Soothing NHS finances …

GENERIC DRUGS
GENERIC medicines are drugs that are no longer protected by patent; they can be copied by other manufacturers at a lower cost. Essentially, this makes them attractive to the NHS because they are generally less expensive than branded drugs and products, saving money while retaining the active ingredients and efficacy of successful drugs.
The prescribing [...]

The DNA database: ethical and social concerns …

Diane Abbott MP (Labour), writing in the Guardian on Wednesday, July 30 2008, in an article entitled, “Where’s the debate on the DNA database” says:
… “It contains the profiles of a million innocent people and lacks basic safeguards – but it has no legislative foundation”
Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys, the man who actually invented DNA fingerprinting, [...]

China’s human rights record …

Banks, financial markets and liquidity …

RESPONDING to a Guardian editorial, dated 30 July 2008, entitled, “Trouble on the homefront” concerns the issue of the mortgage market and the crisis within financial markets.
The editorial states:
… As James Crosby, the report author, sees it, the troubles in the mortgage market are largely a reflection of the credit crunch. By the end of [...]

Scotland and the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) …

RESPONDING to Professor Robert Hazell, University College London, whose article “Rites of secession” was published on the website of the Guardian Newspaper dated Tuesday, 29 July 2008. The article concerns the Scottish Nationalist Party and independence in Scotland.
Professor Hazell writes:
… “Victory for the Scottish National party in last week’s Glasgow East byelection has triggered a [...]

Biofuels and food crops: ‘the right mix’

FORCING the market to cater for the biofuel industry is affecting the global food crisis. In the past two years, biofuel production has soared but should we really be swapping energy dependency for food dependency?
Millions of hectares of land are being taken-out out of circulation for food production due to the growing demand for biofuels. It [...]

Nuclear weapons and the NPT?

Bennett Ramberg, writing in the Guardian Newspaper, on the 26th July 2008 in his article entitled, “A unified front against nuclear weapons” says:
… Forty years on, the UN Security Council and international institutions must unite to keep the nuclear nonproliferation treaty alive
Writing in response:
Whilst an NPT treaty might well exist, this doesn’t guarantee that [...]

In support of Rt Hon Alex Salmond, MP, MSP …

IN RESPONSE to an editorial published by the Guardian newspaper, dated Saturday 26 July 2008:
(Slightly amended response to the original entry)
Mr. Brown, the Prime Minister, will no-doubt be scouring the press, today, in their invectiveness against his leadership. He should do so with humility in this latest crushing defeat in Glasgow East, a former Labour ’safe [...]

A response to Dr. Rowan Williams …

Dr. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, writing in the Guardian on Saturday 26 July 2008 in an article entitled, “A new spiritual politics of limits” says:
… “But this vignette of the global problem offers a potent image of one of the deep underlying issues in the environmental debate. We live in a world of finite [...]

Radovan Karadzic … as the world knows him, now and then

RUNNING COMMENTARY

Tuesday, 05 August 2008

Radovan Karadzic, the former Bosnian Serb leader appeared at the UN’s Yugoslav war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, on July 31 2008, telling the judge he would defend himself against charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. Karadzic appeared before the court for the first time when details of the [...]

G8 stalemate …

Professor Jeffrey Sachs writing in the Guardian on the issue of G8, on the 24 July 2008, says:
… The world’s political leaders need to honour their pledges and wholeheartedly tackle the big global challenges
Writing in response (amended in parts to the original reply):
A number of issues spring to mind reading through this article.
G8, as it stands, [...]

Privacy laws …

Responding to a Guardian editorial, dated 25 July 2008, entitled “Rule of silence” concerns the issue of privacy, the courts and journalism.
The editorial states:
… The right to privacy, like all the human rights enshrined in the 1950 European Convention, was a response to the abuses of a totalitarian state. It was to be a weapon [...]

Lessons from Serbia …

Responding to a Guardian article written by Steve Cranshaw, entitled “Serbia’s lessons for Sudan”, Mr. Cranshaw writes on the 24th July, 2008:
… “Western politicians were initially reluctant to bring to justice those who presided over the crimes in Bosnia, just as some are now reluctant to see Bashir indicted”.
Writing in response:
Yes, the legitimacy of the [...]

Doha, WTO and liberalisation of trade?

Responding to the Guardian’s editorial, dated 24 July 2008, and entitled “Talked out”. The article concerns world trade and the Doha round of talks.
The editorial states:
… “At the heart of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks is a simple belief, held by economists since Smith and (especially) David Ricardo: trade should benefit all sides. The [...]

Karadzic …

EVIDENCE
I was listening to the comments of General Sir Michael Rose who actively served in Bosnia during those war-torn years of sectarian strife and ethnic cleansing. People like General Rose, and Paddy Ashdown, have first-hand eye witness accounts of the appalling actions of Karadzic and Mladic, who committed widespread acts of torture against thousands within [...]

A need for change in Afghanistan …

Conor Foley writing for the Guardian, on 22 July 2008, says:
… “The Democratic candidate’s planned strategy draws a welcome line under the disastrously damaging Bush years” …
Mr. Foley’s article is entitled “Obama’s fresh start on Afghanistan”
 
Writing in response:
An interesting and well balanced article from Conor Foley.
John McCain’s preferred ‘League of Nations’, though, is something that [...]

