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| March 2010 |
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 Indian Women Secure Seats
March 9, 2010—New Delhi, India: In the wake of International Women’s Day, the largest democracy in the world made a historic gesture towards gender equality. India’s upper house of parliament passed a bill Tuesday to reserve one-third of the seats in the legislature for women. The two days leading up to the vote bordered on political chaos. Indeed, opponents of the amendment sat on the parliament floor and chanted throughout the proceedings. Many worried that the bill would injure Muslim influence in government. Others declared that it would only worsen an already entrenched problem—power-hungry men manipulating their daughters, wives, and sisters in proxy. Still, this first step in amending India’s Constitution is promising in a nation where women are deeply underprivileged and undervalued. [DC]
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 Japan's Endangered Image
March 9 2010—Tokyo, Japan: The award of an Oscar to The Cove—a documentary exposing the dynamics of Japanese dolphin hunting—promises to rock Japan’s PR boat. Even before the film’s release and subsequent Academy Award for “Best Documentary,” Japan’s maritime practices were inciting international outrage. Last month, in response to Japan’s Antarctic whale hunt, Australia’s prime minister threatened to launch action against the nation at the International Court of Justice this fall. What’s more, Tokyo has also antagonized the UN by threatening to dismiss its vote to add the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna to the endangered species list. Ultimately, despite the documentary’s global recognition, the film only had two showings in Japan and scant media coverage. [DC]
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 Nigeria’s Bloodbath
March 9, 2010—Jos, Nigeria: In the aftermath of the Nigerian village massacres that left more than 200 people dead, the world is demanding answers. On Tuesday, human rights activists and the U.S. government called for Nigeria to investigate and prosecute those responsible for Sunday's killings. Nigeria’s Acting President, Goodluck Jonathan, had promised an end to the violence after the killings of more than 300 Muslim villagers in January, but Sunday’s attack on Christian villagers came notwithstanding. Those who survived the carnage insist that security forces never provided them any guards. Jonathan has since fired his national security adviser. [DC]
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 Turkey Pulls Out U.S. Ambassador
March 6, 2010—Ankara, Turkey: Thursday’s vote in the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs committee has incensed Turkey. The resolution urges Obama to use the term "genocide" this April during his memorial remarks for the killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during WWI. Turkey acknowledges that many Armenians died but firmly denies figures pointing to 1.5 million. On Saturday, Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan avowed that the vote, “Will greatly harm bilateral relations, interests and vision.” He further menaced that “Turkey will not be the one who loses.” The Obama administration made a last-minute appeal against the resolution and has vowed to stop the vote from going further in Congress. Even so, Turkey—an ally crucial to U.S. interests in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and the Middle East—has presently recalled its ambassador to the United States, insinuating that it could be a long time before he returns. [DC]
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 Ahmadinejad: 9-11 Attacks a Hoax
March 6, 2010—Tehran, Iran: According to the official IRNA news agency, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared Saturday that the September 11 attacks that claimed over 3,000 lives were a "big fabrication" used to justify the U.S. war on terrorism and stage an invasion against Afghanistan. Ahmadinejad wholly dismissed the destruction of the twin towers as a "complicated intelligence scenario and act.” This is not the first time the controversial president has blatantly denied the devastating al Qaeda attacks, but his accusations are becoming increasingly vocal as the tension between Iran and the West grows over its nuclear facilities. [DC]
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 The Rise of the Blue Helmettes
March 5, 2010—United Nations: As the UN nears commemorating the 100th International Women’s Day on March 8, it is also intensifying efforts to recruit women for its peacekeeping efforts. Ever since the 1990s, when female peacekeepers first started participating in UN interventions, officials have celebrated the distinctive results of their presence. Female peacekeepers not only soften the notion of the UN troops as invaders but also keep their male counterparts in line. Top UN officials credit the arrival of women for helping dramatically decrease incidents of sexual abuse against natives; indeed, many assert that women have a civilizing effect in the brigades. The number of female police officers in UN peacekeeping missions around the world has already doubled during the past five years. [DC] |
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