3 Sep, 2011
Western countries should rethink consumerism – People’s Daily Online
Project Syndicate, an international newspaper syndicate, recently published a commentary titled “Is Capitalism Doomed?” on its website, commenting on the slide of Western capitalist countries into economic, political and social crises. Many Westerners have attributed the crises to the incompetence of governments. Some people ascribed the global financial crisis to a lack of government supervision. […]
more…3 Sep, 2011
The Republican dilemma | Jordan Times
By James J. Zogby. Over the past few weeks, the Republican presidential primary contest has become more confusing and, for some in the GOP, disheartening. For months now, the rather lacklustre field of 10 or so announced Republican candidates has been raising money, hiring staff, and campaigning vigorously in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina […]
more…3 Sep, 2011
14 risky fault lines found near N-plants : DAILY YOMIURI ONLINE
There are 14 potentially active fault lines in areas near the crisis-hit Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant and other nuclear-related facilities, the government has announced. The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency announced the results of research undertaken by power utilities following the Great East Japan Earthquake. The 14 faults discovered to be potentially active […]
more…3 Sep, 2011
Yakuza Friendly Hotels — on the way out
As a part of broader initiatives to expel organized crime from business, new “yakuza exclusion” provisions by the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) go into effect today. The JTA maintains a “Model Accommodation Contract”, which serves as a widely-accepted set of guidelines recommended for hotels, ryokans, and other lodging facilities. The agency explains on its website: […]
more…3 Sep, 2011
Revival of the Eurasian Corridor | DAWN.COM
The modern day Eurasian Corridor is said to be the area covering Central Asia and the former CIS states ultimately connecting Eastern Europe and South Asia. With the British being a major exception, conquerors of the Indian Sub-Continent, from the Aryans and Alexander the Great to Mahmood Ghaznavi and the Mughals, had used this route […]
more…3 Sep, 2011
Indian ministers declare assets, Kamal Nath richest – Hindustan Times
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his ministerial team on Saturday declared their assets that places his own wealth at Rs5.1 crore, while urban development minister Kamal Nath is richest with over Rs250 crore. Defence minister AK Antony seems the poorest with Rs 35 lakh. The declaration, required under the code of conduct for ministers, also […]
more…3 Sep, 2011
London to Host First Global Broadcast Summit | Business Wire
London has been chosen as the host city for the first Global Broadcast Summit to take place on 15-16 May 2012. The Summit will bring together, by invitation only, Chief Executives of the world’s leading broadcasters, as well as regulators and government officials to debate and discuss the global broadcast industry from a strategic economic, […]
more…3 Sep, 2011
Obama Administration to Enact More Burdensome Regulations on Small Businesses | Business Wire
Federal small business contracting programs have been plagued by rampant fraud and abuse for over a decade. Federal law requires 23 percent of all federal contracts be awarded to small businesses. Yet the Obama Administration’s 2010 small business contracting data showed that most small business contracts actually go to large businesses. An ASBL analysis of […]
more…3 Sep, 2011
Mr. President, It Is Time to Think Big | Business Wire
Message from United Food and Commercial Workers International Union President Joseph Hansen to President Obama: In all this turmoil, many Americans have lost confidence in their government and believe they will never achieve the American dream of owning a home, sending their children to college or retiring comfortably. If the national conversation continues to be […]
more…3 Sep, 2011
U.S. sues major banks over Fannie, Freddie losses – The Washington Post
The suits, brought by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, name 17 domestic and foreign banks as defendants. Among them: Bank of America, J.P. Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup and Deutsche Bank. According to the court filings, those firms and others “falsely represented” the quality of the loans that were bundled into securities and […]
more…3 Sep, 2011
‘Top Secret America’: A look at the military’s Joint Special Operations Command – The Washington Post
CIA operatives have imprisoned and interrogated nearly 100 suspected terrorists in their former secret prisons around the world, but troops from this other secret organization have imprisoned and interrogated 10 times as many, holding them in jails that it alone controls in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, this secretive group of […]
more…3 Sep, 2011
Don’t Fear Islamic Law in America – Op-ed NYTimes.com
Most Americans today would be appalled if Muslims suffered from legally sanctioned discrimination as Jews once did in Europe. Still, there are signs that many Americans view Muslims in this country as disloyal. A recent Gallup poll found that only 56 percent of Protestants think that Muslims are loyal Americans. This suspicion and mistrust is […]
more…3 Sep, 2011
Out of the rubble, a world in fear of itself – Sydney Morning Herald
