About Newsbatch
Contact Newsbatch
Vote Charts
Slide Show (ideal for class presentations)
Summaries:
Abortion
Africa
Americas
Arms Control
Corporate Resp.
Civil Liberties
Death Penalty
Drug Policy
Economic Inequality
Education
Electricity Deregulation
Environment
Globalization
Gun Control
Health Care
Immigration
Iran
Iraq
Israel-Palestine
Kashmir
North Korea
Political Reform
Race
Religion
Sex and Policy
Social Security
Stem Cells
Tax-Budget
Terrorism
Tobacco
Tort Reform
Welfare

2008 U.S. Election a Victory for Global Racial Progress

Barack Obama's election as U.S. President is the culmination of the racial progress that has been occuring in the United States since the civil rights movement of the 1960's. Race has not disappeared as an issue in American society but attitudes have dramatically changed, especially in southern states where the radical Klu Klux Klan flourished only a couple of generations ago. Perhaps the greatest impact of Mr. Obama's election is aboard: in the many European countries who are ahead of the U.S. in governance but behind the U.S. in resolving ethnic and racial attitudes. The potential effect in the world's most undeveloped continent may even be more dramatic.

The following are recent background stories on Newsbatch topics:

Africa

Although the Arab-dominated government of Sudan and the semiautonomous region of Southern Sudan have been at peace for three years, there are signs that both sides are stepping up the pace of a cold war-style arms race. See story from Christian Science Monitor

Many attempts to end Congo's conflict have failed, in part because wars that appear to be all about ethnicity are also about business. Hutu rebels claim to be taking refuge from a vengeful Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who blames them for the 1994 genocide of more than 800,000 Tutsis. But the rebels have built a militia by controlling the trade in tin, tungsten, and coltan. See story from Christian Science Monitor

Americas

Critics maintain that the Sandinista government in Nicaragua is just as repressive as its predecessors. Poitical dissidents have been targeted. A noted journalist, Oxfam, and a women's organization have become enemies of the state. See story from Christian Science Monitor

Although the worst is over, Colombia's civil war continues. More than 10,000 rebels continue to fight and some paramilitary groups have rearmed. See story from Christian Science Monitor

Brazil's President Lula effortlessly bands together with Latin America's left but he just as easily peels away, overseeing a market orthodoxy at home that pleases Washington, defies categorization, and has propelled him forward as the true, if understated, leader of Latin America's underclass today. See story from Christian Science Monitor

Farming superpower Brazil is not only booming but it is spreading the technologies of tropical farming to other parts of Latin America, and to Africa and Asia. See story from Christian Science Monitor

As nations await the full impact of a crisis that is reaching every corner of the world, Latin America is better placed today to weather the downturn than at any other time in the past half century. Countries in the region have, overall, kept spending within budget and built up their currency reserves. Many have solved external imbalances and adopted flexible exchange-rate systems. See story from Christian Science Monitor

China

 

China acts to stem the tide of officials fleeing with cash. As many as 10,000 corrupt government officials have fled China with $100 billion. See story from Christian Science Monitor

Drug Policy

A Vancouver study claims benefits to prescribing heroin to addicts but critics say the efforts amount to a dangerous step toward legalizing drugs. See story from Christian Science Monitor

Education

A new report shows signs of moderation in college tuition hikes. But the economic downturn could quickly send prices up. See story from Christian Science Monitor

If America is going to stem the dropout crisis, low-performing schools will have to do a better job of reaching out to parents. That's the conclusion of a new report that found that, among parents with students in low-performing high schools, fewer than half said the schools did a fairly good job communicating about their child's academic progress. See story from Christian Science Monitor

Energy

The factors behind the 50 percent price drop are myriad and complex, ranging from basic supply and demand to a renewed effort by oil-producing countries such as Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, perhaps in order to undercut calls by both presidential candidates for US energy independence within a decade. See story from Christian Science Monitor

Globalization

Despite economic crisis, Bush urges the US and other wealthy nations to maintain foreign aid. See story from Christian Science Monitor

Immigration

Guest workers win in court over low pay. The increased rights from recent rulings in San Francisco and Atlanta may force a rethinking of legal temporary immigration programs and encourage employers to continue their practice of using illegal immigrations for low wage agricultural work. See story from Christian Science Monitor

Israel-Palestine

Will Obama change course in the Middle East? Some Arabs see him as more of an 'honest broker' in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. But that conflict may not be a priority. See story from Christian Science Monitor

The chances for peace emerge in the Mideast as Israeli President Shimon Peres backed the 'spirit' of a Saudi proposal that offers Arab recognition of Israel. See story from Christian Science Monitor

Race

The election of Barack Obama may have revolutionized the world's view of America. But for Africans and Arabs in Europe, he is much more – a liberator figure whose success and social mobility will help them one day crack open the closed doors of European politics. See story from Christian Science Monitor

Now that Obama will become the first African-American to enter the White House as president, black voters are still trying to comprehend the scope of the accomplishment, struggling to find words beyond incredible and unbelievable. His election has also triggered a determination among some to make changes in themselves and their own communities - to walk the new walk, not just talk about it. See story from Boston Globe

Sexuality

In the wake of the contentious gay marriage initiative in California, some are now suggesting that the government out of the marriage business. Couples gay and straight would get civil unions from city hall. Then, if they wanted, they could get married within a church. Religious institutions must be granted freedom to refuse marriage to anyone, and existing same-sex marriages should be considered legal. See story from Christian Science Monitor