Saturday, June 12, 2010

Israel Military Admits It Doctored Gaza Freedom Flotilla Audio Clip

Israel Military Admits It Doctored Gaza Freedom Flotilla Audio Clip (plus 99 more items)

Link to Rebel Newsflash

Israel Military Admits It Doctored Gaza Freedom Flotilla Audio Clip

Posted: 11 Jun 2010 05:09 PM PDT

The IDF admitted today in a press release that it doctored audio footage from its exchanges with the Gaza flotilla in order to paint the flotilla passengers as anti-Semites. I am beginning to wonder if the Israeli military hired James O'Keefe to handle its press shop.

The futility of UNSC resolutions

Posted: 11 Jun 2010 05:35 AM PDT

Although the United Nations Security Council, which some politicians believe is one of the most undemocratic organizations in the world, voted in favor of a fourth round of sanctions against Iran over its uranium enrichment program, the global public opinions are well aware of the fact that 15 countries, 5 of which are entitled to remain in an unquestionable monopoly and dominance, cannot in reality represent the interests of the international community.

US drone strike kills 3 in Pakistan

Posted: 11 Jun 2010 01:14 AM PDT

A fresh US drone attack has killed at least three people and wounded several others in a tribal area in northwest Pakistan, officials say.

According to Pakistani security officials, a drone fired two missiles east of Miranshah in North Waziristan on Thursday. They say a house was the target of the attack.

IAEA board focuses on Israeli 'nukes'

Posted: 11 Jun 2010 01:10 AM PDT

Arab nations have censured Israel at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board meeting, for preventing the Middle East from becoming a nuclear-free region.

In the IAEA board session on Thursday, which addressed Israel's nuclear issue for the first time since 1991, Arab states called on the regime to come clean about its nuclear capabilities and allow international investigations, DPA reported.

'Sanctions diversion from Israeli crimes'

Posted: 11 Jun 2010 12:55 AM PDT

Hamas condemns the new UN Security Council sanctions imposed against Iran over its nuclear program, calling it a diversion created to distract world attention from Israel's crimes

"Hamas forcefully denounces the imposition of unjust international sanctions on Iran. This is an example of a policy of double standards -- punishing Iran for its peaceful nuclear program and defending Israel, which has an important nuclear arsenal," the statement carried by AFP read.

Minsk to display photos of Iran women

Posted: 11 Jun 2010 12:52 AM PDT

The Minsk Palace of Arts is set to mount a photograph exhibition, introducing the various achievements of Iranian women in the Belarusian capital.

Organized by the Iranian Embassy in Minsk, Today's Iranian Woman will display some 48 images from Iran's House of Photographers.

'US cannot garner support for Iran war'

Posted: 11 Jun 2010 12:43 AM PDT

A former chief UN weapons inspector says the UN Security Council would never approve an attack on Iran, amid US efforts to punish the country for its nuclear work.

Hans Blix made the remarks in an interview with Austrian daily Der Standard published on Wednesday, as the UN Security Council voted to impose a fourth round of sanctions against Tehran.

S Korea rocket explodes in seconds

Posted: 11 Jun 2010 12:14 AM PDT

South Korea's dreams of joining the world's space club go up in smoke as Seoul's satellite launch vehicle has exploded minutes into its flight.

South Korea's Science and Technology minister Ahn Byong-Man said the rocket seems to have exploded 137 seconds after blast-off at an altitude of 70 kilometers.

Iran urges probe into Israeli nukes

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 10:51 PM PDT

Iran urges the IAEA to send a fact-finding mission to Israel to probe into its nuclear sites as Middle East nations demand Tel Aviv join a global anti-nuclear arms treaty.

The International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Board of Governors met for a fourth day on Thursday with "Israeli nuclear capabilities" high on the agenda.

OIC calls new sanctions unhelpful

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 10:37 PM PDT

The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) says the new UN sanctions against Iran are not conducive to finding a peaceful solution to Tehran's nuclear issue.

