Welcome to the August 2004 issue of Five Minutes to Midnight. This issue is very different from most, as this is the first big team effort from the growing staff of Five Minutes to Midnight! I'd like to thank Rawi Samman, Kaitlynn M.A. Schultz, and Mark Cavdar for their dedication and hard work on this issue, and the ones they'll be working on in the future. If you have any comments, suggestions, or questions about this issue, please send them to feedback@fiveminutestomidnight.org.

                 Thanks for reading,
                                   Wojciech Gryc
  

	Darfur: The World's Worst Humanitarian Disaster        (by Mark Masongsong) One of the most devastating conflicts presently occurring in the world, the situation in Sudan has received media attention, but little else. War Child Canada Youth Advisory Board's Mark Masongsong writes an update on the situation, as well as what you can do about it. Read more...
	Prostitution in India (by Wojciech Gryc) Forced prostitution, child prostitution, and the sex trade are major problems around the world. This article examines the problem as it occurs in India, and how the enforcement of international and national law has failed in the protection of the victims. Read more...
	Get Involved: The Lowest Common Denominator        (by Mark Cavdar) Though employees rarely know about it, some companies buy expensive life insurance policies for employees and profit from their deaths. Nicknamed "Dead Peasants" insurance, such policies without the knowledge of employees and their families are unacceptable. Learn how you can get involved in stopping companies from making a profit due to their employees' deaths. Read more...
	Comment: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back        (by Kaitlyn M.A. Schultz) In this article, Kaitlyn Schultz discusses the difference of living conditions among women around the world, and how in many cases, those living in the first world take their rights and freedoms for granted. Learn about some of the problems women face around the world, and about the upcoming Women's Equality Day on August 26. Read more...
	Comment: China's One Child Policy        (by Justin Law and Raymond Liu) Justin Law and Raymond Liu present a critical examination of China's controversial One Child Law, which prohibits families from having more than one child. Learn about how the law is being used to limit population growth, and its implications to Chinese citizens' human rights. Read more...