Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Unrest returns to Kyrgyzstan

Unrest returns to Kyrgyzstan (plus 99 more items)

Link to Rebel Newsflash

Unrest returns to Kyrgyzstan

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 03:42 PM PDT

Supporters of ousted Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev have broken into a regional government office in the country's volatile south.

Hundreds of Bakiev's supporters broke into a government office in Jalalabad on Saturday, demanding the ousted president's return.

Israel has role to play in nuke-free ME

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 03:36 PM PDT

Russia's deputy foreign minister insists that Israel has a crucial role to play in realizing a Middle East free from nuclear weapons.

"We need to achieve the goal of the establishment of a zone free from weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East and here the Israeli's role is very crucial," said Sergei Ryabkav, speaking to the Press TV on Saturday in the first day of an international conference on nuclear disarmament in Tehran.

Study finds stress aggravates IBD

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 03:22 PM PDT

A new study confirms the general belief suggesting that stress can trigger the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease in affected individuals.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are a group of gastrointestinal disorders characterized by chronic inflammation and associated with symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea.

The Binding Of The Jewish Mind

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT

42-17510038

"I have been sent to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and to release the oppressed." — Jesus of Nazareth

They say that understanding the present requires you first understanding the past…

That being said, it's amazing where you find yourself while on such a treasure hunt. For me, trying to better understand why my country has been Shanghaied into fighting two bankrupting wars in the Middle East and why I basically have to be subjected to a near-full body search before boarding a plane headed for Nowhere, North Dakota, I wound up in 10th century China, of all places.

Thai protest leaders vow to surrender

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 01:55 PM PDT

Thai opposition leaders say they will turn themselves over to police next month, but refused to end their month-long campaign that has paralyzed Bangkok.

The so-called 'Red Shirt' leaders say they will all surrender on May 15, but added that they will continue their protests until that date.

EU monitor: Sudan vote deficient

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 01:48 PM PDT

International election monitors say Sudan's landmark multiparty vote, seen as a test of the country's stability, failed to meet international standards.

The presidential election — already tainted by fraud allegations, major opposition boycotts and polling errors — looks certain to extend the two decade rule of President Umar al-Bashir.

US blamed for potential war on Lebanon

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 01:11 PM PDT

A Hezbollah-affiliated lawmaker says the United States would be responsible for any potential Israeli act of aggression against on Lebanon.

The United States is "placing itself in a position of complicity in the event of aggression [on Lebanon] and it will have to take responsibility," Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Fayyad was quoted by AFP as saying on Saturday.

Russia: Iran summit 'good opportunity'

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 01:08 PM PDT

A top Russian official describes the Tehran conference, which advocates nuclear energy for all countries and atomic weapons for none, as an "excellent opportunity."

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Press TV in an exclusive interview that "It is an excellent opportunity to have a free-flowing exchange of views on some critical issues."

Former Blackwater head indicted

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 12:56 PM PDT

A North Carolina court has indicted the former head of the US private security firm Xe Services (formerly known as Blackwater) and four of his colleagues.

Gary Jackson, who resigned from the firm's presidency last year, and other officers are accused of illegally possessing machine guns and making false statements.

Iran: US summit after nuke preservation

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 12:50 PM PDT

Iran's Joint Armed Forces chief of staff says the nature of the recent nuclear summit in Washington was against the purpose of the non-proliferation regime.

Speaking to reporters on the sideline of the nuclear disarmament conference in Tehran, Major General Hassan Firouzabadi said the purpose of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington was to preserve atomic bombs.

Malaysia rejects Iran fuel cut report

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 12:16 PM PDT

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has dismissed as "incorrect" the reports quoting him as saying that his country had cut off gasoline supplies to Iran.

"It is not correct, it was not a decision taken by Petronas per se," Malaysia's state news agency Bernama quoted the premier as saying.

'OIC should lead nuclear disarmament'

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 12:16 PM PDT

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) could play a leading role in global nuclear disarmament.

President Ahmadinejad made the remarks in a meeting with OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu on the sidelines of the Tehran nuclear disarmament conference.

Soltanieh: US threat historic mistake

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 12:09 PM PDT

Iran's ambassador to the UN nuclear watchdog has described the US threat of a nuclear attack as a "historic mistake" condemned by the international community.

"American nuclear policy and the threat of atomic weapon was a historical mistake that the international community has condemned and will confront this kind of illegal gestures and measures — which are in contravention with the United Nations Charter and the IAEA statue," Iran's envoy to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, told Press TV in an exclusive interview on Saturday.

Smoking ups strabismus risk in newborn

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 12:05 PM PDT

For each cigarette a pregnant woman lights up each day, she is placed at an increased risk of giving birth to a child with crossed eyes, a new study finds.

Strabismus, often known as crossed eyes, is used for about 30 different conditions in which the eyes are unable to line-up in the same direction when focusing on an image.

