CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - D'oh! A Venezuelan TV channel has yanked "The Simpsons" off the air because it may be inappropriate for children. Taking its place: "Baywatch Hawaii."
#1
Baywatch Hawaii isn't appropriate for ANYBODY. But then again you can't sell anything in Latin America without a picture of a chick with huge hooters.
Judge Tendai Uchena has ruled that he can hear a petition by the Zimbabwe's opposition party demanding the immediate release of the recent election results. He dismissed the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission's (ZEC) argument that his court did not have jurisdiction and set the case for Tuesday.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said he defeated President Robert Mugabe in the presidential election. No results have yet emerged from the 29 March presidential race. Lawyers for the MDC say that in their view, the Zimbabwe Election Commission is deliberately delaying the results on instructions from President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party.
As Zimbabweans wait for the outcome, several top ZANU-PF officials, including administration secretary Didymus Mutasa, are using the state media to call for a recount in the March 29 state and local elections. Some have even called for a recount of the presidential poll before the result is announced. There is no provision in Zimbabwe's Electoral Law, for a recount of the presidential vote. The tallies in the polls for parliament and the senate were released last week. In both houses, ZANU-PF narrowly lost its majority.
Meanwhile the Commercial Farmers Union, CFU, says it is now trying to assist dozens of white commercial farmers who are being violently threatened or forced off their land around the country. Political observers believe this resurgence in farm invasions is directly linked to what they say are Mr. Mugabe's electoral losses at the poll. The CFU said the remaining few hundred white farmers were bracing for eviction. Several have already fled with their families to Harare. Only a few hundred white farmers remain after the eviction of four thousand, which began in 2000 when Mr. Mugabe lost a referendum on constitutional amendments, his first political defeat since coming to power in 1980. Farmers are still harvesting crops at a time of the most serious shortage of the staple food, corn, in Zimbabwe's history.
Didymus Mutasa, who is also Lands and Security Minister, did not take calls Monday and calls to the Lands Ministry in Harare went unanswered. When contacted by telephone, police in Harare said they had no information about the farm invasions.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/08/2008 00:00 ||
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Bob is calling a recount before the results are made public. He is also arresting election officials, claiming that they under-counted his votes. Next, he send kids (too young to be an independence vet) to harass the few white farmers that are left.
I swear that this guy not just corrupt, but is suffering from dementia too. No one on the planet can call this election "free and fair". Within his own party, people are shaking their heads. It's staring to look like that ZANU-PF will have more of a role in ejecting Bob than the MDC.
#2
I diasgree Vanc. Bob is just being Bob (nothing new) and ZANU-PF isn't going to get rid of him (not that the opposition is either). Bob isn't going to stop until the whole country is dust.
India has refused to allow Chinese air surveillance of the Olympic torch in Delhi. However, keeping diplomatic sensitivities in mind, the Centre has decided to permit a Chinese cargo carrier to fly to Mumbai and Chennai.
Paranoid about the security of the torch, China had sought permission from India to track the relay from the air, and evacuate it in case of an emergency. India refused, saying that it could provide foolproof protection to the torch.
The airspace over Rajpath will be sanitised for the duration of the torch relay. A similar security procedure is put in place for the Republic Day Parade. Such precautions will not be needed if the Olympic establishment decides to call off the international lap of the relay.
Sources in security agencies here revealed that the request from China to use Indian airspace had come before the torch ran into trouble in London and Paris. The request came to the directorate-general of civil aviation (DGCA) through the external affairs ministry. Since it was not a decision the DGCA could take on its own, security agencies were involved, an official said.
After consultations with the top brass of intelligence and security agencies, it was decided to turn down the Chinese request. We conveyed to them that we were capable of securing the torch on our own, an official added.
However, Indian authorities are making up on another front. The last hurdle to granting security clearance to Great Wall Airlines, the Chinese cargo carrier, will be cleared before the torch reaches India on April 17. The sources said the airline had submitted its security manual to the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and would get the clearance to fly to Chennai and Mumbai in the next two to three days.
The ministry of civil aviation was keen to give an early clearance to Great Wall Airlines since Jets flight to Shanghai and San Francisco could not take off on account of reciprocity. The long-pending clearance to Air India to operate a flight to Guangzhou was also held back. It was the Intelligence Bureau which was refusing to grant the security clearance, an official said.
The Intelligence Bureau was not in favour of Great Wall Airlines flying to Chennai since the nuclear facility at Kalapakkam is visible from the air. It had similar reasons for objecting to Mumbai, which is close to the Tarapore Atomic Power Station and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.
The agency had said the airline could fly to Delhi and not to other metros. Their concerns were countered by the civil aviation ministry which said everything could be seen more clearly through Google Earth and there was no need for anybody to fly to get a view of sensitive places, the official added.
