Month: March 2019

Local Praise Singers in Nigeria Serve as Tool for Politicians

Posted on by SeeAF

Music groups known as praise singers have a long tradition of working for politicians in northern Nigeria. The groups have performed a lot this past week ahead of Nigeria’s gubernatorial elections Saturday. 

Abdulmumin Umar, the lead vocalist of Alheri, a group of singers in Northern Nigeria, says the group has been singing for more than 20 years, and getting paid for it.

“I use this to help my family and even others,” Umar said. “Through this job, I employ people to work on my farm.”

 

WATCH: Nigerian Singers Feed Families by Singing Politicians Praise

Political praise singing in Nigeria dates back several decades and has become a tool for many politicians. A typical song can be an ode to a candidate, or a put-down of his opponents. 

Politicians like Temitope Atiba, a campaign rally coordinator with the APC party, invest money in the singers. Atiba says praise singing can build support for a candidate. 

“For me it is that resonance, that connection between the people and music and the ability to convey a message through the music,” Atiba said.

Praise singers like Abdullahi Ali says they’ve been reaping the benefits.

“This is very important to me. It is through this I pay my children’s school fees and feed myself and my family,” Ali said.

When there are no elections in progress, praise singers sometimes get invited to sing at social gatherings and other events. But their forte is the elections. 
…

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Local Praise Singers in Nigeria Serve as Tool for Politicians

Posted on by SeeAF

Music groups known as praise singers have a long tradition of working for politicians in northern Nigeria. The groups have performed a lot this past week ahead of Nigeria’s gubernatorial elections Saturday. 

Abdulmumin Umar, the lead vocalist of Alheri, a group of singers in Northern Nigeria, says the group has been singing for more than 20 years, and getting paid for it.

“I use this to help my family and even others,” Umar said. “Through this job, I employ people to work on my farm.”

 

WATCH: Nigerian Singers Feed Families by Singing Politicians Praise

Political praise singing in Nigeria dates back several decades and has become a tool for many politicians. A typical song can be an ode to a candidate, or a put-down of his opponents. 

Politicians like Temitope Atiba, a campaign rally coordinator with the APC party, invest money in the singers. Atiba says praise singing can build support for a candidate. 

“For me it is that resonance, that connection between the people and music and the ability to convey a message through the music,” Atiba said.

Praise singers like Abdullahi Ali says they’ve been reaping the benefits.

“This is very important to me. It is through this I pay my children’s school fees and feed myself and my family,” Ali said.

When there are no elections in progress, praise singers sometimes get invited to sing at social gatherings and other events. But their forte is the elections. 
…

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Activist Sees Key Role for Youth in Peace Efforts

Posted on by SeeEU

The United Nations says 1.8 billion people in the world are below age 30. Most live in developing countries, with hundreds of millions in areas of conflict.

Actor Forest Whitaker, a U.N. goodwill ambassador, says young people too often are viewed in a negative light. He says they are seen as a problem rather than the solution to unresolved conflicts.  

Speaking to VOA on Friday on the sidelines of a U.N. Human Rights Council meeting, Whitaker said his foundation, the Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative, trains young people to become mediators in four systems of conflict resolution and education. He said young women and men also are trained in information and communication technologies, life skills and entrepreneurial skills.

Efforts in South Sudan

Whitaker said many are applying their skills within their own communities as part of a peace and reconciliation program his foundation is running in South Sudan.

“They are in the middle of mediating conflicts that have to deal with cattle issues,” he said. “They are in the middle of mediating conflicts that have to do with revenge killings, that have to do with territorial rights. … They go out into the communities as well, sometimes, and interpret in their native language or native tongue the peace agreements to the communities.”

Whitaker said young people apply their expertise on many fronts. He said they often are called upon by the countries themselves to act as mediators.

He said many of the people his foundation works with in South Sudan are decommissioned child soldiers. Similar programs exist in post-conflict situations for young people who were recruited as child soldiers by the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda, he said.

The foundation has projects in Mexico and the United States and soon will begin working with young people on peace and reconciliation issues in South Africa.
…

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Activist Sees Key Role for Youth in Peace Efforts

Posted on by SeeEU

The United Nations says 1.8 billion people in the world are below age 30. Most live in developing countries, with hundreds of millions in areas of conflict.

Actor Forest Whitaker, a U.N. goodwill ambassador, says young people too often are viewed in a negative light. He says they are seen as a problem rather than the solution to unresolved conflicts.  

Speaking to VOA on Friday on the sidelines of a U.N. Human Rights Council meeting, Whitaker said his foundation, the Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative, trains young people to become mediators in four systems of conflict resolution and education. He said young women and men also are trained in information and communication technologies, life skills and entrepreneurial skills.

Efforts in South Sudan

Whitaker said many are applying their skills within their own communities as part of a peace and reconciliation program his foundation is running in South Sudan.

“They are in the middle of mediating conflicts that have to deal with cattle issues,” he said. “They are in the middle of mediating conflicts that have to do with revenge killings, that have to do with territorial rights. … They go out into the communities as well, sometimes, and interpret in their native language or native tongue the peace agreements to the communities.”

Whitaker said young people apply their expertise on many fronts. He said they often are called upon by the countries themselves to act as mediators.

He said many of the people his foundation works with in South Sudan are decommissioned child soldiers. Similar programs exist in post-conflict situations for young people who were recruited as child soldiers by the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda, he said.

