===
- 1577 – Sir Francis Drake left Plymouth, England, with five ships and 164 men on his round-the-world voyage.
- 1636 – The Massachusetts Bay Colony organized threemilitia units, an act considered to be the founding of theNational Guard of the United States.
- 1862 – American Civil War: Union forces under Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnsidesuffered severe casualties against entrenched Confederate defenders at theBattle of Fredericksburg (pictured) in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
- 1937 – Second Sino-Japanese War: Japanese forces captured Nanjing in China and then began to commit numerous atrocities over the next several weeks.
- 2001 – The Parliament of India was attacked by five gunmen, resulting in 15 deaths, including those of the perpetrators.
Events
- 558 – King Chlothar I reunites the Frankish Kingdom after his brother Childebert I has died. He becomes sole ruler of the Franks.
- 1294 – Saint Celestine V resigns the papacy after only five months; Celestine hoped to return to his previous life as an ascetic hermit.
- 1545 – Council of Trent begins.
- 1577 – Sir Francis Drake sets out from Plymouth, England, on his round-the-world voyage.
- 1636 – The Massachusetts Bay Colony organizes three militia regiments to defend the colony against the Pequot Indians. This organization is recognized today as the founding of the National Guard of the United States.
- 1642 – Abel Tasman reaches New Zealand.
- 1643 – English Civil War: The Battle of Alton takes place in Hampshire.
- 1769 – Dartmouth College is founded by Reverend Eleazar Wheelock, with a royal charter from King George III, on land donated by Royal governorJohn Wentworth.
- 1809 – Dr. Ephraim McDowell performed the first ovariotomy, removing a 22 pound tumor.
- 1862 – American Civil War: At the Battle of Fredericksburg, Confederate General Robert E. Lee defeats the Union Major General Ambrose Burnside.
- 1867 – Fenian bomb explodes in Clerkenwell, London, England, United Kingdom, killing six.
- 1937 – Second Sino-Japanese War: Battle of Nanking – Nanjing, defended by the National Revolutionary Army under the command of General Tang Shengzhi, falls to the Japanese.
- 1937 – Nanjing Massacre. Japanese troops begin carrying out several weeks of raping and killing of civilians and suspected Chinese resistance after the fall of Nanjing.
- 1938 – The Holocaust: The Neuengamme concentration camp opens in the Bergedorf district of Hamburg, Germany.
- 1939 – World War II: Battle of the River Plate – Captain Hans Langsdorff of the German Deutschland class cruiser (pocket battleship) Admiral Graf Spee engages with Royal Navycruisers HMS Exeter, HMS Ajax and HMNZS Achilles.
- 1941 – World War II: Hungary and Romania declare war on the United States.
- 1943 – World War II: The Massacre of Kalavryta by German occupying forces in Greece.
- 1949 – The Knesset votes to move the capital of Israel to Jerusalem.
- 1959 – Archbishop Makarios III becomes the first President of Cyprus.
- 1960 – While Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia visits Brazil, his Imperial Bodyguard seizes the capital and proclaim him deposed and his son, Crown Prince Asfa Wossen, Emperor.
- 1962 – NASA Relay 1 launch, first active repeater communications satellite in orbit.
- 1967 – Constantine II of Greece attempts an unsuccessful counter-coup against the Regime of the Colonels
- 1968 – Brazilian president Artur da Costa e Silva decrees the AI-5 (or the fifth Institutional Act), which lasts until 1978 and marks the beginning of the hard times of Brazilian military government.
- 1972 – Apollo program: Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt begin the third and final Extra-vehicular activity (EVA) or "Moonwalk" of Apollo 17. To date they are the last humans to set foot on the Moon.
- 1974 – Malta becomes a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations
- 1977 – A DC-3 aircraft chartered from the Indianapolis, Indiana-based National Jet crashes near Evansville Regional Airport, killing 29, including the University of Evansville basketball team, support staff and boosters of the team.
- 1979 – The Canadian Government of Prime Minister Joe Clark is defeated in the House of Commons, prompting the 1980 Canadian election.
- 1981 – General Wojciech Jaruzelski declares martial law in Poland to prevent dismantling of the communist system by Solidarity.
- 1988 – Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization Yasser Arafat gives a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland after the United States authorities refused to give him a visa to enter New York.
