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Check showtimes to see when Amanpour is on CNN where you are. Or watch online.

And now your feedback

April 22nd, 2010
07:07 PM ET

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Amanpour viewers’ felt that Berlusconi was undermining the Italian democracy thorough his concentration of power and alleged use of his position to nullify corruption probes.  In addition, Berlusconi’s style of governing was thought to be “very complex.”  The viewers that emailed commented on how important was to highlight Education as it was “the key to any crisis.”

Email Comments:

Dear Amanpour,

You have chosen a topic that is close to my heart.  Education is the key to the crises. Overpopulation leads to consumption, which in time will not be able to support the large population.  In India, we have seen high food inflation. Imagine if this happens all over the world. We are staring at a catastrophe. This reminds of Jim Rogers who is bullish on commodities.  Would also suggest a plan of action where either poor countries can put their children up for adoption or better still support a child in the third world. The Developed world's population is declining why not adopt from the third world or better still get people from the third world educate them and let them have a good livelihood. In an ideal world, no one should go hungry and in order to reach that state the developed countries can help the third world. The UN, IMF, WB and the IFC should tackle this problem head on.

Thank you for your time.

Respectfully

D. Chawla

Facebook comments

Okwesili Ndubisi

Since the inception of his administration,Berlusconi has been expriencing series of attacks from the opposition.The purple peoples' protest on his allegation of curruption should be traded with caution.They should know that the activities of 'red shirts' in thailand not only affect the economy of the cnuntry but led to wantom destruction of life and property.The italian electrotes should be given chance to decide on who should lead them.

Suela Thanasi

My fear is that the true opponents to Berlusconi's government are either silent or indifferent. Berlusconi's style of governing is also very complex, he supports the rich, but acts as populist. So, despite his inappropriate type of leadership, I believe he will continue enjoying voter's support for a long time.


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India: The pressure to have children

April 22nd, 2010
06:38 PM ET

by Sara Sidner

(CNN) New Delhi – Nineteen-year-old Kalawati Kumari stares at her 11-month-old baby boy filled with both love and regret.

She wishes her life could be different.

“I did not want to have children now. I want to study.”

Kumari didn’t want to get married either. But when she was 11, her parents arranged her marriage. In keeping with family tradition, she stayed at home until she reached puberty and then had to move in with the family of the village boy she was promised to.

She says she did her best to continue her studies. But when she moved in with her in-laws, they told her there was no need anymore. They wanted something else: babies.

“I tried to explain to my husband and in-laws,” Kumari said, “My husband understood it was too early and started using contraceptives, but my in-laws starting taunting me about having a child, so my husband said we had to stop using contraceptives.”

Kumari lives in rural Bihar, India where tradition calls for early marriage and childbirth at a young age, and doing otherwise is often frowned upon.

“These are very deep rooted [in the] culture of the family especially in the deprived section and poor illiterate section,” Binod Bihari Singh said. He works for a non-profit organization called Pathfinder International. Its mission is to educate villagers about reproductive health in order to improve overall health in families and communities. Pathfinder operates in 26 countries, with private and government funding, and has been operating in Bihar for more than nine years.

Government statistics show Bihar has the highest fertility rate in India. On average women in Bihar have four children compared to India’s fertility rate of 2.7 children. Bihar is also one of the poorest states in the country.
Villagers and government officials credit Pathfinder with improving health and lives there, and opening minds to the choices and economic opportunities created by having children later in life.

Rekha Kumari attends Pathfinder classes on reproductive health. In separate rooms, both boys and girls get an education about their reproductive organs, contraceptives and the effects of early marriage and child bearing. With her new-found knowledge, Rekha made a decision.

“My thought is that let me study first and become economically self independent then I can help my self in marriage,” Rekha said.

Her mother was married by 10 years old and had seven children. Her sisters were all married off at young ages and are having children. Rehka was an oddity, to say the least.

“We get lots of comments and pressure from the neighborhood and distant relatives asking, 'why am I not getting married though I have become matured?'” Rekha said. “They say I am being stubborn and not obeying even my parents.”

At first her family didn’t like the idea either.

“Marriage is important to off load your burden to someone who will take care of your daughter.” Rekha’s mom Pulmati Devi said. “Once she goes her in-law’s house she will be happy over there and we parents will be anxiety free.”

In many villages and towns across India girls are often thought of as a burden because to marry them off, a dowry must be paid to her new husband’s family. Often families keep having babies until they have a boy

So far Rekha has avoided marriage. Two big actors worked in her favour: First, she convinced her parents she could become financially independent and lead a better life. And second, the family didn’t have the money to pay her dowry, about 50-thousand rupees, or more than a thousand US dollars. That's a fortune for families living on incomes of less than two dollars a day.

This year the Indian government said there are 100 million more people living below the poverty line in India than previously thought. The United Nations and nonprofit groups like Pathfinder say that reproductive education and family planning can help stop the cycle of poverty. The country has long tired to get families to limit the number of children a couple has to two.

