Haitian Relief
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Archive for World News
Mandela praises Obama for his message of hope
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – On the day that he made history, Barack Obama got some heartfelt praise from Nelson Mandela.
The anti-apartheid icon said Obama’s inauguration in Washington has inspired the same sense of hope the world felt when South Africa threw off apartheid and elected its first black president — Mandela himself.
Text of President Barack Obama’s inaugural address
My fellow citizens:I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
On December 10, 1948 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the full text of which appears in the following pages. Following this historic act the Assembly called upon all Member countries to publicize the text of the Declaration and “to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories.”
PREAMBLE
Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,
Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,
Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,
Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,
Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,
Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,
Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,
Now, Therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.
Thanksgiving: A National Day of Mourning for Indians
Every year since 1970, United American Indians of New England have organized the National Day of Mourning observance in Plymouth at noon on Thanksgiving Day. Every year, hundreds of Native people and our supporters from all four directions join us. Every year, including this year, Native people from throughout the Americas will speak the truth about our history and about current issues and struggles we are involved in.
The Man of Tomorrow: Rev. Tutu Remarks On Obama Win
CAPE TOWN I am rubbing my eyes in disbelief and wonder. It can’t be true that Barack Obama, the son of a Kenyan, is the next president of the United States.
But it is true, exhilaratingly true. An unbelievable turnaround. I want to jump and dance and shout, as I did after voting for the first time in my native South Africa on April 27, 1994.
Al-Qaida No. 2 calls Barack Obama a House Negro
Ayman al-Zawahri insulted Barack Obama in the terror group’s first reaction to his election, implying that the president-elect is a black American who does the bidding of whites.
Al-Zawahri said in the message, that Obama is “the direct opposite of honorable black Americans” like Malcolm X, the Muslim African-American rights leader.
South African Musical Legend Miriam Makeba, “Mama Africa” Passes
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) — Miriam Makeba, the South African singer who wooed the world with her sultry voice but was banned from her own country for 30 years under apartheid, died after a concert in Italy. She was 76. In her dazzling career, Makeba performed with musical legends from around the world: Nina Simone and Dizzy Gillespie, Harry Belafonte, Paul Simon and for JFK.
I saw her perform back in the early 90s with Hugh Masekela and
during her performance she called out American woman for not having a
Women’s Day celebration that year even though women all over the world had
organized one in their countries, even in countries where women were
persecuted much more harshly than here. She showed why they called her
Mama Africa!
We Have a Black President Y’all!!
President-Elect Barack Obama’s Victory Speech!!
Hello, Chicago.
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.
It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.
We are, and always will be, the United States of America.
Africans gear up to celebrate an Obama victory
KISUMU, Kenya – Africans organized all-night parties to watch the U.S. election results roll in, determined to celebrate a moment in history as Barack Obama tries to become the first black American president.
“Tonight we are not going to sleep,” said Valentine Wambi, 23, a student at the University of Nairobi. “It will be celebrations throughout.”
Haiti Struggles with Humanitarian Disaster
In Haiti, as many as 1,000 people have died and an estimated one million left homeless after the impoverished country was hit by four major storms and hurricanes in less than a month. We speak to the renowned physician Dr. Paul Farmer, co-founder of Partners in Health, a group that provides free medical care in Haiti. After visiting Gonaives over the weekend, Dr. Farmer wrote, “After 25 years spent working in Haiti and having grown up in Florida, I can honestly say that I have never seen anything as painful as what I just witnessed.†[includes rush transcript]
via Democracy Now!
Less Than Half the World Believes Al Qaeda Was Behind 9/11
A poll of 16,000 people in 17 countries reveals the damage done to the credibility of the United States by the Bush admin.
Thousands mark anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima
HIROSHIMA — Thousands marked the 63rd anniversary of the Aug. 6, 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima at a ceremony in the city on Wednesday, joined by a record number of foreign ambassadors.
Mandela’s B-Day message: Rich should help poor
QUNU, South Africa (AP) — Nelson Mandela celebrated his 90th birthday Friday by urging the wealthy to share their prosperity with the less fortunate and by saying he wished he had been able to spend more time with his family during the anti-apartheid struggle.
