AFRO-NETS> The MEDIA BEAT - May 30, 1999

[Warren Feek <wfeek@coastnet.com>]

The MEDIA BEAT - May 30, 1999
-----------------------------

Selected articles from news media coverage of communication, develop-
ment and change trends, programmes and policies. Articles compiled by 
The Communication Initiative - http://www.comminit.com

NB: This selection of news media articles and links complements 'The 
DRUM BEAT'. For articles that are removed from their host server they 
can be found at: 
http://www.comminit.com/news.html

Because the length of some of the URL's means that they run to two 
lines, it may be necessary to copy and paste to the address bar on your 
browser.

A. REPORTING DEVELOPMENT

1. Meaning, Measurement and Eradication of Poverty - Africa

Newslink Africa - Vol 17 No 21 - May 25, 1999 An insight to poverty 
measurement and eradication is revealed in a recent report. The chal-
lenges faced by development agencies are numerous but they aim to 
tackle causes not symptoms, writes Newslink Africa's Shamlal Puria and 
Kimi Mamtora in London. 
http://www.adlinkint-newslinkafri.com/news3.htm

2. City's Most Ambitious Urban Renewal Project to Begin - Dominican Re-
public

DR One - May 26, 1999 The relocation of approximately 1,200 families 
from the Ozama and La Isabela riverbeds is to commence within four 
months. The relocation of the first group of families kicks off the 
most ambitious urban renewal project ever implemented by the Dominican 
government. Known as RESURE...
http://www.dr1.com/daily/news052699.shtml

3. President Hosts Radio Show - Venezuela

CANA News Agency - May 25, 1999 Caracas, CANA - Venezuelan President 
Hugo Chavez on Sunday hosted the first edition of his new weekly radio 
talk show "Hello President." Chavez, who took up office on February 2 
... said the programme would allow him to keep in touch with the people 
and their needs. 
http://www.cananews.com/news.htm#Venezuela's president hosts radio show

4. Micro-Enterprises From Low-Economic Families - Nepal

Kathmandu Post - May 21, 1999 - by a Post Reporter KATHMANDU, May 21 - 
It may seem like a dream if someone was there to say there would be 
6,000 micro-enterprises from low-economic families in 10 districts in 
five years time. That is exactly the target set by Micro-Enterprise De-
velopment Project (MEDEP). MEDEP is a program started from Nawalparasi, 
Nuwakot and Parvat in late 1998... 
http://www.nepalnews.com/contents/Ktmpost/1999/May/May22/local.htm

5. Global Convention To Ban Worst Forms of Child Labour - Thailand

Bangkok Post - May 26, 1999 At the 87th session of the International 
Labour Conference on June 1-17 in Geneva, representatives from 174 mem-
ber states are expected to set out measures to eradicate child slavery, 
forced labour, trafficking, debt bondage, serfdom, prostitution, por-
nography and various forms of hazardous and exploitative work. 
http://www.bangkokpost.net/260599/260599_News21.html

6. Over 500,000 Kenyan Children Need Protection - UNICEF

Daily Nation on the Web - May 25, 1999 - By Nation Correspondent More 
than 500,000 Kenyan children are in need of special protection, accord-
ing to an official of the United Nations Children's Fund. 
http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/250599/News/News93.html

7. ASEAN-EU Cooperation - Thailand

Bangkok Post - May 26, 1999 - Achara Ashayagachat Senior Asean and 
European Union officials will today sign a new work programme covering 
wide range economic cooperation, including trade, industry, forestry, 
science and technology... 
http://www.bangkokpost.net/260599/260599_News19.html

8. WHO Launches Project to Support Afric's Elderly - Senegal

Panafrican News Agency - May 26, 1999 DAKAR, Senegal (PANA) - The team 
leader of WHO's programme on "Ageing and Health" (AHE), Dr. Alexandre 
Kalache, said the project which begins in July will, among other 
things, involve the collection and analysis of relevant data from 
Ghana, Tanzania, South Africa and Nigeria. 
http://www.africanews.org/PANA/science/19990526/feat1.html

9. Biodiversity Project is Planned - Swaziland

The Swazi Observer - May 20, 1999 - by Siphesihle Mkhonta PLANS are 
afoot to establish a Biodiverstiy Conservation and Participatory Devel-
opment (BCPD) Project worth E156 million under the Ministry of Tourism, 
Communication and Environment. 
http://www.swaziobserver.sz/past/990520/pages/business.html#anchor18513
8

10. Women Entrepeneurs Call for Peace in DRC - Congo

Panafrican News Agency - May 20, 1999 KINSHASA, DR Congo (PANA) - The 
Association of Women Entrepeneurs of Congo has called on the interna-
tional community and other women throughout the world to contribute to 
the search for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
http://www.africanews.org/media/women/stories/19990520_feat5.html

