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Friday, 13 June 2008 |
Femaid report on Afghanistan, May 2008
Carol Mann has been working to help the women of Afghanistan under the umbrella of FemAid (http://www.femaid.org). She sends us her latest report from Kabul
I have just returned from three weeks in Afghanistan,
which turned out to be spent in Kabul only, because of security
reasons. My Afghan family and friends were terrified by the prospect of
me being kidnapped to the point that I was not allowed to take a taxi
on my own. Naturally, from their point of view, my presence, however
welcome, was a liability and a heavy responsibility. I nevertheless
managed to work on the Library project in Farah, teach a course on
‘Women at War’ at the new Gender Studies Institute at Kabul university,
research maternal mortality (still one of the worst in the world) and
start work on a programme trying to limit this catastrophe. And I lived
Kabuli style, as usual, with my family sharing meals, laughter, Indian
video-clips on TV, homework, housework, outings as well as limited
electricity and water, open sewers and the ensuing stench and the daily
restrictions which befall this brave population.
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Friday, 13 June 2008 |
For motor sports enthusiasts, Pam Elson previews two
highlights in June: the Formula One Grand Prix at Magny-
Cours and the Grand Prix de l’Âge d’Or at Dijon Prenois.
The Formula One Grand
Prix is on in more ways
than one: as more and more
countries are keen to host it
and pour huge amounts of
money into building new
circuits around the world,
France’s number one racing
track at Magny-Cours near
Névers has been under heavy
fire from Bernie Ecclestone
and Co.
To keep the event in
France is a matter of Gallic
pride. So funding of some
€30 million has been agreed
and work will start after this
year’s race to improve
facilities with the addition of
27 new stands, press centre,
restaurants, improvements for
the teams and visitors, and
much-needed hotels.
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Friday, 13 June 2008 |
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June marks the start of summertime
when the living is easy, and that
includes on French roads. The traffic
jam predictors at Bison Futé issued
just two orange warnings, for the last
weekend of the month. The first, for
Friday, June 27, only concerns traffic
leaving Paris, and the second on
Saturday June 28, covers all the large
cities in the country. Orange warnings
are issued when it is expected that
traffic will be heavier than usual and
that slow downs are likely to occur.
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Thursday, 12 June 2008 |
Near the finish of the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, on May 11 at Longchamp, Zarkava (C. Soumillon) wins from Goldikova (O. Peslier) and Halfway To Heaven (D. McCabe)
The Classic trials are over, and
expectations of winning the colts’
Prix du Jockey Club or fillies’ Prix de
Diane at Chantilly have either been
raised or dashed in the space of two and
a half minutes. Full of Gold, trained by
Criquette Head and a leading fancy for
the Jockey Club a month ago, was
expected to win the Prix Hocquart trial
over 2,200m at Longchamp on May 5,
but finished a disappointed one-paced
fourth to Démocrate, while the
improving André Fabre-trained
Démocrate and close second Ellie
Lellouche-trained Starlight have come
into the Jockey Club reckoning. The
Head camp couldn’t hide their
disappointment: the horse plainly needs
the ground to come up very soft on
Jockey Club day to have any chance. In
the French trials the most impressive
combination seen was trainer Jean
Claude Rouget’s High Rock and jockey
Christophe Lemaire, who won the Prix
La Force at Longchamp by an easy six
lengths: the horse has that magic quality
of acceleration. Rouget significantly
stated: “He’s my best horse and his next
race is the Jockey Club.”
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Thursday, 12 June 2008 |
Trotting
02/06 Graignes, Sablé-sur-Sarthe, Vichy
03/06 Vincennes
04/06 Laval
05/06 Caen
06/06 Vincennes
07/06 Lisieux, Montluçon-Néris les Bains, Segré, Vincennes
08/06 Ajaccio, Alençon, Bollène, Bourigny, Gémozac, La Roche sur Yon, Landivisiau, Le Dorat, Les Andelys, Nort-sur-Esdre, Questembert, Rambouillet, Savigny-sur-Braye, Segré
09/06 Bernay, Eauze, Meslay-du-Maine, Vichy, Vire
10/06 Vincennes
11/06 Cherbourg, Mauquenchy,Vichy
12/06 Graignes, Vichy
13/06 Vincennes
14/06 Chalons-en-Champagne, Langon, Lisieux, Saint-Brieuc
15/06 Abbeville, Argentan, Dreux, Elbeuf, Hyères, La Roche-Posay, Luxay, Meslaydu-Maine, Mondoubleau,
Montluçon-Néris les Bains, Nancy, Pontchâteau, Villedieules-Poëles, Villeneuve-sur-Lot, Vincennes
16/06 Caen, Valence-sur-Baïse, Vichy
17/06 Vincennes
18/06 Le Mont-Saint-Michel-Pontorson, Reims
19/06 Laval, Vichy
20/06 Vincennes
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