The fourth round of UN Security Council sanctions imposed against Iran "will have negative implications on the ongoing international efforts to settle peacefully... the Iranian nuclear issue," the OIC statement read, AFP reported.

Russia assures Iran over S-300 deal

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 10:32 PM PDT

Russia's Foreign Ministry says Moscow is not obliged to freeze a deal to deliver the S-300 missile defense system to Iran under the newly imposed UN sanctions.

Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said Thursday that the deal is not referenced in the fourth round of UN sanctions imposed against Tehran which mainly target financial and military sectors.

World's oldest leather shoe found

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 10:31 PM PDT

Archeologists have found a 5,500-year-old leather shoe in Armenia's Areni-1 cave in Vayotz Dzor, which they say is the oldest of its kind to have been discovered.

The well preserved cow-hide shoe is made of a single leather piece and was shaped to fit the owner's foot, researchers wrote in the journal Plos One.

EU plans export market for PA

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 10:16 PM PDT

The European Commission says it plans to open its market to Palestinian goods, duty-free, to pave the way for the establishment of a Palestinian export market.

"The European Commission is expected to propose granting duty-free, quota-free access for Palestinian exports to the EU in the coming months," AFP quoted EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht as saying on Thursday.

Burst bubble process unveiled

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 10:10 PM PDT

Using high speed video, scientists have found that when bubbles burst on a liquid surface they do not disappear but create a ring of tiny "daughter bubbles".

According to the report published in the journal Nature, the burst bubble retracts into the liquid, forming a ring of trapped air.

Israel announces it will allow some Coca Cola, junk food to enter Gaza

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 08:56 PM PDT

Arabic coca cola (stock photo)

While the people of Gaza continue to demand that Israel lift its 3-year long siege and allow building materials, electric appliances, medical equipment and car parts into Gaza, the Israeli government announced that it will allow a trickle of Coca Cola and junk food to enter Gaza. These items had previously been deemed a 'security risk'. But the Hamas government announced that it would reject the junk food, calling it a 'public relations' stunt by the Israeli government.

Iran says new UNSC sanctions illegal

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 08:38 PM PDT

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast says new UN sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program will be ineffective.

Mehmanparast called the passing of the new resolution "wrong and illegal," saying such measures were adopted to prevent Iran from acquiring peaceful nuclear technology, IRNA reported.

Iranian president arrives in China

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 08:11 PM PDT

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has arrived in Shanghai to attend the World Expo 2010, one day after China voted in favor of new UN sanctions against Iran.

The visit to China will wrap up Ahmadinejad's three-nation Asian tour which also took him to Turkey and Tajikistan.

Taliban blame NATO for Afghan carnage

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 07:48 PM PDT

In Afghanistan, the Taliban militants and US-led forces are blaming each other for the deadly blast at a wedding in the south of the country.

The incident happened in the village of Nagahan near the city of Kandahar.

Helicopter crash kills 4 in Turkey

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 07:28 PM PDT

A Turkish military helicopter has crashed in a forested area in central Turkey, killing four armed forces onboard.

Serif Yilmaz, the governor of Tokat province, said Thursday that the incident happened in foggy weather, Reuters reported.

Tel Aviv On The Potomac

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 07:14 PM PDT

Israel--American-flags

With very few exceptions, the current crop of Armani suited sycophants who occupy seats in both houses of Congress must go! Topping the list are those who pledge their allegiance to a certain foreign power in the Middle East. Israel and her supporters have proven to be nothing less than an embarrassment to our country and quite arguably our greatest liability.

Sucker's Choice

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 07:00 PM PDT

Hillary Clinton must be gloating. She's got the anti-Iran resolution of the UNSC she's worked so hard for. The Chinese and the Russian government gave in to American 'reasoning' and refrained from vetoing the sanctions. And the Iranian government is of course 'deeply disappointed' with the Russian and Chinese caving in to U.S. pressure. Well, that's the nanny version of the events.

