Central America
In a sign of growing political opposition to uranium weapons, Costa Rica has passed legislation banning their production in its Free Trade Zones. Zonas Francas or Free Ports are common throughout Latin America and are seen as a means of boosting employment in deprived areas by offering favourable operating conditions to foreign companies. »
Spanish researchers Gaspar Muñoz Cosme and Cristina Vidal launched the book “Los grafitos mayas”, (Mayan Graffiti) which is considered to be the first complete text on drawings and incisions from various archeological sites in Guatemala and Mexico. This book is a study bringing together for the first time scientific and expert archeological studies from Guatemala and Mexico. »
Honduras is entering a new phase following the swearing-in of a new president and the departure of the now former president Manuel Zelaya. On Wednesday, President Porfirio Lobo was sworn into office. A wealthy landowner, Lobo was elected in a November race boycotted by Zelaya supporters. Zelaya ended his four-month stay in the Brazilian embassy and left Honduras for exile.»
Oceania
The Argentine film "Cuestion de principios" (A Question of Principles) by Rodrigo Grande opens the 5th Latin American Cinema Festival in Sydney on Wednesday, which will screen over 60 movies in almost 20 days.
"Cuestion de principios" is inspired by the book of the same title by the late writer Roberto Fontanarrosa, who helped the filmmaker with the script.»
Petra Klein carried the Nuclear Abolition Flame, lit from the flame in Hiroshima's Peace Park. She said she wanted people to understand the strength of unity in the name of peace. "People think 'what can I do?' but for peace to work each single person is important." Tauranga Simon Bridges said "It is very good to be part of this small but important part of the world march."»
The 53-member Commonwealth voted to fully suspend Fiji because it has failed to schedule elections by October of 2010. The Commonwealth objects to the decision by the government of Commodore Frank Bainimarama, who seized power in a 2006 coup, to delay elections until 2014. Mr Bainimarama wants to reform the voting system which he says works in favor of ethnic Fijians.»
Middle East
Over sixty years have passed with Palestinians under occupation by the Israel government and the situation is continuously getting worse for the Palestinians. Far from giving up, local people gang together and insist on demonstrating for their rights. With international pressure an acceptable situation has to finally result, anything else is unthinkable. »
In Israel and the Palestinian Occupied Territories, Israel’s Foreign Minister has dismissed the prospect of Palestinian statehood within the next two years, by 2012. Avigdor Lieberman made the comment to reporters in Jerusalem.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is due in Washington next week for talks with President Obama.
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Gypsies have been universally discriminated against because, as nomadics, they were seen as strangers everywhere and that attitude is only slowly changing. Valery Novoselsky tells his story and how, despite that Israel is very keen on building up its resident population in general, for him it was the same story played out yet again. »
North America
Federal authorities have launched an investigation into a fire set at the site of a future Islamic center and mosque in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, thirty-five miles outside of Nashville. The apparent arson destroyed an earth mover and damaged three other vehicles. The equipment was reportedly doused with gasoline and set on fire on Friday night or early Saturday morning. »
Police in Toronto arrested over six hundred protesters taking part in demonstrations against the G20 global economic summit. Many of the arrests occurred on Sunday when police raided a University of Toronto building housing protesters. Amnesty International has called for an independent probe into the police crackdown.»
In a major victory for President Obama and congressional Democrats, the House has approved a landmark measure that would expand healthcare to over 30 million uninsured Americans while forcing millions to purchase health insurance. The 219-to-212 vote late Sunday night came nearly three months after the Senate’s approval of the bill on Christmas Eve. »
South America
The US Agency for International Development will give US$50 million this year to finance Venezuelan opposition groups, according to US government documents released in Caracas. In an interview with Radio Nacional de Venezuela, analyst Eva Golinger said the documents prove that USAID plans to fund even political parties, to campaign for the September 28 congressional elections »
The presidential candidate of the Workers Party, Dilma Rousseff, today expanded to 17.9 percentage points her lead in the preference of Brazilian voters for the general elections in October. According to the results of the survey by Sensus Company, commissioned by the National Confederation of Transport, Dilma has the support of 46 percent of intending voters.»
Bolivian President Evo Morales will travel to Johannesburg on Wednesday to attend South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony.
After confirming on Tuesday his presence at FIFA World Cup opening ceremony, Morales stressed the importance of sports for health, integration, and discipline.
The Bolivian president also will hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts. »
Asia
In Pakistan, it has been a month since torrential monsoon rains triggered the country’s worst natural disaster on record. As many as 20 million people have been left homeless due to the massive flooding. UN officials say an estimated 72,000 children in flood-affected areas are at high risk of death because of severe malnutrition. »
More than 180 teachers from Gumaca and Lopez of Quezon province participated in and recently concluded two six-day workshop series organized by Ang Komunidad Para Sa Ikauunlad ng Tao, the Philippine organization linked internationally to The Community for Human Development.
Held separately in the towns of Gumaca and Lopez, the workshop lasted the months of July and August.»
The United Nations says the number of people suffering from the massive floods in Pakistan has now exceeded 13 million which is more than the combined total of people affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and the 2010 Haiti earthquake combined, though the death toll in Pakistan is far lower.»
Europe
Muscovites have brought airports to a standstill with attempts to leave the Russian capital where the air has become unbreathable and visibility enormously reduced due to the dense smoke clouds from fires which in the last hours have been growing, due mainly to the very high temperatures of this summer; the highest registered in decades.»
Sir Richard Jolly, former Assistant General to the United Nations and co-director of UN intellectual history project, will give the Annual Erskine Childers Lecture entitled “Inequality and Millennium Development Goals.” at Friends House on Tuesday 15th June, 2010 at 6.30pm hosted by Uniting for Peace, Action for UN Renewal and World Disarmament Campaign.»
Foreign ministers of the European Union (EU) called on Israel to soften its blockade on the Gaza Strip and broaden the list of items allowed into the territory.
The extreme situation in Gaza was the focus of the agenda of the meeting of EU Foreign ministers, who failed to condemn explicitly the violent Israeli attack at a humanitarian aid flotilla bound for Gaza on May 31.»
Africa
The Convergence of Cultures calls for urgent action to help refugees in Libya where reports of violence have been received with authorities failing to assist the injured and making deportations to countries in humanitarian crisis. Many of the victims are men, women and children rejected by European authorities, in violation of the Geneva Convention. »
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, hundreds of people streamed through Kinshasa on Saturday for the funeral of Floribert Chebeya, one of Congo’s top human rights activists. Chebeya was found dead in his car two weeks ago after being summoned to meet the chief of the national police. Supporters of Chebeya have called for an independent probe into his death.»
Moroccan human rights activist and peace advocate Zakaria El Hamel was appointed Ambassador for Peace by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) and the Inter religious and International Federation for World Peace (IIFWP).
The Ambassadors for Peace is a global network of leaders from religion, politics and civil society working cooperatively for the sake of world peace.
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