Published on 14 Dec 2012 : The last British resident held in Guantanamo Bay detention centre is suing the UK intelligence services for defamation. Shaker Aamer has been held without charge or trial for nearly eleven years. He has been cleared for release by the U.S. administration but remains in prison.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Much easier to hide corruption in an autocratic state?
China's 'Princelings' Create a Name for Nepotism.
Published on 14 Dec 2012 : China's booming economy has some experts predicting it could surpass the U.S. economy as the world's largest by 2030. Many people have become recently rich in China, but none have become as fabulously wealthy as the so-called "princelings" -- the children of high party officials.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Climate Financing ?
UN head says world is in a race against time.
Published on 5 Dec 2012 by AlJazeeraEnglish : Ban Ki-Moon, the secretary-general of the United Nations has stated that the world is in a race against time against climate change. The COP18 UN Summit in Doha will conclude on Friday, giving the delegates two more days to agree on targets for cutting carbon emissions. The UN says climate change will cost developing countries up to $67 billion each year by 2030. Tarek Bazley reports from Doha, Qatar.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Happy birthday SMS
Published on Dec 2, 2012 by Euronews : Back in 1992 on December 3 the first SMS was sent as a simple Christmas greeting. Twenty years later and the technology has spawned its own spellings and acronyms and we are sending around eight trillion texts each year. Although it took a while to get going it has become the most common way for friends and family to exchange information.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Catalonia : Will Spain split up?
Catalonia seeks secession from Spain
Published on Nov 24, 2012 by AlJazeeraEnglish
The Spanish region of Catalonia is to hold elections on Sunday that could determine whether it eventually breaks away from the rest of the country. Artur Mas, the region's president, called the poll two years early after failing to negotiate a new financial deal with Madrid. The idea of separating has gained popularity in the last few years, with the region's economy - which accounts for more than a fifth of Spain's income - a key factor.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Iran among 5 world countries possessing hovercraft technology
Published on Nov 12, 2012 by PressTVGlobalNews : Iran' has launched its first indigenously-built hovercraft called "Tondar".
The hovercraft, manufactured in two combat and civilian models, was unveiled in the Iranian southern port city of Bandar Abbas by Iran's defense minister Ahmad Vahidi.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
The most sensible policy on nukes :
: do not bother with SALT, proceed with START with a view to reduce Nukes to zero!
Handling Nukes : Published on Oct 23, 2012 by enqilab
Green Party's Jill Stein policy for the Middle East and nukes.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Who Exactly Owns The US Media 2012?
Published on Oct 24, 2012 by AussieNews1 : Just for something different, a video put together by zionget, actually I find this mans videos very interesting as well as researched. Credit to zionget
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
No Nukes for Scotland!
Whatever Scotland’s constitutional make-up, its electorate doesn’t want nuclear weapons
May 28, 2012 : The forthcoming referendum on Scottish independence raises questions about the kind of Scotland its people want to have. That it should be free of nuclear weapons already seems clear.
May 28, 2012 : The forthcoming referendum on Scottish independence raises questions about the kind of Scotland its people want to have. That it should be free of nuclear weapons already seems clear.
A poll published by YouGov in 2010 showed that almost 70 per cent of Scottish people were opposed to the replacement of Trident, Britain’s nuclear weapons system. While similar polls have shown clear majority opposition across Britain as a whole, Scotland’s record has been stronger and often more vocal.
One explanation might be that this is because Scotland has had nuclear weapons thrust upon it since the 1960s. But I don’t believe this strength of opinion is simply a ‘not in my back yard’ approach to the Trident submarines and nuclear warheads situated at HMNB Clyde.
Of course, it would be rational and sensible not to want to play host to such monstrous weapons. Not only are the potential consequences of a nuclear accident, just 25 miles from Glasgow, unthinkable, but in a hypothetical (although of course unlikely) nuclear war, Scotland would doubtless be a target.
