MIDEAST: West Bank a Time Bomb Waiting to Explode
RAMALLAH, Apr 16 (IPS) – Tension between Israel and Palestinians is rising sharply as reflected in a number of increasingly bloody and violent confrontations since Israel’s devastating war in Gaza at the beginning of the year.
US-LATAM: Summit Will Test Obama Magic
WASHINGTON, Apr 15 (IPS) – As Barack Obama packs his bags for his first trip as president to Latin America and the Caribbean, the big question is whether he will be bringing much with him – beyond his listening skills and charisma – that will excite the region and its leaders at the fifth "Summit of the Americas" in Trinidad and Tobago this weekend.
World Briefing | Asia: North Korea: Expelled U.N. Inspectors Leave
U.N. nuclear experts left North Korea after the country s decision this week to expel them amid escalating tensions over the North s recent missile launching.
World Briefing | Middle East: Israel: Netanyahu Demands Recognition of Israel First
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu skirted calls by President Obama s envoy to the Middle East for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Drug War Tops Obama’s Mexico Agenda
President Obama is in Mexico to meet with Mexican President Felipe Calderone. They will be talking about how to combat drug cartels. Bruce Bagley of the University of Miami talks about the rise of the cartels and how to stop them.
IRAQ: More Than Two Million Refugees Waiting to Come Home
WASHINGTON, Apr 16 (IPS) – The government of Iraq and the international community must establish safe conditions for the return of 2.6 million displaced Iraqis, says a new field report by the non-profit group Refugees International.
chirolles Journal: French Strikers Hang On to Threads of a Worldview
Workers at a Caterpillar plant are fighting for a traditional kind of French management-worker relationship that is fraying in this global economic crisis.
Rescued Captain Reaches Dry Land
Richard Phillips arrived in Mombasa, Kenya, on Thursday aboard the American destroyer that helped effect his rescue.
Fun in Myanmar? Once a Year, and Very Wet
The New Year s water festival is the one time when the junta allows masses of young people to let loose.
POLITICS-US: As J Street Turns One, Signs of a Shift
NEW YORK, Apr 15 (IPS) – It seems safe to say that the first year of existence for J Street, the self-described “pro-Israel, pro-peace” lobbying organisation, was more eventful than anticipated.
RIGHTS-US: Struggle Brews Over “Torture Memos” Immunity
NEW YORK, Apr 16 (IPS) – The Justice Department Thursday released four secret memos used by the George W. Bush administration to justify torture.
Taliban Exploit Class Rifts to Gain Ground in Pakistan
The militants have organized landless tenants against wealthy landlords in a strategy that poses broad dangers for the rest of Pakistan.
Latin American Leaders Aim to Redefine Relationship With United States
At the fifth Summit of the Americas, Latin American leaders are expected to press President Obama on the global economy and U.S. policies on Cuba and on drugs.
