Bringing people together to improve communication of research findings

April 2009 Blog Posts (16)

Betting on the Rains - a story about the Southern Cone

Hi, our latest story, written by one of our communications interns:

Rising global food prices and favorable rainfall patterns in recent decades have allowed farmers in South America's Southern Cone region to grow crops on formerly marginal lands. But if climate patterns shift and the rains start to fail, the region could face devastating losses in its economy, livelihoods and infrastructure.

The IRI is working with local partners to characterize the… Continue

Added by Francesco Fiondella on April 30, 2009 at 15:51 — No Comments

Why we take for granted tsunami warning, earthquakes, volcanic eruption?

Why is it that we Tongan people take for granted tsunami warning, earthquakes and volcanic eruption? Who's to blame for not getting the information out there to the public so that they will know how to prepare themselves when these happens?

On March 20, a major 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck off the Tonga islands region early Friday triggered a tsunami threatening Tonga, Samoa and Fiji.

A tsunami warning was issued by the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre… Continue

Added by Sia Adams on April 29, 2009 at 21:51 — 1 Comment

New Minister of Information for Tonga

It has now been approved that Mrs. 'Eseta Fusitu'a the former Secretary for Cabinet and Prime Minister's Office is the New Minister of Information in the Island Kingdom of Tonga.

When she was still working as a Secretary for Cabinet and at the PMO she was one of the few people in government that it was very hard to get information from and she was very good at not giving information. I just can't wait to see what this new appointment will do to the situation of the Media here in… Continue

Added by Sia Adams on April 28, 2009 at 23:31 — No Comments

From horror to hopelessness

From horror to hopelessness

International community neglected Somali journalists

The Somali Journalists Rights Agency (SOJRA) to day broadly reveals the current situation of state of press freedom in Somalia which is a devastating one, with a lot of worry. Many Somalia media are not able to report about the events as it is, because of fear of persecution.

All regions of the country have experienced the worst press freedom violation, and an attack of journalists is… Continue

Added by Daud Abdi Daud on April 28, 2009 at 1:09 — No Comments

Imamate Think Tank calls for constitutional change in order to get political stability in Somalia.

Imamate Think Tank calls for constitutional change in order to get political stability in Somalia.

Never give up trying to find a permanent solution to a political crisis in Somalia.

The formation of a new constitution which is applicable to Somali culture and Islamic religion can prevent the Shabaab Movement from taking the power.

It seems that they are not going to apply Shariah law in Somalia but they have ulterior motive which is driven by the hunger of power and… Continue

Added by Daud Abdi Daud on April 24, 2009 at 20:53 — No Comments

Carbon markets - another financial crisis waiting to happen?

A very interesting new report from Friends of the Earth explores the similarities between the financial instruments that (arguably) led to the worldwide recession and emerging carbon market instruments:

http://www.foe.org/subprimecarbon

There doesn't seem to be a lot of literature out there on the regulation of global carbon markets. I would be interested to hear your thoughts...

Farzana

Added by Farzana Nawaz on April 24, 2009 at 15:43 — No Comments

we must fight to help africa

It is serious here for the media to help adopted coomon agreement for the africa.that we suffer alot from the CC ,despite we have rich resources but suffer alot from the bad policies that destroy our forests ,our fields,farmers.

we have mny problems about rasing aware ness about CC.it is anew Issuse in our country ,but we need to help eaach other .

In my special experience ,Isaw how CC destroy many villages in western Sudan ,because of desterification ,causes ,Immigration ,displased… Continue

Added by nadra mahdi on April 24, 2009 at 11:59 — No Comments

Somali journalist under threat and media transgression is still continuing

Somali journalist under threat and media transgression is still continuing

The Somali Journalist Rights Agency (SOJRA) is to day condemning the continuing of Somali media infringements from the Islamist groups who are still influences of the political power of the country.

