Gibraltar - The oil spill silent

The wind brings the Straits to Punta Europa, in the extreme south of the rock of Gibraltar, the stench of rotten eggs. They come from boats anchored in Algeciras Bay and connected by large pipes. "It's the smell of gas that is released when the oil tankers transvasent in boats. It is penetrating and unpleasant, but they say it is not harmful," said one resident of the Rock.

With its refinery, chemical industry, power station and its base of British submarines, the Bay of Algeciras is an environmental time bomb. This is the place in Europe where there is greater risk of oil spills and the fourth world center of "bunkering", or bunkering (fuel transfer between vessels).

12 children die in a NATO airstrike in Afghanistan

Kabul. .- At least 18 civilians and 20 policemen were killed in a bombing by NATO forces in Afghanistan reported on Thursday during an operation in the east that killed more than 85 Taliban, Efe said an official source. "18 civilians were killed because the Taliban used villagers as human shields and fired on Afghan and international forces from their homes," he told Efe Jalaludin Badr, governor of Nuristan province, where the bombing occurred.

Amnesty celebrates 50 years with the challenge of changing the world

Amnesty International first candle lit in 1961, and his name has not been extinguished because they are still many who are still living without freedom. That candle lit 50 years ago British lawyer Peter Benenson continue burning for all those prisoners of conscience imprisoned for publicly expressing his opinion and those who were tortured, kidnapped or disappeared one day without.

Inspired by the thought of French philosopher Voltaire ("I hate your opinions, but I'm willing to die to defend your right to express them") and after learning that two Portuguese students were jailed for toasting freedom in the dictatorial regime of Salazar, Benenson decided it was time to move to action a May 28, 1961.

UNITED STATES - Newt Gingrich Republican nomination

After a suspense expertly maintained, Newt Gingrich would ultimately announce May 11 his intention to run in the race for the Republican nomination for president in 2012. The Washington Post reports that Gingrich would make the announcement official on Facebook and Twitter. It will continue its momentum in the evening with an appearance on the platform of the conservative news channel Fox News.

Catholics in Diaspora

The Catholic vote has never been monolithic in Italy, but Catholics have always felt keenly. In the nearly half century of existence of the former Christian Democrats, was very clear that this party, protected from birth by the Vatican, was the natural home of those who frequented the churches, although there have always been believers attracted by the egalitarian message of PCI , the most powerful communist party in the West.

General singer Obama

Probably in a European country would have ended the public career of anyone. But the sense of the ridiculous, or feast-on the side of the Atlantic and is different. But here's the next commander in chief of the U.S. Armed Forces, the Army General Martin Dempsey, imitating Frank Sinatra for a year. It is not clear that Dempsey can win the two wars and a half in which the U.S.

is now involved (Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya). But you can try to persuade the Taliban to put down their weapons based serenades. So, Barack Obama has finally chosen as the next Chief of Staff of United States General Martin Dempsey, who until now was the head of the Army. Dempsey's appointment comes after all the bureaucratic war that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and the current chief of staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, the president himself have been convinced of the appropriateness of this general 59.

CHINA - Child trafficking in Hunan

Children have been trafficked in a poor prefecture in Hunan where family planning officials to forcibly removed from their parents and placed in an orphanage. This emerges from a survey of the very serious business magazine Xinshiji Zhoukan, following research by parents of these children. The incident took place between 2002 and 2005.

To put pressure on their families to collect fines, officials in charge of family planning in the prefecture of Longhui in Shaoyang in Hunan, forcibly took nearly two dozen children. Against the sum of 1,000 yuan each [approximately 100 euros], they have placed in the orphanage in Shaoyang, giving them all the surname "Shao".