The existence of these arrangements are not new, but the scope is larger than previously thought, a new study by the Pan American Development Foundation found. The foundation conducted the largest field survey of human rights violations in Haiti.

Known as restaveks, these extremely poor children are sent by their families to other homes.

“In principle, parental placement of a restavek child involves turning over child-rearing responsibility to another household in exchang

Armed with steel clubs, electric batons, pepper spray and tear gas, members of the Basij paramilitary organization attacked several hundred students on the campus of the University of Tehran. Witnesses said the student protesters fought back, in some cases injuring members of the Basij, who fall under the command of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, warned that the Church would now face “very serious questions” over the decision, which will see Canon Mary Glasspool, 55, elevated to serve as an assistant bishop. Canon Glasspool, who has openly been in a relationship with her female partner, Becki Sander, for 21 years, was chosen at the Church’s annual convention in Los Angeles.

“I am very excited about the future of the whole Episcopal Church, and I see the Diocese of Los Angeles leading the way into that future,” the new bishop said after the votes were counted. She added: “Any group of people who have been oppressed because of any one, isolated aspect of their persons yearns for justice and equal rights.”

Early reports say three separate car bombs detonated in quick succession in front of different targets in the Iraqi capital.

Once again government buildings were hit, including the Labor ministry and the site of the new finance ministry, which is being rebuilt after the last one was destroyed in a similar attack three months ago.

The attacks come just days after Iraq’s parliament finally agreed to a new law that would allow national elections to go ahead in February.

Once again the Iraqi government will be facing enormous pressure over Baghdad’s deteriorating security situation.

Engelking, 27, aimed to hunt deer Wednesday morning when he noticed a pipeline crew on his land. He hopped on his ATV and told workers they had no right to be on his property because he had received no compensation from Enbridge Energy Partners L.P. for an easement.

Matt claims he quickly erased the files.

But hours before she and her lawyer were due to speak the press conference was cancelled amid suggestions that Wood’s representatives had been in contact and there had been a flurry of phone calls.

Already the critics and doubters are circling like vultures, questioning among other things his mid-2011 deadline to begin withdrawing US troops and handing over responsibility for security to the Afghans themselves.

In his long-awaited speech to the West Point Military Academy on Tuesday evening Mr Obama attempted to satisfy both sides of the debate, announcing a 30,000-strong troop surge that will start within days while at the same time promising that the soldiers deployed would begin their withdrawal in just 18 months.

Obama and Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., singled out U.S. service members at home and abroad for special thanks before saying what they think should be done to fix the economy.

“As much as we all have to be thankful for, we also know that this year millions of Americans are facing very difficult economic times,” Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address. “Many have lost jobs in this recession — the worst in generations. Many more are struggling to afford health care premiums and house payments, let alone to save for an education or retirement. Too many are wondering if the dream of a middle-class life — that American dream — is slipping away.”