COLOMBIA US Military Aid Contingent on Reversal of Rights Record Matthew Berger WASHINGTON, 1 Sep (IPS) - As a new administration takes over in Bogotá, some groups are hoping for change in the human rights record of Colombia - and that the U.S. will use its clout in the country to ensure that change occurs. more...   US-MIDEAST Light At End of Tunnel Elusive Despite Obama's Efforts Analysis by Jim Lobe WASHINGTON, 30 Aug (IPS) - President Barack Obama will try this week to underline his progress in extricating the United States from the morass his predecessor's "global war on terror" in the Greater Middle East. more...   Sao Tome and Principe at Oil Bonanza Crossroads Megan Iacobini de Fazio NEW YORK, 24 Aug (IPS) - With the discovery of large amounts of oil in the Gulf of Guinea, the small archipelago of Sao Tome and Principe faces the possibility of benefiting from considerable oil revenues. However, a report released by Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Tuesday documents the difficulties in managing the revenues from the hydrocarbon business in an effective and transparent way. more...   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...