Welcome to Panos London's magazine, reporting on development issues that are often neglected by mainstream media. Through our global team of local journalists we seek out the views of people on the edges of society and offer you fresh perspectives.
Enjoy poverty
Curbing climate change: what's in it for China?
Farmers insure against bad weather
Jamaican women face greater risk of HIV
Is fear of violence fuelling AIDS in Uganda?
Can rainmaking rescue Kenya's farmers?
News: 2 July 2009
N Korea missile tests
North Korea has fired two short-range missiles off its east coast, according to the South Korean Defence Ministry. They were launched from a base near the port of Wonsan in the east of the country at 5:20 and 6:00 pm local time. The move adds to the tensions already sparked by N Korea's nuclear tests in May. After the UN condemnation of the tests, North Korea's communist government vowed to strengthen its defences.
African leaders meet in Libya
The African Union summit opened yesterday in the coastal town of Sirte in Libya amid divided opinions over a proposed African government. Leaders had agreed in February to create an AU Authority to centralise the executive powers of the 53 member states, but there is disagreement over the Libyan leader Moammar Kadhafi's proposal to give the new body sweeping powers over defence, trade and foreign relations, with the creation of an African Defence Council. South Africa, Nigeria and Angola argue for a slower integration. Other items in the summits agenda include recent coups and social unrest, boosting agriculture and climate change.
Indian court decriminalises gay sex
The Delhi High Court has passed a groundbreaking ruling decriminalising homosexuality in the Indian capital. It ruled that treating consensual gay sex as a crime is a violation of fundamental rights protected by India's constitution. The ruling is the first of its kind and defies a British colonial era law which meant that gay sex was punishable by 10 years in prison. Activists celebrated the ruling while religious leaders criticised it, calling it a westernisation of Indian culture.
Israel rejects Amnesty war crimes probe
Human Rights group Amnesty International has accused Israeli forces of war crimes, saying they used civilians as human shields in the December-January Gaza offensive. The Israeli government rejected the report, saying the NGO was manipulated by Hamas. Amnesty claims to have found no evidence that Hamas used human shields while it says there is hard proof that Israeli forces made Palestinian families remain in their homes while using other rooms as a base and posting snipers in them. Israel says the human rights group has ignored efforts made by theIsraeli Defence Forces to minimise harming civilians.
Australia: minority gap widens
In Australia, a national report on Aborigines has revealed that their social and economic position has declined. The report measured 50 key indicators of disadvantage, and found there has been no improvement in 80 per cent of them. In fact the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous citizens seems to have widened. The indigenous murder rate is seven times higher than the non-indigenous rate and Aboriginal people are 13 times more likely to end up in jail, according to the report. It also reveals that Aboriginal children are six times as likely to be abused and face domestic violence. The Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd described it as a devastating report and vowed to take decisive action.
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Machrine Birungi
“I wanted to tell stories that are ignored or invisible to Uganda's media”
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Sebabatso“It is sad that although this disease has been in Lesotho for so many years, people are still misinformed about it”
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