KENYA: Gathering Storm of Expectations in Nairobi Slum
By Najum Mushtaq
NAIROBI - For the first time in its 60 years of existence, there is a ray of hope for the one million inhabitants of Kibera, one of the world's most densely-populated slums. After spending most of his life on opposition benches -- or in prison -- as a champion of the poor, the member of parliament for this desperately poor constituency is now the prime minister of Kenya.
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HEALTH: Global Agenda Increasingly Disease-Driven
By Michael J. Carter
SEATTLE, Washington - At the end of last month, U.S. President George W. Bush signed a global health package that effectively tripled U.S. spending over the next five years to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in poor countries, to 48 billion dollars.
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NICARAGUA: US Fourth Fleet Treads Fine Line
By José Adán Silva
BILWI, Nicaragua - The newly reactivated U.S. Fourth Fleet began its operations in Latin American waters with a humanitarian mission that made its first stop in Nicaragua, before heading on to six other countries of the Caribbean and Central and South America.
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US/PAKISTAN: Mystery Behind Aafia Siddiqi's 'Arrest' Deepens
By Zofeen Ebrahim
KARACHI - ‘’For you it’s just another story. If you want the truth go to Ghazni where you will get more than I can ever tell you about my sister," said a distraught Fouzia Siddiqi, speaking with IPS, in a voice breaking with helpless desperation.
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PERU: Native Groups Protest Laws Facilitating Sales of Land
By Milagros Salazar
LIMA - Defending the state of emergency declared in three provinces in Peru to crack down on protests by indigenous communities against a law facilitating the sale of their community-owned lands, Prime Minister Jorge del Castillo said the government was safeguarding "the rights of the great majority of Peruvians."
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MALAYSIA: Crackdown on Civil Rights, Media Feared
By Baradan Kuppusamy
KUALA LUMPUR - A series of tough measures in recent weeks has raised fears of a major crackdown against tolerance and dissent as rival political forces battle for state power in a society made fragile by economic uncertainties and decades of autocratic rule.
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CUBA: Founder of Women in White Drops Out
By Patricia Grogg
HAVANA - Miriam Leiva, one of the founders of the Cuban movement Women in White, announced Monday that she was leaving the group of wives, mothers and sisters of imprisoned dissidents to dedicate herself to "independent journalism."
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POLITICS-SOUTHERN AFRICA: Ground-breaking Gender Protocol Signed
By Zahira Kharsany
JOHANNESBURG - Gender activists breathed a sigh of relief when a long-delayed gender protocol was signed at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit this weekend. Women bear the brunt of social injustice and problems on the African continent, ranging from access to clean water, poor health care, access to economic opportunities or adequate protection before the law.
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PAKISTAN: Musharraf Quits, Avoids Impeachment
By Amir Mir
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf resigned from office on Monday ending weeks of speculation over whether he would quit or face impeachment on charges of illegally seizing power by a parliament elected in February and dominated by political parties opposed to him.
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EAST TIMOR/INDONESIA: 'Restorative Justice' Is Justice Denied?
Analysis by Stephen de Tarczynski
MELBOURNE - East Timor’s most prominent independence leaders -- currently holders of the young nation’s two highest political offices -- may now be the main obstacles to obtaining justice for victims of the 1999 referendum-related violence.
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