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Talk:Judging the Courts: Wikinews interviews Prof. Lawrence Douglas

I'm pleased to announce that Lawrence Douglas, Professor of Law, Jurisprudence and Social Thought at Amherst College has agreed to be interviewed by Wikinews. The interview will focus on the trial of Saddam Hussein and international humanitarian law trials (i.e., those concerning crimes against humanity, genocide, war-crimes and the like) in general.

Prof. Douglas is the author of The Memory of Judgment: Making Law and History in the Trials of the Holocaust (Yale University Press, 2001), a widely acclaimed study of war crimes trials. He teaches courses on the American Supreme Court, the relationship between law and art, legal interpretation, and law and the Holocaust.

Profile of Prof. Douglas

He recently wrote a column, The Hussein Verdict: Beyond Justice on the Saddam trial for the Jurist, a legal news portal.

— Doldrums(talk) 11:05, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

Dujail trial
On November 5, 2006, The Iraqi special tribunal found former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein guilty of crimes against humanity for his role in the killing of 148 people in Dujail in 1982. Saddam was sentenced to death by hanging. Six others, including Saddam's half-brother Barzan al-Tikriti, former vice-president Taha Yassin Ramadan and former chief judge of the Revolutionary Court, Awad Hamed al-Bandar were also convicted of various charges relating to the Dujail killing.

The trial concerned the imprisonment, abuse and killing of local people following a failed assassination attempt on Saddam Hussein on July 8, 1982 at the small Shiite town of Dujail in northern Iraq.

The year-long trial saw witnesses, including a former Iraqi intelligence officer who investigated the assassination attempt, testify of imprisonment, torture and the execution of 148 villagers. Documents and a recording of a telephone conversation were presented linking Saddam with the executions. Defence lawyers questioned the validity of the court, disputed the prosecution's account of the events and claimed that the executions were legal.

The trial saw frequent outbursts from the defendants and clashes between defence attorneys and judges. Three members of the defence team were murdered during the course of the trial, and the defence accused prosecutors of attempting to bribe witnesses. The chief judge of the court resigned in January over differences with Iraqi authorities over the conduct of the trial.

While the Court's verdict was hailed by the Iraqi government, the Unites States and by many Iraqis, particularly in Shiite-dominated areas; it has also been faulted by some countries, rights groups, some Iraqi leaders and Iraqis from Saddam's home-town..

Wikinews covered the trial, most recently the verdict.

Message board
''Please suggest questions (or modify existing one). I'd like the questions to be ready by say, 9:00 am New York Time tmrrw.'' — Doldrums(talk) 11:05, 13 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Time's up. — Doldrums(talk) 15:05, 14 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Questions have been sent. a few "supplementals"/follow-ups can be added, if required. if u have any to suggest, go ahead and add them below. — Doldrums(talk) 09:20, 15 November 2006 (UTC)
 * awaiting interviewee's OK for publishing. — Doldrums(talk) 14:34, 21 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Ping - Edbrown05 08:31, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
 * there's one sentence which needs some minor fixing, have e-mailed Prof. Douglas over it. shld get a response within a few hours, i think. — Doldrums(talk) 08:39, 22 November 2006 (UTC)

Dujail trial

 * Did Saddam Hussein get a trial fair?

 * Saddam is believed to have committed atrocities on a huge scale. Do such crimes merit a fair trial, one with the same standards as that for a "common" crime?
 * Notes: "Court is satisfied" versus "beyond reasonable doubt" standard.

 * Saddam's defense lawyers, rights groups and observers have questioned the fairness and validity of this trial. What do you make of the concerns raised by them?
 * Notes:Killings of defense lawyers, changes to the Bench, defense handed full list of charges late, not allowed to contest the validity of the court, allegations of perjury.

 * Some of the issues raised concern matters that were outside the Court's ambit and control (eg., the murder of three defense team members, the opposition to the use of the death penalty, the effect of the verdict on the continuing violence in the country). Leaving these aside, What do you make of the concerns raised about the Court's proceedings, its decisions and actions?

 * Have the actions of the Iraqi authorities undermined the fairness or independence of the Tribunal?
 * Notes: resignation & re-appointment of judges, time-table, comments by Iraqi leaders on the trial & verdict

 * The trial has been criticized by Saddam's defense lawyers as having a "pre-determined verdict". what is the line dividing a trial with a "pre-determined verdict" and a trial where there is a widespread belief that the accused is guilty? Can there be a fair trial in this latter circumstance?

International criminal and humanitarian law courts

 * How significant is the Saddam trial to international criminal jurisprudence? Will it impact other trials?

 * Do international tribunals such as the ones set up to try crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Cambodia... etc do a good job? What have they succeeded in? What problems have they experienced?

 * How effective have National courts and individual countries been in bringing high-level leaders to account for abuses?
 * Notes: Augusto Pinochet, the South African TRC, the Argentinian "Dirty War" trials

 * How do the two compare?

 * One of the reasons for setting up the ICC and other international courts has been to serve as a deterrent against committing crimes under international humanitarian law; to work around the impunity enjoyed by some leaders in their home countries. How well is this purpose being served?

 * In the efforts to secure an end to the conflict between the Ugandan government and the LRA rebels, LRA leaders have demanded that crimes against humanity charges filed against them by the ICC be dropped, as part of the deal. Is there a tension between ensuring justice for the victims of past crimes and and preventing/mitigating future suffering? How can such a tension be resolved?

 * International law tribunals have been criticized for selectively trying certain perpetrators. Does this selectivity make the process any less valid?
 * Notes: Robert Cryer, Jurisdiction of the Iraq Tribunal

 * The International Criminal Court was set up in part to counter this problem, with a promise for "universal justice" Has this attempt at ensuring fairness worked?

Courts and writing history

 * You have suggested in your book, The Memory of Judgement, that the Holocaust trials have a pedagogical value - they document events and serve as a historical record, in addition to serving the cause of justice. How well does a criminal trial capture the history of the events underlying the crimes?

 * What does the account presented by a judicial process offer that scholarly or journalistic or propagandist accounts don't?

 * Is the pedagogical purpose served even when the trials are or are seen as, selective and less than fair?
 * Notes:Nazi trials and the Saddam trial criticized as selective.

 * Many rights and humanitarian groups document abuses and crimes to serve as a record of events. Do trials offer more?

 * How about truth and reconciliation commissions, which are usually explicitly charged with the task to record events in addition to punishing those guilty of a crime?

 * You have written that law has responded to the holocaust by creating and expanding on the concepts of genocide and crimes against humanity. Are these additions to legal discourse and legal apparatus adequate to handle the events since then, such as the Rwandan genocide, the breakup of Yugoslavia? Do these events show a need for or did they spawn a fresh expansion?

Back to Saddam's trial

 * How well did the Saddam trial fare in writing history?
 * Notes: "The determination beyond reasonable doubt of certain facts is crucial in combating denial and preventing attempts at revisionism" (ICTY)

 * Does the court's account really matter? Don't "Iraqis know Saddam's crimes, trial or no trial"?

 * Should the trial have been conducted by an international tribunal instead of an Iraqi one?

 * There is a possibility that Saddam may be executed without facing trial over other, far more significant crimes such as the the Anfal killings, in which an estimated 100,000 people died. How important is it, for serving justice and for establishing a historical record for Saddam to face trial for the Anfal killings, the repression of the 1991 Shia uprising, ...etc.
 * Notes: Iraq national reconciliation process underway.

In the United States

 * The United States has moved to redefine its rules regarding the treatment of terrorist suspects, combatants and detainees. At the same time, it has sought to reduce judicial, legislative(?) and public scrutiny of the government's conduct in the War On Terror. Do these moves conflict with the US' obligations under international law?

 * The outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has been sued in Germany for alleged war crimes over the abuse in Abu Ghraib and allegedly, at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. Under what circumstances will senior commanders or civilian leaders held responsible for abuse committed under their command? If the German prosecutors do open a case, is the United States or Sec. Rumsfeld obliged to respond or act upon it?

Raw transcript
The Questions -

The Dujail trial Did Saddam Hussein get a trial fair?

Clearly the trial suffered from numerous and substantial flaws which never would have been tolerated had the trial been staged before an international tribunal, as many human rights observers advocated. All the same, the trial was not a complete sham. The prosecution was able to present strong evidence connecting Saddam to the killings in Dujail. The judges apparently struggled long to weigh the evidence brought against the various defendants (though their compendious written judgment has not yet been made public). So if the Hussein trial failed to live up to the hopes of some that Iraqi jurists would quickly master the rules of the rule of law, it also disappointed the doomsday prognostications of others who foretold a legal catastrophe.

Saddam is believed to have committed atrocities on a huge scale. Do such crimes merit a fair trial, one with the same standards as that for a "common" crime?

The magnitude of the crimes should not change our commitment to a fair legal process. This is not to say that the identical rules of evidence that apply in the trial of a “common” criminal must be applied to a spectacular trial of a high-level perpetrator. For example, the Nuremberg and Eichmann trials both permitted hearsay and entertained a more capacious notion of relevance than would have been permitted in a “common” trial. But these unorthodox evidentiary rules did not erode the fairness of the proceedings,

Saddam's defense lawyers, rights groups and observers have questioned the fairness and validity of this trial. What do you make of the concerns raised by them?

The fact that the judge who finally took the reins of control, Raouf Rasheed Abdel-Rahman, frequently got into shouting matches with the defendants and suddenly curtailed the calling of defense witnesses certainly did little to contribute to the image of a neutral, even-handed tribunal.

Some of the issues raised concern matters that were outside the Court's ambit and control (e.g., the murder of three defense team members, the opposition to the use of the death penalty, the effect of the verdict on the continuing violence in the country). Leaving these aside, what do you make of the concerns raised about the Court's own proceedings, its decisions and actions?

