THE WEDDING OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE WILLIAM OF WALES, K.G. WITH MISS CATHERINE MIDDLETON A SUMMARY OF INFORMATION RELEASED SO FAR 29th April 2011 Contents as of 11/04/11: • The Service • Costs • Timings • Members of the Wedding Party • Invitations • The Route • Cars and Carriages • Wedding Musicians • Receptions • Wedding Cake • Gifts • Biographies • Wedding website The Service The marriage of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton will take place at Westminster Abbey on Friday 29th April 2011. The Dean of Westminster will conduct the service, the Archbishop of Canterbury will marry Prince William and Miss Middleton, and the Bishop of London will give the address. The Archbishop’s and the Dean’s roles are following precedent. The Bishop of London is a personal friend of The Prince of Wales and his family (as well as being Dean of the Chapels Royal). He has known Prince William personally for many years - he confirmed Prince William and officiated at the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Service. Costs The Royal Family, with a private contribution from the Middleton Family, will pay for all those aspects of the day that constitute the wedding (e.g. the Abbey service, flowers, dresses, carriage procession, reception and dinner). The Government and other bodies will pay for costs that are consequential to the wedding. Timings The following timings have been released 8.00 -10.00am Main congregation arrive After 10.00am Foreign Dignitaries and Royal Families arrive. The British Royal Family are – as protocol always dictates – the last to arrive, just ahead of the Bride. 11.00am Bride arrives, and the service starts 12.15pm Service ends and Carriage Processions begin 1.25pm Balcony appearance 1.30pm Fly Past Further details about Timings will be released in due course. Members of the Wedding Party Miss Philippa Middleton, Miss Catherine Middleton’s sister, will be her Maid of Honour. Prince Harry will be Prince William’s Best Man. The Bridesmaids and Page Boys will be: The Lady Louise Windsor Aged 7 – daughter of The Earl and Countess of Wessex; first cousin of Prince William. The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones Aged 8 – daughter of Viscount and Viscountess Linley (née The Hon. Serena Stanhope); second cousin of Prince William. Miss Grace van Cutsem Aged 3 – daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh van Cutsem (née Rose Astor); goddaughter of Prince William. Miss Eliza Lopes Aged 3 – daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Lopes (née Laura Parker Bowles); granddaughter of The Duchess of Cornwall. Master William (Billy) Lowther-Pinkerton Aged 10 – son of Mr. and Mrs. Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton (née Susannah Richards); no relation; son of Prince William and Prince Harry’s Private Secretary. Master Tom Pettifer Aged 8 – son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Pettifer (née Alexandra [Tiggy] Legge-Bourke); godson of Prince William. The ages above are the Bridesmaids’ and Page Boys’ ages on the day of the wedding. The Bridesmaids and Pages will perform the traditional role of Bridesmaids and Pages on the day. They will be with the Bride on the morning of the wedding, accompany her down the aisle and return with the newly married couple up the aisle. The Bridesmaids and Pages will also have places in the Carriage Procession from the Abbey to Buckingham Palace. All the Bridesmaids and Pages were chosen jointly by the couple. Invitations Invitations to the wedding of Prince William and Miss Middleton have been issued in the name of Her Majesty The Queen. The following groups of people have been invited to the wedding: • Members of The Royal Family and their friends • Members of the Middleton Family and their friends • Friends of Prince William and Miss Middleton • Members of Foreign Royal Families • Representatives from the Defence Services • Representatives from Prince William’s patronages • Representatives from the Church and other faiths • Members of the Government, Parliament and Devolved Administrations • Members of the Diplomatic Corps • Governors-General and Prime Ministers from the Realms • Members of the Royal Household Around 1,900 people have been invited to the service at Westminster Abbey. Around 650 people have been invited to the lunchtime reception at Buckingham Palace given by The Queen. Around 300 people have been invited to the dinner at Buckingham Palace given by The Prince of Wales. The invitations were posted in February. The EIIR on the invitation is die-stamped in gold and then burnished. The text on the invitation is also die-stamped. The edges of the invitation are bevelled then gilded. The invitations were printed by Barnard and Westwood. Decisions on invitations were made by the couple jointly. They worked with Members of their own Household, and The Queen’s and The Prince of Wales’s Households to draw up the final list. A rough breakdown of numbers of guests is as follows (this includes spouses): • The vast majority of guests are drawn from Prince William and Miss Middleton’s Family and Friends – over 1,000 • Over 50 Members of The Royal Family • Over 40 Members of Foreign Royal Families • Over 200 Members of Government, Parliament and Diplomatic Corps • Approximately 80 guests drawn from Prince William’s charities, including some individuals who are not in senior positions, who the Prince has known for some time • 60 Governors-General and Realm Prime Ministers • 30 Members of the Defence Services The only Heads of State invited are Members of Foreign Royal Families in accordance with the standard protocol for this kind of event. No other Head of State has been invited. Lords Lieutenant have been invited as well as all Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited to the Court of St. James. The Route The route between Buckingham Palace and the Abbey goes by The Mall, Horse Guards Road, Horse Guards Parade, through Horse Guards Arch, Whitehall, Parliament Square (the south side) and Broad Sanctuary. A full map is available at: www.officialroyalwedding2011.org Cars and Carriages Miss Middleton and Prince William will travel separately to the wedding service using State Cars from the Royal Mews. Miss Middleton will travel in a Rolls Royce, accompanied by her father. Prince William will travel in a Bentley, accompanied by Prince Harry. The State Car collection includes two Bentleys, three Rolls-Royces and three Daimlers. Members of the Royal Family and Miss Middleton’s parents and siblings will travel to Westminster Abbey in cars and motor coaches organised by the Royal Mews. At the end of their wedding service at Westminster Abbey, Prince William and Miss Middleton will travel in the 1902 State Landau along the Processional Route to Buckingham Palace. The route will include Parliament Square, Whitehall, Horse Guards Parade and The Mall. In the event of severely wet weather, the couple will travel in The Glass Coach. There will be five horse-drawn carriages in the Carriage Procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace. The first carriage will be the 1902 State Landau or Glass Coach carrying the Bride and the Bridegroom. The second and third carriages will be Ascot Landaus carrying the Best Man, Maid of Honour and Bridesmaids. The fourth carriage will be a Semi-State Landau carrying The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. The fifth carriage will be a Semi-State Landau carrying The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall and Mr and Mrs Middleton. The 1902 State Landau, the Glass Coach, the Ascot and Semi-State Landaus are housed at the Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace. The 1902 State Landau was specifically built for King Edward VII in 1902 and was intended to be used at his Coronation. It is the carriage in most general use at the Royal Mews and is usually used by The Queen to meet Foreign Heads of State when they arrive on State Visits to Britain. The Prince of Wales travelled to St Paul’s Cathedral in the 1902 State Landau for his wedding in 1981, returning in it with The Princess of Wales after the service. The Duke and Duchess of York also used it for their return to Buckingham Palace at their wedding in 1986. The 1902 State Landau is painted in a lighter shade of maroon than the other coaches and richly adorned with gold leaf and upholstered in a crimson satin. It is normally used open, and drawn by six horses. The Glass Coach was built in 1881 and was purchased for use at King George V’s Coronation in 1911. The Glass Coach has carried previous Royal brides to their weddings – Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923, Princess Alexandra in 1963, Princess Anne in 