Daljit Dhaliwal speaks with Gideon Lichfield, deputy editor of The Economist online in New York, about British public sentiment and the reaction of Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

The British National Health System is the world’s largest publicly-funded health care system. And while it’s free, it’s still controversial.

Geoff Porter, the head of Middle Eastern and African affairs for the Eurasia Group, examines the extent to which the business relationship between the U.K. and Libya influenced the decision to release the Lockerbie bomber. Porter lists other factors that brought about the release, how the prosecution potentially mishandled the evidence and the damaged image of the U.K. and Libya.

Comments about Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) — some calling the system “evil” or “Orwellian” –  have drawn the attention of many U.K. residents, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who this week joined a Twitter campaign to defend health care in his country.

Andrew Clark, the New York correspondent for The Guardian, joins Martin Savidge to discuss how Britons view the U.S. health care debate.

Below, read comments from British bloggers who defend their health care system.

For more on alternative health care systems around the world, see the Worldfocus signature series “Health of Nations.”

British Twitter users have launched a campaign to defend the NHS, using the hashtag #welovethenhs.

Gordon Brown was among the many who participated in the campaign, tweeting:

PM:NHS often makes the difference between pain and comfort, despair and hope, life and death. Thanks for always being there

Another Twitter user, Andrew Learmouth in Aberdeen, writes:

I’d be dead, my mum’d be dead and my dad wouldn’t be getting a new knee if it wasn’t for the NHS. Worth every penny

Geraldine in the U.K. chimes in:

went private when I was rich, used NHS when I’ve been poor. No diff in level of care whatever. Happy to pay taxes for it.

Steve Ince in East Yorkshire adds:

Many of my family would have no quality of life without the wonderful work of the NHS and the hardworking staff. Thanks!!!

Bloggers, too, shared their experiences with Britain’s health care. Gareth Wyn in Stockwell, London, explains his own reasons for supporting the NHS:

The American Right seem to be getting their knickers in a twist, all over the fact that the Obama Administration wants to provide them with a basic level of health care and that the NHS is so bad that people are being left to die in hospitals. [...]

I suspect that no one would claim that the NHS is perfect but it saved my life and that of my mother when I was born, it was fabulous when my grandparent were alive and even when they were near death. My mother, father, uncles have all had fabulous treatment for cancer related illness, I’ve had wisdom teeth extracted, a number of surgical procedures, all for free. I am able to call the doctor at 8.30 to make an appointment, and will have seen him and be in work by 10.30. Cost nothing except my tax payments. In fact I would be happy to pay a bit more tax if it meant an even better service.

Blogger Sarah in Cambridge shares her own experience:

Word of this is getting around - apparently in order to discredit the, as I understand it, somewhat limited reforms that President Obama is proposing for the US’s very expensive, and not all that effective health care system, right wing pundits in the US have been using the NHS as a scare story about all the bad things that can happen under “socialised medicine”.

I want to make a personal point. When I was eight years old I was walking home from school one day. An illegally parked truck was blocking my view along the road. I edged out to look round, and at that moment I’m told someone stepped out from one of the garden gates on the opposite side. A car which was travelling along the road swerved to avoid them, and narrowly missed the truck I was peering out from round.

I experienced this as a screeching of brakes, at which point I guess I must have had a ton of adrenaline dumped into my system. I came to rest on my back [...] I felt a pain more intense than anything I’ve ever experienced in my stomach - far more pain than an eight year old should have to deal with. I looked up to see a circle of faces looking down at me.

In due course an ambulance arrived. It took my to the Chesterfield Royal Hospital where I spent a week on the Nightingale Children’s ward in a lot of pain, being fed through an IV line in my arm, feeling deeply sorry for myself.

Through all of this there were no insurance companies involved, nobody ever asked how the x-rays, the doctors, the medicine, the bed, etc. were to be paid for, no questions were ever asked about whether we had “coverage”, they just sent an ambulance, took me into hospital, looked after me for a week, and got me back in a fit state to be sent home. When I was eight years old the system the US right wing wants to portray as some kind of socialist dystopian disaster simply did its job and saved my life.

So yeah, thanks for that NHS, and don’t believe everything you see on the television, especially if there are political lobbyists involved.

