Pope Benedict XVI sharply condemned the decision by Belgian police to conduct a police raid on church property, seizing files, detaining bishops and even searching at least one cardinal’s tomb for evidence. The pope expressed solidarity with Belgian Archbishop André-Joseph Léonard, while the Vatican said that police had violated the confidence of those who have come forward recently alleging abuse in Belgium. Belgium’s justice minister said the raid had been carried out appropriately.
“Conflict minerals” are part of daily life
In a development resembling the debate over “blood diamonds” sold by resource-rich countries with atrocious human-rights records, activists are beginning to organize against so-called conflict minerals: heavy metals whose use in products such as cell phones and computers contributes to the brutal conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Activists urge companies such as Apple and Intel to buy tantalum from Australia rather than from the Congolese militia — and to find alternative sources for other industrial metals abundant in Congo.
Mexico battles high maternal-mortality rate
Access, cultural concerns, and affordability and quality of care are helping to keep Mexico’s maternal-mortality rate, particularly among indigenous and poor communities, the highest in Latin America. More than one-third of maternal deaths are the result of malpractice, mistakes during operations or administration of improper medications.
Kimberley Process deadlocked over Zimbabwe diamonds
Days of marathon negotiations on the future of Zimbabwean diamond trade have failed to produce agreement among member countries of the Kimberley Process, a voluntary system that works to prevent trade in conflict diamonds. Human-rights advocates argue the Zimbabwean military remains in control of mines and is continuing to commit abuses. Zimbabwe has vowed to pursue diamond trading regardless of a Kimberley Process approval.
Developing world is on target to meet poverty MDG
Despite the challenges of the recent global economic crisis, the developing world is on track to meet the Millennium Development Goals poverty targets, the United Nations says in a report. The global poverty rate will shrink to about 15% by 2015, mainly because of economic advances across Asia. “This report shows that economic uncertainty cannot be an excuse to slow down our development efforts. It is a reason to speed them up,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.
WHO study points to cheaper polio vaccines
A lower dose of polio vaccine administered just below the skin is cheaper to obtain and as effective as the traditional larger doses, doctors from the World Health Organization report. Public health planners hope to use the findings to craft more cost-friendly polio-immunization programs for developing countries that are struggling to eradicate the crippling disease.
Rape incidents are rising in wake of Haiti earthquake
Sexual assaults in Haiti have risen dramatically in the wake of January’s devastating earthquake, aid groups and Haitian authorities warn. Tens of thousands of women and girls are living on Haiti’s streets or squeezed into camps without sufficient security. Joint Haitian-United Nations police patrols have deployed at some camps in an effort to improve security conditions.
Aid groups launch emergency appeal for Niger
Oxfam and Save the Children have launched an appeal for $10 million in aid for Niger, where some 400,000 children under the age of 5 are at risk of starvation after massive crop failures last year. Increases worldwide in the price of foods combined with a devastating drought last year have led to food shortages affecting half the country’s population. The UN has described the crisis in Niger and other West African nations such as Chad as similar to the disastrous 1984 famine that struck Ethiopia.