Top Stories
New Zealand National Party leader, Don Brash, resigns New Zealand National Party leader, Don Brash has resigned as the leader of opposition. Dr Brash made the announcement at press conference held in parliament, stating that ongoing media speculation about his leadership was damaging the party's reputation Kurdish Linux launched in Turkey A Kurdish operating system was launched this week with a reception in Diyarbakir, Turkey.

Featured story
Judging the Courts: Wikinews interviews Prof. Lawrence Douglas Wikinews interviews Lawrence Douglas, Professor of Law, Jurisprudence and Social Thought at Amherst College about the trial of Saddam Hussein and the purpose, conduct and impact of courts trying crimes such as genocide.

Wikipedia Current Events
Convicted killer and loyalist Michael Stone is seized by security guards and police at Northern Ireland's parliament building, Stormont, while carrying a gun, knife and several possibly "viable" explosive devices. Rwanda breaks off diplomatic relations with France after a French judge, Jean-Louis Bruguiere, issues warrants for the arrest of President of Rwanda Paul Kagame and nine associates for their alleged involvement in the shooting down of a plane carrying former President Juvenal Habyarimana. The incident sparked the Rwandan Genocide in 1994. Israel has dismissed an offer by Palestinian militant groups to stop firing rockets into Israel, if Israel ends attacks on Palestinians. Campaigning has ended in Bahrain's parliamentary elections before tomorrow's vote. The International Herald Tribune says voter turnout is expected to be 'huge' after a divisive election campaign. In the last statement before his death, poisoned former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko accuses Russian president Vladimir Putin of his murder. Iraqi insurgency: Suicide bombers kill 22 people and wound 26 in the city of Tal Afar in northern Iraq. The European Union (EU) hosts the President of Russia Vladimir Putin in a summit. Poland has vetoed the launch of EU-Russia partnership talks. The Cole Inquiry delivers its report to the Australian Government to be tabled in the Parliament of Australia on Monday. It was inquiring whether Australian companies notably AWB Limited paid bribes to the Government of Saddam Hussein in order to sell wheat to Iraq. In a poll conducted by the U.S. Agency for Development, following President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's signing of the controversial, new Constitution of Kyrgyzstan, 62% of Kyrgyz citizens believe the country is moving in the right direction.

"Jezebel of Jazz" Anita O'Day dies aged 87
Anita O'Day, best known for her sassy rendition of "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "Honeysuckle Rose" died in her sleep early Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 2006. She was 87.

Known as the "Jezebel of Jazz," she was one of America's most respected jazz vocalists whose vocal contemporaries included Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan.

A Chicago native, she gained national recognition while touring with Jazz legends Gene Krupa and Stan Kenton. Her first national hit was on "Let Me Off Uptown" with Gene Krupa's orchestra, which became a million dollar seller. Downbeat magazine named her "New Star of the Year" in 1942. After touring with Stan Kenton and his Orchestra, and recording "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine," her talent shown as a solo star. Her style became a foundational influence upon modern jazz recordings.

Her innovative scat style singing and lyrical ballads were recorded on Verve Records in the 1950's. Her colorfully innovative vocal style was evidenced in motion pictures "The Gene Krupa Story" and "Jazz On A Summer's Day."

Having a close brush with death from heroin addiction in 1967, she also survived alcohol addiction. She completed her autobiography "High Times, Hard Times" in 1981 and is the subject of a full-length documentary "Anita O'Day - the Life of A Jazz Singer," which has yet to be released. Her last album, which she recorded at age 85, "Indestructable Anita O'Day," on the Kayo Sterophonics/MRI label, was released last year.

Robbie Cavolina, her manager, said she was recovering from pneumonia at a Los Angeles convalescent hospital. And recollected that "On Tuesday night, she said to me, 'get me out of here.' But it didn't happen."

Referring to her renewed musical activity, he said that "She got to see how many people really loved her at the shows we did, in New York, in London. She had come back after all of this time. She really lived a very full and exciting life."

Born Anita Belle Colton O'Day, October 18, 1919, she escaped from a broken home at age 14, and began contesting with touring walk-a-thons popular at the time, and was occasionally asked to sing. Upon her return to Chicago, she landed her first legitimate singing job at Planet Mars, a Chicago nightclub. Carl Cons, Down Beat magazine's then-editor, was so impressed with her performance that he invited her to open his new jazz club.

