Here's a smattering of recent articles that are not uninteresting. The estimable Fiona Harvey, on the environmental beat for the "FT," has a good overview and analysis of the meetings last week in Washington on climate change – Yo, Kyoto. She has some of the same sort of barbed quotes I referenced in my last […]
Romeo Dallaire, the Canadian general who led a U.N. peacekeeping mission during the Rwandan genocide in 1994, testified in Canadian court Tuesday for the war crimes trial of Desire Munyaneza. Munyaneza is charged with genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in relation to attacks at the National University of Rwanda against the Tutsi ethnic […]
The ILO recently published a study highlighting child labor in the mining industry. Not only are a million or more children continuing to be forced to work in mines, but the reports shows a great number of them are girls. Children who are forced into hard labor is never a subject to be taken lightly, […]
Mini Gandhi's Take To The Street To Celebrate His Birth Children dressed as Mahatma Gandhi on celebration Monday, to perform as part of the celebrations in the northern Indian city of Lucknow. October 2 marks the 138th anniversary of Gandhi's birth, and a day of celebration for a free and democratic India. A national holiday […]
On Oct. 2, 1992, riot police from the Brazilian police force forcibly put down a riot in the Carandiru Detention Center, killing 111 in Brazil's worst prison massacre. In cell block 9, a fight broke out between two prisoners from rival gangs over exercise space. The fight resulted in the hospitalization of one prisoner following […]
Over one week a total of 15 FGM's took place in one Burkina Faso town, Pabre, culminating in the death of one teenage girl. In addition to the death of the one girl, seven other girls are currently being treated at a local hospital for various infections and/or hemorrhaging. Sadly these 15 girls where not […]
Prosecutors from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service are pursuing possible war crimes charges against U.S. Marines for actions in Fallujah, Iraq in 2004. The charges allege that Marines from Camp Pendleton killed several detained insurgents. Jose Nazario Jr., 27, faces voluntary manslaughter charges in civilian court and several other Marines are under investigation. The investigation […]
While the movie, Trade, may be a somewhat glamorized and dramatized Hollywood film, you are left with questions regarding the plot. The film does however highlight the many of the realities of modern day slavery and human trafficking…a problem which plagues our global world. By giving a face to human trafficking, the film proves to […]
This pungent article from yesterday's "NY Times," At Climate Meeting, Bush Does Not Specify Goals, has some quotes too good to miss. (It also has an insightful "Back Story" from the reporter, John Broder. It's a great four-minute interview. Plus, there's a link at the article to excellent coverage on the presidential candidates' views on […]
While the White House was hosting talks in Washington, Bill Clinton had world leaders and worthies of every stripe in New York talking about, among other things, climate change. The indispensable "Financial Times" has considerable coverage here on the Energy & Climate Change discussions at the Clinton Global Initiative 2007. The "FT" has ongoing coverage […]
The Defense Department has granted suspected terrorists held at the U.S. naval facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba the right to request legal representation. Defense Department officials gave 14 high-value detainees, including 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed, “Legal Representation Request” forms. The form allows them to state their desire “to have a civilian lawyer represent me […]
Help Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, and take a moment to write a letter to your Congress, and ask them to pass the Child Soldier Prevention Act of 2007. Human Rights Watch has launched a campaign in support of the Act called, Children in the Ranks, the site has a video, and numerous resources, […]
We as a global society work tirelessly to ensure the wellbeing of our financial assets and stability, our commodities and resources. Yet, while we may not always do our best, they are looked upon highly, and frequently. And while we have the knowledge and energy to purse such fights, we continue to neglect our children, […]
This week there is no disputing among the international community that the people of Burma are suffering. Burma is literally a country burring, as the fires of repression have burned too long. While it is much too lengthly to go into the full extent of Burma/Myanmar's current situation and history, I wanted to give you […]
Skirmishes erupted on Monday between the Congolese army and rebel fighters loyal to warlord Laurent Nkunda, shattering a three-week ceasefire in the region. The fighting, which has been ongoing for the past year, has resulted in the forced displacement of more than 300,000 people, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The […]