A few days ago, news broke on all the major media sources that the United States Electricity Grid might have been hacked into by people outside of the country.
Now, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that China is the one responsible for this cyber break-in.
According to the reports, the spies left malicious code and programming in the grid which could potentially disrupt operations. And while some security officials are pointing the finger at China already, China has, of course, denied any knowledge of such actions.
“The intrusion doesn’t exist at all,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu at a press conference. “We hope that the concerned media will prudently deal with some groundless remarks, especially those concerning accusations against China.”
China continues to flex its new internet prowess, while Americans obsess over how Kim Kardashian gets those fabulous curves going.
-Steve Kwan
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Albanians proud, Croats cool on joining NATO
Croatia and Albania are the newest members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. According to this article, Albania has shown much more enthusiasm with regard to its membership. While Albanians are brimming with pride, Croatia still has its sights set on EU membership, which has been a goal for quite some time. Albania, one of the poorest countries in Europe, views NATO membership as great progress. For Croatia, however, there was very little excitement over its membership, as it will not do much for Croatia's EU membership. While this may be the goal, the progress of NATO membership is a positive sign. And the lack of excitement shows the progress Croats have come to expect, especially when compared to a poor country like Albania. Hopefully, the talks with Slovenia will continue, and EU membership is somewhere on the horizon for Croatia.
- Matt Orminski (Croatia)
A "Camping Weekend" for Italian Earthquake Victims
After an earthquake occurred in central Italy leaving over 250 dead, Prime Minister Berlusconi informed the thousands of citizens left homeless that they should view this as a "weekend of camping."
The natural disaster destroyed the town of L'Aquila. The 17,000 people left homeless were forced to "camp" outside in freezing cold temperatures and endure hail storms. However, Berlusconi told reporters for the channel on which the interview aired that those left homeless "lacked nothing" and were provided with medications, hot meals and shelter.
Of course, as could be expected, the interview did not air on the Italian television stations, but rather a German television station not correlated with the Berlusconi media empire. He made the comments as rescue workers searched for survivors from the powerful aftershocks.
-Jamie Bezozo
Italy
The natural disaster destroyed the town of L'Aquila. The 17,000 people left homeless were forced to "camp" outside in freezing cold temperatures and endure hail storms. However, Berlusconi told reporters for the channel on which the interview aired that those left homeless "lacked nothing" and were provided with medications, hot meals and shelter.
Of course, as could be expected, the interview did not air on the Italian television stations, but rather a German television station not correlated with the Berlusconi media empire. He made the comments as rescue workers searched for survivors from the powerful aftershocks.
-Jamie Bezozo
Italy
Thai protesters call for PM's resignation
Thousands of red shirted protesters called for the resgination of Thailand's current Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva. The protesters are loyal to former Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, who was outed in the 2006 Coup. The protesters said that by Wednesday demonstration they would draw up to 300,000 people.
The protesters are saying that the current Prime Minister, who has only held office for 4 months, did not elecet his government democratically and want him to resign.
Ashley Hartz
Thailand
Russia Connected for 15 Years
As of this year, Russia has been officially a part of the World Wide Web for fifteen years with its Internet domain, .RU. The .RU code was developed out of an agreement signed in December 1993 by prominent Russian Internet providers, “The order of RU top-level domain administration”.
Then, on April, 7, 1994 .RU was finally registered on the Internet Network Information Center (InterNIC. The .RU code represents the Russian federation. The first website with the national domain was www.1-9-9-4.ru . This site still exists today on Runet, which is another name for Russian Internet.
Before using the .RU domain, Russia had been using .SU, which stood for Soviet Union. Then in 1993 it wanted its own state domain code, and was assigned the .RU code by the Russian Institute for Public Networks (RIPN), which was a scientific institution. However, Russia was not the first Soviet Union Republic to obtain a national representative domain. Lithuania, Georgia, Estonia and Ukraine all obtained domains in 1992, and Latvia and Azerbaijan obtained domains earlier than Russia in 1993.
Yet, the .RU domain code still seems to be running successfully, and the RU-Center, the regional network service provider still exists.
Julianne Kriner
Russia
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Berlusconi's Lawyer has a History of Mistakes
It seems that this isn't the first time that British lawyer, David Mills, has landed himself in hot water with the law. Although currently convicted of accepting a bribe from Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, to falsely testify in court, he has a history of lapses in judgment in other law-related cases.
He was forbidden to practice law in Dubai, after trying to work on a deal to sell jets to Iran, because he never admitted that he had been the subject of an official investigation. Furthermore, he is also under investigation for a case involving Berlusconi and tax evasion on television film rights. He is also being prosecuted for possibly making money transfers to himself from a client's offshore account, without permission.
-Jamie Bezozo
Italy
He was forbidden to practice law in Dubai, after trying to work on a deal to sell jets to Iran, because he never admitted that he had been the subject of an official investigation. Furthermore, he is also under investigation for a case involving Berlusconi and tax evasion on television film rights. He is also being prosecuted for possibly making money transfers to himself from a client's offshore account, without permission.
-Jamie Bezozo
Italy
Monday, April 6, 2009
Thailand Prime Minister Confident about Protest
Prime Minister Adhist Vajjajiva will address Thailand in a special televised program on Monday night at 8:45p.m. The Prime Minister chose tonight to address the nation because red shirt protestors are expected to stage a mass rally on Wednesday.
The Prime Minister will express the governmental position in reference to the massive protest to take place on Wednesday. Security agencies met this morning to prepare for the red shirt protest.
The Prime Minister is confident in the authority’s ability to keep the protest under control. He also expressed that the Thai government will not be declaring a state of emergency due to the protest.
-Marti Alhante
Thailand Group
The Prime Minister will express the governmental position in reference to the massive protest to take place on Wednesday. Security agencies met this morning to prepare for the red shirt protest.
The Prime Minister is confident in the authority’s ability to keep the protest under control. He also expressed that the Thai government will not be declaring a state of emergency due to the protest.
-Marti Alhante
Thailand Group
YouTube blocked in China
China has blocked the popular video-sharing Web site YouTube but did not offer a reason for the ban.
March 25, 2009--The Chinese government should disclose the legal basis for the sudden, widespread inaccessibility of the video-sharing Web site YouTube, or it should restore access to the site immediately, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Google said it did not know why the site had been blocked, but a report by the official Xinhua news agency of China on Tuesday said that supporters of the Dalai Lama had fabricated a video that appeared to show Chinese police officers brutally beating Tibetans after riots last year in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital.
China routinely filters Internet content and blocks material that is critical of its policies. It also frequently blocks individual videos on YouTube. YouTube was not blocked Tuesday or Wednesday in Hong Kong, the largely autonomous region of China. Beijing has not interfered with Internet sites there. The government did not directly address whether YouTube had been blocked.
Even as China steps up its censorship efforts, the country’s Internet participation is booming. Often, critics often find a way to avoid censors and debate controversial topics.
china ( Min-Suk kim)
March 25, 2009--The Chinese government should disclose the legal basis for the sudden, widespread inaccessibility of the video-sharing Web site YouTube, or it should restore access to the site immediately, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Google said it did not know why the site had been blocked, but a report by the official Xinhua news agency of China on Tuesday said that supporters of the Dalai Lama had fabricated a video that appeared to show Chinese police officers brutally beating Tibetans after riots last year in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital.
China routinely filters Internet content and blocks material that is critical of its policies. It also frequently blocks individual videos on YouTube. YouTube was not blocked Tuesday or Wednesday in Hong Kong, the largely autonomous region of China. Beijing has not interfered with Internet sites there. The government did not directly address whether YouTube had been blocked.
Even as China steps up its censorship efforts, the country’s Internet participation is booming. Often, critics often find a way to avoid censors and debate controversial topics.
china ( Min-Suk kim)
Putin's Plan to Overcome Financial Crisis
Russia—
90 Billion Dollars is at Stake to Fight the Current Economic Crisis in Russia.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin introduced the government’s anti-crisis program, and he quotes: “Russia has what it takes” to overcome the difficulties.
Putin assures the public that he and his ministers are working diligently to rectify the global financial turmoil that the country is currently trying to overcome.
Putin states: “Anti-crisis measures stipulate 1.4 trillion rubles in funds. On the whole, taking into account the effects of tax cuts, Central Bank funds, the National Welfare Fund and other sources to fight the consequences of the crisis and help the economy rebound, a total of 3 trillion rubles ($90 billion) has been allocated.”
The new plan proposed by Putin would mean a 70% increase of the budget spending on the national economy that would inevitably reach a record $52 billion a year.
The key defense sector will get approximately $5 billion (including loan guarantees) alone, and according to Putin “to protect the most important industries the government is ready to directly buy into companies' capital.”
Team Russia
Julianne Kriner
90 Billion Dollars is at Stake to Fight the Current Economic Crisis in Russia.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin introduced the government’s anti-crisis program, and he quotes: “Russia has what it takes” to overcome the difficulties.
Putin assures the public that he and his ministers are working diligently to rectify the global financial turmoil that the country is currently trying to overcome.
Putin states: “Anti-crisis measures stipulate 1.4 trillion rubles in funds. On the whole, taking into account the effects of tax cuts, Central Bank funds, the National Welfare Fund and other sources to fight the consequences of the crisis and help the economy rebound, a total of 3 trillion rubles ($90 billion) has been allocated.”
The new plan proposed by Putin would mean a 70% increase of the budget spending on the national economy that would inevitably reach a record $52 billion a year.
The key defense sector will get approximately $5 billion (including loan guarantees) alone, and according to Putin “to protect the most important industries the government is ready to directly buy into companies' capital.”
Team Russia
Julianne Kriner
Sunday, April 5, 2009
CPJ calls for Iranian president's intervention in Saberi case through Facebook
The Committee to Protect Journalists called for the charges against Roxana Saberi, a freelance journalist being detained in Tehran's notorious Evin Prison for unclear reasons, to be made public and for the Iranian government to ensure that she will receive due process and be released as quickly as possible.
CPJ delivered a petition on March 9 in support of Saberi to the Islamic Republic of Iran's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. With more than 10,000 signatures, the petition requested the direct intervention of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
CPJ launched its Facebook petition in support of Saberi on March 2, with the aim of collecting 1,000 signatures. The public outcry against her detention was so great that CPJ extended the deadline for signatures four additional days.
"We hope that this petition conveys to President Ahmadinejad and the Iranian leadership the depth of concern for Roxana Saberi," said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. "All of us are anxious to see her released as soon as possible. But at a minimum, she is entitled to basic due process. We call on President Ahmadinejad to ensure that her basic human rights are respected."
By Eka Obaigbena
Group: Iran
CPJ delivered a petition on March 9 in support of Saberi to the Islamic Republic of Iran's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. With more than 10,000 signatures, the petition requested the direct intervention of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
CPJ launched its Facebook petition in support of Saberi on March 2, with the aim of collecting 1,000 signatures. The public outcry against her detention was so great that CPJ extended the deadline for signatures four additional days.
"We hope that this petition conveys to President Ahmadinejad and the Iranian leadership the depth of concern for Roxana Saberi," said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. "All of us are anxious to see her released as soon as possible. But at a minimum, she is entitled to basic due process. We call on President Ahmadinejad to ensure that her basic human rights are respected."
By Eka Obaigbena
Group: Iran
Report says Iran may hold Saberi for prolonged period
Iranian-American freelance journalist, Roxana Saberi, who has been detained without charge since January, might remain in Tehran's notorious Evin Prison for a prolonged period.
In a telephone conversation with her father, Saberi said a prosecutor told her she would remain in detention for "months or even years," The New York Times reported today.
The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the news of her likely prolonged stay in the prison.
"We are very deeply concerned by the circumstances of Roxana Saberi's detention," said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Mohamed Abdel Dayem. "She continues to be held without charge, while officials have offered shifting reasons for her detention."
Iranian officials have issued conflicting explanations for her detention, which have ranged from being held for buying wine to being held for reporting without proper accreditation, or even no reason given at all.
"We are particularly concerned about Saberi's welfare, especially in light of where she is being held," CPJ's Abdel Dayem said.
Thousands have petitioned for the release of Saberi, who has worked for NPR, ABC, and the BBC.
By Eka Obaigbena
Group: Iran
In a telephone conversation with her father, Saberi said a prosecutor told her she would remain in detention for "months or even years," The New York Times reported today.
The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the news of her likely prolonged stay in the prison.
"We are very deeply concerned by the circumstances of Roxana Saberi's detention," said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Mohamed Abdel Dayem. "She continues to be held without charge, while officials have offered shifting reasons for her detention."
Iranian officials have issued conflicting explanations for her detention, which have ranged from being held for buying wine to being held for reporting without proper accreditation, or even no reason given at all.
"We are particularly concerned about Saberi's welfare, especially in light of where she is being held," CPJ's Abdel Dayem said.
Thousands have petitioned for the release of Saberi, who has worked for NPR, ABC, and the BBC.
By Eka Obaigbena
Group: Iran
Berlusconi puts NATO on hold
This article about Berlusconi's arrival at the NATO meeting where he is to meet German leader Angela Merkel on the red carpet and incredibly rudely took a phone call right as the car door opens. Lucky for all news audience members who want to see this rude entrance there is a video of this occurrance along with the audio of him giggling and pacing along a waterfront. Though it was later revealed that this phone call was with Turkey's prime minister regarding a the Danish Prime minister as new NATO chief. Though it was not a casual call to a friend, the act itself was rude, the uncomfortable public wait of Merkel was painful to watch.
This week Berlusconi has insulted the Queen of England with his loud voice and greetings, as well as complimenting Obama on his "tan". This is yet another example of the high status Berlusconi holds, he can get away with rude behavior and no one reprimands him. This will certainly not be the last story of his poor manners.
Becca Hallac
Italy Group
This week Berlusconi has insulted the Queen of England with his loud voice and greetings, as well as complimenting Obama on his "tan". This is yet another example of the high status Berlusconi holds, he can get away with rude behavior and no one reprimands him. This will certainly not be the last story of his poor manners.
Becca Hallac
Italy Group
Italians protest over economic crisis
Hundreds of thousands of Italians marched in Rome, Italy today, shouting anti-government slogans, protesting against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's handling of the economic crisis.
The story was reported in the British newspaper Herald Sun and described Italians varying from students, to workers, to leftist politicians took to the streets in Rome with red banners and balloons, blocking off traffic to much of central Rome. One of the banners at the scene read "Enough! It's time Italy fires Berlusconi!"
A protester was quoted in the newspaper saying how the government keeps making announcements, when instead they should give checks to people who lose their jobs. He made a statement saying "Berlusconi talks and talks but the money never shows up."
Its estimated up to 500,000 Italians can lose their job within a two-year span, up to mid 2010.The amount of Italians unemployed can be much higher than in 2007 when the economic crisis began.
More of this story can be read on the Herald Sun's website.
Eva Bruce (Italy)
The story was reported in the British newspaper Herald Sun and described Italians varying from students, to workers, to leftist politicians took to the streets in Rome with red banners and balloons, blocking off traffic to much of central Rome. One of the banners at the scene read "Enough! It's time Italy fires Berlusconi!"
A protester was quoted in the newspaper saying how the government keeps making announcements, when instead they should give checks to people who lose their jobs. He made a statement saying "Berlusconi talks and talks but the money never shows up."
