As the world’s attention turns to Europe’s last dictatorship, Index’s Mike Harris explains the background to today’s demonstrations
Belarussian presidential elections: Thousands protest
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CATEGORY: News and features
Margaret Atwood: a truly free society is one that allows writers to speak with their own voice
The Handmaid’s Tale author says “Don’t tell us what to write”
Breaking News: High court upholds Julian Assange bail decision
The High Court in London has upheld the lower court's decision to release Wikileaks founder on bail. The 39-year-old Australian was granted bail on Tuesday but prosecutors objected to the decision and he remained in jail. Assange is fighting...
Shocking America
As funders threaten to punish the US gallery that censorsed the first major US exhibition of gay art, Salil Tripathi looks at the fallout of America’s culture wars
Phone hacking: Questions to answer
Today’s revelations on the News of the World’s phone hacking puts the police under the spotlight, says Brian Cathcart. The Met should be taken off the case and the investigation reopened
The blame game
Journalist Shiv Malik was injured by a police baton strike during last week’s student protests. He asks who should be blamed for the violence: protesters, police officers or politicians?
Julian Assange to stay in custody as Sweden fights bail decision
Wikileaks' founder Julian Assange was granted bail by a London court, but he will remain in custody until an appeal against the decision is heard. Assange is facing extradition to Sweden on sexual assault charges including one count of unlawful...
Croatia: newspaper owner arrested
Robert Ježić, majority owner of the Croatian daily Novi List, was arrested in Zagreb yesterday. His arrest is thought to be connected with the flight of former PM Ivo Sanader, who exited Croatia yesterday morning, hours before the parliament lifted...
Human Rights Day: Words without borders
As ideas move freely around the world attacks on writers continue, reports
Lisa Appignanesi
Iranian “blogfather” released on bail
According to Iranian news website Mashregh, Hossein Derakhshan, known as Iran's "blogfather" has been released on a bail of $1.5 million after 26 months in prison. Derakhshan had received a 19-and-a-half year prison sentence, with charges including...