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Editor’s Note: This story was written for New America Media as the first in a series of columns by Dr. Sanjay Basu called A Doctor’s Word, exploring the impact of the recession on health care for poor people. It appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle’s Insight and on SFGate.com, media from where Pressenza obtained it.

A “durable solution” has yet to be found to the displacement of communities affected by nuclear testing more than sixty years ago in the Marshall Islands, a UN independent expert warned.

In 2050, world energy demand will be 80% higher; urban air pollution is set to become the top environmental cause of mortality worldwide; global biodiversity is projected to decline by a further 10%; global water demand will increase by some 55%, and 2.3 billion more people than today –over 40% of the global population – will be living in river basins under severe water stress.

New York – Africa’s urban population will increase from 414 million to over 1.2 billion by 2050 while that of Asia will soar from 1.9 billion to 3.3 billion. Both regions together will account for 86 per cent of all increase in the world’s urban population according to a new report.

The Green Party of Hong Kong participated in the Third Global Greens Congress in Dakar, Senegal, over the three days at the end of March, 2012. There were three members in the delegation, led by Albert Oung, chairman. The Green Party of Hong Kong has recently been approved to be a full member of the Global Greens Congress.

Geneva, 3 April – The United Nations refugee agency today voiced deep concern about the deteriorating political and security situation in Mali, where thousands of people continue to flee their homes due to fighting between Government forces and Tuareg rebels in the country’s north.

New York – At any given time across the globe, some 2.4 million people are victims of human trafficking, a crime that generates $32 billion annually, rivalling the profits reaped by the illicit trade in arms and drugs. Every year, thousands of people fall into the hands of traffickers, in their own countries and abroad, with women comprise two thirds of trafficking victims.

The Global Greens held their Dakar2012 Global Congress in Senegal, with the closing day Sunday April 3, 2012. A series of resolutions were adopted mostly to do with the way to a stronger and cohesive green politics worldwide. Representatives of over 70 green parties from across the world met for the three days. This was the first Global Greens Congress in Africa.

Yemen security forces surrounded [Oromo Ethiopians and Eritreans] refugees last week and held them hours. Soon after, more than 220 refugees were randomly taken by bus to Al Kharaz refugee camp in Aden, Yemen. The remaining 380 refugees were thrown in detention centers throughout Yemen. Sadly, some of those at the refugee camp in Al Kharaz were split from spouses and children.

Of all the myths obstructing the honest portrayal of events in Syria this past year, none has been more fiercely guarded by regime-change advocates than this one stark falsehood:
Myth – the Syrian regime has only been shooting unarmed, peaceful protestors until very recently when opposition groups finally decided to arm themselves in self-defense.