Senator Ted Kennedy - 1932-2009

Senator Ted Kennedy has died aged 77, losing his battle with brain cancer.

The senator had served in the US senate for almost 47 years and won his 8th term in 2006. He became the Democratic senator for Massachusetts in 1946, replacing his brother, John Kennedy, when he resigned to become president.

In 2006, Teddy, as he was affectionatley known, was named by Time magazine as one of America's ten best Senators, as he had "amassed a titanic record of legislation affecting the lives of virtually every man, woman and child in the country".

Across his near half century in the senate, Ted Kennedy pushed reform in education and healthcare becoming a champion for the working class. He was known for forging cross party alliances, helping George W. Bush with education reforms and working with Senator John McCain on immigration legislation.

Despite this he was well-known as a liberal member of the Democratic party and heavily criticised the Bush administration on Iraq and the abuse of prisoners. He was also involved in the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland, after earlier calling for British troops to leave the country.

Kennedy ran against incumbent president Jimmy Carter for the democratic nomination in the 1980 presidential race. However, the death of a young women in his car after he crashed into waters on Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts, halted his chances.

President Obama, who Kennedy had declared his support for during the 2008 presidential race, said he was "heartbroken" by the Senator's death. He said the death "An important chapter in our history has come to an end," and "Our country has lost a great leader, who picked up the torch of his fallen brothers and became the greatest United States senator of our time."

Harry Reid, Senate majority leader said "The liberal lion's mighty roar may now fall silent, but his dream shall never die".

British Prime Minister said "Even facing illness and death, he never stopped fighting for the causes which were his life's work. I am proud to have counted him as a friend." He added that Senator Kennedy's passing would be "mourned not just in America but in every continent".

A Kennedy family statement said "We've lost the irreplaceable centre of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever."

Ted Kennedy was the only surviving brother of the Kennedy family, being the only one to live past middle age. His eldest brother Joseph died during a plane crash in WWII and his other brothers, President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated in 1963 and 1968.

Senator Kennedy remained a member of the Senate until his death and recently suggested a change in the law to allow a quick succession when his seat became vacant. It is thought he worried that a lengthy election would hamper President Obama's healthcare reform by denying a crucial vote.

Brown “repulsed” by reception of Lockerbie bomber

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown says he was “repulsed” by the hero’s welcome given to the Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi.

Brown has broken his silence to comment on the release of al-Megrahi and said his thoughts were with the families of the Lockerbie victims.

He also stressed that British government has played “no role” in deciding to release the convicted bomber.

He added that he “could not interfere and had no control over the final outcome.”

He concluded the Downing Street press conference by reaffirming his commitment to fighting international terrorism with the co-operation of nations such as Libya.

He said his “resolve to fight terrorism is absolute” and he was determined “to work with other countries to fight and root out terrorism”.

The Prime Minister had been subject to growing criticism, especially from opposition politicians, over his silence on the compassionate release of Megrahi.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg said “It is absurd and damaging that the British prime minister simply remains silent in the hope that someone else will take the flak .”

Kenny MacAskill defended his decision in the Scottish parliament yesterday. MPs were called in for an emergency meeting during their summer recess to discuss the release.

Mr MacAskill said “It was my decision and my decision alone. I stand by it and I'll live by the consequences.” Opposition politicians were very critical of Megrahi’s release.

Top Iranian opposition figures on trial

Senior figures in Iran’s opposition movement have been put on trial in Tehran.

The defendants include many ministers from President Khatami’s government of 1997-2005.

Those on trial face charges of conspiring with foreign powers to incite unrest. The trials follow mass demonstrations after the disputed re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June.

Several thousand people were arrested during the protest, most of whom were released soon afterwards, however, 100 face charges.

Opposition leaders have condemned the court proceedings as “show trials” and described them as “laughable”.

The 20 people in court included former Deputy Interior minister Mostafa Tajzadesh, former Deputy Foreign Minister Mohsen Aminzadeh and economist Saeed Leylaz

Only Iranian state media have access to the courtrooms.

Karzai ahead in Afghan poll

An initial count of the Afghan presidential votes shows incumbent president Hamid Karzai has a slight lead.

With 10% of the votes counted Karzai has marginally more votes than rival Dr Abdulllah Abdullah. The final result will not be known until mid-September, when all votes have been counted.

Currently Mr Karzai has 212,927 votes and Dr Abdullah 202, 889 but a candidate needs more than 50% of the vote to avoid a second round run-off.

Afghanistan’s electoral commission says 544,444 valid votes have been counted with Karzai taking 40.6% and Abdullah on 38.7%.

Moments after the prelimary result was announced an explosion hit the Southern city of Kandahar killing 30 people and injuring many more. Reports say that several buildings collapsed in the blast in the city centre.

Earlier in the day, a bomb killed four US soldiers, making 2009 the deadliest year for foreign troops since the Taliban were overthrown.

“ Once again they've killed children, women, innocent Afghans. They are not human. They are animals.
”

The electoral commission said Ramazan Bashardost is currently third with 53,470 and Ashaf Ghani Ahmadzai fourth with 15,143.

Based on the figures released a second round run-off would most likely be between Karzai and Abdullah. However, only 2% of votes in Kandahar have been counted and none in Helmand, provinces where Karzai is expected to do well, so a run-off may not be needed.

Further counting will take place and the electoral commission says they will release more results in coming weeks.

The final result will not be released until the Electoral Complaints Commission has investigated the 800 complaints of electoral irregularities and fraud. 54 of these 800 are considered to be serious allegations and among the complainants is Dr Abdullah, who claims rigging in favour of Karzai.

Mirwais Yasini, another prominent presidential candidate, has also made claims 800 votes for him were discarded.

Iranian minister "wanted" by Interpol

Iranian Defence Minister-Designate, Ahmad Vahidi, is on Interpol's "wanted" list for the bombing of a Jewish centre in Argentina.

Interpol has issued a "red notice" for Mr Vahidi over the bombing Buenos Aires, which killed 85 people. A "red notice" is issued by Interpol to inform it's 187 member nations that an arrest warrant has been issued by a member's judiciary authority. Interpol was keen to stress that the notice was not an international arrest warrant.

Mr Vahidi has been on Interpol's wanted list since November 2007 along with five others who Argentine authorities believe were behind the bombing. The attack was the worst against Jews since World War II and is Argentina's worst terrorist atrocity.

Ahmad Vahidi has been nominated for defence minister in President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's new cabinet after serving as deputy defence minister during Ahmadinejad's first term. Tehran has been quick to dismiss the criticisms and claimed it was part of a "zionist plot".

A spokesperson for the Israeli Foreign ministry said "This is yet another of Ahmadinejad's actions that prove he is a person you cannot deal with,"

Argentine prosecutor Alberto Nisman commented that "Iran has always protected terrorists, giving them government posts, but I think never one as high as this one,"

Speaking about the case, Prosecutor Nisman said "It has been demonstrated that Vahidi participated in and approved of the decision to attack AMIA during the meeting in Iraq on 14 August 1993"

Anger over "hero's welcome"

The welcome given to freed Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi has sparked anger from both sides of the Atlantic.

The 57 year old was met with scenes of celebration and jubilation on arrival in Libya's capital, Tripoli. Crowds had gathered to meet Mr Meghrai as he left the plane and waved both Libyan and Scottish flag from the airport's tarmac.

Britan's Foreign secretary, David Milliband, commented that "Obviously the sight of a mass murderer getting a hero's welcome in Tripoli is deeply upsetting, deeply distressing." He added "that how the Libyan government handles itself in the next few days will be very significant in the way the world views Libya's re-entry into the civilised community of nations,"

White House spokesperson, Bill Burton, said "It is disturbing to see images suggesting that Megrahi was accorded a hero's welcome instead of being treated as a convicted murderer," He also said that the US government had made it clear to Libyan authorities that "such a welcome sends the wrong message and is deeply offensive to the families of the hundreds of people who lost their lives in the Lockerbie bombing".

Downing Street also said that the British Prime Minister had contacted the Libyan government about al-Megrahi's reception and had asked them to "act with sensitivity".

Families of the victims of the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland have begun to discuss ways to protest at Megrahi's release. 270 people were killed when the plane was bombed in December 1988 including 11 who were killed when debris rained upon the Scottish town.

Afghans defy "bombs and intimidations" to vote

President Hamid Karzai has praised the Afghan people for braving Taliban "rockets, bombs and intimidations," and described the election as a success.

