The News

Mahmoud Darwish dies, 67

Palestinians remember Mahmoud Darwish, poet
Widely-respected poet and activist Mahmoud Darwish passed away last Saturday due to complications from open-heart surgery. Thousands in the Arab world mourn his passing. Darwish became famous for his poems of war, exile, and his people’s right to self-determination. Al Jazeera

Texas follows through on execution of Mexican national
In a controversial decision, the state of Texas went forward with the execution of Jose Medellin, who had been convicted of murdering two Texan teenagers. There had been national pressure for the Texas courts to re-try all of the fifty-one cases of Mexican nationals on the country’s death rows, including a recommendation by President Bush supporting the Mexican government, as well as the UN. But as Rick Perry (R-TX) said, “the world court has no standing in Texas.” LA Times

Building collapses in Mumbai
Eleven are killed in a building collapse caused by heavy seasonal monsoon rains. Over thirty others have been injured, and police have pointed at “shoddy building construction” throughout the city. CNN

Posted at 6:00 AM, Aug 13, 2008 in Permalink | View Comments