SVHS HWC '12-'13

The United States announced that it would give Somalia $20 million in food aid. One of Somali's leaders says that it was a necessity for the country.

This relates to our studies because we talked about the struggles in Somalia. However, we discussed piracy, Somaliland, and government issues rather than troubles with food.

In the Sub-Saharan Africa farmers are learning how to cope with the extreme climate conditions. They are learning how to farm with drought and to keep their crops alive and healthy. It shows the human resilience to climate conditions and how we as humans adapt to our environment.

This article talks about how even though it's perceived that AIDS is in decline in Uganda, it's still on the rise. Almost a third of Uganda's population is plagued with the infection even though billions of dollars have been poured into fixing this problem. Rates have also raised from 6.4% in 2005 to 7.3% today. They are not only rising in urban settings, but also in rural areas. 

This article says that Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana is a prime candidate to be the next Pope.   The Catholic religion has been spreading widely through Africa and Asia.  Nowadays, there is a definite possibility of having a Pope from the the southern portion of the world.

There have been vicious ethnic clashes in Kenya. This is due to the current election stirring old feuds. Many people on opposite sides live as neighbors. 

In Rwanda many people are dying from thirst and cholera. A few years ago, American soldiers started to set up the first water filtration system in Goma. The filtration system will help to slow the growing numbers with cholera. 

Around 100 U.S troops have arrived in Niger. These troops are stationed in Niger to aid the French surveillance effort in subjugating Islamic militia. However, the Malian Islams have become exceedingly adept at avoiding espionage; they have succeeded in avoiding French warplanes by disappearing into Mali away from towns.

Hyenas help show humans evolution. Hyenas show traits that humans show about reproduction and food consumption.

In Kampala, Uganda, women are fighting against their known name of the "rape capital of the world", and they are driving to be entrepreneurs. Women are creating their own businesses and brands and are having great success.

Neighboring countries to the Congo have signed a peace deal with the UN. The deal will assure that the neighboring countries will not support the armed forces in Congo>

Even though Angola is becoming a powerful country, a large amount of the country is still in poverty. Also, its oil-based economy is slowing its development.

African leaders met with the UN to hopefully sign a peace deal to help the corrupt Congo region.

This article discusses the Framework for peace in Congo. The United Nations announced on the 24th of February that they are trying to stop the wars in the country that has lead to suffering in Congo.

Even after the Rwanda massacre in 1994, Rwanda is making steps in the right direction to get health care coverage to all its citizens. One of the most amazing things about this is that Rwanda is one of the poorest countries in the world. The life expectancy rates have risen 10% in the past 10 years from 48% to 58%. Staggering malaria statistics show that malaria deaths have decreased by around two-thirds in the past five years. These improvements were made possible by the more affordable health insurance programs that are sweeping the nation.

In this article, it talks about how the poorest 25 percent of the poor is getting health care for free. The health care is provided to poor as well, but for $0.33 at a clinic, which is one tenth of the actual cost. 

An American delegation led by, Rajiv Shah, met with Somali leaders in Mogadishu and announced $20 million in new American food aid

African leaders signed a deal backed by the U.N. that is meant to bring some peace to the DR of Congo. The country is fighting the M23 rebel group in the eastern region of their country. Maybe some peace can be brought to a region that has been engulfed in war for many years now. 

A Kenyan photojournalist sets his camera aside to build a movement to fight political corruption. 

This article relates to our "cartographic aggression" discussion.  China is redrawing maps to include disputed territories within its boundaries.

Interesting news story that presents evidence for the advent of soup prior to the Neolithic Revolution (10,000 y.a.).  This artifact seems to suggest that humans had developed means of cooking much earlier than previously thought.

In this lecture at MIT, Thomas Friedman, author of "The World is Flat," describes the forces that have brought about our globalized society.