soft drinks and diabetes

Soft Drinks and Fruit Drinks Linked to Diabetes Risk in African American Women CME
News Author: Laurie Barclay, MD
CME Author: Charles Vega, MD
Disclosures
Release Date: July 30, 2008;
Charles Vega, MD
Disclosure: Charles Vega, MD, has disclosed an advisor/consultant relationship to Novartis, Inc.

Brande Nicole Martin
Disclosure: Brande Nicole Martin has disclosed no relevant financial information.


July 30, 2008 — Regular intake of sugar-sweetened soft drinks and fruit drinks is associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes in African American women, according to the results of a prospective follow-up study reported in the July 28 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
"Type 2 diabetes mellitus is an increasingly serious health problem among African American women," write Julie R. Palmer, ScD, from Slone Epidemiology Center, Boston University in Massachusetts, and colleagues. "Consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks was associated with an increased risk of diabetes in 2 studies but not in a third; however, to our knowledge, no data are available on African Americans regarding this issue. Our objective was to examine the association between consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, weight gain, and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in African American women."
Since 1995, this study has observed 59,000 African American women, who reported on food and beverage consumption in 1995 and 2001 and completed biennial follow-up questionnaires to determine new diagnoses of type 2 diabetes. The present analyses involved data from 43,960 women who were free from diabetes at baseline and who provided complete dietary and weight information. The primary endpoint was the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
During 338,884 person-years of follow-up, 2713 incident cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus were identified. Higher intake of both sugar-sweetened soft drinks and fruit drinks was associated with a higher incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The incidence rate ratio for 2 or more soft drinks per day was 1.24 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06 - 1.45), after adjustment for dietary factors and other confounding variables. The comparable incidence rate ratio for fruit drinks was 1.31 (95% CI, 1.13 - 1.52).
Although the association of diabetes with soft drink intake was almost entirely mediated by body mass index, the association with fruit drink consumption was independent of body mass index.
"Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks and fruit drinks is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in African American women," the study authors write. "While there has been increasing public awareness of the adverse health effects of soft drinks, little attention has been given to fruit drinks, which are often marketed as a healthier alternative to soft drinks."
Limitations of this study include beverage consumption data collected at baseline, creating possible misclassification of exposure, and incident cases of type 2 diabetes based on self-report.
"Consumption of fruit drinks conveyed as high an increase in risk as did consumption of soft drinks," the study authors conclude. "The public should be made aware that these drinks are not a healthy alternative to soft drinks with regard to risk of type 2 diabetes."
In an accompanying editorial, Mark N. Feinglos, MD, CM, and Susan E. Totten, RD, from Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, note that the greatest increase in weight was seen in those women who drank the most soft drinks.
"The critical issue in the development of diabetes is total caloric intake and subsequent weight gain rather than individual macronutrient composition, [but] modification of specific macronutrients might make it easier to decrease total calories," Drs. Feinglos and Totten write. "Until we have more information, we have to assume that calories trump everything else, and that our number 1 goal for the reduction of new cases of type 2 DM [diabetes mellitus] should be to reduce the intake of high-energy, low-benefit foods, particularly in young members of the most vulnerable populations."
The National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases supported this study. Dr. Palmer has obtained funding. Another study author has received industry support from McNeil Consumer Healthcare and Boehringer Ingelheim.
