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Front Page: EU Reaches Climate Change Agreement

CitizenSugar — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 08:02:20 -0800

EU leaders have agreed on a new climate change deal, which pledges to cut carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2020, compared to 1990 levels. - BBC News
The White House is considering using money allocated for the $700 billion Wall Street bailout to help the ailing Big Three auto companies. The attempt at offering relief comes after the Senate failed to pass the $14 billion package.- Wall Street Journal

Although she's not the target of the federal investigation, Illinois first lady Patricia Blagojevich is coming under fire for statements she made in recorded phone conversations, allegedly urging her husband to withhold state funds. She comes from a political family, and her father accused her husband's administration of selling state appointments a few years ago. - CNN
The remains of a small child were found yesterday in Florida, and investigators believe them to be Caylee Anthony, the three-year-old girl whose mother has been charged with her murder. - New York Times

Osama bin Laden Releases New Single Threatening Europe

LibertySugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:00:53 -0700

Osama bin Laden took a break from condemning America, instead taking aim at the European Union and the Catholic Church. In an audio tape tentatively attributed to the fugitive terrorist, his first message of 2008, bin Laden threatened the European Union "grave punishment" for publishing offensive cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. His new single is titled: "The Response Will Be What You See, Not What You Hear."

In 2006, 50 people were killed after a Danish newspaper republished cartoons of the Prophet with a bomb as a turban. Many saw the cartoons as an attack on Islam. Enraged by the infamous cartoons, bin Laden called them a part of a "new crusade" and accused Pope Benedict XVI of being involved.

Are you troubled by this new tape? Do you think the constant reminder that bin Laden is still at-large gives his followers motivation to keep fighting?

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Human Rights Prize Could Spoil Chinese-EU Relationship

LibertySugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:13 -0700

China has thrown its weight around in Europe, declaring that its relations with the 27-members of the European Union will be seriously damaged if a dissident, currently jailed by China, receives the EU's top human rights award. Hu Jia is one of three finalists for the Sakharov Prize, and has campaigned on behalf of Chinese democracy, environmental, and HIV/AIDS movements. He has been imprisoned since last December, and was sentenced to "inciting subversion of state power" this past April.

Writing a letter to the president of the EU assembly, China's ambassador said:

If the European Parliament should award this prize to Hu Jia, that would inevitably hurt the Chinese people once again and bring serious damage to China-EU relations. . . Not recognizing China's progress in human rights and insisting on confrontation will only deepen the misunderstanding between the two sides.

In addition to this letter, China may have an opportunity to exert some pressure during the EU-Asia summit in Beijing. Starting Friday, Nicolas Sarkozy, current EU president, will ask China to become a partner in saving the world's financial system. Can one country's criminal be another 27 countries' hero? Or is Hu Jia undeniably a hero for all humans?

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Huh?! The EU Telling People to Turn iPod Volume Down

LibertySugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Members of the European Union work together for Europe's common values such as democracy and social justice. In addition to solving the world's financial mess, there's at least one other common challenge the international body wants to confront: iPods. Today, the EU executive asked Europeans, especially children and youth, to turn that music down! - or risk long-term hearing damage or loss.

A report from EU scientists found that 2.5-10 million Europeans could suffer hearing loss, as a result of listening to MP3 players at over 89 decibels for at least one hour a day, for a five year period. Perhaps because the governments anticipate rising medical care costs as a result of the damage, the EU might impose a volume limit lower than the current 100 decibel maximum.

Should a supranational body be responsible for keeping MP3 players safe, or is a warning in the user's manual enough?

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Front Page: India Launches Moon Orbiter, Palin Gives Speech Advocating Women, EU Protests US Death Sentence

CitizenSugar — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 07:00:27 -0700

India Launches Moon Orbiter:
India has launched its first unmanned spacecraft on a mission to the moon, in an effort to assert its power in space. The mission is set to last two years and will prepare a three-dimensional atlas of the moon as well as survey the lunar surface for usable natural resources like uranium, a coveted fuel for nuclear power plants.

Palin Gives Speech Advocating Women:
At a rally in Nevada yesterday, Sarah Palin gave a speech advocating for women's rights the world over. She said, "there are still places where women are subjugated and persecuted as they were in Afghanistan, places we’re they’re bullied and brutalized and murdered in honor killings. . . if I am elected, these women, too, will have an advocate and a defender in the 47th vice president of the United States. She also gave her first interview to CNN.
EU Protests US Death Sentence:
The European parliament is protesting the execution of a prisoner in the US after seven of the nine key witnesses recanted their testimony against him. The head of the EU parliament says that all executions are a violation of human rights and that the prisoner symbolizes all death row inmates. He says he "will fight against the death penalty under any circumstances everywhere in the world."