- 1989 – Attack on Derryard checkpoint: The Provisional Irish Republican Army launch an attack on a British Army nonpermanent vehicle checkpoint near Rosslea, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. Two British soldiers are killed and one badly wounded.
- 2000 – The "Texas Seven" escape from the John B. Connally Unit near Kenedy, Texas and go on a robbery spree, during which police officer Aubrey Hawkins is shot and killed.
- 2001 – The Parliament of India Sansad is attacked by terrorists. 15 people are killed, including all the terrorists.
- 2002 – Enlargement of the European Union: The European Union announces that Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, andSlovenia will become members from May 1, 2004.
- 2003 – Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is captured near his home town of Tikrit (see Operation Red Dawn).
[edit]Births
- 1521 – Pope Sixtus V (d. 1590)
- 1533 – King Eric XIV of Sweden (d. 1577)
- 1553 – King Henry IV of France (d. 1610)
- 1585 – William Drummond of Hawthornden, Scottish poet (d. 1649)
- 1640 – Robert Plot, English naturalist (d. 1696)
- 1662 – Francesco Bianchini, Italian philosopher and scientist (d. 1729)
- 1678 – Yongzheng Emperor of China (d. 1735)
- 1684 – Ludvig Holberg, Norwegian historian, philosopher, and author (d. 1754)
- 1720 – Carlo Gozzi, Italian dramatist (d. 1804)
- 1724 – Franz Aepinus, German scientist (d. 1802)
- 1780 – Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner, German chemist (d. 1849)
- 1784 – Archduke Louis of Austria (d. 1864)
- 1797 – Heinrich Heine, German poet (d. 1856)
- 1804 – Joseph Howe, Canadian politician (d. 1873)
- 1814 – Ana Néri, Brazilian nurse (d. 1880)
- 1816 – Ernst Werner von Siemens, German engineer, inventor, and industrialist (d. 1892)
- 1818 – Mary Todd Lincoln, First Lady of the United States (d. 1882)
- 1836 – Franz von Lenbach, German painter (d. 1904)
- 1854 – Herman Bavinck, Dutch theologian and churchman (d. 1921)
- 1856 – Svetozar Boroević, Austro-Hungarian field marshal (d. 1920)
- 1860 – Lucien Guitry, French actor (d. 1925)
- 1864 – Emil Seidel, Mayor of Milwaukee (d. 1947)
- 1867 – Kristian Birkeland, Norwegian explorer and scientist (d. 1917)
- 1870 – Edward LeSaint, American actor and director (d. 1940)
- 1871 – Emily Carr, Canadian artist (d. 1945)
- 1874 – Josef Lhévinne, Russian-born pianist (d. 1944)
- 1883 – Belle da Costa Greene, American librarian, bibliographer and archivist (d. 1950)
- 1884 – Aimilios Veakis, Greek actor (d. 1951)
- 1887 – George Polya, Hungarian-born mathematician (d. 1985)
- 1887 – Alvin York, American soldier & Medal of Honor recipient (d. 1964)
- 1897 – Albert Aalbers, Dutch architect (d. 1961)
- 1897 – Drew Pearson, American journalist (d. 1969)
- 1900 – Jonel Perlea, Romanian conductor (d. 1970)
- 1902 – Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, Prime Minister of Greece (d. 1986)
- 1902 – Talcott Parsons, American sociologist, (d. 1979)
- 1903 – Ella Baker, American civil rights activist (d. 1986)
- 1903 – Carlos Montoya, Spanish guitarist (d. 1993)
- 1906 – Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent (d. 1968)
- 1906 – Sir Laurens van der Post, South African author (d. 1996)
- 1910 – Van Heflin, American actor (d. 1971)
- 1910 – Sol Saks, American screenwriter (d. 2011)
- 1911 – Trygve Haavelmo, Norwegian economist and Bank of Sweden Prize winner (d. 1999)
- 1911 – Kenneth Patchen, American poet and painter (d. 1972)
- 1913 – Arnold Brown, the 11th General of The Salvation Army (d. 2002)
- 1913 – Archie Moore, American boxer (d. 1998)
- 1914 – Alan Bullock, British author of the first biography of Hitler written in any language. (d. 2004)
