Bangladesh
HC asks government to stop river encroachment 5-25-09, The Daily Star
The High Court (HC) yesterday directed the government to take appropriate steps to stop encroachment, earth-filling, and construction of illegal structures on the Buriganga, Turag, Balu, and Shitalakkhya rivers.
Bangladesh mutiny deaths probed 5-21-09, BBC
Bangladesh has ordered an inquiry into the deaths of 21 border guards who were held in custody after a mutiny in February that killed nearly 100 people.
Guatemala
Guatemala Murder Scandal Could Threaten the Presidency 5-20-09, Christian Science Monitor
The scandal surrounding accusations that Guatemala's president orchestrated the murder of a prominent lawyer is deepening divisions in the country. It is also handing the country its greatest threat to democracy since the civil war ended.
Poverty reduction programs under fire 5-21-09, Latin America Press
The Social Cohesion Council, a government body dealing with social development, announced a Strategic Plan to Reduce Chronic Malnutrition which will distribute about US$12 a month to the beneficiaries of the conditioned cash transfer program Mi Familia Progresa, in four Mayan Chortí municipalities of Chiquimula.
India
In Punjab, Crowding Onto The Cancer Train 5-11-09, NPR
Train No. 339 routinely carries at least 60 cancer patients for treatment at the government's regional cancer center. Researchers caution that the findings do not prove that pesticides are causing cancer. But are the modern farming methods brought by the so-called Green Revolution of the 1960s and '70s making people sick?
Indian Rights Activist to be Freed on Bail 5-25-09, AP
India's top court on Monday ordered that a human rights activist facing trial in eastern India for allegedly aiding the region's communist rebels be released on bail.
Mexico
Crisis Drives Up Poverty Rate 5-23-09, IPS
Between 1994 and 1996, the poverty rate in Mexico climbed from 52 to 69 percent due to a deep but short-lived global economic recession that broke out in this country. Now this country is experiencing another depression, which originated in its northern neighbor, and that will last at least until 2010.
Avalanche of anti-abortion laws 5-22-09, IPS
In the last 13 months, 12 of Mexico's 32 states have approved amendments to their state constitutions defining a fertilized human egg as a person with a right to legal protection, and seven other state parliaments are taking steps in the same direction.
Nepal
Senior UN official lauds Supreme Court reforms 5-19-09, UN News Service
The top United Nations human rights official in Nepal today welcomed Supreme Court reforms initiated by the fledgling democracy’s newly appointed Chief Justice. The measures are aimed at enhancing transparency in its system of jurisprudence.
Successive governments have ignored agriculture 5-25-09, eKantipur
According to a recent report from the Ministry of Agriculture, 40 percent of the people in the hills and mountains, barring the eastern region are suffering from a serious food deficit of 133,000 tons. Jagannath Adhikari, a geographer by training, has undertaken extensive research in Nepal's rural areas, studying, among other things, remittances, migration and food security.
Constitution-drafting process finally begins after a year 5-25-09, eKantipur
Only a year after its first meeting was convened, the Constituent Assembly (CA) has finally entered the constitution-drafting process. The CA’s National Interest Preservation Committee (NIPC) among its 11 committees presented its concept paper on the constitution.
South Africa
The Grass Beneath the Fighting Elephants 5-22-09, Pambazuka
There is an African saying that when elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. In South Africa lately, the elephants have been the two biggest winners in the April elections-the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA). The grass is democracy and women's rights.
South Africa goes into recession 5-25-09, BBC
The South African economy has gone into recession for the first time since 1992, following a sharp slowdown in the manufacturing and mining sectors. Africa's biggest economy contracted at an annualized rate of 6.4% between January and March.
South Africa gets anti-crime boss 5-21-09, BBC
South Africa has appointed a relatively unknown police officer to head its new serious crimes agency that replaced the elite Scorpions unit. He will head the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation when it launches in July.
Zimbabwe
No Movement on Media Reform Despite Government Pledges 5-21-09, SW Radio Africa News
Repeated promises to reform the repressive media environment in Zimbabwe are proving hollow. Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Thursday said there have been "significant improvements," but improvements are not translating into action.
Long Road to Water Sustainability 5-22-09, IPS
As Zimbabwe's national unity government approaches 100 days in office, Finance Minister Tendai Biti has said it will take some time for the country to return to 1996 standards, before what was once southern Africa’s second largest economy went into a tailspin.
General
2009 Report on State-Sponsored Homophobia
ILGA, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association published the third edition of its report and map on State Sponsored Homophobia, a collection of legislation criminalizing consensual sexual acts between persons of the same sex in private over the age of consent.
African Finance Ministers to Discuss Impact of Economic Crisis 5-21-09, Afrique en ligne
African ministers have scheduled a meeting to discuss measures required to deal with the global economic crisis. The meeting will explore ways of dealing with the crisis through enhanced fiscal planning and ways of raising funds internally within Africa.