However, there seems something deeper in Scotland’s opposition to nuclear weapons, a sentiment which has perhaps been fostered by housing them for so long. This position chimes with a similarly forward-facing international momentum which recognises that these are Cold War weapons systems which come with a crippling price tag (taxpayers’ money which could be much better spent on meeting public needs) and an unconscionable destructive power, the unleashing of which would be illegal under international law.
Indeed, Scotland’s progressive orientation has been focused on as competing parties jostle for the hearts of voters in the independence referendum. It is no surprise, for example, that Ed Miliband said that Scotland’s progressive instincts would be best nurtured if it remained part of the United Kingdom: “The Scottish people have always stood out for their strongest ideals of social justice, shown by the history of educational opportunity for all, shown by the campaign down the years for the right to work – and the opposition to the poll tax. But my case is that these ideals for Scotland can best be realised in the United Kingdom.” Alex Salmond, too, has sought to harness these progressive attitudes, stating that in an SNP-led independent Scotland the welfare state and the NHS would be championed: “An independent Scotland can be a beacon for progressive opinion south of the border and further afield – addressing policy challenges in ways which reflect the universal values of fairness and are capable of [being implemented] within the other jurisdictions of these islands, and beyond.”.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Protest has become a social glamour? Mr. President: Free Bradley Manning!
The information released gave us proof that many innocent people lost years of their lives in the Guantanamo Bay prison, and that the Obama Administration worked to prevent Bush Administration officials from being prosecuted for breaking international human rights laws. It also taught us how our tax money (from public coffers) goes to advocate for corporate interests and the exploitation of working people abroad--such as State Department efforts to keep the Haitian minimum wage from being raised. One of the top impacts of this information being released has been to teach regular Americans about American foreign policy. In a democracy, the public has a right and a need to know about its government.
Uploaded by Jeff Paterson on Apr 27, 2011 : Supporters of accused WikiLeaks whistle-blower Bradley Manning attend Obama 2012 fundraiser to sing protest song to the president. Later, President Obama declared Bradley guilty in a conversation with Logan Price. Recorded at the St. Regis Hotel, San Francisco CA. April 21, 2011.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Little Debate About Afghan War in Election Campaign.
Published on Oct 2, 2012 by TheRealNews : Gareth Porter- Afghan war a failure, yet there is little debate about why and what to do next.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Restrict Foreign Ownership?
US farmers scramble to buy Brazil's farmland
Published on Sep 29, 2012 by AlJazeeraEnglish : Phil Corzine, a fourth-generation farmer from Illinois, is living the American dream, but it's happening on dusty soy farms in the interior of Brazil, rather than the cornfields of Iowa.
Corzine, 53, owns or manages seven farms in Goias and Tocantins states in the agricultural heartland of Brazil.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
America today :
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
The Rotten Side of Apple
SEGMENT SYNOPSIS:
Published on Sep 25, 2012 by breakingtheset : Abby Martin reveals t
he rotten side of Apple, with the release of the iPhone 5
Abby reveals the ugly side of Apple, sweat-shop labor, and the surveillance capabilities of the iPhone5.
ABOUT BRAINWASH UPDATE:
Pundits on the mainstream media toe sensationalism to garner ratings. On this segment Abby Martin exposes the rhetoric and calls out the propaganda peddlers.
ABOUT BREAKING THE SET:
A brand new show on the RT Network hosted by Abby Martin. There are way too many rules set in society that prop up the establishment -- an establishment that works to divide and conquer the people. 'Breaking the Set' seeks to smash through the Left/Right Paradigm set in the media and political establishment to find the middle ground: the truth. It is a show that cuts through that pre-established narrative which tells the people what to think and what to care about.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
ACLU takes CIA to court over drone strikes
The American Civil Liberties Union will go to court on Thursday in an attempt to get the CIA to hand over documents related to President Barack Obama‘s controversial “targeted killing” programme that uses unmanned drones to strike suspected Islamic militants.
The programme has been repeatedly referenced in public by numerous senior officials, including by Obama himself and defence secretary Leon Panetta, but the spy agency has refused to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request from the civil liberties group because it says it will not confirm the secretive use of drones.
