Six Months On, Shelter Still a Main Priority Matthew O. Berger WASHINGTON, 12 Jul (IPS) - Six months ago Monday, an earthquake rocked the western hemisphere's poorest country, driving it deeper into poverty and burying it under its nascent infrastructure. more...   EDUCATION Taking Science into the Streets Beatrice Paez NEW YORK, 12 Jul (IPS) - A group of 80 students, broken into smaller groups with their notebooks in tow, troop through the boroughs of New York City to survey the produce that populates farmers' markets and grocery stores in their neighbourhoods. Across the world, a similar image emerges in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where female students are learning to grow edible mushrooms in their villages. more...   The Return of the Bicycle Analysis by Lester R. Brown* WASHINGTON, 6 Jul (IPS) - The bicycle has many attractions as a form of personal transportation. It alleviates congestion, lowers air pollution, reduces obesity, increases physical fitness, does not emit climate-disrupting carbon dioxide, and is priced within the reach of the billions of people who cannot afford a car. more...   Connecting the Dots from Detroit to Dakar Bankole Thompson DETROIT, 25 Jun (IPS) - Africa's continued struggle for political and economic independence in many ways mirrors the very own struggles of communities in the U.S. that are now being tabled at the 2010 U.S. Social Forum in Detroit. more...   Shift in Illicit Drug Use Bodes Ill for Developing World Matthew O. Berger WASHINGTON, 23 Jun (IPS) - While drug use has largely stabilised in industrial countries, there are signs that it may be on the rise in developing countries, says a new report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and the impact of a rise in drug abuse could cause a lot more damage in developing countries than it has for their richer counterparts. more...   Haitian Farmers Leery of Monsanto's Largesse Peter Costantini* PÉTIONVILLE, 21 Jun (IPS) - Haitian farmers are worried that large transnational corporations like Monsanto are attempting to gain a larger foothold in the local economy under the guise of earthquake relief and rebuilding. more...   Rise of the "Flexions" Muhammad Idrees Ahmad* GLASGOW, 26 May (IPS) - In 2005, ahead of the G8 summit in Gleneagles, Irish rock star and philanthropist Bono dedicated a concert to Harvard economist Jeffrey Sachs for his services to global poverty alleviation. more...   Obama Fails to Reverse Militarisation of Latin America Policy Jim Lobe WASHINGTON, 24 May (IPS) - President Barack Obama has largely disappointed hopes for an "equal partnership" with the countries of Latin America, according to the latest in a series of annual reports on U.S. relations with the region released here Monday. more...   Reclaiming the Streets Analysis by Lester R. Brown* WASHINGTON, 20 May (IPS) - Cars promise mobility, and in a largely rural setting they provide it. But in an urbanising world, where more than half of us live in cities, there is an inherent conflict between the automobile and the city. more...   U.S. House Clears Haiti Trade Bill Jim Lobe* WASHINGTON, 5 May (IPS) - The U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday approved a major trade bill designed to boost U.S. and other investment in Haiti's textile and apparel industry following January's devastating earthquake in which at least 200,000 people are believed to have been killed. more...