NEW YORK Tuesday, July 01, 2008 (IRIN) - New ground was broken in US attempts to break the link between foreign food aid and supporting its own farmers in a new farm bill, but for many, including the Bush-led administration,
NEW YORK Wednesday, July 02, 2008 (IRIN) - The humanitarian community is to urge the G8 leaders to fully fund immediate emergency aid and to invest in longer-term agricultural development in poorer nations to tackle the global food crisis.
KABUL Monday, June 30, 2008 (IRIN) - Conflict and natural disasters have caused a "serious" and "deteriorating" humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and the aid community must scale up its efforts to meet the needs of vulnerable people, John Holmes, the
KABUL Thursday, July 03, 2008 (IRIN) - Nowhere in the world are children suffering as much as in Afghanistan, a top UN official has said. Radhika Coomaraswamy, special representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, told reporters
Reconstruction efforts in Lebanon's South seem to be in full swing after the havoc wrought by the 2006 summer war with Israel. In general, progress is being made in the villages that were most devastated during the summer of 2006.
Maher Arar, whose "rendition" to Syria is widely viewed as an egregious example of mistaken identity, has again been denied the right to appear in court, and Congressional efforts to rein in the George W. Bush administration's widespread use of
Cyprus has ratified the European Union's Lisbon Treaty despite the opposition of the euroskeptic communist party of President Demetris Christofias. Thursday's vote came less than a month after Irish voters in a referendum rejected the treaty aimed at streamlining EU
Israel has received a report from Hizbullah that an Israeli airman reported missing in Lebanon since 1986 has been dead for more than 10 years, the Haaretz daily reported on Friday. Israel's government had demanded that the resistance provide a
A top member of the Darfur rebel group that staged an unprecedented attack on Khartoum has appeared in court for the first time as Sudan stepped up trials of suspects arrested after the strike. Abdul Aziz Ashur, brother-in-law of Justice
Asel didn't come to Jordan because he wanted to. Neither did his parents. They, like so many others, stole out of their native Iraq at the last minute, when word came that gangs were coming to kill them and their
Sometimes the simplest of problems are the hardest to solve. One of the problems of my country can be summarized in one word: "disrespect." We, the people of this nation, should take a minute to re-evaluate ourselves in view of
The Follow-Up Committee for the Support of the Lebanese Detainees in Israeli Prisons (FCLD) and the Khiam Rehabilitation Center for the Victims of Torture held a news conference on Friday after a prisoners swap deal was reached between Hizbullah and
The Higher Judicial Council on Friday named Judge George Badih Karam examining magistrate in the assassination of MP and journalist Gebran Tueni. A short statement said the council approved a proposal by Justice Minister Charles Rizk to appoint Karam as
The cedars of Lebanon are much loved, but they have had a difficult time lately. Last year, 4,700 hectares of forest were destroyed in fires, including 1,500 hectares as the worst blazes raged on October 2. There is no national
Last weekend saw a celebration in Batroun of North Lebanon's food specialties and cultural heritage, as part of Food and Feast Festival 2008. Samak Lubnan, one of the 15 Food and Feast regional events, was co-organized by Souk al-Tayeb and
The Southern town of Srifa was rattled by a predawn earthquake on Friday, sparking panic among the weary population, but no casualties were reported. The tremor registered 3.5 degrees on the Richter scale, seismological authorities told the National News Agency.
Polished, yet distinctly partial. The National Christian Gathering (NCG), a Lebanese Christian political front, was launched at the Le Royal Hotel in Dbayyeh on Friday, during a convention with a clear bent toward the opposition Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and
Lebanon expects over 1.3 million tourists this year thanks to the positive political atmosphere following the election of a new president, outgoing Tourism Minister Joe Sarkis said Friday. The minister made the remarks during a tour of Rafik Hariri International
The private sector supports increasing the minimum wage but strongly refuse any intervention from the government in this matter, Fadi Abboud, the president of the Lebanese Industrialists Association, said on Friday. Abboud made these comments following a long meeting between
Lebanese farmers on Friday threatened to take to the streets if the government refuses to backtrack on its decision to cancel the Export Plus Program. After a meeting with outgoing Economy and Trade Minister Sami Haddad, the farmers' syndicate said
