International

At least 6 explosions have been reported in London. The public transport system, both tube and bus, appear to have been targeted. The army has been deployed onto the streets and despite early reports that the tube explosions were connected to power surges, it’s clear this is a major terrorist attack on London. Update Guardian Newsblog link Another Update Robin Grant at perfect.co.uk has more reports and links Update again It now seems likely that there were 4 explosions. Not …

Read more…

Stretching the remit, slightly.. History geeks may be interested in this wonderful series of posts at The Sheila Variations in celebration of this date in 1776 when “The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America” was formally adopted by the Continental Congress. What may be less well known, outside of the US, is that 50 years after that revolutionary event, to the day, the two main architects of that Revolution, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, died within hours …

Read more…

I’m only sorry I didn’t spot this last week, but Eammon McCann observes a gap between the aims of the organisers of Live8 and the values of their supporters. However what concerns him most is the closeness of the MPH‘s agenda to that of the British government, and the uncharacteristically easy ride he claims it has been given in the British media. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on …

Read more…

Richard Haass, now back in the US from his stint in Northern Ireland has a couple of caveats (subs needed) to make on the general pitching of Africa as a key issue for the Group of Eight meeting in Scotland next week: The last thing anyone needs is for the G8 to degenerate into an argument about levels of aid. Left out of simplistic calculations are investment flows, debt forgiveness, help from charities and market access. More to the point, …

Read more…

An interesting piece in yesterday’s Guardian about Al Franken and how Air America is beginning to make some inroads in to what to date has traditionally been a predominantly right week media haven. Possible future analogy for bloggers?The truth about lies Leftwing radio talk show host Al Franken has won a ‘breakthrough’ award for his wisecracking war against the claims of the American right. James Silver reports Monday June 27, 2005 The Guardian His three-hour radio show over for another …

Read more…

The origins and continued development of the massive Third World debt are both surprisingly simple and complex. David McWilliams gives us a quick rundown of how it started and of the various attempts to solve it in the past. He has a particularly interesting take on those who will benefit if and when it is finally paid off. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider …

Read more…

Not Northern Ireland, but sent to us by reader J M Lawrence, who has written on the subject of emerging markets in Euromoney, The Japan Times, The Boston Herald, The Baltimore Sun, The Boston Business Journal and The Cape Cod Times. He provides a litany of cases of corruption across Africa, and argues that a Marshall plan for that continent will just not work. Check this choice of two views from Tim Worstall.By J.M. Lawrence “The Bermuda Triangle” – where …

Read more…

Well not in the way you might think. But Nuala Haughey has picked up a accidental parallel (subs needed) with the colours of loyality in Northern Ireland. The orange in question is in the form of ribbons worn by members of the Israeli public to support the settlers in Gaza, who are under imminent threat of eviction by the Israeli government. Support for the government’s proposed action has slumped:Support for the government’s proposed action has slumped: …two polls released last …

Read more…

Africans on a dollar a day If nothing else, Live 8 has given prominence to a number of bubbling under issues around development and the first world’s practical relations with the third world. This illustration was opposite a pro-Bush analysis in an article in the Irish Independent a week or so back. But it also fits with an anti-Bush analysis from Naomi Klein in the Guardian a few weeks back in which she pointed to the oil wealth of countries …

Read more…

The Guardian Newsblog notes that “the blogosphere a-buzzin’” (lots of links) with the news that Microsoft “had joined forces with the Chinese government to ban words such as “democracy”, “human rights” and “freedom” from its weblog service, MSN Spaces”, to bolster other attempts by the Chinese government to stifle public debate. Of course, our own local politicians are also keen to promote the financial benefits of doing business with China (via Irish Eagle) – Belfast twins with Hefei – “We …

Read more…

I’d venture a guess this is one you won’t get to read on the determinedly conservative ATW. The story is from the Liberal MyDD.com, but the thinking seems sound. Chris Bowers has been looking at the relative performances of US Liberal and Conservative political blogggers. From September 2004, when he saw greater focus as a key to the success of conservative bloggers, he now thinks they may be too individualised in their focus to match the growth of the Liberal …

Read more…

RUSSIAN premier Vladimir Putin compared the pressure put on the Kremlin over the Chechnya issue to Britain’s role in Northern Ireland on Monday – a handy way to deflect criticism of human rights abuses in the Russian federation, but – given the massive difference in the scale of such abuses – are the situations really comparable?Mosnews reports: It was not clear whether Blair had pressed Putin over human rights or brought up the fraud conviction of former oil tycoon Mikhail …

Read more…

A slight diversion. The BBC, obviously at a loss about what to do while the jury deliberates, saw fit to write this story up and give the idiot fan idiot concerned his moment in the media spotlight. But I have to admit that I had noticed the banner he’s holding in some of the TV coverage.. and my first thought then was – No. We don’t. Pete Baker

An Early Day Motion has been tabled in Westminster by East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell asking the “Government to spearhead an international drive to help resolve Africa’s poverty and corruption, allowing the peoples there to develop and sustain their economies for the future.”No doubt Tony Blair is thinking along similar lines. KilsallyIT Technical Manager for a CCTV company in the UK & Ireland. Christian, Orangeman, Unionist. Webmaster of Ulster-Scots Online. Occasional blogger on Slugger O’ Toole. Eurosceptic. @Kilsally www.ulster-scots.co.uk

A couple of American friends visited this afternoon. Both are US Republicans. However, one had been convinced George Bush would lose the White House last November in the teeth of a four year attack from Democrats, which: 1 questioned the legitimacy of his 2000 election victory and; 2 sustained personal attacks on him throughout his first term. That he won may have come down to a new Sluggeresque rule of politics: playing the man at the expense of going for …

Read more…

Hearts and Minds tonight concentrates on some big picture stuff: “Has the French and Dutch rejection of the Constitution endangered the whole future of the European project, or is it just a minor hiccough on the road to greater unity? And as Bob Geldof puts together his latest appeal for Africa, we ask if cancelling the developing world’s debts only benefits corrupt and failing governments”. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of …

Read more…

From a review/interview of Colonel Tim Collins’s book Rules of Engagement. On where his stirring eve of battle speech in Iraq came from: Come the time, come the moment. How do Irish heroes find the words on the gallows steps? They just come to you. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK …

Read more…

Gonzo blogged the US Government’s refusal of a visa for Sinn Féin’s Rita O’Hare yesterday. In today’s Irish Times Conor O’Clery has the official explanation. Strictly speaking Rita O’Hare and other SF representatives are ineligible for a visa.. but have been allowed to travel under the conditions of a waiver. Those conditions specify that an itinery for each visit must be produced in advance.. and adhered to.. which on her last visit Rita O’Hare failed to do.From the Irish Times …

Read more…