The foundation has projects in Mexico and the United States and soon will begin working with young people on peace and reconciliation issues in South Africa.
…

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BMW X7 xDrive40i 2019

Posted on by BoorSell

Engine LITERS/TYPE
3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder

DISPLACEMENT (cc)
2998

HORSEPOWER (hp @ rpm)
335 @ 5500–6500

TORQUE (lb-ft @ rpm)
330 @ 1500–5200

COMPRESSION RATIO (:1)
11.0

Transmission TYPE
8-speed STEPTRONIC Automatic transmission with Sport and Manual shift modes

AUTOMATIC GEAR RATIOS – I / II / III
5.25 / 3.36 / 2.17

AUTOMATIC GEAR RATIOS – IV / V / VI
1.72 / 1.32 / 1.00

AUTOMATIC GEAR RATIOS – VII / VIII / R
0.82 / 0.64 / 3.71

AUTOMATIC GEAR RATIOS – FINAL DRIVE RATIO
3.64

Performance ACCELERATION 0–60 mph AUTOMATIC (sec)
5.8

TOP SPEED (mph)
130 [152]

TOWING CAPACITY (lbs)
7500

Fuel Consumption 
FUEL TANK CAPACITY (gallons) 21.9

Wheels & Tires TIRE TYPE
Run-flat all-season

WHEEL DIMENSIONS (in)
21 x 9.5 front and rear

TIRE DIMENSIONS (mm)
285/45 front and rear

Exterior Dimensions LENGTH / WIDTH / HEIGHT (in)
203.3 / 78.7 / 71.1

CURB WEIGHT – AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (lbs)
5370

WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION, FRONT/REAR – AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (%)
46.6 / 53.4

PAYLOAD (lbs)
1202

Interior Dimensions HEADROOM (in)
41.9

LEGROOM, FRONT/REAR (in)
39.8 / 37.6

SHOULDER ROOM, FRONT/REAR (in)
60.0 / 58.1

CARGO CAPACITY (cu ft)
48.6 – 90.4
seLLines

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ROLLS-ROYCE CULLINAN 2019

Posted on by BoorSell

Dimensions
Vehicle length 5341 mm / 210 in
Vehicle width 2000 mm / 79 in
Vehicle height (unladen) 1835 mm / 72 in
Wheelbase 3295 mm / 130 in

Weight
Unladen weight (DIN) 2660 kg / 5864 lb
Curb weight (USA) 2753 kg / 6069 lb

Engine
Engine / cylinders / valves 6.75 / 12 / 48
Fuel management Direct injection
Maximum torque @ engine speed 850 Nm @ 1600 rpm
Power output @ engine speed 563 bhp / 571 PS (DIN) / 420 kW @ 5000 rpm

Performance*
Top speed 155 mph / 250 km/h (governed)
Acceleration 0-60 mph (USA) 5.0 sec (5.0 sec)
Acceleration 0-100 km/h (USA) 5.2 sec (5.2 sec)

Fuel Consumption
Urban 22.4-21.9 ltr/100 km / 12.6-12.9 mpg (Imp.)
Extra urban 11.0-10.9 ltr/100 km / 25.7-25.9 mpg (Imp.)
Combined consumption 15.0 ltr/100 km / 18.8 mpg (Imp.)
CO2 emissions (combined) 341 g/km
Fuel Consumption (USA & Canada)‡
City 22.4-21.9 ltr/100 km / 10.5-10.7 mpg
Highway 11.0-10.9 ltr/100 km / 21.4-21.6 mpg
seLLines

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Trump’s Road to Re-Election Paved with Anti-Socialism

Posted on by SeeUS

It’s 20 months until the next presidential election, but U.S. President Trump has found his battle cry. He is condemning socialism and painting it as the flawed ideology of his Democratic opponents.

During his appearance at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) earlier this month, Trump accused Democrats of wanting “to replace individual rights with total government domination.”

“Socialism is not about the environment, it’s not about justice, it’s not about virtue,” Trump said. “Socialism is about only one thing, it’s called power for the ruling class.”

WATCH: As Democrats Lean Left for 2020, Trump Cries Socialism

The message was repeated by Vice President Mike Pence who also spoke at CPAC. 

“Under the guise of Medicare-for-all and a Green New Deal, Democrats are embracing the same, tired economic theories that have impoverished nations and have stifled the liberties of millions over the past century,” Pence said. “That system is socialism.”

​Shifting opinion on socialism

In recent decades socialist policies have been almost taboo in American politics, but 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders shifted opinion by embracing the label and championing proposals like universal health care and free higher education.

His candidacy helped redefine what socialism means for many Americans, bringing it into the political mainstream, even though it remains vilified by Republicans.

Socialism can encompass a wide range of policies, but in the United States, some prominent politicians are championing the term to refer to efforts that propose raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans to address the country’s widening income gap, funding universal health care and providing more jobs that pay enough for people to support a family.

Public opinion polls indicate a majority of Americans support each of those policies, even though “socialism” as a political concept continues to be favored by a minority of voters.

 

WATCH: Trump Paves Road to Re-Election With Anti-Socialism Message

Political boogeyman

With his national emergency declaration to build the border wall — a signature campaign promise — facing steep opposition and multiple ongoing investigations of his administration, family and business empire, Trump and his Republican allies are blasting socialism as a political boogeyman and painting Democratic presidential hopefuls as far-left extremists, with Bernie Sanders as a main target.

Sanders, a political independent, calls himself a “democratic socialist” and is already considered a front-runner in the crowded Democratic primary field. He supports universal health care, free college education and raising the national minimum wage to at least $15 per hour, more than twice what it is now.

Republican strategist and president of North Star Opinion Research Whit Ayres believe the best strategy for Democrats is to nominate someone who can unite non-Trump voters. If Democrats nominate a candidate who can be characterized as espousing socialist ideas like Bernie Sanders, “that is the best outcome for President Trump to be re-elected,” Ayres said.

​Hispanic votes

Ayres and other analysts point out that painting Democrats as socialists is a good strategy to appeal to Hispanic voters.

“It is precisely a way to expand the Republican coalition,” Ayres said. “It is explicitly an effort, not just to reinforce the base, but to expand the Republican appeal.”

During a speech in front of a largely Venezuelan and Cuban immigrant crowd in Miami last month, Trump voiced his support for Venezuela’s National Assembly President Juan Guaido, whom the United States recognizes as the country’s interim president, while warning of “the dangers of socialism,” saying it delivers poverty, hatred and division.

Daniel Runde, director of the Project on Prosperity and Development at the Center of Strategic and International Studies said the president’s strategy makes political sense to appeal to voters in key states he needs to win re-election.

“Especially in a place like Florida where there’s a large number of Venezuelans and Cuban emigres,” Runde said. “They understand exactly what socialism is, and they hate it.”

​The Green New Deal

Republicans have denounced the Green New Deal (GND), a non-binding resolution introduced last month by first-term congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts.

The term was coined to be reminiscent of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “New Deal,” a series of programs and projects to restore prosperity during the 1930s Great Depression.

Proponents of the framework hope it will revitalize the economy and eliminate carbon emissions within a decade. It also includes proposals such as universal health care, higher education, a living wage and paid family vacations.

Critics say it would bankrupt the economy.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called the deal:

During his CPAC remarks, Trump condemned the GND as a “socialist nightmare” and mocked proposals to use wind power as a source of clean energy.

“Darling, is the wind blowing today?” Trump said. “I’d like to watch television, darling.”

Changing view of socialism?

According to a 2018 Gallup poll, even though the majority of Republicans remain much more positive about capitalism than socialism, 57 percent of Democrats have a favorable view of socialism.

Experts say American views on socialism have evolved, particularly those of millennials who came of age during the 2008 recession. Many became disillusioned by an economy that is delivering fewer opportunities than their parents enjoyed at the same time that the wealthiest Americans got far richer.

“We’ve had increased interest and membership since the Trump election,” said Gregory Pason, national secretary of the Socialist Party, U.S.A. “Our feeling is that people are looking for an alternative to Trump policies and understand the Democratic Party is not providing a real alternative.”

Some democratic-socialist politicians, such as Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, want to nearly double taxes on the wealthiest Americans to help pay for universal health care, free higher education and a jobs program focused on moving the economy away from fossil fuels.

Pason stressed that socialism is not about tax policy but about “giving working people ownership and workers and their communities control of their lives.”

Daniel Runde said that while the term socialism for previous generations was understood to be “a really awful and terrible thing,” for many supporters of socialism today, the term represents progressive ideas and an expansive welfare state.

“You can have debates about the size of government, the size of a social safety net and the size of regulation,” Runde said, “But when there are people who come out and say they’re straight out socialists, there is a danger of forgetting the legacy of socialism and communism.”

For President Trump, reminding voters about that legacy is likely to be a prominent part of his re-election campaign.
…

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Trump’s Road to Re-Election Paved with Anti-Socialism

Posted on by SeeUS

It’s 20 months until the next presidential election, but U.S. President Trump has found his battle cry. He is condemning socialism and painting it as the flawed ideology of his Democratic opponents.

During his appearance at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) earlier this month, Trump accused Democrats of wanting “to replace individual rights with total government domination.”

“Socialism is not about the environment, it’s not about justice, it’s not about virtue,” Trump said. “Socialism is about only one thing, it’s called power for the ruling class.”

WATCH: As Democrats Lean Left for 2020, Trump Cries Socialism

The message was repeated by Vice President Mike Pence who also spoke at CPAC. 

“Under the guise of Medicare-for-all and a Green New Deal, Democrats are embracing the same, tired economic theories that have impoverished nations and have stifled the liberties of millions over the past century,” Pence said. “That system is socialism.”

​Shifting opinion on socialism

In recent decades socialist policies have been almost taboo in American politics, but 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders shifted opinion by embracing the label and championing proposals like universal health care and free higher education.

His candidacy helped redefine what socialism means for many Americans, bringing it into the political mainstream, even though it remains vilified by Republicans.

Socialism can encompass a wide range of policies, but in the United States, some prominent politicians are championing the term to refer to efforts that propose raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans to address the country’s widening income gap, funding universal health care and providing more jobs that pay enough for people to support a family.

Public opinion polls indicate a majority of Americans support each of those policies, even though “socialism” as a political concept continues to be favored by a minority of voters.

 

WATCH: Trump Paves Road to Re-Election With Anti-Socialism Message

Political boogeyman

With his national emergency declaration to build the border wall — a signature campaign promise — facing steep opposition and multiple ongoing investigations of his administration, family and business empire, Trump and his Republican allies are blasting socialism as a political boogeyman and painting Democratic presidential hopefuls as far-left extremists, with Bernie Sanders as a main target.

Sanders, a political independent, calls himself a “democratic socialist” and is already considered a front-runner in the crowded Democratic primary field. He supports universal health care, free college education and raising the national minimum wage to at least $15 per hour, more than twice what it is now.

Republican strategist and president of North Star Opinion Research Whit Ayres believe the best strategy for Democrats is to nominate someone who can unite non-Trump voters. If Democrats nominate a candidate who can be characterized as espousing socialist ideas like Bernie Sanders, “that is the best outcome for President Trump to be re-elected,” Ayres said.

​Hispanic votes

Ayres and other analysts point out that painting Democrats as socialists is a good strategy to appeal to Hispanic voters.

“It is precisely a way to expand the Republican coalition,” Ayres said. “It is explicitly an effort, not just to reinforce the base, but to expand the Republican appeal.”

During a speech in front of a largely Venezuelan and Cuban immigrant crowd in Miami last month, Trump voiced his support for Venezuela’s National Assembly President Juan Guaido, whom the United States recognizes as the country’s interim president, while warning of “the dangers of socialism,” saying it delivers poverty, hatred and division.

Daniel Runde, director of the Project on Prosperity and Development at the Center of Strategic and International Studies said the president’s strategy makes political sense to appeal to voters in key states he needs to win re-election.

“Especially in a place like Florida where there’s a large number of Venezuelans and Cuban emigres,” Runde said. “They understand exactly what socialism is, and they hate it.”

​The Green New Deal

Republicans have denounced the Green New Deal (GND), a non-binding resolution introduced last month by first-term congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts.

The term was coined to be reminiscent of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “New Deal,” a series of programs and projects to restore prosperity during the 1930s Great Depression.

Proponents of the framework hope it will revitalize the economy and eliminate carbon emissions within a decade. It also includes proposals such as universal health care, higher education, a living wage and paid family vacations.

Critics say it would bankrupt the economy.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called the deal:

During his CPAC remarks, Trump condemned the GND as a “socialist nightmare” and mocked proposals to use wind power as a source of clean energy.

“Darling, is the wind blowing today?” Trump said. “I’d like to watch television, darling.”

Changing view of socialism?

According to a 2018 Gallup poll, even though the majority of Republicans remain much more positive about capitalism than socialism, 57 percent of Democrats have a favorable view of socialism.

Experts say American views on socialism have evolved, particularly those of millennials who came of age during the 2008 recession. Many became disillusioned by an economy that is delivering fewer opportunities than their parents enjoyed at the same time that the wealthiest Americans got far richer.

“We’ve had increased interest and membership since the Trump election,” said Gregory Pason, national secretary of the Socialist Party, U.S.A. “Our feeling is that people are looking for an alternative to Trump policies and understand the Democratic Party is not providing a real alternative.”

Some democratic-socialist politicians, such as Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, want to nearly double taxes on the wealthiest Americans to help pay for universal health care, free higher education and a jobs program focused on moving the economy away from fossil fuels.

Pason stressed that socialism is not about tax policy but about “giving working people ownership and workers and their communities control of their lives.”

Daniel Runde said that while the term socialism for previous generations was understood to be “a really awful and terrible thing,” for many supporters of socialism today, the term represents progressive ideas and an expansive welfare state.

“You can have debates about the size of government, the size of a social safety net and the size of regulation,” Runde said, “But when there are people who come out and say they’re straight out socialists, there is a danger of forgetting the legacy of socialism and communism.”

For President Trump, reminding voters about that legacy is likely to be a prominent part of his re-election campaign.
…

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In California, Winter Deluge Brings Desert Blooms

Posted on by SeeUS

The desert is blossoming with wildflowers in Southern California.

For the second time in two years, an event known as a “superbloom” is occurring.

A superbloom usually happens every 10 years or so, but heavy rains have created the ideal climate for Mother Nature’s spectacular display of flowers in the desert.

The appearance of desert lilies in December heralded the possibility that Mother Nature was about to stage a show, and she did not disappoint.

The pageantry can best be seen in California’s 640,000 acre Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, northeast of San Diego, where visitors can wander among the fanfare of hot pink Bigelow’s Monkey Flower, purple Sand Verbena, and white and yellow Evening Primrose. The desert lilies continue to thrive. Orange poppies that have sprouted along Southern California highways are also expected to bloom soon in the desert.

“There’s just an abundance in where it’s blooming and it’s coming in waves,” Betsy Knaak, executive director of the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural HistoryAssociation, told the Associated Press.

Mike McElhatton, the educational program director of the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association, told AccuWeather “in the past, we have seen only small concentrations in select valleys.” He added, “This year, it already appears that a vast majority of the 50-mile park will be in bloom.”
…

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Women Living With Albinism Struggle to Find a Good Job

Posted on by SeeAF

As the world marks International Women’s Day on Friday, a small group of people living with albinism, especially women, continue to struggle to find their place in the working world.

Albinism, a noncontagious and genetically inherited condition, occurs worldwide, regardless of ethnicity or gender. It most commonly results in the lack of melanin pigment in the hair, skin and eyes, causing vulnerability to sun exposure, which can lead to skin cancer and severe visual impairment.

They are often subject to myths such as having sexual intercourse with someone with albinism would make you rich.

For women like Stibiri Fiona, if this fails, you are quickly branded a ghost and a curse, and are abandoned.

“Someone who abuses my nature, I feel so bad and so small,” she said. “I feel like even shedding tears. I feel like going even to collect my mother in the grave to ask her why she produced me in such a color.”

WATCH: Women With Albinism Struggle to Find Work

Earning a living

This is life for many Ugandan women living with albinism.

Nawejje Doreen Mayanja is the chief executive officer of Women and Children with Albinism, in Uganda. On the outskirts of Kampala, she provides support to women living with the genetic disorder who can’t find jobs in a formal setting.

“When you are qualified, it is a bit competitive to get a job. And just because most of these women were denied the chance to go to school, they are not educated, they are not empowered. You find that they are living below the poverty line,” she said.

Working as a primary school teacher, Fiona was married for eight years and has four children. Her husband asked her to stop working, believing her albinism would enrich him to take care of the family.

When that failed, she was allegedly ordered out of their home by her father-in–law.

Now crowded in a one-room house with her children, Fiona’s search for a teaching job has not been fruitful.

“When I went there to apply for vacancies, they refused,” she said. “They said children will fear you. Even other teachers looked at me as maybe a curse. So, as per now, I don’t work.”

​Social exclusion

According to a 2017 United Nations report, people with albinism face discrimination and barriers that restrict their participation in society on an equal basis with others. As a result, they are more likely to experience social exclusion and poverty.

Ugandan legislator Safia Nalule, who represents people with disabilities, introduced a bill Thursday in parliament on the social, economic and cultural rights of people living with albinism.

“I am bringing this bill, first of all, to ask for great awareness about raising persons with albinism. That they are not different from us. It is only a genetic disorder which actually brings about albinism,” she said.

The prevalence of albinism varies across the world. According to the World Health Organization, estimates vary from 1 in 5,000 to 1 in 15,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Uganda, it is estimated at 1 in 3,000.

While the killing of people living with albinism is low in Uganda, a report by the Ugandan parliament indicates many are trafficked to Tanzania and parts of Kenya for human sacrifice.
…

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Women Living With Albinism Struggle to Find a Good Job

Posted on by SeeAF

As the world marks International Women’s Day on Friday, a small group of people living with albinism, especially women, continue to struggle to find their place in the working world.

Albinism, a noncontagious and genetically inherited condition, occurs worldwide, regardless of ethnicity or gender. It most commonly results in the lack of melanin pigment in the hair, skin and eyes, causing vulnerability to sun exposure, which can lead to skin cancer and severe visual impairment.

They are often subject to myths such as having sexual intercourse with someone with albinism would make you rich.

