Full Coverage: Asia and the Pacific

31.03.2005 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is working on a project to improve the livelihoods of marine fishing and farming communities in three southern districts of Pakistan's Sindh province at a cost of $814,000.

31.03.2005 The Union Cabinet today approves Protection of Child Rights Bill, 2005, thus fulfilling India’s obligation to the Convention on Child Rights.

30.03.2005 The phase out of generic drug manufacturing by India in order to comply with international trade rules may satisfy the mighty pharmaceutical industry, but it could spell doom for poor nations struggling to provide affordable treatment for HIV/AIDS, reports Nicolien den Boer.

30.03.2005 Would U.S. troop withdrawl mean chaos or civil war for Iraq? Will the rest of the world mistrust the United States if it leaves Iraq? The Washington D.C.-based Council for a Livable World is answering questions they commonly receive on U.S. policy towards Iraq. Readers are encouraged to send in additional questions that they may have as well.

30.03.2005 Activists accuse Coca-Cola of creating severe water shortages in India, polluting the soil and groundwater, and selling drinks containing dangerously high levels of pesticides, among other crimes. In Colombia, the company is charged with complicity in the murder, torture and intimidation of labor union organizers at its bottling plants. A speaking tour to hold Coca-Cola accountable will take place throughout the month of April in the U.S.

30.03.2005 A governing principle of the ASEAN group of nations is that they should not interfere with each other's internal affairs. This permits Burma not only to be a member but also to Chair the group in 2006. Should the EU accept invitations?

30.03.2005 News of Monday's Indian Ocean earthquake triggered rapid movement of people away from high risk coastal areas. But this was thanks to old-fashioned acts of good community neighbours rather than expensive tsunami warning systems.

30.03.2005 Prakratik Society’s innovative biogas digesters help reduce the villagers’ dependence on forests for fuel and fodder, around the Ranthambore National Park in south-eastern Rajasthan.

30.03.2005 About 200 Nepali journalists marched through Kathmandu demanding restoration of press freedom and the release of 13 journalists held after King Gyanendra imposed emergency and suspended civil liberties.

30.03.2005 North West Frontier Province in Pakistan focusses on rehabilitation of the communities affected by recent heavy rain, snowfall, avalanches, landslides and flooding.

30.03.2005 United Nations advocates for solving the transport problems impeding free trade by landlocked developing countries.

30.03.2005 Dinanath, a Nepalese farmer, loses his wife while taking her to the nearest health centre 8 km from his village.

30.03.2005 World Bank approves credit of US$100 million to support ongoing government effort to enhance quality and access to education in Punjab province of Pakistan.

30.03.2005 A new report from CEDPA/India, Franchising the Better Life Options Program through the BLOOM Adolescent Network, details the franchising and scaling up of the Better Life Options Program (BLP) for adolescent girls and boys in India. The franchising was implemented through nine state-level technical assistance partner agencies and 247 local organizations, and reached more than 146,000 youth in 10 states. The report describes how the program was implemented with several partner agencies, highlights major results and impacts, and shares challenges and lessons learned in its implementation.

30.03.2005 BANGKOK, Mar 29 (IPS) - Although science and technology offer time-tested early warning systems to detect deadly tsunamis, countries that share the Indian Ocean are learning fast about the pivotal role the public and local communities can play to save lives.

29.03.2005

© Amit Srivastava / India Resource Center

From April 4-19, a Speaking Tour to Hold Coca-Cola Accountable will hold public events on the East Coast, including New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Philadelphia, to demand justice for communities in Colombia and India that are being adversely impacted by Coca-Cola's practices. The tour will also stop at Coca-Cola's shareholder meeting in Wilmington on April 19. In India, Coca-Cola is guilty of creating severe water shortages, polluting the soil and groundwater, distributing toxic waste as fertilizer to farmers, and selling sub-standard drinks in the Indian market which contain high levels of pesticides, sometimes higher than 30 times those allowed by European Union standards. In Colombia, Coca-Cola is charged with complicity in the murder, torture and intimidation of labor union organizers at Coca-Cola bottling plants.

29.03.2005 Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) wins appreciation for its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives at the United Nations' Global Compact regional conclave held at Jamshedpur.

29.03.2005 All district courts in India would be connected by the Supreme Court, informed the Minister for Law while speaking in a conclave on judicial reforms.

29.03.2005 Israel insists on continuing with construction of the controversial wall. Christian Aid says this will jeopardise and pre-empt efforts by the new Palestinian government to resolve the conflict.

29.03.2005 Activists are concerned that the number of tigers in tiger reserve forests of India is fast declining and there may not be any tiger left in Sariska tiger reserve.