South America

By Gustav Cappaert and Chris Lewis EL PALOMAR, Bolivia, Jun 23 2014 (IPS) – Maria Eugenia Calle, a local official in this Andean agricultural community, recently saw the Internet for the first time. Her hometown of El Palomar will host…

By Fabiola Ortiz Fabíola Ortiz interviews MYCLE SCHNEIDER, nuclear energy consultant RIO DE JANEIRO, Jun 20 2014 (IPS) – It has been three years since the nuclear accident in Fukushima, Japan. But the consequences are still ongoing due to continuous…

Democracy Now! We look at a case that is being called the “trial of the century” in how poor countries repay sovereign debt. This week, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Argentina over its $1.5 billion debt in…

News from Survival International One of the three Brazilian children who released white doves during the World Cup opening ceremony used the occasion to demand recognition of Indian land rights – but his protest was censored by FIFA. Immediately after releasing a…

The Group of 77 at the United Nations is a loose coalition of developing nations, designed to promote its members’ collective economic interests and create an enhanced joint negotiating capacity in the United Nations. There were 77 founding members of…

A very interesting and profound change is happening in Colombia. A country previously known for its violence, killing, and drug trafficking is now following a new path. Just 20 years ago, someone was killed every eight minutes, and millions migrated…

Colombians are going to the polls in runoff elections seen partly as a referendum on how to deal with the country’s long-running leftist insurgency. More than 220,000 people have died in the conflict. Sunday’s election pits Colombian President Juan Manuel…

By Marianela Jarroud The Chilean government rejected Tuesday the controversial HidroAysén project for the construction of five hydroelectric dams on rivers in the south of the country. The decision came after years of struggle by environmental groups and local communities,…

Demonstrations, strikes and violence have reached the global media. Attention is turned towards the protests taking place all around Brazil as the World Cup starts. June 12 started out with Galeão airport partially paralysed by demonstrations. In São Paulo, at…

In Brazil, subway workers have suspended a five-day strike over wages but warned it could resume in time for Thursday’s opening match of the World Cup. On Monday meanwhile, striking teachers protested in Rio de Janeiro. Maria de Lurdes Fonseca:…