Karoli already posted Rand Paul comparing the right to universal healthcare coverage to slavery. As commenter Geronimo pointed out , here’s what wasn’t included in the video there — Bernie Sanders pushing back at Paul’s nonsense. We’re thankfully about to get universal healthcare in Senator Sanders state of Vermont. Let’s hope it becomes a model for the rest of the country.
Continue reading …Karoli already posted Rand Paul comparing the right to universal healthcare coverage to slavery. As commenter Geronimo pointed out , here’s what wasn’t included in the video there — Bernie Sanders pushing back at Paul’s nonsense. We’re thankfully about to get universal healthcare in Senator Sanders state of Vermont. Let’s hope it becomes a model for the rest of the country.
Continue reading …
Iain Dale, who is coming out of his ‘retirement’ from political blogging, decrees mainstream media has ‘eaten up the blogosphere’ – but leftwing bloggers claim rightwingers like him have just run out of puff • Iain Dale: My plan to revive UK political blogging He was among the most influential of political bloggers, who shocked the online community late last year by giving up posting. But next month Iain Dale makes a return to the internet at the helm of a new online magazine with a group of 60 “retired bloggers” and writers. Those already signed up for the Daley include Shelagh Fogarty, BBC 5 Live’s recently departed breakfast presenter, Tom Harris MP , and television personality Christine Hamilton – as Dale argues that the influence of individual political bloggers is waning. Dale said he wanted to set up the new venture because although he could no longer sustain an individual political blog as “I couldn’t write three or four times a day” while his other media interests expanded, and because he doubted their relevance. He added he had “come to the conclusion that the mainstream media had eaten up the blogosphere”. Nevertheless, Dale said he “still wanted an outlet” to write occasionally, and had taken to recruiting “sixty friends”, many of whom had given up on individual blogging. He said that “he was not even sure” that The Daley was a blog or even a group blog, but rather “an online magazine; it will be designed to look like a newspaper or periodical”. Dale’s “death of the political blog” thesis comes at a time when the US Huffington Post is preparing to move into the UK and when the first wave of high-profile political bloggers – a grouping dominated by conservatives – are no longer so active as individual writers. Tim Montgomerie, who set up and runs Conservative Home , wants to move on to “another phase in my career”, while Paul Staines, who set up the scabrous Guido Fawkes site leaves much of the day-to-day writing to his deputy, Harry Cole. Staines also told the Guardian that he also believed that “he thought some of the energy has gone out of blogging; it isn’t the new thing any more”. However, both of those have created small businesses, while Dale has focused on building up his personal own media interests. Montgomerie’s upmarket Conservative Home employs four and turns over “about £300,000″ selling “consultancy based on our knowledge of the Conservative party” and enjoys the backing of Lord Ashcroft. Meanwhile, Staines runs a blog advertising network and acts as a “mini Max Clifford”, selling some news to tabloid newspapers. For him the secret is turning a blog into a business, and although advertising rates have fallen by three quarters he says he can sell adverts at a still remunerative cost of £5 per thousand viewers. “There are a lot of bloggers like Dizzy Thinks bowing out, but we’ve made it sustainable – and we’re having as much fun as ever.” All continue to report healthy traffic – with Conservative Home running at 20,000 visitors a day and Guido’s Order Order site 50,000 visitors – and still can help set the news agenda as Guido Fawkes did last year when his reports about William Hague’s friendship with his male then assistant prompted the foreign secretary to deny they had a relationship. Leftwing and centrist pundits counter that the Dale’s death of political blogging argument is greatly exaggerated. Sunny Hundal, who runs the Liberal Conspiracy site, which claims to be the first to have revealed the details of the coalition agreement last May, said that “rightwing bloggers are suffering from fatigue” and have lost momentum because they “were in campaigning mode against the Labour government”. Traffic at the site runs at 100,000 visitors a month – it highest non-election level. Will Straw, who founded the self-styled “evidence-based” Left Foot Forward site and whose father is the former foreign secretary Jack Straw, did leave to join left of centre thinktank the IPPR at the end of last year. But Straw is emphatic that his decision does not endorse Dale’s thesis: “I went into my career to be more of an ideas person than a journalist” and said that his goal was to create “a research focused rebuttal blog for the left”. He points out that he has left behind an operation with two staff and an intern and about £70,000 a year in income from a mixture of donors. Left Foot Forward claims to be the first blog to have predicted Ed Miliband would win the Labour leadership election – and that Ed Balls would come third. Paul Waugh, who left a job at the Evening Standard to run the Ashcroft backed Politics Home site last year, admits that “a lot of people have got tired of blogging” because it is “hard to get going if you are not getting paid”. Money for all bloggers remains a major problem, and traffic levels in the tens of thousands make it very difficult to generate as much as a £1,000 a month without a very targeted advertising strategy. Waugh’s daily email, though, is read by David Cameron among others, and he says that his online focus means he can break stories by reacting faster than others to the Twitterstream – being the first for example to spot that Peter Hain was one of the first to tweet in complaint about the lack of camera coverage of Ed Miliband at the royal wedding. Nevertheless there is no shortage of emerging bloggers such as Sue Marsh, a disability campaigner, or Ed Jacobs who blogs about politics in the UK’s nations on Left Foot Forward, while many established political thinkers, such as Matthew Taylor, the number 10 aide who now is the chief executive of the Royal Society of the Arts, consider blogging as part of their day jobs. Waugh added that his Politics Home site links to “716 other political blogs” – suggesting that for all the teething pains and generational shifts political blogging remains in vigorous health. The emergence of The Daley also indicates that this is an activity that is growing up; as newspapers look more like blog sites – blogs are trying to look more like newspapers. Blogging Newspapers & magazines Digital media Dan Sabbagh guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
