Head to head: Smoking and driving ban

Safety campaigners in the United Kingdom are calling on government officials to ban smoking while behind the wheel. Supporters of the proposal say that smoking behind the wheel should be considered an offence, and believe a ban on smoking while driving will significantly lower the number of road accidents in the UK. Critics on the other hand, state that legislation revolving around smoking is spiraling out of control and soon enough smokers will have no options aside from quitting, to sustain their habit.

Simon Ettinghausen, from the Local Authority Road Safety Association, stated that "Driving is quite a complicated task which requires the driver to give their full attention to the road. Anything which distracts from that in any way is a risk." Ettinghausen also stated that he is not against smoking, rather he is against smoking and driving as the combination creates a whole new situation for those involved.

On the other hand, Simon Clark, of the Pro-Smoking organization Forest stated, "Is it really a danger?...There needs to be evidence that it is dangerous. The anti-smoking lobby have jumped on this and said 'oh yes we must ban smoking in cars'. They want to make it more difficult for people to smoke." Clark has been a vocal opponent of the anti-smoking legislation in the United Kingdom for a while now.

Clark's argument seems completely futile to me, as the government does not at all need to produce results to strengthen their legislature. Simply put, if they want to pass a bill, especially a bill regarding a controversial subject such as smoking, they can do so. Today it seems all signs are pointing to the fact that doing anything aside from watching the road while driving is dangerous, so why should the government have any trouble passing a bill that relates directly to public safety? England in particular has shown a dedication to reducing their number of smokers, specifically the younger generation (bar-goers), so this bill seems to push even further down this road. While I do tend to agree with Etinghausen, I also agree that people should have their own prerogative when choosing what habits they do and do not follow, but should their habits prove to harm others (second-hand smoke), they should be eliminated.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6653327.stm

Blair will stand down on 27 June

Tony Blair has announced that he will step down as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on June 27th of this year. Blair made the announcement to a group of party activists, after informing his cabinet of his decision to step down. Blair admitted that his government had not always been up to his high expectations, but that he had been "blessed" to lead "the greatest nation on earth." Blair will stay on Downing Street, the street on which the official residence of the Prime Minister is located, until the Labour Party - a largely left-leaning party, elects a new leader. Blair has been Prime Minister for 10 years and believes his time was "long enough" for him to make a significant impact. Blair's government worked strongly on improving healthcare, more job opportunities for the underpriveldged, improving health and education, lowering crime, and improving economic conditions, but also acknoweldges that his government was indeed highly aspirational, perhaps too aspirational, at times. Blair supported the co
ntroversial American invasion of Iraq, stating that he believes he should stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the UK's oldest ally. Blair will remain infamous for staying dedicated to his original party platform, and for always putting emphasis and importance on social reform.

I believe that Tony Blair has had a successful tenure as the United Kingdom's Prime Minister, and is as straight forward as politicans get, this belief largely coming from the fact that he has always remained loyal to what he originally told the general public he would focus on. Blair's focus on social reform in the United Kingdom has been excellent, and I fondly recall reading many accounts of him taking action whether it be related to healthcare, civil services, or otherwise. Blair is an even-minded politician and is someone

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6639945.stm

King Herod's ancient tomb 'found'

An archaeologist from Israel has publicly stated that he believes he has discovered Ancient King Herod's tomb. Herod was the ruler of Judea in 1st century BC. Ehud Netzer, a professor from the Hebrew University in Israel said he found the tomb, which is located slightly south of Jerusalem, at a site called Herodium. Herod was known to have administered the Massacre of the Innocent, and was one of the bloodiest Roman rulers of all-time. Prof. Netzer had been working around Herodium since 1972, and only recently notified archaeologists of his thoughts on where exactly the tomb might be located. Historical accounts by scholars such as Josephus Flavius, from as far back as the 1st century BC were used to locate the tomb. A passage was written about a grand staircase being built for Herod's funeral procession, and this is what led to the eventual discovery. If the find is indeed what it is believed to be, this could be one of the most significant archaeological finds in recent history.

