Global


US Ban on Smoking Undermined by Tobacco Industry

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UNITED NATIONS, Jun 1 2023 (IPS) - The US has some of the strictest laws against smoking in public, including a 1997 executive order which bans smoking in all government federal buildings.

But still, the tobacco industry and its allies do not rest, says Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Director of the Washington-based Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

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US Policies Slowing World Economy

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Feb 2 2023 (IPS) - Few policymakers ever claim credit for causing stagnation and recessions. Yet, they do so all the time, justifying their actions by some supposedly higher purpose.

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The Myth of the “Moderate Republican” — and Why It’s So Dangerous

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SAN FRANCISCO, USA, Jan 13 2023 (IPS) - The current notion of a “moderate Republican” is an oxymoron that helps to move the country rightward. Last week, every one of the GOP’s so-called “moderates” voted to install House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who won with the avid support of Donald Trump and got over the finish line by catering to such fascistic colleagues as Matt Gaetz and Lauren Boebert.

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Arc of History Bending Towards (Ab) Using Democracy & Human Rights: A Plea for Multi-Religious Civil Accountability

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NEW YORK, Feb 21 2022 (IPS) - A “Joint Statement of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China, issued on February 4, 2020 on International Relations Entering a New Era and the Global Sustainable Development”, contains laudable and strong language about commitment to democracy and human rights:

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U.S. to Russia: Do as We Say, Not as We Do

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SAN FRANCISCO, USA , Feb 2 2022 (IPS) - Hidden in plain sight, the extreme hypocrisy of the U.S. position on NATO and Ukraine cries out for journalistic coverage and open debate in the USA’s major media outlets. But those outlets, with rare exceptions, have gone into virtually Orwellian mode, only allowing elaboration on the theme of America good, Russia bad.

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Plastic Trash in the Ocean is a Global Problem, and the US is the Top Source

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Plastic waste of all shapes and sizes permeates the world’s oceans. It shows up on beaches, in fish and even in Arctic sea ice. And a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine makes clear that the U.S. is a big part of the problem. As the report shows, the U.S. […]

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UN’s “Indispensable Partners” Barred from Entering Secretariat Building

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UNITED NATIONS, Nov 8 2021 (IPS) - The United Nations has come under heavy fire for continuing a 20-month-long ban on non-governmental organizations (NGOs)– even though the Secretariat is expected to return to near-normal by September 15 after a pandemic lockdown going back to March 2020.

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After a 20-Month Lockdown, UN Plans to Return to Near-Normal by Mid-November

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UNITED NATIONS, Nov 1 2021 (IPS) - The United Nations, which suffered a pandemic lockdown over the last 20 months– with most staffers tele-working from their homes– is expected to return to near-normal, come November 15.

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Stop New Washington Putsch

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct 5 2021 (IPS) - As finance ministers and central bank governors gather next week for the IMF-World Bank annual meetings in the US capital, the first shots of a new putsch against multilateralism have been fired. The target: Kristalina Georgieva, Fund Managing Director (MD) since 2019.

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Biden Disappoints, Must Do More, Not Less

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Sep 28 2021 (IPS) - US President Biden’s earlier support for a vaccine patent waiver raised hopes for his summit last week. However, it proved disappointing, not only for efforts to end the pandemic, but also for US leadership in these challenging times.

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