Tag: Africa
Budget IVF in Africa's Future?
port1080.
Posted to SciTech on Sat Jul 12, 2008 at 10:45:16 AM EST (promoted by 1fastdog). RSS.
At a press conference in Barcelona on Monday, European fertility scientists announced a plan to bring cheap in-vitro fertilization procedures to Africa. The procedure, which has in the past been successfully used on farm animals, runs about $200. Current "best practices" human IVF procedures cost up to $10,000 in the West.
(12 comments, 226 words in story) Full Story
I'll Get Even With You
pO157.
Posted to Politics on Tue May 20, 2008 at 12:58:43 PM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
Race and anti-foreigner riots intensified in South Africa, as police announce at least 22 people were killed in the latest round of violence.
(69 comments, 289 words in story) Full Story
Simple miracle device saves lives
pO157.
Posted to SciTech on Thu Jun 14, 2007 at 05:35:37 PM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
"You have to suck pretty hard at first to get it moist, but after that it's easy," said 35-year-old Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen.
(8 comments, 274 words in story) Full Story
The Other Other Front In The War On/Of Terror
rEvolution inAction.
Posted to Politics on Sat Feb 17, 2007 at 09:55:24 AM EST (promoted by 1fastdog). RSS.
Somalia has been without a government since its civil war began in 1991. It was the scene of the events of the movie Black Hawk Down and in 2006 was taken over by the Islamic Courts Union (ICU). Since 2004, the recognized government of Somalia has been the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), but the real power has been the feuding warlords who control their own territory and make their own law as they see fit. Like in Afghanistan in the mid-'90s, Islam offered the people security from what was basically rule by banditry, but the TFG with the help of Ethiopian troops (and support of US aircraft) was able to drive the rebels and the ICU out of the capital and restore [dis]order.
(5 comments, 304 words in story) Full Story
Slum Tourism
MayorBob.
Posted to Business on Wed Feb 14, 2007 at 11:26:37 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
Kibera is the largest slum town near Nairobi, Kenya. It is home to close to one million Kenyans living on the razor's edge of economic survival in a succession of tin shacks and shanties. It's a place many residents have worked very hard to move away from. It was used as a filming location for the movie The Constant Gardener. It has also become a "must visit" spot on the itineraries of such notables as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and US comedian Chris Rock. Time to walk about and take in a measure of that which Kibera has in plentitude - human misery. But, it is also becoming an optional tourist stop for the not so notables who visit Kenya. Call it slum tourism or pity tourism, there is a burgeoning trade in tour groups piling into Kibera, taking their photos, and leaving. In spite of the fact that this commerce is promoted and appreciated by travel agencies earning a penny off the tours, it has any number of Kenyans and those who have worked with the poor of Kibera feeling not so good about slum tourism.
(19 comments, 656 words in story) Full Story
Would You Snip The Tip For Health & Safety?
port1080.
Posted to SciTech on Tue Dec 26, 2006 at 07:42:21 PM EST (promoted by 1fastdog). RSS.
Infant and adult male circumcision has long been a controversial procedure. Common in North America but relatively uncommon (aside from among those who do it for religious or cultural reasons) everywhere else, the procedure's health benefits have been debated for quite some time - until the results of a recent National Institutes of Health study definitively proved that circumcised males are up to 50% less likely to contract the HIV virus.
(20 comments, 314 words in story) Full Story
Zimbabwe faces major food shortage; worsening humanitarian crisis
pO157.
Posted to Etcetera on Thu Nov 23, 2006 at 08:44:57 AM EST (promoted by Acefantastik). RSS.
The World Food Program reported today that after numerous assurances by the Government of Zimbabwe that it had enough food for its own people donations for emergency supplies dropped significantly. It now appears out that there is not enough food to go around and donors have reduced contributions by at least a third, putting up to 2 million at risk for starvation.
(11 comments, 383 words in story) Full Story
China in Africa: Path to Development or New Colonial Master?
port1080.
Posted to Politics on Fri Oct 27, 2006 at 06:34:07 AM EST. RSS.
Over the past few years African nations have increasingly been looking to the East for new sources of investment and development strategies. Years of failed IMF structural adjustments and a history of depressingly low growth rates have many Africans looking for a new way - but questions remain both about China's motives and whether its influence will offer more or less stability to Africa's future.
(5 comments, 401 words in story) Full Story
