http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/archive/6208 en_GB http://southasia.oneworld.net/link/gotolink/addhit/78673 Oxfam charges G8 nations of falling far behind on pledges of aid to Africa in 2005, and puts pressure on them to live up to their commitments in the next upcoming summit from 6-8 June in Heiligendamm, Germany. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/143047/1/6208 Papiya Sarkar from the Media and Communications group of the India Social Forum (ISF) writes about the seminars on globalisation and fair trade that she attended at the recently-concluded ISF. The discussions were on overcoming barriers to fair trade and making it work for the socio economic development of the marginalised sections of the population. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/142477/1/6208 Rich countries are still betraying their obligations to help poor countries protect public health. Five years on, most poor people are yet to benefit from the Doha Declaration. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/141619/1/6208 Radio experts and communicators working on community radio have urged the World Congress on Communication for Development (WCCD) to give community radio its rightful place as a development tool in the communications debate. Radio specialists are dismayed that the global meet has overlooked the vital role of community radio in empowering people and strengthening democracy in many regions, including, conflict places. OneWorld's Rahul Kumar reports from the congress in Rome. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/141485/1/6208 The first World Congress on Communication for Development (WCCD) took off in Rome with introspection deep in the minds of development professionals and communication experts, on where does communication stand in the development sector, and whether communication strategies can be given credit for successful development programmes. OneWorld's Rahul Kumar writes from Rome. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/140126/1/6208 Recent events in Lebanon and the stalemate in the Middle East peace process have demonstrated the growing failure of the Security Council to tackle issues under its mandate, the Defence Minister of India told the General Assembly, calling for reform of the 15-member body. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/137017/1/6208 Indian trade experts are unanimous that no deal at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) augurs better for India than a bad deal but developed nations will continue to put pressure on developing countries to open up their markets. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/136525/1/6208 ActionAid has issued a press release on the G8 summit in Russia criticising the rich countries’ efforts to force through a deal in the beleaguered World Trade Organization (WTO) as this sidelines the world’s poorest nations. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/136351/1/6208 Saying that he was “appalled by the brutal and callous bombings” of trains in Mumbai, India, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today that such acts confirm that terrorism constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/136220/1/6208 World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz has sent a letter to the G8 +5 leaders (Brazil, China, India, Mexico, South Africa) urging them to reach an agreement in the Doha round trade talks when they meet in St. Petersburg, Monday, July 17. The letter was addressed to each of the leaders and sent to them on Friday evening. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/135442/1/6208 International organisations expect India to play a lead role in the global control of small arms because the country has been a major victim of the illegal trade in foreign-made sophisticated arms. They want that India should be able to push for a consensus at a UN conference on small arms that begins on June 26. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/135313/1/6208 The chairman of an upcoming United Nations-organized conference looking into ways of curbing the illegal trade in small arms said that stepped-up action is needed to tackle the global scourge and follow-up on a Programme of Action endorsed by all Member States in 2001. http://southasia.oneworld.net/link/gotolink/addhit/72522 The Pakistani government has proposed a three-year plan to gradually close all Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan. Some of these camps are a quarter of a century old and still house many who fled the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. http://southasia.oneworld.net/link/gotolink/addhit/72489 Net private capital flows to developing countries reached a record high of $491 billion in 2005, driven by privatizations, mergers and acquisitions, external debt refinancing, as well as strong investor interest in local-currency bond markets in Asia and Latin America, says the World Bank’s annual 2006 Global Development Finance report. http://southasia.oneworld.net/link/gotolink/addhit/72273 A senior United Nations official began the first high-level talks, in more than two years, between the world body and the Government of Myanmar, bearing a clear message about the need to restore democracy and full human rights in the South Asian country.