For women like Stibiri Fiona, if this fails, you are quickly branded a ghost and a curse, and are abandoned.

“Someone who abuses my nature, I feel so bad and so small,” she said. “I feel like even shedding tears. I feel like going even to collect my mother in the grave to ask her why she produced me in such a color.”

WATCH: Women With Albinism Struggle to Find Work

Earning a living

This is life for many Ugandan women living with albinism.

Nawejje Doreen Mayanja is the chief executive officer of Women and Children with Albinism, in Uganda. On the outskirts of Kampala, she provides support to women living with the genetic disorder who can’t find jobs in a formal setting.

“When you are qualified, it is a bit competitive to get a job. And just because most of these women were denied the chance to go to school, they are not educated, they are not empowered. You find that they are living below the poverty line,” she said.

Working as a primary school teacher, Fiona was married for eight years and has four children. Her husband asked her to stop working, believing her albinism would enrich him to take care of the family.

When that failed, she was allegedly ordered out of their home by her father-in–law.

Now crowded in a one-room house with her children, Fiona’s search for a teaching job has not been fruitful.

“When I went there to apply for vacancies, they refused,” she said. “They said children will fear you. Even other teachers looked at me as maybe a curse. So, as per now, I don’t work.”

​Social exclusion

According to a 2017 United Nations report, people with albinism face discrimination and barriers that restrict their participation in society on an equal basis with others. As a result, they are more likely to experience social exclusion and poverty.

Ugandan legislator Safia Nalule, who represents people with disabilities, introduced a bill Thursday in parliament on the social, economic and cultural rights of people living with albinism.

“I am bringing this bill, first of all, to ask for great awareness about raising persons with albinism. That they are not different from us. It is only a genetic disorder which actually brings about albinism,” she said.

The prevalence of albinism varies across the world. According to the World Health Organization, estimates vary from 1 in 5,000 to 1 in 15,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Uganda, it is estimated at 1 in 3,000.

While the killing of people living with albinism is low in Uganda, a report by the Ugandan parliament indicates many are trafficked to Tanzania and parts of Kenya for human sacrifice.
…

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Women With Albinism Struggle to Find Work

Posted on by SeeAF

Friday is International Women’s Day with the theme, Balance for Better, a call for action to create a more gender-balanced world. But people living with Albinism, especially women, have a long road ahead in their struggle to find work. Halima Athumani, reports from Kampala.
…

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Women With Albinism Struggle to Find Work

Posted on by SeeAF

Friday is International Women’s Day with the theme, Balance for Better, a call for action to create a more gender-balanced world. But people living with Albinism, especially women, have a long road ahead in their struggle to find work. Halima Athumani, reports from Kampala.
…

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As Trump Faces Investigation, Echoes of Watergate Grow Louder

Posted on by SeeUS

The recent congressional testimony of President Donald Trump’s longtime personal lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, transfixed Washington at a time when the president is under increasing scrutiny. To some, Cohen’s moment in the national spotlight harkened back to dramatic moments from another time, the Watergate scandal of the 1970s, which eventually forced President Richard Nixon from office. VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has more from Washington.
…

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Sudan’s Civil War Orphaned 20,000; One Still Lives in Kenya’s Kakuma Refugee Camp

Posted on by SeeAF

“Lost Boys of Sudan” was the name given to a group of more than 20,000 ethnic Dinka and Nuer children who were displaced and orphaned during the 1987-2005 Second Sudanese Civil War. John Deng fled with them in 1987 and has been living in Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp ever since. He became a teacher to primary school-age refugees to help new arrivals displaced like he was by conflict.
…

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Jailed British-Iranian Aid Worker Given Diplomatic Protection

Posted on by SeeEU

Britain will hand diplomatic protection to British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe to underline the government’s belief that Iran has behaved unjustly in its treatment of her, foreign minister Jeremy Hunt said on Thursday.

Hunt said while the move, a little-used way for governments to seek protection on behalf of their nationals, was unlikely to be a “magic wand,” it may help Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s case.

Iran’s ambassador in London said on Twitter that Britain’s move “contravenes international law.”

Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was arrested in April 2016 at a Tehran airport as she headed back to Britain with her daughter after a family visit.

She was sentenced to five years in jail after being convicted of plotting to overthrow Iran’s clerical establishment, a charge denied by her family and the Foundation, a charity organization that operates independently of Thomson Reuters and Reuters News.

“I have today decided that the UK will take a step that is extremely unusual and exercise diplomatic protection,” Hunt said in a statement, adding that the move signaled to Tehran that “its behavior is totally wrong.” 

“It is unlikely to be a magic wand that leads to an overnight result. But it demonstrates to the whole world that Nazanin is innocent and the UK will not stand by when one of its citizens is treated so unjustly,” he said.

Diplomatic protection is a mechanism under international law through which a state may seek reparation for injury to one of its nationals on the basis that the second state has committed an internationally wrongful act against that person.

“UK Govt’s extension of diplomatic protection to Ms Zaghari contravenes int’l law. Govts may only exercise such protection for own nationals,” Hamid Baeidinejad, Iran’s ambassador in London, said on Twitter.

“As (the) UK Govt is acutely aware, Iran does not recognize dual nationality. Irrespective of UK residency, Ms Zaghari thus remains Iranian,” Baeidinejad added.

Earlier this year, Zaghari-Ratcliffe went on hunger strike in protest at her treatment in jail.

“We have been working hard to secure her release but despite repeated efforts have not been successful. We have not even been able to secure her the medical treatment she urgently needs despite assurances to the contrary,” Hunt said.

“No government should use innocent individuals as pawns for diplomatic leverage so I call on Iran to release this innocent woman so she can be reunited with her family.”
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Jailed British-Iranian Aid Worker Given Diplomatic Protection

Posted on by SeeEU

Britain will hand diplomatic protection to British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe to underline the government’s belief that Iran has behaved unjustly in its treatment of her, foreign minister Jeremy Hunt said on Thursday.

