"The Mail exploit draws on previous work by security consultant Adam Laurie and others, and puts together vulnerabilities in the chip technology, and in the chip security and logistics systems used by the Identity & Passport Service"

Democratic Republic of the Congo: As the country moves boldly towards historic vote, humanitarian concerns continue to demand attention

As the world is applauding the determination of the Congolese people and leadership to take a crucial step in the country's transition from a bloody civil war to peace and democracy, the steep humanitarian challenges facing the devastated nation must not be forgotten.

Voting simulation exercise prior to the National elections which took
place on 30 July 2006, Mendako, Commune de Maluku, Kinshasa, DRC,
July 2006. MONUC Photo/Serge Kasanga

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Democratic Republic of the Congo: As the country moves boldly towards historic vote, humanitarian concerns continue to demand attention

As the world is applauding the determination of the Congolese people and leadership to take a crucial step in the country's transition from a bloody civil war to peace and democracy, the steep humanitarian challenges facing the devastated nation must not be forgotten.

Scale of Humanitarian Challenges

The DRC is Africa's third largest country, comparable in size to Western Europe. It is five times larger than Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone combined, with more than twice their population - over 62 million.

The map of Democratic Republic of Congo from CIA World Factbook

Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the DRC gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability.  Bordered by Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia, the DRC has endured civil war and numerous coups since 1960.  

With nearly 80 per cent of the population trapped in extreme poverty and more than 70 per cent undernourished, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has appealed for $50 million to support the agricultural rehabilitation of this vast country.  The United Nations reports that DRC's maternal mortality ratio of 1,300 deaths per 100,000 live births ranks as one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in Africa.  Life expectancy averages 51.46 years (men - 50.01 years, women - 52.94 years) as estimated in the CIA Fact book, June 2006.

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Supreme Court Blocks Bush, Gitmo War Trials

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that President Bush overstepped his authority in ordering military war crimes trials for Guantanamo Bay detainees.

The ruling, a rebuke to the administration and its aggressive anti-terror policies, was written by Justice John Paul Stevens, who said the proposed trials were illegal under U.S. law and international Geneva conventions.