Plant operator Tepco reveals meltdown and breach of pressure vessel, with Greenpeace warning against pumping water in Experts have warned of a potentially dangerous radiation leak if Japan proceeds with plans to flood a damaged reactor containment vessel at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The facility’s operator has admitted uranium fuel rods in the No 1 reactor partially melted after being fully exposed because of the 11 March tsunami. Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) said water levels had fallen to at least one metre below four-metre-long fuel rods inside the reactor core and melted fuel had slumped to the bottom of the reactor’s containment vessel. The damage is more severe than Tepco had previously reported and is almost certain to frustrate its quest to bring the plant under control within six to nine months. Officials said the leaked fuel was being kept cool and there was no risk of an explosion of the kind that blew the roof off the reactor in March. The discovery was made after engineers were able to enter the reactor building, where they adjusted water gauges, for the first time since the plant was crippled by the earthquake and tsunami. Officials said initial findings indicated a large leak in the pressure vessel but temperatures remained well below dangerous levels. “There must be a large leak,” Junichi Matsumoto, a general manager at the utility, told reporters. “The fuel pellets likely melted and fell, and in the process may have damaged the pressure vessel itself and created a hole.” Nuclear safety official Takashi Sakurai said: “The situation in the core hasn’t changed [since early in the crisis] and the fuel rods are being cooled by water continuously being injected into the core.” Japan’s nuclear safety agency said it believed partially melted fuel had fallen to the bottom of the pressure vessel, which holds the reactor core together, and may have leaked into its concrete base, known as the dry well. Greenpeace has urged Tepco to abandon plans to flood the container with water, given the likelihood that melted fuel has damaged it. Shaun Burnie, nuclear adviser to Greenpeace Germany, said: “Flooding a reactor that has fuel [that has fallen] through the pressure vessel is not a good idea.” Outlining a worst-case scenario, Burnie said very large amounts of cold water hitting the melted fuel could cause an explosion, trigger substantial damage to the reactor and create a “high risk of atmospheric release running for days, if not weeks.” He added: “I think [the flooding option] will now be scrapped.” Greenpeace said problems could escalate rapidly if the fuel melted through the reactor vessel. “As the fuel rods were fully exposed and subsequently melted, it is highly likely that the core’s integrity is compromised and that there is larger amount of melted fuel at the bottom of the reactor pressure vessel.” John Large, an independent nuclear engineering consultant in London, said Tepco’s plan to flood the reactor was riddled with “potential risks”. It appeared not to have factored in the extent of damage to the fuel rods and the structural state of the containment vessel, including whether it was watertight. “It seems to be poorly thought through,” he said, adding that the firm had not demonstrated that the strategy could work. Matsumoto ruled out a possible explosion but said: “We have to revise the flooding method. We can’t deny the possibility that a hole in the pressure vessel caused water to leak.” The use of water to keep the reactors cool has led to the build-up of about 70,000 tons of contaminated water at Fukushima Daiichi. Tepco is pumping the water into a nearby storage building while it sets up a decontamination system. Cooling water has leaked from the cores of reactors 2 and 3. One other unit at Fukushima Daiichi did not contain fuel rods at the time of the earthquake, while another two have achieved “cold shutdown” – their cooling water is below boiling point. The permanent or temporary shutdown of reactors at Fukushima Daiichi and other nuclear plants could leave only a third of Japan’s 54 reactors in operation by the end of the month, NHK has reported. The public broadcaster said the disaster had prompted the suspension of 14 reactors, while 19 others were offline for inspections. Two reactors at Hamaoka nuclear plant in central Japan are to be shut while a tsunami wall is built. The prime minister, Naoto Kan, has ordered the temporary closure of Hamaoka, which sits on an active fault line, amid warnings that it could be crippled by another huge earthquake expected to hit the region in the next 30 years. In all 35 reactors – or about two-thirds of Japan’s total – will have been shut down by the end of May. Officials are hoping to achieve a 15% cut in energy use during the summer to avoid rolling blackouts. The government has decided to use taxpayers’ money to help Tepco compensate tens of thousands of people affected by the Fukushima accident. Total damages are expected to run into trillions of yen, equating to tens of billions of pounds. Reports said the government would issue special-purpose bonds worth 5tn yen (£37bn), with other utilities asked to pay into a newly established fund. Tepco would be required to contribute annual premiums and allow monitoring of its management by a government-appointed commission. Analysts said the scheme would ensure Tepco’s status as a listed firm and prevent market instability, although there are fears that the costs will be passed on to consumers in the form of higher electricity bills. “This scheme will help alleviate concerns of financial market turmoil because holders of Tokyo Electric shares and bonds will be protected,” Yasuhide Yajima, a senior economist at the NLI Research Institute, told Reuters. Japan disaster Japan Nuclear waste Energy Nuclear power Justin McCurry guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
First of Four Parts When liberal investor George Soros gave $1.8 million to National Public Radio , it became part of the firestorm of controversy that jeopardized NPR's federal funding. But that gift only hints at the widespread influence the controversial billionaire has on the mainstream media. Soros, who spent $27 million trying to defeat President Bush in 2004, has ties to more than 30 mainstream news outlets – including The New York Times, Washington Post, the Associated Press, NBC and ABC. Prominent journalists like ABC's Christiane Amanpour and former Washington Post editor and now Vice President Len Downie serve on boards of operations that take Soros cash. This despite the Society of Professional Journalist's ethical code stating: “avoid all conflicts real or perceived. “This information is part of an upcoming report by the Media Research Centers Business & Media Institute which has been looking into George Soros and his influence on the media. The investigative reporting start-up ProPublica is a prime example. ProPublica, which recently won its second Pulitzer Prize, initially was given millions of dollars from the Sandler Foundation to “strengthen the progressive infrastructure” – “progressive” the code for very liberal. In 2010, it also received a two-year contribution of $125,000 each year from the Open Society Foundations. In case you wonder where that money comes from, the OSF website is www.soros.org . It is a network of more than 30 international foundations, mostly funded by Soros, who has contributed more than $8 billion to those efforts. The ProPublica stories are thoroughly researched by top-notch staffers who used to work at some of the biggest news outlets in the nation. But the topics are almost laughably left-wing. The site's proud list of “Our Investigations” includes attacks on oil companies, gas companies, the health care industry, for-profit schools and more. More than 100 stories on the latest lefty cause: opposition to drilling for natural gas by hydraulic fracking. Another 100 on the evils of the foreclosure industry. Throw in a couple investigations making the military look bad and another about prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and you have almost the perfect journalism fantasy – a huge budget, lots of major media partners and a liberal agenda unconstrained by advertising.One more thing: a 14-person Journalism Advisory Board , stacked with CNN's David Gergen and representatives from top newspapers, a former publisher of The Wall Street Journal and the editor-in-chief of Simon & Schuster. Several are working journalists, including: Jill Abramson, a managing editor of The New York Times; Martin D. Baron, the editor of The Boston Globe; David Boardman, the executive editor of the Seattle Times; Kerry Smith, the senior vice president for editorial quality of ABC News; Cynthia A. Tucker, the editor of the editorial page of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Alberto Ibarg
