"How Europe cheats Africa"

West's free trade 'has cost Africa £150 bn'
Free trade has cost Africa almost £150 billion over the past 20 years, a charity claimed yesterday.

Christian Aid published a study that used economic modelling to suggest what might have happened to African economies if they had not been forced to open up their markets. Many African countries have had to pursue trade liberalisation as a condition of receiving aid from the West.

According to Christian Aid, these policies have cost the continent a sum equivalent to the amount needed to wipe out its entire debt because African farmers have been forced out of business by subsidised competition from abroad.

World Bank urges West to act against bribery in Africa
The World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz said developed countries have an obligation to prevent bribery in Africa by Western firms. Wolfowitz also praised South African President Thabo Mbeki for sacking his deputy, Jacob Zuma, after he was implicated, but not charged, in a corruption scandal.

Downside for Africa in cutting sugar price

How Europe cheats Africa
If Africa is to be freed from poverty, rich countries must stop giving with one hand and taking with the other. While world leaders are promising to give increased debt relief and aid to the continent, taxpayers in rich countries are bankrolling lavish subsidies which pay for its producers to compete with the same people who will benefit from the G8's generosity. The most powerful commitment Europe could make to saving Africa would be to abolish the Common Agricultural Policy.

Blair vows to break up CAP for Africa's sake
European farm subsidies 'must end by 2010'

African leaders in Abuja for summit ahead of G8 meet
Nepad, Africa's economic revival initiative, has received a major boost with the launch of first two reports of the African Peer Review Mechanism.

Africa: debt, aid and race
"We are very sorry and apologize to viewers and other people who felt offended," announced the Japanese cosmetics firm Mandom early this month, but mass ritual suicide would have been a more appropriate form of apology. The company had aired a TV commercial that showed several black people wiping the sweat from their brows with a Mandom facial wipe while a chimpanzee wearing an afro wig imitated them.

Zimbabwe: the West blinked first

Mbeki must speak out on Zimbabwe before G8 summit
President Thabo Mbeki should condemn the Zimbabwean government's clampdown on street traders and shack dwellers to ensure Africa's credibility at next month's G8 Summit, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said today.

Aid in exchange for alienating Zimbabwe

Continent in crisis cut off U.S. paralyzes Africa with conscious inaction

'Africa's fatal sexual culture spreads Aids'
Black film-maker confronts the causes of the epidemic killing millions and admits: I lived the way these men are living

Africa officials to study Qaddafi's passport idea

Is Mexico going to be the next Colombia?

The Scheme to Infiltrate Cuba's Libraries

History's Greatest Reoccuring Hoax:
Colonization "For Security Reasons"

Lost tribe struggles for survival

Priest unrepentent after crucifying of nun

OPERATION NORTHWOODS:
US PLANNED FAKE TERROR ATTACKS ON CITIZENS
TO CREATE SUPPORT FOR CUBAN WAR

Your ISP as Net watchdog
The U.S. Department of Justice is quietly shopping around the explosive idea of requiring Internet service providers to retain records of their customers' online activities.

Data retention rules could permit police to obtain records of e-mail chatter, Web browsing or chat-room activity months after Internet providers ordinarily would have deleted the logs--that is, if logs were ever kept in the first place. No U.S. law currently mandates that such logs be kept.