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Code Pink Socks It To Bush With Shoe Protest

LibertySugar — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:30:41 -0800

It was only a matter of time before Bush's opponents at home took advantage of last weekend's shoe attack to highlight their frustration with the President. Code Pink, the infamous group of women for peace, gathered outside the White House and in Berkeley, CA yesterday to hold a "Farewell Kiss Shoe-In" for President Bush.

Just like the Iraqis, who gathered in the streets carrying shoes to show their solidarity with the jailed journalists, the women of Code Pink picked up, or untied, the latest symbol of dissent. One member explained the group's motivation:

"It's outrageous that al-Zaidi could get two years in prison for insulting George Bush, when Bush is directly responsible for the deaths of 1.5 million Iraqis and 4,200 U.S. troops, and 5 million displaced Iraqis. The one who should be in jail is George Bush, and he should be charged with war crimes."

While the shoe demonstration could be seen as a little predictable, perhaps Bush only invited it when he said about his attacker, "I don't know what the guy's cause is." With banners dedicating shoes to the "widows, orphans and those killed in Iraq," Code Pink offered Bush an explanation. Check out the pics from the White House protest.

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Thailand Protesters Shut Down Airport and Tourist Economy

LibertySugar — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:00:59 -0800

Thailand's opposition is set to form a new government, after protesters help wrestle power from the prime minister. Thai courts banished PM Somchai Wongsawat from politics thanks to electoral fraud. Shutting down Bangkok's airport proved to be the most successful protest tactic, but it also left 300,000 foreign travelers stranded.

The timing of the airport blockade couldn't have been worse, as it came during the holiday season. Tourism makes up 12 percent of the Thailand's GDP. Since the country just started to recover from the tourism slump following 2004 tsunami, it would be a shame if the latest blow leaves long-term economic damage, too. Check out these pics of Thailand's empty, but beautiful, resorts.

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Front Page: Strike Kills Taliban Leader, Protesters Attack UN in Congo, AIDS Treatment Should Start Sooner

CitizenSugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 07:00:26 -0700

Strike Kills Taliban Leader:
An missile strike thought to be from the US has killed 20, including a top Taliban commander in Pakistan. Mohammed Omar was killed when the missile, fired from a pilotless drone, hit his compound in South Waziristan. Omar fought with the Taliban in the late 1990s. The US has launched an increasing number of missile strikes from Afghanistan against suspected militants.

Protesters Attack UN in Congo:
Thousands of protesters attacked the UN headquarters in eastern Congo today rallying against the UN peacekeeping force that has been unable to protect residents from rebel attacks that have forced tens of thousands to flee. Thousands of refugees continued to flee as protesters threw rocks at the UN compound.

AIDS Treatment Should Start Sooner:
A new study recommends that people who have the AIDS virus should start treatment sooner than current guidelines suggest. Delaying treatment until the immune system is badly damaged almost doubles the risk of dying in the next few years. There was a 70 percent improvement in patients who started therapy early. Approximately 56,000 Americans are infected with HIV every year.

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PETA Leads Zombie Protest Outside Manhattan KFC

YumSugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:30:26 -0700

Animal-rights activism group PETA has come out with yet another inflammatory campaign. This year, they kicked their off Halloween festivities a few weeks early: On Saturday, more than 100 people gathered outside a Herald Square KFC dressed as blood-drenched zombies, holding signs that said, "I'd rather be dead than eat at KFC!"

The protest was part of the Kentucky Fried Cruelty campaign, which addresses concerns about KFC suppliers' treatment of chickens on farms and slaughterhouses. "Even flesh-eating zombies have nothing on the Colonel's cruelty," says PETA's Dan Shannon. "We're urging consumers not to set foot inside a KFC restaurant until the company stops these abuses."

Did any of you see the protest? Do you consider it to be effective at sending an important message, or is it just another obnoxious PETA ploy?

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Front Page: Protesters Trap Thai Legislators, Fed Considers Plan to Buy Debt, Report of Western Plane Down

CitizenSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:58:36 -0700

Thai Legislators Trapped:
Thousands of anti-government protesters surrounded the Thai Parliament today, trapping legislators inside for more than five hours. The incident followed a day of street clashes that left more than 100 people injured. The siege was an escalation of a six-week sit-in seeking to change the country’s democratic system to weaken the electoral power of the rural poor.