Clearly the Tribunal made all sorts of missteps and questionable moves. It’s worth bearing in mind, however, that even the best-intentioned court would have faced staggering problems given the tactics of Saddam and the larger political climate outside of the courtroom. Saddam himself placed the Tribunal in an extremely difficult position. The first presiding judge, Rizgar Mohammed Amin, was faulted for his failure to restrain the defendant, and this failure arguably made the court look impotent. His replacement, Judge Abdel-Rahman was faulted for the opposite reason: for dragging the defendant from the courtroom at the slightest provocation, a strategy that undermined the dignity of the court and its appearance of neutrality. So the court was caught in a difficult position, which was not improved by the periodic news that a member of the defense team had been assassinated. That said, the fact that one of the accused was acquitted is a good sign. At the very least, the judges appeared to have learned the Nuremberg lesson that nothing legitimates the death sentence of an architect of atrocity better than the acquittal of a lackey.

Have the actions of the Iraqi authorities undermined the fairness or independence of the Tribunal?

The tribunal was subjected to withering political pressure from the Iraqi government, resulting in the resignation of the first presiding judge and in the withdrawal of a possible replacement. Clearly this kind of political pressure is inappropriate. At the very least it undermines the perception of the tribunal’s independence, and matters of perception play an extremely important role in legitimizing the legal process.

The trial has been criticized by Saddam's defense lawyers as having a "pre-determined verdict". What is the line dividing a trial with a "pre-determined verdict" and a trial where there is a widespread belief that the accused is guilty? Can there be a fair trial in this latter circumstance?

Clearly the likelihood of a guilty verdict cannot be a measure of the fairness of a trial. If it were, then the strongest cases could be deemed the least fair. It’s important, then, to distinguish between the assumption of guilt, as a factual matter, and the presumption of innocence – the legal norm that requires the state to assume the burden of proving guilt, even in cases in which many people may assume that the accused is guilty. The assumption of guilt can never replace the state’s obligation to assume the burden of proof. If it does, the trial is a farce.

International criminal and humanitarian courts How significant is the Saddam trial to international criminal jurisprudence? Will it impact other trials?

Taken in tandem with the Milosevic trial (which ended, after more than three years of trial, with the death of the former Yugoslav president in March), the Saddam trial makes clear how difficult it is to control the court behavior of former strongmen. Saddam clearly took a page from Milosevic’s playbook, mounting a defense of disruption that continuously challenged the legitimacy of the tribunal. I think prosecutors and judges need to come up with new ways of dealing with such recalcitrant defendants. As a further matter, I suppose the irregularities of the Saddam trial will lead some jurists to strengthen the call for international trials of former dictators; clearly, opponents of the death penalty will likewise petition in favor of relying on international courts to deal with the legacy of atrocious crimes.

Do international tribunals such as the ones set up to try crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Cambodia... etc do a good job? What have they succeeded in? What problems have they experienced?

We should distinguish between international tribunals, such as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and the hybrid courts that have been constituted in Sierra Leone and now in Cambodia. None of these courts have compiled perfect records, but mostly they have been quite effective. Notwithstanding the missteps and disappointments associated with the Milosevic trial – the former president’s death in March cheated the tribunal of the opportunity of ever passing judgment – the ICTY has brought other high level perpetrators to justice and has contributed importantly to the growth of international criminal law. One problem that all these courts have faced are the start-up costs. As ad hoc tribunals, these courts have been created out of nothing, and the cost of building courts, hiring staff, establishing competence has been extraordinarily high. As a permanent institution, the International Criminal Court (ICC) promises to solve some of these problems.

How effective have National courts and individual countries been in bringing high-level leaders to account for abuses?

The record is uneven. In the wake of the atrocities of World War II, thousands of domestic trials were staged. The most spectacular of these – the Eichmann trial in Jerusalem in 1961, the Barbie trial in Lyon in 1987 – were enormously important, despite their flaws, in establishing a responsible account of terrible crimes. Other countries have been less successful. The fact that Pol Pot died peacefully without ever having had to answer for his crimes is regrettable, indeed, but not entirely unexpected. A country that is still very much in the grips of its traumatic history is hardly in the position to engage in a reckoning with its past in a manner that accords with the rule of law.

How do the two (Domestic versus International courts) compare?

Clearly there are tradeoffs. International trials inevitably arouse resentment in the nations most directly implicated in the commission of the adjudged crimes; international tribunals convey the message that domestic national courts are not up to the task of doing justice. Moreover, as these trials may unfold thousands of miles removed from the site of the crimes, they fail to be organically connected to the communities that should be most involved in the case. Conversely, domestic national courts invite the charge of being insufficiently distanced from the crimes under consideration; these courts thus may be assailed as partisan instruments of victor’s justice, or, conversely, as instruments lacking the legal resources and political will to bring perpetrators to justice. If – and it’s a big if – we can trust domestic national courts, I think they are to be preferred over international tribunals for the reasons suggested above. International tribunals should be courts of last resort, relied upon in situations in which domestic courts should not be taxed, or cannot be trusted, to deal adequately with the legal legacy of atrocity.

One of the reasons for setting up the ICC and other international courts has been to serve as a deterrent against committing crimes under international humanitarian law; to work around the impunity enjoyed by some leaders in their home countries. How well is this purpose being served?

I’m not sure I would necessarily associate the goal of deterrence with the goal of ending impunity – that is, I believe it is critical to fight impunity, even if bringing perpetrators to justice appears to do little by the way of deterring other leaders from engaging in atrocious acts. That said, I think it’s awfully difficult to measure deterrence inasmuch as it’s a negative effect. The fact that atrocities continue to occur around the globe doesn’t mean that some potential perpetrators might not have thought twice about engaging in criminal acts.

In the efforts to secure an end to the conflict between the Ugandan government and the LRA rebels, LRA leaders have demanded that crimes against humanity charges filed against them by the ICC be dropped, as part of the deal. Is there a tension between ensuring justice for the victims of past crimes and preventing/mitigating future suffering? How can such a tension be resolved?

The problem resists easy solution. Once you indict a head of state as, say, a perpetrator of genocide, it becomes extremely difficult to work to a political solution with that leader. At the same time, the ICC is a legal institution, not a political device, and it does not take its orders from negotiators or other political actors. It would be nice to say that the dilemma is false – that perpetrators of atrocities always reveal themselves to be unreliable, treacherous parties to political settlements – though I’m not sure this is correct. Qaddafi, arguably responsible for crimes against humanity, is now the West’s poster boy of the rehabilitated strongman.

International law tribunals have been criticized for selectively trying certain perpetrators. Does this selectivity make the process any less valid?

Selectivity can be as benign as it is necessary. All criminal trials are selective inasmuch as only a small percentage of those who break the law ever find themselves in the dock at a criminal trial. It is well accepted that trials of organized crime figures will invariably focus on the conduct of a few. Obviously the goal is to go after the leaders of a criminal organization. The ICC has specifically set itself the goal of going after leaders, not underlings. Problems arise when selectivity is the consequence not of an effort to conserve prosecutorial resources, but born of a political calculus. The ICTY, for example, has wisely brought prosecutions against Croats as well as Serbs. Still, some critics have attacked the ICTY for failing to bring charges against NATO nations for the air war over Kosovo and Serbia in 1999. I am not convinced of the merits of this specific critique, but all fair-minded persons must agree that international justice binds the strong as well as the weak.

The International Criminal Court was set up in part to counter this problem, with a promise for "universal justice" Has this attempt at ensuring fairness worked?

By its very terms, the ICC cannot deliver “universal justice,” as it has no jurisdiction over crimes committed in a conflict in which neither belligerent is a member of the court. Also, the hope that the court would bind the strong as well as the weak has obviously been frustrated by the Bush administration’s concerted efforts to undermine the fledgling body. The one ray of hope here is the fact that Bush did not block the referral of the Darfur crimes to the ICC. The ultimate efficacy and fairness of the ICC will be demonstrated in the years to come.

Courts and writing history You have suggested in your book,  The Memory of Judgment , that the Holocaust trials have a pedagogical value - they document events and serve as a historical record, in addition to serving the cause of justice. How well does a criminal trial capture the history of the events underlying the crimes?

I think it’s fair to say that trials are not well equipped at rendering history in its full complexity. What they can do very effectively is use document and testimony to construct a historical account that reaches a huge audience. This account may never match the most nuanced renderings of the past that issue from the pen of the professional historian. But it can establish a baseline of indisputable fact that discredits the apologists of perpetrators and gives the lie to those who would baldly falsify the historical record.

What does the historical account presented by a judicial process offer that scholarly or journalistic or propagandist accounts don't?

Certainly trials have the power to galvanize national and international attention in a way that other accounts rarely can. Prosecutors can often call upon extraordinarily powerful tools of discovery for the purposes of accumulating and organizing vast amounts of evidence. Survivors are given the opportunity to present stories of victimization in the form of legally potent evidence. Spectators of the trial – either those present in the courtroom or those who follow the proceeding on television – directly witness the presentation of evidence and testimony. In this way, they become witnesses to the witnesses.

Is the pedagogical purpose served even when the trials are or are seen as, selective and less than fair?

One of the central pedagogic aims of these trials is to make visible the workings of the rule of law. This is a particularly important goal in transitional societies that historically have lacked a robust commitment to the rule of law. Clearly this aim cannot be realized if the trial is perceived as deeply flawed. As a further matter, the quality of the justice will inevitably influence the way observers perceive the quality of the history presented in the courtroom. A biased proceeding will not be viewed as a neutral forum for the presentation of history.

Many rights and humanitarian groups document abuses and crimes to serve as a record of events. Do trials offer more?

I think of the documentary work of human rights groups and of trials as complementary. The work compiled by humanitarian groups can make its way into the prosecution’s dossier. Conversely, researchers can further mine the archival trove compiled by prosecutors. Yet as I’ve already mentioned, trials enjoy the power to galvanize national and international attention. One cannot underestimate the drama of seeing a former head of state or a high-level perpetrator standing before his accusers, victims, and judges.