An American blogger living in London compares the U.S. and U.K. health care systems:

I figured I could add some of my own experience with NHS since I moved to London.  Like most Americans exposed to anti-socialist rants on the poor quality of socialized healthcare, I was a bit wary and skeptical.   Would I be waiting in line for hours?  Could I trust the quality of care? Would the system be unnavigable and complicated?  Fortunately, my experience was quite the contrary.

I felt it was important to share this after reading and watching some of the anti-healthcare reform initiatives spreading back home.  The system is efficient, provides satisfactory care and it’s FREE.  Totaling up everything I’ve had done since my arrival here, I probably would have had to pay around $2,000 back home

Flickr user mallix constructs a Twitter class portrait. Photo under a Creative Commons license.

A draft curriculum review of the British education system calls for primary school pupils to learn how to use Twitter, Wikipedia, blogging and podcasts as part of their school studies.

The proposals also suggest that history topics such as the Victorian era and World War II be given less time in the curriculum. The final version of the review is due out next month.

“The Cowfield” blog rejects the curriculum shake-ups, arguing that technology is over-emphasized:

As a history scholar, I firmly believe more should be done to encourage people to question their pasts, and to connect the present with what has gone on before. The suggestions [in the proposals] indicate that this is no longer a concern for governmental officials. Instead, it seems, we should be encouraging the ‘life skills’ of how to use Twitter, or how to blog.

[...]I really do not think that further use of Twitter, Wikipedia et al should be encouraged. Many people are already moaning that there is too much exposure to the internet and computers, so surely encouraging further exposure should be frowned upon? At a period where we are frequently told of the growing obesity problem, surely placing kids in front of another screen cannot help? I’m still not sure what was wrong with classrooms and books personally.

Several commenters weighed in on the story in response to an article at the “TechCrunch” blog, both in support of and against the proposals:

Wendy wrote: We’re in a post PC era, my four year old uses youtube on my iphone, my 18mth old daughter plays with the bubblewrap app. To them it’s just part of life and nothing special. I’m all in favour of an overhaul to schools curriculum with regards to tech and media however I’m a little skeptical that putting Twitter on the agenda is just the government jumping on a fad. More optimistically they’re just mentioning this to get picked up on the news and there is a more considered well researched programme of change behind this?

Bas wrote: I think children should get lessons in thinking and in information retrieval. Yes, they should still be taught about history, etc. Yes, it’s important they learn stuff that they could need ‘on the spot’ - like calculating skills. However, we can go a little bit easier on drilling the information in - by the time they’re 25, augmented reality will be a fact and not even a luxury. We’ll be able to retrieve information at any time, any place, about almost anything, without even moving our hands to grab our handhelds.

Another British blogger at “Zeitgeist” says it’s “more dumbing down,” blasting the government:

I think the those people in authority are the ones who need educating. Children already know far more about the web than most adults! What is going on? Why does the government continuously insist on getting it wrong? Because getting it right would cost a lot more money, and it would probably take a lot longer than 4 years, and as most people realise the government only see[s] up to 4 years in to the future, they never think long-term.

At the “Twitterati” blog, Josh Crowse comments that the introduction of social media tools into curriculum may have a reverse effect:

Translation: in 10 years, students will have grown to hate twitter and wikipedia, after having to use them as part of daily homework.

Some American schools ban Twitter, including that of Minnesota teacher “Knaus,” who writes in support of the site as a learning tool:

I love Twitter. I use it three ways. I have a Twitter for my classroom that is private, a Twitter for my family that is connected to Facebook, and a school tech Twitter for my teaching and learning in and through technology. Having different Twitters lets me keep my information specific to each topic and I can’t “over Tweet.” I really wish it was unblocked at my school. I think it would be great for my students to use.

Following two recent attacks by Irish Republican Army (IRA) splinter groups, Northern Ireland is on edge, fearing a return to the “Troubles” — the decades of violence that killed more than 3,300 people until the 1998 Good Friday peace accord.

In the first attack, the Real IRA gunned down two British soldiers — the first British troops killed in Northern Ireland in 12 years. The following day, the Continuity IRA killed a member of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Both groups have vowed to continue their operations until Northern Ireland is no longer part of the United Kingdom.

The attacks shook the province’s coalition government of Protestants and Catholics, many of whom disagree on who should rule Northern Ireland — Ireland or the United Kingdom. In the wake of the attacks, thousands have gathered for peace rallies across the country.

Worldfocus.org’s weekly radio show explored the history of violence in Northern Ireland and the current political and cultural situations there, examining life in the conflict-torn province and prospects for the future.

