The Inter-American Court of Human Rights condemned Mexico on Monday for failing to protect the rights of two indigenous women who were raped by soldiers in 2002. In two separate rulings, the Costa Rica-based court said Mexico failed to guarantee the rights to personal integrity, dignity and legal protection of Valentina Rosendo and Ines Fernandez, both of southern Guerrero state.
Mexico must publicly acknowledge its responsibility and called for a civilian investigation into the crimes, rather than the military one, which resulted in no charges, according to the ruling. The government also must compensate both women and publish the court rulings in Spanish and the women's indigenous language, Me'phaa.
Human Rights Court: Mexico responsible for rapes
YouTube clip shows IDF soldier belly-dancing beside bound Palestinian woman
A new video uploaded to YouTube shows an Israel Defense Forces soldier wriggling in a belly dance beside a bound and handcuffed Palestinian woman, to the cheers of his comrades who were documenting the incident.
The IDF's internal investigation department ordered an immediate probe into the matter after the Ch. 10 television program Tzinor Laila caught wind of the clip on the internet. The full clip and the details behind the incident will be broadcast on the show just before midnight on Monday.
An FCC complaint takes aim at TV news 'experts' paid to promote products
Earlier today, the nonprofit watchdog group Free Press filed a complaint with Federal Communications Commission based on Los Angeles Times columnist James Rainey's complaints about hidden advertising embedded in newscasts. Over the last week, Rainey has written two columns that take the federal government to task for its "flimsy and fitful crackdown" on news outlets that present paid spokespeople as if they were independent consumer advocates.
Terror, Terror, Terror... Where's The Proof?
Unfortunately I played a small part in helping the feral government obtain an image for their plan. I did this 32 years ago in 1978: Two years before Reagan stole the White House, and eleven years before the Berlin Wall went down in 1989. This is significant because while Ronnie claimed credit for the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the demise of the Soviet Union: It was also on his watch that the world failed to get their promised "peace dividend" when the cold war officially ended. Instead we got a new and all-powerful; enemy to oppose-worldwide Terrorism!
How Americans spread the wealth
Amid raucous political debate over tax cuts for the rich and who owns most of America's wealth, university researchers have found at least one reason why we suffer such bruising public policy stalemates in this country.
When it comes to wealth inequity in the United States, we just don't know what we're talking about.
Two Israeli troops guilty of using human shield in Gaza
An Israeli military court has convicted two Israeli soldiers for using a Palestinian child as a human shield during an offensive in Gaza in 2009. The soldiers were found guilty of reckless endangerment and conduct unbecoming for forcing the nine-year-old boy to check suspected booby-traps.
It is reportedly the first such conviction in Israel - where the use of civilians as human shields is banned. The sentencing will be decided at a later date, the court said.
Bob Woodward's Dark Side -- Famed Reporter Carries Water for the Pentagon
A crucial aspect of Bob Woodward's career that has been ignored by most of the media: Woodward is the military's man, and always has been. Just one year before the publication of "Obama's Wars," Bob Woodward became a player in his own book-in-progress. He morphed into his true identity: Warrior Bob. Actually, there's an even deeper persona, Agent Woodward--but we're getting ahead of ourselves.
In June of 2009, Woodward traveled to Afghanistan with General Jim Jones, President Obama's National Security adviser, to meet with General Stanley McChrystal, then the commander of forces there.
Britain held secret war talks with U.S. general 11 months before Iraq invasion
America's most senior general flew into Britain for top secret talks on the invasion of Iraq 11 months before the attack on Saddam Hussein’s regime. Details of the classified meeting, held at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, suggest Tony Blair’s Government was involved in detailed discussions about toppling the Iraqi dictator earlier than previously disclosed.
American General Tommy Franks flew in to the base in April 2002 to attend a summit meeting called by the then Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon. t followed similar meetings Gen Franks had in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Secret Pentagon documents reveal Mr Hoon asked about ‘US plans for Iraq’.
Traumatic brain injury leaves an often-invisible, life-altering wound
Warren has trouble remembering a lot of things. Which isn't surprising, considering that several pieces of shrapnel tore through his skull after insurgents outside Kandahar blew up his truck with a rocket-propelled grenade in May.
Since 2000, traumatic brain injury, or TBI, has been diagnosed in about 180,000 service members, the Pentagon says. But some advocates for patients say hundreds, if not thousands, more have suffered undiagnosed brain injuries. A Rand study in 2008 estimated the total number of service members with TBI to be about 320,000.
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