BARAK OBAMA CANNOT CONTINUE TO TAKE A BACK SEAT IN THE 'SPRING AWAKENING' PROTESTS

WHAT has Nobel Peace Prize winner President Barak Obama been doing to help the people of Libya?

It is estimated that more than 2,000 people have died in the protests against Col Muammar Gaddafi and for the most part there has been little intervention from the global community.

The US President and leader of the free world won the peace prize in 2009 for extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples.

It was a little premature when awarded and Obama himself acknowledged this saying it was his: 'call to action', but there seems to have been little action so far.

He appears to have taken the option of riding in the back seat with regards to the revolution and protesters demanding regime change in the Arab world.

Being one step behind diplomatically in the 'spring awakening' was starting to develop into a pattern.

It is clear that the President is haunted by the 'ghost of foreign policy past'.

He would not want to be seen to repeat George Bush's bloody enforcement of democracy in the Middle East.

But he should at least be a pillar of strength for protesters and modernisers in the region.

David Cameron also anxious of not wanting to act in a way too similar to Tony Blair has been slow off the mark to act.

However, in a statement to the House of Commons today Cameron said: ' Britain is taking a lead'.

The PM spoke of how British representatives secured a UN Security Council Resolution at the weekend which: 'condemns Gaddafi’s actions, and imposes a travel ban and assets freeze on those at the top of his murderous regime.'

Cameron has acknowledged that the free world needs to act.

He said that the UK is working on plans for a no-fly zone over Libya.

It is clearly difficult to find the right balance whether to take action or leave events to unfold, but when a mad dictator turns on his people with live bullets and airstrike the international community must act.

THERE’S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING

TONIGHT for the first time ever, UK airspace has been completely closed. A cloud of volcanic ash has been steadily moving across the country shutting airports canceling all flights in and out of the UK. As the evening progresses the clock is ticking down to the first ever Prime Ministerial debate.

At 8.30 on ITV Nick Clegg, Gordon Brown and David Cameron will be live across the nation as they put forward their policies and argue their positions to impress voters. In the style of US presidential debates it is the first of three such events to be held during the election campaign.

Will Brown bumble his lines? Will Cameron finally woo the nation or appear too slick? And will people now finally recognise who Nick Clegg is? The debates could be a big deciding factor in who wins the election as the race is very close at the moment. But remember, the event is governed by 72 rules and the studio audience are not allowed to make a sound, it could be one big damp squid. We’ll have to wait and see.

WORLD AIDS DAY 2009

Today (Tuesday 1^st December) is world aids day, a day to raise awareness and help to remove the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS.

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) attacks the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight off illnesses. This will often develop into AIDS – where the sufferers’ immune system becomes too weak to fight off infection. It is estimated that 33 million people around the world are living with HIV, and about two million people die every year.

The sad thing is that HIV/AIDS is preventable, with the right education and protection the rate of infections could be reduced. Added to this there is a big stigma attached to those who are HIV positive. The disease is most commonly passed on through unprotected sex or sharing infected needles, syringes or other injecting drug equipment. It is not passed on by kissing, shaking hands with or being in the same room as an HIV positive person. World Aids Day attempts to break down the barriers, dispel the myths and stop the discrimination.

In the UK HIV/AIDS is often seen as a disease caught by gay men. Although the majority of the HIV positive population are gay or bisexual, in 2008 more heterosexuals were diagnosed with HIV then gay men. People need to remember that anybody can catch HIV/AIDS. No one is immune.

Elsewhere, Sub Saharan Africa is affected by HIV/AIDS more than any other region in the world. It is estimated that 22.4 million are living with the virus in the region. Access to antiviral drugs is limited due to a lack of funding. And support for those with HIV/AIDS is not always available. The stigma is much worse in Africa and life can be really tough for those suffering from the disease due to the ignorance and lack of education about HIV/AIDS. (Find out more about HIV/AIDS in Africa here).

Maybe one thing you could do today for World Aids Day would be to find out the truth about HIV/AIDS, help dismiss the myths and remove the stigma after all isn’t everyone human?