Worldfocus anchor Martin Savidge hosted a panel of guests:

Paul Arthur is a professor of politics and director of the graduate program in peace and conflict studies at the University of Ulster. Among his books are “Northern Ireland Since 1968” and “Special Relationships: Britain, Ireland and the Northern Ireland Problem.” He has contributed to the Times, New York Times, Observer, Sunday Independent and Guardian.

Kevin Cullen has reported for The Boston Globe since 1985. In August 1997, he opened the Globe’s Dublin bureau, which marked the first time a major American newspaper based a staff reporter in Ireland. Cullen travels to Northern Ireland frequently writing about the conflict. He has spent more time in, and written more about, Northern Ireland than any reporter for an American newspaper.

Honor Fagan is a lecturer in sociology at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. She has previously worked at the University of Ulster and has carried out research and published in the subject areas of gender, development, cultural politics and identity formation. She is the author of “Culture, Politics and Irish School Dropouts: Constructing Political Identities.”

Credits:
Host: Martin Savidge
Producers: Lisa Biagiotti, Katie Combs and Stephen Puschel

Seal of the U.S. Department of State.

This week, the U.S. State Department released its extensive 2008 country reports on human rights practices, a country-by-country evaluation of worker rights, free movement, privacy and other basic expectations of the State Department.

The report covers often-criticized China, whose authorities claim that the U.S. evaluations — including reports of state persecution of ethnic minorities and dissidents — willfully ignored and distorted basic facts.

Blogger Akhila Kolisetty at “Justice for All” disapproves of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent statement that “our pressing on those issues can’t interfere with the global economic crisis.”

I’m shocked that Clinton chose to prioritize economic issues over human rights — not that those issues aren’t important, but simply because she’s denying that human rights is important. By choosing to separate human rights from all these other issues, Clinton also fails to understand that all these problems are interrelated. How can you progress on climate change or security when human rights at home are being violated?

The State Department also cited instances of political imprisonment and media control, among other charges, in Cuba. Despite such charges, Marvin Kalb of GlobalPost wonders if Cuba is the site of a “golden opportunity“ that President Obama may be missing in terms of engagement.

Raul Castro has launched a program of “reform,” but it appears to be successful only in generating demands for more reform. What had once been taken for granted in Cuba — unmistakable advances in education, health care and pensions — are now under a spreading cloud of doubt. I’m told the average state wage is $18 a month, clearly no longer adequate, if it ever was. And ration cards can provide no more than half the monthly food needs of a family.

Optimists exist, and they catch glimpses of a promising tomorrow. Oil, for instance: Cuba controls a corner of the Gulf of Mexico that has oil reserves estimated at 10 to 15 billion barrels, just waiting to be developed. Would it not be better for the U.S. to be moderately dependent on Cuba for its oil than on Saudi Arabia?

And, buried deep in the State Department, but ready for rapid excavation after the Bush years, are numerous policy briefs for a considerable expansion of Cuban-American relations, including joint operations against drugs and organized crime and a lifting of the embargo in all communications and travel. Cuba could quickly become a very attractive market.

For more, listen to our online radio show on Cuba and the U.S. In other human rights news, Serbia’s arrest of accused war criminals who operated under Slobodan Milosevic led to five convictions involving 22-year sentences.

Balkan blogger “Grey Falcon” finds the acquittal of ex-Serbian president Milan Milutinovic bigger news, more atypical that the story of the convictions.  Falcon sees political motivations behind the acquittal:

The purpose of today’s verdict was threefold: to legitimize the NATO aggression from 1999 (i.e. NATO action was necessary and appropriate because the Serbs were engaging in a criminal conspiracy to murder and expel Albanians); to buttress the “Independent State of Kosovo,” proclaimed last February but so far recognized by only 55 governments; and to brand Serbia as the aggressor and criminal, rather than the victim of NATO’s aggression, occupation of Kosovo and the ethnic cleansing of its citizens that followed.

The UK has admitted complicity in the American practice of extraordinary rendition, which they had previously denied.

British blogger Stephen Linlithgow mocks Tony Blair’s previous denial of collusion:

To be fair to Tony Blair it now appears that collusion is indeed the wrong way to describe it. The Labour government appear to have actively handed over suspects to them to catch these flights. Far more than even Sir Menzies Campbell hinted at on that particular Wednesday when it was only assumed that our airspace or airfields were being used.