The main concern of the security agencies had arisen from the fact that one of the former owners of Great Wall Airlines China Great Wall Industry Corporation was blacklisted by the US for alleged transfer of missile technology to Iran. However, it is all in the past now. The airline will soon fly cargo to India, the official said.
Posted by: john frum ||
04/08/2008 18:14 ||
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OK, this is getting out of hand. Chinese dive bombers strafing Indian protesters is going too far.
Chinas blue-clad flame attendants, whose aggressive methods of safeguarding the Olympic torch have provoked international outcry, are paramilitary police from a force spun off from the countrys army.
A squad of 30 young men from the police academy that turns out the cream of the paramilitary security force, their job at home is to ensure riot control, domestic stability and the protection of diplomats.
Questions are now being asked as to who authorised their presence as the torch made its journey through London, with the Conservatives last night demanding clarification from the Government.
The guards task for the torch relay is to ensure the flame is never extinguished - and now increasingly to prevent protesters demonstrating against Chinese rule in Tibet from putting it out. But the aggressiveness with which the men have been pursuing their brief has provoked an outcry, not least in London where they were seen wrestling protesters to the ground and were described as thugs by Lord Coe.
The Olympic medallist and organiser of the 2012 Games was overheard saying that the officials had pushed him around as the torch made its way through the capital on Sunday, adding that other countries on the route should get rid of those guys.
They tried to puch me out of the way three times. They are horrible. They did not speak English . . . I think they were thugs.
His comments came after Konnie Huq, the former Blue Peter presenter who was one of the torchbearers on Sunday, described how she had seen the officials in skirmishes with the police. Ms Huq, who was carrying the torch when a pro-Tibet activist tried to snatch the flame, said of the guards: They were very robotic, full-on...They were barking orders like run and stop and I was like: Who are these people.
David Davis, the shadow home secretary, yesterday wrote to Jacqui Smith seeking clarification of the role of the Chinese officials and what was known about their background.
Mr Davis asked: "Who in the British Government authorised their presence, and what checks were made as to their background?.
He added: "This group appears to have some role in providing security, and were seen manhandling protesters. They even accompanied the torch into Downing Street and were highly visible in the picture with the Prime Minister".
Less than a year ago these mysterious men in blue were elite students from Chinas Armed Police Academy and were selected amid great fanfare to form the grandly-titled Sacred Flame Protection Unit.
In China, tens of thousands of their fellow paramilitary have been deployed across Tibetan areas to restore order in regions where Tibetans have killed as many as 18 people in riots, even opening fire when the anti-Chinese demonstrations have threatened to run out of control again.
It is a long way from those heady days last August when the squad was founded. Zhao Si, their leaders, said then: These men, chosen from around the country, are each tall and large and are eminently talented and powerful. Online reports said the shortest among them stood 1.9 metres (6 ft 3 in) tall.
Mr Zhao said: Their outstanding physical quality is not in the slightest inferior to that of specialised athletes. Their training has involved running 40 to 50 kilometres a day - sometimes 10 kilometres a day along mountain roads to guarantee the squad is fit enough to keep pace all day with a relay of torch bearers in cities across the world.
These ironmen have also undergone training in local customs and languages of the countries in which they would be deployed. This has included learning some English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese.
A total of 30 have been assigned to follow the torch overseas. Another 40 will be on duty to trail the Olympic flame around China until it reaches Beijing on August 6, just two days before the start of the Games themselves.
In reports published before the young men became the focus of international attention, Chinese media stressed their ability to ensure the flame would stay alight. They received firstly technical training in how to light the first torch of each session of the relay and save the flame in the lantern at the end of each relay in a more efficient and safe way.
Yang Zhaoke, director of the Beijing organising committee torch centre, told The Times: We chose young and vigorous men. They cant be beansprouts because they have to show good endurance because we cant change people once they are overseas. They have to be able to run from start to finish.
Some train in such martial arts as taekwondo or tijiquan in their spare time, he said. But added: Their job is not to fight but to shelter and protect. They are not there to beat people and they have no right to enforce the law. Only the British police have that right in London, for example.
A source at Scotland Yard said: "They were here because they came as a part of the package. We made it quite clear that they had no executive powers in the UK. They were here to maintain the flame. Their responsibility is to look after the flame and to make sure nothing happens to it. They are there to protect the flame."
Posted by: john frum ||
04/08/2008 17:16 ||
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Konnie Huq, the former Blue Peter presenter who was one of the torchbearers on Sunday
Australia's prime minister today confirmed his commitment to removing the Queen as head of state and making his country a republic, but said it was not a major priority. Speaking ahead of meeting Queen Elizabeth II during an official visit to Britain, Kevin Rudd said he was "once a republican, always a republican" but was in no rush to call a referendum.
Rudd said: "We have other fish to fry right now in terms of priorities back home. But once a republican, always a republican."
The Australian Labor leader is due to have an audience with the Queen at Windsor Castle later today. He said that the two countries had a "first-class" working relationship and believed the nations could be a "force for good" in the world. Australia last held a referendum on removing the Queen as its head of state in 1999.
"Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!
Posted by: Fred ||
04/08/2008 00:00 ||
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Given that Chuck is still in line, who'd object? Now if they skipped the old boy for his son, that might be different, but you have to deal with what is known.
A group representing immigrants in Norway, Norsk Innvandrerforum, thought children with roots in other countries should be able to wave their own national flags in the parade that involves every school in the city.
The children, claimed the group, should also be encouraged to wear native costumes from their parents' or grandparents' homelands, just like Norwegians wear their national costumes known as the bunad. That could have meant a lot of flags from countries like Sweden, Pakistan, Turkey and Poland, from which many new residents of Norway have emigrated.
"We think that minorities' culture, language and costumes are now part of the Norwegian society," Athar Ali, leader of Norsk Innvandrerforum, told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) on Tuesday. "Minorities also celebrate the 17th of May. Therefore we think they can show off their own traditions in addition to the Norwegian, not instead of them."
More than 35 percent of Oslo school students have non-Norwegian ethnic background. In some schools, the so-called "minorities" make up the majority of the studentbody.
Many non-Norwegians already use their own national dress on the 17th of May. It's not unusual to see Scottish kilts or Indian Saris, for example, on the streets of Oslo that day.
It was up to the city's official 17th of May Committee to decide whether students from immigrant background would be allowed to wave their own homelands' flags in the city parade. While Athar Ali believes it would add to integration efforts, the committee disagreed. "Only Norwegian flags, Sami flags and the UN flag can be used in the 17th of May parade in the capital," said Amir Sheik, leader of the city's 17th of May Committee who has an immigrant background himself.
"While the crowd was indeed diverse, some students at the event questioned the practices of Mrs. Obamas event coordinators, who handpicked the crowd sitting behind Mrs. Obama. The Tartans correspondents observed one event coordinator say to another, Get me more white people, we need more white people. To an Asian girl sitting in the back row, one coordinator said, Were moving you, sorry. Its going to look so pretty, though.
That's unfortunate.
Ask Rep. Ron Paul, who keeps running for the Republican nod, what fictional figure he is like and he can't come up with an answer. It's probably Sisyphus, given his hopeless but continuing quest to push for the nomination. . . .
Dr. Paul -- who was raised in Green Tree and went to the University of Pittsburgh's medical school -- remains in the Republican race even though Sen. John McCain clinched the nomination March 4. (In Ohio, Dr. Paul got 49,000 votes to Mr. McCain's 635,000.) He blames those results largely on the voters mainstream media ignoring him, and says he remains in the race because of his supporters, 500 of whom packed a standing-room-only IUP auditorium.
"What kept me going ... I think it was the enthusiasm from my supporters. They just wouldn't let me go away," he told a small group of reporters. For God's sake, man, file stalking charges and have the court issue a restraining order! You could get your life back!
Posted by: Mike ||
04/08/2008 16:00 ||
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I just had a bizarre thought. If it comes out that McCain is gay or a baby raper or something, Paul might be able to grab the nomination. Not that he is, but I've been fooled before.
About to enter the final two weeks before the crucial Pennsylvania Democratic primary on April 22, Sen. Hillary Clinton stops by to chat with Ellen DeGeneres again today because she wants to reach one of her strongest group of voters, older women.
Actually, they don't really talk today. They taped it last week. So we know a little about the discussion. Ellen says she knows how strong Hillary is, but how hard it must be to hear all this talk about how she should give up, get out and quit the race for the Democratic presidential nomination because she's behind.
And Hillary says: "You know, boys used to say that to me all the time.
"And I figured I know this contest is close. I don't think either one of us should get out. We should let people vote. There are a lot of states that haven't voted yet. They deserve a chance to have their votes counted, and I just feel like I'm doing this for myself, obviously because I believe so much in what our country can be again once we finally get through with President Bush and get back to being the America we know and love."
And Ellen asks her about the rights of gay couples. And the New York senator says she's going to do "everything I can" to ensure equality. "I like it. I like it," Ellen replies.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/08/2008 00:00 ||
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Sen. Hillary Clinton stops by to chat with Ellen DeGeneres again today because she wants to reach one of her strongest group of voters, older gay women.
#2
What a Crock!! Hillary could have just as easily made her point by bowling with a gay black guy; if she wanted to really snub Obama or 'rub it in'! Proves all along, the Race card trumps the Gender card and the Gay card, any day of the week!!
#8
I'm no fan of either of them, but don't underestimate Ellen DeGenerate's demographic appeal. I have a sweet little old lady client who listens to Rush every day, then switches off the radio and turns on the tube to watch Ellen. I suspect she's not the only one.