Continue reading …
Hundreds of rightwing and libertarian activists expected to gather in London to press for deeper cuts to public spending Hundreds of pro-cuts activists are expected to descend on Westminster on Saturday to “rally against debt”, in the first sign of a radical Tea Party-style mass movement to challenge the anti-cuts lobby. The protest will be attended by an alliance of rightwing and libertarian activists including members of the TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA), the anti-Europe UK Independence party and the Freedom Association, a libertarian pressure group set up by Norris McWhirter, better known for co-founding the Guinness Book of Records. More than 1,000 people have indicated online that they plan to attend and many said they believed the government was not cutting public spending deeply enough. The Conservative MPs Priti Patel and Bill Cash and the Ukip leader, Nigel Farage, are due to make speeches, and Toby Young, the broadcaster and free school pioneer, said he would attend. The action comes amid a growing interest among rightwing groups in learning from the US Tea Party movement, which has mobilised hundreds of thousands of activists to march against Barack Obama’s policies. Electoral Commission records show that in March Ukip activists registered the name Tea Party as a political party. It is not yet active but they said they could field candidates in general elections, byelection or local elections. “We have seen the Tea Party in the States and although I am not sure if it would take off here … we have set it up so we feel we can use it any time we want to get it off the ground,” said Michael McGough, national executive committee member of Ukip, who will attend the rally. “If we have to bail out Greece then there may be potential in the longer term, so we have got it in reserve for when we need it.” Last year it emerged that the TPA was being advised by Freedom Works, a powerful Washington organisation credited with helping to destabilise the Obama administration through its mobilisation of 800,000 grassroots activists under the Tea Party banner. “We are into freedom, small government, independence of the individual and low tax and low spending,” said Annabelle Fuller, a former assistant to Farage, who initiated the rally after being “completely appalled” by the TUC’s March for the Alternative , which attracted 500,000 people to London in March. “I was incredibly frustrated that the debate was about whether you could cope with the cuts or not because actually there are people happy with this policy and we want more.” Organisers have been urging activists to carry placards saying: “Stop spending my money”, “Reckless waste bankrupting Britain” and “Wake up to Britain’s debt”. The TPA, which calls for low tax and spending and has donors in common with the Conservative party, will bring its lorry-mounted debt clock, which constantly updates the national debt. It has urged its 55,000 supporters to turn out, citing three reasons: the “immorality” of living beyond our means and passing on debt to the next generation; taxes should pay for services, not debt interest; and UK taxpayers should not have to pay for bailouts of failing eurozone countries. The pro-cuts activists will include Mark Littlewood, the former Lib Dem spokesman and now director of the Institute for Economic Affairs free-market thinktank, and Ruth Lea, the high-profile economist. Littlewood said: “There seems to be a belief that the only reason we are in these problems is the behaviour of a few bankers in 2008, but it is down to collective greed of the voting population of this country. We need considerably more cuts. Public spending is out of control. This isn’t a government-sponsored rally by any means. Even if their cuts were carried through in full they will not solve this huge dead weight of debt.” He said it was morally wrong to expect future generations to pay off the debt. Anti-cuts activists are understood to be considering mounting informal counter-demonstrations. Tax and spending UK Independence party (Ukip) Economic policy London Robert Booth Matthew Taylor guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
Rolling coverage as the documents, which reveal what each government department plans to do and by when, are published 11.41am: At first glance this publication looks more significant than we thought. Ministers have beefed up the two central areas that the government has come into most criticism for: its growth strategy and social mobility. Growth has been a sore point with the accusation that George Osborne’s programme has focused on cutting, without having a proper plan for improving the strength of the economy. Social mobility is politically crucial to the Liberal Democrats, still reeling from the reputational damage of the coalition top-up fee policy. The written ministerial statement is here and there’s a very useful document here (pdf) which itemises every change that has been made from the previous versions of the business plans. 11.32am: No 10 has today published a written ministerial statement in the Commons including details of new business plans for every Whitehall department. The plans are a key part of David Cameron’s plan to make government more business-like and transparent. They set out what exactly each department is going to do and by when. They were first launched last November when they were described as a power shift from the centre to the people, who are now able to clearly see what each department plans to do and has failed to achieve. The plans are updated every month and they have allowed us to track what coalition promises have been dropped, such as plans to give new protections to whistleblowers in the public sector and to identify where progress is stalling . Last week the latest update revealed huge delays across Whitehall departments documented in this Telegraph story . My colleague Damian Carrington also blogged on the slippage in the coalition’s green plans here . Today the government – led by the policy chief Oliver Letwin and chief secretary to the treasury Danny Alexander – has updated those plans to mark the first year of the coalition. This effectively rewrites the coalition’s delivery goals. We’re looking through them for two things: changes that amount to significant policy shifts, anything that’s been dropped and anything that they’ve reset the clock on to give them extra time having failed to achieve it in the first year. We have our policy experts across the Guardian combing through the plans but want to hear from you if you spot interesting detail below the line or email me at polly.curtis@guardian.co.uk. You can read them all here Liberal-Conservative coalition David Cameron Liberal Democrats Conservatives Polly Curtis guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