Drs. Feinglos and Totten have disclosed no financial relationships.
Arch Intern Med. 2008;168:1485-1486, 1487-1492.
Clinical Context
High-fructose corn syrup is the main sweetener in sweetened soft drinks in the United States, and manufacturers may prefer this sweetener in a variety of foods because it is cheaper than sucrose while also offering a longer shelf life. An editorial by Feinglos and Totten reviews the effect of consumption of high-fructose corn syrup on health. Currently, high-fructose corn syrup accounts for 10% of the average total daily energy intake in the United States. Most consumption of high-fructose corn syrup is from soft drinks, and it appears that imbibing more soft drinks does not help to reduce appetite for more energy intake. However, there is conflicting evidence whether consumption of refined carbohydrates can contribute to an increased risk for type 2 diabetes when the total caloric intake remains stable.
The current study examines how consumption of both soft drinks and fruit drinks affects the risk for incident type 2 diabetes in African American women, a high-risk group for this disease.
Study Highlights
• Study data were drawn from an ongoing study of African American women, which began in 1995.
• 59,000 women between the ages of 21 and 69 years were included in the study cohort.
• A baseline questionnaire examined medical history and health habits. Only women who were at least 30 years old at the end of follow-up and did not report a history of diabetes, gestational diabetes, or cardiovascular disease were included in the current analysis.
• Incident type 2 diabetes was assessed via a participant self-report every 2 years during 5 cycles of follow-up. In a separate analysis, self-report of diabetes was found to be accurate in 94% of cases.
• The 68-item short-form Block-National Cancer Institute food frequency questionnaire was used to measure subjects' dietary habits.
• The main outcome of the study was the effect of soft drink (excluding diet soda) and juice drink (excluding orange juice and grapefruit juice) consumption on the risk for incident type 2 diabetes. This outcome was adjusted for potential confounders, including age, family history, physical activity, anthropometric factors, and other dietary habits.
• 43,960 women had data for analysis.
• 17% of participants reported drinking at least 1 sugar-sweetened soft drink per day, and 32% consumed at least 1 sweetened fruit drink per day.
• Intake of sugar-sweetened soft drinks was inversely related to age, physical activity, and years of education, and cereal fiber intake. Soft-drink consumption was positively related to body mass index, cigarette smoking, total energy intake, and consumption of processed meats. Consumption of fruit drinks was positively associated with physical activity and a low-glycemic index diet.
• 2713 cases of type 2 diabetes were diagnosed during 10 years of follow-up.
• Increased consumption of soft drinks was associated with higher weight gain during follow-up, whereas reduced consumption of soft drinks was associated with weight loss. The relationship between juice drink consumption and weight change was less robust.
• Consumption of 2 or more soft drinks per day was associated with an increased risk for incident diabetes (incidence rate ratio, 1.24).
• Consumption of 2 or more fruit drinks per day was also associated with an increased risk for incident diabetes (incidence rate ratio, 1.31).
• Consumption of orange or grapefruit juice was not associated with an increased risk for incident diabetes.
• The effect of soft drinks on the risk for diabetes appeared to be mediated by body mass index, but the effects of fruit juice in increasing the risk for diabetes were unrelated to body mass index.
• Soft drinks were associated with an increased risk for diabetes regardless of baseline age or body mass index.
Pearls for Practice
• High-fructose corn syrup is cheaper and has a longer shelf life vs sucrose. It accounts for 10% of the average daily energy intake in the United States, but it is unclear if consumption of refined carbohydrates independently increases the risk for type 2 diabetes.
• In the current study, both soft drink and fruit drink consumption were associated with a higher risk for incident type 2 diabetes in a cohort of African American women.

