30 Aug, 2012

Islam is inseparable part of Russia’s society and culture – Putin — RT

President Vladimir Putin congratulated the Russian Hajj Mission on its 10th anniversary, and said that Islam has become integral to Russia’s religious, cultural and social fabric. “Traditions of Islam are based on eternal values of kindness, mercifulness and justice. Millions of people in our country practice this ancient religion,” Putin wrote in a telegram published […]

29 Aug, 2012

Israel’s possible strike on Iran threatens Middle East stability | ArabNews

THE decision to launch a deadly strike against Iran’s nuclear sites has been taken. It now rests with two men, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his hawkish Defense Minister Ehud Barak. According to Western and Israeli press reports, quoting informed intelligence sources, the attack will take place in the coming 12 weeks, most likely […]

29 Aug, 2012

Number of Pakistani expats exceeds 1.5 m | ArabNews

The number of Pakistani expats in Saudi Arabia is consistently increasing and currently exceeds 1.5 million. Pakistani Ambassador Mohammed Naeem Khan said yesterday that the Pakistanis were “committed and conscientious workers” because of their proximity to the Kingdom and its people, especially in terms of religion and age-old ties. via Number of Pakistani expats exceeds […]

29 Aug, 2012

Minority rights and the Indonesian diaspora | The Jakarta Post

The 2010 census revealed there were about 63,000 Indonesians registered in the United States, making them the 15th largest Asian minority after the Myanmarese. Human rights, however, may foil Indonesia’s bid to achieve the goal of increasing power and culture abroad, as it has been experiencing a brain drain during its modern history due to […]

29 Aug, 2012

US launches financial attacks against its allies – People’s Daily Online

The United States and Britain have claimed they have “special relations” for a long period. But recently, the United States has cracked down on large British banks successively. Barclays Bank was accused of manipulating the exchange rate. HSBC Bank was charged of laundering money for drug cartels. Presently, Standard Chartered Bank also turns into the […]

29 Aug, 2012

Egypt Looks East: New President Visits China Before U.S.

Source: Global Times

Global Times Editor’s Note: New Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi picked China rather than the US for his first visit to a big power, which has caused some stir. The visit, scheduled from August 28 to 30, is intended to bring Sino-Egyptian relations into a new stage. Is Egypt looking east? What does the visit mean […]

28 Aug, 2012

Republican Jews Hone Message in Tampa – Forward.com

A key message for Jewish Republicans at the convention will be advancing the image of Mitt Romney as more supportive of Israel than Obama. Helping to make the point will be several events hosted during the convention by the Republican Jewish Coalition, including a “Salute for pro-Israel Elected Officials” and an event honoring Republican governors. […]

28 Aug, 2012

Japan Survey Claims: Women Less Employable After Starting a Family

Tokyo, Aug 21, 2012 – (JCN Newswire) – In a recent Employee Insights Survey of female professionals in Japan, 77% of respondents believe women are less employable if they decide to start a family. In contrast, only 3% feel women are more employable, while 20% believe starting a family does not affect a woman’s chances […]

28 Aug, 2012

JETRO Releases 2012 Global Trade and Investment Report

Tokyo, Aug 9, 2012 – (JCN Newswire) – JETRO today released its “2012 Global Trade and Investment Report”.

28 Aug, 2012

McKinsey Report: Winning the US$30 trillion Decathlon

=========

(Source: McKinsey & Company) – By 2025, more than half of the world’s population will have joined the consuming classes, driving annual consumption in emerging markets to $30 trillion. Global companies must master ten key disciplines—or miss the defining growth opportunity of our times. Ten disciplines, one goal CEOs recognize that winning in emerging markets […]

27 Aug, 2012

Record $66.3 Billion in US Arms Sales Abroad in 2011 — Antiwar.com

Heavily backed by the US government, US arms makers are a serious growth industry, not only providing weapons to America’s own enormous military for its assorted adventures, but capturing the vast majority of the foreign arms market on the planet as well. The new figures released in a study for Congress show several records being […]

27 Aug, 2012

TSA spends millions on failed shoe scanning devices — RT

The US government has tested several scanning devices meant to detect explosives and weapons in passengers’ shoes at airports. Millions of dollars later, the Transportation Security Administration has concluded the devices are ineffective. The TSA has been testing shoe scanners made by companies in the US and abroad since 2007. One of the four shoe […]

27 Aug, 2012

Rachel Corrie’s mother: ‘I know this won’t be the end’ – The Guardian

The verdict in the lawsuit, she says, is part of a process, “one piece of what we’ve done. In terms of what happened to Rachel and the accountability that we’re seeking, the process has shown there are huge problems here [in Israel] in investigations and the legal system. There continue to be things that need […]

