Nigerian Times

7 May 2008 17:24 Africa/Lagos Bread for the World Calls for More Help for Hungry Families WASHINGTON, May 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In his testimony this morning to the members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Bread for the World president David Beckmann said that a short-term solution is needed immediately to address rising food prices in the U.S. "A stimulus package should include funding to provide an immediate boost in food stamp benefit levels to help struggling families meet today's rising food prices, additional WIC funding to ensure that all eligible women and children continue to receive benefits, and additional funding for TEFAP so that food banks can help families weather higher food prices," he said. Rev. Beckmann asserted that the impact of rising food prices should not be viewed in isolation, rather, as one in a long list of increasing costs for basic needs, such as housing, childcare, healthcare and fuel, which, ...

16 Jan 2008 01:01 Africa/Lagos Amnesty International Calls for Urgent Protection of Civilians Amidst Return to Hostilities in Sri Lanka WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Amnesty International is gravely concerned that the end to the Ceasefire Agreement between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) today will lead to an increase in hostilities that will result in a dramatic rise in indiscriminate attacks against the civilian population. "The end of the ceasefire is likely to unleash fresh violence that will lead to serious human rights abuses, including an increase in enforced disappearances and abductions as a counter-insurgency strategy, as well as unlawful killings. We call on both parties involved in the conflict to return to a genuine implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement and to uphold the protection of civilians at all times," said Catherine Baber, Asia-Pacific program director. "The withdrawal of the Sri L...