There is an interesting controversy that has erupted over a recent speech by Martin Kramer, a fellow at Harvard University’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. Critics at Electronic Intifada denounced Kramer’s speech as a call for genocide when he called for the West to end support for Palestinian clinics and hospital for “pro-natal” care.
Category: International
While we often follow the painful stories of mistreatment and discrimination against women in Saudi Arabia, there is a story today that shows some progress. The Kingdom is about to release a law that would allow women to argue limited cases in court and even perform some simple legal procedures without a male guardian.
Warning: how you begin this week could dictate how you end it. French skier Marion Rolland secured a tragic but memorable moment in history this week by crashing after only five seconds in the downhill competition. That is why the blog wants to be sure that all of our bloggers start out right. Remember the steps: wake, sign on to blog, brush, review blog, shower, add at least one comment on blog, eat, have rigorous exchange on blog . . .
The Sunday Telegraph has published a report that the false passports used in the assassination of Mahmoud al Mabhouh in Dubai were copied by airport officials from the originals in Tel Aviv. The allegation would add evidence of a government plan to steal the identities of the British citizens living in Israel.
Continue reading “Newspaper: British Passports Were Copied By Airport Official in Tel Aviv For Hit in Dubai”
Olympic skater outfits continue to trigger protests. First there was the controversy over U.S. figure skater Johnny Weir’s wearing real fur as part of his outfit, here. Now aboriginal advocates in Australia are protesting the costumes of Russian ice dancers Oksana Domnina and Maksim Shabalin. While I thought Weir’s costume was the ugliest that I had seen, that was before I saw the Russian costumes. I am not sure if it is a case of “cultural offense” but it is certainly offensive to the eye. The costume is shown in the linked articles below.
Continue reading “Russian Dancers Accused of Cultural Insult and Disrespect Over Outfits”
While dolphins continue to be slaughtered in Japan (here and here), those same humans may have their lives saved by a new discovery that dolphins can turn on and off diabetes. Scientists believe that humans may have once had this ability and that dolphins could lead to a breakthrough treatment for humans.
Continue reading “Dolphin May Possess Cure For Diabetes”
Britain has denied the story in the Daily Mail that British officials knew about the use of false British passports (and reportedly stolen identities) for the hit on Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai (here).
Continue reading “Britain Denies Report That It Knew of Use of False British Passports in Dubai Assassination”
The Obama Administration continued the tradition of the “Friday night dump” by just releasing the Justice Department report on former Justice officials John Yoo, Jay Bybee and Steven Bradbury. The report is linked below. The Justice Department confirmed that the investigation originally found professional misconduct by Yoo and Bybee, but an unnamed high-ranking official at the Office of Professional Responsibility overruled the finding to avoid any professional action against them. I discussed the story on this segment of Countdown.
Continue reading “Justice Department Declines Punishment for Bush Officials for “Poor Judgment””
The Daily Mail has run with an explosive story after public protestations from British officials over the use of false British passports (and reportedly stolen identities) for the hit on Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai (here). The question now is whether Parliament has the courage to order an investigation in whether the British government not only acquiesced to the operation but then actively misled the public by pretending to be outraged.
Occasionally, the Olympic performances will result not in preservation of a moment of perfection but a wipeout. On this occasion, it was not a downhill skier but an NBC reporter who asked Gold Medalist Sven Kramer who he was, what country he was from, and what he just won. He responded with “Are you stupid?”
Interpol has posted wanted pictures of the eleven suspects in the assassination of Hamas member Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in the Dubai hotel on January 19, 2010. In what could be a serious problem for Israel, both Britain and France are demanding answers on the use of fake passports and stolen identities in the plot while Dubai continues its criminal investigation. This is occurring at the same time that Israel is resisting an international investigation into possible war crimes in its campaign in Gaza, here.
Juventus‘ goalie, Gigi Buffon, is facing punishment for saying “Dio” or “God” after a critical play went poorly. You cannot use the Lord’s name in vain in Italy where officials have used replay tapes to determine if he said “Dio” or, as he now claims, “Zio” or “uncle.”
Continue reading “Dios Mío: Leading Soccer Player To Be Punished for Blasphemy”
Malaysia has continued its application of Sharia law with the caning of three Muslim women for having illicit sex. This follows the earlier sentence of a woman to caning for drinking a beer in public under Islamic law, here.
Continue reading “Malaysia Canes Three Women For Illicit Sex Under Sharia Sentences”
While Obama has been criticized for saying that Tibet is part of China (here), he showed a refreshing degree of independence from China by meeting with the Dalai Lama. In the past, China has been able to pressure leaders (including past presidents) to avoid such meetings). Recently, South Africa even barred the Dalai Lama from an international peace conference, here.
Continue reading “Hello Dalai: Obama Meets With Tibetian Leader Over Chinese Objections”
The Observer has published an article detailing a confidential Vatican document from the 1960s that instructed Catholic bishops around the world to cover up cases of sexual abuse or face discipline — including expulsion from the church. The document in Latin bears the seal of Pope John XXIII. It reads like a Vatican-version of Omertà.
Continue reading “Omertà: Vatican Ordered Secrecy in Abuse Cases”