International NGOs – Do They Really Want to Balkanize Congo?

What seems to be an undeclared war against international NGOs in the Congo is in constant evolution. In this situation, the questions to know why this war against those NGOs that have saved many people in eastern part of the country create even more unanswered questions.

Malawi Aleke Banda No More – Cancer

Malawi Veteran politician Aleke Banda has died yesterday in South Africa after a long battle with lymphatic leukemia cancer for the past four years. Aleke who was born on September 19, 1939 died at Morningside Clinic in Johannesburg following a stroke.

New Zealand’s Vanishing Middle Class

As a relatively new immigrant to New Zealand, one of the major differences I see is the absence of an established middle class in this country. Unlike the doctors and nurses I worked with in the US, most of the health professionals here come from blue collar backgrounds. Whereas my working class background left me feeling pretty alienated from my middle class American colleagues, the people I work with here seem to speak the same language – based in the same innate values and attitudes – that I do.

Malawian Band Mafilika Wins Global Music Contest

For winning the competition, Mafilika will participate in the Global Youth Forum organized by the World Bank Institute and its partners in May 26-28 in Brussels, Belgium. Under the theme of good governance and anti-corruption, the summit will bring together over 50 young leaders from around the world.

What Peduru Richard Teaches Us At 86

There are no barriers for learning. Age has no importance.

Drought Affects Coral Reefs – Small Hotel Industry and Tourism Threatened

One of the best in the Caribbean, the coral reefs of Barbados, which act as natural barriers off the coast of the island, are in extreme danger due to the extensive drought that has plagued several of the eastern Caribbean nations since early last year. This has caused much concern considering the island has been exerting much effort to promote environmental awareness and improvement.

Global Productivity = Technology + IPR

Global productivity comes through technology advancement and modernization of intellectual property rights (IPRs). Until Africa develops its IPRs, it will be difficult for it to make economic progress.

China’s Gray Revolution – Why China May Invent the New Business of Aging

Discussions of China tend to focus on size – a nation of over 1.3 billion people certainly deserves attention from business and investors worldwide. But, ‘total’ numbers reveal little about underlying social and market dynamics nor the opportunities they may present. China is aging. Dramatic demographic change, institutional readiness and socio-economic dynamics present an opportunity for innovations in aging services, technology, and public-private partnerships in serving an older marketplace.

The Devil Wears Prada – Criminals Involved in Fake Goods Are Often Involved in Human Trafficking

On January 11, 2010, National Human Trafficking Awareness Month was launched across the U.S. Human trafficking involves horrible mistreatment of children, with some abuses too difficult to even speak of, much less imagine. Did you ever wonder who makes those “cheap” GUCCI knockoffs? Those DKNY items on street corners? Many of them may well have involved child labor, some of them akin to slavery.

Poland Returns to Work in Shock and Sorrow

Moving slowly, still under shock, Poles returned to work after the weekend air crash that killed not only President Lech Kaczynski, but also dozens of top officials, ministers, the heads of the Armed Forces and the governor of the central bank, Slawomir Skrzypek. While ordinary Poles went to their offices mainly to share their grief, the Government had to move more quickly.