Turmoil in Russia and China (03/01-04/01)
Source: Inside China - April 30thChinese Scientists Says Tibetan Yeti Does Exist, Sightings Reported Apr 30, 2001 -- (BBC Monitoring) Text of report: "Tibetan abominable snowman remains unsolved riddle" in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency).
Lhasa, 30 April: The abominable snowman in Tibet, a legendary large, hairy, man-like creature, has been frequently talked about in recent days and some local people even said they have seen it with their own eyes.
Full story here.
Editor's commentary: This is unbelievable! In order to hide mass executions, Chinese communists are now inventing Yeti in Tibet! What's next, Godzilla in Tiananmen?
Source: Inside China - April 26thChina Says U.S. on "Dangerous Road" Over Taiwan BEIJING, Apr 26, 2001 -- (Reuters) China said on Thursday U.S. President George W. Bush was leading his country "on a dangerous road" by pledging bluntly to defend Taiwan.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said Bush's comments were a violation of agreements that formed the basis of diplomatic relations between China and the United States and would damage already strained ties.
"Taiwan is a part of China, not a protectorate of any foreign country," Zhang said.
But Internet chatrooms and bulletin boards -- a rare forum for public comment and debate in China -- swiftly buzzed with anti-U.S. slogans.
"Bush and his government are a bunch of hooligans," read one message. "We mustn't be weak. We should take back Taiwan without giving this baby rabbit a chance to deal with us."
"Baby rabbit" is an insulting reference to the U.S. president, known in China as "Little Bush".
Full story here.
Editor's commentary: It is very simple and if someone needs this to be spelled out then let's do it. George Bush Sr. clearly sent a message to Saddam in 1990 that Kuwait is not part of Iraq but internationally recognized country. Bill Clinton sent a clear message to Slobo in 1999 that genocide against Albanians is not an internal affair of FRY. George Bush Jr. is sending a similar message to CCP in 2001. Chinese government may peacefully and through negotiations try to resolve reunification issue but not by force. People who live in Taiwan have their own government and their own free will to choose what kind of life they want. Since it is obvious that no one would like to spend whole life in Laogais and become a communist slave living in well known international outlaw country it is perfectly understandable why it is necessary to protect millions of lives (more than 22 million) on that island. We all know what happened in 1949 to all who opposed CCP and Mao and why two million people had to flee abroad and form little free China on Taiwan island. Letting CCP to invade Taiwan would mean to let them finish their bloody campaign that started in 1949. Current relations between U.S. and China look more like a cartoon starring Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam. Most of you know about Bugs but here is some info about Yosemite Sam from "Lost in Time" game web site:
Whether in the guise of prospector or pirate, Sam wants only one thing: gold.
Convinced that everyone is out to steal his treasure, he fires at everything that moves, be it man, woman…or rabbit. And he's not exactly choosy, since he's happy to use a good old 'six-shooter' or cannon, or even barrels of gunpowder. Yosemite Sam evidently doesn't have a sense of humor, which makes him the perfect target for Bugs Bunny.
Why Reuters reporter finds remarks about Bush being called a rabbit insulting is unknown. Bugs Bunny is very popular around the world and everyone knows how smart that rabbit is as well that all who mess with him end up as losers. We have a picture from recent plane incident. Rollover your mouse here.
Source: NY Times - April 26thBush Tells Beijing the U.S. Is Ready to Defend Taiwan LITTLE ROCK, Ark., April 25 — President Bush, offering a more explicit commitment to Taiwan than his recent predecessors, said in a television interview broadcast today that if the island came under attack from China, he would order "whatever it took" to help Taiwan defend itself.
Asked on ABC's "Good Morning America" if the United States had an obligation to defend Taiwan if it was attacked by China, Mr. Bush replied: "Yes, we do, and the Chinese must understand that. Yes, I would."
The interviewer, Charlie Gibson, pressed further, asking, "With the full force of American military?"
Mr. Bush said, "Whatever it took to help Taiwan defend theirself." He did not elaborate.
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Source: NY Times - April 25thMontenegrins Believe It's Their Time CETINJE, Yugoslavia (AP) -- From their stronghold in Montenegro's ancient former capital, radical proponents of independence from Yugoslavia feel their hour has come.
Though small, the Liberal Alliance of Montenegro is increasingly popular in Montenegro, the republic that with Serbia forms today's Yugoslavia. The nationalist group has for years been demanding independence and a final disintegration of Yugoslavia, formerly made up of six republics.
``Yugoslavia never really existed, it was always a sham,'' said a party leader, Slavko Perovic, at a noisy rally celebrating the Sunday elections that brought the Liberals six seats in Montenegro's 77-seat parliament.
Reflecting the strength of Montenegrin pride in Cetinje, the Liberals won 46 percent of votes there, nearly six times their average across the republic.
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Source: NY Times - April 24thJudge Gives Muslim - Croat Federation Sarajevo Suburb SARAJEVO (Reuters) - An Irish judge ruled on Tuesday that most of the Bosnian Serb republic-controlled part of a Sarajevo suburb disputed since the 1992-5 war is to become part of Bosnia's Muslim-Croat federation.
Former Irish High Court Judge Diarmuid Sheridan was appointed by Wolfgang Petritsch, Bosnia's top international peace overseer, to resolve years of dispute and some sporadic violence in the Dobrinja suburb. His ruling means many Serb families will eventually have to move out.
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Source: Inside China - April 24thChina Crackdown Leads to Killing of Village Protesters BEIJING, Apr 24, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) Chinese police killed two unarmed village protesters and wounded up to 38 others in a raid on a rural village in southern China, Amnesty International said Tuesday.
Villagers had been protesting exorbitant taxes for three years and had refused to pay the rising taxes since the government raised them by some 30 percent in 1998, following devastating floods to the region, it said.
An official at the neighboring Yujiang public security bureau told AFP by phone Tuesday that the raid had been part of a "strike hard" campaign announced by Beijing at the beginning of the month.
Full story here.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - April 24thSerb Court Orders Release of 143 Kosovo Albanians BELGRADE, Apr 24, 2001 -- (Reuters) Serbia's Supreme Court on Monday ordered the release and retrial of 143 Kosovo Albanians jailed on terrorism charges during the rule of former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic.