Posted by: Mike ||
04/08/2008 8:35 Comments ||
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Maybe Hillarity just wanted some quality time with some gayh female companionship? Naw--it's about the votes.
The hill that Hillary Rodham Clinton must climb to beat Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination will grow a little steeper on Monday, as it has most days lately. Margaret Campbell, a Montana state legislator, plans to declare her support for Senator Obama, of Illinois. She becomes the 69th superdelegate he has picked up since the Feb. 5 coast-to-coast string of primary elections and caucus votes.
In the same period, Senator Clinton, of New York, has seen a net loss of two superdelegates, according to figures from the Obama campaign that Clinton aides do not dispute. That erosion may dim Mrs. Clintons remaining hopes even more than internal campaign turmoil, which led to the ouster on Sunday of the campaigns chief strategist, Mark Penn.
Trailing by more than 160 pledged delegates those chosen in state primaries or caucuses Mrs. Clinton has counted on superdelegates to help her overtake Mr. Obama with a late surge before the partys convention in August. The partys rules for proportional allocation make it highly difficult for her to erase Mr. Obamas pledged delegate lead, even if she sweeps the final 10 contests.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/08/2008 00:00 ||
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Fred! You've been reading the New York Times again!
Now cut that out!
Bill didn't sew up the nomination until June, anyway, right? So how did that play out in 1992, anyway?
Posted by: Bobby ||
04/08/2008 9:15 Comments ||
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Harry Reid says pull out, doom, gloom; we can't win. Quit the quagmire. Oh, wrong venue. New message: pull out, doom. gloom; SHE can't win. Quit the quagmire.
Two workers were killed today after a gas leakage at a Pakistani nuclear facility, the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission said. The accident took place at the Khushab heavy water plant, which had been shut down for annual Insh'allan maintenance, the commission said.
The plant was immediately evacuated and there was no threat to the public, the commission said. "(The) situation was immediately brought under control and two workers lost their lives while controlling the incident," it said. "There is no threat to public life as all the leaking gas has been burnt in the flare system of the plant."
"The core will stop long before it reaches Venezuela. Honest."
The town of Khushab is 240km southwest of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.
Orders have been issued to find out the cause of accident. The commission gave no further details but private television channels said a blast occurred in the hydrogen phosphate cylinders used in the production of heavy water.
(AKI - By Syed Saleem Shahzad) - Pakistan's newly elected coalition government led by the Pakistan Peoples Party made freedom of the media a major issue when it took two TV news channels off the air. The channels, ARY One World TV and GEO TV, confirmed they had been taken off air after showing footage of the beating of former chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim by Pakistan Peoples Party workers in the provincial legislature assembly.
The officials of the both channels confirmed that their networks were off air throughout the country after airing the footage of the former chief minister and the newly elected member of the provincial assembly, Arbab Ghulam Rahim, by the PPP workers.
He was dragged and beaten on Saturday when he entered in the provincial assembly to take oath. Sources said his life was saved only when he sought refuge insidet the parliament and was sent home under the police protection without taking the oath.
This morning he tried again to take his oath of office but the Pakistan Peoples Party workers, who had overwhelmed security arrangements at the provincial assembly, grabbed him and beaten him with shoes.
All of Pakistan's TV channels showed the footage but the government chose to close the two major news channels ARY and Geo TV. "This is the first government in the history of Pakistan which has defamed so quickly, the news director of SunBiz TV, Muhammad Tahir, told AKI. The minister for information Sherry Rahman was unavailable for comment on the government's action.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/08/2008 00:00 ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Australia's prime minister today confirmed his commitment to removing the Queen as head of state and making his country a republic, but said it was not a major priority. Speaking ahead of meeting Queen Elizabeth II during an official visit to Britain, Kevin Rudd said he was "once a republican, always a republican" but was in no rush to call a referendum.
About to enter the final two weeks before the crucial Pennsylvania Democratic primary on April 22, Sen. Hillary Clinton stops by to chat with Ellen DeGeneres again today because she wants to reach one of her strongest group of voters, older women.
The hill that Hillary Rodham Clinton must climb to beat Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination will grow a little steeper on Monday, as it has most days lately. Margaret Campbell, a Montana state legislator, plans to declare her support for Senator Obama, of Illinois. She becomes the 69th superdelegate he has picked up since the Feb. 5 coast-to-coast string of primary elections and caucus votes. 
(AKI - By Syed Saleem Shahzad) - Pakistan's newly elected coalition government led by the Pakistan Peoples Party made freedom of the media a major issue when it took two TV news channels off the air. The channels, ARY One World TV and GEO TV, confirmed they had been taken off air after showing footage of the beating of former chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim by Pakistan Peoples Party workers in the provincial legislature assembly.
