Wednesday, February 29, 2012

BBC News - Tuareg rebels make troubled return from Libya to Mali

BBC News - Tuareg rebels make troubled return from Libya to Mali: "The refugees who arrived in Mangaize, in northern Niger, are fleeing clashes between Malian ethnic Tuareg rebels from the newly-formed National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) and the national army which broke out in January 2012.

Some 130,000 people have fled their homes, according to the UN refugee agency.

These Tuaregs had, until September, been busy fighting alongside Col Gaddafi's forces as he struggled to cling to power in Libya.

They had taken sanctuary in Libya after their own rebellion in Mali in 2008 was defeated."

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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

From Kenya to Washington: Who's to Blame for Wasted Food Aid? - Raymond C. Offenheiser - Health - The Atlantic

From Kenya to Washington: Who's to Blame for Wasted Food Aid? - Raymond C. Offenheiser - Health - The Atlantic: "The hard truth is that if we want our aid programs to work, we are going to have to stop treating them like corporate welfare. We need to cut the red tape that prevents aid agencies from buying food aid locally and regionally from farmers in developing countries. This will require courage from legislators to stand-up to powerful lobbyists and keep their hands out of the food-aid cookie jar."

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Sunday, February 26, 2012

Thies: The sleepy town that may sway Senegal - Features - Al Jazeera English

Thies: The sleepy town that may sway Senegal - Features - Al Jazeera English: "There is anticipation in the air. And by no means is this Dakar.

That so many in the city have decided on Seck gives them hope that he will either win, or force the incumbent to a second round run off, in which all other opposition candidates will have been eliminated from the ballot. Voting is their end of the unspoken bargain struck by Seck's nurturing of the city.

Locals here say that Seck has fought in such a way that he hardly spent time campaigning in his home town. They say that he was so dedicated to ousting Wade that he stayed in Dakar until the end."

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Madame, Mademoiselle: in France these are about sex, not respect | Marie Darrieussecq | Comment is free | The Guardian

Madame, Mademoiselle: in France these are about sex, not respect | Marie Darrieussecq | Comment is free | The Guardian: "To French women these titles aren't mere words, but intrusive definitions. This struggle is about our freedom"

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Senegalese President Booed on Election Day - NYTimes.com

Senegalese President Booed on Election Day - NYTimes.com: "DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Voters booed Senegal's president so loudly when he went to cast his ballot Sunday that his bodyguards whisked him away, another sign of how much his popularity has dipped ahead of an election that has sparked weeks of riots."

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Strangling Democracy in Senegal - NYTimes.com

Strangling Democracy in Senegal - NYTimes.com: "SENEGAL was once considered West Africa’s oasis of stability, but now it is a place of deadly repression. This year, at least six people have been killed, dozens injured and scores arrested during protests over President Abdoulaye Wade’s efforts to run for a third term in the election to be held Sunday.

Even though the Constitution sets a two-term limit for the president, Senegal’s Constitutional Council has ruled — based on a disputed legal interpretation — that Mr. Wade is eligible to run again. A close look at his time in office, however, suggests that granting him a third term would be terrible for democracy."

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Saturday, February 25, 2012

BBC News - Church 'does not own marriage'

BBC News - Church 'does not own marriage': "The Church does not "own" marriage nor have the exclusive right to say who can marry, a government minister has said.

Equalities minister Lynne Featherstone said the government was entitled to introduce same-sex marriages, which she says would be a "change for the better"."

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Friday, February 24, 2012

BBC News - In pictures: Land leasing or land grabbing?

BBC News - In pictures: Land leasing or land grabbing?:

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BBC News - Journalists Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik die in Homs

BBC News - Journalists Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik die in Homs: "Two prominent Western journalists have been killed in the Syrian city of Homs in the latest violence which left 60 people dead across Syria on Wednesday.

Sunday Times reporter Marie Colvin, an American, and award-winning French photographer Remi Ochlik died when a shell hit a makeshift media centre in the Baba Amr district."

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BBC News - Maryland state senate passes gay marriage bill

BBC News - Maryland state senate passes gay marriage bill: "A bill that would legalise gay marriage in the US state of Maryland has been approved in the state Senate, less than a week after it passed the state House.

The bill, which will become law when signed by Governor Martin O'Malley, who sponsored it, will make Maryland the eighth US state to permit gay marriage."

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Wednesday, February 22, 2012

17 European Countries Force Transgender Sterilization (Map) | Mother Jones

17 European Countries Force Transgender Sterilization (Map) | Mother Jones: "Surprised? Well, the discrimination doesn't stop in Europe. On February 3, the CBC reported on an amendment to Canada's Identity Screening Regulation stating that airlines should not transport a passenger if he or she "does not appear to be of the gender indicated on the identification he or she presents." Live as a woman but have an "M" on your passport? You might not be able to get on a plane in Canada, even with an accurate photo ID."

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Monday, February 20, 2012

'Enough Is Enough,' Say Senegalese Rappers : NPR

'Enough Is Enough,' Say Senegalese Rappers : NPR: "Senegal's capital of Dakar remains jittery, with youth and police locked in running street battles.

