Scene Releases

UK must hold separate inquiries into each Iraqi civilian deaths, high сourt rules

Anon — Sun, 26 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

In practice a series of hearings, possibly amounting to more than 100, are likely to be held as a result of the judgment; the consequence of a three year legal battle by the families of dead Iraqis.The court ruled that each hearing must involve a “full, fair and fearless investigation accessible to the victim’s families and to the public” and must not only involve the immediate circumstances surrounding each death but other circumstances.The court ruled that the defense secretary, Phillip Hammond, must announce within six weeks if any of the 161 deaths will result in prosecutions.After years of judicial review proceedings the court concluded that coroner’s inquests were the best way for the British authorities to meet their obligations under Article 2 of the European convention on human rights (ECHR), which protects the right to life.Throughout the proceedings the Ministry of Defense appeared anxious to control any investigative process, it was reported by the Guardian.However, the court also rejected calls for a single public inquiry to look at interrogation practices during British military detention over the six year-long occupation of south east Iraq. It ruled that such an inquiry would take too long and cost too much.11 cases will be heard in the first of the public hearings where civilians died in military custody. These will then be followed by public examinations of other incidents where civilians died in unclear or disputed circumstances where British personal allegedly used unlawful force.Once Article 2 hearings are completed – the court ruled – further hearings should be established to meet the UK’s obligations under Article 3 of the ECHR. Article 3 will look into allegations of torture and other mistreatment of individuals who were detained by British soldiers in Iraq. There are 700 cases in which such allegations have been made.14 million in compensation was paid out by the MoD to 205 Iraqis who alleged unlawful imprisonment and mistreatment in past trials.Court stops short of ordering public inquiryThe new hearings are expected to shed light on the Joint Forward Interrogation Team, whose personnel appear to have actually received training in the abuse of prisoners, including teenagers who allegedly drowned after being pushed into canals, according to the Guardian.The newspaper’s investigation found that the MoD may have interfered with a probe by the Royal Air Force (RAF) police into a man who was a allegedly kicked to death while on an RAF helicopter and a number of other prisoners who were taken to a secret interrogation center, which was concealed from both the Red Cross and British army lawyers.The judgment from Sir John Thomas the President of the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court of Justice and Mr Justice Silber, the high court judges who presided over the hearings, said that there was evidence that some of the abuse had been systematic and also highlighted poor training and a failure to promptly investigate by senior officers and the government.In another case, a woman was shot in November 2006 when troops raided her home; her body was then dumped on the side of the road in a British army body bag.Other victims died after being interrogated and are alleged to have been beaten to death in the same way that Baha Mousa, a hotel receptionist from Basra was murdered by British soldiers in September 2006. Baha Mousa’s death was subject to a separate public inquiry, which ruled that in future detainees must be handled more humanely.The allegations involved “murder, manslaughter, the infliction of serious bodily injury, sexual indignities, cruel inhuman and degrading treatment and large scale violation of international humanitarian law,” the court ruled.The body which investigated the cases is known as the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT). It is regarded as independent and is made up of civilian detectives and service police, which then answered to an MoD panel. However, the court ruled that IHAT was not capable of examining how troops were trained, instructed and supervised.A lawyer for the Iraqis, Phil Shiner, said that he hoped these cases will lead to reform in the UK military.“My clients welcome, at last, the opportunities for accountability flowing from the judgment. The secretary of state must ensure that UK forces abroad respect and apply the rule of law", he said in a statement.A spokesman from the Ministry of Defense said: “We welcome the courts finding that IHAT is independent and carries out its duties with competence and integrity. We are also pleased that the secretary of state was justified in concluding that a single comprehensive public inquiry into allegations of abuse in Iraq should not be established.”A full scale public inquiry was not opened because of the expense and the delay in reaching a verdict, the high court said. However unlike a public inquiry inquests do not include written recommendations, which often demand certain practices be changed. … Read More

‘Monsanto is the metaphor for genetic manipulation, food chain control’

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 22:26:00 +0000

Hundreds of thousands around the world gathered on Saturday in a global move dubbed 'March Against Monsanto'.Follow RT's LIVE UPDATES on the March Against Monsanto campaignActivists are calling for labeling of food containing GMOs and further scientific research of the effects of GMO crops that while banned in several countries over alleged health threats still remain legal in many others.Protesters all across the US joined the march calling for a boycott of Monsanto products, following the Senate’s decision to turn down a bill which requires the labeling of GM food.RT: What's wrong with GM food? William Engdahl: The fundamental problem with GM food that it’s genetically and biologically unstable. There’s no genetic modification known to science and this I have from some of top scientists in the world on this question that’s stable – it’s always mutating. And No.2, all the GM products that are in the human and animal food chain over the last 20 years are modified primarily to do one thing – 80 per cent of all the GM is modified to accept chemicals, the pesticides. Monsanto Roundup being the most prominent of them, which are highly, highly toxic and they’re modified to be resistant to that deadly chemical so that it kills everything inside, except the Monsanto corn or the Monsanto soy beans or what will you. All those chemicals are equally as dangerous to the human food chain as the GMO seeds themselves.RT: Why have so many people in different countries taken to the streets to demonstrate against this US company now?WE: I think for one very simple reason Monsanto is the company. They are the world’s largest owner of seeds. They’ve bought up all those small seed companies to control those seed varieties of wheat, of rice, of corn and soy beans and so forth. No.2 Monsanto bought up a company that gives Monsanto a patent on what are called terminator seeds, which self-destruct, the seeds commit suicide after one harvest season. So, farmers are unable to take part of their seeds and replant them for the next harvest season – something that never in history has been possible before this Monsanto development. But Monsanto is the metaphor for genetic manipulation of the food chain and they are by far the largest – of course, you have other companies like Syngenta in Switzerland, you have BASF, which is a partner of Monsanto in Germany. You have Dow and DuPont Chemical. But Monsanto is really the giant of the four horsemen of the GMO Apocalypse.RT: Why is the US government so keen to protect the interests of Monsanto?WE: I think this is the strategic interest of the US agribusiness lobby, the lobby of Bush senior as president in 1992. Monsanto went to the White House and had a closed-door meeting with Bush, and got him to agree to make sure there are no government tests whatsoever on the health and safety of GMO products before they were released to the commercial public. That was called the doctrine of 'substantial equivalence'– it’s a fraudulent doctrine if you just analyze the name, it’s by no means scientifically rigorous. So there have been up until recently no long-term tests beyond what ninety day short-term studies Monsanto gave to the government to say ‘everything is hunky-dory.’ It turns out evidence has been uncovered by whistleblowers who say we were forced to alter the scientific data for Monsanto so it showed that the results were positive. You have the fox guarding the chicken house here with Monsanto verifying the health and safety of its own products. But it’s the idea of monopoly on seeds, a patent on monopoly on seeds worldwide that makes the whole question of Monsanto and GMO question so extremely important in so many countries. They are trying everything to bribe and influence the European commission in Brussels. A study came out in France at the Caen university September last year, it was published in the PEW review , a serious scientific journal of toxicology , by Dr Seralini and his French colleagues, showing that rats fed with GMO Monsanto rice , or corn rather, had huge incidents of cancer tumors compared with non GMO rats. They had enormous organ damage and death rates five times that of normal rats. The study was suppressed by the EU food safety administration. It turns out that most of the scientists on the panel had ties to Monsanto. So it’s just the corruption that Monsanto tries to infiltrate its way, they try to block labeling in California, because that would damage their whole product situation in America. People are beginning to wake up. I think there is change going on not only against the Monsanto but biological engineering of our food chain. … Read More

Hezbollah confirms involvement in Syria conflict for the first time

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 21:35:00 +0000

Lebanon: Spillover of violence from Syria 22/05/2013 18:25 CET Syria: fierce battle for strategic town of Qusair 20/05/2013 12:33 CET Talk of dialogue amid missile strikes in Syria 21/02/2013 06:06 CET Hezbollah fighters die in Syria amid calls for talks 18/02/2013 03:46 CET Syrian UN mediator confident of holiday ceasefire 24/10/2012 17:53 CET

Lebanese militant group Hezbollah is fighting alongside the government troops in Syria.

Hezbollah is a Shi’ite Muslim group and it is backing Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad who is from the minority Alawite sect – an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam.

During a televised speech, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah confirmed for the first time the group’s involvement in the Syria conflict.

The Hezbollah leader claims Sunni Muslims are being influenced by the US in order to further Israel’s interests.

Nasrallah also said: “I testify that the present Syrian leadership has always been prepared to sit down and negotiate, to reach a political solution and implement major reforms. But the opposition keeps refusing to have this dialogue.”

The fiercest fighting in Syria is in the rebel stronghold of Qusair, near the Lebanese border. Hezbollah fighters have been helping the Syrian government as it tries to seize back the strategically-important town.

At least thirty Hezbollah fighters have been killed in Qusair, according to opposition activists.

More about: Bashar al-Assad, Hezbollah, Islam, Lebanon, Syria

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Police search for attacker after French soldier stabbing in Paris

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 21:35:00 +0000

IMF chief Christine Lagarde escapes formal… 24/05/2013 22:05 CET World more dangerous for refugees – Amnesty 23/05/2013 01:04 CET IMF chief is back in court over 2007 payout to a… 23/05/2013 22:47 CET Beckham: Tearful goodbye for ‘Le Spice Boy’ 19/05/2013 08:54 CET Carlo Ancelotti to leave French champions PSG 19/05/2013 18:46 CET

A French soldier has been stabbed in a neck whilst he was patrolling La Defense area of Paris on Saturday. He was on patrol as part of the ‘Vigipirate’ anti-terrorist surveillance plan along with two other colleagues when he was attacked by an unknown man who fled the scene.

Though he lost a lot of blood, police say he will survive and is being treated in a nearby hospital.

French President François Hollande, on an official visit in Ethiopia, said that the attacker was still on the run and that police were exploring all leads.

“We ask our soldiers who do their work in difficult conditions as everybody knows – also during the ‘Vigipirate’ anti-terrorist surveillance plan – to be even more careful and if I can say vigilant,” said the President adding, “I hope for a swift recovery for this young man.”

French daily Le Parisien reported the attacker was possibly of North African origin. The country has been on high alert for Islamist attacks following its military intervention in Mali in January.

The incident comes just days after a British soldier was killed in London. French police are looking into whether it could be a copycat attack.

More about: Attack, France, Paris

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Report: Teacher Fired For Praying In Classroom as Oklahoma F5 Tornado Approached

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 20:45:00 +0000

"In a moment when I believed we were all going to die I naturally sought comfort from the only place I knew..." … Read More

From Alaska to Florida: Americans take to streets against Monsanto and GMOs

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 19:56:00 +0000

Organizers of the major rally that swept through dozens of nations around the globe on Saturday, urge a repeal of the so-called Monsanto Protection Act, and call for a boycott of Monsanto products.Participants in the March Against Monsanto were also demanding the right to know what they’re paying for and what their children eat. The protesters called for labeling of GM foods, which they say could pose a danger to human health, and demand further scientific research of such products. This #MarchAgainstMonsanto makes me happy. This is a huge issue that directly affects EVERYONE! — Stanimal032 (@Stanimal032) May 25, 2013 RT covers the protest which is getting a mainstream media blackout, with RT's Anastasia Churkina - who as at the heart of the protest march in New York City – one of dozens of American cities that are staging protests against Monsanto.“According to our estimates there are over 2,000 here,” she said. “All these people have gathered here today to speak out against this giant biotech corporation that for years has been accused of manipulating and corrupting farmers throughout the world and monopolizing the agriculture industry.” Chants " #Monsanto, how many people have you poisoned today?" fill NY streets in #MarchAgainstMonsanto — Anastasia Churkina (@NastiaChurkina) May 25, 2013 In Washington DC, a crowd of marchers gathered in front of the White House waving banners and posters.Meanwhile, the US-based seed giant maintains that its seeds improve agriculture since it helps farmers to produce more from their land while saving resources such as water and energy. At the same time, Monsanto said on Saturday, they respect people’s rights to express their opinion on the matter, AP reported. A company that made agent orange now makes our food...not cool. #marchagainstmonsanto to keep it natural and healthy please — The High Chef (@The_High_Chef) May 25, 2013 A bee "die in" outside of Monsanto headquarters in DC right now. #marchagainstmonsanto #mam #m25 twitter.com/BatmanWI/statu… — Jenna Pope (@BatmanWI) May 25, 2013 Initially a small movement, the March Against Monsanto campaign turned into a global event with an estimated 200,000 participants in over 40 countries thanks to the efforts of activists and social networking services. These folks NEED to be told WE THE PEOPLE won't accept your frankenfood #marchagainstmonsanto — Sarah D. Zimmerman (@SarahDZimmerman) May 25, 2013 … Read More

Syrian opposition talks in stalemate as Geneva peace conference looms

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 17:45:00 +0000

The two opening days of negotiations of the Syrian opposition have been fruitless as the Islamist-dominated Syrian National Coalition refused to admit liberal opposition leaders into its ranks. Also, the opposition failed to elect a new leader of the coalition, which remains without a chief since the resignation of Moaz al-Khatib, a former Damascus religious leader, in March. "We are back to square one," a source in the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) told Reuters before the start of the third day of negotiations. The source said the participants in the talks would now focus on international demands for a broadening of the Islamist-dominated group, leaving leadership issues for later. Still, Syrian National Council representatives believe they could take part in the peace conference – if their central demand for President Bashar Assad to leave power is satisfied, Al Arabiya reports.Still, the leaders of the Syrian National Council believe they could take part in the peace conference – if their central demand for President Bashar Assad to leave power is satisfied, Al Arabiya reports.In an interview to British BBC the Syrian National Coalition’s spokesman Louay Safi declared that President Assad and his associates must leave the scene. He says only this condition will be enough to make opposition participate in a peace conference.“If the government will agree to the framework, yes [we will participate]. We have welcomed the Geneva agreement from day one. We would like to find a political solution. But we don’t want to be deceived again by this regime, which has deceived us many times,” Louay Safi said.The spokesman has not specified, though, who would represent lawful authorities of Syria at a peace conference in that case.Earlier Moscow informed the international community that Damascus had in principle agreed to take part in a peace conference in Geneva.Another conference, the ‘Friends of Syria’ gathering that took place in Jordan’s Amman recently has brought nothing constructive to the peace process in the war-torn Syria either.Representational assembly attended by eleven top diplomats from Britain, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the US issued a number of mutually exclusive statements.On one hand the gathering declared it is seeking a political solution and a diplomatic breakthrough to solve the Syrian crisis. ‘Friends of Syria’ welcomed the Russian-American initiative to conduct new peace conference on Syria.Yet in a joint declaration on May 22, the 11 participant countries maintained that Syrian President Bashar Assad will play no role in the country's future. The declaration also stressed to bolster support for the armed opposition until a transitional government is formed.“The participants (of the ‘Friends of Syria’ meeting), who have declared themselves spokesperson for the Syrian people, have blocked the way to the international conference by saying that they were going to boost support to the Syrian opposition,” Syria’s SANA news agency commented.“Right now we see this process is making a negative contribution to the [Geneva] decisions,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters in Istanbul.“When one party (Assad) is isolated in any mechanism set up to deal with a conflict, we miss the ground for dialogue,” he added.After the ‘Friends of Syria’ gathering in Amman and opposition meeting in Istanbul both have failed to propose any constructive ideas how to put an end to the Syrian crisis, all eyes now are on the US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov who are going to discuss peace talks in Syria next Monday in Paris.Russian diplomats, though, have voiced concerns that an international conference on Syria in Geneva cannot be conducted immediately because of the current status of the Syrian opposition."The demands to urgently set a concrete date for the conference in the absence of clarity regarding who and with what powers will speak on behalf of the [Syrian] opposition just cannot be treated seriously," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Aleksandr Lukashevich at a press briefing in Moscow.When Russian FM will meet his American counterpart next week, they will have to coordinate the list of participants of the future peace conference. However the question now is who among the Syrian opposition ranks would have authority to speak on behalf of all variegated opposition groups. … Read More

French soldier on duty stabbed by man ‘of North African origin’ in Paris, manhunt ongoing

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 17:38:00 +0000

The police are currently looking for a bearded man of North African origin about 30 years old, who fled the scene after the attack, Reuters reports citing a police source.The soldier, patrolling as part of France's Vigipirate anti-terrorist surveillance plan, has been taken to a local hospital. There’s currently no threat to his life.DETAILS TO FOLLOW … Read More

Avoid traffic and hold-ups with a helicopter at the Cannes Film Festival

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 17:36:00 +0000

Cannes: thefts, comebacks and lesbian love scenes 24/05/2013 00:46 CET Nicole Kidman and Heidi Klum attend ‘Nebraska‘… 24/05/2013 10:12 CET Stars are again out in force in Cannes 23/05/2013 00:05 CET Polanski and Redford hit Cannes red carpet 23/05/2013 09:26 CET Matt Damon on sharing a bed with Michael Douglas 23/05/2013 16:44 CET

The last weekend of the Cannes Film Festival draws in an increasing number of stars and star-gazers.