As a showcase for promising jazz talent, The Off-Beat was frequented by such musicians as drummer Gene Krupa, and others. During one of her performances there in 1941, Krupa recruited her to join his orchestra.

In 1943, Anita left Krupa's band and married professional golfer Carl Hoff. She later briefly joined clarinetist Woody Herman's band, then reluctantly Stan Kenton's. Thinking her style wasn't compatible with hers, she was surprised when in 1944 the tune "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine" became a national hit.

Anita's fierce love of swing beats, conflicted however with Kenton's infatuation with strident rythyms and novelty tunes, and a year later, left over artistic differences.

Her improvisational style, and love of bebop lured her toward those with whom she could hone her talent, and by the late 1940's began her career as a solo jazz vocal artist.

She invited John Poole, a drummer whom she met at the Club Starlite in Los Angeles, to join her. She once said of John, "If the drummer is no good, I can't make it. That's why I like John Poole. He's my favorite drummer." Their musical affiliation lasted 32 years.

In 1955, Norman Granz signed Anita to his company, Verve records, and her debut album "This is Anita" was the label's first LP. Though she rarely sang ballads, her interpretation of "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square," was considered so enthralling and fascinating that rocketed her career to new levels.

Her performances with jazz greats Louis Armstrong, Dinah Washington, Thelonious Monk, George Shearling and others were renown. She became an international star after her performance of "Jazz on a Summer's Day" at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, which later became a documentary film.

Anita recorded 16 albums between 1957 and 1963 with a variety of groups, ranging from small ensembles, big bands to large orchestras. Her performances' ranged from vibraphonist Cal Tjader to The 3 Sounds, a hard bop trio. Her first Japanese tour in 1964 was received with acclaim while stateside, the popularity of jazz was decreasing.

Her nonconventional, self-initiated cold-turkey recovery from heroin addiction at a Hawaiian retreat was successful, and she later returned to work. Her last public performance was at Hollywood, California's Cinegrill Cabaret Lounge at age 83.

Word of Life Bible Institute student burns New York church for deviating from the "word of God"
Caleb Uriah Lussier, a student at Word of Life Bible Institute, has torched nearby Christ Church in Pottersville, New York, after first collecting and placing the bibles out of reach of the fire.

Warren County Sheriff Larry Cleveland said Lussier confessed to the burning the church, saying Lussier Christ Church had deviated from the Bible and the word of God.

Word of Life is a large evangelical fundamentalist youth ministry with major campuses in Schroom Lake, NY, Florida, and California, and smaller campuses in 46 countries.

Ermine takes Falls City; Premium Tap favored in Clark
Ermine, second in this year's Kentucky Oaks (grade I), edged Joint Effort in the stretch of Thursday's Falls City Handicap (grade II) Churchill Downs' traditional Thanksgiving Day feature. Ermine, who beat older fillies and mares at Churchill on November 1, payed $9.20 to win as the third choice. She covered the 1 and 1/8 miles on the dirt in 1:49.90.

Ermine, ridden by Breeders' Cup Mile winning jockey Eddie Castro, boosted her bankroll to $441,000 for Art Preston's Oxbow Racing. Ermine, a $45,000 yearling purchase, is a daughter of Florida stallion Exchange Rate.

Joint Effort, who had won two stakes at Churchill in the spring, pressed long shot Sea Siren's slow early pace and took the lead in the final turn. Ermine chased Joint Effort into the stretch and led by a half-length but a determined Joint Effort closed late and lost by a nose to Ermine. It was three lengths back to Cursora, who placed third.

Summerly, the 2005 Kentucky Oaks (grade I) winner who was making her final career start, stumbled at the start and finished fourth. Favored Sangrita, winner of the Chilukki (grade II) on November 2 at Churchill, broke poorly from the gate and ended up seventh.

Record crowd welcomes racing's return to New Orleans
Racing returned to New Orleans' Fair Grounds Race Course with a bang on Thursday. A crowd of 8,732 were on hand breaking the old record of 8,701 set in 1997. Fair Grounds, the nation's oldest racetrack was heavily damaged when Hurricane Katrina's floodwaters inundated New Orleans last year. The track began its 135th season of racing on Thursday.

Thanksgiving Day, the track's traditional opening, is usually its largest day of the year in terms of attendance. Handle, both on track and off, was up thirty percent from 2004, the last year there was racing in New Orleans.

