Latin America

by Suvendrini Kakuchi HAVANA TIMES, March 12 (IPS) — Heightened tension on Saturday after a blast at a nuclear facility

On Saturday afternoon NHK, Japan’s national television, reported grave news of a possible radioactive leak from a nuclear accident at one of Fukushima’s nuclear power reactors. It quoted experts calling for calm and saying there is no threat to the public.

Analysis by Jim Lobe* HAVANA TIMES, March 11 (IPS) — Rarely, if ever, has a post-World War II U.S. president

India’s Supreme Court has questioned clearances to industries on the basis of environment impact assessments (EIAs) carried out by private consultants in the pay of project proponents.

As the tide of battle appeared to shift for the first time Thursday in favor of forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi, the United States and its European allies moved closer toward intervening – if not yet militarily – on the side of the insurgency.

Earlier, in his second televised speech in as many days, Gaddafi once again alleged involvement of foreigners in the rebellion against his more than 41-year-old rule.

Marwa Sharaf el-Din, an Egyptian law PhD candidate at Oxford University, spent part of International Women’s Day in Tahrir Square this afternoon to perform Zajal, a popular traditional form of Arabic poetry.

Women from grassroots organizations all across the globe arrived in New York this week for a five-day summit dedicated to bolstering female and community- based representation at the all levels of political decision making.

Violence against women is not a subject that one would normally associate with comic strip books, but a French publisher thought this would be a “perfect” medium for raising awareness among both young and old.

Under growing political pressure at home, President Barack Obama inched closer here Monday towards committing U.S. military power to at least protecting areas under rebel control, if not ending the 42-year reign of Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi.