Reflections on Benazir Bhutto's assassination

On October 18, 2007 hundreds of thousands gathered in the streets of Karachi, the stronghold of Pakistan's People's Party, to greet Benazir Bhutto as she returned home following 8 years of self-imposed exile. The celebration was soon brought to an abrupt end by a bomb attack targeting Bhutto's convoy. Although Bhutto was unharmed the blast, that occurred around midnight, resulted in the death of 139 bystanders and injured nearly 400 more. Bhutto refused to be deterred by this initial attempt on her life.

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Benazir Bhutto had served twice as the Pakistani prime minister between 1988 and 1996. She had returned home in an attempt to win a third term. She aligned herself with long time political adversary, Nawaz Sharif, after vowing not to make any deals with President Musharraf. Sharif was also a former prime minister,

The worst fears of many of her supporters became a reality on December 27, 2007. Benazir Bhutto was killed in a shooting/suicide bombing attack while leaving a political rally in the city of Rawalpindi. The attacker fired gunshots at Bhutto's vehicle as she left the rally, she ducked for cover, and he then detonated a bomb.

At least 16-20 bystanders were killed in the blast, reports indicated that body parts were scattered across Liaqat Bagh Park where Bhutto had just spoken. Police quickly cordoned off the area as rescue workers rushed to the aid of the injured. Bhutto was later pronounced dead at Rawalpindi General Hospital.

As news of Bhutto's death reached her supporters who had gathered at the hospital they began smashing glass doors and throwing rocks at cars. In Rawalpindi, her supporters burned election posters and attacked police who were forced to flee the area. In Peshawar, outraged supporters raised anti-Musharraf banners while in Karachi thousands gathered in the streets.

Outside of the hospital, Nawaz Sharif told supporters "I assure you that I will fight your war from now on.... Benazir Bhutto was also my sister, and I will be with you to take the revenge for her death." He went on to say he shared the grief of the entire nation.

"We are shocked. We are stunned. Every single one of us is mourning the loss of our leader," said Javaid Manzoor, president of the PPP party.

The attack sparked international outrage as well. U.S. President George Bush said, "The US strongly condemns this cowardly act by murderous extremists who are trying to undermine Pakistan's democracy. We stand with the people of Pakistan in that struggle against the forces of terror and extremism. We urge them to honor Benazir Bhutto's memory by continuing with a democratic process."

The UN Secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, said, "I strongly condemn this heinous crime and call for the perpetrators to be brought to justice as soon as possible."

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, who had met with Bhutto earlier on Thursday, said, "She sacrificed her life for the sake of Pakistan and for the sake of this region."

Further condemnation came from a host of other countries including China. The Vatican has also condemned the attack.

Pervez Musharraf reportedly called an emergency meeting after the bombing and later asked all Pakistanis to remain calm "so that the evil designs of terrorists can be defeated," according to state TV.

Bhutto and other Musharraf opponents had recently accused him of planning to "rig" the elections as radicals had said they would disrupt the voting.

Bilawal Bhutto, son of Benazir Bhutto, later told reporters "We have lost our best hope but not our only hope," The death of Benazir Bhutto most certainly deepened the political divide in Pakistan.

The Benefits of Conservation Tillage

At the Fourth World Congress on Conservation Agriculture in New Delhi, India the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization stressed the importance of moving away from the conventional intensive farming methods in use today. Shivaji Pandey, Director of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization stressed the need for change saying:

 

“The world has no alternative to pursuing sustainable crop production intensification to meet the growing food and feed demand, to alleviate poverty and to protect its natural resources, Conservation agriculture is an essential element of that intensification.”

 

Over-plowing, over-fertilizing, over-irrigating, and extensive use of pesticides results in environmental damage. These intensive farming methods are intended to increase production but actually harm the ecosystem and eventually results in lower production.

 

Conservation agriculture on the other-hand focuses on a minimal amount of soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and crop rotations. Conservation farming supports profitable farming and addresses environmental concerns and sustainability.  This eco-friendly method has been tested and proven to work in a wide variety of agro-ecological zones and farming systems.

 

Conservation tillage is an important step in conservation agriculture as a whole. When using this method the farmers allow the majority of natural plant life (grass, weeds, cover crops etc) to remain on top of the soil instead of tilling them under. The desired crops are integrated directly into the existing plant life or planted in narrow tilled rows.

 

Some of the immediate benefits of using this method for farmers are a reduction in energy, time and labor requirements for field preparation. Tractor fuel is the single largest expense associated with conventional farming, conservation farming reduces fuel usage by as much as 60%. It is also not uncommon to see labor reductions of 50-60%.

 

Long-term savings are realized through reduced equipment and maintenance cost. Conventional farming methods require moldboard plow, chisel plow, disk, rotary tiller, spring or spike tooth harrow, field cultivator, row crop cultivator, planter, tractor, and sprayer. Straight no-till farming requires only a tractor, planter, and an herbicide sprayer.

 

Environmental benefits include improved water retention, reduced soil loss, and the natural regeneration of the soil.

 

The soils natural ability to hold water is increased while loss due to run off and evaporation is decreased. The decreased water loss results in more drought resistant crops, reduced need for irrigation, and increased water conservation.

 

Soil and nutrients are lost due to wind and water erosion in plowed fields. Maintaining as little as 30% ground cover has been shown to reduced soil erosion by as much as 60%. Reduced erosion has also been shown to reduce the amount of fertilizer, herbicides, and pesticides in surface water.

 

Additional benefits include the return of benifiall insects and larger amounts of organic matter returning to the soil. Insects such as earthworms increase the water flow through the soil by creating micro pores during the course of their natural activities. Decomposed organic mater in the soil gives it the proper consistency to allow water, oxygen and carbon dioxide to easily flow through it as well as adding carbon, which promotes the growth on beneficial bacteria.

 

An excellent example of conservation farming can be found in Zambia; in 1999 the government endorsed this method as a national policy after finding that small-scale farming was in crises. Conventional farming methods had led to decreased production, dependency on food aid, food insecurity, and deforestation. Currently over 120,000 farmers in Zambia have adopted this method successfully; the goal of the government is to convert 250,000 farms by 2011.

Report Denies That Ceylan Önkol was Killed By a Mortar Blast

The Village of ?enlik in Diyarbak?r province Turkey

Graphic Content


 

On September 28 Ceylan Önkol went out to tend the family sheep as her mother prepared macaroni for her. According to villagers there was a sound in the air followed by an explosion, shortly thereafter Ceylan (whose ages been reported as 12 and 14) was found dead with her midsection shredded. Body parts were scattered over 150 m with some landing in the branches of nearby trees. Despite the massive damage to her midsection witnesses say her legs and feet as well as her arms, hands and head were relatively uninjured.

The authorities were contacted and the family waited at the scene for what they expected to be military security forces, a doctor, and the local prosecutor. Security forces did not arrive, after six hours of waiting the family was informed that the doctor and prosecutor would also not be coming because they feared for their safety. The village Imam had been instructed to take photographs of the scene and the family was asked to gather the girl’s remains and bring them to the police station in Bingöl province where an autopsy could be performed. According to local protocol the prosecutors should have conducted the autopsy at the scene.

Önkol’s brother, R?fat Önkol said:

“The village headman called; we wanted soldiers and the prosecutor. The prosecutor said he could not come because it was not safe. Soldiers did not come either. The prosecutor told the imam to take pictures.”

According to the Human Rights Association, a local NGO, the prosecutor did arrive three days later to conduct an investigation; they went on to say that this might have only been in response to public pressure.

Ceylan Önko's mother said:

“My Ceylan was torn to pieces. Why was my child killed for no reason? Who is going to answer for this?”

It has also been reported that not only did the prosecutor not properly conduct the autopsy but also the doctor who did allowed janitors to participate.

The family, local media, and NGOs believe that a mortar round, possibly fired from a nearby military base, hit Ceylen. This is primarily based on the reports of the noise in the air before the explosion and the lack of injuries to her upper and lower body.

As of October 11 it was being reported that the case was being investigated as a terror crime, however, the final report found otherwise. The results of the official investigation were released this week and deny the claims that a mortar round hit Ceylan. The investigation has concluded that she detonated unexploded ordnance that had been left in the area at some previous time.

The family and NGOs alike have questioned the results of this investigation due to the initial lack of response, unorthodox autopsy, and the pattern of injuries. The Human Rights Association has gone so far as to say that they believe she may have been targeted:

"Due to the Forensic Examination Record Ceylan Önkol was not badly injured at her head, her arms and her legs. Whereas when stepping on a mine or another explosive, bad injuries of the legs would eminently occur. If a found explosive sets off because it was monkeyed with, serious injuries of the arms in particular would occur. However, according to the forensic examination record, serious injuries of Ceylan Önkols abdomen caused her death."

"It is possible that an explosive hits the abdominal region. That is to say, the explosive has to be fired from somewhere, targeting Ceylan Önkol".

As many as 40 NGOs and other organizations have joined in a campaign demanding that the details of the investigation be released.

The Great Wall Of Jerusalem, 3700 year old wall discovered

On the slope of the Silwan Valley archeologist have made an an amazing discovery, a 26 foot high, 79 foot long section of a wall built from giant boulders weighing as much as 4-5 tons each. The wall is believed to date back 3700 years.

Archeologist have been digging at this site since 1995, they are amazed by this discovery not only because of the discovery itself but the fact that the ancient Canaanites (believed to have built the wall) could have accomplished such a feat.

The excavation’s director, Ronny Reich, said:

“To build straight walls up 8 meters…I don’t know how to do it today without mechanical equipment, I don’t think that any engineer today without electrical power could do it,”.

The wall is believed to have been built to help protect a natural spring that supplied water to the people of Jerusalem. It is also believed that the wall could have been connected to a fortress that possibly stood at the top of the hill.

Archeologist say that this discovery could be the tip of the ice burg and plan to continue their work at the site.

 

Cambodia: One Dead and Six Ill after Eating Poisonous Frogs

For many in the village of Mondul 3 in Siem Reap Cambodia poverty is a way of life, for Sov Soparath this poverty ended in tragedy. Sov and friends caught and ate brown frogs after a heavy rain, 2 hours later Sov was dead and his brother was in critical condition at Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital. Two other children and three adults were also treated at Siem Reap Provincial Hospital and recovered.

Sov's family could not afford the price of a funeral or a coffin; he was laid to rest in a coffin made from a wooden table. The News Hope Community center paid $250 for the funeral and held an email fundraiser for the family, they raised over $1000. They plan to use the money to restore the family’s home that is in need of major repairs; they also plan to pay for an education for Sov's younger brother.

Kerry Huntly, director of the community centers told the Phnom Penh Post that this is not the first time someone has been poisoned by eating frogs:

"About three months ago, two little army girls, one 3-year-old and one 5-year-old, caught a frog ... grilled it, ate it and were severely sick. At one stage, the younger girl was not expected to survive, but she pulled through."

"This is what happens when you have poverty like this. This lot here don't have a choice when it comes to food, and they'll eat anything. They also eat ants that sometimes make them sick."

According to New Hope 78 percent of the people in Siem Riep earn less than $2 per day, 45% of the children 5 years old and younger suffer from malnutrition, many children survive on rice water, salt and the frogs and ants they catch. Mothers who are to malnourished to produce breast milk will sometimes be forced to feed their babies rice water. In many cases the family may be forced to give their children away to someone that can provide a better life for them.

Sov's homemade coffin was carried through the streets on a cart before the funeral to warn others about the dangers of eating the poisonous frogs.

VCU Student Group Named in a Leaked Terror Threat Assessment

In what came as a surprise to both the Virginia state police and the public, especially the Muslim Student Association at Virginia Commonwealth University the Virginia State Police 2009 terrorism threat assessment was leaked.

The document was never intended for the public and carries the following warning at the top of the page:

" This is LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE information and is protected by Code of Virginia Title 52-48 and 52-49 unless otherwise noted.
Further distribution of this document is restricted to law enforcement agencies, intelligence agencies, and Department of Defense organizations only.
Prior approval shall be obtained from VFC for dissemination to other agencies.
Persons or organizations violating distribution restrictions may be prosecuted and will be prohibited from receiving future documents.
NO REPORT OR SEGMENT THEREOF MAY BE RELEASED TO ANY MEDIA SOURCES."

Despite this warning the document somehow found its way on to the internet and caught some Virginia students by surprise. Members of the Muslim Student Association at VCU were shocked to find that they are in the document as possibly being a front organization for The Muslim Brotherhood. On page 41 the document states:

"There are indications the VCU chapter of the Muslim Student Association is a front organization for the Muslim brotherhood, and is possibly involved with terrorism financing and recruitment."


The Muslim Brotherhood is the U.S. chapter of The International Muslim Brotherhood and is one of the worlds most influential Islamic fundamentalist groups and has a violent history in the Middle East. In the U.S. they prefer to operate behind the scenes and rarely identify themselves as members of the brotherhood even to other Muslims.

According to the Va State Police document the International Muslim Brotherhood has influenced such groups as Al-Qa'ida and Hamas. The U.S. chapter’s mane international objective is reportedly to support Hamas. Some of their suspected activities include member recruitment, fundraising, and subversive political pursuits.

Dr. Reuban Rodriguez, VCU Dean of Students told channel 12 news that this is

"Not even close to anything we've been contacted either by law enforcement or anybody outside the VCU community as being a problem with this student organization,"


And

"They raise donations so that people do not have to go hungry not only in the Richmond community but around the world as well,"


VCU says the only financing done by the group is for those less fortunate. Two predominately African American schools, Virginia State and Virginia Union Universities, are also mention in the report for contributing to the presence of race based extremist groups.

Kent Willis of the American Civil Liberties Union told channel 12:

"In essence, this is a report that uses both demographic and racial and religious stereotypes to assume that terrorism exists but then backs it up with no information,”


The Virginia State Police are not commenting on this document. I sent emails to both the state and national offices of Muslim Student Association asking them to comment, I have not received a response from either at this time.

Ohio: Child Protective Services Face Budget cuts

For the first time in Ohio's history the number of child abuse and neglect cases being reported toped 100,000 and Governor Ted Strickland's state budget plan has child protective service workers concerned.

Under Governor Strickland's proposed budget  $62 million usually used for child protective service by the counties of Ohio would be shifted to the state subsidized childcare program. This is just one of a series of cuts that have forced many counties to lay off caseworkers.  Director of the Hancock County Department of Job and Family Services, Judy Wauford, says that she has lost a large portion of her staff and most of her funding for protective services. Under these conditions protective service agencies are finding it difficult to keep up with the cases and respond to complaints within 24 hours as mandated by the state.

According to statistics released by Public Children Services Association of Ohio statewide reports of abuse and neglect are up by 14% and Franklin County has shown an increase of 16%. The report also says that the number of children being removed from their homes is down by 9% despite the increase in reports.

Child abuse and neglect can have many causes; drugs and alcohol as well as mental illness may be the first to come to mind.  However it is believed that the current economy and foreclosures are at least in part to blame for the spike in reported cases. As some parents struggle with the usual personal and marital issues their frustrations can be compounded by layoffs, foreclosure and other financial issues. They find themselves overwhelmed and unable to cope, the resulting stress can be taken out on the children.

Shooting Victims Family outraged by Controversial Verdict

After a day of swimming, LSD and alcohol Joey Parrish, 17, Ethan Parrish, 24, and Stephanie Reynolds, 19 (all White) pulled into a Sheetz parking lot in Powhattan Virginia to drop off two friends. At this point there was a verbal confrontation with 18-year old Tahliek Taliaferro, (African American) and friends: Courtney Jones, Lawrence Harris, Tommie Williams, Kendall Trainum, and Kwamaine Marshall. The confrontation ended a short distance down the road with Taliaferro dead and 15-year old Jones seriously wounded.

Grand jury testimony and evidence led to certification of charges against the two Parrish cousins including first degree murder, aggravated malicious wounding, two counts of attempted murder, and charges of using a firearm in the commission of felonies.  Joey Parrish, a convicted felon, received an additional charge for possessing a firearm.

Emotions ran high in Powhattan this week after the jury dropped most of the charges against Joey and Ethan Parrish finding them guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Taliaferro, and misdemeanor assault for wounding Jones.

Although the shooting is not believed to be racially motivated some in the community believe the verdict was. One bystander outside of the court described it as the most racist thing he had ever heard and went on to say, "That’s Powhattan".

The Virginia NAACP released a statement after the verdict was read expressing disappointment in the outcome of the trial.

"This verdict reaffirms what many citizens of Powhatan County have always felt, that there is no justice for African Americans here. We now await the lenient sentence that this jury will impose. The judicial system did not work for Tahliek Taliaferro, his family, friends, loved ones and citizens."

Kaa Caputo, Taliaferro’s mother in an emotional statement to 12 news said: "How did they come to that conclusion? Involuntary manslaughter - do they know what it means?"

