This week we looked at how people in other parts of the world are reacting to a historic event in the U.S. Now it's our turn to react to a world event. Do a little research on an event that is taking place outside of the U.S. Look at more than one source of information. Then, comment on that event and include links to the pages where you got the information. In your comment, please pose some key questions about the event. See the course website for grading criteria. For example:
There is a conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to globalissues.org. The reasons for the conflict are many and complex. Like many conflicts, however, they involve politics and competition over resources. The BBC reports that a four-year war began in 1998. A peace agreement was signed in 2002. Then, in August of 2008, rebel forces began attacking Congolese government troops. A cease-fire was signed in late October, but it has not stopped the violence completely. Some United Nations peacekeeping forces are currently stationed in the area to protect civilians. Lately, they too have come under attack and now some nations are calling for increased peacekeeping forces in the area (Star Tribune). Will peacekeeping forces be unable to protect citizens until the military conflict is resolved? Is it fair to make civilians wait for safety when the end of the conflict is not in sight? Is it fair to subject the peacekeeping forces to high-risk violence?
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This article talks about the human rights that have been broken during war times. Usually supported by El Salvador leader, Alberto, and with help of 14 other Salvadorian military officers. This all went on mostly through the Salvadorian civil war. Now he is being tried for those crimes.
www.CNN.com-El Salvador Leader Being Tried for Crimes
www.CNN.com-Alberto Pinochet
Rich countries and poor countries both have high numbers of poverty. Making health care and education harder for the less fortunate people to access. Even though in most countries, especially 3rd worlds, the majority of the population is poor, they don't have the chance to be involved in the politics so every political decisions helps the rich so they'll get richer and the poor will get poorer.
www.globalissues.org- Causes of poverty
www.physicsforums.com- Poverty Issues
The Arms trade is Big Business-The Arms Industry, Control Arms Campaign, October 2003
As world trade globalizes, so does the trade in arms
The arricle talks about how money fueled,manipulative, men have been benifiting from arms supplies being shipped out when the consequences are suffering and poverty to the nations receiving the deadly weapons. The permanant security council-USA,UK, France, Russia, and China aere dominating the world in arms trade. "Global" gun control is not strictly enforced which results in violence after gun restrictions and ownership are eased. The lask of gun control and "unlimited" arms making have made situtations that result in warscare. The "gun officals" have tried to ease these means by bribery but have failed to do so. Profit motivated men have overlooked the cause of the arms trade resulting in the lifes of innocent women and children lost; which for example contradicts the US's foriegn policy of promoting human rights and democracy.
-sunchips rock!!!
MORE COUNTRIES MAKE SPREADING HIV A CRIME
Passing HIV to another person is a serious crime in many countries. There are 58 countries worldwide have laws that criminalize HIV and another 33 countries are considering these laws. Around the world about 33 million people are thought to have HIV and about 3 million people are infected each year (news.yahoo.com). 32 states in the U.S. have laws that criminalize HIV transmission. Thousands of people worldwide are being charged each year for spreading HIV. In Des Moines, Iowa a man had unprotected sex with four other partners and he knows that he carried the virus and he was denied appeals by the Iowa Supreme Court. He has to serve 50 years in prison because that was like "first degree-degree robber who attempts to inflict serious injury on the victim" (msnbc.msn). Is it really a crime when you have HIV and sexually active? What if you don't know that you have HIV and no signs of it have shown?
This article talks about a dramatic incident that happened around 8a.m. near a school in Kabul, Afghanistan. Two schoolgirls were walking their way to school when confronted by men on motorcycles. The men threw acid in the girls' faces and then drove off before people could see them. The girls were blinded from the attack. Hours after the acid attack, there was a suicide bombing at a government building which killed several civilians.
www.CNN.com/afghanistan.acid.attack
www.daylife.com
Just recently in the United kingdom, Oxford University has officially said that their new Parkinson's disease animal testing lab is finished. They started building this lab about five years ago, but construction was stopped many times; because they were intimidated by animal rights groups. But a lot of other groups have supported the building of this testing lab, especially people with Parkinson's disease, so the lab has finally been finished. I think it is very wrong that Oxford University decided to test on animals; there are many other options that give better results, so why didn't they make a lab that uses those alternative methods? I would think a renown University such as Oxford should be smarter and more animal conscience than this; it's really disappointing to see that animal testing is still thriving and in use; and it really changes my thoughts about Oxford University.