1973, Lady Diana Spencer in 1981 and Miss Sarah Ferguson in 1986. It has also carried the bride and bridegroom from the church, as it did when Princess Elizabeth married The Duke of Edinburgh and again when Princess Anne married Captain Mark Phillips. The Glass Coach was built by A. Peters and Sons, as a sheriff’s town coach before being purchased shortly before King George V’s coronation. It is driven by a coachman from the box seat with two or four horses, has special interior lighting and is known as the Glass Coach on account of its large glass windows. There are five Ascot Landaus in the Royal Mews. Two of these will feature in the Procession. Ascot Landaus are always used for The Queen’s procession up the course at the Royal Ascot Race meeting and also for other visits of an official nature. They have been used for The Queen’s coronation visit to Edinburgh, the Investiture of The Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle, The Queen’s silver Jubilee visits to Glasgow and Cardiff, and on State Visits following the 1902 State Landau. They are also used to transport new High Commissioners of Republics within the Commonwealth when they are received by The Queen. The Semi-State Landaus are used for a variety of Royal occasions. The Processional route from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace runs from Westminster Abbey to Parliament Square and then on to Whitehall, Horse Guards Parade before The Mall to Buckingham Palace. The Royal Mews is part of the Lord Chamberlain’s Office and is run by the Crown Equerry. The Royal Mews houses 30 carriage horses and has 38 staff including liveried helpers, coachmen and chauffeurs. There are two breeds of horses at the Royal Mews: Windsor Greys and Bays (the majority of which are Cleveland Bays). Eighteen horses will be involved in the Carriage Procession. There are over 100 carriages in the Royal Mews collection, although not all of them are kept at Buckingham Palace. For the Royal Wedding, 14 sides of State Harness will be used with matching appointments for outriders. All the harness requires regular cleaning and polishing, an activity undertaken by Royal Mews staff in addition to their other duties. Wedding Musicians Two choirs, one orchestra and two fanfare teams will perform the music at the Wedding Service of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29th. These are: • The Choir of Westminster Abbey • The Choir of Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace • The London Chamber Orchestra • The Fanfare Team from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force • The State Trumpeters of The Household Cavalry Both choirs will be under the direction of Mr James O’Donnell, Organist and Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey. The Choir of Westminster Abbey is made up of 20 boys, all of whom attend the Abbey’s dedicated residential Choir School, and 12 professional adult singers, known as Lay Vicars. In addition to singing the daily choral services in the Abbey throughout the year, the choir plays a central role in the many Royal, State and national occasions which take place at the Abbey. The Abbey’s Sub Organist, Robert Quinney, will play the organ. The Chapel Royal Choir consists of ten Children of the Chapel, boy choristers who hold scholarships at City of London School, and six Gentlemen-in-Ordinary, who are professional singers. The Chapel Royal Choir has existed since at least the Norman Conquest. The Organist, Choir Master and Composer at Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal is Dr. Andrew Gant. The Choir’s duties are to sing the weekly service in the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace and to perform for the Sovereign on other occasions, including at the weddings of Members of the Royal Family. The distinctive State uniforms worn by the Children date from the reign of Charles II. The London Chamber Orchestra will be conducted by Mr Christopher Warren-Green, its Music Director and Principal Conductor. The orchestra will comprise 39 musicians located in the organ loft of the Abbey. The LCO is the longest established professional chamber orchestra in the United Kingdom, having been founded in 1921 by Anthony Bernard. The Duchess of Cornwall is a patron of the orchestra. Mr. Warren-Green has conducted numerous concerts for the Royal Family. A Fanfare Team of seven musicians from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force will perform under the direction of Wing Commander Duncan Stubbs. The Central Band was established in 1920 and provides musical support to the Royal Air Force throughout the UK. In addition to their musical duties, Royal Air Force musicians also serve overseas in support of the broader Defence cause. The State Trumpeters of The Household Cavalry comprises musicians from both The Band of The Life Guards and The Band of The Blues and Royals. The Fanfare Team of eight Trumpeters will be led by Trumpet Major Grant Sewell-Jones of The Band of The Blues and Royals. In addition to their musical duties, all Army Musicians can be called upon to act as individual augmentee soldiers in support of operations across the world. Both Prince William and Miss Middleton have taken a great deal of interest and care in choosing the music for their Service, which will include a number of well-known hymns and choral works as well as some specially-commissioned pieces. Prince William has also sought advice from his father, The Prince of Wales. Following the Wedding Service at Westminster Abbey, Claire Jones, the Official Harpist to The Prince of Wales will perform at the Reception given by The Queen at Buckingham Palace. Further details will be released about music in due course. Receptions The Queen will give a lunchtime Reception at Buckingham Palace. It will be a private gathering for guests drawn from the congregation who will represent the couple’s official and private lives. During the Reception (see Timings), the couple will appear on the Buckingham Palace Balcony. The Reception is expected to finish mid-afternoon. Guests will be served with canapés at the Reception. In the evening, The Prince of Wales will give a private dinner, followed by dancing, at Buckingham Palace for the couple and their close friends and family. Prince William and Miss Middleton are immensely grateful to both The Queen and The Prince of Wales for hosting these events. Wedding Cake Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton have chosen Leicestershire-based cake designer, Fiona Cairns to create their wedding cake. The wedding cake will be a multi-tiered traditional fruit cake. The cake, which will be decorated with cream and white icing, will have a strong British floral theme using elements of the Joseph Lambeth technique. Ms. Cairns was chosen for her creative style and beautifully crafted handmade cakes using traditional British ingredients. Prince William and Miss Middleton were keen to choose a British cake designer and they had seen and tasted some of Ms. Cairns’ cakes in the past. Ms. Cairns’ business, which started 25 years ago at her kitchen table, is now based at a state of the art bakery in Leicestershire, in the heart of the English countryside. Ms. Cairns was first contacted by St James’s Palace in early February 2011. Like any bride, Miss Middleton did her own research into the cake’s design and met Ms. Cairns to give her specific guidance on what she would like the cake to look like. The Lambeth technique is derived from a style of decorating that was popular in England where chefs and decorators would use a lot of intricate piping to create 3-D scrollwork, leaves, flowers, and other decoration. The method is still popular today and is frequently used by wedding cake designers and decorators to create ornate wedding cakes. In addition, the couple have also asked McVitie’s Cake Company to create a chocolate biscuit cake for the reception at Buckingham Palace. The chocolate biscuit cake will be made from a Royal Family recipe and was specially requested by Prince William. Further details about the cakes will be released in due course. Gifts Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton have set up a charitable gift fund for those who very generously may wish to donate to charity to help the couple celebrate their wedding. Having been touched by the goodwill shown them since the announcement of their engagement, Prince William and Miss Middleton have asked that anyone who might wish to give them a wedding gift consider giving instead to a charitable fund. Donations can be made through the website www.royalweddingcharityfund.org which includes a full list of the charities to benefit, personally chosen by Prince William and Miss Middleton. Many of the charities are little known, without existing Royal Patronage, and undertake excellent work within specific communities. They are charities that have a particular resonance with Prince William and Miss Middleton and reflect issues in which the couple have been particularly interested in their lives to date. The issues are also ones where Prince William and Miss Middleton feel that maximum impact can be achieved through this support. The charities are grouped into particular areas, depending on the work they do, and individuals can donate to the group they particularly wish to support. The areas are: Changing Lives through Arts and Sport; Children Fulfilling Their Potential; Help and Care at Home; Support for Service Personnel and Their Families; and Conservation for Future Generations. The 26 charities include some based in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, to reflect the couple’s close ties to and affection for the three countries following visits by Prince William in the past. Donations, via the website, are possible in six currencies. Donations can also be made by telephone, by text message or by sending a cheque. The donations will be held in a dedicated account by the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry and grants will be distributed in partnership with the benefitting charities to ensure maximum impact. The website is hosted by BT, which is also providing the online, telephone and text services as well as the processing platform for charitable donations. The site was designed and built by GGMR. It will remain open for a short while after the wedding. All major mobile operators have waived fees for processing donations. Donations may be received via the website, via text message to the short code 70294, and via telephone by calling 0300 123 2904. Cheques can also be sent to The Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton Charitable Gift Fund, c/o St. James’s Palace, London SW1A 1BS. The full list of charities that will benefit from the fund is as follows: Peace Players Ocean Youth Trust Greenhouse Schools Oily Cart Dance United IntoUniversity Venture Trust Beat Bullying Keyfund A National Voice Association for Children’s Palliative Care (ACT) Youth Access Community Foundation in Wales Community Foundation in Scotland Community Foundation in Berkshire Combat Stress Cruse Bereavement Care for Children of Forces’ Families The Household Cavalry Central Charitable Fund Irish Guards Appeal Army Widows Association Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund ZSL EarthWatch The Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary New Zealand Government’s Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Royal Flying Doctor Service – Australia Biographies Prince William Prince William is the elder son of The Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales. He was born at 9.03pm on 21st June 1982, at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London. A bulletin announced that the Royal baby weighed 7lb 1 1/2oz. On 4th August 1982, Prince William Arthur Philip Louis was christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Robert Runcie, in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace. After attending Mrs Mynors School, Prince William became a pupil at Wetherby School in London, from 15th January 1987 until 5th July 1990. From September 1990, The Prince attended Ludgrove School in Berkshire, for five years until 5th July 1995. He then attended Eton College from July 1995 and studied Geography, Biology and History of Art at A Level. Prince William was 15-years-old when Diana, Princess of Wales was killed in a car crash in Paris on 31st August 1997. Prince William and Prince Harry walked behind their mother’s cortege at her funeral which was held at Westminster Abbey on 6th September 1997. After a gap year in which he visited Chile, Belize, worked on British dairy farms and visited countries in Africa, Prince William chose to study at St Andrews University in Fife, Scotland. He graduated with a 2:1 in Geography in 2005. After a period of work experience, Prince William joined the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as an Officer Cadet. He was commissioned as an army officer in front of Her Majesty The Queen at Sandhurst in December 2006 and joined the Household Cavalry (Blues and Royals) as a Second Lieutenant. On St George's Day (23rd April 2008) The Queen appointed Prince William to be a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. Click here to read more. He was installed at The Annual Garter ceremony held at Windsor Castle. Although still a Lieutenant in the Household Cavalry, Prince William is a fully operational Search and Rescue Pilot with the Royal Air Force, based at Anglesey, Wales. At the same time, Prince William is President or Patron to a number of charities and organisations whose work he wishes to support. Catherine Middleton Catherine Elizabeth Middleton was born to Michael and Carole Middleton at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, on 9th January 1982. Catherine is the eldest of three children. Catherine was christened at the parish church of St Andrew’s Bradfield in Berkshire on 20th June 1982. In May 1984, at the age of two, Catherine moved with her family to Amman in Jordan, where her father worked for two and a half years. Catherine attended a nursery school in Amman from the age of three. In September 1986, the Middletons returned to their home in West Berkshire, and Catherine started at St Andrew’s School in Pangbourne, where she remained until July 1995. Catherine went on to Marlborough College in Wiltshire, where she studied Chemistry, Biology and Art at A-level. Catherine also took part in sport on behalf of the school, playing tennis, hockey and netball and participating in athletics, particularly high jump. Catherine completed her Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award at Marlborough. Leaving Marlborough College in July 2000, Catherine undertook a gap year in which she studied at the British Institute in Florence, undertook a Raleigh International programme in Chile, and crewed on Round the World Challenge boats in the Solent. In 2002, Catherine enrolled at the University of St Andrews, Fife, from where she graduated in 2005 with a 2:1 in History of Art. Catherine continued with her interest in sport at University, playing hockey for the University team. Catherine first met Prince William when studying at the University. Since completing her degree, Catherine has worked for Party Pieces, a company owned and run by her parents. Alongside her work for the family business, Catherine worked in London as a part-time buyer for the clothing company Jigsaw Junior. In 2008, Catherine launched First Birthdays, a junior brand to Party Pieces. Her role within the family business included catalogue design and production, marketing and photography. Catherine’s hobbies include recreational sports such as hill walking, tennis, swimming, sailing, and the arts such as photography and painting. Wedding Website The official Royal Wedding website celebrates the marriage of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton. The website, www.officialroyalwedding2011.org, is the official information service for anyone interested in the forthcoming Royal Wedding. Regular announcements of wedding details in the run up to the wedding day will appear on the site. The website will be regularly updated with exclusive content, including photo galleries, features, videos and links to important information for visitors on the day. The website will bring together all of the official social media around the event, including the Clarence House and Buckingham Palace Flickr account, Twitter (@Clarence House), The Royal Channel on YouTube and the British Monarchy Facebook page, providing direct easy access to all channels of communication. Subject to further planning work, the website may feature a live web stream broadcast of the wedding itself. As well as regular updates on the wedding details ahead of the event, on the day itself the site will be the first place to view information such as the details of Miss Middleton’s wedding dress. The website is hosted by Google App Engine, which is designed to handle large, global peaks in web traffic, and was built by Accenture. Design and creative advice was offered by Reading Room. Another specific Royal Wedding site, www.direct.gov.uk/RoyalWedding, contains practical information for members of the public whether they’re planning to visit London to take part in the celebrations or organising their own event within the local community. FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE ABOVE TOPICS, AND OTHER TOPICS, WILL BE RELEASED IN DUE COURSE.