Jean Taliaferro, Tahliek's grandmother added: "They can go to see their son but I can't go and see Tahliek, I guess they thought he was a deer or a duck or something."

Carolyn Jackson, Jones's mother said "It's unbelievable they did not give him first degree murder, I cannot believe that my child was shot in the back and you said you are going to give him a pat on the back. What would have happened if he had died? It's unfair, unfair."

The jury recommended a sentence of 10 years for involuntary manslaughter and an additional 12 months for assault and battery in the case f Ethan Parrish. Joey Parrish has not been sentenced yet but could face up to 16 years, 11 for involuntary manslaughter and assault and an additional 5 years for possessing a firearm.

 

Below is a brief recap of the grand jury testimony and the trial that led to the controversial verdict.

Defendant Stephanie Reynolds (granted testimonial immunity) told the grand jury:

“Someone ‘bucked' at Joey and Ethan got mad, Ethan and Joey started cussing and then Ethan pulled out a gun from between his feet and made like he was going to get out, but I grabbed him and told him not to.”

According to further testimony, before leaving the Sheetze parking lot Joey told Taliaferro: “Come on if you want to finish this.” Reynolds went on to say that she assumed that Taliaferro and his friends would follow them but the Parrish cousins said they would handle it.

After leaving the parking lot heading west on route 60 Ethan began digging around in the back seat of the car, he then told Reynolds to turn around and if she didn't she could get out and he would drive. Ethan made the comment that he was going to "scare" and "smoke" Tahliek. Shortly after making a U turn they turned on Dorset Road and stopped. Ethan told Joey to cover the licensee plate with a bag. Reynolds said Joey got back in the car as the other teens pulled along side of them on Dorset Road; she went on to say,

“Ethan was hanging out of the back driver’s side window with the assault rifle. Tahliek was just laughing at us, he wasn’t nervous — when he started laughing Ethan pulled the trigger.”

Courtney Jones said:

“I saw the back window go down and I saw a gun, then it just started shooting, I got down and then I looked and saw Tahliek laid over.” Jones was struck in the back and Taliaferro died at the scene from a gunshot wound to the head.

At the trial:

Margaret Ashton Bradbury, one of the teens being dropped off by the suspects, testified that before getting into her own car she heard Joey Parrish yelling at Taliaferro and his friends who were eating at the Bruster's ice cream shop next to the Sheetze. She said she couldn't make out everything Joey said but she thinks she heard him say 'If you want to fight, follow us,'“ She went on to say that she attempted to flag down the car that Taliaferro was riding in as they passed by a couple of minutes later, she wanted to warned them that Joey had a 9 mm and Ethan had an assault rifle in the car.

Courtney Jones along with other friends of Taliaferro testified that that the teen may have wanted to fight Joey and may have said, "Let's go fight them. Let's get them." (Accounts very, some say they did not hear him say this) he was not chasing Joey when the shooting began. Lawrence Harris, driver of the victim’s vehicle said that they turned down Dorset road to drop off one of his passenger, not to follow Parrish.

Reynolds told the jury that after Ethan ordered her to pull over and told Joey to cover the License plates they sat and watched Harris drive slowly past. She said that Harris had something in his hand but whatever it was wasn’t pointed at them, this is when Taliaferro saw the gun and started laughing, Ethan then began shooting.

Police testified that they recovered 6 shell casings fired from a semiautomatic Mac 90 military style assault rifle (83 round drum clip) at the scene, and found a bb gun and some baseball bats in Harris's car, they went on to say that 2 bullets hit the street and 4 hit the vehicle, one struck Jones in the lower back and another hit Taliaferro in the head killing him. All of the bullets entered from the rear of the vehicle.

Ethan Parrish told the court that he began firing out of fear, he believed that the other teens were coming after him, he also said he believed they had a gun. Joey Parrish didn't testify.

Outraged Over AIG Bonuses Turns To Protest

As many U.S. taxpayers lose their jobs and homes and others struggle just to hold on it seems that the recent bonuses handed out by AIG have put a face on the economic crisis, giving a direction for the public to focus their anger. American taxpayers are outraged by the insurance giant AIG's use of bailout funds to hand out bonuses to their top executives and they have taken their outrage to the source. This anger has taken various forms ranging from protest to death threats. 

On Thursday a rally was held in Phoenix at the local AIG office, led by the Service Employees International Union. The protestors wanted answers to questions about the bonuses and if any were paid to Arizona employees, no one was available to answer. They had also planned to present a large "reality" check to AIG but no one came forth to accept it. They wanted to draw attention to what they described as a class struggle between top executives and the average working American.

Union member Todd Schwartz said:

"These people are seriously out of touch with what life is like for working men and women in America,"

Members of the union also attended a protest outside of the Seattle AIG office located at 520 Pike St. With several police officers standing by, the protestor entered the office and attempted to deliver another "reality" check, they were told that it was private property and they would have to leave, the protestors asked to see someone from AIG in person, their request was refused as was their request to send the "reality" check up to AIG.

Linnae Riesen said:

"Corporations got bailed out, people got sold out, that's pretty much our message."

Saturday, about 40 Protesters made the rounds in Connecticut visiting Norwalk, New Haven, Hartford and other towns visiting AIG offices and the homes of executives to voice the opposition to the taxpayer funded bonuses given to executives.

Protester Emeline Bravo-Blackport said:

"We think $165 million could be used in a more appropriate way to keep people in their homes, create more jobs and health care,”

In some cases public anger has taken a more sinister turn including death threats. In a recent AIG corporate security memoemployees were advised against wearing the AIG logo, the memo went on to advise employees to hide their corporate badges from public view before leaving the office building. Employees are also encouraged to avoid parking in dark areas and to travel in pairs after dark. These are only a few of the suggestion being made by AIG security.

One AIG employee speaking under terms of anonymity said:

"It's scary,People are very, very nervous for their security."

Company spokesman Mark Herr told the AP:

"However someone may feel about the appropriateness of the retention payments, there is nothing appropriate about the threats that people have made to and about employees,"

James Haas and Doug Poling, who have said that they will be returning their bonuses to AIG, did not reply to the AP's request for a comment regarding the threats.

The matter may be further complicated by recent accusations from Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal that AIG actually paid out $50 million more than they reported bringing the total to $218 million. AIG contends that the full amount of bonuses had already been explained to U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, the $165 million are for the March payments and do not include payments made in December.

Blumenthal responded responded by saying:

"We've not only added the numbers, but the company has given us documents that have the number at $218 million, some of that total is from earlier bonuses, but the main point is all of it seems to be out of taxpayer funds. ... Whether the payments were made in December or March seems to be beside the point. The total that was disclosed so far was $165 million.''

 

 

45 Richmond, Va Jobs to be Lost To Mexico

St. Louis-based Belden's Midlothian manufacturing plant employees 45 local workers who make connectors and components for industrial automation. In December 2008 Belden announced that it would cut its global workforce by 20% (around 1800 people) by late 2009. The layoffs are in response to the global economic downturn that has led to lower demand for their products.

In a December statement John Stroup, president and chief executive, said:

"As we reported in October, we have seen softening of our major markets globally, and we expect that economic conditions will remain challenging for some time, We regret the hardship these actions will impose on our (employees)."

During the December announcement Belden indicated that some U.S. plant closings would occur as part of a restructuring plan but declined to say what plants were being considered.

Belden now says that the Midlothian plant will be closed by July and the manufacturing operations transferred to their plant in Tijuana, Mexico. Belen says those affected by layoffs will be eligible for severance benefits. Beldoen is expecting to save up to 30 million Dollars in 2009 as a result of layoffs.

This is not the first Belden layoff that involved moving U.S. jobs to Mexico, in March of 2008 they announced plans to close the Manchester, Conn. plant resulting in 132 people losing their jobs, this plants operations were also transferred to Mexico.

"We regret the impact of these actions on the affected associates," said John Stroup,President and Chief Executive Officer of Belden. "It is a difficult, but necessary step in the implementation of our regional manufacturing strategy. The expected cost savings associated with this action are further benefit of this strategy and take advantage of our lower cost capacity at the recently completed Nogales, Mexico facility."

A Defiant Sudan Strikes Back after ICC Decision

On March 4,the International Criminal Court announced that they had issued an arrest warrant for Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Bashir, President of Sudan. The charges include war crime and crime against humanity stemming from allegations that he ordered attacks on civilians in the Darfur region. These attacks employed rape, murder, forcible relocation and torture as a standard method of war. These attacks have led to an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 deaths and over 2.5 million people being displaced.

A defiant Al Bashir reportedly said that the decision by the ICC would not stop him from doing his "work" calling the warrant a conspiracy against his country and new form of colonialism.

