On last Friday, you could find the story of the disapproval of the Sean Bell’s murder case everywhere on the news. All over New York City, people were showing their hurt and anger toward the judge’s decision to acquit the three officers that are responsible for Bell’s murder. The shooting of Mr. Bell, 23, outside a nightclub in Jamaica, Queens, early on Nov. 25, 2006, the morning of the day he was to be married, was the city’s latest crucible for distilling questions about police treatment of people of color and the use of excessive force on unarmed black men. The shooting lasted seconds, but offered a glimpse of what it is to live in a neighborhood where black men and women are stopped and frisked at a higher rate than elsewhere in the city. Detectives Gescard F. Isnora, Michael Oliver and Marc Cooper were delivered by Justice Arthur J. Cooperman in an essay form bearing little resemblance to a standard jury verdict, and were met momentarily with silence in court as spectators looked at one another to be sure they had grasped what he was saying.
Legal hurdles remain for the officers: federal authorities said they would now investigate the case, and the Police Department is mulling internal charges. A $50 million lawsuit against the city, filed last year by Mr. Bell’s fiancée, who had two children with him, and the two men wounded in the shooting, may now begin moving forward. The case never became the racially charged lightning rod of its predecessors, like the case of Amadou Diallo, killed in 1999 in a hail of 41 shots. This was due in part to the race of the officers — two of the three on trial were black even though some say that the black officers turned on their own kind at a time of justice. But rather than call the shooting justified, the judge said that the prosecution failed to prove it was unjustified, as was its burden.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Bush Plans to Visit Middle East in May
Max Peck /
In May, U.S. President George W. Bush plans to return to the Middle East on the pretext of celebrating Israel’s 60th anniversary, his first visit since last January. Amidst all of the merrymaking, Bush plans to take the time to revitalize the stalling Mideast peace talks, meeting with leaders in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Israel.
Both Israeli and Palestinian leaders have complained that the other side has not followed the “Road Map to Peace” that was endorsed by the U.S. Bush remains confident that he can get the two governments to agree to a peace deal before his presidency expires in January 2009.
I’m glad that Bush is taking a chunk of his precious time to visit with the oil hoarders and fear-mongers of the Middle East. Of course, it’s not as if he has a choice. The way that the medley of Middle Eastern conflicts plays itself out will determine not only their future, but also a great portion of the industrialized Global North.
I’m aware that I’m biased, and angry – I just can’t take anything that Bush does at face value, and I am always suspicious of ulterior motives, which I’m sure are not in short supply here.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/28/bush.mideast.ap/index.html#cnnSTCText-Associated Press
High Food Prices Lead to 'Rice Passes' for the Poorest Filipinos
The article High Food Prices Lead to ‘Rice Passes’ for the Poorest Filipinos was written by Carlos H. Conde and published on April 27, 2008 in the International Herald Tribune. Finally the poor are catching a break. Announced on Sunday the Filipino government plans of giving the most impoverished citizens rice passes. Also the government plans on giving these same citizens cash subsidies equaling $33 a month. This cash subsidy is supposed to provide immediate assistance to the struggling poor. It is estimated to cost the government five billion pesos annually. This new program should help 300,000 families. The more dependents a family has the more assistance is given with a maximum of three dependents. This program is currently being tested in five provinces closet to the capital. There is certain criterion that must make less than 5,000 pesos a month to qualify they will be issued a family access card. The family access card will allow a citizen to purchase government subsided rice. This new program will also help assist the government monitor rice distribution.
Finally after a semester of current events it pays off to be poor. Throughout the semester I have read and summarized fourteen articles. This is the first article that I’ve written about that assists the poor. The program set forth brings no shame or dishonor to the families in need. There is a major food crisis amongst the world’s developing countries. I think it’s great that the government is finally assisting the poor. This new program is a great step in the right direction.
Finally after a semester of current events it pays off to be poor. Throughout the semester I have read and summarized fourteen articles. This is the first article that I’ve written about that assists the poor. The program set forth brings no shame or dishonor to the families in need. There is a major food crisis amongst the world’s developing countries. I think it’s great that the government is finally assisting the poor. This new program is a great step in the right direction.
Ethiopia defies overpopulation due to aid.
Joey Sawyer April 30th 7 pm
In my lifetime, I have always heard of starving children in Ethiopia and Somalia. In the past couple of years these two countries have been hit the hardest by the droughts that have swept through the "horn" of Africa, which is essentially subsaharan Africa.
In Ethiopia, there is little regulation of the aid they are recieving and thus they have become out of control. Here is the situation: They recieve tons of aid food which feeds there extremely poor population and keeps them alive. These people then go on to have children that they cannot support, and then more aid is required to keep more people alive. The population is increasing exponentially while the food production of the country is steadily declining. The natural order of things would have a lot of these people die out until the food they can grow would sustain them, but that sounds evil and is unpopular in the public eye. It is our responsibility to take care of these people who cannot take care of themselves and are not being help in a fashion that sets them up to sustain themselves in the future. The fact is we could help them develop agriculture, and it still probably would not support everyone there, so some aid may be necessary. These people now rely on food aid to survive and their addiction grows daily as does their population.
Another problem presented by the food aid they are recieving is that when the aid arrives any food local farmers may have produced to sell is worthless, thus ruining the buds of a new economy. There may be no way to reduce their aid without causing mass deaths or violence on a large scale, but the fact remains that the land these people are on cannot support them and they would not be there in the first place if we had not been feeding them all this time. I see two choices, move them all to kansas, or teach them to farm better and see how much they can sustain themselves. So before we continue on this hopeless path, we must ask ourselves are we really helping? We seem to have gotten them into this mess (at least to the increased extent of it), but can we do anything to get them out of it? If we can, it certainly isn't in the short run with free bags of food.
In my lifetime, I have always heard of starving children in Ethiopia and Somalia. In the past couple of years these two countries have been hit the hardest by the droughts that have swept through the "horn" of Africa, which is essentially subsaharan Africa.
In Ethiopia, there is little regulation of the aid they are recieving and thus they have become out of control. Here is the situation: They recieve tons of aid food which feeds there extremely poor population and keeps them alive. These people then go on to have children that they cannot support, and then more aid is required to keep more people alive. The population is increasing exponentially while the food production of the country is steadily declining. The natural order of things would have a lot of these people die out until the food they can grow would sustain them, but that sounds evil and is unpopular in the public eye. It is our responsibility to take care of these people who cannot take care of themselves and are not being help in a fashion that sets them up to sustain themselves in the future. The fact is we could help them develop agriculture, and it still probably would not support everyone there, so some aid may be necessary. These people now rely on food aid to survive and their addiction grows daily as does their population.
Another problem presented by the food aid they are recieving is that when the aid arrives any food local farmers may have produced to sell is worthless, thus ruining the buds of a new economy. There may be no way to reduce their aid without causing mass deaths or violence on a large scale, but the fact remains that the land these people are on cannot support them and they would not be there in the first place if we had not been feeding them all this time. I see two choices, move them all to kansas, or teach them to farm better and see how much they can sustain themselves. So before we continue on this hopeless path, we must ask ourselves are we really helping? We seem to have gotten them into this mess (at least to the increased extent of it), but can we do anything to get them out of it? If we can, it certainly isn't in the short run with free bags of food.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Risking Their Lives to Survive Poverty
Breanna Fehr. April 29, 2008. 7:40 p.m. Labor Problems
Potosi is a Bolivian mountain that stands 15000 feet above sea level. Potosi is rich in silver; historians say its wealth single-handedly fueled the Spanish Conquest. It is the oldest and most dangerous mines in the Americas. There is one entrance, should anything happen there is no way out, the only light source is head lamps and there is no ventilation or safety equipment. Yet, every day, 20,000 people work every day which includes 1,000 children.
Even though the mine was very rich it left behind only poverty. Poverty that leads to desperation and sends men and boys into 400 mines in the mountain who are trying to earn meager livings. John Trew, of CARE USA who studies world child labor and tries to improve children’s condition, says it is by far the worst of child labor condition he has seen. The environment is hazardous, not only from the short terms hazards but from long-term health consequences as well.
There are no safety inspections of mines in Bolivia. The government does provide guidelines and seminars in order to promote safety. Yet ultimately safety is the responsibility of each mining company and not of the government.
It is difficult for me to hear of children working in mines. It saddens me because the conditions are so terrible that no body let alone a child should have to go through it. If they survive working in the mine they will still suffer a lifetime of health consequences from working there. The government should have a standard for safety measures so that people have to abide by them. It shouldn’t be up to the company or the individual.
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Story?id=4582403&page=1
Potosi is a Bolivian mountain that stands 15000 feet above sea level. Potosi is rich in silver; historians say its wealth single-handedly fueled the Spanish Conquest. It is the oldest and most dangerous mines in the Americas. There is one entrance, should anything happen there is no way out, the only light source is head lamps and there is no ventilation or safety equipment. Yet, every day, 20,000 people work every day which includes 1,000 children.
Even though the mine was very rich it left behind only poverty. Poverty that leads to desperation and sends men and boys into 400 mines in the mountain who are trying to earn meager livings. John Trew, of CARE USA who studies world child labor and tries to improve children’s condition, says it is by far the worst of child labor condition he has seen. The environment is hazardous, not only from the short terms hazards but from long-term health consequences as well.
There are no safety inspections of mines in Bolivia. The government does provide guidelines and seminars in order to promote safety. Yet ultimately safety is the responsibility of each mining company and not of the government.
It is difficult for me to hear of children working in mines. It saddens me because the conditions are so terrible that no body let alone a child should have to go through it. If they survive working in the mine they will still suffer a lifetime of health consequences from working there. The government should have a standard for safety measures so that people have to abide by them. It shouldn’t be up to the company or the individual.
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Story?id=4582403&page=1
UK arrests in Tamil Tigers probe
Catherine McDuffie April 29, 2008 2:51pm Global Crime
Three men were arrested in
It is hard to know what to think about this. It is so scary that the Tamil Tigers are trying to get support from people in far away nations, but it is excellent that the British government is cracking down on that. It is a blessing that the Tamil Tigers were not (as far as we know) trying to pull any terrorist activity on England, so this is great for England as far as getting it under control before it’s too late.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7372883.stmGlobal Crime In Your Backyard
Stefanie Rumple/4/29/08/7:29 AM/Global Crime
Forty labor organizations in Canada, the US, and Mexico have charged North Carolina with violating the NAALC provisions of NAFTA, in not allowing their public employees to join unions or go on strike. Specifically, here are the NC General Statutes regarding unions;
Any agreement, or contract, between the governing authority of any city, town, county, or other municipality, or between any agency, unit, or instrumentality thereof, or between any agency, instrumentality, or institution of the State of North Carolina, and any labor union, trade union, or labor organization, as bargaining agent for any public employees of such city, town, county or other municipality, or agency or instrumentality of government, is hereby declared to be against the public policy of the State, illegal, unlawful, void and of no effect. (1959, c. 742.)
§ 95‑98.1. Strikes by public employees prohibited.
Strikes by public employees are hereby declared illegal and against the public policy of this State. No person holding a position either full‑ or part‑time by appointment or employment with the State of North Carolina or in any county, city, town or other political subdivision of the State of North Carolina, or in any agency of any of them, shall willfully participate in a strike by public employees. (1981, c. 958, s. 1.)
§ 95‑99. Penalty for violation of Article.
Any violation of the provisions of this Article is hereby declared to be a Class 1 misdemeanor. (1959, c. 742; 1993, c. 539, s. 667; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c).)
