U.S. Limits Mercury Pollution as Big Coal Retreats Matthew Cardinale ATLANTA, Georgia, 23 Dec (IPS) - Environmental advocates praised a recent new rule limiting pollution of mercury and other air toxins announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, one of several new air pollution standards set under the Barack Obama administration. more...   U.S. Despite Obesity Crisis, Govt Slow to Rein in Fast Food Industry Elizabeth Whitman NEW YORK, 23 Dec (IPS) - When the fast food chain McDonald's decided to add oatmeal to its menu in January 2011, it literally sugar-coated the offering as a "portable, affordable and balanced breakfast solution... to help make it easier and more inviting for our guests to eat more whole grains and fruits". more...   SOUTH SUDAN Women Aim to Protect Their Rights in a Young State Amanda Wilson WASHINGTON, 15 Dec (IPS) - As South Sudan maps out its economic future at the South Sudan International Engagement Conference (IEC) this week in Washington, women from the new country called on donors to invest in projects that ensure women benefit equally from development plans. more...   Nigerian Bill Criminalises More Than Just Gay People Elizabeth Whitman UNITED NATIONS, 7 Dec (IPS) - "The prospect of arriving home... being arrested at the airport - that's kind of scary," said Osazeme O., a dual citizen of Nigeria and the UK, in a wry understatement. more...   Poverty and Racism Fuel HIV/AIDS Epidemic in U.S. Kanya D'Almeida WASHINGTON, 1 Dec (IPS) - On World AIDS Day, all eyes are fixed on the global south, where a preventable HIV/AIDS epidemic across Asia, Africa and Latin America has infected almost 33 million people. more...   U.S. Leads Challenge to Ban on Cluster Munitions Sandra Siagian UNITED NATIONS, 18 Nov (IPS) - Deliberations are underway for a United States-backed proposal to allow the continued use, production, trade and stockpiling of cluster munitions at the Fourth Review Conference of the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) in Geneva. more...   Toxins Rob More Than a Decade of Life from Millions Stephen Leahy UXBRIDGE, Canada, 14 Nov (IPS) - Toxic pollution affects the health of more than 100 million people, shortening their productive life spans by an astonishing 12.7 years on average. more...   CANADA Harper Government Guts Environment Programmes Stephen Leahy UXBRIDGE, Canada, 9 Nov (IPS) - Canada's Stephen Harper government is spending more than 60 billion dollars on new military jets and warships while slashing more than 200 million dollars in funding for research and monitoring of the environment. more...   GHANA Toxic Electronic Waste Contaminates Surrounding Area Stephen Leahy UXBRIDGE, Canada, 1 Nov (IPS) - Mountains of hazardous waste grow by about 40 million tons every year. This waste, mostly from Europe and North America, is burned in developing countries like Ghana in a hazardous effort to recover valuable metals. more...   Gene Patents "Like Trying to Keep Water in a Sieve" Amanda Wilson* WASHINGTON, 21 Oct (IPS) - If the U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear a case on gene patents, observers say the resulting face-off - between a large genetics testing company and a vocal coalition of breast cancer patient advocates – will have a massive impact because of what is at stake: valuable information about the human genome. more...