Pakistan blasts death toll hits 41

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 11:49 AM PDT

The death toll from twin bomb blasts that hit an office for internally displaced people in Pakistan's troubled northwestern region has reached 41.

Police say the bombs struck a registration office for displaced people near the city of Kohat. The explosions struck as displaced people, who were lining up to register.

Student protests in northern Iraq

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 11:45 AM PDT

A northeastern city in Iraq has witnessed massive student demonstrations against an educational reform followed up by strong police reaction.

The hundreds-strong protests started at 11:00 local time in front of the education department in the city of Sulaimaniyah in Iraqi Kurdistan, a Press TV correspondent reported.

Obama: No more bailout for Wall Street

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 11:40 AM PDT

The US President accuses the Republicans of misinforming the public regarding his financial reform bill, which he argues will tighten the screws on Wall Street.

President Barack Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address on Saturday that his financial reform is going to "hold Wall Street accountable" and impose regulations that prevent another bailout of the financial institutes by American taxpayers.

China quake death toll tops 1,300

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 11:35 AM PDT

Thousands of rescue workers are struggling to cope with high altitude as they continue searching for survivors of a strong earthquake that hit eastern China.

The death toll from the 6.9-magnitude quake, which rattled Qinghai province on Wednesday, has now soared past 1,300, China's official news agency, Xinhua, reported.

Iceland volcanic ash can harm health

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 11:21 AM PDT

A recent World Health Organization (WHO) report suggests that the Icelandic ash cloud may be harmful for individuals with breathing problems.

The ice-covered volcano under the southwestern Eyjafjallajokull glacier, which had been dormant since 1821, first erupted on March 20, affecting about 500 people.

Houthis deny firing at govt. aircraft

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 11:15 AM PDT

Yemen's Shia fighters have denied allegations that they had broken a ceasefire by opening fire on a government military airplane.

"We are not responsible for any shot fired at a military airplane on Thursday morning, and we have not fired at any airplane since the beginning of the truce on February 12," the Houthis said in a statement on their website on Saturday.

Antidepressants up suicidality in kids

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 11:10 AM PDT

A new study finds taking antidepressants, regardless of their type, can place children and adolescents at an increased risk of suicidal actions.

According to the study published in Pediatrics, there is no clinically meaningful difference between the increased risk of suicidality in children taking diverse types of antidepressants.

'Iran nuclear summit to ease NPT reform'

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 10:28 AM PDT

Iran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has urged pacifist countries to unite efforts in order to reform the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Speaking at a press conference in Tehran on Saturday, Iran's top envoy to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, suggested that the ongoing international disarmament and nonproliferation summit in Iran could play a significant role in the outcome of next month's NPT conference in New York.

'Hezbollah ready to confront Israel'

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 10:18 AM PDT

Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem says the resistance movement is ready for a possible act of aggression by Israeli forces.

The Hezbollah official made the remark in an interview with an Arab newspaper on Saturday.

Pakistan blasts death toll hits 32

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 10:00 AM PDT

The death toll from twin bomb blasts that hit an office for internally displaced people in Pakistan's troubled northwestern region has reached 32.

Police say the bombs struck a registration office for displaced people near the city of Kohat. The explosions struck as displaced people, who were lining up to register.

Teachers in the doghouse by Pupil spies

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 09:45 AM PDT

In an apparent move that put teacher's future career in jeopardy and allows students to pull strings in the process of decision making in British schools, pupil "spies" are being asked to snoop on their teacher's activities and behaviors on the off chance that the student's voice could be heeded more than ever in the country.

There are claims that children are being participated in classes as spies, allowed to give scores to members of staff predicated on how they teach and how they treat students by filling in some anonymous questionnaires and even sitting on interview panels.

Irish activists to break Palestine blockade

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 09:44 AM PDT

On Tuesday, the Free Gaza Movement bought a 1,200 tonne cargo ship at an auction in Dundalk. The MV Linda had been impounded a year ago following an inspection by the International Transport Federation (ITF), which found that its owners had exploited its Lithuanian crew members - not paying their wages and subjecting them to humiliating treatment.

ITF Inspector and SIPTU organiser Ken Fleming said: "We are pleased to announce that this vessel, which was used to subject workers to modern day slavery, will now be used to promote human rights for the people of Palestine.

'US nuke threats no less than terrorism'

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 09:43 AM PDT

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast says the threat of Washington's nuclear weapons is 'not much different' from that of terrorism.

"The existence of a US nuclear arsenal threatens the international community in the exact same manner as that of terrorists," said Mehmanparast on the sidelines of an international nuclear disarmament conference in Tehran.

Iran wants IAEA, NPT uncompromised

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 09:18 AM PDT

The Islamic Republic has called for the promotion of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) as a major step towards global denuclearization.

Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili made the remarks at the international conference on nuclear disarmament in Tehran on Saturday.

Drug user scheme impractical

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 09:15 AM PDT

The Committee of Public Accounts questioned the UK government handling of its £1.2bn-a-year scheme . This came after it disclosed in a report that a quarter of all problem drug users are hardcore offenders for whom drug treatment has proved ineffective.

The Committee members are appointed by the House of Commons to examine the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament.

Britain a safe heaven for war criminals

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 09:13 AM PDT

Campaigners believe that Britain has turn into a "safe haven" for alleged war criminals and murderers who have taken shelter in the country without having to stand trail in criminal courts.

Senior officials from the ousted regime of Saddam Hussein , a member of the Criminal Investigations Department loyal to Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe , and a Congolese senior police commander are among war criminals suspected of currently living in Britain.

UK arms sale to Israel to be reviewed

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 09:12 AM PDT

A British parliamentary committee will call on the government to review future arms sales after it emerged that Israel "almost certainly" used British equipments and weaponry during last year's Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip.

The Commons committee on strategic export controls expressed deep sorrow after it was acknowledged by the government that the arms exports from the UK were "almost certainly" used by Israel during the Operation Cast Lead.

"Diana effect" haunting army in Afghanistan

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 09:02 AM PDT

A senior army officer's assessment citing a "pervasive and resilient culture of pessimism" about the afghan war cast a harsh spotlight on the dire conditions of British troops currently bogged down in a seemingly interminable war.

The commanding officer of 28 Engineer Regiment, 11 Light Brigade, Lieutenant-Colonel Matt Bazeley told The Independent newspaper that "post-Diana reaction to fatalities" coupled with public focus on the number of British casualties, prevents officials from getting an "objective analysis of the campaign", and portrays a false picture onto the public's mind, fomenting speculations that Britain would eventually lost the war in Afghanistan.

US regulators close 8 banks

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 08:18 AM PDT

United States federal bank regulators have shut down eight more banks across the country with assets worth a total of over six billion dollars.

The banks are located in the states of Washington, California, Massachusetts and Florida.

Iran, India reach electricity deal

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 08:16 AM PDT

Iran and India have reached an agreement to jointly construct power plants and exchange electricity, says a visiting Iranian official in New Delhi.

Deputy Energy Minister Mohammed Behzad said on Friday that Iran's Tavanir Company and India's state-owned National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) would adhere to a previously penned memorandum of understanding on power cooperation.

The Entertainment Industry's Dystopia of the Future

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 07:41 AM PDT

We're not easily shocked by entertainment industry overreaching; unfortunately, it's par for the course. But we were taken aback by the wish list the industry submitted in response to the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator's request for comments on the forthcoming "Joint Strategic Plan" for intellectual property enforcement. The comments submitted by various organizations provide a kind of window into how these organizations view both intellectual property and the public interest. For example, EFF and other public interest groups have asked the IPEC to take a balanced approach to intellectual property enforcement, paying close attention to the actual harm caused, the potential unexpected consequences of government intervention, and compelling countervailing priorities.

Palestinians mark Prisoners' Day

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 07:15 AM PDT

Hamas and Fatah have joined crowds of Palestinians in calling on Israel to free thousands of Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli jails.

Representatives of the rival factions staged a protest and 24-hour fast outside the Gaza City offices of the Red Cross on Saturday to mark what is known as "Prisoners' Day".

Ismail Haniya, the head of the Hamas government in Gaza, joined the crowd briefly, calling for Palestinian reconciliation.

News about Goldman Sachs Shouldn't Surprise You

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 07:14 AM PDT

The announcement today that the Securities and Exchange Commission sued Fabrice Tourre, a Goldman Sachs vice president for fraud should not surprise you. I have warned the readers of this blog and elsewhere for years about the fraud and corruption in our financial markets and how the international banksters have been stealing your money.

Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan Bank, Bank of America, CitiBank, and others are all the same corrupt players that brought America to her knees with their manufactured financial crisis over the past few years. This latest revelation is nothing new… only more visible now.

Ratigan Deconstructs Goldman, Connecticut AG Blumental Wants Criminal Charges Filed

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 06:56 AM PDT

We expected Dylan to explode during today's show. We were disappointed as he somehow managed to contain it, and did a pretty good recap of the Goldman affair (if a little too many matchbox cars on the show for our taste). The notable take home for us was that CT AG Blumenthal said that "criminal charges have to be pursued against Goldman." We are sure Cuomo is not too far from this line of thinking. And we would be remiss if we did not point out that credit has to be given where it is due: Gretchen Morgenson (whom half the blogosphere was bashing a month ago over semantics) and Louise Story broke the entire story 4 months ago, and the SEC complaint reads verbatim from the authors' December 24 article.

20 killed in Pakistan twin blasts

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 06:33 AM PDT

Twin blasts hit a camp for displaced people in northwestern Pakistan, killing at least 20 people while lining up to receive aid handouts, a local official says.

"There were two blasts. The first took place when relief items were being distributed among the displaced people," said Kohat police chief Dilawar Khan Bangash.

Certified Copy vies for Palme d'Or

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 06:18 AM PDT

Acclaimed Iranian film director Abbas Kiarostami will compete in this year's Cannes Film Festival for the top prize with his latest achievement, The Certified Copy.

The Iranian director, known for his characteristic use of techniques and themes that are instantly recognizable in his works, will put the film before the judges in the contest for the prestigious Palme d'Or prize. A total of 16 directors will compete in the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.

Iran seeks IAEA suspension of US

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 06:15 AM PDT

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says nuclear-armed states such as the United States should be removed entirely from the IAEA and its Board of Governors.

The "Nuclear Energy for all, Nuclear Weapons for None" disarmament conference kicked off in Tehran on Saturday with President Ahmadinejad outlining his vision of a world free of nuclear weapons.

Inter Milan wins 10-man Juventus

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 05:50 AM PDT

Inter Milan has returned to the top of the Serie A table with a victory over Juventus ahead of Tuesday's Champions League semifinal first leg against Barcelona.

Two second half goals in the final 15 minutes did for Jose Mourinho's side at the San Siro on Friday night.

Sudan poll fell 'short of standard'

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 05:49 AM PDT

Sudan's first multi-party elections in 24 years have failed to meet international standards, observers from the US and EU said.

Monitors from the US Carter Centre, run by former US president Jimmy Carter, echoed earlier criticism by the European Union on Saturday in their first official judgements on the poll.

Turkish Cypriots to vote for leader

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 05:49 AM PDT

Turkish Cypriots are set to vote in an election in which the incumbent president is striving for reunification with rival Greek Cypriots in the south while his main challenger will be seeking to bolster a breakaway state.

Opinion polls suggest most of 164,000 voters in Sunday's election in the Turkish Cypriot north of the divided island of Cyprus may choose Dervis Eroglu, the right-winger, to replace Mehmet Ali Talat.

Ancient murals found in N China

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 05:29 AM PDT

Chinese archeologists have discovered two 6,000-year-old sites with colored cave murals and fingerprints in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

According to Xinhua news agency, the discoveries were made in two caves situated in the Yabrai Mountainous region. Archeologists believe the murals date back to the earliest period of human development and the longest phase of human history, the Paleolithic Period.

China ups Iran gas sale amid US ire

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 05:20 AM PDT

China's plans to increase gasoline exports to Iran will effectively thwart US efforts to choke off the country's energy sector, a recent report reveals.

Forbes reported on Friday that state-owned China National Petroleum Corp.'s trading unit, ChinaOil, has already sent 600,000 barrels of gasoline to Iran in two $55 million shipments.

Iran: US only nuclear criminal

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 04:51 AM PDT

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution says the US is the one and only nuclear criminal that falsely claims to be fighting against the spread of nuclear weapons.

Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior aide to Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, read the Leader's message to the Tehran conference which opened on Saturday.

Moscow launches military satellite

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 04:40 AM PDT

The Russian Defense Ministry has announced that Moscow has successfully launched a military satellite into space, according to Russian news agencies.

Spokesman for Russian Space Forces Alexei Zolotukhin said on Friday that a Russian Soyuz-U rocket delivered a Cosmos defense satellite into orbit.

Israel may honor its terrorists, but PA cannot!

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 03:55 AM PDT

Both Netanyahu and the White House have called the proposed construction a new Presidential Compound on a West Bank street named after Hamas resistance fighter Yahya Ayyash Ayyash (The Engineer), who fell victim to Israeli assassination squad in January 1996.

Traktorsazi holds Reds to 1-1 draw

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 03:40 AM PDT

Traktorsazi has managed to hold Tehran's popular soccer team Persepolis to a 1-1 draw in the 31st week of the Iranian Premier League (IPL).

The hosts dominated the game from the outset and created several opportunities to open the scoring at the Yadegar-e-Emam Stadium in the city of Tabriz on Friday.

Brazil, Turkey stress talks on Iran

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 03:33 AM PDT

Amid US calls for new sanctions against Tehran, Brazil and Turkey say that they will work together to find a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue.

Brazil's Foreign Minister Celso Amorim and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglo reiterated Friday that their countries were still looking to diplomatic means to resolve the Iran dilemma.

10 injured in Lebanon clashes

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 03:33 AM PDT

At least 10 people, including five soldiers, have been wounded in army clashes with a powerful clan in the eastern Lebanese city of Baalbek.

According to a security official, an army patrol, while searching for fugitives in a court case in Baalbek's Sharawneh district, came under fire by members of the Jaafar family, AFP reported late Friday.

Nuclear summit kicks off in Iran

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 03:22 AM PDT

A much-awaited international conference on disarmament and non-proliferation of atomic weapons has started in the Iranian capital.

