Mexico Shuts Down in Effort to Prevent Spread of Swine Flu
Schools, businesses and non-essential offices closed for five days, as President Felipe Calderon urges citizens to stay home during Cinco de Mayo holiday
Scientists Say Swine Flu Vaccine Could Take Months to Produce 
Researchers say vaccine could take as much as three months or more; several laboratories around the world working on solution
Pakistan Army Pounds Taliban Militants in Northwest
Offensive, now in its fourth day, started after Taliban forces advanced into Buner, violating peace deal that required Taliban to disarm
Sri Lanka Army to Rebel Leader: Surrender or Die 
Army official tells VOA, guerilla movement founder is cornered in five kilometer narrow strip of territory LTTE still controls between sea and a lagoon
US Supreme Court Justice to Retire
David Souter, 69, tells White House he intends to step down in June, when court's current term comes to end
 |  | Mexico starts a five-day shutdown of parts of its economy in a bid to curb swine flu, as the virus reaches China. |
| UN satellite pictures appear to show shelling damage inside a government safe zone for civilians in Sri Lanka. | | A US federal appeals court denies a stay of deportation to alleged Nazi death camp guard John Demjanjuk, wanted in Germany. |
| | |
Scene in 'shutdown' Mexico
NARGIS ANNIVERSARY Learning the Hard Way |
| By AUNG THET WINE |
| One year after Cyclone Nargis destroyed more than 4,000 schools in the Irrawaddy delta, many children are still struggling to get a decent education. |
US Will Not Lift Sanctions on Burma |
| By THE IRRAWADDY |
| A US State Department official says reports that sanctions on Burma will be eliminated are “incorrect.” |
No Land, No Home, No Hope |
| By WAI SANN |
| Hundreds of families in the delta were made homeless by Nargis and many cannot rebuild their houses even if they had the materials—because they have no land. |
Weekly Business Roundup (May 01, 2009) |
| By WILLIAM BOOT |
| The new airport being built in Naypyidaw will eventually have a capacity to handle more than 10 million passengers per year. |
NLD Sets Conditions for Election Participation |
| By WAI MOE |
| Burma’s opposition party has set three conditions for participation in the 2010 general election—including the unconditional release of all political prisoners. |
NARGIS ANNIVERSARYUS Praises Asean, UN for Facilitating Cyclone Nargis Aid |
| By LALIT K JHA |
| The US State Department has paid tribute to the work of the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in helping bring relief to the victims of the 2008 Cyclone Nargis. |
Junta’s role makes life more difficult for Nargis survivors
Come May 2, the Burmese people will recall the worst disaster ever to hit the country, in modern times. Cyclone Nargis, left at least 140,000 dead or missing, and devastated...Drinking water scarcity needs long term solution
The acute scarcity of drinking water is one of the main challenges which need immediate attention in some of the Cyclone Nargis devastated areas in Irrawaddy delta in Burma, said...US lauds UN, ASEAN for facilitating aid in Burma
The US State Department on Wednesday lauded the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) for facilitating humanitarian assistance to victims of Cyclone...Fishing license affects lives of Nargis victimsVillagers in Bogale Township in Irrawaddy delta are in dire straits, even a year after Cyclone Nargis devastated their villages, because authorities and local fishing license holders have prohibited... |
| Exiled lawyers group declared illegal May 1, 2009 (DVB)–A Burmese lawyers group who recently called for an end to the Unlawful Association Act, under which many dissidents have been sentenced, were today declared an illegal organization by the Burmese government. - more |
 |
| Cyclone's sinister aftermath: a window into a wider catastrophe Htet Aung Kyaw |
|
| Upcoming delta farming season ‘is critical’ May 1, 2009 (DVB)–Post-cyclone aid should focus on assisting villagers and farmers to rehabilitate land, said an international aid organization yesterday after voicing concern about the fragile health of this year’s farming season. - more |
|
| Burma ‘worst country to be a blogger’ May 1, 2009 (DVB)–Burma has been ranked by a media watchdog as the worst country in the world in which to be an internet blogger, following the wave of sentencing last year of bloggers and journalists critical of the government. - more |
