World News Post: Jun 2, 2011

Thursday, June 2, 2011

CHINA - Ai Weiwei allowed to meet his wife

More than forty days after the arrest of the artist, his wife, Lu Qing, was able to visit him. The meeting took place May 15 at the end of the day, Radio Free Asia said, quoted by the website Xinshiji Xinwen Wang. The artist, who is among the major artists of the independent art scene in China, is in police custody since April 3 and charged with economic crime.

According to his sister, Gao Ge, Ai Weiwei was in apparent good health and was not tortured. However, he was not authorized to discuss his case further. The location of the meeting could not be located.

Ai Weiwei (wikipedia) Stadium designer blasts China Olympics - 12 Aug 07 (youtube)

Syrian military repression causes 50 deaths, including two children

Antalya (Turkey) (Editorial / AP) .- More than 50 civilians were killed on Tuesday in attacks by Syrian forces to quell protests aimed contral government. According to human rights activist Ammar Qurabi, the army killed nine civilians in the city of Hirako on Tuesday, including three doctors, a dentist and a girl of 11 years of age.

All were killed by snipers during the assault on several houses in Hirako, where tanks were deployed along eta week, said Qurabi, head of the Syrian Human Rights Organization told Reuters. These deaths are in addition to 41 other civilian victims killed during the bombings with which government forces attacked the town of Rastan on Tuesday.

The heirs of Hatshepsut

Even after a revolution takes the glass ceiling to surrender to change. The Egyptian players in a revolt unfinished, do not hide the long journey that awaits. With the country mired in a roller coaster election, the payoff does not merit an extension. "It is unacceptable that the only woman in the transitional government," denounced on Thursday the Egyptian Minister of Cooperation and Planning, Fayza Aboud El Naga in an international forum organized in Cairo by the UN.

FRANCE - It's a myth that falls

There are two days away, DSK was considered the second most powerful man on the planet. He had indeed managed to give an institutional framework somewhat egalitarian International Monetary Fund and was still able to maintain a balance among the strongest currencies, without actually being in the monetarist policy.

He had, in our case [we Tunisians], frankness and courage to say three years ago that the government Ghannouchi growth forecasts (6%) were a sham and they had to revise the down: there was thus a supplementary budget! Lately, he had put a little too openly, too confident, too, in the running for the upcoming presidential election, and we even gave the winner of a duel with Sarkozy considered inevitable.

A rabbit is born without ears, 30 kilometers from the Fukushima nuclear

Atlas. Tokyo (Japan) .- Rabbit Without Ears Namie born in Tsushima (Japan), just 30 kilometers from the Fukushima nuclear power plant which collapsed after the earthquake and tsunami on 11 March. The birth of the mammal has sparked fears among locals. Some experts say that the malformation is due to radiation leaks from the plant after the earthquake for nearly three months.

Despite early views are yet to be performed for the analysis and studies to determine a cause-effect. For now, the defect does not prevent the animal to move as normal, oblivious to the fear that their appearance has erupted between residents of the disaster area.

Fukushima Prefecture (geolocation) Fukushima Prefecture (wikipedia)

Thousands of Yemeni militants will go to Sana'a to support their tribal leader

Thousands of militiamen loyal to Sadiq al Ahmar, leader of the Hashid tribe (the most powerful in Yemen), head to the capital Sana'a, to support you in the shocks is starring against security forces and where only this morning had recorded 15 deaths (including a girl of seven years). On the other hand, President Saleh could be considering the possibility of signing the proposed transition policy suggested by the Gulf Cooperation Council, as reported Thursday the state news agency SABA.

SPAIN - "homeless, without work and without fear" will show

Tens of thousands of people have invested fifty Spanish cities, Sunday, May 15 Convened by the association A true democracy now!, Born last April, protesters demanded "a change of direction and a decent future." If the movement was born around student demands, the protests have gathered the "victims of the crisis:" the homeless, without work, without fear and without retreat.

" In Madrid, according to El Pais, the demonstrators - who had planned a sit-in at Puerta del Sol (the center of the capital) to the cantonal and municipal elections Sunday, May 22 - were ousted on May 17 in the morning.