Lebanon lawmaker raps Iran sanctions

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 06:24 PM PDT

Lebanon's Higher Shia Council has condemned the UN Security Council's decision to impose tougher sanctions against Iran while ignoring Israel's nuclear plants.

Lebanese Vice President of the Higher Shia Council Sheikh Abdul Amir Qabalan denounced the UN Security Council (UNSC) for what he said were diplomatic double standard policies, particularly over the Iranian nuclear program and Israel's nuclear warheads.

Iran scholar 'offered $10m by US'

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 06:18 PM PDT

Amid conflicting reports on the fate of an abducted Iranian researcher, new intelligence suggests he was offered financial incentives by the US.

In an audio tape obtained by Iran's intelligence sources, Amiri said he was offered 10 million dollars to appear on CNN and announce that he travelled to the US on his own free will.

S Koreans slam visit by 'killer' Peres

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 06:10 PM PDT

Israeli President Shimon Peres has received a chilly welcome in South Korea from dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters denouncing the visit by the "killer."

The activists gathered outside the Israeli embassy in Seoul on Thursday to protest Israel's fatal attack on a Gaza aid convoy on May 31, which left 20 international volunteers onboard the ships killed and more than 40 others wounded.

Turkey stands by Tehran declaration

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 06:05 PM PDT

Following UN Security Council's move on new Iran sanctions resolution, Turkey slams the "hasty" decision and expresses support for the Tehran declaration as a diplomatic solution to the standoff.

Speaking in Turkey's western city of Istanbul on Thursday, Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the sanctions against Iran's civilian nuclear program "a mistake," explaining that Turkey and Brazil would continue to seek a diplomatic solution to the issue.

Iran's envoy: West threat to peace

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 05:50 PM PDT

Iran's Ambassador to the Vatican Ali Akbar Nasseri says the biggest threat to world peace is perpetrated by Western powers that violate rights of smaller nations.

Referring to Western attempts in portraying Iran's nuclear program as a global threat, Nasseri emphasized that the real international threat is in fact brought by the unwillingness of global powers to respect the sovereignty of other nations.

Iran sanctions worthless, Chavez says

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 05:23 PM PDT

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has strongly condemned a fourth round of UN Security Council sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.

Speaking in a televised speech Wednesday night, Chavez condemned the newly-approved UNSC measure against Iran and criticized the West for not taking any such step against Israel.

Afghan ex-spy boss slams Pakistan

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 05:11 PM PDT

Afghanistan's ousted intelligence chief has criticized Pakistan, saying that his resignation was an achievement for the government in Islamabad.

In a Wednesday interview with an Afghan television, Amrullah Saleh said Kabul decided to be flexible with Islamabad for improving relations with its neighbor, but the new policy was a sign of bowing to the country.

Black MP's bid for Labour leadership

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 04:36 PM PDT

Diane Abbott, the first black women to be elected to British Parliament in 1987, has made it onto the ballot as a candidate for the Labour leadership position.

Ms. Abbott will be taking on four white, male candidates for the coveted position of Party leadership in a 15-week campaign ending on September 25. Her achievement in gaining 33 MP nominations came at the last minute from unlikely sources as the ballot closed yesterday, with Harriet Harman, Labour's current leader, and David Miliband, another contenders, transferring their nomination to her.

Majlis to legislate drop in IAEA ties

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 04:12 PM PDT

A top member of Iran's Parliament (Majlis) vowed to push for legislation to reduce Iran's relations with IAEA following UN Security Council (UNSC) vote on another anti-Iran sanctions resolution.

Describing the US-led effort in the UNSC as "a political, illegal and a failed move," Chairman of the Majlis Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy Alaeddin Boroujerdi announced that his committee will begin deliberations Sunday to draft legislation for reducing Iran's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mehr News Agency reported Wednesday.

