by Jim Lobe
Published on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 by Inter Press Service

WASHINGTON - Pressed by the demands of the “global war on terrorism”, the United States is violating an international protocol that forbids the recruitment of children under the age of 18 for military service, according to a new report released Tuesday by a major civil rights group that charged that recruitment practices target children as young as 11 years old.

The 46-page report, “Soldiers of Misfortune“, which was prepared by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for submission to the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child, also found that the U.S. military disproportionately targets poor and minority public school students.

Hundreds of Darfur rebels near Sudan's capital, clashing with security forces

The Associated Press

CRAWFORD, Texas - The Bush administration said Saturday it was "very concerned" about the outbreak of violence in Sudan between Darfur rebels and government troops and urged both sides to exercise restraint.

"We are very concerned about the situation," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said in Texas where President Bush was attending his daughter's wedding.

"We would urge that both sides cease hostilities, whether it is the rebel group or any response from the government. We want to see a calm and order restored."

AUSTIN – Texas could generate as much as 148,000 megawatts of electricity or more than twice our current use from solar power plants; according to a report released today, “On the Rise: Solar Thermal Power and the Fight Against Global Warming” by Environment Texas. These solar thermal power plants covering an area of 30 x 30-mile area in west Texas, could power the entire state; while slashing global warming emissions.  Because solar thermal energy storage allows electric generating capacity even when the sun is not shining, it can replace traditional energy sources like coal, natural gas and nuclear power.

The Associated Press
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
NEW YORK: Members of the Rockefeller family took a fight with Exxon Mobil Corp. public Wednesday, challenging the oil giant spawned by their namesake to split the roles of chairman and CEO and focus more on renewable energy.

The family members, who describe themselves as the company's longest continuous shareholders, said they are concerned that Irving, Texas-based Exxon Mobil is too focused on short-term gains from soaring oil prices and should do more to invest in cleaner technology for the future. Separating the leadership roles, they argue, would better position the company for challenges to come.

By Representative Marcy Kaptur (United States), Senator Yeidckol Polevnsky (Mexico), and Peter Julian, Member of Parliament (Canada) | April 23, 2008

When President Bush meets his counterparts Felipe Calderon of Mexico and Stephen Harper of Canada in New Orleans this week for the fourth summit of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP), NAFTA itself will not be on the agenda. Nevertheless, the reinvigorated debate over that landmark trade and investment deal in our three countries—which became highly visible during the recent dust up between Prime Minister Harper's office and both U.S. Democratic presidential candidates—ensures that it will be an elephant in the room.

Launched in 2005 by the three NAFTA countries, the SPP was billed as an initiative to "develop new avenues of cooperation that will make our open societies safer and more secure, our businesses more competitive, and our economies more resilient." That sounds good, but after three years and four summits, it has become increasingly clear that the SPP is an attempt to expand the reach of NAFTA using stealth to circumvent the debate our three democracies demand.

Willis Library in an Uproar

(4/22/2008)

DENTON, TX-  |UA| United Aid, after having coffee with Peace Activist Ret. Lieutenant Col. Ann Wright and attending her lecture, organized a non-violent direct action on the University of North Texas.

|UA| Members recruited approximately 30 students to lead a silent protest, with bloody hands through the Willis Library on April 22nd. The students marched silently at first, holding up bloody hands in protest of the illegal invasion of Iraq. The silence was broken when an unknown member started demanding loudly that students get involved in the anti-war movement. A library security guard was called out, the |UA| protesters, being undeterred, failed to stop marching, whereupon the staff member tried to violently halt the protest by grabbing Jacon C. Waite, and twisting his shoulder.

By Michael Georgy

JOHANNESBURG, April 18 (Reuters) - A ship carrying arms to Zimbabwe left South African waters on Friday after a court refused to allow the weapons to be transported across South Africa, SAPA news agency said.

The An Yue Jiang, a Chinese ship, had been at anchor off Durban on South Africa's Indian Ocean coast since Monday, turning into a flashpoint for trade unions and others critical of President Thabo Mbeki's quiet diplomacy toward Zimbabwe.

The 300,000-strong South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) refused to unload the weapons because of concerns Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's government might use them against opponents in the post-election stalemate.