TresSugar

Front Page: The Nation Remembers 9/11 Eight Years Later

TresSugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:00:26 -0700

The country mourns the eighth anniversary of 9/11 with a moment of silence and a day of service. - AP
Meanwhile, the Pakistani Army announces the capture of a key Taliban leader. - New York Times
Abuse of prescription drugs such as Oxycontin has dropped since 2007. - USA Today
South Carolina Republicans call for Gov. Mark Sandford to resign. - CNN
Police search for missing Yale student Annie Le, set to wed this weekend. - Newsday

Life For Afghan Women: Not Better Under Karzai

TresSugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:45:00 -0700

Women everywhere fight for their rights - but women in Afghanistan have it particularly bad.

BBC reporter Jane Corbin was invited by a French charity, based in Herat, Afghanistan, that treats women who have self-immolated. Most of these women set fire to themselves to escape a forced marriage or a violent husband. In the photo above, a woman comforts her 20-year-old daughter in the hospital. In an attempted suicide to protest a forced marriage to an elderly man and escape rumors of an affair with a younger one, she set fire to herself and now suffers from burns over 85 percent of her body.

Although women were promised equality and human rights by the introduction of democracy, a new constitution, and President Hamid Karzai’s presidency in 2004, the reality of their situation is still bleak.

Sixty percent of women are still forced into marriage as children, sometimes as young as nine or 10. Since Westerners intervened, this was supposed to have changed under a law that stated girls under 16 should not be married. But police don't always investigate the crimes, and male judges often reduce the sentences of men guilty of harming women.

Some women are standing up to the Taliban, which is trying to turn back any minuscule gains women may have from new leadership. Prosecutor Maria Bashir, who requires security guards and has survived bombing attacks, is trying to protect women from men even though laws are supposed to do this. Bashir does this even though it puts her family in danger - the son of another lawyer was beheaded by people who thought he was her son.

A news story today makes an Afghan woman's plight almost unthinkable: a law has passed that allows a man to starve his wife if she refuses his sexual demands. Some accuse Karzai of allowing this barbaric law to pass so that he can get support from the conservative Shia support in next week’s presidential election.

There is a sliver of hope: there are women activists like Bashir who risk their lives fighting for women’s rights and, in spite of an 80 percent illiteracy rate among Afghan women, girls still dream of going to school and having a career.

Front Page: Afghanistan Prepares For Elections

TresSugar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:00:24 -0700

As crucial elections approach in Afghanistan, the Taliban has escalated its threats and intimidation. - New York Times
South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford says that it's hard living alone in the governor's mansion now that his wife moved out. - CNN
Financial cheater Bernie Madoff apparently cheated on his wife, too. - Bloomberg
Hoping to beat the recession, JetBlue is offering a $599 one-month pass for unlimited travel to any of its 56 destinations. -SavvySugar
Seth MacFarlane, creator of Family Guy, has confessed that the character baby Stewie is gay. - New York Daily News

US to Consider Political Party For the Taliban - Victory?

CitizenSugar — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 09:30:52 -0700

If you live in a democracy, you must accept that ideologies you disagree with often get represented in government. This may soon happen in Afghanistan. The outgoing US ambassador to Afghanistan thinks that establishing a stable government in that country might require inviting the Taliban to the election-happy party of democracy.

Ambassador Wood maintains that the Taliban should never be part of a power sharing arrangement; however, if the insurgency ends there will surely be some sort of agreement. He says: "There is room for discussions on the formation of political parties, (or) running . . . for elections."

Perhaps some of the less radical forces within the Taliban might need to participate in Afghanistan's democracy if there is to be true stability. Do you think it could work?

Source

Front Page: Strike Kills Taliban Leader, Protesters Attack UN in Congo, AIDS Treatment Should Start Sooner

CitizenSugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 07:00:26 -0700

Strike Kills Taliban Leader:
An missile strike thought to be from the US has killed 20, including a top Taliban commander in Pakistan. Mohammed Omar was killed when the missile, fired from a pilotless drone, hit his compound in South Waziristan. Omar fought with the Taliban in the late 1990s. The US has launched an increasing number of missile strikes from Afghanistan against suspected militants.

