Sci-Dev weekly update May 19 2013

Is Asian space science burning up health and education cash? Satellites may provide things such as weather data, but some believe their funding would be better spent elsewhere, finds Talent Ng'andwe. News Islamic nations are 'failing on R&D links and funding'  Muslim countries have failed to deliver on agreements to boost research spending and collaboration, their academicians claim.  EN  Call to mainstream ethnobotany into development  Scientists must partner with development actors and local communities to safeguard important plants.  EN  WHO approves synthetic source of artemisinin  GM-produced artemisinin is deemed to be comparable in quality to the plant-derived version, but should be cheaper to produce.  EN  Is city growth driving malaria elimination?  A study reveals a link between urbanisation and malaria, raising hope that cities sprouting in developing nations will help reduce malaria.  EN | ES  Call for action on Latin American cancer burden  Urgent action is needed to head off a cancer epidemic in Latin America and the Caribbean, warns an international group of specialists.  EN | ES Other News Kenya's GMO ban has no legal basis, official says  EN  India develops cheap rotavirus vaccine  EN  Nanotech filter may protect farmed fish from fungus  EN  Benin starts feeling the cost of rice pests  EN  Free software to help develop business in Argentina  ES More NEWS  Opinions Let's reconnect green issues and development post-2015  Post-2015 discussions offer a chance to link the environmental and development agendas — it shouldn't be bypassed, says Myles A. Wickstead.  EN  More OPINIONS  Features Is Asian space science drive harming development?  Space programmes can assist development work but are they taking cash better spent on ground-based efforts?Talent Ng'andwe investigates.  EN  More FEATURES  Green development push  By joining the debate over the post-2015 agenda, scientists can bolster the clear case for including environmental issues, says Myles A. Wickstead. SPOTLIGHT COMING SOON: The challenge of science and NGO practice joining forces SciDev.Net explores the differences, overlaps and potential synergies between science and NGO practice.