25 Aug, 2012

We are Women Against Rape but we do not want Julian Assange extradited – guardian.co.uk

When Julian Assange was first arrested, we were struck by the unusual zeal with which he was being pursued for rape allegations. It seems even clearer now, that the allegations against him are a smokescreen behind which a number of governments are trying to clamp down on WikiLeaks for having audaciously revealed to the public […]

24 Aug, 2012

PressTV – Israelis warn Tel Aviv of Iran strike aftershocks

Hundreds of Israelis have taken to the streets in Tel Aviv to protest against a potential military strike by the Israeli regime on Iran. In separate demonstrations across Tel Aviv on Thursday evening, the protesters chanted slogans such as ‘No to war’ and carried signs, condemning the Israeli authorities for social inequality and the government’s […]

24 Aug, 2012

PressTV – Good leaks, bad leaks reveal US hypocrisy

“Only Bad Leaks (ones that expose government wrongdoing) are punished, while Good Leaks (making Obama look good) are overlooked if not officially sanctioned,” Glenn Greenwald wrote in article on the Guardian website amid reports of a forthcoming book recounting the experiences of a US Navy Seal who participated in the alleged raid on Osama bin […]

24 Aug, 2012

Cold War over, but vigilance still necessary – People’s Daily Online

As the world’s largest power, the US has the greediest pursuit of security. It often guards against other countries in an aggressive way, including adopting policies of containment. This is the real reason that post-Cold War global politics haven’t settled down strategically. The history of the Cold War may not be repeated between China and […]

24 Aug, 2012

US should stop military build-up in Asia Pacific: China Daily

The US politicians have to understand that the biggest enemy their country faces is not China’s rise, which is inevitable. It is Washington’s inability to co-exist and cooperate with an emerging power. Washington should revise its false-hearted China policy, and keep good faith with the “stay-neutral” stance toward the regional territorial disputes. If the United […]

24 Aug, 2012

Pew Survey: The Lost Decade of the U.S. Middle Class

Pew Research Center

22 Aug 2012 – As the 2012 presidential candidates prepare their closing arguments to America’s middle class, they are courting a group that has endured a lost decade for economic well-being. Since 2000, the middle class has shrunk in size, fallen backward in income and wealth, and shed some—but by no means all—of its characteristic […]

23 Aug, 2012

French Tourists in Sri Lanka jailed for kissing a Buddha statue — RT

Three French tourists convicted in Sri Lanka for desecrating a temple by photographing themselves kissing and posing with a Buddha statue have been sentenced by magistrates to six months in jail, suspended for five years.­ One of the photographs featured a woman pretending to kiss the statue on the lips, and a man imitating the […]

23 Aug, 2012

Brazil Invited to Join U.N. Palestinian Refugee Agency – Inter Press Service

“This is not a small conflict; it is central to our history and to our world today. Brazil is a world power – maybe Brazilians don’t yet fully appreciate that, but its economy, its political importance, its capacity to influence processes in the world have become much greater and, therefore, I hope that Brazil will […]

23 Aug, 2012

Oct 7 Sewa Day Volunteers Stand up for Human Rights with Amnesty

========

LONDON- August 21, 2012 -(BUSINESS WIRE)–A partnership between Sewa Day 2012, which encourages social action, good deeds and public service and Amnesty International, the campaigning human rights organisation has been announced. “We are very pleased that we are joining forces with Amnesty International. Through co-operating all our volunteers will receive support and materials, ensuring that […]

23 Aug, 2012

Israel Needs to Step Up Fight Against Jewish ‘Settler Terrorism’ – Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

Seventeen mosques have already been torched within Israel proper and across the Green Line. Graffiti such as “Muhammad is a Pig” has been sprayed on the walls of mosques. Muslim cemeteries have been desecrated. Thousands of olive trees have been uprooted or set on fire. Property has been vandalized. If that were not enough, the […]

22 Aug, 2012

Nazi extremists infiltrate US military — RT

Suspected Sikh temple shooter Wade Page served in the US military and also identified himself as a white nationalist. He wasn’t alone, though — violent extremists are believed to be doing a large chunk of their training under Uncle Sam’s command. Although the man authorities believe was single-handedly responsible for the shooting that left six […]

22 Aug, 2012

What does Sikh massacre say about violence in America? – CNN.com

Amardeep Kaleka: Injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere. This attack was predicated on hate. Too many hate groups exist right here in the United States, and terror can take many forms: from school bullies to conservative radio hosts spreading fear and distortions to racists spewing hate. And, of course, to psychotic loners. Violence has become […]

22 Aug, 2012

PressTV – Planned war on Iran and the General who said No!

