Black women heavier and happier with their bodies than white women

Black women heavier and happier with their bodies than white women, poll finds

 

 

Co­lo­ni­al­ism in Africa helped launch the HIV epidemic a century ago

We now know where the epidemic began: a small patch of dense forest in southeastern Cameroon. We know when: within a couple of decades on either side of 1900. We have a good idea of how: A hunter caught an infected chimpanzee for food, allowing the virus to pass from the chimp’s blood into the hunter’s body, probably through a cut during butchering.

As to the why, here is where the story gets even more fascinating, and terrible. We typically think of diseases in terms of how they threaten us personally. But they have their own stories. Diseases are born. They grow. They falter, and sometimes they die. In every case these changes happen for reasons.
For decades nobody knew the reasons behind the birth of the AIDS epidemic. But it is now clear that the epidemic’s birth and crucial early growth happened during Africa’s colonial era, amid massive intrusion of new people and technology into a land where ancient ways still prevailed. European powers engaged in a feverish race for wealth and glory blazed routes up muddy rivers and into dense forests that had been traveled only sporadically by humans before.

The most disruptive of these intruders were thousands of African porters. Forced into service by European colonial powers, they cut paths through the exact area that researchers have now identified as the birthplace of the AIDS epidemic. It was here, in a single moment of transmission from chimp to human, that a strain of virus called HIV-1 group M first appeared.
In the century since, it has been responsible for 99 percent of all of the world’s deaths from AIDS — not just in Africa but in Moscow, Bangkok, Rio de Janeiro, San Francisco, New York, Washington. All that began when the West forced its will on an unfamiliar land, causing the essential ingredients of the AIDS epidemic to combine.

read the rest of the article :

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/colonialism-in-africa-helped-launch-the-hiv-epidemic-a-century-ago/2012/02/21/gIQAyJ9aeR_story.html?tid=pm_pop

Construction of Lamu Port to be flagged off this Friday

Construction of Lamu Port to be flagged off this Friday
The new port is expected to contribute between 2 and 3 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to the economy.

It will start with construction of three of the planned 32 berths at the Lamu port, whose estimated capacity will be three times that of Mombasa.

Detailed engineering design work for the three berths has already been completed.

The project will also see construction of a 1,710 kilometre railway line and a 880 kilometre highway linking Lamu to Ethiopia and South Sudan and a 2,240 kilometre oil pipeline connecting oil fields in South Sudan to refineries at the Lamu Port.

Other components of the Lapsset project include construction of three resort cities at Lamu, Isiolo and near Lake Turkana, construction of airports in the resort cities and setting up of associated infrastructure such as a 1,100MW power line and a 185 kilometre water supply line.

Most of the projects are hoped to be completed by the year 2015.

Recently, the project has faced opposition from residents of Lamu for fear of losing their land, with some of them moving to court to stop its implementation.

source:nation.co.ke

Living in the world's most expensive city

Aftica's Most expensive city? Or the worlds most expensive ?
So why is a city like Luanda so expensive?
There are several reasons. The main one is that Angola lived through a long civil war which started in 1975, when the country gained independence from Portugal, and continued right up until 2002.
Infrastructure is in poor shape after more than 20 years of civil war
During that time most industry, agriculture and local production stopped and basic infrastructure including roads, railways, electricity lines and water supplies were badly damaged.
Having once been a major exporter of products like coffee and cotton, and self-sufficient in most foods, Angola now imports an estimated 80% of its consumable goods.
For every tin or packet of food you buy in Luanda, you must factor in the cost involved in getting that product to Angola and onto the supermarket shelf, via a congested port with its highly bureaucratic customs and a traffic-clogged city.
There are some cynics who say Angola's business elite, who control the import companies, have also done little to bring down costs, although in recent years bringing down prices has been cited as a government priority.

BBC News - Living in the world's most expensive city

William Hague visits Somalia's Mogadishu

William Hague visits Somalia's Mogadishu
Is the begining of the end?its about time somalia problem gets the international attention and action.hopefully in the near future we will see a safe somalia.

William Hague has called for renewed pressure against Islamist militants during the first visit to Somalia by a British foreign secretary for 20 years.
His arrival in the capital, Mogadishu signals the start of a major diplomatic push to restore stability in Somalia.
The British government is holding a conference in London on 23 February to try to find a political solution, and tackle piracy and extremism.
The first UK envoy for two decades has also been appointed.BBC News - William Hague visits Somalia's Mogadishu

Immigrants 'must add to quality of life in Britain'

New proposed Immigration guidelines proposing to set a minimum income level for any sponsor seeking to bring in a foreign spouse -of between £18,600 and £25,700.
Effectively rulling out people who earn less than this amount.

You only get in if you're good enough - and only if Britain wants you!!
read the rest of the article follow the link below

BBC News - Immigrants 'must add to quality of life in Britain'