Riot police are firing tear gas on rock-throwing protesters who oppose President Abdoulaye Wade's bid for a third term in office. With a week to go until the presidential vote, opposition demonstrations have been banned, but crowds have taken to the streets and the atmosphere is becoming increasingly tense.

Some of the protests have been led by rap artists. They have been mobilizing the youth and putting pressure on Senegal's leader to step down.

They even have a name for their movement: Y'en a Marre. It means "We're Fed Up. Enough is Enough.""

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Saturday, February 18, 2012

Even Critics of Safety Net Increasingly Depend on It - NYTimes.com

Even Critics of Safety Net Increasingly Depend on It - NYTimes.com: "The government safety net was created to keep Americans from abject poverty, but the poorest households no longer receive a majority of government benefits. A secondary mission has gradually become primary: maintaining the middle class from childhood through retirement. The share of benefits flowing to the least affluent households, the bottom fifth, has declined from 54 percent in 1979 to 36 percent in 2007, according to a Congressional Budget Office analysis published last year."

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Thursday, February 16, 2012

Instead of being disgusted by poverty, we are disgusted by poor people themselves | Suzanne Moore | Comment is free | The Guardian

Instead of being disgusted by poverty, we are disgusted by poor people themselves | Suzanne Moore | Comment is free | The Guardian: "An addict is the author of their own misfortune. Her poverty is self-inflicted. All these hopeless people: where do they all come from? It is, of course, possible never to really see them, as their distress is so distressing. Who needs it? Poverty, we are often told, is not "actual", because people have TVs. This gradual erosion of empathy is the triumph of an economic climate in which everyone, addicted or not, is personally responsible for their own lack of achievement. Poor people are not simply people like us, but with less money: they are an entirely different species. Their poverty is a personal failing. They have let themselves go. This now applies not just to individuals but to entire countries. Look at the Greeks! What were they thinking with their pensions and minimum wage? That they were like us? Out of the flames, they are now told to rise, phoenix–like, by a rich political elite. Perhaps they can grow money on trees?"

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BBC News - 500m children 'at risk of effects of malnutrition'

BBC News - 500m children 'at risk of effects of malnutrition': "Half a billion children could grow up physically and mentally stunted over the next 15 years because they do not have enough to eat, the charity Save the Children says in a new report."

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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Monsanto Guilty: Paul Francois, French Farmer, Poisoned By Biotech Giant's Chemicals

Monsanto Guilty: Paul Francois, French Farmer, Poisoned By Biotech Giant's Chemicals: "* Case against Monsanto 1st such claim to reach French court
* Monsanto lawyer says "disappointed", envisages appeal
* Pesticide makers see no evidence of major health risk


By Catherine Lagrange and Marion Douet
LYON/PARIS, Feb 13 (Reuters) - A French court on Monday declared U.S. biotech giant Monsanto guilty of chemical poisoning of a French farmer, a judgment that could lend weight to other health claims against pesticides.

In the first such case heard in court in France, grain grower Paul Francois, 47, says he suffered neurological problems including memory loss, headaches and stammering after inhaling Monsanto's Lasso weedkiller in 2004."

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BBC News - Nigerians living in poverty rise to nearly 61%

BBC News - Nigerians living in poverty rise to nearly 61%: "Poverty has risen in Nigeria, with almost 100 million people living on less than a $1 (£0.63) a day, despite economic growth, statistics have shown.

The National Bureau of Statistics said 60.9% of Nigerians in 2010 were living in "absolute poverty" - this figure had risen from 54.7% in 2004.

The bureau predicted this rising trend was likely to continue.

Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer but the sector has been tainted by accusations of corruption.

According to the report, absolute poverty is measured by the number of people who can afford only the bare essentials of shelter, food and clothing."

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Saturday, February 11, 2012

BBC News - Obama compromise amid Catholic contraception anger

BBC News - Obama compromise amid Catholic contraception anger: "The White House has announced modified plans to require all women to have access to contraception, attempting to stem anger from Catholic leaders.

US President Barack Obama said the policy "saves lives and saves money".

Catholic leaders have been angered by the new rule, which required Church-linked institutions to offer health insurance including birth control.

But the White House changed the scheme to allow health insurers to provide cover directly if employers object.

"No woman's health should depend on who she is or where s"

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Thursday, February 9, 2012

BBC News - Boehner calls for law to stop US contraception rule

BBC News - Boehner calls for law to stop US contraception rule: "Jan Schakowsky, a Democratic Representative from Illinois, said: "Women's healthcare should not depend on who the boss is.""

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Wednesday, February 8, 2012

BBC News - Maldives ex-president Mohamed Nasheed was 'forced out'

BBC News - Maldives ex-president Mohamed Nasheed was 'forced out': "Former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed has said that he was forced to resign "at gunpoint" by police and army officers in a coup.

He said the move was planned with the knowledge of Vice-President Mohammed Waheed Hassan Manik, who has replaced him. Mr Hassan denies the claims."

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BBC News - 'Europe is poor so should live within its means'

BBC News - 'Europe is poor so should live within its means': "For decades the West has lectured the East on how to manage its economies. Not any more.