This comes on the heels of a blatant demonstration of the power of workers to protect people's rights in unimagined ways, as the labor unions of South Africa and all across the southern and eastern African coasts united to avert the violent political oppression and possible genocide of the Zimbabwean people. While the South African government did nothing, while the world sat by and watched, Robert Mugabe attempted to import vast quantities of arms (with money that could have been spent on alleviating the food shortage there) from the Chinese for the purpose of oppressing his people still further in the wake of the election he so clearly lost. All hope seemed lost for the oppressed and starving people of Zimbabwe, until the conscience of the dock workers and their collective power superceded the soft-pedaling government stance. The dock workers refused to unload the arms in South Africa's port of Durban, and they sent out a call to the workers of Mozambique and Angola to do the same. Their stubborn refusal to bow to politics forced the Chinese to actually recall their ship amid international embarrassment, and doubtless saved the lives of millions of Zimbabweans. Too right the government can't stand people to organize; they take over where government fails, and actually protect people's rights. As ethnocentric as we are, as much as we believe America is the center of the universe, we don't expect our own government to oppress us. In fact, we don't even refer to it with that terminology. However, when it is a CRIME to go on strike, how can one protect oneself? We have talked about how "terrible" it is that we have no unions here. But now finally someone is doing something about it.
http://www.nupge.ca/news_2008/n22ap08c.htm
Here is the text of the North American Agreement on Labour Cooperation, the labour provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement;
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/lp/spila/ialc/02NAALC.shtml
New Scope/Sam Fahnrich/12:23/4-28-08
Between discussing rising temperatures and melting ice caps, I began covering ways to minimize our environmental impact. This week, I want to bring good news to the table. El Nino is what led to 1998's record breaking summer temperatures, but El Nina is currently keeping temperatures stable. The problem was, El Nino swept the warm waters off African coasts through the Atlantic and beyond. With the warming oceans, climatic temperatures rose dramatically. With El Nina, African surges are cool, keeping global temperatures lower than they would be otherwise. However, due to the Greenhouse effect, temperatures have stayed at levels near El Nino conditions. The prediction is, once El Nina leaves in the next couple of seasons, global gases will increase temperatures to a higher degree than El Ninos effect.
What makes me happy in the scientific world is controversy. NASA ranks 2005 as the warmest year, but UK's Hadley Centre labels it as second. However, declaring a winner for this category seems too trivial. The impact of earth's stability lies within averages and time frames. Earths temperatures have been rising for years, and with gases increasing temperature gains are continuing. Action must be taken immediately before tidal zones turn against us.
Repeating the obvious, El Nino warms the earth and La Nina cools it. So, since earth is currently under La Nina and our climate has remained fairly constant, what does this mean for our planet? Temperatures are on a steady rise, and if global warming isn't dealt with promptly our lifestyles will face change indefinitely.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7329799.stm
Monday, April 28, 2008
Jazmin Hermosillo/April 28, 9:14 am/Religious Conflict
Defensa en medio de redadas (Defense within Rallies)
I’m going to talk about an article that I read in the International section of the Hispanic newspaper Qué Pasa. It talks about the Pope’s visit to the U.S and about the talk that he had with Bush.
In the mass that he gave at the baseball stadium in Washington he talked about the growth of the Catholic Churches in the U.S, which is the cause of the migration of catholic people of Latin America. He gave a speech to the priests’ of the Catholic Churches saying that he wishes for all the priests’ to give a hand in being there for all the immigrants within their own communities and to be there in their suffering an problems that they may come about, and to help them to prosper in the church. According to the statistics it is said that more then 45% of Catholics in the U.S are from Hispanic origins and most of them immigrants.
The Pope also talked to the President, they talked about the immigrant situation of Latin America, the treatment of humans, and the wellbeing of family. But, it’s funny that just as the Pope was asking for the wellbeing and humanly treatment of the immigrants the Bush Administration was being apart of the biggest Rally of immigrants within 5 states. One of the biggest rallies on immigration happened in Houston, where there has been the largest growth of the Catholic Church thanks to the growth of the Hispanic community.
I don’t know but I think that this situation made Bush look a bit bad in the eyes of the Pope because as he was telling Bush and the whole Catholic community to be more humanly, the Bush Administration turns around and does the opposite.
Qué Pasa Newspaper. April 24-30. Section B. Year 14 NO.24
I’m going to talk about an article that I read in the International section of the Hispanic newspaper Qué Pasa. It talks about the Pope’s visit to the U.S and about the talk that he had with Bush.
In the mass that he gave at the baseball stadium in Washington he talked about the growth of the Catholic Churches in the U.S, which is the cause of the migration of catholic people of Latin America. He gave a speech to the priests’ of the Catholic Churches saying that he wishes for all the priests’ to give a hand in being there for all the immigrants within their own communities and to be there in their suffering an problems that they may come about, and to help them to prosper in the church. According to the statistics it is said that more then 45% of Catholics in the U.S are from Hispanic origins and most of them immigrants.
The Pope also talked to the President, they talked about the immigrant situation of Latin America, the treatment of humans, and the wellbeing of family. But, it’s funny that just as the Pope was asking for the wellbeing and humanly treatment of the immigrants the Bush Administration was being apart of the biggest Rally of immigrants within 5 states. One of the biggest rallies on immigration happened in Houston, where there has been the largest growth of the Catholic Church thanks to the growth of the Hispanic community.
I don’t know but I think that this situation made Bush look a bit bad in the eyes of the Pope because as he was telling Bush and the whole Catholic community to be more humanly, the Bush Administration turns around and does the opposite.
Qué Pasa Newspaper. April 24-30. Section B. Year 14 NO.24
No press freedom for Myanmar constitution vote: RSF
Seng Yang/Human Rights/April 28, 2008/12:27am
No press freedom for Myanmar constitution vote: RSF
“Myanmar's junta has barred domestic media from reporting on opposition to next month's referendum on a new constitution. RSF and the Burma Media Association said they were "outraged" by the methods used by the junta to prevent reporting on opposition to the charter, which pro-democracy activists say will allow the generals to entrench their rule.”
"The military government is stopping at nothing to rig a referendum that looks as though it is going to be a sham rather than a free and transparent election," the two organizations said in a joint statement.
"The supporters of a 'No' vote must be able to express themselves freely in the media, and journalists must be allowed to report all viewpoints."
They said no Myanmar media had been allowed to publish the views of supporters of a "No" vote in the May 10 referendum.
RSF also called on the authorities "to let the press do its work without prior censorship and to allow foreign reporters to visit Burma freely. This is a condition for the international community's recognition of the validity of this election."
The generals say the referendum will pave the way for democratic elections in 2010, but analysts say the constitution enshrines the role of the military which has ruled since 1962 and leaves political parties with little room to campaign.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hyPj-pIK3WkRgxkdbOqBWFlpN8Fg
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
7,000 new breast cancer cases documented yearly in Morocco
Casablanca, Apr. 24 - About 20 new cases of breast cancer are declared daily in Morocco, that is 7,000 new cases a year, Dr. Rachid Bekkali, executive director of the Lalla Salma Association to Fight Cancer revealed on Thursday.
In order to contain the spread of this disease among women, the Association will, on Friday, launch a national campaign to raise awareness as to the importance of early cancer screening.
The USD 480,000 campaign, due to run until May, will target women aged above 45, as well as health professionals.
It will use posters, TV and radio commercials, as well as testimonies from patients, in addition to handing out leaflets to practitioners and the public, especially on self-examination of breasts.
The campaign will incite women to make early self-examination, the association executives said.
They stressed that 90% of the cases can be cured if discovered early, assuring of the existence of treatments that can be administered for free to poor patients.
HAMID BENBELLA
In order to contain the spread of this disease among women, the Association will, on Friday, launch a national campaign to raise awareness as to the importance of early cancer screening.
The USD 480,000 campaign, due to run until May, will target women aged above 45, as well as health professionals.
It will use posters, TV and radio commercials, as well as testimonies from patients, in addition to handing out leaflets to practitioners and the public, especially on self-examination of breasts.
The campaign will incite women to make early self-examination, the association executives said.
They stressed that 90% of the cases can be cured if discovered early, assuring of the existence of treatments that can be administered for free to poor patients.
HAMID BENBELLA
Joseph Borawski, Sunday April 25th 2008, 6:53 PM, Global Social Protests Current Event
Cuba accuses US officials of fabricating protest in Havana
This week Cuba is accusing American officials of fabricating a small protest in Havana. They are saying that the U.S. government is also financing other actions against the communist government of Cuba. The U.S. government has spoken out against the Cuba’s handling of a protest by the wives of 10 political prisoners, following the protest Policewoman carried the women to a bus and took them home. Cuba’s Foreign Ministry is blaming the U.S. for aiding a “small number of counterrevolutionary elements.”, saying that the U.S. is giving aid to Cuban dissidents, giving them radios, T-shirts, computers and literature.
Of course the Cuban government isn’t happy about this, and perhaps the U.S. is doing that but there really isn’t much they can do about it. I almost think its silly that Cuba is speaking out against he U.S. on this because I don’t see what the point is. It’s not going to change the opinion of American citizens so it won’t really effect change at home. It may just add more fire to disenchanted members of the world community who will see it as just another example of the United States becoming involved in other countries through out the world. Though I do wonder to what extent our nation is involved in these sorts of activities in Cuba, and how it may eventually effect the country. Check it out here:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hO4RXi-E9ez2bwR2qviUBxfCih0gD9089FT00
Current air standards not enough to curb asthma
Jessika Ziglar/04-25-08 4:16pm/Pollution
A new study found that although air quality is within required level, inner-city kids with asthma aren't getting any relief.
The main culprit for reducing lung function in these children aged 5-12 in major cities across the US seems to be nitrous dioxide and fine particulates. Car admissions are a major source of nitrous dioxide and are probably contributed to this problem the most.
Pollution-related asthma often keeps these low-income, inner-city youth from attending school. The Inner City Asthma Study Group researchers suggest that new plans need to be made to reduce the exposure of these children to air pollution.
This seems like yet another way in which the poor are kept poor. If children who live in the worst economic and environmental positions miss school due to their asthma, they are simply getting further behind in their education. Education is often the only hope for the cycle of poverty to be broken, and this is being taken from these children thanks in part to air pollution.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/25/AR2008042501896.html
A new study found that although air quality is within required level, inner-city kids with asthma aren't getting any relief.
The main culprit for reducing lung function in these children aged 5-12 in major cities across the US seems to be nitrous dioxide and fine particulates. Car admissions are a major source of nitrous dioxide and are probably contributed to this problem the most.
Pollution-related asthma often keeps these low-income, inner-city youth from attending school. The Inner City Asthma Study Group researchers suggest that new plans need to be made to reduce the exposure of these children to air pollution.
This seems like yet another way in which the poor are kept poor. If children who live in the worst economic and environmental positions miss school due to their asthma, they are simply getting further behind in their education. Education is often the only hope for the cycle of poverty to be broken, and this is being taken from these children thanks in part to air pollution.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/25/AR2008042501896.html
Japan's Sharp Rise In CPI Inflation Expected To Be Temporary
Shamia N Irving, April 25, 2008, 4:32pm
CPI- Consumer Price Index
Inflation in Japan soared to its highest level in 10 years, rising at a rate of 1.2% on the back of rising energy costs. Economists says that the elevated level to which its reached is only temporary. The rise was in line with the estimates but it was higher than the elevaed level in February, which was only 1.o%. The CPI, excluding fresh food, also rose 1.2% in March. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications also reported that in Tokyo, inflation was slightly faster than what it was expected to be in April, prices were rising at a 0.6% increase when they were only expected to grow at a 0.5% rate. Japanese fixed income markets sold off sharply following the release, with yields on a 10-year government bonds rising to 1.5504% from 1.4947%, 5-year bonds rising 1.0594% to 11507%, and 2-year bonds rising 10 0.811% from 0.7098%. Session highs were reached around Midnight, with selling pressures leading to a brief halt in trading in Tokyo. The yen, the name of their currency, in Japan jumped 104.26 from 103.39 against the US dollar at 8am before pushing to the ultimate high of 104.83. Lindsay Coburn, an economist for ING, said higher energy costs account for the significant 4.2% annual rise in utility charges as well as the 3.5% year-over-year increase in transport and communications prices. Coburn noticed that while external cost-push pressures are behind the recent increase in consumer prices, local demand is exerting a mild negative pressure on prices, suggesting weak local demand will once again become the dominant influence on consumer prices in coming months. Coburn also believes that inflation is temporary but she's not sure how high inflation will get before it comes down. The Bank of Japan will announce its latest rate decision on Tuesday (EDT), and is expected to hold rates at 0.50%.