• Syrian regime deploys tanks to crush Friday prayer protests • Bashar al-Assad expected to be sanctioned by EU • Father of missing AJ journalist Dorothy Parvaz speaks out • North African migrant row prompts changes to EU travel 12.15pm: In the second of Peter Walker’s interviews he talked to Mokhtar Yahyaoui, a judge who was removed from his post in 2001 for complaining about political interference. Yahyaoui is now involved in setting up a new judicial system in Tunisia. The system was completely manipulated by the Ben Ali regime. I complained about this in a letter which got a lot of publicity abroad, and was a blow to the regime. I was disciplined and lost my job, I was banned from leaving the country and put under house arrest. After Ben Ali’s removal I was reinstated. Now I want to work in a democratic system with freedom of expression. Perhaps the most difficult thing in this period of transition for the government is judicial reform. For me, it’s the most important thing for the revolution. Justice is at the centre of everything. We’re not building a system out of nothing. We have more than 2,000 judges, the majority of whom are very good. We have a lot of experience. The big problem was interference from the Ben Ali regime. There was no separation between executive powers and judicial powers. It’s vital for reforms that the new system inspires new confidence in justice. Earlier, my colleague Martin Hodgson heard Yahyaoui speak about the situation in neighbouring Libya: Tunisia has already received 300,000 refugees from Libya, when we are still witnessing the aftermath of the revolution and the country is still not stable. They need every form of support and we attempted to do that and we didn’t complain, so I feel personally surprised when I hear in Western Europe the idea that 20,000 refugees will cause problems for Europe. I would compare the example of supporting the rebels in Libya with supporting the (Afghan) mujahideen against the USSR. You are in the process of making another Afghanistan. The situation is heading towards a failed state. Libya will need many years to recover from the situation it’s witnessing now. 12.09pm: My colleague Peter Walker has been interviewing two senior figures from post-Ben Ali Tunisia. They came into the Guardian this morning while in London for a series of meetings, including with the Foreign Office. He says they had some fascinating insights into how Tunisia, in many ways, is now facing perhaps the hardest part of the reform process – setting up a new political and judicial system once a long-serving despot has been deposed. First, Hammadi Jebali, secretary general of Ennahda , the previously-outlawed moderate Islamist party whose leader, Sheikh Rachid Ghannouchi, returned in January after 22 years in exile. Speaking through a translator, he said: The mood of the people has completely changed because they have succeeded in their revolution, after a long period, half a century, of oppression. The people are in control of their fate. Ben Ali the oppressor has fled the country, although the systemic structure of dictatorship is still trying to react. We have a multi-party system now in place, and the banned political parties have been legitimised, including Ennahda. This is the most important thing that has changed, but we have a huge task ahead. The people want the revolution to keep going because they want to see tangible reforms, not just mirages. (But) what is interesting in Tunisia is that the young people are highly educated and they understand the complexity of the task. When they see tangible results and there is a legitimate, democratic government in place, and have reforms have started then will be patient. They know there is no magic solution. We also need quick economic change, but speedy democratic reform is a prerequisite for any meaningful economic and social reform. In Tunisia we’re not interested in slogans about something being secular or non-secular. We are interested in democracy, full stop, genuine democracy, based on all freedoms – freedom of faith, non faith, intellectual freedom. It’s not the job of a government to impose ideas on people or to impose faith on people. It’s up to them. It’s a government which is based on freedoms and rights, including the rights of women and equal justice for men and women – rights in jobs, political rights, the right to wear a hijab or not to wear a hijab. This reinforces and reinvigorates civil society, and a democratic state must have a vibrant and free civil society. 12.07pm: Damascus based lawyer Razan Zeitouneh has troubling update: Breaking: Homs: shooting is heard in Al-Ashira neighborhood in Al-Sitteen street. #Syria #fb 11.57am: There are new protests in the southern villages around Deraa, Gaseem, central Damascus, and the Damascus suburbs, reports Wissam Tarif founder of the human rights group Insan. Tarif is receiving regular updates from contacts inside Syria. In an Audioboo interview he said: It is extraordinary. It is courageous. Young people want to live with dignity and to live with freedom. The crackdown has proven for the last three weeks that is not effective. There are lots of people who want to go out and protest. The crackdown has failed to achieve its main purpose which is to make people scared. Now they have to answer the question what next? _ 11.24am: The first reports of protests after Friday prayers in Syria are beginning to come in from credible sources on Twitter @wissamtarif (founder of the human rights group Insan) Demos in #AienArab #Amouda #Derbasieh #Qamishli #Amouda Chanting “people want to topple the regime” #Syria More than 3500 protesters are now in the streets of #Amouda #Syria @Razaniyat (human rights lawyer Razan Zeitouneh) 3000 Syrian Kurds protest now in Qamishli and chanting “people want to topple the regime” and “leave [Bashar], you traitor!” #Syria #fb 11.11am: Tens of thousands of people have gathered again in Cairo’s Tahrir Square . The rally is being held as a show of religious unity after Muslim-Christian clashes left 12 last weekend . Al-Jazeera showed live footage of a large peaceful gathering in the square. It says the demonstration is also a show of support for the Palestinian unity deal between Fatah and Hamas. 10.53am: Up to 850 people have been killed since the violent crackdown in Syria began , the UN now concedes. Rupert Colville, spokesman of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said: “We believe the numbers are quite likely to be genuine.” Speaking a news conference he added: “We again call on the government to exercise restraint, to cease use of force and mass arrests to silence opponents.” The Syrian state news agency Sana claims 3,713 people have ” turned themselves in” for rioting. The regime is facing growing international condemnation for the crackdown notably from the US and the Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan . Sana makes much of calls from both China and Russia for the international community to stay out of Syrian affairs. 10.30am: US secretary of state Hillary Clinton stepped up US rhetoric against the Assad regime claiming its crackdown was a sign of weakness . At a press conference on a trip to Greenland she said: Despite overwhelming international condemnation, the Syrian Government continues to exact brutal reprisals against its own citizens, including, tragically, the deaths of hundreds of Syrians since March. They engage in unlawful detention and torture and the denial of medical care to wounded persons. Now, there may be some who think that this is a sign of strength, but treating one’s own people in this way is, in fact, a sign of remarkable weakness. President Obama and I have condemned these actions in no uncertain terms, and I do so again today. The recent events in Syria make clear that the country cannot return to the way it was before. Tanks and bullets and clubs will not solve Syria’s political and economic challenges. And relying on Iran as your best friend and your only strategic ally is not a viable way forward. Syria’s future will only be secured by a government that reflects the popular will of all of the people and protects their welfare. President Assad faces increasing isolation, and we will continue to work with our international partners in the EU and elsewhere on additional steps to hold Syria responsible for its gross human rights abuses. 