NEW YORK, Dec. 30 (GIN) - More than 20 years after he was toppled from power and forced into exile in Saudi Arabia, Idi Amin wants to return to Uganda - the country where, during his eight-year dictatorship, at least 300,000 people were massacred.

   According to news group Sapa-DPA, Amin - who was once known as the "Butcher of Uganda" - wants to leave Mecca, return to live in his home town of Arua, Uganda, and build up his former house. Amin wants to live there "not as a dictator, but as a retiree," says his son, Hajji Ali.

   Amin's family, many of whom have returned from exile to Uganda, have been calling for Amin to be allowed back.  In April, Ali said "My father is completely innocent. We should talk about something where there is evidence, but the evidence is just not there."

   The evidence, however, is stark, solid and brutal.

   In addition to the 300,000 people that Amnesty International say were killed there during his rule, Amin expelled some 50,000 people of Asian decent - giving them just weeks to leave - and distributed their businesses to his friends.

LAGOS, Jan. 1 (GIN) - At a meeting of local Christian groups, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo publicly apologised for the killing of more than 200 unarmed civilians by the army in Benue State in October 2001.

   The army has been accused of several mass killings since civilian rule was restored in Nigeria in 1999. Mr Obasanjo is seeking re-election in April and this Sunday faces a former minister from Benue State in primaries for the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP).

   The killing of ethnic Tivs was apparently in retaliation for the abduction and murder of 19 soldiers sent to quash fighting between Tivs and Jukuns, the biggest group in neighbouring Taraba State.

   Human Rights Watch, a New York based rights group, has strongly condemned the Nigerian government for first encouraging, then failing to condemn, the military action.

   "I am sorry, it should never have happened," Mr Obasanjo said.

   Over a three-day period, soldiers entered a series of towns and villages, including Zaki Bam, in Benue State and opened fire on unarmed residents.

Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio (UHCAN OHIO) needs your help. During March 10-16, 2003 UHCAN OHIO will be supporting Covering the Uninsured Week. This is a major national project funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and sponsored by a coalition of diverse national partners (see the list below) . Lack of health insurance is a dilemma facing 41 million Americans. Over 100,000 of them live right here in Franklin County. UHCAN Ohio is committed to making Covering the Uninsured Week a major opportunity to educate the public about the crisis of health care coverage, but UHCAN Ohio needs your help.

During Covering the Uninsured Week, community events will be held to focus attention on the problems faced by uninsured Americans. Also, newspapers and radio and TV reporters will be interested in talking to people without health insurance. These events will only be as strong as the people who contribute their stories of lack of coverage to the events. IF YOU LACK HEALTH COVERAGE OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO DOES and are willing to tell your story please contact Kathleen Gmeiner. You can reach her at (614) 443-2845 or

Money and politics form the basis of the average Upper Middle Class Suburban High School. Money has always equaled power. When it comes to judging, all that seems to matter to people is whether you have it or not. The fact is, the more money one has, the higher the chance of fitting in. Money can even be it’s own parameter in establishing cliques.

While fitting in is probably one of the biggest pressures felt by my peers, especially females, it isn’t on my list of things to deal with on a day to day basis . To some, high school is all about “status”. Conformity is what everyone is seeking. Without the right clothes, cars, or friends, it’s quite hard to establish one’s “status” in the “popular” group. On the other hand, there are those who seem to strive to be the exact opposite of a “conformist”. Some students buy into the idea of being different just to prove that they are above the pressures of fitting in. This kind of person is no less a sell-out than people who do whatever they can to prove they are part of the in-crowd. No matter where one is in the conformity spectrum, it’s all based on the same people’s standards.

It's impossible to adequately sum up any year, and 2002 is probably more difficult than most to grasp. Bursts of militaristic fervor bracketed the 12 months, which began in the terrible aftermath of 9/11 with the United States waging a fierce war in Afghanistan. Now, an even larger war against Iraq seems about to begin.

We can try to remember the nonstop avalanche of media that came between New Year's Day and late December, but most of it is forgettable -- if we're lucky. This is a more or less constant problem in our lives as we avail ourselves of daily mass communications. Whether the medium is television, radio, print or the Internet, the vast majority of what passes before our eyes and gets into our ears is not worth remembering.

The end of a year lends itself to introspection and reminders of mortality. We don't have time to waste, and we may fear that we're wasting it anyway! An old TV Guide or a pile of yellowing newspapers is testimony to the brief shelf-life of media sizzle.

There's no doubt that the new media technologies have opened up