Speaking to reporters after the polls closed, following a one hour extension, Mr Karzai said "We'll see what the turnout was. But they came out to vote. That's great."

His praise has been echoed by Nato and the US, White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs said "Lots of people have defied threats of violence and terror to express their thoughts about the next government for the people of Afghanistan."

Afghanistan's interior ministry has reported that 73 attacks have taken place today across 15 provinces.

In Baghlan, Northern Afghanistan, eight died when police clashed with Taliban militia who were storming the town to prevent polling stations from opening. Also in Baghlan province a police chief was shot dead when a police post was attacked.

In Ghazni province, Taliban militants set-alight a bus on the Kabul-Kandahar highway, allegedly as punishment for breaking a Taliban imposed ban on using the road.

In Khost and Kandahar provinces two women and several children were killed when rockets hit their homes. More than 20 rockets hit Lashkar Gar, Helmand province's capital, an area known as a Taliban stronghold.

Overall it is thought around 26 people were killed in election day violence despite the presence of 300,000 Afghan and Nato troops, who were on patrol across Afghanistan to prevent attacks on polling stations.

Kai Eide, the head of the UN mission in Kabul said that overall the levels of violence had been "better than we feared" and that the security situation had been such that it "allowed people to take part in the elections".

Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen praised the success of today's poll as "a testimony to the determination of the Afghan people to build democracy".

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement congratulating the people of Afghanistan on the presidential and provincial ballots.

The poll was the second presidential election in the country's history and was the first to be organised primarily by Afghans. he director of Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission, Azizullah Loudin said that voter turnout had been "high" when speaking on state-tv.

Voter numbers were believed to be very low in Southern and Eastern areas of Afghanistan, where the Taliban are dominant. Where as in Northern areas, such as Herat, experienced a higher turnout. In Kabul, some polling stations saw Afghans queue outside for the polls to open where as in others few votes were cast.

Some rural areas have reported that no votes were cast in some areas but officials hope that overall turnout will be around 50%.

Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, Brian Katulis, said that in a women's voting centre he visited in Kabul "there were long lines,[the] mood was festive". However, he said "Checkpoints and restrictions on traffic made Kabul like a ghost town."

“This might sound crude or blunt, but I want him returned from Scotland the same way my wife Lorraine was and that would be in a box.

Paul Halsch, whose 31-year-old wife was killed in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing
”

Lockerbie bomber released

Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi has been released on compassionate grounds by Scottish authorities.

Al-Megrahi is the only person to be convicted in relation to the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 which killed 270 people. Mr Megrahi is suffering from terminal prostate cancer and experts say that he would be dead within a few months.

Scottish Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill, announced his decision at a press conference in which he said Scottish people "pride ourselves on our humanity" and that "the perpertration of an atrocity, an outrage, can not and should not be a bassis for losing sight of who we are, the values we seek to uphold and the faith and beliefs by which we seek to live."

He continued to say "Our justice system demands that judgement be imposed, but compassion be available."

The decision has sparked condemnation in the US, a White House statement said it "deeply regretted" the decision to release Megrahi and several victims' families have expressed their anger and outrage. However, in the UK, opinion is divided on whether al-Megrahi should have been freed.

Kara Weitz of New Jersey, whose 20 year old brother was killed in the bombing, described the release as "utterly disgusting". Paul Halsch of New York, whose 31-year-old wife was killed, said "This might sound crude or blunt, but I want him returned from Scotland the same way my wife Lorraine was and that would be in a box."

“We want the next president to stop the killing of innocent people and to find jobs for the people, and bring peace.

A female Afghan voter
”

Afghans vote amid sporadic violence

Millions of Afghans have voted in the country's second presidential election amid Taliban threats and sporadic violence.

The Taliban and other militia have threaten to disrupt the polls and have wages a campaign of violence.

In the less stable South voter numbers have been low and nationwide turnout appears to be patchy. In the Herat and some other more secure areas in the North have had higher turnout.

There have been a number of violence incidents across the country including the deaths of a women and three children when a house in the Southern province of Khost was hit by rockets. Also in Khost province a roadside bomb hit a civillian car killing one person and injuring three others.

Police in Gardez, Paktia province have said two suicide bombers on motorbikes were killed before reaching their target. In the Northern Baghlan province a police chief was killed when Taliban attacked a police post.

