Our weekly round-up of must-read stories you might have missed: French Condemn Surveillance by NSA.; Haiti arrests key anti-corruption lawyer; Saudi Women Go For A Spin In Latest Challenge To Driving Ban; Sudan’s NCP warns against opposition calls for UN inquiry into protest killings; #SudanRevolts and #Strike4Sudan.
French Condemn Surveillance by N.S.A. – NYTimes
The French government castigated the United States on Monday for carrying out extensive electronic eavesdropping within France, the latest diplomatic backlash against the National Security Agency’s wide surveillance net and another example of how disclosures about the program have strained relations — at least temporarily — with even the closest of Washington’s allies. The Foreign Ministry summoned the American ambassador, Charles H. Rivkin, who met with ministry officials after an article on Monday in Le Monde, the authoritative French newspaper, said that the N.S.A. had scooped up 70 million digital communications inside France in a single month…
Haiti arrests key anti-corruption lawyer – AlJazeera
Haitian officials and reporters say police have detained a prominent attorney who launched corruption cases against the family of President Michel Martelly. Senate leader Simon Dieuseul Desras has called for an emergency session of legislators to discuss Andre Michel’s arrest, which sparked protests in the capital Port-au-Prince on Tuesday. Michel had initiated legal proceedings against the wife and eldest son of the country’s presdent before his detainment. Reporters for privately owned Radio Caribe say they witnessed police officers detaining the lawyer on Tuesday evening. Neither police nor prosecutors responded to phone calls seeking confirmation. The reason for the detention was unclear. Haitian police fired into the air on Tuesday and used tear gas against protesters angry over the arrest of the opposition lawyer. Protesters responded by throwing rocks at police and setting up flaming barricades in the streets…
Saudi Women Go For A Spin In Latest Challenge To Driving Ban – NPR
Activists in Saudi Arabia tried once, they tried again and now they’re making a third challenge to the kingdom’s long-standing ban on female drivers. Some women have recently made short drives, posting videos on social media sites, and many more are planning to get behind the wheel on Saturday. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that effectively prohibits women from driving, a ban supported by conservative clerics. While there is no law formally banning female drivers, the government does not give them licenses. Government authorities seem to be more lenient these days, however. Sara Hussein, 32, says it’s time to claim the right to drive. “Think back in history — Rosa Parks was the only person who sat down on the bus, wasn’t she? And then it started to happen gradually,” Hussein says. “It does have to start with the few brave people who are willing to risk whatever there is to risk.”..
On #SudanRevolts
Sudan’s NCP warns against opposition calls for UN inquiry into protest killings – Sudan Tribune
An official in the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) warned opposition parties that that they could be prosecuted if they move forward with petitioning the United Nations to establish an investigation committee into the crackdown on protestors during recent demonstrations that erupted in the country. Activists, opposition figures and Amnesty International (AI) claim that hundreds of people were killed by security forces in the riots that broke out late last month following the government’s decision to cut fuel subsidies. But Sudanese authorities assert that between 60-70 people perished during the unrest and denied firing live ammunition at protestors…
NISS calls Bosh’s mother, who was on #Strike4Sudan & grants a visitation with her son 2morrow Wed #Sudan #detainees
— Azaz Shami (@3ozaz) October 22, 2013
