Cuban dissident José Daniel Ferrer freed to live in exile in US

Cuban dissident José Daniel Ferrer freed to live in exile in US

Ferrer, who has been imprisoned repeatedly, says he opted for exile after facing ‘torture’ behind bars in Cuba The prominent Cuban dissident José Daniel Ferrer has been freed from prison and put on a plane to the US where he will live in exile with his family, the communist country’s foreign ministry has said. Ferrer, who has been imprisoned repeatedly as the long-term leader of the island’s pro-democracy movement, announced this month he had opted for exile after facing “torture” and “humiliation” behind bars. Continue reading...

Republican and Democratic senators dig in heels over government shutdown

Republican and Democratic senators dig in heels over government shutdown

Lindsey Graham says closure won’t push him to meet Democrats’ demands on Obama-era healthcare subsidies Republican and Democratic senators Lindsey Graham and Mark Kelly have dug their heels in over the government shutdown – which is now approaching two weeks, with the former saying that the closure won’t push him to meet Democrats’ demands for a restoration of Obama-era healthcare subsidies. Graham said on NBC News’s Meet the Press on Sunday that he was in favor of the Senate voting to reopen the government and prepared to “have a rational discussion” with Democrats – but not with the government shut down. Continue reading...

Defence of Riyadh comedy fest is deeply naive | Letters

Defence of Riyadh comedy fest is deeply naive | Letters

Readers respond to Omid Djalili’s article defending his decision to perform at an event organised by the repressive Saudi regime In his recent article, Omid Djalili makes a case for the power of comedy to effect incremental cultural change, and this forms a part of his justification for performing at the Riyadh comedy festival ( I have been criticised for being part of the Riyadh comedy festival. This is why I did it, 8 October ). This may be so, though such a power will be minuscule, filtered not only by official censorship but by the knowledge that any truly challenging topic will not be broached. The understanding is that performers will not rock the boat, so it seems uncompelling to justify participation on the basis that the boat might be slightly rocked in vague and inoffensive ways. Continue reading...