Sanction 'not to halt' Iran's enrichment

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 04:10 PM PDT

A day after the UN Security Council voted on a US-drafted resolution for new anti-Iran sanctions, Tehran's IAEA envoy reiterates that Iran's nuclear enrichment will not be suspended.

Iran's Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali-Asghar Soltanieh expressed regret about the persisting trend of misleading assessments made by the West regarding Iran's nuclear policy.

UK unemployment could reach 3 mn

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 03:58 PM PDT

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) predicts that cuts in public spending by the coalition government will push unemployment close to 3 million.

The UK think tank further warned that 50,000 public sector jobs are at risk, estimating that joblessness will reach 2.65 million this year and may be pushed close to 3 million in the second half of 2012 and remain at that level until 2015, a level not seen since the early 1990s.

Clinton vows US support for Bogota

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 03:54 PM PDT

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has pledged to continue the US support for America's staunchest ally in Latin America, amid growing criticisms in the region against the military-focused ties .

Speaking at a joint press conference with outgoing Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in Bogota on Wednesday, Clinton reiterated Washington's backing of Colombia's government and said that the US administration will continue to stand behind the next government after the South American nations' June 20 election.

Citizen's Arrest of War Criminal George W. Bush: Court Case in Canada

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 03:53 PM PDT

A Chase, B.C., man will not go to jail after being convicted of obstructing a peace officer while protesting former U.S. president George W. Bush's visit to Calgary last year.

Provincial court Judge Manfred Delong handed a conditional discharge Monday to John Pasquale Boncore, 58, and placed him on probation for a year.

Israel invites the world to revolt!

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 03:52 PM PDT

Israel has refused to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and stated that it would not abide by its international obligations as to nuclear disarmament. Israeli PM has told the media that since his country is not a NPT signatory, it would not respond to the appeal of 189 countries who have called on Tel Aviv to put its nuclear facilities under the comprehensive IAEA safeguards in accordance with the UNSC resolution 487. This means that Israel has invited the world countries to pull out of NPT and develop nuclear weapons according to their own will.

World awaiting 2010 World Cup kickoff

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 03:51 PM PDT

The first-ever FIFA World Cup on African soil is set to kick off within hours in South Africa when the hosts take on Mexico in the opening game.

The opening game will begin on Friday as billions of people across the world are getting ready to watch the tournament.

Israel tepid on EU monitoring force

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 03:49 PM PDT

While the Palestinian Hamas movement has welcomed a proposal for an international monitoring team at the Gaza-Israel border, Tel Aviv seems all the more reluctant.

The European Union (EU) proposed to check Gaza-bound ships following a May 31 deadly attack on an aid convoy by Israeli naval commandoes, who killed 20 activists onboard the six-ship Gaza Freedom Flotilla and wounded more than 40 others.

Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan Deserves Medal as Fake Friend of Palestinians

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 03:38 PM PDT

In the past week the world witnessed an amazing performance by a government leader that even the most accomplished Hollywood actor could not match!

Turkey's Prime Minister deserves an Oscar for presenting himself as a great humanitarian and protector of Palestinians. The people of Gaza are certainly oppressed and deprived, but Erdogan is not their knight in shining armor! One cannot champion human rights with unclean hands! This is the height of hypocrisy!

Mottaki: Iran resolution 'backward move'

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 03:24 PM PDT

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has condemned the recent UN Security Council sanctions resolution against Iran as a "backward" step.

Referring to the highly-praised Tehran declaration earlier in May, Mottaki said, "In the chess board, we made a move seeking to build confidence and raise the level of cooperation."

US Fed chief warns of spending cuts

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 03:12 PM PDT

US Central Bank Chairman Ben Bernanke has warned the Capitol Hill against further spending cuts that might lead to another economic relapse.

In his Wednesday testimony before the House Budget Committee, the US Federal Reserve chief said, "Right now I do not think is the time -- this very moment is not the time -- to radically reduce our spending or raise our taxes because the economy is still in recovery mode and needs that support."