As a result the ACLU has gone to court to argue that the CIA cannot deny the existence of a programme that has been so widely reported, including in great detail in off-the-record briefings by administration and agency officials. Jameel Jaffer, the deputy legal director of the ACLU, said: “It is preposterous. The assertion that this programme is a secret is nothing short of absurd.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
A Solar Trailer Can (Re)Charge Your Solar Airplane
Now you can have a single-occupant solar-charged electric airplane, and a mobile charging station, too.
At this week's ILA Berlin Flight Show, PC-Aero is introducing a solar photovoltaic trailer that helps charge the company's Elektra One solar plane.
The Elektra one is built of carbon fiber, and includes solar cells on its wing surface that help charge the electric engines during flight. Now there's also a mobile trailer covered with photovoltaic 'wings' that can be moved from site to site to help provide extra charging capacity for Elektra One. PC-Aero says the system is a step towards zero-emission flights. Elektra One completed its first test flight last year.
Empty, the Elektra One weighs just about 100 kg without its batteries, and with batteries, will be able to fly approximately eight hours with a maximum range of approximately 1,000 kilometers at a speed of 100 kilometers/hour. The trailer with extra solar cells can load the plane's batteries with 2 kW/hour. PC-Aero said the cost to fly the plane is approximately 35 Euros per hour.
more from source Sept 11, 2012 >>
Monday, September 10, 2012
Rising corn costs are a high price to pay
Published on Sep 9, 2012 by AlJazeeraEnglish : America's corn harvest may be under way, but a summer drought has withered away much of the nation's expected yield.As a result, the price of corn is up as much as 40 per cent over last year.That's a problem because corn is a key ingredient in almost everything, from ketchup to coca-cola.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
NATO denounces Taliban 'propaganda'
Published on Sep 6, 2012 by AlJazeeraEnglish : Taliban fighters claim they've forced NATO troops to retreat from one of their bases in Afghanistan's Wardak province. But NATO says the claims of success in are Taliban propaganda. Al Jazeera's Jennifer Glasse reports from Kabul.
Arrest of Banking Tycoon Sends Vietnam Reeling
Published on Sep 7, 2012 by linktv : Vietnamese businessman Nguyen Duc Kien has been arrested for corruption, but is he just the tip of the iceberg? Contributor Nguyen Qui Duc reports from Hanoi on people's reactions to the financial scandals rocking Vietnam.
Friday, September 7, 2012
General Assembly meeting highlights need to end nuclear testing for a safer world.
A participant looks over the programme of the General Assembly's informal meeting on the International Day against Nuclear Tests. UN Photo/R. Bajornas
6 September 2012 – The end of nuclear tests is one of the key means of achieving a safer and more secure world, United Nations officials stressed today, as the General Assembly met to observe the third annual International Day against Nuclear Tests.
“Nuclear tests are a threat to human health and global stability. Their effects are both harmful and long-lasting,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted in a video message for the observance.
The International Day is observed annually on 29 August, the date in 1991 when Semipalatinsk, located in north-eastern Kazakhstan and one of the largest test sites in the world, was closed for good. The observance draws global attention to the need to abolish nuclear weapons and achieve a nuclear-weapon-free world.
Mr. Ban urged States that had not yet done so to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) without delay. Pending the Treaty’s entry into force, he urged all States to uphold the existing moratorium on all nuclear test explosions.
The CTBT, which aims to establish a verifiable, permanent global ban on all types of nuclear explosive tests, has been signed by 183 States and ratified by 157.
Ratification by eight so-called Annex 2 States is required for the treaty to enter into force. They are China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, and the United States.
“While much has been achieved to bring us closer to a universally effective legally binding comprehensive nuclear-test ban, much remains to be done,” the President of the Assembly, Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, told the gathered delegates in his address.
“The remaining effort is not necessarily scientific or financial but rather political. Stronger political commitment and true leadership are needed today more than ever,” he stressed.
Today’s observance includes a high-level panel on the role of the UN in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, during which panellists will present insights on how the Organization can further promote progress on the issue and advance confidence building, including through nuclear-weapon-free zones and other relevant measures.
