But, for hundreds of thousands of women globally, this gratitude only goes so far, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) said on the occasion of Mother’s Day, observed on Sundays (14 May) throughout May.According to recently released data, a woman dies from pregnancy or childbirth every two minutes, with the vast majority of these deaths due to preventable causes like bleeding and infection, the UN reproductive health agency said.
ROME, May 12 2023 (IPS)* – A much needed break amidst so many alarming news, with a brief story of a tree, a bottle of liquid gold, and a wedding gift.
The argan tree forest constitutes a vital fodder reserve for all herds even in periods of drought. All parts of the argan tree are edible and very appreciated: leaves, fruits and the undergrowth are a meal of choice especially for the most daring goats that do not hesitate to climb the branches. Credit: Shutterstock.
It is useless to remind you that all trees are wonderful living beings, with an amazing vital system to drain water through their roots, and breathe through their leaves to bring this water to their trunk, branches and leaves.
All of them are sources of most of the oxygen on Earth while absorbing harmful greenhouse gases. Their roots greatly contribute to fixing the land, thus reducing the risk of further degradation and desertification. Let alone purifying the air.
11 May 2023 (FAO)*— People around the world have taken to e-commerce due to its convenience, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many people may not realize that plants and regulated goods, such as agricultural products, bought or sold online may carry pests and diseases that can harm a country’s flora.
In 2021, Emily* unexpectedly received a parcel in her hometown in Christchurch, New Zealand. Her 12-year-old daughter had purchased insect eggs online without her knowledge.
“My daughter has always loved insects. She has gone through different phases of loving sea creatures, ants and various insects,” Emily shared.
ROME, May 10 2023 (IPS)* – Two big facts are impressive enough: plants are the source of 80% of all food, and as much as 98% of all oxygen. Logically, it would be taken for granted that human beings would do whatever is needed to protect this essential source of life.
But do they?
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Several human-caused threats lay behind the current annual loss of up to 40% of food crops globally, mainly due to plant pests and the introduction of alien species. Credit: Jency Samuel/IPS
Not at all. Rather the whole contrary.
Several human-caused threats lay behind the current annual loss of up to 40% of food crops globally, mainly due to plant pests and the introduction of alien species.
Among them stands the massive international travel and trade business, which has been associated with the introduction and spread of so many pests.
ROME, May 4 2023 (IPS)* – Some days ago in Rome, the Italian taxi driver switched on the radio during a longish ride through the usual traffic jam. Music, gossip, and the hourly news bulletin. All of a sudden, the man strongly hit the steering wheel. “They are stupid, those bastards…,” he shouted.
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Africa is the continent that has contributed the least (just 2 to 3%) to the causes of the current climate emergencies while bearing the brunt of 82% of the devastating consequences. Credit: Isaiah Esipisu/IPS
“These useless politicians speak every now and then about the need for solidarity with Africa…, blah, blah, blah,” he added. “But the solution is easy, very easy, even the most stupid can see it.”
According to the taxi driver, “the solution is that the government sends to Africa our retired engineers, agronomists, university professors… to teach Africans how to farm.”
The man was so furious that you would not dare to comment that African farmers already know how to farm… far more than many foreign academicians.
The present world that we are all part of, shows imperialism or domination of large parts of the world by some imperial power such as USA, China, Britain.
In fact, Britain used to pride itself at the end of WWII by the statement that ‘the sun never sets on the British empire’ since Britain had colonised several countries north and south, east and west — from North America to Australia to New Zealand.
India was one of its proudest, biggest colonies among these regions. Britain had entered India for trade purposes, by the agency known as ‘East India Company’, but gradually metamorphosed into a colonial power.
This happened not only in India (which was under British rule for two centuries), but in several other regions from North America to South Africa, Singapore, New Zealand, and so on.
(UN News)*— Countries in the Americas should suspend forced returns of Haitians on the move and adopt measures to protect them instead, UN-appointed independent human rights experts said on Friday [].
IOM Haiti | A woman arrives at an IOM-supported reception centre in Haiti after being deported from Texas , USA, in 2021.
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) sounded the alarm after 36,000 people of Haitian origin were deported during the first three months of the year, according to figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Some 90 per cent were deported from the Dominican Republic.
MADRID, Apr 25 2023 (IPS)* – Apologies to those Western politicians and media who continue to say that Ukraine’s brutal proxy war stands behind whatever catastrophes, disasters or crises occur in the Planet.
Is this accurate?
Rhine River, Cologne,,Germany, 10.08.2022. Credit: Shutterstock.
Scientific evidence confirms that, much earlier than that war, Europe, like many other regions, was already walking closer to the edge of extreme weather consequences.
Europe’s worst drought in 500 years?
“The drought episode that affected Europe in 2022 could well be the worst in 500 years,” reports Copernicus, the Earth observation component of the European Union’s Space programme which “looks at our planet and its environment to benefit all European citizens and offers information services.”
MADRID, Apr 19 2023 (IPS)* –– As many as 45 African countries –out of the Continent’s 54 nations–, all of them grouped in what is known as Sub-Saharan Africa, have now been further squeezed to their bones, as funding shrinks to lowest ever levels, and as a portion of the so-called aid goes back to the pockets of rich donor countries.
See what happens.
The IMF has made some encouraging improvements in paying attention to social protection, health, and education, but it needs to do much more to avoid, in its own words, “repeating past mistakes”, says new report. Credit: Charles Mpaka/IPS
Donald Trump Is Currently Being Charged with 34 Felonies
John Scales Avery
11 Apr 2023 – The State of New York, under the leadership of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr., has arrested the former president, finger-printed him, and charged him with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law §175.
Trump’s Major Crimes
The crimes for which he is currently being prosecuted are relatively minor compared with his major crimes. Here is a list of what I consider to be his greatest crimes:
He claimed that climate change was “a hoax”, withdrew the United States from the Paris Agreement, and sabotaged the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to control greenhouse gas emissions.
Although he was aware of the serious nature of COVID-19, he claimed that it was no more dangerous than the flu in order for business to continue as usual. In this way he was responsible for hundreds of thousands of excess deaths in the United States.
He encouraged his followers to attack the United States Capitol on January 6, 2020, in order to overthrow the results of the presidential election in which he was defeated.
HUMAN WRONGS WATCH 