Daily Archives: October 9, 2011

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Africa Ravaged by Continued Denial of Market Access

By Ravi Kanth Devarakonda

Geneva, Oct 7, 2011 (IPS) – The poorest countries in Africa are not merely the victims of natural calamities. They are also ravaged by the continued denial of market access as promised in the Doha trade negotiations, say African trade diplomats.  Almost six years ago at the  http://www.wto.org World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Hong Kong ministerial meeting, the least-developed countries (LDCs) in the global trading regime, drawn largely from Africa, were assured that their industrial products will be given duty-free and quota-free market access in rich countries. Continue reading →

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Jerry Brown signs ‘California Dream Act’ into law

BBC

By Peter Bowes BBC News, Los Angeles

The governor of California, Jerry Brown, has signed into law legislation allowing illegal immigrants to receive state aid to attend college.  Supporters of the California Dream Act, as it is called, say it will benefit the state economically.  However, critics argue that it condones entry into the US without proper documentation.  About 2,500 students are expected to qualify for grants under the new legislation.  Governor Brown, a Democrat, said the law would benefit the state by giving top students a chance to improve their lives and, he said, “the lives of all of us”.  But, in a state with a huge immigrant population, critics say the law encourages the illegal immigration by granting access to state resources previously reserved for legal residents.  Opponents of the law add that it should not have been passed without major overhaul of America’s immigration rules.  California’s last governor, the Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, refused to sign the legislation.

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Green Groups Sue US to Stop Work on Keystone XL Oil Pipeline

Common Dreams

Environmental groups sued the U.S. government on Wednesday to stop the clearing of grasslands, the moving of threatened species and other work going on ahead of U.S. approval of $7 billion Canada to Texas planned oil pipeline.  The Center for Biological Diversity, the Western Nebraska Resources Council and Friends of the Earth sued the U.S. State Department and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to stop work they called “illegal construction” on the 1,700 mile (2,740 km) pipeline. Continue reading →

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SA is now worse than apartheid state, says Tutu

Mail and Guardian

STUART GRAHAM CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu expressed outrage on Tuesday on the government’s failure to grant Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama a visa.  “Our government is worse than the apartheid government, because at least you were expecting it from the apartheid government,” Tutu said in Cape Town at a press conference. Continue reading →