Hasan Suroor The Hindu
LONDON: The British government is facing embarrassment over a U.N. report that has slammed it for enacting laws that, it says, threaten free speech and human rights.
The report from the U.N. Committee on Human Rights specifically refers to the Terrorism Act, 2006, the strengthened Official Secrets Act and Britain’s stringent libel laws and said that cumulatively they are having a “disproportionate” effect of freedom of expression and civil liberties. According to a summary in The Guardian, the report also expressed concern over the move to extend the period for which terror suspects can be detained without being charged. Read the rest of this entry »
RTE
There have been many tributes to the singer and entertainer Ronnie Drew, who has died following a long illness.
Mr Drew died in St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Dublin on Saturday afternoon, aged 73.
He is survived by his son Phelim, daughter Cliona and his grandchildren.
President McAleese said Ronnie Drew had brought great pleasure to people at home and abroad and had re-energised and refreshened Ireland’s unique musical heritage.
The Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, said that the Dubliners singer had been an iconic figure in Irish music over the past five decades.
The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Martin Cullen, said that Ronnie Drew was “truly a Dublin icon”.
U2 singer Bono said: “Ronnie has left his earthly tour for one of the heavens… they need him up there… it’s a little too quiet and pious.”
We need to learn the issues. People are unarmed. That is, people know that they’re getting shafted, but they don’t really know exactly how. Read the rest of this entry »
Case closed. The FBI has found the “Anthrax Killer” – and he acted alone. And now that he’s committed suicide, just at the moment the Feds were about to finally snare the diabolical menace who arguably brought utter chaos in days following the September 11 attacks when he’d sent deadly letters to Democratic officials and members of the media, his guilt couldn’t be clearer.
Partial results give Bolivian President Evo Morales a clear victory in a referendum designed as a litmus test for his socialist reforms. Read the rest of this entry »
Justice Department officials claim that Bruce Ivins, 62, a US government bio-weapons scientist, posted envelopes containing anthrax spores to members of Congress and the media in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks, spreading fear across America.
JAVA, Georgia (AFP) – Russian tanks and troops entered Georgia’s breakaway South Ossetia province on Friday to repel a Georgian military offensive to reclaim the region amid fighting said to have left hundreds dead.
In These New Times 