Serbia, Radovan Karadzic and Srebrenica …

Daniel Koski writing on the arrest of Radovan Karadzic, in an article entitled “Serbia deserves to feel proud” said on the 22 July 2008:
… Until recently, most Balkans analysts had almost given up hope that any of the remaining fugitives would be caught. As Misha Glenny told BBC news, Karadzic had practically been forgotten, his [...]

Climate change and global temperatures …

Robert Watson, writing an article in the Guardian entitled, “The public has been swindled”, dated 21 July 2008, concerns OFCOM’s censure of a recent Channel-4 climate change programme.
Mr. Watson writes:
… Ofcom’s censure of Channel 4 is flawed: The Great Global Warming Swindle clearly misled viewers about climate change
Writing in response:
RESEARCH, presented in the film, apparently showed [...]

Russia and the west?

Max Hastings writing an article in the Guardian entitled, “Hopes of close cooperation between Russia and the west are now dead” says:
… As BP is discovering, the change of leadership at the Kremlin will not end its autocratic and nationalistic policies.
Writing in response:
SWEEPING CHANGES inside Russia’s oil and gas sectors in recent years have dented Western [...]

Ethical Business Practice and CSR …

Gwladys Fouché, writing an article in the Guardian entitled “Big business can and should make ethical investments”, says:
… “Norway’s Sovereign Wealth Fund has proven that big money can be invested in ethical ways. Others should follow suit”
Writing in response, (consolidated):
I have always believed that the Co-op’s policy has been a benchmark for others to follow. [...]

Omar al-Bashir …

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

For regular updates and a running open journal on Omar al-Bashir and the crisis in Darfur, click the undernoted link: 

http://markdowe.wordpress.com/2008/07/15/sudanese-president-genocide-and-war-crimes/
 
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
… Aid workers and many hundreds of thousands of locals have died because of government backed forces. Yet, somehow, there is a dilemma about indicting Omar al-Bashir.
 
… The international community’s decision to uphold or ignore [...]

The woes of Afghanistan …

The Observer published its editorial on Sunday, 20 July 2008, entilted: “Poorly directed aid increases Afghanistan’s woes” …
Article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/20/afghanistan.internationalaidanddevelopment
 
MD’s view on WordPress:
… Yes, I agree with the general balance of this argument which is well placed, accurate and hits central themes. I have noticed in the past articles from commentators that are either partisan in attitude, [...]

Terrorism and Al-Qaeda …

RESPONDING to Jason Burke, of the Guardian Newspaper, whose article entitled, “The not-so-winnable war against terrorism” was published on its website dated Saturday, 19 July 2008.
Mr. Burke writes:
… “Al-Qaida’s unorthodox structure means the terrorist organisation is unlikely to ever face total defeat”.
Writing in response:
Al-Qaeda is symptomatic of brutality, killings and mass murder. Let’s be under [...]

UK fiscal rules?

RESPONDING to a Guardian Editorial, dated 19 July 2008, entitled: “Breaking the rules”. The article concerns speculation that the HM Treasury might be considering a change of the fiscal rules.
The editorial states:
… The Treasury tried to deny yesterday that it is planning to rewrite Gordon Brown’s fiscal rules, but the denial was not convincing and [...]

Focus on Africa …

SEEKING JUSTICE
THE FACT the International Criminal Court (ICC) has called for the arrest of Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese President, does not mean that he will find himself in the dock any time soon.
The case against Mr. al-Bashir whose government is accused of actively conniving with the thugs and rapists terrorising Darfur will now be examined for [...]

Focus on China …

RESPONDING to a newsblog article written by the Observer’s Chief Foreign Correspondent, Jason Burke.
Mr. Burke writes:
… “My previous experience of China was an unrepresentative month in the mountains along its border with Pakistan 10 years ago. I returned recently for another month, criss-crossing the country, and carrying out scores of interviews with all kinds of [...]

Iran and political expediency?

RESPONDING to a Guardian editorial concerning planned talks between the United States and Iran, over its continued nuclear activities. The article says:
… America’s decision to send a senior official to international talks with Iran in Geneva tomorrow marks a major, and long overdue, policy change. It could be at least as significant as the U-turn [...]

Increasing the powers for local policing …

An article by Rick Muir in the Guardian Newspaper, dated 17 July 2008, entitled: “Police need power and resources at a local level” states …
… “While crime figures are falling, so is public confidence in the police. Today’s green paper is a step in the right direction”.
Writing in response:
DEVOLVING POWER and resources to the police, [...]

Incurring bank charges and ‘behaviourism’ …

IN a Guardian editorial, entitled “called to account”, dated 17 July 2008, the issue of bank charges is examined after an OFT report was released concerning the level of customer charges being incurred:
 
Writing in response:
BANKS are not interested in ‘customer loyalty’ as they once were, despite the perception that many people have. Banks and financial [...]

The use of aerial drones in Afghanistan?

Robert Fox, writing in the Guardian, on the 16 July 2008 asks: “Do weapons win wars?”
Mr. Fox writes:
… “Military intelligence said allies would crush the Taliban thanks to our superior firepower. So how are the Afghan rebels routing US forces?”
Writing in response:
Yes, Robert Fox raises a well written and articulate insight into how surveillance is [...]

Sudanese President, Genocide and War Crimes …

Introduction
IN A RUNNING ARTICLE, this post and journal entry seeks to examine Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese President who has been charged by an international prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
International peacekeepers are now bracing themselves in Sudan for revenge attacks. Anticipating a fierce Sudanese response to the charges, diplomats [...]