Bus carrying people home from a casino in Connecticut overturned and was sliced, end to end, by a support pole Fifteen people were killed in New York when a bus carrying people home from a casino in Connecticut overturned and was sliced, end to end, by the support pole for a large sign. Many of the passengers on the bus were residents of Manhattan’s Chinatown. They ranged in age from 20 to 50. The driver, who survived, told police he lost control while trying to evade a swerving truck. Police are now hunting for the truck, which did not stop after the crash. United States guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Armed children as young as 14 are said to have been deployed alongside riot police Iran’s Islamic regime is using “child soldiers” to suppress anti-government demonstrations, a tactic that could breach international law forbidding the use of underage combatants, human rights activists have told the Observer. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran says troops aged between 14 and 16 have been armed with batons, clubs and air guns and ordered to attack demonstrators who have tried to gather in Tehran. The youths – apparently recruited from rural areas – are being deployed in regular riot police roles and comprise up to one-third of the total force, according to witnesses. One middle-aged woman, who said she was attacked by the youths, reported that some were as young as 12 and were possibly prepubescent. They had rural accents, which indicated they had been brought in from villages far from Tehran, she said. Some told her they had been attracted by the promise of chelo kebab dinners, one of Iran’s national dishes. “It’s really a violation of international law. It’s no different than child soldiers, which is the custom in many zones of conflict,” said Hadi Ghaemi, the campaign’s executive director. “They are being recruited into being part of the conflict and armed for it.” The UN convention on the rights of the child requires states to take “all feasible measures to ensure that persons who have not attained the age
Continue reading …Armed children as young as 14 are said to have been deployed alongside riot police Iran’s Islamic regime is using “child soldiers” to suppress anti-government demonstrations, a tactic that could breach international law forbidding the use of underage combatants, human rights activists have told the Observer. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran says troops aged between 14 and 16 have been armed with batons, clubs and air guns and ordered to attack demonstrators who have tried to gather in Tehran. The youths – apparently recruited from rural areas – are being deployed in regular riot police roles and comprise up to one-third of the total force, according to witnesses. One middle-aged woman, who said she was attacked by the youths, reported that some were as young as 12 and were possibly prepubescent. They had rural accents, which indicated they had been brought in from villages far from Tehran, she said. Some told her they had been attracted by the promise of chelo kebab dinners, one of Iran’s national dishes. “It’s really a violation of international law. It’s no different than child soldiers, which is the custom in many zones of conflict,” said Hadi Ghaemi, the campaign’s executive director. “They are being recruited into being part of the conflict and armed for it.” The UN convention on the rights of the child requires states to take “all feasible measures to ensure that persons who have not attained the age
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Call for action follows concerns over Prince Andrew’s dealings with despotic leaders A coalition of leading human rights groups is calling for a review into the way the British government does business with non-democratic regimes around the world. After recent revelations involving the Duke of York and his work as the UK’s special trade ambassador, organisations including Human Rights Watch, Index on Censorship, The Corner House, Global Witness and Campaign Against Arms Trade say the affair has underlined fundamental failings in the country’s supposedly ethical foreign policy. Tom Porteous, UK director of Human Rights Watch and Foreign Office adviser, said Prince Andrew was making the UK “look stupid, frankly”. The groups say that the government’s stated position on human rights, corporate responsibility and the rule of law is at odds with its apparent position of trading with autocratic or corrupt politicians. In recent days condemnation has grown of Prince Andrew’s dealings with figures in north Africa, the Middle East and central Asia. Their calls for action follow concern over delays to implementing the Bribery Act that have left the government open to claims it is not committed to fighting corruption. Campaigners allege they have yet to receive a response from the coalition’s “international anti-corruption champion” Ken Clarke after requesting details of the government’s strategy on tackling dishonest business practices. Porteous, a member of the government advisory group created by the foreign secretary, William Hague, to examine the ethical dimension of British foreign policy, said ministers needed to rethink their way of doing business following the revelations surrounding the prince. “It’s really the UK government that we need to be criticising,” he said. “There needs to be serious reflection about how the government goes about promoting British business in a way that is consistent with its stated principles and objectives on human rights, promoting the rule of law and corporate responsibility. “They need to rethink this whole position and that may involve rethinking who actually holds that position. It should be someone well versed in international affairs and understands the objectives of the British government when it comes to promoting the rule of law.” Nicholas Hildyard, of The Corner House, said a review was required to ensure that “turning a blind eye” to corrupt regimes was curtailed: “There is an absolute necessity to have an ethical foreign policy with very strict screening into what goes where, proper screening of all government-supported exports in the context of human rights.” Robert Palmer, of Global Witness, said the prince’s dealings had given the impression that Britain condemned corruption only in principle: “Our political leaders say how critical it is that we curb corruption that is undermining development and yet, on the other hand, we have figures like Prince Andrew cosying up to seriously questionable figures.” His comments come days after Richard Alderman, director of the Serious Fraud Office