How about truth and reconciliation commissions, which are usually explicitly charged with the task to record events in addition to punishing those guilty of a crime?

Again, I see the work of trials and truth commissions as complementary, not antagonistic. Trials are about adjudicating guilt; they issue in the imposition of a coercive sanction. This fixation on fixing guilt and imposing punishment may serve the interests of reconciliation and transition, but that is not its principal purpose. Moreover, because trials assign blame and impose sanctions, it is critical that they be performed fairly. Truth commissions, by contrast, are often explicitly geared toward advancing the goals of reconciliation: they are part of an instrumental calculus that seeks a smooth transition to a more humane political order. Truth commissions may, then, be better suited to the experiences of certain nations than trials. That said, the two are not mutually exclusive and can often work in tandem with one another. As time passes, a nation that, in the interests of stabilizing a fledgling democracy, originally accepted a truth commission may come to see, as its institutions strengthen, the attractions, if not the necessity, of trials, too.

You have written that law has responded to the holocaust by creating and expanding on the concepts of genocide and crimes against humanity. Are these additions to legal discourse and legal apparatus adequate to handle the events since then, such as the Rwandan genocide, the breakup of Yugoslavia? Do these events show a need for, or did they spawn, a fresh expansion?

I think we need to distinguish between the substantive crimes that high-level perpetrators stand accused of have committed – e.g., genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes – and the principles of criminal accountability that prosecutors use to organize and prove their case. Here I have in mind concepts such as the “joint criminal enterprise,” which has been usefully elaborated by prosecutors at the ICTY to facilitate complex prosecutions of high-level perpetrators. Some have called for the expansion of the substantive crimes to include novel offenses, such as “the crime of atrocity.” I, for one, think it counterproductive to proliferate the number of major international crimes; “genocide” and “crimes against humanity” are both clearly enough defined yet capacious enough to embrace the full spectrum of atrocity.

Back to Saddam's trial How well did the Saddam trial fare in writing history?

The tribunal’s written decision is yet to appear, so it’s difficult to answer this question. Perhaps more to the point, the trial dealt with a relative minor set of crimes, those pertaining to the reprisal killings of 148 Shias in Dujail in 1982. While such a focus made for a more manageable case for the prosecution, it did not serve the broader interest of demonstrating the full sweep of atrocity perpetrated by Saddam’s regime.

Does the court's record of events really matter? Don't "Iraqis know Saddam's crimes, trial or no trial"?

I think a court’s record of events can make a difference. Though many Germans were aware of the “excesses” of the Nazis, the Nuremberg trial made clear to them the extent and depth of atrocity perpetrated by their leaders. This accounting helped erode whatever residual sympathy the Nazis enjoyed among the German people. Ideally, the Hussein trial would have achieved a similar end. I doubt though that this has happened. Unfortunately, the minds of many Iraqis, the crimes for which Saddam has been sentenced to death pale in comparison to the violence that grips the Iraqi nation on a daily basis. If anything, a sizeable percentage of the population probably now longs for a strong leader capable of reimposing conditions of security and order.

Should the trial have been conducted by an international tribunal instead of an Iraqi one?

Clearly an international tribunal could have avoided some of the more unseemly problems that vexed the Iraqi court. Still, I believe an international court would have been plagued by other problems. As the Milosevic trial made clear, the fact that a trial is conducted before an international tribunal does not guarantee that it is perceived as legitimate or independent – the ICTY was dismissed in Serbia as the lapdog of NATO. And as I mentioned earlier, removing a case to an international court sends the implicit message that the Iraqi legal system is deficient, something guaranteed to breed resentment. And as the Milosevic trial made clear, there is no reason to believe that Saddam would have been more deferential to his international judges than he was to Iraqi jurists.

There is a possibility that Saddam may be executed without facing trial over other, far more significant crimes such as the Anfal killings, in which an estimated 100,000 people died. How important is it, for serving justice and for establishing a historical record, for Saddam to face trial for the Anfal killings, the repression of the 1991 Shia uprising, and other acts?

In August, just as Saddam’s first trial was winding down, his second began – this one involving his regime’s alleged atrocities committed against Iraqi Kurds during the Anfal military campaign in the late 1980s. Needless to say, this trial involves far more serious crimes than those at issue in the first trial; in terms of the role of the trial as a tool of clarifying a horrific past, this proceeding promises to do far fuller justice to the abominable crimes of Saddam’s regime. This fact alone creates a strong case for delaying Saddam’s execution until at least the completion of this second trial. Indeed, it would be best to delay his execution until all the crimes of his regime, such as the bloody repression campaign of 1991, can be submitted to legal judgment. Ideally this would serve the interests of history and justice, as Iraqi prosecutors and judges would grow increasingly familiar with conducting trials according to the rule of law.

In the United States The United States has moved to redefine its rules regarding the treatment of terrorist suspects, combatants and detainees. At the same time, it has sought to reduce judicial, legislative(?) and public scrutiny of the government's conduct in the War On Terror. Do these moves conflict with the US' obligations under international law?

Two bodies of the United Nations, the Committee against Torture and the Human Rights Committee have concluded that the executive policy of secret detentions violates international treaty obligations. The Military Commissions Act of 2006, passed into law in the end of September, permits the use of evidence against unlawful alien enemy combatants obtained through cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment; international law bars such use. From the summer of 2002 until the end of 2004, the executive branch operated under a definition of torture that was absurdly permissive – it made a mockery of both international and domestic law prohibiting the practice of torture. It’s fair to say the Bush administration has treated international law not a code of binding norms but as a series of recommendations to be followed as it sees fit.

The outgoing Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld has been sued in Germany for alleged war crimes over the abuse in Abu Ghraib and allegedly, in the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. Under what circumstances will senior commanders or civilian leaders be held responsible for abuse committed under their command? If the German prosecutors do open a case, is the United States or Sec. Rumsfeld obliged to respond or act upon it?

I think it’s fair to say that Angela Merkel would be horrified to see a German prosecutor bring forward war crimes charges against Donald Rumsfeld, Alberto Gonzales, John Yoo, and others named in the criminal complaint recently filed by the Center for Constitutional Rights. All the same, German courts have been receptive to exercising universal jurisdiction, so it’s not completely unthinkable that a case might move forward – though not to trial. That could not occur in Rumsfeld’s absence and there is little chance that the former defense secretary would schedule a flight to Berlin if he feared being seized on arrival. I, for one, am not a fan of the aggressive reliance on universal jurisdiction as a way of achieving global justice – the opportunities for abuse are too great. In this case, Rumsfeld and the Bush administration would decry the entire proceeding as illegitimate and thoroughly politicized. And they would score big points domestically by presenting the Germans’ actions as the most emphatic confirmation of the administration’s worse fears of international criminal law run amok.

Some sources

 * Wikinews Category:Saddam Hussein
 * Trial of Saddam Hussein
 * Trial of Saddam Hussein at Jurist
 * Timeline: Saddam Hussein Dujail trial
 * Saddam Hussein Trial Blog at the Case Western University
 * International Law at the UN website
 * Trial of Saddam Hussein at the U.S. Law Library of Congress

On the sidebar about the trial
Its bg-colour is slightly off yellow, but I think it might still need a bit more seperation from the rest of the article. what do you think of thin border? (like border:black thin solid). Great work on this. Bawolff ☺☻ 06:40, 22 November 2006 (UTC)

 * seconding that, the development has been... this is an interesting interview. -Edbrown05 06:52, 22 November 2006 (UTC)

 * sure, feel free to make changes. — Doldrums(talk) 07:00, 22 November 2006 (UTC)

intro
needs to mention that much of the interview looks at international law trials in general. — Doldrums(talk) 08:21, 22 November 2006 (UTC)

phrasing
The last 4 words of this sentence look odd in print:
 * ''I think we need to distinguish between the substantive crimes that high-level perpetrators stand accused of have committed

Is it appropriate to edit the verbatim quote to make it more printable? --InfantGorilla 21:45, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Is. has been done before. will fix it. — Doldrums(talk) 06:05, 23 November 2006 (UTC)


text:
Meena among 60 Asian Heroes of Time Magazine

November 15, 2006

, popularly known as Meena, the founder of the (RAWA) has been listed among the "60 Asian Heroes" along with, ,  and others, in the Asian edition of  Magazine. The magazine dedicated its November 13, 2006 special anniversary issue to pay "homage to the men and women who have shaped our destiny and our times."

Aryn Baker writes in her profile of Meena: "Although she was only 30 when she died, Meena had already planted the seeds of an Afghan women's rights movement based on the power of knowledge. She believed that if women were able to read and write, that if they could communicate and learn about the world, they would discover their own strength and could make a difference in their own society."

Meena established RAWA in 1977 to promotes women's rights and a secular democracy. The group opposed both the -supported regime and the later and   rulers. After 10 years of struggle for women's rights, she was assassinated in of  on February 4, 1987 allegedly by the agents of  (KHAD), the secret police of the Soviet-supported regime in Afghanistan, which functioned under the control of the.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


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User:Zirland

cs:User:Zirland

cs:User:Zirland

title: User:Zirland


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User talk:Zirland

Please contact me on cs:User talk:Zirland.

title: User talk:Zirland


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User:Cacophony~enwikinews

Hello! I am experienced with wikis, but new to wikinews, which explains why I don't have anything here yet. Hopefully I'll get something up soon! Cacophony 15:11, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

title: User:Cacophony~enwikinews


text:
User talk:203.193.136.233

Welcome!

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 * I would recommend that you get a username. You don't have to log in to read or edit articles on Wikinews, but creating an account is quick, free and non-intrusive, requires no personal information, and there are many benefits of having a username.  (If you edit without a username, your IP address is used to identify you instead.)

 * When using talk pages, please sign your name at the end of your messages by typing four tildes (~~). This will automatically produce your username (or IP address) and the date.

