The United Nations has called for an increase of food production across the world by 50% in the next twenty years. At a global summit of world leaders in Rome, the issue boiled down to a variety of issues, among the most significant was a disagreement between ambassadors and countries like the United States over production of biofuels. While considered a fantastic alternative to fossil fuels, biofuels are said to divert crops for food and convert them to consumer fuels. The UN has discovered a significant probability, possibly near 20-40%, of the rise 50% in global food prices production comes from this crop diversion.
More similar takes on Biofuels:
Biofuels Could be Next Environmental Disaster
Biofuels, Danger or Opportunity for Africa?
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Israel Frees Convicted Hezbollah Spy to Lebanon, Hezbollah Returns Dismembered Israeli Soldiers
A convoluted attempt at peacemaking: in response to Israel's release of a Lebanese man convicted international espionage, they return the dismembered bodies of an Israeli soldiers believed to be killed in Israeli-Lebanon conflicts in 2006.
The convicted Hezbollah spy, Nassim Nisr, was due for his prison term to expire soon. As Israeli officials were deciding what to do with him after his release from prison, they came to a conclusion to extradite him to his native country.
Upon his return to Lebanon, Nisr is lauded back and decorated as a hero and with open arms and cheers. The exchange between the two countries was uncoordinated and the reception of the bodies came as a shock to Israeli officials, who quickly gathered forensics teams that will work to identify the decomposing remains of the several decapitated bodies, so they can finally give resolution to at least five families who have lost their loved ones.
The move was interpreted by some experts as a possible beginning to prisoner-swaps between the two countries, and by others as an attempt for Hezbollah militants to exude different image as Liberationists rather than a violent militant group, particularly after the political
Obama Wins Presidential Nomination?
Several sources are reporting after a Associated Press Article that Hillary Clinton will be set to concede the democratic presidential nomination to Barack Obama Tuesday or Wednesday evening. After a long, fascinating battle for a reformation of America's government, campaign officials for Clinton's camp are said to be prepared to admit their defeat tonight. Further cementing this prediction are actions taken by Clinton's camp during the last week, including writing a letter to staff that said there were no more meetings scheduled past Wednesday of this week, and that after that period they should go home to their families and await further word. Campaign officials told press that staffers were told they would be paid through June 15th and then let go.
Clinton and Obama's fight for delegates was recently put to rest as leaders of the Democratic party and the DNC made a compromise to allow the half the votes of delegates from Florida and Michigan who violated party rules by holding their elections early. But this clearly wasn't enough for Clinton to clench the nomination, with Obama a little over 37 delegates away from solidifying his win over Clinton, who still needs well over 100 delegates to win.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Democratic Candidate Could Be Decided in a Week
The leading Democrats in Congress are beginning to put heavy pressure on the remaining superdelegates that are holding out on endorsing either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. Both individuals indicated that there is little support from within members of DNC for a long drawn-out effort, signaling a possible conclusion to the democratic primaries. It'll be interesting to see who Obama chooses as his possible Vice Presidential candidate.
WASHINGTON (CNN) — "...House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, is already calling uncommitted superdelegates and pressuring them to back either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton between now and next week, a senior Democratic aide told CNN Thursday. Pelosi is working with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, the aide said..."
Date is Set for first Same-Sex Marriages in California
Gay Rights Activists fighting for Same-Sex-marriages have reason to celebrate today, as California set the first date - June 17th, 2008 - as the date that it will begin performing same-sex marriages. Equally as exciting news: New York Governor David Paterson issued a directive for all same-sex marriages performed outside of New York to be recognized by that state. The Associated Press reported:
Hours after California issued a directive Wednesday authorizing that date, word came that New York Gov. David Paterson instructed state agencies — including those governing insurance and health care — to immediately change policies and regulations to recognize gay marriages.
More here
This is a pretty monumental ruling for gay couples across the United States.
Read more here, here, and here.
Murder Rate Explodes in Mexico
Drug Cartels across Mexico are continuing to terrorize communities across the country. Over the last week, ten people were discovered shot by the Sinaloa Drug Cartel. Three of the bodies had been beheaded - a common practice amongst the drug cartels - with a written note accompanying one of them: "so you know we're not playing around."
Residents of Juarez, Mexico are fearing that the weekend could be especially deadly, as crime escalates in this city that also serves as a haven for the cartels. An anonymous e-mail circulating the area, a city across the border of El Paso, Texas, has promised a particularly violent weekend, and in response the town has been basically shut down, with shops, cafés, and restaurants closing early or leaving the area permanently. Reports from the Associated Press report that shootouts in the area have killed up to seven police officers.
