New strike in Bolivia against the increase of food prices

The social conflicts intensified with the paralization in the bolivian economy, translated in a strike and manifistations, in a country that is one of the pooorest in South America.
Bolivia is facing this friday the second strike in less then two months against the increase of prices in food and public transportation.   
Cochamba City, the third largest in the country, has its public schools closed, hospitals reduced to emergencies and public transportion scarce or nonexistent. The capital, La Paz, is hampered by public discontent. The mobilization is carried out by the powerful union strength Bolivian Workers Central and its leaders demand wage increases to pay off the rising prices of food and vital services such as transportation. 
The increase in prices is very significant in a country where, according to the 2010 United Nations Program for Development, six in ten people live in poverty and three in ten will not have enough to eat. The last large-scale mobilization against prices in Bolivia, December 30, ended in violence, making fifteen wounded.  
Nowadays, with a price increase of around 30 per cent in relation to transport and 40 percent sugar, Evo Morales maintains that the rise in 2011 will not be less than inflation in 2010. The Bolivian President is faced with the longest and most profound social and economic crisis since coming to power in 2006.

Egypt: turning point demands too much of people's lives

        What a high price people pay for change! Criminals running wild, political paralysis, destruction of people’s livelihoods and anarchy as police abandon their posts and their role as the custodians of law and order — in short, complete chaos.

        The Obama administration said they view the attacks as a way to purposely terrorize journalists, and White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that all detained journalists should be released, according to an article by the Los Angeles Times.

        Intimidating journalists and attempting to prevent the coverage of the anti-Murabak protests in Egypt is wrong. The Egyptian government cannot keep its country united and peaceful by cutting off communication to its citizens — such as cell phone and Internet service, and it cannot win its people’s loyalty by censoring them.

        "I blame some friendly states that have completely unfriendly stations which set the young against the state … with false claims and exaggeration,” said Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman. According to the article, “he urged Egyptians to ignore ‘the rumors and satellite channels that incite you against the state.’"

        Shahira Amin, No. 2 editor for Nile TV, a state-run television network in Egypt, resigned when she was only allowed to show pro-Murabak demonstrators on the air, according to MSNBC.

        Journalists from other countries must be allowed to cover a peaceful protest without interference from the Egyptian government.

        Egypt is a sovereign nation and technically has the right to control its communication — but the Egyptian people have the basic human right to be informed. Creating a unsafe atmosphere for journalists from other nations will not change the dissatisfaction of the protesters.


        When will politicians in this world understand one quite simple fact that a corrupt and dictatorial regime will not last forever. Change is the only constant in this life. One cannot fight against the tide of democracy and hope to win.

Obama gives priority to education in the State of the Union

             One of the major themes President Barack Obama covered in the State of the Union address Tuesday was education. 

             "This is our generation's Sputnik moment," he said, referring to the U.S. response to of the first satellite's launch by the Soviet Union in 1957.
             Investing on new technologies, raising standards, producing more math and science teachers will help U.S. compete with the emerging economies such as China and India. 

             “Maintaining our leadership in research and technology is crucial to America’s success.  But if we want to win the future -– if we want innovation to produce jobs in America and not overseas -– then we also have to win the race to educate our kids.”

             Obama also said that currently a quarter of the United States’ students do not finish high school and that, in the 10 years, nearly half of all new jobs will require more education than just a high-school degree.

             In addition, he called upon not only educators, but also parents and the everyday citizen as making sure every child gets a chance to succeed is the responsibility of communities.

             “That responsibility begins not in our classrooms, but in our homes and communities. It’s a family that first instills the love of learning in a child,” Obama said.

Pope says condoms sometimes are justified

Pope Benedict XVI said on Tuesday that the use of condoms is acceptable to help prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS. The World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday welcomed the relaxation of the Vatican’s stance against condom use.


http://articles.cnn.com/2010-11-21/world/vatican.pope.condoms_1_condom-hiv-prevention-michel-sidibe?_s=PM:WORLD

South Korea defense Minister Kim resigns

South Korea defence minister Kim Tae Young has resigned amid a wave of criticism that South Korea was unprepared for a North Korea bombardment on Tuesday that  destroyed dozens of houses and killed four people.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11838750

Russia's WTO hopes rise

Russia has resolved all disagreements with the European Union concerning its accession to the World Trade Organization. Thus, putting Moscow on track to join the international body in as little as a year.


http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/785eb542-f802-11df-8d91-00144feab49a.html#axzz16JNNQ17v

Portuguese Unions Strike over austerity plan

Workers staged a 24-hour strike on Wednesday causing travel chaos and closing schools and hospitals to protest against tough austerity measures designed to tackle the debt crisis.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d24a3552-f7af-11df-b770-00144feab49a.html#axzz16JM06bye