Iran threatens to revise IAEA ties

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 03:03 PM PDT

Iran has said it could revise its ties with the UN's nuclear agency in the wake of a Security Council vote for further sanctions against the country for its disputed nuclear programme.

An influential legislator said on Thursday that the country's parliament will "revisit" relations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) following Wednesday's vote at the Security Council.

Four Americans charged in Afghanistan

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 02:14 PM PDT

Four American nationals, including two soldiers serving in Afghanistan, have been charged with corruption in the war-ravaged country.

Based at the Bagram Air Base, service members Charles Finch and Gary Canteen cooperated in the corruption, AFP reported.

Gaza urges action to protect Jerusalem

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 02:14 PM PDT

Palestinians have marked the anniversary of the occupation of East Jerusalem, calling on the Muslim world to help prevent the judaization of the holy city.

Al-Quds International Institution held a ceremony the Hamas-run Gaza Strip on Wednesday to mark the 43rd anniversary of the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem.

Gaza urges action to protect Jerusalem

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 02:14 PM PDT

Palestinians have marked the anniversary of the occupation of East Jerusalem , calling on the Muslim world to help prevent the judaization of the holy city.

Al-Quds International Institution held a ceremony in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip on Wednesday to mark the 43rd anniversary of the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem.

Clinton boasts on Iran sanctions

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 02:13 PM PDT

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has hailed the new UN Security Council (UNSC) sanctions against Iran, claiming that they will hinder Tehran's nuclear energy program.

The vote on new sanctions against Iran by an "overwhelming majority" in the UNSC justifies the Obama administration's strategy of reaching out to Tehran, Clinton boasted in talking with reporters in Bogota, Colombia Wednesday.

Cameron reaffirms Afghan support

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 01:57 PM PDT

On his first official visit to Afghanistan, David Cameron, the British prime minister, has announced increased aid for the country but ruled out sending extra troops.

The Conservative leader, who held talks with Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, in Kabul on Thursday, declared Afghanistan the "most important foreign policy issue" for Britain.

Iran blasts China over UNSC sanctions

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 01:27 PM PDT

Director of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Ali-Akbar Salehi has harshly criticized China over its yes vote on UN Security Council's (UNSC) new sanctions resolution against Iran.

In an interview with ISNA on Wednesday, Salehi described China's decision to vote in favor of the fourth round of UNSC sanctions against Iran as an indication that the West was "holding dominion" over the Beijing government.

Inquiry called on low force in Helmand

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 01:17 PM PDT

British politicians call for an inquiry into troop deployment to Afghanistan's Helmand province following growing concerns about inadequate troop levels there.

The Times recently disclosed that senior members of the Bush administration warned Britain's Ministry of Defence in early 2006 that British troop numbers were too low when planning military action in Helmand province.

They're Coming: Freedom Flotilla Two and Others Planned

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 01:11 PM PDT

steve lendman

The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza (ECESG) is "an umbrella body" of 34 European human rights and humanitarian organizations supporting the right of Palestinians "to live in peace and dignity," to be free from occupation, and to have "their own independent and sovereign state, (and) encourages all peoples of conscience and human rights advocates to intensify their efforts to highlight this life-theatening issue and end the catastrophe."

New head of UN's Congo mission named

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 01:02 PM PDT

A US diplomat has been appointed to head the UN mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo for his "in-depth knowledge of African issues."

Roger Meece will succeed Alan Doss of Britain, who is to retire shortly, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday, AFP reported.

US playing 'a naive game', Iran says

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 12:58 PM PDT

After the UN Security Council voted in favor of imposing fresh sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program, Iran's parliament speaker censures the US for its stance on the issue.

"We are regretful that the US is playing a naive game in New York these days," Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said in a meeting with his Omani counterpart Ali Al-Isai in Tehran on Wednesday.