"It has been decided that due to fundamental violations of criminal proceedings, erroneous and incomplete collecting of evidence, that the verdict be reversed and the case returned to a lower court for a retrial," the court said in a statement released to local media.
Full story here.
Source: Russia Today - April 23rdLukashenko Meets With China's Li Peng BEIJING, Apr 23, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko met with Li Peng, head of China's legislature, Monday, after a meeting with the Beijing mayor in which he vowed support for the city's Olympic bid, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
During the meeting with Beijing mayor Liu Qi, Lukashenko said Belarus would spare no effort to help Beijing in its bid to host the 2008 Olympics, adding that he was confident Beijing would win, Xinhua said.
Full story here.
Source: Inside China - April 23rdChina Arrests Catholic Bishop, Priests, Says Cardinal Kung Foundation BEIJING, Apr 23, 2001 -- (Reuters) Chinese police arrested a 79-year-old underground Roman Catholic bishop along with several priests and lay Catholics in the week before Easter, the U.S.-based Cardinal Kung Foundation said.
Police arrested Shi Enxiang, the underground bishop of Yixian in the northern province of Hebei, on April 13 -- Good Friday -- while he was visiting Beijing, the foundation said in a statement seen by Reuters on Monday.
Full story here.
Source: Inside China - April 23rdChina Executes 113 People in One Day BEIJING, Apr 23, 2001 -- (Reuters) China executed 113 people on one day last week to mark the beginning of a new "strike hard" campaign against rising violent and organized crime, according to state media reports.
Full story here.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - April 23rdYugoslavia "Doesn't Exist" WARSAW, Apr 23, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic called Yugoslavia an "artificial entity" that "doesn't exist" in an interview published in Monday's issue of the Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza.
"One must finally see the truth and that is all we ask from the international community: that Yugoslavia no longer exists, that it is an artificial entity," Djukanovic was quoted as saying.
Full story here.
Source: BBC - April 22ndMontenegro Moves to Independence The ruling coalition in Montenegro - the junior partner in the Yugoslav Federation - has claimed victory in parliamentary elections. President Djukanovic's party and his coalition partners favour independence from the rest of Yugoslavia.
They based their statement on early exit polls following a huge turnout of more than 70% of about 440,000 registered voters.
Full story here.
Source: Inside China - April 21stChina "Strikes Hard" at Crime With 28 Executions BEIJING, Apr 21, 2001 -- (Reuters) China has executed 28 people in a single day for armed robbery, murder and rape in a "strike hard" campaign to curb rising violent and organized crime, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.
China was the top executioner in the world in 1999 with an official tally of 1,263 people put to death, but that was only a fraction of the actual total, Amnesty said.
Jason's current bodycount record is 21 set in "Jason Goes to Hell". Jason X is coming this August. Will he finally defeat Chinese government record? Full story here.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - April 20thOld Capital of Montenegro Hopes for Independence CETINJE, Apr 20, 2001 -- (Reuters) Montenegrin fighters in the 19th century once melted down the letters of a printing press for bullets to keep their old capital Cetinje free from foreign rule.
A battle for independence is again being waged in this small town perched among spectacular rocky mountains, but this time the power of words is being used instead of weapons.
Montenegrin flags emblazoned with a double-headed eagle or a white cross fly from buildings. Drivers have put stickers of the emblems over the Yugoslav flag on their registration plates. The Cafe Perper is named after an old Montenegrin currency.
"We want to live in a free Montenegro and if necessary we'll die for Montenegro," declared Bobo Bogdanovic, sitting in the cafe he owns. It is adorned with paintings and black and white photographs from Montenegrin history.
To show what he thinks of Serbian nationalism, one local man has even put together an exhibition featuring its leaders down the years in the toilet of his house. "Now to finish this story..." Mujo Milanovic declares, flushing the lavatory with a grin after showing a visitor round.
Full story here.
Source: Inside China - April 20thSixteen Executed in Beijing BEIJING, Apr 20, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) Sixteen people were executed in Beijing Friday and sentencing rallies and executions held across the country as part of a nationwide "strike blackness and wipe out evil" crackdown.
The Beijing Supreme Court ordered the execution Friday morning of the 16, convicted of violent crimes, and they were killed soon after, the Beijing Evening News said.
In the northern city of Harbin, 21 people were sentenced to death, while three were executed in Xingmen city, Hubei province.
Executions in China are traditionally done with a bullet to the back of the head, but recently the country has been experimenting with more humane methods such as lethal injections.
Full story here.
Source: BBC - April 20thUN Condemns Russia over Chechnya Russia has been condemned by the United Nations for the conduct of its armed forces in Chechnya. The UN Commission on Human Rights approved a resolution presented by the European Union, overriding vocal objections by countries including Russia and China.
It said Moscow was still using excessive and indiscriminate force in the conflict in the breakaway republic and that there should be a credible investigation into violations of human rights by Russian forces.
Full story here.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - April 19thKey Facts About Montenegro's Election
Source: Yugoslavia Today - April 18thSerb Court Jails Two Kosovo Albanians for 20 Years BELGRADE, Apr 18, 2001 -- (Reuters) A Serbian court sentenced two ethnic Albanians to 20 years in prison on Wednesday for the murder of Serb civilians in Kosovo in 1998 as guerrilla war against Belgrade was spreading, local media reported.
Full story here.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - April 18thSerbian Court Confirms Anti-NATO Verdicts BELGRADE, Apr 18, 2001 -- (Reuters) A Belgrade court, in a move embarrassing the new democratic government, has issued arrest warrants for 14 Western leaders convicted in absentia last year of "war crimes" over NATO's 1999 air war on Yugoslavia.
In a belated procedural step seven months after the trial, the Belgrade district court formally notified defense lawyers of the 20-year sentences meted out to the 14 Western leaders and issued warrants for their arrest, Beta news agency reported.
Full story here.
Source: BBC - April 18thSpain Refuses to Extradite Tycoon Spanish judges have refused to extradite Russian media tycoon Vladimir Gusinsky, after a four-month legal battle.