Protesters Attack UN in Congo:
Thousands of protesters attacked the UN headquarters in eastern Congo today rallying against the UN peacekeeping force that has been unable to protect residents from rebel attacks that have forced tens of thousands to flee. Thousands of refugees continued to flee as protesters threw rocks at the UN compound.

AIDS Treatment Should Start Sooner:
A new study recommends that people who have the AIDS virus should start treatment sooner than current guidelines suggest. Delaying treatment until the immune system is badly damaged almost doubles the risk of dying in the next few years. There was a 70 percent improvement in patients who started therapy early. Approximately 56,000 Americans are infected with HIV every year.

Source

Front Page: Rice Signs Missile Deal, Taliban Assaults US Base, Sudan's President Denies Genocide

CitizenSugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:57:25 -0700

Rice Signs Missile Deal:
Against strong opposition from Russia, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signed an agreement with Poland to locate a missile defense base on Polish territory. The Kremlin called the act "hostile" though US officials say the defense system is aimed at threats from countries like Iran and will not target Russia. Rice says, “Missile defense, of course, is aimed at no one. It is in our defense that we do this.”

Taliban Assaults US Base:
Taliban insurgents, in the most serious attack in six years, perpetrated a coordinated assault on one of the largest US military bases in Afghanistan. At least 10 suicide bombers and another 100 insurgents killed 10 elite French paratroopers. It was the single deadliest loss for foreign troops since the Taliban was removed from power in 2001.

Sudan's President Denies Genocide:
Sudan's president denied that his regime is responsible for carrying out genocide in the Darfur region. The Hague indicted Omar al-Bashir last month on genocide charges, but he says the numbers are exaggerated, "genocide like the International Criminal Court claims is nonexistent." The prosecution said the militia directed by al-Bashir's government killed 300,000 ethnic Africans and displaced 2.5 million.

Source

Front Page: Assault at Chinese Border, Rescue on K2, Pakistan Army Kills 94 Militants

CitizenSugar — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 06:57:52 -0700

Assault at Chinese Border:
An attack on a border post has left 16 policemen dead in China. The border with the Muslim region of Xinjiang (near Tajikistan) was breached by two attackers who drove up in a garbage truck, threw two grenades, and then moved in to attack with knives. The area is home to Uighur separatists, who human rights groups say are oppressed by Beijing.

Rescue on K2:
Pakistani helicopters have rescued two members of a K2 climbing group that lost 11 members over the weekend after an avalanche swept away their fixed rope, leaving the climbers to freeze to death. Bad weather has prevented efforts to rescue one Italian climber still stranded. K2 is thought to be the most dangerous mountain to climb.

Pakistan Army Kills 94 Militants:
During fighting in northwestern Pakistan, the army has killed 94 Taliban militants and lost 14 soldiers in fighting. It's thought that 25 civilians and eight policemen have also been killed in a flare up of violence burst in the past week. The former tourist area has a fragile peace deal between the government and militants, and the violence has led the military to say, "the operation will continue till the objective of clearing the area of militants is achieved."

Source

Front Page: Iran Declares Victory, US Strike Angers Pakistan, Canada Apologizes

CitizenSugar — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 07:00:58 -0700

Iran Declares Victory: Meeting with leaders during his European farewell tour, President Bush won support yesterday to consider additional punitive sanctions against Iran if they reject an offer of incentives to suspend its uranium enrichment program. The European-backed punishment includes restrictions on its banks. Britain, France and Germany are at the forefront of European diplomacy on Iran, and Bush is seeking their support of stronger UN sanctions. Meanwhile in Iran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad voiced defiance against pressure to suspend the program, declaring victory in a televised speech saying, "with God's help today (the Iranian nation) have gained victory and the enemies cannot do a damned thing."

