United Nations : Food commodity prices soar to five-year high (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Geneva)
The international prices of a basket of key agricultural food commodities rose in December to its highest level in five years, with strong rallies in the vegetable oils, sugar and dairy markets, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has said.

UN : US Mideast plan - Israelis offered the cheese & Palestinians the holes (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
The Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem has described the much- ballyhooed US Middle East peace plan as "more like Swiss cheese - with the cheese being offered to the Israelis and the holes to the Palestinians".

Development : Inclusive education still evades people with disabilities (PRIV)
(IPS, Djibouti City)
Neema Namdamu, 42, grew up in the village of Bukavu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where children with disabilities were considered a curse.

Rights : Am I abused or am I a failure to adjust? - a migrant's story (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
Every year hundreds of immigrants leave their homes and trail to a land of dream and hope where they aspire to find peace, happiness and sometimes a little bit of safety compared to what they leave behind.