Archaeology is quite an interesting topic, and is an essential part of discovering the roots of any major culture. I can only imagine the thrill that some archaeologists feel when they make a major discovery, such as this one. Hopefully this turns out to be King Herod's tomb as then we can read even further into what truly went on during ancient times. Archaeology can be used as a great tool to inquiring into the past, and with constant dedication to this practice I would imagine that many, many more stories will be uncovered and studied by all.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6633979.stm

LA police reassigned over clashes

A senior policeman in Los Angeles has been demoted after giving an order to fire 140 rubber bullets into a crowd of demonstrators. The man's deputy officer and 60 other officers involved in the shooting were also reassigned. The May Day march was said to be peaceful until a few agitators threw bottles and rocks at police officers and other marchers. TV footage, however, proved to send a different message, when a police officer was seen shoving and forcibly moving people several hundred meters away from the demonstrations. Outrage in the city led to Los Angeles' mayor having to return from a trip overseas prematurely. Los Angeles' police chief, William Bratton, has stated that the marchers were ordered to disperse once the crowd was growing restless, however the orders were issued in English, to a largely Spanish speaking crowd. The policemen/women who were involved in the conflicts were all highly trained riot control officers, and the second-in-charge deputy was a veteran of the force for 40 years.

As soon as I read this story, the first thing that I thought of was obviously the Rodney King incident 16 years ago. While this incident isn't nearly as brutal as King's, it seems to immediately bring up thoughts of that controversy in my head. As someone who lived around Los Angeles for most of my life, I can say that demonstrations are frequent and almost always vary in terms of how violent they get. It seems like a very brash move on the part of the police in this case, to fire rubber bullets into the crowd. This is simply a case of poor decision making, no matter how restless the crowd became I fail to see why the LAPD would issue such orders. Bratton's statement of how the commands were issued in English but were understood have been the highlight of my day thus far. An absolutely massive portion of Los Angeles' population is Spanish speaking, could the LAPD riot control squad not have found someone to yell in Spanish? This is a terrible case of miscommunication, and to me it seems very much like the media is safeguarding this case, in order to protect LAPD's already delicate position. And although riots can spread like wildfire, especially in an area like the one the demonstration was located in, I feel like other decisions could have been made that were far more appropriate.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6633745.stm

Bush to meet Congress over Iraq

US President George W Bush is planning to meet with Democrats in order to find a way to fund the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This news comes to us a day after Bush vetoed a bill that would have linked war funding to the eventual withdrawal of US troops from said lands. After vetoing the bill, Bush stated that setting a withdrawal deadline would be like "setting a date for failure." The bill was largely supported by the Democratic majority US Congress, but Bush's veto of it came as no surprise. Bush also stated that signing the bill would "....send a signal that America will not keep its commitments." Democratic speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized Bush, saying that he was far too stubborn to sign any bill that isn't essentially a blank cheque. The Senate voted on the bill Bush vetoed last week, and voted largely along party lines (51 to 46). The veto also marked the four year anniversary of a Bush speech; one in which he stated that the mission in Iraq was accomplished.

This is a situation that seems to be occuring relatively often at this point in time. It is difficult to appease any side in this situation as the two party's ideologies are so different. From the democratic point of view, you can't sign a bill that will support the war even further and pump even more funds into the operations, but you also don't want to undercut the thousands of troops overseas risking their lives every day. From a Republican point of view, Bush has quite clearly stated that he does not want to pull out of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan until the job is done, but at some point you need to cut your losses. I do not believe this is what needs to be done right now, as it seems suicide bombings and mass killings are becoming commonplace in Iraq. Unfortunately the Americans find themselves in a very tricky situation, hopefully some good will come out of Bush's meetings with Congress and the Democrats in a few days.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6616361.stm

Five get life over UK Bomb Plot

Five men have been jailed for life after being convicted in a UK bomb plot that has reportedly been linked to Al-Qaeda. Plans of targetting a shopping centre, nightclub, and a gas network were released by the men in their nearly year-long trial. The judge said that his men betrayed their country and what they were doing was 'despicable'. A variety of political leaders have called for the investigation to be furthered into the July 7th terrorist attacks in London. It has also been proven that the men were not religious extremists, although they had past links to Muslim groups, rather they were 'artists of terror', men who simply wanted to cause a rucus. The group purchased 600 kg of amonium nitrate, an essential ingredient in home bomb-making kits. The trial proved to be one of the longest terrorist trials in British history, with over 3,644 witnesses giving statements which led to it lasting for over 13 months.

