Society's Child

Dalai Lama Visa Blocked "Over South African Trade Fears with China"

The Telegraph, UK
Sun, 09 Oct 2011 08:22 UTC

South Africa refused to give the Dalai Lama a visa to visit for Desmond Tutu's birthday because the foreign ministry feared his trip would jeopardize trade ties with China, according to reports.

"The People's Republic of China is South Africa's largest trading partner and was key in avoiding the last recession, among others," read a secret foreign ministry document, which the weekly City Press said it had obtained.

The document said that South Africa's "strategic relationship" with China depended on Pretoria unconditionally supporting Beijing's "one China" policy, which rejects Tibetan independence.

China regards the Dalai Lama as a "splittist" and frowns on overseas travel by the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader.

"The issue of Tibet is high in China's priority and is seen as posing a threat to sovereignty. South Africa respects the quest for China to protect its sovereignty," the document allegedly said.

Dalai Lama: China is Built on Lies, Run by Hypocrites

Reuters
Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:09 UTC

China is built on lies and its officials are hypocrites, the Dalai Lama said on Saturday, speaking via videophone after visa problems prevented him from joining Archbishop Desmond Tutu's birthday celebrations in South Africa.

"Some Chinese officials describe me as a demon," the Tibetan spiritual leader said to loud applause as he put his index fingers either side of his head to mimic devil's horns.

"In reality, for the communist totalitarian system ... hypocrisy (and) telling lies has unfortunately become part of their lives."

He said the Chinese government was "uncomfortable" with people who tell the truth, adding that honest people live longer and he would like to attend Tutu's 90th birthday.

US: Congressman Peter King Disapproves of Occupy Wall Street

David Freedlander
New York Observer
Fri, 07 Oct 2011 10:04 UTC

Long Island Republican Congressman Peter King blasted the Occupy Wall Street protesters as anti-American today on a right-wing talk show.

"The fact is these people are anarchists. They have no idea what they're doing out there," King told host Laura Ingraham. "They have no sense of purpose other than a basically anti-American tone and anti-capitalist. It's a ragtag mob basically."

Criticism from GOPers on the marches has been growing louder and more frequent. Earlier today, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor - who is coming to New York City this weekend - called the protesters "a growing mob."

Europe - Hungary: rising tide of racism.

Jessica Duchen
The JC.com
Thu, 06 Oct 2011 09:58 UTC

Interview: András Schiff - The pianist is reviled by government supporters in his homeland - all because he spoke out against the rising tide of racism.

Any pianist could be forgiven for avoiding a country where someone has threatened to chop off his hands. It is, though, especially alarming when the country is his birthplace. Back in January, when Hungary took up its six-month presidency of the EU, András Schiff, one of today's most prominent Hungarian-born musicians, wrote a letter to the Washington Post, expressing disquiet about rising tides of racism and authoritarianism in his native land.

Schiff wrote: "The latest news is indeed alarming. Tolerance levels are extremely low. Racism, discrimination against the Roma, antisemitism, xenophobia, chauvinism and reactionary nationalism - these symptoms are deeply worrying. They evoke memories that we have hoped were long forgotten."

UK: Protesters Against NHS Reforms Occupy Westminster Bridge

Matthew Taylor
The Guardian, UK
Sun, 09 Oct 2011 09:15 UTC

Up to 2,000 UK Uncut activists and health workers join in Block the Bridge, Block the Bill demonstration

Anti-cuts campaigners and health workers have joined forces in central London in protest against the planned shakeup of the NHS.

More than 2,000 people staged a sit-down protest on Westminster Bridge from 1pm on Sunday to highlight the health and social care bill, which is due to go before the House of Lords this week.

The bridge, normally one of London's busiest, links St Thomas's hospital on the southern bank with the Houses of Parliament.

As Big Ben struck 1pm protesters unfurled banners and sat down, blocking the bridge in both directions as hundreds of police looked on.

US: Unemployed Seek Protection Against Job Bias

Sam Hanael
The Associated Press
Sun, 09 Oct 2011 09:38 UTC

After two years on the unemployment rolls, Selena Forte thought she'd found a temporary job at FedEx that matched her qualifications.

But Forte, a 55-year-old from Cleveland, says a job recruiter for a temporary agency told her the company wouldn't consider her because she had been out of work too long. She had lost her job driving a bus.

"They didn't even want to hear about my experience," said Forte. "It didn't make sense. You're always told just go out there and get a job."

