Tensions high with Congo's election on horizon

The second election in Congo's history is still two weeks away, but violence and hate speech are already on the rise.?

The excitement and anticipation of the upcoming Congo elections have been overshadowed by rising tensions between opposing political parties, resulting in recent clashes throughout the country. The election ? only the second in the nation?s history ? is set for Nov. 28, but already violence and hate speech surrounding the election has heated up and fears of further eruption are looming.

Skip to next paragraph

Clashes between opposing parties have spread to the far corners of Congo. Over the past weeks political unrest and shootings have been reported in the nation?s capital Kinshasa. Last week, armed men in Kinshasa opened fire on opposition party supporters after they had reportedly finished distributing Union for Democracy and Social Progress, or UDPS, posters ? seriously injuring two people. Earlier this week, on Nov. 7, political tensions kept many Kinshasa residents in their homes, as shop windows were smashed, banks shuttered, and pedestrians were mugged,?according to Agence France-Presse.

Also on Nov. 7, on the other side of Congo in the eastern city of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, there was reported unrest and shootings after a popular Hunde singer Fabrice, who was singing songs in favor of the opposition party, was abducted, and his fellow ethnic Hunde protested.

This trend of violence has become more of the norm than the exception. In the southeast city of Lubumbashi, political tensions spilled over into violence as early as August when Union of Nationalist Federalists of Congo, or UNAFEC, members attacked the office of UDPS presidential candidate Etienne Tshisekedi. And more recently in Lubumbashi, clashes between opposition parties left more than a dozen people injured this week.

Congo?s widespread electoral violence has garnered the attention and concerns of both the African Union and United Nations mission in Congo. This week, AU chairman Jean Ping visited Kinshasa to call for peace leading up to the elections, and the UN issued a new report detailing numerous human rights violations during the pre-electoral period.

?The kind of intimidation, threats, incitement, arbitrary arrests and violence that we have documented is unacceptable, ??said Navi Pillay, the UN human rights chief. ?The government and leaders of political parties must make it clear that there is to be zero tolerance against any such actions which seriously limit the exercise of the right to vote.?

The UN report?noted an increase in political activities and acts of violence targeting political party members, journalists, and human rights defenders. It also recognized ?worrying trends of manipulation of the state?s police, intelligence and justice sectors by political actors,? and warned that the continued repression of human rights in the pre-election period may increase the likelihood of post-electoral violence.

The Congo is no stranger to this. After the 2006 vote, several armed clashes took place between Kabila?s forces and former rebel Jean-Pierre Bemba supporters. The dynamic has changed this time around, and analysts predict that the main threat of post-electoral violence will likely stem from street protests,?according to Reuters.

To avoid further explosions of violence, the UN called on the Congolese government to promote and respect human rights and hold all perpetrators of electoral violence accountable, and on political parties to issue public statements promoting peaceful participation in the voting process. Although these steps sound respectable on paper, it is whether or not they are implemented in practice that will determine the fate of the 2011 Congolese elections.

? Tracy Fehr blogs for the Enough Project at Enough Said.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/0BPI8qZHH6A/Tensions-high-with-Congo-s-election-on-horizon

prius c crocodile dundee crocodile dundee sharjah sharjah observe and report observe and report

Good Reads: On Veteran's Day, families of fallen US soldiers fight for truth, adopt foreign puppies

On Veteran's Day 2011, the mood is decidedly somber, with stories of one family of a US fallen soldier fighting for truth of how their son died, and another soldier's family adopting the Iraqi puppy he left behind.?

Back in the old days, Veteran?s Day was a time for small-town newspapers around the country to honor their hometown heroes, and perhaps highlight the closest potluck dinner raising funds for veterans down on their luck.

Skip to next paragraph

But in 2011, many small-town newspapers have closed down. Politicians are talking about cutting benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs. And as the White House announces a draw-down of forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, a generation of Americans are questioning just what they have been fighting for.

Despite the huge numbers of young men and women who have served in two wars over the past decade -- few Americans can imagine the lives they have led, the fights they have fought, and the memories they treasure or desperately try to purge. As Monitor correspondent Brad Knickerbocker wrote in an Oct. 5 piece, a recent Pew Center opinion poll found that nearly one-third of all post-9/11 veterans believe the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were not worth fighting, and 51% believe that ?overreliance on military force creates hatred that breeds terrorism.?

It could be worse, one supposes. Vietnam vets were spat upon. But a pervasive mood of doubt is surely not a plus for an America recovering from financial crisis and struggling to find its place in an uncertain, multipolar world.

In this month?s Vanity Fair, Mark Bowden writes about a family with a long tradition of US military service is fighting to get to the bottom of the death of their 24-year-old son, Lt. Jonathan Brostrom, during a July 2008 gun battle in the northeastern Afghan town of Wanat.

With interviews of Lt. Brostrom?s comrades in arms, Mr. Bowden pulls together a chilling vision of what it?s like to be a soldier at a distant outpost, under punishing attack by hundreds of Taliban. Bowden?s story is part detective story, part meditation on what it takes to get men to fight. As Bowden writes about the fallen, Lt. Brostrom?s death feels meaningless.

The lieutenant?s battle was over. His bravery had little impact on the course of the fight. He could not rescue the men on Topside, and those who survived would have done so anyway. As it is with all soldiers who die heroically in battle, his final act would define him emphatically, completely, and forever. In those loud and terrifying minutes he had chosen to leave a place of relative safety, braving intense fire, and had run and scrambled uphill toward the most perilous point of the fight. A man does such a thing out of loyalty so consuming that it entirely crowds out consideration of self. In essence, Jon Brostrom had cast off his own life the instant he started running uphill, and only fate would determine if it would be given back to him when the shooting stopped. He died in the heat of that effort, living fully his best idea of himself.

The Washington Post?s Steve Hendrix focuses on the family of another US Army veteran, Justin Rollins, who decided to honor their son?s memory by bringing home an Iraqi dog the soldier had adopted, just hours before his own death in a roadside bomb blast in March 2007.

For his mother, Rhonda Rollins, bringing the Iraqi puppy ? nicknamed Hero -- back to the US is a form of healing, a way of holding onto to the son she lost, at least for a little while longer.

?I felt that if I could hold one of the puppies that he had held, it would bring a little bit of him back to me,? she said.

War isn?t only about heroes, of course, and the New York Times? William Yardley provides a counterpoint to the day?s hero-worship with a piece about yesterday?s conviction of Sgt. Calvin Gibbs for war crimes, such as murdering Afghan civilians for sport.

According to the testimony of several soldiers in Sgt. Gibbs? unit, Gibbs organized hunting parties, faked combat situations, and ordered his men to take body-part trophies such as fingers, and a tooth. News of these war crimes enraged Afghan officials and angered senior US military commanders, Mr. Yardley writes. But under the sentencing, Mr. Gibbs will be eligible for parole in 10 years.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/Xwp0R9tOeTw/Good-Reads-On-Veteran-s-Day-families-of-fallen-US-soldiers-fight-for-truth-adopt-foreign-puppies

powerball winner powerball winner narwhals narwhals gmail app gmail app phentermine

Wal-Mart's 3Q results show US turnaround

Shopping carts are photographed outside the Wal-Mart store in Mayfield Hts., Ohio on Monday, Nov. 14, 2011. Wal-Mart is reporting that the third-quarter profits slipped 2.9 percent and offered a conservative fourth-quarter outlook. But the world's largest retailer announced its first quarterly gain in its U.S. namesake business, reversing a more than two year sales slump. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

Shopping carts are photographed outside the Wal-Mart store in Mayfield Hts., Ohio on Monday, Nov. 14, 2011. Wal-Mart is reporting that the third-quarter profits slipped 2.9 percent and offered a conservative fourth-quarter outlook. But the world's largest retailer announced its first quarterly gain in its U.S. namesake business, reversing a more than two year sales slump. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

This photo taken Nov. 14, 2011, shows the rain-soaked handle of a shopping cart outside the Wal-Mart store in Mayfield Hts. Wal-Mart is reporting that the third-quarter profits slipped 2.9 percent and offered a conservative fourth-quarter outlook. But the world's largest retailer announced its first quarterly gain in its U.S. namesake business, reversing a more than two year sales slump. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Wal-Mart got an early Christmas gift: Its strategy of offering the lowest prices and shoppers' favorite goods is starting to bear fruit just in time for the holiday shopping season.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Tuesday reported its first quarterly gain in revenue at stores opened at least a year after nine consecutive quarters of declines at its branded U.S. business. It did this by hammering its message of low prices across the store and restocking the brands and products that people care most about.

That the world's largest retailer is turning a corner is a positive sign for the retail industry and the U.S. economy as a whole. Its core low-income shoppers have been particularly hard hit by joblessness and the other challenges of the nation's weak economy. The results indicate that those most hurt by the economic downturn are willing to spend if you offer them rock-bottom pricing.

"The plan is working," Mike Duke, CEO of Wal-Mart, said on Tuesday. "Customers are responding favorably."

It's been a long road for Wal-Mart, which in recent years has been battered by a combination of the bad economy and its own bad decisions that caused U.S. customers to flee to competitors.

U.S. shoppers could no longer depend on the company for the cheapest goods because it had strayed away from offering everyday low prices on all products to just doing so on select items. Additionally, shoppers no longer viewed Wal-Mart as the place for their one-stop shopping needs as the company ditched plus-size clothing, crafts and other popular items in an attempt to de-clutter its stores.

Recently, Wal-Mart has been working to reclaim its reputation as the lowest-price leader by going back to the "everyday" low pricing strategy that its founder, Sam Walton, pioneered. The company, based in Bentonville, Ark., also has restocked thousands of popular products it got rid of, including adding items that are popular in specific regions. In Phoenix, for example, shoppers now find pool supplies and lawn and garden items year-round.

Wal-Mart's strategy appears to be working. In the three-month period ended Oct. 31, Wal-Mart's U.S. namesake division's revenue at stores opened at least a year ? an indicator of a retailer's health ? rose 1.3 percent. That's above Wall Street estimates for a 0.3 percent increase and reverses nine straight quarters of declines in the measure, its longest streak ever.

Wal-Mart said the gains were fueled by an increase in the average amount customers were spending per visit. Sales of food and health and wellness products, sporting goods, and crafts were particularly brisk.

"Wal-Mart is getting its groove back," said Brian Sozzi,,an independent research analyst. "They're taking the fight back to dollar stores, Amazon and others. They're much more aggressive."

Still, Wal-Mart's aggressive strategy comes at a cost. The retailer is lowering its prices at a time when many of its suppliers ? consumer products companies and others ? are raising theirs to cover their rising costs for the materials they use to produce, package and transport their goods. That's eating away at its margins.

In fact, Wal-Mart said that all three of its business areas ? Wal-Mart U.S. division, Sam's Club and its international division ? had a decline in profit margins in the three-month period ended October 31 because of the impact of its low price focus and inflationary pressures.

That's in part why Wal-Mart executives are setting a cautiously optimistic tone. They know the retailer's core low-income customer is still reeling from the economic downturn, and it's likely to take ever more profit-busting incentives to keep them shopping.

"Our core customer was still impacted by high unemployment and continued uncertainty over the economy, leading to declining consumer confidence," said Bill Simon, president of Wal-Mart's U.S. division. "We believe it will be more difficult than ever to afford holiday meals for their families."

Still, Wal-Mart's U.S. namesake business is particularly important to the company because it accounts for 62 percent of its total revenue. As a result, the company is upping the ante for the holiday shopping season, a critical period for many retailers that roughly runs from November through December.

Through its Christmas Price Guarantee program, shoppers who buy something at its store between Nov. 1 and Dec. 25, but find the identical product elsewhere for less, can get a gift card in the amount of the difference.

Wal-Mart also offering more ways to help shoppers pay for their gifts. Wal-Mart brought back layaway for the holiday season for toys and electronics, starting Oct. 17. And its new holiday credit offer allows customers who buy gifts this month and next month interest-free financing for six months, provided they make monthly minimum payments.

Additionally, the retailer is starting its Black Friday specials at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving, two hours earlier than many of its competitors like Kohl's Corp., Target Corp. and Macy's..

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-11-15-Earns-Wal-Mart/id-939e55e7d7ca432bbe67fa3dd35575f1

nook tablet eagles magic johnson involuntary manslaughter stevens johnson syndrome verdict in michael jackson trial verdict in michael jackson trial

Obama disagrees with GOP presidential candidates on waterboarding (Star Tribune)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/161713419?client_source=feed&format=rss

byu skylab skylab all my children moneyball moneyball nasa satellite

Heavy D's Autopsy Results Inconclusive (omg!)

When rapper and actor Heavy D died last week, it came as a shock to fans and the hip hop community.