Its estimated up to 500,000 Italians can lose their job within a two-year span, up to mid 2010.The amount of Italians unemployed can be much higher than in 2007 when the economic crisis began.
More of this story can be read on the Herald Sun's website.
Eva Bruce (Italy)
Croatia Involvment with US-Afghanistan War
Croatia is selling 19,000 AK-47 assault rifles to the United States. The deal has been made, only the price has not been set yet, the Vecernji list daily reported. It is estimated that the price of the weapons could be at least two billion euros, depending on the state of the rifle and the probably lower price due to good partnership relations between Croatia and the United States.
The American reasons for making this deal are two: the lower price and the current state of equipment of Afghan troops that are mostly armed with various types of Kalashnikovs, which are assault rifles whose resilience and almost perfect performance in all weather conditions are well known.
It was interesting to see this article because we rarely or never hear about different countries' involvement with the US wars in our mainstream media.
-Vikash Kothari
Croatia Group
The American reasons for making this deal are two: the lower price and the current state of equipment of Afghan troops that are mostly armed with various types of Kalashnikovs, which are assault rifles whose resilience and almost perfect performance in all weather conditions are well known.
It was interesting to see this article because we rarely or never hear about different countries' involvement with the US wars in our mainstream media.
-Vikash Kothari
Croatia Group
Obama praises new NATO members Albania and Croatia
On April 1st, Croatia was inducted in to the NATO as their 27th member. However, the introduction was much overlooked because of Obama's presence as well as protests. Obama praised Croatia and their entry into the NATO, including their reforms in order to make this possible.
The entrance into the NATO leads Croatia closer to the European boarders. This entry is essential in the transformation of Croatia in their economic, cultural, and communication development. Because of their new involvement, both Croatia and Albania are sending troops and equipment to Afghanistan.
The people of Croatia were extremely excited about the entrance into NATO when the decision was first made. However, the excitement really peaked when the people of the nation understood this step as a giant achievement in their foreign policies. This agreement is a seen as a stepping stone towards European integration. Hopefully, this step will also have an effect on media freedoms and eventually effect the amount of freedom that the media and communication sectors face.
Jennifer McKenzie
CROATIA Group
The entrance into the NATO leads Croatia closer to the European boarders. This entry is essential in the transformation of Croatia in their economic, cultural, and communication development. Because of their new involvement, both Croatia and Albania are sending troops and equipment to Afghanistan.
The people of Croatia were extremely excited about the entrance into NATO when the decision was first made. However, the excitement really peaked when the people of the nation understood this step as a giant achievement in their foreign policies. This agreement is a seen as a stepping stone towards European integration. Hopefully, this step will also have an effect on media freedoms and eventually effect the amount of freedom that the media and communication sectors face.
Jennifer McKenzie
CROATIA Group
Suu Kyi's US backers plead to keep sanctions
On Saturday US Congress supporters of Myanmar’s democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi pleaded to keep sanctions on the military regime. The Obama administration is reviewing a strategy of Myanmar, whose ruling junta has kept Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest for 19 years.
The lawmakers, led by longtime Aung San Suu Kyi champion Joseph Crowley, said that Myanmar's leader Than Shwe had shown no desire to engage with the world's only detained Nobel laureate.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton received a letter from 17 members of Congress who were concerned that the United States was considering lifting sanctions on Myanmar. The letter noted that last year Congress approved a law subjecting the Myanmar junta to sanctions until it releases all political prisoners and starts dialogue on bringing in democracy. However Jim Webb, who heads the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on Asia, said the United States needed a more "constructive" policy on Myanmar.
Last week State Department official Stephen Blake visited Myanmar, and quietly held talks with the junta and the opposition. This was the first time a senior US envoy visited Myanmar in more than seven years.
Deputy Secretary of State Jim Steinberg said Wednesday the United States was seeking a common approach with Asia on Myanmar and said the six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear program could serve as a model. Senator Webb said the United States should take a lesson from how it opened relations with China and Vietnam despite human rights and other concerns in the two communist states.