Prostituzione Minorile...Donna Nigeriana arrestata

Donna nigeriana arrestata a Benevento per sfruttamento sessuale di minori. Il complice era già sfuggito alla cattura rifugiandosi in nigeria Si tratta di una cittadina extracomunitaria di 40 anni, Vivian Osayamen, di Benin City, in Nigeria, è stata arrestata dagli agenti della Squadra Mobile di Benevento in esecuzione dell'ordine di carcerazione emesso nella giornata di ieri dal Tribunale di Modena. La donna, che dovrà scontare una pena detentiva fino al 26 gennaio 2011, è stata riconosciuta colpevole della violazione della legge 38/2006 in materia di lotta contro lo sfruttamento sessuale dei bambini e la pedopornografia. L'ordine di carcerazione nei confronti della donna emesso dal Tribunale di Modena. Una breve sintesi della intera vicenda: Nel mese di giugno 2007 la Squadra Mobile di Modena - a seguito di attività di indagine condotta per episodi di sfruttamento e favoreggiamento della prostituzione minorile consumati a Modena ed altre province nel periodo compreso tra il mese di luglio 2005 ed il dicembre 2006 - ha dato l'avvio al procedimento penale a carico di alcuni dei componenti di un gruppo criminale nigeriano, tutti radicati nella provincia di Modena ed in quella limitrofa di Bologna, e con basi logistiche in Nigeria ed in Francia dediti ai reati connessi alla prostituzione di colore. L'operazione in questione, così come quelle analoghe concluse negli ultimi due anni, rientra nell'ambito di un piano strategico più generale e penetrante approntato dal Servizio Centrale Operativo della Direzione Centrale Anticrimine della Polizia di Stato e rappresenta l'ennesimo colpo inferto dalla Polizia di Stato a quelle organizzazioni criminali di etnia straniera (nel caso di specie centro africana) che negli ultimi anni hanno gestito in posizione di totale monopolio, sia a Modena che in tutto il resto del paese, le attività illecite connesse alla prostituzione ed ai reati a questa collegati (immigrazione clandestina, falsi documentali, ecc.). L'indagine si ricollega ed è la naturale prosecuzione anche delle pregresse operazioni della Polizia di Stato "Multilevel" (dell'aprile 2005), "Multilevel 2" (del maggio 2006), "Multilevel 3" (dell'ottobre 2006) e Multilevel 4 (del maggio 2007). Si tratta, infatti, delle diverse frange dello stesso gruppo criminale che si sono progressivamente sostituite e rimpiazzate a seguito della ciclica disarticolazione delle consorterie ad opera della Polizia di Stato di Modena negli ultimi anni. E' stato infatti riscontrato che la totale padronanze del territorio dei membri dei sodalizi ed il loro forte radicamento nella provincia di Modena, ha comportato il fatto che anche successivamente all'arresto dei componenti di turno, le porzioni di territorio da loro occupate siano state mantenute con l'immediata sostituzione dei soggetti tratti in arresto, con nuove e più fresche forze immediatamente giunte a Modena dai paesi di origine. In questo modo, pur accettando la frammentazione dei gruppi criminali, è stata comunque garantita continuità per diversi anni alle attività del gruppo delinquenziale. A conclusione dell'attività investigativa in argomento, che è stata coordinata dal Servizio Centrale Operativo della Polizia di Stato e dalla Direzione Centrale Anticrimine per tutta la sua durata, nelle primissime ore della mattinata odierna gli uomini della Polizia di Stato hanno dato esecuzione a 2 ordinanze di custodia cautelare in carcere emesse dal Giudice per le Indagini Preliminari presso il locale Tribunale su richiesta del Pubblico Ministero titolare dell'indagine, a carico di altrettanti soggetti tutti indagati per i reati di cui agli artt. 110 c.p. in relazione agli artt. 600 bis e sexies c.p. (prostituzione minorile ed altri reati minori, il tutto in concorso). Le operazioni di esecuzione sono state svolte nella città di Modena, Bologna - dove è statat arresta la cittadina nigeriana Osayamen Vivian, nata in Nigeria nel 1968, residente a Benevento ma domiciliata a Bologna - e Benevento. Resta da catturare il complice della madame, sempre nigeriano, che da alcuni mesi ha trovato riparo in Nigeria. Per le operazioni di arresto il personale della Polizia di Stato si è avvalso dell'ausilio della Squadre Mobili di Bologna e Benevento. Nel corso delle perquisizioni delegate dal Pubblico Ministero, effettuate presso 3 abitazioni dei soggetti sottoposti a provvedimenti restrittivi (una a Modena, una a Bologna ed una a Benevento), sono stati raccolti ulteriori elementi di prova attestanti le responsabilità dei due indagati per i reati loro contestati. I due soggetti indagati sono stati ritenuti responsabili dei reati loro contestati per episodi di sfruttamento di una giovane ragazza nigeriana nella città di Modena fino al dicembre 2006, quando la ragazza è stata poi sottratta all'egida del gruppo ed opportunamente collocata in struttura protetta. Anche in questa occasione le attività hanno consentito di appurare che la donna sfruttata è stata mantenuta in stato di totale soggezione psicologia e fisica mediante l'utilizzo di vari riti voodoo della Nigeria occidentale. La ragazza era stata acquistata dalla famiglia di origine in Nigeria (dove erano di stanza soggetti preposti al reclutamento) per una somma oscillante tra i 30.000 ed i 50.000 Euro, portata in Francia (a Parigi) con passaporto falso e con la scusa dell'aggregazione ad una squadra di calcio femminile nigeriana ed infine portata in Italia a Modena, dove ha esercitato l'attività di meretricio fino alla sua definitiva liberazione. http://lnx.82cento.it/page/leggitutto.php?idNews=4388