In Kabul, two suicide bombers were killed in a gun battle with police in a residential district of the city, however, it is unclear whether the militia were shot by police or killed by their own explosives. Despite this incident at some polling stations in the capital have been busy with voters queuing since the early morning, whilst, others have remained quite.

There have been no other reported incidents of violence in Kabul, however, reports indicate there have been a number of rocket attacks across the country.

The UN has said the majority of polling stations were able to open despite security conerns.

One female voter set out her hopes for the future of the country and what she expects from the next Afhgan president. "We want the next president to stop the killing of innocent people and to find jobs for the people, and bring peace."

However, other voters were less positive about the poll. "Its not an election but a comedy. In my neighborhood I saw a few guys who easily washed their fingers and went for second time to vote, if all these things are happening in capital what do you think how is the condition in remote areas?" said one man in Kabul.

Fresh pre-poll violence in Afghanistan

Fresh violence has erupted in Afghanistan on the day before the country's presidential and provincial elections.

Security forces clashed with gunmen in a bank close to the presidential compound in Kabul. Three of the raiders were killed in the bank and explosions and gunfire were heard as the troops battled against the attackers.

The Afghan interior ministry said the attack had been carried out by "terrorists" after earlier describing the men as "thieves".

The Taliban had promised to disrupt tomorrow's poll and has waged a campaign of violence and terror to deter voters. There have been several attacks across the country over the past weeks and many have been killed and injured. Reports say the Taliban have threaten to cut off voter's fingers if they are marked with the electoral commission's indelible ink.

Meanwhile in Ghazni province, central Afghanistan, foreign troops mistakenly killed four Afghan police men, local officials say. The troops had been targeting a group of insurgents, who had been launching rockets at the town of Ghazni, when the men were killed and some of their colleagues injured.

Additionaly, in the northern Kunduz province, two police men were killed by the Taliban and another eight were taken. However, local officials have said that some of the eight may already have been working with the Taliban.

The Afghan government has asked both the foreign and national media to refrain from reporting election day violence as they fear it will keep voters away from the polls. The move has been criticised by many who see it as a restriction on the freedom of the press and it it is thought most journalist will ignore it.












Rahimullah Samander, president of the Afghanistan Independent Journalists' Association, said "this type of ban does not sit well with democratic principles".

A statement from the Afghanistan's foreign ministry said "All domestic and international media agencies are requested to refrain from broadcasting any incident of violence during the election process from 6am to 8pm on 20 August,".

Siamak Herawi, a spokesman for President Hamad Karzai, said that the media blackout would "prevent them from exaggerating it, so that people will not be frightened to come out and vote." However, Human Rights Watch has condemned the move as an "unreasonable violation of press freedoms" and Reporters Without Borders said the blackout "runs counter to the principal of electoral transparency."

“I hope that tomorrow our countrymen, millions of them will come and vote for country's stability, for the country's peace, for the country's progress...Enemies will do their best, but it won't help.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai speaking about tomorrow's elections.
”

Deadliest day in Iraq for 18 months

Dozens of people have been killed and more than 500 hundred injured when a series of blasts hit the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

As many as 95 are thought to have been killed in the attacks making it the deadliest day in the country for 18 months. Truck bombs were detonated outside the foreign and finance ministries on the perimeter of the heavily fortified 'Green Zone'.

There were also several other bomb attacks in other districts of Baghdad and a barrage of mortars hit targets within the hitherto safe 'Green Zone'. It is rare for attacks such as these to hit such prominent targets in areas normally considered safe.

The truck bomb which exploded outside the foreign ministry created a 3m deep and 10m wide crater and sent a huge plume of smoke into the sky. A ministry employee said "The windows of the foreign ministry shattered, slaughtering the people inside,". She added "I could see ministry workers, journalists and security guards among the dead,"

Mustapha Muhie, who works close to the 'Green Zone' said ""Everybody on the street was going crazy...Everybody was just trying to get to their cars, just trying to get home - and that's what I did."

The Iraqi President Jalal Talabani released a statement saying "The terrorists are trying to rekindle the cycle of violence of previous years by creating an atmosphere of tension among the Iraqi people,"

The wave of attacks marks the sixth anniversary of the first attack after the toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime, where 22 were killed in a suicide truck bombing at the UN headquarters in Baghdad. Following the first attack the UN declared 19th August World Humanitarian Day, to increase support for aid workers.