This is a very inspiring story to read as it obviously shows the dedication that major countries have devoted to cracking down on terrorism, and the resources they are willing to spend doing so. Obviously this case has seemed to be extremely drawn out, but the closure it provides is excellent. A strong message is being sent to potential terrorist threats by establishing cases such as these. Since terrorism is such a high priority in international securities at this point, any and all terrorist groups must be wary of committing serious acts such as these, for fear of being sent away for life. It is also interesting to see that such lengthy sentences were given to the men involved, although thir plans were never even followed through with. This strengthens the dedication that nations are paying to the process of eliminating terrorism, in my eyes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6195914.stm

New Hampshire Senate Approves Civil Unions

A bill authorizing civil unions for gays has been passed in New Hampshire, becoming the first state to authorize same-sex unions without the threat of a court order. The Senate passed the bill 14-10, after which it was sent to Governor John Lynch who stated a week ago that he will be signing the bill. Democratic Senator Joe Foster stated that "We're making this move not because some court some place is telling us that we must...We do so today because it is the right thing to do." Two years ago, a study panel unanimously agreed that the consideration of same-sex marriage was completely out of the question, so this proves to be quite a turn-around. New Hampshire will join New Jersey, Connecticut, and Vermont to be the first few states to offer civil unions in the United States next month.

This is a hot topic, especially in Canada where same-sex marriage is allowed by the government. In my eyes it is completely fine for same-sex marriage to be endorsed by any government, I feel that the idea of same-sex marriage in now way hampers the running of any nation and there seems to be no logical explanation for not allowing same-sex marriage, aside from it being outside the norms of modern society's views on civil unions. It is promising to see that some states are leaning more towards this ideology today, and I hope that more states change their legislature to support same-sex marriage in the future.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-NY-Civil-Unions.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Senators Discuss Preventing College Attacks

Lawmakers have began discussing ways to prevent more tragedies from happening on college campuses, including discussing the improvement of campus mental health facilities and security plans. Joseph Lieberman, chairman of the committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs stated that "We are here to begin a discussion, in the aftermath of Virginia Tech, to make sure that we are doing everything we can to prevent any other campus and any other students and their families from experiencing the nightmare and loss Virginia Tech experienced."Russ Federman, director of psychological services at the University of Virginia stated some disturbing facts during the meetings:
-94% of students feel overwhelmed during the school year
- 50% of students feel so depressed that it is difficult to function
- 9% of students consider suicide
- 1.3% of students actually attempt suicide
Federman has also stated that he feels psychological help and mental help resources are beginning to fall behind the curve in terms of how many resources are available for troubled students. Improving university security proves to be a difficult task as many university campuses are tied in with local communities and changing security measures in small towns could prove to be a difficult task (juggling university and municipal laws/securities).

It is promising to see a group of prominent individuals discussing what could possibly be done to increase security on college campuses. It is also unfortunate that it took such a dreadful catalyst for this summit to occur, but some good must come out of the wake of the attacks. Putting more focus on mental health facilities and increasing privacy of psychological accounts and analysis will surely help troubled students (who are apparently the majority of college campuses, according to Federman). The September 11th terrorist attacks were mentioned in the article as events that sparked an increase in nationwide security. Hopefully the same will be done here, and college campuses and other areas of education will remain safe places to be.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/24/washington/24campus.html?_r=1&ref=education&oref=slogin

Over 50 dead in Baghdad attacks

More than 50 people have been killed in a series of blasts and bombings in Baghdad. The worst bombing came in Sadr City, where a car bomb went off, leaving 30 people killed and dozens injured. A car bombing earlier in the day left 10 others dead, and a variety of small bombs and shootings left the final 10 killed. Car and suicide bombings has become a daily occurrence in Baghdad. The bombings in Sadr City obviously proved to be the worst, when a suicide bomber blew up the car he was sitting in, on a busy city street. As a result of the bombings, at least thirty people have been detained in connection to the militant group suspected of carrying out the bombings.

The thought that suicide bombings are now a daily happening in countries around the world is a disturbing one. It is hard to imagine that people are in fear for their lives everyday in Iraq, as the conflict has grown to be so extensive that thoughts such as these are quite rational. Seeing media coverage of events like these is a commonplace event, and it seems that North Americans have become desensitized to the events that are occurring simply because they happen so often. I wonder how long these conflicts will last, and what means it will take to resolve them...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6567329.stm

Eight killed as storms batter US

Spring storms occurring on the Eastern United States have killed eight people, and have caused massive amounts of damage to housing and property. The worst areas affected have been West Virginia, and New Jersey, with a state of emergency being declared in both states. High winds and up to 18 inches of snow have caused flights in and out of many major airports to be canceled. A large amount of people have been rescued from West Virginia. Many of them had to come out of their near underwater houses to stand on their roof or a neighbour's roof to flag down any help they could get. Citizens in less affected areas are riding canoes and boats down their completely submerged streets.

