World news summary 26 June 2009
African women with HIV are tricked into sterilisation
A recent lawsuit has brought to light details of female HIV suffers in Africa being tricked into submitting themselves into undergoing a sterilisation procedure by being told it was part of their HIV treatment. The International Community of Women reports that 40 women positive with HIV have undergone the operation and have been made infertile against their will. The group is currently preparing to sue the Namibian government on behalf of 15 cases. Reports of women being encouraged to sign consent forms to prevent them from having more children after childbirth are also being uncovered. Women are becoming afraid of going to see their doctors in case of sterilisation, as women who have been sterilised are often rejected from their husbands and communities.
UK plans world’s largest electric car trial
Part of the government’s £25 million scheme to achieve the country’s reduced carbon emission targets will see the public being able to participate in long-term trials of electric car ranges. The plan is intended to accelerate the introduction of electric cars in the UK. The scheme will involve power companies, regional development agencies and universities collaborating to coordinate the experiment and produce an infrastructure to re-charge the cars and conduct analysis. Studies completed by the Department of Transport concluded that the widespread adoption of electric vehicles could potentially cut road transport carbon emission in half.
Cod farming figures cause concern with green groups
The rapid growth in European cod farming has sparked fears among conservationists. The fears come from increased escapes and the potential contamination of the wild gene pool. Those involved with WWF Norway feel anxious about the lack of restrictions in cod farming and that disease and parasites are likely to be passed on from the farmed cod to the wild cod when accidentally mixing. However, defenders for the cod farming industry see their jobs as a means to stop the further decline of wild cod.
Academic women fight back against ‘sexist Silvio Berlusconi’
In protest of the recent accusations made against Silvio Berlusconi, a group of Italian academic women has formed which is strongly urging wives of world leaders to boycott next month’s G8 Summit in Italy. This group of academics has written an appeal to the First Ladies claiming to have gained hundreds of signatures in response. The aim of the petition is to get Italy’s most prominent and distinguished women to back their campaign.
Greenland plans to hunt the humpback whale
The international body in charge of whaling will vote next week over the potentially controversial move to once again allow the humpback whale to be hunted off the coast of Greenland. If agreed, ten humpback whales a year will be killed to supply the nutritional and cultural needs of aboriginal groups. Over the past years, similar proposals have been declined but Denmark has been heavily canvassing the issue and feels confident it has gained more support this time round.
Somali thieves face amputation
For the crime of stealing guns and mobile phones, amputation is the only punishment according to hard-line Islamists. Four young Somalis accused of theft will each have a hand and a leg cut off. In the past, the Al-Shabab group has carried out public amputations, floggings and an execution, however it is uncommon to see these types of extreme punishment carried out in the capital, Hogadishu, whose Islamic practices are a little more relaxed. Amnesty International claims the four men did not receive a fair trial and is currently trying to appeal to Al-Shabab to discontinue the inhumane punishments.
Sarkozy speaks out against Burka
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has voiced his opinion against Muslim women in France wearing Burkas. In a major policy speech he described how he thought the Burka undermined women’s dignity and reduced them to servitude. In the same speech, he affirmed his backing of the establishment of a parliamentary commission to look at whether to completely ban the Burka in public. A group of cross-party lawmakers will be investigating whether the women are forced to wear the veil or whether it should be a voluntary act. The issue has divided many members of the French government.
Afghanistan opens heavenly National Park
Afghanistan has opened its first ever National Park. In an area that has been plagued by bombings and demolitions, the six beautiful crystal lakes are surrounded by land scarred by torn down statues and religious disputes. The Band-E-Ahir lakes are a blazing blue body of water set amongst the contrasting red limestone cliffs. The lakes cover 59,000 hectares and are now finally recognised as having National Park status. Achieving this status has taken nearly 40 years due to decades of war engulfing the country. Although more work is needed for the surrounding lake area, locals are happy the world can see the beauty their country has to offer.
Romanians leave Northern Ireland after racist attacks
After the recent racist attacks, leaving around 100 Romanians homeless, the affected have decided to leave Northern Ireland and return to their homeland Romania. A 21-year-old male and two teenage boys have appeared in court in connection with the attacks. Meanwhile, the housing executive is paying for the homeless families who are using emergency funds to leave Northern Ireland for Romania.
BNP faces a possible court injunction
Membership policies of the British National Party (BNP) could leave the party facing legal action according to the Equality and Human Rights Commission. The Commission has requested the BNP to pledge its compliance with the Race Relations Act by 20 July or be forced to face legal action. The Commission issued a statement expressing concerns that the membership criteria, which restricts particular ethnic groups, is discriminative on the grounds of race and colour. John Wadnam, the Commission’s Legal Director, stated it is the Commission’s duty to investigate and take action against any potential breach of anti-discrimination laws.
French cosmetics giant L’Oreal guilty of racial discrimination
L’Oreal, the French cosmetics giant, has been found guilty of racial discrimination for considering Black, Arab and Asian women unsuitable to advertise their products after L’Oreal’s beauty division, Garnier, followed strict ‘BBR’ rules, translating to ‘blue, blanc and rouge’, the colours of the French flag. This phrase is known in France to mean ‘white French people born to white French parents’. This excludes the four million people who fall into the minority groups that make up the French population.
Drug cultivation declines in Afghanistan
Although Afghanistan produces 93% of the world’s opium the cultivation of crops for the purpose of making illicit drugs has considerably reduced in both Afghanistan and Colombia, , according to a UN survey. The report states that poppy cultivation fell 19% in Afghanistan during the last year. The recent decrease comes from a reduction in prices offered to the farmers for their illicit drug along with the stable or declining demand for the drugs in the West. There has also been a huge surge towards synthetic drugs, making cocaine less appealing.
Stoned wallabies responsible for crop circles
Crop circles appearing in Tasmania are being blamed on stoned wallabies. The wallabies have been spotted entering the poppy fields which are grown for medical purposes. After chewing on the opium poppies, the wallabies can be seen hopping around in the neighbouring fields creating crop circles. The opium is legally grown for use in morphine and other painkillers and Australia’s opium production makes up 50% of the world’s total production. Other animals, such as sheep, have also been spotted in the poppy fields acting strangely.
Australia loses spot on rich list
In a recent survey carried out by investment bank Merrill Lynch and Consultancy Capgemini, the global financial situation has caused Australia to fall out of the world’s top 10 nations with the most millionaires. Australia has been in the top 10 since 2006 but is now in 11th position out of the 71 countries surveyed. This decline in position is estimated to be in conjunction with a lower growth in overall economic activity from a fall in commodities, along with a lower savings rate and the weakening of the share market.
Stone Age wells found in Cyprus
Archaeologists have unearthed water wells in western Cyprus near the coastal town of Paphos. By using radiocarbon dating, the wells have been dated back to the Stone Age. The team from Edinburgh University found six wells in total, which they say proves a higher level of sophistication among the earlier settlers than has previously been predicted.
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