Press release

Wednesday 13 April 2011

For immediate use

Cameron warned he faces a problem of principle not PR

Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party, today accused David Cameron and Nick Clegg of risking the future of the NHS with their reforms. After Mr Cameron held an NHS ‘listening exercise’ inside Downing Street, Labour released a document showing the hidden reality of the Health and Social Care Bill. To read the document please click here. And Mr Miliband warned Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg “it’s not a problem of public relations, it’s a problem of principle”. The five examples of risks in the Bill are: 1. The prospect of huge fines – up to 10% of their income – for hospitals found to be breaching competition law. 2. Hospitals being subject to insolvency laws meaning they can go bust and leave patients without vital services . 3. Decisions about Health Services being made in the courts by lawyers and judges instead of doctors and nurses. 4. Lengthening waiting lists as caps on the number of private patients treated in NHS hospitals are lifted and health service beds are handed over to fee-paying customers. 5. GPs getting new powers to charge for services. Ed Miliband said: “If the Prime Minister wants to listen, he should listen not to his Deputy, but to the nurses, patients and others.

"He appears to believe that people don’t like his bill because his Government haven’t explained it properly.

"But the opposite is true. "The more people understand and hear about these proposals, the less they like them. "It’s not a problem of public relations, it’s a problem of principle.” He will add: “The Health Service faces huge challenges from an ageing population to rising chronic disease. These challenges demand reforms to make the NHS more accountable to patients, more focused on prevention and to better integrate care and strengthen collaboration.”

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HOW do you fancy getting a unique insight into the team’s preparations and feelings ahead of this Sunday’s hotly anticipated FA Cup Semi-Final against Bolton Wanderers? Well if you do, we are giving you an exclusive opportunity to put your questions to defender Danny Higginbotham on Friday morning in an exclusive stokecityfc.com web-chat. For the first time ever, the club will be taking advantage of our brand new online chatroom ‘CoverItLive’, for you the supporters to put your questions direct to the defender, whose strike against the Hammers four weeks ago set up this Sunday’s Semi-Final encounter. The console will go live from 10:30am to enable you the chance to get questions in early, before Higginbotham joins us around 30 minutes later (approximately 11am) to spend an hour in your company. Whatever you want to ask the defender is down to you - you set the agenda. Whether it be the atmosphere within the dressing room, the excitement ahead of the game or his thoughts on the heartbreak of being ruled out of the clash at Wembley, it’s your call! The 32-year old said: “I know I won’t be able to feature in the game on Sunday, or any other game this season, but I still want to be a part of things, so I’m really looking forward to answering questions from the fans at such an exciting time in the club's history.”

PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE
Thursday 14 April 7.30pm Haiti: the Return of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide & his family – eyewitness accounts.
Jean Bertrand Aristide at Port au Prince airport	with SELMA JAMES & NINA LOPEZ who were at the Aristides’ home to welcome them back. Venezuelan Embassy, Bolivar Hall, 54 Grafton Way, London W1T 5DL	Mildred Trouillot (Wife and colleague of President Aristide) with Selma James (Co-ordinator of Global Women's Strike and widow of CLR James) (Photo Democracy Now!)
They will report on the response of the Haitian grassroots to: - the victory of the Aristides’ return, despite US opposition, after seven long years of campaigning that cost many lives; - the recent fraudulent elections foisted on them by the US; - the NGOs which have received millions in public donations while 1.5 million earthquake victims continue to live in tent cities often without food or water. Selma James and Nina Lopez are available for interviews.

Tunasikitika kuwatangazia kifo cha Baba Mzazi wa Richard na Marieta Rupia kilichotokea alfajiri ya leo huko Tanzania wafiwa wanatarajia kusafiri kesho ili waweze kuwahi mazishi msiba upo

4Hollydalle close, Reading Rg2 8LL please naomba mfahamishe mwenzako kwa pamoja tufike kuwafariji wafiwa kama utamaduni wetu ulivyo.
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Jumuiya Ya Watanzania Reading-UK
Blog :http://www.tareading.blogspot.com/
Email:tzra2009@gmail.com
Tel No: +447865673756

Ayoub mzee with Kenya Prominent human Rights Lawyer Paul Mite

The Myth of 'Mau Mau' State Murder in Kenya ‘The Mickeys were hard men and only hard methods would work with them. It was a war to save white civilisation in Kenya and in war people get killed.’ A white policeman in Kenya

Ayoub mzee with a Mau Mau Fighter who are in London seeking for compansation from the British Government

Africa was the last of the great continents to be fully opened up to colonisation, before which only a few white explorers, missionaries and traders had penetrated the core. Prior to the last two decades of the 19th century, western countries had directly ruled only a few coastal areas - with most of the interior under African control. Then steam power, especially for rail and ships, provided the means to open the continent up to foreign invasion and Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Spain and Portugal competed for territory. Africa then became a patchwork of new provinces, with most of its peoples coming under the control of the new colonial masters.

Another Mau mau fighter

At the end of the 19th century, Britain had opened East Africa up for colonisation by the building of roads and railways. Strategic forts were built and African opposition was met with force, with tribes people who tried to stop the railways being machine-gunned. Tens of thousands of Africans were massacred and many more driven from their land. Kenya, as a country, emerged from the European ‘scramble for Africa’, which divided the continent into ‘spheres of influence’. The 1884/5 Berlin Conference and later colonial agreements and adjustments deciding borders, which were then plotted by colonial bureaucrats – rather than them developing from interaction between the native peoples.

A mau mau fighters meeting Most of the Kenyan peoples, including the Kikuyu, Akamba, Maasai, Luo, Meru and Embu, were opposed to foreign rule and, as in other colonies, efforts were then made to win over some sections of the native population to the colonisers’ side. This usually took the form of securing agreements with, or instating, local collaborationist tribal chiefs - whose main tasks then were to facilitate colonial rule and collect taxes. The Kikuyu tribe explained that they had no chiefs but were organised by age groups which reflected seniority. The colonial authorities ignored this tradition of clan elders and put in place chiefs who were paid and controlled by the British. Kenya held no large deposits of natural resources, but it had strategic importance and parts of the land – especially in the highland region – was conducive to productive farming. All land was designated ‘Crown land’, which was then parcelled up into ‘tribal reserves’ – with large parts of the best land being retained for colonists from Britain. The native peoples, including many Kikuyu, were then forced from this fertile land to make way for white settlers:

Kenya was in many ways like England after the Norman invasion, with the white settler barons treating the African people as serfs – driving them through laws and taxes into forced labour. Unsurprisingly, sign of revolt began to show. In the years following the 1st World War Harry Thuku, a low paid telephone operator, formed the Young Kikuyu Association to campaign against the mounting hut taxes and an end to the pass laws. He was sacked from his job and then arrested and deported to the desert region in the north of the country. At a protest meeting in the capital, Nairobi, a number of Africans were shot down, while cheering white settlers looked on – this occurred just over three years after the massacre at Amritsar in India. Over 100,000 Africans from Kenya served in Britain’s forces during the 2nd World War, often fighting alongside white troops. But afterwards, on their return home, they were offered only menial jobs under whites who called them ‘boys’ and treated them like slaves. Africans still had no worthwhile representation on any level of government and in the capital, Nairobi, black workers, fighting for better wages and conditions, organised themselves into trade unions. The East African TUC, set up by a number of these unions, called for African political independence and majority rule in Kenya.