Sudanese ambassador Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem said:

"We strongly condemn this criminal move, It amounts to an attempt at regime change. We are not going to be bound by it."

In an act of defiance The Sudanese government expelled at least 10 humanitarian aid groups including Portland based Mercy Corps who has about 225 aid workers in Darfur and for the past five years has been providing aid to around 200,000 internally displaced people. Also on the list of expelled aid groups are Oxfam, CARE, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)-Holland, Save the Children, the Norwegian Refugee Council, the International Rescue Committee, Action Contre la Faim, Solidarites and CHF International. According to the U.N. there are about 76 aid organization working in Darfur however the 10 being expelled did the majority of the work.

The operational director of MSF-Holland, Arjan Hehenkamp, said:

"It is absurd that we as an independent organization are caught up in a political and judicial process,"

Vice President Ali Osman Mohammed Taha of Sudan confirmed the expulsion of the groups saying:

"Whenever an organization takes humanitarian aid as a cover to achieve a political agenda that affects the security of the county and its stability, measures are to be taken by law to protect the country and its interests,"

According to the aid groups this decision will affect up to two million people who are relying on them for food, shelter and water.

U.S. State Department Warning About Traveling to Mexico

The U.S. State department has issued a new travel warning for U.S citizens traveling to Mexico. Skirmishes between Mexican authorities and the drug cartels in border towns and elsewhere are being described as "small unit combat" and in some cases foreign bystanders have been caught in the cross fire resulting in injuries and death.

 

Although large-scale confrontations between authorities and the cartels have occurred across Mexico they have recently became more frequent in Northern Mexico in towns such as Tijuana, Chihuahua City and Ciudad Juarez and others. The border towns can erupt into combat zones as government officials confront cartels that are using automatic weapons and hand grenades in their fight for the valuable Northern drug trade routs.

U.S. citizens are being advised to cooperate fully with any official Mexican checkpoints they may in counter. They are also advised to be extremely aware of their surroundings at all times, travel only on main roads (Toll roads are the most secure) and avoid any areas known for drugs or prostitution as well as isolated areas. The U.S. Embassy and consulates will issue travel advisories asking their employees and tourist to stay away from certain roads or areas of the country due to dangerous conditions and criminal activities, be aware of these advisories and stay up to date.

Criminals along the border region are known to be heavily armed and have used police and military uniforms as well as vehicles that appear to be official in the commission of various crimes.

The drug war in Mexico is having a dramatic impact on Mexican and U.S. Businesses located in border towns, the fear of violence has led many U.S. shoppers to refrain from their usual shopping trips south of the border. In many cases merchants are reporting that sales are down by as much as 75%. Gabriel Lara, a Mexican businessman, said:

“The economy is very bad. We need your money,”

Sharelene Reams from Arizona said:

“I haven’t been down shopping for a long time just because of what we heard about the shootings six months or so ago,”

Mexican tourists who do not live in the Northern region may otherwise visit the U.S. border states, but due to the ever-increasing violence they are afraid to travel through the area.

Two Top Police Commanders Become the Latest Victims in Mexico

Francisco Federico Lopez Brito, a local garrison commander for the Tabasco state police was gunned down while getting into his vehicle outside of his home in Cardenas. Police found dozens of shell casings on the street. 

His death came only days after the assassination of officer Carlos Reyes López, a member of an elite state squad that was created to tackle the growing violence. López along with eleven others was killed when his home was stormed by a group of armed men Saturday. Lopez’s wife, mother and several of her grandchildren as well as a strawberry vendor were among the dead; the youngest victim was 2 years old. Caledonio Reyes López, also a police officer and the brother of Carlos López, and two others were wounded. 

Both officers were involved in joint anti-drug operations involving both police and military elements; authorities believe the assassinations are in retaliation for recent drug related arrest. They are also investigating the possibility that an ongoing feud between López and another family could have played a role in his death. 

President Felipe Calderón has had some success in the war against the cartels; he has increased the number of drug seizures and arrested top cartel leaders. However despite the use of tens of thousands of soldiers and police officers throughout Mexico he has been unable to control the rapidly increasing violence. 5630 people died in the drug related violence in 2008 alone, with an estimated total of 9830 over the past three years. The majority of the deaths were in towns along the U.S.-Mexico border. 

To complicate matters more Mexican protesters blocked roads and bridges entering the U.S. in the towns of Monterrey and Veracruz to protest the Military-backed drug war. Some protestors carried their children as they blocked the roads. Officials have accused the cartels of organizing the protest saying that they paid people and gave free school supplies to poor families in exchange for them marching in the protest. 

President Calderon condemned the protest saying: 

"Those who see ... their criminal structure weakened have tried to provoke the army's retreat,”

and

"True to form as cowards, they have even used women and children for their wretched goals," 

Journalist Killed While Covering Pakistan-Taliban Peace Deal

Mosa Khankhel, a correspondent with GEO TV's Peshawar bureau became the first casualty of the Pakistan-Taliban peace agreement. He was covering the latest peace deal between the Taliban and Pakistan and was traveling in the caravan with Sufi Mohammed, a pro-Taliban cleric and lead negotiator for the Taliban who is considered a relative moderate, when he went missing on Wednesday.

Issa Khan, Khankhel's brother, told reporters

"My brother was taken away at gunpoint from the march," 

(piece rally)

His body was later found, he had been shot three times (reports vary: he was shot 3-12 times) and his assailants had attempted to behead him. Mosa Became the fourth journalist to be killed in swat Valley in less than a year, he was killed one day after the Pakistan government agreed to recognize the sharia law as interpreted by the Taliban in the Malakand Division, which includes Swat Valley, In return for the Taliban agreeing to a 10-day cease-fire.

Azhar Abbas, GEO TV's managing director said:

"He is the first martyr of this peace deal," 

A funeral was held today for Mosa in the town of Mingora a prominent town in Swat Valley, around 600 people were in attendance (many of whom were journalist) and called on the government to bring the killers to justice.

More than 500 people including lawyers and journalist marched on the governor's house in Peshawar calling on the government to protect journalists. In the eastern city of Lahore more than 500 media workers held a rally demanding protection for journalists and chanting anti-Taliban slogans. Rana Aziz, secretary general of the Punjab Union of Journalists said,

"Musa Khan Khel's murder is an attack on freedom of press." 

Similar protests were reportedly held in Karachi, Multan, Bannu, Nowshera, Mansehra in the North West Frontier Province, and Quetta.

No one has claimed responsibility for the killing but a Taliban spokesman said,

"It is the work of those who do not want peace in the region and are opposed to the deal signed between Soofi Mohammad and the government," 

 

A Chesterfield Teacher Arrested While Chaperoning a Field Trip

Jean Marie Mendelis, a world history teacher at James River High School in Chesterfield County, was arrested while on an overnight field trip to the Model U.N. in Norfolk Virginia. Mendelis was arrested for public drunkenness around 1:00 a.m. on Friday February 13 while acting as a chaperone. Upon learning of the arrest school officials sent two replacements to Norfolk. Mendelis has been suspended pending the outcome of an investigation by the school.

It seems simple enough, until you take a look at the information that was released (or not released) by the school and by the Norfolk police department. On Saturday February 14 James River High School Principal,John Titus sent the following letter to the parents:

 

"February 14, 2009 

Dear Parents and Guardians of students on Model U.N. Trip in Norfolk, Virginia:

Early yesterday morning (Feb. 13), we were made aware that a teacher-chaperone on the Model U.N. field trip had been arrested overnight in Norfolk. The teacher-chaperone was immediately directed by Chesterfield County Public Schools to leave the event site. Two additional staff members were immediately dispatched to Norfolk to join the student group and assist our chaperones already on site through the end of the conference.

The school administration began an immediate investigation as soon as it was made aware of these serious allegations, and the teacher will not be returning to the classroom pending completion of the investigation and final disposition of any resulting disciplinary action.

We take very seriously our responsibility to provide a safe, supportive and nurturing environment. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at 378-2420. As always, if your child shares any information or concerns with you as you discuss this information, please let us know as well.

Thank you for your support of James River High School.

Sincerely,

John Titus

Principal"

At this point neither the school nor the police department would release any information concerning the identity of the teacher or the charges filed against her leaving many local parents only able to guess as to the nature of the crime and who was involved.

On February 17 information was released naming the teacher and the charges against her (public drunkenness). To add a twist to the story at around 9:40 a.m. on the 17th a Norfolk police spokesperson sent an e-mail to local Richmond media saying that the charges had been determined to be unfounded and no charges would be filed against Mendelis. According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch they asked for clarification of this statement and received a second email from Norfolk saying the charges had been dropped because they where "determined unwarranted”.