Why Germany Has No Obama

THE AUDACITY OF ANGST

By Markus Feldenkirchen

If Barack Obama accomplished one thing in Berlin, it was to make it painfully obvious just how uninspiring German politicians are.

American Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's speech had ended an hour before and the skies over Berlin were taking on an ethereal reddish hue as the sun set. But Julian Metz was still glowing with enthusiasm. He spoke with nervous excitement, his words tumbling happily out of his mouth as if he had just lost his virginity. As indeed he had: his political virginity.

DPA

Germans were infatuated by Barack Obama -- partly because politicians here tend to be uninspiring.

Julian Metz, a 27-year-old architecture student, had never before attended a speech by a politician, but he was determined to experience Obama. He arrived at Berlin's Victory Column three hours before the speech was scheduled to begin just so he could find a place at the front. He saw, heard and felt Obama, and in the end he even managed to shake the presidential candidate's hand. Metz was one of the few that got that close. Two-hundred thousand people turned out on the Strasse des 17. Juni to see Obama speak -- a crowd the likes of which one normally only sees if football is involved.

He had just become a part of history, or at least that is what Metz believed. "I felt that if he is voted into office, the world will change," he said, a tote bag from a local grocery store dangling from his wrist. He was electrified, infected with a new political bug, and he said that he now intends to become politically involved for the first time in his life. But there is only one problem. "Unfortunately," said Metz, "we have nothing comparable on the horizon in Germany."

For now, this is the one sobering message Barack Obama has left behind in Germany. His visit has raised a question, one that masks a deep longing: Why doesn't Germany have similarly inspiring politicians? Why can't Germany have its own Obama?

Germans may take some comfort in the fact that there is no Greek Obama, nor a Finnish or a South Korean Obama. The senator from Illinois appears to be the kind of rare political talent that even the United States sees only once in a great while. If John Kerry, the Democratic candidate in the 2004 presidential election, had given a speech in front of the Victory Column, his listeners would have been well-advised to bring along pillows -- just in case they happened to nod off during his remarks.

Nevertheless, the discrepancy between Obama and the political class in Germany couldn't be greater. The divide between the two is like the difference between night and day, between German folk singer Heino and the rock band Coldplay.

All it takes to recognize that difference is to compare their language. Obama's speech in downtown Berlin was a festival of big metaphors. When German Chancellor Angela Merkel gives a keynote speech, her words are usually about as alluring as a ring binder. Her speeches are about mundane topics like commuter tax relief and pensions, and if she uses metaphors at all, they are more than likely references to holes that require plugging. And about the only image Social Democratic Party (SPD) Chairman Kurt Beck seems able to conjure up is of the butter everyone is scraping from his toast.

There is much to criticize about Obama, including his support of the death penalty and the fact that his speeches tend to be short on content. But what remains is an ability to generate public enthusiasm for politics that offsets many of his shortcomings.

This is how French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry once described the key to instilling passion into people: "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, ... teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea." Obama has made this sentiment his mantra.