After Katrina, there was some question as to whether Churchill Downs Incorporated would commit to rebuild the track. Both the dirt and turf were damaged by the salty flood water and portions of the Clubhouse and Grandstand were destroyed. Last season, management opted to hold an abbreviated 37-day meet at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City.

The track has the legal right to slot machines and it is expected to open them sometime in the next several years. Fair Grounds enjoyed full fields on opening day in part because purses at their highest level in years.

Thursday's feature was the Thanksgiving Handicap, the $75,000 race was in its 80th running. The race was won by Cort's P.B. He was claimed in his last on September 15 at Louisiana Downs, paid $29.60 to win and went the six furlongs in 1:10.35.

Saturday's Stakes Preview - November 25, 2006
One of the final hurrahs of the 2006 racing season will come this Saturday. Across the country, an unbeaten marvel will face foes in a Grade I for the first time, two year olds will face critical tests towards next year's classics, a turf star battles it out to remain unbeaten against his age on the turf, a Breeders' Cup winner attempts to prove that his victory wasn't a fluke and top class fillies fight it out on both dirt and turf. A race by race breakdown of all the major stakes:

Aqueduct

Cigar Mile

Goldolphin Racing's Discreet Cat, winner of the Jerome Breeders' Cup Handicap (grade II) and the United Arab Emirates Derby (group II) will face four rivals in tommorrow's $300,000 Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile (grade I) for three-year olds and up. Discreet Cat, unbeaten in all of his starts will run in his first Grade I. Although he was pre-entered into the Breeders' Cup Classic he was scratched to make way for Sheikh Mohammed's Bernardini, who ended up second. Discreet Cat beat the winner, Invasor, by a wide margin in March in Dubai. Also entered are 2005 Breeders' Cup Sprint (grade I) winner Silver Train, Dixie Meister winner of the Californian Stakes (grade II) last out in June, Sharp Humor second by a nose in the Hudson Stakes (restricted to New York breds) in his last start and Badge of Silver, third in this year's Breeders' Cup Mile off of a 10 month layoff.

Remsen Stakes

Elizabeth Valando's Nobiz like Shobiz, runner up in the Champagne Stakes (grade I) will face seven other horses in tommorrow's $200,000 Remsen Stakes(grade II) at 1 and 1/8 miles for two-year olds. Nobiz Like Shobiz, green in the Champagne finished three-quarter lengths behind Scat Daddy. Zanjero, recent winner of a first level allowance race at Churchill Downs will perhaps be the main threat, as he is bred for this distance. Sightseeing, second in the Nashau Stakes (grade II) at Aqueduct at the beginning of the month is also entered. He is joined by Timber Reserve, winner of a maiden race at Churchill and by Marina Market and Summer Doldrums, both maiden winners.

Demoiselle Stakes

Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein's Get Ready Bertie, winner of an allowance race last out at Churchill Downs will face eight rivals in tommorrow's $200,000 Demoiselle Stakes(grade II) at 1 and 1/8 miles for two-year old fillies. Her main threat will be Successful Outlook, winner of the Tempted Stakes (grade III) at Aqueduct in early November. Two shippers from Delaware Park, Miss Goodnight and Super Natascha, 1st and 2nd in the Blue Hen, respectively also join the field. Rivanna River, winner of two races at Woodbine and Grand Merger, winner of the Maid of the Mist Stakes (restricted to New York breds) round out the field.

Calder Race Course

Extreme Day

Stakes on the Extreme Day card all have different dimensions. The $50,000 Wicapi Stakes will be run at 1 and 1/2 miles on the turf for three-year olds and up. The Fast 'n' Furious Stakes will be run at two furlongs on the main track. The King George's Wrong Way Stakes is scheduled for 2 miles on the turf going clockwise. The Methuselah II Handicap is restricted to horses age five and up and the Gray Pride II Stakes is open only to gray or roan horses. Also on the card is the "World's Fastest Daily Double" two races ran at the same time - one on the turf and the other on the dirt. The first Extreme Day was partially cancelled due to rain in July.

Churchill Downs

Kentucky Jockey Club

Stonestreet Stable's Tizwonderful, romping winner of the Iroquois Stakes (grade III) in his last start will be the favorite in Saturday's $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (grade II) at 1 and 1/16 miles on the dirt for two-year-olds. Tizwondeful, a son of 2000 and 2001 Breeders' Cup Classic (grade I) winner Tiznow is undefeated in two starts. U D Ghetto, winner of the Kentucky Cup Juvenile (grade III) is the likely second-choice. The rest of the field is Going Ballastic, Starbase, Mr Blackstone, Dominican, What a Tale, Any Given Saturday, and Joe Got Even.

Golden Rod Stakes

Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein's Change Up, winner of the Pocahontas (grade III) in her last start will be the likely favorite for Saturday's $200,000 Golden Rod Stakes (grade II) at 1 and 1/16 miles on the dirt for two-year old fillies. Change Up will be challenged by Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Cohiba Miss, Lady Joanne, third in the Pocahontas to Change Up and High Heels, a maiden winner last out at Churchill. Rounding out the field are long-shots Stellas New Groove, Wellofaprize, Pro Pink, Time's Mistress, Littlebitabling and Lady Corredor.

Others

Also on the card, two races for turf juveniles: the $53,600 Caressing Handicap for two-year old fillies at a mile and one-sixteenth on the turf and the $53,600 Grand Canyon Handicap for two-year olds at a mile and one-sixteenth on the turf.

Hollywood Park

Hollywood Turf Express

Seidler & Vesgo's Sherwood Park leads the $150,000 Hollywood Turf Express (grade III) for three-year olds and up at six furlongs on the turf. Sherwood Park is joined by Captain Kurt, ninth in the Woodbine Mile (grade I), Moth Ball, winner of the Morvich Handicap (grade III), Lazerri, eighth in the Imperial Luck II Handicap, Houseofroyalhearts, fifth in the Morvich, Osidy, third in the Morvich, In Summation, second in the Nearctic Stakes (grade II) and Jungle Prince, fourth in the Morvich.

Miesque Stakes

A full of field of 12 highlights the $100,000 Miesque Stakes (grade III) for two-year old fillies at one mile on the turf on Saturday. The field from post one to twelve is: Down the Well, fifth in the Hidden Lite Stakes, Valpenny, English-maiden winner, Onida, maiden winner Super Freaky, Brushed Gold, sixth in the Miss Grillo Stakes, Spenditallbaby, second in the Sharp Cat, Hucking Hot, winner of the Hidden Lite, English winner Pasified, Kimmy Porter, fourth in the Sharp Cat, Miss Josiey Wales, winner of an Irish stakes race, Foxy Games, second in an English handicap and Mystic Soul, second in the Miss Grillo.

Laurel Park

Frank J. deFrancis Memorial Dash

Thor's Echo, winner of the Breeders' Cup Sprint on November 4, will contend the $300,000 Frank J. deFrancis Memorial Dash (grade I) at six furlongs on the dirt for three year olds and up. Joining Thor's Echo are Nightmare Affair, winner of the Smile Sprint (grade II), Diabolical, eighth in the Preakness Stakes (grade I), Crafty Schemer, winner of the Dave's Friend Stakes, Celtic Innis, second in the Maryland Million Sprint (restricted to Maryland breds), Joey Carson, second in the Vincent Moscarelli at Delaware Park in September and Attila's Storm, fourth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint to Thor's Echo. Rounding out the field are Coppertone Kid and Mach Speed.

Others

Also on the card are the $125,000 Laurel Futurity, the $125,000 Selima Stakes the $125,000 Anne Arundel Stakes , the $100,000 Laurel Turf Cup, the $100,000 April Run Stakes , the $100,000 Stefanita Stakes and the $50,000 Maryland Million Starter Handicap.

Tokyo

Japan Cup Dirt

A field of eighteen horses will contests the $2,300,000 Japan Cup Dirt (JPN-Group 1) in Tokyo Saturday night. No international horses will run in the 1 and 5/16 miles race for three year-olds and up. The favorite is Seeking the Dia.

Former Russian spy Litvinenko dies, radioactive poisoning suspected
Mr Alexander Litvinenko, reputed to have been an Ex-Russian spy who had defected to Britain, died last night in mysterious circumstances. He had alleged many associations between people in high places and organised international crime, implying that President Putin and Romano Prodi among others had been involved personally. He had sought political asylum in UK in 2000 and became a naturalised citizen in October this year, just weeks before his death.