At around 1:30 pm yet another email was sent from the Norfolk police department to several Richmond news agencies informing them that they had once again changed their mind and Mendelis is in fact facing a charge of public drunkenness, a court date has been set for April 7.

Mendelis is the second Chesterfield county teacher to be arrested this month, a Tomahawk Creek Middle School teacher was charged with one count of felony assault and two counts of misdemeanor assault after he allegedly shoved three disorderly students against a wall during a fire drill.

Henrico County Man Charged With Impersonating a Police Officer

Shay Cameron Mann,31 of Henrico county VA has been charged with impersonating a police officer, attempted abduction, use of a firearm in a felony and brandishing a firearm.

The intended victim, a 48-year-old woman diving alone, pulled into a shopping center parking lot after a gray Ford Escape with flashing headlights pulled up behind her on Parham road. Mann approached her vehicle and showed her a gold badge and asked her to get into his car, when she refused Mann pulled a gun. A "good Samaritan" saw what was happening and stooped to ask if she was O.K.

At this point Mann made a run for it but not before his intended victim wrote down his licensee number that included official looking Fraternal Order of Police tags. The license plate number led Henrico authorities to Mann, when they searched his home in the 6800 block of Carnegie Drive they found batons, pepper spray and police patches. Police also seized a computer and car that had alternating, flashing headlights installed, normally reserved for police cars.

Police have advised anyone being pulled over who has doubts about the legitimacy of the police car to pull into a well lit, populated area and dial 911 -- if he is a real officer he will be required to call in the stop and the 911 dispatcher will know about the stop, if not, they can send immediate assistance.

At this time the identity of the "good Samaritan" is still unknown but police are asking him to come forward and help them in their investigation. Mann is being held without bond.

North Korea Ratchets Up Tensions while Preparing for Talks

Kim Jong-il will celebrate his 67th birthday this Sunday and is suspected of timing a test of the Taepodong-2 missile around that date, as well as possible test of short-range missiles. In the past North Korea has used such accessions to praise Kim's "military-first policy".

The launches are intended to show the people of North Korea that they are strong enough to stand up to the U.S. and South Korea. It is believed that the possible upcoming test are intended to get the attention of President Obama as well as to put pressure on President Lee Myung-bak of South Korea. Shortly after taking office Myung-bak cut off what was described as a free flow of unconditional aid to the North. Since then Kim Jong-il has threatened to reduce South Korea to rubble and said that he would have no more dealings with them.

Recently North Korea said that they had aborted all peace agreements with South Korea, they have also reassigned senior military leaders, this is not uncommon and is usually done on April 15 or April 25th but it is uncommon to reassign top leaders at a time when the threat of military conflict is increasing.

"It's unusual for North Korea to reshuffle key military leaders in a situation where it is increasing the threat of armed conflict by showing signs of preparing for a long-range missile test. We're carefully analyzing why North Korea has replaced the key officials.” says a South Korean Intelligence officer.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters "North Korea has to understand that all of the countries in East Asia have made it clear that its behavior is viewed as unacceptable."

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the U.S. could shoot down any ballistic missile that was being tested with the continental U.S. as a potential target but he went on to say "Since the first time that they launched the missile (in 2006) it flew for a few minutes before crashing, the range of the Taepodong-2 remains to be seen. So far, it's very short."

The recent disappearance of Chinese fishing vessels from North Korean Waters in the West Sea is believed by some to be a sign of pending military action by the North. Although the number of ships began to decrease over a month ago on February 4, 50 vessels suddenly left the area. The South Korean Defense Ministry said that this is has nothing to do with possible military actions and is based on false information from two previous navel skirmishes. . "Claims that Chinese fishing boats moved out of the sea near the NLL prior to the two previous inter-Korean naval skirmishes has been proven groundless," said ministry spokesman Won Tae-jae.

Former U.S. ambassador to Seoul Stephen Bosworth, along with several others, recently met with Officials in North Korea and afterwards he said, "They said we should all wait and see, There were no threats, no indication that they were concerned. They treated the missile issue as just a normal run-of-the-mill issue." he went on to say that he believes the north is preparing for six-party talks and bilateral talks talks with the U.S.

U.N. Issues Dire Warnings about Global Food, Water Supplies

According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization the world's farmers must begin to move away from conventional intensive farming and begin the transition to what is known as conservation agriculture if they intend to produce enough food and cope with climate change. 

By the year 2030 agricultural production is expected to drop by 1.9 percent and an additional .09 percent by 2050; however we will need to double our food production if we hope to feed nine billion people by 2050. 

Conventional farming methods often result in environmental damage as a result of over-ploughing, over-fertilizing, over-irrigating, and extensive use of pesticides. These efforts, all in the name of increased production, effect the ecosystem and eventually result in lower production rates, conservation agriculture on the other-hand focuses on a minimal amount of soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and crop rotations. This method can support profitable farming and addresses environmental concerns and sustainability. Conservation agriculture has been tested and proven to work in a wide variety of agro-ecological zones and farming systems. 

At the Fourth World Congress on Conservation Agriculture in New Delhi, India, Shivaji Pandey, Director of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said, 

“The world has no alternative to pursuing sustainable crop production intensification to meet the growing food and feed demand, to alleviate poverty and to protect its natural resources, Conservation agriculture is an essential element of that intensification.”

The U.N. is also predicting that as many as 1.8 billion people could be facing a water shortage by 2025 and an estimated two-thirds of the global population could be facing some form of water stress in less than 20 years if current trends in population growth, climate change and consumption continue. 

The United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro told a high-level symposium on water security at UN Headquarters that

“More than 1.4 billion people live in river basins where their use of water exceeds minimum recharge levels, leading to desiccation of rivers and the depletion of groundwater." She went on to say that insuring water security would require effective water management, “It means ensuring the integrity of ecosystems, and it means promoting peaceful collaboration in the sharing of water resources, particularly in the case of boundary and transboundary water resources.”

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling on the United States, China, India and the European Union to show "global leadership" in combating climate change at a news conference in New York saying,

“We have no time to lose, The United States, China, India and the European Union – all must show the way. We must provide for those least able to adapt.”

Honoring the Last to Die Crossing the Berlin Wall

On Thursday, February 5 a service was held to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the last death that resulted from an attempt to cross the Berlin Wall. 

Karin Gueffroy, the mother of Chris Gueffroy, lit a candle in his honor at a commemorative service held at Berlin's Chapel of Reconciliation. The chapel is located on the former "death strip". 

20-year-old Chris Gueffroy unwittingly made history on the night of Feb. 5, 1989 when he became the last victim of the Berlin wall "death strip." Gueffroy, attempting to avoid an upcoming mandatory enlistment in the military, was shot and killed attempting to cross the wall. Gueffroy and his friend, Christian Gaudian, attempted the crossing mistakenly believing that the standing order to "shoot to kill" had been revoked. 

The pair successfully avoided detection when making their way through the first sets of barriers, however their luck ran out when they set of an alarm at a steel-lattice fence. The border guards opened fire and Gueffroy was reportedly shot ten times with the fatal bullet piercing his heart, Gaudian was shot in the foot and later sentenced to 3 years in prison for attempting an "illegal border crossing". In September 1989 the West German government paid for his release from prison and expulsion from East Germany. 

As a result of East German state manipulation of records there is no universally accepted number to accurately show how many died trying to escape from East Germany but the number is believed to exceed 1100. 

When the obituary for Chris Gueffroy appeared in East German newspapers it would be the first time a death notice for someone killed trying to escape East Germany was allowed.

Criminals go Free While Untested DNA Sits in Storage

Dozens of Los Angeles detectives from the L.A.P.D. spent weeks going through what was described as a poorly maintained jumble of untested DNA evidence kits going back over ten years in L.A. evidence storage areas. In all, they found DNA evidence (semen, blood and other genetic material) from over 5000 rapes and sexual assaults in storage that had not been tested. 

In at least 118 of these cases testing the DNA now may lead to the identity of the perpetrator but no charges can be filed, the statute of limitations has expired. In an additional 403 cases police have no suspects and the DNA could be crucial in leading to an arrest. The remaining 3800 cases have been closed because an arrest was made without the DNA or other reasons. 

In an October 29 article on Human Rights Watch that put the number at 7300 cases Sarah Tofte, criminal justice researcher with the US Program at Human Rights Watch said,

" The rape-kit backlog is not simply a crime-lab capacity problem. The city needs a plan to improve the entire process of investigating and prosecuting rape cases. That is what will be meaningful to victims."