10.03am: A dissident Syrian opposition group predicts that the security forces will prevent mass protests today in Damascus, Deraa, Homs, and Banias, but that there will be significant demonstrations elsewhere. In a email briefing the group, who are coordinate this Facebook page , said these areas were under siege by the military. It said: For more than a week the Assad Regime is using mass arrests as a new strategy. Whole cities or part of towns get surrounded by security forces, power and phone lines get cut off, and secret police goes from house to house to arrest people. After being arrested, people get tortured and then released so that they can tell others about their horrible experiences. It is the same strategy Iran has used in the green revolution in 2009 to scare people and they think this way the protesters will stop demonstrating. We are expecting protests in all major cities as well in a big number of smaller towns. However we do not expect big protest in towns that are still under siege. 9.25am: Gaddafi, Assad or Saleh: who will go first? , asks the Guardian’s Middle East expert Brian Whitaker. Following the comparatively swift exits of Ben Ali in Tunisia and Mubarak in Egypt, we now have three Arab leaders who face serious challenges to their power but are proving more much difficult to dislodge: Gaddafi in Libya, Saleh in Yemen and Assad in Syria. Which of them, I wonder will be the next to go – and when? The Syrian uprising is the most recent – it began in the middle of March – and my gut feeling is that it will not succeed quickly. The Assad regime could easily survive into next year, if not for longer, though it is unlikely ever to recover from the blow to its authority. “The regime will dig in its heels and fight to the end,” Syria expert Joshua Landis writes on his blog. But he continues: “The Syrian opposition has successfully established a culture of resistance that is widespread in Syria and will not be eliminated. Even if demonstrations can be shut down for the time being, the opposition will not be defeated. Syria’s youth, long apolitical and apathetic, is now politicised, mobilised, and passionate. All the same, the opposition remains divided and leaderless, which presents great dangers for a post-Assad Syria.” In Yemen, where protests directed specifically against the president began during the second half of January, Saleh has been playing his usual wily game. He has already agreed to go, but he keeps finding reasons why he should stay a bit longer. Protected by his Republican Guard, he seems to have decided that street protests alone – even if millions take part in them – are not going to dislodge him. This has led to many predictions that the result will be armed conflict. But there is also a possibility that the economy will bring him down. The Chinese news agency, Xinhua, has a grim report today which quotes the Yemeni oil minister as saying economic collapse is “imminent”. The report says Yemen’s oil production “has been halved in recent weeks after producers pulled out their staff and halted output, which led to the closure of the country’s sole refinery in Aden”. The minister, Amir Salim al-Aydarus, blamed this mainly on “sabotage”, though he also acknowledged the role played by “political deadlock”. “The sabotage and destruction by outlaws on oil and gas pipelines as well as electricity lines exacerbated the economic situation,” Aydarus is reported as saying. “If the problem persists, the government will be unable to meet the minimum needs of the citizens. The situation will pose a catastrophe beyond imagination.” In Libya, where the rebellion began in mid-February, there has been much talk of a prolonged stalemate – though I’m sceptical about that. Judging by recent reports, the rebels are gradually consolidating their position while the Gaddafi regime is being slowly worn down by the Nato bombing and other factors. When the time comes, it could collapse quite suddenly. The course of events in Libya is now largely in the hands of outside forces, unlike Syria and, to a lesser extent, Yemen (where the GCC countries are involved diplomatically), and my reading of the situation is that western powers are in no great hurry to see Gaddafi go. After more than 40 years in power, another few months is neither here nor there, so it’s better to keep him pinned down in Tripoli until the rebels have properly got their act together and are capable of running the show. One way or another, all three regimes – in Libya, Yemen and Syria – are on the slide. In any of these countries, unforeseen events such as assassination or a coup could hasten their demise but as things stand at the moment it looks like a toss-up as to whether Saleh or Gaddafi will be the first to go. 9.15am: A Syrian member of the security forces says snipers were under orders to shoot protesters in the head in a suburb of Damascus . An English translation of the interview is published on the blog EA World View. Here’s a chilling extract: Each officer was to be accompanied by a volunteer sniper [usually a member of a militia or a mercenary]. They were also ordered to position themselves in places from which it would be easy to shoot. They were ordered to aim for the head as soon as they saw a protester. Their goal was to terrify people so they wouldn’t leave their houses. What most struck me after talking with several army officers was the authorities’ clear intention of pitting the army against protesters. Police live with their families, but army recruits live secluded in their barracks, where they are completely brainwashed by their superiors. They are told that the protesters are trouble-making rioters who are manipulated by foreign agents. Soldiers’ families need to warn them that the state is feeding them lies – otherwise their children will have too much blood on their hands. 8.53am: A source in Damascus reports: Troops in tanks have taken up positions in key towns in preparation for a day which is being seen as a decisive test of government’s claims to have the upper hand over pro-democracy protesters. Presidential adviser Buthaina Shaaban has told prominent opposition activists that security forces have been given strict orders not to fire on the crowds expected to gather after Friday prayers. But the prominent military presence on Syrian streets – and the regimes willingness to repeatedly use extreme violence in previous weeks – has led many to doubt such promises. Activists say fewer people may take to the streets today, but they say that unrest is still spreading. “When you send tanks against protesters and arrest thousands, sure, you’ll see fewer people out,” said Razan Zeitouneh, a lawyer and human rights activist in Damascus whose husband was arrested yesterday. “But looking at it the other way, it’s significant anyone is still coming out.” 8.25am: Welcome to our coverage of what could be another significant day in the unrest in the Middle East. The Syrian regime looks set to once again crush planned demonstrations after Friday prayers today. Syrian president Bashar al-Assad is reported to have ordered troops not to fire against protersters , but the claim is being treated with scepticism after weeks of a violent crackdown documented on numerous YouTube clips. Anti-government demonstrations are also planned in the Yemeni capital Sana’a today. At least people were killed yesterday after snipers fired on protesters in Sana’a. Here is a round-up of some of the other latest developments in the region: • European nations have moved to reverse decades of unfettered travel across the continent over fears of flood of immigrants fleeing the upheaval in north Africa. The policy shift was pushed by France and Italy, who have been feuding and panicking in recent weeks over a small influx of refugees from Tunisia. • The EU is expected to agree on personal sanctions against president Assad and other members of the Syrian regime over the continuing killing of protesters. The