Camp occupants reluctant to leave, saying they have been told there are no safety issues, but St Paul’s remains closed An impasse between St Paul’s Cathedral and the protest camp that has spent eight days at its walls remains apparently deadlocked, with activists saying they will not consider church officials’ request for them to move elsewhere until they receive a fuller explanation as to why this is necessary. On a usual Sunday the 400-year-old London landmark would be full of worshippers and visitors. But the doors have been bolted since Friday evening when the dean, the Right Reverend Graeme Knowles, announced that the cathedral would remain shut until further notice because the 200 or so tents and marquees along its western edge posed a fire and safety risk. A scheduled wedding took place on Saturday, with the celebrants using a side door, but worshippers for morning services on Sunday were faced with a notice directing them to the nearby church of St Vedast. A special evensong involving visiting choirs to mark the 150th anniversary of the Hymns Ancient and Modern publication has been moved to Southwark Cathedral, south of the Thames. Some would-be worshippers were caught out. “We didn’t know, so we’re very disappointed,” said a woman from a visiting American family forced to suddenly revise their plans for the day. But most tourists remained largely positive about the Occupy the London Stock Exchange camp, a protest against the perceived excesses of the global financial system. “I suppose you could say we’re part of the 99% as well,” said Levin Brunner, an IT consultant from Munich, using the term coined by activists for the bulk of people who do not enjoy stellar salaries and annual bonuses. “We have similar protests in Germany, so we knew this was taking place and we have a lot of sympathy for it. It’s very interesting for tourists to see, anyway.” On Saturday the activists set up a second base at Finsbury Square , a grassed area on the fringes of London’s financial district, currently home to about 60 tents. The movement says this is not intended to be a replacement for the camp at St Paul’s, but more of an overspill as the first site is now too full to accept more tents. Activists face intense pressure to reconsider the St Paul’s camp, not least for the resonance of being seen as responsible for the closure of a national landmark for the first time since the second world war. Church officials say the closure is costing St Paul’s about £20,000 a day in lost revenue. But the protesters are deeply reluctant, strongly hinting that they believe the Corporation of London, which governs the City district, has joined financial institutions to place at least implicit pressure on St Paul’s to take action. The Occupy the London Stock Exchange movement says it has spoken to both the fire service and local health and safety officials and has been told there are no safety issues. “Until the cathedral was shut we were in regular contact with them and relations were good. But since Friday they haven’t talked to us,” said one protester, Sean, who was acting as a media spokesman. “We’ve asked for details about the fire and health and safety issues, but we’ve heard nothing.” The cathedral remains resolute. On Saturday its canon chancellor, the Reverend Dr Giles Fraser, who a week before had welcomed what he described as a legitimate protest, issued a statement urging the protesters to leave . He said: “I remain firmly supportive of the right of people peacefully to protest. But given the strong advice that we have received that the camp is making the cathedral and its occupants unsafe then this right has to be balanced against other rights and responsibilities too.” Occupy London Occupy movement London Peter Walker guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Camp occupants reluctant to leave, saying they have been told there are no safety issues, but St Paul’s remains closed An impasse between St Paul’s Cathedral and the protest camp that has spent eight days at its walls remains apparently deadlocked, with activists saying they will not consider church officials’ request for them to move elsewhere until they receive a fuller explanation as to why this is necessary. On a usual Sunday the 400-year-old London landmark would be full of worshippers and visitors. But the doors have been bolted since Friday evening when the dean, the Right Reverend Graeme Knowles, announced that the cathedral would remain shut until further notice because the 200 or so tents and marquees along its western edge posed a fire and safety risk. A scheduled wedding took place on Saturday, with the celebrants using a side door, but worshippers for morning services on Sunday were faced with a notice directing them to the nearby church of St Vedast. A special evensong involving visiting choirs to mark the 150th anniversary of the Hymns Ancient and Modern publication has been moved to Southwark Cathedral, south of the Thames. Some would-be worshippers were caught out. “We didn’t know, so we’re very disappointed,” said a woman from a visiting American family forced to suddenly revise their plans for the day. But most tourists remained largely positive about the Occupy the London Stock Exchange camp, a protest against the perceived excesses of the global financial system. “I suppose you could say we’re part of the 99% as well,” said Levin Brunner, an IT consultant from Munich, using the term coined by activists for the bulk of people who do not enjoy stellar salaries and annual