The real guys who fought for kenya indipendence

BBC TEAM In May 1950, the authorities arrested the leaders and banned many of the trade unions, including the East African TUC. A general strike, which led to a shut-down of large parts of the country, was called, but the strike was broken with mass arrests and large scale intimidation from British police and troops with armoured cars, supported by low-flying war planes. Hemmed in by repressive laws and with their economic conditions getting steadily worse, Africans found that their peaceful political protests about land rights in the countryside and the right of workers to organise into trade unions in the towns were being suppressed by armed force. Not content with this level of repression, the authorities then declared a ‘State of Emergency’ on 20th October 1952, implemented even more repressive laws, built up local police and militias and sent for reinforcements of British troops. With all routes to constitutional reforms blocked off Africans, in steadily increasing numbers, began to support the emergent underground revolutionary movement, known to them at first as the ‘Movement’ or ‘Unifier’ and later in its armed stage as the ‘Land and Freedom Army.’

Paul muite making a point As part of the counter-insurgency campaign then mounted against the opposition to colonial rule, the British authorities, using their control of the media, ensured that the underground movement of Africans would became known to the outside world as ‘Mau Mau’. The words did not mean anything in any African language, and probably first came into use when whites misheard a local dialect. ‘Mau Mau’ conjured up images of an African ‘heart of darkness’ in susceptible western minds, and quickly gained widespread usage both within and outside Kenya. The spread of the name was helped by Government agencies and this successful psychological warfare operation made it easier to dehumanise the organisation in future years. Moderate nationalists, many of whom had appealed to the authorities to allow a few concessions that might have halted the drift into conflict, were silenced or rounded up and jailed. The leading nationalist politician Jomo Kenyatta, who had denounced the use of violence by the militants, was arrested and convicted after a show trial of being ‘the leader of Mau Mau’, and was sentenced to imprisonment for 7 years. Josiah M. Kariuki, who was also interned in prison camps from 1953 to 1960, later stated: After the 1939-45 War things were changing. Our social and economic grievances were plainer to all and there were many more educated Africans who were beginning to understand that the social system was not immutable. Most of all was this happening among my own tribe, the Kikuyu ... Normal political methods ... seemed to be getting nowhere. The young men of the tribe saw that a time of crisis was approaching when great suffering might be necessary to achieve what they believed in... Although the situation was dangerous, even in October 1952, it was not so dangerous that it could not have been put right by a few political concessions ... But the Government chose to answer it with a series of the harshest and most brutal measures ever taken against a native people in the British Empire in the twentieth century, and so the movement developed by action and reaction into a full-scale rebellion involving the soul of my people...[3]

One Love One Aim - Smiley Culture

The settlers had long been angered by the growing ‘insubordination’ among the ‘Kukes’ (Kikuyu), because of the long history of their opposition to British rule. Many Kikuyu had resisted attempts by missionaries to change their local customs and traditions. Some also refused to send their children to mission schools, which they saw as perpetuating the colonial system, and organised their own independent schools instead. Settler xenophobia deepened, especially after attacks were made on a few isolated farms and some whites were killed. Considerable political pressure was exerted on the British authorities by the settlers and a shoot to kill policy was implemented. In ‘Prohibited Areas’ any African could be shot dead, in other areas they could be challenged and shot if they did not halt. The settlers were delighted with their ‘shooting orders’; in the past they had spoken about ‘wiping out the Kukes’. At a public meeting at Nakuru it had been seriously proposed that ‘50,000 Kukes’ be killed ‘to set an example’. Now, after the killings were officially sanctioned, some whites brought in bounty hunters to carry out the ‘exterminating’ for them: Some settlers hired other Africans to do their killing for them. The practice of paying Wanderobo hunters 20 shillings for every presumed Mau Mau they killed became so open that it was reported in the United States press. Other whites did their own “exterminating”. Several professional hunters began to stalk Kikuyu just as they would some relatively dangerous game. One hunter, who was not usually given to braggadocio, said that he had killed more than 100 Kikuyu whom he thought to be Mau Mau, although he admitted that his policy of “shooting first and asking questions later” made it difficult to be certain.[4]

16 April 2011

A march for human rights and justice for all organised by the family of Smiley Culture.

• Saturday 16 April 2011, 12pm


• Assemble at Southbank Club Gym, 124 -130 Wandsworth Road, London SW8 2DL to march to Scotland Yard, Broadway, London SW1H 0BG

Karigo Muchai was an African who had also fought against the Japanese in Burma in the British forces. Back in Kenya he became involved in the struggle for freedom. He tells what happened after he was arrested and ‘taken to the police post which held about 400 prisoners and was run by a brutal European officer nicknamed “Kihara”’: I was to spend a month in this police post doing forced labour during the day and never knowing which night might be my last. ‘Kihara’ had a strange and terrifying game, which he practised daily. At any time he might come into one of the cells and read two or three names off the police register. No one knew when his name might be called and all of us lived in constant fear. Those called were tied up and thrown into a Land-Rover. ‘Kihara’ would then drive to the home of one of the prisoners, call his family out and in the presence of all, put a bullet through the head of his helpless captive. Leaving the dead body for the family to bury he would drive off to the next house where the same process was repeated.[6] Many of the settlers were members of the local security forces, including the Kenya Police Reserve and Kenya Regiment. In these units, with white officers and native lower ranks, killings and ill treatment of black civilians became commonplace. The King’s African Rifles (KAR), which recruited native soldiers from all over East Africa, quickly gained a reputation for brutality in prosecuting the war: ‘The KAR were the first to be accused of atrocities. KAR troops, like those of the Kenya Regiment, routinely burned the houses of Kikuyu who were thought to sympathise with the Mau Mau, and it was KAR troops under the direct command of white officers who were said to have shot more than 90 prisoners in cold blood in what came to be known to the Mau Mau as the Kagahwe River massacre.’ [7] Idi Amin, from Uganda, served as a soldier with the KAR in Kenya. A contemporary, Dr. Atieno Odhiambo, described Amin as ‘just the type the British liked, the type of African that they used to refer to as from the “warrior tribes”: black, big, uncouth, uneducated and willing to obey orders.’ [8] A British officer said of Amin: ‘Not much grey matter, but a splendid chap to have about.’ It was in Kenya that Amin learned many of the brutal practices that he would employ against his own people in Uganda many years later: ‘Whether under orders by white officers or not, KAR soldiers often treated wounded Mau Mau by casually shooting or bayoneting them, or throwing them on top of dead Mau Mau in the back of a truck before driving off on a long journey during which the wounded either died on their own or were helped to do so.’ [9] 6: The Hardcore, the story of Karigo Muchai, LSM Press - Canada1973. 7: Mau Mau: An African Crucible, by Robert B Edgerton, The Free Press, Collier Macmillan London 1989.