Venezeula is just one of several countries that responded negatively to the State Department report.  ”VIO News Blog” reports on the Venezuelan condemnation of the findings, which claim that the country  has a partial judiciary and harasses the media:

Venezuela on Thursday condemned the report and categorically rejected what it says are false allegations and a clear example of political meddling in its internal affairs. Contrary to the impression given by the report, Venezuela’s opposition parties enjoy all the political freedoms that are found in other democratic countries and have in fact made significant gains in recent elections.  Meanwhile, freedom of speech is fully respected, as is demonstrated by the fact that a majority of private media outlets remain ardent and vocal critics of the government.

The report offers no evaluation of U.S. human rights practices.

Germans have been asked to eat less meat for the sake of the environment.

The German government has recommended that citizens eat less meat in order to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions from livestock farming and production.

Germans are among the highest consumers of meat in Europe. Meat consumption is expected to double globally between 2000 and 2050, and yet agricultural emissions are just beginning to come under scrutiny.

A blogger at “Transatlantic Politics” worries about state-planned eating schemes and rationing that could infringe on personal freedoms.

Elsewhere in the world, other governments and scientists have taken steps to lessen the environmental impact of methane emissions from livestock and energy-intensive production.

Australian researchers suggested going on a kangaroo diet, as the creatures emit less methane as a part of their digestive processes than do cows or sheep.

British researchers recommended rationing meat, restricting citizens to four portions a week.

A British blogger at “Eco Curious” describes her decision to eat less meat, but also provides advice on where to find the most environmentally-friendly meat in the United Kingdom.

The “Inhabitat” blog writes about a Dutch power plant that converts poultry waste into reusable energy, which prevents the manure from seeping into the ground and releasing emissions.

The “Ethical Eating” blog urges people to become vegans, as meat production in Brazil is contributing to Amazon deforestation.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user dmscvan under a Creative Commons license.

Up to 27,000 Woolworths employees could soon lose their jobs.

Even as the number of jobless people in the United Kingdom grew to over 1 million, retail sales in the country unexpectedly rose for the first time in three months. 

The retail bump, a monthly sales increase of 0.3 percent, has been attributed to higher demand at food and discount stores. 

Stores like Woolworths have begun offering substantial discounts. Woolworths —  an English chain that has operated since 1909 — plans to close its doors by Jan. 5 if a buyer is not found, leaving 27,000 people out of work. 

In November, unemployment (now at 6 percent) rose at the fastest rate in 17 years.

Blogger “Huw” in Lancashire says her local Woolworths looks miserable, calling it “sickening” and worrying for the future of the commercial sector. 

The “Suz Blog” writes about going to a closing sale at a “Woolies” in London, describing the store as half empty.

The “Life on My Planet” blog writes that high street stores will become ghosts. 

Blogger “Debbie” in Yorkshire writes about losing her job. 

The “British Politics” blog paints a dim picture of the British economy’s future. 

World Bank President Robert Zoellick stated Thursday that worldwide unemployment will likely rise and economies likely worsen for at least the first half of 2009.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user suburbanslice  under a Creative Commons license.

Officials suggested that British troops are performing poorly, and some Americans allege that the troops lack proper equipment, frequently require rescuing by U.S. counterparts and have acted “snide.”

Defense Secretary Robert Gates expressed concern about operations in the British-controlled Helmand Province. The U.K. recently deployed 300 additional troops to the Helmand Province, though Prime Minister Gordon Brown is still considering whether or not to comply with likely requests for thousands more.

A total of 133 British soldiers have died in Afghanistan, and casualties have recently climbed. Since November, 12 British soldiers have died in the war — compared to three American soldiers. Two-thirds of people in Britain want troops to withdraw from Afghanistan.

Tom Baldwin, the Washington bureau chief of The Times of London, speaks with Martin Savidge about the role of the British in Afghanistan.

Below, bloggers discuss the accusations and the future of British involvement in Afghanistan.

The “Kotare” blog writes that Americans criticizing the British troops lack tact or forbearance.

“The Bewilderness” blog blames Gordon Brown and the Labour party for “unimpressive” British performance in Afghanistan.

British blogger “Gordon” of “Harry’s Place” argues that the fight in Afghanistan isn’t working, blaming the corruption of the Afghan government and insufficient funding.

