News from Around the Globe, September 27, 2012
The following is an assortment of current news stories from around the world.
From Uruguay ….abortion now legal but with many restrictions.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/25/uruguay-legalise-abortion
The power of the Catholic Church took a hit as Uruguay becomes only the 2nd Latin American (Cuba legalized abortion in 1965) country to legalize abortions for all women, in the first trimester of pregnancy. However, the new law includes many restrictions which will make it difficult for most women to obtain a legal abortion. For example, the woman must make her request before a three member panel which will include; a doctor, a mental health worker and a social worker. If the panel approves her request, she must then wait 5 days (a mandatory reflection period) before the abortion can be performed. Due to their nature, the exact number of illegal abortions performed annually in Uruguay is unknown. The World Health Organization estimates that up to 1 million women in Latin America and the Caribbean are hospitalized as a result of complications from illegally performed abortions.
http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/IB_AWW-Latin-America.pdf
From Brazil.....most public workers accept government pay raise offer and end strike.
http://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/front-page/strikes-continue-as-fed...
Most striking public workers in Brazil have accepted the government’s offer of a 15.8% pay raise over the next three years. Police unions have rejected the offer and remain in negations with the government. The strike, in which up to 400,000 workers participated, began in May of this year.
Lula implicated in largest corruption trial in Brazilian history. This is a follow up to a story I reported on in August. This is a historic trial in Brazil as it potentially signals the end of tolerance for political corruption.
http://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/front-page/valerio-implicates-lula...
From Egypt….activists fight back against harassment of women.
http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/harassment-women-may-be-getting-mor...
Egypt is a country in transition, keeping one foot in the future and one foot in the past. Egyptian women are becoming more vocal about their right to live without fear in their own society. No woman should live in fear. No woman should need an escort to walk outside. Egyptian women are entitled to live as equal citizens in their own country. Women’s rights activists are becoming more vocal in their demands for the safety of Egyptian women.
From India…..female passengers only bus service launched.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Women-only-bus-service-lau...
Women around the globe are routinely victimized as they attempt to live their lives. Simply riding a train or bus, walking down the sidewalk, or being in a store can result in groping, verbal harassment, and even violence. A new female bus service has begun operation in the city of New Delhi, India. While it is disturbing such a service is necessary, at least now there is a safe option for women.
From South Korea….US military helicopter purchase of 6.2 Billion sought.
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/09/27/2012092701246.html
South Korea wants to buy 36 American military helicopters for a reported price of 6.2 Billion. Isn’t it wonderful to live in the world’s number one arms dealer? It looks like the Pentagon wants to practice a little Gangnam style finances with American taxpayer money.
From Japan….island dispute may affect economies of Japan and China. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/ed20120927a1.html
China and Japan have never been cordial neighbors. The two countries have long sought to be the main power broker in the region. This has led to times of outright hostile relations, followed by periods of quiet belligerence. The above link is to a Japanese editorial which details how the current dispute over the ownership of the Senkaku islands can negatively impact the economies of both countries. Japan is currently seeking negotiations with Russia in a similar island dispute. Everyone wants to own the world.
Comments
I really appreciate not only your round up with the links to the
original stories included, but I also appreciate you taking the time to summarize what the story is about. You do it very well.
Moving on, while there are many restrictions to get a legal abortion in Uruguay, I hate to say this, but at least this is a good first step. Something is better than nothing, although going before a panel is cruel, and having to wait five days is also cruel. But at least the medical procedure (hopefully) will be safer than what the women have access to now.
Regarding Uruguay: I agree with you
Honestly, I did not know that only Cuba allows abortion for women. That's just disturbing. Guyana does allow abortion in the first 8 weeks, but only under very limited circumstances. It is simply impossible to over estimate the power and influence of the Catholic Church. You realize that divorce was not even legal in Ireland until the the late 1990s. Ireland passed their country's 15th constitutional admendment legalizing divorce. The Catholic Church has affected the lives of billions of people around the globe, and it certainly is not a great track record of human liberty and civil rights.
A little off topic here, but not really...
FYI:
https://twitter.com/VotSquare/status/251448440855330816
https://www.facebook.com/VoicesOnTheSquare
;)
hmmmm to Face Book or to Not Face Book........
I think the Bard said it best: There are more things in MySpace than are dreamt of in your FaceBook, Horatio........
I think I'm the last American (besides my poor technology frightened mother - she's never quite accepted 3-Way bulbs - it's the devil's work, child!) who does not have a Face Book account. Never wanted one until now. Ugh.
look...
YOU don't need to be on facebook. Let's just say you went to hotmail and made an acct, oh...maybe mileshigh1 at live dot com or something and then you took that e-mail address and registered a facebook acct to Miles High, then he would be on facebook, wouldn't he? And he could use it just for those activities he chose.
Yup.
`
once again, I have to say to a woman
you're so smart!
some folks need
to be dragged through back doors kicking and screaming.
Guilty as charged.
~
You are correct, sir.
In fact, that's a great default position ;)
I hear you, I feel what you're saying.
Frankly, I despise all these sweepstakes, coupons, "special sales" information that one must be a Facebook participatant to reep the benefits.
Remember, and maybe it still is the case, I don't know, that when companies would have promotions and there was always the caveat: No purchase required? All one had to do was send in a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) or a postcard in order to enter the sweepstakes or be eligible to win X prizes.
Not the case anymore once Facebook appeared. So many companies now are offering promotions, but -- but you have to sign up through Facebook.
I really hate that. The landscape has changed. It's no longer a relationship between an individual and a company; it's a relationship between an indivdual who has to give out all their personal information to a greedy "middleman" in order to reep any benefits from the company.
Come to think of it, it's not unlike the greedy middlemen in the health insurance racket.
That said, Facebook does offer an opportunity to have frank conversations, make new friends in a private setting without having to sign up giving your real name, rank, serial number, email address, phone number, height, weight, Social Security number, mother's maiden name ;) Think on that, why don't you? ;)