Now the emerging economies of Asia look like models of steady, consistent policy and sustained growth while Europe, America and Japan are mired in debt and are growing achingly slowly, if at all.

So what can the West learn from the East?"

'via Blog this'

Prop 8, California's Same-Sex Marriage Ban, Declared Unconstitutional

Prop 8, California's Same-Sex Marriage Ban, Declared Unconstitutional: "SAN FRANCISCO — Same-sex marriage moved one step closer to the Supreme Court on Tuesday when a federal appeals court ruled California's ban unconstitutional, saying it serves no purpose other than to "lessen the status and human dignity" of gays.

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals gave gay marriage opponents time to appeal the 2-1 decision before ordering the state to allow same-sex weddings to resume."

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Tuesday, February 7, 2012

BBC News - Gabon: Surfing hippos, lacking tourists

BBC News - Gabon: Surfing hippos, lacking tourists: "Mr Swanborn tried to bring tourists to Loango by other means, involving a four-hour boat ride down the coast, followed by a car ride on pot-holed roads. But that proved too inconvenient and time-consuming for many tourists. Bookings dried up and the lodge shut down.

Lessons learnt
Continue reading the main story
Gabon facts and figures


Population: 1.5 million
Official language: French
Major religion: Christianity
Main exports: Oil, timber
Ranked by World Bank as upper middle income country
One-third of the population lives in poverty
Transparency International gives the country 3/10 on corruption scale
Sources: UN, US State dept, Transparency International, World Bank

Gabon profile
This may seem a straightforward tale of a well-meaning businessman stymied by alleged African corruption and inefficiency, but others who were involved say it is not that simple."

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Sunday, February 5, 2012

BBC News - Egypt 'to put on trial foreign NGO workers'

BBC News - Egypt 'to put on trial foreign NGO workers': "Egypt says it is to put on trial at least 40 people - including Americans and other foreigners - over the funding of non-governmental organisations.

Egypt's ruling military council has accused foreign groups of funding street protests against them.

It has raided the offices of several NGOs and banned a number of foreign staff from leaving the country."

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Friday, February 3, 2012

Do-It-Yourself Deportation - NYTimes.com

Do-It-Yourself Deportation - NYTimes.com: "From the time I was just a baby in Mexico, I lived with my grandparents while my parents traveled to other Mexican states to find work. I was 6 in 2000 when they left for the United States. And it took five years before they had steady jobs and were able to send for me. We’ve been together in this country ever since, working to build a life. Now I am 17 and a senior in high school in New York City. But my parents have left again, this time to return to Mexico."

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BBC News - Malaria deaths hugely underestimated - Lancet study

BBC News - Malaria deaths hugely underestimated - Lancet study: "While most deaths were among young children and in Africa, the researchers noted a higher proportion of deaths among older children and adults than previously estimated. In total, 433,000 more deaths occurred among children over five and adults in 2010 than in the WHO estimate."

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Thursday, February 2, 2012

Eyewitnesses: Police stood idle in Egypt football massacre - CNN.com

Eyewitnesses: Police stood idle in Egypt football massacre - CNN.com: "Cairo (CNN) -- Horrified eyewitnesses described how Egyptian police officers stood by as violent clashes between rival fans at a football match in the northeastern city of Port Said left scores dead.
Hundreds of supporters of clubs Al-Ahly and Al-Masry were critically injured in the attacks and as they tried to flee. The violence is one of the world's worst sporting disasters and prompted officials to suspend indefinitely Egypt's football premier league."

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Washington state senate passes same-sex marriage bill  - NY Daily News

Washington state senate passes same-sex marriage bill - NY Daily News: "Washington is expected to become the seventh state to allow gay marriage after its Senate passed a bill allowing gay and lesbian couples to wed on Wednesday.

It's now headed to Gov. Chris Gregoire who has repeatedly said she will sign it into law.

The debate over the bill, which passed with a 28-21 vote on Wednesday night, was fraught with emotion at times, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported, as state Senators spoke about their own experiences."

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Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Pregnant, and Pushed Out of a Job - NYTimes.com

Pregnant, and Pushed Out of a Job - NYTimes.com: "FEW people realize that getting pregnant can mean losing your job. Imagine a woman who, seven months into her pregnancy, is fired from her position as a cashier because she needed a few extra bathroom breaks. Or imagine another pregnant employee who was fired from her retail job after giving her supervisors a doctor’s note requesting she be allowed to refrain from heavy lifting and climbing ladders during the month and a half before her maternity leave: that’s what happened to Patricia Leahy. In 2008 a federal judge in Brooklyn ruled that her firing was fair because her employers were not obligated to accommodate her needs."

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BBC News - Senegal police deploy for M23 opposition rally

BBC News - Senegal police deploy for M23 opposition rally: "A large number of Senegalese police have deployed in central Dakar ahead of a rally against President Abdoulaye Wade's re-election bid.

The opposition grouping, June 23 Movement (M23), says Mr Wade should be barred from seeking a third term.

Two people were shot dead on Monday in Podor town during protests after a court ruled Mr Wade's bid was legal."

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