Pre-election violence increases in Afghanistan

A number of violent attacks by militia have injured and killed across Afghanistan ahead of Thursday's presidential and provincial elections.

Militia including the Taliban have promised to disrupt Thursday's poll and have increased the frequency of their attacks.

In Kabul, seven people were killed and more than 50 injured when a suicide car bomber attacked a convoy of Western troops. Reports indicate that some of the troops from the Nato-led force were among the injured and killed. The UN also said that two of it's employees were killed in the attack.

There have also been other violent incidents across the country including a rocket attack on the presidential compound in Kabul, no injuries were reported. In the East of the country two US soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb and two civilians along with three Afghan soldiers were killed in a suicide bombing in the Southern Afghan province of Uruzgan. Whilst, in Jowzjan province, in the normally peaceful North, one election candidate was shot dead and three poll workers were killed when their car hit a bomb.

There are fears that the increased number of violent attacks will result in a lower turnout in Thursday's poll and there is some evidence that there has been corruption in the electoral process.

Ahmadinejad appoints three female ministers

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahamdinejad has included three women in his cabinet selections in an attempt to soften his hardline image and appease many reformists.

Fatemeh Ajorlou as been appointed as Social Welfare minister and Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi has been made health minister, the third female's name and position are yet to be announced.

President Ahmadinejad said in a state-tv appearance that his cabinet reflected " a new era" and that he had made "major changes" in the make-up of his government.

Despite Mr Ahmadinejad's intentions to recognise the increased political clout of women in Iran and appease supporters of reformist candidates, his plan is unlikely to be successful. Both women are considered to be hardliners and are generally disliked by reformists. The two women are in support of repressive restrictions on women's rights, including making it more difficult for women to get divorced, have custody of their children and have an abortion.

Fatemeh Ajorlou, Social Welfare minister, is an outspoken advocate of chador, the head-to-toe Islamic cover, and is strongly in favour of strict punishment for women who fail to observe Iran's strict dress code. Ajorlou is well-known for her involvement with the Revolutionary Guard and Basij milita and says that Western societies have lost their morality due to women focusing on careers rather than family. She is also a keen supporter of a draft law proposing positive discrimination for men in attending universities.

Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi is seen by many as a suitable candidate for health minister, spending most of her career in the medical profession and specialising in women's infertility. However, as an MP, she opposed the adoption of a bill facilitating Iran to join the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

New Afghan law removes women's rights

A new law passed in Afghanistan has removed women's rights, effectively legalising rape within marriage and preventing women leaving their homes without permission.

The law permits Shia men to deny their wives food and sustenance if they refuse to meet their husbands' sexual requests. The new legislation also grants guardianship of children exclusively to the father and grandfathers and means that a woman requires her husbands permission to work.

Human Rights Watch says the law "also effectively allows a rapist to avoid prosecution by paying 'blood money' to a girl who was injured when he raped her,". The watchdog's Asia director, Brad Adams, described the legislation as "barbaric" and said that such repressive laws "were supposed to have been relegated to the past with the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001, yet Karzai has revived them and given them his stamp of approval."

The legislation says that a woman must be in "readiness...to submit to her husband's reasonable sexual enjoyment," and outlaws a wife "from going out of the house, except in extreme circumstances, without her husband's permission."

The original law was proposed several months ago and was met with international condemnation including criticism from Barack Obama and Gordon Brown. The earlier version legalised rape within marriage but the modified law still contains many repressive measure.

The introduction of this law comes in the run up to the presidential election and it is speculated that Hamid Karzai approved the law in an attempt to gain Shia votes. The election next Thursday is expected to be close and the incumbent president has been appeasing minority leaders in an attempt to gain votes. Hardline Shia cleric, Ayatollah Mohseni, is thought to have influence over many Shia voters and is strongly in favour of the measures set forth in the new law.

"Medieval torture" in Iran's prisons, says opposition leader

Defeated opposition candidate in Iran's disputed presidential elections, Mehdi Karroubi, has accused authorities of torturing arrested protestors.

