British soldier ‘killed playing Iraqi girl’

This video from the USA is called Pentagon Whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg on Upcoming Iraq War Wikileaks Docs (Part 1 of 2) .

Part 2 is here.

From the (conservative) Daily Mail in Britain:

British soldier ‘killed Iraqi girl, 8, as she played’: Explosive new claim as Wikileaks publish US war files

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 2:24 PM on 23rd October 2010

* Lawyer: ‘The tank stopped and he blew her away’
* Call for full inquiry into civilian deaths in Iraq
* Largest ever leak of classified documents
* Claims U.S. did not investigate torture by Iraqi police
* Detainees ‘were whipped with metal hoses and chains’ …

A British rifleman shot dead an eight-year-old Iraqi girl as she played in the streets, it was claimed today.

Soldiers were handing out sweets to children in their bid to win ‘hearts and minds’ when she was allegedly killed.

Solicitor Phil Shiner said: ‘The tank stopped at the end of the street, she’s there in her yellow dress, a rifleman pops up and blows her away.’

Mr Shiner, of Public Interest Lawyers, made the claim after 400,000 U.S. military reports were posted on whistleblowing website Wikileaks. …

The Pentagon files purport to show that commanders failed to investigate torture and killings by Iraqi police and soldiers and sparked calls for a full inquiry.

They also claim that a helicopter gunship involved in the shooting of journalists also shot insurgents after they tried to surrender, and reveal 15,000 previously unknown civilian deaths.

The Daily Telegraph (also conservative) on this: here.

The Netherlands, torture in Iraq, and Wikileaks: here.

Growing Use of Contractors Added to War’s Chaos in Iraq: here.

Pakistan flood survivors still in trouble

This video is called Pakistan anger over flood response.

Seven of the 21 million Pakistanis affected by this summer’s floods are still without shelter, the United Nation’s Pakistan Office reported this week. And an estimated 14 million continue to need urgent humanitarian assistance: here.

Pintail and marsh harrier on Tiengemeten island

Today, to Tiengemeten island in the Netherlands.

A few years ago, the whole island became a nature reserve. But the work in transforming the island from its agricultural past is not finished yet.

As we board the ferry, four female tufted ducks and a great crested grebe in Nieuwendijk harbour.

On a lake on the island: mallards, common pochard, tufted ducks, wigeon. Quite some great egrets (see also here) flying around. On the other side of the bridge: coots, mute swans, one black swan, and hundreds of gadwall ducks.

A marsh harrier flying.

A group of barnacle geese swimming. A great black-backed gull.

Then: lots of rain and wind which make birdwatching basically impossible.

This is a pintail video.

As we walk back, a short dry spell. Then, a male and a female pintail duck land in the water.

Wintering geese populations increasing in Scotland: here.

French, English workers fight on

French dinner ladies lead the French “rebellion” against pension reforms: here.

The French Senate voted 177-153 yesterday to approve President Nicolas Sarkozy’s pension cuts in the face of overwhelming popular opposition and continuing strikes: here.

French Strikers Show No Signs of Backing Down: here.

French workers angry about pensions and more: here.

By Georges Seguy, former Secretary General of the CGT (General Confederation of Labour): We are not in a situation that is strictly comparable to that of May 68. It is, however, undeniable that, forty-two years later, that memorable spring holds lessons that are worth considering today. The explosion of May 68 came from a deep academic and social dissatisfaction. Not only were all possibilities for dialogue and negotiation blocked by the intransigence of government and employers, but the government had just launched a series of attacks on social security: here.

London’s 5,600 firefighters go on strike at 10am this morning, and will stay out until 6pm, after the London Fire Brigade sent them all letters of dismissal on 11 August: here. And here. And here.

Edinburgh anti cuts demonstration: here.

Workers came out in their thousands in Belfast today to protest against government cuts that will see services slashed, benefits cut and an estimated 30,000 job losses: here.

The month-old strike by thirteen thousand contract workers against the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) in southern India demonstrates their determination to resist sweatshop conditions: here.