In Baghdad, Iraq a man from the Iraqi army opened fire on U.S troops killing two and wounding six others. The six soldiers are going to be ok. The shooter was killed when U S troops opened fire and killed him. The shooting occurred in the al-Zanjili area of Mosul.
http://www.cnn.com
One of the greatest of the world's concerns is Global warming. Though people have heard about it time and time again, almost like a broken record, it's not just something the U.S. worries about. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The U.S. still produces the largest amount of atmospheric pollutants than any other nation in America. Despite this, however, the Economist (a conservative, BRITISH magazine) has high hopes for the world and the declining global economy.
As far as the Economist sees it, they consider the falling economy an opportunity to really devote labor and new science to stopping global warming. Even after their eight-year disdain for America's constant blunders, they believe that the appeal of jobs and helping stem global warming will help America sit comfortably with the rest of the world.
http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12562343
(I consider this article an international relations topic, because it focuses mostly on America's role in helping the world.)
The people of Congo are in fear because of the thought that there might be another re-run of the congolese war. More the 250 thousand had to flee because the violence that flared between the government forces and rebels. Even with the peace treaty this country still remains unstable.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7726690.stm
"It’s safer today than it was," said Euphrasie Mirindi, a Congolese woman who was raped in 2006. "But it’s still not safe". According to The New York Times by Jeffrey Gettleman rape victims words help jolt Congo into change. A women told her brutal story about how she got raped not by one or two men but but five men. They say the Congo is finally facing this problem. A lot of women get raped, but its finally coming to a end because now they are starting to spend money on local court houses and building prisons. They say they have made small arrests but its progress. They also say that what is happening in the Congo is common and violence against women is dramatically increasing. This article is also found on women thrive worldwide.
My questions is if they knew there was raping going on why they just now start being involved?
Do they think by building jails and and having local courts will reduce the rapes?
Why does it take one women out of thousands to open the eyes of the Congo?
On a black Wednesday, Five Afghani school girls have been attacked with battery acid by Two Taliban fighters. Two of the girls were seriously injured and remained in a serious condition with acid burns across their faces. The girls said that they will not let this attack stop them from going to school and getting their education, When other students were afraid to attend classes because they didn't want to face a similar attack on their way to school.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the acid attack, When a Taliban spokesman, denied any involvement.
The girl's families now consider keeping the girls at home until security stabilised.
"Congo rebels make roadblock out of bodies" (Kilimanyoka,Congo)
Two governement soldiers were killed and their bodies were used to block a road. This scene was a message to the government troops. People fear that this war/fight can draw in other close countries. "The army attacked" a man said, "looking at the bodies and a light rain drizzled from the dark sky". "This is what happens when the army attacks". The rebels are basically controlling this country. Both the rebels and the government are blaming eachother for this incident.
1.) Is their a way that the rebels can be stopped from controlling the Congo? Or any other country that is currently being controlled by their rebels?
2.) If you were in these peoples positon what would/can you do to help?
Sources: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/11/13/congo.fighting.ap/index.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27682399/
Not too long ago construction was completed on the "Large Hadron Collider"(LHC). The LHC is the world's largest and highest-energy particle accelerator. Which basically means that it is a large device used to shoot particle really fast. The whole idea is to try to learn more about high-energy physics and to attempt to discover new particles that wouldn't normally be viewable.
It was built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Geneva, Switzerland and cost about 3.2–6.4 billion euros ($4.12-8.24 billion American. The LHC is 17 miles in circumference and is between 50 to 175 meters underground.
There are some fears about the LHC though. Some people believe that at the speeds that the particles are traveling at there is a possibility that when they collide they will attain the speed of light. If they do there is a small chance that a black hole will be created and the whole galaxy could be sucked into it. But many leading scientist have decide that it probably wont happen...
Anyway they turned it on recently and did a trial, which went well, but before they could do a real experiment a portion of the collider exploded. So right now they are working to fix it and hopefully they can try again in the summer of '09.
SCIENCE!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Hadron_Collider
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