Category: International

FLOG THE BLOG: Vote Now or the Orcs Will Inhabit the Blog

It has come to this. We are facing a 50 vote deficit with ten days left in the battle for the blogoshere. It is time to pull out the video that most captures the moment (as supplied by Mespo). You are not the first to face an overwhelming army with many assuming certain defeat.
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Iran to Sue for World War II Reparations

Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has sent a letter to the United Nations announcing the intention for Iran to seek compensation for World War II damages. Putting aside his country’s support of terrorism around the world and repressions at home, Ahmadinejad believes the world owes his country for invading Iran in defeating the Nazis. Iran remained neutral as the world fought fascism.
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Remote-Controlled Murder: Husband Sentenced for Killing Wife With 4 Ounce Remote

The judges of the Old Bailey in England have a fascinating criminal case before them. Paul Harvey, 46, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter after killing Gloria Laguna, a former American diplomat in India. The weapon was the television remote. It is difficult to see why Harvey was charged with manslaughter in the case given the unique elements in the case.

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Thieves Steal Infamous Auschwitz “Arbeit Macht Frei” Sign

Polish police are searching for one of history’s most recognized and most infamous relics: the sign above the entrance gate of the Auschwitz Nazi concentration camp reading “Arbeit Macht Frei” (“Work Sets You Free”). Thieves stole the sign this week before dawn.
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Flash Tort: Teenage Girl Flashes Motorist Who Loses Control of Car and Hit Her

This is an excellent case for exploring the limits of comparative and contributing negligence. Cherelle May Dudfield, 18, is a New Zealand teenager who decided to flash passing cars. With her friends egging her own, she lifted her shirt. She succeeded in distracting one man who lost control of the car and ran her over.
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Separation Anxiety: English High Court Rules Jewish School Violated Anti-Discrimination Laws By Excluding Students on Basis of Religion

There is an interesting ruling out of England’s highest court, which found that a Jewish school was guilty of race discrimination by refusing to admit pupils who are not considered ethnically Jewish. The ruling is the latest example of the collision course between anti-discrimination laws and free exercise of religion (and free association). For a prior paper on that conflict, click here.
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Megabyte: Israeli Border Police Shoot Laptop of American Student

American student Lily Sussman, 21, likely has a new appreciation for our TSA personnel after encountering the Israel Border Police. Israeli officers allegedly interrogated her after she entered Israel via Taba, Egypt two weeks ago and ended up shooting her Apple laptop computer. It appears that the Border Police are PC people.

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The Not-So-Speedy Trial: Turkish Trial Ends After 28 Years

We often struggle with speedy trials in the United States, arguing over whether the Sixth Amendment can be honored in 160 days or less. The standard in Turkey appears a bit more flexible where they appear to measure speed in years rather than days. A panel of judges have found 39 people guilty in a trial that began on March 15, 1982 — roughly 28 years ago.

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The Accidental Tourist: Art Student Arrested in London for Photographing “Iconic Sites” as Terrorist Threat

Italian student Simona Bonomo has become the latest tourist to be nabbed in England for taking pictures of historic or “iconic” landmarks. Police community support officers (PCSOs) stopped Bonomo under anti-terrorism after she took pictures of buildings and arrested her under anti-terrorism laws. She was held in a jail cell and later released after paying a fine.
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Shots in the Line of Duty: Chinese Officer Declared As Martyr of the Force After Drinking Himself to Death

According to the government, Chen Lusheng, 38, in Shenzhen, China “died in the line of duty” as a “martyr” according to the government. If you are thinking of a shoot-out with drug dealers or a police chase gone bad, think again. Chen literally drank himself to death at an official dinner.
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Justice Minister Calls For Israel to Adopt Torah Law As The Governing Rules for the Nation

The application of Sharia law in countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran has supplied this blog with a steady stream of cases involving stonings and censorship. Now, Israel’s Justice Minister Yaacov Neeman wants the country to adopt its own religious book, the Torah, as the basis for the country’s laws.
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Anti-Corruption Advocate and Lawyer Dies in Jail — Kremlin Fired Prison Head and Others

Sergei Magnitsky, 37, was a courageous lawyer who fought the corruption in Russia and went public with his accusations. The result was first his arrest on tax evasion charges and then his death in a Moscow prison. Now, President Dmitry Medvedev has fired the prison head and 19 other officials. However, there will apparently be no investigation into his original arrest or its connection to his allegations against government officials.
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