Acrylic Gardens to return the soul to Rabat

Enrique Rubio. Rabat .- On a wall in the heart of Rabat, behind a gas station surrounded by a perpetual traffic jam has emerged the first of the "gardens" painted from this week aim to make the Moroccan capital a more human and habitable. Two Mexicans and other Spanish artists have been commissioned to illuminate these orchards acrylics, a real novelty for a city unaccustomed to urban art and has received with curiosity and attention to the project "Gardens." A lack of green spaces where you can relax the senses, this initiative of the Spanish organization with the Moroccan Nobulo Bni.

Mladic's lawyer says the former Bosnian Serb military has cancer

Former Bosnian Serb General Ratko Mladic, accused of war crimes, according to his lawyer suffers a cancer of the lymphatic system and may not survive a trial before the tribunal in The Hague. Milos Saljic Counsel published in the journal 'Press' medical diagnosis Belgrade 2009. According to these data, Mladic was submitted between April 20 and July 18 of that year to an operation in a hospital in the capital of Serbia and then received chemotherapy.

FRANCE - Strauss-Kahn, that's it!

Campaign Dominique Strauss-Kahn for the 2012 presidential election was abruptly ended before you started, consider the Belgian daily Le Soir.

Hamas imposes the death penalty in Gaza against a youth accused of spying

Jerusalem .- A military court in Gaza ruled by Hamas, condemned to death a man in Rafah accused of spying for an enemy country. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights details Msallam Shallouf Fadel, 26, has been sentenced to death by hanging. Shallouf was kidnapped in January 2010 by members of the Popular Resistance Committees and delivered to the Internal Security Service in the same month, Palestinian Maan news agency reported.

Vargas Llosa, Carlos Fuentes and other persons asking to legalize cannabis

A committee formed by former Latin American presidents and other personalities such as writers Carlos Fuentes and Mario Vargas Llosa called for legalizing certain drugs such as cannabis and to fight drug trafficking, through a report released Wednesday. "Fifty years after the start of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961) and forty since President (Richard) Nixon launched by the U.S.

FRANCE - A case that Strauss-Kahn is disqualified

"The pervert", as the New York Daily News. He said Dominique Strauss-Kahn would be "known in France as" the great seducer ". The news of the arrest of the boss of the IMF, on May 14 in New York, quickly toured the world media. The conservative American tabloids are having a field day, and recount in detail the sexual assault victim whose expressed an employee of a Manhattan hotel.

"The caliber French head of IMF has been arrested for allegedly sodomizing a maid," recounts in his inimitable style, the New York Post. In the American legal vocabulary, sodomy is any sexual relationship called "unnatural," including oral sex. DSK is accused of forcing the victim to have this kind of relationship with him.

Japanese Prime Minister than the censure motion

Tokyo .- Japan's lower house on Tuesday rejected a motion of censure tabled by the opposition against Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, for his handling of the crisis unleashed by the earthquake and tsunami of 11 March. The motion, which if carried would have meant the downfall of the government of Khan, was rejected by 293 MPs, compared to 152 who supported it.

"Right now, I'm working to rebuild the country, but once I have completed my task intention to leave the responsibility to the next generation of politicians, underlined the Prime Minister has appealed to the cohesion in the ranks of his party, which has a majority in the House. His appeal was effective and critical members of Kan management following the earthquake and its handling of the crisis in the Fukushima nuclear plant, whose reactors were heavily damaged by the earthquake, have opted to give a vote of confidence.

The war as seen by photojournalists

"War can be viewed from many angles and portrayed in many different forms, but the only view is of interest to photojournalism is one that emphasizes its meaning." Under this' slogan 'the Spanish journalists Rafael Moreno and Alfonso Bauluz have developed a' jewel 'for lovers of war journalism:' Photojournalists Spanish war "(Ed Turner).

The book, just published in Spain, is a historical journey from 1860 to the present, the best Spanish photographers specializing in coverage of conflicts. The result is very attractive, and agility combined with the profile of each of them with brighter pictures. "It was the most cost: select the best images from many top talent," says Moreno, who also has covered armed conflicts.