Mr Karroubi claims that both male and female detainees were raped by prison staff and that some were tortured to death. He also alleged that prisoners were "forced to go naked, crawl on their hands and knees like animals, with prison guards riding on their backs." The statement also said that inmates were forced to lie "naked on top of one another."

His allegations of abuse, and the graphic details he uses, have led many hardline Iranian conservatives to call for Karroubi's arrest.

During Friday prayer's in Tehran, Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami denounced the reformist leader's claims of rape and called for him to be prosecuted. Khatami described Mr Karroubi's remarks as "slander" and "full of libel" and said the ellegations would only help their enemies in the West.

However, international human rights organisations say that Mehdi Karroubi's claims may be true. Independent investigator for the UN human rights council, Manfred Nowak, said "I truly believe that these complaints will stand up to scrutiny." and the US group, Humans Rights Watch, also, made claims of harsh interrogations, sleep deprivation and beatings in Iranian prisons.

Whilst authorities have admitted to abuses in some prisons, allegations of rape have been denied. Mr Karroubi says he rejects that it would be possible for a thorough investiagtion to have been conducted in such a short space of time.

On his website Karroubi insisted that he would not be silenced in defending humans rights, saying the government could not "stop my tongue, hand and pen."

UK backlash at NHS criticism

Criticism of the British public healthcare system, the National Health Service, by anti-reform campaigners in the US has triggered a backlash from British citizens.

Twitter users from Britain have posted their comments of support for the NHS to the hashtag '#welovetheNHS' and have added a "we love the NHS" 'twibbon' to their profile pictures. The hashtag has become a trending topic on twitter, one of the most talked about issues.

Several campaigners opposed to President Obama's healthcare reforms have cited the public health systems in the UK, as well as Cannada, France and Germany, as examples of how disastrous changes could be. However, it was an editorial article in Investors Business Daily that triggered the most criticism.

The editorial warns of the problems that would be caused if the US adopted a similar model for public healthcare and says the NHS' record reads "like a horror movie script." The article says "The controlling of medical costs in countries such as Britain through rationing, and the health consequences thereof are legendary,"

The article's author also claimed that the scientist, Stephen Hawking, "wouldn't have a chance in the UK, where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless."

Jay Bookman of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution was quick to say that Stephen Hawking was, in fact, British and had lived in the country his entire life. Bookman said "Hawking is, you might say, living, breathing proof that these people are first-class fools."

Erza Klien of the Washington Post said that the IBD article shows how conservatives will lie about healthcare. On her blog she said "It's not just that they didn't know that Stephen Hawking was born in England. It's that the underlying point was wrong, as you'll note from the continued existence of Stephen Hawking. They didn't choose an unfortunate example for an accurate point. They simply lied."

The article from Investment Business Daily not only sparked criticism in the US but also angered many in the UK.

The NHS has been in operation since 1948 and is one of the world's largest employers, with aproximaltely 1.33 million employees. Only 8% of Britons have private healthcare insurance and most use this along side NHS care.

One twitter user, posting to #welovetheNHS, said "It's not perfect, has a lot of things that make it annoying, but it's still better than the alternative!". Many other twitter users and British citizens were outraged by the criticism from the US and remain proud of the healthcare system despite its shortcomings. Another 'tweeter described the NHS as "one of this country's best achievements of the past century,".

Despite what the article in the IBD suggests, supporters of Obama's healthcare reform insist that the changes in the US will not create an American NHS. "It's worth emphasizing, for those who remain confused and misled, that Democratic reform proposals would not create a British system." said Steve Benen of Washington Monthly.

US healthcare debate - Have your say

In the US, the debate on healthcare reform has intensified, as members of congress returning home for their summer recess have been met by angry constituents at town hall meetings. Whether inside or outside the US tell us your opinion on Obama's plans for healthcare reform. Are the proposals a scandalous waste of money in tough financial times or a long term cost cutting plan helping America's poorest? Please leave us your comments!

Aung San Suu Kyi found guilty

Burmese pro-democracy campaigner, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been found guilty of breaking the terms of her house arrest and sentenced to a further 18 months of confinement to her home.

Originally the court had ordered that Suu Kyi spend three years in prison completing hard labour, however, after a five minute recess Burma's home minister announced on behalf of the country's military ruler, Than Shwe, that the Nobel peace laureate's sentence would be commuted to 18 months under house arrest.

