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WHAT IS F.G.M.: Female genital mutilation of which there are varying degrees.  Inflicted on girls the horrifying procedure leaves lifelong physical, mental and emotional scars.  HOW IS IT PERFORMED: Held down by older women, their legs are forced open, the clitoris, libia minor and libia major are cut off then sewn together or held together with thorns.  A razor blade, penknife, piece of glass or sharp piece of tin are used for the procedure and no painkiller is used.  In some cases the child is made to sit in cold water before hand to slightly numb the area.    The little girl's legs are then bound for 40 days while a scar forms sealing her shut except for a small opening for urine and menstrual blood.  Many die from shock and blood loss but the death is attributed to bad spirits. The psychological terror associated with the procedure leaves many in post traumatic stress and shock.  Emotionally they may never recover.  Marital relations can include being cut open on the wedding night which assures the male of a virgin.  Childbirth is an absolute nightmare and also quite often results in death for both the child and the mother.  HOW MANY ARE AFFECTED: According to Amnesty International, six girls a minute are subject to various forms of fgm.

It is unfair to expect the third world to make emissions reductionsIt is therefore unfair to expect the third world to make emissions reductions, especially considering that their development and consumption is for basic needs, while for the rich, it has moved on to luxury consumption and associated life styles.

HRD ministry’s idea to make laptops at $10 is firmly taking shape

$47 but the ministry feels the price will come down dramatically

first and foremost a node in the wireless mesh which provides connectivity to the larger internet.

This refers to the problem of supplying content posted to a School Library to a large number of other schools.

This content may either be accessed directly from the school library or downloaded onto the laptops.

distribute them free to rural primary school children.

The computer comes with a wireless Internet connection and webcam despite its low cost, and is thought capable of withstanding wear and tear in the kingdom's rural regions.

V. P. of Ghana joins US Doctors for Africa

after 2000 as health delivery services declined amid growing international isolation.

he used to give her older children, who have since finished their primary education, supplements like peanut butter. But now she cannot do the same for her three-year-old son because of escalating prices.

Zimbabwe's economic decline has led to the breakdown of the country's health delivery system. Health care is now characterised by acute shortages of drugs and skilled personnel.

Over the past 150 years, deforestation has contributed an estimated 30 percent of the atmospheric build-up of CO2. It is also a significant driving force behind the loss of genes, species, and critical ecosystem services. However, in the international policy arena, biodiversity loss and climate change have often moved in wholly unconnected domains. — Climate, Biodiversity, and Forests, World Resources Institute, 1998

Carbon Sinks and LandA mechanism suggested for tackling climate change and warming has been the idea of using "Carbon Sinks" to soak up carbon dioxide. to aid in this, reforestation, or planting of new forests, have been suggested. This is a popular strategy for the logging industry and nations with large forests interests, such as Canada, the United States, various Latin American nations, and some Asian countries such as Indonesia.While there may be some potential in this solution, it cannot be effective on its own. This is because it legitimizes continued destruction of old-growth and pristine forests which are rich ecosystem and have an established biodiversity base (albeit shrinking now) that naturally maintain the environment (at no cost!). Creating new forest areas would require the creation of entire ecosystems. It is also criticized for being a quick fix that doesn't tackle the root causes effectively and doesn't lead to, or promote actual emissions reduction.

Environmentalists and others point out that the use of carbon sinks is a big loophole in the Kytoto Protocol; that if carbon sinks can be counted towards emissions reductions credit, then industrialized countries would be able to meet their commitments while reducing emissions by less than would otherwise be required. Because they are carbon sinks, it means that when forests burn or as vegetation naturally dies, they release more carbon too (because it is stored carbon). As the climate changes, it is possible that there may be more forest fires etc, releasing more carbon. (And then these sinks would become sources!)

This process has to begin with an attitude change in the people.

The international system cannot determine for the people the needs, however obvious the needs may be.

MDGs are derived from the international system rather than the domestic environment. They are thus perceived to be foreign, however good the intentions may be.

Only 60 of the 500 doctors trained in Zambia since independence are still there.4 Mozambique has only 500 doctors for a population of 18 million.5

Any number of incentives have been tried to persuade doctors to remain in or return to their countries of origin—enhanced salaries, better pensions, cars, and housing allowances. Ethical recruitment codes may make us feel that we occupy the moral high ground. But, as long as the rich countries have plenty of vacancies, the flow of healthcare professionals from South to North will continue.