TresSugar

Miss Nepal Pageant Not Looked at Kindly by Maoists

CitizenSugar — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 03:00:00 -0700

If you're a Nepalese woman in search of a tiara, the outlook is bleak. The ruling Maoist party has postponed the Miss Nepal contest, set to be held this weekend, for the sixth time this year. In the battle between beauty queens and bureaucrats, oddly their takes on the issue are at once at odds and the same.

The women who were supposed to have been in the canceled pageant say they've been "victimized" by the government's decision. The government says they were trying to stop a practice that they say discriminates against some ethnic groups and demeans women. Specifically, according to the Maoist's most senior woman, it's not fair to shorter, darker women and further objectifies the winners by making them appear in toothpaste and shampoo ads.

To see the women's rights ramifications, read more.

The pageant was set to take place in the army's headquarters given the tumult surrounding it. One of the contestants said the cancelation violates women's rights, saying, "I feel like we are under a dictatorship more than being a republic or democratic." The crux of the argument appears to be whether a beauty pageant can further a woman's skills and lifestyle, or whether being judged on looks is a degradation above all else. That argument, however, may be covering up the growing perception that the Maoist party is puritanical and obsessed with social control.

Whose side are you on? Is it a woman's right to be in a pageant? Is the real issue here government control?

Source

Front Page: Bush Arrives in Seoul, Storm Hits Coast, Food Shortages for Nepal

CitizenSugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:53:56 -0700

Bush Arrives in Seoul:
President Bush arrived in Seoul, Korea today for talks aimed at communist North Korea - and instead of the large anti-US rally that was expected, a huge crowd of support gathered in the city center. Amid a background of gospel music, the pro-US rally attracted about 15,000 people for what is thought to be Bush's last trip to the country as president. One of those gathered said, "I came to pray for the country to come together and with President Bush coming, for his visit to go smoothly." There was little sign of the tension that sparked huge anti-government protests over the ending of the ban of US beef imports. 20,000 police has been mobilized for protests that never really materialized.

Storm Hits Coast:
Tropical Storm Edouard has made landfall on the Texas coast east of Galveston and is expected to plow inland as the day goes on. Texas and Louisiana have made declarations of disaster and statewide emergency pending the storm with 65 m.p.h winds. No evacuation edicts have been issued.

Food Shortages For Nepal:
The UN and the government of Nepal announced that hundreds of thousands of Nepalese are facing severe food shortages. Efforts to get food aid to those in need are being delayed by fuel shortages and strikes. The price of rice has risen 50 percent in the last year. Meanwhile, the EU has pledged $4.6 million to Haiti to help with the crushing hunger crisis there.

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Front Page: Huge Hole Forces Plane Landing, Nepal Police Detain 125 Tibetans, HIV Drugs Add 13 Years

CitizenSugar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 07:00:43 -0700

Huge Hole Forces Plane Landing:
A Qantas passenger plane from London to Melbourne made an emergency landing in Manila after a giant hole was ripped in its underside. The emergency landing left all 346 passengers safe, but the nine-foot wide hole led to a loss of cabin pressure and a rough landing amid emergency preparations. Once safe on the ground, reactions of the passengers ranged from vomit to tears.

Nepal Police Detain 125 Tibetans:
Nepali police have detained 125 Tibetan refugees for attempting to storm a Chinese consular office in Kathmandu. Over 20,000 Tibetans live in Nepal and many regularly protest for the freedom of Tibet. Human Rights Watch said yesterday that Nepal was responding to pressure from China without regard for human rights with unexplained arrests and abuse in detention.
HIV Drugs Add 13 Years:
A study of 43,000 patients shows that life expectancy for people with HIV has increased by about 13 years since the last decade because of HIV treatments. Researchers liken HIV now to a chronic condition like diabetes instead of a fatal disease. The study found that a person diagnosed at 20 could expect to live for another 49 years. Meanwhile, the US House passed a bill tripling the money spent on fighting AIDS worldwide.

