Ethnic violence which has claimed over 400 lives and displaced thousands of people in Kenya has been condemned by the United Nations. The latest attack is reported to have occurred at dawn on Thursday on a village in the Tana River Delta in which at least 10 people, including five children, were killed. Many people were injured in what has been described as a revenge attack in south-eastern Kenya. UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky says the Office of the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Kenya … [Read more...]
Joint Statement by President Obama and President Karzai
January 11, 2013 by
Joint Statement by President Obama and President Karzai January 11, 2013 At the invitation of President Obama, President Karzai and his delegation visited Washington January 8-11, 2013. President Karzai’s visit comes at an important juncture for both our nations, as we take steps to further strengthen an enduring partnership as sovereign nations, and based upon recognition of our shared interests and shared security. In their meetings today, President Obama and President … [Read more...]
Africa, Top Priorities for the Continent in 2013
January 11, 2013 by
Africa, Top Priorities for the Continent in 2013 Africa starts 2013 with hope and optimism. Africa has dropped its mantle as a “doomed continent” and has weathered several global economic crises fairly well. Today, the continent is a land of opportunity both for Africans and international investors. Many now see the region as “emerging Africa” because of the "positive changes" that have taken place and continue to take place across the continent. Each year, the Africa Growth … [Read more...]
Cervical Cancer – Life After Treatment (in U.K.)
January 9, 2013 by
Life after treatment How cervical cancer affects your daily life will depend very much on what stage your disease is at, and what treatment you're having. Many women with cervical cancer have a radical hysterectomy. This is a major operation, and it takes around six to 12 weeks to recover from it. During this time you need to avoid lifting (e.g. children, heavy shopping bags) and heavy housework. You won’t be able to drive for anything from three to eight weeks after the operation. … [Read more...]
Transliteration, Indian Language Text to Braille in India
January 6, 2013 by
INTRODUCTION The Braille encoding system is the primary means of representing textual documents in a readable format for the visually impaired. However, due to the scarcity of Braille printed reading materials, blind people in India face a daunting task while getting formal education and securing a respectable employment opportunity. (Hamara Bandhan) The situation worsens due to the unavailability of low-cost technological support. The National Census of India has estimated that out of … [Read more...]
White House Women’s Update – Know About the Tax Deal
January 4, 2013 by
Last night, Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives joined the Senate in passing the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. That means middle-class families won't see an increase in their income tax rates. We've avoided the fiscal cliff. President Barack Obama makes a statement with Vice President Joe Biden, in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Jan. 1, 2013. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann) President Obama will sign the … [Read more...]
The Fiscal Cliff Has Been Avoided, But at What Cost?
January 3, 2013 by
The Fiscal Cliff Has Been Avoided, But at What Cost? Some thoughts on the new fiscal agreement: The economy needs a stimulus, but under the agreement, taxes will go up in 2013 relative to 2012 -- not only on high-income households, as widely discussed, but also on every working man and woman in the country, via the end of the payroll tax cut. For most households, the payroll tax takes a far bigger bite than the income tax does, and the payroll tax cut therefore -- as CBO and others have … [Read more...]
Goma wounded – Heal Africa, in North Kivu
January 3, 2013 by
For years, Heal Africa, in North Kivu's provincial capital of Goma, has helped victims of sexual violence and children with HIV/AIDS. But when fresh conflict erupted, the non-profit opened its doors to the wounded as well. WFP is helping them recover through food assistance. GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo - Elie Kakoulaje sits on the edge of his cot at Heal Africa’s hospital, the stump of his left arm wrapped in a thick bandage. A few weeks ago, he was an ordinary 12-year-old in … [Read more...]
