in New York city on an 18-acre piece of land which housed an abattoir where cattle was being trucked daily for slaughter.

ABUJA, Dec 27 (IPS) - As food contaminants, aflatoxins are amongst the deadliest. Between 2004 and 2007, contaminated maize killed nearly 200 people in Kenya, left hundreds hospitalised and rendered millions of bags of maize unfit for consumption.

ZAPOPAN, Mexico, Dec 27 (IPS) - Email surveillance, blocking of websites with content that is awkward for governments, or the interruption of services such as WhatsApp are symptoms of the threat to freedom of expression online, according to Latin American activists.

ROME, Dec 26 (IPS) - As Human Rights Day approached this Dec. 10, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) issued a statement urging all governments to join in the fight for universal equality and justice.

DHAKA, Dec 24 (IPS) - Pumping money into development projects and rolling them out without having a good communications policy in place makes it unlikely the programmes will achieve their desired goals, as communications is vital to connect with stakeholders.

BUENOS AIRES, Dec 24 (IPS) - Organic agriculture is rapidly expanding in Argentina, the leading agroecological producer in Latin America and second in the world after Australia, as part of a backlash against a model that has disappointed producers and is starting to worry consumers.

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 23 (IPS) - A historic UN Security Council resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlements was received with sustained applause within the security council chamber after it was adopted with 14 votes in favour and one abstention.

WARSAW, Dec 23 (IPS) - Despite the pain to victims' families, critics say the Polish government is turning the Smolensk plane crash into a macabre reality show for political gain.