This revelation comes only days after the L.A. County Sharif's department announced that they had discovered 815 untested rape kits in their storage facility with 51 being beyond the statute of limitations. Over 100 more of these cases will expire within six months. Both agencies have been downplaying the seriousness of the problem for the past couple of months until the final counts came in. 

L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky told Cmdr. Earl M. Shields,

"You've got a bunch of evidence sitting there that is potentially a smoking gun, It could be the silver bullet to getting a suspect in a sexual assault case, and it's just sitting there."

Both agencies are in the process of increasing the number of analysts in their labs while considering ways to outsource the backlog, which is expected to take years to clear up.

Russian Hospital Rat Attack is Blamed on Negligence

On January 28 the Serpukhov Children's Hospital in Serpukhov Russia was the scene of a gruesome rat attack. At around 4 p.m. nurses heard 1-year-old Anastasia cry out, and as they ran to her aid they saw a large rat jump from her bed. While the nurses tended to Anastasia the rat attacked eight-month-old Alexandra. After the attack the girls were moved to another Moscow hospital where they were treated for their injuries and given rabies shots. Doctors said that the girls were very weak but none of their injuries were life threatening. 

Social service workers placed Alexandra and Anastasia at Serpukhov Children’s Hospital after their parents abandoned them; they both have serious neurological disorders. They believed the girls would be well treated and receive the care they needed. 

The hospital is described as having cracks in the walls, patches of mold, the air that is hard to breath due to the amount of moisture and it's been categorized as being in dangerously decrepit condition. 

It took authorities around two hours to trap the rat; the remaining children were moved to another ward and the room was fumigated. Despite the conditions at the hospital rats had not been a problem in the past and it is believed that this rodent could have came from a nearby mortuary. Child welfare officer Sofia Tulkinasaid, 

"We were all scared, the rat was acting so aggressively."

Despite an earlier report that indicates that the H=head doctor had requested funds to repair the hospital on several occasions the investigative committee has released a statement saying the incident happened

"as a result of the careless attitude of the hospital's management toward its immediate responsibilities to maintain sanitary and hygienic norms and supervise the children."

A finding of negligence is punishable by three months in jail or a $3300 fine.

Asylum Hearing Held for an AWOL U.S. Soldier in Germany

An asylum hearing was held yesterday in the German city of Karlsruhe for a U.S. soldier who went AWOL In the spring of 2007 after he was ordered to redeploy to Iraq for a second tour. 31-year old André Lawrence Shepherd decided that he could not return to what he referred to as a completely illegal war. He went AWOL from his base in Germany and spent the next 19 months on the run. In November of last year he became the second U.S. soldier to request asylum in Germany. Another U.S. soldier applied for asylum in 2007 but later withdrew his application. If Shepherd's application is approved he will become the first U.S. soldier to receive asylum. 

The hearing was described as a fact-finding session; Shepherd was questioned for several hours about the procedure for leaving the U.S. military, his motivation for enlisting and why he decided to leave. The hearing was a closed-door session intended to determine if he had a valid reason to go AWOL. 

According to a NATO statute he could have been arrested and returned to stand trial in a military court however under the Geneva Refugee Convention, Germany is required to provide Shepherd protection from arrest until a decision has been reached on his asylum status. When the application for asylum was first made the U.S. Army said they would not be involved in the case because it involved a federal agencies of a sovereign foreign government and therefore it would be handled by the State Department. According to the state department less than 1% percent of soldiers dessert and it is not common for their reason to be conscientious objection. German politicians and refugee organizations alike have asked the government to support the Shepherd's application for asylum. 

Shepherd's case rest interlay on the illegality of the war and he is hopeful he will be granted asylum based on the Nuremberg trials that established that even a soldier is responsible for his own actions, just following orders is not an excuse. He is also counting on the fact that Germany strongly opposed to the war in Iraq to work in his favor. 
Shepherd fears that a military court will unfairly prosecute him if he returns to the U.S. According to U.S. law deserting during a time of war can carry a death penalty.

Evanston School death Ruled a Suicide

The death of 10-year old Aquan Lewis has been ruled a suicide by the medical examiner but Evanston police Cmdr. Tom Guenther described the matter as an ongoing "death investigation.” This turn of events has left friends and family with only more questions, perhaps the biggest being: could he have actually committed suicide? 

A tearful Angel Marshall, Aquan's mother, said "My baby did not kill himself," and "You all need to get in that school and look at that stall." as she left the school. Her attorney has said that they may ask for another autopsy because the police investigation was incomplete when the M.E ruled it a suicide and the ruling was made to quickly. 

According to the Chicago Tribune a source has said that a footprint was on the toilet in the stall where he was found, they believe he stepped up and hanged himself from the coat hook. Sources also said that he had threatened to take his own life earlier in the day after being scolded by a teacher, however this begs the question: why did no one pay attention to such a threat? 

Ronald Davidson, a faculty member in the University of Illinois at Chicago's department of psychiatry said: 

"This underscores the need for teachers and school administrators and anyone who works with kids to pay attention to what children tell them,”

Child suicides are rare, according to 2005 statistics only about 36 children between the ages of 9 and 11 committed suicide nationally. 

In another turn of events the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is investigating the school for possible neglect based on a complaint they received regarding the death. There have been no previous complaints against the school or the family.

A second Look At The 1982 Tylenol Poisonings

The Chicago office of the FBI along with state and local authorities are taking a second look at the 1982 Tylenol poising case. 2007 was the 25th anniversary of cyanide laced Tylenol capsules turning up on store shelves and resulting in 7 deaths.

Authorities are conducting a full review of all evidence that was collected related to the case. This second look into this "cold Case” began last year and is in part due to advances in forensic technology and new information that came in during 2007. Authorities are saying that all of the new information either has been or will be investigated thoroughly.

No one was charged with the deaths however James W. Lewis was charged with extortion and spent 12 years in prison after he sent a note to Johnson and Johnson demanding $1 million dollars to stop the poisonings. At the time of his arrest he gave a detailed account of how he could pull off the crime but denied any involvement. After completing his sentence for extortion Lewis moved to the Boston area in 1995. Although he was never charged with the poisonings he has remained a suspect.

FBI agents from Chicago and Boston searched a condominium on Gore Street in Cambridge that is owned by Lewis along with several other locations in Cambridge including one storage unit. Agents left the condominium with a computer and several boxes. The FBI has said that the searches are part of an ongoing investigation but would not confirm that they are related to the Tylenol case.

After his conviction on the extortion charge Lewis offered to help authorities solve the case. He sent what is described as "volumes" of diagrams and documents explaining his theories of how the poisonings could have been carried out to Jeremy Margolis, the federal prosecutor who had handled his case.

In 2004 Lewis was arrested in Massachusetts and charged with kidnapping, rape and other charges, the case was dismissed by the court one day before the trial began after the alleged victim refused to testify.

Boy, 10, dies after being found hanging from coat hook

Counselors are on hand and two police cars are parked in front of Oakton Elementary School in Evanston Illinois after a ten-year-old student was found hanging from a hook in the restroom yesterday. 

Aquan Lewis, 10, of Skokie was apparently found hanging from a hook in the boys bathroom by a principal and a teacher around 3 pm yesterday. According to school janitor Elliott Lieteau Aquan was unresponsive when he was found. The child was pulled off of the hook and school officials called 911,while Lieteau began performing CPR. 

Aquan was taken to St. Francis Hospital and later transferred to Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago where he was pronounced dead at about 4 AM. An autopsy is scheduled for later today. 

Details are not being released but school officials and police are investigating the incident and have scheduled a press conference for noon today. The death has everyone asking if this was a tragic accident, bullying gone wrong, or something much worse. 

Many parents are concerned about how their own children will deal with this tragedy, especially those who knew Aquan.

A Spotsylvania man faces charges after striking a 2-year-old girl

50-year-old Richard Bundy of Spotsylvania County, VA is being held without bond on charges of threatening a police officer, felony child abuse, and malicious wounding after allegedly striking a 2-year-old girl. Bundy, who is married to the child's grandmother, was at home alone with the girl and her 7-year-old brother when the incident occurred. 

The brother ran to a neighbors house and called 911, when deputies arrived they found the girl unconscious. The 7 year old told the officers that he saw Bundy hit the child in the head and then ran to the neighbor’s house. Bundy told the deputies that she had collapsed on her own but an examination at a local hospital contradicted his account. Doctors found injuries consistent with blunt force trauma including extensive bleeding in her brain and damage to her right pupil. 