Hezbollah lauds 'brave' US reporter

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 12:51 PM PDT

Hezbollah has praised veteran White House reporter Helen Thomas for her "courageous" comments in support of Palestinian people, which cost her a forced retirement.

"Respected American journalist Helen Thomas's answer shows ... a courageous, bold, honest and free opinion which expresses what people across the globe believe: that Israel is a racist state of murderers and thugs," AFP quoted Hezbollah MP Hussein Moussawi as saying in a statement released Wednesday.

Moral Failure of American Liberals: A Defence of Helen Thomas

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 12:37 PM PDT

The ostracism of Helen Thomas, the doyenne of the White House press corps, over her comment that Jews should 'get the hell out of Palestine' and 'go home' to Poland, Germany, America and elsewhere is revealing in several ways. In spite of an apology, the 89-year-old has been summarily retired by the Hearst newspaper group, dropped by her agent, spurned by the White House, and denounced by long-time friends and colleagues.

Israel Leading America into Darkness

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 12:32 PM PDT

Somewhere underground Israel defense officials debated alternate strategies to handle future aid ships headed for the Gaza strip. 'Nothing has been decided,' but 'there are a lot of ideas out there.' The leading one would allow aid ships to enter Gaza after being inspected by UN and Israeli officials at Ashdod Port.

Afghan wedding blast a 'US-led strike'

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 12:30 PM PDT

The deadly attack on a group of civilians in a wedding ceremony in southern Afghanistan was a US-led air strike, a Taliban spokesman claims.

The bomb explosion in Kandahar province on Wednesday left about 40 people dead and more than 80 others injured, a Press TV correspondent reported.

The Confrontation that Obama Is Avoiding

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 12:30 PM PDT

Much as the Palestinian leadership would welcome the U.S. financial commitment to the tune of $400 million to alleviate, in part, the deplorable situation within Gaza, President Barak Obama's pronouncements at the end of his one-hour session last Wednesday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas fell short of the high expectations.

Let the Palestinians Eat Potato Chips

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 12:28 PM PDT

At first glance, I thought I was reading a parody mocking the absurd list of the products that are banned from reaching Gaza. The Associated Press just published an article titled "Israel Eases Gaza Blockade on Some Banned Foods." That seemed like a promising headline. It now appears that the Israelis will permit the Gazans to import soda, juice, jam, spices, shaving cream, potato chips, cookies and candy. That's it. No steel - no cement - nothing that can be used for rebuilding the thousands of homes, hospitals, schools, sewage plants and mosques that were reduced to rubble in last year's carpet bombing of Gaza. What the AP failed to report is the long list of food products that still remain on the black list. Another thing that didn't make past the AP censors is the fact that the Israelis continue to enforce the ban on textiles, office equipment, paper products, school equipment and even medical equipment.

Gaza Burning – A Poem

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 12:26 PM PDT

No matter flag.
No matter medicine.
No matter civilian.
No matter international community.
No matter your international waters.
No matter your sanctions, no matter your rhetoric and foreign policy.

Centre-right lead in Dutch vote

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 10:37 AM PDT

The centre-right Liberal party has claimed a slim victory in the Netherlands following a general election in which voters appeared to reward parties that pledged to focus on the economy.

The Liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), headed by Mark Rutte, led its closest rival by one seat in parliament on Thursday with more than 95 per cent of the vote counted.

Russia says no to unilateral sanctions

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 10:19 AM PDT

Russia has warned against imposing unilateral sanctions against Iran, saying that any such move would be "unacceptable."

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued statement on Wednesday saying that the new Iran sanctions were meant to encourage a diplomatic solution to the dispute overt Iran's nuclear program.

Dutch ruling party loses election

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 10:13 AM PDT

Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende has resigned as his party's leader as exit polls showed his Christian Democrats were defeated in the parliamentary elections.

According to preliminary results released by local TV NOS early in the morning, the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) won 31 out of the total 150 parliamentary seats, becoming the biggest party in the second Chamber of the States-General. It was followed by the Labour Party (PvdA) which grabbed 30 seats.

