(Al Jazeera English: 0742 PST, April 20, 2011) Nepal's forest cover is reportedly decreasing at a rapid pace, an issue that continues to pit environmental concerns against local economic interests. Rampant corruption and lack of monitoring has now led to widespread logging in the country's southern region. Al Jazeera's Subina Shrestha reports from the Tarai belt.

(Euronews: 0017 PST, March 25, 2011) Reports from Jordan say anti-government protesters have been attacked in the capital Amman. It happened after police tried to disperse the crowd and cut the power supply to the square in which the rally was taking place. A group several dozen strong, thought to be government supporters, are said to have assaulted demonstrators with stones. Earlier, in what seemed like a carnival atmosphere, hundreds of young people called for political reform and an end to corruption.

(Euronews: 0028 PST, March 7, 2011) Lebanese protesters have called for an end to the country's sectarian political system. Around 8,000 demonstrated outside the electricity ministry. They claimed it was a symbol of the corruption the long-established division of power among religious sects had produced.

Lebanon's constitution says the president must be a Maronite Christian, and the prime minister a Sunni Muslim. Critics say dividing power this way has fuelled self interested alliances.

South Africa's new president Jacob Zuma assumed power this week with no shortage of controversy trailing him. Derided over the years as a terrorist, a communist, and an uneducated polygamist, Zuma arrived at the presidency having recently beaten back charges of rape and corruption. Free market devotees worry that Zuma will unravel South Africa's free trade policies. And on the left, observers are clamoring for the former freedom figher and long-time ANC leader to address the nation's epidemic poverty, crime, and HIV/AIDS infection rates.

But with all the speculation of dramatic change, Zuma's first week can't but seem a bit anticlimactic. Saturday's inauguration ceremony was marked by the appearance of Nelson Mandela to whom Zuma kneeled before addressing the nation. Zuma's midweek cabinet selection provided hope to both partisans on the right and left and pleased a broad cross-section of the South African press. Even the Mail & Guardian cartoonist Zapiro, a long-time Zuma satirist, agreed to depict the new president in a more conciliatory light.

Still, South Africa's inaugural week was not without its controversy. Opposition leader Helen Zille accused Zuma of putting his three wives at risk of contracting HIV and therefore was unfit to tackle social policy. BBC News further published a report that detailed Zuma's use of the nation's growing spy services, particularly for his defense against corruption charges.

Will Zuma prove to be a leader to unite South Africa? Or will critics prove justified in their skepticism of his ability to lead?

Watch the Global Pulse episode on Jacob Zuma here.