and a key figure in cracking down on business bribes to win contracts, told Clarke of growing concerns over delays to implementing the Bribery Act. Alderman reportedly warned that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the US justice department had been unhappy with the coalition’s decision to push back the legislation’s introduction, originally planned for next month. Under most scrutiny, however, is the role of the government’s UK Trade and Investment agency, for which the prince works. Kaye Stearman, of the Campaign Against Arms Trade, said that the prince’s position with the agency had effectively rendered him as a “sort of cheerleader and door opener for the arms industry” and called for him to resign ahead of a review into the agency. She added: “He’s the public face of UKTI and the public face of the UK arms trade.” Signs that the pressure may be getting to Buckingham Palace emerged yesterday when the prince pulled out of a controversial trip to Saudi Arabia this week, citing security concerns rather than the media criticism. Pressing questions remain over a private meeting between Prince Andrew and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2008 amid evidence of a close relationship with the country and UKTI, including an office in Tripoli. The prince has also faced allegations that he has a “very close” friendship with Saif Gaddafi, son of the Libyan leader, and that he met a convicted gun smuggler from the north African state. Natasha Schmidt, assistant editor of Index on Censorship, said people were angered by links between the UK’s special trade envoy and the president of Azerbaijan, whose country is one of the most corrupt in the world. Prince Andrew is last known to have lobbied for Azerbaijan six days ago, despite allegations involving torture of political opponents and rigged elections by President Ilham Aliyev’s regime. “It is absolutely appalling that a member of our royal family would have such close links with Aliyev, an authoritarian ruler who has shown himself to be completely intolerant to criticism and is an enemy of free speech,” she said. Buckingham Palace has defended Prince Andrew’s trips abroad, while the Ministry of Justice has stated it is committed to an anti-corruption agenda. Prince Andrew Bribery Act Human rights Mark Townsend guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Call for action follows concerns over Prince Andrew’s dealings with despotic leaders A coalition of leading human rights groups is calling for a review into the way the British government does business with non-democratic regimes around the world. After recent revelations involving the Duke of York and his work as the UK’s special trade ambassador, organisations including Human Rights Watch, Index on Censorship, The Corner House, Global Witness and Campaign Against Arms Trade say the affair has underlined fundamental failings in the country’s supposedly ethical foreign policy. Tom Porteous, UK director of Human Rights Watch and Foreign Office adviser, said Prince Andrew was making the UK “look stupid, frankly”. The groups say that the government’s stated position on human rights, corporate responsibility and the rule of law is at odds with its apparent position of trading with autocratic or corrupt politicians. In recent days condemnation has grown of Prince Andrew’s dealings with figures in north Africa, the Middle East and central Asia. Their calls for action follow concern over delays to implementing the Bribery Act that have left the government open to claims it is not committed to fighting corruption. Campaigners allege they have yet to receive a response from the coalition’s “international anti-corruption champion” Ken Clarke after requesting details of the government’s strategy on tackling dishonest business practices. Porteous, a member of the government advisory group created by the foreign secretary, William Hague, to examine the ethical dimension of British foreign policy, said ministers needed to rethink their way of doing business following the revelations surrounding the prince. “It’s really the UK government that we need to be criticising,” he said. “There needs to be serious reflection about how the government goes about promoting British business in a way that is consistent with its stated principles and objectives on human rights, promoting the rule of law and corporate responsibility. “They need to rethink this whole position and that may involve rethinking who actually holds that position. It should be someone well versed in international affairs and understands the objectives of the British government when it comes to promoting the rule of law.” Nicholas Hildyard, of The Corner House, said a review was required to ensure that “turning a blind eye” to corrupt regimes was curtailed: “There is an absolute necessity to have an ethical foreign policy with very strict screening into what goes where, proper screening of all government-supported exports in the context of human rights.” Robert Palmer, of Global Witness, said the prince’s dealings had given the impression that Britain condemned corruption only in principle: “Our political leaders say how critical it is that we curb corruption that is undermining development and yet, on the other hand, we have figures like Prince Andrew cosying up to seriously questionable figures.” His comments come days after Richard Alderman, director of the Serious Fraud Office and a key figure in cracking down on business bribes to win contracts, told Clarke of growing concerns over delays to implementing the Bribery Act. Alderman reportedly warned that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the US justice department had been unhappy with the coalition’s decision to push back the legislation’s introduction, originally planned for next month. Under most scrutiny, however, is the role of the government’s UK Trade and Investment agency, for which the prince works. Kaye Stearman, of the Campaign Against Arms Trade, said that the prince’s position with the agency had effectively rendered him as a “sort of cheerleader and door opener for the arms industry” and called for him to resign ahead of a review into the agency. She added: “He’s the public face of UKTI and the public face of the UK arms trade.” Signs that the pressure may be getting to Buckingham Palace emerged yesterday when the prince pulled out of a controversial trip to Saudi Arabia this week, citing security concerns rather than the media criticism. Pressing questions remain over a private meeting between Prince Andrew and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2008 amid evidence of a close relationship