Residence rights removal overturned

By Frances Webber

31 March 2011, 5:00pm

The Court of Appeal has upheld the right of a Tunisian refugee to appeal in the UK against cancellation of his residence rights.

We have become used to dodgy manoeuvres on the part of the Home Office and the UK Border Agency (UKBA) in their war on asylum seekers, terror suspects and other 'undesirables'. Campaigns have been fought and limited victories secured against the unbridled use of secret evidence and secret allegations in the context of control orders. A fairly new development is the attempt to hobble appeal rights of those deemed undesirable by curtailing their leave to enter while they are out of the country, and then arguing that they have no right to come back in to prosecute their appeal. The case of MK, which was decided on 23 March 2011, provides a window on these new tactics.

MK is a Tunisian refugee, granted asylum in 2001, who lived in Manchester with his wife and daughters until 2007, when the Italian authorities demanded his extradition. He was arrested on a European Arrest Warrant and extradited to Italy in November 2008, where he was put on trial for terrorism-related offences and an offence relating to false documents. In July 2010 he was acquitted of all the terrorism-related offences. The Italian authorities then tried to send him to Tunisia, but were prevented from doing so by the European Court of Human Rights. In the meantime, however, in April 2010, the Home Office served him with a notice saying it intended to revoke his refugee status, on the basis that there were 'reasonable grounds for believing him to be a danger to national security'. And on 16 July, the UK authorities cancelled his indefinite leave to enter in the UK.

Naturally, MK sought to appeal against the decision of the UK authorities - but he had been told by UKBA - wrongly - that he had no right to return to the UK for his appeal. When he was released from custody in Italy in August 2010, he was given five days to leave the country. But where could he go? He went to Zurich, but was arrested trying to check in on a flight to Dublin. Unbeknownst to him, UKBA had even cancelled his refugee travel document. He was sent to London City Airport, where he was arrested on arrival. The immigration authorities tried to send him back to Zurich, but his lawyers got an injunction to prevent that, and a ruling from the High Court that the law gave MK a right of appeal in the UK and that the cancellation of his leave did not take effect while he exercised that right of appeal. The judge, Mr Justice Collins, accepted that appellants should not be deprived of the right to attend their own appeal unless that was the clear intention of parliament.

The Home Office refused to accept that ruling and appealed. It argued that the sort of appeal appellants were entitled to - in-country or outside the country - depended on where they were at the time of the decision to cancel their leave or exclude them from the country. The purpose of exclusion would be defeated, its lawyers argued, if appellants who had left the UK could come back for an appeal. As MK's lawyers pointed out, the argument raised the spectre of someone settled in the UK for decades going abroad on a short holiday and finding themselves suddenly and shockingly banished from the country for ever - a prospect which was evidently what the Home Office intended. The judges agreed that this would give rise to 'potential injustice' - a description that feels like something of an understatement. Had the judges not intervened, the Home Office would once more have got away with a sleight-of-hand erosion of appeal rights in the name of national security.

Amanda Weston, a barrister who represented MK, has expressed profound concern at UKBA practice apparently aimed at subverting appeal rights and skewing procedures against appellants. She is speaking at an IRR lunchtime seminar on 18 April, on Deprivation of citizenship - by stealth.

GOSS

The Ambassador of the Government of southern Sudan in the Uk visits Ben Tv

Hope for a better future The people of South Sudan have spoken clearly. They have voted for freedom, equality, justice and democracy. They have voted for the fulfilment of the ideals of our struggle. The official result of the referendum which indicates that 98.83% of the southern Sudanese voted for independence demonstrates that the people have chosen the path of permanent peace, human dignity and nationhood. This vote is a fitting honour to the fallen heroes of liberation, among them Dr. John Garang de Mabior. Through this vote, the people have shown that these heroes did not fall in vain. They laid down their lives so that we may live as free men and women. Their memories shall live forever in our hearts and minds. By this referendum we have ended one struggle and must now start a new one, that of nation building. We must consolidate our institutions and begin to play a major role in the region and among the community of nations. From now henceforth, we must protect this new nation and ensure that we do not end up in the same situation which we fought against. Never again shall the people of southern Sudan be oppressed for their political outlook. Never again shall the people of southern Sudan be discriminated on account of race or religion.

Death of Smiley Culture galvanises community

By Harmit Athwal

31 March 2011, 11:00pm

A week after Smiley Culture died following a police raid at his home on 15 March 2011 hundreds of people gathered in Brixton for a meeting organised by the family of the reggae artist.

Smiley Culture (aka David Emmanuel) died from a stab wound following a dawn raid on his home in Warlingham, Surrey by five Met police officers. According to the police he stabbed himself - something the family disputes.

Even before the meeting started it was packed with standing room only, the aisles were full, people were perched on tables and on the steps leading to the stage. I eventually lost sight of those on stage and was forced to just listen to the speeches as the crowd swayed and moved and stamped its feet in anger as shouts of 'murderers' punctuated the evening event.

Those assembled heard briefly from Lee Jasper, who invoked the memory of one of the first Black deaths in custody - that of David Oluwale whose body was found 1969. (But Jasper failed to mention that the last time police officers were successfully prosecuted for involvement in a Black death in custody was for involvement in the death of the same David Oluwale - over forty years ago.)

Mike Franklin from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) spoke at great length about the IPCC investigation and how independent it would be. He was surprisingly critical of the briefings from anonymous sources that had polluted the news coverage of the death from the start. He called the briefings unacceptable and asked that they stop. He discussed the terms of reference for the IPCC investigation, which plans to:

• Examine the use of the section 8 search warrant (PACE) and whether it was proportionate and reasonable;
• Whether risk assessments were adequate and proportionate
• Investigate the communication between the Met and Surrey police and whether it was in accordance with agreed protocols.

Obviously there were many in the hall that did not buy his line.

The most inspiring speech was that of Merlin Emmanuel, Smiley Culture's nephew, who spoke movingly about his uncle. He also connected the disempowerment of Black communities across the UK to the international struggles of communities in Egypt and Libya. The family, he said, would be seeking a public inquiry into the death. Merlin also spoke about how Smiley was like a big brother to him and how his own confidence in the IPCC and judicial process was minimal. He reiterated the fact that a man is innocent until proven guilty - a fundamental aspect British law.

There will be a private family funeral and a march will be held on Saturday 16 April 2011, from Wandsworth to Scotland Yard, central London.