More celebrities will arrive to grace the red carpet at closing ceremony on Sunday night.

Organisers cannot afford to have the stars stuck in traffic jams as they make their way from Nice’s Côte d’Azur Airport.

Michel de Rohozinski is the managing director of Geo Azur Helicoptere, one of the companies that offers flights between Nice and Cannes.

Rohozinski says every year lots of celebrities use helicopters for the seven minute journey – especially towards the end of the festival.

There is a helipad is just a few hundred metres the Palais du Festival.

Soaring high above Cannes in a helicopter, euronews correspondent Wolfgang Spindler said: “Travel like a real star during the Film festival – take off and be transported without the bother of traffic or crowds.”

More about: Cannes Film Festival 2013, France, From our correspondents

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Keiser Report: Drowning In Central Banking Abyss (E449)

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 16:31:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/v/h9KL7KJVj94?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata View original: Keiser Report: Drowning In Central Banking Abyss (E449)

Worldwide protests against US biotech giant Monsanto

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 16:23:00 +0000

Iran's top nuclear negotiator, who is one of the favourites in the presidential race, has vowed to stand up to the West if he is elected next month. Saeed Jalili told a rally in Tehran that he wanted to spread the global influence of Islam. One of several conservatives among…

Police hunt man after woman found dead

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 16:21:00 +0000

Police are hunting a 40-year-old man after a woman was found dead in a suburb of Stockholm on Saturday. … Read More

Ex-Yugoslavia war crimes tribunal marks 20 years of business

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 16:07:00 +0000

Germany’s Greens probe 1980s paedophilia link

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 16:05:00 +0000

Circumcision in Germany stays legal 10/10/2012 19:23 CET Lucky Lucke targets the euro 24/05/2013 10:45 CET German environmentalists mull red-green alliance… 27/04/2013 22:54 CET German opposition candidate loses support 14/04/2013 17:44 CET New party seeks to pull Germany out of the euro 14/04/2013 19:09 CET

With federal elections in Germany less than four months away, the Greens hoping to gain more seats in the Bundestag by getting to grips with a controversial issues that has plagued the party.

The Greens have asked a prominent political scientist to investigate accusations that party members wanted to legalise paedophilia in the 1980s.

Some argue the party’s image of being a safe haven for radical ideas is what drew in people who supported sex between consenting children and adults.

Co-founder of Germany’s Greens and European politician Daniel Cohn-Bendit wrote in his 1975 book “The Great Bazaar” about apparent incidents between him and children .

Cohn-Bendit later said the statements were “unbearable acts of provocation”, the incidents were made up and he had never assaulted anyone.

Referring to the association with people who supported paedophilia, the Greens party manager Steffi Lemke said: “It’s a mistake. We deeply regret that these requests and debates were given time in the past. This is all we can say today. Therefore we came to the conclusion that we needed to have an independent scientist investigate this in detail.”

Decriminalising paedophilia never became an aspect of Green politics. However, Professor Franz Walter will look into how much influence pro-paedophile groups had in the party and for how long.

More about: German politics, Germany, Pedophilia, Protection of children

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Parent patrols help quell Stockholm riots

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 15:55:00 +0000

Parents and volunteers have been patrolling the streets of Stockholm's immigrant-heavy suburbs to help quell riots that have raged for almost a week, serving as a successful deterrent to troublemakers and winning praise from police. … Read More

Britain’s far right protests against ‘Islamification’

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 15:52:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/v/YtulTn7d_p4?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata View this article: Britain’s far right protests against ‘Islamification’

London turns red and yellow for Bayern-Borussia Champions League final

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 15:06:00 +0000

London’s calling for Bayern and Dortmund 25/05/2013 10:58 CET European football speaks German 02/05/2013 19:15 CET Youth policy pays dividends for the Bundesliga 25/04/2013 19:41 CET Dortmund back among Europe’s elite 01/05/2013 17:36 CET Bayern crush Barca to reach Champions League final 01/05/2013 22:12 CET

Supporters of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have been sampling the delights of London ahead of Saturday night’s all-German European Champions League Final at Wembley Stadium.

By nine o’clock in the morning, streets in central London were already filling with fans. Dortmund supporters were easy to spot, all kitted out in their team’s yellow colours, mixing happily with rival supporters of Bayern wearing their team’s burgundy red and white.

Four-times European champions Bayern are favourites with the bookmakers, having cruised to the Bundesliga title this year and demolished Barcelona 7-0 over two games in the semi-final. But fans of the Bavarian team have had to suffer two defeats in the last three Champions League finals. Dortmund on the other hand won the only Champions League final they have played, back in 1997.

While many fans arrived in the days leading up the match to take advantage of the sight-seeing possibilities of the British capital, some arrived on Saturday morning after a 12-hour coach journey from Germany.

Many had travelled without match tickets, but still intended to enjoy the party. “We’ve come here by bus,” said one young Dortmund fan in a pub. “We celebrated quite a bit already during the journey and of course, we want to watch the match this evening, maybe in a bar, some place where we can have some real fun.”

His friend was more optimistic about getting into Wembley Stadium. “We want to try to get tickets, maybe at the ground. But if we don’t get any, no big deal. We are from Dortmund, we always go to matches. With or without tickets,” he said.

Another year, another final: for Bayern fans, it is their third in four years, and many were taking things in their stride as they soaked up the atmosphere.

“We are going to do some sightseeing in London, check out the city and in the afternoon we are going to go to the park and there we hook up with the other fans and then we go all together to the stadium,” said one fan, holding a toy Champions League trophy as he strolled with a friend by the River Thames.

Security was low-key, the atmosphere convivial, plenty of beer was drunk during the day and would continue to be consumed throughout the evening. Most German fans in central London were unlikely to see the match in the flesh.

Euronews correspondent Mark Davis said from Trafalgar Square:
“Around 150,000 German football fans have made the trip to London for the Champions League final, but fewer than 50,000, or less than a third of them, have tickets to the match. Also there is no public screening of the game, no big screen where the fans can gather. So that leaves around 100,000 Bayern and Dortmund supporters who will be cramming into London’s pubs to see who will be crowned European champions 2013.”

More about: Champions league, Dortmund, Football, Munich, Germany

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At least 28 dead, 250 wounded in Sunni-Alawite clashes in Tripoli (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:41:00 +0000

Last night, four Sunnis and one Alawite died in clashes, the Daily Star reported. The casualties raised this week’s death toll to 28.Fierce fighting has raged in Tripoli since last Sunday, with assailants firing rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and machine guns. The violence is seen as a spillover from the recently intensified fighting between rebels and government forces in Qusayr, Syria, near the border with Lebanon.Most of the clashes in Tripoli were between residents of the Sunni-majority Bab el-Tebbaneh district and the Alawite-majority Jabal Mohsen district. A third party in the conflict is the Lebanese Army, which has so far failed to quell the unrest.Although the clashes subsided in the morning, the area is still reportedly controlled by snipers.The week-long conflict brought life to a halt in Tripoli, home to 500,000 residents, with schools and shops closed because of the violence.This is not the first time Tripoli has witnessed an outbreak of violence between Sunnis supporting the Syrian rebels and pro-regime Alawites, the religious branch of Shia Islam to which Syrian President Bashar Assad belongs. The Lebanese Army deployed in the city last October to broker a ceasefire. … Read More

Vintage Apple-1 Sells for Record $671,400

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:20:00 +0000

An Apple-1 computer, made in 1976 and originally priced at $666, sold for a record $671,400 at an auction in Germany. The sale shows the run-up in prices for the vintage machines recently. … Read More

Court ban does not stop Ukraine’s first ever gay pride event

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:38:00 +0000

Ukraine anti-gay activists release gas at LGBT protest 09/12/2012 03:25 CET Kiev court cites security reasons for banning gay… 24/05/2013 22:26 CET Ukrainian PM reverses journalist ban in wake of… 23/05/2013 19:12 CET Ukraine: Journalists reportedly stripped of media… 22/05/2013 18:34 CET Old divisions resurface in Ukraine as government… 18/05/2013 19:35 CET

After a Kiev court banned Ukraine’s first gay pride event from taking place in the city’s main square, organisers moved the event a few kilometres away.

Dozens people took part in the Equality March, with Amnesty International providing security staff to prevent any clashes.

To show support, foreign embassy staff joined in.

There to represent the German city twinned with Kiev was Munich Deputy Mayor Hep Monatzeder.

“We organise gay pride in Munich. It’s a joyful event, people join in, we have fun and there’s hardly a police presence. Here the situation is different – so many police, so many aggressive protesters. But I still feel safe,” said Monatzeder.

Last year’s rally was cancelled at the last minute, with organisers saying they had been threatened. One was beaten up in broad daylight.

There is little public acceptance of homosexuality in Ukraine, with opposition coming from Orthodox Christians and far-right political parties like Svoboda.

“They demand some special rights, special status. We are just telling them: if you want to carry out your perversions, just do it at home silently. What’s the problem?” said Svoboda MP Andriy Illienko

A move to criminalise the “promotion of homosexuality” is on hold.However, Ukraine’s government has also delayed a law protecting gay people from discrimination in the workplace.

More about: Gay rights, Protest, Ukraine

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Rand Paul introduces bill to extend Fourth Amendment protection to electronic communications

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 11:39:00 +0000

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has introduced legislation that seeks to extend Fourth Amendment protection to electronic communications, which if successful would be a major move to protect online privacy. … Read More

Do You Want to Save the World?

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 11:23:00 +0000

450 Marches in over 55 Countries. Pick one and join over 2 million Marchers. … Read More

African Union celebrates 50 years and looks to next half century

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 11:06:00 +0000

Tributes paid to Ethiopia’s late prime minister 02/09/2012 10:33 CET State funeral for Ethiopia leader Zenawi 02/09/2012 09:39 CET African leaders meet at AU summit in Ethiopia 15/07/2012 15:13 CET

The 50th anniversary celebration of the organisation now known as the African Union has opened in the the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, in the presence of foreign dignitaries including heads of state from outside the continent.

It began in 1963 as the Organisation for African Unity (OAU), born out of the struggle of many countries for independence from their colonial masters. It became known as the African Union (AU) in 2002.

The emphasis now is on the next half century: the agenda in a document called “Vision 2063” makes economic and social developments a priority.

Several countries have experienced rapid growth but many also remain among the most corrupt in the world, according to Transparency International.

The US Secretary of State John Kerry has warned Nigeria to respect human rights in its crackdown on Islamist extremists, while defending the country’s right to take action. He has also pledged to ease tensions between Sudan and South Sudan.

More about: Addis Ababa, African Union, Ceremony, Ethiopia

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16 Pakistani schoolchildren killed in bus blast (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 11:01:00 +0000

The wounded children are now being treated at a nearby hospital, and five of them are currently in critical condition.The minivan was taking the children to a private school in Gurjat, around 112 kilometers north of the eastern city of Lahore. The children on board are believed to have been between the ages of 5 and 15. “The fire erupted in the vehicle when the children were only a few kilometers from their school,” local police chief Dar Ali Khattak told AFP.An initial assessment of the accident indicates a short circuit near a leaking gasoline tank was triggered when the dual-fuel vehicle switched from gas to petrol.It is relatively commonplace in Pakistan for a vehicle to run on a mixture of petrol and natural gas. The gas is stored in pressurized containers, leaving it prone to explosions. … Read More

Zimbabwe – Journalists still being harassed as elections loom

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 10:55:00 +0000

The new Zimbabwean constitution that President Robert Mugabe promulgated three days ago guarantees more democracy and freedom of expression, on paper at least, and Reporters Without Borders hopes that it will reduce the negative effect of the draconian laws currently in effect. As a result of Zimbabwe's repressive legislation, criminal charges are often brought against journalists just for doing their job. This has been seen yet again in recent cases of arrests and harassment. The new (...) … Read More

Judge rules office of ‘America’s toughest sheriff’ racially profiled Latinos

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 10:46:00 +0000

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio – who styles himself as 'America’s toughest sheriff' and is known for questioning the authenticity of President Barack Obama's birth certificate – was defeated in court on Friday when a federal judge ruled that his crackdown on undocumented immigrants violated the civil rights of Latino residents. The case against Arpaio was initiated by Manuel de Jesus Ortega Melendres, a Mexican national with a US tourist visa, who claimed he was detained illegally by deputies from Arpaio's office in 2007 after he was stopped in a car near a gathering of Mexican day laborers. Four other plaintiffs – all drivers of Latin origin who believe they were stopped on the basis of their ethnicity and treated worse than other motorists – testified in the case. No monetary retribution was sought in the suit; the plaintiffs called for an end to Arpaio's discriminatory practices. "The great weight of the evidence is that all types of saturation patrols at issue in this case incorporated race as a consideration into their operations," Judge G. Murray Snow of the US District Court wrote in his 142-page ruling, Reuters reported. Judge Murray has prohibited the Sheriff’s Office from racial profiling. Its 800 deputies have been forbidden from stopping a car because Latinos are passengers, and from arresting people without substantial evidence a law has been broken. Human rights activists hailed the ruling: "This is a victory for everyone. Singling people out for traffic stops and detentions because they are Latino is unconstitutional and just plain un-American,” American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) director Cecillia Wang said. Tim Casey, the lawyer for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, vowed to appeal the case and denied that the organization he defended had engaged in racial profiling. He also assured the Sheriff's Office would “comply with the letter and spirit of the court’s decision.” The ruling against Sheriff Arpaio is seen by many as landmark decision – Arizona, a US state on the border of Mexico, has long been at the forefront for the immigration debate, with local authorities frequently enacting harsh measures to curb illegal immigration. But federal immigration policy may soon be changing, as a US Senate panel has recently approved a sweeping immigration reform bill, which lays out a 13-year path to citizenship for the country's 11 million illegal immigrants. … Read More

The March Against Monsanto

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 10:20:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/v/QNsJVoUzwcw?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata Credit: The March Against Monsanto

Riots prompt focus on Sweden’s poor immigrant suburbs

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 09:15:00 +0000

Third night of rioting hits Stockholm suburbs 22/05/2013 13:04 CET Man hit by train after robber leaves him to die 14/09/2012 10:53 CET Stockholm riots provoke questions about Sweden’s… 24/05/2013 11:05 CET Stockholm hit by worst riots in years 23/05/2013 09:35 CET Stockholm ablaze with youth anger 23/05/2013 15:56 CET

Almost a week of rioting in parts of Stockholm has highlighted social problems among the mainly immigrant communities in poor areas of Swedish cities.