I just hope something can be done about the rising of prices, if they can't get it to completely cease, I hope they are able to stop it from rising at such a rapid pace.
http://www.economicnews.ca/login.php?page=reportsDetails&newsid=75310&prevview=&view=details&country=Asia&plimit=0&category=Asian%20Economic%20Reports
CPI- Consumer Price Index
Inflation in Japan soared to its highest level in 10 years, rising at a rate of 1.2% on the back of rising energy costs. Economists says that the elevated level to which its reached is only temporary. The rise was in line with the estimates but it was higher than the elevaed level in February, which was only 1.o%. The CPI, excluding fresh food, also rose 1.2% in March. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications also reported that in Tokyo, inflation was slightly faster than what it was expected to be in April, prices were rising at a 0.6% increase when they were only expected to grow at a 0.5% rate. Japanese fixed income markets sold off sharply following the release, with yields on a 10-year government bonds rising to 1.5504% from 1.4947%, 5-year bonds rising 1.0594% to 11507%, and 2-year bonds rising 10 0.811% from 0.7098%. Session highs were reached around Midnight, with selling pressures leading to a brief halt in trading in Tokyo. The yen, the name of their currency, in Japan jumped 104.26 from 103.39 against the US dollar at 8am before pushing to the ultimate high of 104.83. Lindsay Coburn, an economist for ING, said higher energy costs account for the significant 4.2% annual rise in utility charges as well as the 3.5% year-over-year increase in transport and communications prices. Coburn noticed that while external cost-push pressures are behind the recent increase in consumer prices, local demand is exerting a mild negative pressure on prices, suggesting weak local demand will once again become the dominant influence on consumer prices in coming months. Coburn also believes that inflation is temporary but she's not sure how high inflation will get before it comes down. The Bank of Japan will announce its latest rate decision on Tuesday (EDT), and is expected to hold rates at 0.50%.
I just hope something can be done about the rising of prices, if they can't get it to completely cease, I hope they are able to stop it from rising at such a rapid pace.
http://www.economicnews.ca/login.php?page=reportsDetails&newsid=75310&prevview=&view=details&country=Asia&plimit=0&category=Asian%20Economic%20Reports
Israeli Officials Refuse Truce Offer
Earlier today, Israeli government officials refused the truce offered by Hamas leaders, saying that the offer was not serious and would only give the “terrorist organization” further time to plan and prepare for another round of conflict.
Israeli government spokesman David Baker accused the group of “playing games” and “buying time to regroup” – this in response to Hamas’ offer to accept a cease-fire.
Does this small tidbit of news remind you of anything? In the months following 9/11, George W. Bush took this same type of stance towards countries his administration viewed as hostile, or as threatening. Despite offers to negotiate, his hard-nosed stance led the
Interestingly, former U.S president Jimmy Carter recently returned from his tour of the
-Associated Press
Botswana sets Good Example for Education in Africa
Eric Cressey / 4-25-08 3:35pm / Education
http://allafrica.com/stories/200804250230.html
While most of the semester I have focused on the improvements that African nations are being urged to make by UNICEF and other international organizations, I ran across this article about the success of Botswana's education and how it is being held up as an example to other African nations of a successful program and I thought that it would be a great addition to the collection of articles I already have. Although the article itself is kind of short, it is packed with good information.
Botswana has an emphasis on educating its citizens that many other African nations do not share. Those from Botswana are citing their successful educational program as telling proof that the increased amount of money the country put into its education was not wasted and in fact was valuable for building the country up. Botswana remains as one of the few African nations with high literacy rates. A professor at a university in Botswana stressed the importance of Botswana using its graduates in businesses in their home country rather than looking outside for potential workers.
I liked this article because I think it is a nice contrast to the other articles I've blogged about that detail how miserable the education is in Africa and chronicle the efforts of UNICEF to make things better. It was nice finding proof that the African nations who are putting money into education are reaping benefits and are glad that they did so.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200804250230.html
While most of the semester I have focused on the improvements that African nations are being urged to make by UNICEF and other international organizations, I ran across this article about the success of Botswana's education and how it is being held up as an example to other African nations of a successful program and I thought that it would be a great addition to the collection of articles I already have. Although the article itself is kind of short, it is packed with good information.
Botswana has an emphasis on educating its citizens that many other African nations do not share. Those from Botswana are citing their successful educational program as telling proof that the increased amount of money the country put into its education was not wasted and in fact was valuable for building the country up. Botswana remains as one of the few African nations with high literacy rates. A professor at a university in Botswana stressed the importance of Botswana using its graduates in businesses in their home country rather than looking outside for potential workers.
I liked this article because I think it is a nice contrast to the other articles I've blogged about that detail how miserable the education is in Africa and chronicle the efforts of UNICEF to make things better. It was nice finding proof that the African nations who are putting money into education are reaping benefits and are glad that they did so.
Human Rights Groups Says Tourism Site Would Get Water but not Botswana Bushmen
Emily Mader/25 April 2008/2:42 pm/Human Rights
In 2002, Bushmen of Botswana were evicted from their traditional lands in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in what the government calls an effort to give them access to health care and social services. The Bushmen filed suit against the government and were allowed to move back onto their lands, but they have been denied the rights to access water and hunt in the area. An interesting development in this case is that the
This is absolutely ridiculous. I cannot imagine that a small group of Bushmen would sap the area of all its water resources while a tourist lodge would not. I feel that the motives of the government to get the Bushmen off of their traditional lands has very little to do with providing them with better social services. The fact that the government openly accepts the tourism industry in the area hints at a hidden motivation: maybe the government really wants the Bushmen off of those lands so they can be developed for ecotourism or some other form of money-generating enterprises.
http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/2008-04-25-voa32.cfm
Mugabe Not Giving In Peacefully
Carla Neal/Apr. 25
It has been four weeks since the
This type of thing is only proving the UN correct that Mugabe is undemocratic even through he insist that he is running a democracy in a democratic way and it also gives the UN legitimacy to verbally attack the leader and try to see that the human rights of it’s people are met. While we still don’t know the results of the elections, it is quite obvious that the ruling leader feels very threatened and that he is not going to give up his power peacefully or fairly.
Many dead in Sri Lanka bus blast
Catherine McDuffie April 25, 2008 12:27pm, Global Crime
At least 23 have been killed and 50 wounded in bus bombing outside of
This is so sad to me! It is so easy for situations like this to become “just another sad story,” but you have to keep in mind these are people with faces, personalities, and families! Many of the people killed in this bombing were on their way home from work, having done no harm to anyone. I can’t believe how long this war has been going on, that’s twenty five years! I don’t think that the government ending the ceasefire was in the best interest for the civilians, seeing how much worse the violence has gotten just since January. I sincerely hope that the country can come together and pull out of the path of violence incredibly soon.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7367468.stm
95 dead in Sudan
Jake Robinson / Current Event 14/ April 25, 12:06 2008
95 killed in Sudan ethnic clash
Around 95 people were killed in ethnic clashes around southern Sudan that have also targeted equipment and facilities used in a historic nationwide census, local press said on Friday.
Clashes broke out on Tuesday in the Southern Lakes State between two rival branches of the Dinka tribe after a dispute over cattle, the daily Al-Sahafa reported, added that dozens were left dead in the street.
Tribal clashes, often provoked by cattle theft, are frequent in southern Sudan but rarely reach such intensity in the semi-autonomous part of Africa’s largest country.
Sudan on Tuesday began its first census in 15 years, a milestone in the peace deal that ended Africa’s longest civil war, but it has been overshadowed by disputes.
The two-week census is crucial to prepare constituencies for national elections and confirm or adjust the wealth and power sharing ratios in central government.
Sudan’s undeveloped south has refused to be bound by the results and Darfur rebels have boycotted the count, as both accuse the Arab north of manipulating the census to maximize its control and marginalize the African majority.
This came off to me as another setback in the struggle, with this kind of behavior I see no end in sight if these different tribes will never “agree to disagree”. The census seems like a notable step in the right direction in terms of formalities but even the facilities being used for that were burned in this struggle.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080425/wl_afp/sudansouthconflict;_ylt=Al7QJ9VjTJjx9O0SjokjlBu96Q8F
Vinnie Merryman / April 25 11:40 am / Labor Problems
Child Labor in Cambodia
According to the latest estimates, fifty-two percent of children aged seven to fourteen-years, or more than one-million-four hundred thousand Cambodian children work. On average, they spend more than twenty hours a week working, mostly in agriculture.
According to U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia Joseph Mussomeli, “Excessive and inappropriate work not only stunts the normal development of individual children, it has significant consequences for society as a whole. Children who have to work to support their families rather than attend school," he said, "don’t acquire the knowledge and skills they need to obtain quality employment in the future, contributing to a cycle of poverty in their own families, and holding back economic growth in the entire country.” 115
Ambassador Mussomeli spoke at ceremonies inaugurating the launch of a new U.S.-funded effort to help Cambodia battle child labor, the Children’s Empowerment through Education Services project. Since 2001, the U.S. government has been working together with the Cambodian government to combat child labor through education. In that year, the U.S. Department of Labor funded the International Labor Organization’s International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor to provide education and other services to children engaged in exploitive labor, or at-risk of doing so. “The Cambodian government has taken many positive steps to reduce child labor since our partnership began, and we applaud these efforts,” said Ambassador Mussomeli. “We all understand," he said, "the importance of taking care of young people and investing in their development."
Like most of the articles I have reviewed, there are people trying to help out with the child labor and hopefully they will follow through and the results will be recognizable.
http://www.voanews.com/uspolicy/2008-04-25-voa4.cfm
Gloom and Doom Ahead for the Global Economy
Katrina Shankle/Fri. April 25, 2008/ Global Economics
The World Economic Outlook released Wednesday didn't possess an optimistic outlook for the global economy. In fact, it foretold of slashed growth projections for the root of the cause of the global economic woes, the United States.
The global economy's projected growth will also suffer. The United States' economic growth is projected to slow to a mere .5 percent growth this year. This will be the worst growing pace in seventeen years, which coincidentally is when the United States last suffered a recession. The International Monetary Fund isn't prophesing much better for the United States next year either, they expect growth for the U.S. in 2009 will only reach about .6 percent. Their prediction is that the U.S. will slip into a small recession in 2008 as a result of mutually reinforcing cycles in the housing and financial markets according to the IMF.
While the United States is finally admitting to being ensnared in a recession, Germany will not fair much better. The IMF is also cutting its projection of growth for Germany's economy slowing to a growth of about 1.4 percent. The German economy will also dip again in 2009, to only 1 percent. Great Britain's economic growth will slow to 1.6 percent in 2008 and 2009. France will also slow to 1.4 percent this year and decrease to 1.2 percent to 2009.
There is a bright side, some countries such as Japan, China, Canada, India, and Russia are experiencing small bouts of growth.
http://www.bvom.com/news/english/news/index.asp?.sequence=61653&.this=58
The World Economic Outlook released Wednesday didn't possess an optimistic outlook for the global economy. In fact, it foretold of slashed growth projections for the root of the cause of the global economic woes, the United States.
The global economy's projected growth will also suffer. The United States' economic growth is projected to slow to a mere .5 percent growth this year. This will be the worst growing pace in seventeen years, which coincidentally is when the United States last suffered a recession. The International Monetary Fund isn't prophesing much better for the United States next year either, they expect growth for the U.S. in 2009 will only reach about .6 percent. Their prediction is that the U.S. will slip into a small recession in 2008 as a result of mutually reinforcing cycles in the housing and financial markets according to the IMF.
