Remarks by Former Official Fuel Israeli Discord on Iran
By JODI RUDOREN
The recently retired chief of Israel’s internal security agency accused the government of “misleading the public” about the likely effectiveness of an aerial strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, ratcheting up the criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak from the country’s security establishment.
Yuval Diskin, who retired last year as the director of Shin Bet, the Israeli equivalent of the F.B.I., said at a public forum on Friday night that he had “no faith” in the ability of the current leadership to handle the Iranian nuclear threat.“I don’t believe in a leadership that makes decisions based on messianic feelings,” he told a gathering in Kfar Saba, a central Israeli city of 80,000. “I have observed them from up close,” he added, broadening his critique to include the handling of the Palestinian conflict as well. “I fear very much that these are not the people I’d want at the wheel.”
Sarkozy pursues Le Pen supporters as Socialists woo poor and disillusioned
While the French president tries to close the gap on his rival, François Hollande is redoubling his efforts to get the residents of France’s inner-city tower blocks into the voting booths
Kim Willsher in La Verrière
The Observer, Sunday 29 April 2012In the high-rise housing estate at La Verrière, a dozen young and not-so-young men are kicking their heels and looking bored outside a takeaway.
“This place has a bad reputation,” says Benoît Hamon, spokesman for the Socialist party. “It’s had problems with delinquency and drugs, but its reputation isn’t justified. The people are lovely and very welcoming. You’ll see.”
Hamon should know. For four months he and his campaign team have been knocking on doors across La Verrière, drumming up support for Socialist presidential candidate François Hollande.
Slaughter of rhinos at record high
Poaching could lead to extinction by 2025
David Randall , Sunday 29 April 2012
Rhinos are being killed in such unprecedented numbers that there are realistic fears they could be wiped from the face of the planet within a generation. If this happens, it will be the first major extinction of an animal in the wild since the worldwide conservation movement began.
The bare statistics are horrifying. In South Africa, more rhinos are being slaughtered for their horns in a single week than were killed in a whole year a decade ago. And the death toll is fast accelerating. In 2007, a mere 13 were killed. In 2008, it was 83, and, a year later, 122. Last year it was 448, and this year, by 19 April, it was 181.
China’s Shawshank Redemption
Andrew Higgins
April 29, 2012FOR weeks, Chen Guangcheng pretended to be sick.
Living under the watchful eye of the world’s biggest security apparatus, his every movement closely monitored, the self-trained lawyer was hoping his jailers would drop their guard. On Sunday, they did.
Under a moonless sky, Mr Chen scaled a high wall and fled the darkened village where he had been confined to his home for the past year-and-a-half, according to a version of events provided by friends. From there, he travelled nearly 640 kilometres to Beijing and, perhaps, to freedom.
Sudan arrests foreigners in disputed border region
ULF LAESSING AND YARA BAYOUMY KHARTOUM, SUDAN – Apr 29 2012 07:32
Sudan said it had arrested a Briton, a Norwegian and a South African on Saturday, accusing them of illegally entering a disputed oil-producing border area to spy for its enemy South Sudan.
South Sudanese officials denied the allegations and said the men were working with the United Nations and aid groups clearing mines and had got lost in the remote territory close to the boundary between the two countries.
LA riots: How 1992 changed the police
The Los Angeles riots erupted on 29 April 1992 after four white police officers were acquitted over the videotaped beating of black motorist Rodney King.
By Regan Morris BBC News, Los Angeles
Anger led to days of looting and burning, 54 deaths and $1bn (£610m) of damage to the city. A state of emergency was declared in South Central Los Angeles.
In the wake of the riots the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) was forced to change.
The grainy black and white footage of King’s beating offered proof of what the black community had been complaining about for decades – police brutality.