Mr. Al-Nasser encouraged participants to engage in constructive exchanges, not only to promote the entry into force of CTBT but also to promote progress on all parallel fronts.
“Needless to say, this will require the efforts of not just governments. It will also depend on the active engagement of civil society and other relevant stakeholders who support our global cause in nuclear disarmament,” he said.
He added, “It is my hope that this effort will continue and will gradually succeed in bringing us closer to achieve what I believe is our collective objective, and that is: a world where all nations can live in peace and stability without the looming threat and danger of nuclear destruction.”
source here : 6 Sept 2012
Thursday, September 6, 2012
What's next : Criminalizes 911 deniers?
National 9/11 Museum at Standstill as Anniversary Nears.
Published on Sep 5, 2012 by VOAvideo : Eleven years after the September 11 terror attacks leveled the World Trade Center, work on a museum at the site, which was to open on the anniversary this year, has stopped - because of financial and power disputes. At the same time, family members of some of the victims are fighting the museum's plan to preserve unidentified human remains in an underground repository.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
'Something Really Wrong': Dead Fish
Published on Sep 4, 2012 by CTVLondon : Tens of Thousands of Dead Fish Wash Up on Lake Erie Shore.
2011-2012 Unexplained Mass Animal Die-Offs Continue
Published on Sep 3, 2012 by 2012truthishere : the strange large animal die offs, occurring around the globe.
Food Price Watch : August-2012.
MAIN MESSAGES: The prices of internationally traded maize and soybeans reached all-time peaks in July, following an unprecedented summer in both the United States and Eastern Europe in terms of high temperatures and lack of rain fall. Wheat prices have also soared to levels comparable to the 2011 peaks but below all-time records. Prices of rice remain stable from abundant supplies.
The abrupt food price increases turned favorable price prospects for the year upside down. World Bank experts do not currently foresee a repeat of 2008; however negative factors—such as exporters pursuing panic policies, a severe el Niño, disappointing Southern hemisphere crops, or strong increases in energy prices—could cause significant further grain price hikes such as those experienced four years ago.
Countries in the Middle East and North and Sub-Saharan Africa are most vulnerable to this global shock. They have large food import bills, their food consumption is a large share of average household spending, and they have limited fiscal space and comparatively weaker protective mechanisms. Domestic food prices in these regions have also experienced sharp increases even before the global shock due to seasonal trends, poor past harvests, and conflict. Local circumstances will also largely determine how high domestic prices will be pushed from much higher international prices.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Previously Citizen Smith, today Citizen Khan?
BBC facing investigation for Muslim sitcom ‘disrespectful’ to Islam
BBC sitcom Citizen Khan accused of being disrespectful to Muslims and Islam to face investigation (Image from www.bbc.co.uk)
Monday, September 3, 2012
America's deadly leftovers?
Female bomb clearance teams created in Laos
Published on Sep 2, 2012 by AlJazeeraEnglish : During the Vietnam War, the US dropped millions of cluster bombs on Laos.Forty years on, an estimated 80 million remain buried and unexploded - posing a risk to anyone who goes near them.
Now, 50 women have joined teams of the Mine Action Group, MAG, to clear as many as they can.The decision to have three of its 14 teams led entirely by women is also a financial one, as the work helps elevate the women's position in society.
Published on Sep 2, 2012 by AlJazeeraEnglish : During the Vietnam War, the US dropped millions of cluster bombs on Laos.Forty years on, an estimated 80 million remain buried and unexploded - posing a risk to anyone who goes near them.
Now, 50 women have joined teams of the Mine Action Group, MAG, to clear as many as they can.The decision to have three of its 14 teams led entirely by women is also a financial one, as the work helps elevate the women's position in society.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Starving Africa?
Americans and Europeans throw away enough edible food to feed every starving person in Africa.
Israel strike on Iran a done deal?