While the United States is finally admitting to being ensnared in a recession, Germany will not fair much better. The IMF is also cutting its projection of growth for Germany's economy slowing to a growth of about 1.4 percent. The German economy will also dip again in 2009, to only 1 percent. Great Britain's economic growth will slow to 1.6 percent in 2008 and 2009. France will also slow to 1.4 percent this year and decrease to 1.2 percent to 2009.
There is a bright side, some countries such as Japan, China, Canada, India, and Russia are experiencing small bouts of growth.
http://www.bvom.com/news/english/news/index.asp?.sequence=61653&.this=58
Displaced Kenyans to Return Home
Mark Moon / 4.25.2008 / 9:40 AM / Ethnic Conflict
Odinga and Kibaki visited a large displacement camp in a Western Kenyan town that holds nearly 16,000 people. Of the 300,000 that were displaced during the post-election violence, this is one of the larger concentrations. Both men claim to be able to repair the damages and send people back to their homes.
"We do not want you people to continue living here and suffering," Kibaki has told the cheering crowd. "We will solve this problem very soon."
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/04/24/kenya.ap/index.html
Odinga and Kibaki visited a large displacement camp in a Western Kenyan town that holds nearly 16,000 people. Of the 300,000 that were displaced during the post-election violence, this is one of the larger concentrations. Both men claim to be able to repair the damages and send people back to their homes.
"We do not want you people to continue living here and suffering," Kibaki has told the cheering crowd. "We will solve this problem very soon."
Odinga has added: "We are here as leaders ... We can solve all the problems in order for peace to exist."
Can they really solve all the problems or heal the wounds caused by the post-election violence? This all sounds like political rhetoric, garnering support for the next vote. The article was accompanied by a picture of two men (2!) repairing the shell of a structure. Since they swore in a cabinet of 90 members, one would think they could gain more support in repairing the damaged sectors throughout Kenya. I anticipate the rebuilding to be a slow process, with violence fairly likely if either side perceives special treatment for the other.http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/04/24/kenya.ap/index.html
Stanford recruiting people for new obesity treatment study
Whitney Everett/Stanford recruiting people for new obesity treatment study/April 25/9:14am/post 14
Stanford is starting a new clinical research study on obesity that would give patients an alternative to surgical procedures. The study, called EMPOWER, will evaluate safety of an experimental method, called VBLOC therapy, that periodically stops the body’s neural messages of hunger and fullness from going to your brain. Applicants must be between ages eighteen and sixty five, with a body mass index between thirty five and forty five. They National Institutes of Health found that about sixty six percent of American adults are overweight and nearly one third are obese. About twelve million Americans qualify for this study. After a trial of VBLOC study conducted outside of the US, showed nine participants had excess weight loss of 29.5 percent after nine months, the Food and Drug Administration approved the study.
So the question is do you think this is something that needs to be brought to the table in helping fix the obesity problem in the United States? I believe that this is something that may help as in the examples of the participants that have done this procedure. But for me I found it a little dangerous and wonder if it is really ok for someone to do something like this to their body. It all comes down to the fact that a healthy diet and daily exercise will always be the key to staying healthy and at a weight where you feel good about yourself and is healthy for you.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/sanmateocountytimes/localnews/ci_9044246
Candis Little/Intellectuals in China Condemn Crackdown/04/25/08/12:30a.m./ethnic conflict
Because of the consistent ethnicity controversy over the setting of this year’s Olympics, is causing continuous violence between the ethnic groups. A group of prominent Chinese intellectuals has circulated a petition urging the government to stop what it calls a “one sided” propaganda campaign about Tibet and initiate direct dialogue with the Dalai Lama.Their petition accused the government of “fanning racial hatred” in China by blaming ethnic Tibetans for the violence and seeking to inflame passions among the Han to support the crackdown.
The petition, which was signed by more than two dozen writers, journalists and scholars, contains 12 recommendations. Taken together, they represent a sharp break from the government’s response to the wave of demonstrations that swept Tibetan areas of the country in recent weeks. The Chinese government has sought to convey a sense of strong domestic and international support for putting down what is depicted here as a civil disturbance by lawless people being instigated by the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
My question is is why is this problem still in existence? Someone needs to make a decision and move on to another conflict. Week after week something is always new dealing with this topic. But their answer is, “In order to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future, the government must abide by the freedom of religious belief and the freedom of speech explicitly enshrined in the Chinese Constitution, thereby allowing the Tibetan people to fully express their grievances and hopes and permitting citizens of all nationalities to freely criticize and make suggestions regarding the government’s nationality policies.”
The petition, which was signed by more than two dozen writers, journalists and scholars, contains 12 recommendations. Taken together, they represent a sharp break from the government’s response to the wave of demonstrations that swept Tibetan areas of the country in recent weeks. The Chinese government has sought to convey a sense of strong domestic and international support for putting down what is depicted here as a civil disturbance by lawless people being instigated by the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
My question is is why is this problem still in existence? Someone needs to make a decision and move on to another conflict. Week after week something is always new dealing with this topic. But their answer is, “In order to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future, the government must abide by the freedom of religious belief and the freedom of speech explicitly enshrined in the Chinese Constitution, thereby allowing the Tibetan people to fully express their grievances and hopes and permitting citizens of all nationalities to freely criticize and make suggestions regarding the government’s nationality policies.”
Bare Necessities Running Short in Sadr City
Sadr city is located in the heart of Baghdad, Iraq. Unfortunately, at this time, this very place is the location of a brutal fight. The fighting has been going on for weeks now and seems to only be getting worse. While bombs, rockets, guns, and other forms of ammo have been exploding all around civilians, they are now faced with a new problem. The main market in the city has been destroyed. Because of this, civilians are now isolated from food and clean drinking water. To make matters worse, hospitals are running out of supplies that are essential to patients care, such as bandages and anesthesia. The Red Cross has had to step in and intervene due to the conditions that the civilians are living in.
I completly understand why the Red Cross has stepped in to start helping with supplies and other bare essentials. The problem in my mind comes from the people involved in the fighting: How are these soldiers supposed to get access to these items if they are shutting down and ruining the markets? It is amazing to me why someone would cut off their very own survival line. Thank goodness that Red Cross is doing something to help. I understand that there is heavy fighting going on, but to deny these civilians of their rights as humans - the right to food and water!! - is not only irresponsible but aslo dispicable. I am appalled that nothing more is being done to stop this!
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/04/23/iraq.main/index.html
I completly understand why the Red Cross has stepped in to start helping with supplies and other bare essentials. The problem in my mind comes from the people involved in the fighting: How are these soldiers supposed to get access to these items if they are shutting down and ruining the markets? It is amazing to me why someone would cut off their very own survival line. Thank goodness that Red Cross is doing something to help. I understand that there is heavy fighting going on, but to deny these civilians of their rights as humans - the right to food and water!! - is not only irresponsible but aslo dispicable. I am appalled that nothing more is being done to stop this!
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/04/23/iraq.main/index.html
Thursday, April 24, 2008
African women with AIDS speak out
Shavon Pulley/April 24/ Gender issues
A pan-African non-profit organization dedicated to HIV-positive women are speaking out saying there is a lot to be done to fight stigma and violence against infected women. The World Health Organization (WHO) say that more women and girls are more vulnerable than males because of marital violence and rape. No one is helping these females from being abused and mistreated. Traditions such as village traditions usually perform genital mutilation, wife inheritance (when a woman is given in marriage to her brother-in-law and childhood marriage) can be deadly. It is important for people to recognize that these traditions for females, are linked to their infections of HIV. When young females have HIV, they are often forced to drop out of school because of harassment. In many communities females are blamed for HIV transmission and not the men. These women need assistance and education to help against this disease. Someone that can help them gain confidence for themselves and stop the violence against them. These women don't know how to handle these type of situations, because of lack of education from dropping out. They have no where to turn for support. The men that usually rape them are their husbands or live inside their villages. These groups will hopefully gain awareness to these types of situations and find ways to help and protect these women. I don't understand why it is always in the African country that has the highest number of violence and sexual abuse. I f the HIV/AIDS numbers are so high in women, why are the men still raping and having sex with them? If many of them stopped to think about sex is the reason for transmitting the virus, the men would think twice before disrespecting these women. The men are the one's carrying the disease from woman to woman. Think about that???
http://www.voanews.com
A pan-African non-profit organization dedicated to HIV-positive women are speaking out saying there is a lot to be done to fight stigma and violence against infected women. The World Health Organization (WHO) say that more women and girls are more vulnerable than males because of marital violence and rape. No one is helping these females from being abused and mistreated. Traditions such as village traditions usually perform genital mutilation, wife inheritance (when a woman is given in marriage to her brother-in-law and childhood marriage) can be deadly. It is important for people to recognize that these traditions for females, are linked to their infections of HIV. When young females have HIV, they are often forced to drop out of school because of harassment. In many communities females are blamed for HIV transmission and not the men. These women need assistance and education to help against this disease. Someone that can help them gain confidence for themselves and stop the violence against them. These women don't know how to handle these type of situations, because of lack of education from dropping out. They have no where to turn for support. The men that usually rape them are their husbands or live inside their villages. These groups will hopefully gain awareness to these types of situations and find ways to help and protect these women. I don't understand why it is always in the African country that has the highest number of violence and sexual abuse. I f the HIV/AIDS numbers are so high in women, why are the men still raping and having sex with them? If many of them stopped to think about sex is the reason for transmitting the virus, the men would think twice before disrespecting these women. The men are the one's carrying the disease from woman to woman. Think about that???
http://www.voanews.com
Report alleges abuse in Asia shrimp industry
Breanna Fehr, April 24, 2008. 8:05 p.m. Labor Problems
The global shrimp industry is worth about $13 billion and is the most popular and widely traded seafood in the world. Thailand is the world’s largest exporter of shrimp. A human rights organization said that Workers in Southeast Asia’s shrimp industry suffer regular abuse and sometimes live in what amounts to virtual slavery. The Solidarity Center, an international nonprofit allied organization, says that sexual and physical abuse, debt bondage, child labor and unsafe working conditions are common in Thailand and Bangladesh’s shrimp processing factories.
The Thai police raided one factory in September 2006 when workers told them that if they made a mistake, asked for leave, or tried to escape than they could expect to be beaten, sexually molested, or publicly tortured. The plant has barbed-wire walls, an armed guard, and a closed-circuit television system. The owner of the factory was charged with some offenses but they were treated as first-time labor code violations. The owner paid a fine and than returned to work.
In April 2007 workers of the major Thai shrimp processing company spoke to Solidarity Center Partners about hazardous working conditions as well as an intimidating and discriminatory work environment. These along with forced overtime and wages not being paid, or unexplained deductions.
I like to hear that the workers have contacted The Solidarity Center to try and make things better. I can’t believe that the owner of the company was able to go back to work after all the violations he was convicted of (and even those he wasn’t). It seems that there would have been a harsher sanction rather than just paying a small fine. Also, with the past that the company has I would think that with just one complaint there should be an investigation. I hope that the Solidarity Center can help these workers gain their rights back.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/04/23/shrimp.workers.report/?iref=mpstoryview
The global shrimp industry is worth about $13 billion and is the most popular and widely traded seafood in the world. Thailand is the world’s largest exporter of shrimp. A human rights organization said that Workers in Southeast Asia’s shrimp industry suffer regular abuse and sometimes live in what amounts to virtual slavery. The Solidarity Center, an international nonprofit allied organization, says that sexual and physical abuse, debt bondage, child labor and unsafe working conditions are common in Thailand and Bangladesh’s shrimp processing factories.
The Thai police raided one factory in September 2006 when workers told them that if they made a mistake, asked for leave, or tried to escape than they could expect to be beaten, sexually molested, or publicly tortured. The plant has barbed-wire walls, an armed guard, and a closed-circuit television system. The owner of the factory was charged with some offenses but they were treated as first-time labor code violations. The owner paid a fine and than returned to work.
