Two-thirds Indian milk contaminated
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| Chinese officials seize tainted milk in 2008 |
A survey by an Indian watchdog has found that more than two-thirds of milk sold in the country is contaminated with substances ranging from salt to detergent and may be unsafe to drink.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India conducted a survey in 33 states and found that more than 68 per cent of 1,791 milk samples were contaminated. Milk powder, fat and glucose we among substances found in milk. Only two states - Goa and Pondicherry - sold unadulterated milk.
India is not the only Asian country to contend with the problem of contaminated milk. In 2008, six babies were killed and 300,000 people in China fell ill after taking milk tainted with with melamine.
ICC extends Libyan deadline
Guinea-Bissau: opposition reject interim PresidentThe International Criminal Court has extended a deadline for Libya to provide information on the health and status of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of the late Libyan president.
The deadline was originally Tuesday but has now been extended to the 23rd of January.
The ICC, based in in The Hague, has indicted him for crimes against humanity but Libya's new leaders say they want him to stand trial in Libya. Saif Gaddafi was captured in southern Libya in November.
The court could refer Libya to the UN Security Council if there is no response to its request for information.
In Guinea Bissau, a coalition of opposition groups has rejected plans to appoint the national assembly speaker as interim president following the death of the nation's leader.
President Malam Bacai Sanha died in Paris on Monday after a long illness. Under the constitution, the national assembly speaker is to be appointed interim leader and organise elections within 90 days.But on Tuesday, a coalition of opposition parties threatened to stage protests if Raimundo Pereira takes over as interim president. The parties questioned whether Pereira would faithfully carry out the constitution.
Sanha is the fourth president in a row not to serve out his term - the others were either killed or ousted.
N.Korea’s Jong-il made ‘eternal leader’
North Korea has announced that the body of late leader Kim Jong-il will lie in state permanently at a palace in the capital, Pyongyang.
According to the state news agency KCNA, the decision to preserve Jong-il was made to show "the unanimous desire and ardent request" of the ruling communist party to esteem him as "the eternal leader of the party".
Kim Jong-il died of a heart attack on 17 December at the age of 69.
The price of orange juice on the global markets has hit a record high, after surging over the past few days.
Traders say the main reasons are safety concerns about juice from Brazil, the world's largest producer of orange juice, and cold weather in Florida.
The US Food and Drug Administration said carbendazim, a fungicide, has been found in shipments from Brazil.Carbendazim is banned in the US, but is used legally in Brazil to treat black spot, a type of mould that grows on trees.
Orange juice has risen by about 25% since the beginning of the year, to $2.12 a pound.
Well, if the Indian's themselves give such 'contaminatory value' to their milk, it goes to show that as a nation their anti-infection levels must be superb!
ReplyDeleteAs to Guinea Bissau, without the benefit of knowing the issues on ground, I will ask the minority parties to think again. Are you sure you wish to get embroiled in the long lasting dirty conflict that might result?
Though the resting place provided for JOng-il lookes colourful, regal and stately; my reservation is that people are usually wished to 'rest in peace'. With the new title/obligations placed upon the ruler, there will not be much chance of that even though he is dead.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, maybe it could be the kind of thing that he would have wanted? Or does it have something to do with the religous belief of the North Korean people? As long as they are enjoying it, we are glad with them.
Looking at the picture, I am not sure if the 'Dalai Mountain Blind Lizard' really qualifies as a lizard. It could be an enlarged worm or a pinkish snake, but a lizard?!! But then I am not a Biological scientist, let's leave such tagging to the experts.
ReplyDeleteWhile acknowledging the quality of Germany automobiles, I would like to point out that words such as 'best' and 'most reliable' are capable of different meanings. In Africa for example, 'best' car means capable of being bought cheaply, carrying many people and of using fuel efficiently amongst other characteristics. Were those factors considered in the survey?
@Dlaw thanks a million. As always your comments are very broad. The North Koreans in my opinion are simply ridiculous. The man is dead; let him go.
ReplyDeleteThe new specie doesn't quite look like a lizard, but I'm sure they have their criteria for classifying it.
I'm guessing that the German survey has to do with Europe mainly since it was carried out by a British magazine.
I will like to draw the attention of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to the fact that what they are describing as mere 'health and status' issues regarding the Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, are more accuratly described as Human Rights (HR) issues.
ReplyDeleteNot only is the phrase misrepresentive, but I do not think that the ICC has the legal right to put off information that can affect the HR of a humman being to life or death.
In summary, the fact that Ghaddafi junior abused HR does not justify the ICC in conspiring with the transitional government in Libya to carry out action that could result in the death and/or arbitrary treatment of the man.