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2009: In with the new and out with the old
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Thursday, Jan. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Lai Seng Sin)
Some new things in the news that are good and a few old things that have to go.
Some new news is good news
First things first, when the New Hampshire Senate convenes we will witness the country's first female legislative majority. Thirteen of the twenty four senate seats will be filled by women.
Second, a French appeals court decided that virginity could not be considered an "essential quality" for a valid marriage. This overturns a lower court's decision where a judge in Lille had agreed to annul a French Muslim couple's union because the bride was not a virgin as she had claimed. I'm sure he wasn't one either! You can read more details online in the Guardian.
Finally, a Miami-Dade circuit judge declared that the thirty-year old ban on gay adoption is unconstitutional. Therefore, allowed a North Miami man to adopt two forster kids that he has been father to since 2004. You can read more about this case in the New York Times online.
Old news: To be avoided in 2009
Despite the fact that three women ran, there is one state that still has an all male senate. Is this really the best we can do?
Human right's activists are outraged at the appointment of two of Pakistan's Cabinet ministers. The new education minister had given away five female children between the ages of two and five as compensation in a clan feud. A second Cabinet member also recently defended the "honor killings" of five women who were buried alive. You can read more about this story in the Guardian online.
FInally, a radio station contest offers a date with Travis Harvey, a "great guy" and busy single father as the prize. It turns out that the radio station had not checked his record which shows he has had two convictions of violating a domestic violenc order of protection. The woman who won the date is filing suit. You can read more about this story at Feministing.com.
Here's to celebrating the good and bettering the bad in the new year!