In April 2007 workers of the major Thai shrimp processing company spoke to Solidarity Center Partners about hazardous working conditions as well as an intimidating and discriminatory work environment. These along with forced overtime and wages not being paid, or unexplained deductions.
I like to hear that the workers have contacted The Solidarity Center to try and make things better. I can’t believe that the owner of the company was able to go back to work after all the violations he was convicted of (and even those he wasn’t). It seems that there would have been a harsher sanction rather than just paying a small fine. Also, with the past that the company has I would think that with just one complaint there should be an investigation. I hope that the Solidarity Center can help these workers gain their rights back.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/04/23/shrimp.workers.report/?iref=mpstoryview
Ending child labor tricky job for India
Jessica Otey/ April 24, 2008/ 7:54 pm/ Labor Problems
Sadly, child labor is a huge problem in India. The government estimates that 12.7 million children under the age of fourteen are involved in some kind of work. The United Nations’ estimates are even higher. They believe that there may be more than forty million children in the labor force. Astonishingly though, child labor is completely legal right now in India. Children under fourteen are allowed to work as long as their job is not considered hazardous.
Even though the practice is legal the government is taking some steps to limit the practice, and is making more jobs off limits to children. Many organizations are even going and raiding factories that employ children, sending them back to their families. Unfortunately, this doesn’t necessarily work. Many parents will send their children back into the work force shortly after they come home.
This policy of child labor makes it extremely difficult for countries who import things from India. Many countries do not want to support any country that allows such practices to take place and therefore do not want to by their goods. Gap has had to shut down factories that have used child labor in order to produce some of its clothing. Many are trying to encourage these young children to unionize in order to protect themselves and others.
It is really hard to believe that India allows the practice of child labor to continue. It seems like they would be doing more in order to combat the issue. These children are having to grow up way before their time.
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1410325/
Sadly, child labor is a huge problem in India. The government estimates that 12.7 million children under the age of fourteen are involved in some kind of work. The United Nations’ estimates are even higher. They believe that there may be more than forty million children in the labor force. Astonishingly though, child labor is completely legal right now in India. Children under fourteen are allowed to work as long as their job is not considered hazardous.
Even though the practice is legal the government is taking some steps to limit the practice, and is making more jobs off limits to children. Many organizations are even going and raiding factories that employ children, sending them back to their families. Unfortunately, this doesn’t necessarily work. Many parents will send their children back into the work force shortly after they come home.
This policy of child labor makes it extremely difficult for countries who import things from India. Many countries do not want to support any country that allows such practices to take place and therefore do not want to by their goods. Gap has had to shut down factories that have used child labor in order to produce some of its clothing. Many are trying to encourage these young children to unionize in order to protect themselves and others.
It is really hard to believe that India allows the practice of child labor to continue. It seems like they would be doing more in order to combat the issue. These children are having to grow up way before their time.
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1410325/
UN official: China has 'ambitious' strategy to address impact of climate change
Erin Norris/April 24, 2008 12:37pm/technology
About a year ago China was ambitious in coming up with a plan to reduce the global warming by limiting the machines that put out all the wastes into the environment. They also had ambitious plans for phasing out the small companies that put out so much pollution and coming up with better ways to be more energy effecient. The countries climate change had a great impact on the goals that were put into place. The warmer weather had led to less rain and less drinking water and they knew that something had to be done or they would be in really great trouble. Right now they are really struggling to meet these goals of climate change. They have decided that incentives need to be made for the big companies in other surrounding countries and states so that it will make "going green" more appealing to these people. Because "going green" takes more effort and a lot of times more money but in the long run it will save money for a lot of people in the government as well as citizens of that country. There is an emission peak that will happen in 10 to 15 years and if this goal is not put into effect in other countries then in 25 years people will be spending 20 trillion U.S. dollars on world demand emissions.
I think that this is an excellent goal and that this is a problem that needs to be made aware to more people. I think that in the U.S. it is catching on slowly but people are not understanding what the impact of just trying to save a little bit of energy will do for our country and the world. People feel like 25 years is a long time but that time is slowly decreasing the more we emit these aweful gasses into our atmosphere. Something needs to be done to wake people up and help them to realize what a big deal this really is and that even a little bit helps.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-04/24/content_8044477.htm
About a year ago China was ambitious in coming up with a plan to reduce the global warming by limiting the machines that put out all the wastes into the environment. They also had ambitious plans for phasing out the small companies that put out so much pollution and coming up with better ways to be more energy effecient. The countries climate change had a great impact on the goals that were put into place. The warmer weather had led to less rain and less drinking water and they knew that something had to be done or they would be in really great trouble. Right now they are really struggling to meet these goals of climate change. They have decided that incentives need to be made for the big companies in other surrounding countries and states so that it will make "going green" more appealing to these people. Because "going green" takes more effort and a lot of times more money but in the long run it will save money for a lot of people in the government as well as citizens of that country. There is an emission peak that will happen in 10 to 15 years and if this goal is not put into effect in other countries then in 25 years people will be spending 20 trillion U.S. dollars on world demand emissions.
I think that this is an excellent goal and that this is a problem that needs to be made aware to more people. I think that in the U.S. it is catching on slowly but people are not understanding what the impact of just trying to save a little bit of energy will do for our country and the world. People feel like 25 years is a long time but that time is slowly decreasing the more we emit these aweful gasses into our atmosphere. Something needs to be done to wake people up and help them to realize what a big deal this really is and that even a little bit helps.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-04/24/content_8044477.htm
Will the Olympic Torch Burn China?
Brian England 4/24/08 Global Political Relations
www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1728274-2,000.html
Chinese security have been monitoring the journer of the Olympic torch. They have arrested multiple protestors including a man in London who tried to take the torch from an official bearer where later the torch was put in a bus to be transported in safety. Turkish police had to arrest a man moving towards the torch. And in Paris the torch was distinguished in order to get it through. With all of these events being followed, killings have been overlooked in Tibet as Chinese officers have killed an unknown and unreported number of protesters.
People say China acquired some traits from Russia. They are a secretive government, and as the rest of the world finds them to be a progressive leader in power and confidence with economy and military, Chinese leadership focuses on all weaknesses. There is political unrest with their long lasting preservation of officials because they fear losing their positions depending on exposure from the Olympics. And reports even say, 'They have no idea whats about to hit them or how bad they will look to the outside world.' Countries are already planning to boycott the opening ceremony, and have refused to be involved with some participation becuase they do not want to be seen as 'sitting down to dinner' with China. China is also worried about the reporters role in the Tibet activity. They have been successful denying coverage to media so far, but they have a far way to go when the 30,000 foreign reporters come for the games. Much unrest is going on with the government that the world does not know about. Because this is such a global event, actions are hoping to be resolved before the happen. That is why many are urging China to establish a dialogue with the Dalai Lama to talk out some problems, instead of ignoring them and having the different protestors take action into their own hands.
These protests have continually turned into violence, much of which we have not seen because it is being contained by the Chinese. The events surrounding the days of the Olympic Games should keep fear in everyone, from Tibetans and game attendees, up to government officials. A large step to resolving some of these matters must be taken before the opening ceremony, otherwise we may see events that will lead to an even more well defined line between sides.
www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1728274-2,000.html
Chinese security have been monitoring the journer of the Olympic torch. They have arrested multiple protestors including a man in London who tried to take the torch from an official bearer where later the torch was put in a bus to be transported in safety. Turkish police had to arrest a man moving towards the torch. And in Paris the torch was distinguished in order to get it through. With all of these events being followed, killings have been overlooked in Tibet as Chinese officers have killed an unknown and unreported number of protesters.
People say China acquired some traits from Russia. They are a secretive government, and as the rest of the world finds them to be a progressive leader in power and confidence with economy and military, Chinese leadership focuses on all weaknesses. There is political unrest with their long lasting preservation of officials because they fear losing their positions depending on exposure from the Olympics. And reports even say, 'They have no idea whats about to hit them or how bad they will look to the outside world.' Countries are already planning to boycott the opening ceremony, and have refused to be involved with some participation becuase they do not want to be seen as 'sitting down to dinner' with China. China is also worried about the reporters role in the Tibet activity. They have been successful denying coverage to media so far, but they have a far way to go when the 30,000 foreign reporters come for the games. Much unrest is going on with the government that the world does not know about. Because this is such a global event, actions are hoping to be resolved before the happen. That is why many are urging China to establish a dialogue with the Dalai Lama to talk out some problems, instead of ignoring them and having the different protestors take action into their own hands.
These protests have continually turned into violence, much of which we have not seen because it is being contained by the Chinese. The events surrounding the days of the Olympic Games should keep fear in everyone, from Tibetans and game attendees, up to government officials. A large step to resolving some of these matters must be taken before the opening ceremony, otherwise we may see events that will lead to an even more well defined line between sides.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
UNCTAD boss demands that government do more for women
Kelli Mack/ April 23, 2008/ 8:52 pm/ Gender Issues
The Secretary General of UNCTAD is demanding that women be incorporated into key decions rather that lip service just be paid to their constant issues. He asked governments to look into gender issues and find empirical evidence on them, as well as enable their interest groups to be more forceful in their campaigns. He believes that womens issues play a large part in trade and the economy, and by incorporating women both can be aided. By assisting women, a country can decrease poverty and promote stable growth. By doing this governments can attain the Millenium Goals.
I think once again that it is great that government officials are trying to get women incorporated into major decisions. It is true that incorporating women into decisions can help trade and poverty, women are a large part of the economy and if they have a part in decision making they can help make some great changes to a countries economy.
http://gbcghana.com/news/19784detail.html
The Secretary General of UNCTAD is demanding that women be incorporated into key decions rather that lip service just be paid to their constant issues. He asked governments to look into gender issues and find empirical evidence on them, as well as enable their interest groups to be more forceful in their campaigns. He believes that womens issues play a large part in trade and the economy, and by incorporating women both can be aided. By assisting women, a country can decrease poverty and promote stable growth. By doing this governments can attain the Millenium Goals.
I think once again that it is great that government officials are trying to get women incorporated into major decisions. It is true that incorporating women into decisions can help trade and poverty, women are a large part of the economy and if they have a part in decision making they can help make some great changes to a countries economy.
http://gbcghana.com/news/19784detail.html
Cooperation Needed on China's Dirty Air
Andrew Calhoun, Jr. / 4-23-08 / 4:55 PM / Pollution / Current Event #15
This week in a Japanese paper "The Daily Yomiuri", a writer took to researching and discussing about China's air pollution problems and how they can be solved. In the article, attention is drawn to how some experts feel about international cooperation in regards to China's pollution issues. One thing I found interesting about this article was how it compared Japan's prior issues with air pollution with China's current issues; how in some cases their statistics match Japan's past stats and then how other stats, like the suspended particulate matter statistic (SPM), was much higher in China then it was/is in Japan.
Another problem, according to the article, that persists is the fact that "air pollution is caused not only by SPM but also chemical substances that have turned into gases in the atmosphere." While these chemical substance may or may not cause harm, the article states that it can be a cause for "acute hazard to human health but also long-term, chronic problems for humans and plants." In response to the various facts discovered about China's air pollution, the article reveals how scientists with in the region and from areas Japan, China, South Korea, Vietnam have done joint research on air pollution. Only recently have some of the researchers been voicing their concern about recent developments connected to international efforts.
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080424TDY04303.htm
This week in a Japanese paper "The Daily Yomiuri", a writer took to researching and discussing about China's air pollution problems and how they can be solved. In the article, attention is drawn to how some experts feel about international cooperation in regards to China's pollution issues. One thing I found interesting about this article was how it compared Japan's prior issues with air pollution with China's current issues; how in some cases their statistics match Japan's past stats and then how other stats, like the suspended particulate matter statistic (SPM), was much higher in China then it was/is in Japan.
