Here is today’s edition of interesting reads from around the world.

Japanese Public Television to Air Its First Programme on Homosexuality
The conservative public Japanese broadcaster NHK will screen a programme on its Education Channel program “Haato wo Tsunago (Let’s Connect Hearts)” on homosexuality on April 28 and 29, continuing its trend since hitting the air two years ago of taking on controversial topics. The full story from the Mainichi Daily News.

Africa Is Losing Patience with Robert Mugagbe
It’s about time. I lost patience with Mugagbe a decade ago. His legacy as hero of independence is tarnished and his people starving and fleeing Zimbabwe at the rate of 1,000 per day. I recently was in Zimbabwe and it shocked me to see a wealthy country so poor and a honourable people so dishonoured. The story from New Zealand’s TVNZ and The World News Network. In a related story, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called on African countries to pressure Mugagbe.

Coal Shortages in China
It was a miserable winter in China and perhaps because of it China is experiencing an acute shortfall in the amount of coal required to fuel it coal-powered plants that are opening at the rate of two a week. Angry Bear has the details.

A Run on Rice in Los Angeles
I’m flabbergasted. Costco and Walmart-owned Sam’s Clubs have placed limits on the amount of large twenty pound bags of rice that a consumer can purchase per one week period. Both Costco and Sam’s Clubs serve small family-owned restaurants. The story is in the Los Angeles Times

Indefinite Detention in France
From fistfulofeuros comes this story about Crime and Punishment in Nicholas Sarkozy’s France and his retention de securite plans.