Forte, scraping by now as a part time substitute school bus driver, is part of a growing number of unemployed or underemployed Americans who complain they are being screened out of job openings for the very reason they're looking for work in the first place. Some companies and job agencies prefer applicants who already have jobs, or haven't been jobless too long.

She could get help from a provision in President Barack Obama's jobs bill, which would ban companies with 15 or more employees from refusing to consider - or offer a job to - someone who is unemployed. The measure also applies to employment agencies and would prohibit want ads that disqualify applicants just because they are unemployed.

UK: Julian Assange: 'Journalists are War Criminals'

Jason Li
Digital Journal
Sat, 08 Oct 2011 00:00 UTC

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange made a rare public appearance today at Trafalgar Square to decry war and accused journalists of propagating lies that lead to it.

The event was an anti-war assembly commemorating the ten year anniversary of the Afghan war, followed by a protest march down to Downing Street, where the official residence of the country's prime minister is.

In his short five minute speech as a guest speaker, Assange called on the crowd to "form our own networks of strength" to combat a "transnational security elite" who are conspiring to launder taxpayer money through war.

Listing a series of wars, including WWII, Somalia, and the 2003 Iraq War, Assange said that wars like Afghanistan are the result of lies. He also called journalists war criminals because of the media's role in the spread of such lies.

He concluded by saying that "peace can only be started with truth", and encouraged his audience to continue sending Wikileaks information: "Go and get the truth, get into the ballpark and get the ball and give it to us and we'll spread it all over the world."

For more information about the event, go to www.stopwar.org.uk.

US, Portland: Dead body found in Oregon may be linked to murder spree

Teresa Carson
Reuters
Sun, 09 Oct 2011 09:55 UTC

© Oregon State PoliceHandout
When Holly Grigsby and Joseph Pedersen were captured, they were wanted in connection with a murder in Washington and two disappearances.

An unidentified dead man was found inside a black Jeep in rural Oregon, police said on Saturday, the latest evidence in a possible two-state murder spree linked to couple with white supremacist leanings.

Oregon State Police declined to identify the deceased male, but the Jeep belongs to David Jones Pedersen, who has been missing since September 26. His wife, Leslie Pedersen, was found brutally stabbed to death in her Everett, Washington home on September 28.

Her stepson, David Joseph Pedersen, 31 and his girlfriend Holly Grigsby, 24, were arrested in California October 5 and are expected to be extradited and charged in Leslie Pedersen's murder. They are being held in the Yuba County, California jail on charges including felony possession of a firearm and theft of a vehicle.

US, Louisiana: Turkey Creek Police Officer Arrested

Daily World
Sat, 08 Oct 2011 10:00 UTC

The former police chief of the Evangeline Parish town of Turkey Creek was arrested Thursday by Louisiana State Police on a variety of charges stemming from a deries of thefts that allegedly occured at a retail store in Lafayette, according to Trooper Stephen Hammons in a press release from State Police Troop I.

In September, detectives with Louisiana State Police Region 2 received information about the theft. The complaint

alleged 43-year-old Robert Moreau of Turkey Creek was removing store items from the shelves, then leaving with them without permission and without paying for them, according to the news release.

US: Bizarre theft: Owners report 50 foot bridge stolen from Western Pennsylvania

Josh Simeone
News Works
Sat, 08 Oct 2011 00:00 UTC

A business owner in New Castle, Pennsylvania says he was shocked to learn the company's 50-foot bridge had been stolen.

According to the Associated Press, the 20-foot wide span in North Beaver Township was reported missing on Wednesday, September 27.

The bridge, made out of corrugated steel, is worth nearly $100,000.

It appears the thieves used a blowtorch to cut it apart.

The AP says the bridge was used occasionally as a back entrance to the company property.

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Society's Child

Dalai Lama Visa Blocked "Over South African Trade Fears with China"

Dalai Lama: China is Built on Lies, Run by Hypocrites

US: Congressman Peter King Disapproves of Occupy Wall Street

Europe - Hungary: rising tide of racism.

UK: Protesters Against NHS Reforms Occupy Westminster Bridge

US: Unemployed Seek Protection Against Job Bias

UK: Julian Assange: 'Journalists are War Criminals'

US, Portland: Dead body found in Oregon may be linked to murder spree

US, Louisiana: Turkey Creek Police Officer Arrested

US: Bizarre theft: Owners report 50 foot bridge stolen from Western Pennsylvania

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