Catherine Brown

  • German abortion reform blocked

    The German Constitutional High Court has blocked the Bundestag's liberalisation of abortion laws. An alliance of the Catholic Church, the staunchly conservative Bavarian government and 241 members of parliament, including

  • Irish women seek the right to travel

    Irish women denied access to abortion in their own country are still being denied information about abortion services in Britain. Fourteen students have been threatened with criminal prosecution defying a court injunction

  • Tory crackdown on travellers

    Tory crackdown on travellersLONDON — The British government on August 18 announced that camping without permission is to become a criminal offence. Caravans of trespassers will be liable to confiscation. The

  • Italy plans $70 billion sell-off

    "The biggest state sell-off" in the European Community is the description, by EC financiers, of the Italian government's privatisation plans. The emergency economic package announced last month includes austerity measures

  • Ban on UDA 'cosmetic'

    On August 10 Sir Patrick Mayhem, Britain's secretary of state for the north of Ireland, announced the banning of the Ulster Defence Association, the largest loyalist paramilitary organisation. Within 24 hours, the UDA offices

  • Blow against censorship in Ireland

    Blow against censorship in IrelandA landmark decision by the Irish High Court on July 31 ruled against some of the censorship practised by the state-owned radio and television station, Radio Telefis Eireann (RTE). RTE

  • Britain 'shoots messenger' on death squads

    Britain 'shoots messenger' on death squadsLONDON — Channel 4 television has been heavily fined in an attempt by the Royal Ulster Constabulary to force disclosure of the source for an expose on an "inner force" in the RUC

  • French ministers face court in blood scandal

    The fountain in Place Saint Michel, outside the courtroom where four senior former health officials are on trial, ran blood red as a reminder by protesters of the 256 haemophiliacs who died after receiving AIDS-infected

  • No progress in northern Ireland talks

    The on-again off-again talks among the British and Irish governments and select political parties from northern Ireland move into their summer break without progress. Politicians have hailed the talks as the most historic

  • Fears of German military role

    On July 22, the Bundestag overwhelmingly endorsed the German government's decision to send the destroyer Bayern and three reconnaissance planes to join allied forces in monitoring the trade embargo against Serbia and

  • Labour to stand in six counties?

    Labour to stand in six counties?LONDON — "Democracy Now" was launched here in July with the intention of changing the British Labour Party's policy on party and electoral activity in the north of Ireland. Currently,

  • Thousands march against G-7

    MUNICH — More than 2000 people from across Europe attended the International Solidarity Conference held here on July 3 in opposition to the G7 Economic Summit. Despite attempts by the conservative Bavarian government to