Mr Litvinenko was said to have been investigating the shooting of Russian journalist and human rights activist Anna Politkovskaya, a well-known critic of Russian activities in Chechnya, in her apartment in Moscow October 7, 2006. It is reported that he had met two Russians in an hotel room, one said to be former member of the KGB in conneciton with the affair and he went on to meet Mario Scaramella at a sushi bar in Piccadilly where some papers were exchanged. Some hours after this he was taken ill.

Mr Litvinenko was admitted to Barnet General Hospital, north London on November 1, 2006 complaining of feeling sick. By November 11, he was said to be suffering from serious poisoning. A week later he was transferred to University College Hospital in central London. A week later he was said to have been poisoned by ingesting thallium, once used in rat poison, but, in the opinion of some doctors, there were signs of radioactive poisoning, including loss of weight and shedding of hair. Various explanations of his condition were offered. Last night he suffered a heart attack, after having left a message blaming President Putin for having him killed.

The radioactive isotope polonium-210 was found in his blood and urine as reported by the United Kingdom's Health Protection Agency. The post-mortem was cancelled. Subsequently the Agency examined conditions in the hospitals in which Mr Litvinenko has been treated. Police visited the Itsu sushi restaurant in Piccadilly, his home in Muswell Hill and the Millennium Hotel, Grosvenor Square where the meeting on November 1 had been held. Traces of radiocactivity were found in all three places. It is speculated that the polonium was probably eaten by Litvinenko as a substance that could be combined with a salt-like substance, such as polonium nitrate.

It was reported that a meeting had been held in Cabinet Office Briefing Room A (COBRA) used for high level emergency planning and control, to consider the implications of these events. The Foreign Office asked Moscow for a response to the accusation of Russian involvement and President Putin himself dismissed the allegations saying (before the cause of death had been established) that there was no proof of an unnatural death and that the case was being used as a "political provocation".

TESEV Report on Eastern Turkey for UNDP released
According to a report released by the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) for United Nation's Development Plan, the per capita GNP in Eastern Turkey, an area predominantly inhabited by Kurdish people, is as low as seven percent of that of the European Union on average. The report analyzed a region of 21 cities in Eastern Turkey*. One of the cities included in the report, Şırnak, was reported to be as poor as Botswana, Southern Africa.

Other points highlighted in the report included:

60% of the population in the region was under the poverty line. If this situation persists, people may start to migrate to Northern Iraq.

If 1% of the national income is spent on Eastern Turkey's infrastructure and social investment for 7 years, the region will be enabled to finance itself. If the economic and social conditions in the region are fixed, the fragile relationship between the Turkish government and the Kurdish people of the region may improve.

Access to health services is a primary human right. Without access to health services, one cannot expect that people of this region can live in confidence. Health institutions should employ nurses who speak Kurdish so the patients can communicate with the health services staff.

The use of the private sector is not reliable as a solution. The government should act to remedy the lack of infrastructure in the region.

Former pitcher Pat Dobson dies at 64
Former Major League Baseball pitcher and coach Pat Dobson died of leukemia Wednesday, November 22. He died at age 64 at a local San Diego hospital only a day after being diagnosed with the disease.

Dobson is best known for winning 20 games in the 1971 season for the Baltimore Orioles. He was a major league w:All-Star in 1972. Dobson finished his 11 year career with a career win-loss record of 122-129 and with a 3.54 ERA in eleven seasons.

Dobson later became a pitching coach for several teams, last appearing for the Orioles in 1996. At his death he was a special assistant to San Francisco Giants general manager Brian Sabean, where he worked the past nine years.

Dobson is survived by his wife and six children.

Hare Krishna village demolished in Kazakhstan, religious persecution alleged
An on-going struggle in Kazakhstan between the authorities and a local Hindu village has turned serious. Forum 18 have been documenting the alleged Human rights abuse regarding the Hare Krishna village for some time, but as of 21st November events took a drastic turn.

The following was seen and written by Ninel Fokina, president of the Almaty Helsinki Committee and Andrei Grishin, official member of the International Bureau of Human Rights and Law Observance:

On November 21, 2006 at 1 pm the information was received that according to the court decision to evict the members of the religion organization International Society for Krishna Consciousness from the occupied land near Sri Vrindavan Dham farm, and the demolition of 13 country houses will begin immediately.