In the light of these Eastern US weather patterns, our situation seems to pale in comparison. It seems every year some kind of town is affected in a terrible way by weather patterns, and this is but another instance of this. Luckily we have never experienced these kind of weather patterns in Southern Ontario (at least in my lifetime), so I can't fully understand what these people are going through, but I definitely realize how traumatic these kind of instances are. With the Virginia Tech Shooting today, the US seems to be in quite a bit of turmoil at the present.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6560061.stm

Kurt Vonnegut, American author, dies at 84

Kurt Vonnegut, classic American author of 84 died Wednesday night in Manhattan. Vonnegut suffered brain injuries after a fall several weeks ago. He was a significant author, and his satirical tone influenced many, making him a literary idol. Many of his novels dealt with themes of human existence, and his unique sense of humour created highly unique pieces of work. Vonnegut's life was changed when he was subjected to the Dresden fire-bombings in World War II. Many of his novels dealt with themes of warfare and cruelty, putting a humorous but also time worthy spin on very serious topics. Vonnegut briefly taught at a variety of universities, but never dedicated his life to teaching. His last book was published in 2005, a collection of biographical essays.


Trying to analyze the death of Kurt Vonnegut Jr. creates a strange circumstance. I wonder whether or not you should grieve him, as his outlook on life was one that didn't put a premium on existence. Without a doubt, he was a highly influential author and is a favourite author of mine, so this story hits home. The way that he viewed different facets of life was very unique, and I greatly enjoyed reading his works as they brought forward important topics in an unimportant light. Luckily his work will always be here.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/11/books/11cnd-vonnegut.html?pagewanted=3&_r=3&hp

Water detected on distant planet

Water has been detected for the first time, on a planet outside of our solar system. The planet is known as HD 209458b, and is 150 light-years away from earth, located in the constellation of Pegasus. It has been thought for a long while that water vapour exists on planets other than ours, especially in this constellation, but for a long period of time scientists were unable to detect this vapour because of the planets closeness to their parent stars. A variety of astronomers were involved in making the detection, including Travis Barnam from Flagstaff, AZ, and Heather Knutson from Harvard University. The detected planet is a gas giant, like Jupiter and Neptune in our solar system, so it is unlikely that it has any kind of life on it. The planet also has nearly no atmosphere, as it lies so closely to its parent star.

This topic is one of the first ones all year that I have found to be truly interesting, and I was excited to read it. The idea of life on a planet other than ours is such a complex and unknown concept, and research being put into the topic is something that I think is important. This story is a massive breakthrough. As water and/or water vapour has never been discovered on a planet outside of our solar system, this really does have an unmistakable significance. The aspect of space discovery that I find extremely interesting is the fact that there is so much outside of the world that we live in, outside of the earth that we live on. The universe could be a completely endless entity, there could be trillions of worlds outside of ours that operate in the same way, or are far superior to ours in terms of technology, or politics. The opposite of this could also be true, there could be absolutely nothing else out there that represents even a semblance of our world, these questions simply can't be answered right now. I know I've diverged from the original topic, but the concept of space and the universe is highly interesting to me, so I usually ramble when I get onto the topic.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6544257.stm

Peru to bomb Amazon cocaine labs

Alan Garcia, President of Peru, has announced that he has ordered the use of warplanes to destroy Peruvian drug operations, specifically coca plant farms. Garcia has stated that drug barons must be pursued in order to avoid an insurgency funded by illicit drug funds. Garcia is worried that his nation may be spiraling out of control in a similar fashion to their neighboring country, Columbia, one that has been nearly overtaken by the drug trade. Peru is the 2nd largest producer of cocaine in the world, behind Columbia. Garcia's ideas are highly opposed by Peruvian farmers, who if it weren't for coca would be producing much cheaper crops such as coffee and cocoa. Later this month Garcia is visiting the United States to finalize a free-trade agreement, and many of his critics state that he is trying to appease the American government and their war on drugs by means of his crackdown on coca.

This is quite an ongoing case, starting last year Garcia stated that he was planning on cracking down on the coca world in Peru, it seems as though this may finally be the culmination of his words. If this is so, Peru is losing a major market and something that provides a hefty portion of their economy, but it could very well eliminate some major political enemies of the Peruvian government - the Cartels. It is obvious that Garcia is catering to the interests of the United States as well, but there is nothing wrong with this. If he wants to appease them in order to finalize their free-trade agreement, so be it. It is a strong political move to align yourself with a world superpower, and Garcia is making a very assertive move (if he follows through on his words) if he eliminates coca farms.