- 1915 – Curd Jürgens, German-born Austrian actor (d. 1982)
- 1915 – Ross Macdonald, American-born author (d. 1983)
- 1915 – B. J. Vorster, Prime Minister of South Africa 1966-1978 (d. 1983)
- 1917 – John Hart, American actor (d. 2009)
- 1919 – Hans-Joachim Marseille, German flying ace of World War II (d. 1942)
- 1920 – George Shultz, American economist, statesman, and 60th United States Secretary of State
- 1923 – Philip Warren Anderson, American physicist, Nobel laureate
- 1923 – Larry Doby, American baseball player (d. 2003)
- 1925 – Dick Van Dyke, American actor and comedian
- 1926 – George Rhoden, Jamaican athlete
- 1928 – Eve Meyer, American model (d. 1977)
- 1929 – Christopher Plummer, Canadian actor
- 1930 – Robert Prosky, American actor (d. 2008)
- 1934 – Richard D. Zanuck, American film producer (d. 2012)
- 1935 – Joe Christopher, American baseball player
- 1935 – Ken Hall, American football player
- 1935 – Lindy McDaniel, American baseball player
- 1936 – His Highness Prince Shah Karim al-Husseini Aga Khan IV, Present Imam (leader) of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims
- 1936 – J. C. Martin, American baseball player
- 1937 – Rob Houwer, Dutch film producer
- 1937 – Ulf G. Lindén, Swedish entrepreneur (d. 2009)
- 1937 – Ron Taylor, Canadian baseball player
- 1938 – Alvin Curran, American composer
- 1938 – Heino, German folk singer
- 1939 – Eric Flynn, British actor and singer (d. 2002)
- 1941 – John Davidson, American actor and game show host
- 1941 – Bessel Kok, Dutch businessman and chess organiser
- 1942 – Anna Eshoo, American politician
- 1943 – Ferguson Jenkins, Canadian baseball player
- 1943 – Gösta Winbergh, Swedish tenor (d. 2002)
- 1944 – Dick Dees, Dutch politician
- 1944 – Hwang Jang Lee, Korean martial artist and film actor
- 1944 – Marti Webb, British actor and singer
- 1945 – Herman Cain, American businessman, radio host, and politician
- 1945 – Kathy Garver, American actress
- 1945 – Brian McGuire, Australian racing driver (d. 1977)
- 1947 – Darlene Cates, American actress
- 1947 – Rex Hagon, Canadian actor and host
- 1947 – Dave Hamilton, American baseball player
- 1948 – Lester Bangs, Rock critic (d. 1982)
- 1948 – Jeff Baxter, American guitarist (Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers)
- 1948 – Lillian Board, British track and field athlete (d. 1970)
- 1948 – Ted Nugent, American guitarist
- 1948 – Brian Wilson, Scottish politician
- 1949 – Robert Lindsay, English actor
- 1949 – Randy Owen, American country singer and guitarist (Alabama)
- 1949 – Luc Sala, Dutch entrepreneur and writer
- 1949 – Tom Verlaine, American singer and guitarist (Television)
- 1949 – Paula Wilcox, English actress
- 1950 – Wendie Malick, American actress
- 1950 – Tom Vilsack, 40th Governor of Iowa and 30th United States Secretary of Agriculture
- 1950 – Heather North, American television and voice actress
- 1952 – Sylvester Ritter (Junkyard Dog), American professional wrestler (d. 1998)
- 1953 – Ben Bernanke, American economist and current United States Chairman of the Federal Reserve
- 1953 – Bill Castro, Dominican baseball player
- 1953 – Jim Davidson, British comedian
- 1953 – Bob Gainey, Canadian ice hockey player and General Manager
- 1954 – John Anderson, American country music singer-songwriter
- 1954 – Steve Forbert, American singer-songwriter
- 1954 – Tamora Pierce, American author
- 1954 – Emma Bull, American science fiction and fantasy author
- 1956 – Dale Berra, American baseball player
- 1956 – Majida El Roumi, Lebanese soprano, singer
- 1956 – Phil Hubbard, American basketball player
- 1957 – Steve Buscemi, American actor
- 1957 – Morris Day, American singer (The Time)
- 1957 – Eric Marienthal, American saxophonist
- 1957 – Jean-Marie Messier, French businessman
- 1958 – Lynn-Holly Johnson, American figure skater and actress
- 1959 – Jim Barrell, American professional wrestler
- 1959 – Johnny Whitaker, American actor
- 1960 – Rusty Cundieff, American actor
- 1960 – Daggubati Venkatesh, Indian actor
- 1961 – Harry Gregson-Williams, English composer
- 1961 – Irene Saez, Miss Universe 1981 and Venezuelan politician
- 1961 – Gary Zimmerman, American football player
- 1962 – Roger Ilegems, Belgian track cyclist and road bicycle racer
- 1962 – Jamie Raskin, American law professor and politician
- 1962 – Rex Ryan, American football coach
- 1962 – Rob Ryan, American football coach
- 1962 – Kendra Slewenski, English netballer
- 1964 – Hideto "hide" Matsumoto, Japanese musician (X Japan) (d. 1998)
- 1965 – Marko Mäetamm, Estonian artist
- 1965 – Jackie Clune, British entertainer and actress
- 1966 – Ross Burden, New Zealand celebrity chef
- 1966 – Don Roff, American writer and filmmaker
- 1966 – Mike Tirico, sports broadcaster
- 1967 – Jamie Foxx, American actor and singer
- 1967 – Bo Pelini, American football coach
- 1967 – NeNe Leakes, American actress
- 1969 – Tony Curran, Scottish actor
- 1969 – Sergei Fedorov, Russian ice hockey player
- 1969 – Murat Nasyrov, Russian singer (d. 2007)
- 1970 – Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, Austrian mountaineer
- 1972 – Niki Evans, English singer
- 1972 – Chris Grant, Australian football player
- 1973 – Christie Clark, American actress
- 1974 – Sara Cox, English TV and radio presenter
- 1974 – Debbie Matenopoulos, American television personality and actress
- 1974 – Nicholas McCarthy, English guitarist (Franz Ferdinand)
- 1975 – Bates Battaglia, American ice hockey player
- 1975 – Tom DeLonge, American guitarist (blink-182, Angels & Airwaves)
- 1975 – Kostas Kiassos, Greek footballer
- 1975 – Matthew LeCroy, American baseball player
- 1976 – Josh Fogg, American baseball player
- 1976 – Søren Friis, Danish footballer
- 1976 – Radosław Sobolewski, Polish footballer
- 1977 – Sascha Kindred, British Paralympic swimmer
- 1977 – Peter Stringer, Irish rugby union footballer
- 1978 – Olav Bjortomt, British quiz champion
- 1978 – Ryo Kawakita, Japanese guitarist (Maximum the Hormone)
- 1978 – BJ Penn, American mixed martial artist
- 1980 – Patrik Antonius, Finnish poker player
- 1980 – Ryan France, English footballer
- 1980 – Satoshi Tsumabuki, Japanese actor
- 1980 – Bosco Wong, Hong Kong Singer and Actor
- 1981 – Amy Lee, American singer/songwriter (Evanescence)
- 1981 – Liam Lawrence, Irish footballer
- 1982 – Anthony Callea, Australian singer/songwriter
- 1982 – Dan Hamhuis, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1982 – Ricky Nolasco, American baseball player
- 1982 – Tuka Rocha, Brazilian racing driver
- 1982 – Dominik Werling, German footballer
- 1983 – Matt Deis, American bassist
- 1983 – Otylia Jędrzejczak, Polish swimmer
- 1984 – Hanna-Maria Seppälä, Finnish swimmer
- 1984 – Santi Cazorla, Spanish footballer
- 1985 – Michael Bumpus, American football player
- 1985 – Laurence Leboeuf, Canadian actress
- 1985 – Alby Mathewson, New Zealand rugby player
- 1986 – Dennis Bermudez, American mixed martial artist
- 1986 – Mathieu Gnanligo, Beninese sprinter
- 1987 – James Eagan Holmes, American, accused perpetrator of the 2012 Aurora shootings
- 1988 – Rickie Fowler, American golfer
- 1989 – Taylor Swift, American singer
- 1991 – Senah Mango, Togolese footballer
[edit]Deaths
- 558 – Childebert I, king of the Franks (b. c. 496)
- 1048 – Abū Rayḥān al-Bīrūnī, Persian mathematician (b. 973)
- 1124 – Pope Callixtus II
