Our weekly round-up of must-read stories you might have missed. In focus this week: DR Congo toughest place for mothers, Dhaka, Bangladesh‘s worst industrial accident; Former leader of Guatemala, Rios Montt convicted of genocide; Sudan shuts TEDx community forum.
DR Congo toughest place for mothers, Save the Children – May 8, 2013
The Democratic Republic of Congo is the world’s toughest place to raise children, Save the Children reports. Finland was named the best place to be a mother, with Sweden and Norway following in second and third places. The charity compared factors such as maternal health, child mortality, education and income in 176 countries. In India, over 300,000 babies die within 24 hours of being born, accounting for 29% of all newborn deaths worldwide, the report says. The 10 bottom-ranked countries were all from sub-Saharan Africa, with one woman in 30 dying from pregnancy-related causes on average and one child in seven dying before his or her fifth birthday. In DR Congo, war and poverty have left mothers malnourished and unsupported at the most vulnerable time of their lives…
Dhaka collapse: Death toll tops 900, as new fire kills eight – May 9, 2013
The death toll from Bangladesh’s worst industrial accident on 24 April has been steadily rising in recent days. Overnight, a fire at a clothing factory in Dhaka killed at least eight people. The collapse of the Rana Plaza has sparked mass protests, as many garment workers allege they were forced to work by the owners despite huge cracks appearing in the building. The authorities say about 2,500 people were injured in the accident and 2,437 people were rescued. Rescuers say they are planning to wrap up their work on Friday, and the rubble will then be shifted by bulldozers. “We’ve only still got to search the basement,” Brg Gen Siddiqul Alam Sikder, who is heading the recovery efforts, told the AFP news agency. “We’ve only still got to search the basement. Most of the bodies are now like skeletons as they are so badly decomposed,” he added…
Guatemala: Rios Montt Convicted of Genocide – May 10, 2013
The guilty verdict against Efraín Ríos Montt, former leader of Guatemala, for genocide and crimes against humanity is an unprecedented step toward establishing accountability for atrocities during the country’s brutal civil war. “The conviction of Rios Montt sends a powerful message to Guatemala and the world that nobody, not even a former head of state, is above the law when it comes to committing genocide,” said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. “Without the persistence and bravery of each participant in this effort – the victims, prosecutors, judges, and civil society organizations – this landmark decision would have been inconceivable.” Rios Montt was sentenced to 50 years in prison for the crime of genocide and 30 years for crimes against humanity in a sentence that was handed down on May 10, 2013 by Judge Yassmin Barrios in Guatemala City…
Sudan shuts TEDx community forum: founder – May 11, 2013
Sudan’s security service on Saturday ordered the closure of a community forum, one of the independently run TEDx events held around the world, even though it was non-political, the organiser said. “They unplugged the electricity,” Anwar Dafa-Alla, who founded Sudan’s version of TEDx two years ago, told AFP. He said almost 1,000 people were attending the event at a luxury Khartoum hotel when officials stopped it before it was even half finished. “We were only focused on the positive,” he said. “We don’t do politics.” According to the TEDx website, all TEDx events are organised independently on a community basis to “stimulate dialogue.” All of the gatherings have certain common features, including “lack of any commercial, religious or political agenda“, it said. The New York-based TED is a non-profit agency “devoted to ideas worth spreading,” the website says. TED holds two major conferences a year and offers the $1-million TED prize. Dafa-Alla said he has organised 10 similar forums in Sudan but this was the first to feature international speakers, themed: “Knowledge into action.“…