Today, General Dempsey, Chairman of America’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the man who flew to Tel Aviv and informed Netanyahu that America wanted no part of his scheming against Iran was the subject of an assassination attempt in Afghanistan. This wasn’t an act of terrorism or Taliban militants. It was a “mob hit” against someone […]

22 Aug, 2012

Peter Jenkins, Asia Times Online : Will Iran be US’s Melos?

Foreign policy communities in the US, Israel and the United Kingdom have lost sight of the importance of upholding international law to preserve the post-1945 international system, which underpins Western security and prosperity. They have reverted to the belief in Realpolitik of an earlier age: state military power is a legitimate instrument for resolving disputes. […]

22 Aug, 2012

Palestinians To Make Fresh Bid for Nationhood – Inter Press Service

A year after their bid for statehood flopped in the United Nations’ Security Council, the Palestine Liberation Organisation is again planning to seek an upgrade in UN status. On Sep. 27, the PLO will approach the UN General Assembly in hopes of becoming a non-member observer state. If their bid is successful, the Palestinians will […]

22 Aug, 2012

Which sectors can weather the economic crisis? – DW.DE

Business prospects for 2012 are bad. It’s not just Europe that’s in crisis. Emerging economies are also slowing down. But there are a number of sectors and countries able to flourish, despite these conditions. The bad news first: Analysts don’t know which industry branch is going to flourish. They say everything is much too interconnected, […]

22 Aug, 2012

Earth approaches an irreversible tipping point – DW.DE

Current global consumption levels could result in a large-scale ecosystem collapse, according to a study conducted by a team of 22 international scientists. The researchers compared the biological impacts of major shifts in the state of the planet and published their results this week in the journal Nature. The researchers determined that population growth, destruction […]

22 Aug, 2012

Family formula a smash hit for many German businesses – DW.DE

In spite of a handful of recent, spectacular bankruptcies by German family businesses – including drugstores chain Schlecker – such firms are generally more successful than others in Germany. Of the 2.058 trillion euros in revenues generated by Germany’s 100 biggest companies last year, family business accounted for 915 billion euros in annual turnover. via […]

22 Aug, 2012

US conducts experiment on survival on Muslim world – English pravda.ru

It seems that the U.S. is conducting an experiment on survival on the Muslim world, constantly keeping it in a boiling state. First, the collapse of Yugoslavia under the genocide sauce of Bosnian Muslims, then the creation of semi-state entity of Kosovo that has become a nightmare for Europe. The Islamic world has “swallowed” the […]

21 Aug, 2012

Va. veteran detained after strident Facebook posts

Raub’s mother, Cathleen Thomas, said by telephone that the government had overstepped its bounds. “The bottom line is his freedom of speech has been violated,” she said. Thomas said her son, who served tours as a combat engineer in Iraq and Afghanistan, is “concerned about all the wars we’ve experienced” and believes the U.S. government […]

21 Aug, 2012

PressTV – UK airlines cut costs along with safety

“There is pressure on pilots by airlines to carry minimum fuel because it costs money to carry the extra weight, and that is quite significant over a year,” a retired pilot told the Exaro website. Safety chiefs at the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) say the airlines are carrying the minimum reserve fuel possible to […]

21 Aug, 2012

Daniel Ellsberg: I Congratulate Ecuador for Standing Up to British Empire

Daniel Ellsberg, the most famous whistleblower in the United States, praises Ecuador for granting political asylum to Julian Assange to avoid extradition to Sweden for questioning over sex crime accusations. “I congratulate Ecuador, of course, for standing up to the British Empire here, for insisting that they are not a British colony, and acting as […]

20 Aug, 2012

Chris Hedges: The War in the Shadows – Truthdig

All states and armed groups recruit and use members of this underclass. These personalities gravitate to intelligence agencies, terrorist cells, homeland security, police departments, the special forces and revolutionary groups where they can live a life freed from moral and legal constraints. Right and wrong are banished from their vocabulary. They disdain the constraints of […]

19 Aug, 2012

The new totalitarianism of surveillance technology – Naomi Wolf, guardian.co.uk

I then noticed, some months later, that these bizarre camera/lights had been installed not only all around Union Square but also around Washington Square Park. I posted a photo I took of them, and asked: “What is this?” Commentators who had lived in China said that they were the same camera/streetlight combinations that are mounted […]

19 Aug, 2012

Running On Empty: Big Airlines In Big Trouble By Andrew McKay

For the majority of us with regular jobs who fly economy air travel is increasingly becoming like its land-based cousin: cramped, overcrowded and at times downright unpleasant. Air travel has always been a fickle business, earning an average net profit of one to two percent, compared with an average of over five percent for U.S. […]

