Divide and dump waste

A paper and pulp mill, operating in southern Chile, has pitted a group of fisherfolk against its neighbours and is trying to get away by installing a controversial pipeline to dump waste water from its mill into the Pacific ocean. In the past few weeks the groups in Mehuin and Missisipi villages have clashed violently. Authorities have deployed special police forces in the area to keep the situation under control.

Rainforest map to assert rights

More than 600 indigenous people in the Democratic Republic of Congo began mapping their rainforests on April 9 using gps technology. Their effort is to preserve about 2.4 million hectares of rainforest--home to some 100 communities--in the Inongo territory from logging companies.

IMO addresses ship emissions

The Marine Environment Protection Committee of the International Maritime Organization (imo) has recommended tough and potentially costly regulations to curb harmful pollutants emitted by ships.

South Asia

Lanka warns rice hoarders: In the face of soaring food prices, the Sri Lankan government has said it would come down heavily on rice hoarders and traders flouting a price control order on rice--Sri Lanka's staple food. On April 16, the government declared price control of rice and stipulated that the retail price of rice must not exceed Rs (Lankan) 70 (US $0.65). The decision came after some varieties of rice were found sold at more than Rs (Lankan) 150 a kg in the market.

Call for ban on food colours

The uk food watchdog, the Food Standards Agency, has called for a voluntary ban on six artificial colours from food and drink by 2009 saying that the additives have possible side effects on children's behaviour. It also advised the government to push for a European Union-wide ban.

Electricity emergency

As South Africa struggles with an ongoing power crisis, the state power utility Eskom has said electricity prices need to double in the next two years. In a submission to the National Electricity Regulator of South Africa, Eskom bade to increase electricity prices by 53 per cent this year saying that the price rise would fund necessary infrastructure upgrades. The proposal is now open for public comments. The government has already approved a 14.2 per cent price increase for 2008-2009.

Influenza on the move

East and Southeast Asia are probably the breeding grounds for influenza viruses. A study has shown that the virus spreads through densely-packed cities in the region before hitching a ride on human hosts to other parts of the world.

Liberia resumes logging

Two years after the un Security Council lifted sanctions on timber exports from Liberia, the government has resumed logging saying that it has fulfilled all measures asked by the un.

In Court

Polar bear not protected yet: The US Department of the Interior wants 10 more weeks to decide whether polar bears should be listed as endangered species. In a court filing, the department said the delay is because of "the complexity of legal and scientific issues," including the need to review 670,000 public comments and government reports. Conservationists say the delay is deliberate for the government wants to transfer offshore petroleum leases in the animals' habitat (see 'Can't bear with oil', Down To Earth, March 15, 2008).

In short

>> The Zambian Parliament has amended the Mines and Minerals Act allowing the government to levy higher taxes on mining companies by abolishing all existing agreements. Mining companies operating in Zambia had opposed the amendments and threatened to suspend operations. >> Officials in southern China have sealed more than 4,000 boxes of contaminated milk powder and asked the manufacturer to recall another 2,700 boxes after 119 children fell sick on drinking the milk product.