Published on Sep 1, 2012 by RussiaToday : Israel prepares citizens for war
Despite Washington clearly not favoring military confrontation with Iran - Israel isn't ruling it out. Major drills simulating missile strikes in case of a war with the Islamic State have been held in Tel Aviv. And these emergency exercises are not the only way Israelis are being prepared for an attack, as RT's Middle East correspondent Paula Slier explains.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Severe Droughts Drive Food Prices Higher, Threatening the Poor
WASHINGTON, August 30, 2012 – Global food prices soared by 10 percent in July from a month ago, with maize and soybean reaching all-time peaks due to an unprecedented summer of droughts and high temperatures in both the United States and Eastern Europe, according to the World Bank Group’s latest Food Price Watch report.
From June to July, maize and wheat rose by 25 percent each, soybeans by 17 percent, and only rice went down, by 4 percent. Overall, the World Bank’s Food Price Index, which tracks the price of internationally traded food commodities, was 6 percent higher than in July of last year, and 1 percent over the previous peak of February 2011.
“Food prices rose again sharply threatening the health and well-being of millions of people,”said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim. “Africa and the Middle East are particularly vulnerable, but so are people in other countries where the prices of grains have gone up abruptly.”
Overall, food prices between April and July continued the volatile trend observed during the previous 12 months, which halted the sustained increases between mid-2010 and February 2011. Prices increased in April, came down in May and June, and sharply increased in July.
Sharp domestic price increases have continued in this quarter, especially in Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa, in particular, experienced the highest price increases in maize, including 113 percent in some markets in Mozambique. Meanwhile, the Sahel and eastern Africa regions experienced steep price increases of sorghum: 220 percent in South Sudan, and 180 percent in Sudan, for instance.
According to Food Price Watch, weather is the critical factor behind the abrupt global price increases in July. The drought in the U.S. has resulted in vast damages to the summer crops of maize and soybeans, for which the country is the world’s largest exporter. Meanwhile, the dry summer in the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan has contributed to projected wheat production losses.
more here >>
The UN's Response to the Crisis in Mali
They tell us what they want without telling us what & how they are goin' to do it? Not just yet?
Published on Aug 30, 2012 by UnitedNationsDPA
In just a short time, the West African country of Mali has turned from a regional success story into a major source of international concern. Soldiers overthrew the country's democratic institutions in a coup in March 2012. Amid this crisis, rebels and extremists have taken over large parts of Mali's north.
Watch how the United Nations supports its regional partners in addressing the situation through diplomatic efforts.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Water Scarcity May Force World to Go Vegetarian by 2050
By the year 2050, the world’s population maybe be consuming a plant-based diet — and not necessarily out of concerns of animal welfare. If current trends continue, scientists at the Stockholm International Water Institute warn, switching the world to a mostly vegetarian diet may be the best option for feeding a growing population.
By 2050, the world’s population is expected to hit 9 billion people. That number currently hovers around 7 billion, and, with concerns that another global food crisis may be just around the corner, scientists are worried about how the planet will possibly be able to feed another 2 billion people.
One of the biggest concerns is water. Currently, about 70% of the world’s water goes into agriculture; animal products use between 5 and 10 times more water than plant-based products, and 1/3 of arable land is used to grow feed for animals. That is, of course, a lot of resources going towards a food that makes up such a small percentage of our diets.
On average, humans get 20% of their protein intake from these resource-sucking products. Simply put, in a world of 9 billion people, there will not be enough water to feed everyone. That is, unless people reduce their intake of animal protein. If, by 2050, the world’s population decreases their intake of animal products to just 5%, there just might be enough water to go around.
If these findings aren’t enough of a reason to go vegetarian, I don’t know what is.
source >>
AJE - Voice of US State Dept?
For Americans(?) it's Safer in Afghanistan than America?
Mortality
Causes of coalition deaths in Afghanistan
Australia troop deaths : green on blue killings.
Mortality
All homicides
- Number of deaths: 16,799
- Deaths per 100,000 population: 5.5
- Cause of death rank: 15
Firearm homicides
- Number of deaths: 11,493
- Deaths per 100,000 population: 3.7
Causes of coalition deaths in Afghanistan
Published on Aug 30, 2012 by AlJazeeraEnglish : So far in 2012, 317 members of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan have been killed in the Central Asian nation. The majority of those, 246, were from roadside bombs.