If you have any questions, you can ask them at the water cooler or to anyone on the Welcommittee, or ask me on my Talk page. Again, welcome! — Doldrums(talk) 15:24, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

title: User talk:203.193.136.233


text:
Talk:UK to step up anti-terror legislation

i'm sorry just testing the wiki system

title and more
i think the trouble is that the article coflates two related, but distinct issues, the Dame wassername speech and reaction to it, and the Police whoever's recommendations. i personally think the two can be split off into separate articles.

incidentally, note that any editor can rename an article. if there are differing views over what is right, then of course, the renaming shld be discussed, a new title agreed upon and then implemented. — Doldrums(talk) 16:05, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

There are two agencies involved here MI5 and the police: both bidding for resources. The 1990 Trust survey preceeded the Dame's speech by some weeks and was published on some specialist web sites. The only reaction to the Dame that is of much interest is the remark when the 1990 survey was published more generally. I didn't think that remark justified a special report. There will be plenty of reactions to the QS when it is debated.

The Rowntree Report was prepared prior to the Dame's utterance and is not a reaction.

Of course, I do not object to anyone editing anything but I have asked for reversion because the use of "Islamic terrorist" is thought to be part of the problem and to be NPOV I don't think we should use it in this specific context - "Islamic" won't appear in QS

I think interest in this will take different forms after QS debates bang on about libery of individuals (not just Islamists), human rights, and all that stuff. Though I appreciate your suggestion, I'd much prefer to let this die naturally and wait for the QS stuff to come along.

Fentonrobb 16:48, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

I don't think that the Tony Blair quote is referenced in this article - However, Prime minister Tony Blair contested the strong connection to foreign policy, saying that the problem has "grown up over a generation"''? This from recollection only, perhaps I am wrong? Sorry - yes I am!

Fentonrobb 17:12, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

Having offered the suggestion to revert the title and haaving had no response, I made so bold as to change it myself. My apologies if this seems a bit rude, but time passes. Fentonrobb 20:58, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

I generally prefer "islamic millitants/extremists/fundamentalists" etc whenver they are appropriate, and prefer to avoid "terrorist", since the former are by self-identification, and the later can be subjective. But *here* I see the point that this is *mostly* about terrorism legislation (i.e. criminal procedures). So the present title is appropriate I guess. However, flag burnning has nothing to do with terrorism, so that should be moved around a bit, maybe to the end. Nyarlathotep 21:09, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

Thank you, I appreciate your point about self-identification and agree that “terrorist” is very subjective. I recollect in WW2 being invited to behave in just such a fashion as a suicide bomber should UK have been invaded - "if you are going to die anyway, you better take some of them with you". Of course we were to be "patriots" and proud to die for our country. Odd that we are discussing this so close to 11/11!

The flag burning thing is very interesting - I think both the policeman and those who burn flags think of this as being intended to terrorise people - "if they could do that to such a revered object, what would they do to someone who dissented from them?" I think some see that as even worse than murder - almost a canon law offence, a sacrilege  on a par with desecrating  a holy place. For that reason, I see it as part of the whole picture, ridiculous though it might seem, and I’d like to leave it where it is. It will be interesting to see how “flag” is defined in the Bill – the Lords could have some fun with that one! Sorry going on so much. Regards Fentonrobb 23:39, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

Okay maybe Britian is diffrent, but we burn them all the time at protests in the U.S., which is why the republicans always try to outlaw it. I figured you guys would be more liberal. I was once told by a Welshman living in the U.S. that on guy falks day, you burn an effigy of guy falks if you like the gov, and burn and effigy of the PM if you don't. :)  Nyarlathotep 12:46, 15 November 2006 (UTC)


text:
User talk:Willowsong

Welcome
, welcome to Wikinews! I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are a few good links for newcomers:

Our key policies - if you read anything, read these! Here a few pointers to help you get to know Wikinews: There are always things to do on Wikinews: By the way, you can sign your name on Talk pages using four tildes ( ~~~~ ), which produces your name and the current date. If you have any questions, you can ask them at the water cooler or to anyone on the Welcommittee, or ask me on my Talk page. Again, welcome! — Doldrums(talk) 15:49, 13 November 2006 (UTC)
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title: User talk:Willowsong


text:
User talk:Wasabinut

Welcome
, welcome to Wikinews! I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are a few good links for newcomers:

Our key policies - if you read anything, read these! Here a few pointers to help you get to know Wikinews: There are always things to do on Wikinews: By the way, you can sign your name on Talk pages using four tildes ( ~~~~ ), which produces your name and the current date. If you have any questions, you can ask them at the water cooler or to anyone on the Welcommittee, or ask me on my Talk page. Again, welcome! Sugarpine 15:53, 13 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Neutral point of view - tell every side to a story in a fair and balanced way
 * Cite sources - everything in a Wikinews article must be sourced
 * Introduction - overview of the site
 * Writing an article - how to write and publish a complete article
 * Content guide - what's suitable for Wikinews
 * Contents - the contents page.
 * Existing articles need expanding and checking for spelling and mistakes
 * The front page lead articles often need updating
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title: User talk:Wasabinut


text:
User:Wasabinut

WasabiNut...

Well I am a technology entrepreneur that splits his time between the UK and Canada.

I am currently involved in the clickhaus project (more info at clickhaus Clickhaus is a not for profit project aimed at reducing click fraud.

title: User:Wasabinut


text:
User talk:BenRG

Welcome
, welcome to Wikinews! I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are a few good links for newcomers:

Our key policies - if you read anything, read these! Here a few pointers to help you get to know Wikinews: There are always things to do on Wikinews: By the way, you can sign your name on Talk pages using four tildes ( ~~~~ ), which produces your name and the current date. If you have any questions, you can ask them at the water cooler or to anyone on the Welcommittee, or ask me on my Talk page. Again, welcome! — Doldrums(talk) 18:21, 13 November 2006 (UTC)
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 * Contents - the contents page.
 * Existing articles need expanding and checking for spelling and mistakes
 * The front page lead articles often need updating
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 * Discussions need your input
 * And of course, stories need writing!

title: User talk:BenRG


text:
User talk:Zelutos

Welcome
, welcome to Wikinews! I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are a few good links for newcomers:

Our key policies - if you read anything, read these! Here a few pointers to help you get to know Wikinews: There are always things to do on Wikinews: By the way, you can sign your name on Talk pages using four tildes ( ~~~~ ), which produces your name and the current date. If you have any questions, you can ask them at the water cooler or to anyone on the Welcommittee, or ask me on my Talk page. Again, welcome! — Doldrums(talk) 18:22, 13 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Neutral point of view - tell every side to a story in a fair and balanced way
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 * Existing articles need expanding and checking for spelling and mistakes
 * The front page lead articles often need updating
 * Developing stories need finishing and publishing
 * Discussions need your input
 * And of course, stories need writing!

title: User talk:Zelutos


text:
Talk:First person infected with Bird Flu in China has clean bill of health

Confusing title, I thought it meant the first person ever infected has finally received a clean bill of health. How about, "First person given clean bill of health after being infected with Bird Flu in China". Pearcec 19:23, 13 November 2006 (UTC)


text: Category:Belinda Stronach

title: Category:Belinda Stronach


text:
Man apologizes for grandfather's duty as a concentration camp guard

November 13, 2006

27-year-old Robin Parkircher arrived in Israel today to apologize to Holocaust survivors for his grandfather's behavior. Parkircher's grandfather was an SS guard in a Nazi concentration camp near Bremen, Germany, where over eight hundred women were incarcerated. In an interview, Parkircher told Israeli Yediot Aharonot newspaper that years after his grandfather passed away, Parkircher found a picture of him wearing an SS uniform. After inquiring with his grandmother, he discovered about his grandfather's service as a camp guard.

After the discovery, the younger Parkircher decided he should look for the camp survivors and ask for their forgiveness. After months-long search, he discovered survivors in Nordia senior citizen home in central Israel.

His first visit was to author and camp survivor Lili Curtis, with whom he previously unsuccessfully tried to communicate. After the communication attempts failed, Parkircher decided to come to Israel by himself and meet with Curtis.

After the meeting, Curtis said that she was confused at first and moved as the conversation developed. Following the conversation between the two, Parkircher was invited to a meal with residents of Nordia House, where he used the opportunity to talk and apologize to the survivors. Witnesses reported later that the apology was very moving and brought many of them to tears.

He is scheduled to stay in Israel for another twelve days, to visit additional survivors of the concentration camp.


text:
Opposition MPs say Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean should visit Canadian troops in Afghanistan

November 14, 2006

Opposition MPs are calling on, of the , to allow Governor General  visit Kandahar, Afghanistan.

The trip still has not yet been arranged due to security concerns.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper went to Afghanistan earlier this year, then followed Defence Minister and Foreign Minister Peter MacKay going to Afghanistan in support for the Canadian troops. Former Gov. Gen. visited the Canadian troops in Afghanistan twice. The security was less of an issue because the soldiers were in Kabul.

Earlier this year, Jean told Hillier that she wanted to visit the troops in Kandahar to witness some of the provincial reconstruction teams at work outside the Canadian base and meet with local citizens.

"If all of them can go at various times, I am certain the military can make arrangements for the commander-in-chief to go," said Liberal MP,. "She's the commander-in-chief.... We all know it's a ceremonial position, but it is important for the troops to see the Governor General, the ultimate authority in dismissing the government or not dismissing the government, is there to appreciate what they're doing and lend support."

New Democratic Party defence critic also supports the idea on Jean going to Afghanistan. "It's clear that other people have been able to get in and out. I would think arrangements could be made for the Governor General to get in and out as well. There are entertainers going in!"

She is anxious to visit the Canadian troops, according to her spokesman, Randy Mylyk.

Jean was shedueled to go to the country during the in early September, when Canadians waged a major offensive against insurgents.