19 Aug, 2012

The 1 Percent Has Nearly Tripled Its Share of America’s Income

Released yesterday, the study [PDF] is a product of years of researchers delving into IRS and Census Bureau records. It says that not only have income disparities vastly increased, but that the reason they’ve increased is due in large part to a combination of uneven income stream distribution and changes in the tax laws to […]

19 Aug, 2012

From Denmark To Bhutan: The Policies Of Happiness By Colin Todhunter

In 2006, the first ‘Happy Planet Index’ (HPI) measured happiness across 178 countries. The small south Pacific island of Vanuatu was the happiest nation. Germany ranked 81st, Japan 95th and the US 150th. Various surveys have indicated that while wealthy western nations use up vast quantities of the world’s scarce resources, many of their citizens […]

19 Aug, 2012

PressTV – Jerusalem Day demos held in Istanbul, other Turkish cities

Muslims in Turkey have held demonstrations on International Quds Day to express solidarity with the Palestinian people and condemn the crimes committed by Israel. Crowds of people gathered in Istanbul on Friday to stand up for the rights of the oppressed Palestinians. Quds Day demonstrations were also held in Ankara and other cities in Turkey. […]

19 Aug, 2012

PressTV – Americans tired of Netanyahu’s clownish anti-Iran threats

We have one thing in our news every day now, secret plans Israel leaks about their upcoming “shock and awe” attack on Iran. We don’t get it once a week, it’s a new story every 2 hours on every network, every paper. Then come the admissions, that Israel can’t attack anyone without America doing the […]

19 Aug, 2012

PressTV – ‘We are not a British colony”, Ecuadorian FM says

The announcement came after the British government threatened to storm the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, where Assange has taken refuge since two months ago. Far from being intimidated by the threat, Rafael Correa, the president of Ecuador, granted Assange political asylum and his foreign minister declared that “We want to be very clear, we are […]

19 Aug, 2012

Please, sir, can I have some less? – SMH

Suddenly abstinence is fashionable. Not only did BHP follow its rival in abandoning bonuses for its top executives due to multibillion-dollar write-downs in recently purchased assets, it also chose the same way of presenting the news. The pitch was that forgoing the bonus was a voluntary initiative by the executives involved, an offer accepted by […]

19 Aug, 2012

‘Sikhs are not Muslims’ sends a sinister message – GulfNews.com

The assertion that Sikhs are not Muslims is certainly true. Jains are not Hindus, and Mormons are not Methodists either. But in the post-9/11 context of a deadly act committed by an apparent white supremacist against a congregation that is largely ethnically South Asian — a congregation that includes bearded men in turbans — broadcasting […]

18 Aug, 2012

PressTV – Survey reveals US covers up civilian victims of drone strikes in Pakistan

Detailed information from the families of those killed in US drone strikes in Pakistan and from local sources show that the majority of the causalities have been civilians. The data from the two separate sources covering 24 drone strikes from 2008 through 2011 show that civilian casualties accounted for 74 percent of the death toll […]

18 Aug, 2012

Guns Will Kill 48,000 Americans in the Next President’s Term – If Washington Fails to Act

=========

NEW YORK, Aug. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Sixty-seven family members of victims and survivors of the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting today sent a letter to President Obama and Governor Romney demanding they develop a plan to fix the broken U.S. background check system that regularly allows guns to be sold to dangerous people, including the […]

18 Aug, 2012

Meet the Soldiers Who Refuse to Kill – Alternet

The beginnings of resistance among the troops arose out of their growing awareness that their commanders were using them in a competition for the most fire fights, the most kills, and the most prisoners. The needs of this competition outweighed justice or even strategy. Returning to base with innocent prisoners was far preferable to returning […]

18 Aug, 2012

‘Theatrical On Demand’ democratizes film distribution in the US — RT

Web-based service Gathr has been called the “love child of Netflix and Kickstarter”. It democratizes theatrical distribution by allowing film fans to organize a theatrical screening of a movie virtually anywhere in the US. It works for classics, independent features, niche films, cause-driven documentaries and even foreign movies that are of interest exclusively within the […]

18 Aug, 2012

US companies pay more to their CEOs, than to the US Government – study — RT

CEO of Boeing James McNerney Jr. got $18.4 million in pay last year while his company received a tax refund of $605 million. The study also laid into Citigroup for paying CEO Vikram Pandit $14.9 million while the bank received $144 million in net tax benefits. According to the study, the US corporate tax code […]