News Release: Immediate Lagos, 7 April 2011, Afro Hollywood UK Lagos Screening of Suspicion - A movie by Afro Hollywood UK Lagos the capital city of Nigeria was the venue for the premiere of the first British Nigeria Nollywood movie Suspicion directed by Eugene Smith a British film director. The Afro Hollywood Picture’s first movie premiere in Nigeria held at the International Press Centre of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos on Friday 1st April 2011. Guests started arriving the venue from 4pm to beat the Lagos traffic for the event that lasted till late night. Prior to the premiere of the most acclaimed British Nigeria movie Suspicion, there was a press conference attended by editors and journalists from leading newspapers in the country. The interactive session with the media gave an insight into contributions of Afro Hollywood to the development of film industry in Nigeria. An upcoming stand - up comedian Baba Tee gave the guests some classic crossover rib-cracking jokes to usher in the movie screening. Set in London, Suspicion tells the story of an easy going generous young man who just cannot say no to ladies. He has a fun loving affair with Sandra an attractive Caucasian designer as well as helping his neighbour on her runs. His socialite wife, who mistakes his generosity for philandering, does not appreciate his generous nature. What happens next? The movie starring Shevaun Siobhhan, Ramsey Nouah, Kate Henshaw, Toyin Adegbola, Rachel Oniga, Lere Paimo, Alamina Joe - Iyalla, Kenneth Mukoro and many others. The guests at this highly anticipated screening expressed optimism in Nollywood. Some of the comments are as follow: “Good exposure for our movie stars” – Filmmaker Tunji Bamishingbin. “What a brilliant concept, a cultural mix which is still not common in our movies here” – Actress Remi Oshodi. It turned out to be a reunion p arty for Golda, an actress of international repute who is back in Lagos after a long absence from Nigeria. She has been involved in mainstream professional stage, TV and Films in the UK, her recent works include Let’s Dance for Comic Relief – Jacksonitis, Gone Too Far a feature film, directed by Destiny Ekaragha and Family Legacy a short film by the National Health Service (NHS) UK. The event was attended by notable practitioners such as His Royal Highness Oba Kabiyesi Gbenga Sonuga, the Fadesewa of Simawa, the one time Director General of Lagos State Centre for the Arts and founder & Artistic Director of International Centre for the Arts Lagos (ICAL) , Olori Peju Sonuga Nigeria’s first make up artist, Chief (Mrs) Elizabeth Akanni, Engr. Stanley Da’ Silva, Engr. Wole Odutola, Chief Dekus, Barrister Tunji Bamishingbin, Mufu Onifade Chairman, National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP) Lagos State chapter and Nollwood was well represented by directors, actors, actresses, producers and script writers. The premiere of Suspicion in Lagos was sponsored by Arik Air and supported by Mainframe Productions, Zmirage Multi-Media, Rockview Productions and SY & T Communications Ltd. END Captions: Pix 1: Tess Abioye, Remi Oshodi, Nike Adebowale, Mike Abiola, Golda John and Aramide Sarumoh Pix 2: Barrister Tunji Bamishingbin, Nike Adebowale, Remi Oshodi and Baba Tee

Maysles Cinema Presents Beyond Bullets: Gun Violence in America Curated by Sylvia Savadjian WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27th 7:30 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On Wednesday, April 27th at 7:30 PM The Maysles Cinema will present the Beyond Bullets: Gun Violence in America curated by Sylvia Savadjian. This event will feature three films on the topic of gun violence in America. The first film is Living for 32 directed by Kevin Breslin, the second film is Bullets in the Hood: A Bed- Stuy Story directed by Terrence Fisher and Daniel Howard and the third and final film is A Harlem Mother directed by Ivana Todorovic. The panel for the night includes the director of Living for 32 Kevin Breslin, Colin Goddard the subject of Living for 32, Jean Corbett- Parker, the subject of A Harlem Mother and co-founder of Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E. and Stephanie Skaff, the director of DCTV's (Downtown Community Television) anti-gun violence media campaign "Beyond Bullets". The topic of gun violence in the United States, with the attendant political debate surrounding gun control, has always been a pressing consideration and issue in domestic United States culture and politics. Deaths related to gun violence are two to four times more common in the United States than in countries with a similar level of economic and political development. This violence has taken numerous forms with everything from political assassinations, armed militancy, riots, organized crime and the appalling, historically recent phenomenon of gun violence that takes place amongst the youth. In relation to gun violence amongst the youth, there are the occasional, brutal acts of seemingly psychopathic violence that erupt in schools like Columbine and Virginia Tech as well as the more common place but equally tragic violence that claims the lives of largely black and Latino youth growing up in America's poorer urban centers. The films being showcased on this night, curated by Sylvia Savadjian, take a wide look at the tragedy of gun violence amongst America's youth, both in schools and on the streets. The first film being shown Living for 32 directed by Kevin Breslin deals with the 2007 Virginia Tech Massacre through the eyes of one of its survivors Colin Goddard. The second film Bullets in the Hood: A Bed-Stuy Story directed by Terrence Fisher and Daniel Howard won the 2005 Sundance Grand Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking and takes a guerilla style filmmaking approach in taking a look at the notorious projects of Bed- Stuy, Brooklyn. The final film A Harlem Mother tells the heart rending story of LaTraun Parker who was shot dead while making his own film about life in Harlem and his mother who after his death tried to help other mothers cope with the pain of losing their children through her own group Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E. (Stop Another Violent End) which also works to put an end to urban gun violence in New York. A part of the proceeds of the night will go towards Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E. The panel for the night includes the director of Living for 32 Kevin Breslin, Colin Goddard the subject of Living for 32, Jean Corbett- Parker the mother of LaTraun and co-founder of Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E. and Stephanie Skaff the director of DCTV's (Downtown Community Television) anti-gun violence media campaign "Beyond Bullets". WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27TH, 7:30pm Beyond Bullets: Gun Violence in America (A Portion of the Evening's Proceeds Will Be Donated to Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E.) Living for 32 Kevin Breslin, 2010, 40 min. Living for 32 is the inspirational story of Colin Goddard, a survivor of the tragic gun shooting massacre which occurred on the Virginia Tech campus, April 16th, 2007. The winning combination of Colin's passion, charisma and optimism has commanded the attention of the American public and media since the devastating incident which left 32 dead and 17 injured. In Living for 32, Colin shares an intimate account of terror he and his classmates endured and the courageous journey of renewal and hope he chose to pursue. Film Website with Trailer Bullets In the Hood: A Bed-Stuy Story Terrence Fisher and Daniel Howard, 2005, 22 min. Winner of the 2005 Sundance Grand Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking, Bullets in the Hood: A Bed Stuy Story contains frightening images that could only be captured by someone like co-director Terrence Fisher, who has spent his entire life in the projects and experienced the tragedy of gun violence as a seemingly inescapable part of life. Says indieWIRE, "...a great example of how Guerilla film making can play an important social function by bringing forth new and intimate voices and subjects that are normally glossed over by local evening news casts." Film Profile Page on DCTV Website Film Trailer A Harlem Mother Ivana Todorovic, 2009, 14 min. In 1998, 18 year old LaTraun Parker made a documentary about the difficulties of growing up in Harlem. Eights years later he was shot dead on the street. Today his mother Jean Corbett-Parker (co-founder of not-for-profit Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E.) fights youth gun violence and helps other parents survive the pain through her organization, Harlem Mothers. Weaving footage from LaTraun's own film with scenes from Jean's new life today, A Harlem Mother is a short documentary that tells this tragic and inspirational story from the dual perspectives of mother and son. Film Website with Trailer Post screening panel with: Kevin Breslin, Director, Living for 32 Kevin's directorial credits include A Smile Gone, But Where? and Women of Rockaway. His latest, Living for 32 premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Colin Goddard, Subject, Living for 32 Shot 4 times at the Virginia Tech shootings which left 32 dead and 17 more wounded, after finishing his college degree, Colin decided to volunteer for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the nation's largest gun control organization. Jean Corbett-Parker, Co-founder Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E. A longtime resident of Harlem, Jean was moved to start Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E. after her son, LaTraun Parker, died on April 28, 2001 outside a nightclub at the corner of Seventh Avenue and 131th Street. Stephanie Skaff, Downtown Community Television Director of DCTV's anti-gun violence media campaign, "Beyond Bullets". Before coming to DCTV, Stephanie worked as a producer, fundraiser and arts administrator throughout NYC. Maysles Cinema 343 Lenox Ave (127th and 128th streets) New York, NY 10027 The Maysles Cinema is co-directed by Jessica Green and Philip Maysles. Please direct press inquiries, including requests for complimentary tickets to cinema@mayslesinstitute.org, or contact the Cinema at 212.582.6050 ext 221 www.mayslesinstitute.org