president’s name was not on a list of 13 official sanctioned by the EU, but a source told the Guardian that the list would soon expanded to include him. • The father of al-Jazeera journalist Dorothy Parvaz, who was deported to Iran by Syria, has spoken to the Guardian of his “grave concern” for his daughter’s safety. Fred Pravaz said: “We are in the dark. Syrian officials have made a statement that Dorothy was sent to Tehran on 1 May. We are a very close family so this really breaks my heart.” • Leading Yeneni activist Wasim Alqershi explains opposition to a Gulf states plan to allow president Saleh to stand down with impunity. Writing on Comment is Free he says: “Our young people have decided to escalate civil disobedience until Saleh’s regime is overthrown. It remains for the international community to realise that the youth will complete their revolution with or without international support.” • Muammar Gaddafi’s compound in Tripoli has been hit by Nato rockets again, a few hours after he appeared in public for the first time in almost two weeks. Gaddafi was shown on state television in a traditional brown robe addressing tribal leaders, whom he empowered to speak on behalf of a nation he has ruled with absolute power for almost 42 years. Arab and Middle East unrest Syria Bashar Al-Assad Libya Muammar Gaddafi Yemen Bahrain Middle East Protest Matthew Weaver guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …• Syrian regime deploys tanks to crush Friday prayer protests • Bashar al-Assad expected to be sanctioned by EU • Father of missing AJ journalist Dorothy Parvaz speaks out • North African migrant row prompts changes to EU travel 12.15pm: In the second of Peter Walker’s interviews he talked to Mokhtar Yahyaoui, a judge who was removed from his post in 2001 for complaining about political interference. Yahyaoui is now involved in setting up a new judicial system in Tunisia. The system was completely manipulated by the Ben Ali regime. I complained about this in a letter which got a lot of publicity abroad, and was a blow to the regime. I was disciplined and lost my job, I was banned from leaving the country and put under house arrest. After Ben Ali’s removal I was reinstated. Now I want to work in a democratic system with freedom of expression. Perhaps the most difficult thing in this period of transition for the government is judicial reform. For me, it’s the most important thing for the revolution. Justice is at the centre of everything. We’re not building a system out of nothing. We have more than 2,000 judges, the majority of whom are very good. We have a lot of experience. The big problem was interference from the Ben Ali regime. There was no separation between executive powers and judicial powers. It’s vital for reforms that the new system inspires new confidence in justice. Earlier, my colleague Martin Hodgson heard Yahyaoui speak about the situation in neighbouring Libya: Tunisia has already received 300,000 refugees from Libya, when we are still witnessing the aftermath of the revolution and the country is still not stable. They need every form of support and we attempted to do that and we didn’t complain, so I feel personally surprised when I hear in Western Europe the idea that 20,000 refugees will cause problems for Europe. I would compare the example of supporting the rebels in Libya with supporting the (Afghan) mujahideen against the USSR. You are in the process of making another Afghanistan. The situation is heading towards a failed state. Libya will need many years to recover from the situation it’s witnessing now. 12.09pm: My colleague Peter Walker has been interviewing two senior figures from post-Ben Ali Tunisia. They came into the Guardian this morning while in London for a series of meetings, including with the Foreign Office. He says they had some fascinating insights into how Tunisia, in many ways, is now facing perhaps the hardest part of the reform process – setting up a new political and judicial system once a long-serving despot has been deposed. First, Hammadi Jebali, secretary general of Ennahda , the previously-outlawed moderate Islamist party whose leader, Sheikh Rachid Ghannouchi, returned in January after 22 years in exile. Speaking through a translator, he said: The mood of the people has completely changed because they have succeeded in their revolution, after a long period, half a century, of oppression. The people are in control of their fate. Ben Ali the oppressor has fled the country, although the systemic structure of dictatorship is still trying to react. We have a multi-party system now in place, and the banned political parties have been legitimised, including Ennahda. This is the most important thing that has changed, but we have a huge task ahead. The people want the revolution to keep going because they want to see tangible reforms, not just mirages. (But) what is interesting in Tunisia is that the young people are highly educated and they understand the complexity of the task. When they see tangible results and there is a legitimate, democratic government in place, and have reforms have started then will be patient. They know there is no magic solution. We also need quick economic change, but speedy democratic reform is a prerequisite for any meaningful economic and social reform. In Tunisia we’re not interested in slogans about something being secular or non-secular. We are interested in democracy, full stop, genuine democracy, based on all freedoms – freedom of faith, non faith, intellectual freedom. It’s not the job of a government to impose ideas on people or to impose faith on people. It’s up to them. It’s a government which is based on freedoms and rights, including the rights of women and equal justice for men and women – rights in jobs, political rights, the right to wear a hijab or not to wear a hijab. This reinforces and reinvigorates civil society, and a democratic state must have a vibrant and free civil society. 12.07pm: Damascus based lawyer Razan Zeitouneh has troubling update: Breaking: Homs: shooting is heard in Al-Ashira neighborhood in Al-Sitteen street. #Syria #fb 11.57am: There are new protests in the southern villages around Deraa, Gaseem, central Damascus, and the Damascus suburbs, reports Wissam Tarif founder of the human rights group Insan. Tarif is receiving regular updates from contacts inside Syria. In an Audioboo interview he said: It is extraordinary. It is courageous. Young people want to live with dignity and to live with freedom. The crackdown has proven for the last three weeks that is not effective. There are lots of people who want to go out and protest. The crackdown has failed to achieve its main purpose which is to make people scared. Now they have to answer the question what next? _ 11.24am: The first reports of protests after Friday prayers in Syria are beginning to come in from credible sources on Twitter @wissamtarif (founder of the human rights group Insan) Demos in #AienArab #Amouda #Derbasieh #Qamishli #Amouda Chanting “people want to topple the regime” #Syria More than 3500 protesters are now in the streets of #Amouda #Syria @Razaniyat (human rights lawyer Razan Zeitouneh) 3000 Syrian Kurds protest now in Qamishli and chanting “people want to topple the regime” and “leave [Bashar], you traitor!” #Syria #fb 11.11am: Tens of thousands of people have gathered again in Cairo’s Tahrir Square . The rally is being held as a show of religious unity after Muslim-Christian clashes left 12 last weekend . Al-Jazeera showed live footage of a large peaceful gathering in the square. It says the demonstration is also a show of support for the Palestinian unity deal between Fatah and Hamas. 