Another problem, according to the article, that persists is the fact that "air pollution is caused not only by SPM but also chemical substances that have turned into gases in the atmosphere." While these chemical substance may or may not cause harm, the article states that it can be a cause for "acute hazard to human health but also long-term, chronic problems for humans and plants." In response to the various facts discovered about China's air pollution, the article reveals how scientists with in the region and from areas Japan, China, South Korea, Vietnam have done joint research on air pollution. Only recently have some of the researchers been voicing their concern about recent developments connected to international efforts.
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080424TDY04303.htm
Life Expectancy Worsening Or Stagnating For Large Segment Of U.S. Population
Matthew Heyes / 23 April / Population
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422103952.htm
ScienceDaily (Apr. 23, 2008)
This is a summary of a journal that documents a long term study of mortality rates (the first to do so) in the US counties between 1960 and 2000. During this period the overall life expectancy in the U.S. increased more than seven years for men (from 66.9 to 74.1) and more than six years for women (from 73.5 to 79.6), however these gains are not reaching many parts of the country; rather, the life expectancy of a significant segment of the population is declining or at best stagnating. The researchers found that 4% of the male population and 19% of the female population experienced either decline or stagnation in mortality beginning in the 1980s.
The view of the US health policy is that inequalities are acceptable, or more tolerable, as long as everyone’s health is improving. Now there is evidence that many people’s health is getting worse, particularly in the Deep South, along the Mississippi River, and in Appalachia, extending into the southern portion of the Midwest and into Texas.
Over the last few decades life expectancy in high-income countries around the world has gradually risen, with few exceptions. Researchers for this study found the best-off counties continued to improve but that there was stagnation or worsening of life expectancy in the worst-off counties--what the researchers refer to as "the reversal of fortunes." The results of this study are a major health concern as life expectancy decline is something that has traditionally been considered a sign that the health and social systems have failed, as has been the case in parts of Africa and Eastern Europe. The fact that it is happening to an industrialized country such as America shows how inefficient their health system is and how it needs serious rethinking.
It would be one sided to just blame the failings of the US health system. Lifestyle choices are also a factor as the stagnation and worsening mortality was primarily a result of an increase in diabetes, cancers and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, combined with a slowdown or halt in improvements in cardiovascular mortality. An increase in HIV/AIDS and homicides also played a role for men, but not for women. The diseases that are responsible for this troubling trend seem to be most related to smoking, high blood pressure, and obesity.
Journal reference: "The Reversal of Fortunes: Trends in County Mortality and Cross-Country Mortality Disparities in the United States," Majid Ezzati, Ari B. Friedman, Sandeep C. Kulkarni, Christopher J.L. Murray, PLoS Medicine, April 2008, Volume 5, Issue 4.
Pope Begins U.S. Visit; Says He Is Ashamed of Sex Scandal
Ashley Flaherty/April 25,2008 10:02am/Religious conflict
Pope Benedict XVI landed in the United States on Tuesday beginning a six day visit. On his flight he told reporters how upset he is about the Roman Catholic Church's child sexual abuse scandal in the United States. He began his visit discussing an issue that has wounded the Catholic church in the United States, stating that the child sexual abuse scandal has caused great suffering for the church and him personally. The scandal has produced thousands of sexually abused children and about 5,000 priests have been accused. This has cost the church two billion dollars in settlement fees. The pope stated that " As I read the histories of those victims, it is difficult for me to understand how it is possible that priests betrayed in this way. Their mission was to give healing, to give the love of God to these children. We are deeply ashamed and we will do what is possible that this cannot happen in the future." He drew a distinction between priests with homosexual tendencies and those inclined to molest children, saying that he would not speak about homosexuality but pedophilia. He wants to absolutely exclude pedophiles from the sacred ministry. The pope said that church officials were going through the seminaries that train would be priests to make sure that those candidates have no such tendencies. Aides said that he was deeply distressed reading the accounts of victims whose trust in the church was betrayed by the priests who violated them. Benedict has done or said or done little publicly about the abuse issue until now. Advocates for victims have criticized the church for failing to call to account bishops who allowed abusive priests to remain in the ministry. They are looking for the pope to change canon law to enable diocess worldwide to remove abusive priests from the ministry and eventually priesthood, a change that was granted to the church when the scandals broke out in 2002.
I think that it is a disgrace that it took the pope five years to finally address this problem publicly . It should have been done years ago and I think that the pope no addressing this issue has made the catholic church look even worse. If they would do something about it and have punishment for these priests in the church then maybe they could get a handle on this occurring issue.
Pope Benedict XVI landed in the United States on Tuesday beginning a six day visit. On his flight he told reporters how upset he is about the Roman Catholic Church's child sexual abuse scandal in the United States. He began his visit discussing an issue that has wounded the Catholic church in the United States, stating that the child sexual abuse scandal has caused great suffering for the church and him personally. The scandal has produced thousands of sexually abused children and about 5,000 priests have been accused. This has cost the church two billion dollars in settlement fees. The pope stated that " As I read the histories of those victims, it is difficult for me to understand how it is possible that priests betrayed in this way. Their mission was to give healing, to give the love of God to these children. We are deeply ashamed and we will do what is possible that this cannot happen in the future." He drew a distinction between priests with homosexual tendencies and those inclined to molest children, saying that he would not speak about homosexuality but pedophilia. He wants to absolutely exclude pedophiles from the sacred ministry. The pope said that church officials were going through the seminaries that train would be priests to make sure that those candidates have no such tendencies. Aides said that he was deeply distressed reading the accounts of victims whose trust in the church was betrayed by the priests who violated them. Benedict has done or said or done little publicly about the abuse issue until now. Advocates for victims have criticized the church for failing to call to account bishops who allowed abusive priests to remain in the ministry. They are looking for the pope to change canon law to enable diocess worldwide to remove abusive priests from the ministry and eventually priesthood, a change that was granted to the church when the scandals broke out in 2002.
I think that it is a disgrace that it took the pope five years to finally address this problem publicly . It should have been done years ago and I think that the pope no addressing this issue has made the catholic church look even worse. If they would do something about it and have punishment for these priests in the church then maybe they could get a handle on this occurring issue.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Food prices may fuel Latin America malnutrition
Kimberly Mega Food Scarcity Tues April 22nd 11:00 pm
The people of Latin America are having a hard time paying for food staples due to rising global food prices. This is significantly increasing the rate and risk of malnutrition as well. Some of the world’ s food-importing countries with the lowest income are in Central America. There was a recent food riot in Haiti, the only country with a “food crisis”, over the high prices of beans and rice. Latin America produced forty percent more food than it needs but there is no sufficient income distribution, leaving 50 million undernourished. Some causes of the rising food prices are the strong demand of the Asian market, adverse climate, and the increased use of corn as ethanol in the United States. The local government is discussing adding levies to food exports and tax breaks on imports. A program is being started called “Zero Hunger” to reduce poverty in some regions. Also an emphasis on family agriculture is being made as a way to boost food supply, since small scale farmers make up forty percent of the food production. It seems like every week there is the same article, only about a different country. All over the world people are starving and conditions only get worse. Will there be any end to world hunger or will we be an example of survival of the fittest? Fuel and food prices will probably never decrease unless we find an unknown resource that will help us. All these current events about malnutrition leave me wondering and hoping for what seems a miracle.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/feedarticle?id=7464310
The people of Latin America are having a hard time paying for food staples due to rising global food prices. This is significantly increasing the rate and risk of malnutrition as well. Some of the world’ s food-importing countries with the lowest income are in Central America. There was a recent food riot in Haiti, the only country with a “food crisis”, over the high prices of beans and rice. Latin America produced forty percent more food than it needs but there is no sufficient income distribution, leaving 50 million undernourished. Some causes of the rising food prices are the strong demand of the Asian market, adverse climate, and the increased use of corn as ethanol in the United States. The local government is discussing adding levies to food exports and tax breaks on imports. A program is being started called “Zero Hunger” to reduce poverty in some regions. Also an emphasis on family agriculture is being made as a way to boost food supply, since small scale farmers make up forty percent of the food production. It seems like every week there is the same article, only about a different country. All over the world people are starving and conditions only get worse. Will there be any end to world hunger or will we be an example of survival of the fittest? Fuel and food prices will probably never decrease unless we find an unknown resource that will help us. All these current events about malnutrition leave me wondering and hoping for what seems a miracle.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/feedarticle?id=7464310
High Rice Prices no WIndfall for Many Asian Farmers
Lamanda Reid/ April 22, 2008/ 9:45 a.m./poverty and inequality
The article High Rice Prices no Windfall for Many Asian Farmers was written by Thomas Fuller and published on April 15, 2008 in the International Herald Tribune. This article summarizes the struggle rice farmers are going through, despite the rising rice prices globally. Pomchan Luanguanna is a rice farmer who only produces enough rice to feed his family and extended family. Due to high gas, fertilizer, and pesticide prices, farmers can’t afford the tools that are needed to farm. Many rice producers are considered net rice buyers, this means they produce less than their actual needs. Rising rice prices in Asia can be compared to rising gas prices in the United States. Both can cause prices of all other products to soar. The rising prices are causing panic throughout Asia. Currently in the Philippines, the world’s largest rice importer, it is illegal to hoard rice. Citizens can be charged with economic sabotage, this could possibly carry a life sentence. Soaring rice prices are due to a shortage of land for rice farming. Several other problems have also caused high rice prices such as panic, typhoons, and flooding. Thailand is the world’s largest rice exporter. Commercial farmers who have access to irrigation along with millers and packers are profiting from the high prices. Net rice farmers are unable to make a profit because they are unable to store the rice. Unlike net farmers millers and packers are able to store the rice and sell when there is a shortage of rice at a higher price.
Like many products high prices aren’t affecting the wealthy and middle class, the poor are suffering. If prices go up any higher the Asian poor will be unable to afford rice. Once again the poor are suffering and they are facing an inequality due to their socioeconomic class.
The article High Rice Prices no Windfall for Many Asian Farmers was written by Thomas Fuller and published on April 15, 2008 in the International Herald Tribune. This article summarizes the struggle rice farmers are going through, despite the rising rice prices globally. Pomchan Luanguanna is a rice farmer who only produces enough rice to feed his family and extended family. Due to high gas, fertilizer, and pesticide prices, farmers can’t afford the tools that are needed to farm. Many rice producers are considered net rice buyers, this means they produce less than their actual needs. Rising rice prices in Asia can be compared to rising gas prices in the United States. Both can cause prices of all other products to soar. The rising prices are causing panic throughout Asia. Currently in the Philippines, the world’s largest rice importer, it is illegal to hoard rice. Citizens can be charged with economic sabotage, this could possibly carry a life sentence. Soaring rice prices are due to a shortage of land for rice farming. Several other problems have also caused high rice prices such as panic, typhoons, and flooding. Thailand is the world’s largest rice exporter. Commercial farmers who have access to irrigation along with millers and packers are profiting from the high prices. Net rice farmers are unable to make a profit because they are unable to store the rice. Unlike net farmers millers and packers are able to store the rice and sell when there is a shortage of rice at a higher price.
Like many products high prices aren’t affecting the wealthy and middle class, the poor are suffering. If prices go up any higher the Asian poor will be unable to afford rice. Once again the poor are suffering and they are facing an inequality due to their socioeconomic class.
Monday, April 21, 2008
New technology leads to exam cheats
Erin Norris/April 21, 2008/technology
In Bangalor there has been a leak in the exams questions that have made students over confident in taking their exams because they already know the questions. This problem has been going on for years, however, they are trying to fix the problem in India by sending the tests to a central location to have them printed. Also they have had trouble there with a leak inside the central location so they think that by making the test out with an encoded language so that no one can read it that it may stop the problem. The tests will be stored on a pdf and then printed right before the exam in the format that can be read so that it can prevent the cheating. Two people were actually arrested in Midnapore because they were leaking the test to other people and forging the names of people onto the exams.
