Newsmedianews - Archived direct input headlines

Sabotage of Irish Ship to Gaza – MV Saoirse
30 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - Palestine

The Irish Anti War Movement released the following statement today condemning the sabotage of the Irish Ship to Gaza – MV Saoirse.

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Memoirs of Torturers
29 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United States

By David Swanson
On September 18, 2009, seven former heads of the CIA publicly told President Barack Obama not to prosecute CIA torturers. On April 16, 2009, Obama had already publicly told Attorney General Eric Holder not to prosecute CIA torturers. On September 18th, Holder publicly reassured the CIA.

Tags: CIA, torture

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Lady Hale on access to justice, legal aid and staying at The Ritz
28 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United Kingdom

By Adam Wagner
As reported by Guardian.co.uk, Lady Hale, one of the 12 UK Supreme Court justices, has said in a speech to The Law Society that the government's proposed reforms to legal aid will have a "disproportionate effect upon the poorest and most vulnerable in society".

Tags: Lady Hale, Law Society

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Israel's threatened 10 year ban on Flotilla journalists 'crude attempt to crush press freedom'
27 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - Ireland, Palestine, Israel

Irish Labour councillor Richard Humphreys' disgraceful accusations about Turkish activists killed by IDF last year amount to an invitation to a repeat action—Irish United Alliance press statement
"In advance of the departure of the Freedom Flotilla II to Gaza, herculean efforts are being made by the Israeli establishment to prevent this humanitarian and political mission taking place. The Israel Law Centre has failed a complaint about the seaworthiness of the US ship. This is a transparent attempt to prevent such passengers as holocaust survivor Hedy Epstein and internationally renowned author Alice Walker from participating in the flotilla."

Tags: Gaza flotilla

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Ireland has received €300m to date, expected to increase to €600m by 2013
25 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - European Union, Ireland

Irish researchers, businesses and educational institutions have received a total of €300million since 2007 under the EU’s €55billion FP7 fund, and are expected to draw down at least the same figure again before fund ends in 2013, according to Minister Richard Bruton and EU Commissioner Maire Geoghegan-Quinn. A total of €18billion is available across the EU under the fund between 2011 and 2013.

Tags: EU, research funding

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What Do They Mean Winning a War?
24 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United States

By Lila Garrett
The following will be the opening commentary on the "Connect the Dots" program on KPFK this Monday, 27 June, with guests Daniel Ellsberg, Ca. Assemblyman Mike Feuer, and LA City Councilman Bill Rosendahl.

Tags: Daniel Ellsberg

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Freedom Riding to Gaza
24 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United States, Palestine

By David Swanson
Fifty years ago, freedom riders traveled by bus into the U.S. South. Now American freedom riders are joining their allies from around the world on a flotilla bound for Gaza. The U.S. ship is called The Audacity of Hope.

Tags: Gaza flotilla

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Mayor Dave Norris Praises Antiwar Resolution
21 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United States

By David Swanson
Charlottesville, Va.
Mayor Dave Norris was the first mayor, after the original sponsor, to sign onto the antiwar resolution that was passed on Monday by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He signed on immediately upon being invited to. Those early names are the hardest and help encourage others to add their own.

Tags: antiwar resolution

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Hey, teacher! Leave those cornrows alone
21 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United Kingdom

By Adam Wagner
Most people have their first taste of injustice at school. This is hardly surprising: an institution containing hundreds of teenagers for whom rebellion is a biological imperative is always going to be difficult to control. In trying to do so, teachers sometimes impose petty rules.

Tags: cornrows

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Afghan Withdrawal: Obama Lied, Soon Many Will Have Died
21 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United States, Afghanistan

By David Swanson
The United States has about 200,000 military personnel in Afghanistan, half of them troops, half of them contractors. President Barack Obama put over two-thirds of that number there, first with a big escalation in 2009 that everyone refuses to pay the slightest attention to, then with a second escalation in 2010.

Tags: Afghanistan, troops withdrawal

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Congress Finally Finds Its Purse
18 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United States

By David Swanson
For years there was debate on Capitol Hill over whether or not Congress could end a war by cutting off the funding. Despite the Constitution's clarity, and the clarity of numerous precedents, Senator Russ Feingold was obliged to hold hearings to explain to his colleagues what the power of the purse is. That debate is over.

Tags: US Congress, war funding

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UK Supreme Court accused of meddling with Scottish judicial independence
18 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United Kingdom

Scottish man faces retrial over murder allegation
Edinburgh court agrees to prosecution application for fresh trial of Nat Fraser, who had murder conviction quashed.