bonuses. “We have similar protests in Germany, so we knew this was taking place and we have a lot of sympathy for it. It’s very interesting for tourists to see, anyway.” On Saturday the activists set up a second base at Finsbury Square , a grassed area on the fringes of London’s financial district, currently home to about 60 tents. The movement says this is not intended to be a replacement for the camp at St Paul’s, but more of an overspill as the first site is now too full to accept more tents. Activists face intense pressure to reconsider the St Paul’s camp, not least for the resonance of being seen as responsible for the closure of a national landmark for the first time since the second world war. Church officials say the closure is costing St Paul’s about £20,000 a day in lost revenue. But the protesters are deeply reluctant, strongly hinting that they believe the Corporation of London, which governs the City district, has joined financial institutions to place at least implicit pressure on St Paul’s to take action. The Occupy the London Stock Exchange movement says it has spoken to both the fire service and local health and safety officials and has been told there are no safety issues. “Until the cathedral was shut we were in regular contact with them and relations were good. But since Friday they haven’t talked to us,” said one protester, Sean, who was acting as a media spokesman. “We’ve asked for details about the fire and health and safety issues, but we’ve heard nothing.” The cathedral remains resolute. On Saturday its canon chancellor, the Reverend Dr Giles Fraser, who a week before had welcomed what he described as a legitimate protest, issued a statement urging the protesters to leave . He said: “I remain firmly supportive of the right of people peacefully to protest. But given the strong advice that we have received that the camp is making the cathedral and its occupants unsafe then this right has to be balanced against other rights and responsibilities too.” Occupy London Occupy movement London Peter Walker guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Wingnuts are so fixated on the Second Amendment, they completely miss the Fourth. With the increasing militarization of police departments and federal agencies, such legal formalities as warrants go right out the window: On the night of October 20, 2010, Angel Enrique and Jesus Antonio were in bed in their small, two-bedroom apartment in the Clairmont complex in Nashville. The doors and windows were all shut and locked. Suddenly there was a loud banging at the door and voices shouting “Police!” and “Policia!” When no one answered, the agents tried to force the door open. Scared, Jesus hid in a closet. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents began hitting objects against the bedroom windows, trying to break in. Without a search warrant and without consent , the ICE agents eventually knocked in the front door and shattered a window, shouting racial slurs and storming into the bedrooms, holding guns to their heads. When asked if they had a warrant, one agent reportedly said, “We don’t need a warrant, we’re ICE,” and, gesturing to his genitals, “the warrant is coming out of my balls.” The Fourth Amendment strictly prohibits warrantless intrusions into private homes and the Constitution’s protections apply to both citizens and non-citizens alike. In the absence of a judicially authorized warrant, there must be voluntary and knowing consent; ICE officers forcing themselves into someone’s home does not constitute consent. The ACLU and ACLU of Tennessee this week filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of fifteen residents of the apartment complex who were subjected to this large-scale, warrantless raid by ICE agents and Metro Nashville police officers .
Continue reading …Wingnuts are so fixated on the Second Amendment, they completely miss the Fourth. With the increasing militarization of police departments and federal agencies, such legal formalities as warrants go right out the window: On the night of October 20, 2010, Angel Enrique and Jesus Antonio were in bed in their small, two-bedroom apartment in the Clairmont complex in Nashville. The doors and windows were all shut and locked. Suddenly there was a loud banging at the door and voices shouting “Police!” and “Policia!” When no one answered, the agents tried to force the door open. Scared, Jesus hid in a closet. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents began hitting objects against the bedroom windows, trying to break in. Without a search warrant and without consent , the ICE agents eventually knocked in the front door and shattered a window, shouting racial slurs and storming into the bedrooms, holding guns to their heads. When asked if they had a warrant, one agent reportedly said, “We don’t need a warrant, we’re ICE,” and, gesturing to his genitals, “the warrant is coming out of my balls.” The Fourth Amendment strictly prohibits warrantless intrusions into private homes and the Constitution’s protections apply to both citizens and non-citizens alike. In the absence of a judicially authorized warrant, there must be voluntary and knowing consent; ICE officers forcing themselves into someone’s home does not constitute consent. The ACLU and ACLU of Tennessee this week filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of fifteen residents of the apartment complex who were subjected to this large-scale, warrantless raid by ICE agents and Metro Nashville police officers .