11. South African Battery Free Radios for Balkan Refugees - South Af-
rica

Panafrican News Agency - May 19, 1999 CAPE TOWN, South Africa (PANA) - 
The Cape Town-based Freeplay Energy Group has shipped an order for 
41,500 wind-up and battery free radios to help Balkan refugees, who 
have lost all contact with their families. 
http://www.africanews.org/PANA/science/19990519/feat6.html

12. Information Empowerment and Freedom From Hunger - Developing World

OneWorld News Agency - May 23, 1999 The Village Knowledge Centre en-
ables farming families to produce more without associated ecological 
harm and create a hunger free area. The Knowledge Centre is designed to 
promote the monitoring of the impact of information empowerment on the 
health, food, drinking water and livelihood security of rural families.
http://www.mssrf.org/information village/knowledge-system-info-
empowerment.html

13. Abortion in the Developing World - Global

World Health Organization Press Release - May 17, 1999 Geneva, Switzer-
land: Out of nearly 50 million abortions performed in the world each 
year (30 million of them in developing countries), 20 million are un-
safe..." 
http://www.who.int/inf-pr-1999/en/pr99-28.html

14. RTI Supports Kenyan AIDS NGO's Consortium Under USAID Project

International Development Network - April 8, 1999 Research Triangle 
Park, NC (USA), - The USAID-funded POLICY Project (led by The Futures 
Group International) is providing approximately $210,000 through August 
2000 to the Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium (KANCO)... a consortium of 350 
HIV/AIDS prevention and care non-governmental organisations (NGOs). 
http://www.idn.org/members/org/rti/rti040899-1.htm

15. World Health Organization Launches New Directions for Health into 
the 21st Century - Global

Press Release - World Health Report 1999 The World Health Organization 
(WHO) today unveils new directions for health into the 21st century 
that could save millions of lives and have a major impact on global 
well-being and poverty reduction within a decade. The main aim is to 
increase healthy life expectancy for all - while ensuring a better deal 
for the world's poorest people. 
http://www.who.int/whr/1999/en/press_release.htm


B. COMMUNICATION TRENDS

  16. TV Brings Eating Disorders - Fiji

BBC News - Thursday, May 20, 1999 Fiji, a nation that has traditionally 
cherished the fuller figure, has been struck by an outbreak of eating 
disorders since the arrival of television in 1995, a study has shown. 
http://news2.thdo.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/health/newsid%5F347000/347637.stm

17. Recent Developments - Zimbabwe

Media Institute of Southern Africa The Broadcasting, Posts and Telecom-
munications Bill was approved by the Cabinet committee on legislation 
two weeks ago. The government has already liberalised cellular tele-
phone and Internet services. 
http://www.misanet.org

18. Refugees in Macedonia: New Friendships or New Divisions

Search for Common Ground in Macedonia - May 19, 1999 Refugees and Mace-
donian citizens were given their first opportunity to look into each 
other's mirrors and to see themselves reflected. This was accomplished 
though an extraordinary journalistic effort conducted by Se arch for 
Common Ground in Macedonia (SCGM) in cooperation with two daily newspa-
pers. 
http://www.comminit.com/news.html

19. Muzzling the Media - Pakistan

Time Asia - May 24, 1999 - by Michael Fathers LAHORE: A string of high-
profile arrests provokes fears that Pakistan is cracking down on its 
free-spirited press. The pressure on Pakistan's independent press began 
last year, when the government sought to intimidate the country's big-
gest media conglomerate, the Jang Group. 
http://cgi.pathfinder.com/time/asia/magazine/1999/990524/pakistan1.html

20. Computers for 18 rural schools

Times of India - May 23, 1999 - by a Staff Reporter BANGALORE: The idea 
was born almost two years ago, when the Rotaract Club of Marburg Ger-
many and the Rotaract Club of Bangalore Cantonment, south put their 
heads together. The idea was to be able to provide computers to 18 ru-
ral schools in and around Bangalore. 
http://www.timesofindia.com/today/23mban16.htm

21. New Media Laws - Zimbabwe

Daily Mail and Guardian - May 26, 1999 - Raashied Galant reports Zim-
babwe's information minister has announced legislation to establish a 
code of conduct and registration for journalists, with unspecified 
"sanctions" against transgressors. 
http://www.mg.co.za/mg/news/99may2/26may-zim_press.html

--
Produced through THE COMMUNICAITON INTIATIVE partnership - The Rocke-
feller Foundation, UNICEF, USAID, WHO, BBC World Service, CIDA, Johns 
Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs, The European Un-
ion, Soul City, The PANOS Institute.

Information, ideas, linkages and dialogue on communication, development 
and change.

Communication Initiative Web Site: 
http://www.comminit.com 

Director of the Communication Initiative: 
Warren Feek 
mailto:wfeek@coastnet.com

Please send suggested news items from your national and local news 
agencies for inclusion in The Media Beat to:

The Editor
Brooke Hayes 
mailto:ebhayes@coastnet.com


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