with the country and UKTI, including an office in Tripoli. The prince has also faced allegations that he has a “very close” friendship with Saif Gaddafi, son of the Libyan leader, and that he met a convicted gun smuggler from the north African state. Natasha Schmidt, assistant editor of Index on Censorship, said people were angered by links between the UK’s special trade envoy and the president of Azerbaijan, whose country is one of the most corrupt in the world. Prince Andrew is last known to have lobbied for Azerbaijan six days ago, despite allegations involving torture of political opponents and rigged elections by President Ilham Aliyev’s regime. “It is absolutely appalling that a member of our royal family would have such close links with Aliyev, an authoritarian ruler who has shown himself to be completely intolerant to criticism and is an enemy of free speech,” she said. Buckingham Palace has defended Prince Andrew’s trips abroad, while the Ministry of Justice has stated it is committed to an anti-corruption agenda. Prince Andrew Bribery Act Human rights Mark Townsend guardian.co.uk
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Today’s protests in Wisconsin are bigger by far than ever before. Farmers on tractors, workers, teachers, firefighters, senior citizens, and more. They’ve been joined by the heroic Wisconsin 14, who have now returned to the state to take on the Governor and continue efforts to recall the Republicans who passed the “Budget Repair Bill” that is as yet unpublished and which specific provisions are unknown at this time. enlarge I’m collecting more pictures and videos here . We need to keep this movement alive.
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Shirley Williams leads revolt as deputy PM is told to demand that health shake-up be abandoned Nick Clegg suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of his own party as Liberal Democrat activists voted overwhelmingly against coalition plans for a radical overhaul of the NHS. Delegates rejected the “damaging and unjustified market-based approach” being championed by the health secretary, Andrew Lansley, as anger over the Tory-led NHS agenda boiled over at the party’s spring conference in Sheffield. The Lib Dem leadership had gone into the session backing a motion unreservedly supportive of the Lansley approach – only to see the grassroots insert changes that would undermine the basic principles behind it. After the crushing defeat, Clegg immediately faced demands from former education secretary Shirley Williams that he take the message back to the cabinet and demand that Lansley change the NHS bill to conform with Lib Dem demands. In an interview with the Observer , Williams, a ringleader behind the revolt, said: “It means that Nick Clegg has to go back to Lansley with the other Lib Dem members of the cabinet and say, ‘I can’t get this through my party. We will have to make amendments’.” Williams also demanded that Clegg and his party whips back off from their approach of disciplining MPs who oppose those aspects of government policy – such as the Lansley plan – that were not in the coalition agreement. If the party failed to allow members to “let off steam” and debate issues openly, she added, people would leave and its flagging support would fall away. Successive speakers tore into Lansley’s approach – under which responsibility for commissioning health services would pass to GPs and private operators could play a far bigger role. Williams said the party rank-and-file had to stand up and be counted. “In doing so we will make the coalition a better coalition,” she added. St Ives MP Andrew George said it was natural for incoming governments to trash the record of their predecessors. “But don’t trash the NHS,” he said. “This is a dream come true for litigators, lawyers and management consultants. The Lib Dems were the architects of the NHS. Don’t let us become the architects of its demise.” Former MP Dr Evan Harris, one of the driving forces behind the main amendment, said he wanted Clegg and the leadership to “seize the opportunity” to secure fundamental changes to the bill. Dr Charles West, who proposed the text, warned that there was a serious potential for conflicts of interest. “Will your GP be looking after you or the budget?” he asked. The amendment said: “Conference regrets that some of the proposed reforms have never been Liberal Democrat policy, did not feature in our manifesto or in the agreed coalition programme, which instead called for an end to large-scale top-down reorganisations.” In a speech to the conference Clegg will stress that the Lib Dems have their own distinct identity. “We have our own label: Liberal. We are liberals and we own the freehold to the centre ground of British politics. Governing from the middle, for the middle.” Shadow health secretary John Healey, who sat in on proceedings in Sheffield, said: “This debate has forced a big climbdown for Nick Clegg and his ministers, and the conference delegates have made it clear that David Cameron’s reckless NHS plans are not Lib Dem policy. “They have shown today that they don’t want their party to get dragged down by the damage the Tories are trying to do to the health service. The big test now is for Nick Clegg, and it will be for him to persuade David Cameron to make fundamental changes to the planned legislation and reorganisation. After the vote Clegg said he did not want the profit motive to “run a coach and horses through the NHS”. He said his attitude to the health service was simple. “Yes to reform of the NHS. But no to privatisation of the NHS.” Liberal Democrat conference Liberal Democrats Nick Clegg Health policy Health Toby Helm guardian.co.uk
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Click here to view this media One of the significant achievements of the Wisconsin protests is that this gathering of teachers and firefighters and public workers has been simultaneously forceful but peaceful. This really is a surprise only for people who believe right-wing propaganda about the unions being populated by violent thugs. So that means it especially throws off the talkers at Fox News, who have been leading the right-wing media parade attempting to smear the protesters as violent thugs. Notice how, in her interview on Thursday, the morning after the Republicans in the Senate rammed their union-bashing legislation through, Megyn Kelly tries to get Jesse Jackson to somehow hint at violence in the Wisconsin protests? And Jackson simply wouldn’t bite. Let’s hope it stays this way. Fuses are getting short in Madison, but it isn’t the protesters who are losing their cools.
