by Tafline Laylin, Green Prophet, Israel - Bolivia will soon pass a law called “The Law of Mother Earth.” Under this law, the government decrees that nature has eleven rights similar to those enjoyed by human beings.

by Cindy Hurst, Asia Times, Hong Kong - Japan does not possess any rare earth elements of its own, forcing the country to rely wholly on imports, approximately 90% of which come from China.

by Jen Phillips, Mother Jones, USA - There's something seriously wrong when your health insurer doesn't cover your prenatal care.

by Zubeida Mustafa, Dawn, Pakistan - A dress that sells for Rs1,000-plus fetches them barely Rs5 but requires hours of work. It is no better in other manufacturing sectors or in other Third World countries. Remember the sweatshops of Bangladesh?

by Christine Mungai, The East African, Kenya - In the past, ousted African leaders usually went into exile in friendly African countries, and sometimes in Arab countries. Today, however, there are few options for a quiet exile that are out of the reach of the International Criminal Court and the threat of asset freezes and seizure.

by Lara Farrar, Wall Street Journal, USA - A new exhibit at Li-Space in Beijing’s Caochangdi district aims to refashion the traditional visual impression of Africa – that of famine, war and poverty – through images that show a continent of culture, hope, imagination and dreams.

by Nausicaa Marbe, De Volkskrant, Netherlands - Why should a country not have the right to reinforce its legislation on economic immigration?

by Marcela Valente, IPS, Italy - "This book has not been lost. It has no owner; it is part of the Argentine Free Book Movement, and it was left in this place so that you would find it."

by Michelle Faul, Mail & Guardian, South Africa - About 80% of the country's mineral production is smuggled out of the country, on planes, by road and by barge.

by Jocelyn Gecker, Canadian Press, Canada - When she initially pitched the idea for Thailand's first lesbian movie, it was quickly shot down. Producers called the premise distasteful and said movie viewers would find the story line disgusting.

After scrounging together funds for five years, director Saratsawadee Wongsomphet released "Yes or No" on an independent label to considerable acclaim.

by Agnès Poirier, The Independent, UK - Since Tunisia's Jasmine revolution in December, Italy has seen 25,000 Tunisians arriving on its shore, all looking for a job. Unable to stem the tide, the Berlusconi administration has found a simple way of defusing the issue. Italy issued thousands of travel permits, thus allowing immigrants to travel freely within Europe.

by Diane Meyer, Orion, USA - Going bipedal in the fossil-fueled City of Angels.

by Kristin Deasy, Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic - A quarter of a century ago, 14-year-old Natalia Churikova was frolicking on the streets of Kyiv the day after the Chornobyl disaster, unaware that every breath of fresh spring air she inhaled contained harmful radiation.

by Sanja Modrić, Novi List, Croatia - The conviction of former General Gotovina for war crimes on April 15 has been received very badly by a people who consider him a hero of the wars in former Yugoslavia. But this verdict is also a chance to think about what happened.

by Elly Blue, Grist, USA - The bicycle economy exists, meanwhile, on a human, mostly local scale. It's something each of us can concretely take hold of, in our own way and for our own reasons. It offers real freedom and also the opportunity to make real connections.

by Rawya Rageh, Al Jazeera, Qatar - As Egypt tries to forge a new political future, Coptic Christians aim to move out of the political shadows.

by Yulia Latynina, The Moscow Times, Russia - Can you imagine a state where the main drug dealer also serves as health minister, where a drug that irreversibly damages a person’s brain and leads to certain death within two years is sold over the counter in pharmacies, and where any attempt to prohibit the sale of that drug is blocked by the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service?

by Caroline B. Glick, Jerusalem Post, Israel - Due to both sides’ inability to separate civilians from military targets, NATO forces are also killing their share of civilians.

by Elena Rossini, The Illusionist, France - Paris is a city saturated with images of women in ads who consistently come across as sexual objects. And men, in the street, treat real women as such, aggressively pursuing them and showing little respect.