"The court agrees to reject and declare inadmissible the extradition of Vladimir Alexandrich Gusinsky as requested by the authorities of the Russian federation," said the judgment.
Full story here.
Source: Inside China - April 17thChina Wants to Strengthen Economic Ties With Yugoslavia BEIJING, Apr 17, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) China wants to strengthen its bilateral ties with Yugoslavia during the visit to Beijing by Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub Labus, it was reported Tuesday.
Labus said at the meeting that the new Yugoslav government attached great importance to maintaining its cooperation with Beijing.
He said Belgrade approved of China's foreign policy of not interfering in the internal affairs of other countries and appreciated Beijing's political and economic support during the NATO bombing campaign in 1999.
China, which vigorously condemned the bombings, was one of the main allies of former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic until he was forced out of power last October. It was an especially important economic partner to Milosevic's government.
Full story here.
Editor's commentary: Labus is happy that China gave full support to Milosevic's genocide campaign in Kosovo in 1999!?Too bad Labus didn't mention if Belgrade approves China's internal policy, especially brutal murders of Falun Gong members. It seems that DOS is the same old communist garbage as Milosevic's SPS. We really can't wait any longer for new elections in Serbia, we need elections ASAP!
Source: Inside China - April 17thTwo More Falun Gong Members Die in Police Custody in China BEIJING, Apr 17, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) Two middle-aged women who refused to denounce their faith in the outlawed Falun Gong spiritual group have died in police custody in China, the sect said Tuesday.
The women, Liu Lanxiang, 40, and Wang Aijuan, 43, were detained at separate police detention centers and died after being beaten and tortured, the group said in a press statement sent to Beijing.
Full story here.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - April 11thSerbian Minister Opposes Liberalized Food Imports NOVI SAD, Apr 11, 2001 -- (Reuters) Serbian Agriculture Minister Dragan Veselinov on Tuesday attacked federal government plans to liberalize food imports, saying only raw materials should enjoy lower customs duties.
"The republican government cannot allow liberal imports of final agricultural products. We do not want free import of sugar and edible oil, we want this to be harmonised with Serbia's needs for development," he told a news conference.
Full story here.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - April 11thSerbia's Breadbasket Province Wants Autonomy Back BELGRADE, Apr 11, 2001 -- (Reuters) Serbia's breadbasket province of Vojvodina wants to regain autonomy suppressed in 1988 by Slobodan Milosevic, compounding tensions within the democratic reform coalition that replaced him.
With the fallen Serbian nationalist autocrat now in prison awaiting trial for abuse of power, and democratic reformers preparing a constitutional makeover of Serbia to join Europe's mainstream, Vojvodina hopes to strike while the iron is hot.
Full story here.
Source: Russia Today - April 9thTurner Would Curb Russian TV Station if He Takes Stake MOSCOW, Apr 9, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) U.S. media tycoon Ted Turner has plans to curb the editorial independence of NTV, Russia's main commercial television station, if he manages to acquire a significant stake in the company, Russian media reported Monday.
But Moscow Echo radio, on its Internet site, carried a purported 10-point list of Turner "principles" for the station which included a proviso that NTV "will not stand in opposition to the Russian government, or to any party or political group or individual."
Journalists at the station would "refrain from interpreting events," according to the Turner guidelines, said by the daily Kommersant to have been obtained from sources "who have worked with Turner for more than 10 years."
Supporters of NTV, which claims more than 100 million regular viewers throughout Russia and the other republics of the former Soviet Union, have held large demonstrations in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and other cities to defend the station's independence.
Full story here.
Source: BBC - April 7thRussians Rally for NTV Several thousand people have been demonstrating in Moscow against the takeover of the independent Russian television station NTV by the state-owned company Gazprom.
The crowd gathered in the rain outside the offices of NTV to express their support for journalists who say the takeover would lead to government censorship of the channel.
Full story here.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - April 6thNATO Vows No Coverup on Kosovo Shelling BRUSSELS, Apr 6, 2001 -- (Reuters) NATO will not participate in any cover-up or whitewash of a fatal mortar attack on a Kosovo village for which Macedonia vehemently denies responsibility, an alliance official said on Friday.
Full story here.
Source: Russia Today - April 4thPutin Essential to Development in Russia, German Chancellor Says BERLIN, Apr 4, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) Less than a week ahead of their summit, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said Wednesday that change in Russia depends on President Vladimir Putin, in an article in Die Zeit magazine.
"Without President Putin, little happens in Russia. That is why working with him has a decisive meaning," Schroeder said, in a release Wednesday of the article.
Full story here.
Editor's commentary: With Putin only bad things happen in Russia but if remember that Germans send Lenin in 1917 back to Russia then this statement is understandable as well as what are current German government goals towards Russia. Putin is essential for destruction of Russia not development.
Source: Russia Today - April 4thRussian Reporters Dig in for Siege of NTV Station MOSCOW, Apr 4, 2001 -- (Reuters) The Russian sign on the reception desk said "No entry to Kokh and Jordan!", warning the two businessmen against dropping in to survey their newly acquired NTV television channel.
"We have been building freedom, democracy for 10 years, and it makes us happy that some sort of free media exists now," said 40-year-old Mikhail Kudryavstev, who joined the crowd. "But we need support from the West, because if we lose this fight we could lose what we have gained over the last decade."
Full story here.
Source: Russia Today - April 4thCNN's Turner: NTV's Savior, Or Putin's? On Thursday, Novaya Gazeta published an article by The Independent's Moscow correspondent and Sreda columnist Patrick Cockburn. "Some journalists in Moscow liked the idea of Ted Turner, the founder of CNN, taking a shareholding in NTV. They might have been less enthusiastic if they had examined the history of CNN over the last 10 years or talked to victims of the vicious purge last year when CNN fired 400 of its employees."
Cockburn also wrote: "In fact, CNN's success has partly been the result of its willingness to spend money to get close to governments. This was blatant during the first months of the present war in Chechnya when CNN took up permanent residence in [Russian] military headquarters in Mozdok."