Israeli blockade unsustainable: Obama

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 09:57 AM PDT

US President Barack Obama has called on Israel to work on a solution for Gaza, saying the situation in the blockaded coastal strip is "unsustainable."

Obama made the remarks at a meeting with acting Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday at the White House.

Saving the brown pelican

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 09:39 AM PDT

Hundreds of birds, among many other sea creatures and wildlife covered in crude oil, have been found dead along the US Gulf coast as a result of BP's massive oil spill. One of the birds affected is the brown pelican, which was only recently removed from the endangered species list. Al Jazeera's John Terrett was travelling with a group of fishermen in the US state of Louisiana when they came across a pelican completely soaked in oil. [June 10, 2010]

NATO copter downed, 4 US troops killed

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 09:21 AM PDT

Four US troops were killed in Afghanistan when Taliban militants shot down a NATO helicopter.

The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) helicopter was brought down on Wednesday in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan by hostile fire, a military spokesman announced late on Wednesday.

Your Place or Mine ?

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 09:14 AM PDT

Someone once asked me if what I write here are true stories, my reply : Yes they are. Which is evidently not the case for my fiction blog...fiction IS fiction, even though a good deal are way too stupid to realize that simple truism.

Here, I change the names to protect people's anonymity. I really don't know why am decent that way, because some people need to have their names fully exposed...

Taiwan cracks down on underground radio stations

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 09:06 AM PDT

Taiwan's government says it's making big gains against criminal operators of underground radio stations. Over the past three months, the office of the prime minister has been personally overseeing a crackdown. This is attributed to the sale of often fake and harmful drugs from advertisers. So widespread is the problem and so good the marketing, says the government, that it's made it a top public health priority. Al Jazeera's Steve Chao reports.

Neoconservatives Lead Charge Against Turkey

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 09:00 AM PDT

Jim Lobe

As the right-wing leadership of the organized U.S. Jewish community defends Israel against international condemnation for its deadly seizure of a flotilla bearing humanitarian supplies for Gaza, a familiar clutch of neoconservative hawks is going on the offensive against what they see as the flotilla's chief defender, Turkey.

Outraged by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip's Erdogan's repeated denunciations of the May 31 Israeli raid, as well as his co-sponsorship with Brazil of an agreement with Iran designed to promote renewed negotiations with the West on Tehran's nuclear program, some neoconservatives are even demanding that the U.S. try to expel Ankara from NATO as one among of several suggested actions aimed at punishing Erdogan's AKP (Justice and Development Party) government.

What's Next for the Nuclear Disarmament Movement?

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 09:00 AM PDT

The last 19 months have been a tumultuous time for the nuclear disarmament movement, placing it, today, on the cusp of some important decisions about its future direction.

Many advocates of nuclear disarmament felt considerable elation at the election of Barack Obama in 2008. In the previous years, the Bush administration had scrapped the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty, refused to support ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, championed the development of new U.S. nuclear weapons, and abandoned arms control and disarmament negotiations. Obama, by contrast, not only promised to reverse these priorities, but — during and after his campaign — stated his commitment to building a nuclear weapons-free world.

A Wasteland Called Peace

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 09:00 AM PDT

Philip Giraldi

In the first century A.D. the Roman historian Tacitus wrote "Solitudinem fecerunt, pacem appelunt," translated as "they have created a wasteland and call it peace." He was describing the devastating Roman campaigns against the German tribes under the first emperor Augustus in which all the men capable of carrying weapons were slaughtered and the remainder of the population was sold into slavery. It was the Roman way of waging war, complete destruction of a foreign enemy to serve as a warning against challenging the might of the Caesars.

Brazil, Turkey Defy US on Nuke Vote Against Iran

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 09:00 AM PDT

After several months of closed-door negotiations and shuttle diplomacy, the United States succeeded Wednesday in getting a new Security Council resolution — the fourth in a series — imposing a fresh set of sanctions penalizing Iran for its nuclear program

But the most powerful political body at the United Nations refused to give the United States what it needed most in diplomatic terms: a unanimous vote.

