Free Republic

French prosecutors throw out Rumsfeld torture case Fri Nov 23, 2007 12:27pm EST PARIS (Reuters) - The Paris prosecutors' office has dismissed a suit against Donald Rumsfeld accusing the former U.S. defense secretary of torture, human rights groups who brought the case said on Friday. The plaintiffs, who included the French-based International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (FIDH) and the U.S. Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), said Rumsfeld had authorized interrogation techniques that led to rights abuses. The FIDH said it had received a letter from the prosecutors' office ruling that Rumsfeld benefited from a "customary" immunity from prosecution granted...

'Desert fish will help to feed the world' By Max Benitz (Filed: 05/06/2006) Deserts will produce much of the farmed fish and the clean power of the future, a United Nations report says. Aquaculture already thrives in deserts such as the Negev in Israel and Arizona, according to the report published to mark World Environment Day. It says saline water in desert wells and sunlight can be used to mimic tropical seas, making them ideal for farming fish and shrimp. Another benefit is that fish farming uses less water than the production of a vegetable crop. Many fish and algae...

Some billionaires exercise their philanthropic bent by building museums or symphony halls. The legacy of Bernard Marcus, who runs an American DIY chain, will be the world's largest fish tank, almost 10 times the size of the London Aquarium. The Georgia Aquarium, due to open in Atlanta in November, will have 5m gallons of water (almost 19m litres) and more than 100,000 fish. It will be home to two white beluga whales, giant groupers and octopuses. The main attraction will be two whale sharks, the world's largest fish, which can grow to more than 40 feet. The sharks, Ralph and...