Hunt said while the move, a little-used way for governments to seek protection on behalf of their nationals, was unlikely to be a “magic wand,” it may help Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s case.

Iran’s ambassador in London said on Twitter that Britain’s move “contravenes international law.”

Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was arrested in April 2016 at a Tehran airport as she headed back to Britain with her daughter after a family visit.

She was sentenced to five years in jail after being convicted of plotting to overthrow Iran’s clerical establishment, a charge denied by her family and the Foundation, a charity organization that operates independently of Thomson Reuters and Reuters News.

“I have today decided that the UK will take a step that is extremely unusual and exercise diplomatic protection,” Hunt said in a statement, adding that the move signaled to Tehran that “its behavior is totally wrong.” 

“It is unlikely to be a magic wand that leads to an overnight result. But it demonstrates to the whole world that Nazanin is innocent and the UK will not stand by when one of its citizens is treated so unjustly,” he said.

Diplomatic protection is a mechanism under international law through which a state may seek reparation for injury to one of its nationals on the basis that the second state has committed an internationally wrongful act against that person.

“UK Govt’s extension of diplomatic protection to Ms Zaghari contravenes int’l law. Govts may only exercise such protection for own nationals,” Hamid Baeidinejad, Iran’s ambassador in London, said on Twitter.

“As (the) UK Govt is acutely aware, Iran does not recognize dual nationality. Irrespective of UK residency, Ms Zaghari thus remains Iranian,” Baeidinejad added.

Earlier this year, Zaghari-Ratcliffe went on hunger strike in protest at her treatment in jail.

“We have been working hard to secure her release but despite repeated efforts have not been successful. We have not even been able to secure her the medical treatment she urgently needs despite assurances to the contrary,” Hunt said.

“No government should use innocent individuals as pawns for diplomatic leverage so I call on Iran to release this innocent woman so she can be reunited with her family.”
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Trump, Czech Prime Minister Babis Have Much in Common

Posted on by SeeEU

President Donald Trump and Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis now have another thing in common: They both like the same campaign slogan.

Babis said Thursday at the White House that he similarly wants to “Make the Czech Republic great again.”

The two leaders already have much in common.

Babis, like Trump, is a wealthy businessman who rode into office on a nationalist-style campaign.

While Trump is dogged by special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, Babis is facing charges of misusing European Union subsidies for a farm he transferred to relatives, including his son.

Trump wants to strengthen the U.S. border with Mexico. Babis is a vocal opponent of accepting migrants and refugees in his country.

Trump and first lady Melania Trump greeted the prime minister of the central European country and his wife, Monika Babisova, outside the White House and they walked to the Oval Office.

“Czech Republic doing very, very well economically and in all other respects,” Trump said. “It’s always been a safe country. Strong military. Strong people. We have a very good relationship with the Czech Republic and the United States. We do a lot of trade.”

Babis said U.S.-Czech Republic business relations are growing.

“Our investors are investing in the U.S. and already created thousands of jobs,” Babis said. “Mr. President, I watched your 2019 State of the Union address and I perfectly understand you plan how to make America great again. I have a similar plan to make the Czech Republic great again.”

The two leaders also discussed cybersecurity. A Czech watchdog followed U.S. authorities in warning against use of hardware or software made by Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE.

Huawei has become the target of U.S. security concerns because of its ties to the Chinese government. The U.S. has pressured other countries to limit use of its technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information.

“Our countries will work to ensure secure and reliable telecommunications networks and supply chains to reduce the risk of malicious cyber activity,” the two leaders said in a joint statement issued after their meeting. “We resolve to deepen our cooperation. … to develop telecommunications security principles.”

On trade, Trump has raised the ire of many Europeans by imposing tariffs on aluminum and steel, while threatening to slap tariffs on imports of cars from the European Union. Before leaving for the United States, Babis told The Associated Press that he hoped the trade spat would not escalate and that talks would result in a solution that avoids a trade war.

In their statement, the two leaders also said they would work together to promote enhanced energy diversification in Europe and ensure security. “We will further investigate the potential benefits of regional energy infrastructure development in Central Europe,” they said.

Babis’ visit coincides with the 30th anniversary of the 1989 anti-communist “Velvet Revolution” and the 20th anniversary of the Czech Republic’s membership in NATO, which began in 1999.

The Czech Republic is among the countries criticized by Trump for not meeting the NATO goal of committing 2 percent of their gross domestic product to defense. Babis has promised to meet the target by 2024.
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Trump, Czech Prime Minister Babis Have Much in Common

Posted on by SeeEU

President Donald Trump and Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis now have another thing in common: They both like the same campaign slogan.

Babis said Thursday at the White House that he similarly wants to “Make the Czech Republic great again.”

The two leaders already have much in common.

Babis, like Trump, is a wealthy businessman who rode into office on a nationalist-style campaign.

While Trump is dogged by special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, Babis is facing charges of misusing European Union subsidies for a farm he transferred to relatives, including his son.

Trump wants to strengthen the U.S. border with Mexico. Babis is a vocal opponent of accepting migrants and refugees in his country.

Trump and first lady Melania Trump greeted the prime minister of the central European country and his wife, Monika Babisova, outside the White House and they walked to the Oval Office.

“Czech Republic doing very, very well economically and in all other respects,” Trump said. “It’s always been a safe country. Strong military. Strong people. We have a very good relationship with the Czech Republic and the United States. We do a lot of trade.”

Babis said U.S.-Czech Republic business relations are growing.

“Our investors are investing in the U.S. and already created thousands of jobs,” Babis said. “Mr. President, I watched your 2019 State of the Union address and I perfectly understand you plan how to make America great again. I have a similar plan to make the Czech Republic great again.”

The two leaders also discussed cybersecurity. A Czech watchdog followed U.S. authorities in warning against use of hardware or software made by Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE.

Huawei has become the target of U.S. security concerns because of its ties to the Chinese government. The U.S. has pressured other countries to limit use of its technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information.

“Our countries will work to ensure secure and reliable telecommunications networks and supply chains to reduce the risk of malicious cyber activity,” the two leaders said in a joint statement issued after their meeting. “We resolve to deepen our cooperation. … to develop telecommunications security principles.”