For my part, I'd advise the Union of Journalists, Yabloko and the Union of Right Forces to call the people into the streets for another demonstration, this time under the slogan: "Turner! Keep your hands off NTV!"
Full story here.
Editor's commentary: Turner is finished! I suggest you start broadcasting WWF in Russia to remind public who won the war. Turner signed unconditional capitulation ten days ago to McMahon who bought WCW for couple of millions. Read more here.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - April 4thUN Tribunal Insists on Immediate Milosevic Transfer THE HAGUE, Apr 4, 2001 -- (Reuters) The UN war crimes court and its prosecutors on Wednesday insisted that Yugoslavia must transfer former president Slobodan Milosevic to the tribunal immediately, dropping their patient tone of recent days.
"There is no impediment and nothing to stop us stating once again the point that the transfer is the result of a non-negotiable obligation and it must happen immediately," Jean-Jacques Joris, political adviser to the chief prosecutor, told reporters at the Hague tribunal.
Full story here.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
PRESS STATEMENT
Richard Boucher, Spokesman
Washington, DC
April 2, 2001Certification of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Today, April 2, the Secretary of State conveyed his decision to Congress on the issue of certification of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The Secretary determined that Yugoslavia had met the criteria of Section 594 of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs Appropriations Act 2001. In making his determination, however, the Secretary qualified this certification. The Administration intends to continue to press Yugoslav authorities to follow through on their stated intention to cooperate fully with the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia. United States support for the holding of an international donors conference will depend on continued progress by Yugoslavia and Serbia toward full cooperation with the tribunal.
Editor's commentary: You can also check transcript from April 2nd USSD briefing for press and see that there are serious problems with this irrational decision. First, Boucher lied about exact time of decision making because NY Times published his decision on Thursday morning thanks to leaks from USSD and second, there are no logical explanations that would prove any kind of FRY cooperation with he Hague tribunal or that there have been significant ongoing democratic reforms in FRY. First can be proven by checking NY Times archives and second can be proven by checking statements of the Hague tribunal itself indicating no cooperation of FRY authorities not to mention Kostunica's statements condemning Hague tribunal and refusal to extradite indicted war criminals. Until this day only one indicted war criminal went to the Hague by himself while other was supposedly arrested although there is no evidence to confirm that. It is most likely that both of them surrendered themselves but their decision remains questionable. Did someone force them to do that, did they surrender because they realized what crimes have they committed, did someone pay them, did someone threatened them? Both men pleaded innocent, both men are indicted for war crimes during civil war in Bosnia not during Milosevic's Kosovo campaign between 1998 and 1999. No democratic reforms of any kind have been under way in FRY, people live worse than ever thanks to corrupt government. NY Times reported several times about differences between the White House and USSD for the past month indicating that USSD is becoming too soft. FRY is not that important right now and there are far more important and challenging world issues but the question right now is whether Colin Powell is capable of being a team player or is he becoming a part of a big problem. There were rumors, again in NY Times, that he was planning to lift sanctions against Iraq not to mention what can we expect from him on China, Russia and Middle East issues. Military officers are not good diplomats and it should be much better for him to go somewhere else where his military experience can be of big benefit to the White House. What we absolutely do not understand is what the hell is he doing with scorpions from NY Times leaking them his decisions before they are even announced by himself officially? Arnold wants to know what happened to you Colin?
Yugoslav Chief Says Milosevic Shouldn't Be Sent to The Hague - NY Times, April 3, 2001
As Expected, Belgrade Wins 'Cooperative' Seal From U.S. - NY Times, April 3, 2001
U.S. Set to Finesse Tribunal Issue and Allow Belgrade Aid - NY Times, March 29, 2001
Bush Team's Counsel Is Divided on Foreign Policy - NY Times, March 27, 2001
War Crimes Chief Says Kostunica Is 'Man of Past' - NY Times - March 3, 2001
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Source: Yahoo - April 1stMilosevic Arrested, Pleads Innocent BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (AP) - A haggard Slobodan Milosevic proclaimed his innocence of corruption charges linked to his dictatorial 13-year rule as authorities questioned the former president Sunday and ordered him jailed for 30 days.
Though the Yugoslav government says it intends to try him at home for ruining the nation, the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, stepped up pressure for Milosevic to be handed over to face prosecution over alleged atrocities in Kosovo.
His lawyer, Toma Fila, said Milosevic told an interrogating judge Sunday that he was not guilty of ``a single count of the charge sheet.'' The judge ordered Milosevic held for 30 days as prosecutors gather evidence - an order Fila said his client was appealing.
Prosecutors allege that as president of Serbia and later Yugoslavia, Milosevic conspired with four top aides to steal about $390 million in Yugoslav dinars and German marks from the country's treasury.
The charges carry a maximum of five years in prison on conviction. More serious charges could be raised over the months ahead, possibly including involvement in a series of political assassinations. The questioning was to resume on Tuesday.
The Beta news agency, quoting unidentified police sources, said a search of the villa turned up two armored personnel carriers, 30 automatic weapons, three machine guns, an anti-tank grenade launcher, 23 pistols, 30 rifle grenades, two cases of hand grenades and several cases of machine gun and other ammunition.
``At this moment, The Hague is out of question,'' Fila added.
Full story here.
Editor's commentary: Last remark of Milosevic's lawyer tells George Bush not to give any aid money to FRY government because cooperation with the Hague tribunal was one of the conditions not arrest of Milosevic alone.
Source: BBC - April 1stMilosevic Arrested Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has been arrested and taken to prison, where he is due to face questioning later on Sunday.
His arrest came in the early hours of the morning, after a heavily-armed standoff at his Belgrade villa, where the ex-leader had been surrounded by police for nearly 36 hours.
Full story here.
