New StatesmanBritain's award-winning current affairs magazineTo protect the innocent- August 7, 2008 Barry George was wrongly convicted in 2001 after the press, with the implicit blessing of the government, had destroyed what little reputation he may have hadAmong the many consequences of Barry George's acquittal, there is one that has been neglected: this remarkable event poses a direct challenge to the government's policy of refusing to enforce the law of contempt of court. More, there are strong grounds to believe that, unless there is a change in that policy, more people will end up in...http://www.newstatesman.com/media/2008/08/barry-george-government-law A stake in the Games- August 7, 2008 British women will be the winners if our female Olympians succeedHaving pledged last week to enjoy these Olympics, I have found another reason to get excited. It's the very real chance that this summer's Games will be the first in which the British women outperform their male counterparts in the medals table. It seems that however few females there are in contention in the headline-grabbing track and field events, we've enough rowers, sailors, cyclists, pentathletes, heptathletes and martial...http://www.newstatesman.com/sport/2008/08/british-women-female-coverage Roots manoeuvres- August 7, 2008 Observations on folk musicIt's a summery Tuesday evening and the crowds on Brick Lane, hipster heartland of the East End of London, are out in search of drink-fuelled fun. Upstairs in a nearby bar, however, a panel of experts is earnestly debating the politics of folk music. Chris Wood, a musician, argues passionately that folk embodies the history of "ordinary people" and describes it as "our greatest cultural resource". Neil Davenport, a music ...http://www.newstatesman.com/society/2008/08/folk-music-british-today Oh! what a boring war- August 7, 2008 Dan and Peter Snow take their creepy double act in search of WellingtonA friend rang to complain about the proofs of his new book. He has written a boring book, he says. How can he have written such a book It even looks wrong. He particularly hates the font - it's too big, it's clumsy, it's not a font he'd like to read, anything in that font would read badly, what is it with this crappy font, it's driving him mad, it's ...http://www.newstatesman.com/radio/2008/08/quirke-dan-font-wellington Moodometer- August 7, 2008 We test the temperature of the nation this week Stampede at Indian temple kills more than 140Sick Gazans are being forced to act as spies in return for Israeli medical help, report findsUS unemployment reaches four-year high of 5.7 per cent Northern Rock announces losses of 600m as UK housing market worsensProportion of young Brits who self-harm is one of ...http://www.newstatesman.com/society/2008/08/nation-temperature-test-self Shallow, botched, insidious- August 7, 2008 Brazil's new hit has a reactionary message, leavened only by its incompetenceElite Squad (18) dir: Jos PadilhaInternational success can liberate a country's film industry, but it can also inhibit its appeal. Some Brazilian hotshot director might be making the dizziest screwball comedies the world has ever known, but it's unlikely that we'll get to see them. Since the phenomenon of City of God in 2002, the marketplace has had a taste for favela stories from Brazil, preferably shot in hyperbolic..http://www.newstatesman.com/film/2008/08/brazil-padilha-nascimento The power of one- August 7, 2008 Observations on PalestineFor the past fortnight, rumours have been circulating that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is considering a unilateral declaration of statehood. "Many agree that it's time to end all this negotiation nonsense and work on peaceful resistance," a Palestinian insider confided this past week. The PA is considering several options: stopping all negotiations with Israel and severing diplomatic contact, unilaterally declaring Palestinian statehood, or removing PA security...http://www.newstatesman.com/society/2008/08/palestinian-israel-palestine Back from the brink- August 7, 2008 Observations on TurkeyTurkey's political leaders have a taste for high drama. Until a few days prior to the 30 July verdict, it had appeared a near certainty that the country's constitutional court would uphold an indictment calling for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Abdullah G to be banned for supposedly pursuing an Islamist agenda, contrary to Turkey's founding secularist principles. One MP ...http://www.newstatesman.com/society/2008/08/turkey-akp-court-party You talk s, Mervyn- August 7, 2008 Gordon Brown is a self-confessed fan of Ian Rankin and Raymond Chandler. So we asked you to send in excerpts from these authors, with Gordon as a hardbitten Rebus- or Marlowe-type figure dealing with the vicissitudes of being Prime MinisterSet by Gavin RossReport by Ms de Meaner Well done. Hon menshes to Barry Baldwin, Alanna Blake, Ian Birchall and Nigel Evans. The winners get 20 each, with the overall top dog getting the extra Tesco vouchers. I mean Bill Greenwell. The rain in Downing Street.http://www.newstatesman.com/2008/08/gordon-brown-competition-asked Bohemian wino- August 7, 2008 Czech wines are good enough to make Roger Scruton rethink some deep-rooted opinionsCzech wine is not obtainable outside the country that produces it. In encouraging you to drink it, therefore, I am going against my deeply held convictions. For years I have insisted that travel narrows the mind, spoils the planet and undermines the local identities without which travel is pointless anyway. And here I am saying that the Czech lands are worth a visit. My excuse is that the country still ...http://www.newstatesman.com/drink/2008/08/czech-wine-rooted-train |