Jean has been visiting military bases in cities such as Esquimalt, British Columbia; Edmonton, Alberta; and Halifax, Nova Scotia, and also meeting with families of Canada's fallen.


text:
Bush's job approval rating plummets

November 13, 2006

A CNN news program, The Situation Room, today reported that George W. Bush's job approval rating has dropped to 31 percent, with 63 percent disapproving of the job he is doing.

The Situation Room also reported that leaders of Iran and Syria have said that if the president were to ask for help from them, "...all their problems will be solved."

President Bush has not yet responded to the announcement made by the leaders of Iran and Syria, but The Situation Room said that Bush should definitely "take the deal".

title: Bush's job approval rating plummets


text:
User:FellowWikiNews/Articles

Here are all the articles that I have created and\or contributed to in some way.

Articles that I created

 * U.S. legislators question government's collection of phone call records May 11, 2006
 * British Plane Catches Fire in Afghanistan May 24, 2006
 * Taylor Hicks crowned American Idol winner May 25, 2006
 * Canada's richest man dies at age 82 June 14, 2006
 * Seven plotted to blow up Sears Tower June 23, 2006
 * Hubble Space Telescope's main camera stops working June 25, 2006 Original reporting
 * Website petitioning in an attempt to save old trillium logo June 29, 2006 Original reporting
 * Nickelback's lead singer arrested for drunk driving June 30, 2006
 * Canada Day celebrated at Parliament Hill July 1, 2006 Original reporting
 * Speeches of Canada's PM Stephen Harper rank as top-downloaded podcasts July 4, 2006 Original reporting
 * Montréal man urinated on Canadian National War Memorial July 6, 2006
 * Pope Benedict XVI visits Valencia, Spain July 8, 2006
 * The Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary adds 'google' as a verb July 8, 2006
 * Canadian boy, sucked into water pump, loses feet July 11, 2006
 * CBC's new show The One sparked some controversy over simulcast July 20, 2006
 * Pope calls for Middle East peace July 24, 2006
 * Music reality show 'The One' cancelled by ABC a week after its debut July 28, 2006
 * 676,000 Canadian census forms unfilled countrywide July 31, 2006
 * Landis asks for additional test July 31, 2006
 * Heat gets worse in Canada August 1, 2006
 * Study at the University of Toronto says text messaging helps with grammar August 2, 2006
 * Canadians are contacting PM Stephen Harper about the war in Afghanistan August 7, 2006
 * Google to warn users about "bad" websites August 10, 2006
 * Toronto AIDS conference opens without Canadian Prime Minister August 14, 2006
 * Four Lotto 649 winners share jackpot August 16, 2006
 * Fire in Amherstburg, Ontario dies down August 16, 2006
 * Google launches free city wide Wi-Fi in Mountain View, California August 16, 2006
 * Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to have launch pad August 18, 2006
 * Canadian soldier killed in accidental shooting laid to rest August 18, 2006
 * 8th case of mad cow disease found in Canada August 25, 2006
 * Liberal MP resigned as deputy foreign affairs critic August 25, 2006
 * Texas man foils burglary in Britain August 25, 2006
 * Courtrooms in Ontario to get cameras August 26, 2006
 * The Green Party of Canada to elect new leader August 26, 2006
 * Elizabeth May elected leader of Canada's Green Party August 26, 2006
 * BC man is selling the boat from old TV series Gilligan's Island August 29, 2006
 * Canadian Idol top 4 performes August 29, 2006 Original reporting
 * Prime Minister Harper plays small role in television show Corner Gas August 30, 2006
 * Canadian Idol top 4 eliminations August 30, 2006 Original reporting
 * Tropical Storm Ernesto Weakens August 30, 2006
 * Canadian union upset over Scugog councilor lowering flag August 31, 2006 Original reporting
 * Scugog flag controversy comes to an end September 1, 2006
 * American tennis player Andre Agassi retires September 4, 2006
 * Two-thousand traffic fines laid in Ontario this weekend September 4, 2006
 * Liberal leadership hopeful Ken Dryden outlines visions for Canada September 5, 2006
 * Canada's Afghan mission in question September 7, 2006
 * Toronto International Film Festival starts tonight September 7, 2006
 * Canadian PM to make televised address for 5th anniversary of Sept 11. attacks September 8, 2006
 * Pope tells Canada to end Gay marriage September 9, 2006
 * Truck crashes through downtown Toronto sink hole September 9, 2006
 * New York fugitive Ralph Bucky Phillips cought September 9, 2006 Created by request
 * Pope visits homeland in Germany September 11, 2006
 * Condoleezza Rice makes visit to Nova Scotia September 13, 2006
 * Parkdale-High Park byelection gets harder for NDP MP September 14, 2006
 * Steve MacLean talks with Canadian PM over phone September 15, 2006 Original reporting
 * Wikimedia sites database locked, takes hour to get back to normal September 15, 2006 Original reporting
 * Dixie Chicks show documentary at TIFF September 16, 2006
 * Eva Avila crowned winner of Canadian Idol September 18, 2006 Original reporting
 * Newfoundland supporters of Craig Sharpe feel cheated on September 20, 2006
 * Four fallen Canadian soldiers return home September 21, 2006
 * Harper makes speech at UN in New York September 21, 2006
 * Canadian MP Belinda Stronach cheated with hockey star Tie Domi September 27, 2006
 * Canada: Ontarians face petition to drop Catholic school system September 28, 2006
 * Soldier gets killed by bomb in Afghanistan September 29, 2006
 * Hurricane Isaac heads toward Atlantic Canada September 30, 2006
 * Tropical storm Isaac hits Newfoundland October 3, 2006
 * Canada's PM gets award for public service in Calgary October 6, 2006
 * Controversy follows after Canadian PM skips vote for hockey game October 9, 2006
 * Canadian MP Belinda Stronach has first interview since affair with Tie Domi October 11, 2006 Original reporting
 * Canadian Liberal Leadership frontrunner, Ignatieff, refused to attend debate in Toronto October 12, 2006
 * Canadian PM: Liberal leadership hopefuls 'anti-Israeli' October 14, 2006
 * Man on American Idol sentenced to three years probation October 14, 2006
 * U.S. Republican Party Television Ad bashes Canada October 26, 2006
 * Canadian Foreign affairs minister accused to have called Liberal MP a "dog" October 27, 2006
 * Wal-Mart fires employee with connections to Republican Party television advertisement October 28, 2006
 * Ontario Provincial Police: Caledonia land dispute is top pritority October 31, 2006
 * McGuinty passes on Caledonia dispute to federal goverment November 2, 2006
 * American politician, John Kerry, apologizes for Iraq war remark November 2, 2006
 * Abducted Richmond Hill, Ontario man walks into police station November 2, 2006
 * Ipsos Reid: Poll shows more Canadians oppose Afghan mission November 6, 2006
 * Liberal Leadership Candidate Bob Rae warns about reopening Constitution November 6, 2006
 * Canadian PM and Quebec premier announce plans for highway development in Montreal November 6, 2006
 * Faith Hill says reaction to Carrie Underwood's CMA win was a joke November 7, 2006
 * Three Walmart superstores open in Canada November 8, 2006
 * Study shows that Canadians enjoy daily commute to work November 8, 2006
 * Royal Canadian Legion upset over white poppies November 9, 2006
 * Canadian PM to amend Criminal Code, drugged drivers to be charged November 10, 2006
 * Alberta premier Ralph Klein joke outrages Liberal MP Belinda Stronach November 13, 2006
 * Opposition MPs say Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean should visit Canadian troops in Afghanistan November 14, 2006
 * Ousted Halton MP Garth Turner resigns membership from Conservative party November 14, 2006
 * Canadian law proposes to ban spitting, swearing and urinating in public November 14, 2006
 * Tsunami wave alert for British Columbia dropped November 15, 2006
 * Canada's west coast battles high winds November 16, 2006
 * Alleged Russian spy captured in Montreal Canada November 16, 2006
 * Canadian Prime Minister to meet Chinese President Hu Jintao in Vietnam November 17, 2006
 * New PlayStation 3 lines people up in stores today November 17, 2006
 * Wild storm forces Vancouver to issue boil water advisory November 17, 2006
 * Stephen Harper meets with Chinese President Hu Jintao during APEC summit November 20, 2006
 * Canadian liberals unhappy with PM's performance at APEC summit November 21, 2006
 * State funeral for last World War I veteran approved by House of Commons November 22, 2006
 * Honda Civic tops Canada's list of most stolen cars November 22, 2006
 * Canada to have free vote on reopening gay marriage debate November 22, 2006
 * Harper to recognize Quebec as nation within Canada November 23, 2006
 * Pope Benedict to visit Turkey among anti-pope protests November 26, 2006