I think that it is sad that the people of India have to go to some many lengths so they can have a tests taken. If those students spent as much time studying as they did trying to get the answers I'm sure that they would do just as well but I hope that this will work and that the students will give up on trying to find out what the questions are because it is unfair to those that have worked hard to study and are honest.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/New_technology_to_beat_examination_cheats_/articleshow/2966515.cms
In Bangalor there has been a leak in the exams questions that have made students over confident in taking their exams because they already know the questions. This problem has been going on for years, however, they are trying to fix the problem in India by sending the tests to a central location to have them printed. Also they have had trouble there with a leak inside the central location so they think that by making the test out with an encoded language so that no one can read it that it may stop the problem. The tests will be stored on a pdf and then printed right before the exam in the format that can be read so that it can prevent the cheating. Two people were actually arrested in Midnapore because they were leaking the test to other people and forging the names of people onto the exams.
I think that it is sad that the people of India have to go to some many lengths so they can have a tests taken. If those students spent as much time studying as they did trying to get the answers I'm sure that they would do just as well but I hope that this will work and that the students will give up on trying to find out what the questions are because it is unfair to those that have worked hard to study and are honest.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/New_technology_to_beat_examination_cheats_/articleshow/2966515.cms
Panasonic’s New Technology offers a Breath of Fresh Air
Erin Norris/April 21, 2008/technology
Panasonic has just come out with a new technological device for Jordan that will allow that people there to breath in fresher and cooler air. This 2-in-1 device is an air conditioner as well as an air purifier. It has been designed to with stand even the harshest climate and it 10 percent more effective than anything else out on the market. It is called the e-ion. The quality of air indoors in the middle east has made people living there become more concerned with the quality of air that they are breathing in so they are trying to find air purifiers to increase the quality of the air that is being inhaled. The sand storms that could happen in the middle east can make it difficult for these people to breath and making it extremely uncomfortable to live in these conditions which is causing them to be more aware of what kind of air they are breathing in. This 2-in-1 system allows the people to get a value of cooling as well as purifying the air. The units have a highly durable compressor which will allow it to withstand even the hottest temps. that are likely to occur in the middle east.
This is an exciting new technology for the people in the middle east because I'm sure that people have really been suffering from breathing problems because of all the things that are in the air including sand from the sand storms and when that gets into their lungs it has to hurt for them to breath or at least make it difficult overtime. I am so excited that this technology is available to them not only for the purity of the air but also for the cooling effect that this new technology has because I could not imagine the type of heat that they have to indure in the summer time and they have to wear clothes that covor their entire bodies so I'm sure that they are very grateful that there is technology available to help them to be more comfortable.
http://www.albawaba.com/en/countries/Bahrain/226007
Panasonic has just come out with a new technological device for Jordan that will allow that people there to breath in fresher and cooler air. This 2-in-1 device is an air conditioner as well as an air purifier. It has been designed to with stand even the harshest climate and it 10 percent more effective than anything else out on the market. It is called the e-ion. The quality of air indoors in the middle east has made people living there become more concerned with the quality of air that they are breathing in so they are trying to find air purifiers to increase the quality of the air that is being inhaled. The sand storms that could happen in the middle east can make it difficult for these people to breath and making it extremely uncomfortable to live in these conditions which is causing them to be more aware of what kind of air they are breathing in. This 2-in-1 system allows the people to get a value of cooling as well as purifying the air. The units have a highly durable compressor which will allow it to withstand even the hottest temps. that are likely to occur in the middle east.
This is an exciting new technology for the people in the middle east because I'm sure that people have really been suffering from breathing problems because of all the things that are in the air including sand from the sand storms and when that gets into their lungs it has to hurt for them to breath or at least make it difficult overtime. I am so excited that this technology is available to them not only for the purity of the air but also for the cooling effect that this new technology has because I could not imagine the type of heat that they have to indure in the summer time and they have to wear clothes that covor their entire bodies so I'm sure that they are very grateful that there is technology available to help them to be more comfortable.
http://www.albawaba.com/en/countries/Bahrain/226007
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Cambodia Suspends Foreign Marriages
Esther Mandelstamm/April 20, 2008/11:06pm/Gender Issues
There is a temporary ban on marriage between foreigners and Cambodians because of the rising number of broker unions involving poor, uneducated women. This report highlights the abuse of many Cambodian brides who went to South Korea following hastily arranged marriages. This ban will halt the increasing number of marriages of poor Cambodian women to foreign men, most from Taiwan and South Korea. There are brokers who charge up to $20,000 for each bride but only gives about $500 to $1000 to the Cambodian woman's family. The international Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that more than 1700 South Korean marriage visas were issued to Cambodian women in 2007 which is up from just 72 in 2004. These grooms are mostly factory workers and farmers who have trouble finding wives in South Korea because of their low job status. Although the report found no evidence of systematic abuse of Cambodian women who married South Koreans, it says that many do suffer violence. Srey Roth is the director of the Cambodia Women's Crisis Center and says "Some they cannot stay with the husband because the husband (is) so violent," Roth said. "And then the husband forces them to earn money for support their family. And they cannot get the nationality (citizenship), so it means that they stay under the husband or mother-in-law's control." Many marriage brokers from Taiwan and South Korea have mored to Cambodia since Vietnam banned them two years ago. The Cambodian government is cracking down. Three South Korean marriage agencies have been recently closed, accused of using arranged marriages as a front for human trafficking. The ban on foreign marriages in Cambodia is a step in the right direction giving authorities time to investigate brokered marriages. The IOM report focuses mostly on marriages between Cambodians and South Koreans, it also emphasizes the potential for problems globally; all brokered unions need to be better regulated. After Cambodia develops a legal framework to address these marriages, the ban will be lifted.
There seems to be a trend as I read articles from week to week, the taking advantage of poor uneducated women. These women are forced to marry men that do not care or respect them and are not even paid fairly. Marriage is becoming commercial, having brokers arrange marriages and keep the majority of the money. It is not fair to have these women treated as objects! I am glad to hear that there are going to be investigations and that there is a ban, the issue is that its temporary and what will happen in the future. Will these marriages continue in the future? This is a story I intend to follow.
http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-04-14-voa22.cfm
There is a temporary ban on marriage between foreigners and Cambodians because of the rising number of broker unions involving poor, uneducated women. This report highlights the abuse of many Cambodian brides who went to South Korea following hastily arranged marriages. This ban will halt the increasing number of marriages of poor Cambodian women to foreign men, most from Taiwan and South Korea. There are brokers who charge up to $20,000 for each bride but only gives about $500 to $1000 to the Cambodian woman's family. The international Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that more than 1700 South Korean marriage visas were issued to Cambodian women in 2007 which is up from just 72 in 2004. These grooms are mostly factory workers and farmers who have trouble finding wives in South Korea because of their low job status. Although the report found no evidence of systematic abuse of Cambodian women who married South Koreans, it says that many do suffer violence. Srey Roth is the director of the Cambodia Women's Crisis Center and says "Some they cannot stay with the husband because the husband (is) so violent," Roth said. "And then the husband forces them to earn money for support their family. And they cannot get the nationality (citizenship), so it means that they stay under the husband or mother-in-law's control." Many marriage brokers from Taiwan and South Korea have mored to Cambodia since Vietnam banned them two years ago. The Cambodian government is cracking down. Three South Korean marriage agencies have been recently closed, accused of using arranged marriages as a front for human trafficking. The ban on foreign marriages in Cambodia is a step in the right direction giving authorities time to investigate brokered marriages. The IOM report focuses mostly on marriages between Cambodians and South Koreans, it also emphasizes the potential for problems globally; all brokered unions need to be better regulated. After Cambodia develops a legal framework to address these marriages, the ban will be lifted.
There seems to be a trend as I read articles from week to week, the taking advantage of poor uneducated women. These women are forced to marry men that do not care or respect them and are not even paid fairly. Marriage is becoming commercial, having brokers arrange marriages and keep the majority of the money. It is not fair to have these women treated as objects! I am glad to hear that there are going to be investigations and that there is a ban, the issue is that its temporary and what will happen in the future. Will these marriages continue in the future? This is a story I intend to follow.
http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-04-14-voa22.cfm
UNICEF backs Child Rights Act in Africa
Eric Cressey / 4-20-08 / 10:30pm / Education
http://www.thetidenews.com/article.aspx?qrDate=04/18/2008&qrTitle=UNICEF%20urges%20passage%20of%20Child%20Rights%20Act&qrColumn=SOUTH%20EAST
In Nigeria, the state governments have been called by UNICEF to the task of passing Child Rights Acts that would ensure some basic rights for children in Nigeria. The Child Rights act enumerates many rights for children including the right to leisure time and the right to be free from torture or abuse. It further states that every government in Nigeria should strive to reduce infant mortality rates and outlines provisions that would assist infants and children with special needs as well.
So far only 6 of 10 states in Nigeria have passed the act, and UNICEF is appealing to the remaining states to pass it as quickly as possible and to think of the children as future leaders of their country.
I think it is great that UNICEF and the Nigerian government is starting to put laws on the books that will help protect children from abuse while guaranteeing them rights that in this country are taken for granted. I definitely want to follow up on this in the remaining weeks to see if the other state governments in Nigeria get behind the act and what other progress has been made.
http://www.thetidenews.com/article.aspx?qrDate=04/18/2008&qrTitle=UNICEF%20urges%20passage%20of%20Child%20Rights%20Act&qrColumn=SOUTH%20EAST
In Nigeria, the state governments have been called by UNICEF to the task of passing Child Rights Acts that would ensure some basic rights for children in Nigeria. The Child Rights act enumerates many rights for children including the right to leisure time and the right to be free from torture or abuse. It further states that every government in Nigeria should strive to reduce infant mortality rates and outlines provisions that would assist infants and children with special needs as well.
So far only 6 of 10 states in Nigeria have passed the act, and UNICEF is appealing to the remaining states to pass it as quickly as possible and to think of the children as future leaders of their country.
I think it is great that UNICEF and the Nigerian government is starting to put laws on the books that will help protect children from abuse while guaranteeing them rights that in this country are taken for granted. I definitely want to follow up on this in the remaining weeks to see if the other state governments in Nigeria get behind the act and what other progress has been made.
Dozens in Berlin protest Chinese crackdown on Tibet
Joseph Borawski, Sunday April 20th, 2008, 3:26 PM, Global Social Protests Current Event
This week dozens of German residents and exiled Tibetans staged a protest in the German capital city of
Since the start of the protests we’ve seen communities throughout the world join with the Tibetans. This of course is significant of more and more pressure being put on the Chinese government and a general increase in the public awareness of the situation. Though we’ve also seen protests in counter to this cause (mainly because of the international community’s trepidation towards the use of something such as interrupting the Olympics to forward a cause) this is a very interesting example of how world opinion and protest might be used to effect change.
Check it out here:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/20/europe/EU-GEN-Germany-Tibet-Protest.php
Friday, April 18, 2008
Burma (Myanmar): Persistent threats to basic health rights of detainees
Seng Yang/Human Rights/April 18, 2008/5:37pm
Burma (Myanmar): Persistent threats to basic health rights of detainees
Ch. Narendra
This article is about the harsh human rights violations Myanmar is still threatening the people with.
“According to news reports of the last couple of days, leading human rights defender and political activist Min Ko Naing is among those persons detained in Burma since the nationwide uprising of last September whose health has worsened.”
“The Voice of America Burmese service reported on April 15 that he has asked for a specialist to look at an apparent eye infection, but his request has so far been denied as an eye doctor only comes to the central jail were he is housed once per month. His elder sister says that this is one among a variety of conditions that he is facing at the moment, despite his long years of prior experience with jail.”