During the two-day conference, international politicians will put their heads together to address the nuclear disarmament issue.

China, Russia 'keen on IP pipeline'

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 02:59 AM PDT

A senior Iranian oil official says Russian and Chinese companies are keen to participate in a pipeline to carry Iran's natural gas to Pakistan.

Iran and Pakistan signed a deal in March to construct the multi-billion dollar natural gas pipeline connecting the two neighboring countries.

4 Spanish soldiers dead in Haiti

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 02:06 AM PDT

A helicopter crash has killed four Spanish soldiers in a mountainous area near Haiti's border with the Dominican Republic, a UN official says.

"The four Spanish soldiers are dead," George Ola-Davies, a spokesman for the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti, said on Friday.

Deaths reported in Pakistan blasts

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 01:36 AM PDT

At least 30 people have been reported killed following two explosions at a camp for displaced people in northwest Pakistan.

Police said scores of others were wounded when the blasts detonated on Saturday in the camp on the outskirts of the city of Kohat.

Iran calls for new nuclear body

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 12:55 AM PDT

Iran's president has called for the formation of a new international body to oversee nuclear disarmament as the country opened a two-day summit on civilian nuclear energy in the capital, Tehran.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made the call on Saturday at a summit seen as a counterpoint to a major conference in Washington earlier this week, in which Barack Obama, the US president, outlined his nuclear strategy.

Poland remembers air crash victims

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 12:48 AM PDT

Hundreds of thousands of mourners are attending a memorial for victims of Poland's air crash tragedy, as a volcanic cloud threatens to keep world leaders from attending.

The four-hour memorial service in the capital, Warsaw, marks a week since a jet carrying president Lech Kaczynski and 95 others crashed in Russia, killing everybody on board.

Thai PM boosts army security role

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 12:01 AM PDT

Thailand's prime minister has put the nation's army commander in charge of restoring order to the capital Bangkok.

Abhisit Vejjajiva's actions are a response to Friday's botched raid on a Bangkok hotel where anti-government red shirt leaders were staying.

'Tehran summit undermines US strategy'

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 11:46 PM PDT

Paul Ingram, executive director of the British American Security Information Council, says Tehran's nuclear conference will challenge US strategy towards Iran.

"The Tehran conference will undermine US strategies in forming a front against Iran," said Ingram in an interview with Mehr news agency.

Smoking kills 1mn Indians annually

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 11:34 PM PDT

The number of smokers is rising significantly in India claiming the lives of almost one million people a year, a report says.

According to a recent study, 900,000 people are dying due to smoking-related cases every year in India, and unless corrective action is taken soon, that number will rise to one million annually by 2010 and beyond.

Court approves disputed Amazon dam

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 11:21 PM PDT

A Brazilian judge has overturned a decision that could have delayed construction of a huge Amazon dam opposed by locals, environmentalists and the director of the film Avatar.

The judge in Brasilia, the country's capital, reversed on Friday a decision to suspend contract bidding scheduled for next week for the 11,000MW Belo Monte dam, according to a statement by Brazil's solicitor-general.

'Iran-Turkmenistan ties unbreakable'

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 11:05 PM PDT

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has praised "unbreakable" Tehran-Ashgabat bilateral ties, calling for closer cooperation on nuclear disarmament policy.

"Big and constructive measures are on the agenda of both countries' officials and both governments (Tehran and Ashgabat) are determined to implement joint ventures to improve bilateral ties," Ahmadinejad told his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow in a Friday phone conversation.

US Breathes Sigh of Relief Over Manas Base for Now

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT

The administration of President Barack Obama is breathing a sigh of relief that the past week's successful insurrection against former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev appears unlikely to result in any curbs — at least, for now — on its use of Kyrgyzstan's Manas Air Base.

The base, for which the U.S. has been committed to paying 60 million dollars a year in rent according to an agreement hashed out with Bakiyev a year ago, has served among the Pentagon's most important transport and supply links to Afghanistan for most of the past nine years.

Nuclear Security Summit: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT

Earlier this week, President Obama hosted leaders from 46 nations at a 2-day Nuclear Security Summit to address cooperative efforts to protect weapon-usable nuclear materials and to safeguard against nuclear terrorism. The summit is being hailed as success because it forced countries that had failed to clean up their nuclear surpluses to formulate detailed plans to deal with them, and it kicked into action nations that had failed to move on previous commitments. In particular, world leaders endorsed Obama's call for securing all nuclear materials around the globe within four years to keep them out of the grasp of terrorists.

Lie to Congress; Get Fourth Star

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT

U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Keith Alexander may well be harboring the thought attributed to prevaricator Oliver North upon being spared punishment — and instead getting rewarded handsomely — for lying about the Iran-Contra Affair: "Is this a great country or what!"