Matthew Hickley blogs at “Afghan Diaries” for the Mail Online (U.K.), describing daily life on the ground in the Helmand Province.

Nationality laws vary greatly around the globe.

In Greece, for example, some children face insecurity and confusion because they are not Greek citizens, despite being born in and living in the country. In Japan, the government may pass a law granting 20,000 mixed race children Japanese citizenship.

When a child is born, he or she can gain a nationality in a variety of ways – from the place of birth or from parents’ nationalities or ethnicities; sometimes automatically and other times requiring an application process.

Standard basis for citizenship:
Jus soli — birthright — a rule that the citizenship of a child is determined by the place of its birth
Jus sanguinis — blood right — a rule that a child’s citizenship is determined by its parents’ citizenship

The chart below details the foreign populations in world countries, residency requirements for naturalization (excluding special factors such as marriage to a national) and types of citizenship.

Data is from 2005, the latest available date for comprehensive comparative information. For more detailed information on citizenship laws and requirements in a particular country, visit that country’s Web site.

	642,000 15.9% of population *	Residence for 1,350 days of past 5 years	Eliminated birthright  citizenship in 2006
	1.2 million 15.1% of population 40.9% are nationals	10 years continuous residence	Blood right
	585,000 14.1% of population 45.2% are nationals	3 years residence	Eliminated automatic birthright citizenship in 2004
	38.36 million 12.9% of population 46.4% are nationals	Legal residency for 5 years	Birthright
	10.14 million 12.3% of population	At least 8 years  residence	Blood right
	6.47 million 10.7% of population 53.1% are nationals	5 years residence	Blood right; delayed birthright (can acquire citizenship on request)
	5.41 million 9.1% of population	5 years residence	Many types of  citizenship (vary)
	974,000 8.8% of population 41.5% are nationals	10 of last 12 years	Blood right; birthright if  no other nationality  acquired
	2.52 million 4.3% of population 47.5% are nationals	10 years residence	Blood right; birthright if no other nationality acquired
	168,000 2.7% of population	3 years residence	Birthright
	1.11 million 2.3% of population	4 of 8 last years	Blood right
	124,000 2.3% of population	5 years residence	Blood right
	2.05 million 1.6% of population	5 years of residence	Blood right
	644,000 0.6% of population	5 years residence	Birthright; recognizes  dual nationality
	596,000 0% of population	Settlement in China	Blood right

*When data on foreign-born nationals is blank, the information is not available.
Sources: United Nations, NationMaster. Photos courtesy of Flickr users under a Creative Commons license.

Following his victory, Obama’s online presence has only increased. Obama will provide a weekly address via YouTube, the first of which appeared on Saturday. A new Web site, change.gov, also invites participation and input from citizens.

But as the “Think Macro” blog points out, “Obama was not the first.” Russian president Dmitry Medvedev is one of many leaders who have taken to the Internet, creating a video blog.

In one, Medvedev discusses the world financial crisis (English subtitles):

Other European governments have embraced online communication. The European Commission’s “Debate Europe” Web site encourages citizen debate about challenges facing Europe, which the Commission uses to “gage public opinion.”

In the United Kingdom, the Ministry of Justice started a program called “CivicSurf” aimed at teaching local leaders to blog — like Mike Sanderson, a councillor in Fleetwood.

Jeremy Gould, a civil servant working for the British government, writes about and encourages government use of digital media at his blog, “Whitehall Webby.”

The Australian government recently received attention for creating a Twitter account for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. The leader’s Twitter page crashed after receiving too many hits. Rudd and opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull have unleashed extensive online campaigns as they compete for votes, with a presence on Facebook, MySpace, Flickr and YouTube. The “eGov AU” blog tracks further e-government developments in Australia.

Singapore’s “eCitizen” portal launched in 1999 provides a range of online services to users as well as mobile alerts and information.

Dubai’s eGovernment site has grown from 14 online services in 2001 to over 2,000 today.

Despite the benefits of transitioning online — from improved communication to expanded information — there are some dangers. The official Web site of Estonia, a paperless government, was besieged by hackers last year.

Nonetheless, for countries like Macedonia — which before recently faced mobs of people angry at license processing delays — moving operations online can be transformational.

For more, read the United Nations “E-Government Survey 2008” [PDF].