This news article again highlights the many problems of Burma’s ruling junta. It also mentions the highly publicized house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi. The US government clearly needs to come up with a plan to deal with Burma’s junta. The plan needs to get everyone on the same page and take into account the many opinions discussed briefly in this article. It seems that many people in Washington have ideas about how to make Burma a better place for its citizens and this is important because it shows the problem is the on radar and that we plan to do something about it. Hopefully this new administration can find an approach that works for Burma and its many citizens to help bring democracy to the country.
By Sara Lucid
Burma Group
The lawmakers, led by longtime Aung San Suu Kyi champion Joseph Crowley, said that Myanmar's leader Than Shwe had shown no desire to engage with the world's only detained Nobel laureate.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton received a letter from 17 members of Congress who were concerned that the United States was considering lifting sanctions on Myanmar. The letter noted that last year Congress approved a law subjecting the Myanmar junta to sanctions until it releases all political prisoners and starts dialogue on bringing in democracy. However Jim Webb, who heads the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on Asia, said the United States needed a more "constructive" policy on Myanmar.
Last week State Department official Stephen Blake visited Myanmar, and quietly held talks with the junta and the opposition. This was the first time a senior US envoy visited Myanmar in more than seven years.
Deputy Secretary of State Jim Steinberg said Wednesday the United States was seeking a common approach with Asia on Myanmar and said the six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear program could serve as a model. Senator Webb said the United States should take a lesson from how it opened relations with China and Vietnam despite human rights and other concerns in the two communist states.
This news article again highlights the many problems of Burma’s ruling junta. It also mentions the highly publicized house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi. The US government clearly needs to come up with a plan to deal with Burma’s junta. The plan needs to get everyone on the same page and take into account the many opinions discussed briefly in this article. It seems that many people in Washington have ideas about how to make Burma a better place for its citizens and this is important because it shows the problem is the on radar and that we plan to do something about it. Hopefully this new administration can find an approach that works for Burma and its many citizens to help bring democracy to the country.
By Sara Lucid
Burma Group
Russian killings reach past borders
According to a recent report released by the AP, the iron fist of Russian government is reaching past its country lines to suppress oppositional voices. Authorities in Dubai, United Arab Emirates arrested two suspects in the killing of a former Chechen rebel on April 5. This plan is believed to have been masterminded by a member of Russia’s parliament. The slain Sulim Yamadayev was to be a rival of the dominant and current Moscow-backed leader of the Chechnya region of Russia, according to the report. Chechnya has a long history of conflict with Russian authorities, under-going and losing two wars for its independence; this is the first politically motivated killing to take place in Dubai. According to the AP, Dubai authorities have received no cooperation from Russian and Chechnya police forces. As past and similar incidents in the region indicate, this is yet another example of the hostility that continues to exist between the Russian government and anyone who expresses opposing viewpoints.
Russia (Jennifer)
Russia (Jennifer)
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Mexico: Narco Wars Video
Daily headlines— Mexico at War—can become commonplace, routine— “Well, no surprise there.” Watching this Narco Wars video helped me to see the actual violence (not just words in a paper or lines read verbatim by a news anchor describing the violence) going on beneath our border.
As of this week, there are 50,000 troops positioned along the Mexico-U.S. border to combat the ongoing drug trafficking war. Over 10,100 people have been killed since December 2006. Violence is worsening as President Felipe Calderón declared war on the drug cartels and is digging deeper into the system—I think of it as going for the root in order to kill the entire cartel plant.
“If you don’t fight the cartels frontally, you have less violence but you have a lot of corruption,” said Political Analyst Jorge Chabat. “If you fight them like they’re doing right now, you have a lot of violence… So, the choice is not easy.”