Editor's commentary: This means nothing because he is not officially charged with any crime yet and he will probably be out within 48 hours thanks to his excellent attorney. That is the reason why authorities in Serbia must send Milosevic to the Hague to face war crimes charges, not some stupid misdemeanors for which he can get six months probation. Current situation is that there are no charges against Milosevic, even if he is charged he will be charged for misdemeanors or other bogus charges that can not be proved and probably be invented and evidence tempered, trial has not been set and even when this happens it can take months and years to reach verdict and years for various appeals in various appellate courts. All indicted for war crimes remain in prison until trial is over, charges are based on solid evidence and testimonies of various witnesses, tribunal works fast and appeal process is fast and efficient. Probability that Milosevic would get guilty verdict is high and charges against him are the right ones not bogus ones. Minimum sentence for Milosevic should be life in prison although we would all like to see him hanging on gallows although Hague tribunal doesn't include death sentence. Anything else is mockery of justice. Don't be surprised that he was arrested on April 1st, fool's day. Only fools can cheer today because nothing has been achieved yet.
Source: Inside China - March 31stU.S. Wants to Test Rights Records of China, Cuba GENEVA, Mar 31, 2001 -- (Reuters) The United States said on Friday that the United Nations could not remain silent as China steps up repression of the Tibetan minority and members of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement.
U.S. ambassador Shirin Tahir-Kheli also called on the UN Commission on Human Rights to scrutinize the record of Cuba, whose Communist government she charged was systematically violating basic civil and political freedoms.
In a wide-ranging speech, she accused a host of countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, North Korea and Sudan of committing gross abuses. She alleged that executions, torture and kidnappings continued in Russia's rebel Chechnya region.
China's "already poor human rights record worsened (over) the last year, particularly with respect to religious minorities and the Tibetan people", the U.S. envoy said.
"(But) by speaking out the Commission can best serve the cause of human rights and fundamental freedoms. It should not be silent when the Chinese authorities demolish Christian churches and Buddhist temples and brutally repress Falun Gong practitioners exercising rights to freedom of belief and expression.
"Throughout the year, Cuban authorities regularly harass, threaten, arbitrarily arrest, detain, imprison and defame human rights advocates...There are harsh government restrictions on freedom of speech, press, assembly and association."
Full story here.
March 31stMore pictures from standoff in Belgrade here.
Source: NY Times - March 31stMilosevic Rejects Arrest Warrant BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (AP) -- Riot police laid siege to Slobodan Milosevic's villa early Saturday in an attempt to arrest the former president. But a defiant Milosevic rejected a warrant in a tense standoff with authorities trying to bring him to justice.
After a raid on his home in an exclusive Belgrade neighborhood, police officials presented Milosevic with the warrant, an Interior Ministry source told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. But, according to the source, Milosevic refused to accept it, saying he did not ``recognize these police and these authorities, all of them being NATO servants.''
Independent B-92 radio had reported earlier in the evening that Milosevic already had been arrested and taken to the Palace of Justice.
But Milosevic later told the station in a live interview: ``I'm just drinking coffee with my comrades and I'm very well. In front of my house, many have gathered who have our people and national dignity at heart. We are very proud. I expect this story to end in a just manner and for the benefit of our people.''
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March 30thAttempt of FRY authorities to arrest Slobodan Milosevic was unsuccessful and Milosevic is currently free. Many news agencies reported at first his arrest but later retracted. We have photo story from this failed attempt to arrest war criminal Milosevic here.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - March 30thU.S. Congressmen Urge Withholding Aid to Yugoslavia The congressmen opposed to continued aid say Yugoslavia has not gone far enough to meet eligibility requirements imposed by the U.S. last year. Those requirements include assistance in the international effort to prosecute alleged Serbian war criminals, among them the indicted former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.
One of the opponents, Benjamin Cardin, a member of the House of Representatives from the eastern state of Maryland, told RFE/RL that Bush should know that there is widespread disappointment with the government of President Vojislav Kostunica.
"There's a large number of members of Congress who believe that more progress should have been made by now."
Full story here.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - March 30th
West Should Help Yugoslavia Split LONDON, Mar 30, 2001 -- (Reuters) A respected watchdog on the Balkans says the West should stop trying to prevent the break-up of Yugoslavia and start trying to assist it.
The International Crisis Group argues in a report entitled "Montenegro: Settling for Independence?" that Western efforts to stop Serbia's small sister republic breaking away from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) are counter-productive.
"The international community should discontinue its approach of pressurizing Montenegro into abandoning the aspiration for independence," the ICG said in the study published this week.
Full story here.
Source: Russia Today - March 30thRussian Tactics Said Failing in Chechnya MOSCOW, Mar 30, 2001 -- (RFE/RL) Writing in "Nezavisimoe voennoe obozrenie," no. 10, MIkhail Khodarenok argued that federal forces are failing to defeat pro-independence Chechens.
As a result, he said, "not a single strategic goal has been achieved in Chechnya."
Because monthly losses there now exceed those suffered in Afghanistan and because Russian troops are "morally exhausted and physically incapacitated," Moscow will have to change how it conducts operations there or face the prospect that it "will have nothing to show" for its efforts in the end.
Full story here.
Source: BBC - March 29thNo-show Chirac Faces Press Anger French President Jacques Chirac has been facing heavy criticism in the French press for refusing to answer a court summons to respond to sleaze allegations.
A Paris investigating magistrate, Eric Halphen, wanted to question Mr Chirac about party funding when he was mayor of Paris.
Full story here.
Editor's commentary: French communists are living their last days in France. Unpopular among people, without money from FSB and Chinese communist generals, they try to save themselves by inventing scandals and smearing name of French president. World communist clique was celebrating irrelevant communist (they call themselves socialist now as Milosevic does) victory in Paris while they lost all other cities in France. This last act of lunacy looks a lot like Al Gore sore loser last ditch effort to smear the winner rather than to achieve victory that would mean something. It is time for Chirac to take firm grip on power and not let communist agitators to usurp French laws and French constitution. This is the perfect example of anarchy where leader of France is treated as some kind of an idiot where more important thing is what local FSB office thinks rather than French people and leader they have chosen in elections. Leader of French communists Jospin, looks and acts like some zealot from Stalin's days, who cares more about his political opponents and how to grab power by any means than French people. His whole political program is just one big bright shiny red lie backed by empty promises and FSB. It is time for Chiraque to finally expose this communist scumbag and bring stability in France where families with their kids can safely go to McDonalds not being attacked by some international criminal. French president should answer to French people not to group of red thugs who refuse to recognize French laws and French constitution.