18 Aug, 2012

Israelis oppose war with Iran despite govt’s hawkish stance — RT

Tel Aviv’s bellicose stance against Iran’s nuclear program has sparked a pushback in Israeli society against politicians’ ambitions to strike Iran, with many demanding a peaceful resolution to tensions.­ More than 400 Israelis, including prominent academics, have signed an online petition appealing to Israel Defense Forces IDF pilots not to obey hypothetical orders to bomb […]

18 Aug, 2012

Delhi airport scam: GMR-led DIAL gains Rs 3,415 cr – Indian Express

Government auditor CAG today slammed the government for giving out Delhi airport and its land with a potential earning capacity of Rs 1,63,557 crore to private-led operator DIAL which made a total equity contribution of only Rs 2,450 crore. With an equity contribution of Rs 2,450 crore of which the private GMR-led consortium’s share was […]

17 Aug, 2012

Pakistani film ‘Lamha’ bags two awards at NYC film festival – Indian Express

Pakistani film “Lamha (Seedlings)” has bagged two awards at the New York City International Film Festival (NYCIFF) this year. “Lamha” won the People’s Choice Award for the Best Feature Film award and Aamina Sheikh won the Best Actress in Leading Role award for the film. The film was awarded at a gala ceremony at the […]

17 Aug, 2012

Hedge funds bet on oil spike as Israel attack fears grow – Ahram Online

Hedge funds are quietly laying new bets on a potential spike in oil prices tied to the possibility of an Israeli attack on Iran, skewing the options market to a bullish bias for the first time in six months. Activity is muted so far by the summer lull, but could pick up in September.The renewed […]

17 Aug, 2012

Mr. Netanyahu, before you bomb Iran, say goodbye to everyone you know – Haaretz

Mr. Netanyahu, before you bomb Iran, say goodbye to everyone you know. Say goodbye to everyone you love. You know you won’t be able to protect all of them from the retaliation that will surely come. Everyone you know is a target. Everyone you love is in range. via Mr. Netanyahu, before you bomb Iran, […]

17 Aug, 2012

The Middle East showdown to influence the world order | Russia Beyond The Headlines

R.G.: What is the probability of Israel, with or without U.S. support, launching a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities? Y.P.: The U.S. does not want it to happen in the run-up to the presidential elections. It is restraining Israel. But one has to bear in mind that there are different forces and different positions within […]

17 Aug, 2012

U.S. Keeps Russia on ‘National Threat’ List – RIA Novosti

U.S. President Barack Obama has extended a legal act that lists Russia, among 16 other states, as a national threat, and allows for the freezing and confiscation of assets in the United States. The International Emergency Economic Powers Act IEEPA is a federal law authorizing the U.S. president to regulate commerce after declaring a national […]

17 Aug, 2012

Gallup Poll Shows Mixed Public Image of U.S. Travel, Airline Industry Sectors

=========

Princeton, NJ, 16 Aug 2012 – The U.S. travel industry enjoys a largely positive image among the U.S. public but has suffered a small decline in its image ratings between 2011 and 2012. On the other hand, the U.S. airline industry is more negatively than positively perceived but has made a slight gain in its […]

17 Aug, 2012

Survey: Percentage of U.S. Workers Living Paycheck to Paycheck Reaches Recession-Era Low

CHICAGO, Aug. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Fewer American workers are reliant on their next payday to make ends meet, according to a new CareerBuilder survey. Forty percent of workers report that they always or usually live paycheck to paycheck, a slight decrease from 42 percent in 2011. This year’s figure marks a recession-era low, continuing a […]

17 Aug, 2012

Oppenheim Law Exposes Wall Street’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ Banks

=========

Fort Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) August 16, 2012 – Confidence in Wall Street is at an all-time low. It’s no wonder considering how many Wall Street executives continue to display poor moral leadership, according to real estate attorney and Yahoo! Homes blogger Roy Oppenheim. “Despite what seems like a daily barrage of banking scandals, leaders like […]

17 Aug, 2012

Army suicides hit terrifying peak — RT

This year to date, 116 confirmed or suspected suicides have been recorded – twenty-one more than at the same juncture last year. In July alone, thirty-eight soldiers were either confirmed or believed to have killed themselves. The self-inflicted death rate among active duty soldiers has increased by 22 percent this year, and for the first […]

17 Aug, 2012

Afghan War veterans in danger of mysterious degenerative brain disease — RT

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy cannot be diagnosed or adequately treated yet, Col. Dallas Hack of the Army’s Combat Casualty Care Research Program tells the Huffington Post, and scientists say that they think brain injuries developed during battle might bring up the likelihood of CTE occurring, which is characterized by bursts of anger and depression, and is […]

16 Aug, 2012

Kashmir desperate for the return of tourists after two decades of violence – The Guardian