Fed Considers Plan to Buy Debt:
The Federal Reserve is considering a proposal to buy large amounts of unsecured short-term debt that companies use to finance daily activities. The plan is a radical move to jump start the financial system, and though it puts more taxpayer dollars in play, a radical move is seen as necessary to reinvigorate the financial system. The Dow finished below 10,000 yesterday for the first time since 2004.
Report of Western Plane Down:
Iranian news is reporting Iran has forced down a Western plane that entered its airspace. After initial reports that it was a US military plane, a claim refuted by the Pentagon, a senior Iranian official says the plane belongs to a European aid agency. Apparently the occupants of the plane have been released following questioning.

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Pencils Sharpened, but Back to School Boycott on in Chicago

CitizenSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 07:57:07 -0700

It's back to school day for everyone from Belgian princesses to my mom (Princess Laetitia of Belgium, pictured) but not for hundreds of Chicago public school students expected to skip classes today. They're protesting the financial divide in the Illinois public school system.

Packed classrooms, old textbooks, and a dearth of technology tips the scale between schools who have and schools who ain't got it. Up to 2,000 city students are expected to try to enroll in the tonier schools in the suburbs, distinguished for their wealth and academics, even though residency in the area is required to attend. One mom says, "I don't want to send my kids to any second-class school anymore. If I have to keep my kids out for a whole month, I'm willing to do that."

The plan might do more harm than good. To see how,

Front Page: Gustav Spares New Orleans, Thailand Declares Emergency, McCain Raises $47 Million

CitizenSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 06:56:08 -0700

Gustav Spares New Orleans:
Hurricane Gustav, thought Sunday to exceed the strength of Katrina, largely spared New Orleans. The city's improved levee system and mandatory evacuation order and curfew helped keep damages low. The storm was responsible for eight deaths in the US and 94 people in the Caribbean. Residents are expected to be able to return in the next few days.

Thailand Declares Emergency:
Thailand's Prime Minister has declared a state of emergency today to try to restore order after overnight clashes between protesters and government supporters left one dead and 43 injured. Though the prime minister wants to end the violence "softly," the military has power to suspend civil liberties, ban public gathering, and bar the media from reporting news that "causes panic."
McCain Raises $47 Million:
John McCain raised $47 million in the month of August, more than double his previous best month. $10 million in donations have come in since he announced Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. The amount comes close to Barack Obama's take for July at $51 million. At the end of the convention, the Republican campaign will get $84 million in public financing.

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Thousands Protest the War at the Republican Convention

CitizenSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 06:00:13 -0700

While the Republicans prepared for a subdued opening to their convention, the protesters were out in full-force. An event called "March on the RNC" drew 8,000 to 10,000 people with seven arrests.

The group chanted slogans like "war is not pro-life" and displayed signs against President Bush, who canceled plans to speak at the convention because of the hurricane. The protesters paraded across St. Paul, from the state capitol to the Xcel Center, where it's expected that John McCain will accept the Republican nomination later this week.

To see video of the event,

Thousands of Mexicans Protest Kidnapping Crime Wave

CitizenSugar — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 06:00:07 -0700

In response to the rising numbers of murders and kidnappings throughout Mexico, citizens took to the streets by the hundreds of thousands this weekend to call attention to this problem. The rallies took place in all of Mexico’s 32 states and more than 150,000 gathered in Mexico city alone.

The last straw may have been earlier this week when a dozen decapitated bodies were found in the Yucatan Peninsula. This horrific incident is in addition to the 2,700 killings and 300 kidnappings already this year. The marches were designed to spur elected officials who seem either unwilling or unable to combat this crisis, to action.

To see how the protests happened,

Front Page: Thousands Protest in Thailand, Sudan Hijackers Free Hostages, Decline in Number of Uninsured

CitizenSugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 06:57:07 -0700

Thousands Protest in Thailand:
Thai police are trying to remove anti-government protesters who have taken over the prime minister's compound. The protesters are vowing to stay on the grounds until the prime minister, now living in self-imposed exile in London after corruption charges, steps down. The protests started yesterday with more than 30,000 people taking to the streets.

Sudan Hijackers Free Hostages:
Hijackers who seized an airplane leaving the Darfur region of Sudan yesterday have freed all 95 passengers, but six crew members remain onboard. Forcing the plane to land in Libya, one of their demands is for asylum rights and refugee status. Negotiations are ongoing to free the remaining crew members.

Decline in Number of Uninsured:
After rising for six years, the number of Americans without health insurance has dropped by more than a million. The Census Bureau reports that 45.7 million are uninsured. The drop is a result of government-sponsored health insurance programs, particularly those aimed at children. The number of people covered by private insurance continued to decline.