Continue reading …Wingnuts are so fixated on the Second Amendment, they completely miss the Fourth. With the increasing militarization of police departments and federal agencies, such legal formalities as warrants go right out the window: On the night of October 20, 2010, Angel Enrique and Jesus Antonio were in bed in their small, two-bedroom apartment in the Clairmont complex in Nashville. The doors and windows were all shut and locked. Suddenly there was a loud banging at the door and voices shouting “Police!” and “Policia!” When no one answered, the agents tried to force the door open. Scared, Jesus hid in a closet. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents began hitting objects against the bedroom windows, trying to break in. Without a search warrant and without consent , the ICE agents eventually knocked in the front door and shattered a window, shouting racial slurs and storming into the bedrooms, holding guns to their heads. When asked if they had a warrant, one agent reportedly said, “We don’t need a warrant, we’re ICE,” and, gesturing to his genitals, “the warrant is coming out of my balls.” The Fourth Amendment strictly prohibits warrantless intrusions into private homes and the Constitution’s protections apply to both citizens and non-citizens alike. In the absence of a judicially authorized warrant, there must be voluntary and knowing consent; ICE officers forcing themselves into someone’s home does not constitute consent. The ACLU and ACLU of Tennessee this week filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of fifteen residents of the apartment complex who were subjected to this large-scale, warrantless raid by ICE agents and Metro Nashville police officers .
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Washington Post ombudsman Patrick Pexton cried foul in Sunday’s paper over something the Post republished: a Bloomberg hatchet job on the Tea Party-backing Koch brothers on a day it looked like it had a Sunday Anti-Business section . Pexton said the Kochs are certainly newsworthy in the size of the global business concerns, “But I think The Post erred in republishing this story, or at least in the way it did. And when the Kochs complained to The Post after publication, The Post’s response wasn’t handled well.”
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• France 7-8 New Zealand • Watch World Cup video highlights, interviews and more The team that had made no concession to the pragmatism of a knockout tournament finally succumbed and the New Zealand All Blacks staggered, mauling, tackling and grinding, to their first victory at the World Cup since 1987. They did it the ugly way, but they won. France, misunderstood, incomprehensible, were magnificent, dominating the second half, forcing the All Blacks to dig into the deepest reserves of their rugby obsession. They had a chance to win it, but François Trinh-Duc, a key player in their campaign of chaos, missed with a long penalty attempt with 17 minutes to go. All suspicions of a one-sided embarrassment vanished in the opening period. France played with an adventure verging on abandon, wonderment at their transformation only tempered by the clout to the head of Morgan Parra from the knee of Richie McCaw. The makeshift – for the purposes of this World Cup – fly-half gave way to Trinh-Duc, and while he was away New Zealand scored from a lineout, Jerome Kaino winning at the tail and dropping the ball back inside, on a pre-planned move, to the prop Tony Woodcock. It was a cruel tale of those that seized the day and those that failed. Piri Weepu, who had held the All Blacks together after the injury to Dan Carter, left the field a sorry figure, way off target with his kicking and the perpetrator of the mistake that turned the second half France’s way. The scrum-half’s careless little kick off the floor presented Trinh-Duc with a free gift and half a minute later the utterly brilliant Thierry Dusautoir was crossing for France’s try. New Zealand did not only have a problem at scrum-half, but at No10 too. Aaron Cruden, the stand-in for the stand-in for Dan Carter, went off with an injured knee and Stephen Donald, the last outside-half standing in the host nation, came on … and kicked the penalty that gave the All Blacks the one-point advantage that saved their day. It was a extraordinary match, New Zealand the devotees of attack, forced to defend for all their worth. This was a victory built on desperation, the forwards working on zero possession but inspired by the