• Strengthening the Miskitu and Mayangna languages in Nicaragua through digital media
• Nicaragua's latest revolution: Becoming a green energy powerhouse
• UN Secretary General lauds Nicaragua's 'forward-looking' energy policy during day-long visit

• Months of deadly unrest devastate Nicaragua's economy
• Nicaragua's canal project pushes forward despite economic, environmental questions
• Nicaragua: Protesters hurl rocks at President Bolanos

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Positive Trends
Short Summaries of Top Stories

Strengthening the Miskitu and Mayangna languages in Nicaragua through digital media
22 May 2016 - The project 'Miskitus and Mayangnas on the internet,' was the grantee winner of the 2015 Microgrant call to support digital activism initiatives for indigenous languages. The project is being carried out in Nicaragua, and seeks to strengthen local languages with the active participation of young people. (more)

Nicaragua's latest revolution: Becoming a green energy powerhouse
24 August 2014 - How quickly can a nation wean itself from fossil fuels and move toward reliance on renewable energy? In the case of Nicaragua, it can move very, very fast. So fast, in fact, that Nicaragua is drawing a parade of distinguished admirers coming to examine how the nation is radically changing its energy footprint with an aggressive goal of becoming a green energy powerhouse. (more)

UN Secretary General lauds Nicaragua's 'forward-looking' energy policy during day-long visit
29 July 2014 - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon hailed Nicaragua's 'forward-looking' energy policy as he arrived on an official visit to discuss how the United Nations and the Central American nation can work together in promoting peace and sustainable development. 'Renewable energy is important to promoting sustainable development -- this is the golden thread in achieving sustainable development in the social, economic and environmental areas,' Mr Ban noted in remarks at a press encounter with President Daniel Ortega in the capital, Managua. (more)

How solar energy empowers women, youth in rural Nicaragua
21 March 2014 - Forty years ago Sabana Grande, a small community in northern Nicaragua, was ravaged by war. Now you will find people sitting under solar-powered lights, eating solar-cooked food, and drinking smoothies made by a bicycle-powered blender. Sabana Grande (pop. 2,000), in the mountains of Totogalpa, about 20 miles from the Honduran border, has embraced a solar culture that has transformed the community. (more)

Nicaragua builds solar farm with Japan's donation
22 February 2013 - Nicaragua has inaugurated a solar farm that the government says will benefit 1,100 homes. The state-owned National Company of Electricity Transmission, or Enatrel, says in a statement that the array includes 5,880 solar panels. It says that Japan donated $11.4 million to build the solar farm and that Nicaragua invested $530,000. (more)

Re-greening the border between Nicaragua and Honduras
3 February 2012 - Steps are being taken to restore the river that winds along the border between Nicaragua and Honduras. The project, 'Strengthening local capacities for integrated management of water resources from the Coco River Basin between Honduras and Nicaragua', is being implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) with funding from the European Union, in collaboration with local government authorities, civil society organizations, national authorities, and other UN agencies. (more)

Nicaragua to spend $29 million on school lunches
2 February 2012 - The government of Nicaragua will spend the equivalent of 29 million USD to ensure more than one million servings of free school meals to preschool and elementary students. In statements, Deputy Minister Jose Treminio said on Wednesday that the money will attend to more than 94 per cent of students at these educational levels, primarily for the benefit of the territories with the highest poverty rates. (more)

Women protect wildlife and water in Nicaragua
21 September 2011 - In Nicaragua, women are leading reforestation efforts and have planted over 100,000 native trees. Their work has offset more than 150,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases and help protect watersheds that are crucial to the health of their communities. More than 10,000 turtles have been hatched due to the efforts of these women over the past two years. For the first time in 25 years, endangered turtle eggs are hatching along the beaches in Southern Nicaragua. (more)

Nicaragua: Indigenous people vow to preserve their lands
15 September 2011 - With an area of more than 20,000 square kilometres (7,700 square miles), Bosawas Biosphere Reserve, on the border with Honduras, covers 15 per cent of Nicaraguan territory. 'The original names of the hills, trees, rivers, animals, and Bosawas basins are preserved in the Mayangna language. This is proof that these [lands] have been inhabited and cared for by our ancestors,' said Esteban López, Vice President of one of the seven indigenous governments that administrate semi-autonomous areas in northern Nicaragua. He is encouraging more dialogue with indigenous groups from other countries to preserve the forests. (more)

Central America called free of landmines
22 June 2010 - Nicaragua has become the last country in Central America to clear its territory of anti-personnel mines, government officials said Tuesday. Nicaragua removed and destroyed its last anti-personnel mine on 13 April, the country's Ministry of Defence said. (more)

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Flops
Short Summaries of Top Stories

Months of deadly unrest devastate Nicaragua's economy
12 September 2018 - Nicaragua's economy has been devastated by the nearly five months of unrest sparked by cuts to social security benefits that quickly evolved into calls for President Daniel Ortega to step down. In June, the country's economic activity was down 12.1 percent compared to a year earlier, according to the central bank. Economists estimate 200,000 jobs have been shed, including as many as 70,000 in the tourism sector, which has become Nicaragua's top source of foreign currency in the past two years. (more)

Nicaragua's canal project pushes forward despite economic, environmental questions
16 August 2014 - It's a centuries-old dream that may finally become reality: a trans-oceanic waterway across Nicaragua, which could redefine the future of the Western Hemisphere's second-poorest country. But if this possibility has Nicaragua's leaders already tallying the potential benefits, not everyone is celebrating. Local communities and international observers fret that murky details, dubious economic benefits, and a host of potentially devastating environmental consequences could make the canal the latest misfortune to befall a country that has not lacked for troubles. Opposition leader Eliseo Nuñez called the deal 'part of one of the biggest international scams in the world.' Nicaragua's government commissioned management consultants McKinsey and Co. to conduct an economic feasibility study for the project, but it has not yet released a report, leaving only speculation and skepticism about the project's true cost and how much of an economic boon the project would be to Nicaraguans themselves. 'The history of Nicaragua unfortunately has shown that it is only a handful of people that usually benefit from these major projects, whereas the majority of the people are always in despair,' said Jorge Huete-Perez, director of the Centre for Molecular Biology at the Central American University and president of Nicaragua's Academy of Sciences. 'I don't think it will be different with this project, either.' (more)

Nicaragua: Protesters hurl rocks at President Bolanos
27 April 2005 - President Enrique Bolanos' attempt Tuesday to address protesters demanding his resignation was met with a barrage of rocks, which missed him but injured his son, officials said. The incident followed days of often-violent student protests over the government's refusal to halt bus fare increases. (more)

Plantation workers protest in Nicaragua
3 March 2005 - About 1,000 former banana plantation employees demonstrated outside Nicaragua's National Assembly building in the capital Wednesday to demand compensation payments for exposure to a banned pesticide. The workers arrived in the capital, Managua, after a 70-mile march from western Chinandega province. (more)

Central American weapons concern US
26 February 2005 - A recent White House statement said about 1 million missiles from previous conflicts have been produced worldwide, and they can now be found in many countries. The battle to rid the world of renegade missiles is an uphill one, and Nicaragua could become a symbolic fight. The US has asked Nicaragua to destroy the 1,000 leftover SA-7, shoulder-fired missiles it says are in a safe hiding place. Nicaragua is refusing, saying now they are necessary for national security. (more)