Bush apology over troops' neglect

US President George W. Bush apologized yesterday for the sub-par living conditions that injured US soldiers have been residing in. "It is not right to have someone volunteer to wear the uniform and not get the best possible care," he said. This is Bush's first visit to the Walter Reed Medical Centre since a scandal broke out six weeks ago, over the treatment of Iraq war veterans. Bush admitted that there was indeed a problem at the Centre, and assured that it would be fixed promptly. The President of the US also presented wounded troops with medals and awards for their commitment and dedication to their country's cause.

I believe that George W. Bush has taken a step in the right direction with his move to help clean up the poor living conditions that US soldiers have been residing in. It shows dedication that he took the time to go to Iraq and also shows his (possibly feigned) interest in the war effort. Since it has been such a controversial affair, I would be curious as to what Bush thinks of the endeavour in hindsight, but taking care of those who supported the effort and fought for their country is a very positive move. It was also noted in the article that some retired officers were criticizing Bush for creating a relative photo-op at the Medical Centre. Obviously, you can't please everyone as the President - it seems as though if Bush hadn't gone over he would have been criticized for not caring, and even now that he did go over he was blasted - he has a very difficult crowd to please.

US Navy starts war games in Gulf

The US Navy has begun a series of strategic maneuvers, to most extensive in the Gulf since their original invasion of Iraq in 2003, in an effort to gain "regional stability." The US Navy has said that their actions are not meant to exert any pressure on Iran, rather to simply get a feel for their positioning. They claim that any destabilizing pressure that Iran feels is domestically based, rather than it coming from a hostile force. The exercises being carried out require more than 10,000 US personnel each, with ships making simulated attacks on enemy forces, as well as finding underwater mines and hunting enemy submarines.

In most places, these are known as war games, however the US obviously does not want to send out a message that they are the obvious aggressor here. These actions also seem to correspond with the recent capture of 15 British sailors. The US has also claimed that their actions don't impose on Iran, and that if anything Iran's political instability will do more damage in the long run (to Iran on a whole).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6499605.stm

Bush announces Latin America aid

George W. Bush has announced a program to increase funding and social aid to Latin America, in an effort to help the nearly 1 in 4 people who live in extreme poverty in this area. Money will be put into education, housing, and health care. Bush is about to embark on a trip through Latin America next week, so the announcing of this program is timely. Bush has publicly stated that the technological and social advances made in the areas in recent years have been huge, but the gap between rich and poor is ever advancing. 75 million dollars will be put forward in an initiative to help Latin Americans learn English, 385 million for housing, and additional medical assistance via military teams.

To me, an interesting aspect of this announcement is why Bush would suddenly become so interested in Latin America, and helping these impoverished regions better themselves. Not to say that the Bush administration has completely neglected the region, but in a time in which they are pumping billions of dollars into their military, they suddenly focus on a very Democratic-style move. The program itself and the incentive is exceptional, as helping those in need is something that can never be questioned, but I feel that there is something that lies beneath this move. Since the Bush administration has been under fire from Democrats, for this specific reason (neglecting Latin America) it is curious that they would unveil such a program, and perhaps this speaks to the consideration that the Bush administration has for their opposition. A number of left-wing officials have also been elected in Latin America, and perhaps Bush is trying to appease them through this program As someone who is going to this exact area later this year, I can only appreciate what the program is trying to do from a moral standpoint.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6421701.stm

McCain launches White House bid

John McCain, US Senator from Airzona has launched his bid to enter the race to become the Republican candidate for the 2008 election. McCain, a veteran of the Vietnam war lost a previous bid for his party's nomination in 2000, losing out to current president George W. Bush. McCain is known for his strong positions on the Iraq war and is an advocate for sending more troops in. Despite his strong views on the war, he has had a few very vocalized differences with the current Bush administration. If McCain is elected, he will become the eldest president of all time.

