Skin secretions from a South American "shrinking" frog could be used to treat type 2 diabetes, researchers say.

 

We call on international financial institutions like the IMF, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and other regional development banks, northern governments and their export credit agencies – TO STOP ALL FUNDING AND ALL PROGRAMS THAT HARM PEOPLES and the ENVIRONMENT.

Coinciding with the signing on December 9, in Buenos Aires, of the South Bank’s Founding Act, hundreds of social movements, networks, organizations and personalities from throughout Latin America and the world are presenting to the Presidents of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela, an Open Letter expressing their expectation with regard to the creation of the new financial institution together with proposals intended to insure that the Bank can indeed contribute to the integration of the region’s peoples and the full enjoyment of human and environmental rights and the right to development.

Friends of the Earth - Brazilian Amazonia filed a civil lawsuit on Wednesday (Dec. 5th) in the Federal Courts, requesting the suspension of the Santo Antônio Hydro Power Plant project auction, in the Madeira River (state of Rondônia, in the Amazon), scheduled for December 10th . The Brazilian Federal government announced today the creation of a special task-force, with 71 lawyers and 71 assistants, working 'round-the-clock over the week-end with the objective of reverting the possible effects of the lawsuit and making sure the auction will take place on Monday.

Next Monday, December 10th, the Brazilian government will offer private companies, including Suez, Endesa, Odebrecht, and the Votorantim group the contract to build a $6 billion dam on the Madeira River in the Amazon. This they want to do in an auction behind closed doors in Brasília. But, you too can take part in this Day of A(u)ction!