Noriega still jailed 25 years later
PANAMA CITY – Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega is nearly forgotten, languishing in a steamy jungle prison near the interoceanic canal while the country enjoys democracy and economic prosperity a quarter-century after the strongman was toppled by a U.S. military invasion.
The U.S. invasion – known as Just Cause – began 25 years ago on Saturday, on Dec. 20, 1989, and ended with Noriega’s surrender to American drug agents on Jan. 3.
Much has changed in Panama since then, with six consecutive presidents democratically elected in the nation of 3.5 million people. Its economy has become one of the fastest growing in Latin America, rising at an average rate of about 8 percent annually amid a multi-million-dollar real estate and construction boom. The United States peacefully transferred full control of the canal to Panama in 1999.
On Saturday, President Juan Carlos Varela became the first Panamanian leader to attend a ceremony to remember victims of the invasion. He announced the government would form a commission to consider demands put forth by their families, such as declaring the date a national day of mourning.
Spaniards protest proposed security law
MADRID – Thousands of people protested in Spanish cities on Saturday against a proposed law that would set hefty fines for offenses such as burning the national flag and demonstrating outside parliament buildings or strategic installations.
The Public Security Law was approved by one house of parliament last week and is expected to be accepted by the other government-controlled one next month. The bill has been heavily criticized by opposition parties and human-rights groups as an attempt by the conservative government to muzzle protests over its handling of Spain’s financial crisis.
The proposed law would allow fines of up to $37,000 for disseminating photographs of police officers that are deemed to endanger them or their operations.
Individuals participating in demonstrations outside parliament buildings or key installations would be fined up to $745,000, if they are considered to breach the peace. Those insulting police officers could be fined up $745. Burning a national flag could cost the perpetrator a maximum fine of nearly $37,000.
Kurds advance against IS group in Syria, Iraq
BEIRUT – Kurdish fighters advanced on the Islamic State extremist group in Iraq and Syria on Saturday, pushing into the contested, refugee-packed Sinjar mountains and gaining ground in the embattled Syrian border town of Kobani after heavy clashes, Kurdish officials and an activist group said.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the main Syrian Kurdish force known as the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, killed 10 IS fighters.
Associated Press