September 11 was the last hurrah of bin Laden’s band of gangsters, who spent their last years watching and making onanistic videotapes. Their delusions looped the loop and met up with the wackiest of ours. Did al-Qaeda really destroy the Twin Towers, or was it the CIA? Dick Cheney? International Jewry? In some ways, the […]
more…3 Sep, 2011
Robert Fisk: For 10 years, we’ve lied to ourselves – The Independent
The motivation for the attacks was “ducked” even by the official 9/11 report, say the authors. The commissioners had disagreed on this “issue” – cliché code word for “problem” – and its two most senior officials, Thomas Kean and Lee Hamilton, were later to explain: “This was sensitive ground …Commissioners who argued that al-Qa’ida was […]
more…3 Sep, 2011
Iraq and Afghanistan on Stage – Book Review – Truthdig
With our volunteer army, and the raw wound of 9/11 fading with time, it is easy for us to ignore these wars and their destruction. But with so many soldiers returning with grave injuries, some diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, others unable to find employment or housing, and increasing numbers resorting to violence, we must […]
more…3 Sep, 2011
FOIA | Surveillance | Immigration – Surveillance in the Homeland
Ten years after the devastating attacks on New York and Washington, the fundamental promises of American democracy are hanging by a thin thread. Promoted by a culture of war and fear, the US government has steadily chipped away at those legal protections that enabled ‘we the people’ to rule ourselves. “Ten Years Later: Surveillance in […]
more…3 Sep, 2011
9/11 After A Decade: Have We Learned Anything?
The US government’s account of 9/11 is the foundation of the open-ended wars that are exhausting America’s resources and destroying its reputation, and it is the foundation of the domestic police state that ultimately will shut down all opposition to the wars. Americans are bound to the story of the 9/11 Muslim terrorist attack, because […]
more…2 Sep, 2011
Breakdown: The new WikiLeaks scoops – Salon.com
Last week, the whistle-blowing organization dropped 120,000 more diplomatic cables, apparently drawn from the cache of 250,000 first tapped last November. But whereas the group previously collaborated with newspapers such as the New York Times and the Guardian — and redacted potentially sensitive information — the new batch of documents is unredacted. Government sources worry […]
more…2 Sep, 2011
Welcome to dragnet surveillance – 9/11 – Salon.com
There was little surprising about recent revelations of the New York City Police Department’s program, developed in secret with the aid of CIA officials, to collect swaths of information about the city’s 800,000-strong Muslim population. The story illustrates that government surveillance of innocent law-abiding Americans is not an emergency measure undertaken after 9/11 and subsequently […]
more…2 Sep, 2011
Venus Williams’ Withdrawal from U.S. Open Alerts Women to Threat of Autoimmune Disease
New York, NY (PRWEB) September 01, 2011 — The stunning announcement last night of Venus Williams’ withdrawal from the U.S. Open tennis tournament due to a debilitating and difficult to diagnose autoimmune disease is important news for all women suffering similar symptoms. The Lupus Research Institute (LRI) President Margaret Dowd encourages women to speak to […]
more…2 Sep, 2011
Fakebook for iPhone; Let the Facebook Pranks Begin
FRESNO, Calif., Sept. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-iReach/ — YourFav, LLC today announced the launch of FAKEBOOK, the ultimate Facebook pranking mobile app that is now available for download at the Apple App Store and can be purchased through iTunes, or directly on iPhone or iPod touch. FAKEBOOK is an innovative and entertaining app that will have […]
more…1 Sep, 2011
Libya: The triumphalism of the US media – Al Jazeera English
“Victory” in Libya has prompted a renewal of triumphalism in the US media. Like a slightly drunken crowd at a football match giddily shouting “U-S-A”, editors and producers keep thumping their chests long after it stops being attractive. When Obama announced the anti-Gaddafi bombing campaign in March, Stephen Walt issued a relatively safe pair […]
more…1 Sep, 2011
New Yorkers Join Israeli Social Protest
New York, NY (PRWEB) August 31, 2011 — Inspired by the seven-week-long protest for greater social justice that have already taken several hundred thousand Israelis to the streets, a group of New Yorkers decided to join in and created “Friends of Israeli Tent Protest”. Some are Israelis living or studying in the Big Apple, some […]
more…1 Sep, 2011
After 9/11, Curiosity over Islam Leads to Conversion on EthicsDaily.com
BOSTON (RNS) Like a lot of other people in the haze and confusion of the 9/11 attacks, Johannah Segarich asked herself: “What kind of religion is this that could inspire people to do this?” She had studied other religions, but never Islam. So she bought a copy of the Quran, wondering if her notions of […]
more…1 Sep, 2011
6 Unexpected Places You Can Be Tracked With Facial Recognition Technology – AlterNet
August 30, 2011 — Earlier this summer Facebook rolled out facial recognition software that identifies users even when they appear in untagged photos. Like every other time the social networking site has introduced a creepy, invasive new feature, they made it the default setting without telling anyone. Once people realized that Facebook was basically harvesting […]
more…1 Sep, 2011
aGREATER.US Offers Young Americans Access to Political Change As Youth Unemployment Soars
Hartford, CT (PRWEB) August 31, 2011 — A new study by the U.S. Department of Labor shows the recession and unemployment continues to plague youth ages 16 to 24 as well as recent college graduates. In fact, the recent study showed the labor force participation rate in July 2011 for all youth ages 16 to […]
more…1 Sep, 2011
Tea Party Opponents Release Campaign Attack Ad
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) August 31, 2011 — The Tea Party has largely gone unchallenged with their strong rhetoric and having tapped into the general discontent in the electorate. However, they are now being challenged directly with the release of a new campaign commercial produced by AAD Media Consultants The commercial has no narration, and is […]
more…1 Sep, 2011
China Daily Launches US Weekly
BEIJING and NEW YORK, Aug. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — China Daily, China’s national English-language newspaper group, announced today the launch of a 24-page full-color weekly tabloid distributed along with its Friday edition in the United States — the latest move by the Chinese media to increase their footprint in the U.S. and expand their services […]
more…1 Sep, 2011
The Next Banking Crisis Starts Here – Money Morning
By Shah Gilani, Capital Waves Strategist, Money Morning Fears of a banking crisis and rolling contagion are making global stock and bond markets extraordinarily volatile – and with good reason. Another financial meltdown, on par with what we saw in 2008, is looming large on the horizon. One of two potential triggers could ignite a […]
more…1 Sep, 2011
Economy Trumps Terrorism as Top Concern
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — A decade after 9/11, only 16% of Americans believe terrorism is the most important issue in the world, according to a new survey on Americans’ interest in international concerns and related behaviors. Economic weakness and unemployment were identified as the chief concern for most Americans, with twice as […]
more…31 Aug, 2011
UK debt: Britain plunges into danger zone after Labour’s 10-year borrowing binge | Mail Online
Britain’s debt levels are dangerously high and are damaging the economy, according to one of the world’s leading financial watchdogs. Debt in the UK grew faster than in any other major economy in the last decade to £180,000 per household. It means the country is in the danger zone following a ten-year borrowing binge under […]
more…31 Aug, 2011
High unemployment blights Palestinian lives – UN report
The economy of the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) grew by 9.3 per cent last year, but that expansion was not enough to reduce the area’s 30 per cent unemployment rate, the United Nations trade and development arm said in a new report released today. Gaza saw a 15 per cent growth, while the West Bank’s […]
more…31 Aug, 2011
America’s FBI goes rogue — Redress Information & Analysis
Aaronson looked at over 500 terrorism-related cases taken up by the FBI and found that over half of them involved the bureau’s stable of 15,000 informants. Many of these are ex-felons and con men who are often paid well if their efforts result in an arrest and conviction. So what, you might say. Using informants […]
more…31 Aug, 2011
Young Americans flock to Israel to join army
Hundreds of new immigrants from the U.S. landed at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel on Tuesday. An unprecedented 104 of the 360 new arrivals, came to enlist in the Israeli army. Brig. Gen. Eli Shermeister, the Chief Education Officer, was among a delegation of officials on hand to greet the 18 to 22 year olds. […]
more…31 Aug, 2011
9/11 children’s colouring book sparks controversy over portrayal of Muslims – thestar.com
The publisher of a controversial new children’s colouring book entitled We Shall Never Forget 9/11: The Kids’ Book of Freedom is defending the publication, saying it is simply an educational tool for teaching kids about “what a group of radicals did” to the United States. The book purports to tell the story of the September […]
more…31 Aug, 2011
US to Help “Reform” Kyrgyzstan Educational System
Dr. Dan E. Davidson, CEO of American Councils, recently returned from a trip to the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, where he and American Councils’ country director, Cale Wagner, met with President Roza Otunbayeva to discuss current needs and opportunities for educational development in Kyrgyzstan. “Kyrgyzstan is a strategically important nation for the U.S. and a country […]
more…31 Aug, 2011
Meet the Shady Dallas Mega-Billionaire Industrialist Pouring Money into Rick Perry’s Coffers | AlterNet
Like so many Republican officials of the tea party persuasion, Rick Perry despises the Environmental Protection Agency—a feeling he has expressed repeatedly in speeches, lawsuits, legislation and even a book titled “Fed Up!” Perhaps that is only natural for the governor of Texas, a “dirty energy” state where the protection of air, water and human […]
more…31 Aug, 2011
How the Surveillance State Protects the Interests Of the Ultra-Rich | | AlterNet
In the aftermath of the riots that rocked London this summer, the Conservative prime minister’s first response was to call for a crackdown on social networking. Despite data collected by the Guardian showing a strong correlation between poverty and rioting, the government denied that its brutal austerity policies contributed to the desperation and rage of its young people. […]
more…31 Aug, 2011
Republicans Now Want to Blackmail UN Into Doing Their Bidding | AlterNet
If “moving to another continent” is your contingency plan should the present incarnation of Republicans gain more power, think again: House Republicans are set to introduce a bill that would use the US contribution to the United Nations budget (20 percent of it) as leverage to force the organization to change how it operates, reports […]
more…31 Aug, 2011
Stephen Zunes on Lessons from the Libyan Revolution | Tikkun Magazine
Another problem with the way Qaddafi was overthrown is the way in which NATO so blatantly went beyond the mandate provided by the United Nations Security Council to simply protect the civilian population through the establishment of a no-fly zone. Instead, NATO became an active participant in a civil war, providing arms, intelligence, advisers and […]
more…31 Aug, 2011
Statement by Kazakhstan on Int’l Day against Nuclear Tests
August 29, 2011, marks the 20th anniversary of the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site which witnessed more than 450 nuclear explosions. In December 2009, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously passed a resolution, put forward by Kazakhstan, to proclaim August 29 as the International Day against Nuclear Tests. The example of Kazakhstan, where […]
more…31 Aug, 2011
Most US Muslims feel targeted by terror policies – Forbes.com
WASHINGTON — More than half of Muslim-Americans in a new poll say government anti-terrorism policies single them out for increased surveillance and monitoring, and many report increased cases of name-calling, threats and harassment by airport security, law enforcement officers and others. Still, most Muslim-Americans say they are satisfied with the way things are going in […]
more…31 Aug, 2011
Deloitte Launches Collaborative Online Community for Business Analytics
NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Today Deloitte is launching realanalyticsinsights.com, a social media website for industry insiders to offer analytic insights, share knowledge and best practices, and problem resolution. Updated regularly, the website is designed to foster a collaborative environment connecting specialists, clients, researchers, academics, media and other interested parties. “The objective in […]
more…31 Aug, 2011
Hurricane Irene could never take from Americans what the banks already have | The Guardian
Even as it cast about desperately for dramatic disaster footage, the broadcast media covered the storm with manic single-mindedness, revelling in the rhetoric of siege and assault. A “big threat to the US” would “viciously” make its way up the coast, “menacing”, “taking aim”, and “pounding” the nation. Singularly uninterested in weather misery elsewhere, the […]
more…31 Aug, 2011
Free school built by Sikh community prepares to open doors | The Guardian
Nishkam – which means selflessness or altruism in Punjabi – will be the Midlands’ first “Sikh ethos” school and one of just five Sikh schools in the country. It will also be one of the first 24 free schools introduced under the coalition government. The school, which will have compulsory Punjabi lessons for all pupils, […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
NATO faces ‘catastrophic success’ in Libya – People’s Daily Online
The international community is universally worried that Libya will likely become the second Iraq or Somalia, and some even forecasted that Libya would likely be divided into three parts. The war and the inevitable future chaos caused by war will make the Libyan People the biggest victim and affect the regional and global peace and […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
For Syria, what is ‘left’? – Opinion – Al Jazeera English
It is a concrete rationale that fuels opposition to Israel’s apartheid regime and the United States’ duplicitous and violent policies in the Middle East. It is a concrete rationale that imbues the condemnation of and struggle against authoritarian rule in the Arab world. It is a concrete rationale that inspires and necessitates the support of […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
Preventing violent extremism – Opinion – Al Jazeera English
While sitting on a beach as part of my annual August pilgrimage to the family homeland in New England, I normally try to avoid anything even remotely strenuous, either physically or mentally. It was thus against my better judgment that I acceded this year to the entreaties of several journalists of my acquaintance to examine […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
University staff asked to inform on ‘vulnerable’ Muslim students | The Guardian
University staff including lecturers, chaplains and porters are being asked to inform the police about Muslim students who are depressed or isolated under new guidance for countering Islamist radicalism. The move has resulted in deep discomfort among university lecturers and student union officials who wish to combat terrorism but say the new strategy is an […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
Blair and Bush planned Iraq war without second UN vote, letter shows – The Guardian
Britain and the US were planning to take action against Saddam Hussein without a second UN resolution five months before the invasion of Iraq, a newly released letter from Tony Blair’s office shows. A letter from Blair’s private secretary reveals that “we and the US would take action” without a new resolution by the UN […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
Don’t expect China et al to save the world ?? – Focus discussion – People Forum
China’s problems are already well recognised. The country’s growth has been fuelled over the past decade by an ever-growing trade surplus that has reached unsustainable levels. China’s leaders must refocus its economy away from export-oriented manufacturing and towards domestic sources of demand, while managing the job losses and social unrest this restructuring is likely to […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
Train speeds drop in major overhaul – People’s Daily Online
BEIJING – More high-speed trains, including those on trunk lines, will be running at slower speeds from Sunday, greatly altering the country’s train schedules. According to the new schedule issued by the Ministry of Railways, high-speed lines with a designed speed of 350 km/h will be allowed to run at 300 km/h from Sunday. Lines […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
West Asia, North Africa face tough transformation – People’s Daily Online
The countries in West Asia and North Africa that were involved into the unrest face common problems, such as the serious imbalance in their economic and social development as well as the lagging pace of reforms and related institutional development. Many countries still maintain the economic and political structure of a tribal society after their […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
In My Time: A Personal and Political Memoir by Dick Cheney – The Washington Post
The genre of statesman’s memoir rarely produces self-criticism, or even much candor. Apparently, the point is to redeem your large advance from the publisher with a brisk, self-complimenting account of your life and times, with emphasis on your moment in the limelight. There should, of course, be a dash of “news” and a few frank […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
Global fiscal reactor meltdown contains a warning for Japan | The Japan Times Online
Public finances are melting down in Europe, in America and of course Japan. The situation is going nuclear, left, right and center. It’s not so much China Syndrome as it is Global Syndrome. Operators manning those fiscal reactors ought to have vented their radioactive gases a long time ago. Nobody seems to have thought about […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
The feudal lords of power | The Japan Times Online
Confrontations between power companies and governors have various roots, but the main one is that the former are far more powerful than the latter. This overwhelming influence stems primarily from the enormous investments that power companies make to build or renew facilities to generate, transform or distribute electricity. Such investments have been necessary to keep […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
Kids stopped from playing outside cause depression, suicide risk – Indian Express
The American Journal of Play asked a group of experts to investigate the near-extinction of free play and its effects on children and society. The experts said that without free outdoor play, children are prone to obesity, poor physical health and are unable to develop social skills. “Over the last 50 years opportunities for children […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
How long before the dominoes fall? Robert Fisk in The Independent
Like all the others, Libya suffered from the cancer of the Arab world: financial – and moral – corruption. Will the future be any different? We have spent far too much time honouring the courage of Libyan “freedom fighters” as they scurried across the desert floor, far too little time examining the nature of the […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
The Age of Outrage…for The West – People Forum
The world speeded up. Stress levels soared. Idle moments evaporated. Egos expanded. Devices became hand-held. Money outpaced politics. Rage surged. As Leonard Cohen put it: “The poor stay poor. The rich get rich. That’s how it goes. Everybody knows.” Except that everybody is at a loss. When David Cameron rushes back from Tuscany (a k […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
Soft approach conceals devious new US strategy – People Forum – People’s Daily Online
The use of smart power has nothing to do with building a more “friendly and modest” national image, but is aimed at long-term strategic goal. The US is determined that the maintenance of global dominance, which guarantees the security and prosperity of US, shall never be weakened. It also believes that only by holding onto […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
Perry talks foreign policy, says US troops shouldn’t answer to world ‘debating societies’ – The Washington Post
SAN ANTONIO — Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry discussed foreign policy Monday, telling the nation’s oldest major veterans organization that U.S. forces must be led by American commanders rather than “multilateral debating societies.” Addressing the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ annual convention in San Antonio, the Texas governor urged the United States to renew its commitment […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
U.S. Tactics in Libya May Be Model for Use of Force – NYTimes.com
WASHINGTON — It would be premature to call the war in Libya a complete success for United States interests. But the arrival of victorious rebels on the shores of Tripoli last week gave President Obama’s senior advisers a chance to claim a key victory for an Obama doctrine for the Middle East that had been […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
Palestinians prepare symbolic chair for world tour ahead of UN bid – Haaretz
The Palestinians are hoping to secure a seat at the United Nations next month. They already have the chair for it. Palestinian activists said Monday they would take the chair on an international tour to dramatize the Palestinian Authority’s quest for UN recognition of a Palestinian state. via Palestinians prepare symbolic chair for world tour […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
Israel’s Image Won’t Improve Without Policy Changes – Forward.com
I’m an adman and a marketer. And I can tell you, from my years creating ads for products from Coca Cola to Apple Computer, if people keep reading about some bad ingredients in the ketchup, very few people will buy the bottle, no matter how much money and creativity you pack into the marketing. No […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
Turkish doctors call the tune with traditional musical cures – The Guardian
Standing by the bed of a Cypriot patient who has just undergone vascular surgery, Dr Bingür Sönmez consults a screen monitoring pulse and blood pressure. Then a colleague pulls out a flute and starts playing a popular Turkish tune. If that appears an unusual approach to modern medicine, then it is. But according to doctors […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
Gaza’s girl surfer battles pollution and prejudice – The Guardian
Twelve-year-old Sabah Abu Ghanim drags her board through the water as the sinking sun glints on the eastern Mediterranean. The wind has got up a little, and she is hoping the surf will follow – enough, at least, for her to ride the waves. “I feel the sea belongs to me,” says the Gaza surfer. […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
Magicians of monetarism have very few tricks left up their sleeves – The Independent
Somehow, investors have got it into their heads that the world is run by magicians always capable of pulling rabbits out of hats. Last week was a case in point. Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the US Federal Reserve, gave a speech at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, at the annual shindig of central bankers, academics and […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
We’re all terror suspects now – The Guardian
Every air passenger is treated with suspicion since 9/11, regardless of appearance. Global traveller Pico Iyer has had to put up with it all his life. +++++++++ I’m sitting in the expansive spaces of Renzo Piano’s four-storey airport outside Osaka, sipping an Awake tea from Starbucks and waiting for my bus home. I’ve chosen to […]
more…30 Aug, 2011
Catholic clergy ‘abused children for decades in County Donegal’ – The Guardian
County Donegal in Ireland is about to have its bucolic image shattered by a report into how paedophiles, both clergy and laity, abused children for decades. An investigation into clerical sex abuse in the Catholic diocese of Raphoe in County Donegal is about to report its findings, which are expected to be damning. Meanwhile, new […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
WikiLeaks cables expose Washington’s close ties to Gaddafi
US embassy cables released by WikiLeaks on Wednesday and Thursday expose the close collaboration between the US government, top American politicians and Muammar Gaddafi, who Washington now insists must be hunted down and murdered. Washington and its NATO allies are now determined to smash the Libyan regime, supposedly in the interests of “liberating” the Libyan […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
Special treatment gives Israeli mobsters free access to US soil: WikiLeaks | The Electronic Intifada
Known Israeli organized crime bosses are able to travel freely to the United States, unlike counterparts from Italy, China and Central America, because the State Department has failed to apply US law to them. It appears that at least one prominent Israeli crime family member was able to reach the United States with a specific […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
War: Too Big to Fail | Truthout
America’s war in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, more than ten years ago. America’s war in Iraq began on March 20, 2003, almost nine years ago. Toss in the six months we have been engaged in the Libyan conflict, and what you have is the United States at war for a combined total of […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
Wall Street’s Not-So-Little Secret – Truthdig
In 2008, the 10 biggest U.S. banks and brokerage firms took $829 billion in emergency loans from the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve. Who got what had been a secret, but thanks to months of litigation, an act of Congress and the work of numerous reporters, we now know. Morgan Stanley, the largest borrower, […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
South Asian Social Forum to be held in Dhaka Nov 18
The South Asian Social Forum 2011, an international platform to address different contemporary issues for a peaceful South Asia, will begin in Dhaka on November 18. The five-day forum will be held, for the first time in Bangladesh, from November 18-22. University of Dhaka (DU) will co-host the programme. DU Vice-Chancellor (VC) Dr AAMS Arefin […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
Al-Ahram Weekly | Reviving Ramadan
In the wake of the revolutions that have taken place across the Arab world in 2011, this year’s Ramadan has been marked by a revival of religious spirit. It has also been affected by a change in Egyptian mentality that has gone hand in hand with the humane cause of Ramadan. Friends often have Iftar […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
Al-Ahram Weekly | An equal and opposite reaction
So goes one of the fundamental laws of physics. In the face of recent “actions” in the West — economic crisis and rampant Islamophobia, there is an inexorable “reaction”, as the eternal values of Islam continue to manifest themselves Ramadan exemplifies the powerful spiritual calling of Islam. Dry fasting is more a test of the […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
Al-Ahram Weekly | The US’s defective crystal ball
In the aftermath of the 11 September terrorist attacks on New York City and the Pentagon, US research centres and think tanks came under attack for their failure to predict these events and for their inability to gauge the situations in Arab and Islamic societies. Not only had the Middle East experts in these agencies […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
Al-Ahram Weekly | Israeli game over
Israel should comply with the Egyptian demand to increase its military and security presence in this area to levels that would enable Egypt to assert its full control over the border area that, ultimately, will serve the interests of both sides. Certainly, a favourable Israeli response on this question will go a long way to […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
Al-Ahram Weekly | Front Page | Flagging real change
The demonstration continued with zeal in front of the Israeli embassy. As protesters unsuccessfully targeted the flag on top of the embassy building with fireworks one young man took matters into his own hands. He decided to climb up the building, remove the blue and white symbol of Israel and replace it with the Egyptian […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
Al-Ahram interviews Mahmoud Jibril, Libyan rebel leader – Region – World – Ahram Online
Moving from security concerns to economic ones, Jibril expressed extreme unease about the shortage of funds available to the TNC, describing the effectiveness of a newly formed government without money as a “car without petrol.” When asked about the promise of governments to unfreeze Libyan assets and loans offered by Turkey and the US, Jibril […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
Arab Revolution through Egyptian Eyes – Politics – Egypt – Ahram Online
There is consensus in Egypt against Libya’s embattled leader Muammar Gaddafi. Widely viewed by the public as a dangerous madman, Gaddafi’s four-decade reign, it is felt, must come to terms with its demise. It had initially seemed as if Gaddafi would follow in the footsteps of Mubarak and Ben Ali, but the picture changed when, […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
Orascom Development’s Samih Sawiris handed prison sentence – Ahram Online
An Egyptian court sentenced the executive chairman of real estate and hotels firm Orascom Development to two years in jail for manipulating the firm’s stock price and providing incorrect data on its finances, a judicial source said. Samih Sawiris was also fined 50,000 Egyptian pounds ($8,401) and denied the right to trade in the stock […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
In Britain, a Meeting on Limiting Social Media – NYTimes.com
LONDON — British officials and representatives of Twitter, Facebook and BlackBerry met Thursday to discuss voluntary ways to limit or restrict the use of social media to combat crime and periods of civil unrest, while trying to dodge charges of hypocrisy and censorship that trailed Prime Minister David Cameron’s call to restrict use of the […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
West looks to avoid Iraq errors in post-Qadhafi Libya | Jordan Times
BRUSSELS – If there is one pitfall Western officials appear determined to avoid in Libya, it is making the same mistakes that were made in Iraq eight years ago. It is not so much the way the six-month conflict in Libya has been pursued, with France, Britain and others providing support to the rebels from […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
Executives scarce thanks to push for women on boards
THE unprecedented number of women directors appointed in the past year may have narrowed the gender divide on boards, but there is growing concern that they are being plucked from a diminishing pool of senior executives. Penny Bingham-Hall, who left a senior executive role at Leighton Holdings to join Australia Post and BlueScope Steel, said […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
Australians want greater equality in wealth share
WHEN it comes to wealth, even the richest people think the rich have too much – but few Australians have any idea of how skewed the distribution really is. A study prepared by Empirica Research and the Harvard Business School for the trade union movement as part of its planning for the October tax summit […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
An imperfect triumph in Libya – Washington Post
With Moammar Gaddafi still at large and an uncertain future ahead for the Libyan people, one hesitates to make categorical judgments about the Obama administration’s recent intervention. A few things, however, can be said. The toppling of Gaddafi’s 42-year dictatorship is a big victory for the ongoing pan-Arab revolution. The political map of the Middle […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
25 years later, how ‘Top Gun’ made America love war – Washington Post
Americans are souring on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The military budget is under siege as Congress looks for spending to cut. And the Army is reporting record suicide rates among soldiers. So who does the Pentagon enlist for help in such painful circumstances? In June, the Army negotiated a first-of-its-kind sponsorship deal with […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
MLK memorial is a testament to King’s victory over the defiant – Washington Post
Sunday marks the 48th anniversary of the historic 1963 March on Washington. It is fitting that we recall what that day did and did not produce. Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech did not spark an “aha” moment, causing the South to repudiate segregation in all its ugly forms. Neither did the […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
Bachmann: US ‘king daddy dogs’ in energy resources, but environmentalists locking them up – Washington Post
POINCIANA, Fla. — Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann claimed Saturday that the United States has more fuel resources than any other country, but blamed what she termed “radical environmentalists” for bottling up American energy policy. With untapped oil reserves in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and off the nation’s coasts, shale oil in Western states, […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
Cesium release equal to 168 Hiroshima A-bombs | Japan Times Online
The amount of radioactive cesium ejected by the Fukushima reactor meltdowns is about 168 times higher than that emitted in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, the government’s nuclear watchdog said Friday. The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency provided the estimate at the request of a Diet panel but noted that making a simple comparison between […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
UN envoy Prosor: Israel has no chance of stopping recognition of Palestinian state – Haaretz
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Ron Prosor, sent a classified cable to the Foreign Ministry last week, stating that Israel stands no chance of rallying a substantial number of states to oppose a resolution at the UN General Assembly recognizing a Palestinian state in September. Sources in the Prime Minister’s Office, meanwhile, said Prime […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
The future has arrived early | The Asian Age
The future has arrived a little ahead of schedule. On the 12th day of Anna Hazare’s fast, the Lok Sabha debated the Lokpal legislation and unanimously agreed to the three points that Mr Hazare insisted on — the law should ensure that every state has a Lokayukta, all government departments should have a citizen’s charter […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
India erupts in joyous celebrations – Hindustan Times
From Ramlila Maidan to Ralegan Siddi — Anna Hazare’s village — celebrations at full blast replaced days of protests as the Gandhian broke his fast on Sunday, with his supporters marking “people’s victory” with dancing, waving of the tri colour and handing out of sweets and flowers. The festivities which began last night after Parliament […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
Nation’s victory, thousands begin march from India Gate – Hindustan Times
Thousands gathered at India Gate this evening to celebrate victory of Anna Hazare’s crusade against anti-corruption took the nation by storm. The Gandhian on Sunday broke his 12-day fast declaring that electoral reforms will be on top of his agenda. After days of protests, festivities which began last night after Parliament passed a resolution agreeing […]
more…29 Aug, 2011
PressTV – ‘Israel cannot stop Palestinian state’
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor says Tel Aviv has no chance of stopping states that are set to vote for the recognition of a Palestinian state at the General Assembly. In a classified cable to the Israeli Foreign Ministry last week, Prosor said that Israel will not be able to rally a substantial […]
more…28 Aug, 2011
Asia Times Online : THE ROVING EYE: Disaster capitalism swoops over Libya
Think of the new Libya as the latest spectacular chapter in the Disaster Capitalism series. Instead of weapons of mass destruction, we had R2P (“responsibility to protect”). Instead of neo-conservatives, we had humanitarian imperialists. But the target is the same: regime change. And the project is the same: to completely dismantle and privatize a nation […]
more…28 Aug, 2011
The Hindu : Opinion : Getting the regional act together
An appreciable level of seriousness underscores the government’s thinking on pressing ahead with the bid for iron ore blocks in the fabulous Hajigak mines in Afghanistan as well as to sponsor the Steel Authority of India proposal to set up a steel plant in that country. The Hajigak mines hold an estimated reserve of 1.8 […]
more…28 Aug, 2011
The Hindu : 4 Indians among MIT’s top 35 innovators
Two Indians and two persons of Indian origin figure among Top 35 Innovators under-35 in the latest list of Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Technology Review, the world’s oldest Technology Magazine established in 1899. Ajit Narayanan, Invention Labs, Chennai and Aishwarya Ratan, Yale University, who were part of TR35 India Winners announced in March 2011, […]
more…28 Aug, 2011
Asia Times Online : Israel turns tables on Turkey
True to style, Israel is looking around the region for comfort and companionship with anyone who might also have an intractable problem with Turkey – it didn’t have to look far across the Mediterranean. The two-day visit by the Foreign Minister of Cyprus, Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, to Tel Aviv, which ended on Thursday, was much more […]
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