On trade, Trump has raised the ire of many Europeans by imposing tariffs on aluminum and steel, while threatening to slap tariffs on imports of cars from the European Union. Before leaving for the United States, Babis told The Associated Press that he hoped the trade spat would not escalate and that talks would result in a solution that avoids a trade war.

In their statement, the two leaders also said they would work together to promote enhanced energy diversification in Europe and ensure security. “We will further investigate the potential benefits of regional energy infrastructure development in Central Europe,” they said.

Babis’ visit coincides with the 30th anniversary of the 1989 anti-communist “Velvet Revolution” and the 20th anniversary of the Czech Republic’s membership in NATO, which began in 1999.

The Czech Republic is among the countries criticized by Trump for not meeting the NATO goal of committing 2 percent of their gross domestic product to defense. Babis has promised to meet the target by 2024.
…

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Russia Telecoms Giant MTS to Pay $850 Million in US Corruption Case

Posted on by SeeEA

Russia’s leading telecoms firm said Thursday it had agreed to pay $850 million to settle a U.S. corruption case over huge bribes paid to the family of Uzbekistan’s former president.

The case shed light on massive corruption in Uzbekistan under former president Islam Karimov, who ruled the ex-Soviet republic from 1990 until his death in 2016.

MTS, based in Moscow and listed on the New York Stock Exchange, said the settlement had been agreed with the U.S. Justice Department and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The deals “mark the closure of the investigations into the company’s acquisition and operation of its former subsidiary in Uzbekistan,” MTS said in a statement.

MTS complies 

In agreeing to the fine “MTS affirmed its commitment” to complying with anti-corruption legislation, it said.

MTS was in a long-running dispute with the Uzbek authorities, which seized the company’s local subsidiary in 2012 after cancelling its operating licenses for alleged tax evasion.

The Uzbek subsidiary, which had 9.5 million subscribers by the end of 2011, filed for bankruptcy in 2013.

The SEC said that MTS had “bribed an Uzbek official” related to Karimov to obtain and retain business operations in Uzbekistan, a Central Asian nation of more than 32 million people.

“The company engaged in egregious misconduct for nearly a decade, secretly funneling hundreds of millions of dollars to a corrupt official,” the SEC said in a statement. 

‘$1 billion worth of payments’

An investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project previously said that the subsidiary, which was known as Uzdunrobita before it was acquired by MTS, had paid hundreds of millions of dollars to companies owned by Karimov’s daughter Gulnara.

The OCCRP, an NGO that works with investigative reporters mainly in Eastern Europe, alleged that MTS made payments in 2004 and 2007 to purchase stakes in the company. 

MTS was not the only telecoms company involved. “Karimova squeezed more than $1 billion worth of payments… out of international telecom-related companies,” OCCRP said.

Some commentators in Russia expressed dismay that the U.S. was fining Russian companies for operations in third countries.

“What concern does the U.S. have about the faraway Uzbekistan and Russian operators?” said a journalist on BFM business radio, pointing out that “the money will go to the American budget, not the Uzbek one.”

End to economic isolation

Uzbekistan is led by Karimov’s former prime minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who has moved to end the country’s economic isolation and removed visa restrictions for travelers from European Union countries and the United States.

Gulnara Karimova, once a high-profile diplomat and pop singer, was being held under house arrest after being convicted on fraud and money laundering charges in 2017 and sentenced to five years.

Uzbek authorities this week said she had violated the terms of her house arrest and had been sent to prison where she would remain until the end of her sentence.
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Russia Telecoms Giant MTS to Pay $850 Million in US Corruption Case

Posted on by SeeEA

Russia’s leading telecoms firm said Thursday it had agreed to pay $850 million to settle a U.S. corruption case over huge bribes paid to the family of Uzbekistan’s former president.

The case shed light on massive corruption in Uzbekistan under former president Islam Karimov, who ruled the ex-Soviet republic from 1990 until his death in 2016.

MTS, based in Moscow and listed on the New York Stock Exchange, said the settlement had been agreed with the U.S. Justice Department and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The deals “mark the closure of the investigations into the company’s acquisition and operation of its former subsidiary in Uzbekistan,” MTS said in a statement.

MTS complies 

In agreeing to the fine “MTS affirmed its commitment” to complying with anti-corruption legislation, it said.

MTS was in a long-running dispute with the Uzbek authorities, which seized the company’s local subsidiary in 2012 after cancelling its operating licenses for alleged tax evasion.

The Uzbek subsidiary, which had 9.5 million subscribers by the end of 2011, filed for bankruptcy in 2013.

The SEC said that MTS had “bribed an Uzbek official” related to Karimov to obtain and retain business operations in Uzbekistan, a Central Asian nation of more than 32 million people.

“The company engaged in egregious misconduct for nearly a decade, secretly funneling hundreds of millions of dollars to a corrupt official,” the SEC said in a statement. 

‘$1 billion worth of payments’

An investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project previously said that the subsidiary, which was known as Uzdunrobita before it was acquired by MTS, had paid hundreds of millions of dollars to companies owned by Karimov’s daughter Gulnara.

The OCCRP, an NGO that works with investigative reporters mainly in Eastern Europe, alleged that MTS made payments in 2004 and 2007 to purchase stakes in the company. 

MTS was not the only telecoms company involved. “Karimova squeezed more than $1 billion worth of payments… out of international telecom-related companies,” OCCRP said.

Some commentators in Russia expressed dismay that the U.S. was fining Russian companies for operations in third countries.

“What concern does the U.S. have about the faraway Uzbekistan and Russian operators?” said a journalist on BFM business radio, pointing out that “the money will go to the American budget, not the Uzbek one.”

End to economic isolation

Uzbekistan is led by Karimov’s former prime minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who has moved to end the country’s economic isolation and removed visa restrictions for travelers from European Union countries and the United States.