 * Canadian Cabinet Minister resigns over Harper's Quebec motion November 27, 2006
 * Dion wins Canadian Liberal leadership after fourth ballot December 2, 2006
 * Canadian Ignatieff, Rae say they'll run in next federal election December 4, 2006
 * Body of James Kim found in Oregon wilderness December 6, 2006
 * Canadian jazz star Diana Krall gives birth to twin boys December 10, 2006
 * Canadian Liberals show strong lead, says poll December 11, 2006
 * Male models win The Amazing Race December 12, 2006 Original reporting
 * Canadians to elect senate for first time December 14, 2006
 * Actor Peter Boyle dies at age 71 December 14, 2006
 * Ed Stelmach sworn in as new Alberta premier December 15, 2006
 * Court of Appeal upholds Ontario's talks with Caledonia December 15, 2006
 * Rally organizer arrested in Caledonia, Ontario December 16, 2006
 * Canada's environment minister may be replaced December 20, 2006
 * Canada's Cindy Klassen named female athlete of the year December 27, 2006
 * Russian spy deported out of Canada December 28, 2006
 * Donald Trump reacts to 'Pimp' comments December 29, 2006
 * Calgary bars resist smoking ban January 2, 2007
 * U.S. superbug expected to emerge in Canada January 3, 2007
 * Toxic chemicals found in four Canadian politicians January 4, 2007
 * Canadian PM will shuffle cabinet today January 4, 2007
 * Canadian PM cabinet shuffle results January 4, 2007
 * Scorpion found on flight to Toronto, Canada January 8, 2007
 * Third Canadian found dead in Mexico January 10, 2007
 * Canadian sextuplets could get blood transfusion, religion forbids it January 11, 2007
 * Third Canadian found dead in Mexico January 11, 2007
 * Ontario, Canada byelections announced January 11, 2007
 * Canadian CEO accused of fraud, suspected to have fled country January 12, 2007
 * Arnold Schwarzenegger to visit Canada January 15, 2007
 * Canadian CEO surrenders to police January 17, 2007
 * Winners, HomeSense computers hacked January 19, 2007
 * Canadian PM rebukes France's Ségolène Royal on Quebec sovereignty January 23, 2007
 * Ontario Green Party leader to run in byelection January 25, 2007
 * Canadian government apologizes to Maher Arar January 27, 2007
 * Canada's Conservatives launch new ad campaign January 29, 2007
 * 'Bridezilla' YouTube video: fake or real? January 31, 2007
 * Brandy involved in fatal car crash; sued for $50 million February 1, 2007
 * British Columbia government gives Canadian sextuplets blood transfusions February 2, 2007
 * Scholar says Jehovah's Witnesses wrong about blood transfusions February 4, 2007
 * Halton MP Garth Turner joins the Liberal Party of Canada February 7, 2007
 * Wal-Mart to face court trial February 7, 2007
 * Garth Turner makes his debut with Canada's Liberals February 8, 2007
 * Burlington, Markham, and York South-Weston election results February 9, 2007
 * Ontario, Canada Health Minister set to marry this summer February 12, 2007
 * DaimlerChrysler plans to cut 13,000 jobs February 14, 2007
 * Canadian government 'will respect' Kyoto law February 16, 2007
 * Canadian soldiers injured in three APC crash February 19, 2007
 * Founder of the National Ballet of Canada dies at age 85 February 20, 2007
 * Canadian MPP joins Ontario's Liberal cabinet February 21, 2007
 * One of Canada's last WWI veterans dies at age 107 February 22, 2007
 * Son of former Canadian PM, Justin Trudeau wants to run for office February 23, 2007
 * Canadian MP Bill Graham leaves Toronto riding February 23, 2007
 * Golfer sues Wikipedia over vandal edit February 26, 2007
 * Liberals in Quebec gain support over separatist Parti Québécois February 27, 2007
 * Canadian PM announces C$200 million for Afghanistan aid February 28, 2007
 * Parti Québécois leader slams radio host on homophobia March 2, 2007
 * Bob Rae seeks Liberal nomination in Toronto-Centre March 7, 2007
 * Canadian PM visits Hamilton, admits he's an avid curling fan March 7, 2007
 * Canadian government faces elections speculation March 18, 2007
 * Bloc Québécois support Canadian budget, Liberals, NDP oppose March 20, 2007
 * Toronto man claims $18 million jackpot March 21, 2007
 * Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation CEO resigns March 24, 2007
 * Muslims told not to wear veils on Quebec election day March 24, 2007
 * Liberal minority government elected in Quebec March 26, 2007
 * Judge rules court hearing in Vaughan, Ontario, votes disputed April 2, 2007
 * Canadian man who found faults of Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation dies at age 83 April 3, 2007
 * Forty Hells Angels locations in Canada raided by police April 6, 2007
 * Wikinews Shorts: April 7, 2007 April 7, 2007
 * Former "crossover" Canadian MP to leave politics April 11, 2007
 * Two Canadian soldiers killed, three injured in Afghanistan April 11, 2007
 * Liberal Party of Canada makes deal with Green Party leader April 13, 2007
 * Canadian activist June Callwood dies at 82 April 14, 2007
 * Canadian soldier falls from tower, dies afterwards April 19, 2007
 * New kids' drink sparkles up debate April 23, 2007
 * Wikinews Shorts: April 25, 2007 April 25, 2007
 * Canada's Liberals put forward Afghanistan motion April 26, 2007
 * Linda Jackson confirmed mayor of Vaughan, Canada April 26, 2007
 * Wikinews Shorts for Canada: April 28, 2007 April 28, 2007
 * Canadian Broadcasting Corporation gets new chairman April 28, 2007
 * Justin Trudeau wins Liberal Party nomination April 29, 2007
 * Bloc Québécois raise concern over remark made by hockey player May 3, 2007
 * Wikinews Shorts for Canada: May 6, 2007 May 6, 2007
 * Warner Brothers ban movie previews in Canada May 9, 2007
 * Atlantic Canada to investigate lotto winnings May 9, 2007
 * Canadian television show to debut in French speaking countries May 9, 2007
 * Wikinews Shorts: May 17, 2007 (Canadian plane en route to Wilmington, Delaware, USA crashes; kills 3 people) May 17, 2007
 * Wikinews Shorts: May 21, 2007 May 21, 2007
 * Anti-Olympic protesters break into office of British Columbia premier May 23, 2007
 * Roadside bomb kills Canadian soldier, injures two others May 26, 2007
 * Canada, U.S. to tighten security between 'cross-border' library May 27, 2007
 * Arnold Schwarzenegger marks three day visit to Canada May 31, 2007
 * Ex-wife of Nelson Mandela denied entry into Canada June 6, 2007
 * Canadian Tory MP left alone for voting against budget legislation June 6, 2007
 * Wikinews Shorts: June 8, 2007 June 8, 2007 (British police officer banned from driving)
 * Bob Barker retires as US host of "The Price is Right"
 * "Woofstock" dog festival in Toronto, Ontario, Canada June 12, 2007 Original Reporting
 * Extraordinary warplanes flown at Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada June 19, 2007 Original Reporting
 * Canadian National Exhibition takes place in Toronto September 2, 2007 Original Reporting
 * Toads cause major traffic jam on British Columbia highway September 3, 2007
 * Police called to investigate after tenant draws swastikas in landlords house September 6, 2007
 * Former Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau criticised in new book "Brian Mulroney: Memoirs 1939-1993" September 6, 2007
 * Heavy turbulence during WestJet flight injures nine people September 7, 2007
 * Elections Canada stands by decision, Muslims not required to wear veils at polls September 10, 2007
 * Brian Melo crowned winner of Canadian Idol September 12, 2007 Original Reporting
 * Nigerian "free puppy" scam revealed on the internet September 20, 2007
 * Threats of school shootings at the University of Winnipeg September 21, 2007
 * Wikinews Shorts: September 25, 2007 September 25, 2007
 * Canadian woman marries New Zealand man on radio show September 28, 2007
 * Former Canadian PM still recovering after heart surgery October 4, 2007
 * Results of 2007 Ontario, Canada General Election October 11, 2007
 * Thai police arrest Canadian paedophile suspect October 20, 2007
 * Top 100 Canadian albums named October 20, 2007
 * Canadian burglars face 355 charges October 26, 2007
 * Couple's body found slain in scrapyard October 27, 2007
 * Tony Blair speaks in Canada October 27, 2007
 * New bill will ban Muslims from wearing veils at polls October 27, 2007
 * Dalai Lama to meet with Canada's PM on Monday October 27, 2007
 * China dissaproves of Dalai Lama's meeting with Canada's PM October 31, 2007
 * Canadian defence minister escapes rocket attack in Afghanistan November 7, 2007
 * Video of man tasered at Vancouver airport released November 15, 2007
 * Bomb hoax at Royal Ontario Museum November 29, 2007
 * Explicit Canadian workplace safety ads pulled from TV due to Christmas season December 13, 2007
 * Al-Qaeda leader reported dead February 1, 2008 Wrote most of the article
 * Anti-poverty group splatter B.C. premier's office with paint February 23, 2008