The crime rate in Mexico has sky-rocketed from nearly 940 murders at this time last year to nearly 1,400. Experts unequivocally agree that the primary explanation behind the jump is a increase in violence among the drug cartels. Cartel violence is known to also include hijackings, kidnapping, rape, embezzlement, In response, the Mexican government is sending military troops across the country to crackdown on police corruption and drug cartel.
What is going on in Mexico is all out war, the drug cartels violently battling one another with the Mexican People caught in between as human shields and bystanders. In the meantime, tourists from around the world are being warned about traveling to Mexico. The State Department released this statement:
"Violent criminal activity [is being] fueled by a war between criminal organizations struggling for control of the lucrative narcotics trade continues along the U.S.-Mexico border. Attacks are aimed primarily at members of drug-trafficking organizations, Mexican police forces, criminal justice officials and journalists. However, foreign visitors and residents, including Americans, have been among the victims of homicides and kidnappings in the border region." from chicagotribune.com
Just one more reason why many "Illegal" Mexican immigrants should be granted refugee status.
Read stories of Mexican Refugees here.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Suicide Rate Skyrockets Among Iraq Vets
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the suicide amongst our returning vets is sky-rocking in California; and other media outlets have reported that the suicide rate nationally may already comparable to the current in-combat death toll.
We need to take care of our Vets. This is really troubling. These soldiers are fighting in a war that most of the American people disagree with, only to return from battle with physical and emotional traumas that are remaining untreated or under-treated. Judiciary and Veteran's Committees needs to focus much more intensely into this one.
Cover-Up: KBR Contractors Kidnap and Gang-Rape Woman in Shipping Crate in Iraq
Just one more example of lawlessness of mercenaries and contractors in Iraq:
Jamie Leigh Jones, 22, was held in a shipping container by several contract workers from KBR/Halliburton (who are paid with our tax dollars) who, over the span of twenty four hours, drugged, beat, and gang raped her.
"In a lawsuit filed in federal court against Halliburton and its then-subsidiary KBR, Jones says she was held in the shipping container for at least 24 hours without food or water by KBR, which posted armed security guards outside her door, who would not let her leave... she convinced a sympathetic guard to loan her a cell phone so she could call her father in Texas. [She] said, 'Dad, I've been raped. I don't know what to do. I'm in this container, and I'm not able to leave,'" she said. Her father called their congressman, Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas. from the agonist
Texas State Representative Ted Poe then phones the State Department and they immediately sent agents who discovered her in the container. She went from there to a nearby Army Hospital where doctors confirmed that she had been vaginally and anally raped (their exact words were "very torn up down there). After performing a rape-kit on her, the evidence just disappears. Jones alleges it's a coverup.
But criminally, none of this matters. These guys will never be tried in criminal court. Because of a massive legislative loophole for contractors and mercenaries in Iraq, none of Jamie Leigh Jones' rapists will be tried.
Over two years later, the Justice Department has brought no criminal charges in the matter. In fact, ABC News could not confirm any federal agency was investigating the case.
Legal experts say Jones' alleged assailants will likely never face a judge and jury, due to an enormous loophole that has effectively left contractors in Iraq beyond the reach of United States law.
"It's very troubling," said Dean John Hutson of the Franklin Pierce Law Center. "The way the law presently stands, I would say that they don't have, at least in the criminal system, the opportunity for justice."
But that's not it. Jamie Leigh Jones is going into civil court in an effort to have her story heard and to seek the last tethers of justice she may be able to get. But KBR is making motions to have the hearing in private arbitration, and says her contract with the company requires it.
Candidates Submit Joint Statement Condemning Sudan's Government
All US Presidential Candidates submitted a terse joint statement condemning the Sudan government of aiding crimes against humanity early this week.
They said "there can be no doubt that the Sudanese government is chiefly responsible for the violence and is able to end it."
To see the candidates' individual positions on Sudan and Darfur, and what questions we should be asking each of them during the elections, click here. image from worldproutassembly.com
Iranian Porn Star/Ex-Miss Norway Contender Threatened With Death Upon Return to Iran
Various news outlets and british tabs reported that Iranian-born woman Aylar Lie, a popular Porn Star, ex-Miss Norway (disqualified after those videos were discovered by organizers), and Celebutante (if that's what you call someone who claims to have had a threesome with Robbie Williams..ewwww), is unable to return to Iran to visit her dying father because of constant death threats by Iranian mullahs and police. Now Aylar, who says she is forced to travel country-to-country to avoid her harassers, is fighting extremism in Norway. Evidently she's caused quite a stir in Iran where they've shut down access to her website after she released a non-pornographic video with popular Egyptian director Youssef, whose videos are globally acclaimed and widely watched in Iran.
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