Two years ago, the old city in Srinagar was the sort of place police would only venture into wearing full body armour. A stronghold for violent separatists agitating for an independent Kashmir, it was the centre of ugly uprisings that left more than 100 people dead, buried along with dreams of peace in the mountainous […]

16 Aug, 2012

Jeremy Hunt told: don’t pretend London 2012 Olympics helped tourism – The Independent

Small businesses have responded furiously to claims by the Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, that the Olympics were “a very good period” for tourism. Travel organisations and shopkeepers around London and many working in tourism outside the capital described the period of the Games as one of their worst and questioned how easy it would be […]

16 Aug, 2012

Thousands of Rohingya helpless after violence – Al Jazeera English

Monsoon rains have done little to dampen heated ethnic tensions in Myanmar’s northwestern Rakhine state, where dozens have died in tit-for-tat attacks over the past two months. Scars of the conflict are visible in the charred blocks of land, where entire villages were burned to the ground by angry mobs armed with knives and metal […]

16 Aug, 2012

Palestinian children ‘abused’ in Israeli jail – Al Jazeera English

The children imprisoned here are most often taken from their homes between midnight and 5am. Most don’t even see it coming. In one case, in Beit Ummar near Bethlehem, Israeli soldiers detained a Palestinian boy after reportedly taking some of the house’s doors off their hinges. Most of the children detained live close to “friction […]

15 Aug, 2012

People’s Daily: World trade faces downside risks

People's Daily Online

Beijing, August 14, 2012 – World trade growth has slowed abruptly in 2012 due to the European sovereign debt crisis and slowdown in emerging economies, according to the 2012 Global Trade and Investment Report released by the Japan External Trade Organization on Aug. 9. The World Bank believes that developing countries have contributed to more […]

15 Aug, 2012

M&A deals in China decline in first half 2012 – China Daily

By Yu Ran (China Daily)

August 15, 2012 – China’s merger and acquisition activity dropped significantly in the first half of 2012, mainly because of the still sputtering global economy, especially in Europe, according to the midyear M&A review released by PricewaterhouseCoopers on Tuesday. The review showed a 33 percent decline in announced deals and a marked 10 percent decline […]

15 Aug, 2012

Melbourne Etihad Stadium deal extended – Khaleej Times

Etihad Airways has signed a new multi-million dollar agreement to extend to 2019 its naming and marketing rights for Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium, the city’s premier sports and entertainment venue. The five-year extension was announced in Melbourne today by James Hogan, President and Chief Executive of Etihad Airways, and Ian Collins AM, Chief Executive of the […]

15 Aug, 2012

Study links UK recession to 1,000 suicides – Khaleej Times

A painful British economic recession, rising unemployment and biting austerity measures may have driven more than 1,000 people in England to commit suicide, according to a scientific study published on Wednesday. The study, a so-called time-trend analysis which compared the actual number of suicides with those expected if pre-recession trends had continued, reflects findings elsewhere […]

15 Aug, 2012

Israel ready for 30-day war after Iran strike: minister – Ahram Online

Israel is prepared for a 30-day war on multiple fronts should it decide to strike Iran, and is “ready as never before” for such a clash, the outgoing home front defence minister said Wednesday. In an interview with the Maariv newspaper, Matan Vilnai said Israel was ready to face the consequences of a clash with […]

15 Aug, 2012

Bargain with Big Brother: Facebook app to offer customer deals by spying — RT

A planned targeted advertising system can mine your Facebook pictures to identify you, and automatically check you in to a business you’re visiting. It will then offer you personalized deals and coupons, creators say. ­Dubbed ‘Facedeals,’ the system is the brainchild of advertising agency Redpepper, based in Nashville, Tennessee. It uses Wi-Fi-equipped cameras to compare […]

15 Aug, 2012

Please exhale: Israel is not going to attack Iran : IPS Writers

An Israeli (or American) attack would very likely leave the situation much worse than it was before taking military action. Israel’s security would not be improved; in fact, it might be imperiled by the negative response of even Israel’s closest allies. And Iran’s creeping approach to nuclear capability might turn into a sprint. This awareness […]

15 Aug, 2012

Israel takes bigger gambles to push Obama into Iran attack – IPS Writers

Many analysts have believed for a long time that the Israeli strategy has been more about pushing the US into an attack on Iran rather than actually setting the stage for an Israeli one and this past week seems to support that theory. The election season has been widely viewed as one where President Obama […]

15 Aug, 2012

Celebrating With The People Of Pakistan By N. Jayaram

Warm-hearted the people of Pakistan most reputedly are. Countless have been the accounts I’ve read over the past many decades, by Indian journalists, academics, civil society activists, film-makers as well as people in the official establishment, of immense generosity that was showered upon them in the Pakistani street as well as in air-conditioned altars of […]

15 Aug, 2012

Impunity At Home, Rendition Abroad – Countercurrents.org

After a decade of intense public debate over torture, in the last two years the United States has arrived at a questionable default political compromise: impunity at home, rendition abroad. This resolution does not bode well for future U.S. leadership of an international community determined to end the scourge of torture. Italy’s prosecution of two-dozen […]

14 Aug, 2012

Most Mass Shooters Pass Background Checks – Alternet

Even though Tucson’s heavily armed citizenry failed to stop Jared Lee Loughner’s rampage last year that killed six people, including a US district court judge, and almost killed former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz), the gun lobby pushes for the right to carry firearms on college campuses, in state parks, in coffee shops, on trains, in […]

14 Aug, 2012

Get Ready for a Catastrophic War: Israel Likely to Strike Iran Before November Elections – Alternet

What the Israeli leader worries most about is the possibility that a second-term Obama would feel much freer not to commit U.S. forces on Israel’s side. A second-term Obama also might use U.S. leverage to force Israeli concessions on thorny issues relating to Palestine. If preventing Obama from getting that second term is also part […]

14 Aug, 2012

Israeli rhetoric lays the groundwork for an attack on Iran – baltimoresun.com

The key question is whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak will interpret the presidential campaign rhetoric as an open invitation to provoke hostilities with Iran, in the expectation that President Obama will feel forced to jump in with both feet in support of our “ally” Israel. Since there is no […]

14 Aug, 2012

Arabs at the Olympics: Could have been better – The Jordan Times

Most Arabs are preoccupied with conflicts — be they internal or external — and have little or no time to indulge in sports. Nation building is a continuing process in many Arab states, with very few having attained their political, economic and social objectives. Still, one would have expected at least the Arab countries that […]

14 Aug, 2012

Bloody Spring by Uri Avnery – Media Monitors Network (MMN)

“The European imperialist powers, Britain and France, which broke up the all-inclusive Ottoman Empire after World War I, had scant respect for the diversity of their new acquisitions. However, they both adopted the principle of “divide et impera”. The French excelled in it.” via Home / Headlines / Bloody Spring – Media Monitors Network (MMN).

14 Aug, 2012

Iran War: Countdown to Israel Doomsday – Media Monitors Network (MMN)

Governor of the Bank of Israel Stanley Fischer says that Iran strike spells security and financial crisis and that the entity is gearing to deal with recession. “The primary responsibility of each country is to maintain its security. It is possible to describe situations of widespread war which would be very difficult to deal with. […]

14 Aug, 2012

Justice for All: Alexander Cockburn, Palestine, and U.S. media

With his scathing intellect, engaging talent, far ranging knowledge, and quick humor, the Oxford-educated Cockburn could have become a celebrated, wealthy journalist – the kind whose lucrative articles are consistently published in top journals, whose best-selling books are reviewed widely throughout the media, and whose commentary is in demand by the top television and radio […]

14 Aug, 2012

Germany refocuses on neo-Nazi threat – The Washington Post

In Germany, “our institutions didn’t have right-wing terrorism on their screens,” Sebastian Edathy, a member of Germany’s Parliament who is leading an inquiry into the intelligence failures, said in an interview. “Society has focused over the last 10 years on the threat of Islamist extremism, but this is not the only extremist threat that we’re […]

14 Aug, 2012

Police: Gunman opened fire from inside Texas house and killed officer serving eviction notice – The Washington Post

Police say a gunman was being served an eviction notice before he opened fire from inside a home near Texas A&M and killed a law enforcement officer. College Station Assistant Police Chief Scott McCollum says Brazos County Constable Brian Bachmann was among three people, including the gunman, killed in a shootout at the house Monday. […]

14 Aug, 2012

In Malaysia, earning less than your wife can be hazardous to your well-being – Indian Express

The Welfare Department of Malaysia received 25 reports from men who were abused by their wives or girlfriends last year, 32 in 2010 and 14 in 2009. Most cases were reported in Selangor, followed by the Federal Territory, and the offences included threatening injury, causing physical harm, emotional abuse and locking up the men. via […]

14 Aug, 2012

Sex ratio influences choices made by men and women: study – Indian Express

In a study of about 600 people, when male college participants were told there was a scarcity of women on their campuses and in other areas of their lives, they were willing to pay USD 6.01 more on average for Valentine’s Day gifts and USD 278 more for an engagement ring than men who were […]

14 Aug, 2012

A Q Khan calls Pak elites ‘foreign agents’ – Indian Express

In a no holds barred attack on the Pakistani government, Khan voiced his support for the judiciary which is engaged in a bitter tussle with the government over reopening of graft cases in Switzerland against President Asif Ali Zardari. “Our elites toe the American line and behave like foreign agents. Some have dual nationalities, some […]

14 Aug, 2012

Going from love to love across the India-Pakistan border – Dawn.com

It is unfortunate that travelling restrictions deprive many Indians and Pakistanis to enjoy the rich culture and heritage of both the countries, however even these setbacks fail to deter people like myself from yearning for a day when it would be possible for Pakistanis and Indians to travel across the border without any limitations or […]

13 Aug, 2012

Visitors to UK be made more welcome – Business News, The Independent

The Government is considering wholesale changes to the tourist visa regime to capitalise on the Olympics effect which has sparked interest in visiting Britain. Proposals are being looked at to simplify and shorten visa applications to bring Britain more closely into line with European countries that are part of the Schengen Agreement, which lets visitors […]

13 Aug, 2012

Time to Rebel! Five Ways We Can Break the Big Banks’ Death Grip on the Economy

Let’s be honest. Many people are feeling a little hopeless and cynical about whether anything can change how Wall Street banks run roughshod over the economy and our democracy. We’ve marched, rallied, sat-in and thousands have been arrested–and yet bankers have remained unrepentant, unpunished, unindicted and seemingly untouchable. But the wheels of history are turning […]

13 Aug, 2012

Drifting Away From Our Ideals: truth-out.org

A society can continue for a very substantial period along a path characterized by ever greater divergence between the core values and ideals that give it legitimacy and the institutions and practices that create and constitute the everyday realities its citizens experience. Plausibly, a society could continue indefinitely on such a course—though clearly, cynicism and […]

13 Aug, 2012

Criminalizing Dissent – Chris Hedges’ Columns – Truthdig

The Justice Department’s definition of a potential terrorism suspect under the Patriot Act is already extremely broad. It includes anyone with missing fingers, someone who has weatherproof ammunition and guns, and anyone who has hoarded more than seven days of food. This would make a few of my relatives in rural Maine and their friends, […]

13 Aug, 2012

Conference on the Changing Roles of Women in a Global Economy

The California Women’s Conference is historically the largest gathering of women in the country, boasting a network of successful female entrepreneurs, education and community support committed to the betterment of women. The Women Of Global Change, headed by Shellie Hunt, Founder and CEO, will join the star-studded event hosted at the Long Beach Convention Center, […]

13 Aug, 2012

Analysis: Are Israelis tough enough for a long war with Iran? : Reuters

For Israel to carry out a long-threatened strike on Iranian nuclear sites, it would have to overcome dissent within its governing coalition reflecting public fear of igniting an unprecedented missile war. via Analysis: Are Israelis tough enough for a long war with Iran? | Reuters.

13 Aug, 2012

Security at its highest since 9/11 at Islamic Center : Dayton Daily News

Malik, 72, blamed some of the hatred toward Muslims on “baseless accusations” being made by politicians who say a majority of the violence in the United States is caused by radical Muslims. “That just stirs up the fear and hatred toward the Muslim community,” he said. “They don’t know them. They only know what they […]

13 Aug, 2012

Racial Profiling at Boston Airport, Officials Say – NYTimes.com

More than 30 federal officers in an airport program intended to spot telltale mannerisms of potential terrorists say the operation has become a magnet for racial profiling, targeting not only Middle Easterners but also blacks, Hispanics and other minorities. Read more: Racial Profiling at Boston Airport, Officials Say – NYTimes.com.

13 Aug, 2012

The Convert: This American Life

In 2006, a new convert showed up at a mosque in Orange County, California, eager to study the Koran and make new friends. But when he started acting odd and saying strange things, those friends got suspicious. To them, he was Farouk al-Aziz. But his real name was Craig Monteilh, and he was working undercover […]

13 Aug, 2012

The Palestine Romney doesn’t know – The Washington Post

Palestinians have no say in our economic development. Every resource — water, land, soil, minerals, airspace, humans — is controlled and commandeered by Israel, which then deigns to sell us back a small portion. In the West Bank, for example, Israeli settlers consume on average 4.3 times the amount of water as Palestinians. In the […]

13 Aug, 2012

Abolishing War: One Last Step – MichaelMoore.com

The U.S. military is bigger than ever, in more nations than ever, more privatized than ever, more profitable than ever, more secretive than ever, more at odds with more of the world than ever, and more recklessly than we’ve seen in decades antagonizing both Russia and China for no good reason whatsoever. Read more: Abolishing […]