Kenya: Human Deports UK Human Rights Lawyer

The Kenyan government has deported a British lawyer who was investigating human rights abuses in Kenya and other countries in the region. The orders declaring  the lawyer, Ms Gutteridge, who was investigating the human rights abuses in Kenya jointly with the KNCHR were signed by Immigration minister. She had been in the region for a month documenting cases of rendition, torture, secret detentions and abuses of due process.
Recounting her experience in London, she said she was given deportation orders after returning to the country from Tanzania. The immigration officials took all of her belongings and allowed her to make one phone call. She was detained overnight and was put on a flight the next day.
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Rihanna's Music Video Controversy

               The U.K. government's Office of Communications, or Ofcom, is up in arms after British music channel WTF TV aired an unedited version of Rihanna's "S&M" video at 11:25 a.m.—when children could be watching!—back in March, which started a controversy in the U.K music Bussinness. The song features a number of saucy images, including the Rated R songbird clad in latex and rubber and whipping a leash-bound Perez Hilton. The moral image represented beyond the song was mainly sexual which pushed the ofcom to request an all UK channels that music videos attend an emergency meeting at headquarters to discuss new guidelines regarding the "acceptability of material in music videos broadcast before 9 p.m."

              Unless they haven't notice this, but sex has became the main theme for most songs　lately; althought　I would understand why it shouldn't be acceptable to have televise that music video at an so early time of the day when 'everyone' could be watching. I still believe that 9 p.m is an early cut time to start televising the music video and instead 10 p.m. should be the cut time.

A modern Ireland will welcome the Queen

Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen is going to Ireland – the first visit by a reigning monarch since 1911 – not to challenge its right to be a republic but to cement a new relationship of normality following the political settlement in Northern Ireland. A country that often struggles under the weight of its history. the majority of Irish people are looking forward to the Queen’s arrival and will give her the warm welcome for which their country is rightly renowned or at least we hope. Just a few weeks ago, the future king was married in the uniform of the Irish Guards; which marked the beginnig a very important era in the royal family. Now another very historic visite is about to be made by the queen herself.





http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/queen-elizabeth-II/8517386/A-modern-Ireland-will-welcome-the-Queen.html

UK vote may bring Clegg more pain

                 A referendum was hold in the United Kingdom in order to change the way members of the parliament are elected. A "NO campaign" was held on May 5 on the voting system came with a strong overall lead of 56 to 29 percent unlike in January where the "yes" campaign led by 36 to 30 percent. The chairman Andrew Hawkins also stated that "people who initially answered ‘don’t know’ have moved towards ‘no’ because “there is still a huge amount of ignorance about the AV, huge gaps” he said, adding that the people do not see the referendum as a priority for the nation. The Alternative Voting (AV) electoral system gives voters a chance to rate candidates in order of preference.
                I believe that this referendum is a very big deal in the United Kingdom because they do not persuade or give strong arguments in order to persuade the people whether or not does the current system need change? And why the AV is is the right thing to adopt. If I was a voter, I would vote for no. After reading this article I would still have voted no and the only thing that would changed my mind has to be strong argument from the opposition that is trying to change the system.

http://www.euronews.net/2011/05/04/uk-vote-may-bring-clegg-more-pain-/

UK Home Prices -3.3% On Year In April - Hometrack

(RTTNews) - The average asking price for a home in the United Kingdom was down 3.3 percent on year in April, property intelligence group Hometrack said on Monday, standing at 153,100 pounds.

That follows the 3.2 percent annual contraction in March.
House prices were flat on month, Hometrack said, after easing 0.1 percent in March. It marked the first month in nine that failed to see a decline.
The volume of sales was up 8.0 percent after surging 12.6 percent in March, while the proportion of sales at or better than the asking price was 92.6 - down from 94 percent a year earlier.
By region, sales in London rose 0.3 percent, while prices in the North East were down 0.4 percent and prices in Wales and the East Midlands fell 0.3 percent.

The article doesn't really explain the reason for the down fall in price asking for homes. The economie could be one of the reasons, but security reasons could also be a consern for buyers. The United Kingdom is not known for having major security problems so that's why I believe it could hardly be a reason.

UK Calls For UN Ruling On Syria

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on May 2, 2011 that the time was fast approaching when the UN Security Council would have to rule on what he called the 'unacceptable' violence in Syria. William Hague, British Foreign Secretary, said that "On Syria, we condemn the violence against peaceful protesters. We have already brought in, in the European Union an arms embargo on Syria, and we are now considering targeted sanctions on individuals associated with this violence" when he met Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil el-Araby. The British Foreign Secretary William Hague also added  "...Time is not on the side of the Gaddafi regime..." addressing himself toward the regime of Muammar al-Gaddafi. Additionally, British Foreign Secretary Hague announced his support for a reconciliation deal between Hamas and Fatah, a deal that has been condemned by Israel which rejects negotiations with Hamas. 

The violence in Syria has been rising and no precautions have been taken to make it stop the violent behaviors. Mr. Hague said that they have condemn the violence against peaceful protesters in Syria and that they are considering targeted sanctions on individuals associated with the violence, my question is when are they going to take action against those who are creating violence in that nation? As for the message addressing the Gaddafi's regime when he said that "Time is not on the side of the Gaddafi regime" I believe that they have shown which side they are willing to support.
For more information on the article please visit:
http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2011-05-03/uk-calls-for-un-ruling-on-syria.html 

UK Minister for Africa disclose… 60, 000 Sierra Leoneans in the UK

About 60,000 Sierra Leoneans in UK and that most of them are doing well in whatever business or work they are engaged in. Despite speculations that due to global recession, the UK is going to cut down on aid in countries like Sierra Leone, the Minister disclosed that UK is not going to cut down aid to the country, instead they are going to increase foreign aid which is a short term issue, as they want the country to become a middle income country. The Minister said that the UK has a very good relationship with Sierra Leone as could be seen with the presence of IMATT, DFID and other institutions which the country has in the country and will do everything to strengthen and maintain that relationship.

The funding for Sierra Leone by the United Kingdom has been efficient and now it's time to cut off that funding and have them continue on improve their country to become a middle income country.This initiative taken by the UK Minister for Africa, even though it looks like it has a positive in sight, it does also leave with many questions such as: Are is arguments to cut the funding a sign for potential future success in Sierra Leone? because this decision could easy be very affective to the sixty thousand Sierra Leoneans in the UK.

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