Heavy police reinforcements meant Friday night was relatively calm, but there was still some violence for the sixth night running.

For the first time there was also trouble, notably arson attacks, outside the capital.

The rioting is not on the scale seen in some other western European countries in recent years. But it has prompted a national debate on issues such as the assimilation of immigrants, crime and parental responsibility.

Some blame growing inequality – more than in any other developed nation over the past 25 years, according to the OECD.

Sweden’s centre-right government under Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt has lowered taxes and reduced state benefits. Economic growth has outpaced most of Europe but the positive effects have not been equally shared.

“It’s an explosive situation that we have warned of for several years because the new (economically) liberal policies in this country will lead to social unrest,” said community leader Arne Johansson.

“It’s young people who lack a belief in the future and young adults who don’t have jobs and who have missed out on school, and also younger ones who have problems at school and there are also very few activities with youth centres closing,” he added.

One government study showed that up to a third of young people aged 16-29 in the most deprived areas in Sweden’s big cities are unemployed.

But in Husby, scene of the worst rioting, the community mobilised to stop the trouble.

“When it was at its worst and the media painted a black picture of Husby, people living in Husby went outside to solve this. We walked in groups, together with youth workers, the Islamic Cultural Centre, people from the mosque and young people like us from the team and others,” said Alikalay, a youth worker.

“People have felt frustration before, that politicians don’t invest as much in the suburbs, which is true, but choose to invest in the inner city. But you can’t justify violence and it’s always difficult to see that parents – my parents, other people’s parents – are affected by this. They can’t sleep at night, cars are burning, small children can’t safely walk in the streets and stones are thrown,” he said on the sidelines of a football tournament for local schools.

Some in Sweden blame criminality and poor parenting for the unrest; others point the finger at the poor integration of immigrants. The number of asylum-seekers, mostly from war-torn countries such as Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia, increased by 50 percent in 2012 on the previous year.

Opinion polls suggest a majority of people support immigration, although the proportion is falling.

The Integration Minister Erik Ullenhag said Sweden would continue to be an open and tolerant society.

“We can never be in the situation when we let some kids throwing stones represent all the foreign people living in Sweden. We have 15 percent of the Swedish population born abroad today and we’re proud of it and we shouldn’t go down the slippery slope of making people that are making criminal acts represent all the immigrants of Sweden,” he said.

More about: Immigration, Social conflicts, Stockholm, Sweden, Urban violence

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‘Monsanto monopoly pushes farmers to suicide’

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 09:14:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/v/-k-ZS_dPzAQ?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata Continued here: ‘Monsanto monopoly pushes farmers to suicide’

Dad slams booze delivery to 10-year-old son

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Express delivery firm DHL has been criticised for having handed over a load of alcohol ordered from Germany to a 10-year-old boy in southern Sweden who was home alone at the time. … Read More

MI5 ‘tried to recruit’ Woolwich murder suspect

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 08:45:00 +0000

Abu Nusaybah, who claims to be a close friend of Adebolajo, was promptly arrested on BBC premises following an interview regarding the brutal killing in Woolwich on Wednesday. During the interview, Nusayaba stated that Adebolajo told him MI5 had “harassed” him for information on repeated occasions, and had even attempted to recruit him.“But after him saying that he didn't know these individuals, what he said was they asked him if he would be interested in working for them. He was explicit in that he refused to work for them but he did confirm he didn't know the individuals,” Nusayaba said.The Metropolitan Police said in a statement on Friday that a 31-year-old man had been detained in London under the Terrorism Act. Police said the arrest was not directly related to Wednesday’s murder.MI5 acknowledged on Thursday that Adebolajo had been known to them for eight years, prompting criticism that they could have taken steps to prevent the murder of 25-year-old Army Drummer Lee Rigby. Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale are suspected of hacking Rigby to death in broad daylight on Wednesday. The two suspects were shot by police during their arrest, and are now in hospital awaiting police questioning. Footage of Adebolajo surfaced showing him brandishing a bloody cleaver, claiming the attack was an “eye-for-an-eye” act to avenge Muslims killed abroad by UK troops.Nusayaba claimed that when he became acquainted with Adebolajo, the murder suspect did not exhibit any extremist Islamist tendencies. However, following a trip to Kenya last year where Adebolajo was allegedly taken into custody by the Kenyan military and was tortured and sexually abused, Nusayaba said he changed.“He was not his bubbly self,” Nasayaba said, adding that he became less talkative following the trip.Relatively little is known about the two suspects who committed the atrocity in Woolwich on Wednesday, which was condemned in the UK press as “Baghdad-style violence.” It was confirmed that Adebolajo and Adebolawe are UK citizens from devout Christian families of Nigerian descent, who later converted to Islam.He was also known to hand out radical Islamist leaflets that decried UK military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.Police raided Adebolajo’s family home in Lincolnshire following the killing. The family reportedly moved away from London over concerns their son was becoming more radicalized.There have been a number of arrests in London in connection with Wednesday’s murder. Detectives took a 29-year-old woman at a residential address in south London into custody on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder on Thursday. A 29-year-old male was also arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder. … Read More

Suicide bombing strikes police office in southern Russia’s Dagestan

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 08:27:00 +0000

Read original article: Suicide bombing strikes police office in southern Russia’s Dagestan

California State Geologist Comments On California Quake And Plate Movement

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 08:07:00 +0000

California sits between the San Andreas Fault and the Cascadia Fault line with many more minor faults snaking off across the area. … Read More

Risk Of Flares Down But New Coronal Hole Appears

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 07:16:00 +0000

A large coronal hole has opened up and the solar wind flowing from it will deliver a glancing blow on May 27-28th. … Read More

Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio ‘profiled’ Hispanics, says judge

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

The office of an Arizona lawman who styles himself America's toughest sheriff improperly targeted Hispanics in routine patrols for undocumented immigrants, a federal judge has found. … Read More

Iran presidential candidate Jalili vows to stand up to West

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 06:56:00 +0000

Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, who is one of the favourites in the presidential race, has vowed to stand up to the West if he is elected next month.

Saeed Jalili told a rally in Tehran that he wanted to spread the global influence of Islam.

One of several conservatives among the eight candidates, he has said the president should be obedient to the Supreme Leader.

“We have said time and again that we want to expand the power of Islam in the world and diminish the influence of arrogant powers,” Jalili told supporters, citing what is seen as a reference to the US.

The conservatives dominate the election field. Jalili’s rally was attended by many hardliners.

Much of his support is believed to come from the paramilitary branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

“Dr Jalili has shown great resistance and he has succeeded in continuing negotiations based on the country’s principles. He’s never made any concessions, and Western powers got none during his tenure. I’m very proud of that,” said one supporter who gave his name as Mohammadi.

But the extent of support for Jalili and the other conservatives from the public at large is uncertain. The last election four years ago saw massive pro-reform street protests.

This time prominent reformists are under house arrest and two former presidents are banned from running.

More about: Iran elections 2013, Islam, Tehran

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Woolwich attack: MI5 ‘offered job to suspect’

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 06:45:00 +0000

In his Newsnight interview, Abu Nusaybah said he thought "a change" had taken place in his friend after his detention by security forces on a trip to Kenya last year. … Read More

Pandemrix vaccine causes Narcolepsy in adults

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 06:29:00 +0000

In March, Swedish research linked the vaccine to a higher risk of narcolepsy among under-30′s, not just children and teens as previously thought. … Read More

Gun Owner Gets Fined $1000 For Unregistered Firearm After Saving Child’s Life

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 06:25:00 +0000

A police officer who heard the shot finished the job. But this man saved a child’s life and now he has been fined for doing so. … Read More

The individual vs. the collective in the Matrix

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 06:19:00 +0000

In the 1950s, before television had numbed minds and turned them into jelly, there was a growing sense of: the Individual versus the Corporate State. … Read More

Two cars collide as elk gives birth on road

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 06:01:00 +0000

Two cars collided on a road between Trollhättan and Vänersborg in western Sweden on Friday afternoon due to an elk having chosen the unusual spot to give birth to a calf. … Read More

Stockholm riots spread west on sixth night

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 05:30:00 +0000

A sixth straight night of unrest blighted several Stockholm suburbs on Friday night, spreading briefly to the city of Örebro, 160 kilometres to the west. … Read More

Field Notes: Tech Titans Choose Small or Secretive Ceremonies

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 05:05:00 +0000

Monica Corcoran Harel reports on the wedding of Sean Parker and other tech titans. … Read More

Mom is the Hero in Home Invasion

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 04:33:00 +0000

There have been several stories that have come across the media of the extraordinary things that mom’s do to save their children, this is just another one that goes to prove that woman are capable of anything. … Read More

FBI Agents Die Under Strange Circumstances

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 04:23:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/v/4tlpv_9kV70?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata Read the article: FBI Agents Die Under Strange Circumstances

Portugal author under investigation for presidential clown jibe

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 04:06:00 +0000

Top Portuguese minister resigns over university… 04/04/2013 18:22 CET

Portuguese author Miguel Sousa Tavares has landed himself in hot water after calling the president a clown.

His jibe made the front page of the leading financial daily, where he said the country didn’t need a figure like Italian comedian-turned politician Beppe Grillo, saying “We already have a clown, his name is Cavaco Silva.”

He is now under investigation and could face up to three years in prison for offending the honour of the president. Tavares admitted he may have gone too far with his remarks.

More about: Journalist, Political scandal, Portugal

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Fox News Reaffirms Stance Against Obama

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 03:48:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/v/Fae2crx2hAk?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata Original article: Fox News Reaffirms Stance Against Obama

Global march challenges Monsanto’s dominance: LIVE UPDATES

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 03:06:00 +0000

3:00 GMT: Watch RT's Anastasia Churkina report on the upcoming global protest.Video: /files/news/1f/32/00/00/original_monsanto-guest-churkina.asf2:44 GMT: Activists begin gathering for Sydney protest hours before the scheduled time. Great early turn out at the March Against Monsanto! @slowfoodozz twitter.com/slowfoodsydney… — Slow Food Sydney (@slowfoodsydney) May 25, 2013 2:14 GMT: Nick Bernabe, one of the organizers of the protest in California told RT that activists “want to spread awareness and we want to start from the ground up.”“The easiest thing you can do to know what’s in your food is to grow your own food,” he said. “We start there. At the very top we want labeling and a ban, but I think we should work from the ground up to have the best results.”2:20 GMT: Hundreds of people gathered for an event in Bellingen, New South Wales, Australia. Huge turn out in #Bellingen against #Monsanto twitpic.com/csy6mv — Cameron Bragg (@cdbragg) May 24, 2013 1:51 GMT: Just back from the @westendmarkets getting ready for the@march_against Monsanto twitter.com/barnyard63/sta… — Robert Pekin (@barnyard63) May 25, 2013 1:48 GMT: Worldwide actions for March Against #Monsanto are happening today. Get involved and say #noGMOPHOTO twitter.com/OllyActivistDo… — Olly Activist Dog (@OllyActivistDog) May 25, 2013 1:36 GMT: On the eve of the global protest against GMO, the US Senate overwhelmingly rejected a bill that would allow states to decide if genetically modified food products should be labeled.Since the FDA has not made scientific conclusions, the opponents of the measure argued, GMOs should not be labeled.“I believe we must rely on the FDA’s science-based examination before we make conclusions about food ingredients derived from genetically modified foods,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), who chairs the Agriculture Committee.1:00 GMT: We are beginning our extensive coverage of the global protest organized by the 'March Against Monsanto' movement. An estimated 200,000 activists are expected participate in the massive campaign spanning six continents, 40 nations, and at least 48 US states.Video: /files/news/1f/32/00/00/original_monst250513_503025_1.mp4 … Read More

Friend of suspect in UK soldier death arrested

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 02:55:00 +0000

Brutal London killing sparks security alert 22/05/2013 22:04 CET British police in new terrorism arrest 07/07/2012 14:42 CET Police arrest two ETA members in London 29/06/2012 16:56 CET Fear and anger in southeast London after murder of… 24/05/2013 04:06 CET UK police arrest two new suspects in soldier murder 24/05/2013 06:05 CET

Police have arrested a friend of one of the suspects in the killing of British soldier Lee Rigby in Woolwich after a TV interview in the UK.

Abu Nusaybah appeared on the BBC’s newsnight programme alleging that his friend Michael Adebolajo was asked to work for the MI5 just six months ago.

He also said that Adebolajo attended meetings of the now-banned al-Muhajiroun. Members of the group confirmed the suspect is the man seen in footage shot at meetings standing behind the leader Anjem Choudary.

Nusaybah claimed that his friend became radicalised six months ago, which he attributes to alleged experiences of sexual assault at the hands of the authorities in Kenya.

Arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000, Nusaybah is being held in a south London police station.

Following the soldier’s death the numbers of Islamophobic hate crimes have reported at ten times the usual rate. Muslim leaders have accused far-right extremists of attempting to capitalise on the murder.

British National Party leader and MEP Nick Griffin left a floral tribute for the soldier, and took the opportunity to say the attacks were the result of ‘mass immigration’, before causing a stir on twitter with a series of provocative tweets.

The far right English Defence League are staging a march in Newcastle on Saturday and another is scheduled for London on Monday.

