U.N. weapons inspectors arrive in Damascus to investigate claims that Syrian president Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons on his citizens. (Photo Credit: Al-Jazeera)
AllAfrica.com is reporting that South Africa’s Deputy International Relations Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim believes that the United States should wait until U.N. weapons have concluded their report before deciding on military intervention. Jonisayi Maromo writes:
“A military intervention in the strife-torn nation would only aggravate the humanitarian situation, Ebrahim told reporters in Pretoria.
‘The way forward is not to start bombing Syria, because [by doing that] you are not solving the problem but actually increasing it,’ he said.
“That would be extending the problem to the whole region. If you bomb Syria, you don’t know how other parties are going to react, the Hezbollah etc. We should work for a peaceful resolution to the crisis.”
Asked what South Africa’s stance would be, if evidence proved that the regime of President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons, Ebrahim said the intensity of retribution should be decided by the UN.
‘It [the punishment] has to be done in accordance with international law and it has to be approved by the UN Security Council. You have got to get the authorisation of the security council, that is a fundamental principle of international law.'”
Actress Shanola Hampton stars in Charles Murrays much anticipated ‘Things Never Said.’ (Photo Credit: mfa.org)
Shadow and Act is reporting that longtime television writer and executive producer Charles Murray’s feature debut, ‘Things Never Said,’ opens in theatres today. Tambay O. Benson writes in his review of the film:
“‘Things Never Said’ centers on Kal (Shanola Hampton), an aspiring spoken word artist using poetry to escape the pain of a miscarriage and an abusive husband (Elimu Nelson). As an LA native, she dreams of performing at the famed Nuyorican Poets Café in New York. When Kal falls for Curtis (Omari Hardwick), a poetry fan with a whole heap of emotional baggage of his own, the two must decide if they have an affair worth preserving. You could call it a grown-up love story, which points to the complexities of all relationships.”
This film will undoubtedly draw comparisons to indie cult hit Theodore Witcher’s Love Jones(1997).
‘Things Never Said’ opens in theaters today. Learn more about the film here. Check your local listings for showtimes.
Actress Shanola Hampton stars in Charles Murrays much anticipated ‘Things Never Said.’ (Photo Credit: mfa.org)
Shadow and Act is reporting that longtime television writer and executive producer Charles Murray’s feature debut, ‘Things Never Said,’ opens in theatres today. Tambay O. Benson writes in his review of the film:
“‘Things Never Said’ centers on Kal (Shanola Hampton), an aspiring spoken word artist using poetry to escape the pain of a miscarriage and an abusive husband (Elimu Nelson). As an LA native, she dreams of performing at the famed Nuyorican Poets Café in New York. When Kal falls for Curtis (Omari Hardwick), a poetry fan with a whole heap of emotional baggage of his own, the two must decide if they have an affair worth preserving. You could call it a grown-up love story, which points to the complexities of all relationships.”
This film will undoubtedly draw comparisons to indie cult hit Theodore Witcher’s Love Jones(1997).
‘Things Never Said’ opens in theaters today. Learn more about the film here. Check your local listings for showtimes.
Will U.S. military action against Syria harm Jamaica? (Photo Credit: Google Images)
Caribbean 360 is reporting that a University of the West Indies at Mona (UWI-MONA) professor has warned that if the United States’ takes military action against Syria, then there could be dire consequences. The article states:
“Professor of Social and Political Change at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Brian Meeks, has warned that if the United States takes military action against Syria, Jamaica’s fragile economy could be in serious trouble.
Over the weekend, Professor Meeks said a more dangerous Middle East is a more dangerous world and inevitably this would lead to even more instability in Jamaica.
‘One thing that we are already feeling is oil prices. Once there is instability in the Middle East, and there is a lot of it now, oil prices will go up and have continued to go up. A more dangerous Middle East is a more dangerous world, the world will become more unstable and that can have tremendous impact on our economy if war spreads and more particularly on the price of oil.”‘
In addition to Jamaica and the Caribbean, Dr. Meeks believes that a decision to take military action is not the best one for the United States either. Find out why and read this article in its entirety on Caribbean 360.
Writing for Aquila Style, columnist Fatimah Jackson-Best discusses the implications of Saudi Arabia’s recent ban on domestic violence which includes all forms of violence against women. Jackson-Best explores what this means for Muslim women in Saudi Arabia and the greater implications for Muslim women throughout the world. Check out an excerpt from the article, “Taking a Stand Against Domestic Violence” below:
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s cabinet recently passed a ban on domestic violence which encompasses all forms of violence against women. Under this new law, physical violence against women is a punishable crime and penalties for those convicted include a maximum 12 month jail sentence and/or fines of up to USD13,000. The law also gives women who leave violent domestic situations the right to receive shelter and treatment. Police and law enforcement agencies are also implicated as they are given the responsibility for investigating and prosecuting claims of abuse.
This legislation is groundbreaking especially since Saudi Arabia has previously regarded domestic violence as a private matter: instances of violence against women were considered to be a family issue or one between husband and wife. This stance allowed the courts to distance itself from bringing abusers to justice.
When I heard this news, I immediately thought about other Muslim countries and what this legislation would and could mean for them. Saudi Arabia has for generations held power over Islamic decision-making, affecting Muslims around the world. From fatwa (opinions on Islamic law) to when Ramadan begins, many of us are implicated in the decisions made by a country hundreds and thousands of miles away. So what does it mean when this hub of Islamic law and practice now recognises that when women are abused by men, it is a crime deserving of justice?”