spirit of a nation that willed them to win. France lost, but how much they regained in dignity and courage. France remain without a world title from three finals. New Zealand have won their second title in their third final, by the skin of their teeth. Ugly tournament rugby won the day; New Zealand won the final. It was all that counted. France: Médard, Clerc (Traille, 45), Rougerie, Mermoz, Palisson; Parra (Trinh-Duc, 22), Yachvili (Doussain, 75); Poux (Barcella, 65), Servat (Szarzewski, 64), Mas, Papé (Pierre, 69), Nallet, Dusautoir (capt), Harinordoquy. Try Dusautoir Con Trinh-Duc. New Zealand: Dagg, Jane, Smith, Nonu (SB Williams 75), Kahui; Cruden (Donald, 33), Weepu (Ellis, 48); Woodcock, Mealamu (Hore, 48), O Franks, Thorn, Whitelock (A Williams, 48), Kaino, McCaw (capt), Read. Try Woodcock Pen Donald. Referee: C Joubert (South Africa). Rugby World Cup 2011 New Zealand rugby union team France rugby union team Rugby union Eddie Butler guardian.co.uk
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• France 7-8 New Zealand • Watch World Cup video highlights, interviews and more The team that had made no concession to the pragmatism of a knockout tournament finally succumbed and the New Zealand All Blacks staggered, mauling, tackling and grinding, to their first victory at the World Cup since 1987. They did it the ugly way, but they won. France, misunderstood, incomprehensible, were magnificent, dominating the second half, forcing the All Blacks to dig into the deepest reserves of their rugby obsession. They had a chance to win it, but François Trinh-Duc, a key player in their campaign of chaos, missed with a long penalty attempt with 17 minutes to go. All suspicions of a one-sided embarrassment vanished in the opening period. France played with an adventure verging on abandon, wonderment at their transformation only tempered by the clout to the head of Morgan Parra from the knee of Richie McCaw. The makeshift – for the purposes of this World Cup – fly-half gave way to Trinh-Duc, and while he was away New Zealand scored from a lineout, Jerome Kaino winning at the tail and dropping the ball back inside, on a pre-planned move, to the prop Tony Woodcock. It was a cruel tale of those that seized the day and those that failed. Piri Weepu, who had held the All Blacks together after the injury to Dan Carter, left the field a sorry figure, way off target with his kicking and the perpetrator of the mistake that turned the second half France’s way. The scrum-half’s careless little kick off the floor presented Trinh-Duc with a free gift and half a minute later the utterly brilliant Thierry Dusautoir was crossing for France’s try. New Zealand did not only have a problem at scrum-half, but at No10 too. Aaron Cruden, the stand-in for the stand-in for Dan Carter, went off with an injured knee and Stephen Donald, the last outside-half standing in the host nation, came on … and kicked the penalty that gave the All Blacks the one-point advantage that saved their day. It was a extraordinary match, New Zealand the devotees of attack, forced to defend for all their worth. This was a victory built on desperation, the forwards working on zero possession but inspired by the spirit of a nation that willed them to win. France lost, but how much they regained in dignity and courage. France remain without a world title from three finals. New Zealand have won their second title in their third final, by the skin of their teeth. Ugly tournament rugby won the day; New Zealand won the final. It was all that counted. France: Médard, Clerc (Traille, 45), Rougerie, Mermoz, Palisson; Parra (Trinh-Duc, 22), Yachvili (Doussain, 75); Poux (Barcella, 65), Servat (Szarzewski, 64), Mas, Papé (Pierre, 69), Nallet, Dusautoir (capt), Harinordoquy. Try Dusautoir Con Trinh-Duc. New Zealand: Dagg, Jane, Smith, Nonu (SB Williams 75), Kahui; Cruden (Donald, 33), Weepu (Ellis, 48); Woodcock, Mealamu (Hore, 48), O Franks, Thorn, Whitelock (A Williams, 48), Kaino, McCaw (capt), Read. Try Woodcock Pen Donald. Referee: C Joubert (South Africa). Rugby World Cup 2011 New Zealand rugby union team France rugby union team Rugby union Eddie Butler guardian.co.uk
