World Bank head Jim Yong Kim and UN Sec. Gen. Ban Ki-moon visit Congo on May 25th, supporting a framework for peace agreement that was engineered by Uganda and Rwanda, Western allies that are accused of backing rebel armies committing war crimes in Congo … Read More
All woman: Angelina Jolie hailed for double mastectomy decision
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At risk of developing cancer Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie has opted to remove both her breasts by undergoing preventive surgery.
Jolie has been hailed for making the heroic choice, by amongst others her partner, Hollywood heartthrob Brad Pitt.
In a New York Times op-ed the 37-year-old explained her wish to be there for her six children, after discovering she carried the defective BRCA1 gene. Her own mother, Marcheline Bertrand died of breast cancer at the age of 56.
Dr. David Agus, Oncologist and Director of the Westside Cancer Center, USC explains the medically reasoning behind the decision: “Having a double mastectomy, the real benefit is that you dramatically reduce your risk of breast cancer. It doesn’t go to zero because there’s some breast tissue left. But it goes from, in the case of Ms. Jolie, the 80% range down to about 5%.”
Whilst she was undergoing the series of double mastectomy operations she travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo in her role as Special Envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to raise awareness of sexual violence.
Saying she felt empowered by her choice and no less feminine, she hopes her decision will encourage others to make informed choices. One in five women diagnosed with breast cancer have a family history of the disease.
More about: Angelina Jolie, Cancer, Health, USA
Copyright © 2013 euronews
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Finland tops poll for ‘world’s best place to be a mother’
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Scandinavian countries remain the world’s best places in which to become a parent, according to a new report from the charity Save the Children.
They make up four of the five best places to bring up children, based on factors such as health care, education, and economic opportunities.
Ishbel Matheson, from Save the Children, said: “If you are a mum in Finland you are right at the top of the ranking, you have great education, you have good chances of income, you’ve got a really low risk of dying in childbirth and very high chances of your child surviving.”
High maternal and infant mortality rates mean that the Democratic Republic of Congo ranks as the toughest place.
The charity says many of the deaths suffered here could be prevented just by introducing simple, low-cost health care plans.
Surprisingly, perhaps, the United States is ranked 30th behind countries with much lower incomes like Lithuania or Slovenia.
Save the Children says this is largely due to the high numbers of teen pregnancies in the US and relatively poor sex education.
Britain comes 23rd on the list with the Netherlands sixth ahead of Spain, Belgium and Germany.
More about: DR Congo, Finland, Health, Protection of children
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Italy’s first black minister brushes off racism
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Italy’s first black minister, Cecile Kyenge, has said the country is not particularly racist despite receiving a barrage of racist and sexist insults since becoming one of seven women in the new government.
The Italian citizen originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was named integration minister by Prime Minister Enrico Letta on April 27.
The 49-year-old eye doctor said she believes hostile attitudes stem mainly from ignorance:
“I am not ‘coloured’, I’m black, it is important to say that, I emphasise it proudly.”
“We need to break down these walls. If you don’t know someone, scepticism increases, discrimination increases. Immigration is a richness. Differences are a resource.”
The minister has received taunts from far-right websites which branded her; “Zulu”, “Congolese monkey” and “the black anti-Italian.”
She also received insults from Mario Borghezio, a European Parliament member for the Northern League.
He referred to the coalition as a “Bongo Bongo government” – a play on the Bunga Bunga parties of the Berlusconi era – and said “Kyenge would make a good housewife but not a minister”.
Kyenge plans to push for legislation opposed by the League that would allow children born in Italy to immigrant parents to be given automatic citizenship instead of having to apply when they turn 18.
Although millions of Italian emigrants left the country throughout the 19th and 20th centuries to find jobs and a new life overseas, the country has struggled to integrate those from other countries who have come to Italy seeking work.
More about: Italian politics, Italy, Racism
Copyright © 2013 euronews
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UN Sanctioned Congo "Intervention Brigades" Complement US Africa Strategy
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Mobile banking sparks a ‘minor revolution’ in DR Congo workforce
AFP - For civil servants working in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the arrival of mobile banking has been just short of a miracle. Aside from getting paid on time, workers are now receiving what is actually owed to them, circumventing greedy superiors who used to dip into their pay envelopes to…