Ms Suu Kyi faced charges of violating the terms of her house arrest by allowing American, John Yettaw, to stay with her after swimming to her lakeside home in Rangoon. Mr Yettaw, who sufferes from diabetes, epilepsy and post-traumatic stress disorder, was sentenced to seven years in jail including three years of hard labour.

The imprisonment will mean Aung San Suu Kyi will not be able to campaign for next year's election and will still be confined when the poll takes place.

The international community has condemned the verdict as politically motivated and called for Ms Suu Kyi's immediate release.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy was calling for the European Union to impose tough sanctions on Burma and the EU presidency announced that "additional targeted measures against those responsible for the verdict".

British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, said he was "saddened and angry" by the court's decision and described the trial as a "sham". He added that he believed the decision to be "purely political" in nature.

US secretary of state, Hilary Clinton, said that Aung San Suu Kyi should not have been convicted and expressed concern for John Yettaw considering "the harsh sentence imposed on him, especially in light of his medical condition," and called of his release.

Myint Myint Aye, of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party, said the party refused to accept the court's ruling and commented to reporters that "we demand her immediate unconditional release and we will keep on pressing.". The NLD is Burma's main opposition party and won the national elections in 1990 but was prevent from ever coming to power.

The new period of house arrest means that Aung San Suu Kyi will still be in detention when elections take place in May next year and many say that the military governmnent has deliberately plotted to exclude Suu Kyi from the polls.

My name is URL

My name is URL is our new feature here on Boozhooz News providing you with our pick of the top sties we found this week. This week we've selected the best Twitter-related sites online for all you Twitterholics to enjoy!

Twitterfall enables you to view tweets as they happen without having to refresh the page. You can also choose which topics you'd like to tweets for and customise how thay are displayed. Twitterfall.com


Wefeelfine.com shows how twitter users are feeling by searching tweets for key words. The site gives you a number of interactive ways to view the stats it has collected. wefeelfine.org

What the hashtag?! is a user-editable directory of twitter's hashtags, you can search for hashtags on topics you want to see and define new hashtags for other users. wthashtag.com



Twivial is a quiz site which uses twitter, the questions are asked on the site and by twivia_bot and answers are sent via twitter. Users compete to get the most points by answering the question correctly in the least amount of time. twivial.com

Tweetdare is a fun site where users enter their twitter details and a message, then they're tweet appears on another user's twitterstream and you automatically post someone else's message on your stream . The idea being to test your bravery and nerve as, literally, anything could be posted to all your followers. tweetdare.com

#twitterfail - DDoS attack hits Twitter

Social media site, Twitter, has been the subject of a distributed denial-of-service attack, causing it's servers to overload.

Twitter users found that they could not access the site and were not even presented with the site's 'fail whale', which normally greets visitors when there is a problem with twitter. Twitter described the event as a "single, massively coordinated attack".

A distributed denial-of-service attack works by making thousands infected computers attempt to access a site's server. This causes the server to overload and means that legitimate users cannot view the site.

Twitter's official blog said "This activity is about saturating a service with so many requests that it cannot respond to legitimate requests thereby denying service to intended customers or users."

Twitter says "Attacks such as this are malicious efforts orchestrated to disrupt and make unavailable services" but stressed "no user data was compromised in this attack."

The site's blog says "We've worked hard to achieve technical stability" but "today's massive, globally distributed attack was a reminder that there's still lots of work ahead."

"A 'Silent Wave' travelling around the world"

One week on, Twitter user, Lissnup, writes this exclusive guest article about organising last week's 'silent wave':

“In memory of Neda and all victims of post-election violence

I've been following the #IranElection hashtag on Twitter since early June, and have seen it grow in strength as the Iranian Regime responded to peaceful protests with violence and arrests.

The global day of solidarity with Iran on Saturday 25th July was an inspiring event. It must have taken thousands of hours of planning, organising and preparing. Especially striking were the green fabric scrolls sent to Paris from Iranian communities all over the world, each one bearing signatures attesting that 'Ahmedinejad is NOT my president'.

The following day everyone began to look ahead and there were tweets about the upcoming 40th day anniversary of the death of Neda Agha Soltan, the young woman whose death became a symbol for the Iranian people's struggle for freedom and democracy when she was shot dead in the street on June 20th, a day of heavy protests in Tehran. Muslims observe mourning 3, 7 and 40 days after the passing of a loved one so Thursday 30th July was to be a significant event for many people.

