 Nigeria's ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) says it will replace all 52 of its candidates who have been accused of corruption by the anti-graft agency. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) released a list of 135 politicians it alleges are too corrupt to run in April's elections. Most prominent is Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, an opposition presidential contender, who rejects the accusations. The PDP challenged other parties to drop their blacklisted candidates. But opposition parties have criticised the list, saying it was biased against them. The EFCC, which has been tasked with enforcing President Olusegun Obasanjo's war on corruption, has no powers to ban anyone from the presidential, parliamentary and state elections. ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk
censor News |
Editor - 11:14:00 02-08-07
|
 Mexico's human rights under fire |
Mexico's human rights record has been severely criticised in a new report by the rights group Amnesty International. The group says that arbitrary detention and torture are systematic and that it is Mexico's poor who suffer most. It also highlights the problem suffered by millions of indigenous peoples at the hands of the authorities. The government's use of soldiers to tackle drugs gangs is criticised but the Mexican government has said that it is working to clean up the abuses. Amnesty International cites case after case of people who it says have had their legal rights abused. In one example, it says police arrested a political activist and bundled him into a vehicle, even though he was paraplegic. His wheelchair and medicine were discarded and he spent two months in jail before being released without charge. Amnesty says unfair trials, torture and other abuses are systematic across the country....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6340993.stm
full News |
Editor - 11:04:00 02-08-07
|
| Senator to propose surveillance of illegal images |
A forthcoming bill in the U.S. Senate lays the groundwork for a national database of illegal images that Internet service providers would use to automatically flag and report suspicious content to police. The proposal, which Sen. John McCain is planning to introduce on Wednesday, also would require ISPs and perhaps some Web sites to alert the government of any illegal images of real or "cartoon" minors. Failure to do would be punished by criminal penalties including fines of up to $300,000. The list of offenses that must be reported includes child exploitation, selling a minor for sexual purposes and using "misleading" domain names to trick someone into viewing illegal material. It also covers obscene images of minors including ones in a "drawing, cartoon, sculpture, or painting." (The language warns that it is not necessary "that the minor depicted actually exist.") More of “its for the Children” excuses that a Police State uses to establish more control over people. ...
http://news.com.com/Senator+to+propose+surveillance+of+illegal+images/2100-1028_3-6156976.html?tag=sas.email
full News |
Editor - 10:58:00 02-08-07
|
| Palestinian rivals in unity deal |
Rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas have signed a deal to form a national unity government after talks in the Saudi city of Mecca. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas' exiled political chief Khaled Meshaal signed the deal after almost three days of talks. There had been divisions over cabinet posts and recognition of Israel. The factions travelled to Saudi Arabia after weeks of deadly violence between their supporters in the Gaza Strip. Hamas ousted Fatah from power in elections in January 2006. Israel dilemma The leaders of Hamas and Fatah assembled in a government building in Mecca for the signing of the deal. Mediators and officials from both factions had suggested that talks would have continued until a deal was reached. ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6344297.stm
full News |
Editor - 10:39:00 02-08-07
|
| Nato chief in Afghanistan pledge |
The Secretary General of Nato, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, has pledged that the international community will do a "better job" in Afghanistan. He said that this year the entire international community would step up its support for the Afghan people. Mr Scheffer was addressing Nato defence ministers at the opening of two days of talks in the Spanish city of Seville. Nato commanders at the conference will request more troops and resources from member states to fight the Taleban. 'Reconstruction and development' Mr Scheffer pledged more money on reconstruction and training and more money for the Afghan national army and police. "Better equipment will be donated to the Afghan national army and police," he said. He said the alliance would provide sufficient troops to confront the Taleban, who are predicted to be preparing a major offensive against the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in coming weeks. ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6341065.stm
full News |
Editor - 10:37:00 02-08-07
|
| Pentagon sets its sights on Africa |
This week's decision by the US to create a new Pentagon command covering Africa, known as Africom, has a certain unlovely military logic. Like Roman emperors of old, Washington's centurions already arbitrarily divide much of the world into Middle Eastern, European & Pacific domains. Now it is Africa's turn, although whether Africans will welcome (or were consulted) about this latest geo-strategic power play seems doubtful. Practical more than imperial considerations dictated the White House move. With Gulf of Guinea countries including Nigeria & Angola projected to provide one quarter of US oil imports within a decade, with growing Islamist terrorism worries in the Sahel & Horn of Africa regions, & with China prowling for resources & markets, the US plainly feels a second wind of change is blowing. These are the people who gave us Glorious Victories over Super Powers of Afghanistan & Iraq now planning new Victories over some African Super Powers? Can we afford more Victories ...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldbriefing/story/0,,2008789,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=12
full News |
Editor - 09:52:00 02-08-07
|
|
| post The Good, The Bad and The Ugly |
|
|