Barack Obama’s victory was called the “first election the Internet won” because of his integration of technology and social networking tools. But governments around the world are also heading online. /files/2008/11/th_russia_egov.jpg /files/2008/11/th_russia_egov.jpg ]]> http://worldfocus.org/blog/2008/11/17/leaders-log-on-as-e-governments-grow/2731/feed/ http://worldfocus.org/blog/2008/11/13/british-public-wants-out-of-afghanistan/2648/ http://worldfocus.org/blog/2008/11/13/british-public-wants-out-of-afghanistan/2648/#comments Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:14:19 +0000 Worldfocus http://worldfocus.org/?p=2648 Insurgents attacked an American military convoy in a crowded Afghan market on Thursday, killing 19.

The attack caps a bloody week for the war-torn country. On Wednesday, in the southern province of Kandahar,  a suicide bomber drove an oil tanker into a government office building. Two schoolgirls were also blinded when suspected Taliban militants threw acid at them as they walked to class.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai met with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in London on Thursday. A recent public opinion poll showed that more than two-thirds of the British public wants British troops out of Afghanistan.

Robert Finn, a former ambassador to Afghanistan and a current lecturer at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University, speaks with Martin Savidge about the prospect for peace talks with the Taliban, a potential surge in American military presence in Afghanistan and the need for broader cooperation with U.S. allies.

Virgin Media plans to cut 15 percent of its workforce by 2012 — 2,200 jobs.

In October, U.K. unemployment rose at the fastest rate in 16 years — with the number of people receiving jobless benefits rising from 36,500 to 980,900. About 1.82 million British people are now out of work, and earlier this week, businesses cut another 5,000 jobs.

On Tuesday, Britain and the EU called for coordinated global efforts to stem an impending recession.

Blogger “Nicolae Sfetcu” outlines how the financial crisis has impacted several different European countries.

On a British conservative blog, users respond to a post about the unemployment rate. User “Torymory” writes about losing his/her job and blames the government for the “mess,” while user “Tony Makara” bemoans the British economy’s dependence on the world.

From Iceland, blogger “Simmi” writes about his personal experience in the recession, speaking of growing resentment in the country. Iceland was hard-hit after three major banks collapsed within one week in October.

The crisis may have far-reaching effects, from financial institutions to more minute aspects of daily life. “Finding Dulcinea” writes that French culinary tastes may shift in response to the financial upheaval.

Ireland faces a recession for the first time in 25 years. The “Notes on the Front” blog looks at the future of recession, unemployment and economic policy in the country.

Blogger “Dirk Ehnts” criticizes European response to the financial crisis, calling for massive and coordinated action and saying that policy thus far has been driven by “dogma instead of pragmatism.”

An article in the Los Angeles Times compares the economies of Italy and Spain, which have faced a lower level of financial panic than the rest of Europe.

For more on global unemployment, read our previous Blogwatch: Unemployment claims reach historic highs.

Photo courtesy of wallyg under a Creative Commons license.

Damien Hirst’s “The Virigin Mother” statue was installed at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 2006.

The British government has made sex education mandatory for all schools in England in an effort to curb its high teen pregnancy rate. About 39,000 girls under 18 became pregnant in 2006 — the highest rate in western Europe.

Children as young as five will receive lessons on topics such as body parts and reproduction, and subjects will become more sophisticated as children grow older. The mandate has sparked anger, and some have condemned the new curriculum.

The “Catholic Commentary” blog from England outlines questions and concerns about the program, including its implementation into religious schools and its inclusion of marriage as a matter for discussion.

The “Hello Blog,” based in Wales, touts the new curriculum and its potential for reducing teen pregnancy.

Blogger “Solomon Hezekiah” argues that sex education is fighting fire with fire.

An editorial at The Times Online calls the law harmful, pointing out that children mature at different ages and teachers vary in their teaching style and moral attitudes.

“Stuart Wood” expresses anger that there was no public debate or consultation before the government’s decision.

The “WhyNotSmile” blog finds the controversy excessive and asks, “Is there anything more likely to put teenagers off sex than putting them in a classroom and talking about it?”

In the U.S., mandatory sex education has become an issue in the presidential race.

“Learning about sex before learning to read?,” asks one advertisement from John McCain that references Barack Obama’s vote for a 2003 bill that would have expanded age-appropriate sex education in Illinois classrooms had it passed.

Photos courtesy of Flickr users Suzanna and browbrick under a Creative Commons license.

