225: breakthrough in Burma?

Finally some good news from Burma today, as the country's military government agreed to admit international aid workers following the devastating cyclone on 2 May. The decision came after UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, met with Burmese leaders to discuss the growing crisis in cyclone-hit areas. As today's linked article from the BBC points out, there are many issues to be addressed around how the relief will be delivered in practice. But it's a start. At least now there is a little hope...

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Thanks to RTBH reader, Matt, for sending in this story from Reuters. It tells of a convicted murderer in the US state of Georgia, who had his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment yesterday, just hours before he was due to be executed. He was one of the many US prisoners on death row whose executions are being 'fast tracked' (unbelievable as it may seem) now that the national moratorium on the use of lethal injections has been lifted. The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles made its last minute decision based on evidence of the man's remorse and good behaviour in jail. It's a very personal example of how government decisions affect human lives directly - which has many parallels to the situation in Burma, if you think about it...