Gulnara Karimova, once a high-profile diplomat and pop singer, was being held under house arrest after being convicted on fraud and money laundering charges in 2017 and sentenced to five years.

Uzbek authorities this week said she had violated the terms of her house arrest and had been sent to prison where she would remain until the end of her sentence.
…

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Freed SDF Fighters Speak of Last Days in IS Captivity

Posted on by SeeEA

U.S.-backed forces fighting Islamic State (IS) in Syria said they have rescued three of their fighters who had been detained by the militant group in its last stronghold in eastern Syria.

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led alliance, said Tuesday they rescued the three fighters in a special operation inside the town of Baghuz in eastern Deir el-Zour province.

A VOA cameraman embedded with Kurdish fighters spoke with the three fighters hours after they were freed Tuesday.

Freed captive Ahmed Hossein said IS fighters were hiding among them to avoid being targeted by the SDF and U.S.-led coalition airstrikes.

“We were 52 people held in a car. The car was always on the move. [IS] was using us as human shields,” he told VOA.

“They would take us to anywhere there was fighting and put us on the front line so that our [SDF] comrades would not hit them,” Hossein added.

He said that during his captivity, there were days when he couldn’t get any food or water.

WATCH: Freed Fighters Talk to VOA

​Last week, SDF fighters launched a final assault to recapture Baghuz from IS. The offensive, however, has slowed in the past two days because the terror group has increasingly been using people as human shields, an SDF official said.

Another captured fighter who was liberated in SDF’s night raid said the remaining IS fighters in Baghuz were desperate as the U.S.-backed forces continued their advance on the Syrian town.

“In the last 15 days, they were acting very tensely,” Abdulrazaq Mohammed said. “Our comrades were attacking them from every side. So they started using us and civilians as human shields.”

Previous raids to free fighters

Since the beginning of the campaign to remove IS from Baghuz in February, the SDF has carried out similar raids to free its fighters held by IS.

On Monday, SDF also freed a number of SDF fighters, while evacuating hundreds of civilians from Baghuz.

“Five SDF fighters who had been held hostage were liberated,” SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali said in a tweet. Kurdish military officials said a significant number of SDF fighters are still in IS’s captivity in Baghuz. 
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More Women Winning Seats in World Parliaments

Posted on by SeeEA

The Inter-Parliamentary Union finds more women around the world are winning seats in their national parliaments, with the best gains being made in countries that have well-designed quota systems.

The report finds women’s representation in national parliaments rose by nearly 1 percentage point last year to 24.3 percent. This may seem a modest increase, but this figure indicates an ongoing upward trend of women’s participation in politics since the 1995 World Women’s Conference in Beijing. At that time, only 11 percent of women were in parliament. Their share has now more than doubled.

IPU Secretary-General Martin Chungong says he also is heartened by the greater diversity in the makeup of women’s representation in parliament.

“We are seeing more women of native origin,” he said. “We are seeing more women of color coming into parliaments around the world. And if we take the United States, for instance, we saw a noticeable improvement in parliamentary diversity, with Native Americans making inroads into parliament, women of color increasing their share of parliamentary representation. And we even see the entry into parliament of two Muslim women.”

Chungong notes the United States shot up in the global rankings of women parliamentarians from 137th position in 2017 to 79th place last year. The survey finds women now occupy about one-quarter of all seats in both houses of Congress.

As in previous years, Rwanda continues to hold the top spot in the rankings with more than 61 percent of women parliamentarians. Two other African countries, Namibia and South Africa, are in the top 10.

The IPU finds 65th-ranked Djibouti made the most dramatic gains regionally and globally among lower and single chambers. It says the share of women in parliament rose from nearly 11 percent to more than 26 percent.

The report says the Americas continue to lead all regions in terms of the average share of women in parliament with 30.6 percent. This contrasts with the Middle East and North Africa, with the lowest regional average of slightly more than 18 percent female parliamentarians.
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No 2020 White House Run for Senator Sherrod Brown

Posted on by SeeUS

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown said Thursday he will not run for president in 2020, becoming the latest Democrat to bow out of the White House race.

His decision comes after recent visits to several early-voting states to highlight his worker-friendly policy agenda. Brown said he believed his “dignity of work” tour succeeded in putting the struggles of average Americans on Democrats’ 2020 radar. He also said he “can be most effective” by remaining in the Senate.

“I fight best when I bring joy to the battle,” he told home-state reporters. “And I find that joy fighting for Ohio in the Senate.”

Several other Democrats, including former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley and former Attorney General Eric Holder, announced this week that they would not join a presidential primary already packed with a dozen candidates. Democrats are awaiting word from former vice president Joe Biden and former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke about whether they will undertake highly anticipated campaigns that could reshape the race.

Brown said he will continue to call out President Donald Trump’s “phony populism” from his perch in the Senate and will “do everything I can to elect a Democratic president and a Democratic Senate in 2020.”

The 66-year-old had emerged as a potentially strong challenger to Trump after winning re-election in November in a state that Trump carried by nearly 11 percentage points in 2016. Brown’s victory was powered by strong support in many blue-collar areas of the state where Trump had prevailed.

Well-known for his progressive populism, Brown had pledged to be the most “pro-union, pro-worker” candidate in the Democratic field if he ran. But he would have faced a steep climb to the upper tier of the 2020 field.

Brown’s comfort in relating to Midwestern, working-class voters is a key element in the political appeal of Biden, who is seen as leaning heavily toward running. Also, Brown’s political brand has some similarities to the anti-corporate liberalism of two high-profile senators already in the race, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.

Even so, Brown proved himself less willing than those possible rivals to embrace the litmus-test politics of the left: He declined to sign onto Sanders’ “Medicare for all” single-payer health care plan or the Green New Deal, an ambitious framework to fight climate change.

Brown said he was not deterred from running by the large number of Democratic candidates, money concerns or his status as a white male in a party that prizes diversity. He said has never aspired to be president and, in the end, decided he could do the most good in the Senate.

Citing his record on worker issues, Brown said, “I think my message has been strong enough that other candidates are picking it up.”

 
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