During an interview with Detective DeMoranville Bundy began to threaten her and the girls brother. 

The girl is currently in the pediatric intensive care unit at Inova Hospital in Fairfax where she is listed in critical condition. 

Bundy was released from prison only 7 months ago after completing a 2-year sentence for arson in Spotsylvania County.

U.S.-China Relations and the Global Economic Crisis

President Obama called Chinese President Hu on Friday to discuss the trade imbalance and ways to build "a more positive and constructive relationship". President Hu Expressed a desire to strengthen cooperation between China and the US while emphasizing that the interest of each country should be respected by the other. 

China recently surpassed Japan to become the US government's largest creditor and the U.S. trade deficit with China is the largest ever recorded with a single country. For now China continues to help finance the US budget deficit by buying treasuries and government securities. However, they may be considering slowing this practice due to their own economic slowdown and irritation over criticism of China's currency policies by Vice President Joe Biden and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geither. Geither has accused China of manipulating it's currency and Biden told CNBC that the Obama administration would "say to China - which occasionally the last administration was reluctant to do - 'your a major player on the world scene economically, and you've got to play by the rules that everybody else plays by.”’ Biden also stated that China as well as other counties are focused on their own economy and are taking action to protect themselves. 

China has already begun cutting back their holdings in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as well as establishing their own $586 billion stimulus plan to build railroads bridges and dams. Germany has also approved a €50 billion stimulus package in an effort to combat the current economic downturn. As the world's largest export driven economies China and Germany have agreed to support each other in their economic stimulus plans as well as to strengthen dialogue on economic, trade, and currency policies in an effort to stabilize the global economy. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said “We can overcome the crisis together,” and German Chancellor Angela said, “Our opportunity lies in open markets,” And warned against turning to protectionist policies. 

The controversial "Buy American" provision in the President's new stimulus package is also causing concern. The provision is intended to stimulate manufacturing jobs in the U.S. by requiring government contractors to use equipment and materials "Made in America". 

Supporters of "Buy American" provision argue that it is the only way to insure that we create jobs and stimulate the economy at home as opposed to exporting those jobs. One example of the desire for this type of act is all to obvious in a car commercial currently running in Richmond, VA. Two competing dealers have joined together in the commercial. The opening is what would be expected from any commercial however the closing line says it all. Dealer A says (referring to dealer B) if you don’t want to buy from me then buy from him, the important part is to “Buy America”. 

Those who appose the provision, including some of the biggest American manufacturers, fear retaliation from counties that currently buy their products. They have compared it to a declaration of war on free trade. Opponents go on to argue that it would violate existing trade agreements as well as sending a protectionist message to the world. 

According to the China daily China acknowledges the US effort to stabilize the financial market and stimulate the economy. They go on to say that China will join hands with the United States at the April GE 20 summit to promote a healthy and stable economy. 

With over 100,000 jobs lost in the US last week alone, Iceland's government becoming the first to fall due global economic crisis, and the effect of the economy being felt worldwide it is clear the nation's will need to work together to overcome the problem. This could include a great deal of fancy footwork on the tightrope of protectionism and free trade.

Opinion: A Proud Day, As History Has Been Made in America

America made history yesterday, in the great tradition of democracy the American people spoke out loud and proud to elect the first non white U.S. president. 

For many in America this is a day that only a few years ago they dreamed of but believed it would only be a dream, never to become a reality in their life time. many others did not dare dream of this day. 

On December 1, 1955 Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat and move to the back of the bus. On December 5, 1955, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was unanimously elected president of the Montgomery Improvement Association and the Montgomery Bus Boycott began. Many whites believed that this would end quickly, after all, they had to have public transportation and they just needed to stay in the back of the bus. they were wrong, this passive protest would last for 382 days and result in the bombing of Martin luther King's home as well as his arrest on conspiracy charges yet the boycott continued. This passive, silent steadfast approach led to the December 21, 1956 supreme court ruling that segregation on public transportation was illegal. 

King would go on to lead many nonviolent protests following the teachings of Thoreau and the examples of Gandhi as the leader of The Southern Christian Leadership Conference. 

This passive approach would be met with violence, it would lead to many arrests and the eventual assassination of Martin Luther King but not before he would help change the course of American history. He would not die before becoming the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, meet with Pope Paul VI, and be Time Magazine's Man of the Year. He would not die before giving the famous "I Have a Dream"Speech. He would not die before America saw for themselves the film of "Bloody Sunday" when 600 African-American marchers were attacked on the Edmund Pettus bridge in Selma, Ala. by state troopers in an attempt to stop their march to the capital for the right to vote. The arrest, beatings, and deaths of that day would lead to a public outcry for change and to President Johnson presenting congress with "The Voting Rights Act". It took three attempts but finally 3200 african-Americans crossed that bridge under the protection of the National Guard. 

It was a long walk from the Edmund Pettus bridge in Selma, Alabama to this day in history, a long march from "I Have a Dream" to a dream realized for millions. It was a long journey from segregation to Americans coming together over all racial divides to achieve a common goal. 

It is important for us all to remember that this dream was realized by uniting in "The United States" and that all things are possible when we are united. 

I thought it was ironic that the democratic news source known as citizen journalism made its own history by bringing the first all CJ live blogging to the world news arena on this historic day thanks to The Digital Journal.

Myanmar: Soldiers believed responsible for rape, torture and murder of schoolgirl

15-year-old Nhkum Hkawn Din, an ethnic Kachin of Nam Sai village Myanmar, was last seen as she was walking to the fields where her brother was working to deliver his lunch. Afterwards, she did not return home and her family alerted local police. 

After a three-day search her body was found naked near a military check point along with her personal possession. According to her family she had been beaten, raped, stabbed 7 times, her throat was cut, her eyes had been stabbed out with a knife and she had cuts on her “private areas”. The Burma Campaign UK said the girl’s skull was smashed and described her face as mutilated, 

Witnesses say they saw Corporal Aye Thein and two other soldiers following her in the field just before she disappeared. Local police have told the family that there is no evidence to charge the soldiers with the crime and at this point the military has not conducted an investigation into the matter. 

Nang Seng, Campaign Officer for The Burma Campaign said

“"This is one incident among thousands of cases and is the trademark of the Burmese Army's use of rape as weapon of war in Burma.”

In a later statement she added:

"This is a horrific attack and should remind governments and the United Nations of the true nature of this regime,"

and

"There is no justice or rule of law in Burma,"

The advocacy group, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, released a statement condemning the government and calling for more international pressure. Alexa Papadouris, Advocacy Director for the group said,

"This latest tragedy is another example of the grotesque barbarism of the military regime in Burma, and evidence that despite what the regime tells UN envoys, they continue to perpetrate crimes against humanity with impunity,"

Both organizations are calling on the International Criminal Court to bring charges of crime against humanity against the government of Myanmar.

Lionfish Invade The Caribbean

An unexpected after effect of 1992’s Hurricane Andrew was the introduction of venomous lionfish into the Caribbean. It is believed that six of the predatory fish where released into Biscayne Bay when Hurricane Andrew smashed a private aquarium.

According to NOAA the lionfish were first reported off the coast of North Carolina in 2000 and in 2004, 155 Lionfish were caught at 19 different locations, again off the N.C. Coast and began appearing in the Bahamas. Biologists believe that when the fish were freed into the bay they released there floating egg sacks that then road the Gulf Stream to the coast of North Carolina where they colonized the area. The lionfish are now being found from the Bahamas to the coast of Florida and have been found as far north as Road Island during the summer months. The largest concentrations seem to be in the Bahamas where they have invaded every habitat and in some areas have multiplied by ten fold in one year. Mark Hixon, a marine ecology expert at Oregon State University compared the invasion to a plaque of locusts saying, "This may very well become the most devastating marine invasion in history," and "There is probably no way to stop the invasion completely." 

Their venom is not fatal to humans and they are not known to be aggressive towards humans, however they do sting people occasionally. Officials believe the risk of being stung will greatly increase as the Lionfish colonize more of the popular Caribbean beaches. Bruce Purdy, a diver who has helped REEF track the invasion says he has been stung several times. On the worst of these occasions Purdy said,

"It was so painful, it made me want to cut my own hand off,"

The lionfish is a predator with an apparently insatiable appetite and the ability to disrupt ecosystems and devastate the populations of smaller fish. Researchers have observed the Lionfish eat as many as 20 smaller fish in 30 minutes. A big concern is that the lionfish may devastate the grazing fish that protect the reefs from over population of seaweed. The reefs are already under strain from climate changes and pollution. Andy Dehart of the National Aquarium in Washington said,

"If we start losing these smaller reef fish as food to the lionfish ... we could be in a whirlwind for bad things coming to the reef ecosystem."