- 1126 – Henry IX, Duke of Bavaria
- 1204 – Maimonides, Spanish rabbi and philosopher (b. 1135)
- 1250 – Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1194)
- 1404 – Albert I, Duke of Bavaria (b. 1336)
- 1466 – Donatello, Florentine artist and sculptor (b. 1386)
- 1516 – Johannes Trithemius, German cryptographer (b. 1462)
- 1521 – Manuel I of Portugal (b. 1469)
- 1557 – Niccolò Fontana Tartaglia, Italian mathematician
- 1565 – Conrad Gessner, Swiss naturalist (b. 1516)
- 1603 – Franciscus Vieta, French mathematician (b. 1540)
- 1621 – Katarina Stenbock, Queen of Gustav I of Sweden (b. 1535)
- 1716 – Charles de La Fosse, French painter (b. 1640)
- 1721 – Alexander Selkirk, Scottish sailor and castaway (b. 1676)
- 1729 – Anthony Collins, English philosopher (b. 1676)
- 1754 – Mahmud I, Ottoman Sultan (b. 1696)
- 1769 – Christian Fürchtegott Gellert, German poet (b. 1715)
- 1783 – Pehr Wilhelm Wargentin, Swedish astronomer (b. 1717)
- 1784 – Samuel Johnson, English writer and lexicographer (b. 1709)
- 1814 – Charles-Joseph, 7th Prince of Ligne, Belgian-born Austrian field marshal (b. 1735)
- 1835 – John Storm, American Revolutionary soldier (b. 1760)
- 1837 – Herman of Alaska, Russian Orthodox hermit (b. 1756)
- 1863 – Christian Friedrich Hebbel, German writer (b. 1813)
- 1868 – Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius, German botanist (b. 1794)
- 1881 – August Senoa, Croatian writer (b. 1838)
- 1883 – Victor de Laprade, French poet and critic (b. 1812)
- 1893 – Georg August Rudolph, German politician (b. 1816)
- 1895 – Ányos Jedlik, Hungarian physicist (b. 1800)
- 1908 – Augustus Le Plongeon, French antiquitarian (b. 1825)
- 1919 – Woldemar Voigt, German physicist (b. 1850)
- 1922 – Hannes Hafstein, Icelandic politician and poet (b. 1861)
- 1924 – Samuel Gompers, American labor leader (b. 1850)
- 1930 – Fritz Pregl, Slovenian-born Austrian chemist, Nobel laureate (b. 1869)
- 1931 – Gustave le Bon, French psychologist (b. 1840)
- 1932 – Georgios Jakobides, Greek painter (b. 1853)
- 1934 – Thomas A. Watson, American assistant to Alexander Graham Bell (b. 1854)
- 1935 – Victor Grignard, French chemist, Nobel laureate (b. 1871)
- 1940 – Jacques-Arsène d'Arsonval, French physicist (b. 1851)
- 1940 – Manuel de Escandón, Mexican polo player (b. 1857)
- 1940 – George Regas, Greek actor (b. 1890)
- 1942 – Wlodimir Ledochowski, Austrian-born Polish religious figure (b. 1866)
- 1944 – Wassily Kandinsky, Russian-born French artist (b. 1866)
- 1944 – Lupe Vélez, Mexican actress (b. 1908)
- 1945 – Irma Grese, German concentration camp supervisor (b. 1923)
- 1945 – Josef Kramer, German concentration camp commandant (b. 1906)
- 1945 – Elisabeth Volkenrath, Polish-born German concentration camp supervisor (b. 1919)
- 1947 – Nicholas Roerich, Russian-born painter (b. 1874)
- 1950 – Abraham Wald, Hungarian mathematician (b. 1902)
- 1954 – John Raymond Hubbell, American writer (b. 1879)
- 1955 – Egas Moniz, Portuguese psychiatrist and neurosurgeon, Nobel laureate (b. 1874)
- 1958 – Tim Moore, American actor (b. 1887)
- 1960 – Dora Marsden, British editor, writer (b. 1882)
- 1961 – Grandma Moses, American painter (b. 1860)
- 1962 – Harry Barris, American popular singer (b. 1905)
- 1969 – Raymond A. Spruance, American admiral (b. 1886)
- 1969 – Spencer Williams, Jr., American actor (b. 1893)
- 1973 – Henry Green, English author (b. 1905)
- 1979 – Jon Hall, American actor (b. 1915)
- 1981 – Pigmeat Markham, American entertainer (b. 1904)
- 1983 – Alexander Schmemann, Estonian Orthodox Christian priest and theologian (b. 1921)
- 1983 – Nichita Stănescu, Romanian poet (b. 1933)
- 1986 – Heather Angel, British actress (b. 1909)
