World Affairs

Colombo

Fears of a humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka were growing yesterday after the government said 280,000 refugees who fled the conflict zone would be held in overcrowded camps for up to two years. Officials said the delay was necessary to search for Tamil Tigers and to rebuild and restore electricity and water supplies to the vast areas of the country destroyed in the 26-year civil war. Humanitarian groups say conditions in the refugee camps were quickly deteriorating, amid growing anger at the restriction on access for international aid groups, including the United Nations and the Red Cross.

The triumphant government of Sri Lanka, obviously going out of their way to assure the world at large that it is fully cognizant of the needs of the Tamil minorities, and will do its utmost to ensure that their future looks a whole lot brighter than their oppressed and miserable past has been at the concerned hands of the Sinhalese-majority country.

New Delhi

Almost one-third of MPs elected to India's new parliament face criminal charges ranging from trespassing to murder. A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms said 153 of the 543 new MPs have criminal cases pending, with 74 facing serious accusations including robbery and murder. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has 43 of its 116 members facing criminal charges, 19 of those serious. The ruling Congress Party was close behind, with 41 of its 206 members under investigation, 12 of whom face grave charges. The election results saw a 20% increase in the number of MPs with cases pending compared with the 2004 polls, but the five MPs facing the most charges were voted out of office.

The second-most populous country in the world, and the world's 'largest democracy', proving yet again that it has room for everyone in its capacious geography, with no standing in judgement on those who go about demonstrating their commitment to the public weal in seemingly unorthodox ways, using illicit means and even personal capital justice.

Rome

A high-profile corruption case came back yesterday to haunt Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister. A Milan court has released its full reasoning for convicting his British tax lawyer David Mills of accepting a US$600,000 bribe. Mills gave "false testimony ... in order to grant impunity to Silvio Berlusconi and [his holding company] Fininvest ... or at least to protect the considerable profits earned", said the court's detailed finding. Mr. Berlusconi is immune from prosecution under a law he sponsored soon after returning to power for a third time last year.

Mr. Burlusconi is clearly a man of firm convictions; that he is above the law, and in instances where it may appear that he may be compromised by inconvenient laws, why he can just re-invent new ones that don't restrain his business acumen and entitlements. Isn't that what all top executives aspire to? And what's up with Italy, anyway, they taking lessons from India?

London

The House of Lords suspended two Labour Party peers yesterday for offering to amend laws in exchange for cash, the first time any peer had been excluded for more than 350 years. The Lords upheld a ruling from its privileges committee that Lord Truscott, a former energy minister, and Lord Taylor should be suspended until the fall, when the current session of parliament ends. Two other peers, Lord Snape and Lord Moonie, a former defence minister, were cleared of wrong-doing but ordered to apologize publicly to the house for 'inappropriate' remarks. Peers of the Realm know their entitlements, they're historical, their heritage to do as, when and however they will. How perfectly uncivil, crass and common for the Lords to hold British peers to the type of ethical and moral standards that are rightfully imposed upon the commoners, the chattering classes; it is so utterly declasse. They're kidding, right?

Buenos Aires

An international arrest warrant has been issued for a Colombian accused in the worst terror strike on Argentina soil, the 1994 bombing of a Jewish charities building that killed 85 people and injured 300. Prosecutor Alberto Nisman said yesterday the suspect, Samuel Salmon El Reda, was living in Buenos Aires at the time of the attack, the second major anti-Jewish bombing in Argentina. He was married to an Argentine national, "was part of the most radicalized sector of the local Muslim community". Argentina has previously requested the arrest of former Iranian officials in connection with the deadly bombing of the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association.

There's that peace-loving Islamist agenda again, heeding the Holy Koran to make peace with neighbours and other religions somehow interpreted by jihadists as inciting to bloodshed on as large a scale as possible; they're only Jews, after all. Iran cheering all the way.

Washington, D.C.

U.S. President Barack Obama approved a civilian nuclear deal yesterday with the United Arab Emirates which some observers see as striking a contrast with Iran's defiant nuclear drive. Congress must now decide within 90 days whether to block the pact, which provides for U.S.-UAE co-operation on peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Mr. Obama's memorandum certifying the deal was in U.S. interests, did not mention U.S. disquiet over a video of an Afghan merchant allegedly being beaten by a member of the UAE royal family, which raised human rights concerns with Congress.

Is this a cerebrally-conflicted president? He sees no parallels between offering nuclear advantage to one Arab-Islamic country while professing fear over the possession of same to a Persian-Islamic Republic? Is he then prepared to offer assistance to all the countries of the Middle East for nuclear proliferation? Prepared to guarantee the use of same? Grin and bear the unpredictable results?

Iran

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday Iran had tested a missile that defence analysts say could hit Israel and U.S. bases in the Gulf, a move likely to fuel Western concern about Tehran's nuclear ambitions. President Barack Obama "has long been concerned" by any development in Iran's missile program. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said. A U.S. official said the test was a 'step in the wrong direction'. A U.S. defence official confirmed the launch, although Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman declined to say whether the U.S. military had any evidence of the test.

Well yes, there is evidence, and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is chortling about his abilities to strike his enemies, starting with Israel and the United States, holding out that open hand of friendship. What's next, the U.S. administration giving congratulations at the new longer-range missiles, and offering to sponsor warheads? That'll put that arrogant Netanyahu in his place.

Ireland

Sexual abuse was "endemic" in Catholic boys' homes in Ireland and church leaders turned a blind eye to it, according to a report Wednesday on mistreatment in church-run institutions dating back to the 1930s. The head of the Catholic church in Ireland said he was "profoundly sorry" after publication of the 2,500-page report which said there was a "culture of silence" among authorities about the abuse.

Well, that's amazing, a real shocker; sexual abuse endemic in Catholic boys' institutions. It might have been surprising to hear otherwise. And why is the head of the Catholic church in Ireland 'profoundly sorry', that the matter has become public, no longer kept under wraps? Public disclosure of unfortunate misdemeanors is so inconveniently demeaning and irritating.