Obama, notwithstanding his unique abilities, is a typical product of American culture, the outcome of an approach to developing a child's personality that begins in kindergarten. In the United States, even three-year-olds are encouraged to bring their favorite things to school and explain them to other children. In high school, the art of giving presentations is a fixed part of the curriculum. The goal is to teach young Americans early on how to talk about one thing above all else: themselves. This too explains the audacious nonchalance with which someone like Obama presents himself -- an attitude that Germans find nothing short of astonishing.

But this is only one reason why Germany, despite exceptions like former Chancellor and SPD Chairman Willy Brandt, has produced mainly sober and often uninspiring politicians throughout the last 60 years. The passion and love of the stage that has helped make Obama an icon could have quickly destroyed political careers in Germany. Those with visions were advised to see their doctors.

AP

A number of Germans would like to see an Obama-like politician in Germany.

Germans have had their fair share of experiences with charismatic speakers. After an entire people allowed itself to be seduced by Adolf Hitler, the architects of the postwar republic were more than justified in doing their utmost to protect the Germans from the seductive powers of an individual and, as a result, from themselves.

They devised a political system that emphasizes the party while placing little emphasis on the individual. They opted for an internal party selection process instead of the candidacy of individual politicians, a process that requires neither passion nor charisma, but does require a well padded behind. A political career in Germany depends far less on the people than on the party and its many manifestations, on entities like local party organizations, sub-districts, primary districts and intermediate districts.

But the party organizations value different characteristics than citizens do. Politicians can earn bonus points for a good attendance record and a pronounced ability to be patient. They can improve their prospects by spending the appropriate amount of time preparing the minutes of meetings, arranging for soft drinks at children's events or grilling bratwursts at summer barbecues. As praiseworthy as these activities are, they are easily performed without charisma.

The German system is designed to exclude demagogues, but it also cultivates mediocrity. It prevents the ascent of demons and geniuses alike, while paving the way for the political success of experts at the grill.

Unfortunately, the prospect of spending so many years grilling bratwursts and the like discourages many from becoming politically involved. Others eventually give up and move on to other fields. There were good reasons for Germany to place its trust in this system after the disgrace of the Nazi era. But now it seems that Germany is ready for change of its own.

It is no coincidence that there were so many young people in Obama's audience of 200,000 in Berlin. While not unaware of their own history, the generation of 25-year-olds feels far less inhibited by it than its predecessors. The younger generation is no longer susceptible to older Germans' instinctive aversion to passionate politicians. On the contrary, young Germans yearn for someone to inspire them instead of simply telling them what to do. They want to have the same rights as their generational counterparts in the United States.

For these reasons, it would make sense for Germany to open itself up to new forms when it comes to choosing its political leaders. Primary campaigns, in which candidates would have to present their cases to a broader public, would also increase interest in politics in general. And the political system in Germany would be instilled with new life if it could finally offer political outsiders real prospects.

Structures that were once conceived to protect democracy from its enemies are no longer necessarily current, now that 60 years have passed since they were created. The political parties should have the courage to change these structures, and thus to protect democracy from its new foes: lethargy and boredom.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,568876,00.html

ITALIA DIRITTI UMANI VIOLATI

Immigrati, Consiglio Europa: in Italia violati i diritti umani Reuters - da 20 minuti 29/07/2008 BRUXELLES (Reuters) - Il commissario per i diritti umani del Consiglio d'Europa ha criticato le misure attuate dall'Italia in materia di immigrazione dicendo che violano i diritti umani e potrebbero alimentare la xenofobia nel Paese. "Le misure attuate in Italia non tengono conto dei diritti umani e dei principi umanitari e potrebbero fomentare altri episodi xenofobi", ha detto il commissario Thomas Hammarberg nel suo rapporto sulla visita effettuata gli scorsi 19 e 20 giugno in Italia per discutere della nuova politica del governo Berlusconi in materia di immigrazione. Immigrati, Consiglio Europa: in Italia violati i diritti umani

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LOOK TO THE IVORY COAST FOR INSPIRATION

I had the good fortune of living in Cote D'Ivoire for almost 7 years. It is a beautiful country with wonderful people, incredible music, great food and excellent beaches. I must confess that despite the recent insecurity and fighting that nation has experienced, Cote D'Ivoire and specifically, the city of Abidjan, will always have a special place in my heart.