“The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is alarmed to hear of this latest case of a detainee whose eyes are going untreated. The news comes some two months after it issued a special humanitarian appeal for emergency eye treatment for 70-year-old U Than Lwin, who has been detained in Mandalay also since last September. Although he subsequently did obtain an operation, it was too late to save his sight in one eye; Than Lwin has retained only partial eyesight on his right.”
http://www.mynews.in/fullstory.aspx?storyid=3967#
Global food shortage linked to biofuel use.
ashley snyder/april 18 2008/4:43pm/food scarcity
Since the beginning of the semester I've been checking for news about food shortages and I've mostly come up with shortages due to too much rain, lack of rain, inadequate farming, stalls in beuracracy, and government corruption/conflict. As all these factors continue to hinder the countries I've been focusing on: Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, and Venezeula; there is a new player in the world food crisis situation. I'm sure you've all heard about food prices soaring due to increases in gas prices, well they are soaring due to crops (corn,etc.) being used for biofuels.
As scientists look to biofuels to battle the world energy crisis, in which they hope that 5% of oil used by 2010 is biofuels, they are adding to the world food crisis. Biofuels do come with a price and that price right now is the use of crops and agricultural lands for biofueld production, which takes away from the world food supply. Some examples of the effects of this are:
40 Billon tons of maize was cultivated last year, 30 billion tons of that was to produce ethanol, in turn doubling maize prices. aside from crops being used for fuel instead of consumption, prices doubling, people are also worried about farmland being used to cultivate these crops.
I leave you with a quote: "As a World Bank report puts it, the maize needed to produce enough ethanol to fill up an SUV tank, can feed a man for a year."
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080047053
Since the beginning of the semester I've been checking for news about food shortages and I've mostly come up with shortages due to too much rain, lack of rain, inadequate farming, stalls in beuracracy, and government corruption/conflict. As all these factors continue to hinder the countries I've been focusing on: Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, and Venezeula; there is a new player in the world food crisis situation. I'm sure you've all heard about food prices soaring due to increases in gas prices, well they are soaring due to crops (corn,etc.) being used for biofuels.
As scientists look to biofuels to battle the world energy crisis, in which they hope that 5% of oil used by 2010 is biofuels, they are adding to the world food crisis. Biofuels do come with a price and that price right now is the use of crops and agricultural lands for biofueld production, which takes away from the world food supply. Some examples of the effects of this are:
40 Billon tons of maize was cultivated last year, 30 billion tons of that was to produce ethanol, in turn doubling maize prices. aside from crops being used for fuel instead of consumption, prices doubling, people are also worried about farmland being used to cultivate these crops.
I leave you with a quote: "As a World Bank report puts it, the maize needed to produce enough ethanol to fill up an SUV tank, can feed a man for a year."
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080047053
Zimbabwe not ready for female leadership
Shavon Pulley/gender issues/April 18
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=42035
Women make up about half of the Zimbabwe society and are far from accounting for 50% on the ballots. During the last legislative elections, women ran for the lower house of parliament out of a total of 273 aspirants (about 20.9 percent of candidates). Female candidates accounted for 34 percent of those who contested Senate polls: 45 women were involved in this race, and 87 men.From the figures, it shows that there is a huge disparity between female and male candidates which needs a lot of attention. Executive director of the Women's Trust, a non-governmental organization in Harare. The trust is heading up 'Women can do it!', a campaign for increasing women's participation in the political life of Zimbabwe. "The question to ask is what is it that should be done to increase the number of female candidates? Voting women into parliament means that women's issues will become national issues." Many believe that even if all female candidates running in the National Assembly and Senate polls win, the country will still find itself falling short of regional goals concerning women's representation in government. It is still amazing that even though women make up half of this population, they are still in denial of a woman being in leadership. Female candidates are running to show their interest being a leader. But, because she is a women, she can't get the recognition that they need. I hope this organization can get the message across, to bring awareness to this situation and many more.
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=42035
Women make up about half of the Zimbabwe society and are far from accounting for 50% on the ballots. During the last legislative elections, women ran for the lower house of parliament out of a total of 273 aspirants (about 20.9 percent of candidates). Female candidates accounted for 34 percent of those who contested Senate polls: 45 women were involved in this race, and 87 men.From the figures, it shows that there is a huge disparity between female and male candidates which needs a lot of attention. Executive director of the Women's Trust, a non-governmental organization in Harare. The trust is heading up 'Women can do it!', a campaign for increasing women's participation in the political life of Zimbabwe. "The question to ask is what is it that should be done to increase the number of female candidates? Voting women into parliament means that women's issues will become national issues." Many believe that even if all female candidates running in the National Assembly and Senate polls win, the country will still find itself falling short of regional goals concerning women's representation in government. It is still amazing that even though women make up half of this population, they are still in denial of a woman being in leadership. Female candidates are running to show their interest being a leader. But, because she is a women, she can't get the recognition that they need. I hope this organization can get the message across, to bring awareness to this situation and many more.
Jazmin Hermosillo/April 18, 3:21pm/Religious Conflict
The Green Pope: By Daniel Stone
The article I am writing about today has to do with Pope Benedict XVI and how he is embracing environmentalism. This article talks about how he’s using church teachings to urge Roman Catholics to take care of the earth we live on.
Pope Benedict XVI has earned the title of “green pope” because he has embraced the move of having the Vatican outfitted with solar panels to be the key source of electricity. He also made sure that eco- restoration firm donated trees in a Hungarian national park to nullify all carbon emitted from Vatican City. The pope not only boosted efforts to make the Vatican City more environmentally efficient, he also uses Roman Catholic doctrine to emphasize humanity’s responsibility to care for the planet.
Pope Benedict announced that global citizens have to “focus on the needs of sustainable development” and that message was taken a step further when the church last month announced seven new sins that now required repentance, the number four sins was “polluting the environment.” Along with that were “causing social injustice’ and “becoming obscenely wealthy,” which are also supposedly linked to taking care of the earth.
When I read this article I have to say that I was very glad to hear that the pope was a strong believer in helping out the environment and that he had done all those things to improve the Vatican but I also wonder if he’s gone to far in actually stating that if you pollute or cause a certain social injustice or get wealthy it is counted as a sin?!?!? I don’t want to say that it sounds like a crazy thing to say but I guess that there could be people who follow the list of sins and who are going to actually do something about it, but what about all those other people that aren’t Roman Catholic!?!?!? Who’s going to get to them?
http://www.newsweek.com/id/132523/output
The article I am writing about today has to do with Pope Benedict XVI and how he is embracing environmentalism. This article talks about how he’s using church teachings to urge Roman Catholics to take care of the earth we live on.
Pope Benedict XVI has earned the title of “green pope” because he has embraced the move of having the Vatican outfitted with solar panels to be the key source of electricity. He also made sure that eco- restoration firm donated trees in a Hungarian national park to nullify all carbon emitted from Vatican City. The pope not only boosted efforts to make the Vatican City more environmentally efficient, he also uses Roman Catholic doctrine to emphasize humanity’s responsibility to care for the planet.
Pope Benedict announced that global citizens have to “focus on the needs of sustainable development” and that message was taken a step further when the church last month announced seven new sins that now required repentance, the number four sins was “polluting the environment.” Along with that were “causing social injustice’ and “becoming obscenely wealthy,” which are also supposedly linked to taking care of the earth.
When I read this article I have to say that I was very glad to hear that the pope was a strong believer in helping out the environment and that he had done all those things to improve the Vatican but I also wonder if he’s gone to far in actually stating that if you pollute or cause a certain social injustice or get wealthy it is counted as a sin?!?!? I don’t want to say that it sounds like a crazy thing to say but I guess that there could be people who follow the list of sins and who are going to actually do something about it, but what about all those other people that aren’t Roman Catholic!?!?!? Who’s going to get to them?
http://www.newsweek.com/id/132523/output
Over 2Kg of cocaine seized in Morocco
On Wednesday, an alleged Liberian trafficker was arrested, in one of Casablanca's neighborhood, red handed selling 1.5Kg of the hard drug, which has a street value of USD 137,000.
The alleged dealer, who is in an irregular situation in Morocco, told the police he opted for selling the cocaine in the Morocco instead of smuggling it to Europe, admitting to be involved in drug trafficking in the cities of Rabat and Casablanca.
A Malian national living in Germany was arrested Thursday, in another catch, at the port of Tangier, in possession of 1.2 kg of cocaine that he was trying to smuggle to Morocco aboard a car registered in Germany. The banned substance was concealed in a bag placed in the trunk of the car.
HAMID BENBELLA,FRIDAY18,APRIL 2008
The alleged dealer, who is in an irregular situation in Morocco, told the police he opted for selling the cocaine in the Morocco instead of smuggling it to Europe, admitting to be involved in drug trafficking in the cities of Rabat and Casablanca.
A Malian national living in Germany was arrested Thursday, in another catch, at the port of Tangier, in possession of 1.2 kg of cocaine that he was trying to smuggle to Morocco aboard a car registered in Germany. The banned substance was concealed in a bag placed in the trunk of the car.
HAMID BENBELLA,FRIDAY18,APRIL 2008
Warlord's absence derails peace efforts in Uganda
Jake Robinson / Current Event 13/ April 18, 2008 3:03 pm / war
Warlord’s absence derails peace effort in Uganda
The much anticipated peace agreement with the Ugandan government and the Lord’s Resistance Army was again delayed after the rebel army’s chief negotiator quit and government officials left a remote jungle camp where the deal was to be settled.
Ugandan officials had seemed tantalizingly close to signing a landmark peace deal with the Lord’s Resistance Army meant to end one of Africa’s longest, most brutal civil wars. Ten thousands of people were slaughtered, and thousands of children were kidnapped and turned into sex slaves and killers.
More than 200 officials, diplomats and journalists had been camping out in a jungle clearing on the Sudan-Congo border waiting for Joseph Kony, the rebel movement’s fugitive leader, to emerge; but he did not. It is to nobody’s surprise that the peace deals have not been signed. The peace deals have been negotiated for quite some time with very little to no cooperation with the LAR. Empty promises and talks of setting up negotiations have been the main ingredient in trying to get to something tangible.
Mr. Kony has been indicted on several human rights violations and says that he will not surrender until the indictments are lifted; it is this stubborn tug of war that keeps the peace from being attained. This is another unfortunate, if not surprising, chapter in the ongoing ordeal that is the Ugandan struggle. It is really disheartening to keep reading about the backpedalling that seems to be going on with the struggle. I suppose only time will tell if peace can be attained.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/12/world/africa/12uganda.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Newness/Samuel Fahnrich/2:30/3-18-08
“A recent report showed that investment in a clean and efficient economy would 'lead to over 3 million new green-collar jobs, stimulate $1.4 trillion in new GDP, add billions in personal income and retail sales, produce $284 billion in net energy savings...'”
What exactly is this “recent report” and how do we get the American companies back in the USA?
The recent report was performed and collected by a group called, Apollo Alliance. The report was written in terms of American business moving away from foreign trade and foreign fuel, and focusing trade and resources within America. This process can be done by either raising the price of foreign goods by US or foreign tax, or by my first idea of the US forced “green industry.” This is found throughout my blog entries, but specifically, the comment regarding Japanese green technology and Chinas lack of spending interest to obtain the technology. I predicted, that America would buy the Japanese products, reduce US greenhouse gases, and then blame the world for not doing the same. This hasn't happened yet, but it does seem to be leaning there.
The point of the Apollo organization among many things, is to spread the awareness of green policies on a political level. Their plan calls primarily for diversifying US energy sources to move away from foreign fuels. Also, in using energy fuels, America must make them more efficient and less polluting. Along with fuel efficiency, the infrastructure must also be built to provide longevity and efficiency for years on minimal resources while maintaining growing profits.
As for who really benefits from these plans, it seems to be the few highly rich executives. I come to this conclusion on the basis of, the benefits are held by those who invent or fund the new technology. Those who use the products, while being the most important group for overall impact, will as usual be left out of the financial gains. To be blunt, it doesn't matter to the bottom economy if the product is gas or ethanol if the dollar value is the same.
http://www.wecansolveit.org/content/solution/clean_energy_economy/
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