Mysterious disappearances in the Philippines…

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[Story Ticker] October 23 update

Hello GFM Bloggers,

Last time we highlighted disappearances in China– now we believe the Phillipines warrants a similar focus.

Accusations of mysterious disappearances and extra-judicial killings supposedly taking place with the approval of the government of President Arroyo. Have you heard about the mysterious disappearance of Jonas Burgos?

Human rights group Karapatan assert the severity of the situation and call for more investigation and the attention of world leaders towards these supposed human rights violations.

Have a look at the story page and see if this is something you’d be willing to contribute towards to find out more ….

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Pig or Pitbull?

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Sarah Palin: Would you like to see her in The White House?

The release of former Vice-Presidential candidate, Sarah Palin’s biography ‘Going Rogue’, on November 17^th, is certain to confirm in the minds of many that she intends to make a run for the White House at the next election.

An incredibly divisive figure, Palin has become emblematic of some of the most contentious differences in philosophy between liberal and conservative America.

Pro-life, pro-gun, anti-big government- heralded as a hero by the bible-belt, the Democrats presented a caricature of Palin, perhaps best exemplified by comedienne, Tina Fey’s impression of her on NBC’s, Saturday Night Live during the last campaign for The White House that became a you-tube sensation.

Even the usually tactfully worded Obama seemed to get in on the action, seemingly in response a Palin sound-bite where she had chosen a cutesy line to emphasise both her small-town credentials and readiness to be vice-president, she had declared to a crowd of supporters,

“You know what the difference is between a hockey mom and a Pit Bull?” Pointing to her mouth, she answered rhetorically;

“Lipstick!”

Six days later to a gathered crowd of Democrats, Obama announced supposedly talking about the health care system;

“You can put lipstick on a pig but it’s still a pig.”

Whilst he denied any reference to Palin, the comment sent his audience into raptures and received his loudest applause of the day. It is hard to believe that Obama was unsure of the potential interpretation of such a turn of phrase.

The release of Sarah Palin’s biography presents us with a moment to carefully consider her impact upon American politics to date and with our unparalleled network of international journalists, from Washington we can provide political correspondents to give you, the low down on her whirlwind political career thus far and analysis on what the future might have in store.

Global for me is here to pursue the stories you want to know more about.

Let us know what you think- post a comment now and check out the page for this story…

See you soon,

Kit- GFM Team.

NATO of the South

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Can Chávez and Gaddafi’s proposed NATO of the South really work?

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez this week played host to thirty or so African and Latin-American leaders. Brought together by Chávez for an intercontinental summit, invitees included controversial leaders such as President Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Libyan leader, Colonel Gaddafi.

Chávez, Gaddafi and Mugabe are never likely to be any western leader’s preferred dinner guests and the gang don’t seem interested endearing themselves anytime soon… Gaddafi and Chávez announced from the summit that they are hoping to form an “anti-imperialist” front across Africa and Latin America that they see as becoming the NATO of the South.

“The world’s powers want to continue to hold on to their power,” Colonel Gaddafi announced somewhat richly for a dictator who had a white limousine flown all the way to Venezuela to meet him at the airport.  “Now we have to fight to build our own power”.

Whilst the behavior of Gaddafi often seems farcical, he is not without influence in the sphere of international politics as was recently illustrated by what many have interpreted as a trade for oil of  Lockerbie bomber, Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi. The eccentricity of Gaddafi’s behaviour perhaps overshadows it’s malignance. Meanwhile Chavez’s polarized Venezuelan citizens love and loathe him with partisan passion whilst he too attains a severity of international influence through his nation’s wealth of oil. Meanwhile Mugabe, despite his horrendous human rights record remains in power with international powers seemingly unable or unwilling to depose him.

This proposed NATO of the South’s membership roster seems a promising idea that has been initiated with a rather peculiar blend of power, hypocrisy and eccentricity by worrisome individuals. You can use Global for Me as a tool to explore the issues discussed here or whatever issues you are interested in- covered in a rather more balanced, informed and analysed way than I have here by Global For Me’s experienced network of expert professional journalists.

For whatever stories you want explored further; at Global for me, we have the correspondents to provide coverage and analysis for the stories you want to know more about.

Post your commments and let us know what you think… up on the stories page.

Kit- GlobalFM