Full Coverage: Asia and the Pacific

31.05.2005 On top of the 2,000-plus whales that will be hunted around the world in 2005, the South Korean government is trying to reopen commercial whaling. The International Whaling Commission meets June 19 in South Korea to decide their fate. Greenpeace is asking you to take four easy steps to join in the march to save the whales.

31.05.2005 The assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri set off a chain of events in Lebanon leading to Syria's military withdrawl from the country and new elections. Now it appears that Hariri's son is sweeping to victory in the polls, but is anything really changing in Lebanon?

31.05.2005 Iran's former revolutionary turned reformer Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani--the early front-runner in the country's June 17 presidential election--seems to mold his political rhetoric to suit his various audiences at home and abroad, says Iranian specialist Ardeshir Moaveni. Will the real Rafsanjani please stand up?

31.05.2005 WASHINGTON, D.C., May 31 (OneWorld) - Month-long U.N. talks on halting the spread of nuclear weapons have ended with no agreement on how to update and strengthen the 35-year-old Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

31.05.2005 The United Nations System in Nepal, in support with its 17 implementing partners, is all set to implement its GFATM-funded-projects (Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria) in six districts of Nepal.

31.05.2005 The University Grants Commission (UGC) of India is inviting public comments to its draft consultation paper “Electronic Thesis Online (India) UGC (Submission of Metadata and Full-text of Doctoral Theses in Electronic Format) Regulations, 2005”.

31.05.2005 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can be the perfect vehicle through which poverty alleviation and improvements of the socio-economic structure can be easily accomplished," said Science and ICT Minister Moyeen Khan.

31.05.2005 Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, in Colombo as a special UN envoy for Tsunami reconstruction, categorically called the abduction of tsunami affected children, by the LTTE, to be trained as child soldiers, a " Horrible crime."

31.05.2005 The Second Annual Meeting of National Alliance on Mission 2007, ‘Every Village a Knowledge Partner,’ is scheduled for July 12 and 13, 2005 in New Delhi. For details of the event, contact Mission 2007 Secretariat, One World South Asia, or write to geeta.sharma@oneworld.net

31.05.2005 The National Alliance on ICTs for Basic Human Needs is the nodal agency for Mission 2007 and has released its report Steps Forward on how to take ICTs to all Indian villages for empowering the people and bringing about development in the villages.

31.05.2005 Heroin sourced in Afghanistan will again dominate world markets following news that the opium harvest has increased, much against the intent of coalition forces. As well as blaming President Karzai, US officials in Kabul say that Britain has lead responsibility for eradication programmes.

30.05.2005 The Bush administration's new interpretation of a pair of laws would withhold HIV/AIDS funds from U.S.-based as well as foreign organizations unless they sign a pledge to oppose prostitution. Over 200 groups and individuals have written to President Bush opposing the pledge requirement, saying it will cause groups to alienate the very populations they're trying to help.

30.05.2005 In a bid to step up efforts to prevent and cure AIDS, the government is planning to introduce a legislation in Parliament to empower AIDS afflicted people to lead a life of dignity.

30.05.2005 Delhi Police chief Dr K K Paul and Prasar Bharati CEO K S Sarma today inaugurated an audio studio in the OneWorld South Asia (OWSA) office that will provide free facilities to NGOs and local communities to produce their programmes on development-related issues.

30.05.2005 Despite being a relatively new phenomenon, information and communication technology (ICT) is making its way into the social, cultural, economic, political and governance aspects of Bhutanese society according to the department of information.

30.05.2005 The Government of India has proposed the Rural Employment Guarantee Act to guarantee 100 days employment for families in rural areas. This Act has still not been introduced in Parliament and there is a great deal of debate about it. SEWA strongly supports this Act with employment proposals more oriented towards developing the varied skills and employment potential in the villages, and the implementation decentralized and as far as possible carried out through local organisations.

30.05.2005 PRAXIS is conducting the ninth edition of the annual International Thematic PRA Training Workshop for senior and mid level development workers from 18th September to 29th September 2005 in New Delhi.

30.05.2005 Delhi Police chief Dr KK Paul and Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma today inaugurated an audio studio OneWorld South Asia (OWSA) office that will provide free facilities to NGOs and local communities to produce their programmes on development-related issues.

30.05.2005 The WFP is holding a global event on June 12, 2005 - Walk the World in 82 countries - to raise funds to support WFP’s global school feeding programme. Last year, the money was used to assist school feeding programme in the Sarguja district in Chattisgarh. In India, the event will take place in New Delhi and Bangalore.

30.05.2005 More than 250 scribes, mainly radio journlists, went on to streets to protest against the royal crackdown of a community radio programme production centre.