Articles that I have contributed to

 * Canadian government in row over flag lowering April 28, 2006
 * Comedians lampoon Bush at White House Correspondents' Dinner April 30, 2006
 * 7.8 magnitude earthquake occurs near Tonga May 3, 2006
 * Cindy Sheehan takes fight into Canada May 5, 2006
 * BellSouth denies phone records were handed over to the NSA May 16, 2006
 * Wuerl appointed Washington, D.C.'s new bishop May 16, 2006
 * Canada extends Afghanistan military role for two more years May 18, 2006
 * Toronto transit workers strike ‘illegally’ June 1, 2006
 * John W. Snow resigns as United States secretary of the treasury June 1, 2006
 * Two arrested in England with alleged connections to Canadian bomb plot June 7, 2006
 * Snow hits New Zealand June 12, 2006
 * London terrorist suspects released without charge June 12, 2006
 * Judge shot at courthouse in Nevada June 12, 2006
 * Diesel spill in northern Saskatchewan June 14, 2006
 * All Wal-Mart Discount Stores are to become SuperCenters June 16, 2006
 * Catalonia Endorses Autonomy Plan June 18, 2006
 * 2000 houses still have no power in Canterbury, New Zealand June 19, 2006
 * Apple plans to sell movies on iTunes June 20, 2006
 * BBC's famous 'Top of the Pops' programme to be axed June 20, 2006
 * Six Canadian soldiers wounded in Afghanistan June 22, 2006
 * New web search engine uses only user-generated results June 24, 2006
 * Canadian Prime Minister Harper meets with U.S. President Bush July 6, 2006
 * California Wildfires Continue Blazing July 15, 2006
 * JetBlue launches service from Raleigh, North Carolina to New York July 20, 2006
 * Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper assigned airforce aircraft to pick up Canadians in Lebanon July 21, 2006
 * US Marine Corps sets up MySpace profile July 25, 2006
 * Landis' fate to be announced Monday July 28, 2006
 * First wife of candidate for Canada's Liberal leadership speaks out July 29, 2006
 * Mel Gibson makes anti-semitic statements while drunk July 31, 2006
 * Fidel Castro temporarily hands power to his brother Raul August 1, 2006
 * Record heat wave moves across U.S. eastern seaboard August 1, 2006
 * American cyclist Floyd Landis tested positive for excessive levels of testosterone in second test August 6, 2006
 * Coca-Cola and Pepsi face ban in Indian states August 10, 2006
 * 7-Eleven aquires Chicago based White Hen chain August 11, 2006
 * Two Fox News journalists kidnapped in Gaza August 14, 2006
 * PepsiCo names Nooyi CEO as Reinemund retires August 14, 2006
 * Wikimedia servers unreachable for 3 hours due to network outage August 18, 2006
 * Bloc Quebecois says no to reversing gay marriage August 25, 2006
 * Canadian MP Benoit Sauvagueau dies in car crash August 29, 2006
 * 5 killed as bus from New York City to Montreal crashes August 29, 2006
 * Annan demands Hezbollah free abducted soldiers & Israel lift blockade August 29, 2006
 * Canada's Defence Minister visits Canadian troops in Afghanistan August 30, 2006
 * Iraqi activist forced to change T-Shirt with Arabic Peace Slogan August 30, 2006
 * User-generated search engine "Jatalla" launched September 1, 2006
 * Tropical storm Ernesto hits Carolina's coast in U.S. September 1, 2006
 * Successful launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis September 9, 2006
 * Disneyland pranked overnight by graffiti artist Banksy; ride shut down September 12, 2006
 * Paris Hilton too costly to ridicule, says Charlotte Church September 15, 2006
 * Comedian pushes talk show host Charlotte Church over the edge, on air September 18, 2006
 * Microsoft to release HD-DVD, upgrades to 1080p, on Xbox 360 September 21, 2006
 * Ignatieff leads in tight race in Canadian Liberal "Super Weekend" October 2, 2006
 * U.S. outlaws online gambling October 2, 2006
 * Vatican considering abolishing limbo October 6, 2006
 * Jack Straw, Leader of the British House of Commons urges Muslim women to drop full veil October 6, 2006
 * Gibson has given his first interview since anti-Semitic rant October 7, 2006
 * Google purchases YouTube for $1.65 billion October 11, 2006
 * Less Alzheimer's Disease while following Mediterranean diet October 14, 2006
 * Benedict XVI meets Dalai-Lama October 14, 2006
 * Three masked men shoot a man on Halloween night November 1, 2006
 * Canadian Prime Minister Harper agrees to send 'Clean Air Act' to committee November 2, 2006
 * Seven Palestinians, one Israeli dead after latest Israeli offensive November 2, 2006
 * FBI raids creator of fake boarding pass generator November 5, 2006
 * Ed Bradley of 60 Minutes dies at 65 November 9, 2006
 * Brangelina's bodyguards say racial slurs to parents November 18, 2006
 * Two fallen Canadian soldiers return home from Afghanistan December 1, 2006
 * Canadian Liberal MP expelled from caucus for supporting Conservative budget March 21, 2007
 * Only one World War I veteran left in Canada May 10, 2007
 * Nokia announces plans for iPhone competitor August 30, 2007
 * Pope appeals for respectful Sundays September 9, 2007
 * Jewelry courier robbed; three men arrested September 27, 2007
 * German man arrested for selling screws worth $155,000 September 28, 2007
 * First Airbus A380 delivered Deleted and re-written
 * Baby attacked by dog in New York January 5, 2008
 * Groundhog predicts 6 more weeks of winter weather for US February 2, 2008

title: User:FellowWikiNews/Articles


text:
User talk:72.82.235.96

Welcome
, welcome to Wikinews! Thank you for your contributions; I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are a few good links for newcomers:

Our key policies - if you read anything, read these! Here a few pointers to help you get to know Wikinews: There are always things to do on Wikinews: By the way, you can sign your name on Talk pages using four tildes ( ~~~~ ), which produces your name and the current date. If you have any questions, you can ask them at the water cooler or to anyone on the Welcommittee, or ask me on my Talk page. Again, welcome!
 * Neutral point of view - tell every side to a story in a fair and balanced way
 * Cite sources - everything in a Wikinews article must be sourced
 * Introduction - overview of the site
 * Writing an article - how to write and publish a complete article
 * Content guide - what's suitable for Wikinews
 * Contents - the contents page.
 * Existing articles need expanding and checking for spelling and mistakes
 * The front page lead articles often need updating
 * Developing stories need finishing and publishing
 * Discussions need your input
 * And of course, stories need writing!

Additionally, thanks for experimenting with Wikinews. Your test worked, and has now been reverted or removed. Please use Sandbox for any other tests you want to do, since testing in articles will be reverted quickly. --+Deprifry+ 23:50, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

title: User talk:72.82.235.96


text:
Talk:Opposition MPs say Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean should visit Canadian troops in Afghanistan

The title of the article makes it seem like there's some sort of disagreement here between opposition and government MPs, while according to the National Post article it's the "''It's purely a security issue from what I know of the file," said Pellerin, who returned with a group of former military officers, including Lewis MacKenzie, last week from Afghanistan. "The chief (Hillier) has not given the green light for the visit.''"

It's the Chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Forces who's holding her up, not Harper? Might want to change the title...? 24.226.31.187 23:56, 13 November 2006 (UTC)
 * When I read the title I think that the opposition MP's are saying that she should go to Afghanistan. Not that the opposition is blaming it on Harper. — F e  llow  Wiki  News   (W)  01:10, 14 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Ok. I've changed the opening sentence to "Opposition MPs are calling on General Rick Hillier, chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Forces, to allow Governor General Michaelle Jean visit Kandahar, Afghanistan". — F e  llow  Wiki  News   (W)  01:15, 14 November 2006 (UTC)

Well, I suppose I just read the other articles this sources as saying that EVERYONE says she should go visit the troops in Afghanistan. Just that Hillier isn't ready for her yet =P Whatever though *shrug*


text:
User:Prsgoddess187

Free your molecules and your ass will follow... - David Krumholtz as Charlie Eppes in the television series NUMB3RS.

Hi Everyone,

My name is Annamarie and when I started using Wikipedia I would make small edits in the articles I came across, usually punctuation and spelling, and grammar.

If you would like to leave me a message, or ask me a question, or yell at me for something I did when I was half-asleep, please leave me a note on my talk page.

'Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph, so help us God. - Franklin D. Roosevelt', in his address to Congress 8 December 1941.

title: User:Prsgoddess187


title: File:14November2006.sxw


title: File:14November2006.pdf


text:
An account of the Esperanza Fire from an animal rescuer

December 2, 2006 As families fled their homes in the early morning hours on Thursday October 26, there was no warning. The Esperanza Fire southeast of Los Angeles and West of Palm Springs, California, had ballooned under the influence of Santa Ana winds to more than 19,000 acres as of the morning of October 27. No time to get the animals, no time for crates or even a leash. Sadly, owners left behind not only their horses, lamas, donkeys, chickens, rabbits, but also their dogs and cats.

Many of the families who did manage to evacuate their pets found themselves in the parking lot at the Fellowship in the Pass Church Red Cross Shelter where a MuttShack Animal Rescue team caught up with them.

Pam Anderson, Director of the emergency Red Cross shelter said that many people with animals had come and left.

The air was thick with smoke, and ash was raining down on the parking lot where dog owners, not able to take their dogs into the shelter were camping out in pup tents and in their cars.

Those who could afford it checked themselves into pet friendly hotels in nearby towns.

Some were prepared. Jane Garner, a small dog breeder was able to get all her animals out, and had set up her puppy runs alongside her RV in the parking lot. Others were not doing too well, having left home without as much as a leash.

The same scenario played out at the Red Cross shelter at Hemet High School. Animals were being boarded in vans, trailers and cars and small travel crates.

When MuttShack Animal Rescue arrived, a small fracas had sent several dogs off in different directions, running out of the school parking lot down busy streets necessitating an instant rescue response.

The Incident Command for the Esperanza Animals, Ramona Humane Society in San Jacinto welcomed MuttShack‘s offer to help at the shelters.

Ramona Humane Society had recently published a notice in their Newsletter about the newly passed “PETS Act" and warned owners not wait until a major disaster such as an earthquake or fire to prepare. "Be proactive to ensure that your pet will be taken care of.”

MuttShack and PetSmart Charities set up ad hoc facilities for the animals at both shelters.

The Red Cross shelter, run by Madison Burtchaell of the Orange County Red Cross was very accommodating about allowing a small emergency pet shelter adjacent to the School.

Barbara A. Fought of PetSmart Charities, an organization that works with animal welfare organizations and provide assistance in disasters, provided crates and emergency supplies.

MuttShack and Red Cross volunteers, Martin St. John, Tom Hamilton, and Steve Meissner helped assemble the crates to secure a safe environment for evacuated pets.

It was a great relief for evacuees who had camped out in the parking lot to finally leave their vehicles and relax at the shelter, setting up their cots to grab some sorely needed rest.

Firefighters and residents reported loss of wildlife and animals. The Esperanza fire burned 34 homes, consumed 40,000 acres and cost five Firefighters their lives before it was contained four days later on October 30. Firefighting operations cost nearly $10 million.

MuttShack Animal Rescue is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization active in disasters and dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and care of lost or discarded dogs, cats and other animals.


text:
Talk:An account of the Esperanza Fire from an animal rescuer

Direct copy
This article is a direct copy from the website and as such is in violation of copyright - Cartman02au (Talk)(AU Portal) 03:02, 14 November 2006 (UTC)

 * I am Amanda St. John, the author of the above article. The article was published on the website MuttShack.org by myself.  I am the Founder of MuttShack Animal Rescue.  Please let me know what  releases are required by myself to myself... this is beginning to sound like it is all about me.