Well, Cote D'Ivoire, or the Ivory Coast as non-French speakers call it, has done something that Nigeria's government should pay attention to. There was a riot in April when the government increased the price of diesel. In response, the Ivorian government has just announced that it will slash the salaries of Ministers by half to subsidize the lower cost of diesel for the masses.
This action is unparalleled in West Africa as far as I am aware. In fact, I have never heard of such happening anywhere. And, even though it could simply be a means to get votes for the upcoming November elections, the mere fact that the Ivorian government listened to the people and took a decisive step to make appease citizens is commendable. I do no know how far this decision will go to keep diesel prices at a manageable price for Ivorians, but the fact that Ministers will experience a pay cut shows that that nation's leaders are willing to bear the burdens of tough global economic times right alongside the common man. This is enough to give the people confidence in their government and hope that future disagreements will be solved by compromise.

Now, if only there was such unparalleled action in Nigeria on a whole host of issues....
http://www.nigeriancuriosity.com/2008/07/look-to-ivory-coast-for-inspiration.html

BABY SHOPPING...SHORT STORY FROM AFROLICIOUS BABE

I called in sick on Friday sounding like I could die the very next second then decided I was on diet and ate loads of beans…wore a maxi dress and went baby cloth shopping…No, Afro is not pregnant…My friend Fluffy got married a while ago and has a bun or a puff puff in the oven. Need to tell you the story of how I met Fluffy, very dramatic…The girl sabi panic no be small...Don't commit any crime with her cos you will be caught…Hence baby shopping donkey months before baby is due!

Hoping I wouldn't run into anyone as Oxford street is really close to my office I go into H&M, got some stuff for baby, couldn't resist a little something for myself.

While in the shop I felt a sudden sharp cramp which must have been a result of too much breakfast and leaned on a cloth rack holding my tummy. Now this is the image, I am in new born babies section, tiny cloths in one hand, using same hand to hold tummy and using other hand to hold on to cloth rack wearing a maxi dress.

I saw a shop girl rushing to me with a seat, followed closely by 2 other shop girls, she asked me to sit and they asked if it was my first baby, that was when I realised what was going on…Did I put them right? NO… told them it was my first then touched my head and said my blood sugar was low, one of them ran off and came back with a coke which I quickly took.lol..awoof!

Leaving the shop I see people collecting something, Afro does not know what it is but being the African that I am quickly rushed over to collect as well…Some new drink, I collect from 3 different people…yes, I got 3 bottles and immediately drank one…The coke had turned to blood sugar by then.Then I decided I needed to munch something and got 3 donuts and went to primark to do some more baby shopping, baby things look colourful and cheap, kai, the things I got for £5 at H & M are £2.50 here, so I go mad and shop my ass off, forgetting the money is not just for clothes…oh well…couldn't resist getting 3 sexy night wears for myself…kai, but primark nighties are cute…cheap but cute...lol...Anyway a shop attendant seeing as I am pregnant and saddled with load came and carriedthem to the till for me.

Then I have a large subway sandwich with my free drink, at this time even I had forgotten I wasn't really pregnant. Needed the energy for the trip home.

Went home and immediately fell asleep, the sign of good exercise, or maybe it was the pounded yam I had with the last free drink seeing as I didnt have lunch, I should have taken 4 of those drinks..., hmmmm next time!! I must have lost at least a kilo with all that walking around from shop to shop…Mrs Somebody and Calabar girl will be so proud of me…NOT!!!! Must do it more often though cos it was fun.

Later in the evening parakeet and I go to a naija show, Nice and Olu maintain (yahoozee) Didn't really dig Nice, maybe cos I don't understand a word of what he was saying but that olu maintain is an entertainer men…The guy gave a good interactive show while Nice mimed… It wasn't all fun though as the silly DJ hailed everyone and said we all looked nice in our primark dresses ( To those in naija, this is equivalent to being told your tejuosho dress looks good) The thing pained me big time because I got the cute dress I was wearing from primark…long hissssss!!!