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Front Page: South Africa Sets Up Camps, Olmert Called to Step Down, Nepal To Become Republic

CitizenSugar — Wed, 28 May 2008 07:00:06 -0700

South Africa Sets Up Camps: South Africa is about to create seven refugee camps around the country for foreign migrant workers who have fled a recent wave of anti-immigrant violence. Taking the pressure off of the increasingly unsanitary conditions currently housing the workers at temporary shelters put up around state buildings, the new camps will take up to 70,000 people. Respected international aid agencies have advised the government not to set up camps as they say South Africa does not have the expertise necessary to run them. Fifty-six people have been killed and more than 650 injured in the attacks.

Olmert Called to Step Down: Israel’s defense minister Ehud Barak called today for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to step down pending the outcome of a high-profile corruption investigation in which Olmert is tied. Barak said, “The prime minister must disconnect himself from the daily running of the government.” Yesterday a Long Island businessman at the center of the corruption case testified that he gave about envelopes of cash totaling about $150,000, to Olmert over the course of 13 years. He said the money was for campaign funding and personal expenses. Olmert has denied any wrongdoing and has promised to step down if found guilty.
Nepal To Become Republic: The newly-elected Nepalese assembly is to meet in Kathmandu to abolish the monarchy but its key vote has been postponed by a boming in the capital that injured two people while the new cabinet was being sworn in. Thousands of people have gathered on the streets near the assembly in support of "republic day". Ending 240 years of royal rule, supporters are ecstatic. One said, "This is the people's victory. With today's declaration of a republic we have achieved what we fought for."

Front Page: Iraq Sacks 1,300, Maoists Lead in Nepal, Polygamy

CitizenSugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:00:40 -0700

The Iraqi government dismissed 1,300 soldiers and policemen who deserted or refused to fight in last month’s Shiite-on-Shiite battles in Basra. The announcement came yesterday after an admission that more than 1,000 members of the security forces had laid down their weapons during the fight. Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki had characterized the fight as a campaign to restore law and order to Basra. An Interior Ministry spokesman highlighted the conflict in service saying, "some of them were sympathetic with these lawbreakers, some refused to battle for political or national or sectarian or religious reasons.”

In their first elections since 1999, Nepal's Maoist party has taken a commanding lead. The goal of the election is to form an assembly to write a new constitution. The Maoists are reported to have won about half of the 160 seats so far, and are well ahead of other parties. It's been decided that the new constitutional assembly will implement the abolition of the 240-year-old monarchy, and the deputy Maoist leader announced that he believes the monarchy will be abolished in three weeks.
The state of Texas this week will argue to retain custody of all 416 children removed from their parents after a raid on a polygamous compound. Child welfare laws require each child to have his or her own attorney, and bar officials are reporting that more than 350 attorneys from across the state have volunteered to represent the children for free. Three mothers of the children in custody have appealed to Gov. Rick Perry for help in a letter, saying that some of their children have become sick since being removed and are being questioned about events they know nothing about. Yesterday state officials enforced a judge's order to confiscate the cell phones of the women and children removed from the ranch.

Front Page: Tornadoes, American Airlines, Petraeus Day Two, Nepal

CitizenSugar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:57:46 -0700

Several tornadoes ripped through West Texas and Oklahoma last night. Winds of up to 70 mph and heavy rains left one dead, at least five houses destroyed, and 3,500 without power. Flooding caused the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to close five highways in the state, while Arkansas also saw flash flooding.
American Airlines has canceled 900 additional flights today as it continues to perform safety inspections on certain jets. It's the third consecutive day of cancellations for American Airlines, who also canceled 1,094 flights on Wednesday and 460 flights the day before.

General Petraeus, the top American commander in Iraq, remained consistent in his second day of testimony before Congress with his recommendation to suspend troop reductions in Iraq. The recommendation shows that Iraqi forces remain unprepared to take over the mission of securing their own nation. Some questioning Petraeus became frustrated as he steadfastly declined to specify what conditions would need to be present on the ground before he would endorse withdrawals to take the number of American troops far below the 140,000 set to remain there after July. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid expressed his frustration saying, “based on everything we have heard, we can reach only one conclusion: With 160,000 courageous American troops serving in Iraq, President Bush has an exit strategy for just one man - himself - on Jan. 20, 2009.”
Voters in Nepal have cast ballots in historic elections, the first since 1999. At question is an assembly that is expected to rewrite Nepal's constitution and abolish its monarchy. Polling was mostly peaceful, although one person was killed in election-related violence. Results are expected over the next 10 days.

