We have 1 billion cars - but can't feed ourselves

Video: Climate change is cause of Ethiopian drought - Telegraph: "During a tour of the Somali Regional State, Valerie Amos said: “Everything I've heard has said that we used to have drought every ten years, then it became every five years and now it's every two years. And it you don't have the rains at the beginning of the year or towards the end of one year then you are going to have a problem into the next year.""

'via Blog this'

Freeways are not free: Ndebele - Times LIVE

Freeways are not free: Ndebele - Times LIVE: Ndebele said that after years of underspending, the government was making "steady progress" towards ensuring that rail was the backbone of South Africa's public transport system.

"As of 1 April 2011, government is spending R30.2bn over the next three years for rail upgrades across the country, with R19.5bn earmarked for capital spending to upgrade existing infrastructure, signalling systems and rolling stock," Ndebele said.

The Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) was embarking on "a bold programme" to invest in new rail rolling stock worth an estimated R100bn over 18 years.

This would significantly improve the country's commuter rail transport, Ndebele said.

Niger delta oil spills clean-up will take 30 years, says UN | Environment | The Guardian

An oil spill near Oloibiri Town, Bayelsa, Nigeria. Photograph: Ed Kashi/Corbis

Niger delta oil spills clean-up will take 30 years, says UN | Environment | The Guardian: "Devastating oil spills in the Niger delta over the past five decades will cost $1bn to rectify and take up to 30 years to clean up, according to a UN report."

New sleek, fast, train in USA

BusinessDay - Gautrain’s glitch-free opening: "This morning saw the opening of the much-anticipated Gautrain route linking the capital city of Pretoria with the economic hub of Johannesburg.

Dr Barbara Jensen, Gautrain’s head of communication, said by midday the company had transported more than 11 000 people across the newly-linked stations. The average journey time on the new route between Hatfield and Rosebank stations is just under forty minutes.

Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele who boarded the Gautrain at Hatfield station this morning, said the opening marked a new era for South African public transport.

'The train travels at 160km per hour, and I didn't even have my seat belt on,' he said from the platform at Sandton station."

Drought and flood, flood and drought

Nigeria News ->Articles, Commentary, Personalities: "Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has declared Monday, July 11, as a public holiday after heavy rains on Sunday caused massive flooding of homes and roads across the state. Movement and commercial activities were paralysed, and some vehicles broke down in the heavy rains and passengers were stranded at bus stops."

Millions hit by East Africa drought - The Irish Times - Thu, Jul 07, 2011

Millions hit by East Africa drought - The Irish Times - Thu, Jul 07, 2011: "Some 10 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance as East Africa struggles with the worst drought in decades.

Large areas of Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia are affected by the drought conditions."

Une journée sans fumée le 8 juin (Antsirabe) - actualités Madagascar avec l'Express de Madagascar

Une journée sans fumée le 8 juin (Antsirabe) - actualités Madagascar avec l'Express de Madagascar: "La ville d’Antsirabe célébrera la Journée mondiale de l’environnement d'une nouvelle façon, cette année. Prévue pour le mercredi 8 juin, la commune urbaine l'a choisi comme « Journée municipale de l’air pur ». Sa célébration sera ouverte par une grande marche autour de la ville."

Ugandans walk to work to protest high fuel prices

Ugandan police have again arrested three opposition leaders as they tried to continue the Walk to Work protest campaign. The campaign was started by a group called Activists for Change protesting the high fuel prices. They called for protests every Monday and Thursday for a month, in which Ugandans would peacefully protest while walking to work.
Keep Reading at CSM

Libyan people are fighting a ruthless dictator

Friday prayers in Benghazi - 2100-Mar-11

Photograph: Suhaib Salem/Reuters

True Friend of Gadaffi - Berlusconi

Colonel Gaddafi, with his ever-present female guards, meets Silvio Berlusconi. Photo: REUTERS

Telegraph - UK

We will not surrender

Libya 17th February 2011

If, one day, a people desires to live, then fate must answer their call » Blog Archive » Enough!Khalas

If, one day, a people desires to live, then fate must answer their call » Blog Archive » Enough!Khalas: "Rulers can only govern with the consent of the ruled—whether tacit or explicit—and this they often achieve through coercion and violence, through the instillation of fear and apathy, and through the creation of illusions: illusions of strength, illusions of indestructibility, and above all, illusions of futility and hopelessness. The latter is the deadliest weapon at a tyrant’s disposal, and represents the most effective way of consolidating and maintaining power over the longterm."

5 Year Old Child Heads Million Strong Demo in Alexandria Egypt

Egyptian Solidarity Demonstration, Pretoria, 4 Feb 2011

An Under-Reported War Over Water

© EVAN ABRAMSON

A young man from the Nyangtatom tribe patrols a water access point on the border between Ethiopia and Kenya. 

An Under-Reported War Over Water: "Almost unnoticed by the mainstream media, the political consequences of global climate change are now playing out in East Africa. Tribes that have co-existed peacefully for centuries along the border between Kenya and Ethiopia are going to war over diminishing water resources as their livestock dies, their crops fail, and they starve."

South Africa floods kill more than 100 - AlertNet

South Africa floods kill more than 100 - AlertNet
JOHANNESBURG, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Flooding in South Africa has killed more than 100 people, saturated farms in the major food producer for the continent and led the government to declare 33 municipalities disaster areas.