Then Parakeet's ex bobo came to take us home, that was the second time I was meeting him but the same thought came to my mind…HOW IN HEAVENS NAME DO YOU UPGRADE ON PERFECTION??? His height, voice, good spoken English, clean, huuuuuuuuuu the joggers danggggg… I whispered to Parakeet, good luck upping that!! Why the hell is he ex anyway? I would forgive him any crime, in fact I'd beg him to commit a crime just so I could forgive him!!!

FG To Send Prince Erediauwa To Italy

Sunday, February 17, 2008

FG To Send Prince Erediauwa To Italy
FROM OGHOGHO OBAYUWANA, ABUJA

The complexion of the designation of Nigeria's ambassadors being posted out now has started to emerge.

The Guardian has confirmed by the weekend that Benin crown prince, Eheneden Erediauwa is being sent to Italy. He had served as Nigeria's plenipotentiary to Sweden and Angola.

Diplomatic sources confirmed that the Prince is now awaiting his agreement from Rome. The request for Agreement was sent almost three weeks ago.

The need to resurrect a positive image for Nigeria, historical antecedents as well as strengthening the war against human trafficking are said to be the factors that determined which of the ambassadors-designates is to be sent to Italy.

Edo State is reputed to have the highest number of Nigerians who have been trafficked to Italy within the last two decades.

A high-level foreign ministry source, who responded to The Guardian's enquiry, said, " Government has done its own home work. The ancient Benin kingdom used to exchange ambassadors with Portugal in the 16th and 17th centuries and had contacts with the Dutch before the British people came. We needed someone who can completely fulfill the mandate in Italy. It is citizens' diplomacy at work..."

Last week, the Italian government, through its embassy in Abuja, signed an agreement with Nigeria on "Preventing and combating trafficking of minors and young women from Nigeria to Italy (Phase 2)"

The Nigerian community in Italy has doubled in the last five years (11,378 in 1998, 19,505 in 2002, up to 24,986 in 2003)

NIGERIA & HER OIL

TWO NIGERIAN CHILDREN DIE ON BOAT TRYING TO REACH ITALY

(ANSA)Two Nigerian children die on boat trying to reach Italy:

26/07/2008 18:09 ROME, July 26 (AFP)

Two Nigerian children aged two and four died trying to reach Italy on a boat carrying 75 illegal immigrants, Italy's Ansa news agency said Saturday.

The bodies of the two children were thrown into the sea, their father told the crew of an Italian coast guard launch that rescued the group.According to the father, his two-year-old son began vomiting during the night soon after their boat left. He died soon after. His four-year-old sister later died of dehydration, Ansa reported.

The father said he was travelling alone with his children.The boat, a large rubber dinghy carrying 75 passengers, was picked up Saturday by the Italian coast guard south of the island of Lampedusa in the Strait of Sicily.

Prostituzione: espulsioni e ordinanze non cambiano niente

Ivan Rescalli, coordinatore del progetto "Unità di strada" della cooperativa "Lotta contro l'emarginazione" racconta il lavoro svolto per aiutare le ragazze sfruttate Prostituzione: espulsioni e ordinanze non cambiano niente