It was just 5 days away, but I hoped we might be able to capitalise on the tremendous support for the previous day's events and do something simple but meaningful to mark this important day. Mindful that there are no funds available, I thought that observing two minute's silence would be an accessible and respectful way to mark the occasion.

I sent messages to some of the more prominent users on Twitter hoping to rally support for the idea but when I got no immediate response I decided to go ahead and try to gather support for the idea myself as there was so little time.

I have no real experience in this kind of thing but the entire short history of the 'Sea of Green' movement has been one of spontaneity and everyone banding together with great displays of unity and mutual support.

To begin with there were some conversations back and forth about what to call it, when to hold it etc. I had noticed that the Global Day of Action had considerable advantage from events in different timezones following each other.

That is why I thought that a 'Silent Wave' travelling around the world through each timezone would give everyone the greatest opportunity to take part and create some longevity. The majority of supporters are US based and on a very different clock to Iran, but there are people in every country following these events and one thing we all have in common is our desire to 'do something' and make our presence known to people in Iran.

The times were set at 11:00am which is a time traditionally selected to pay tribute to fallen heroes, and 6:30pm which is the approximate time Neda Agha Soltan was shot. Using two times also doubled the opportunities for participation, which I thought was important for a spontaneous event put together at such short notice.

Fortunately, fellow twitter user @greenthumbnails, the brains behind the massively successful http://www.greenthumbnails.com site people use to change their avatar to green or add a green ribbon, quickly got on board. With the help of a few others we soon had a load of tweets going around and a website carrying details of events: http://www.silentwave.org. A friend created a group on Facebook with an event for the Thursday. By Tuesday all these efforts seemed to come together and we sensed support growing for the Silent Wave idea.

On the day itself I received messages of support almost every hour, starting with Japan and continuing around the clock and I just kept re-tweeting them. With a little persistence, the event also drew some media attention. When organisers from Disneyland, Vienna, London, New York, San Francisco, etc started posting photos it was immensely gratifying. On the whole Silent Wave was a very effective and positive way to connect with others via Twitter and Facebook.

I would definitely help organise another event, although I would prefer a lot more notice and a little more help! Fortunately, http://silentwave.org is still there, an ideal venue for event information and a head start for any upcoming activity.

”

Japan remembers Hiroshima attack

Japan marks the 64 year anniversary of the Hiroshima nuclear attack with remembrance ceremonies.

It is estimated that the blast in 1945 initially killed 70,000 people and that the after-effects of the explosion had caused the deaths of a further 70,000 by the end of the year.

At a remembrance service Japanese Prime Minister, Taro Aso, reaffirmed the country's commitment to it's ban on nuclear weapons. Japan says that as the only country to suffer a nuclear attack they are in the best position to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

"I promise again that Japan will continue to adhere to its three non-nuclear principles and take the lead within the international community to abolish nuclear weapons and bring about lasting peace," said Mr Aso to elderly survivors and dignitaries at a memorial service.

Hiroshima's mayor, Tadatoshi Akiba, said "we call on the rest of the world to join forces with us to eliminate all nuclear weapons by 2020." at a ceremony in front of a bombed building preserved as Hiroshima's Peace Memorial. Approximatley 50,000 people attended the service including officials from around the World, however, the US had no official representation. Hundreds of white doves were released when the mayor's speech ended.

Ahmadinejad sworn-in as Iranian president

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been inaugurated as the Iranian president in a ceremony at the country's parliament.

The new president was sworn-in after seven weeks of unrest following the disputed presidential election. The inauguration took place in parliament, where, reports say, many officials were absent. Other reports say that some people walked out of the chamber when Ahmadinejad began to speak.

Press TV, Iran's English state-sponsored news channel, reports that almost all officials attend the ceremony, even those from minority factions. The channel says that the Iranian security forces sealed off the area surrounding parliament hours before the ceremony began.

Meanwhile, outside the parliament building in Baharestan Square there have been sporadic gatherings of opposition supporters. Some clashes between government militia and opposition supporters. One eyewitness tweeting from Iran said that he saw security forces dragging women by their hair into white cars.