One significant drawback in McCain's run for presidency could be the skirmishes that he has had with the current Bush administration. His take on Donald Rumsfeld has already become infamous and it is not likely that this will make him popular with the very right-wing Republicans in the US at this point in time. McCain is also quite a bit older than any other presidential candidate, and will be 72 by the time he would be elected. Luckily McCain survived as a POW in Vietnam, and this could romanticize any views that voters have of him.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5006788.stm#giuliani

Al-Qaeda the 'worst threat' to US

New US intelligence chief, Michael McConnell has stated that Al-Qaeda, based largely out of Pakistan, poses the largest threat to the United States. McConell also referenced the Hezbollah, from Lebanon, as another potential threat, and Iran and North Korea in his address to a congressional panel. McConell stated that Iran and North Korea are both very questionable as they could spread WMD's, and since the Al-Qaeda is interested in obtaining WMD's, this could be a fatal equation. McConell's statements are in question in light of the recent nuclear agreement signed between the US and North Korea.

This topic seems to be intertwined in a dangerous way. The Al-Qaeda is ever growing and with networks spreading the Middle East, North Africa, and North America, they could become a very serious threat (even more so than they currently are). Should Iran or North Korea ever choose to ally closely with Al-Qaeda, there could easily be a worldwide catastrophe with the reckless abandon shown by many of their extremist members. Hopefully McConell will put significant resources into eliminating terrorism, and appropriate action will be taken against anyone affiliated with these organizations.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6401427.stm

US soldier jailed for Iraq murder

An American soldier has been jailed for the rape and murder of a 14 year old girl in Iraq, as well as the killing of her family. Sergeant Paul Cortez admitted four murders, rape, and conspiracy to rape on Thursday, February 22nd. Cortez will be eligible to receive parole in 10 years, he also received a dishonourable discharge from the US military. This type of case is one of many in which US soldiers are being charged with murder or assault on Iraqi citizens in the towns that troops are patrolling. Cortez has admitted to conspiring with three other soldiers. These soldiers are still awaiting court martials.


Obviously these types of cases are overly disheartening and disturbing to read about, however it is not surprising that they are surfacing more often these days. Due to the high casualty rate in Iraq, it is understandable why events like these occur. They are, in all likeliness, easy to get away with (Iraqi rights and freedoms are limited) and the people whom these actions are being committed on have limited access to any type of media outlet which will tell their story. Seeing stories like these is quite disturbing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6388585.stm

Mayor signs Venezuelan oil deal

Ken Livingstone, mayor of London, England, has signed an oil deal with Venezuela, providing cheap fuel for London's public transit systems. The deal will also give price cuts on those traveling on their public transportation system. Obviously the deal appeals to the 250,000 persons in London who live off of low incomes, and the deal will cut prices in half. Livingstone has said "Those on income support will be eligible to receive half price bus and tram travel - a benefit worth at least £280-a-year." Richard Barnes, leader of the London Assembly Conservatives has attacked Livingstone's move, stating "Why does London, one of the richest capitals in the world, need to exploit a developing nation? This money would be better directed at the poor of Venezuela..." Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the Americas, so there is no shortage of oil (at this point).

While Richard Barnes' concerns are well founded, they seem to be rather brash and impetuous, but to a certain degree I agree with him. It has been stated in other articles that president Hugo Chavez approached the London mayer Livingstone with this proposal, so it is hard to say who is at fault here. Luckily there is a great positive to this story as London's poorest will now be able to save their money for other necessities, and to a certain degree could eliminate welfare in London, or at least limit tax dollars going towards welfare.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/6377867.stm

Colombian foreign minister quits

Colombia's foreign minister Maria Consuelo Araujo has quit her position after her brother was arrested on charges of links with paramilitary groups. Araujo's resignation will contribute greatly to the pressure that is currently placed on Colombia's president, Álvaro Uribe Vélez. Many of his allies have links to paramilitary groups, groups which are accused of trafficking drugs and participating in massacres. Her brother, senator Alvaro Araujo, became the highest ranking politician to be detained in the ongoing investigation of the links in Colombian politics between government officials and right-wing military groups.

It seems as though this issue will contribute greatly to Colombia's ongoing issues between the government and right-wing military groups who control much of the country's economy. The drug trade in Colombia is huge, as was noted in a previous blog of mine, and seems to be a major support mechanism in terms of the Colombian economy. I do not feel as though the resignation of Maria Araujo will contribute to political unrest in Colombia, and that her position will be replaced swiftly and seamlessly.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6376359.stm

Mexico drug gangs 'in web taunts'

Mexican police are investigating allegations that gangs are posting and taunting each other over the internet, on sites such as Youtube.com. Police are monitoring pages and assuring that the internet is kept clean of such activities as lynching, decapitation, and other gruesome scenes of gang violence. In 2006, more than 2,000 Mexican citizens died because of affiliations to gang violence, specifically drug gangs. Some videos have been found that show gangsters brandishing enemy heads, or standing over their rivals who have apparently been shot. Mexican President Calderon is doing everything he can to ensure that gang violence in Mexico is eliminated, dispatching troops to various known gang inhabited areas.