Non di decreti di espulsione o ordinanze è fatta la lotta contro la prostituzione. O meglio, il tentativo di salvare le ragazze dal racket e dallo sfruttamento di chi le obbliga a prostituirsi. È quello che fa dal 2000 la cooperativa "Lotta contro l'emarginazione" ed in particolare il progetto "Unità di strada", coordinato da Ivan Rescalli: «In sostanza il nostro è un lavoro di indagine e contatto con le persone che si prostituiscono in strada e in appartamento: diamo consigli a livello sanitario sulla tutela propria e del cliente – spiega Rescalli -. Noi non obblighiamo nessuno, qualora ne facciano richiesta accompagniamo le ragazze nelle strutture d'accoglienza gestite in rete con la Cnca (Coordinamento Nazionale Comunità di Accoglienza)». C'è una legge italiana inserita nel testo unico sull'immigrazione adottata dalla Turco-Napolitano e accolta dalla Bossi-Fini che all'articolo 18 garantisce a chi denuncia di essere vittima di tratta o di sfruttamento sessuale o lavorativo di poter godere di un particolare permesso di soggiorno di 6 mesi rinnovabile per altri 6, convertibile al termine del lungo e difficile iter di reinserimento nella società nel permesso di soggiorno "normale". In questi anni sono state circa 50 le ragazze che hanno aderito al progetto della cooperativa "Lotta contro l'emarginazione": solo due non hanno concluso il percorso, mentre le atre sono riuscite a liberarsi dal patto criminale che le teneva soggiogate. Gli operatori del progetto di "Unità di strada" sono una decina. Alcuni numeri per dare il quadro della situazione in provincia di Varese: sulla strada sono un'ottantina, soprattutto nigeriane, mentre le rumene e le albanesi sono molte meno, di età compresa tra i 18 (a volte meno) e i 32 anni come massimo. Le africane sono stanziali, stanno nel Tradatese, nei dintorni del Parco Pineta e a Pian Bosco, a Gorla e Cairate, alcune a Busto Arsizio la sera: aspettano i clienti sedute, sono sfruttate da connazionali che hanno un accordo economico con le ragazze, un debito che cresce fino quasi a raddoppiare dal viaggio alla permanenza in Italia, sono ospitate da sfruttatrici donne (ultimamente anche uomini) che pagano per loro e le controllano. Le bianche invece aspettano in piedi, sono controllate a vista dai loro uomini, spesso pseudo fidanzati o conviventi che le obbligano a vendersi e le controllano a vista («è capitato spesso che nei nostri servizi sulla strada gli sfruttatori passassero più volte in auto, telefonassero e si facessero vedere da lontano», spiega Rescalli): si possono trovare a Gorla, Cairate, Lonate Pozzolo e al confine col Piemonte. I rapporti sulla strada sono spesso mordi e fuggi, cose veloci, consumate da ogni tipo di cliente, di età e classe sociale variabile. Gli stessi clienti che pescano negli appartamenti, un supermercato del sesso molto più ampio e con numeri ben maggiori: si parla di almeno 250 numeri di telefono a disposizione, per un'offerta diversificata che va da Varese città a Sesto Calende, passando per l'asse di Malpensa. Sono ragazze e transessuali, di età comprese tra i 20 e i 50 anni, spesso sudamericane/i, ma anche le cinesi sono tantissime: i controlli sono anche in questo caso ferrei, le case sono spesso in subaffitto, per andare con una cinese bisogna passare da una sorta di servizio di smistamento gestito da una vera e propria organizzazione ramificata, praticamente sempre per esercitare in appartamento gli sfruttatori scendono a patti (economici) con la criminalità locale in un ambiente di illegalità diffusa. In appartamento vengono fornite le più disparate prestazioni, gli operatori hanno sentito e registrato di tutto e di più. Avvicinare e convincere le ragazze a cercare vie "pulite", uscendo dal circolo del racket della prostituzione, non è facile: «I decreti di espulsione come quello di Lonate servono a poco – spiega Rascalli -. Già anni fa su una frequentatissima strada provinciale in Piemonte, al confine con Lonate, i sindaci a turno mandavano via le prostitute dalle proprie strade: loro non facevano altro che spostarsi in quello vicino, rinviando il "problema" senza risolverlo. È una questione complessa, non bisognerebbe fermarsi a quello che fa male agli occhi, ma analizzare nel profondo con la partecipazione di tutti. È il mestiere più antico del mondo, ricordiamocelo sempre. Bisogna combattere il favoreggiamento e lo sfruttamento, educando le ragazze credendo in loro e nella loro voglia di libertà». http://www3.varesenews.it/varese/articolo.php?id=104199