The World Trade Organization is moving closer to a global trade deal, but greater flexibility and concessions are needed, top officials have said. WTO trade ministers are in Geneva this week hoping to revive the ongoing Doha round of talks that have stalled over problem areas such as agriculture. Poorer nations want greater access to richer markets, while the US and Europe are fighting over subsidy levels. US trade chief said the sides are now "relatively close".

Scientists are hopeful a vaccine against the deadly tropical disease Marburg virus could be developed. Similar to the Ebola virus, Marburg causes internal bleeding leading to multiple organ failure in 90% of cases - there is no effective treatment. A US-Canadian team writing in the Lancet say they have created a jab which appears to protect monkeys from Marburg's harmful effects. Both the Marburg and Ebola viruses are considered potential bio-terror agents.

The world is failing children by not ensuring they have enough to eat, says the UN Children's Fund (Unicef). It says the number of children under five who are underweight has remained virtually unchanged since 1990, despite a target to reduce the number affected. One of the UN's Millennium Development Goals is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger by 2015, which would mean halving the proportion of children who are underweight for their age. But Unicef warned that the world was not on track to meet that goal.

The Dutch government has suspended nearly $150m in aid to Kenya because of concerns over corruption. The Dutch development co-operation minister said her government wanted to see "more tangible results in the fight against corruption in Kenya". Kenyan officials said the move was based on a misconception. The IMF and the World Bank have recently said they were withholding millions of dollars in aid to Kenya because of concerns over corruption.

Members with "egregious human rights records" were one reason the former Human Rights Commission often failed to take strong action on human rights abuses. Democratic governments were also unwilling to jeopardise economic, political or regional ties, and shied away from condemning many states. Human Rights Watch argues that the new Human Rights Council's increased membership standards will discourage abusive states from joining. But whether "democratic government" members will also take their Council responsibilities seriously remains to be seen.

This paper focuses on the situation of teachers, the problems they face and the detrimental effect these problems are having on children's ability to complete a good quality education. As well as setting out the problems faced by teachers, education managers and governments in poor countries, the paper also collects together a range of solutions to the problems highlighted.

This programme was created to recognise and elevate those selfless individuals who make a world of difference in the lives of children across the globe, regardless of political, religious or geographical boundaries. All Award funds go to support the proven and sustainable programmes initiated/managed by the winners.

This is a consumer campaign that was launched to help fill in gaps in the sustainable food movement, and to help direct consumers to organisations that are working on the issue. Sustainable Table works to educate consumers and increase demand for sustainable food through awareness campaigns, promotional events, and educational websites. It aims to offer viable alternatives to factory farming.

The Darfur cirse, Northern Uganda's night commuters, civilans caught in Nepal's war, Afghanistan's heroin predicament, Angola's refugee returns, Malaria impact on Ethiopia: these are just some of the topics of recent films produced by IRIN. Typically 5-20 minutes long, they highlight key humanitarian concerns in often under-reported, poorly understood and neglected areas. The films are available free and can be viewed online as well as on CDROM.

Launched in 2005, this series consists of 32 five-minute films produced in 31 countries around the world by the Broadcasting for Change Network. Several of the films explore basic human rights, such as the right to education, through the stories of girls and women who have been denied those rights. For instance, Sierra Leone's "The Sky is the Limit" and the Czech Republic's "Women in Power".

When civil war broke out in Liberia at the end of 1989 it triggered an intractable cycle of conflict and displacement that directly affected three other countries and indirectly affected several more. The violence that has ebbed and flowed between Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire - added to the separate conflicts in Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria and Togo - has created an extremely complex situation of displacement, both internally and across borders.

The purpose of this report is to set forth policy options for supporting developing countries and transition economies in adapting their secondary education systems to demands arising from the successful expansion of primary education and the socioeconomic challenges presented by globalisation and the knowledge-based economy.

Education International (EI) welcomes the UIS (UNESCO Institute for Statistics) report on teacher recruitment, which fully supports all of EI’s demands in terms of teacher training, quality of education and proper planning by governments. Education International welcomes the release of the report, which should help governments and the international community achieve the Education For All initiative by 2015, will state the EI General Secretary, Fred van Leeuwen at a press conference at the UN Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC) today (April 26).

High-profile meetings in 2005 raised expectations that commitments to achieve the Millennium Development Goals would result in more aid for Education for All (EFA) programmes. But are donors ready to finally honour the EFA promises made in Dakar in 2000?

Africa was the subject of unprecedented international political attention in 2005. In March, the Commission for Africa - set up by Tony Blair - published its report, Our Common Future, which provided an extremely detailed analysis of the challenges facing the continent and of the policy responses that might better help to tackle them. However, international policy makers have underestimated the extent to which China is now a major player in Africa. They have failed to fully appreciate the extent to which China’s engagement in Africa has the potential to seriously undermine some of their existing policy initiatives towards the continent.

Founded by the organizers of the first Earth Day in 1970, Earth Day Network (EDN) promotes environmental citizenship and year round progressive action worldwide. Earth Day Network is a driving force steering environmental awareness around the world. Through Earth Day Network, activists connect, interact, and impact their communities, and create positive change in local, national, and global policies. For information and resources follow the link.

This campaign briefing paper gives policy information, facts, statistics and case studies that explain the need for more, better paid, qualified teachers in order to give every child a quality education. The paper states Global Campaign for Education positions and specific demands to governments.

Global Action Week (GAW) gets off to a kick start today, Monday 24th of April, with activities taking place internationally to advocate for free quality Education for All.

Follow the link for some of the events being held around Africa.

The Mozambican government on Thursday (April 21) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Export-Import Bank of China (China Eximbank) for financing the Mepanda Nkua dam and hydro-electric station on the Zambezi, in the western province of Tete. The cost of the dam, the power station, and the transmission line from Tete to Maputo is put at 2.3 billion US dollars.

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan's reform proposal for the world body that would give new responsibilities to the secretary-general is receiving sharp criticism from the Group of 77, which represents developing countries within the General Assembly. Action on the group's resolution, proposed by South Africa, could put off consideration of the changes for months and could bring about a showdown in June, when the UN must reconcile its annual budget, according to the NY Times.