BURMA: Asia Europe Summit Can Help

By the end of this week Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi will have spent 13 years under house arrest. By coincidence, the anniversary of her incarceration (Oct. 24) falls when the military junta will be represented in a summit between Asian and European leaders in Beijing.

ENVIRONMENT-AUSTRALIA: Eat Kangaroos to Save Climate?

Representations of kangaroos are used on everything from Australia’s coat of arms to the national airline, military markings and sporting teams. But the nation’s iconic marsupial may also be able to make significant contributions to reducing Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions.

MEXICO: New Wave of Prison Riots, Deaths

At least 47 people have been killed in six different prison riots in Mexico since Sept. 14. After the latest, which was reportedly brought under control Monday, the authorities promised for the umpteenth time to improve the prison system, where jails are filled to more than 140 percent of capacity.

SRI LANKA: Protect Tamil Civilians – India

As the Sri Lankan army stands poised to overrun the last Tamil rebel strongholds, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called for steps to protect an estimated 220,000 civilians trapped by the fighting in the northern part of the island.

OIL SANDS-PART 3: Biggest Customer Has Second Thoughts

As Canada's tar sands extraction expands full steam ahead, a perfect storm of internal and external opposition could derail some of the voracious growth at the world's largest energy project.

MIDEAST: Israel No Place To Be An Arab

The uneasy co-existence between Israel's Arabs and Jews has been further exacerbated by days of continuous rioting in the mixed city of Acre in northern Israel.

EUROPE: Brussels Finds a Way to Welcome Muslims

The aroma of roasted chickens wafts through the air. Bakeries teem with baklava and other calorie-laden delights.

TRADE: Cotton Subsidies Remain Big Hurdle in WTO Doha Round

The Doha Round was launched in 2001 in Doha, Qatar, to provide a developmental dimension to global trade by enabling developing and least developed countries to secure enhanced access for their products in rich country markets. However, there is a pronounced shift in the negotiations in the last seven years - from developmental issues to the purely market-driven concerns of the dominant players.

TRADE: African States Won’t Compromise on Development in Doha

Faced with the global financial crisis and high food prices, African countries want to conclude the much-delayed modalities agreement in the Doha Round of talks on agriculture and market-opening for industrial goods by the end of this year.

Ecobreves – ARGENTINA: Córdoba Residents Protest Dump

Residents of Bouwer, in the central Argentine province of Córdoba, are protesting a large garbage dump that city officials intend to maintain in the city until 2016.

Ecobreves – BRAZIL: More Indigenous Mayors

Six Indians were elected to mayoral posts in Brazil this month, doubling the number of indigenous electoral victories from 2004.

Ecobreves – MEXICO: Surprise Award for Bicycle Program

The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) has recognized the Mexican capital's municipal government for its promotion of bicycle use, but cyclists and activists argue that it is not deserved.

Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Government Accused of Siding with Polluter

The 55 organizations that make up the Greater Alliance for Omoa, on the Honduran Atlantic coast, accused the Manuel Zelaya government of favoring the Gas del Caribe company, which has been charged with pollution violations.

Health Care Must Not Replicate Social Inequalities

The renewed focus of primary health care emphasizes reducing health inequalities in a world of growing social disparities, writes Mirta Roses, director of the Pan-American Health Organization in this column for Tierramérica.

CULTURE: Rock Bands – Next Stop is Vietnam?

A recent rock concert in the capital attracted 1,600 fans and unusually, half were Vietnamese. With headlining Australian band ‘Regurgitator’ - one of the very first international acts for Hanoi - and the new star power of some of the country’s up-and-coming groups, change was discernible in this communist capital.

DEVELOPMENT: Laos Struggles With Dam Dilemma

The Lao government places great hopes on plans to build hydroelectric dams to generate electricity for the country and to sell to neighbouring Thailand. But for residents along the Hinboun River in the central province of Khammouane, the reality has been different.

CAMBODIA/THAILAND: Temple Row May Lead to Wider Conflict

This week’s gun battle between Thai and Cambodian soldiers over the disputed Preah Vihear temple raises the possibility of wider conflict between the two South-east Asian nations.

POVERTY-AFRICA: Leaders Cannot Close Their Ears

Eight years ago, the leaders of 189 countries pledged to work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, eliminating extreme poverty by 2015. The Stand Up, Take Action Campaign mobilises millions of people around the world to press for action to make this a reality.

SPAIN: Only Banks Get Aid, Anti-Poverty Protesters Complain

"We think it’s disgraceful that billions of dollars are available to bail out banks, and there is no money to eradicate poverty in the world," said Marina Navarro, the spokeswoman for some 1,000 social organisations in Spain taking part in demonstrations against poverty between Friday and Sunday.

ECONOMY: Threat of ‘Major Global Recession’ Tied to Bird Flu

A severe outbreak of flu could kill tens of millions of people and spur a "major global recession", the World Bank is warning world leaders preoccupied with financial, food, and fuel crises.

ECONOMY-US: No Joy in Hooverville

With a massive spike in the number of foreclosures and evictions over the past two years, communities throughout the U.S. have witnessed the sprouting of tent cities - many of them home to once middle-class citizens fallen victim to the economic downturn.