Eurovision - Europeans that the Americans also zero

You crawl to the feet of those who have a British accent, and not matter what state you catstrophique their teeth. When Frogs write books on how pretentious they are more stylish, thinner and more cultured than most Americans (see French women do not get fat, etc.), you Americans, you rush, buying thousands of copies You flog you with a passionate Francophile.

Americans, writes Doonan, "agree with the idea that Europe is an antidote to the vulgar American materialism." But here's the antidote to this 'Eurofetishization', the 56th Eurovision contest when [...] read more on Presseurop. had

Taliban attack kills 60 policemen in the Afghan border

Islamabad (Pakistan) (Editorial) .- At least 60 people have died in the last 24 hours in an attack by 200 Taliban insurgents against a police checkpoint in a remote area of northwestern Pakistan near the Afghan border, reported today Police sources told Efe. Among the dead are at least 22 police officers and other security force separate from the Army, 'Levies', between 35 and 40 insurgents and three women, according to a police source in Upper Dir district, where fighting took place.

At least four killed as a result of tornadoes in the state of Massachusetts

The two tornadoes that struck on Wednesday western Massachusetts have killed at least four people, according to reports on Wednesday and state authorities in the U.S. east coast. Scott MacLeod, a spokesman for the Emergency Management Agency in the state, confirmed the four deaths in statements to the media but did not reveal the identity of the dead and offered specific details about what happened.

EGYPT - Event for National Unity

Following the violent sectarian strife that occurred on May 6 in a neighborhood of Cairo killed 12 people and injured over 200, thousands of Egyptians demonstrated Friday, May 13 on the iconic Tahrir Square to call to "national unity" in their country, reports the website of the satellite channel Al-Jazeera.

"During the week, messages calling Copts and Muslims to come together across the country to denounce sectarian divisions have multiplied on social networks. In the crowd, waved Palestinian flags were also to support reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas, sealed Wednesday, May 4 under the new Egyptian government.

"The burqa is neither shall a garment of Islam"

Who is the prophet Muhammad? What is the dogma of Islam? What are your current major (Sunni Islam, Shi'ism, Ibadan), his prophets (Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Mary)? Where do women really, sex? Why Jerusalem is Muslim holy land? These are questions that may arise for a Westerner who wants to understand how Islam affects the daily lives of millions of people.

In these times of revolution in Arab and North Africa in search of freedom and a better future and where in Europe and the United States millions of Muslims live is always good to hear an expert to explain Islam to understand and destroy topics which provide only ignorance. Malek Chebel, Algerian writer and anthropologist who lives in France is an internationally renowned specialist, who devotes his life as a student to analyze point by point Islam a misunderstood religion in Europe.

The Syrian military offensive kills 50 people, including two children

More than 50 civilians were killed on Tuesday in attacks by Syrian forces to quell protests aimed contral government. According to human rights activist Ammar Qurabi, the army killed nine civilians in the city of Hirako on Tuesday, including three doctors, a dentist and a girl of 11 years of age. All were killed by snipers during the assault on several houses in Hirako, where tanks were deployed along eta week, said Qurabi, head of the Syrian Human Rights Organization.

INDIA - The Communists fell, for better or for worse

The Communist Party, in power in West Bengal for thirty-four years, defeated fate of regional elections. To survive and continue to oppose liberal economic policies today, Marxists will have to find a new way of doing politics. Analysis of a journalist and politician affiliated to the Hindu nationalist right .*

The Colombian Congress approved the Victims Act after 50 years of conflict

Bogotá. Colombia .- The Congress today gave the green light for Victims Act, after nearly 50 years of armed conflict, which will benefit over four million people affected by violence and will not grant belligerent status to illegal armed groups. The new legislation, passed by 62 votes in favor and 3 against in the Senate and by 93 compared to three in the House of Representatives recognizes the existence of an armed conflict in Colombia after nearly a decade in which the previous Government under President Alvaro Uribe, deny that fact.

Rats in the plane

Qantas left on the ground a Boeing 767 after finding five 'stowaways' inside. The crew found five rats in the storage compartment, minutes before passengers boarded the flight bound for Brisbane, local media reported. A spokeswoman for the local agency aerolíneainformó AAP that it is young of rodents and that the company is investigating "how they got on the plane." The affected passengers were taken to another plane, while Qantas staff is dedicated to explore the possible presence of other rodents.