Tags: Nat Fraser

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UVA/Reagan War Hawk Defends Obama's War
17 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United States

By David Swanson
When a national television program this week needed to find a spokesperson for the right of presidents to launch wars without congressional authorization, it turned—to the great shame of us University of Virginia alumni—to Robert Turner. He is the co-founder of the University of Virginia's Center for National Security Law.

Tags: Was legality

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EU Legal Action on Peat bogs a 'political and environmental time bomb'
17 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - European Union, Ireland

The European Commission has today announced a further step in legal proceedings against Ireland by delivering a formal request to take urgent and concerted action to protect Ireland’s peat bogs. The reasoned opinion specifically addresses continued mechanical peat extraction on protected peat bogs, which Ireland gave assurances to the European authorities would cease in 1999. The need for environmental impact assessment of potentially damaging activities in peat bogs is also addressed. This was the subject of an EU court of Justice ruling in 1999.

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Justice for Rachel Peavoy protest
17 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - Ireland

Rachel Peavoy, a mother of two young boys, died from hypothermia at home in her flat in Ballymun in January 2010. She had had many problems with her flat over the previous years, including issues around the heating of her home. Rachel died in early January in what was the coldest winter in Ireland for forty years.

Tags: Rachel Peavoy, hypothermia

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International Day of Vindication - Civilians killed by state forces
17 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United Kingdom, Northern Ireland

One year on from the publication of the Saville Report, Tony Doherty—whose father was among those gunned down by British soldiers on Bloody Sunday—proposes that 15 June should be regarded as an alternative to official remembrance days with the focus on civilians killed by state forces.

Tags: Bloody Sunday

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Obama's Libya Defense Makes Bush's Lawyers Look Smart
16 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - Opinion, United States

By David Swanson
The arguments made to "legalize" war, torture, warrantless spying, and other crimes by John Yoo and Jay Bybee and their gang are looking rational, well-reasoned, and impeccably researched in comparison with Obama's latest "legalization" of the Libya War.

Tags: war legality

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Congress Members Sue Obama to End Libya War
15 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - Libya, United States

By David Swanson
On Wednesday in federal court, 10 members of the U.S. Congress sued President Obama in an attempt to end U.S. involvement in a war in Libya.

Tags: Libya, Obama, impeachment

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Tipperary Venue appeal decision
14 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - Ireland

Split decision is against the National Spatial Plan and Regional Planning Guidelines - An Taisce
An Bord Pleanala have today released a split decision on the appeal by An Taisce and others against North Tipperary County Council’s decision to grant permission to Richard Quirke for a number of elements of the proposed “Tipperary Venue” development near Two Mile Boris, 11km from Thurles. The Board granted permission for the all weather horse racing track, dog racing track, 500 bed hotel and casino but refused permission for the main part of the project; the 15,000 person multipurpose event venue.

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Washington Post Wants Endless War
14 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - Journalism, United States, Afghanistan

By David Swanson
The Pentagon Washington Post has yet to mention Section 1034 of the Defense Authorization Act of 2012, but you can expect it—if it passes the Senate—to show up in many a future editorial, as it will give presidents the "legal" (although unconstitutional) power to launch and continue wars, something the Washington Post adores.

Tags: Afghanistan, Washington Post

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Call to Rescind Obama's 'Transparency Award'
14 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United States

On March 28, 2011, President Obama was given a "transparency award" from five "open government" organizations: OMB Watch, the National Security Archive, the Project on Government Oversight, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and OpenTheGovernment.org. Ironically—and quite likely in response to growing public criticism regarding the Obama Administration's lack of transparency—heads of the five organizations gave their award to Obama in a closed, undisclosed meeting at the White House. If the ceremony had been open to the press, it is likely that reporters would have questioned the organizations' proffered justification for the award, in contrast to the current reality:

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What If Britain Drops Out of All US Wars?
12 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - International, United Kingdom

By David Swanson
LONDON
Before long public pressure might just lead Britain to drop out of participation in US wars, a move that would seriously damage future pretences of acting as an international coalition.

Tags: David Swanson, George Galloway

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Justice for Habib 'Paps' Ullah & Kingsley Burel
11 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United Kingdom

On Sunday July 3rd 2011 a group campaigning about injustice will be holding the 3rd Anniversary vigil for Habib outside High Wycombe Police station between 4 and 7pm. A statement by Campaign for Justice said it is incredible to think that three years on the investigation into the death of Habib 'Paps' Ullah in a car park in the town has still not been completed. Recently his family have met the CPS and we are now aware that the police officers have been interviewed under criminal caution and the solicitor present will also be interviewed.

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The Antiwar Movement 10 Years On
11 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United States, United Kingdom, Afghanistan

By David Swanson
Remarks from a plenary at the Stop the War Coalition's June 11, 2011, conference in London on "Afghanistan and the War on Terror: 10 Years On."

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Imperialism in the 21st Century
11 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United States

By David Swanson
Remarks from a session at the Stop the War Coalition's June 11, 2011, conference in London on "Afghanistan and the War on Terror: 10 Years On."

Tags: Imperialism

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Report proposes closing women's prisons
06 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United Kingdom

By Nigel Morris, Deputy Political Editor, Independent
A plea for women's prisons to be shut and inmates switched to community programmes is to be delivered to the Government today by a powerful alliance of senior police officers, magistrates, economists and penal reformers.

Tags: Female prisons

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Who should appoint UK top judges?
06 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United Kingdom

by Adam Wagner UK Human Rights Blog
Recently, I have become a collector of visceral reactions by politicians to judgments. The Prime Minister David Cameron is leading the field, having been "uneasy", "appalled" and even feeling "physically sick" over recent rulings. And this week the Scottish First Minister has appointed a panel of experts to see whether the UK's Supreme Court's "aggressive" interference with Scottish law can be stopped. But where is this criticism leading?

Tags: Judicial appointments

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Our Tahrir Square: DC's Freedom Plaza 6 October
06 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United States

By David Swanson
When other nations' governments go off track, their people do something about it. In Tunisia and Egypt people have nonviolently claimed power in a way that has inspired Americans in Wisconsin and other states, as well as the people of Spain and the rest of the world.

Tags: Freedom Square

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Call to Boycott Bahrain Formula One
03 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - Bahrain

Red Bull has built a reputation as a sporty, fun drink—but by this Friday, it and other leading F1 teams may become better known for endorsing government torture and murder. Formula One has 24 hours to decide whether to hold its already-delayed race in Bahrain, site of one of the most brutal crackdowns in the Middle East.

Tags: Red Bull, Formula One, Bahrain

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Poverty Is A Lie
03 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United States, Afghanistan

By David Swanson
Yes, yes, poverty exists, just as war does, and the two feed off each other. When I titled a book "War Is A Lie" I meant that the justifications offered for wars were false and that the idea that we must always have wars is false. Our government doesn't market new poverty campaigns in the same way it does wars. It markets campaigns to dismantle healthcare and pension systems or to eliminate foreign aid or to restrict organizing rights. But our culture pushes the false notion that poverty must always be with us.

Tags: Poverty

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Is That Even Legal?
03 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - Features, Libya, United States

By David Swanson
If the U.S. Constitution says one thing, a treaty ratified by the United States says another, a law passed by Congress yet another, and another law passed by Congress another thing still, while a signing statement radically changes that last law but itself differs with an executive order, all of which statements of law conflict with a number of memos drafted by the Office of Legal Council (some secret and some leaked), but a President has announced that the law is something completely different from all of this, and in practice the government defies all of the above including the presidential announcement . . . in such a case, the obvious but possibly pointless question arises: what's legal?

Tags: Libya, War Powers Act

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Jailhouse Lawyers book launch - Prisoners Defending Prisoners
03 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - United Kingdom

"This is the story of law learned, not in the ivory towers of multi-billion-dollar endowed universities in the bowels of the slave-ship, in the hidden, dank dungeons of America Š It is law learned in a stew of bitterness, under the constant threat of violence, in places where millions of people live, but millions of others wish to ignore or forget. It is law written with stubs of pencils, or with four-inch-long rubberized flex-pens, with grit, glimmerings of brilliance, and with clear knowledge that retaliation is right outside the cell door. It is a different perspective on the law, written from the bottom, with a faint hope that a right may be wronged, an injustice redressed. It is Hard Law."— Mumia Abu-Jamal

Tags: Mumia Abu-Jamal

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No honey conductress on this Number 19
03 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - Local, Ireland

By Mark Lawler
On 12 June of this year, Dublin Bus proposed to scrap the No 19 Bus, one of the oldest routes in operation in this city. Thankfully due to People Pressure and the Save the 19 Campaign, this internal deadline for Dublin Bus has been deferred.

Tags: Dublin bus

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Irish Ship to Gaza: Update and Final Financial Appeal
03 Jun 2011; posted by the editor - Ireland

By Fintan Lane
On Wednesday evening, our crew (Shane Dillon , Pat Fitzgerald and John Hearne) sailed it from its storage location and, after an overnight passage, arrived on Thursday morning at a new berth in a country close to our port of departure. Everything went smoothly and the vessel is in excellent condition.

Tags: Gaza aid

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