Gen. Alexander, Director of the National Security Agency since August 2005, is about to become what the Army describes as "dual hatted." The Senate is about to confirm him to another highly sensitive leadership position requiring the utmost integrity and fidelity to the Constitution when he has shown neither.

Nigerian army frees 13 hostages

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 10:46 PM PDT

Nigeria says after three days of heavy clashes with militants, its security forces have rescued 13 hostages and destroyed a key militant camp.

The military said they were successful in rescuing nine Filipinos and four Nigerians, out of a total of 20 people, who were kidnapped two days earlier when their oil vessel MV Spirit, chartered by oil firm NNPC, was hijacked by militants near Warri in the heart of Africa's biggest oil industry region of Niger Delta.

Toyota to recall 600,000 minivans

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 10:24 PM PDT

Japanese auto giant Toyota Motor Corp. has said that it will recall 600 thousand Sienna minivans in the US over corrosion problems.

The recall came as House investigators said they planned to hold another congressional hearing in May to review potential electronic problems in Toyotas.

NATO killing of civilians doubled

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 09:47 PM PDT

NATO statistics show that Afghan civilians killed by foreign forces have more than doubled this year compared to the same period a year ago.

According to the figures released by the International Security Assistance Forces, NATO troops killed 72 Afghan civilians in the first three months of 2010 — up from 29 in the same period last year.

'Hezbollah arms not Israel's business'

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 09:39 PM PDT

Israel has received a humiliating rebuff over its recent remarks about Hezbollah arms after a senior official said the movement's weaponry are not Tel Aviv's business.

Hezbollah-affiliated government minister Hussein Hajj Hassan said Friday that the movement is always arming and preparing itself against foreign threats, but "what we have is not their (Israel's) business," Lebanon's al-Manar TV reported.

Ethnic Hegemonies in American History, Part 4

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 09:00 PM PDT

So many negative consequences arose from the Civil Rights Movement that the Democratic Party won few subsequent elections. Its reputation as the anti-white party that idealized black criminals and sought America's destruction was only briefly overcome when it nominated southerners like Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.[81] America's Jewish Establishment, now thoroughly coordinated by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, recognized, however, that the country's complete destruction would prevent its defense of Israel.

Israeli ID order set to criminalise Palestinians

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 08:59 PM PDT

Thousands of Palestinians living in the West Bank may soon be evicted or face criminal charges by Israeli authorities, the Israeli daily Haaretz has said.

An amendment to an Israeli military order on "preventing infiltration" could soon stipulate that residents of the West Bank without ID cards may now need one issued by the occupying authorities.

AEA upset over ash cloud response

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 08:57 PM PDT

The Association of European Airlines (AEA) has criticized mixed reactions by European governments to a recent volcanic ash threat.

"No one questions that volcanic ash poses a threat to safety," said the association's secretary general Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus on Friday.

Pakistan to begin new Bhutto probe‎

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 08:49 PM PDT

After a scornful UN report held Pakistan's former regime responsible for Benazir Bhutto's assassination, the government calls for revival of investigations.

The United Nations inquiry, led by Chile's UN Ambassador Heraldo Munoz, disclosed in its report on Thursday that Pakistan's spy agencies had "severely hampered" the initial probe.

Remembering Deir Yassin - Dan McGowen

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 08:45 PM PDT

The story of Deir Yassin and the efforts to build a memorial in the place where the village was. Illustrated with photos and archival footage.

Picnicking on Mount Vesuvius?

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 08:43 PM PDT

nasrallah

Tensions are rising in Lebanon between elected representatives in Parliament, 'Unity' Cabinet members and the American Embassy, as the 27th anniversary of the 1983 attack on the US Embassy approaches and the Embassy issues another warning for Americans to leave Lebanon.

On March 29, 2010 the US Embassy instructed Americans not to travel to Lebanon citing 'safety and security concerns." Simultaneously it warned those who are in Lebanon to seriously consider leaving.

Palestine commemorates Prisoners Day

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 08:33 PM PDT

Thousands of Palestinians have held a demonstration in Gaza City as well as the West Bank, demanding the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.

The demonstrators who took to the streets of Gaza City, Khan Yunis and the West Bank, staged a mock-trial for Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Wednesday, Press TV reported.

US unemployment rises in 24 states

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 08:30 PM PDT

Rising unemployment rates have been reported in nearly half of all states in the month of March, according to a US Labor Department report.

A total of 24 states suffered jobless rate increases in March, according to the Labor Department's monthly report. But rates declined last month in 17 states and the District of Columbia.

Puntland captures 113 immigrants ‎

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 08:04 PM PDT

Puntland authorities confirm capturing over a hundred would be immigrants who were on a voyage to Yemen to seek asylum.

Of those detained 103 were Ethiopians while 10 were Somalis. All have been transferred to the region's main police station till further decision is taken, a Press TV correspondent reported late Friday.

Iran to open nuclear summit

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 06:47 PM PDT

Iran is set to open a summit on nuclear energy and security as a counter to last week's conference held by Barack Obama in the United States.

The meeting, beginning in Tehran on Saturday, has been dubbed "Nuclear Energy for All, Nuclear Weapons for No-One".

Flight disruptions continue in Europe

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 05:58 PM PDT

Flight disruptions in Europe are getting worse as a huge cloud of ash from a volcano in Iceland spreads further across the continent.

Thousands of flights have been cancelled across Europe since the volcano erupted, causing the biggest air traffic shutdown in the continent since World War II.

Turkey's "Blessed Birth Week"

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 05:08 PM PDT

"If there are any among you who worship Muhammad, he is dead. But if it's Allah you Worshipped, He lives for ever," the first Khalifah of Islam, Abu Bakr al-Siddique, announcing the passing-away of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

China quake toll exceeds 1,100

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 04:15 PM PDT

As many as 1,144 people are so far reported dead as a result of the strong earthquake that hit the northwestern parts of the country, reports say.

Lebanon reacts to Israel border breach

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 04:08 PM PDT

Angry protestors in southern Lebanon have reacted to Israel's violation of the country's territory, dismantling a newly installed Israeli fence near the Blue Line.

"The residents have taken down the barbed wire near the village of Abbasiya, which Lebanon considers part of its territory," AFP quoted Lebanese sources as saying on condition of anonymity.

Israeli settlers torch cars in WB

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 04:05 PM PDT

Two Palestinian cars have been torched in the West Bank in the latest wave of attacks carried out by settlers in the occupied territory.

The arson took place overnight on Thursday in the Palestinian village of Jinsafut, which is almost entirely surrounded by several Israeli settlements.

Giant fireball seen across Midwest sky

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 04:03 PM PDT

Americans in several Midwestern states have seen a colossal fireball up the sky with the US National Weather Service (NWS) receiving reports of sonic boom.

The mysterious fireball traveled for 15 minutes in the sky Wednesday night and broke up into small pieces before disappearing in the horizon.

Turkey Takes Sides

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 02:53 PM PDT

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Washington this week to attend the Nuclear Security Summit showed once again that he and the United States are simply not seeing eye to eye. The White House statement following Erdogan's Tuesday meeting with President Barack Obama stated that the two leaders "affirmed the strategic partnership between their countries" and "discussed their joint interest in achieving the nonproliferation goals of the Summit," including halting Iran's development of a nuclear weapon. But this was purely rhetoric: In fact, the two countries are agreeing on little these days.

Kill Puppies And Children, But God Forbid, Don't Hurt The iPad

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 02:38 PM PDT

Some of the reaction to Alex Jones' allegorical You Tube video in which he tortures an iPad to make a point about how people care more about the suffering of an inanimate object than they do actual human beings tragically reminds us of just how deeply retarded, savage, and devoid of humanity many people still are.

Alex cited the outrageous attitude of those that acted as apologists for the shocking footage of U.S. Apache helicopter pilots gunning down Iraqi journalists and children and then laughing about it in making the point that the attempted legitimization of torture was stripping people of their basic empathy and that people now care more about technological gadgets than they do the mass slaughter of a million Iraqis since the 2003 invasion.

Thoughts On, "Invisible Empire: A New World Order Defined"

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 02:35 PM PDT

After watching InfoWars.com's latest documentary, Invisible Empire: A New World Order Defined, I feel all the more emboldened to state what I believe to be the truth. What is that truth?

After reading countless books and articles, watching numerous documentaries, and fighting with the part of me that doesn't want to accept what my reason and logic demanded to be reality, I can now say, beyond a shadow of a doubt in my head, that we are living in a world controlled by a small group of elite men and women whose goals do not align with the goals of the common man. Call it the Council on Foreign Relations, the Trilateral Commission, the Bilderberg Group, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, the Rhodes Trust, the Bohemian Grove, the New World Order, the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund; in each case, you would be correct. These groups works in cohesion, directing mankind toward a future of their determination.

Can Russia and Poland Forget Centuries of Animosity in a Single Weekend?

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 02:27 PM PDT

Russian-Polish relations are overburdened by centuries-long animosity. In the 20th century alone, Poland was invaded by the Soviet Union following the 1939 division of the country secretly arranged by Stalin and Hitler. After the defeat of Nazi Germany, Poland was for several decades under the thumb of a pro-Moscow communist regime. For the Poles, the 1940 Katyn massacre, in which more than 20,000 Polish military and intellectuals were killed by the Soviet secret police, exemplifies this history of repression and suffering.

More on Dual Loyalty — Dr. Lani Kass and Gen. Norton Schwartz

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 02:25 PM PDT

Dual loyalty issues have once again arisen, this time in conjunction with Philip Giraldi's astonishing essay on antiwar.com. Giraldi discusses the curious career of Dr. Lani Kass — formerly a senior military officer in the Israeli Defense Force, and now the senior Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force General Norton A. Schwartz. "Kass appears to have close and continuing ties to her country of birth, frequently spicing her public statements with comments about life in Israel while parroting simplistic views of the nature of the Islamic threat that might have been scripted in Tel Aviv's Foreign Ministry."

Blackwater ex-president indicted

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 02:21 PM PDT

The former president of Blackwater, the controversial American private military contractor, has been indicted for firearms violations and making false statements.

Gary Jackson has been charged with the illegal possession of machine guns, receiving unregistered weapons and making false statements according to an indictment submitted to a North Carolina court on Friday.

Emails document destroyed CIA tapes

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 02:18 PM PDT

An ex-CIA head agreed with a decision to destroy hundreds of tapes purportedly showing US agents harshly interrogating two al-Qaeda suspects.

Internal emails, released late on Thursday by the US Justice Department, show that Porter Goss approved a decision by Jose Rodriguez, the head of the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) clandestine service at the time, to destroy more than 100 tapes.

CIA emails confirm tape destruction

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 02:18 PM PDT

An ex-CIA head agreed with a decision to destroy hundreds of tapes purportedly showing US agents harshly interrogating two al-Qaeda suspects.

Internal emails, released late on Thursday by the US Justice Department, show that Porter Goss approved a decision by Jose Rodriguez, the head of the Central Intelligence Agency's clandestine service at the time, to destroy more than 100 tapes.

NBC Race Baiting Stunt at Tea Party Fails Stupendously

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 02:17 PM PDT

Liberals and Obamatrons, led by MSNBC's attack dog Chris Matthews, like to claim people who support the Tea Party are racist. But if the Tea Party was indeed racist why would any self respecting black person join it? Do black people join the Ku Klux Klan and throwback white supremacists?

TV election debate another shining example of UK commitment to democracy

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 02:12 PM PDT

Britain's first ever televised debate between its three main parties was lauded by BBC 4's World News for its democratic integrity (15 April 2010) – apparently, the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), the British National Party (BNP), the Greens, Respect, the Social Democrats and others, don't exist in England: hence their leaders were not invited to participate. The BBC is so committed to democracy that it never aired the debate. The three parties and their PR people were also so committed to democracy that they ensured that the audience consisted of selected guests, pre-approved questions and controlled – that is, zero – applause.

"Sky News explained how the audience was selected on the basis of "age, gender and ethnicity"... That explains why most of the audience were middle-aged to elderly white men."

Citizens United: A Case Which Will Live in Infamy

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 02:07 PM PDT

Amidst exploding bombs, smoke billowing from sinking battleships and dead bodies floating atop the oil slicked waters of Pearl Harbor, it was not all that difficult to appreciate the damage wrought by a surprise attack launched by the Empire of Japan. The same was true when we watched in horror as the smoldering twin towers of the World Trade Center precipitously collapsed on September 11, 2001.

This Week at War: Could China Disarm Iran?

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 01:29 PM PDT

Could a Chinese security guarantee end the standoff with Iran?

Perhaps the most important of the numerous sidebar meetings U.S. President Barack Obama held during his Nuclear Security Summit was with Chinese President Hu Jintao. At issue was how much support China would lend to a U.S. drive at the U.N. Security Council to sanction Iran for its lack of cooperation with inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). According to the Washington Post, China is still sticking with its noncommittal position.

Kyrgyzstan to seek Bakiyev's trial

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 01:04 PM PDT

Roza Otunbayeva, the head of Kyrgyzstan's interim government, has said that her government will push for an international probe of the deposed president.

Otunbayeva said on Friday that Kurmanbek Bakiyev was allowed to leave the country for Kazakhstan because allowing him to stay risked leading the country to the brink of civil war.

The Price of Bravery

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 12:45 PM PDT

contentarea gives top padding. GavinFire1

GavinFire1

Criticizing firefighters in New York City is like saying unicorns are boring and rainbows are gay, so we're going to have to start this with an analogy.

Ahem, what if someone saved your life a bunch of years ago and then asked if they could move in? Sure, right? Okay, what if they insisted all their brothers and cousins move in too? Er, you'd maybe ask him "why?" But before you could, he'd point his huge finger in your face and explain none of these guys would hesitate to save your life. Alright, so now they're all sitting around, eating you out of house and home and you're going broke. As you try to explain you can no longer afford this, they tell you they're going to need even MORE money. Apparently sitting around the house all day is dangerous and it's affecting their health. As you shake your head and wonder how you got into this mess, you notice they're using your kids as furniture. "Um, could you get off my son? I don't think he can breathe," you ask. "Shut it!" you're told, "I'm the only one here who knows CPR so I'll handle it if he stops breathing. Get back to work! We need more freeze-dried pork briquettes!"

You are subscribed to email updates from Rebel Newsflash To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)