The steps taken here by the Mexican government seem appropriate for eliminating the actions and known behavioural patterns of Mexican gangs. As more and more people are being injured and falling by the wayside because of gang violence, the government involved must take charge. Dispatching troops to areas of Mexico that are infamous for gang violence is a great step and the sheer amount of troops being sent out (7,000 to Michoacan state, 3,000 to Tijuana) will surely help to eliminate casualties. The Youtube issue will surely die out, as Youtube has great policies for keeping inappropriate material off of their site, and does their best to keep any type of inappropriate media out. However, it will be difficult to monitor all facets of the internet and keep gang-related taunts off as the interweb is ever-growing and expanding.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6361899.stm

Key Farc role in US cocaine trade

The United States have recognized the 'Farc,' a Columbian guerrilla army whom account for 9/10 grams of cocaine coming out of Columbia. 90% of cocaine in the United States comes from Columbia. The United States have given 3 billion dollars in aid to Columbia in order for their government to fight off the major issue of cocaine, however the military aid issued has been largely unsuccessful thus far. It is thought that the Farc makes between 500 million and 1 billion per year on trafficking cocaine. The DEA believe they are winning the war against cocaine, as another major militant group in Columbia is demobilizing. However, no matter how much money the U.S. government pumps into Columbia, more needs to be sent in as Columbia accounts for 70% of the entire world's cocaine supply.

The issue of cocaine is obviously a major one, as it has created turmoil and exploitation in Columbia for years now. Child labor is a major issue in the production of cocaine, and militant groups monitor cocaine fields and plants closely, keeping especially tight tabs on their child workers. Due to the military involvement in this matter, cocaine production and trafficking is extremely dangerous and obviously illegal, but it remains to be one of Columbia's major exports. The battle against cocaine is an interesting topic because it combines so many facets of illegality, and it has become a major issue in U.S. politics.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6353449.stm

Portugal will legalise abortion

Abortion will be legalized in Portugal, Prime Minister Jose Socrates has said. The proposal at hand allows all women pregnant for less than 10 weeks to have abortions. Right now in Portugal, abortion is only allowed in cases of rape, health threats, and in instances of severe deformity. Although the turnout for the referendum was exceptionally low at 40%, and because of this the proposal is not legally binding. However, out of the 40% who did vote, the majority was in favor of the proposal. Currently many Portuguese women go to Spain to have abortions, a nation in which there are much more liberal abortion laws.

One interesting thing to follow in this debate will be morality (Religion?) vs. legality. Nearly 90% of Portugal is Catholic, and in Catholicism, abortion is frowned upon. The Catholic Church is telling Catholics of Portugal to oppose abortion. I don't favor either side of this argument, but the debates and questions, especially moral, that it creates are very interesting.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6350651.stm

NY seeks ban on iPod shuffle

N.Y State Senator Carl Kruger wants to establish a $100 fine on anyone using mp3 players, mobile phones or blackberries while crossing the road. After two of his colleagues were killed while using mp3's, and crossing the road, he has decided to create this law. In both cases, it is said that people yelled "watch out!" while the oncoming cars were coming, but the cries were not heard. Kruger has said that forcing people to pay fines for using these objects could make them realize the potential danger in their so-called "serene" products.

I don't find myself agreeing with this law at all. On so many levels, it doesn't seem to make sense. First off, how would a law like this be enforced? New York is an exceptionally busy city, with hundreds of thousands of people crossing streets every day. Will a sort of street monitor wait and watch for people to ticket? The enforcement of this law is a major question. On top of this, with the major packs that people move in across streets, how are people who are using iPod's the only ones who get hit? The motive for establishing this law is in check, but it seems idealistic and unrealistic. However, Kruger is known for his harsh crackdowns on crime, so I can't count anything out.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6343353.stm

Nasa reviews astronaut screening

Nasa has begun reviewing their psychological screening process, after the arrest of Lisa Nowak, who is being prosecuted for attempted murder and attempted kidnapping, among other charges. The agency has stated that they need to ensure that their policies are stern and rigorous enough to decipher even the most hidden information. Nowak flew on the space shuttle Discovery in July of last year. Nasa has never faced a situation like the one at hand, so they feel as though behavioural and pyschological examination is necessary.