10.53am: Up to 850 people have been killed since the violent crackdown in Syria began , the UN now concedes. Rupert Colville, spokesman of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said: “We believe the numbers are quite likely to be genuine.” Speaking a news conference he added: “We again call on the government to exercise restraint, to cease use of force and mass arrests to silence opponents.” The Syrian state news agency Sana claims 3,713 people have ” turned themselves in” for rioting. The regime is facing growing international condemnation for the crackdown notably from the US and the Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan . Sana makes much of calls from both China and Russia for the international community to stay out of Syrian affairs. 10.30am: US secretary of state Hillary Clinton stepped up US rhetoric against the Assad regime claiming its crackdown was a sign of weakness . At a press conference on a trip to Greenland she said: Despite overwhelming international condemnation, the Syrian Government continues to exact brutal reprisals against its own citizens, including, tragically, the deaths of hundreds of Syrians since March. They engage in unlawful detention and torture and the denial of medical care to wounded persons. Now, there may be some who think that this is a sign of strength, but treating one’s own people in this way is, in fact, a sign of remarkable weakness. President Obama and I have condemned these actions in no uncertain terms, and I do so again today. The recent events in Syria make clear that the country cannot return to the way it was before. Tanks and bullets and clubs will not solve Syria’s political and economic challenges. And relying on Iran as your best friend and your only strategic ally is not a viable way forward. Syria’s future will only be secured by a government that reflects the popular will of all of the people and protects their welfare. President Assad faces increasing isolation, and we will continue to work with our international partners in the EU and elsewhere on additional steps to hold Syria responsible for its gross human rights abuses. 10.03am: A dissident Syrian opposition group predicts that the security forces will prevent mass protests today in Damascus, Deraa, Homs, and Banias, but that there will be significant demonstrations elsewhere. In a email briefing the group, who are coordinate this Facebook page , said these areas were under siege by the military. It said: For more than a week the Assad Regime is using mass arrests as a new strategy. Whole cities or part of towns get surrounded by security forces, power and phone lines get cut off, and secret police goes from house to house to arrest people. After being arrested, people get tortured and then released so that they can tell others about their horrible experiences. It is the same strategy Iran has used in the green revolution in 2009 to scare people and they think this way the protesters will stop demonstrating. We are expecting protests in all major cities as well in a big number of smaller towns. However we do not expect big protest in towns that are still under siege. 9.25am: Gaddafi, Assad or Saleh: who will go first? , asks the Guardian’s Middle East expert Brian Whitaker. Following the comparatively swift exits of Ben Ali in Tunisia and Mubarak in Egypt, we now have three Arab leaders who face serious challenges to their power but are proving more much difficult to dislodge: Gaddafi in Libya, Saleh in Yemen and Assad in Syria. Which of them, I wonder will be the next to go – and when? The Syrian uprising is the most recent – it began in the middle of March – and my gut feeling is that it will not succeed quickly. The Assad regime could easily survive into next year, if not for longer, though it is unlikely ever to recover from the blow to its authority. “The regime will dig in its heels and fight to the end,” Syria expert Joshua Landis writes on his blog. But he continues: “The Syrian opposition has successfully established a culture of resistance that is widespread in Syria and will not be eliminated. Even if demonstrations can be shut down for the time being, the opposition will not be defeated. Syria’s youth, long apolitical and apathetic, is now politicised, mobilised, and passionate. All the same, the opposition remains divided and leaderless, which presents great dangers for a post-Assad Syria.” In Yemen, where protests directed specifically against the president began during the second half of January, Saleh has been playing his usual wily game. He has already agreed to go, but he keeps finding reasons why he should stay a bit longer. Protected by his Republican Guard, he seems to have decided that street protests alone – even if millions take part in them – are not going to dislodge him. This has led to many predictions that the result will be armed conflict. But there is also a possibility that the economy will bring him down. The Chinese news agency, Xinhua, has a grim report today which quotes the Yemeni oil minister as saying economic collapse is “imminent”. The report says Yemen’s oil production “has been halved in recent weeks after producers pulled out their staff and halted output, which led to the closure of the country’s sole refinery in Aden”. The minister, Amir Salim al-Aydarus, blamed this mainly on “sabotage”, though he also acknowledged the role played by “political deadlock”. “The sabotage and destruction by outlaws on oil and gas pipelines as well as electricity lines exacerbated the economic situation,” Aydarus is reported as saying. “If the problem persists, the government will be unable to meet the minimum needs of the citizens. The situation will pose a catastrophe beyond imagination.” In Libya, where the rebellion began in mid-February, there has been much talk of a prolonged stalemate – though I’m sceptical about that. Judging by recent reports, the rebels are gradually consolidating their position while the Gaddafi regime is being slowly worn down by the Nato bombing and other factors. When the time comes, it could collapse quite suddenly. The course of events in Libya is now largely in the hands of outside forces, unlike Syria and, to a lesser extent, Yemen (where the GCC countries are involved diplomatically), and my reading of the situation is that western powers are in no great hurry to see Gaddafi go. After more than 40 years in power, another few months is neither here nor there, so it’s better to keep him pinned down in Tripoli until the rebels have properly got their act together and are capable of running the show. One way or another, all three regimes – in Libya, Yemen and Syria – are on the slide. In any of these countries, unforeseen events such as assassination or a coup could hasten their demise but as things stand at the moment it looks like a toss-up as to whether Saleh or Gaddafi will be the first to go. 9.15am: A Syrian member of the security forces says snipers were under orders to shoot protesters in the head in a suburb of Damascus . An English translation of the interview is published on the blog EA World View. Here’s a chilling extract: Each officer was to be accompanied by a volunteer sniper [usually a member of a militia or a mercenary]. They were also ordered to position themselves in places from which it would be easy to shoot. They were ordered to aim for the head as soon as they saw a protester. Their goal was to terrify people so they wouldn’t leave their houses. What most struck me after talking with several army officers was the authorities’ clear intention of pitting the army against protesters. Police live with their families, but army recruits live secluded in their barracks, where they are completely brainwashed by their superiors. They are told that the protesters are trouble-making rioters who are manipulated by foreign agents. Soldiers’ families need to warn them that the state is feeding them lies – otherwise their children will have too much blood on their hands. 