Marcus Mabry, international business editor at The New York Times, speaks with Martin Savidge about deep-seated fears of a global recession and potential ways to regain confidence. He says that central banks may join in a coordinated effort to relieve the credit crunch in emerging markets over the coming weekend.

Workers sit on the steps of a hotel in Qinghai, China.

As the U.S. deals with the fallout of the financial crisis, unemployment claims have reached historic highs. But citizens around the world are increasingly finding themselves out of a job. The global financial crisis could increase world unemployment by an estimated 20 million people.

Liberia has one of the world’s highest unemployment rates at about 85 percent. The country is still recovering from the effects of a civil war that ravaged the country for decades. Blogger “Micahel Donkor” writes about the despair of Liberians and refugees who have returned to the country only to find themselves jobless.

Spain has Europe’s highest unemployment rate at 11.3 percent. The “Megaspora” blog promotes a radical change to the country’s unemployment benefits system.

The UK unemployment rate is now skyrocketing at the fastest rate in over a decade, and currently sits at about 5.7 percent. The “Pbleepd” blog writes about the lack of prospects for new graduates.

Italy’s unemployment is expected to rise over the next year. An article in The Christian Science Monitor compares the Spanish and Italian tactics against illegal immigration — a point of contention when it comes to the status of job markets in both countries.

Though unemployment in Sweden has been declining since 2004, the recent economic downturn has sent the rate rising. The “Reflections on Sweden” blog writes about hardship in the Swedish job market.

Iraq’s violence may have dropped, but its unemployment rate continues to soar. As PBS’s “Wide Angle” reported earlier this year, options are limited for even the most skilled of Iraqi workers, and the country’s middle class is dwindling.

Qatar has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the Middle East. A blogger at “Qatar Living” praises the country’s management amid economic gloom.

About 2.5 million people in India are unemployed. Recently, workers of India’s Jet Airways protested the firing of 1,100 employees. As Reuters’ India blog describes, the protests struck a chord with the struggling middles class in India. India’s central bank is expected to strike next week.

Today, Chinese workers are protesting the closure of three large toy factories — which put about 6,500 people out of work. Fresh graduates from China’s schools also face daunting prospects. A blogger in nearby Singapore writes about an influx of American and British banking professionals into the Asian market.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Kees & Sarah under a Creative Commons license.

A man smokes a cigarette in rural India, near Calcutta.

The world’s largest smoking ban goes into effect tomorrow, preventing 1.2 billion Indian citizens from smoking in offices, bars and all public places. Recent studies showed that up to 40 percent of deaths in India are smoking-related.

Nita J. Kulkarni, a freelance journalist in India, defends the ban on her blog, citing heavy secondhand smoke and claiming rights for non-smokers.

Blogger “Ashish” from Bangalore also supports the ban, hoping it will help him to quit smoking.

Blogger “Madhu” argues against the ban, writing that unlike countries whose bans are to reduce health costs or other burdens, India’s government does not pay for welfare or health care and thus cannot justify its infringement on personal responsibility.

The “DNA India” Web site posts a slide show of Indian citizens stating their varying opinions on the ban.

India is one of many countries currently debating smoking bans. Yesterday, a Swiss court struck down a smoking ban in Geneva, while the United Kingdom is now assessing the economic consequences of a ban that the country imposed a year ago.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Matthieu under a Creative Commons license.

The MI6 building in London.

The unofficial MI6 group on Facebook.

British secret intelligence agency MI6 is now using the social networking site Facebook to recruit potential spies. The unofficial MI6 group on Facebook has over 2,000 members and is part of an ongoing attempt to expand its forces.

Chris Matyszczyk of the blog “Technically Incorrect” writes that using Facebook undermines the supposed covertness of the agency — a concern that might be warranted given that the MI6 recently sold a camera full of top-secret photos on Ebay by accident.

The “Blorge” blog writes that James Bond would turn in his grave because of the perceived low standards for applicants.

MI6’s Facebook group lists pages of comments and reactions from interested applicants, like Ryan Osborne, who said, “yea 4real, id love 2 b part of an undercover network.”

Earlier this month, 16 U.S. intelligence agencies urged analysts to use a closed social networking site to share information about al-Qaeda and other issues.

Social networking sites such as Facebook are increasingly used for job searching around the world, The Economist recently reported.

Photos courtesy of Flickr users stevecadman and AJC1 under a Creative Commons license.