Heavy equipment was brought to the suburban community: trucks, demolition machines, three busses with riot policemen, a bus with demolition squad and the local authorities including the Hakim. Electricity was disconnected in the morning of the same day.

There were only women and children in the village. All men went to work in town.

The president of the Almaty Helsinki Committee Ninel Fokina tried to contact different officials in Astana (the capital): B. Baikadamov, the envoy of human rights, B. Muhamedjanov, the minister for internal affairs I. Bakhtibayev, the assistant General Prosecutor; R. Aliev, the deputy minister for foreign affairs.

She had a conversation with B. Baikadamov, the only person she could reach at that time, who promised to communicate to the Committee of Religious Affairs at the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court, and the Court Administration Committee which includes the department of court decision execution.

At 3 pm representatives of human rights organizations: Ninel Fokina, Andrei Grishin, and Maxim Varfolomeev, press-secretary of the Society for Krishna Consciousness, plus, a journalist and representative of Astana TV channel left for the village which is located 40 km from Almaty.

All the roads to village were closed and patrolled by police. They would not let anyone go through. The human rights representatives and the journalist took detour through the fields. It was snowing, but they were able to reach the border of the village because of the four-wheel-drive jeep they were traveling in. But even that road was closed by patrol.

The jeep was not allowed to drive into the village. The patrol explained it was instruction of authorities. When Grishin and the jeep driver tried to pass by walk they were stopped and threatened to be put in handcuffs. And the patrol promised to send for additional force.

Lieutenant colonel, who came with another patrol car, explained that they are not allowed to the village for their own safety. He said that at that time the electric line was being dismounted in the area.

The driver of the jeep had his wife and two months old daughter in the village. He was begging to let him go through, but his request was denied. He was told that safety is guaranteed to his family. This group could still enter the village. They approached it from the other detour road, and leaving the car on the sidewalk, one by one they entered the village.

As they approached the village they met two small groups of young people who were not drunk but unnaturally exited.They held hammers, big dumb-bells, metal crow-bars and sticks. Two of them politely greeted the group, and one said gaily, “Your houses are finished.

Four big busses with toned windows and two cars of ambulance were parked at the entrance of the village in the grove. 30-40 policemen stood by the houses, and 20-30 people in civil clothes including the leaders of the district with the Hakim, the head of local executive authority stood on the street, watching the demolition.

It was snowing. Residents’ household stuff such as mattresses, blankets, utensils cookware, and furniture were laying outside on the lawns by their houses. People in construction outfits (labor people) got inside the houses and started crushing windows and doors, destroying walls. The bulldozer was demolishing the buildings and the big stone fencing with cast iron openwork lattice which separated the houses from the driving area.

A small group of inhabitants (20-30 people, mostly women) did not offer physical resistance. One of the women felt dizzy, fell down and was picked up by the ambulance. Police was bringing down those few (basically women) who tried to interfere with the destruction of their property. Two men tried to prevent the entrance of destroyers into a house, but were brought down by 15 policemen who twisted their hands and took them away to the police car.

During all these events none of the representatives from the Office of Public Prosecutor were present at the place of the event, even though both Krishna people and legal service people demanded meeting with representatives of the Office of Public Prosecutor who are obligated to be present during this type of actions.

The Hakim of the Yetisu district who was personally responsible for this action noticed A. Grishin photographing the destruction of the houses using a digital camera and commanded the policemen to detain him. A. Grishin is an officer of the Human Rights Bureau and a journalist.

To avoid confiscation of the camera A. Grishin tried to escape. He ran away by 200 meters and was caught by the police. Police officers confiscated his digital camera and took away his journalist certificate.

Then he was let free, but police refused to return the camera, saying that they would give it to the Hakim. The camera was indeed found in the car of the Hakim, but the flash card and the batteries were confiscated. When Grishin approached the Hakim to find out for what reason his camera and his journalist ID were confiscated, the Hakim told in front of the witnesses, “If I see you here again, I will personally crash Your eyes, even though I am the Hakim.”

No one of the policemen, who took part in the camera and ID confiscation, wanted to reveal their names.

Ms. Fokina was able to talk with the assistant of the General prosecutor I. Bakhtibayev, who did confirm that he would contact the prosecutor of the province and he would work out this situation.

