For more than seven years, the men and women of East Timor have been working to rebuild their nation after a destructive 24-year occupation by the Indonesian army.

Sultana Kamal dreams of a country 'where every single citizen will live in democracy, in equality' and where everyone has 'equal share to resources and opportunities.' Fulfilling this dream has been her lifelong advocacy as a human rights advocate.

In September 2007 the United Nations Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearance sent a letter to the Philippine government urging it to investigate the case of Jonas Burgos, a 37-year-old agriculturist who was abducted five months earlier in a crowded mall in Quezon City, one of the major cities comprising the metropolitan area in the national capital region.

Growing demand for products like timber and biofuels is putting pressure on shrinking rainforests.

'They beat us. They beat everyone, men and women. They usually beat us in the same room where we were kept. But they took some people out of the room. Not me, but they took other women out of the room.'

In wealthy Malaysia that employs over four million Asians to service its high- rolling lifestyle, a tiny indigenous tribe is fighting for its survival against state inaction and bureaucratic apathy, as well as marauding giant multinationals and timber loggers.

There are 52 million hungry people in Latin America and the Caribbean, six million more than in 2008 - an aspect of the global economic crisis that must be a top priority focus of national policies and development aid, according to a meeting of experts from 27 countries held in the Venezuelan capital.

Mauritian woman scientist Ameenah Gurib-Fakim was awarded the African Union Women Scientist Regional Award 2009 this month for her scientific achievement and contribution through science to the socio-economic development of Africa.

Confirming that that exiled Honduran President Manuel Zelaya has secretly returned to Tegucigalpa, the U.S. State Department Monday appealed for calm and reiterated its recognition that he is the legitimate president.

Ousted President Manuel Zelaya snuck back into Honduras and took refuge Monday in the Brazilian embassy in the capital with the aim of returning to power by means of mass demonstrations and a general strike led by the National Resistance Front Against the Coup d'Etat.