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01/17/2006:

"Do American economic interests threaten democracy in the Congo?"

Do American economic interests threaten democracy in the Congo?
The United States do not have friends, they say. They only have interests to defend. This is the lesson that anyone who wants to understand international relations needs to take on board in their analyses.

For Liberia, a 'break with the past'
Greeted by shouts of "Queen of Africa!" and standing before the bullet-scarred capitol of this war-torn nation, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the Harvard-trained banker and stalwart survivor of Liberia's brutal politics, took the oath of office on Monday to become Africa's first woman to be elected a head of state.

AU to Extend Mandate in Darfur for Additional One Year
Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, Alpha Omar Konare proposed on Thursday to extend the mandate of the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS) despite funding gaps. The Chairperson in his report submitted to the Peace and Security Council of the Union proposed the need to extend the mandate of AMIS for another 9 months. The Peace and Security Council of the AU, which is discussing the report of Konare is expected to approve the proposal presented to extend the AMIS mandate till August 2006.

IMF Probing Harare's Funding Source for 2005 Debt Paydown
The International Monetary Fund has opened an investigation into how Zimbabwe raised the funds it used to pay down debt service arrears. News of the probe comes as an IMF team prepares for Harare consultations starting January 24 that will factor into IMF Executive Board deliberations in March on Zimbabwe’s membership status.

Rwanda gets tough on plastic bags
Rwanda is cracking down on the use of plastic bags by shoppers, the environment minister has told the BBC.

The drone, the CIA and a botched attempt to kill bin Laden's deputy
In the hunt for al-Qaeda, a missile attack on a mountain village killed women and children. The attack was precise, the intelligence was flawed, and the strained relation between Pakistan and the US has been pushed to breaking point.

Alarm over Sudan's bid to chair AU
More than 50 African human rights and civil society groups have written to the continent's leaders expressing alarm at Sudan's bid to chair the African Union despite continued violence in its western Darfur region. In a letter dated Monday, the groups warned such a move could destroy efforts to resolve a conflict that has killed an estimated 180 000 people and displaced about two million since 2003.

Haiti is Canada’s Iraq

Egypt’s democratic charade
On Dec. 30, just before dawn, Egypt’s riot police stormed a public square in the Cairo suburb of Mohandeseen, where 3,000 Sudanese refugees had staged a peaceful sit-in for several weeks. In the process of using water canon and live ammunition, some 27 refugees were killed, including 11 children. Eyewitnesses and the media documented the horrifying encounter. This tragedy has renewed many questions about the Mubarak regime’s commitment to democratic opening and the country’s claim to be a role model in Africa and the Arab world.

Eritrea-Ethiopia row continues
Eritrea and Ethiopia are continuing to blame each other for their border stalemate, says the United Nations on Tuesday as a US diplomatic delegation prepares to visit the region in a bid to avert a new war between the arch-rival Horn of Africa neighbours.

How the West and the West Bank Were Won

Seminal questions
A curious religious debate is raging in Egypt. The question is: should you keep your clothes on when having sex?

India, Iran and the nuclear challenge

Iran bans CNN journalists after presidential misquote

Bush to criminalize protesters under Patriot Act as "disruptors"

Caricom offers Haiti assistance with poll preparations

Bold Tidings Why the MTL Sale Smacks of Dishonesty

Man's racist slurs prompt time in black churches

Rise in mental illness linked to unhealthy diets, say studies

Haiti is Canada's Iraq

Evo Morales, Communitarian Socialism and the Regional Power Block

Cancer study patients 'made up'

Alabama Remembers Black Soldier's Defiance

China beat Columbus to it, perhaps

Math Yoga

Not a threat to the US

This Is Your Brain On Tech

Racial Profiling in Public Schools

Villagers shun man they believe is dead