The envoy of human rights E. Baikadamov, who was also contacted, said that the president of the Court Administration Committee Z. Makashev confirmed that he would contact immediately the provincial department and would give the appropriate instructions.

All the attempts of the representatives of the human rights organizations to find the people in charge of the operation and give them any information were unsuccessful.

All the present officials refused to speak and declared that they were not responsible for the action. The Police colonels would point at bailiffs. The bailiffs did not confirm their being bailiffs.

The OSCE representatives in Almaty Eugenia Benigni and Lisa Zhumakhmetova did not make it to the village. Their car just was stoped by police.

When the darkness fell, at around 6 pm, everything was finished: 13 houses destroyed, people thrown to the snowbound street, the village left without electricity, without heat and water.

The condition of the witnesses can be described as shock. The condition of the people who were thrown from their destroyed houses to the dirt and snow cannot be described.

When all the 13 buildings were destroyed as was planned ... while the adjacent houses of other people who do not belong to the Society for Krishna Consciousness were left untouched even though their title deeds have the same status ... the bailiffs decided to give an interview to the TV channel “to avoid one-sided opinion.” However no one of them introduced himself. The only thing they could say, “we are executing the court decision.”

Neither the Hakim, nor the police chiefs, nor the bailiffs would listen to the arguments that the governmental commission established to solve the issue around the Society for Krishna Consciousness has not yet come to final decision.

Notice: the notifications of eviction and demolition of the 13 houses owned by members of the cottage cooperative, who are the members of the religious organization Society for Krishna Consciousness, were delivered to the watchman of Sri Vrindavan Dham in the evening of November 20. The date of execution and the period for evacuating the buildings were not stated. It should be noted that the acting Kazakh law does not stipulate such a kind of eviction as the demolition of houses, and the eviction should be accompanied by the inventory of property removed from the evacuated building, while the storage of this property should be provided is necessary.

Britain to replace Trident nuclear missile system
The British Cabinet decided that Britain will retain its nuclear deterrent by replacing the Trident missile system carried on submarines, in its first meeting on the subject yesterday. The case for considering land-based and airborne systems made by former Defence Minister Geoff Hoon was rejected.

The Cabinet agreed that three or four new submarines should be built to carry the new missiles, but the number of nuclear warheads to be carried by each vessel will be decided at a later date. The existing fleet of four Vanguard class submarines, even if refitted, is due for decommissioning by 2024 at the latest. The time for design and construction is expected to be 17 years, so there is a need for an early decision. Chancellor Gordon Brown is reported as being keen to get construction started as soon as possible, in order to retain the skills of the existing workforce.

Some Cabinet Ministers thought to oppose the replacement of Trident, who worried that there might be a breach of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty or who had concern that the Labour party had not been consulted sufficiently. They include Margaret Beckett and Peter Hain, who, until recently, was a member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. The Cabinet Ministers expressed themselves content to carry out consultation and have a debate in Parliament in February.

Some 200 Members of Parliament have demanded that Parliament debate alternatives. It was agreed that a white paper for this purpose would be published before Christmas and a period of consultation would follow. Parliament would be asked to vote on the Cabinet’s proposal—not to choose between alternative systems, but to support the Cabinet’s choice "in principle." Although the Government, with Conservative support, is most likely to get approval for its plan, Jack Straw, Leader of the House, has announced that the vote will be whipped.

Kurdish Linux launched in Turkey
Kurdish Ubuntu, a Linux distribution, was launched this week with a reception in Diyarbakir. Ubuntu was the first Linux distribution to implement Kurdish localization[1]. Kurdish localization in Linux is an important milestone for Turkey due to ethnic conflicts.

Kurdish Ubuntu was prepared by a team of hardworking translators working on the Rosetta web application [1]. In his talk at the reception, the mayor of Sur (a town in Diyarbakir) said that "Whatever language it is in, we wanted it [our service] to be accessible multilingually because multilingualism is our wealth. Our work is being conducted on Kurdish, English, and Turkish language support. ... If we can integrate multilingualism, multi-identities, and multi-culturalism in this nation, this region will be a place of peace instead of conflicts." Mehmed Uzun, a Kurdish writer, speaking about the Kurdish language, told the attendees that "Our most important problem is that the language is not standardized. The Kurdish language should be standardized." Ubuntu was later distributed to the reception's attendees.

