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Researchers examine effects of meditation on compassion, virtuous behavior

Scientists have mostly focused on the benefits of meditation for the brain and the body, but a recent study by Northeastern University's David DeSteno, published in Psychological Science, takes a look at what impacts meditation has on interpersonal harmony and compassion.

2 Apr 2013

WFP director says food security crisis in Sahel is not over

The World Food Programme (WFP) "is helping feed more than 10 million people in eight countries" in the Sahel, but WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin "stressed the crisis was not over," AlertNet reports.

30 Mar 2013

U.N. forced to delay urgent food aid to Guinea Bissau due to lack of donor support

"The United Nations said Tuesday that it had been forced to delay desperately needed food aid to nearly 300,000 people in Guinea Bissau since it so far had received no donations to support the operation," Agence France-Presse reports.

30 Mar 2013

Kerry announces $51M in additional humanitarian aid for Sahel region

"[T]he United States has announced an additional $51 million in humanitarian aid to the people of the Sahel -- a belt up to 1,000 kilometers wide that spans Africa from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea -- bringing its total aid to $520 million" in FY 2012, Devex's "Pennsylvania Ave." blog reports.

30 Mar 2013

Foreign Prison Conditions Improvement Act introduced in Senate

Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and James Inhofe (R-Okla.) last week introduced the Foreign Prison Conditions Improvement Act, which "would set standards for humane conditions [in prisons globally], require the Secretary of State to report on prison conditions in at least 30 countries receiving U.S. assistance or under U.S. sanctions, engage governments in recognizing and remedying human rights abuses behind bars and open the door to foreign aid to assist in bringing improvements,"

29 Mar 2013

New centers chosen to increase geriatric social work training

The Hartford/GSA National Center on Gerontological Social Work Excellence has chosen the Boston College and the University of Michigan as the locations of the first two Hartford Academic Centers of Excellence in Geriatric Social Work.

29 Mar 2013

Majority of physician partners are happy in their relationships, says research

It appears that the majority of spouses/partners of physicians in the United States are happy with their relationships, according to Mayo Clinic research.

29 Mar 2013

Appointment of former British MP to head IRC will affect autonomy of humanitarian agencies

The appointment of David Miliband -- who on Wednesday resigned his seat as Member of Parliament for South Shields -- as president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) "is another nail in the coffin to claims of humanitarian independence," Michiel Hofman, senior humanitarian specialist for the Humanitarian Innovation Team of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), writes in The Guardian's "Comment is Free" blog.

29 Mar 2013

Examining non-traditional development assistance

"A new aid landscape is emerging that increasingly involves a smaller role for traditional donors like the U.S. government and the World Bank,"

29 Mar 2013

Rebel coup, looting hampering humanitarian aid delivery in car

"A rebel-led weekend coup in the Central African Republic (CAR) took place against a backdrop of worsening humanitarian conditions in many parts of the country, with access to affected populations severely restricted," IRIN reports.

28 Mar 2013

Humanitarian response to Syrian conflict 'half-hearted at best'

"The massacre in Syria rages on and yet we stand idle. We must realize that, to millions of Syrians trapped in the country, the virtual absence of humanitarian relief is nearly as arbitrary and cruel as the war itself," Desmond Tutu, archbishop emeritus of Cape Town and a Nobel peace laureate, writes in The Guardian's "Comment is Free" blog.

28 Mar 2013

New report from ONE reviews agricultural development in Africa over past decade

"In a report launched [on Tuesday] -- a valuable yardstick called, 'A Growing Opportunity: Measuring Investments in African Agriculture' -- ONE reviews the past decade and finds some notable successes in terms of mustering money and political commitment, and the impact of agricultural development," Roger Thurow, senior fellow on global agriculture and food policy at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, writes in the group's "Global Food For Thought" blog.

28 Mar 2013

USAID reform is moving in right direction

Noting USAID on Wednesday released USAID Forward, "a progress report on its three-year-old reform effort ... which in the words of Administrator Rajiv Shah has the ultimate goal of putting 'ourselves out of business,'" Bill Lane, the director of International Governmental Affairs for Caterpillar, and Carolyn Miles, president and CEO of Save the Children -- co-presidents of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition -- write in The Hill's "Congress Blog," "We applaud the goals of USAID Forward to modernize and strengthen U.S. development programs, and while every indicator in the report is not perfect, the reforms are moving in the right direction."

27 Mar 2013

Benefits are not evenly distributed for men and women in workplace, research shows

Having more authority in the workplace comes with many rewards - including greater forms of job control and higher earnings. However, according to new research out of the University of Toronto, the benefits are not evenly distributed for women and men.

27 Mar 2013

Human rights leaders ask BRICS countries to press Syria for unfettered humanitarian aid access

"Human rights activists from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are appealing to their leaders to use their influence to press Syria to allow unimpeded humanitarian access to U.N. agencies," the Associated Press reports.

27 Mar 2013

Canadian International Development Agency eliminated, its functions merged with foreign affairs and trade department

"The Canadian International Development Agency will be eliminated and its functions merged with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, according to the 2013 budget, a surprise move that will more closely align development assistance with Canada's trade and foreign policy objectives," the Globe and Mail reports.

27 Mar 2013

USAID blog examines water management issues in the Middle East

The first three entries of a four-part series, titled "USAID in the Middle East," have been published in the agency's "IMPACTblog."

26 Mar 2013

IPS examines first USAID progress report, released last week

"The United States' main foreign assistance agency is getting widespread plaudits for new data on a series of internal reforms aimed at aid improvement, but some development experts are pointing to a persistent opaqueness from the agency," Inter Press Service reports.

26 Mar 2013

Study shows gay parents are judged more negatively than straight parents

Is there a double standard for gay parents? A new study published this month by a Binghamton University research team suggests that gay parents are being judged more harshly than straight parents.

26 Mar 2013

Opinion pieces recognize World Water Day 2013

World Water Day is recognized on March 22 to raise awareness of water and sanitation issues worldwide. This year also marks the International Year of Water Cooperation, according to the World Water Day website (3/22).

25 Mar 2013