Stand with Aung San Suu Kyi
The future of Aung San Suu Kyi and her amazing movement for democracy in Burma is hanging in the balance this week, and we could make the difference.
Suu Kyi has bravely called on the military regime to free the thousands of monks and peaceful activists still held in horrific prisons, some in cramped dog cages. Unprecedentedly, thousands of Burmese have risked their own safety to join her call for freedom through an online petition! Yesterday, the regime issued an ominous warning to Suu Kyi – and the Generals may be deciding right now between dialogue or another brutal crackdown.
World to Dilma: Save the Amazon
The Amazon is in serious danger. The lower house of the Brazilian congress has approved a gutting of Brazil’s forest protection laws. Unless we act now vast tracts of our planet’s lungs could be opened up to clear cutting devastation.
The move has sparked widespread anger and protests across the country. And tension is rising -- in the last few weeks several prominent environmental advocates have been murdered, purportedly by armed thugs hired by illegal loggers. The timing is critical, they’re trying to silence criticism just as the law is discussed in the Senate. But President Dilma can veto the changes, if we can persuade her to overcome political pressure and step onto the global stage as a leader.
World's most dangerous countries for women
Afghanistan, Congo and Pakistan are the world's most dangerous countries for women due to a barrage of threats ranging from violence and rape to dismal healthcare and "honour killings," a Thomson Reuters Foundation expert poll showed Wednesday.
India and Somalia ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, in the global perceptions survey by TrustLaw (www.trust.org/trustlaw), the Foundation's legal news service. yahoo/Reuters
2011/06/09
Sunday June 26, 2011
Assad troops carry out more sweep operations on the borders with Turkey and Lebanon, arresting hundreds, terrorizing thousands and driving more refugees into both countries
The suburbs of Barzeh in Damascus continue to suffer from army incursions and house to house searches since Friday: dozens of arrests have been made and 7 fatalities have been reported.
Meanwhile, the Damascene suburbs of Zabadani and Madaya have once again been put under military siege, as Kisweh held a massive night-time funeral attended by over 50,000 in honor of a martyred colleague. Syrian Revolution Digest
More than $6 billion in Iraq reconstruction funds lost
The Iraqi and U.S. governments have been unable to account for a substantial chunk of the billions of dollars in reconstruction aid the Bush administration literally airlifted into the country. If the cash proves to have been stolen, the heist could represent "the largest theft of funds in national history," according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.
...
Witnesses testified that millions of dollars were shoved into "gunnysacks" and disbursed to Iraqi contractors on pick-up trucks, with what seemed to be little financial controls or accounting on the part of the U.S. government. yahoo
Assad troops carry out more sweep operations on the borders with Turkey and Lebanon, arresting hundreds, terrorizing thousands and driving more refugees into both countries
The suburbs of Barzeh in Damascus continue to suffer from army incursions and house to house searches since Friday: dozens of arrests have been made and 7 fatalities have been reported.
Meanwhile, the Damascene suburbs of Zabadani and Madaya have once again been put under military siege, as Kisweh held a massive night-time funeral attended by over 50,000 in honor of a martyred colleague. Syrian Revolution Digest
More than $6 billion in Iraq reconstruction funds lost
The Iraqi and U.S. governments have been unable to account for a substantial chunk of the billions of dollars in reconstruction aid the Bush administration literally airlifted into the country. If the cash proves to have been stolen, the heist could represent "the largest theft of funds in national history," according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.
...
Witnesses testified that millions of dollars were shoved into "gunnysacks" and disbursed to Iraqi contractors on pick-up trucks, with what seemed to be little financial controls or accounting on the part of the U.S. government. yahoo
2011/06/06
Dharma and dollars
Ultimately, the Buddha encouraged us to cultivate the attitude of non-attachment towards wealth. Our wealth might increase or it might decrease, but our minds should never be disturbed by the change. That is the ultimate wealth in Buddhism: to succeed in detaching oneself completely from greed, hatred and ignorance, the cause of all our suffering. bangkokpost
Escaping the Clutches
In today's Europe, the people are no longer in control. Instead, politicians have become slaves to financial institutions and the markets. We are partly to blame -- and changes are urgently needed to nurse European democracy back to health. spiegel
Wasn’t a panic
What happened Monday wasn’t a panic, precisely: It was more of a pre-panic. Think of it like a sharp tremor before The Big One: A taste of what a true sovereign debt panic would be like.
Debt Crisis Hits Italy
Just a few weeks ago, the rate on Italian 10-year bonds was just two percentage points higher than comparable German paper. On Monday, the difference grew to three percent and on Tuesday it reached 3.5 percent. spiegel
The beginning of the end
There is a growing sense of despair in Brussels. Unlike previous attacks on the euro project, the latest downgrade of Portugal's debt by the ratings agency Moody's feels like the beginning of the end. guardian.co.uk (Wednesday 6 July 2011 09.01 BST)
Outrageously high interest rates
offering more loans, especially at outrageously high interest rates as Brussels intends to do, fails to tackle the core problem, it only makes the situation worse. guardian
A Fatally Flawed Recovery Plan
Greece needs even more money -- EU officials estimate that a new bailout will cost over 100 billion euros rather than the previously assumed 60 billion. It will get the aid, even though the rescue strategy adopted so far seems doomed. The economy is shrinking, and ambitious privatization plans are illusory. spiegel
Note: "Companies like DEI or the partially state-owned Hellenic Petroleum are still viewed as workers' paradises. The roughly 2,500 employees of the oil company are paid 17.8 monthly salaries a year, and even drivers and doormen earn annual salaries upwards of €90,000."