Obviously while this is an extremely unique case, one that will in all likelihood come around once every lifetime, it brings up a few questions. What are Nasa's screening processes like? How extensive is the questioning? What kind of research is put into the applicants history? While romantic triangles are often the roots of kidnapping and other various violent acts, Nowak's actions were in no way rational (to the onlooker, at least). As an astronaut, someone who goes through extreme physical training and needs to be exceptionally determined, you would think their judgment would be slightly more sound.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6340757.stm

L.A. summit seeks to sever international gang ties

A three-day summit that began on Wednesday in Los Angeles is being held to help increase international awareness of gangs, and their free travel. Gang members are constantly changing locations, going into Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala from Los Angeles. The spread to Central America from Los Angeles is thought to be happening because many young men were members of mass deportation in these Central American countries in the '70s and '80s. They were scared of the mass street violence in their home countries, so they moved to Los Angeles. Unfortunately they also brought up crime rates with their move. Gangs in Central America are becoming increasingly dangerous, extorting people who move through their neighborhoods, or 'turf,' and dealing drugs.

The summit will hopefully increase border protection and control in these countries, centralizing gang actions and limiting the spread of gang violence throughout these countries. Gang numbers are increasing consistently and this has to be a worry for authoritative figures in any nation, as gangs can significantly effect the ways of life in any given area. In my eyes, increasing international awareness of gangs and their wrongdoings is a step in the right direction, and taking action at a major summit like the one mentioned here is what needs to be done.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/07/gang.summit.ap/index.html

Boston Bomb Scare?

Two men, one a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art, were arrested in having connection to placing light boards around Boston which created a bomb scare. The light boards were designed to help promote the late night show Adult Swim's upcoming movie. The bomb scare prompted multiple bridges and a river way being shut down. Turner Broadcasting Co.'s CEO, Phil Kent, has issued a formal apology for the events. However, Boston's Mayor Thomas Menino was not receptive of the apology, stating the events that occurred stemmed from 'corporate greed.' It did cost the city hundreds of thousands of dollars to respond to the bomb scare. The light boards had been placed in 9 other cities, and none were responded to with any turmoil.

In my eyes, the light boards were a terrible prospect for marketing. Not only would most people not be familiar with the Adult Swim character, the combination of wires, bright lights, and shady characters (the two men setting them up around town were questionable) can't possibly equal a successful campaign. While it could be said that the Boston Police Department overreacted, Turner Broadcasting should have clarified what was going on with their light-advertising before posting the boards around the city.


http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/31/boston.bombscare/index.html

Man convicted in shooting of abortion provider

James Kopp, an anti-abortion extremist who is currently serving a 25-to-life sentence for murdering a doctor who provided abortions, was found guilty of targeting and killing Dr. Barnett Slepian on Thursday. While Kopp had already been sent to jail for violating the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, an act that prohibits people from using physical force upon both people who enter abortion/reproductive health care facilities
and those who work in these facilities. When Kopp is sentenced, he could face life in prison without parole. Kopp is quoted to have said that he was not trying to kill Dr. Slepian, rather juts injure him so he couldn't go to work the next day.

While the pro-choice vs. pro-life debate will rage on for years, this act goes above and beyond. Extremists like Kopp don't provide any beneficial service(s) for anti-abortionists, and only contribute to people creating negative typecasts about these groups. I agree with the sentencing on a whole, and I also agree with the notion that: “If you want to injure a person, you don't shoot them with a high-powered rifle.”

Town mourns dead teens

http://www.thestar.com/article/173372


On Friday, January 19th, five teenagers were involved in a car accident while headed on their way to Blue Mountain in Collingwood, Ontario. They were headed off to the mountain for a day of skiing, when they lost control of their SUV and collided with a cargo truck, killing four of the five passengers in the vehicle. The town of around 6,000 is mourning their deaths, and a steady stream of support is coming in light of the terrible events of that day.

This article holds a certain significance for me as one of the passengers was a close friend of my sister, and she has been in a sullen mood ever since the news came to her. Terrible events like these are bound to happen in the winter when the roads are bad, and there are relatively inexperienced drivers on them. The frequent occurrence of young driver accidents also makes you wonder whether the Ministry needs to raise the minimum driving age. Personally, I think that the graduated system needs to be more limiting, as teenage driving accidents are practically commonplace these days.