Democracy & Civics

A Taste of Old Russia

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European authorities are decrying a move by Russia to cut the number of international observers at its upcoming December 2 vote from 465 to 70 individuals. A spokeswoman for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which organizes vote-monitoring teams, said the plan would greatly reduce its capacity for “meaningful observation,” reports the International Herald Tribune. The cutbacks come amid increasing concerns of a return to authoritarian rule. Changes in election laws will largely prevent opposition candidates from winning seats, and according to the BBC, televised debates have been scheduled for “off peak” times, such as mid-morning or late at night. United Russia, the largest party supporting the agenda of President Vladimir Putin, has chosen to skip the debates altogether, bringing sharp criticism from the Moscow Helsinki Group, an outspoken human rights group.

Democracy & Civics

Resistance Deepens to Afghan Poppy Spraying

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A secretive test-spraying of “harmless plastic granules” over Afghan poppy crops has revealed deepening opposition to drug- eradication efforts backed by the United States. The program, intended to gauge reactions to future spraying of real herbicide, provoked questions and outrage from local farmers all the way up to Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai, reports McClatchy Newspapers. Opium produced from Afghan poppies contributes as much as $100 million annually to the insurgent Taliban’s coffers. Eradication efforts thus far have done little to stem the harvest, and now fears are deepening over the impacts of toxic herbicides on water supplies, livestock and humans. Source:
“Outcry against poisoning Afghanistan poppies”
McClatchy Newspapers, October 26, 2007

Economy

Iran's Other Little Problem — Inflation

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Nary a word about Iranian President Ahmadinejad’s nuclear ambitions or headline-grabbing trip to the United States appeared in a recent Agence France-Presse article. Instead, the piece focused entirely on complaints about his economic stewardship, which experts say will push inflation to more than 20 percent this year. Rising costs for food and services have hit the poor hardest, prompting a leading reformist ayatollah to claim that the problem is “making the people cry out.” Opponents blame Ahmadinejad for “frittering away” abundant oil revenue on highly visible infrastructure projects, which one conservative in Parliament said has awakened “the inflation monster.” Source:
“Ahmadinejad’s economic performance under fire again – from both sides”
Agence France-Presse, October 30, 2007

Nation

Activists Seek Labels for Biotech Foods

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Environmental groups in the U.S. and abroad continue to argue that food products containing genetically modified ingredients ought to be labeled as such, if for no other reason than to give consumer a choice. Environmental groups in Iowa are leading a campaign to make labeling the law, and have succeeded in getting Hillary Clinton and John Edwards to agree with them. Biotech companies continue to reject arguments that GMOs could have environmental or health implications, pointing out that the FDA has judged them fit for consumption. [Critics previously told Newsdesk.org that FDA testing does not factor in long-term safety concerns, and that the agency has overlooked warnings by its own staff of potential health risks from genetically modified crops. An FDA spokesman said dissent within the agency is a “good thing,” while a federal court found that FDA administrators are entitled to overrule their research staff.]
Both sides of the argument can cite studies that speak in their favor, according to the Des Moines Register.

Economy

Offshoring Meets "Onshoring" in the Quest for Cheap Labor

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Some major American companies like Northrop Grumman and IBM are finding they can save money by keeping their IT and customer service operations in the U.S. rather than moving them to India — a trend some experts have dubbed “onshoring,” reports the Los Angeles Times. Increasingly, companies are setting up shop in small-town America and training the local workforce — saving money for companies operating out of Silicon Valley or Los Angeles. Even Wipro Technologies, a software maker based in India, is establishing a center in Atlanta that will employ 100 people. Customer demand is also driving the trend — IBM opened a technical support center in Twin Falls, Idaho, after complaints about the language skills of employees in India. The onshoring trend has also been driven by India’s booming economy, which is making it hard for all but the largest U.S. high-tech firms to do business there, according to the Economic Times of India.

Nation

Wildfires in Context: Why California Must Burn (reprise)

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As the flames spread through San Diego County, Newsdesk.org looks back at our 2004 article on California wildfire ecology, why the Golden State will always be a fire hazard, and how humans have made it worse. This is classic Newsdesk.org reporting — digging into the backstory to take the headlines out of the discontinuous, TV-driven present, and into the realm of deep context and long-term cause and effect. “Why California Must Burn”
Newsdesk.org, January 2004

Democracy & Civics

Fakin' It: Officials Forge a Future in Iraq

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More than 900 officials in the Iraqi government, including parliamentarians, are obtaining forged degrees to continue to serve in the government and obtain higher salaries, according to Azzaman, an Iraqi news source. Azzaman quotes Abdullah al-Mawsawi, a cultural attache officer in London, saying the Iraqi Ministry of Education is aware of the problem. He says he regularly receives degrees to certify that bear stamps from universities that do not exist in the United States. The fake documents are easily obtained at a well-known public market in Iraq. Source:
“Senior officials said to have forged degrees”
Azzaman (Iraq), October 16, 2007

World

Cancer is the Latest Chechen Scourge

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Chechnya is experiencing a “cancer epidemic” never before seen in its history, according to the Institute for War & Peace Reporting. By anecdotal and official accounts, the incidence of lung, breast, thyroid and skin cancers and other disorders has risen steeply since war broke out in Chechnya. Lung cancer alone is five times higher in Chechnya than elsewhere in the North Caucasus, according to officials. No “proper” care exists for cancer patients there, so those undergoing chemotherapy must leave the republic. The epidemic’s origins are a mystery, but some suggest the stress of war could have something to do with it.

Democracy & Civics

The Child Brides of Kandahar

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Human rights activists in Afghanistan say arranged marriages involving young girls under 16 still account for half of all marriages in some parts of the country, such as in southern Kandahar province. The tradition is perpetuated by poverty and illiteracy, say activists — problems that are just as systemic. Many young brides get married without a full understanding of their wedding vows, leading to situations where they sometimes betray their husbands and suffer the consequences. In Afghanistan a woman who elopes can lose her life. Source:
“Afghanistan: Widespread child marriage blamed for domestic violence”
IRIN (United Nations), October 18, 2007

Democracy & Civics

Iran: Dissent Crackdown Deepens

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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s government is in the midst of an unprecedented crackdown on civilians, criminals and dissenters. Experts suggest that the government is afraid a recent economic downturn will breed unrest across the country, and has resolved to “govern by fear.” At least 60 criminals convicted of murder, rape, drug trafficking or abduction have been convicted and hung since May, including 21 people on one day alone, reports the World Press Review. International human rights campaigners believe the trials are rigged, while the executions are carefully filmed and uploaded to the Web for all Iranians to see — some suggest as cautionary tales engineered by the state. Iranian police have also detaining about 122,000 people since April, most of them women, for flouting the Islamic dress code, according to All Headline News.