“When you look at the rapid growth in population and combine it with the levels of poverty you’re going see environmental degradation, your going to see increasing poverty because the economic opportunity is not growing as rapidly as population is, and you are going to see an increase in women’s mortality.” Pathfinder International’s Rema Nanda said.

Rekha Kumari may be the one who stops the cycle of poverty in her family. She is already dreaming of a different kind of future.

“I am collecting courage for my self development and I would like to teach the same thing to the village children to make their life prosperous.”


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Napolitano discusses her recent visit to Nigeria

April 14th, 2010
11:11 AM ET

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The new frontier for the Catholic church: Nigeria

April 14th, 2010
11:05 AM ET

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Good luck for Nigeria?

April 13th, 2010
08:51 PM ET

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Who is Muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan?

April 13th, 2010
01:23 PM ET

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Tom's Take

April 12th, 2010
01:31 PM ET

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/11/16/christianetom.jpg caption caption="Sr. Writer for Amanpour, Tom Evans, works on scripts with Christiane"]
NUCLEAR SUMMIT – Will nuclear summit in Washington succeed in uniting world against nuclear proliferation?

–       President Barack Obama hosts leaders from more than 45 countries for a two day nuclear security summit in Washington
–       Gathering is an unprecedented global effort to rally effort to secure vulnerable nuclear materials so they don’t fall into hands of terrorists or rogue states
–       Summit is the centerpiece of Obama’s efforts to prevent spread of nuclear weapons and technology

QUESTION:  Will world leaders, including Chinese President Hu Jintao, support U.S. efforts to introduce new sanctions against Iran to stop its nuclear ambitions?
FULL POST


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And now your feedback

April 6th, 2010
09:10 PM ET

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/11/17/feedback.jpg caption="Christiane – all ears for the feedback."]

The Amanpour audience candidly exchanged points of view regarding Russia’s effort to crush the roots of separatism. Reform was thought to be needed by most, while the minority felt this was not an “issue of reform” but “political propaganda.” Overall, people debated about individual ideologies, human rights and law enforcement and pointed that Russia’s rejection of democracy and capitalism after a decade, “drove” the country to its actual condition.

What are your thoughts? Please share your thoughts with us! In addition, if you missed the show go to http://www.amanpour.com for more information.

Below, you will see some opinions from viewers like yourself. We would love to hear what you think.

Facebook Comments

Dmitry Koublitsky
I'm afraid there's way too many people on both sides who're interested in keeping the conflict on.

Ahmed Azzamy
Reform is highly needed to manage to combat insurgency. Russians must do more in this regard.

FULL POST


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Tom's Take

April 5th, 2010
12:19 PM ET

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/11/16/christianetom.jpg caption caption="Sr. Writer for Amanpour, Tom Evans, works on scripts with Christiane"]

On AMANPOUR. today, we look at the legacy of the wars in Chechnya after the terror attacks on the Moscow subway network. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s hard-line position may win him support on the home front, but is it really possible to crush separatist movements in the North Caucasus without sweeping political reforms in the region? The North Caucasus is one of the stories making news today. Here are some perspectives.

Tom Evans

Sr. Writer, AMANPOUR.

RUSSIA – Is the North Caucasus region on the brink of a new explosion of violence?

–          Suicide bomber kills at least two police officers and wounds four others in Russian republic of Ingushetia

–          Bombing the latest in a series of attacks, including double bombing on Moscow subway that killed at least 39 people on March 29

–          Analysts: radical Islamist rebels have broadened insurgency from Chechnya to entire North Caucasus region in recent years

QUESTION:  Will Russian efforts to crush the insurgency have any lasting impact without political reforms to make regional governments in the North Caucasus more accountable to the people?

FULL POST


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And now your feedback

April 1st, 2010
10:32 PM ET

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/11/17/feedback.jpg caption="Christiane – all ears for the feedback."]

Amanpour viewers continued commenting on the partial ban of the burqa initiative in France. While the people that opposed to the ban felt that this initiative would strip Muslims of their “religious rights,” the supporters stated that outsiders settling in foreign countries should abide to the that country’s laws. Additionally, a European lawmaker declared, “Nobody could claim the right to look at others without being seen.” Overall, mixed commentary was received weighing religious and political beliefs for the most part.

What are your thoughts? Please share your thoughts with us! In addition, if you missed the show go to http://www.amanpour.com for more information.

Below, you will see some opinions from viewers like yourself. We would love to hear what you think.

Email Comments

Barone
If Europe is willing to take precedence of denying its own citizens from their basic right of freedom of worship, religion, dress-code or dietary preference; this will only work against its own interest & ultimately to its own demise. This european decision calls for all muslim countries to impose a dietary ban on pork, even a dress code banning shorts & bikinis or sun bathing in public places&total ban on alcohol for all europeans & christians visiting or living in the middle east. Supported by severe prison sentences for any offender. lts time for France to remember that it was these very sons of hijab wearing minorities that liberated europe from its Nazi enemies. Now these same very minorities will soon act & rise as bitter enemies of their own country.

FULL POST


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