Iranian journalist Ahmad Zeidabadi Named 2011 UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize Winner Press Statement Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of StateWashington, DC April 7, 2011 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I send my deepest congratulations to jailed Iranian journalist Ahmad Zeidabadi for being named the 2011 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom prize winner. Mr. Zeidabadi, along with his fellow activists, have been banned for life from political or civic activities. This award is a recognition of his legitimate work and the work of the numerous other Iranian journalists who are currently jailed for their courageous efforts to forge a new path for Iran – one where every citizen has the right to express themselves free from persecution or violence. This award is also a recognition of the rich culture and strong commitment to human rights by the Iranian people, despite brutal repression by their government. The United States will continue to stand up for the rights of all Iranian people, through the United Nations and working with the UN Human Rights Council’s Special Rapporteur established last month. The United States looks forward to hosting this year’s World Press Freedom Day conference to honor Mr. Zeidabadi and all those who stand up for the rights of Iranian people. Together with journalists, fellow member states and NGOs dedicated to the fight for freedom of expression -- in particular press freedom – we will continue this discussion about how to fuel more opportunities for change in Iran and around the world.

Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Johnnie Carson to Observe Nigeria's Elections Media Note Washington, DC April 6, 2011 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Johnnie Carson will travel to Nigeria April 8-11 to observe the country’s National Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, April 9. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) postponed the National Assembly elections on April 2 due to delays in the delivery of voting materials to polling stations across the country. In remarks at the Woodrow Wilson Center on April 5, Assistant Secretary Carson commented that, “we share the disappointment of the electoral commission and of the Nigerian people that this important electoral event had to be postponed, and we renew our call for credible and transparent elections in this critically important country. If Nigeria’s elections are not a significant improvement over 2007, and if the current elections do not meet the expectations of a majority of voters, the Nigerian people will lose confidence in their leaders, their democratic institutions, and the capacity of Nigeria to sustain a positive democratic trajectory. We believe Nigeria has an historic opportunity to allow the Nigerian people the opportunity to elect their local, state and national representatives in a climate free of violence and intimidation. We hope that opportunity will not be lost.”

Royal Wedding 2011

Royal Wedding 2011

The London Conference on Libya took place on Tuesday 29 March 2011 and was chaired by the Foreign Secretary, William Hagu

Q: What was the conference for?

A: The conference discussed the situation in Libya with UK allies and partners and took stock of the implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 1970 and 1973. It considered the humanitarian needs of the Libyan people and identified ways to support the people of Libya in their aspirations for a better future.

It is critical that the international community continues to take united and coordinated action in response to the unfolding crisis. The meeting formed a contact group of nations to take forward this work.

Q: Who was invited to the Conference?

A: More than 40 Foreign Ministers and representatives from key regional organisations attended. These included the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, OIC Secretary General Dr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the Prime Minister of Qatar, Foreign Ministers from key regional countries including Iraq, Jordan, UAE, and Morocco, Secretary Clinton, and Foreign Ministers from across Europe and NATO members, along with Secretary General Rasmussen. The Arab League, Lebanon and Tunisia were also represented.

Q: Was the opposition be invited?

A: No. We invited international partners to this conference to discuss the international effort to support the Libyan people. Of course it is important that develop and maintain our dialogue with key opposition groups in Libya including the Interim Transitional National Council, and we ensured this was done including in the run up to the conference. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Special Envoy Jabril on 22 March and invited him to London in the near future.

Full coverage

Tuesday 29 March

• Foreign Secretary's statement following the conference
  
• Chair's statement
• Prime Minister David Cameron's opening speech
• Foreign Secretary ahead of the Libya conference
• London Conference on Libya attendees list
• Foreign Secretary meets Libyan Interim Transitional Council Special Envoy

Libya's government said Tuesday it is ready to negotiate reforms but only provided Moamer Kadhafi is not forced out, as loyalists troops pushed rebel fighters back from the key oil port of Brega.
ATO-led air strikes have destroyed 30 percent of the regime's military capacity since the UN-backed bombing campaign started on March 19, an alliance commander said, even as the rebels suffered their first significant loss of territory in almost a week.
he rebels said they feared further "setbacks" but vowed to fight on and did not fault the apparent lack of NATO air strikes against loyalist forces around Brega.
he rebels were buoyed by the docking in the port of Tobruk of a one-million-barrel supertanker which was expected to load their first oil export shipment on Wednesday.




Government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim told journalists in Tripoli that everything except the departure of Kadhafi was negotiable, saying he was a unifying figure after ruling the nation for four decades.
"What kind of political system is implemented in the country? This is negotiable, we can talk about it," Ibrahim said. "We can have anything, elections, referendums."

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Office of the Spokesman

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release April 6, 2011

2011/531

NOTICE TO THE PRESS

Secretary Clinton to Release Annual Human Rights Report on April 8

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Michael Posner will release the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2010 on Friday, April 8 in the Press Briefing Room of the U.S. Department of State. The start time will be forthcoming in the public schedule.

The remarks will be open to credentialed members of the media. The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, commonly known as the Human Rights Report, covers the legal status of human rights in more than 190 countries and territories around the world.

Embargoed copies of the 2010 Human Rights Report will be available online before the Secretary’s press briefing. Information on how and when to access the report will be forthcoming from the Department of State’s Press Relations Office. The report will be embargoed until the start of the briefing.