- 1986 – Ella Baker, American civil rights activist (b, 1903)
- 1986 – Smita Patil, Indian Actress (b.1955)
- 1992 – K.C. Irving, Canadian industrialist (b. 1899)
- 1992 – Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, American businessman and heir (b. 1899)
- 1993 – Vanessa Duriès, French novelist (b. 1972)
- 1994 – Norman Beaton, Guyanese actor (b. 1934)
- 1994 – Michalis Nikolinakos, Greek actor (b. 1923)
- 1995 – Ann Nolan Clark, American children's author (b. 1896)
- 1996 – Edward Blishen, English author (b. 1920)
- 2001 – Chuck Schuldiner, American musician (Death) (b. 1967)
- 2002 – Zal Yanovsky, Canadian musician (The Lovin' Spoonful) (b. 1944)
- 2003 – William V. Roth, Jr., American politician (b. 1921)
- 2004 – Andre Rodgers, Bahamian baseball player (b. 1934)
- 2004 – David Wheeler, English computer scientist (b. 1927)
- 2005 – Timothy Jordan II, American musician (The All American Rejects, Jonezetta) (b. 1981)
- 2005 – Stanley Tookie Williams, American convicted murderer (b. 1953)
- 2006 – Lamar Hunt, American sports executive (b. 1932)
- 2007 – Floyd Red Crow Westerman, American actor (b. 1936)
- 2007 – Mark Partridge, Rhodesian politician (b. 1922)
- 2008 – John Drake, New Zealand rugby union footballer (b. 1959)
- 2008 – Kathy Staff, British actress (b. 1928)
- 2010 – Richard Holbrooke, American diplomat (b. 1941)
- 2010 – Enrique Morente, Spanish flamenco singer (b. 1942)
- 2010 – Woolly Wolstenholme, British musician (b. 1947)
- 2011 – Kabir Chowdhury, Bangladeshi National Professor (b. 1923)
[edit]Holidays and observances
- Acadian Remembrance Day (Acadians)
- Christian Feast Day:
- Republic Day (Malta)
- Saint Lucy's Day (mainly Scandinavia, some regions of Italy (for example, Sicily, Veneto and Trentino), and Malta), and its related observances:
- National Day, celebrates the independence of Saint Lucia from United Kingdom in 1979.
- Tellus was worshipped in the district Carinae at the Esquiline Hill, and a lectisternium or table was spread for Ceres. (Roman Empire)
Slipper case raises issue of motive for inquiry
Piers Akerman – Thursday, December 13, 2012 (5:50pm)
IN tossing out the sexual harassment case brought against former federal Speaker Peter Slipper by his ex-staffer James Ashby, Federal Court judge Steven Rares boldly identified a political plot to damage Slipper.
Assange has ABC support but remains in hiding
Piers Akerman – Thursday, December 13, 2012 (6:32am)
HIDEAWAY Australian Julian Assange wants to run for the Senate.
Apparerently he plans to run on a policy of openness in government.
There is no doubt that there are the necessary 500 idiots prepared to back him should he seek to register a political party with the Australian electoral commission – after all, the Greens are registered and there appears to be no shortage of fools as Labor still enjoys the support of almost a third of those surveyed.
But Assange is still hiding from justice in the Ecuadoran embassy in London.
He fears extradition to Sweden where he is wanted for questioning in relation to some alleged sex offences. So much for the libertarian Swedes.
What he and his supporters fear is that the United States may extradite him if he ever gets to Sweden and put him on trial over the Wikileaks publication of US military secrets among thousands of hacked cables.
Assange has attracted the usual claque of high-profile supporters anxious to display their moral vanity no matter the cause.
His health may or not be deteriorating.
The Australian government has offered to assist in case of medical emergency, including monetary assistance but Assange is dissatisfied with the level of support offered.
The ABC is promoting Assange and his cause.