There seem to be only a handful of larger fish that will eat the lionfish. In an effort to control this invasion researchers are scrambling to find just such a predator. Researchers have experimented with moray eels, sharks and even humans. The moray experiment was totally unsuccessful and one report said even a hungry shark would turn away when they attempted to feed them the lionfish, eventually they did have some success with the shark but it took a lot of work. Human test subjects said the fish taste similar to halibut. 

One predator that will eat the Lionfish is grouper, scientist are now scrambling to create new reserves to protect the grouper from over fishing as well as other predators that may eat the lionfish. Grouper can be found in the lionfish’s natural habitat in Southeast-Asia. T 

Although lionfish have been used as food in their native areas they are usually caught or raised and sold as pets, they are especially popular in the U.S. thus explaining the current problem.

Democratic Party Chairman Bill Gwatney Dead From Gun Shot Wounds

A 48-year-old former state senator and current democratic party Chairman Bill Gwatney died about four hours after being shot at the Arkansas Democratic Party's headquarters in Little Rock. 

A 17-year-old volunteer at the party's headquarters said the suspect, 50-year-old Timothy Dale Johnson. asked to speak to Gwatney saying he wanted to volunteer. After being told he could not see him Johnson forced his way paste employees and barged into Gwatney's office. The two introduced themselves to each other then Johnson pulled his weapon and fired several shots fatally wounding the chairman. 

According to police Johnson then drove about seven blocks were he stooped at the Arkansas State Baptist Convention and pointed his weapon at the building manager saying "I lost my job" then sped away. Apparently he had been fired earlier in the day from his job at Target for writing graffiti on a store wall. The police were called to the store because of the graffiti but Johnson had left before they arrived. 

The shooting was followed by a 30 mile chase, A police spokesman said officers fired shots at the suspect during the chase which came to an end in Grant county. At this point Arkansas state police and Little Rock police fired additional shots at the suspect who died as a result of the injuries. 

A party statement released said

"Bill Gwatney was our friend, our party's leader, and so many times our party's conscience," and "Our state and our party are better for all that Bill Gwatney has done."

Gov. Mike Beebe, a Democrat who served with Gwatney in the state Senate, made the followingstatement:

"Arkansas has lost a great son, and I have lost a great friend, There is deep pain in Arkansas tonight because of the sheer number of people who knew, respected and loved Bill Gwatney."

The FBI is assisting the Arkansas state police in the investigation.

Cancer Survivor Sells His Cheek on ebay

n an interview with channel 4 news, Gregory Brown of Woodland Hills CA. explains why he offered his left cheek for auction on ebay. Gregory, a Stage 4 Malignant Melanoma survivor, offered one year of advertizing on his left cheek to the highest bidder. 

Following surgery to remove the Melanoma in November of 2005 and a second surgery in January 2007 (the result of a recurrence) Gregory was left with a hole in his cheek. Gregory also had 17 lymph nodes removed from his neck, a tumor removed from his left femur and two, back-to-back craniotomies after being diagnosed with a brain metastasis in his right temporal lobe. He has also undergone high-dose Bio Chemotherapy for the original tumor and whole brain radiation treatments after several smaller lesions were discovered in his brain. 

After the prosthetic originally provided failed to adhere to his skin Gregory decided to make the best of a bad situation by offering his face on ebay. A portion of the auction reads,

“What you/your company is bidding on is one-year advertising rights to my left facial cheek in the form of a Medically-Safe prosthetic” and “I encourage the winning bidder to provide me with a supply of 3" x 5" index cards that state your company’s support of Skin Cancer Awareness, Research and Education.”

The auction received 11 bids with the winning bid being $76.00. 

Apparently the idea caught on, while searching for Gregory’s auction I came across these: “Tattoo space on my Right foot” and “Advertising Space on the FRONT AND BACK of my BALD Head”

Japan Bans Nicky Foods' Products Imported From China

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry in Japan has ordered a ban on “Nicky Foods” products imported from China. The move comes after they found elevated levels of pesticides in frozen food. The products in question had been sold to members of a coop union in Kanagawa, Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures (states) before the contaminants were discovered. The product was recalled and the majority was collected before being sold to the public 
. 
This is the third incident involving pesticide contamination since the beginning of the year. The latest round of product recalls come shortly after the Chinese government announced that a campaign to eliminate all non-food materials from there food products was a success. 

Osaka, based Nicky Foods said the products were manufactured by there subsidiary in China, Shandong Renmu Food Co, and imported by there trading division, Nicky Trading Company. The recall was ordered after officials detected 1.2 parts per million of phorate (organophosphate pesticide) in the products, the acceptable level for humans is .03 ppm. 

In late December and early January 10 people became ill after eating gyoza" dumpling, manufactured by Tianyang Food in Hebei Province China, bringing the contamination to the attention of authorities. An additional 286 people received medical treatment after consuming the dumplings. Police found 1-mm. holes in the front and back of at least one package leading them to believe the contamination may have been intentional. "Nikuman" buns and dim sum were also recalled after elevated levels of pesticides were found. 

The Chinese General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine told the government owned China Daily that “The contamination is likely to have been caused by loopholes in the producers' purchase of raw materials such as vegetables," placing blame on Japan based Nicky Foods and their subsidiaries. They also pointed out that both manufactures, although located in China are wholly owned subsidiaries of Nicky Foods. 

China has also suspended exports from Wangyu Aquatic Food Company after they discovered similar contaminants in frozen mackerel that was to be exported to Japan. Chinese official say that they tested samples from the plant including packaging materials and found no evidence of the pesticide. Officials also said that the only seasoning provided by the Chinese plant was salt, and again pointed out that this is a Japanese funded facility. 

China has sent Wu Guoqing, top criminal investigator, and toxicologist Wang Guiqiang to aid in the investigation into the source of the contamination.

Japanese Destroyer Collision Caused by Negligence

On Feb.19 at 4:07 a.m. the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force destroyer, Atago, collided with a small fishing vessel, the Seitoku Maru, in the pacific just off of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The 7,700-ton destroyer apparently struck the smaller vassal’s wheel house broadside slicing the ship in half instantly. 

According to the MSDF, the Atego alerted the Japanese coast guard about 17 minutes after the collision, the JCG responded with five patrol boats, three aircraft, and a four-member diving team who searched the wreckage of the Seitoku Maru for survivors with no results. The father and son crew, Tetsuhiro, 23 and Haruo Kichisei, 58, have not yet been recovered. 

The JCG immediately launched an investigation into the cause of the accident. They acquired a warrant to search the Atago as soon as it arrived at Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. The warrant was obtained on the basis that the JCG believed that the Atago’s crew endangered maritime traffic through negligence. They were looking far any clues related directly to the accident and examined the surface radar system and determined that it was functioning properly. The JCG also questioned the crew of the Atago about events leading up to the collision while divers examined the hull of the ship for any additional clues. 

As a result of information and evidence obtained during the investigation the accident is believed to be the result of negligence on the part of the destroyer’s crew. The smaller vessel should have appeared on the Atago’s radar as early as 30 minutes before the collision although the JCG is unsure if it was detected. The initial report filed by the Defense Ministry stated that the crew of the Atego saw the Seitoku Maru’s navigation light only two minutes before the collision however new information reveals that at least one watch crew member saw the light 12 minute prior to the accident. The investigation also reveals that the Atago was returned to manual control and evasive action ordered only one minute before impact. Maritime law requires all ships to yield right of way to vessels approaching from the right. Grey paint traces found on the recovered wreckage of the Seitoku Maru shows that it was hit on the port side indicating that the Atago was required to yield and failed to do so. 

Maritime law also requires all ships operating at night to display a green light on the starboard side and a red light on the port side, in this manner other ships can determine position and heading. Ships towing any object, including fishing nets, must display an additional light visible from all directions. At this time it is believed that the Seitoku Maru was in compliance with with applicable laws at the time of the accident. This seems to indicate that the fishing vessel should have been easily visible and the collision avoidable. 

It is now being reported that Adm. Eiji Yoshikawa, the Maritime Self Defense Force’s chief of staff, is expected to be relieved of duty for failing to report the accident to the prime minister in a timely manner. His possible successors are Chief of Staff Vice Adm. Tamotsu Kato and Vice Adm. Yoji Koda. 

The incident has some Japanese officials asking the question, if the destroyer could not detect and avoid a collision with a well marked fishing trawler what could they expect in the event of a terrorist attack against one of there ships.