Silvio Berlusconi has been accused of persecuting the family of the murdered Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko. Walter Litvinenko, the former KGB agent's father, says the Italian PM’s chummy relationship with Vladimir Putin must be behind repeated delays in processing his request for asylum in Italy where he now lives. And the 71-year-old says his family have been harassed by local police, their business closed down - and are now dependent on charity.

Australian of the Year Professor Patrick McGorry has thrown his weight behind calls for a Senate inquiry into the Church of Scientology, saying the church's teachings are putting Australians' lives at risk.

Professor McGorry, a world-renowned youth mental health expert, and two other respected Australian psychiatrists are supporting independent Senator Nick Xenophon's efforts to set up an investigation into the church's activities and its teachings on psychiatric care.

Professor McGorry says it is time to put the Church of Scientology under the federal parliamentary microscope.

US Vice-President Joe Biden has condemned Israel's approval of 1,600 new homes for ultra-Orthodox Jews in East Jerusalem.

Mr Biden, in Israel as part of US attempts to kick-start the peace process, said it was "the kind of step that undermines the trust we need".

Palestinian leaders also condemned the controversial move.

Israel insisted it was a procedural step with no connection to Mr Biden's visit.

Last night on Q&A Julie Bishop showed her ability to use the force: "I find your lack of faith... disturbing".

http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/03/09/deathjulie/?source=cmailer

Over the 12 months since the tragic tale of the deaths of six Afghan civilians - including four kids - killed last year in a raid by Australian forces, video journalist Sophie McNeill and chief producer Geoff Parish have been assiduously digging into that story.

And tonight - some chilling new developments. A warning, though - there are images in their report that could disturb some viewers.

http://www.sbs.com.au/dateline/story/transcript/id/600357/n/Questions-from-Oruzgan

from the ABC

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has apologised to his colleagues for not consulting them before announcing a Coalition plan for a paid parental leave scheme.

Facing Coalition MPs today in the wake of the announcement, Mr Abbott said sometimes it was necessary to make a "leader's call" over some issues, and "sometimes it is better to ask forgiveness than permission".

A joint partyroom meeting today saw almost 20 MPs speak about the plan, which would see Australia's biggest businesses taxed by an extra 1.7 per cent.

from the ABC

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says he will introduce a six-month paid parental leave scheme if the Coalition wins the next election.

Mr Abbott says the Coalition would offer six months pay for parents at their current salary, up to a ceiling of $150,000, rather than the Government's scheme of 18 weeks paid at the minimum wage.

The plan would be funded by a new levy on larger businesses.

Mr Abbott says the scheme would give families a better deal than the Government is currently offering.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown's explanation to the Chilcot Inquiry on why he, when he was Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer & wrote the cheques for it, backed the war on Iraq.

He said: "It was the right decision for the right reasons. Aggressor states that refuse to obey the laws of the international community have to be confronted". Iraq was a "serial violator of the rules of the international community."

At the coal-face of educating Gustaphian with porkies...

in Oklahoma

An awareness of class makes clear who is fucking whom. That's why American capitalism's official line is that we area "classless society." Denying the existence of class, deeming all Americans (excepting a few too-obvious-to-be denied cases, such as inner city blacks and the poorest of immigrants), "middle class" was one of American capitalism's great strokes of genius. It blurred the line between workers and capitalism's middle class commissariat - the petty business, mid-management, teaching and owning class managing the rest of us for the elites.

Hush! Hush! Whisper who dares! Sunrise or Lateline, A Current Affair:

Christopher Pyne is saying his prayers.

God bless Tony and God bless me,

And God, please help me get on TV.

I don't care when and I don't mind where.

- with apologies to A. A. Milne.

Christopher Maurice Pyne, the federal Liberal MP for the Adelaide seat of Sturt, opposition spokesman for education, is what we in the trade call a media tart. That is, he would crawl through razor wire and gunfire to get his name in a newspaper or his silly head in front of a microphone and a camera.

Note: for some strange reason, the Chris Floyd site crashes Firefox...

Four men who have been imprisoned for over a year - some for almost two years - are going to US federal court to challenge their detention at the notorious Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.

The men, whom their lawyers say have never engaged in hostilities against the US and are not members of groups that have engaged in hostilities against the US, have never been told why they are being detained, never been permitted to speak with a lawyer or given a meaningful opportunity to challenge their detention before a court or impartial administrative board.