But the 44-year-old's autopsy results didn't provide any answers into how he died. The L.A. coroner's office said Monday it could take several weeks to determine a cause of death because the autopsy was inconclusive, the Los Angeles Times reports.

PHOTOS: Celebs we lost in 2010

Ed Winter, the coroner's spokesman, told the paper last week there were no illegal drugs found at Heavy D's Beverly Hills home. A doctor had prescribed him a drug after he experienced a cough.

The coroner plans to do more toxicology tests "to see what's in his system," Winter told the Los Angeles Times.

PHOTOS: Us' tribute to stars gone too soon

Last Tuesday, Heavy D (real name: Dwight Arrington Myers) experienced breathing problems at his condo complex and then collapsed. "Upon arrival, officers discovered [he was] conscious, communicative, but having difficulty breathing," the Beverly Hills Police Department said in a statement.

PHOTOS: '90s stars, then and now

On October 8, the Jamaican-born entertainer took the stage at the Michael Jackson tribute concert in Cardiff, Wales. Three days later, he performed a medley of his hits, including "Nuttin' But Love," "Is It Good to You," "I Want Somebody" and "Now That We Found Love," at the BET Hip-Hop Awards.

In addition to music, the "Now That We Found Love" rapper appeared in several movies prior to his death, including Life, The Cider House Rules and Tower Heist.

Get more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_heavy_ds_autopsy_results_inconclusive154243564/43608522/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/heavy-ds-autopsy-results-inconclusive-154243564.html

liberace liberace repudiate avengers joost joost new hampshire debate

Android Fragmentation, by the Numbers (ContributorNetwork)

The new version of Google's open-source Android operating system, called Ice Cream Sandwich, was recently unveiled. But unlike with Apple's iPhone, where every device that can run a new operating system version is upgraded immediately, the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus will be the only smartphone to run Ice Cream Sandwich for some time. Even the Verizon Droid RAZR, unveiled hours before Google's Ice Cream Sandwich event, won't see an Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade until early 2012.

The reasons why are varied, but they basically amount to that Android devices aren't as big a priority for their manufacturers and carriers as the iPhone is to Apple and its partners. Moreover, Android device owners are used to only getting a new operating system version when they get a new phone. So even the Nexus One, Google's first flagship smartphone, has finally stopped receiving OS updates, fewer than two years after it launched.

In fact, as Michael DeGusta's "Android Orphans" infographic shows, the Android smartphone world is heavily fragmented between operating system versions, and phones quickly get stuck with out-of-date software. Here's a rundown of the facts:

11: Months it took from the release of Android 2.3 Gingerbread for it to have more users than the next-latest version, Android 2.2 Froyo. That's as of "the two-week period ending Nov. 3." Gingerbread was released in December 2010.

44.4: Percent of Android devices in use that are running Gingerbread. This includes not just smartphones, but tablets that use the smartphone OS instead of the newer Honeycomb version of Android, which was designed for tablets.

1.9: Percent of Android devices in use that are running Honeycomb, according to Google's statistics, reinforcing the reports Android tablets are selling poorly. More than half of Honeycomb devices are running Android 3.1 or earlier instead of the latest version of Honeycomb, Android 3.2.

13: Percent of Android devices running the Eclair version of Android or earlier. Eclair 2.1 was released in January 2010, making it almost 2 years old.

1: Year before the T-Mobile G1, Google and HTC's first Android handset was running an out-of-date version of Android.

5: Android smartphones DeGusta tracked that were at least one version out of date when they were sold in the first half of 2010.

0: IPhones Apple is selling, and has probably ever sold, that ran an out-of-date version of iOS at the time of their sale, including the iPhone 3GS, which is currently "free" on a new two-year contract.

Jared Spurbeck is an open-source software enthusiast, who uses an Android phone and an Ubuntu laptop PC. He has been writing about technology and electronics since 2008.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20111115/us_ac/10377955_android_fragmentation_by_the_numbers

kelly cutrone bill buckner dancing with the stars 2011 dwts christmas island antonio gates antonio gates

Business Watch | CJOnline.com

[unable to retrieve full-text content]CJOnline.com is the website of the Topeka Capital-Journal newspaper. It's the Number One source of news, sports, weather and entertainment information, as well as cars, jobs and real estate advertising for the northeastern ...

Source: http://cjonline.com/news/2011-11-13/business-watch

oregon ducks football the league the ides of march yankees espn magazine espn magazine anywhere but here