Mt. Everest Cleans Up a Dirty Little Secret

CitizenSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:00:29 -0700

You'd think that a holy spot 30,000 feet in the air would be mess-free - but sadly garbage isn't afraid of heights. Veteran Mt. Everest expedition leader Dawa Steven Sherpa last year was dismayed (and grossed out) to spot human waste on the top of what is considered a holy shrine. He's just announced his eco-friendly solution: the Clean Mountain Can. It is basically a portable, watertight garbage can that affixes to backpacks, making it possible to bring garbage back down the peak.

Since the mountain’s most famous ascension in 1953 by Edmund Hillary and Tenzig Norgay, Everest has been climbed more than 3,000 times accumulating an estimated 10 tons of garbage. Among the heap? Ropes, oxygen bottles and, well, let’s just say there are no toilets. “Sherpas go up the mountain and they take a big load, and when they drop their load, they come down empty.” That's the perfect time for a little litter collection. The plan pays climbers a buck per kilo of crap brought down and not left junking up the landscape. A fund has been established to pay climbers to bring waste back down from their trip.

Is this just the kind of innovation we need to clean up our act?

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Nepal Searching For New Girl to Serve as Goddess Incarnated

LibertySugar — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 03:00:29 -0700

Nepal is on the hunt for a new Kumari, a prepubescent girl worshiped as a virginal living goddess by Nepali Hindus and Buddhists who consider her an embodiment of the goddess of strength. Nepal's astrologists are analyzing horoscopes of girls belonging to the Buddhist Shakya clan, looking for the next Kumari.

The religious authorities want to make their selection before the annual Dasain Hindu festival in October, because if they wait too long, the current Kumari (who is 11) may begin menstruating before next year's festival. The goddess inhabits the girl's body until she menstruates, and it is considered unlucky if the virgin starts menstruating while serving as Kumari.

The Kumari job requirements include: perfect eyes, teeth, hair, and flawless skin free of even a small scratch. The girl, who can be as young as three-years-old, leaves her family and receives an allowance from the government. During religious festivals she wears red and gold costumes and is carried on a wooden chariot through the capital city. Some in Nepal say the tradition must be abolished to protect the children.

Source

Women Around the World Persecuted For Being "Witches"

TresSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:00:00 -0700

It's hard to believe that in this day and age, countless women around the world are being accused of something that sounds pretty medieval. According to the UN, women accused of being witches are persecuted and sometimes murdered around the world. Even children thought to be witches are being targeted, too. The UN estimates that this violence is impacting the lives of millions of people.

So where is this unbelievable violence taking place? It's happening in places from South Africa, to India, Nepal, and Papua New Guinea. In Nigeria, homeless children are driven out of towns because they are suspected of witchcraft. While different cultures hold diverse beliefs about witchcraft, UN experts believe that those suspected of having "supernatural" powers are typically targeted when a society faces rapid cultural or social change. In these cases, the vulnerable get the blame for the community's misfortunes.

Violence associated with witchcraft caught the attention of the UN because it's causing an international refugee problem. In addition to being victims of violence, the accused are often forcibly displaced or trafficked. Let's hope now that the widespread witch-hunting has gained international attention, something will be done to help these people.

Meet Ogden, Inappropriate Yoga Guy

GiggleSugar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:15:00 -0700

Meet Ogden. He knows about Goji berries, sherpas, and Nepal, but he'll also invite you to "Full Moon Flow class" at the beach when you're trying to concentrate. I used to tell a friend, half joking, that my deal breaker was if a guy did yoga. After seeing this video, it might not be a joke. Sometimes enlightened = freakazoid.