No Joy in Malawi Radio Closure

Malawi has closed an independent radio station said to be lauded for its contribution to free speech and civic information. The Nyasa Times reports that the Joy FM radio station is accused of violating a federal law that prohibits broadcast licenses from being issued to any entity “which is of a party-political nature.” Although the newspaper claims that Joy FM lacks any party affiliation, a report in Malawi’s Daily Times newspaper notes that the station’s holding company, Atupele Properties, is owned by former President Bakili Muluzi and his wife. Although the Nyasa Times hailed Joy FM for exposing government corruption, failed policy and rights abuses, comments on the newspaper’s Web site questioned that claim, said other stations had greater credibility, and that political conflict between the current and former presidents was the real issue. Malawi’s private media sector is considered by many to be a valuable government watchdog.

An American University in Iraq

Around 150 miles north of Baghdad, the year-old American University of Iraq-Sulaimani is beginning to transform Iraq’s educational landscape by introducing its students to Western-style learning. Jane Arraf, writing for the Christian Science Monitor, said the 256 students, most of them undergraduate, are encouraged to debate, think freely and question critically, instead of sitting quietly and being lectured to. Officials and investors of the private school hope the students will become the educated, politically astute leaders the country will need throughout its reconstruction. Many of the students have never used a computer or written essays, the Monitor said. The school’s curriculum currently highlights topics that will have immediate practical consequences for Iraq’s economy and political stability.

NSA: Total Information in Texas?

The National Security Agency is creating a new data center in southern Texas that critics say will track the daily activities of all Americans, reports the San Antonio Current. The 470,000-square-foot data warehouse, formerly a Sony microchip facility and almost as large as the local football stadium, could help the government identify potential terrorist threats. Yet the lack of oversight of NSA activities has raised civil-rights questions — as has the proximity of a nearby Microsoft facility, which could provide access to the software company’s mass of stored email data. In particular, activists say that the NSA’s “watch list” of people who may be a threat to national security is not always accurate. The Current also cites an October report sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security that found data mining to be ineffective for identifying terrorists or potential attacks.

Newspaper D-Day in 2010?

Urban newspapers, which are facing a startlingly bleak selling environment, are in such decline that some cities may lose their local newspapers completely within a couple of years. Editor and Publisher magazine reports that low advertising revenue is a major factor driving huge debt among many newspapers. That may force some to default on payments and fold within the next year or two. Two major newspaper companies — the McClatchy Company and Tribune Company — already have dismal credit ratings. In a recent media outlook report, credit ratings firm Fitch Ratings said, “Fitch believes more newspapers and newspaper groups will default, be shut down and be liquidated in 2009 and several cities could go without a daily print newspaper by 2010.”

Betrayal in Estonia? NATO Claims a Russian Spy

A former Estonian defense official has been arrested for allegedly selling NATO and European Union secrets to Russia, reports Der Spiegel. Herman Simm, the accused official, has been under surveillance for months and was arrested in September, although news of the arrest is only just becoming public knowledge. Upon Estonia’s acceptance into the EU in 2004, Simm was responsible for setting up and running a system to handle the country’s classified information, including top-secret documents from NATO allies, information about Russia’s war in Georgia, and the controversial U.S. missile defense program. State officials believe the KGB recruited Simm in the 80s, before the collapse of the Soviet Union. NATO and EU officials are investigating the extent of the alleged betrayal.

Nonprofits Brace for Economic Slump

Nonprofit organizations across the United States are being hit hard by the economic crisis, as contributions from foundations, corporations and private donors diminish. Even as demand for social services increases, nonprofits are being forced to cut staff and reduce operations, according to Crain’s New York Business. Professor Paul Light of New York University projects that at least “100,000 nonprofits nationwide will be forced to close their doors in the next two years” due to the economic downturn, and called for foundations to increase their annual giving. As charitable donations decline, nonprofit groups may be forced to help each other survive through strategies like back-office consolidation, strategic alliances and health- care-plan mergers. Clara Miller, chief executive of the Nonprofit Finance Fund, which provides loans and financial services, said that a boost from foundations might not be enough given cuts in government spending.

Gallows May See New Traffic in Jamaica

Jamaica’s parliament voted this week to keep the death penalty, turning aside an attempt to ban capital punishment in the island nation. Although capital punishment — hanging, specifically — is currently legal in Jamaica, no executions have occurred for almost 20 years. The Jamaica Gleaner said members have been debating the issue for several weeks. Opponents such as Minister of State Andrew Gallimore say there is no proof the death penalty is an effective crime deterrent. “The fact of the matter is that hanging people five, six or eight years from now is not going to stop murder from happening again,” he said.

Abortion Stirs Passions in Jamaica

A committee of Jamaica’s Parliament is hearing both protest and advocacy around abortion. Although an advisory panel convened by former Health Minister John Junor called for legalization to lower the rate of maternal deaths, one doctor denounced the move as creating a “license to kill.” Currently, Jamaicans who aid or abet an abortion can receive a life sentence in prison; a reformist measure would provide medical training and facilities, as well as abortion counseling and education. The World Health Organization estimates that non-professionals perform 35 illegal abortions per 1,000 Jamaican women annually. In May, The Ministry of Health and Environment launched a campaign to reduce the maternal mortality rate by 75 percent births by 2015 — however, critics said there was no such data to warrant the group’s suggestions.

Spain's Mass Graves Closed for Now

A Spanish judge who pledged to investigate the deaths of thousands during the Spain Civil War and the Franco regime conceded mass grave exhumation to regional courts after pressure from Spanish conservatives. The Times of London reports that Judge Baltasar Garzon ordered the exhumation of 25 mass graves across Spain thought to hold over 114,000 people who disappeared throughout General Franco’s 36-year dictatorship. In addition to the remains of Spain’s most famous poet, Garzon hoped to identify the bodies of union members and Franco’s left-leaning opponents at the behest of family members. Garzon alleged that tens of thousands of people were killed on orders from 44 high-ranking regime leaders and Franco himself, accusing them of crimes against humanity
Opposition to Garzon’s move came from members of the conservative Popular Party, the Catholic Church, and the public prosecutor’s office, which said a federal investigation would violate a 1977 national amnesty agreement. Other objectors stated the prosecution of 70-year-old crimes was a needless reopening of past scars.

Lip-Syncing the Cultural Revolution

China’s Ministry of Culture announced it may punish individuals, groups and organizers who lip-sync or pretend to play an instrument in live commercial performances. The ministry’s website noted that those who attempt to “cheat the public” would be punished, though specific penalties were not listed. According to Agence France-Presse, the “semi-official” China News Service suggested that first-time offenders would be publicly exposed. The Guardian reports that professional performers could have their business licenses revoked for multiple offenses in a two-year period. A ministry representative said officials plan to consult the public before settling on final details.