Writing for Aquila Style, columnist Fatimah Jackson-Best discusses the implications of Saudi Arabia’s recent ban on domestic violence which includes all forms of violence against women. Jackson-Best explores what this means for Muslim women in Saudi Arabia and the greater implications for Muslim women throughout the world. Check out an excerpt from the article, “Taking a Stand Against Domestic Violence” below:
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s cabinet recently passed a ban on domestic violence which encompasses all forms of violence against women. Under this new law, physical violence against women is a punishable crime and penalties for those convicted include a maximum 12 month jail sentence and/or fines of up to USD13,000. The law also gives women who leave violent domestic situations the right to receive shelter and treatment. Police and law enforcement agencies are also implicated as they are given the responsibility for investigating and prosecuting claims of abuse.
This legislation is groundbreaking especially since Saudi Arabia has previously regarded domestic violence as a private matter: instances of violence against women were considered to be a family issue or one between husband and wife. This stance allowed the courts to distance itself from bringing abusers to justice.
When I heard this news, I immediately thought about other Muslim countries and what this legislation would and could mean for them. Saudi Arabia has for generations held power over Islamic decision-making, affecting Muslims around the world. From fatwa (opinions on Islamic law) to when Ramadan begins, many of us are implicated in the decisions made by a country hundreds and thousands of miles away. So what does it mean when this hub of Islamic law and practice now recognises that when women are abused by men, it is a crime deserving of justice?”
Rwanda is accusing the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) of launching rockets into border cities. Photo Credit: Google Images
AllAfrica.com is reporting that Rwanda is accusing the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) of shelling border cities. The DRC’s response is that M23 rebels are responsible for the rocket launching in an attempt to draw Rwanda into conflict.
The publication reports:
“Rwanda said Thursday that more than 30 bombs and rockets have been fired across the border in the last week by the DRC military. It said one bomb fired Thursday morning killed a woman and seriously injured her two-month-old baby in the town of Rubavu. In a statement, it accused Congo of trying to draw Rwanda into the conflict between the DRC army and M23 rebels in the city of Goma, which sits on the Congolese-Rwandan border. Congo and a group of United Nations experts have accused Rwanda of supporting M23, an allegation Rwanda denies.”
The United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping force in Congo, confirmed reports of new fighting between DRC forces and M23 in Kibati, north of Goma.
Chris Brown’s hit song, ‘Fine China’ has spurred many covers on the web. (Video Snap Shop)
Chris Brown performed today on the Today Show reminding people of his singing chops and undeniable talent on the dance floor. His performance on the Today Show motivated us at The Burton Wire to check out his official video for the song. While surfing YouTube, we came across some interesting covers of Brown’s hit song by a myriad of talented performers and amazing arrangements. As you kick of the weekend, check out some of these videos.
Chris Brown’s hit song, ‘Fine China’ has spurred many covers on the web. (Video Snap Shop)
Chris Brown performed today on the Today Show reminding people of his singing chops and undeniable talent on the dance floor. His performance on the Today Show motivated us at The Burton Wire to check out his official video for the song. While surfing YouTube, we came across some interesting covers of Brown’s hit song by a myriad of talented performers and amazing arrangements. As you kick of the weekend, check out some of these videos.
A statistical snapshot of the impact of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans. (Photo Credit: NOLA.com)
Mark Waller of Nola.com (The Times-Picayune) is reporting on the impact of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans eight years after the severe tropical storm devastated the gulf coast region. Waller writes:
“The Greater New Orleans Community Data Center, which has been tracking recovery indicators since the early months after the storm, issued a snapshot of post-Katrina statistics. Earlier this month the center released its analysis of economic and demographic trends since Katrina, called the New Orleans Index at Eight.”
Please see some of the highlights of the report below:
The New Orleans metro has weathered the Great Recession impressively. As of 2012, it had recovered all its recession-era losses and reached 1 percent above its 2008 employment level while the nation remained 2 percent below its 2008 job level.
The New Orleans area has experienced notable growth in knowledge-based industries, including higher education and insurance services, while maintaining older industrial strengths. For example, heavy construction and engineering has expanded significantly and could supply the skilled workforce needed for new economic transformations in the region.
Entrepreneurship in the New Orleans metro continues to expand, reaching 501 business startups per 100,000 adults in the three-year period ending in 2012 – a rate that exceeds the nation by 56 percent.
During the 2012-13 school year, 63 percent of New Orleans’ public school students attended schools that pass state standards, up from about 30 percent pre-Katrina.
Adult educational attainment, a key factor influencing success in today’s economy, is not being advanced in the New Orleans metro at the same rate as in the nation, especially for black men, who have experienced no increase since 2000 in the percent obtaining bachelor’s degrees.
Post–Katrina housing is unaffordable with 54 percent of renters in the city paying more than 35 percent of their pre–tax income on rent and utilities in 2011, up from 43 percent of renters in 2004.
As of August 2013, FEMA has obligated $10.3 billion for debris removal and infrastructure repairs for the New Orleans metro, with $6.9 billion paid to localities and $3.4 billion still forthcoming.
As of July 2012, zero families in Louisiana are living in FEMA trailers, down from more than 70,000 in August of 2006.
Read more statistics at NOLA.com. Read the entire New Orleans Index at Eight report here.
