Madagascar Leader Forced to Resign
In the face of pressure from the opposition Madagascar President Marc Ravalomanana announced he will resign and give leadership over to the nation’s military, reports the BBC. The 34-year-old opposition leader and former disc jockey, Andry Rojoelina, will most likely take over the presidency. He has actually already set up shop in the presidential offices, which were taken over Monday by pro-opposition troops. According to the nation’s constitution, a candidate has to be at least 40 to be considered for the presidency. Shortly after taking over the offices Tuesday, Rojoelina announced there will be both a new constitution and new elections within the next two years in front of thousands of cheering supporters. Neighboring nations, however, don’t like the way the transfer was handled at all. “We don’t think anybody has the right to unseat an elected government by force,” Botswana’s Foreign Minister Phando Skelemani told the BBC. The atmosphere following the takeover was one of relief, reports the news service, as it had been feared that Ravalomanana would initiate a bloody showdown with troops to hold on to the presidency. Since Ravalomanana’s reelection in 2006, Madagascar has seen more foreign investment; but Rojoelina accuses the president of misusing the public’s money. Most of the population, 70 percent, live on less than $1 a day, reports the BBC.  Ravalomanana supporters, however, say Rojoelina just wants to start trouble and doesn’t really have any solutions to the nation’s problems.

Haitian City Suffering Water Shortage
Months after the Caribbean nation’s devastating hurricane season, Gonaives, Haiti is suffering from a lack of drinking water. The city was under 2.6 million tons of mud after last year’s back-to-back storms that also damaged the city’s drinking water network, reports the BBC. Those without clean water to drink have to depend on United Nations of NGO tankers, or have to take the risk of drinking dirty water. In particular, the city of Gonaives’ widespread deforestation has left it open to natural disasters and interruptions in the city’s water cycle, the news service reports.

South African Whistle-blower Murdered
Jimmy Mohlala, the man who shed light on the alleged corruption taking place during the building of South African soccer stadium, was gunned down at his home in Nelspruit, reports the BBC. “He was shot by two unknown men who were wearing balaclavas … the gunmen had been lying in wait outside the Mohlala home in an unmarked vehicle,” his local municipality said in a statement. The gunmen, who remain unknown and on the loose, also shot and wounded his son, and escaped from the scene. Mohlala, the former vice president of the South African Football Association, made news last year when it was discovered that members of the African National Congress wanted him fired for reporting a co-worker involved in corruption connected to a soccer stadium’s construction in Mbombela, South Africa. This site is where the 2010 World Cup is set to take place. Mohlala’s initial accusation opened the floodgates, sparking further corruption investigations. The stadium, scheduled to be completed this year, seats 46,000. One of the tournament’s organizers called Mohlala’s death a “huge setback.”
 
 

Haitian Leader Projects Gloom
In front of a crowd of government officials and citizens, Haiti’s President Rene Preval predicted a tough year ahead for the Caribbean nation, reports Caribbean Net. “We can’t forget how 2008 shook Haiti,” Preval told the audience, who gathered in the city Gonaives’ city square (almost 100 miles north of the capital of Port Au Prince) to celebrate the nation’s 205th anniversary of independence from France. Haiti, already one of the poorest nations in the world, went through many challenges last year. April’s riots over food prices proved to be deadly, and the four back to back hurricanes between August and September killed almost 800 people. There was also a school collapse in November, which killed 91 students and teachers. And, according to Preval, 2009 will also be a difficult year. “Due to the global economic crisis, Haiti will suffer in 2009,” he said. He also mentioned solutions to some of his nation’s difficulties. “First, 2009 will be the year of big road building in Haiti; second, we must continue to build peace, because peace is the way to end foreign troop presence in Haiti. It is also the path to investment.” Demonstrators attending the gathering held up signs demanding that the government help elevate the standard of living in Gonaives.