More about: Arrest, Death, London, Terrorism

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Obama ‘worse than Nixon’ for press freedoms

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 02:36:00 +0000

Goodale is best known for using the First Amendment of the US Constitution to successfully defend the New York Times after the paper published the Pentagon Papers in 1971. The documents, leaked by Defense Department employee Daniel Ellsberg, revealed that four presidents had deliberately misled US citizens regarding the countries’ intentions in Vietnam. The Nixon administration sought to block the publication of the documents, citing national security and the Espionage Act. The case is especially relevant today as the Obama administration seeks to punish WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for publishing diplomatic cables leaked by US Army soldier Bradley Manning. The New York Times, the Guardian, and other outlets would also go on to publish the same information revealed by Manning but have not been targeted for punishment by the government prosecutors. Speaking with RT, Goodale also gave his opinion on the recent scandals that saw the US Department of Justice tap phones used by reporters, at least once going as far as to issue a search warrant for a Fox News correspondents’ email account. All, presumably, as part of an attempt to intimidate potential leakers and media personnel into remaining silent on issues that plague the nation. Goodale's book, "Fighting for the Press: The Inside Story of the Pentagon Papers and Other Battles," is available now. RT: In your new book you indicate that former US President Richard Nixon was out to destroy the New York Times, but you also argue that if President Obama succeeds at prosecuting Julian Assange he will be worse than Nixon for press freedom, why so? James Goodale: Let me say one thing about Nixon. He was out to destroy the New York Times, he was out to destroy Brookings Institution, and a lot of other institutions in the United States. President Obama is not out to destroy the Times. What we’re talking about is a discreet area, which is the relationship of the press to national security. In the Pentagon Papers area of national security, Nixon was terrible. He also happened to be terrible in the whole First Amendment area. Obama, by contrast, is okay in the First Amendment area but not okay in national security. Why?Because Obama has pursued six leakers, that’s the first bad thing he’s done. The second bad thing he’s done is pursued [reporter and leak recipient] James Risen. He’s also suing Julian Assange. If he’s pursuing Julian Assange as a co-conspirator and succeeds he’ll be worse than Nixon because Nixon tried to go after the New York Times and its reporters saying they were co-conspirators but Nixon failed. RT: In this context you view Julian Assange as the publisher, similar to the New York Times, similar to the Guardian, and all the other news outlets that then published what Julian Assange exposed through WikiLeaks. US officials maintain that Assange compromised national security by publishing classified documents. As you know, in America, sometimes the First Amendment is trumped by national security issues when information is disclosed when information is published that could threaten soldiers on the battlefield, or threaten the lives of soldiers here at home. Do you believe, honestly, that Assange should face no consequences whatsoever? JG: Yes, that’s right. The same claims were made about the New York Times when it published the Pentagon Papers. It was destroying national security, it was destroying lives. The First Amendment, in that case, trumped the claim of the Nixon administration. Now here, you have to ask yourself, ‘Well what is the First Amendment claim?’ The claim is that Assange can’t be punished if, in fact, there’s no clear and present danger to the country. If you look at the stuff that Assange published I would argue there’s no clear and present danger to the country. It’s been three years, where is the danger? You’re still here and I’m still here. All claims sound terrible when it comes to national security…In my book I look backwards at the Pentagon Papers and there was no damage to national security. You have to look at these claims with a jaundiced eye because after a period of time, you can look at them, and there’s no danger. RT: As you mentioned the Obama administration has prosecuted more alleged leakers under the Espionage Act than all previous administrations combined. Do you believe that leakers such as Bradley Manning should be subject to some discipline? JG: Yes, I do. I would think that if you started leaking information for the organization you work for then you ought to be fired. I think every organization ought to have a control over its employees, and therefore I think that the 20 years to which Bradley Manning has agreed probably is a good sentence. I think the question with Bradley Manning right now is, is he agreed to 20 years but the government wants to give him life. I just wonder if that’s appropriate but I do believe every organization ought to be able to discipline its employees. RT: Then do you fault the Department of Justice for trying to find out who the leakers are, because as you well know there’s been a scandal with the DoJ secretly obtaining the phone records from Associated Press journalists and they also obtained the warrant to search the email of a Fox News reporter. Do you defend the US government in trying to find out who the leakers are? JG: Well I think there is two things. We’ve got six leaker prosecutions, three in the whole history of the United States before then. Everyone leaks in Washington because everyone has got access to national security information. I think the Obama administration has got to dial it back. He’s dialed it back on drones but six [leak prosecutions] is too many. Once you start getting everybody, some of these cases start to blow up in your face. Then the second question is how you go about it. I don’t think, when the government is concerned about the behavior of its own employees, that it ought to take the press and throw them into the middle of it, which is what they have done in what we call Rosengate. James Rosen is the reporter for Fox News who was the subject of a search warrant, on a theory that he was a co-conspirator with a gentleman named Kim. I mean, when I look at you, you don’t look like a co-conspirator to me. But if you were to start covering some Washington stories, which inevitably involve national security information, you’re subject to be called a co-conspirator. Legally I could give you the whole song and dance but just for your viewers, and common sense, we know reporters aren’t co-conspirators and we know their records shouldn’t be subject to search warrants. Come on – lay off, President Obama. RT: Do you think they’re doing this to intimidate US journalists from seeking information and publishing these reports on national security issues? JG: Sure, if they did that to your colleague here you could be intimidated. They’re also trying to intimidate those who leak and, as I said, I think they should use some discretion there because when the president speaks to you, he’s leaking. Have you ever thought about that? Every piece of information in Washington, particularly the information which he has his hands on, is classified…So the impact is we have less information, we have less power, and the government – by keeping the information secret – they become more powerful. That’s not good for any of us. RT: As a result of the AP and Fox News scandals the New Yorker has launched Strongbox, an online drop box that allows anyone to send leaked documents without their identities ever being known. So this way if the Justice Department asks anyone from the New Yorker magazine ‘Where did you get this information? Who was your source?’ the New Yorker says ‘We don’t know.’ Don’t you find it interesting that the New Yorker is now using the First Amendment practices of Julian Assange to protect the Bradley Manning’s of the world? JG: It doesn’t surprise me at all, because that’s what the New Yorker should be doing in the digital age. That’s what publishers do. After the Julian Assange story broke the New York Times said they were going to set one up and I think the Wall Street Journal, too. Now Obama is saying he wants to get Assange, but Assange is just like the New Yorker, the Wall Street Journal. Obama might as well go get the New York Times, and that’s what I’m here to say I’m scared about. RT: During his speech on Thursday President Obama did say that he’s troubled by the possibility that the Department of Justice investigations into leaks may “chill the type of journalism that holds government accountable.” As a result, he’s calling on Congress to pass a Media Shield law to guard against government overreach. Do you think that will help to do anything or is it just rhetoric?JG: I think it’s probably both. What he said was he wants Chuck Schumer, our Senator in New York, to put the bill in. So Schumer gets up and says ‘Look, I’m going to put it in but first we’re going to make an exception so it doesn’t cover WikiLeaks’ and the second thing he said is that it won’t cover national security. I will say, in defense of Schumer, that the old bill on which this is placed didn’t completely eliminate all national security leaks but it had a provision in there that made it very difficult to justify so I question whether that is worth the camel. But gee whiz, we’re not going to protect Julian Assange when the New Yorker is doing the same thing. RT: There have certainly been some cases where journalists have abused their power. A recent example is that Bloomberg reporters are facing a scandal after being accused of accessing private data on the Bloomberg terminal to further their reporting. Do you see this is as big deal?JG: Yes I think that’s a big deal. It’s a little bit like the Rupert Murdoch scandal in London when the papers were hacking in [to a murder victim’s cell phone]. This isn’t hacking, I suppose, but it is the same effect. You’ve got to have privacy for your emails but I’m not defending the Bloomberg journalists. I think we’ve got to realize that we’re in a new, digital world and we’ve got to get clear on what the rules are because it’s so easy to cheat. RT: You’ve been called the father of reporters’ privileges. What do you see as the current threats to press freedom in the United States?JG: It, frankly, is President Obama and Rosengate because this is the first time the – I hate to use the term ‘Espionage Act,’ we’ll say national security act for your viewers – has been used to get reporters. I mean, that really is frightening because it’s usually used to get leakers. Rosen is a leakee, to use legal phraseology. If the Obama administration, or at least his Justice Department, thinks they can use criminal laws to get journalists because they’re co-conspirators, honestly that is one of the worst things I’ve come across in all the years I’ve been doing this. RT: In closing, I mentioned your book at the beginning of the interview, what do you hope that readers get from your book?JG: Well, the purpose of the book is to learn the lesson from the Pentagon Papers, which is to say any president who messes with national security is going to be in deep yogurt. Wake up, America. Wake up, President Obama. President Obama, don’t go after Julian Assange and call him a co-conspirator, that’s bad for everybody. … Read More

Alex Jones Show: Friday (5-24-13) Paul Hellyer – Edited

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 01:59:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/v/FPvmr0RXg-M?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata Original post: Alex Jones Show: Friday (5-24-13) Paul Hellyer – Edited

Delinquent US student loans hit record high, with over $100 billion past due

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 01:11:00 +0000

With continued concern regarding rising college costs, the amount of outstanding student loans has now reached $1 trillion, making that the largest category of consumer debt in the US aside from home mortgages. According to the new report, eleven per cent of school loans - one hundred and ten billion dollars' worth - are now seriously delinquent, meaning at least 90 days past due. That is a sharp increase from the 6 per cent reported in the first quarter of 2003. The long-term consequences of the school loan repayment burden can include a graduate’s choice of jobs, as well as the ability to buy a home. A tight job market and a continued increase in the cost of higher education leave many to question the very value of obtaining a college degree, as opposed to more vocationally oriented training.“Today’s economy puts young graduates in a difficult position,” Jack Buckley, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, which published the report, said in a statement.“A college diploma no longer guarantees a direct pathway to the middle class, making it harder to justify the expense of a degree.” Still, as Bloomberg reports, the employment rate for college graduates in the US is 87 per cent, as compared with 64 per cent for those with only a high school school diploma.One item which seems to have been eclipsed in recent partisan wrangling in Congress is a looming rate increase in federal student loans, which is set to double to 6.8 per cent on July 1 assuming there is no intervention. That rate increase would impact the more than 7.4 million students who can currently apply for a 3.4 interest loan.On Thursday, the House voted along party lines to push forward a Republican initiative to intervene in the interest rate increase, though the specifics of the plan is sure to have the student loan debate take center stage in coming weeks.The new bill would allow student lending rates to reset every year, tied to the interest rate of a 10-year US Treasury note, plus 2.5 percentage points for federal Stafford loans. According to the Congressional Budget Office, that means that the projected rate increase on those loans would rise to 5 per cent in 2014, and 7.7 per cent in 2023.“Who’s going to set interest rates, politicians here or the markets?” asked Representative John Kline, Republican of Minnesota.The legislation would cap Stafford loans at 8.5 per cent, with a higher maximum of 10.5 per cent for graduate loans.Democrats, who are thus far opposing the Republican plan, prefer to extend the current Stafford subsidized rate - subsidized meaning that interest is not accrued while a student is enrolled - at a cost of $8.3 billion to the federal government, which would in theory be paid for by closing tax loopholes.According to The New York Times, some Democrats want to take things even further. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has proposed locking in a 4 per cent rate for all student loans, and allowing graduates with higher interest rate loans to refinance at that rate.President Obama has already put forth his own proposal, which, like the Republican plan would tie student loan rates to the Treasury’s borrowing costs, but would then fix that rate for the life of the loan, rather than resetting each year. The administration’s plan would also cap loan repayments at 10 per cent of a student’s income.Delinquency rates on existing student loan debt suggests that, whatever solution Congress ultimately selects to follow, it will have to make loan repayments feasible as higher education costs continue to increase while wages have stayed roughly the same for several decades.In addition to the Republican-sponsored bill HR1911, there are at least eight other bills aimed at modifying or freezing interest rates on federal school loans before the July 1 deadline.The White House on Wednesday threatened to veto the Republican bill, arguing that it would not guarantee low rates due to its yearly reset.Meanwhile, Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of Edvisors.com, says the fight over subsidized loan rates “is a distraction from the real problem, which is the amount of debt, not the cost of debt.”Kantrowitz may well have a point. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, a recent study from Fidelity found that “70 per cent of the class of 2013 is graduating with college-related debt – averaging $35,200 – including federal, state and private loans, as well as debt owed to family and accumulated through credit cards.” … Read More

New York fast-food workers protest Wendy’s in latest labor rights demo

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:59:00 +0000

Two labor rights groups, Fast Food Forward and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, organized rallies Thursday and Friday outside the Sofitel Hotel in midtown Manhattan, where Wendy’s executives had gathered for an annual conference. The crowd chanted “$15 and a Union,” reiterating their basic demand for higher wages and the right to organize without fear of retaliation. Hourly workers in the roughly 5,900 Wendy’s locations across the US often earn between $7.25 per hour, the federal minimum wage standard, and $7.45, according to the Village Voice. An average fast food worker earns approximately $11,300 annually, a sum far below the national poverty line. “I’m tired of working all week, going to cash my check, and the check bounces,” Marcus Rose, a Wendy’s worker in Brooklyn, told the Voice. “A lot of people have children out here, but don’t have enough money to put clothes on their back.” The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) also called on Wendy’s to join Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway and Chipotle to provide better wages for the Florida farmworkers who supply the major chains with tomatoes. Wendy’s released a statement claiming, “All of our Florida tomato suppliers participate in the Fair Food Program, and are required to operate in a way that is safe and lawful for all our workers ” — a misleading assertion, according to Gerardo Reyes Chavez of the CIW. “Wendy’s is not participating in the Fair Food Program but its CEO has claimed in front of its shareholders that it does,” Chavez told the Nation’s Restaurant News. “Wendy’s has not signed a Fair Food agreement with the CIW. Wendy’s is not paying a penny premium to increase workers’ pay, and Wendy’s has not committed to using its purchasing power to eradicate abuses in the fields together with growers and farm workers.” This week's rallies follow recent protests in Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, Washington, DC and New York calling on all major fast food brands to boost wages. Addressing the unrest, New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced last week that his office has opened an investigation into at least one chain, which went unnamed, for wage theft. The assertions of abuse, echoed by fast-food workers across the country, allege that many restaurant franchises have forced employees to pay out of their own pocket when the register is short, denied overtime pay, made employees work off the clock, and refused to allow breaks. An astounding 84 per cent of New York fast-food workers reported being victims of wage theft and a national poll of 4,500 workers found that two-thirds experience some kind of wage theft at least once a week. New York City councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito, who represents low-income neighborhoods in New York's Harlem and Bronx sections, told protesters last week the demonstrations were evidence of a “hidden crime wave” that has abused the working poor for years. “This is a crime wave that is not being engaged in by petty thieves, but by a multibillion-dollar industry,” she said. … Read More

IMF chief Lagarde avoids formal investigation in Tapie case

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:55:00 +0000

IMF chief Christine Lagarde escapes formal… 24/05/2013 22:05 CET IMF boss Lagarde faces more grilling over payment to… 24/05/2013 11:34 CET Lagarde questioned by Paris court over payout to… 23/05/2013 11:45 CET Lagarde’s IMF post hangs in balance 23/05/2013 18:23 CET Lagarde’s flat searched in embezzlement inquiry 20/03/2013 13:15 CET

A French court has decided against placing International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde under investigation over a payout made whilst she was finance minister.

The decision to make her an ‘assisted witness’ means she is no longer being charged with misuse of public funds, an allegation which jeopardised her job.

Answering reporters outside the courtroom she said: “I was able to provide information to demonstrate that I have always acted in the best interest of the state and in accordance with the law. My status of assisted witness confirms this.”

The case probes a 400-million euro arbitration payment made to a supporter of former president Nicolas Sarkozy, Bernard Tapie in 2007. Lagarde chose to use arbitration in a long-running legal battle which led to a larger payout than would have been awarded by a court. She insists it was the best solution at the time.

Our correspondant in Paris, Galina Polonskaya said:

“Christine Lagarde said that she was not surprised by the decision which was the result of two very long days. Now she is returning to the Washington to tell her colleagues at the IMF the news.”

More about: Christine Lagarde, IMF, Justice, Trial

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Foreign aid boosts Ethiopia’s economy

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:50:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/v/dlPlA8OLIrI?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata Source: Foreign aid boosts Ethiopia’s economy

FBI killing of man with ties to Tsarnaev: Self-defense or case of excessive force?

Anon — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:03:00 +0000

So was there a knife?According to the preliminary FBI account, Todashev, a 28-year-old Chechen immigrant living in Orlando, Florida, became violent and lunged at an FBI special agent with a knife while being questioned about his ties to alleged Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev and an unsolved 2011 triple murder in the Boston suburb of Waltham. The agent, reacting to an “imminent threat,” shot Todashev dead.Later in the day, FBI officials backed away from that version of events, leaving no clear official account of what happened moments before Todashev was killed on Wednesday. Witnesses report hearing multiple shots that night, and while an autopsy reportedly completed by Thursday, the report will not be released until a criminal investigation into the event is completed. At the time of the shooting, up to half a dozen law-enforcers, including two Massachusetts State Police troopers and an FBI agent from the agency’s Boston division, were present at the condo not far from Universal Studios. The FBI claims that moments before Todashev "just went crazy" and attacked the agent, he had agreed to sign a confession which would have implicated both him and Tamerlan in the unsolved killings in which three male victims brutally had their throats slit. The murders took place on September 11, 2011, the ten year anniversary of the World Trade Center attack. While law enforcement sources initially said Todashev stabbed the agent with a knife, there was later “confusion” over what object he actually used to attack his questioner, ABC news reports.“Definitely no one said that he had pulled a gun but there was some media talk about whether he had pulled a knife, and then the FBI retracted that and said we don’t know exactly what happened,” said Sahar Aziz, and Associate Law Professor at Texas Wesleyan University. “So there is definitely a question of whether shooting him was a use of excessive force. Because even if, for example, he had punched the officer, it could possibly be unreasonable or unnecessary to shoot someone in defense of being punched. Usually you are supposed to use commensurate force,” she told RT.‘He just wanted everything to be over’ The FBI first began surveillance and later questioned Todashev several days after the April 15 Boston attack took place. From all accounts, he had cooperated with investigators up until his death. Todashev had reportedly purchased a plane ticket before the bombings occurred to return to his native Chechnya, but canceled his trip at the FBI’s request.“He had a ticket to New York. From there, he was going to go home [to Chechnya],” WESH Orlando quoted his friend and roommate Kushen Taramov as saying. “[The FBI was] pushing him to stay, saying, ‘we want to interview one last time.'" Taramov said Todashev canceled the ticket at the FBI’s insistence. When news of the shooting first broke, Taramov said he and Todashev had been interviewed by FBI agents for nearly three hours on Tuesday in connection with the Boston Marathon bombings.“(The FBI) took me and my friend, the suspect that got killed. They were talking to us, both of us, right? And they said they need him for a little more, for a couple more hours, and I left, and they told me they’re going to bring him back. They never brought him back.” Taramov, who noted that Todashev had been interviewed on multiple occasions following the Boston attack, denies law enforcement accounts that his friend simply went crazy and attacked."He didn't flip out," Taramov, said. "I think something went wrong there. I think they just shot him. He didn't do anything. I know him. He just wanted everything to be over." Todashev did have a history of violence. According to records from the Orange County Sheriff Office, Todashev had been charged earlier this month with aggravated battery for allegedly fighting with a father and son over a parking space in a mall parking lot in Kissimmee, Florida. Todashev said he acted in self-defense.While living in Boston, he was also arrested in February 2010 after getting into a fight with strangers. One witness stated Todashev “was clearly the aggressor,” according to police reports.However, his father, Abdulbaki Todashev, described his son as “a very calm” man, saying his son would not become aggressive without reason.“Never in his life would he attack anyone unprovoked,” the elder Todashev stressed.Todashev’s estranged wife, Reniya Manukyan, said her husband was cooperating with the FBI and had nothing to hide. "He wasn't involved. So he was not even nervous [to talk with the FBI]," local NBC affiliate News Channel 5 cites her as saying.Manukyan said their common Chechen roots and an interest in mixed martial arts brought her husband into contact with Tsarnaev, but “they weren’t friends or anything.” “He expected that they were going to come and question him because they both come from the same place from Chechnya,” she explained.She also denies her husband’s role in the 2011 triple homicide, though she does confirm he traveled back to Boston in the summer of 2011. DNA from that crime scene is currently being tested and compared with Todashev's DNA.Later, in an angry post on Vkontakte, Russia’s most popular social network, Manukyan blasted the FBI with an expletive-strewn post, claiming: “ Killing my husband Ibragim was another [proof] that everything is a setup about Tsarnaev brothers as well. ”Many questions with no answers, yetEarly on Wednesday morning, officials at the FBI headquarter in Washington dispatched a shooting-response unit to Florida to help investigators determine what had occurred.The following day, scores of FBI employees could be seen coming and going from the condo where Todashev was killed.In addition to the FBI's review team, a separate Shooting Incident Review Group committee will analyze the incident. The independent committee, which includes up to 13 members of the FBI, will evaluate whether use of force was justified. No new information will likely surface until those investigations are concluded.But apart from the use of deadly force, several other questions have been raised regarding the death of Todashev.If Todashev had a history of violence, was being interviewed in connection with a recent terrorist event, and was believed to have played a role in a related triple homicide, why was he being interviewed in his home at midnight and not at a law enforcement facility?How did a knife or other unidentified object come into his possession during the course of the several hour interview?If law enforcers are unwilling to state emphatically that the object in question was even a knife, was lethal force necessary to subdue him while vastly outnumbered by several agents?Todashev had yet to be charged with a crime and had every right to refuse being questioned without having a lawyer present. From all accounts, he had been willing to cooperate with the FBI on multiple occasions. He also chose not to return home to Chechnya although he had already purchased tickets and no warrant had been issued for his arrest. If he felt cornered or pressured into making a confession, why would he attack half a dozen law enforcers rather than ask for a lawyer?And last but not least - was the final interrogation videotaped?“We know very little about what happened because the only source of information is the FBI and presumably it’s not in their self-interest to reveal too much information [since] there’s now an investigation into his death because this could possibly be a case of excessive force in violation of his constitutional rights,” Sahar Aziz argues. Whatever happened that night, Taramov recalled an ominous conversation he had with Todashev just hours before his death.“We had a feeling, worst case scenario something like that was going to happen…He felt inside he was going to get shot," Taramov said."I told him, 'everything is going to be fine, don't worry about it.' He said, 'I have a really bad feeling.'" … Read More

In Guantanamo, fine words are no substitute for freedom

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:27:00 +0000

Until six weeks ago, the majority of prisoners were spending most of their time communally, in Camp Six of the prison, where they were able to watch TV and would have seen President Obama's speech. Six weeks ago, however, after an early morning raid, the majority of the prisoners were moved to solitary cells, where they have remained ever since - as punishment for embarking on a prison-wide hunger strike, now in its fourth month.Yesterday, Navy Captain Robert Durand, a spokesman for the Guantánamo prison, told Reuters that the prisoners "follow all coverage of Guantánamo closely," although he conceded that only "about two dozen had unrestricted access to television in communal settings."The irony is lost on the military - and appears to be lost on the Obama administration too. The men's decision not to eat - and to risk starving themselves to death - was initially prompted by guards manhandling the prisoners' copies of the Qur'an, but it soon tapped into a deeper despair about their indefinite detention.President Obama promised to close Guantánamo within a year when he took office in January 2009, but met opposition from Congress, which prevented him from closing the prison by bringing prisoners to a facility on the US mainland, and also prevented him from bringing any of the men to the US to face trials.Throughout 2009, an inter-agency task force appointed by the President reviewed all the prisoners' cases, and recommended that, of the 166 men still held, 86 should be released. However, in January 2010, following a failed bomb plot, hatched in Yemen, to blow up a plane bound for Detroit, the President himself imposed a ban on releasing any cleared Yemenis, even though 56 of the 86 prisoners cleared for release are Yemenis.In the last two years, Congress has imposed further restrictions, in successive versions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), preventing the release of prisoners if there is a single claim that anyone previously transferred to their home country has “subsequently engaged in any terrorist activity,” and also preventing the release of prisoners to any other country unless the Secretary of Defense issues a certificate to ensure that any freed prisoner "cannot engage or re-engage in any terrorist activity.” The ban imposed by President Obama unjustly condemned the Yemenis to indefinite detention on the basis of their nationality alone, while the restrictions imposed by Congress partly echoed that, whilst also making the unreasonable demand that no one should be freed from a prison if there was a possibility that they might one day engage in acts of terrorism against their former jailers.To add insult to injury, judges in the court of appeals in Washington D.C., a deeply conservative court charged with reviewing the men's hard-won habeas corpus petitions, which were granted by the Supreme Court in 2008, were upset that, between 2008 and 2010, dozens of prisoners had their habeas corpus petitions granted by the lower courts, leading to their release. The court rewrote the rules, insisting that any information presented as evidence by the government should be treated as accurate unless it could be proved otherwise. Since then no habeas petitions have been granted, and, despite appeals from the prisoners, the Supreme Court has refused to get involved.Abandoned by all three branches of the US government, the prisoners' hunger strike was a desperate way of trying to get the world to notice them and to remember them, and it worked. In the last few months, the world's media has woken up to the horrors of Guantánamo, and the President has been bombarded with criticism - from senior lawmakers, including Sen. Carl Levin, the chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, as well as from the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the European Parliament. Critical editorials have graced the pages of the New York Times and the Washington Post, op-eds written by prisoners have appeared in the New York Times and the Observer, and nearly a million people have signed petitions calling for the release of prisoners and the closure of the prison.So what now? On Thursday President Obama delivered a series of promises in response to the criticism directed at him. These appear to show the way forward - and to bring hope to the men at Guantánamo for the first time since 2009 - but they will need close monitoring, and relentless pressure, to make sure they lead to meaningful action.Firstly, the President said, “I am appointing a new, senior envoy at the State Department and Defense Department whose sole responsibility will be to achieve the transfer of detainees to third countries.”Secondly, he said, “I am lifting the moratorium on detainee transfers to Yemen, so we can review them on a case by case basis.”Thirdly, he said, “To the greatest extent possible, we will transfer detainees who have been cleared to go to other countries.”On the first point, it is disappointing that the President has not decided to appoint an official within the White House to deal with Guantánamo, and it is also disappointing that the individual is only to be tasked with "the transfer of detainees to third countries" rather than the closure of the prison. However, it is progress. In January, it was revealed that the previous envoy, Daniel Fried, had been reassigned, and that no one had been appointed to take his place.What needs to happen now is for this individual to be named as swiftly as possible, and for he or she to begin to transfer the 30 cleared prisoners who are not Yemenis. If Congress remains obstructive, the President and the Secretary of Defense must use a waiver provision that exists in the NDAA, which allows them to bypass Congress if they regard it as being “in the national security interests of the United States.”On the second point, lifting the ban on releasing Yemenis is crucial, but there now needs to be immediate action to facilitate the men's release. Again, the waiver will be needed if Congress refuses to cooperate, but otherwise there should be no obstacles to the successful release of the 56 men. Prior to President Obama's speech, current and former administration officials told the Wall Street Journal that the transfers to Yemen “would begin slowly, starting with two or three detainees, to ensure Yemen can keep track of the detainees and prevent them from joining militant groups.” The beginning of this process, the official said, “could still be months away.”The Wall Street Journal also noted that recent steps taken by the Yemeni government “may make it easier for the Pentagon to sign the waiver,” adding, “President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi’s government, which has increased counter-terrorism cooperation with the US, has pledged to monitor the detainees closely and put them through an intensive rehabilitation program.”The Wall Street Journal also noted that “US and Yemeni officials have held negotiations in recent weeks about restarting the transfers, including promising to share information about former detainees. The Yemeni government has said multiple ministries will monitor the ex-detainees to guard against activities that are potentially threatening to the US and to ensure they receive counselling, job training and other aid to help their reintegration into society.” On the third point, plans to free the 30 non-Yemeni prisoners cleared for release need to begin immediately, involving the President's new envoy and, if necessary, the waiver mentioned above. The first to be released should be Shaker Aamer, the last British resident in the prison, but there are also five Tunisians, a Saudi, four Afghans and others whose release should not be a complicated matter.The cases of others - including the last three Uighurs (Muslims from China's Xinjiang province), four Syrians, the last Tajik and the last Palestinian - are more complicated, because it is unsafe for them to be repatriated, and new homes need to be found for them. This is also the case with most, if not all of the last five Algerians. The plight of these men is complicated by the fact that the US refuses to resettle any of these men, but it is anticipated that third countries can be found if the Obama administration provides full backing to the President 's new envoy.There is more that still needs doing, of course. The 80 other prisoners in Guantánamo also need justice, and will not be reassured that the President stated in his speech, "Where appropriate, we will bring terrorists to justice in our courts and military justice system," and specifically referred to some of the 80 men as those "who we know have participated in dangerous plots or attacks, but who cannot be prosecuted - for example because the evidence against them has been compromised or is inadmissible in a court of law."46 of the remaining 80 men were consigned to indefinite detention without charge or trial in an executive order issued by the President two years ago, on the basis of the "compromised" evidence mentioned by the President. At the time, these men were promised periodic reviews of their cases, but those have not yet taken place. These need to be initiated, and they need to allow objective analysis of that "compromised" evidence - because that will reveal that much of it is worthless, consisting of false statements made by prisoners subjected to torture or other abuse, or who were bribed with food or the promise of additional "comfort items."For the others, recommended for trial by the task force, only seven currently face charges in the much-criticized military commissions at Guantánamo, and most of the men in this category should also receive objective reviews of their cases. This is particularly important because judges recently ruled that most of the charges relied upon by the government - providing material support for terrorism, and conspiracy - are not war crimes, and threw out two of the only convictions secured in the military commissions' stumbling history.Mostly, however, as outlined above, the men at Guantánamo need to see meaningful progress from the President who promised "hope and change" back in 2008, and then failed to deliver it - and for 86 of these men, that means, as soon as possible, that they should be given their freedom, and not just subjected to the fine words that President Obama is so good at delivering, as a substitute for action. Andy Worthington for RTAndy Worthington is a freelance investigative journalist, author and filmmaker, who has been researching and writing about Guantánamo since 2006. He is also the co-founder of the "Close Guantánamo" campaign. See his website here. … Read More

Left and right battle for Rome in mayoral elections

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:17:00 +0000

Italy votes in general election as Europe watches and… 24/02/2013 05:06 CET Last-minute appeals to voters as Italy election… 23/02/2013 03:25 CET Italian President to name his choice for PM 24/04/2013 00:56 CET Italy’s new PM: ‘Balanced’ or a ‘sell-out’, reactions… 24/04/2013 18:25 CET Bersani faces tough task to form Italian government 23/03/2013 16:15 CET

Putting his legal battles to one side, former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi was all smiles as he cheered his party’s candidate for the mayoral elections in Rome.

Incumbent mayor Gianni Alemanno is lagging behind in the polls, and it is unclear whether Berlusconi’s support is helping as he faces court cases for alleged fraud and for paying for sex with a minor.

The frontrunner is Democratic party candidate Ignazio Marino who promised to bring back ‘honesty, transparency and culture’ to the eternal city.

Marcello De Vito is running for the 5-star movement, the party of former comedian Beppe Grillo who took a quarter of the votes in national elections in February.

Sixteen other candidates are standing including a monarchist who wants Italy to have a king again.

Local elections will take place in over 500 districts with the results expected Monday night.

If no one wins more than 50 percent of the vote, the two top candidates face a runoff in June 9-10.

More about: Italian elections 2013, Municipal elections, Rome, Silvio Berlusconi

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MSNBC Caught Lying to Viewers

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 22:56:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/v/2gv7VbAwvQY?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata Link - MSNBC Caught Lying to Viewers

Activist Adam Kokesh Calls on “American Revolutionary Army” to March on all 50 State Capitals

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 22:56:00 +0000

In a statement released from a Philadelphia federal prison, former marine and now imprisoned activist Adam Kokesh called for a new American revolution, complete with an American Revolutionary Army that would march on all 50 state capitals to put the federal government on notice. … Read More

Two more for Palme d’Or

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 22:37:00 +0000

Nicole Kidman and Heidi Klum attend ‘Nebraska‘… 24/05/2013 10:12 CET Renowned Indian dancer Raghunath Manet brings his… 23/05/2013 17:00 CET ‘The Bling Ring’ premieres at Cannes film festival 17/05/2013 12:36 CET The spirit of Pierre de Coubertin at Cannes film… 16/05/2013 10:55 CET Scene is set for Cannes Film Festival 15/05/2013 16:35 CET

Day ten of the Cannes film festival, and two more movies competing for the top prize.

French Oscar winner Marion Cotillard together with Joaquin Phoenix star in one of the entries for the Palme d’Or, “The Immigrant”.

It’s about a young woman, played by Cotillard who arrives in America at the turn of the century. Her character, Ewa, is forced into a life of burlesque by Joaquin Phoenix’s character, Bruno Weiss, until a magician, Orlando, played by Jeremy Renner tries to save her.

‘The Immigrant’ has echoes in today’s treatment of Mexicans in the US, which was the director’s intention. It vividly portrays the teeming life in New York in the 1900s. But it has opened to mixed reviews in the US.

Meanwhile, another entry, ‘Michael Kohlkaas’ stars Mads Mikkelsen, who won best actor at Cannes last year. Set in the 1700s in France and based on a German novel, it’s about a a horse trader who takes up arms against a local lord.

More about: Cannes Film Festival 2013, Celebrity News, Film festival, Marion Cotillard

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Weekend Open Forum: Which trade show would you want to attend?

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 22:30:00 +0000

Two of the largest technology-related trade shows in the world are scheduled to take place next month. Computex kicks off on June 4 and runs through the 8th in Taipei, Taiwan, while E3 takes place June 11 through the 13th in Los Angeles. … Read More

How The March Against Monsanto Can (and will) Change The World

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 22:21:00 +0000

There's a revolution happening right before our eyes, and before I had the opportunity to help with the world-wide March Against Monsanto, I was largely oblivious to this sea change that is coming. … Read More

21 Medical Kit Must Haves for treating a gunshot wound when the SHTF

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 22:20:00 +0000

A medical kit is an asset. And its an asset that will only go UP in value when the SHTF… whether you’re the one using it or someone else, make sure you have one. … Read More

Today’s Scuttlebot: Angry Lego Birds and 3-D Printer Medicine

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 22:14:00 +0000

The technology reporters and editors of The New York Times scour the Web for important and peculiar items. For Friday, selections include earthquakes shifting the locations of GPS markers on the ground, high-tech ways to treat wounds and some biological hard-wiring that makes the Internet so attractive. … Read More

Rand Paul: Obama Embroiled In ‘Old MacDonald’s Farm’ Of Scandals

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 22:04:00 +0000

Senator Rand Paul hit out yesterday at the White House and the president himself regarding his handling of the triple whammy of scandals his administration has become embroiled in. … Read More

‘Lack of public debate on immigration caused Stockholm riots’

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 22:03:00 +0000

Stockholm is reeling as two schools, a police station and dozens of cars were set ablaze in the fifth night of riots.Twelve people were arrested as rioters and police clashed with stone throwing youths in poor, largely immigrant districts of the Swedish capital.Blogger and social commentator, Mishra Mrutyuanjai, believes Sweden has full right to apply restrictive immigration policies when there aren’t many jobs to offer to the people who come to the country. RT: You are a member of the Swedish Democrats known for their have an anti-immigration stance. Youth unemployment in the suburb at the center of these riots is close to 30 per cent – is that to blame?Mishra Mrutyuanjai: Let me start by saying that I’m a member of the Swedish Democratic Party, which stands for fair immigration policy. It’s not an anti-immigration political party. Secondly, I think what has really caused these riots is, you know, a lack of open debate. And, you know, many rioters including myself have warned for long time that this kind of things do happen and now they’re happening. RT: Riots flared up in an immigrant suburb of Malmo five years ago, and violence is hitting Stockholm now. What can be done to stop it from happening again?MM: What really is required in Sweden is to shed this guard of political correctness. We’ve had this is Sweden… one of my good Swedish friends has said to me: in Denmark, you have an open debate; in Norway, you have a half-open debate; and in Sweden you have, actually, a closed debate. What we, actually, should start doing in Sweden is to start debating about things among other issues like what we recently now see happening in Stockholm. RT: Are there similarities between these riots and others, like the London riots of 2011, or those in the suburbs of Paris that flare from time to time?MM: Well, there are similarities and there are also arguments for that it’s quite unique because one must understand that Sweden is a very generous welfare state. It, actually, had given more to its immigrants than is the case in France or London. But the thing is that it’s a never-ending story like, I mean, the demands keep on increasing. Probably it’s high time that Sweden starts making demands on its immigrants and say: well, you have to learn the language; well, you have something more to do to get employment etc. and etc. RT: Do you think that the measures are you talking about will be able to improve the situation and how soon it can happen?MM: Well, this very generous and open immigration policy has resulted in a kind of ghettoized suburbs. And you see these problems emerging from these suburbs. So, first and foremost, there’s a need of a very realistic immigration policy which means that when there aren’t so many jobs that there’s a need of some restrictive and selective immigration policy. And this is in the interests of immigrants. Mind you, these aren’t just Swedish people saying this. I’ve written this in my blog that immigrants want that they should be getting jobs before they keep on inviting more and more people to Sweden. … Read More

GMO Labeling Bill Shot Down In Senate Just Days Before March Against Monsanto

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:59:00 +0000

Just days before the massive worldwide event know as March Against Monsanto, the Senate has once again sided with Monsanto by overwhelmingly voting against a bill that would have allowed individual states to choose whether or not to label GMO foods. … Read More

Alex Jones: The True Nature of Evil

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:54:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/v/jA2hvazrpiE?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata View article: Alex Jones: The True Nature of Evil

Spain: Princess Cristina faces new tax probe

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:25:00 +0000

Europe’s battle against 1 trillion euro tax evasion 21/05/2013 16:50 CET Combating offshore accounts 02/05/2013 12:31 CET Super-rich cover blown by offshore tax haven leak 04/04/2013 11:06 CET Greece: Ex-finance minister faces tax probe 18/01/2013 11:14 CET Russia offers way out to tax-weary French actor 03/01/2013 13:06 CET

Spanish Princess Cristina is facing a new probe over suspected fraud.

The daughter of King Juan Carlos had been named as suspected in a case of embezzlement against her husband, Iñaki Urdangarín, earlier this month, but the decision was overturned.

However, judge Jose Castro ordered a new investigation into her financial affairs after examining 10 years worth of tax returns submitted to the court in the case against her husband.

The probe into former handball star, Urdangarín, involves the misuse of millions of euros of public funds meant for sports events.

News of further investigation into the royal family’s alleged financial misdealings will do little for its public image at a time of economic hardship in Spain.

More about: Spain, Tax evasion, Tax fraud

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A Best-Selling Phone? It’s Not Just a Good Phone

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:10:00 +0000

Making a good phone isn't enough to compete in the brutal handset market. Just ask HTC, BlackBerry, Nokia and just about any company that isn't Apple. Chetan Sharma, an independent telecommmunications analyst who does consulting for carriers, has come up with a formula to help explain how a phone becomes a big seller or a flop in the United States. … Read More

Britain’s Eton College asks teenage candidates to justify shooting protesters

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:01:00 +0000

The question, which was put to students applying for the King’s Scholarship, worth one tenth of Eton’s £32,000 a year fees, is entitled “Concerning Cruelty, Clemency and Whether It Is better To Be Loved than Feared”, and follows a passage from Machiavelli.“The year is 2040. There have been riots in the streets of London after Britain has run out of petrol because of an oil crisis in the Middle East. Protesters have attacked public buildings. Several policemen have died. Consequently, the government has deployed the army to curb the protests. After two days the protests have stopped but 25 protestors have been killed by the army,” the question reads.Candidates are then asked to imagine that they were the Prime Minister and to write a speech for broadcast to the nation on why the decision to deploy the army against violent protests was both necessary and morally right.The paper was set in April 2011, just after the student riots in which the headquarters of the Conservative Party and the treasury were hit and, by coincidence, just before the August 2011 riots, which injured many and caused millions of pounds of damage. At the time David Cameron warned that the army might be deployed.The question caused uproar, with many taking to twitter to express their disagreement.Damian Walter tweeted sarcastically, “having been born into a council estate single parent family, I would never question the superiority of Eton boys with millionaire parents.” Seriously, that Eton scholarship exam question is spectacular: etoncollege.com/userfiles/file… twitter.com/flashboy/statu… — Tom Phillips (@flashboy) May 23, 2013 This leaked scholarship exam paper from Eton is beyond parody & v revealing about Cameron's Britain lrb.co.uk/blog/2013/05/2… — Johann Hari (@johannhari101) May 24, 2013 Huh, my tweet about burning Eton to the ground didn't seem to lose me any followers. Seems you lot are the right sort. — Michael Richmond (@Sisyphusa) May 24, 2013 The headmaster of Eton College, Tony Little, emailed the US paper the Huffington Post saying the question has been taken out of context and that Eton School does not favor any particular political viewpoint.“We are looking for candidates who can see both sides of an idea and express them clearly. High ability candidates at this level are often asked to put themselves in someone else’s shoes,” he wrote.He then compared the question to a GCSE level English question, which is sat by all secondary school 16-year olds in England and Wales as well as those from fee paying public schools, in which he imagined a question, “Imagine you are Lady Macbeth, write a diary entry to express your feelings on receiving your husband’s letter.”He added that a similar question in this year’s paper was about a community without any government. Both the current British Prime Minister David Cameron and the London Mayor Boris Johnson went to Eton, Boris was also a King’s Scholar. … Read More

Google may also be considering a Waze buyout

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:00:00 +0000

Recently, we heard that Facebook was deep in negotiations to purchase Waze for around $1 billion. According to a report from Bloomberg, it looks like Google might be throwing its name in the hat as a possible buyer. This could lead to a bidding war between the two giants, which of... … Read More

Judge charged with stealing confiscated cocaine from cases he presided over

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:53:00 +0000

Paul Pozonsky, a 57-year-old former Washington County judge, resigned from his position last year amid reports that he was the target of a state grand jury investigation. In May 2012, state police investigators discovered that evidence envelopes meant to contain cocaine were either missing, had been tampered with, or contained baking soda. The packets filled with baking soda also contained the former judge’s DNA. In May 2011, Pozonsky requested that police bring all confiscated drugs into the courtroom. After these drugs were entered as evidence in their respective cases, Pozonsky or one of his staff member’s kept the envelopes, CBS News affiliate KDA reports. In one instance, Pozonsky allegedly asked a state trooper to bring a stash of more than 200 grams of cocaine to his personal chambers. The trooper obliged, handing over the haul in a sealed evidence bag, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.“It was brought to my attention that inappropriate requests were being made by Judge Pozonsky to possess drug evidence for pretrial hearings for pretrial matters,” District Attorney Gene Vittone, who took office in 2012, told the Post-Gazette. It was unclear what happened to the drugs until police made the shocking discovery shortly after Vittone and other court officials noticed Pozonsky’s strange requests.This month, a year after investigators made the find, Pennsylvania police charged Pozonsky with eight counts of theft, four counts of drug possession, one count of misapplication of entrusted property and one count of obstruction – all of which are misdemeanors. Pozonsky was also charged with a felony conflict of interest.“This is troubling. This is humbling as you might expect,” Bob Del Greco, the attorney representing the former judge, told KDKA. “And it’s a serious matter and he’s taking it as such.”Paul Martino, a general assignment reporter for KDKA, expressed the suspicions that this case raises, without making any accusations.“What this looks like, is a sitting judge accused of snorting evidence – cocaine?” Martino asked Del Greco.“That’s a fair representation of the allegations,” Pozonsky’s attorney responded, thereby admitting that his client had used the white powder.When asked if his client has a drug problem or has gone to rehab, Del Greco refused to comment.“I… I’m really not in a position to discuss with any particularity the allegations now,” he said.Pozonsky has been on the bench for nearly 30 years, first as a magistrate and eventually in the Common Please Court. He oversaw high-profile criminal cases, and launched the Drug Treatment Court, which enrolls provides treatment and rehabilitation services for drug and alcohol users as part of the justice system case processing.Pozonsky was arrested and released on $25,000 bond. His preliminary hearing is scheduled forJune 13. … Read More

Claim: Attorney General Eric Holder Approved Warrant to Spy on Fox News Reporter

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:31:00 +0000

A law enforcement official source, speaking to NBC News, has claimed that Attorney General Eric Holder was behind the warrant that allowed the state department to search Fox News reporter James Rosen's email. … Read More

Correa sworn in for third term as President of Ecuador

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:26:00 +0000

Kiev court cites security reasons for banning gay pride rally

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:26:00 +0000

Womb to rent – the harsh realities of surrogacy 29/03/2013 12:37 CET Gay weddings to stay illegal in Church of England 12/12/2012 00:35 CET Ukraine anti-gay activists release gas at LGBT protest 09/12/2012 03:25 CET Outlawing the promotion of homosexuality is a step… 03/10/2012 06:59 CET Landmark law set for Ukraine to ban promotion of… 03/10/2012 22:34 CET

A Kiev court has banned what would have been Ukraine’s first gay pride event, claiming it would disrupt annual Kiev Day celebrations.

Gay rights activists had planned to hold an Equality March on Saturday but opponents led by the Orthodox Church objected.

Archpriest Georgy Kovalenko of the of Ukrainian Orthodox Church gave the Church’s grounds for complaint:

“This would not have been a chance to defend rights, rather it was propaganda for sin and sodomy. For the Church this is a reason to speak out, not only about the sins of minorities, but also about those of the majority.”

Last year the gay pride rally was called off after scores of skinheads arrived near its planned location threatening violence against any homosexual who turned up.

“Any gay or lesbian, if they come out in Ukraine, in a sense they are heroes of our time, since to be openly gay or lesbian is very difficult when such total homophobia exists in our country,” said gay rights activist Danil Los.

The organisers of the march say they have now been given permission to hold an event in a different format away from the city centre but might just limit themselves to holding a press conference on the banning of the rally.

More about: Church, Gay rights, Ukraine

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IMF chief Christine Lagarde escapes formal investigation

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:05:00 +0000

IMF boss Lagarde faces more grilling over payment to… 24/05/2013 11:34 CET Lagarde questioned by Paris court over payout to… 23/05/2013 11:45 CET Lagarde’s IMF post hangs in balance 23/05/2013 18:23 CET IMF chief is back in court over 2007 payout to a… 23/05/2013 22:47 CET Paris judge to rule on Hopi Indian masks auction 12/04/2013 08:40 CET

French magistrates decided on Friday not to place IMF chief Christine Lagarde under formal investigation over her role in a 285 million euros arbitration payment made to a supporter of former president Nicolas Sarkozy.

Lagarde was instead given the status of a “supervised witness”, after she was questioned on her 2008 decision as Sarkozy’s finance minister to use arbitration to settle a court battle between the state and businessman Bernard Tapie.

“My explanations answered questions raised about the decisions that I had made at the time,” Lagarde told reporters outside the Paris court. “My status as a supervised witness is not a surprise for me because I always acted in the interest of the state and according to the law.”

REUTERS

More about: Christine Lagarde, France, IMF, Justice, Paris, Trial

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‘UK security services warned for a decade about wars abroad sparking home terror’

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:05:00 +0000

The investigation is ongoing into the Wednesday’s killing of the British soldier, Drummer Lee Rigby by two alleged Islamist terrorists in south-east London.According to Lindsey German this attack could have been influenced by the British government’s foreign policy: the country has been involved in foreign military interventions in Afghanistan and then Iraq for over a decade.The first attacks - the 2005 London Underground bombings - took place “just after Tony Blair was re-elected, the week that the G8 leaders were meeting in Scotland,” she told RT, adding that in her view, those things were “clearly connected.”What happens now, she went on to say, is that wars abroad “are very much ignored by lots of the media.” At the same time, it is a great source of grievance to many people in Britain. As polls reveal, there is a very strong opposition to the war, particularly among working people. “But there are still many people being killed by drones in Pakistan and Yemen. The war has spread: there’s intervention in Syria, Mali. It has now spread to Africa as well as to parts of the Middle East and South Asia,” German pointed out.For a small group of people actions like the London butchering of the soldier is a way to deal with this, the expert believes.“I might disagree very much in terms of what should be done to oppose these wars. I believe in opposing them through campaigning, through demonstrating. But I think it is the sense of the frustration that people feel. And they feel as well that Muslims are being more and more demonized in this country and elsewhere in Europe. And this is one of the responses that people have,” German said. She believes, that “we should listen to the words of the perpetrators” themselves who very clearly linked the attack with the wars abroad. Besides that, “the British security services who for getting on for 10 years now have been saying that the wars abroad will make terrorism much more likely here in Britain.”The fact that the British government and the Mayor of London “won’t acknowledge this I think is really a continuation of a view and a policy which simply is carrying on with these wars in the face of all recognition that actually these wars haven’t succeeded in doing anything – let alone getting rid of terrorism,” German reasoned.The UK security services will now be investigated after it was revealed that MI5 knew of both suspects in the Woolwich murder for eight years.However, according to Claude Moniquet from the European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center, it was not possible to prevent the tragedy. The suspects were known mainly for participation “in violent demonstrations and radical opinions,” he told RT. “As you know, in Great Britain the freedom of speech and freedom of opinion is quite a dogma so it’s impossible to act against people for their beliefs and what they say,” the expert on terrorism observed. Besides that, nothing in the past indicated that this particular man “could kill in the streets in cold blood.”In Moniquet’s opinion, attacks like the recent violence in London and the Boston Marathon bombings are becoming “a trend” and are likely to continue since it is very simple to organize them: you only need a knife or a homemade bomb to bring terror to the streets.“Of course, you will never reach the violence of 9/11, or the Moscow underground attack, or Madrid or London. But if in the coming year, we have four-five attacks like this in the US and some European countries, and each time the attacker kills 2-3 people, it will have a real impact on the relations between Islam and the western world,” Moniquet, who is former French intelligence officer, noted. And that is exactly what terrorists want as they belong “to the ideology of Al Qaeda,” he concluded. … Read More

Intel says Haswell will improve battery life by 50 percent

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:00:00 +0000

Intel’s next generation processor is just around the corner and in an effort to build some additional hype ahead of launch, the chip maker has revealed some interesting facts about Haswell. During a recent media briefing, architecture group VP Rani Borkar said Haswell was designed with notebooks and tablets in... … Read More

Wall Street is writing its own regulation bill

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:21:00 +0000

To soften financial regulations, bank lobbyists frequently ‘assist’ lawmakers in writing draft legislation that serves to benefit them at the expense of American taxpayers, according to a New York Times investigation.Lobbyists working for Citigroup Inc., a multinational financial services corporation, wrote 80 percent of a regulation bill that was approved by the House Financial Services Committee this month. Citigroup wrote 70 lines of 85-line bill, which exempts “broad swathes of trades” from new regulation, the Times reported based on e-mails it obtained.Two paragraphs of the bill were copied “nearly word for word” from what Citigroup drafted. The only difference between the versions were two words, which lawmakers changed to make plural.The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which was signed into law in 2010, inflicted heavy financial regulatory reform following the most recent recession. The bill was pushed into law by Democrats, but now, both Democrats in the House and Senate are siding with bank lobbyists to roll back parts of the regulation overhaul.The bill drafted primarily by Citigroup this month was starkly opposed by the Treasury Department, but easily made it through the House Financial Services Committee, the Times reports. MapLight, a nonprofit group that analyzes campaign finance records, found that lawmakers who supported Wall Street’s legislation received twice as much in contributions from financial institutions than those who opposed such measures, which appears to indicate that lawmakers’ support can be bought.This month, Wall Street groups also held fundraising dinners for lawmakers who co-sponsored the bills they backed and in some cases co-wrote. As a reward for siding with bank lobbyists, these lawmakers were granted a dinner in which attendees paid up to $2,500 for a plate.When questioned by the Times, bank industry officials said that helping draft legislation was a common practice on Capitol Hill, but argued that they do not undermine Dodd-Frank.“We will provide input if we see a bill and it is something we have interest in,” said Kenneth E. Bentsen Jr., a Wall Street lobbyist. Bentsen is a former lawmaker himself, and many financial institutions’ lobbyists have worked as Capitol Hill aides and staffers before taking on their current roles.Jeff Connaughton, a former lobbyist and former congressional staffer, said that Wall Street has so much influence on the Hill that it “skews the thinking of Congress.”“It’s appalling, it’s disgusting, it’s wasteful and it opens the possibility of conflicts of interest and corruption,” Rep. Jim Himes, a top recipient of Wall Street donations and a former banker at Goldman Sachs, told the Times, admitting his own faults. “It’s unfortunately the world we live in.” … Read More

Apple’s iOS 7 to be "black, white and flat all over"

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 +0000

What's black, white and flat all over? iOS 7, if rumors prove correct. Anonymous sources in touch with 9to5Mac claim to know details about what's shaping up to be Apple's most radical iDevice update thus far: a flattened, minimalistic, anti-skeuomorphic UI poured uniformly atop its next-gen mobile OS. ... … Read More

Bridge connecting US and Canada collapses

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:56:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/v/ppKK2s1De-s?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata See original article here: Bridge connecting US and Canada collapses

Twitter Lets Brands Reach Viewers of Their TV Ads

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:45:00 +0000

A new product, Twitter Amplify, will help brands match advertisements with Twitter commentary by viewers. … Read More

Suspected Plate Fracture In Cali/Oregon: Insiders Reportedly Evacuating West Coast Cities

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:21:00 +0000

Something HUGE is going down... … Read More

Family of soldier killed on London street hold emotional press conference

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:15:00 +0000

UK minister defends security services after London… 24/05/2013 19:15 CET British PM says country ‘will never give into terror‘… 23/05/2013 14:04 CET Women tells how she tried to calm the suspects in the… 23/05/2013 20:47 CET Cameron chairs UK emergency response meeting after… 23/05/2013 05:55 CET Cameron to chair emergency meeting in wake of London… 23/05/2013 08:04 CET

The family of the soldier killed on the streets of South London on Wednesday say they had come to terms with the possibility of losing him while he served in Afghanistan – but never expected him to be killed on their “doorstep”.

Lee Rigby’s relatives held an emotional press conference at the regimental headquarters of his unit in Bury, near Manchester.

“I just want to say that I love Lee, I always will, and I’m proud to be his wife. He was due to come home this weekend to continue our future together as a family. He was a devoted father to our son Jack and we’ll both miss him terribly,” said Rigby’s tearful widow, Rebecca Rigby

The dead soldier’s wife said his proudest moments had been taking part in ceremonials in London.

Reading out a letter written by his other children, his step-father Ian Rigby said: “Courtney and Amy, his younger sisters, wrote this for Lee: ‘Rest in peace Lee. We loved you so much and you didn’t deserve this. You fought for your country and did it well. You will always be our hero, we are just upset you left us so early. We love you Lee, goodnight’.”

More about: Attack, London, Terrorism, United Kingdom

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On the eve of March against Monsanto Senate shoots down GMO labeling bill

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:09:00 +0000

The amendment shot down by the Senate would have allowed states to make their own decisions on whether or not GMO foods should be labeled – without mandating any action. Supporters originally believed that this measure was non-controversial, and simply gave states an option. But the Senate voted 71 to 27 against it on Thursday, days before Saturday’s March Against Monsanto.“The concept we’re talking about today is a fairly commonsense and non-radical idea,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the bill’s sponsor, told the Huffington Post before the vote. “All over the world, in the European Union, in many other countries around the world, dozens and dozens of countries, people are able to look at the food that they are buying and determine through labeling whether or not that product contains genetically modified organisms.”Sanders also explained that the Food and Drug Administration requires more than 3,000 ingredients to be labeled on food products, but that GMOs are not on this list.But opponents of the measure argued that GMOs should not be labeled, since the FDA has not made scientific conclusions that would require it. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), chair of the Agriculture Committee, said the amendment that was shot down was not relevant to the farm bill. She also emphasized the importance of Monsanto in providing foods at lower prices that help feed people around the world – an argument often made by supporters of the biotech giant.“I believe we must rely on the FDA’s science-based examination before we make conclusions about food ingredients derived from genetically modified foods,” she said. “They currently do not require special labeling because they’ve determined that food content of these ingredients does not materially differ from their conventional counterparts.”On Thursday, Senate Republicans also objected to an attempt to repeal a provision that critics call the “Monsanto Protection Act”, which allows Monsanto and other biotech giants that use GMOs to plant and sell their products, even if legal action is taken against them. The provision protects Monsanto from financial damages and has generated petitions and a nationwide outcry from critics who claim the legislation allows the company to bypass the court system and dominate the seed industry.“The provision [strips] federal courts of the authority to halt the sale and planting of an illegal, potentially hazardous GE crop while the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) assesses those potential hazards,” dozens of food businesses and retailers wrote Congress before the “Monsanto Protection Act” was passed in March.The Senate vote against the GMO labeling provision comes as the Vermont House and Connecticut Senate this month voted to force food companies to declare GMO ingredients on their packages – moves that indicate a growing support for GMO labeling while Congress continues to side with Monsanto.The vote also occurred just two days before 200,000 people in 40 countries and 48 US states are expected to take to the streets to rally against the biotech giant. The global “March Against Monsanto” will occur in cities including New York, Chicago, Montreal, Berlin, Paris, Brussels, Moscow, and Melbourne.Protesters will demand a ban on GMOs, which many believe have detrimental health effects. They will also rally against Monsanto’s patenting rights, which allow the corporation to monopolize the seed industry.“For too long, Monsanto has been the benefactor of corporate subsidies and political favoritism,” states the Facebook page of the March Against Monsanto, Washington, D.C. “Organic and small farmers suffer losses while Monsanto continues to forge its monopoly over the world’s food supply, including exclusive patenting rights over seeds and genetic makeup.”The global march initially began as a grassroots event, but has quickly garnered support from tens of thousands of people on Facebook pages and Google Documents. Kirsten Neus, a Washington, D.C. resident who starkly opposes Monsanto’s actions, told RT that she is trying to convince all of her friends to attend the protests and learn about the evils of the corporate biotech giant. “I’m going because I want Monsanto’s leaders to know that we know who they are and what they’re doing, and we won’t sit back and watch as they collude with our elected officials to destroy our planet and our future in the pursuit of profit,” said Neus, in anticipation of Saturday’s march. With Congress against him and tens of thousands of supporters rallying in support of his goals, Sen. Sanders will continue to push the GMO labeling provision in the Senate.“The people of Vermont and the people of America have a right to know what’s in the food they eat,” Sanders told AP.The House Agriculture Committee approved a version of the farm bill last week, which is expected to be voted upon this summer. … Read More

Is a vanilla version of the HTC One in the pipeline?

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

HTC is reportedly contemplating the idea of releasing a version of their flagship One smartphone that would ship with a vanilla Android 4.2.2 installation. The current iteration of the One runs the HTC Sense overlay which, according to many, heavily muddles the Android experience. … Read More

How Vintage Apple Computers Used to Sell

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:31:00 +0000

Original Apple-1 computers can now sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars at professional auctions. But the vintage machines have been selling informally for years. The story of the 1997 sale of an Apple-1, now residing at the Computer History Museum, shows how things worked in simpler times. That Apple-1 was a treasured prize for the young entrepreneur who bought it, and the sale was a financial lifeline for a struggling single mother. … Read More

UK minister defends security services after London soldier killing

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:15:00 +0000

Fear and anger in southeast London after murder of… 24/05/2013 04:06 CET UK police arrest two new suspects in soldier murder 24/05/2013 06:05 CET Family of soldier killed on London street hold… 24/05/2013 20:15 CET British PM says country ‘will never give into terror‘… 23/05/2013 14:04 CET Women tells how she tried to calm the suspects in the… 23/05/2013 20:47 CET

As tributes continue to pour in for the soldier killed on the streets of London on Wednesday, Britain’s Communities Minister has defended the security services.

Eric Pickles praised the thwarting of “a number of similar plots” after it emerged the two suspects had been known by British intelligence agency MI5.

Michael Olumide Adebolajo, 28, and a second suspect not yet named are being treated in separate hospitals after being shot by armed police. The two men have not been questioned yet.

The soldier’s killing has been condemned by religious and community leaders across the country.

Speaking at a gathering of some of these leaders, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg praised their response.

“Terrorism has no religion, because there is no religious conviction that can justify the kind of arbitrary, savage, random violence that we saw on the streets of Woolwich. So thank you for speaking out as forcefully as you have done,” said Clegg.

The website for military support charity Help for Heroes crashed under the weight of new donations.

One woman described why she had chosen to leave flowers close to the scene of the killing in South London.

“It’s touched me, it really has. People should come out and lay as many flowers as they can. [Our feelings about the killings should be expressed] through protest… not [by] marching through the streets and taking it out on the police. Show it through flowers – and that’s what I’ve come here today to do,” she said.

Pointing at the floral tributes, another man added: “Look at all the flowers. We are sending a message out. We will stand together as a community.”

Drummer Lee Rigby had served in Afghanistan for six months in 2009. The twenty-five year old’s family said he had wanted to be in the army since he was a little boy.

More about: Attack, British army, London, Terrorism

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Codemasters announces POUND 125,000 special edition of GRID 2

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Codemasters has just announced a POUND 125,000 variant of its upcoming racing game called GRID 2: Mono Edition. This limited version sets the Guinness World Record for most expensive special edition ever available commercially. … Read More

UK security forces face questions after soldier is hacked to death

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:42:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/v/IYUlB76VQng?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata Read more: UK security forces face questions after soldier is hacked to death

Resource rich countries cannot manage their wealth – report

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:14:00 +0000

A quarter of all independent countries on planet are resource rich. The 58 states produce 85% of world’s petroleum, 90% of the diamonds and 80% of copper with total profits from their extractive sector totaling more than $2.6 trillion.According to the Resource Governance Index (RGI), in 41 countries out of the group the extractive sector contributes a third of their GDP. And the future of these countries heavily depends on how effective they govern their resources.Norway takes the top ranking followed by the United States and the United Kingdom, all three majoring in hydrocarbon extraction. Russia comes 22 in the ranking, dragging behind its neighbor Kazakhstan and major South American energy states. Among the countries with the worst natural resource governance are Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Turkmenistan, and Myanmar concludes the ranking. The Index shows a striking governance deficit in natural resources management worldwide with only 11 countries on the list scoring satisfactory. The RGI evaluates four key components of resources governance in each country: institutional and legal setting, reporting practices, safeguards and quality controls and enabling environment. It also takes into account data from the World bank, advocacy groups, including Transparency International and various ecology watchdogs.The Index is based on the assertion that a good governance of natural resources provides successful development of country and is designed to serve as a tool to help identify good practices as well as governing failure.The Revenue Watch Institute is a unique organization of its kind exclusively dedicated to address the problems of countries that are rich in natural resources. … Read More

Stockholm riots: causes and consequences

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:11:00 +0000

After five nights of rioting throughout the outskirts of Stockholm, many in Sweden and elsewhere are trying to make sense of it all. The Local spoke to a mix of commentators and local politicians to get their views. … Read More

Attorney General Holder personally approved warrant to search Fox News reporter’s emails

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:11:00 +0000

President Barack Obama on Thursday said that Holder would review Justice Department guidelines on dealing with journalism investigations. The government has been accused of violating journalists’ constitutional rights by secretly obtaining Associated Press phone records and Rosen’s personal e-mails to find the sources of information leaks.“I am troubled by the possibility that leak investigations may chill the investigative journalism that holds government accountable,” Obama said during his speech on counter-terrorism policy on Thursday. “Journalists should not be at legal risk for doing their jobs.”But while the president announced that Holder would look into the Justice Department’s policies regarding the matter, a law enforcement official told NBC News that Holder was personally responsible for signing off on the 44-page warrant that gave the department access to Rosen’s e-mail account.This warrant called Rosen a “co-conspirator” in a leak investigation from June 2009, which revealed North Korea’s intention to conduct a nuclear test despite US sanctions. The warrant also allowed the Justice Department to track Rosen’s movements in and out of the State Department and all communications with his source, security adviser Stephen Jin-woo Kim.Justice Department regulations usually require the attorney general to sign off on subpoenas of journalists’ phone records and warrants for arrests or interrogations, but that rule does not apply to email records.Last week, Holder told NPR that he is “not sure” how many times he has authorized obtaining journalists’ records, thereby saving himself in the AP case. He also told the House Judiciary Committee that he was not the person involved in the decision to pursue the source of information leaks in the AP investigation. But if the law enforcement official’s claim about Holder signing off on the Fox investigation is true, he may not be able to rescue himself again.Fox executive vice president of news Michael Clemente called the Justice Department investigation “downright chilling”, and numerous media outlets have published editorials and op-eds condemning the department for criminalizing journalism.Fox News President Roger Ailes on Thursday responded to the Obama administration’s “attempt to intimidate Fox News”. In a memo that he sent to the network’s employees, he condemned the federal government for violating journalists’ constitutional rights, rejected the characterization of Rosen as a “co-conspirator” in a crime, and expressed the pride he has for his staff.“The administration’s attempt to intimidate Fox News and its employees will not succeed and their excuses will stand neither the test of law, the test of decency, nor the test of time. We will not allow a climate of press intimidation, unseen since the McCarthy era, to frighten any of us away from the truth,” Ailes wrote. “…To be a Fox journalist is a high honor, not a high crime.” … Read More

Taliban launches deadly attack in Kabul

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:07:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/v/qFSRLk2s8M4?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata Read original article - Taliban launches deadly attack in Kabul

Taliban launch attack in central Kabul

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:07:00 +0000

Taliban claim 14 killed in separate attacks across… 24/02/2013 08:35 CET Pakistan: 14 killed by Taliban bomb 16/09/2012 16:31 CET Prince Harry unhurt in deadly attack on Camp Bastion 15/09/2012 04:14 CET Two suicide bombers strike in northern Niger towns 23/05/2013 10:07 CET Iraq ‘bleeding from north to south’ 21/05/2013 14:04 CET

Explosions and gunfire rocked the Afghan capital on Friday as the Taliban launched a coordinated attack on a UN compound used by the CIA.

A suicide car-bomb blast was followed by several other explosions as the militants exchanged gunfire with Afghan troops supported by Norwegian special forces.

A Taliban spokesman said the attack was aimed at foreigners who were training Afghan security members.

There was no immediate report of casualties.

One witness told how security cameras helped him escape: “An explosion happened, and when it happened I went to my office to check the security cameras and I saw four people running to the site. When I saw the four attackers we quickly got out of there in case they came in,” said a local restaurant owner.

The Taliban announced a ‘Spring Offensive’ in April saying it would target foreign military bases and diplomatic areas.

Concern is mounting about how the 350,000 members of the Afghan security forces will cope with the militants after most foreign NATO-led combat troops have left by the end of next year.

More about: Afghanistan attack, Attack, Bomb blast, Taliban

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Broadcom announces 5G Wi-Fi chip for entry-level devices

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Broadcom has announced that it will be bringing a new 802.11ac chip to the market for entry-level consumer devices. 802.11ac, commonly referred to as “5G Wi-Fi” because of its operation on the 5 GHz band, is the next iteration of wireless standards, and significantly increases the maximum throughput available over... … Read More

Wintry spring costs Western Europe

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:44:00 +0000

Western Europe wallows in wintry weather 24/05/2013 17:34 CET Clocks go back and winter starts 29/10/2012 00:33 CET Freak snowstorm hits parts of Europe 13/03/2013 05:36 CET Snow chaos in France, UK and Germany 12/03/2013 17:15 CET Snow brings travel chaos to parts of Europe 20/01/2013 21:06 CET

The weather in Western Europe this month could easily have been mistaken for mid-winter. Around the French mountain community of Little Saint Bernard, very close to the border with Italy. In the Alps, the snow ploughs have been out daily.

They can keep the road clear in the Serra de Estrela in the middle of Portugal, but the last time they had snow there this late in the year was eight years ago.

A tourist who found it bewildering said: “It is very strange, but I think the whole of Europe had a very long winter, but I didn’t expect snow in the Serra de Estrela in May.”

The northern Spanish city of Burgos felt temperatures drop to 3ºC on May 15.

In the French interior they’ve been averaging 4-5 degrees below normal, so people have kept the heating going. An extra tank of fuel for that cost an ordinary family household 445 euros – at 90 cents a litre.

This has meant a 5-10 percent rise in electricity consumption, compared to previous years – similarly for combustible pellets.

A local supplier said: “Just like for liquid fuel customers, we’ve had quite a few stocking up on a few extra sacks of pellets to finish the winter, and, unlike normal years, we’re still getting requests to install fire-places.”

It’s also a near record wet spring; only a few in the past four decades had more rain. In Erfurt, Germany, steady, wind-driven downpours caused damaging floods. On 18 May, almost 47 litres of rain fell per square metre.

In the north of Italy, in the Venice region, they were afraid the Bacchiglione River would burst its banks on May 17.
Rice farmers were washed out.

One said: “Early estimates are that we may lose 30 percent of the crop, maybe more, if this goes on. A lot of farmers couldn’t even get to their fields to plant seed.”

And try selling spring footwear when it is like February outside. Stores have been deserted, where their goods depend on seasonal conditions. Nice or not, if you can’t wear them, they won’t sell.

Cafe and bar terraces were like an aquarium.

Businesses and holiday planners alike are left wondering: will Western Europe get a proper summer after all this?

Well, to find out, euronews spoke to the Royal Belgian Institute of Meteorology. Jean-Marc Linden is a meteorologist.

euronews: “Have we ever had such a terrible spring? and why is this happening?”

Jean-Marc Linden: “Unfortunately we still have cold airstreams. The reason is that for the moment we have an anticyclone over the middle of the Atlantic Ocean that is channelling depressions via Iceland, directly to Western Europe. And these are cold airstreams, often disturbed, often unstable, so we will keep getting below normal temperatures. Today for example we are seeing a temperature 10 degrees [Celsius] below the average for this season… and it is going to be like that until the end of the month.”

“The cold airstream is being pushed from the poles to the Benelux countries, France and parts of England. And a section of this cold stream has become detached. This is what is called a ‘cold drop.”

“You need to know that if is cold in Western Europe, it is very warm in places like Russia … Finland … where the temperatures could get as high as 25-30 degrees. [Celsius] It’s often like that in Europe, when there is a really long period of cold in one part, there are very warm temperatures on the opposite side of the continent. It is like a see saw, right now one part of Europe is warm, while we are on the not so good side.”

euronews: “Here is the million euro question… after a horrible spring, how is it going to be during the summer ?

Jean-Marc Linden: “This is the question every meteorologist dream of answering… There is no link between a cold spring and a warm summer, or the opposite. An atmospheric circulation.

Atmospheric circulation means you can experience many different weather conditions in a relatively short time.
So, you could get subtropical conditions developing quite fast, this would mean temperatures of around 25 – 30 degrees for France and the Benelux countries.

But to get this, we would need an anticyclone over the centre of Europe – Bulgaria, for example, and then we here would have rising hot air which would last three weeks. But it’s impossible to say what is going to happen.”

More about: Europe, Flood, Snowfall, Weather

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3D-printed gun malfunctions ‘will kill at both ends’ – Australian police

Anon — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:38:00 +0000

Police in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) created and tested two 3D-printed guns made with blueprints produced by US firm Defense Distributed and an AUD$1,700 3D printer. Tests conducted with the guns produced both a “catastrophic failure” that could be deadly for the individual wielding the firearm, as well as a shot capable of killing a target.In the first test, the gun exploded after firing just one shot despite being built to the exact specifications of its inventor, self-declared American anarchist and University of Texas law student Cody Wilson. When discharged successfully, a bullet from the firearm penetrated 17cm of ballistic soap – a block of gelatin used to simulate human flesh."Make no mistake they will kill at both ends," NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said. "Everyone is really concerned this weapon is undetectable. One has been smuggled on the Eurostar train in Europe and there is now a major security review.” The ease with which the guns can be created and concealed prompted the US Department of Homeland Security to issue a May 21 bulletin to numerous state and law enforcement officials warning the firearms might be “impossible” to contain, Fox News reported."Significant advances in three-dimensional (3D) printing capabilities, availability of free digital 3D printer files for firearms components, and difficulty regulating file-sharing may present public safety risks from unqualified gun seekers who obtain or manufacture 3D printed guns," a bulletin by the Joint Regional Intelligence Center said. Just a week after blueprints for the 3D-printed gun were posted online earlier this month, the US State Department demanded that Defense Distributed, a non-profit group founded by Wilson which promotes the open-source development of firearms using 3D printers, take the plans offline. Although Defense Distributed complied with the demand, the original blueprints for the gun were downloaded more than 100,000 times and are still available on popular peer-to-peer file-sharing sites. Even Internet maverick and free-information hacker Kim Dotcom asked his staff to delete the public files from his Mega website, calling them a “serious threat to the community.” The single-shot .380-caliber Liberator is named after the FP-45 Liberator pistol, a throwaway pistol manufactured by the US during World War II to be used by French Resistance fighters. The only non-plastic part of the gun is a tiny nail that acts as the firing pin, as well as a .380 cartridge it fires. The gun’s inventor is reportedly working on fabricating plastic bullets, a move that would make it nearly undetectable at security screenings. 3D-printed firearms can also be manufactured without serial numbers or unique identifiers, trammeling ballistics testing. Lawmakers across the US are already seeking a ban on 3D-printed guns, although it is currently legal for a person to manufacture a firearm for personal use. One law enforcement official told Fox News that universal searches would be the only way to contain the threat of such weapons: “The only security procedure to catch [the 3D firearms] is a pat down. Is America ready for pat-downs at every event?” … Read More