Continue reading …‘Family Guy’ Writer: "Wanna Feel Better About Japan Quake – Google ‘Pearl Harbor Death Toll’”
March 12, 2011 No Comment
As people all over the world were grieving for the victims of Friday's earthquake and resulting tsunamis in Japan, the scriptwriter for the hit series “Family Guy” sent his 162,000 Twitter followers a truly disgraceful comment. As reported by Bleeding Cool Saturday: Nonetheless, when a particularly tasteless tweet started rolling around the web last night, and I found out it had been written by Family Guy scriptwriter Alec Sulkin, I wasn’t too surprised. Here’s what he said: If you wanna feel better about this earthquake in Japan, google “Pearl Harbor death toll”. Apparently Sulkin, aka @thesulk , took a lot of heat for this comment as he has since taken it down and offered his followers an apology : “Yesterday death toll = 200. Today = 10 thousand. I am sorry for my insensitive tweet. It's gone.” But that was followed by : “If you wanna feel better about the floods in New Jersey, google 'MTV's Jersey Shore'.” Maybe that one's funnier and less callous, but it does seem to diminish the sincerity of his apology, wouldn't you agree? For the record, Sulkin's Wikipedia page confirms his “insensitive tweet.” It also reports that he once dated vulgarian comedienne Sarah Silverman . Explains a lot, as Silverman herself has a history of offensive tweets. As NewsBusters reported last year, “Standup comic and New York Times-bestselling author Sarah Silverman joked on Twitter that widows of the Sept. 11 attacks 'give the best handjobs' on Oct. 6, attributing the quote to pseudonymous 19th century author and satirist Mark Twain.” Too bad Silverman and Sulkin broke up. They seem made for each other.
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Four dead and hundreds wounded in Sana’a and Aden as William Hague expresses concern over ongoing violence Yemeni security forces have killed four people and wounded hundreds more in the second day of a harsh crackdown on anti-government protests, witnesses said. One of the dead was a 15-year-old student. The assault with gunfire and tear gas was the toughest yet by the government in a month of protests aimed at unseating the president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been in power for 32 years. An ally in the Obama administration’s fight against al-Qaida, Saleh had appeared to be one of the Arab leaders most threatened by the regional unrest inspired by revolts in Egypt and Tunisia. The violence began with a pre-dawn raid on a central square in the capital, Sana’a, where thousands of pro-democracy protesters have been camped out. Eyewitnesses said security troops surrounded the square with police cars and armoured personnel carriers shortly after midnight and began calling on protesters through loudspeakers to go home. At 5am, security forces attacked, firing bullets and tear gas. One protester died from a bullet to the head, which may have come from a sniper on the rooftop of a nearby building, witnesses said. “We were performing dawn prayers when we were surprised by a sudden hail of bullets and tear gas,” said Walid Hassan, a 25-year-old activist. “The protesters began throwing rocks at security … it was total mayhem, a real battlefield.” A few hours later, another protester was shot dead in a nearby street. In the city of Dar Saad in the southern province of Aden, police used live fire and tear gas to disperse a crowd of several thousand, killing one demonstrator. . Saturday’s raid on the Sana’a square came after Yemen’s largest demonstrations in a month the day before were met by police gunfire that injured at least six protesters. Foreign secretary William Hague described the violence used against protesters in Yemen as unacceptable. In a statement from the Foreign Office, he said “I was shocked by the unacceptable violence seen in Sana’a today. The United Kingdom remains seriously concerned over repeated clashes with protesters and reports of intimidation of journalists in recent days. This is in direct contradiction to the President’s recent announcement on constitutional reform and fresh elections, which we have welcomed. We urge the Yemeni authorities to demonstrate their commitment to an orderly and peaceful transition by respecting the right of peaceful protest and free speech.” The Foreign Office is now advising British nationals to leave Yemen as soon as they can in light of the intensity of the violence. Yemen Middle East Arab and Middle East protests Protest Alan Evans guardian.co.uk
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