When Telefónica Mexico and the Myriad Group AG got together with the Mexican Federal Ministry of Health and researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, they were just trying to save lives surrounding the H1N1 outbreak.

Now, their efforts are being recognized on an international scale, as late last week, it was announced that the organizations have been named a finalist for ‘Messaging Application or Service: Social Use’ at the 2010 Global Messaging Awards.

The nomination was earned by their speedy combined effort in conducting a H1N1 flu survey via mobile phones when time mattered most.

After receiving the news of the nomination, Steve Langkamp, Myriad Chief Commercial Officer, said, “We are honoured to be recognized for this prestigious award. Myriad’s participation in this landmark survey in conjunction with Telefónica Mexico, highlights new ways in which proven messaging technologies can be deployed to deliver a beneficial social impact via mobile messaging on mass-market phones.”

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Luis Alfonso de Alba refuses to back down from his promises of progress during the upcoming climate talks scheduled in Mexico during the month of December.

The climate chief has taken some criticism for his overly optimistic views and his “no excuses” policies, but he recently defended his stance and renewed his promise toward a better tomorrow.

“The U.N. secretariat, Yvo de Boer, and some other actors, the European Commission, Connie Hedegaard, have frequently referred to the impossibility of reaching a legally binding agreement in Cancun, (and) do not imply that important decisions can be taken in Cancun,” he said. “We do not share that view. They are somehow lowering expectations for Cancun.”

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The attention of some of North America”s foremost climate change experts will shifts towards hydroflourocarbons (HFCs), in anticipation of the forthcoming climate change summit in Switzerland.

The United States, Mexico, and Canada have pledged to do their part in combatting this growing issue, with the hole in the ozone layer continuing to increase.

The three nations will go before the summitt in an effort to get HFCs on the list of chemicals controlled by the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

To read the full Voice of America story, click here.

A newly discovered tomb in Chiapas could hold the key to thousands of years of history, according to archaeologists. Believed to be the oldest known burial grounds in Meso America, the site is beginning to draw international attention.
“A thousand years before we see pyramid tombs used for royal burials in the Mayan region, here in Chiapa de Corzo, they were already burying members of the elite inside pyramids. We’re talking about 700BC,” the team explained.

To read the full story, click here.

Mexico has hit another milestone in its recovery efforts, churning out the highest factory productivity in nearly four years.

The  Mexican Institute of Financial Executives released its findings earlier this month, as the organization concludes that further progress lies ahead.

“The IMEF factory index rose to 54.6 in April from a revised downward 53.7 in March, the Mexican Institute of Financial Executives, or IMEF, said in a report. The last time the index had such a high reading was in November 2006, at 55.4 points.

Readings of 50 and above signal likely expansion in subsequent months. The index first rose above that level last July.

Last week the central bank revised upward its outlook for growth this year, expecting Mexico’s economy to expand between 4 percent and 5 percent in 2010 as Latin America’s second largest economy recovers from a deep recession.”

To read the full Reuters article, click here.

Continuing their commitment to the safety and security of all peoples, both foreign and domestic, Mexico announced a landmark initiative to prevent human trafficking within its borders and abroad.

The country became the first nation to launch its own version of the United Nations sponsored Blue Heart Program, blazing a trail for other responsible nations to follow.

“I admire Mexico’s leadership in fighting this modern slavery demonstrated through its strong commitment to the ‘Blue Heart’ campaign,” said Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which spearheaded the global campaign. “Since almost everything we consume has been stained by the blood, sweat and tears of trafficking victims, we have a shared responsibility to act.”

To read the full statement of support by the UN, click here.

Researchers from Colorado have discovered remains of what they are calling the “proto-urban center” of the Purépecha people of Central Mexico.

Not nearly as well known as their neighbors, the Aztecs, the Purépecha were a thriving society on the banks of Lake Pátzcuaro in the central Mexican state of Michoacan.

“What’s really interesting about the site is that it gives us a window into the pre-state period when social complexity was increasing and people were congregating together and starting to modify the landscape,” said archaeologist Christopher Fisher of Colorado State University.

Researchers hope that these discoveries will shed new light on a long forgotten empire, which will only further enrich the storied past of the Mexican people.

To read the full article in the Los Angeles Times, click here.

The recently ratified Tlatelolco Treaty is being hailed as a raging success, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The treaty, which outright bans the use of atomic weaponry throughout Latin America, is not only a first, but many hope it will be a last as well, in some very significant regards.

“The Treatyset an important precedent in devaluing the role of nuclear weapons in its zone of application –- thereby contributing to regional peace and security by ensuring that Latin America and the Caribbean remained free from nuclear weapons,” IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said.

To read the full statement by the IAEA, click here.

Foreign leaders have once again congregated in Cancun, this time to discuss the current state of the oil market.

Members of the International Energy Forum banded together to pledge greater responsiveness and consideration, particularly in response to calls for increased transparency in the oil market.

“With regard to energy market volatility, energy markets should be as transparent as possible,” said a joint declaration issued by the International Energy Forum.

To read the full AFP article, click here.

Since 1990, officials throughout Mexico City have made improvements in leaps and bounds to the air quality situation in the D.F. Once known as a hotbed for pollutants, no other city has progressed in terms of air quality quite like Mexico City, according to the Washington post.

“As Mexico prepares to host world leaders at a U.N. climate-change conference later this year, international experts are praising the country’s progress. Many say its determined efforts to control auto emissions and other environmental effects of rapid urbanization offer practical lessons to cities in China, India and other fast-growing countries.”

To read the full article, click here.