US Strike Angers Pakistan: Following a US-led operation in Pakistan against the Taliban that ended up killing 11 Pakistani troops along with 8 Taliban militants, Pakistan's military has condemned the air strike as a "cowardly attack". Details of the incident on the border with Afghanistan are still unclear but it comes amid rising tensions between the US and Pakistan militaries. The soldiers' deaths occurred overnight at a border post in one of Pakistan's tribal areas. A Pakistani spokesman said the attack "hit at the very basis of cooperation and sacrifice with which Pakistani soldiers are supporting the coalition in war against terror"
Canada Apologizes: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is delivering a public apology in Parliament today to more than 80,000 students of Canadian Natives who were taken from their parents and sent to state schools. Similar to the apology made to Australia's aboriginal population, Aboriginal Canadians will get their apology, one that Harper says, they "have been waiting a very long time to hear." The Canadian act of contrition comes with compensation as well, part of a lawsuit settlement.

Front Page: Pakistan Truce, Sam's Club Rice, 90 Dead in Sri Lanka

CitizenSugar — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 06:56:49 -0700

Pakistan Truce: Baitullah Mehsud, a top Taliban commander in Pakistan has issued an order to his followers to stop all attacks in the country. Mehsud is the man the Pakistani authorities say ordered the killing of Benazir Bhutto. The cease fire order was issued via leaflet, which said anyone found violating the order would be publicly punished, saying "no arguments will be accepted. It's a firm order." Pakistan's newly elected government stated it will deal with Islamic militancy through discussion and cooperation. Baitullah Mehsud's stronghold is in South Waziristan, an area that has seen many of the heaviest fighting between militants and the security forces in recent years.

Sam's Club Rice: Retail chain Sam's Club is limiting the sale of rice during a dramatic increase in the global price of rice. The store is limiting customers to four 20-lb. bags of jasmine, basmati and long-grain white rice. The restriction will mainly affect businesses that buy rice in bulk, but the company said "a typical Sam's Club Business Member does not buy more than 80 pounds of rice in one visit," adding, "we currently have plenty of rice for Sam's Club members."
90 Dead in Sri Lanka: In Sri Lanka, Tamil rebels and government troops fought an intense battle in northern Sri Lanka yesterday resulting in 52 guerrillas and 38 soldiers left dead. It was one of the deadliest clashes between the military and the rebels so far this year. Because each side consistently inflates casualty figures for the opposition and minimizes its own losses, the number is impossible to verify. The Tamil Tiger rebels have been fighting since 1983 to create an independent homeland for Tamils, who have been oppressed for decades by governments controlled by the majority Sinhalese. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the violence.

Front Page: Afghanistan Attack, North Korea Agreement, Kenya Riots, San Francisco Torch

CitizenSugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:58:08 -0700

In Afghanistan, Taliban insurgents ambushed a group of road construction workers and their security guards, killing 18 of the guards and wounding seven. It was one of the worst attacks in months. The security guards killed were young boys working for $150 a month. The president of the International Committee for the Red Cross said, “we are extremely concerned about the worsening humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. There is growing insecurity and a clear intensification of the armed conflict, which is no longer limited to the south but has spread to the east and west."

The US and North Korea have reached an agreement on what North Korea will receive from the US in exchange for disclosing its nuclear activities. Negotiations on US political compensation for the declaration have been holding up progress in disarmament talks. The US had accused Pyongyang of missing a year-end deadline to make a full nuclear declaration as promised.
Renewed riots erupted in Kenya yesterday after opposition leaders announced that they were suspending talks with the government over a stalled power-sharing agreement. Protesters took to the streets shouting, “no cabinet, no peace!” referring to the division of power after the disputed presidential election last December. The riots are the first major incident since Feb. 28. At the center of the conflict is the division of power. The government headed by President Mwai Kibaki is refusing to cede enough powerful ministries, like finance, foreign affairs, or internal security, to satisfy the opposition. The post-election violence has left more than 1,000 people dead and hundreds of thousands still displaced.
San Francisco is preparing for the US leg of the Olympic torch relay today. The run will start at 1:00 p.m. PDT, and heavy protests are expected. Mayor Gavin Newsom said he had been in touch with officials in the UK and France to discuss ways of handling the controversy saying, "I'm not naive to the challenge associated with this event."