Source: Russia Today - March 29thGermany Says Russia Now Has More Embassy Spies BERLIN, Mar 29, 2001 -- (Reuters) Russia has increased the number spies operating out of its diplomatic missions in Germany, according to a report released by the German internal security agency on Thursday.
"The number of intelligence operatives has increased as the amount of embassy personnel has grown," the Federal Agency for the Protection of the Constitution said in its annual report.
Full story here.
Source: Russia Today - March 29thRussia Cabinet Changes Boost Putin's Independence MOSCOW, Mar 29, 2001 -- (Reuters) President Vladimir Putin's overhaul of Russia's security apparatus underscores his drive to entrench himself as an independent leader and rule unchallenged.
Most prominent among the sweeping government changes a year after Putin's presidential election victory was his decision to pluck his ally Sergei Ivanov from the advisory Security Council and name him defense minister in place of Igor Sergeyev.
Full story here.
Editor's commentary: It seems that FSB is taking more power in Russia. Military is being dumped and secret police is in charge now. Future FSB polls of Putin's popularity will probably hit 100% mark after these changes.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - March 29thBritish TV Producer Killed in Kosovo by Shelling PRISTINA, Mar 29, 2001 -- (Reuters) A British producer for Associated Press Television News was killed on Thursday by shellfire in Kosovo close to the Macedonian border, a spokesman for the U.S. television agency said in London.
Kerem Lawton was killed near the village of Krivenik. Local people said the fire came from Macedonian forces, who have been trying to flush out an ethnic Albanian guerrilla group operating near the border.
Full story here.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - March 28thKostunica at Odds With Serb Minister on War Crimes BELGRADE, Mar 28, 2001 -- (Reuters) Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica has publicly denied a statement by Serbia's justice minister that he had agreed non-Yugoslavs could be handed over to the UN war crimes tribunal, a newspaper said on Wednesday.
In a letter sent to the Belgrade daily Blic, Kostunica said: "The claim of the republic's Justice Minister Vladan Batic that an agreement was reached with me on having foreign citizens extradited... is not true."
Full story here.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - March 28thSerbian Workers Threaten Strike Over Tax Changes BELGRADE, Mar 28, 2001 -- (Reuters) Serbia's largest state-sector trade union may stage a strike later this week to protest the government's exclusion of workers from debates of crucial laws.
The threat of a protest came as Serbian parliament went into session to adopt the republic's 2001 budget and a new fiscal package that opposition politicians and many ordinary people said would diminish already low purchasing power of the nation.
Full story here.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - March 27thPowell Hears French Plea for Leniency for Belgrade WASHINGTON, Mar 27, 2001 -- (Reuters) U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on Monday heard French pleas for leniency five days before President George W. Bush has to rule whether Belgrade's new government is fit or unfit for funding.
With the chances slight that Belgrade will hand Milosevic over for trial by March 31, French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine said people should remember the peaceful people's revolt by allies of President Vojislav Kostunica that forced Milosevic to accept the results of an election last year.
Full story here.
Editor's commentary: There should be no leniency to Nazi dictator Kostunica and his fascist comrades. After he declared himself a president and ignoring election results, all his acts were similar to Milosevic's policy of hatred and chaos. Kostunica's most important issues are preserving Fascist Republic of Yugoslavia by sacking Djukanovic (the only real democrat in FRY), negating existence of Montenegrin nation and Montenegrin state, denying any political rights to Albanians, helping Milosevic and his party members as much as he can, attacking NATO, West and America for not supporting ethnic cleansing campaigns of Milosevic and many other things Milosevic used to do. We challenge this French clown to publicly state what progress Kostunica's government has made until this day? Establishing diplomatic relations is not an achievement because Milosevic wanted that too but was prevented by sanctions. This looks like some reward to Serbian fascists for their campaigns of ethnic cleansing in Bosnia and Kosovo. People in Serbia live worse today than under Milosevic's rule and since there was no sanctions there are no excuses for that. Kostunica and DOS have risen taxes and prices of all products and services necessary for living, workers are not getting paid, medicine has been taxed as well. Serbs are enraged by him and DOS rule while phony KGB polls indicate satisfaction of Milosevic's gangsters and his Moscow masters. Giving leniency to them is the same as to be lenient to all crimes Bill Clinton committed during his presidency. Bill Clinton was a major factor in giving a green light to fascist Kostunica and his violent overthrow of Milosevic. You can read more here. It is time for Bush's administration to say huge NO to Nazi Kostunica and his fascist dictatorship and give support to real democrats in Serbia. Further support to Kostunica will result in all out war in Balkan. Indications for that can be found in Bosnia where Croats are abandoning multiethnic federation due to recent establishment of special relations between Kostunica's government and Karadzic's party SDS who rules RS today and events in Macedonia where angry Albanians can not calm down after open refusal of Kostunica's government to change political status of Kosovo and his demands to return police and army forces to Kosovo and continue Milosevic's reign of terror. All who oppose Kostunica in Serbia are either jailed or removed from public life, Serbs are oppressed more than ever by Kostunica's government and Montengrins face extinction.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - March 23rdIndicted Yugoslav Officer Says 'No' to Trial in UN Court BELGRADE, Mar 23, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) A Yugoslav army officer, indicted by the UN war crimes tribunal, has offered to face trial at home, but not before the international court in The Hague, a weekly magazine reported Friday.
Colonel Veselin Sljivancanin, who was indicted along Mile Mrksic and Miroslav Radic for crimes allegedly committed during the bombardment and eventual capture of the Croatian town of Vukovar in November 1991, told the weekly NIN that he "does not feel guilty."
Full story here.
Editor's commentary: All three of them were already tried under Milosevic's rule in FRY and found not guilty. Who gives a damn what he wants, FRY authorities must arrest him and send him to the Hague. What's next, rapist and murderers arguing their cases in weekly and daily papers whether should they be tried for their crimes?
Source: BBC - March 23rdRussia Faces TB Time Bomb Health experts in Russia are warning that if the fight against TB isn't intensified, the rate could double by the year 2010.