Ninety-five percent of Lake Chad gone in 50 years

Nigeria | Flickr - Photo Sharing!: "Once serving as part of the floor for a much larger Lake Chad, the area now known as the Bodele Depression, located at the southern edge of the Sahara Desert in north central Africa, is slowly being transformed into a desert landscape. In the mid-1960s, Lake Chad was about the size of Lake Erie. But persistent drought conditions coupled with increased demand for freshwater for irrigation have reduced Lake Chad to about 5 percent of its former size. As the waters receded, the silts and sediments resting on the lakebed were left to dry in the scorching African sun. The small grains of the silty sand are easily swept up by the strong wind gusts that occasionally blow over the region. Once heaved aloft, the Bodele dust can be carried for hundreds or even thousands of kilometers." Photo - NASA

Flood here, drought there. Climate change everywhere.

An emaciated cow forages for pasture in Daaba in Isiolo on January 12, 2011. Herders are losing their cattle as drought continues to bite in most parts of the country. The government has now moved to tackle the famine crisis in the country. Photo/JENNIFER MUIRURI 

By GATONYE GATHURA gathura@kenationmedia.comPosted Thursday, January 13 2011 at 22:00

Daily Nation: - News |Sh236bn needed to tackle Kenya drought crisis: "The first comprehensive Action Plan ever prepared by the government on climate change says the evidence of a warming Kenya is unmistakable and will have serious effects on all sectors of the economy."

Burning up biodiversity: forest fires increase in Madagascar

Burning up biodiversity: forest fires increase in Madagascar: "The number of fires burning in and around forests in the northeastern part of Madagascar increased during the 2010 burning season relative the the year before, according to analysis of NASA data by WildMadagascar.org / Mongabay.com. The rise in burning corresponds to an especially dry year and continued illegal logging of the region's biologically-rich rainforests."

Tunisia - Government shoots people for being unemployed

Developed world, after stealing for years, now wants all forgiven.

Imagine that you live in a small town on a river downstream from an affluent, yet polluting, city. For decades, the city grows richer and richer while it continues to spew out pollutants into your drinking water.

You're not happy about this and demand the city stop polluting and pay you compensation. After years of dragging their feet, city officials finally acknowledge a problem but say everyone along the river should be responsible for cleaning it up, whether they contributed to the pollution or not.

Not very fair, is it?

Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/business/Africa+climate+change+costs/4032135/story.html#ixzz19PoqZgme

WikiLeaks reveals how Shell infiltrated Nigeria

WikiLeaks reveals how Shell infiltrated Nigeria: "The petrol giant Shell has thoroughly infiltrated the Nigerian government, newly leaked WikiLeaks documents show. The multinational corporation inserted its employees into every key government ministry to gain unparalleled influence in policy-making in the oil rich Niger Delta. Al Jazeera's Jesse Mesner-Hage reports on how the revelation fits into the decades-long troubled relationship between Royal Dutch Shell and Nigeria."

Railway Gazette: ONCF to buy 14 Duplex high speed trains

Railway Gazette: ONCF to buy 14 Duplex high speed trains: "MOROCCO: Alstom Transport is to supply national railway ONCF with 14 Duplex high speed trainsets for Tanger – Casablanca services under a contract worth ‘nearly €400m’.

The contract, signed in Tanger on December 10, foreshadows the opening of Morocco’s first high speed line between Tanger and Kénitra in December 2015. This 200 route-km section is the first phase of the planned Tanger – Casablanca high speed line. From 2015, the double-deck dual-system Duplex trainsets will operate at 25 kV AC on the high speed line at a maximum speed of 320 km/h and between 160 km/h and 220 km/h on ONCF’s existing 3 kV DC main line between Kénitra and Casablanca."

Climate disruption harder on girls

Climate change poses the greatest risk to the most vulnerable members of society. For this reason, children pay a high price for climate change, often bearing the brunt of increases in hunger, disease, population displacements and resource conflicts. And recent research by Plan International in Bangladesh and Ethiopia shows that girls are worse affected than boys. Plan-International

Reuters AlertNet - Sea level rise threatens Alexandria, Nile Delta

Reuters AlertNet - Sea level rise threatens Alexandria, Nile Delta: "ALEXANDRIA, Egypt, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Twenty years ago, Taher Ibrahim raced his friends across Alexandria's beaches, now rising seas have swept over his favourite childhood playground.
Alexandria, with 4 million people, is Egypt's second-largest city, an industrial centre and a port that handles four-fifths of national trade. It is also one of the Middle East's cities most at risk from rising sea levels due to global warming.
'There were beaches I used to go to in my lifetime, now those beaches are gone. Is that not proof enough?' asked Ibrahim, a manager at a supermarket chain who is in his 40s."

Free trip on Car Free Day - Times LIVE

Free trip on Car Free Day - Times LIVE: "'This [free trips] will give car users an opportunity to learn more about public transport and save on petrol costs, while at the same time contributing to the reduction of emissions,' city spokesman Nthatisi Modingoane said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Rea Vaya C3 Inner City Cycle Route would be offering free services from October 20 to October 23. Gautrain bus trips would also be free on October 20.

'Residents of Johannesburg are urged to take part in the celebration by using public transport such as buses, trains, taxis or joining lift clubs.'

Doing so would ease traffic congestion on the roads."