Newsblog

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World Economic Situation and Prospects 2012

Posted by: Jenny, 22. February 2012 - 14:26
Source: http://www.sonnenseite.com

Global economic growth started to decelerate on a broad front in mid-2011 and is estimated to have averaged 2.8 per cent over the last year. This economic slowdown is expected to continue into 2012 and 2013. The United Nations baseline forecast for the growth of world gross product (WGP) is 2.6 per cent for 2012 and 3.2 per cent for 2013, which is below the pre-crisis pace of global growth. Read on

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Conference: Internet Freedom for Global Development, 18./19.04., Stockholm

Posted by: Jenny, 22. February 2012 - 11:01
Source: http://www.stockholminternetforum.se

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to Stockholm Internet Forum on Internet Freedom for Global Development. The Forum is a meeting point for governmental representatives, cyber activists, human rights NGO:s, academics and corporate representatives. On April 18-19 we will discuss how freedom online can foster economic and social development. Welcome! Read on

Ending world hunger is possible – so why hasn't it been done?

Posted by: Anna-Maria, 18. February 2012 - 10:29
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk

Some 850 million people go to bed hungry. If the right decisions are made now, we can feed the world and address inequality Read on

The Afghanistan Report the Pentagon Doesn't Want You to Read

Posted by: Anna-Maria, 11. February 2012 - 11:52
Source: http://www.rollingstone.com

Earlier this week, the New York Times’ Scott Shane published a bombshell piece about Lt. Colonel Daniel Davis, a 17-year Army veteran recently returned from a second tour in Afghanistan. Read on

Put people at core of sustainable development: UN report

Posted by: sarah-indra, 7. February 2012 - 12:47
Source: http://ourworld.unu.edu

Social and environmental costs need to be integrated into measurement of economic activity, a new UN report said on Monday as it urged world leaders to focus on the long-term resilience of the planet and its people. Read on

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Water Crisis in Rajasthan

Posted by: ajaychabba, 1. February 2012 - 7:54
Source: http://www.gits4u.com

In rural areas of women are spending increasing amounts of time and energy traveling long distances to get water. In some dry regions of Rajasthan, they spend as much as four hours a day and walk an average six km for water. Read on

Mega dams: campaigning against the plans of the Indian government

Posted by: sarah-indra, 24. January 2012 - 13:03
Source: http://www.opendemocracy.net

In demonstrations barely reported in the media, peasants and students in the Northeastern Indian state of Assam are fighting together against a proposed gargantuan network of dams across the upper reaches of its rivers in Arunachal Pradesh, one of the world’s six most seismically active regions. Read on

The First Interview With Burma’s Reforming President

Posted by: Anna-Maria, 21. January 2012 - 0:50
Source: http://www.slate.com

Thein Sein on the sweeping changes he has brought to Burma, including freedom for Aung San Suu Kyi. Read on

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Silencing Salman Rushdie

Posted by: Supriya.Surya, 18. January 2012 - 10:02
Source: http://www.livemint.com

Will he, or won’t he? At the time of writing, it remains unclear if Salman Rushdie will be present at the Jaipur Literature Festival later this month after what seems to have been a determined and intense behind-the-scenes effort to disinvite him from the festival. Read on

India warns Facebook, Google over 'offensive' content

Posted by: xamboli, 13. January 2012 - 10:52
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

A court in India has said it could block sites like Facebook and Google if they failed to crack down on offensive internet content. The Delhi High Court said "like China, we will block all such websites".

India has more than 100 million internet users and web companies say the large number means broad action is impossible. Read on

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Sustainable energy for all

Posted by: sarah-indra, 3. January 2012 - 12:06
Source: http://ourworld.unu.edu

The United Nations General Assembly has declared that 2012 is the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All. The resolution was passed in August 2011 and may in part have been influenced by events at Fukushima in Japan and the need to promote new and renewable sources of energy. All the right phrases are in the declaration. Read on

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Urbanism: Karaoke and the power of ‘bottom-up self-organization’

Posted by: sarah-indra, 3. January 2012 - 11:17
Source: http://www.grist.org

Government agencies and marketing bureaus across the globe strive to find ways to get people into parks and using public spaces. Some spend millions with extravagant firework spectaculars, while others import international music acts or host an almost continuous string of farmer's markets and craft fairs, many of which fail to deliver a certain je ne sais quoi. Read on

2012, the age of the citizen

Posted by: Anna-Maria, 31. December 2011 - 10:45
Source: http://www.opendemocracy.net

The dramatic citizens' uprisings and protests across the world this year are signals of an emerging era that demands a renewal of democracy itself, says Vidar Helgesen. Read on

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Chronicle of a non-violent protest: Jobat, Madhya Pradesh

Posted by: sarah-indra, 27. December 2011 - 12:50
Source: http://www.opendemocracy.net

For more than three weeks over 130 people have carried out the longest occupation of government-owned land ever registered in Madhya Pradesh (a state in central India). Read on

European Commission launches Open Data Strategy for Europe

Posted by: Anna-Maria, 24. December 2011 - 11:52
Source: http://blog.okfn.org

This morning Neelie Kroes, Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for the Digital Agenda announced a new Open Data Strategy for Europe. Read on