Already, 30,000 people a year in Russia die of the disease, and it is spreading rapidly - especially in prisons, where overcrowding and lack of funding for treatment mean that between 10% and 25% of prisoners are infected.
More than two million people across Russia are registered at TB clinics that are overcrowded, where the staff can barely cope.
Full story here.
Editor's commentary: While Putin has enough money to travel around the world, buy loans and credits for Media MOST in order to shut them down, develop new nuclear, bio and chemical weapons, renovate his future residence (tsarist palace outside St Petersburg), there is no money for milions of people in Russia who have TB and face imminent death. Now you wonder who the hell was voting for him and who the hell approves his presidency? Are all Russians sucidial?
Source: Russia Today - March 22ndChechnya is Russia's Kosovo, Putin Says MOSCOW, Mar 22, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) Russian withdrawal from Chechnya five years ago ripened the rebel province for nationalists and religious radicals, much like today's Kosovo, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview published Thursday.
"Our main goal was to prevent (Chechnya) from becoming a base for launching attacks against Russia and neighboring territories. However, when we withdrew, it turned into exactly that," Putin told reporters from four daily newspapers.
Full story here.
Editor's commentary: From Putin's statement we can conclude following:
1. Chechnya is not part of Russia,
2. Kosovo is not part of Serbia,
3. Putin only wants to prevent terrorism from Chechnya not to assimilate Chechens.
Russia initially occupied Chechnya after colonial wars 1830-1860 while majority of Serbs lived in Kosovo between the mid-12th and the mid-14th century. No major Russian population ever lived in Chechnya and there are no Russian monasteries and other cultural monuments that would prove that, like it is the case with Kosovo. There are no Albanian terrorists planting bombs in Belgrade while Chechens are major suspects in recent bombings in Moscow. Serbian authorities never wanted to capture Kosovo to prevent terrorism. No one evicted Russians from Chechnya on the other hand. This only illustrates that Putin is a big time loser that repeats same mistakes he did during his spy days in former East Germany. Chechnya is not Russia's Kosovo!
Source: BBC - March 21stUS 'Mass Expulsion' of Russian Diplomats The United States has reportedly ordered the expulsion of up to 50 Russian diplomats, following the recent arrest of an FBI agent accused of spying for Moscow.
The Russian ambassador in Washington was told of the development after being summoned by Secretary of State Colin Powell, the CBS broadcasting network reported.
Full story here.
Source: Inside China - March 20thDissident Sent to Labor Camp for Leaving Hometown BEIJING, Mar 20, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) Veteran Chinese dissident Wang Tingjin has been sentenced without trial to three years in a labor camp for defying a ban on traveling out of his hometown, police told AFP Tuesday.
The rights group called on the ongoing session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva to take up Wang's case and to demand China abolish its system of administrative detention under which people can be held for up to three years without trial.
Full story here.
Source: Inside China - March 20thPrison Guards Jailed for Running Pimping Racket SHANGHAI, Mar 20, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) Seven prison guards in central China's Hunan province have been sentenced to between three and thirteen years in jail for running a jailhouse brothel, the Shanghai Evening Post reported Tuesday.
Wardens opened a special meeting room for prisoners to meet women at the Shaodong prison and charged fees for setting up liaisons with prostitutes for the richer prison inmates.
Full story here.
Source: Russia Today - March 20thFBI Praises Bulgaria for Fighting Russian Crime SOFIA, Mar 20, 2001 -- (Reuters) FBI chief Louis Freeh praised Bulgaria on Tuesday for asking Russia to withdraw three of its diplomats in Sofia and fighting Russian organized crime groups operating on its territory.
"I applaud the Prime Minister (Ivan Kostov) for his prompt action...It is very important to identify and prevent agents of other countries from conducting intelligence operations in our democracies," Freeh told reporters after meeting Kostov.
Bulgarian democrats expel agents of world communism. Full story here.
Source: Russia Today - March 20thSaddam Hopes to Meet Putin MOSCOW, Mar 20, 2001 -- (Reuters) Iraqi President Saddam Hussein hopes to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia's parliament speaker said on Monday after returning from a weekend trip to Baghdad.
"(Saddam) said he wants to personally get acquainted with President Putin," Communist Gennady Seleznyov told reporters in the State Duma (lower house of parliament), where he is speaker.
Stalin is Saddam's role model. Full story here.
Source: BBC - March 14th
US Renews Iran Sanctions The United States has renewed a ban on trade and investment with Iran and is warning Russia that possible arms sales to that country could have "serious ramifications" for US-Russian ties.
President Putin of Russia said that Moscow would continue to sell arms to Iran following talks in Moscow with Iranian President Mohammed Khatami.
Full story here.
Source: BBC - March 14thChinese Migrants 'Mass in Yugoslavia' Up to 200,000 Chinese people may be currently in Yugoslavia waiting to be smuggled into Western Europe, says an internal EU report seen by the BBC.
Full story here.
Source: Russia Today - March 13thRussia to Receive No Financial Aid From International Financial Organizations This Year MOSCOW, Mar 13, 2001 -- (RosBusinessConsulting) The Russian Federation won't receive the financial aid worth $6 billion from international financial organizations this year which was budgeted for 2001, Deputy Finance Minister Bella Zlatkis declared at a conference 'The Present and the Future of the Russian Stock Market' today.
Full story here.
Source: BBC - March 12thRussian Palace to Be Fit for a President Russian officials have confirmed that a decaying tsarist palace outside St Petersburg is to be turned into a presidential residence - with a theme park attached. The lavish renovations to the Constantine Palace - which stands near the Gulf of Finland - will cost around $170m. The renovation is among plans to mark St Petersburg's 300th anniversary in 2003.
Full story here.
Editor's commentary: Putin becomes like Milosevic who moved into former royal White Palace in Belgrade when his power started to melt. Putin is the last communist leader of Russia who will end his career in 2003 by being dragged out of tsarist palace by Russian people and jailed for wasting their money. What an end if we know that everything started in that palace in 1917. Communists are finished in Russia forever.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - March 11thU.S. Conditions Aid to Belgrade on Milosevic Arrest WASHINGTON, Mar 11, 2001 -- (Reuters) The United States has told the Belgrade government it should arrest and imprison former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic by the end of March if it expects American aid to continue, the New York Times reported on Saturday.