The so-called "green-on-blue" insider attacks accounted for 39 deaths over 34 incidents so far in 2012.
Of those 34 incidents of insider attacks by "friendly" Afghan forces, 12 have occurred in the month of August.
Australia troop deaths : green on blue killings.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Implications for development: Leading up to World Water Week
Published on Aug 23, 2012 by ThinkBeyondTheTap : Simon Cook, Director of the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems, talks about the recent report released by the AgWater Solutions project and its implications for development.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Young Americans Turn to Old-Fashioned Domestic Lifestyle.
Published on Aug 24, 2012 by VOAvideo : An increasing number of Americans are growing their own food, making their own clothes and generally embracing the domestic lifestyle of their grandparents' generation. VOA's Julie Taboh reports that although there are no statistics yet, some experts say this do-it-yourself movement has been gaining momentum among the under-40 population.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
120 NAM Countries Head to Iran Despite Western Pressure.
Published on Aug 26, 2012 by TheRealNews : Vijay Prashad: Syria will be the big issue in the Non Aligned Summit in Iran, with many heads of state visiting Tehran in spite of US/Israeli campaign to isolate Iran.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Judge: No Improper Use of Drone
A judge at a district court in North Dakota has issued the first ruling on domestic drone use, saying that the arrest of a man during which surveillance drones were usedwas not “improper” and that it has “no bearing” on charges brought against the man.
The arrest was the result of a dispute over laws in North Dakota surrounding wandering livestock, and police attacked the man, Rodney Brossart, on his property after he refused to return six cows which had wandered onto his property.
Brossart’s lawyer sought the charges of “criminal mischief” thrown out because of the warrantless use of drones, as well as a number of other “constitutional violations” including tasering him.
The relatively minor charges against Brossart may well serve as the first legal precedent for police use of surveillance drones against civilians on American soil. The prosecution had argued that the “mischief” was committed before the drones were deployed, and that therefore they weren’t relevant to the charges.
source >>
Friday, August 24, 2012
the Bundle story : Journey of secondhand clothes & shoes.
Published on Aug 23, 2012 by AlJazeeraEnglish : Al Jazeera series "Rags to Riches" explores how one person's rubbish can be another person's treasure.Every year, more than half a billion dollars' worth of second hand clothes are sent out of the US, and many of those items end up in developing countries.
Yet few people know how their old clothes get to the needy.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Nepal ban working in the Middle East
Published on Aug 22, 2012 by AlJazeeraEnglish : Rights groups have criticised Nepal's decision to ban women under the age of 30 from working in the Middle East. They say the government should bring in measures to ensure their safety. Nepal's leaders took the decision earlier this month following reports of violence, sexual abuse and exploitation.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
George Galloway sacked as political columnist for rape remarks
Holyrood paper editor Mandy Rhodes ends contract after Respect MP fails to apologise for rape definition
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 22 August 2012
George Galloway: editor said it was impossible for Respect MP to continue as columnist following his 'alarming' comments about rape. Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian
George Galloway has been sacked as a columnist on the Scottish political magazine Holyrood after he refused to retract his widely condemned remarks about the rape charges facing Julian Assange.
Mandy Rhodes, the editor of Holyrood, said the Respect party MP's remarks that Assange was guilty of just "bad manners" by failing to ask permission to have sex with a sleeping woman, had left her "frankly gobsmacked".
Rhodes said she had not always agreed with Galloway's views in the past but had respected his integrity, his role as an "effective thorn in the side of the establishment", and his stance on Iraq.
However, she said it was impossible for him to continue his column following his remark that having sex with a sleeping woman was "not rapeas anyone with any sense can possibly recognise it" if she had already had sex with that man.
"There is no excuse, ever, for sex without consent, and regardless of the details of the Assange case, Galloway's comments and inappropriate language about rape per se are alarming," Rhodes said in a statement on the magazine's website.
read more >>
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