HC asks government to stop river encroachment 5-25-09, The Daily Star
The High Court (HC) yesterday directed the government to take appropriate steps to stop encroachment, earth-filling, and construction of illegal structures on the Buriganga, Turag, Balu, and Shitalakkhya rivers.
Bangladesh mutiny deaths probed 5-21-09, BBC
Bangladesh has ordered an inquiry into the deaths of 21 border guards who were held in custody after a mutiny in February that killed nearly 100 people.
Guatemala
Guatemala Murder Scandal Could Threaten the Presidency 5-20-09, Christian Science Monitor
The scandal surrounding accusations that Guatemala's president orchestrated the murder of a prominent lawyer is deepening divisions in the country. It is also handing the country its greatest threat to democracy since the civil war ended.
Poverty reduction programs under fire 5-21-09, Latin America Press
The Social Cohesion Council, a government body dealing with social development, announced a Strategic Plan to Reduce Chronic Malnutrition which will distribute about US$12 a month to the beneficiaries of the conditioned cash transfer program Mi Familia Progresa, in four Mayan Chortí municipalities of Chiquimula.
India
In Punjab, Crowding Onto The Cancer Train 5-11-09, NPR
Train No. 339 routinely carries at least 60 cancer patients for treatment at the government's regional cancer center. Researchers caution that the findings do not prove that pesticides are causing cancer. But are the modern farming methods brought by the so-called Green Revolution of the 1960s and '70s making people sick?
Indian Rights Activist to be Freed on Bail 5-25-09, AP
India's top court on Monday ordered that a human rights activist facing trial in eastern India for allegedly aiding the region's communist rebels be released on bail.
Mexico
Crisis Drives Up Poverty Rate 5-23-09, IPS
Between 1994 and 1996, the poverty rate in Mexico climbed from 52 to 69 percent due to a deep but short-lived global economic recession that broke out in this country. Now this country is experiencing another depression, which originated in its northern neighbor, and that will last at least until 2010.
Avalanche of anti-abortion laws 5-22-09, IPS
In the last 13 months, 12 of Mexico's 32 states have approved amendments to their state constitutions defining a fertilized human egg as a person with a right to legal protection, and seven other state parliaments are taking steps in the same direction.
Nepal
Senior UN official lauds Supreme Court reforms 5-19-09, UN News Service
The top United Nations human rights official in Nepal today welcomed Supreme Court reforms initiated by the fledgling democracy’s newly appointed Chief Justice. The measures are aimed at enhancing transparency in its system of jurisprudence.
Successive governments have ignored agriculture 5-25-09, eKantipur
According to a recent report from the Ministry of Agriculture, 40 percent of the people in the hills and mountains, barring the eastern region are suffering from a serious food deficit of 133,000 tons. Jagannath Adhikari, a geographer by training, has undertaken extensive research in Nepal's rural areas, studying, among other things, remittances, migration and food security.
Constitution-drafting process finally begins after a year 5-25-09, eKantipur
Only a year after its first meeting was convened, the Constituent Assembly (CA) has finally entered the constitution-drafting process. The CA’s National Interest Preservation Committee (NIPC) among its 11 committees presented its concept paper on the constitution.
South Africa
The Grass Beneath the Fighting Elephants 5-22-09, Pambazuka
There is an African saying that when elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. In South Africa lately, the elephants have been the two biggest winners in the April elections-the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA). The grass is democracy and women's rights.
South Africa goes into recession 5-25-09, BBC
The South African economy has gone into recession for the first time since 1992, following a sharp slowdown in the manufacturing and mining sectors. Africa's biggest economy contracted at an annualized rate of 6.4% between January and March.
South Africa gets anti-crime boss 5-21-09, BBC
South Africa has appointed a relatively unknown police officer to head its new serious crimes agency that replaced the elite Scorpions unit. He will head the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation when it launches in July.
Zimbabwe
No Movement on Media Reform Despite Government Pledges 5-21-09, SW Radio Africa News
Repeated promises to reform the repressive media environment in Zimbabwe are proving hollow. Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Thursday said there have been "significant improvements," but improvements are not translating into action.
Long Road to Water Sustainability 5-22-09, IPS
As Zimbabwe's national unity government approaches 100 days in office, Finance Minister Tendai Biti has said it will take some time for the country to return to 1996 standards, before what was once southern Africa’s second largest economy went into a tailspin.
General
2009 Report on State-Sponsored Homophobia
ILGA, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association published the third edition of its report and map on State Sponsored Homophobia, a collection of legislation criminalizing consensual sexual acts between persons of the same sex in private over the age of consent.
African Finance Ministers to Discuss Impact of Economic Crisis 5-21-09, Afrique en ligne
African ministers have scheduled a meeting to discuss measures required to deal with the global economic crisis. The meeting will explore ways of dealing with the crisis through enhanced fiscal planning and ways of raising funds internally within Africa.
Labels: Bangladesh, Guatemala, IDEX NewsFlash, India, Mexico, Nepal, South Africa, Zimbabwe
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