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| Liu Xiaobo's wife under house arrest Nobel prizewinner's wife, Liu Xia, has not been allowed to leave apartment in crackdown by Chinese authoritiesThe wife of Liu Xiaobo, this year's winner of the Nobel peace prize has been placed under house arrest as part of a crackdown by the Chinese authorities aimed at stifling celebration following the award.Liu Xia was allowed to meet her husband after the announcement of the award on Friday and told followers that he was dedicating the prize to the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre.But later in an update on Twitter and in emails to friends she said since returning from the visit she had not been allowed to leave her apartment and that her phone had been cut. Since then, contact with her has been cut off.She joins more than 30 Chinese intellectuals who have been detained, warned or placed under tight surveillance since the Nobel committee announced that it was giving the award to Liu.The democracy campaign Freedom Now urged world leaders to condemn the crackdown. The Dalai Lama criticised China's response, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported. China's government "must change" and "does not appreciate different opinions", it quoted him saying.Freedom Now pointed out that Liu Xia has not been charged yet is not allowed to leave her apartment and has been denied contact with friends and the media."Liu Xia is under enormous pressure," said Yang Jianli, one of Liu's lawyers and an adviser with Freedom Now. "We hope that world leaders will immediately condemn this shameful act by the Chinese government and urge Liu Xia's immediate and unconditional release."Shang Baojun, a lawyer for Liu Xiaobo, told Reuters that he had been unable to contact Liu Xia. "She's probably at home with communications cut off, under surveillance – she's called it house arrest," he said.About a dozen reporters stood outside the main gate of her apartment building today blocked by security guards from entering.Supporters had hoped that Liu Xia would collect the prize on behalf of her husband at the award ceremony in Europe later this year.The Norwegian Nobel peace prize committee announced on Friday that Liu, a former literature professor who co-drafted the Charter 08 campaign for increased political liberties in China, was this year's winner.A host of world leaders including Barack Obama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the former Czech president Václav Havel applauded the decision, but the Chinese government responded with fury as it regards Liu as a criminal.The foreign ministry summoned the Norwegian ambassador and declared the decision a "blasphemy" and insult to the Chinese people.Censors blacked out foreign broadcasts of the announcement and police were mobilised to choke any sign of domestic support for Liu.About 20 of those targeted by the crackdown were at a celebration party in Beijing on Friday night that was broken up by police. Three are now under eight days' administrative detention for "disturbing social order", while the others have been put under house arrest or heightened surveillance.State media today suggested that the prize was an example of western pique at China's economic success."The awarding of the Nobel peace prize to 'dissident' Liu Xiaobo was nothing more than another expression of this prejudice, and behind it lies an extraordinary terror of China's rise and the Chinese model," said the Global Times.The China Daily said the award was "part of the plot to contain China" and was gross interference in the country's internal affairs. It said the prize exposed "the deep and wide ideological rift between this country and the west".Liu XiaoboChinaNobel peace prizeHuman rightsJonathan WattsMatthew Weaverguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Why Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood Won't Boycott Elections Reformer Mohamed ElBaradei had called for a boycott of rigged elections, but the Muslim Brotherhood sees participating as a way to build its base. And it's the key opposition group feedproxy.google.com |
Report links Tea Party movement to white supremacist groups Document alleges that Tea Party meetings are used as recruiting grounds for racist groupsThe Tea Party movement has extensive links to white supremacist groups, a report published by the Institute for Research & Education on Human Rights today has alleged.The report lists incidents, individuals and websites it claims demonstrate the links, and also expresses concern that Tea Party meetings are used as recruiting grounds for racist groups. The movement has repeatedly denied it is racist.In the foreword to the report, Benjamin Todd Jealous, the president of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP), said: "We know the majority of Tea Party supporters are sincere, principled people of good will."But he added that the report "exposes the links between certain Tea Party factions and acknowledged racist hate groups in the United States. These links should give all patriotic Americans pause".He called on the leadership and members of the Tea Party movement to take more steps "to distance themselves from those Tea Party leaders who espouse racist ideas, advocate violence or are formally affiliated with white supremacist organisations."The NAACP and other organisations such as La Raza, which represents Latinos in the US, were present for the report's launch.The document comes after the NAACP national convention, in July, passed a resolution condemning what it said were outspoken racist elements within the Tea Party.One of the concerns in the report is the portrayal of Barack Obama as non-American. "Consider, for example, the incessant depiction of President Obama as a non-American," it says."The permutations go on from there: Islamic terrorist, socialist, African witch doctor, lying African etc. If he is not properly American, then he becomes the 'other' that is not 'us.'"Prominent Tea Party organisers said the report was a politically-motivated distortion of the truth.Sal Russo, a Sacramento-based Republican political consultant who created the Tea Party Express, described the report "patently ridiculous".He said the Tea Party had brought millions of people into the political process because of their worries about what was happening economically to the US."The claim of racism is so stupid it defies response. The movement has nothing to do with race whatsoever," he added.Russo was travelling on the Tea Party Express bus in Nevada, where Harry Reid, the top Democrat in the Senate, is fighting for his political life against the Tea Party-backed Sharron Angle."We are not opposing Harry Reid because he's black, but because he's wrong," Russo said.On the specific accusation in the report that posts and comments on Tea Party Express partner websites were racist, he added: "What websites? People claim affiliations that don't really exist."The report also cites racist comments about Obama's family on the Free Republic website. A photograph of Michelle Obama had the caption: "To entertain her daughter, Michelle Obama loves to make monkey sounds."Gary Dunn, a contributor to the Free Republic website, said it had a policy of always removing racist comments as quickly as possible.It uses up to eight moderators to filter offensive posts, and repeat offenders were had their access withdrawn, he said.Tea Party movementUS politicsUnited StatesEwen MacAskillEd Pilkingtonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Iran restricts social sciences seen as 'Western' By NASSER KARIMI 2010-10-24T14:02:50ZTEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Iran has imposed new restrictions on 12 university social sciences deemed to be based on Western schools of thought and therefore incompatible with Islamic teachings, state radio reported Sunday.... hosted.ap.org |
49ers power to 21-6 lead over Cardinals GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Ted Ginn had two long kick returns and Brian Westbrook scored on an 8-yard run in place of Frank Gore, helping the San Francisco 49ers to a 21-6 halftime lead over the struggling Arizona Cardinals.... hosted.ap.org |