Felipe is aggressively following through on his plan- "like no other administration in Mexico's history"- to stop the cartels. They're “structured like global terrorist organizations,” making them hard to break down— especially when police and political officials are being bribed with drug money.
“It’s one of the few countries where if you see a policeman, instead of feeling safe you feel threatened,” said an interviewee.
And as our Freedom House speaker mentioned, times of war and violence tend to suppress press freedom, making the Mexican journalists’ jobs even more dangerous now.
-- Amy Eichenlaub, Mexico
As of this week, there are 50,000 troops positioned along the Mexico-U.S. border to combat the ongoing drug trafficking war. Over 10,100 people have been killed since December 2006. Violence is worsening as President Felipe Calderón declared war on the drug cartels and is digging deeper into the system—I think of it as going for the root in order to kill the entire cartel plant.
“If you don’t fight the cartels frontally, you have less violence but you have a lot of corruption,” said Political Analyst Jorge Chabat. “If you fight them like they’re doing right now, you have a lot of violence… So, the choice is not easy.”
Felipe is aggressively following through on his plan- "like no other administration in Mexico's history"- to stop the cartels. They're “structured like global terrorist organizations,” making them hard to break down— especially when police and political officials are being bribed with drug money.
“It’s one of the few countries where if you see a policeman, instead of feeling safe you feel threatened,” said an interviewee.
And as our Freedom House speaker mentioned, times of war and violence tend to suppress press freedom, making the Mexican journalists’ jobs even more dangerous now.
-- Amy Eichenlaub, Mexico
Friday, April 3, 2009
The Queen gets turned off by Berlusconi
This week was an important week for leaders across the world with the G-20 summit that happened in London. While our President Obama was present at the summit to try and get other nations on board with trying to recover the global economy, our dear Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi also attended and took a few photos with our history-making president.
Attached is a link of the Queen being annoyed with Berlusconi for shouting out Mr. Obama's name to attract his attention. As you will see in the clip, all the G-20 leaders, including the Queen were brought together for an official photo to mark the summit. After the pictures are taken, you can hear Berlusconi in the background saying "Mr. Obama!" and the Queen turns around and shrugs at Berlusconi saying "what is it?" in a tone of annoyance.
Not only is the Italian prime minister the owner of 90 percent of Italy's media, he apparently seems to have a big mouth also.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSUn_J__MUk
Eva Bruce (Italy)
Attached is a link of the Queen being annoyed with Berlusconi for shouting out Mr. Obama's name to attract his attention. As you will see in the clip, all the G-20 leaders, including the Queen were brought together for an official photo to mark the summit. After the pictures are taken, you can hear Berlusconi in the background saying "Mr. Obama!" and the Queen turns around and shrugs at Berlusconi saying "what is it?" in a tone of annoyance.
Not only is the Italian prime minister the owner of 90 percent of Italy's media, he apparently seems to have a big mouth also.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSUn_J__MUk
Eva Bruce (Italy)
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
77 Names Added to Slain Journalists Memorial in DC
On Monday, March 30, 77 names were added to the Journalists Memorial in Washington D.C. The wall is part of the Newseum, a journalism and free speech museum, and according to its mission statement, its purpose is to "to help the public and the news media understand one another better and to raise public awareness to the important ole of free press in a democratic society."
Among the 77 names that were added to the wall on Monday were those of five Mexican journalists who fell victim to the drug violence that prevails in their country. Alberto Ibarguen, the Newseum's chairman said about the Mexican journalists' deaths, "These are not long ago and far away events. The story they're covering in Mexico is a story of drugs and corruption and guns."
Among the journalists honored was Armando Rodriguez, the crime reporter for El Diario in Ciudad Juárez that our group had posted about a couple of weeks ago. While our group is to focus on Mexico, the article also mentions reporters whom were honored on Monday from different countries. The other journalists include Magomed Yevloyev, the owner of a Russian news website, and Ryan Rendleman, a student reporter for the Daily Egyptian.
By: Keirin Ahmad, group Mexico
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