Important but underreported news from around the world.
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QUOTED: “This bill treats one person on this floor different than anyone else, and that one person is me.”
— Utah Rep. Jackie Biskupski, objecting to a bill banning local governments and universities from offering any domestic partner benefits to homosexuals
(Story #12, below.)
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TOP STORIES
[o1] “Civil-liberties watchdog remains leashed”
[o2] “Verizon hit with $20bn wiretapping lawsuit”
[o3] “Saving the neighborhood”
WARTIME ABUSE
[o4] “170 U.N. peacekeepers fired for sexual misconduct”
[o5] “Army chief resigns amid abuse claims”
WORLD
[o6] “Turning out the lights in Zimbabwe”
[o7] “Stakes are high as miners and natives square off”
[o8] “Suit filed against ban on backyard poultry farming”
AIR POLLUTION
[o9] “Where the worst air is”
[10] “Fighting for air”
[11] “Ozone checks in city stopped”
LEGISLATION
[12] “License plates could reveal DUIs”
[13] “House blocks gay benefits plans”
[14] “Environmental lawsuit bill advances”
[15] “Legislation to ban Phelps’s protests becomes law”
VIEWPOINT
[16] “Neoconservatism has evolved into something I can no longer support”
[17] “U.S. technology has been used to block, censor Net for years”
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TOP STORIES | top
[o1]
“Civil-liberties watchdog remains leashed”
Los Angeles Times, February 21, 2006
A White House panel monitoring post-9/11 civil rights is undercut by funding doubts, delayed nominations and a failure to convene.
[o2]
“Verizon hit with $20bn wiretapping lawsuit”
Computer Business Review (U.K.), February 21, 20066
A lawyer is suing Verizon for cooperating with NSA wiretapping programs, which he argues violated customers’ privacy
[o3]
“Saving the neighborhood”
Salon.com, February 24, 2006
New Orleans residents can only save their homes from eminent domain if they can persuade over half their neighbors to return.
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WARTIME ABUSE | top
[o4]
“170 U.N. peacekeepers fired for sexual misconduct”
Reuters, February 24, 2006
For decades, the U.N. ignored claims of sexual abuse by its peacekeepers on missions around the world.
[o5]
“Army chief resigns amid abuse claims”
Associated Press, February 22, 2006
Twenty-one Colombian rookie soldiers say they were branded with pokers or sexually abused by their Army instructors.
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WORLD | top
[o6]
“Turning out the lights in Zimbabwe”
Institute for War & Peace Reporting, February 22, 2006
The central bank’s anti-inflation measures have slashed funding to the state power company, sending quality of life into a tailspin.
[o7]
“Stakes are high as miners and natives square off”
Globe and Mail (Canada), February 22, 2006
A Northern Ontario tribe can’t prevent a drilling company from entering land
they say is theirs by inheritance.
[o8]
“Suit filed against ban on backyard poultry farming”
Reuters, March 1, 2006
Hong Kong villagers are suing the government for compensation for poultry taken to prevent the spread of bird flu.
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AIR POLLUTION | top
[o9]
“Where the worst air is”
Seattle Times, February 23, 2006
The air in West Coast port towns have some of the highest levels of dangerous air pollution, mostly from unregulated diesel ships.
[10]
“Fighting for air”
Bay City Times (MI), February 19, 2006
Asthma rates in Bay County, Michigan, are climbing, and a local coal-fired power plant and nearby interstate may be the reason.
[11]
“Ozone checks in city stopped”
Baltimore Sun, February 22, 2006
Funding woes have ended ozone monitoring in Baltimore, despite air pollution so extreme it sometimes exceeds federal standards.
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LEGISLATION | top
“License plates could reveal DUIs”
Miami Herald, February 23, 2006
The ACLU objects to Florida legislation that would mark the license plates of convicted drunk drivers, calling it unfair.
[13]
“House blocks gay benefits plans”
The Salt Lake Tribune, February 23, 2006
Utah’s House of Representatives passed a bill banning cities and universities from offering domestic partner benefits to gays.
[14]
“Environmental lawsuit bill advances”
Associated Press, February 21, 2006
Utah politicians are targeting “frivolous” environmental lawsuits that attempt to block transportation projects.
[15]
“Legislation to ban Phelps’s protests becomes law”
Associated Press, February 25, 2006
Kansas and Missouri both have restricted Fred Phelps from disrupting military funerals with his anti-gay protests.
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VIEWPOINT | top
[16]
“Neoconservatism has evolved into something I can no longer support”
Guardian (U.K.), February 22, 2006
Francis Fukuyama argues that the U.S. overreliance on militarism is undermining its idealistic goals.
[17]
“U.S. technology has been used to block, censor Net for years”
USA Today, February 22, 2006
Forget Google and China: Foreign governments have been using U.S. Web-blocking software for years, a columnist points out.
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Editor: Julia Scott. Intern: Jed Herrington
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