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Putin Tranquilizes Tiger, Not Concerned About Tranquilizing EU

LibertySugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 03:00:18 -0700

Pictures of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin have surfaced, showing that even a wild beast can't overcome the defiant Russian leader. Putin saved a television crew and a group of scientists from a rare Ussuri tiger that escaped, while he visited a national park to learn how the scientists monitor the endangered animals.

Yesterday Britain urged the EU to stop talks between itself and Russia about building a closer relationship. Britain's PM Gordon Brown went as far to say that Russia's membership in the G8 should be suspended. Attention to forging a stronger East-West relationship began in 1997, but leaders in Russia want a more expansive cooperation agreement. Putin says he's not too concerned with EU threats, since European self-interest will keep the countries from acting rashly toward Russia.

Apparently the US and Russia can agree on one thing - saving the world's remaining 400 Ussuri tigers, "the biggest cat(s) on the planet," according to Putin. Putin has praised the US for its efforts in saving the cats.

Do you have any hope that the West can save good relations with Russia?

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Front Page: Day Four of the Convention - Obama Speaks Tonight, New Orleans May Evacuate, EU Considers Sanctions

CitizenSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:01:31 -0700

Obama Speaks Tonight:
After his surprise appearance on stage with VP nominee Joe Biden last night, Obama is set to deliver his nomination acceptance speech at Invesco Field in front of 75,000 people tonight. On the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, it's scheduled to start at 8 p.m. EST. John McCain may announce his VP pick shortly after.

New Orleans May Evacuate:
City officials have begun preliminary measures to evacuate the city of New Orleans as Hurricane Gustav threatens the coast on the eve of Hurricane Katrina's third anniversary. Gov. Bobby Jindal has declared a state of emergency and has put 3,000 National Guard troops on standby.

EU Considers Sanctions:
The EU is considering sanctions and more against Russia over the crisis in Georgia. France has called an emergency summit on Monday to reassess relations with Russia after Moscow refused to pull out all of their troops. Meanwhile, Georgia's foreign minister says that ethnic cleansing in South Ossetia is nearly complete.

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Front Page: Conspiracy in Kenya, Caffeine, and EU Biofuels

CitizenSugar — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 07:10:56 -0800

Evidence suggests the violence that has rocked Kenya for weeks following a contested election, was planned. A country ethnically divided between the Kalenjin and the Kikuyus, the unrest spreads far from the slums of Nairobi to the Rift Valley in western Kenya, where it has devolved into battle. Clues that point to premeditation include: flyers circulated in the Rift Valley before the election telling all Kikuyus to leave or be killed, a government document outlining "ethnic tensions/violence as a last resort," and a huge weapons stash found in a government car. Dan Juma, the acting deputy director of the Kenya Human Rights Commission said, “it wasn’t like people just woke up and started fighting each other. It was organized.” Adds Alfred Mutua, a spokesman for the Kenyan government, “this is ethnic cleansing."
A study of 1,000 pregnant women shows that caffeine may increase the risk of miscarriage. Women drinking the equivalent of two small cups of coffee, were twice as likely to miscarry, according to the research. De-Kun Li, leader of the study said, "if they have to drink caffeine-containing beverages, they should reduce the amount to one cup a day at the most."
The EU is backing away from proposed targets for the introduction of biofuels. An audit committee says the current method of producing biofuels is harming the environment. Critics also call attention to the effect on food prices that using farm land to produce the fuel will cause, and advocate against biofuel crops being grown on wetlands and grasslands. EU Committee chairman Tim Yeo said, "Biofuels can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from road transport-but at present most biofuels have a detrimental impact on the environment overall."

Front Page: Los Angeles Wildfires Double in Size

TresSugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 06:00:38 -0700

Wildfires near Los Angeles have doubled in size. The fires have destroyed more than 50 homes as of now, but some people still refuse to evacuate. -CNN
Kidnap suspect Phillip Garrido was convicted of a similar crime in 1976, but he only served 11 years of his 50-year sentence. - Los Angeles Times
The EU has banned the manufacturing and importing of old-fashioned light bulbs with hopes of encouraging people to switch to energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs. - BBC News
Nearly one-third of cocaine seized in the US is laced with a dangerous veterinary medicine. - AP
A new study suggests that a healthy lifestyle, including a good diet, exercise, and breastfeeding, could prevent 40 percent of breast cancer cases. - The Guardian

Front Page: North Korea Sentences US Journalists to 12 Years

TresSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 08:00:45 -0700

North Korea has convicted American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee of crimes against the nation. They have been sentenced to 12 years in a labor camp. - Washington Post
The Supreme Court declines to take up a case challenging the Army's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. - Fox News
Conservative parties across Europe are claiming victory in the latest EU Parliament elections. - Voice of America
Brazil's military is recovering bodies from last week's Air France crash off the coast of South America. - CNN
Susan Boyle has hired U2's manager. - New York Post

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