Need anymore be said?
EXPLAINING TO DO
Tim Blair – Thursday, December 13, 2012 (2:28pm)
Independent MP Rob Oakeshott in October, following Peter Slipper’s resignation as speaker:
His text messages were obscene, offensive, and indefensible. As someone who believes that we are each responsible for our own behaviour, I believe Mr Slipper made the right decision.
Independent MP Rob Oakeshott now:
The Tony Abbotts, the Christopher Pynes, the Dave Gillespies, they’ve got some explaining to do as to why this was top of the pops for them in 2012 as the issue to pursue for the Liberal National party when there are so many other issues of national significance.
RULE MISSED
Tim Blair – Thursday, December 13, 2012 (2:24pm)
Booted from the Sydney Morning Herald for plagiarism, columnist Tanveer Ahmed bides his time:
The editor was perfectly reasonable and said plagiarism was the worst offence in journalism and he couldn’t be seen to be publishing me. He was cordial, professional and supportive and wished me well for the future, suggesting people in the media have short memories and I could resume writing in a few months.
Apparently we need more regulation, as usual:
It is important to keep in touch with the norms of any social or professional group and this requires regular contact, mentorship, peer review, etc. This is something I have always had as a doctor, but journalism being a loose, unregulated trade, I will be more careful to make sure I have these things in place when I involve myself in the media in the future.
Fairfax sure can pick ‘em.
NO PEACE FOR YOU
Tim Blair – Thursday, December 13, 2012 (2:22pm)
The Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies might consider a name change:
It seems safe to say that Hebrew University professor Dan Avnon thinks of himself as one of the good guys—and rightly so. He’s spent a considerable part of his career promoting coexistence between Jewish and Arab Israelis. In 2001, he even created a high school program that enables religious and secular Jews to study together with Arabs—no small feat in Israel, where the three populations generally study apart.So it came as a rude awakening when Sydney University’s Center for Peace and Conflict Studies refused his request to work together, simply on the grounds that he’s Israeli. The Center’s Associate Professor Jake Lynch wrote in an email: “I and the Center have nothing against you personally, and your research sounds interesting and worthwhile. But we support the boycott campaign against Israel, and that includes the call for an academic boycott of Israeli universities.”
Let’s just abbreviate it to “The Centre for Conflict”.
GALS OF INFLUENCE
Tim Blair – Thursday, December 13, 2012 (3:11am)
Sue Gillard to show how mad her law is
Andrew BoltDECEMBER132012(2:27am)
Civil Liberties Australia (CLA) warn the PM herself could be in trouble for calling Opposition Leader Tony Abbott a misogynist if proposed amendments to anti-discrimination laws take effect - although Julia Gillard has the protection of Parliamentary privilege…
CLA chief executive officer Bill Rowlings has lashed out at the proposed amendments to anti-discrimination laws which make it unlawful to “offend” people.His attack follows ABC chairman Jim Spigelman’s scathing appraisal this week – he said that the laws could breach our international obligations to freedom of speech.Mr Rowlings highlighted the absurd things that such laws could cover.“If you said the word (Juliar) to Ms Gillard’s face, she might take you to court under proposed anti-discrimination laws, for she would surely find it personally offensive,” he said…
“This anti-discrimination stuff is dangerous. To stay safe, you really have to shut your mouth,” he said.
===
Column - The public sorts out 2DayFM
Andrew BoltDECEMBER132012(2:12am)
IF there’s one thing the 2Day FM prank call disaster proves, it’s that the public can be trusted to punish the wicked media.
Consider the fallout since British nurse Jacintha Saldanha killed herself, having three days earlier been tricked by 2Day FM hosts Mel Greig and Michael Christian, who were pretending to be the Queen and Prince Charles.
===
Not today but soon
Andrew BoltDECEMBER132012(1:56am)
I promised to say what I thought of a Press Council process I have gone through. We are unable to publish today an article I have written on this, but plan to next week. I hope you’ll look out for it, because these are serious issues.
Column - Stealing our words
Andrew BoltDECEMBER132012(1:53am)
ONLY one of the following two statements is a joke, but who can tell in this tide of bull?
First, here’s the Prime Minister: “My dear remaining fellow Australians. The end of the world is coming . . .
===
No comments:
Post a Comment