8.53am: A source in Damascus reports: Troops in tanks have taken up positions in key towns in preparation for a day which is being seen as a decisive test of government’s claims to have the upper hand over pro-democracy protesters. Presidential adviser Buthaina Shaaban has told prominent opposition activists that security forces have been given strict orders not to fire on the crowds expected to gather after Friday prayers. But the prominent military presence on Syrian streets – and the regimes willingness to repeatedly use extreme violence in previous weeks – has led many to doubt such promises. Activists say fewer people may take to the streets today, but they say that unrest is still spreading. “When you send tanks against protesters and arrest thousands, sure, you’ll see fewer people out,” said Razan Zeitouneh, a lawyer and human rights activist in Damascus whose husband was arrested yesterday. “But looking at it the other way, it’s significant anyone is still coming out.” 8.25am: Welcome to our coverage of what could be another significant day in the unrest in the Middle East. The Syrian regime looks set to once again crush planned demonstrations after Friday prayers today. Syrian president Bashar al-Assad is reported to have ordered troops not to fire against protersters , but the claim is being treated with scepticism after weeks of a violent crackdown documented on numerous YouTube clips. Anti-government demonstrations are also planned in the Yemeni capital Sana’a today. At least people were killed yesterday after snipers fired on protesters in Sana’a. Here is a round-up of some of the other latest developments in the region: • European nations have moved to reverse decades of unfettered travel across the continent over fears of flood of immigrants fleeing the upheaval in north Africa. The policy shift was pushed by France and Italy, who have been feuding and panicking in recent weeks over a small influx of refugees from Tunisia. • The EU is expected to agree on personal sanctions against president Assad and other members of the Syrian regime over the continuing killing of protesters. The president’s name was not on a list of 13 official sanctioned by the EU, but a source told the Guardian that the list would soon expanded to include him. • The father of al-Jazeera journalist Dorothy Parvaz, who was deported to Iran by Syria, has spoken to the Guardian of his “grave concern” for his daughter’s safety. Fred Pravaz said: “We are in the dark. Syrian officials have made a statement that Dorothy was sent to Tehran on 1 May. We are a very close family so this really breaks my heart.” • Leading Yeneni activist Wasim Alqershi explains opposition to a Gulf states plan to allow president Saleh to stand down with impunity. Writing on Comment is Free he says: “Our young people have decided to escalate civil disobedience until Saleh’s regime is overthrown. It remains for the international community to realise that the youth will complete their revolution with or without international support.” • Muammar Gaddafi’s compound in Tripoli has been hit by Nato rockets again, a few hours after he appeared in public for the first time in almost two weeks. Gaddafi was shown on state television in a traditional brown robe addressing tribal leaders, whom he empowered to speak on behalf of a nation he has ruled with absolute power for almost 42 years. Arab and Middle East unrest Syria Bashar Al-Assad Libya Muammar Gaddafi Yemen Bahrain Middle East Protest Matthew Weaver guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
• Seven people died in May 2002 crash in Hertfordshire • Company admits breaching safety regulations • Victims’ families voice frustration at nine-year wait Network Rail has been fined £3m by a court for failings over the Potters Bar train crash, in which seven people died. The company admitted breaching safety regulations that led to the West Anglia Great Northern train from London to King’s Lynn derailing just outside Potters Bar station in Hertfordshire in May 2002. Passengers Austen Kark, Emma Knights, Jonael Schickler, Alexander Ogunwusi, Chia Hsin Lin and Chia Chin Wu died in the crash. Pedestrian Agnes Quinlivan, 80, was also killed after being hit by debris. A further 70 people were injured. The track operator admitted it was criminally guilty under the Safety at Work Act for faulty points on the tracks, the responsibility for which it inherited from its predecessor, the privatised company Railtrack. Jarvis, the engineering company contracted to maintain the track, was also accused over failings in the installation, maintenance and inspection of adjustable stretcher bars which keep some sections of the track at the correct width for train wheels, but the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) dropped its pursuit of the case after the company went into administration last year. It had admitted joint liability for the crash after a humiliating apology for trying to blame a saboteur with “informed” engineering knowledge. Nicholas Hilliard QC, appearing for ORR, said in court that the poor state of a set of points on the track at Potters Bar had made the crash “inevitable”. Following the judgment, Network Rail apologised to victims and said that it had greatly improved safety since the accident. “Network Rail has today been sentenced for failings that contributed to this accident and we accept the fine as we accept the liabilities inherited from Railtrack,” it said. “We say again today that we are truly sorry … We recognise for many that the sorrow remains and we should all pause and reflect as we remember those who lost their lives.” The company said that the £3m fine would be paid from a Treasury fund which builds from savings the company makes from doing work that is cheaper than it budgeted for. However, the fine is unlikely to satisfy victims’ families, who have said others should have been accountable. Perdita Kark, the daughter of Austen Kark, said: “The fine means we can draw a line underneath this but we won’t be satisfied. The whole process shouldn’t have taken so long. It’s been handled badly and there needs to be a better system for when accidents happen – we shouldn’t have to wait nine years.” She added: “Individual directors of Jarvis and Railtrack should have also been fined as individuals to teach companies to take accountability and responsibility. What bothers me ultimately is that the taxpayer is going to foot the bill so I’m paying for the crash which killed my father, which I find insulting. £1m or £5m doesn’t really matter.” Network Rail’s fine had been expected to run into the millions after the company received a £3.5m fine for failings in the Hatfield rail crash in 2000, which killed four and injured 102. The company also inherited responsibility for that crash from Railtrack. Balfour Beatty, which was responsible for maintaining the broken section of track that caused it, was originally fined £10m, which was reduced to £7.5m. Network Rail, which owns the UK’s tracks and stations, sought mitigation in view of Jarvis’s role in the crash. It is government-backed and received a £3.7bn annual government grant last year. Some victims’ families are angry that the fine will therefore be largely funded by the taxpayer. Louise Christian, a solicitor who represented victims’ families during the inquest into the deaths last July, has called the proceedings a “charade”. “They deliver no accountability,” she said. “The only person paying the fine is the taxpayer … It could be a substantial fine but you need to ask what the point is.” Potters Bar train crash Transport Rail transport Network Rail Travel & leisure Jo Adetunji guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …