"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." – Seneca (Roman philosopher, mid-1st century AD) As we embark on a new year and a new administration, I felt this quote was truly fitting for the week. Let us embark on new beginnings domestically and internationally, but let us not forget the past, both good […]
I came across this photo expose, The American Teen, which I found tremendously enthralling and wanted to share it with you. In the 22 photos photojournalist Robin Bowman, manages to not only capture the diversity of the American teen, but also the complexity of the generation. From drugs to god, pregnancy to chastity pledges, rural […]
U.S. President Barack Obama will sign a series of Executive Orders Thursday ordering the closure of the military facility at the naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba within a year. At issue is the fate of the detainees held there. Obama Wednesday in his first full day in office ordered a 120-day halt to military […]
Another sad story to digest. This time, once again, an aspiring journalist was shot dead along with a human rights lawyer outside a metro in Moscow. Murdered in broad day light. Only 25 years old, Anastasiya Baburova, kept a blog about life in Russia, about her passion for rollerblading and her frustration with Putin’s government. […]
The Washington Post Wednesday reported that U.S. President Barack Obama ordered a suspension of war crimes trials for suspected terrorists held at the naval facility at Guantanamo Bay. We may have more on this later in the day. Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, January 21, 2009; Page A02 GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba, Jan. 20 — In […]
Barak Obama was sworn in yesterday as President of the United States, however with President Obama, not only comes the new First Lady Michelle Obama, but also the ‘First Daughters’. Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, have surely done well thus far in the public spotlight, and shadow of their father. Nonetheless what does the move […]
DC has been a buzz all weekend with the glitz and glamour of the inaugural balls, as well as the not so glamorous road blocks and street closing; however rain, shine or snow crowds of people will descend on the city streets in only a few hours. Many young and old have already begun to […]
Amnesty International joined a chorus of voices accusing Israel of war crimes for its use of white phosphorus incendiaries over populated areas of the Gaza Strip. White phosphorus munitions are used for a variety of roles by military forces. It is commonly used as a smoke screen to mask military movements on the ground. It […]
To day we honor the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., King’s fight for human rights and his legacy was left for all children regardless of race, religion or color. The fight he led for civil rights in the United States was, and still is, an inspiration for all who have, or are, oppressed around […]
As if sending Burmese refugees back out into the open sea wasn't bad enough, Thailand has now imprisoned an Australian writer for three years. His crime – insulting Thailand's “sacred” and beloved monarchy. Apparently, he self-published the work which only sold a dozen copies. Enough however to put him behind bars. The real crime is […]
Burma. Let's not even call it Myanmar. Doing so only condones the junta's legitimacy. It overthrew the ruling leaders in a military coup in 1962. And for years now, decades, the human rights abuses emanating from this kleptocracy is a constant reminder of the struggles facing a people held hostage. Nobel Peace prize winner Aung […]
SOMALIA: Displaced families in dire need Thousands of families displaced in recent fighting in central Somalia are in dire need of food and water, according to the Elman Human Rights Organization (EHRO), based in Mogadishu. According to Kiki Gbeho, head of OCHA-Somalia, despite the problems of access, “the humanitarian community is making all efforts to […]
“Education is a companion which no future can depress, no crime can destroy, no enemy can alienate it and no nepotism can enslave.” -Unknown One needs not to question that there is immense power behind education, however the longevity of education outweighs that of any aid one can provide a child. For education can never […]
Senegal is no stranger to the slave trade, as cities such as Saint-Louis prospered due to the sale of human lives. Gorée Island, which lies just less than 2 miles off the coast of Senegal, was one of West Africa's largest slave trading outposts during the Atlantic Slave Trade. The sale of men, women and […]