Mohamed Ali Nuxurkey is one of Somali prominent journalists currently working in the capital Mogadishu in the course of difficult conditions on freedom of expression greater than conflicting policies in… Continue

Added by Daud Abdi Daud on April 24, 2009 at 7:28 — No Comments

Somalia: Donors Should Address Accountability

Somalia: Donors Should Address Accountability

Make Human Rights Guarantees a Condition of Aid to Security Forces

(Brussels, April 22, 2009) - Donor governments meeting in Brussels this

week should ensure that pledges of assistance to Somali security forces

and African Union troops in Somalia will not contribute to human rights

abuses, Human Rights Watch said today. All training and material

assistance to Transitional Federal Government (TFG)… Continue

Added by Daud Abdi Daud on April 22, 2009 at 21:44 — No Comments

The Pesticides Debate on Malaria

Four years ago, i was at a workshop whose main aim was to encourage the use of mosquito treated nets as a means of protecting people from the mosquito that causes malaria.

All the presenters made a convincing pitch. But one of the participants who was sitted next to me was not so convinced.

"How can you expect someone who is based in a remote village and does not even have a blanket or what we in the city call a bed to sleep on, to use a mosquito net. Even if you take the… Continue

Added by Mary Itumbi Kiio on April 22, 2009 at 15:30 — No Comments

BATTLE OVER TINY MIGINGO ISLAND

Migingo Island, the small one-acre rock on Lake Victoria that has for decades belonged to Kenya has been under siege for several months now. It is telling that Kenya's erstwhile neighbour, Uganda chose to militarise the issue, yet the display was purely meant to aggravate long-festering 'war' over control of resources on Africa's largest fresh-water lake.

Please, look forward to the Exclusive story about how real and perceived jealousy made the neighbour to rear its ugly head. I… Continue

Added by DANIEL AKOKO on April 19, 2009 at 11:25 — 2 Comments

THE GLOBAL WARMING

The Global warming.

Global warming refers to the increase in the mean global temperature

of the earth due to green house effects. But the term is most often used to refer to the warming predicted by computer models to occur as a result of increased emissions of green house gases.

The increase in green house gases in the atmosphere is making a layer. This layer allows sunlight to enter into the atmosphere, and is absorbed by the earth surface. This absorbed energy is… Continue

Added by MD. IFTAKHAR ALI (IFK) on April 17, 2009 at 11:17 — No Comments

Science Communication Conference - bursaries

FREE places at the Science Communication Conference

22 & 23 June 2009 – Kings Place, London

Rub shoulders with key individuals in the science communication field. Share your experiences and learn from others. Debate the topical issues.

The focus of this year’s conference is ‘Behaviour and Choice’. Should science communicators be influencers of behavioural change?

Apply online for a bursary – conference fees, optional attendance at the… Continue

Added by Nigel Eady on April 16, 2009 at 15:16 — No Comments

perspectives - how does society impact research and vice versa?

perspectives is a great way to reflect on the wider implications of research and attend the British Science Festival for free!

Do pass on the info below to anyone you think might be interested - friends, family, work colleagues, those you supervise...

Many thanks, Nigel

--------------------------------

Do you discuss your science with confidence?

Or is its social impact… Continue

Added by Nigel Eady on April 16, 2009 at 15:13 — No Comments

Post Open – Editor, IPS Asia-Pacific (www.ipsnewsasia.net)

IPS Asia-Pacific is looking for an editor to oversee editorial production for the region. Duty station: Bangkok, Thailand

He or she will:

-manage commissioning, planning and direction of coverage from Asia-Pacific for IPS Asia-Pacific’s editorial products, including its contribution to the World Service daily wire

-work on media development and capacity-building with IPS Asia-Pacific

-liaises with other editors in the IPS network

Qualifications of… Continue

Added by Lynette Lee Corporal on April 2, 2009 at 4:30 — No Comments

Arctic meltdown is a threat to humanity..... http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20127011.500-arctic-meltdown-is-a-threat-to-humanity.html?full=true

Editorial: Climate crunch warning

I AM shocked, truly shocked," says Katey Walter, an ecologist at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks. "I was in Siberia a few weeks ago, and I am now just back in from the field in Alaska. The permafrost is melting fast all over the Arctic, lakes are forming everywhere and methane is bubbling up out of them."

The permafrost is melting fast all over the Arctic, lakes are forming everywhere and methane is bubbling out of them

Back in… Continue

Added by Dalia Abdel Salam El Dessouky on April 1, 2009 at 21:10 — No Comments