Mladic appear on Friday for the first time in court

.- The Hague Bosnian Serb former general Ratko Mladiccomparecerá The first on Friday before the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), said today the Court. Mladic, who faces 11 charges including genocide and crimes against humanity, may plead guilty or innocent of them in that view.

In the event that the accused refused to issue a statement, the judges will convene another hearing for the same purpose within 30 days. According to the order of the judges, Mladic appear on Friday, June 3, at 10.00 am (0800 GMT) in a court room. After his arrival yesterday in the prison of Scheveningen (near The Hague), Mladic underwent a medical examination, which must occur on the same day that an inmate enters the prison, as established by the regulations of the penitentiary.

There is no place for impunity in the trial in The Hague against Ratko Mladic

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia has announced Wednesday that "there is no room for impunity" in the process to be held against the war criminal Ratko Mladic. Serge Brammertz announced in turn have introduced a new version of the indictment against former Bosnian Serb general.

"We have placed an amended indictment against Mladic", he explained the prosecutor Serge Brammertz, during a press conference in The Hague, seat of the Tribunal. Brammertz has detailed the chances are that if Mladic is one the trial of Karadzic. Mladic, 69, must answer charges of genocide, extermination, murder, deportation or hostage taking.

ECONOMY - The odds of the Zimbabwean dollar flies on eBay

Five dollars, that is what is currently the 100 bill 000 billion Zimbabwean dollars. Not in Zimbabwe, but on the auction site eBay. Highly sought by collectors, these notes traded at a price up to fifteen times what they were worth when they were outstanding. Over the past ten years, President Robert Mugabe has tried to revive the economy of his country by running the printing presses.

The result: hyperinflation [up 238 000 000%] accompanied by a surge in the number of zeros on banknotes. Than 100 000 billion - the largest cut ever issued - has circulated a few months before the Zimbabwe dollar is officially abandoned as official currency in April 2009 [at least one year].

Sarah Palin shares pizza with Donald Trump in New York

Sarah Palin and Donald Trump shared pizza 'pepperoni' Famous Famiglia restaurant at Broadway, before the incredulous eyes of dozens of New Yorkers rubbed their eyes to be convinced that the diner pink jacket was indeed the former governor of Alaska. Palin used to circumvent the Big Apple in a self-promotional tour across the country.

This time, however, wanted to pay homage to the real estate mogul and probably ask you loosen your wallet before the announcement of his likely Republican primary campaign. The only question that Palin answered, amid the commotion, it was precisely to that investigated in the past Trump cotribuciones of the Democratic Party.

TURKEY - Tension mounts in Kurdistan

"Resolving the Kurdish issue is of course the sine qua non of a genuine democratization of Turkey," said Sahin Alpay, a columnist from daily Zaman, close to the government. "Significant progress has been made in this area. Now the Kurdish identity is no longer denied. The autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan, whose political and economic ties with Ankara have been strengthened, supporting the process that the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) abandoned their arms and become a political player.

NATO agrees to extend 90 days the attacks in Libya

Brussels .- NATO and partner countries contributing to Operation "Unified Guard" in Libya agreed Wednesday to extend the mandate in 90 days of the international mission authorized by the UN to protect civilians from attacks by the regime Muammar Gaddafi has confirmed the NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

"This decision sends a clear message to the regime of Gaddafi: We are determined to continue our operation to protect the people of Libya. We will maintain our efforts to fulfill the mandate of the UN and keep the pressure on it," he has said in a statement Danish . Rasmussen has made clear that the entire international community, allies and partners that contribute to the mission are "side" of the Libyan people.

The opposition submitted a motion of censure against the Japanese Government

The main opposition parties in Japan present in the House today a motion of censure against the Government of Naoto Kan for his handling of the crisis in the Fukushima nuclear plant. The motion, which is scheduled to vote tomorrow has been promoted by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which ruled almost without interruption for 54 years until 2009 and has criticized the "lack of credibility of Khan to the Japanese people." It could also be supported by some lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party (PD) Kan critical, so it is possible that the motion to succeed, forcing the prime minister to resign along with his cabinet or dissolve the Diet.