How Goldman Sachs Helped Greece to Mask its Debt
Goldman Sachs helped the Greek government to mask the true extent of its deficit with the help of a derivatives deal that legally circumvented the EU Maastricht deficit rules. At some point the so-called cross currency swaps will mature, and swell the country's already bloated deficit. spiegel
Ultimately, the Buddha encouraged us to cultivate the attitude of non-attachment towards wealth. Our wealth might increase or it might decrease, but our minds should never be disturbed by the change. That is the ultimate wealth in Buddhism: to succeed in detaching oneself completely from greed, hatred and ignorance, the cause of all our suffering. bangkokpost
Escaping the Clutches
In today's Europe, the people are no longer in control. Instead, politicians have become slaves to financial institutions and the markets. We are partly to blame -- and changes are urgently needed to nurse European democracy back to health. spiegel
Wasn’t a panic
What happened Monday wasn’t a panic, precisely: It was more of a pre-panic. Think of it like a sharp tremor before The Big One: A taste of what a true sovereign debt panic would be like.
Debt Crisis Hits Italy
Just a few weeks ago, the rate on Italian 10-year bonds was just two percentage points higher than comparable German paper. On Monday, the difference grew to three percent and on Tuesday it reached 3.5 percent. spiegel
The beginning of the end
There is a growing sense of despair in Brussels. Unlike previous attacks on the euro project, the latest downgrade of Portugal's debt by the ratings agency Moody's feels like the beginning of the end. guardian.co.uk (Wednesday 6 July 2011 09.01 BST)
Outrageously high interest rates
offering more loans, especially at outrageously high interest rates as Brussels intends to do, fails to tackle the core problem, it only makes the situation worse. guardian
A Fatally Flawed Recovery Plan
Greece needs even more money -- EU officials estimate that a new bailout will cost over 100 billion euros rather than the previously assumed 60 billion. It will get the aid, even though the rescue strategy adopted so far seems doomed. The economy is shrinking, and ambitious privatization plans are illusory. spiegel
Note: "Companies like DEI or the partially state-owned Hellenic Petroleum are still viewed as workers' paradises. The roughly 2,500 employees of the oil company are paid 17.8 monthly salaries a year, and even drivers and doormen earn annual salaries upwards of €90,000."
How Goldman Sachs Helped Greece to Mask its Debt
Goldman Sachs helped the Greek government to mask the true extent of its deficit with the help of a derivatives deal that legally circumvented the EU Maastricht deficit rules. At some point the so-called cross currency swaps will mature, and swell the country's already bloated deficit. spiegel
2011/06/05
Crackdown on Muslim extremists
... violent extremism is incubated within the ideology of non-violent extremism. guardian
... violent extremism is incubated within the ideology of non-violent extremism. guardian
World's worst mass murderer
Sudan's President al-Bashir is the world's worst mass murderer. Indicted by the International Criminal Court for genocide, he has for 20 years repeatedly butchered whole communities that challenged his rule. And it's happening again -- unless we stop him for good.
China welcomes Omar al-Bashir
The announcement comes a week after the chief prosecutor of the international criminal court, Luis Moreno Ocampo, told the UN security council that genocide and crimes against humanity continued unabated in Darfur because Bashir had learned to defy the council's authority.
Moreno Ocampo said the crimes included air attacks on civilians and the direct killing of members of the Fur, Massalit and Zaghawa ethnic groups. Bashir denies all the allegations and does not recognise the ICC's authority. guardian
China deploys troops after protests
A human rights group said thousands of Chinese police and paramilitary forces have been mobilised to suppress a new round of protests in the country's east.
The Hong Kong-based Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said the unrest in Taizhou broke out after a village chief was beaten by petrol station employees after he had tried to negotiate an increase in land compensation fees. independent
Indian police break up anti-corruption protest
Tens of thousands of demonstrators had gathered in Delhi in support of Swami Ramdev's fast against corruption. guardian
Sudan's President al-Bashir is the world's worst mass murderer. Indicted by the International Criminal Court for genocide, he has for 20 years repeatedly butchered whole communities that challenged his rule. And it's happening again -- unless we stop him for good.
China welcomes Omar al-Bashir
The announcement comes a week after the chief prosecutor of the international criminal court, Luis Moreno Ocampo, told the UN security council that genocide and crimes against humanity continued unabated in Darfur because Bashir had learned to defy the council's authority.
Moreno Ocampo said the crimes included air attacks on civilians and the direct killing of members of the Fur, Massalit and Zaghawa ethnic groups. Bashir denies all the allegations and does not recognise the ICC's authority. guardian
China deploys troops after protests
A human rights group said thousands of Chinese police and paramilitary forces have been mobilised to suppress a new round of protests in the country's east.
The Hong Kong-based Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said the unrest in Taizhou broke out after a village chief was beaten by petrol station employees after he had tried to negotiate an increase in land compensation fees. independent
Indian police break up anti-corruption protest
Tens of thousands of demonstrators had gathered in Delhi in support of Swami Ramdev's fast against corruption. guardian
2011/06/03
EU chief's private jet
The office of José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European commission, racked up a €249,000 bill for private jets during the same period he attended the 2009 UN convention on climate change.
Barroso's jet bill for the nine-month period is just a small part of €7.5m worth of trips on private jets chartered by EU commissioners over the last five years, uncovered in research by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. guardian
Note: EU's commissioners are busy, busy, busy, as we can realise... They are not time (at all) to care about some kind of basic situations...
The office of José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European commission, racked up a €249,000 bill for private jets during the same period he attended the 2009 UN convention on climate change.
Barroso's jet bill for the nine-month period is just a small part of €7.5m worth of trips on private jets chartered by EU commissioners over the last five years, uncovered in research by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. guardian
Note: EU's commissioners are busy, busy, busy, as we can realise... They are not time (at all) to care about some kind of basic situations...
The IMF itself should be on trial
To understand this story, you have to reel back to the birth of the IMF. In 1944, the countries that were poised to win the Second World War gathered in a hotel in rural New Hampshire to divvy up the spoils. With a few honorable exceptions, like the great British economist John Maynard Keynes, the negotiators were determined to do one thing. They wanted to build a global financial system that ensured the money and resources of the planet were forever hoovered towards them. independent
To understand this story, you have to reel back to the birth of the IMF. In 1944, the countries that were poised to win the Second World War gathered in a hotel in rural New Hampshire to divvy up the spoils. With a few honorable exceptions, like the great British economist John Maynard Keynes, the negotiators were determined to do one thing. They wanted to build a global financial system that ensured the money and resources of the planet were forever hoovered towards them. independent
2011/06/01
Leading journalist murdered
Saleem Shahzad had warned that the authorities might act against him and revealed a previous threat.
A surge of outrage and grief jolted Pakistan last night after the discovery of the body of a journalist who had highlighted alleged links between al-Qa’ida and the country’s military, two days after he went missing in Islamabad. It appears he had been tortured and beaten before being killed and his body dumped. independent
Saleem Shahzad had warned that the authorities might act against him and revealed a previous threat.
A surge of outrage and grief jolted Pakistan last night after the discovery of the body of a journalist who had highlighted alleged links between al-Qa’ida and the country’s military, two days after he went missing in Islamabad. It appears he had been tortured and beaten before being killed and his body dumped. independent
Iranian activist dies at her father's funeral
The daughter of a prominent veteran Iranian dissident has died after reportedly scuffling with security forces at his funeral.
Haleh Sahabi, 54, also an opposition activist and women's rights campaigner, had been allowed out of prison to attend the funeral of her father, Ezatollah Sahabi, on Wednesday. She fell to the ground in the scuffle and died of a cardiac arrest, according to the opposition website Kaleme. guardian
The daughter of a prominent veteran Iranian dissident has died after reportedly scuffling with security forces at his funeral.
Haleh Sahabi, 54, also an opposition activist and women's rights campaigner, had been allowed out of prison to attend the funeral of her father, Ezatollah Sahabi, on Wednesday. She fell to the ground in the scuffle and died of a cardiac arrest, according to the opposition website Kaleme. guardian
2011/05/30
Worst ever carbon emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions increased by a record amount last year, to the highest carbon output in history, putting hopes of holding global warming to safe levels all but out of reach, according to unpublished estimates from the International Energy Agency. guardian
Greenhouse gas emissions increased by a record amount last year, to the highest carbon output in history, putting hopes of holding global warming to safe levels all but out of reach, according to unpublished estimates from the International Energy Agency. guardian
Berlin Split over US Nuke Modernization
The US wants to modernize part of its nuclear arsenal, including some bombs based in Germany. But the plan is likely to be controversial in Berlin where the ruling coalition remains divided over whether the American weapons should be in the country at all. spiegel
Nuclear Phaseout Is an 'Historic Moment'
Angela Merkel's government has decided to phase out nuclear power by 2022, in a reversal of its previous policy. German commentators are split over the wisdom of the decision, with one newspaper comparing the move to the fall of the Berlin Wall and another saying it will harm future generations. spiegel
The US wants to modernize part of its nuclear arsenal, including some bombs based in Germany. But the plan is likely to be controversial in Berlin where the ruling coalition remains divided over whether the American weapons should be in the country at all. spiegel
Nuclear Phaseout Is an 'Historic Moment'
Angela Merkel's government has decided to phase out nuclear power by 2022, in a reversal of its previous policy. German commentators are split over the wisdom of the decision, with one newspaper comparing the move to the fall of the Berlin Wall and another saying it will harm future generations. spiegel
Interview with EU Currency Commissioner Rehn
To help the Greeks, we are seriously thinking about establishing a privatization agency based on the model of the Treuhandanstalt (Eds. note: the institution which privatized former East German state assets following German reunification), as Eurogroup President Jean-Claude Juncker already indicated in SPIEGEL last week.
...
Greece has to stop living beyond its means. spiegel
To help the Greeks, we are seriously thinking about establishing a privatization agency based on the model of the Treuhandanstalt (Eds. note: the institution which privatized former East German state assets following German reunification), as Eurogroup President Jean-Claude Juncker already indicated in SPIEGEL last week.
...
Greece has to stop living beyond its means. spiegel
Qatar Accused Of 'Buying' 2022 World Cup
The suspended Fifa vice-president Jack Warner has made public an email in which secretary general Jerome Valcke accuses Mohammed bin Hammam of 'buying' the World Cup for Qatar.
The explosive revelation will add further woes to world football's governing body, already mired in controversy following an earlier ethics committee ruling on corruption. yahoo/skynews
The suspended Fifa vice-president Jack Warner has made public an email in which secretary general Jerome Valcke accuses Mohammed bin Hammam of 'buying' the World Cup for Qatar.
The explosive revelation will add further woes to world football's governing body, already mired in controversy following an earlier ethics committee ruling on corruption. yahoo/skynews
Turkey remains a dangerous country for journalists
Reporters Without Borders calls on the Turkish justice system to severely restrict the recourse to exceptional anti-terror measures against journalists who are only doing their job, in particular articles under the anti-terrorist law providing for prison sentences in cases involving "propaganda for a terrorist organisation", very often leading to journalists being brought before special courts for organised crime, and which should urgently be repealed. humanrightsdefence
Reporters Without Borders calls on the Turkish justice system to severely restrict the recourse to exceptional anti-terror measures against journalists who are only doing their job, in particular articles under the anti-terrorist law providing for prison sentences in cases involving "propaganda for a terrorist organisation", very often leading to journalists being brought before special courts for organised crime, and which should urgently be repealed. humanrightsdefence
Inner Mongolia protests prompt crackdown
A communist official tipped as a future leader of China is moving to defuse a wave of protests in Inner Mongolia by choking information, tightening campus controls and promising to reform the mining industry.
A demonstration by ethnic Mongolians on Monday in the regional capital, Hohhot, was the latest test for Hu Chunhua, whose appointment as party chief of the resource-rich region last year was widely seen as a step towards top office in 2020. guardian
A communist official tipped as a future leader of China is moving to defuse a wave of protests in Inner Mongolia by choking information, tightening campus controls and promising to reform the mining industry.
A demonstration by ethnic Mongolians on Monday in the regional capital, Hohhot, was the latest test for Hu Chunhua, whose appointment as party chief of the resource-rich region last year was widely seen as a step towards top office in 2020. guardian
2011/05/28
What Would a Greek Haircut Mean for Germany?
It may only be a small passage in the statutes of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), but it is the bottom line: An organization can lend money to a country only if it is certain the state will remain solvent for at least one year. Washington experts are increasingly doubtful that this minimum requirement can be guaranteed in the case of Greece. spiegel
It may only be a small passage in the statutes of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), but it is the bottom line: An organization can lend money to a country only if it is certain the state will remain solvent for at least one year. Washington experts are increasingly doubtful that this minimum requirement can be guaranteed in the case of Greece. spiegel
2011/05/26
Government and Tech
Yesterday the EG8, or Electronic G8, a conference of global technology leaders that was hosted by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The leaders planned to discuss the future of technology, but the conversation kept going back to Internet privacy, a divisive topic. Sarkozy said, "The Internet is the new frontier, a territory to conquer. But it cannot be the Wild West." Google CEO Eric Schmidt shot back, "Technology will move faster than governments." Schmidt added, "So don't legislate before you understand the consequences." yahoo
Note: at business level internet is yet the "wild west" as companies like lastminute.com (a british company) are acting as if it were the very real Wild West. Those companies must be completely blocked from the internet and be forced to take full responsibility for what they are been doing.
Yesterday the EG8, or Electronic G8, a conference of global technology leaders that was hosted by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The leaders planned to discuss the future of technology, but the conversation kept going back to Internet privacy, a divisive topic. Sarkozy said, "The Internet is the new frontier, a territory to conquer. But it cannot be the Wild West." Google CEO Eric Schmidt shot back, "Technology will move faster than governments." Schmidt added, "So don't legislate before you understand the consequences." yahoo
Note: at business level internet is yet the "wild west" as companies like lastminute.com (a british company) are acting as if it were the very real Wild West. Those companies must be completely blocked from the internet and be forced to take full responsibility for what they are been doing.
Arab Spring Boosts Dream of Desert Power
The project, which is expected to cost around €400 billion ($566 billion) and which is still at the planning stage, is being pushed forward by the nonprofit Desertec Foundation together with the Desertec Industrial Initiative (DII). The latter is an industrial consortium that includes such major German players as Deutsche Bank, Siemens, E.on and Munich Re. It aims to create the "legal, regulatory, economic and technical framework" that will allow the Desertec vision to become reality. spiegel
Note: it will be nice...
The project, which is expected to cost around €400 billion ($566 billion) and which is still at the planning stage, is being pushed forward by the nonprofit Desertec Foundation together with the Desertec Industrial Initiative (DII). The latter is an industrial consortium that includes such major German players as Deutsche Bank, Siemens, E.on and Munich Re. It aims to create the "legal, regulatory, economic and technical framework" that will allow the Desertec vision to become reality. spiegel
Note: it will be nice...
UN on back foot
JAKARTA (AFP) – The United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNMIT) was on the back foot Friday after Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao angrily accused the world body of trampling on his country's sovereignty.
...
He said that from 2000 to 2008 the "international community" had spent almost $8 billion in the tiny half-island state but "we do not see any physical development and even more poverty was created in our country".
...
"My proposal is this: UNMIT and Timorese experts, offer your services to improve Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and give support to democracy in Yemen, Syria and Libya," Gusmao said. yahoo/AFP
$1bn fraud at Kabul Bank
The move, to "protect taxpayers' money", came as the full extent of the scandal at Kabul Bank – described as the biggest fraud in modern times... independent
NATO fuel tanker explodes in Pakistan
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Militants in northwest Pakistan blew up a tanker carrying oil for NATO forces in Afghanistan on Saturday, and a secondary explosion killed 15 people as a group gathered to try to siphon off some of its fuel. Another bombing damaged 14 NATO tankers in a nearby border town, but no one was hurt. usatoday
Six-Figure Pensions at Age 50 at the IMF
The IMF's pension structure allows many of its economists to be able to draw pensions in excess of $100,000 a year in their early fifties. It is remarkable that no major news outlet has ever mentioned these exorbitant pensions at a time when politicians across the country have been screaming about pensions for public employees that average less than $30,000 a year and generally require workers to wait until their 60s before they start receiving benefits. cepr
JAKARTA (AFP) – The United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNMIT) was on the back foot Friday after Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao angrily accused the world body of trampling on his country's sovereignty.
...
He said that from 2000 to 2008 the "international community" had spent almost $8 billion in the tiny half-island state but "we do not see any physical development and even more poverty was created in our country".
...
"My proposal is this: UNMIT and Timorese experts, offer your services to improve Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and give support to democracy in Yemen, Syria and Libya," Gusmao said. yahoo/AFP
$1bn fraud at Kabul Bank
The move, to "protect taxpayers' money", came as the full extent of the scandal at Kabul Bank – described as the biggest fraud in modern times... independent
NATO fuel tanker explodes in Pakistan
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Militants in northwest Pakistan blew up a tanker carrying oil for NATO forces in Afghanistan on Saturday, and a secondary explosion killed 15 people as a group gathered to try to siphon off some of its fuel. Another bombing damaged 14 NATO tankers in a nearby border town, but no one was hurt. usatoday
Six-Figure Pensions at Age 50 at the IMF
The IMF's pension structure allows many of its economists to be able to draw pensions in excess of $100,000 a year in their early fifties. It is remarkable that no major news outlet has ever mentioned these exorbitant pensions at a time when politicians across the country have been screaming about pensions for public employees that average less than $30,000 a year and generally require workers to wait until their 60s before they start receiving benefits. cepr
2011/05/21
121 Executions In Six Weeks
According to the statistics compiled by the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, 121 individuals have been hanged between 20 December 2010 and 31 January 2011. iranhumanrights
Al-Qaida hoped to blow up oil tankers
Documents seized from Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan reveal that al-Qaida considered hijacking and blowing up oil tankers to provoke an "extreme economic crisis" in the west, the US government has said. guardian
Syria fires on thousands of protesters
Rights groups today reported that at least 44 people were killed at rallies across the country, most of the them in the northern province of Idlib and the central city of Homs, the scene of repeated challenges to President Assad's rule. independent
According to the statistics compiled by the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, 121 individuals have been hanged between 20 December 2010 and 31 January 2011. iranhumanrights
Al-Qaida hoped to blow up oil tankers
Documents seized from Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan reveal that al-Qaida considered hijacking and blowing up oil tankers to provoke an "extreme economic crisis" in the west, the US government has said. guardian
Syria fires on thousands of protesters
Rights groups today reported that at least 44 people were killed at rallies across the country, most of the them in the northern province of Idlib and the central city of Homs, the scene of repeated challenges to President Assad's rule. independent
Thai, portuguese friendship sails into its 500th year
Having captured Malacca in 1511, Alfonso de Albuquerque, who directed his operations from Goa, promptly dispatched an embassy to King Ramathibodi II of Ayutthaya with credentials and gifts from the King of Portugal at the ready. The reason was that Albuquerque had heard that Malacca was officially a tributary state to the Siamese king, who he wanted to sound out over where the matter stood. nationmultimedia
Having captured Malacca in 1511, Alfonso de Albuquerque, who directed his operations from Goa, promptly dispatched an embassy to King Ramathibodi II of Ayutthaya with credentials and gifts from the King of Portugal at the ready. The reason was that Albuquerque had heard that Malacca was officially a tributary state to the Siamese king, who he wanted to sound out over where the matter stood. nationmultimedia
2011/05/20
Exploding watermelons
The flying pips, shattered shells and wet shrapnel still haunt farmer Liu Mingsuo after an effort to chemically boost his fruit crop went spectacularly wrong. guardian
Ai Weiwei is under "supervision"
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and the International Council of Museums, who organised petitions, said they had collected more than 90,000 signatures calling for the release of Ai Weiwei.
On 13 April 2011, a group of European intellectuals led by Václav Havel had issued an open letter to Wen Jiabao, condemning the arrest and demanding the immediate release of Ai Weiwei. The signatories include Ivan Klima, Jiří Gruša, Jáchym Topol, Elfriede Jelinek, Adam Michnik, Adam Zagajewski, Helmuth Frauendorfer; Bei Lin (Chinese:贝岭), a Chinese poet in exile drafted and also signed the open letter.
On 16 May 2011, the Chinese authorities allowed his wife to briefly visit him. After the colloquy, Liu Xiaoyuan, his attorney and personal friend, reported that the wife had found the artist in good physical condition not held in a prison or hospital but in something she guessed. "...it’s a form of house arrest, under supervision." Furthermore there are news reports that Ai Weiwei has been receiving requested treatments for his pathologies (diabetes and hypertension). wikipedia
Note: lots of other intellectuals and artists still jailed in China.
The flying pips, shattered shells and wet shrapnel still haunt farmer Liu Mingsuo after an effort to chemically boost his fruit crop went spectacularly wrong. guardian
Ai Weiwei is under "supervision"
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and the International Council of Museums, who organised petitions, said they had collected more than 90,000 signatures calling for the release of Ai Weiwei.
On 13 April 2011, a group of European intellectuals led by Václav Havel had issued an open letter to Wen Jiabao, condemning the arrest and demanding the immediate release of Ai Weiwei. The signatories include Ivan Klima, Jiří Gruša, Jáchym Topol, Elfriede Jelinek, Adam Michnik, Adam Zagajewski, Helmuth Frauendorfer; Bei Lin (Chinese:贝岭), a Chinese poet in exile drafted and also signed the open letter.
On 16 May 2011, the Chinese authorities allowed his wife to briefly visit him. After the colloquy, Liu Xiaoyuan, his attorney and personal friend, reported that the wife had found the artist in good physical condition not held in a prison or hospital but in something she guessed. "...it’s a form of house arrest, under supervision." Furthermore there are news reports that Ai Weiwei has been receiving requested treatments for his pathologies (diabetes and hypertension). wikipedia
Note: lots of other intellectuals and artists still jailed in China.
Buddhist monk killed in south Thai
A Buddhist monk was killed and another seriously injured when they were gunned down while collecting alms as more violence erupted in Thailand's restive south, police said on Friday.
The attack was the latest in a recent flare-up of bloody violence in the Muslim-majority region near the Malaysian border, where nearly 3,500 people have been killed in five years of unrest. reuters
Note: killing monks while collecting alms is not only absolutely disgusting but it would be considered crime against the humanity.
A Buddhist monk was killed and another seriously injured when they were gunned down while collecting alms as more violence erupted in Thailand's restive south, police said on Friday.
The attack was the latest in a recent flare-up of bloody violence in the Muslim-majority region near the Malaysian border, where nearly 3,500 people have been killed in five years of unrest. reuters
Note: killing monks while collecting alms is not only absolutely disgusting but it would be considered crime against the humanity.
2011/05/19
Why the Next IMF Head Must Be European
The next head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will have two tasks. He or she will have to both help stabilize the European common currency and help pave the way for a transition from the Western to the multi-polar world, both institutionally and financially. spiegel
Note: to impose 5% interest rate on the money borrowed from troubled countries like Greece, Ireland and Portugal?
The next head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will have two tasks. He or she will have to both help stabilize the European common currency and help pave the way for a transition from the Western to the multi-polar world, both institutionally and financially. spiegel
Note: to impose 5% interest rate on the money borrowed from troubled countries like Greece, Ireland and Portugal?
2011/05/16
2011/05/15
China denies
"Prohibited ballistic missile-related items are suspected to have been transferred … on regular scheduled flights of Air Koryo and Iran Air, with trans-shipment through a neighbouring third country," the panel wrote. guardian
"Prohibited ballistic missile-related items are suspected to have been transferred … on regular scheduled flights of Air Koryo and Iran Air, with trans-shipment through a neighbouring third country," the panel wrote. guardian
Strauss-Kahn case twist
Letter From District Attorney to Defense in Strauss-Kahn Case.
What's in a reputation?
Tristane Banon, 31, a French journalist and writer, said that she would take belated legal action against Mr Strauss-Kahn for what she described as a sexual attack on her in 2002.
At the time, she said, she was persuaded not to press charges by her mother, who had family and political links with him. DSK's own daughter was one of Ms Banon's best friends.
In 2007, the young woman told of her ordeal in an interview with a French TV chat show. The show made compellingly prurient TV but cowardly journalism and politics. Each reference to Mr Strauss-Kahn's name was bleeped out. independent
Note: "The French media and French justice systems have an extravagant definition of the extents of "privacy" for public figures. Consensual extramarital affairs are one thing. Sexual harassment, bordering on assault is another."
IMF chief charged with 'sex attack'
The leader of the International Monetary Fund and a possible candidate for president of France was arrested in New York on Sunday in connection with the violent sexual assault of a hotel maid after being yanked from a plane moments before it was to depart, police said. independent
Letter From District Attorney to Defense in Strauss-Kahn Case.
What's in a reputation?
Tristane Banon, 31, a French journalist and writer, said that she would take belated legal action against Mr Strauss-Kahn for what she described as a sexual attack on her in 2002.
At the time, she said, she was persuaded not to press charges by her mother, who had family and political links with him. DSK's own daughter was one of Ms Banon's best friends.
In 2007, the young woman told of her ordeal in an interview with a French TV chat show. The show made compellingly prurient TV but cowardly journalism and politics. Each reference to Mr Strauss-Kahn's name was bleeped out. independent
Note: "The French media and French justice systems have an extravagant definition of the extents of "privacy" for public figures. Consensual extramarital affairs are one thing. Sexual harassment, bordering on assault is another."
IMF chief charged with 'sex attack'
The leader of the International Monetary Fund and a possible candidate for president of France was arrested in New York on Sunday in connection with the violent sexual assault of a hotel maid after being yanked from a plane moments before it was to depart, police said. independent
2011/05/07
Laden: collection of digital pornography
An extensive collection of digital pornography was found inside Osama Bin Laden’s Pakistani compound, current and former U.S. officials told Reuters Friday.
The pornography was found among the thumb drives and other electronics recovered by U.S. soldiers who carried out the raid, the news agency reported, and consists of “modern, electronically recorded video and is fairly extensive.” slatest
May have lived in Pakistan for seven years
Osama bin Laden may have lived in Pakistan for over seven years before being shot dead by US forces, senior Pakistani security officials said today, a disclosure that could further anger key ally Washington over the presence of enemy number one in the country. independent
Note: stop sending money to Pakistan.
An extensive collection of digital pornography was found inside Osama Bin Laden’s Pakistani compound, current and former U.S. officials told Reuters Friday.
The pornography was found among the thumb drives and other electronics recovered by U.S. soldiers who carried out the raid, the news agency reported, and consists of “modern, electronically recorded video and is fairly extensive.” slatest
May have lived in Pakistan for seven years
Osama bin Laden may have lived in Pakistan for over seven years before being shot dead by US forces, senior Pakistani security officials said today, a disclosure that could further anger key ally Washington over the presence of enemy number one in the country. independent
Note: stop sending money to Pakistan.
2011/05/06
Syria: stand with the protesters
The Syrian regime is laying siege to whole cities, and is willing to annihilate them to crush the peaceful democracy movement. Security forces have cut off all food, water and medicine to these towns, shot hundreds of citizens, and detained and tortured thousands -- in many cases ripping out their fingernails before releasing them, as a warning to other protesters. avaaz
Syrian army attacks Banias
Syrian tanks stormed the mostly Sunni city of Banias today, a rights campaigner said, raising sectarian tensions in a country ruled by the minority Alawite Shi'ite family of President Bashar al-Assad.
The attack came hours after the United States, reacting to the death of 27 protesters yesterday, threatened to take new steps against Syria's rulers unless they stopped killing and harassing their people. independent
Iran Secretly Helping Crackdown
Iran is secretly helping Syrian President Bashar al-Assad put down pro-democracy demonstrations, according to U.S. officials, who say Tehran is providing gear to suppress crowds and assistance blocking and monitoring protesters' use of the Internet, cellphones and text-messaging. foxnews
Syria, Libya and Middle East unrest
1.56pm: At least six people have been killed in today's crackdown the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AP.
Five people were killed in the central city of Homs and one was killed in Hama, said a senior member of a human rights group that compiles death toll figures in Syria.
"We were chanting, peaceful, peaceful, and we didn't even throw a stone at the security forces," said a witness in Homs. "But they waited for us to reach the main square and then they opened fire on us." guardian
The Syrian regime is laying siege to whole cities, and is willing to annihilate them to crush the peaceful democracy movement. Security forces have cut off all food, water and medicine to these towns, shot hundreds of citizens, and detained and tortured thousands -- in many cases ripping out their fingernails before releasing them, as a warning to other protesters. avaaz
Syrian army attacks Banias
Syrian tanks stormed the mostly Sunni city of Banias today, a rights campaigner said, raising sectarian tensions in a country ruled by the minority Alawite Shi'ite family of President Bashar al-Assad.
The attack came hours after the United States, reacting to the death of 27 protesters yesterday, threatened to take new steps against Syria's rulers unless they stopped killing and harassing their people. independent
Iran Secretly Helping Crackdown
Iran is secretly helping Syrian President Bashar al-Assad put down pro-democracy demonstrations, according to U.S. officials, who say Tehran is providing gear to suppress crowds and assistance blocking and monitoring protesters' use of the Internet, cellphones and text-messaging. foxnews
Syria, Libya and Middle East unrest
1.56pm: At least six people have been killed in today's crackdown the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AP.
Five people were killed in the central city of Homs and one was killed in Hama, said a senior member of a human rights group that compiles death toll figures in Syria.
"We were chanting, peaceful, peaceful, and we didn't even throw a stone at the security forces," said a witness in Homs. "But they waited for us to reach the main square and then they opened fire on us." guardian
2011/05/03
Sanctions against Iran ineffective
TEHRAN, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Minister of Mines and Industries Ali-Akbar Mehrabian said sanctions against the Islamic Republic are ineffective, the English language satellite Press TV reported Tuesday.
"We heard about crippling sanctions from enemies many times. Last year, they (the West) intended to adopt a resolution to disrupt economic activities in Iran but they are completely disappointed now," Mehrabian was quoted as saying on Tuesday.
"The country's enemies are so disappointed with the thwarted sanctions that they do not pursue the issue of sanctions anymore," he said. xinhuanet
TEHRAN, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Minister of Mines and Industries Ali-Akbar Mehrabian said sanctions against the Islamic Republic are ineffective, the English language satellite Press TV reported Tuesday.
"We heard about crippling sanctions from enemies many times. Last year, they (the West) intended to adopt a resolution to disrupt economic activities in Iran but they are completely disappointed now," Mehrabian was quoted as saying on Tuesday.
"The country's enemies are so disappointed with the thwarted sanctions that they do not pursue the issue of sanctions anymore," he said. xinhuanet
A legitimate target
The reported deaths in a Nato air strike of a son of Muammar Gaddafi and three of his grandchildren has moved the battle for control of Libya on to a new plane. Mobs have sacked the British and Italian embassies in Tripoli, Britain has expelled Libya's ambassador in London, and Russian criticism of the coalition has intensified. Yet this should not come as a surprise. UN Security Council Resolution 1973 authorised "all necessary measures", a phrase allowing broad interpretation, to stop Col Gaddafi killing civilians.
From obvious targets such as tanks on the road to Benghazi, Nato has moved on to strike what it calls "command and control" centres: that is, any point from which government action against the rebels is being prosecuted. As the chief prosecutors are Col Gaddafi and his immediate entourage, they have become legitimate targets, whatever the coalition may say about targeting structures and not individuals. telegraph
The reported deaths in a Nato air strike of a son of Muammar Gaddafi and three of his grandchildren has moved the battle for control of Libya on to a new plane. Mobs have sacked the British and Italian embassies in Tripoli, Britain has expelled Libya's ambassador in London, and Russian criticism of the coalition has intensified. Yet this should not come as a surprise. UN Security Council Resolution 1973 authorised "all necessary measures", a phrase allowing broad interpretation, to stop Col Gaddafi killing civilians.
From obvious targets such as tanks on the road to Benghazi, Nato has moved on to strike what it calls "command and control" centres: that is, any point from which government action against the rebels is being prosecuted. As the chief prosecutors are Col Gaddafi and his immediate entourage, they have become legitimate targets, whatever the coalition may say about targeting structures and not individuals. telegraph
Syria detains hundreds as crackdown grows
BEIRUT — Syrian security forces have escalated an arrest campaign in the country's most rebellious regions, detaining hundreds over the past few days in the besieged city of Daraa and towns on the outskirts of the capital, Damascus, activists said Monday.
Since the uprising began six weeks ago against the rule of President Bashar Assad, security forces have sought to arrest protesters in locales across the country. But in recent days, activists have spoken of a broader campaign of intimidation, with arbitrary detentions aimed at instilling a sense of fear that the uprising had seemed to break. stltoday
Syria's Crackdown Undermines Claim for Seat
UNITED NATIONS, May 2, 2011 (IPS) - When the General Assembly meets on May 20 to elect 15 new members for the Human Rights Council (HRC), the four candidates from the Asian Group - India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Syria - were until now considered certain winners for one primary reason: they remain uncontested on a "clean slate" for four vacant uncompetitive Asian regional seats.
But the mass uprisings in Syria over the last seven weeks - and the killings of over 500 unarmed civilians by a regime described as "repressive" - have cast strong doubts on the legitimacy of Syria's candidacy for a seat in the U.N.'s premier human rights body. ipsnews
BEIRUT — Syrian security forces have escalated an arrest campaign in the country's most rebellious regions, detaining hundreds over the past few days in the besieged city of Daraa and towns on the outskirts of the capital, Damascus, activists said Monday.
Since the uprising began six weeks ago against the rule of President Bashar Assad, security forces have sought to arrest protesters in locales across the country. But in recent days, activists have spoken of a broader campaign of intimidation, with arbitrary detentions aimed at instilling a sense of fear that the uprising had seemed to break. stltoday
Syria's Crackdown Undermines Claim for Seat
UNITED NATIONS, May 2, 2011 (IPS) - When the General Assembly meets on May 20 to elect 15 new members for the Human Rights Council (HRC), the four candidates from the Asian Group - India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Syria - were until now considered certain winners for one primary reason: they remain uncontested on a "clean slate" for four vacant uncompetitive Asian regional seats.
But the mass uprisings in Syria over the last seven weeks - and the killings of over 500 unarmed civilians by a regime described as "repressive" - have cast strong doubts on the legitimacy of Syria's candidacy for a seat in the U.N.'s premier human rights body. ipsnews
2011/05/02
Was he betrayed?
Pakistan knew Bin Laden's hiding place all along. independent
Osama Bin Laden Killed
Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has been killed in an American-led operation in Pakistan, US President Barack Obama has announced.
In the latest pictures from Abbotabad, a town just 60 miles from the Pakistani capital Islamabad, flames are seen rising from a building that was the apparent target of the raid.
It is thought Bin Laden had been living in a $1m villa in Abbotabad. yahoo/skynews
Osama Hid Cash And Phone Number
The report puts pressure on the White House after US President Barack Obama initially said bin Laden died in a firefight but his spokesman later revealed the terrorist was unarmed. yahoo/skynews
Note: the people him killed were also unarmed.
Pakistan knew Bin Laden's hiding place all along. independent
Osama Bin Laden Killed
Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has been killed in an American-led operation in Pakistan, US President Barack Obama has announced.
In the latest pictures from Abbotabad, a town just 60 miles from the Pakistani capital Islamabad, flames are seen rising from a building that was the apparent target of the raid.
It is thought Bin Laden had been living in a $1m villa in Abbotabad. yahoo/skynews
Osama Hid Cash And Phone Number
The report puts pressure on the White House after US President Barack Obama initially said bin Laden died in a firefight but his spokesman later revealed the terrorist was unarmed. yahoo/skynews
Note: the people him killed were also unarmed.
2011/04/26
Brazil: "Ficha Limpa"
The "clean record" law was a bold proposal that banned any politician convicted of crimes like corruption and money laundering from running for office. With nearly 25% of the Congress under investigation for corruption, most said it would never pass.
Avaaz launched the largest online campaign in Brazilian history, helping to build a petition of over 2 million signatures, 500,000 online actions, and tens of thousands of phone calls.
We fought corrupt congressmen daily as they tried every trick in the book to kill, delay, amend, and weaken the bill, and won the day every time. The bill passed Congress, and already over 330 candidates for office face disqualification. avaaz
The "clean record" law was a bold proposal that banned any politician convicted of crimes like corruption and money laundering from running for office. With nearly 25% of the Congress under investigation for corruption, most said it would never pass.
Avaaz launched the largest online campaign in Brazilian history, helping to build a petition of over 2 million signatures, 500,000 online actions, and tens of thousands of phone calls.
We fought corrupt congressmen daily as they tried every trick in the book to kill, delay, amend, and weaken the bill, and won the day every time. The bill passed Congress, and already over 330 candidates for office face disqualification. avaaz
More gunfire and arrests reported in Syria
BEIRUT – Residents of the southern Syrian city of Daraa braved sniper fire Tuesday to pull the bullet-riddled bodies of the dead from the streets and hide them from security forces, a day after a brutal government crackdown on the popular revolt against President Bashar Assad, witnesses said. yahoo/AP
Note: advised and supported by the Iranian government, of course...
BEIRUT – Residents of the southern Syrian city of Daraa braved sniper fire Tuesday to pull the bullet-riddled bodies of the dead from the streets and hide them from security forces, a day after a brutal government crackdown on the popular revolt against President Bashar Assad, witnesses said. yahoo/AP
Note: advised and supported by the Iranian government, of course...
2011/04/25
The Latest Enemies of Iran *
First the hooch, now the pooch. Iranian lawmakers target a worrisome trend among the country's rebellious upper-middle classes: dog owning. time
* Dogs and Their Owners
First the hooch, now the pooch. Iranian lawmakers target a worrisome trend among the country's rebellious upper-middle classes: dog owning. time
* Dogs and Their Owners
Royal couple face rogue's gallery of despots
Sitting in the front rows, well ahead of the pop stars, sporting heroes and celebrities, will be figureheads from some of the world's most controversial regimes. While Colonel Gaddafi's representative has been officially uninvited (but only after the attacks began on citizens in Libya), diplomatic niceties dictate that the representatives of other unsavoury members of the London diplomatic corps, including those of North Korea and Iran, will be welcome. independent
Bahrain crown prince declines royal wedding invite
Bahrain's crown prince on Sunday declined an invitation to attend Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, saying he did not want the Gulf nation's unrest to tarnish the celebration. yahoo/AP
Sitting in the front rows, well ahead of the pop stars, sporting heroes and celebrities, will be figureheads from some of the world's most controversial regimes. While Colonel Gaddafi's representative has been officially uninvited (but only after the attacks began on citizens in Libya), diplomatic niceties dictate that the representatives of other unsavoury members of the London diplomatic corps, including those of North Korea and Iran, will be welcome. independent
Bahrain crown prince declines royal wedding invite
Bahrain's crown prince on Sunday declined an invitation to attend Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, saying he did not want the Gulf nation's unrest to tarnish the celebration. yahoo/AP
Slovenian philosopher, psychoanalytical theorist and film critic, Zizek has become a gadfly of the left establishment, a prolific provocateur whose principal aim seems to be to confound his tender-minded readers. ...
Now, more than ever, one should insist on the 'eternal Idea of Communism' - strict egalitarian justice, disciplinary terror, political voluntarism, and trust in the people." independent
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