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• Italian rider dies at the age of 24 • Simoncelli was hit by other bikes after crash Italian motorcyclist Marco Simoncelli has been killed in a crash at Sunday’s Malaysian MotoGP, organisers have said. Simoncelli fell on on lap two of the race, his helmet came off and the rider was hit by Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi as he slid across the track. “As soon as I saw the footage it just makes you sick inside,” said the MotoGP champion, Casey Stoner. “Whenever the helmet comes off that’s not a good sign.” He was treated for his injuries but medical staff could not save his life. The organisers cancelled the race when the extent of Simoncelli’s injuries become apparent, having halted it immediately after the accident. Simoncelli’s death comes a week after British IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon was killed during a race in Las Vegas . Simoncelli, who was 24 years old, won the 250cc world title in 2008 before starting his career in MotoGP two years later. MotoGP Motor sport Tom Lutz guardian.co.uk
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President says Afghans ‘will never betray their brother’, in TV interview aired days after Kabul visit by Hillary Clinton The Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, has said he would side with Pakistan in the event of war with the US, in a surprising political twist that is likely to disconcert his western allies. “If there is war between Pakistan and America, we will stand by Pakistan,” Karzai said in a television interview, placing his hand on his heart and describing Pakistan as a “brother” country. The offer was widely interpreted as a rhetorical flourish rather than a significant offer of defence co-operation. Despite recent tension between Pakistan and the US, open warfare is a remote possibility. Karzai, who is scrambling to ensure his political future in advance of the US military drawdown in 2014, needs Pakistani help to bring the Taliban to peace talks. And in the event of any conflict his army, which is wholly dependent on US money and training, would be in no position to back Pakistan. Nevertheless the interview with Geo, Pakistan’s largest network, was at stark variance with the tone of a visit to the region days earlier by Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, and David Petraeus, the CIA director. In Kabul, Clinton bluntly warned Pakistan that the US would act unilaterally if Islamabad failed to crack down on the Taliban-linked Haqqani network inside its North Waziristan sanctuary. Clinton then flew to Islamabad to deliver the message in person during a four-hour meeting with Pakistan’s top generals, calling on them to bring the Haqqanis to the negotiating table, kill the group’s leadership or pave the way for the US to do so. Karzai’s interview with Geo was aired barely 24 hours after Clinton left the region. Afghanistan owed Pakistan a great debt for sheltering millions of refugees over the past three decades, he said, and he stressed that his foreign policy would not be dictated by any outside power. “Anybody that attacks Pakistan, Afghanistan will stand with Pakistan,” he said. “Afghanistan will never betray their brother.” Karzai has wildly swung away from and then closer to Pakistan over the past 18 months as efforts to draw the Taliban into peace talks have gained momentum. First he welcomed the Pakistani military chief, General Ashfaq Kayani, and the ISI spy chief, General Shuja Pasha, to talks in Kabul. But then this month he flew to New Delhi to sign a “strategic partnership” with India that strengthened trade and security ties between the two countries but infuriated Pakistan, where it was seen as a fresh sign of Afghan perfidy. Karzai is trying to strike a delicate balance between reaching a peace deal and managing stringent criticism from non-Pashtuns groups and their political representatives, who accuse him of drawing too close to Pakistan. The latest comments reignited that criticism, as evidenced in lively debates on Afghan television talkshows on Sunday. Karzai has appeared increasingly isolated since the killing of his powerful half-brother Ahmed Wali Karzai and peace envoy Burhanuddin Rabbani. Analysts say Pakistani policy is driven by a desire to ensure that its arch-rival India does not enjoy political or military support from Kabul. Pakistan’s military and ISI spy service have offered to facilitate talks with the Taliban but cannot become a guarantor to their success, an official told the Dawn newspaper . “Pakistan must not be blamed in case of failure of attempts [by the US] for reconciliation with the Taliban as it does not spoon-feed them,” the official said. Hamid Karzai Afghanistan Pakistan US foreign policy United States Declan Walsh guardian.co.uk
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