French actor Philippe Noiret dies at 76
The French actor Philippe Noiret died of cancer on Thursday afternoon, as reported by the Artmedia agency.

He is most known for his roles in Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, Il Postino and 125 other films in French, Italian and English.

He was born in Lille, northern France, on 1 October, 1930. He married the actress Monique Chaumette in 1962.

Auckland Regional Council supports Eden Park upgrade in New Zealand
The Auckland Regional Council (ARC) has voted to support an upgrade of Eden Park and not the New Zealand government's preferred option of a new stadium built on Auckland's waterfront. The stadium consultation is because to host the Rugby World Cup, which New Zealand is hosting in 2011, the final venue has to be able to seat at least 60,000 people.

Trevor Mallard, minister for sports, would not comment on the decision made by the ARC. Mr Mallard would not speak to the media until Monday when he goes to the cabinet.

Yesterday the Auckland City Council also made their decision on the stadium but they had a different opinion, going with the waterfront stadium.

Mr Mallard said a fortnight ago that the final will go to Christchurch's stadium Jade Stadium if the two councils could not agree on the stadium they wish to pursue.

With coming to its decision the ARC said that it sympathizes with the public as there was no formal public consultation and the two weeks given to them to make their decision and tell the government their choice was not enough time.

The ARC also said that the Auckland City Councils resolution to move the waterfront stadium around 200 metres to the east is not viable as found by a Technical Working Group working for Trevor Mallard.

"By taking this decision, they may be putting more responsibility on Auckland ratepayers," the mayor of Auckland, Dick Hubbard, said.

The ARC found the waterfront stadium was "inappropriate" because there would be a significant adverse reaction to the council owned Ports of Auckland, special legislation would be required to build it, it would have a "negative impact on the heritage and urban design values of the Britomart precinct and the adjacent waterfront area", and it would be quite expensive to build.

With all the above considered the ARC decided to pursue the Eden Park option as it is also an internationally recognised stadium and was used for the bid to attempt New Zealand to get the 2011 Ruby World Cup.

"Trevor Mallard's stadium is a dead duck," he said. "This afternoon he has no option but to take the waterfront stadium off the table," Keith Locke, Member of Parliament for the Green party.

Today in History
1034 - Malcolm II of Scotland died. Duncan, the son of his second daughter, instead of Macbeth, the son of his eldest daughter, inherited the throne to become the King of Scots.

1120 - The vessel White Ship sank in the English Channel, drowning William Adelin, the only legitimate son of King Henry I of England.

1795 - Stanisław August Poniatowski, the last King of Poland, was forced to abdicate after the Partition of Poland by Austria, Prussia and Russia.

1960 - The Mirabal sisters, who opposed the dictatorship of military strongman Rafael Leonidas Trujillo in the Dominican Republic, were beaten and strangled to death.

1992 - Legislators in Czechoslovakia voted to dissolve their country into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, effective January 1, 1993.

November 25 is National Day in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1943), Independence Day in Suriname (1975)

Quote of the Day

Only the brave know how to forgive... A coward never forgave; it is not in his nature. ~ Laurence Sterne

Word of the Day

Byzantine; adj

Of or pertaining to Byzantium.

Overly complex or intricate.

About Wikinews
We are a group of volunteer journalists whose mission is to create a diverse community where citizens from around the globe (including you) can collaborate to report the news on a wide variety of current events. Got news and no computer? Call the Wikinews Hotline +1-866-653-4265 (toll-free in the U.S.) +1-202-742-5918 (outside the U.S.) +44-871-218-6397 (U.K. / Europe)
License
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License. Articles published in this Print edition were created by Wikinewsies. Other content released under the GNU Free Documentation License. To view a copy of the CC-BY license, visit: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ or send a letter to Creative Commons 543 Howard Street, 5th Floor San Francisco, California, 94105, USA To view a copy of the GFDL, visit: http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html Wikipedia Current Events http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Current_events Today in History http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Quote of the Day http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Main_Page Word of the Day http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Main_Page
About Wikinews Print Edition
For more information about Wikinews Print Edition visit: http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Print

Saturday, November 25, 2006	Wikinews	Page 9

If you would like to write, publish or edit articles, visit www.wikinews.org

November 25, 2006	The free-content news source that you can write!	Page 9

If you would like to write, publish or edit articles, visit en.wikinews.org

Wikinews Back Page

2006-11-24T22:26:17