 * Thank you for your time with (yet another) newbie! Amanda St. John 22:13, 15 November 2006 (UTC)

NPOV
Hi Amanda. From one newbie to another I think one of the problems might be that you are the author. This isn't a problem from a copyright standpoint (although its possible that at this point MuttShack owns the copyright on the article, not you, but I don't know that), but form a Neutral Point of View standpoint. As the founder of the organization that is being written about in the article you can't be neutral and no one expects you to be! In this case it can be argued that you're not a reporter but a participant. As an example, you wouldn't expect Bill Gates to write a neutral news report about Microsoft. Here you're in a similar circumstance.

I think its a fine article. I think it deserves to be told. However, due to your position, you might not be the best person to tell it from a news perspective. It might be nice if someone else could write it and if other sources could be found for such data as the cost of the fire and the number of firefighters that lost their lives.

Just my 2 cents from another newbie! -Richard 'Doc' Kinne 02:50, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

 * Regardless of one's identity, anyone is allowed to write news articles. Or wasn't this a community effort? Towsonu2003 07:23, 2 December 2006 (UTC)
 * I changed the title of the article to convey the message that this is a "first person account of the fire". A first (or third, thru word of mouth) person account is an important & invaluable news element. I don't think there is reason to unpublsh this further... Towsonu2003 07:32, 2 December 2006 (UTC)


text:
User talk:Amanda St. John

Welcome
Amanda St. John, welcome to Wikinews! I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are a few good links for newcomers:

Our key policies - if you read anything, read these! Here a few pointers to help you get to know Wikinews: There are always things to do on Wikinews: By the way, you can sign your name on Talk pages using four tildes ( ~~~~ ), which produces your name and the current date. If you have any questions, you can ask them at the water cooler or to anyone on the Welcommittee, or ask me on my Talk page. Again, welcome! - Cartman02au (Talk)(AU Portal) 03:04, 14 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Neutral point of view - tell every side to a story in a fair and balanced way
 * Cite sources - everything in a Wikinews article must be sourced
 * Introduction - overview of the site
 * Writing an article - how to write and publish a complete article
 * Content guide - what's suitable for Wikinews
 * Style guide - how articles should look before publishing
 * Contents - the contents page.
 * Existing articles need expanding and checking for spelling and mistakes
 * The front page lead articles often need updating
 * Developing stories need finishing and publishing
 * Discussions need your input
 * Audio Wikinews could always use more contributors
 * And of course, stories need writing!

Copyright Violation
I have marked An account of the Esperanza Fire from an animal rescuer]] as a violation of copyright as it is simply a cut and paste of the article on another site. To make this acceptable for Wikinews it needs a rewrite - Cartman02au (Talk)(AU Portal) 03:04, 14 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Hi Amanda, if that is the case then it should be noted on the article's talk page so admins like myself know where it comes from. At the same time there can be WN:NPOV issues if you actually work for the organisation. If you need any help I would be more than happy to help - Cartman02au (Talk)(AU Portal) 10:06, 15 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Hi Amanda, well the issue is no longer copyright but now NPOV (as above). The problem is we try to write articles which are not bias, when you are working on an article for your organisation there could be such an issue. What I am happy to do is perhaps conduct an email interview with you about the issue, that way we have the press release and an interview by someone independent - Cartman02au (Talk)(AU Portal) 07:23, 16 November 2006 (UTC)

I'd love to talk to you and elaborate on this story. Please let me know how to safely communicate my personal information. Thanks. Amanda.

 * Hi Amanda. Articles shouldn't be written by an interested party in a company. Please WN:NPOV and Wikinews:Introduction for more details on this. --Skenmy(t•c•w•i) 20:20, 17 November 2006 (UTC)
 * I disagree. A news article is a news article even if it's telling the story of "what happened" in the first person from a "insert occupation here" perspective. Towsonu2003 07:29, 2 December 2006 (UTC)

title: User talk:Amanda St. John


text:
Christchurch can host 2011 Rugby World Cup final

November 14, 2006

Christchurch, New Zealand's Jade stadium says they can host the 2011 Rugby World Cup final if Auckland can't make a decision on whether or not they should build a new stadium on the waterfront or upgrade Auckland's current stadium, Eden Park, costing NZ$500 million and $385 million respectively.

Jade Stadium would be able to host the final if they were to include temporary seating to accommodate 60,000 people, required by the International Rugby Board (IRB).

Gary Moore, mayor of Christchurch, said that if they were selected to host the final then they will ask the government for $80 million. The stadium is already planning for an upgrade, worth $60 million but that money will be funded from private and charitable organisations as well as the local and central governments. The current upgrade will see Jade stadium's seating capacity grow to 43,000 and if they host a quarter-final or semi-final then temporary seating will increase the seats to 55,000.

Trevor Mallard, the Minister of Sport, said that the Auckland City Council and the Auckland Regional Council have both been given about two weeks to tell the government which decision it supports. If they cannot come to a decision then the final will most likely be given to Jade stadium, Christchurch. The least likeliest of all decisions, an upgrade of Carlaw park, but that is designated for a retirement home and on private land.

Mr Moore said that he and "stadium officials had offered Jade Stadium as a back-up final venue at a recent informal meeting with Mallard because of the continuing Auckland divisions over a site. This is about New Zealand Inc, not about Christchurch versus Auckland. What we have said to Trevor Mallard is we are able to put a stadium into Christchurch that would accommodate the numbers they would need as an insurance policy if Auckland cannot get its act together. The Government knows that when Christchurch or Canterbury puts its hand up it delivers with excellence."

Bryan Pearson, chief executive of Vbase, the company which manages Jade Stadium, said: "It was not uncommon for major sporting venues to add temporary seating for big events. London had included temporary seating for some stadiums as part of its successful Olympic hosting bid. It was not a low-rent option, and was a commercially prudent way to marry short-term opportunity with long-term legacy."

Mr Pearson hopes that Jade Stadium will not be used for the final as he understands why the government wants a national stadium, "Let's hope this gets sorted and we can focus our attentions on playing a very major supporting role. We are only a third the size of Auckland, so what we can sustain post-World Cup is nowhere near what Auckland can."

Warwick Taylor, former All Black, said it will be great if Christchurch can host the final even though he played in the 1987 final at Eden Park. Though Mr Taylor does say that an Auckland stadium is a better idea as a 60,000 seat stadium is more viable in such a large population city. Mr Taylor said that he "had great memories playing at Eden Park and in some ways would hate to see it lose the final. But I also like the idea of a national stadium."

The New Zealand Rugby Union said that a waterfront stadium and an upgrade of Eden Park are the only two options being considered, and no other stadiums are being considered.

A lot of people are confirming that Christchurch will be able to cope with the huge amount of visitors that would arrive for the final as Christchurch has the highest per capita amount of restaurants and bars in Australasia. The city also features numerous hotels.

If New Zealand cannot deliver a final in a 60,000 seat World Class stadium then the IRB will allocated the final to another country.


text:
MediaWiki:Wikinews contest

Wikinews contest

title: MediaWiki:Wikinews contest


text:
User:Buchanan-Hermit/Sandbox

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title: User:Buchanan-Hermit/Sandbox


text:
South Africa to legalize same-sex marriage

November 15, 2006

South Africa's national assembly has passed bill 230-41 legalizing same-sex marriage in that country. The bill allows for the voluntary civil union or marriage between two people. It does not specify the orientation or sex of the people involved.

It was passed just in time to meet the Constitutional Court deadline of December 1, set forth by its ruling of December last year which said the current marriage law is unconstitutional.

The bill is being hailed by gay and liberal activists as another step forward out of the country's apartheid past, while at the same time religious clergy and traditional lawmakers are stating that the passage of the bill is "the saddest day in our 12 years of democracy." Islamist leader Sheikh Sharif Ahmed has said the bill is a "foreign action imposed on Africa".

Homosexuality is overwhelmingly illegal on the African continent, and even in countries such as South Africa it is not unusual for gays to be persecuted and attacked for their orientation.

Now that the bill has passed the National Assembly with a vote of 230-41 its next stop is the National Council of Provinces where its passage is widely expected on its way to being signed by President Thabo Mbeki.


text:
Studies find radioactive material at Israel bomb site in Lebanon

November 14, 2006

Studies carried out by researchers near the village of Khiam found radio active material at the site of bombing by Israel during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. The UN says that it has found no evidence of urianum-based munitions.

Two previously unknown Lebanese professors of physics, Mohammad Ali Kubaissi and Ibrahim Rachidi claim that the levels of radiation, about 700 nanosieverts per hour, twenty times the average levels, are consistent with the use of a depleted uranium bomb casing. Military use of depleted uranium is quite controversial due to its toxicity and low level radioactivity. Depleted uranium features in the list of weapons capable of causing mass destruction, superflous injury and unnecessary suffering, passed by the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities of the UNHRC in 1996 and 1997.

This analysis has been partially coroborated by an independent consultant specialising in career, organisation and community psychology issues, Dai Williams, affiliated with the environmentalist organisation Green Audit, with testing done by Chris Busby, a member of the Defence Depleted Uranium Oversight Board of the British Ministry of Defence and a director and co-founder of Green Audit. Williams believes that these anomalies may have been caused by Israel's use of uranium based weapons involving some secret physical techniques, not nuclear fission; however, there are no known such physical processes.

The U.S. is currently the only nation known to use depleted uranium bomb casings and munitions. Some observers have claimed that Israel used depleted uranium muntions during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war; however, U.N. observers have never found Israel using depleted uranium.

This level of radiation is also consistent with Israel having destroyed some form of storage facility for nuclear material. Such facilities are speculated to exist in the Middle East, often controlled by Islamic extremist groups who (allegedly) hope to construct a dirty bomb.

Dirty bombs are not considered to be as effective militarily as merely using more explosives. Post September 11th news reports about the dangers of dirty bombs have been criticized as fear mongering for fallaciously assuming years of continued exposure by victims without acounting for clean up procedures, or even rain fall.