The demand for Milosevic's arrest was included in a three-page list of demands delivered last week by the U.S. ambassador to Belgrade, William Montgomery, to Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica, Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic of Serbia and other senior officials, the newspaper said.
Full story here.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - March 9thNATO Says Serbs Can Enter Buffer Zone, on a Leash A NATO official said the Yugoslav Serb forces could enter the zone as early as this weekend, "ideally, hopefully, but not necessarily after the signing of a ceasefire".
They would be allowed to take machineguns of up to .50 caliber (12.7mm) and light mortars to an area where only police with pistols had been allowed. No heavy weapons, no regular army troops and no armor would be permitted, the official said.
Full story here.
Source: Yugoslavia Today - March 8thNATO Has No Intention to Let Yugoslav Troops Back Into Kosovo WASHINGTON, Mar 8, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) NATO has decided "in principle" to a phased return of Yugoslav troops to a buffer zone along Kosovo's border but has no intention to let them back into Kosovo itself, NATO Secretary General George Robertson said Wednesday.
He said NATO is considering allowing Yugoslav troops into a sliver of the five kilometer (three mile) wide "ground safety zone" where it runs into Macedonia because Albanian extremists were using it as a staging area for attacks inside Macedonia.
"There is no intention, no debate, no likelihood of any Yugoslav troops being allowed back into Kosovo under whatever form until UN Resolution 1244 has been satisified," he said in answer to questions following a speech at a think tank here.
Full story here.
Source: Inside China - March 7thFalun Gong Leader Calls China Crackdown Futile BEIJING, Mar 7, 2001 -- (Reuters) The Falun Gong spiritual group posted a defiant message from its exiled leader on its Website on Wednesday warning China that its long crackdown would fail to break the faith of "true cultivators".
The March 4 message by Falun Gong founder Li Hongzhi, titled "Coercion Cannot Change People's Hearts" and carried on the website www.clearwisdom.net, appeared to urge Falun Gong adherents not to bow to China's ruthless 19-month crackdown.
Full story here.
More links about Falun Gong:
Falun Gong Updates: China Introduces Anti-Cult Law Falun Dafa Info Center Source: Russia Today - March 7th
Russian Group Accuses Army Over Chechnya Killings MOSCOW, Mar 7, 2001 -- (Reuters) A leading Russian rights group produced videotape on Tuesday showing bound and mutilated bodies from a Chechnya mass grave, and said the film proved the army had murdered civilians and executed suspects without trial.
Orlov said four of the bodies were women. He said some had been blindfolded. Others had been mutilated, apparently by killers collecting souvenirs. "I personally saw two people with their ears cut off," Orlov said.
"Many people look at it negatively, many positively. We believe the Russian army's actions are aimed at liberating the Chechen people from the terrorists who had seized power there," Putin said.
Full story here.
Editor's commentary:
According to Putin, death will liberate you. Somehow it is hard to believe that Chechens want to be liberated that way. Putin's statements look everyday more like Saddam's, Milosevic's or Castro's load of garbage and blatant lies. Russia sinks deeper and deeper into oblivion while we listen this kind of garbage from failed KGB spy who got kicked out because of poor performance in former GDR.
Source: Russia Today - March 5thPictures of Chechen Grave Suggest Russian Torture MOSCOW, Mar 5, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) Human rights activists showed photographs Monday that appeared to prove Russian troops had tortured dozens of Chechens in the war-torn republic before executing them and throwing them into a mass grave.
Several photographs showed bodies with skin pealed off their faces while others had teeth pulled out. Many were blindfolded and had hands tied behind their backs.
Full story here.
Source: BBC - March 3rdChechenya a Wasteland, Says Envoy A senior European human rights official, Alvaro Gil-Robles, has described the breakaway Russian republic of Chechnya as a wasteland of ghost-towns, hunger and despair.
Full story here.
Editor's commentary: Putin loves Chechnya very much. Be suicidal, support Putin, see your homeland destroyed. It is either fight for your lives or Russian bullet. Chechens don't have other options.
Source: Inside China - March 2ndTaiwan Offers to Talk With Beijing on "One China" Issue TAIPEI, Mar 2, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) Taiwan on Friday offered to talk with Beijing on the "One China" issue which has been the stumbling block for political talks between the two rivals.
Taipei has claimed that negotiators from both sides reached an unwritten consensus in 1992 which allowed different interpretations of "One China."
Full story here.
Editor's commentary: It is very simple, there is only one China and there is only one democratic government in China - Kuomintang government in Taiwan. Communists in Beijing should step down to speed up reunification and democratization process at the same time.
Source: Russia Today - March 1stUkrainian Police Tear Down Anti-Kuchma Tent Camp KIEV, Mar 1, 2001 -- (Reuters) Ukrainian police launched an early morning strike on opponents of President Leonid Kuchma on Thursday, pulling down a makeshift tent camp which has become a focus of protests against the country's leader.
To cries of "Shame, shame" and "Kuchma out!", some 400 policemen took about an hour to surround and evict around 100 occupants from some 50 tents on Kiev's elegant Kreshchatyk street.
Full story here.
Editor's commentary: It looks like Ukrainian authorities prefer California's anti-camping laws.
Source: Inside China - March 1stChina Sentences 37 Falun Gong Organizers BEIJING, Mar 1, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) China said Thursday 37 key members of the banned Falun Gong movement have been sentenced to jail in the latest wave of trials in its sustained campaign against the sect.
One person, named as Xue Hairong, received a seven year sentence for downloading and distributing material from the internet, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
Some 120 Falun Gong followers are known to have died while in police custody, with beaten and mistreated, according to the Hong Kong-based Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy.
Full story here.
Source: BBC - March 1stCharges over Dubrovnik Bombing The International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague has issued indictments against Serb and Montenegrin soldiers over the attacks on the beautiful Croatian port city of Dubrovnik. Those indicted face 16 different kinds of war crimes in connection with the artillery attacks on the ancient city and its surroundings.
Full story here.