HRW reports US, EU backing "sham democracies" in some cases; Barack Obama sets campaign fundraising record with $32 million in January...

31 January :: Human Rights Watch, in its annual report, criticizes leading democracies, namely US and EU nations, for backing "sham democracies" for the sake of political or strategic expediency; HRW reports "Such divorcing of democracy from the international standards that give it meaning helps to convince autocrats that mere elections, regardless of the circumstances, are sufficient to warrant the democrat label"... Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) sets all-time record taking in $32 million in contributions in month of January; it is expected Obama may continue to raise large amounts, with donations spread out across a large number of small-quantity donors; rival Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) has depended on large donations which put many donors at legal limit already... Republican Sen. John McCain has received the endorsement of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, in what may be a key boost ahead of the 24-state "Super Tuesday" primary vote on 5 February... According to Christian Science Monitor, "The snowstorms currently sweeping China have wreaked havoc with millions of people's New Year travel plans and caused $3 billion worth of losses, including thousands of acres of winter crops"...