[SPEED]
[TIME 1]
Romney Announces Ryan as VP Running Mate
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced the choice of his vice-presidential running mate Saturday, Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan.
Mitt Romney’s announcement came during a campaign stop in Virginia.
Congressman Paul Ryan, little known nationally, bounded down the steps of the battleship USS Wisconsin and into the bright glare of a U.S. presidential campaign.
“My dad died when I was young. He was a good and decent man. There are a few things he would say that have just always stuck with me. He’d say, 'Son, you’re either part of the problem or part of the solution.' Well, regrettably, President Obama has become part of the problem and Mitt Romney is the solution,"he said.
At 42, Ryan brings youth to the Republican ticket and strong support from conservatives for his bold budget proposals to cut the size of government.
But Ryan can expect attacks from Democrats who argue his budget plan would hurt the poor and senior citizens.
By adding Ryan to his ticket Romney hopes to build enthusiasm for his campaign as they prepare for the Republican nominating convention at the end of the month.
“We are offering a positive governing agenda that will lead to economic growth, to widespread and shared prosperity and that will improve the lives of our fellow citizens," Romney said.
The Republican ticket may be set, but it’s too early to know if Ryan’s addition will help or hurt, says analyst Norm Ornstein.
“But there is no evidence that people vote for a vice presidential candidate. They vote for a presidential candidate and we don’t have any evidence that people say, 'I love that presidential candidate but because I can’t stand the vice presidential candidate I’m going to vote against him," he said.
Romney and Ryan embark on a campaign bus tour through key battleground states in advance of the upcoming Republican convention in Florida, where both men will be in the national spotlight.
[329 WORDS]
[TIME 2]
S. Sudan Violates Human Rights, Commission Says
South Sudan's Human Rights Commission issued its annual report this week, finding that the country has repeatedly violated its citizens' human rights during the first year of independence.
The findings covered a range of human rights, from women’s and children’s rights, to the rights to freedom and a fair trial.
Human Rights Commissioner Laurence Korbandy says some states have particularly poor records when it comes to protecting the rights of women and girls.
"In Equatoria, Upper Nile and Bahr-El-Ghazal, rights to life are grossly violated. The research findings establish that early pregnancies and early marriages are key because of the high dropout rate for the girls from schools," Korbandy said.
Seventy-two percent of South Sudanese cannot read or write, according to the report -- and the majory of those who are illiterate are women. The report further says that the goal of 25% representation of women in political and administrative jobs is not realized because of low education of women.
Human Rights Commissioner Laurence Korbandy said the government must do more to educate women.
The report also covered the ethnic clashes in Jonglei State, which left nearly one thousand people dead.
And the commission found that prisons and police cells across the country are dirty, overcrowded, and not providing enough food to inmates. These findings echo a similar report by the group Human Rights Watch.
Human Rights activist and Secretary General of the South Sudan civil society alliance, Biel Boutros Biel, said human rights activist and Secretary General of the South Sudan Civil Society Alliance, Biel Boutros Biel, has welcomed the new report by the South Sudan Human Rights Commission but says it is long overdue.
Biel said arbitrary arrests are far too common in South Sudan.
“I have been going to many police stations and you would get many people being locked in without any charges. Some of them even don’t write any statements. They are just accused, brought and put in, staying in police stations beyond 24 hours,” he said.
He called on the government to enact laws to regulate the activities of security agencies and the behavior of security guards.
[361 WORDS]