As Israel Kills and Maims, Outrage is Directed at Helen Thomas

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 09:00 AM PDT

Whenever Israel commits yet another atrocity, its defenders are quick to redirect public attention away from the grisly crime scene.

Currently, there are headlines about allegedly anti-Semitic comments made by senior White House correspondent Helen Thomas. Pundits across the land evince outrage at her off-the-cuff 25-second statement made to a man who appears to be holding a camera right in her face.

Iran Sanctions' Effectiveness Widely Questioned

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 09:00 AM PDT

Jim Lobe

While top U.S. officials touted the U.N. Security Council's approval Wednesday of a new sanctions resolution against Iran as a major diplomatic breakthrough, most nuclear and Iran specialists say it is unlikely to be effective and could prove counterproductive.

Even if, as expected, they are followed up by additional unilateral sanctions on the part of both the United States and the members of the European Union (EU), the aim of persuading Iran to curb its nuclear program is unlikely to be achieved, according to these experts.

Shocker! Abe Foxman is a hypocrite.

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 08:56 AM PDT

Israel has long had policies where people can be stopped and asked for identification; racial profiling is the norm. But Jewish organizations in America are vehemently and pretty much unanimously opposed to the Arizona law that does the same thing.

Now an article in Haaretz discusses the fact that it's not just about suspicious-looking Palestinians ("Reminders of Israel in the Arizona immigration debate"). Prime Minister Ariel Sharon instituted a policy to cleanse Israel of foreign workers in 2002, and "by the end of 2005 about 145,000 'illegal residents', as they were called, were expelled or 'left willingly.'" There were objections to the policy, but everyone got over it pretty easily.

Israeli PR Machine Won Gaza Flotilla Media Battle

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 08:49 AM PDT

From the moment that the Israeli naval commandos launched their attack on the flotilla aiming to break the siege of Gaza by carrying humanitarian aid to the territory, the struggle by both sides to dominate how the media covered the events – a struggle that began days in advance of the 4am attack on Monday – entered a completely new phase.

Centre-right claims Dutch poll win

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 08:47 AM PDT

The centre-right Liberal party has claimed a slim victory in the Netherlands following a general election in which voters appeared to reward parties that pledged to focus on the economy.

The Liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), headed by Mark Rutte, led its closest rival by one seat in parliament on Thursday with more than 95 per cent of the vote counted.

Sanctions resolution is a mistake: Lula

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 08:19 AM PDT

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva says that the UN Security Council's decision to impose new sanctions on Iran was "a mistake."

The UN Security Council powers have lost a "historic opportunity" to negotiate a solution by imposing new sanctions on Iran, Lula said in comments broadcast on television during a visit to northeastern Brazil on Wednesday.

Gerald Celente Breaks Down The Troubled Financial World Markets

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 08:04 AM PDT

Alex also talks with Gerald Celente, renowned trend forecaster, publisher of the Trends Journal, business consultant and author who makes predictions about the global financial markets and other events of historical importance. Alex also covers the latest news and takes your calls. www.trendsresearch.com/ www.infowars.com www.prisonplanet.tv

Abbas tells U.S. Jews: I would never deny Jewish right to the land of Israel

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 08:04 AM PDT

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told U.S. Jewish leaders on Wednesday that he would never deny Jews their right to the land of Israel, according to participants of the two-hour roundtable discussion.

Some 30 Jewish leaders from organizations such as AIPAC, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations took part in the Washington meeting, which focused mainly on the indirect peace talks and violent incitements.

'Gaza blockade is economic warfare'

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 07:18 AM PDT

The Israeli government has admitted that its blockade of Gaza is not a security measure but actually an act of "economic warfare" against Hamas, an Israeli human rights group says.

In response to a lawsuit by the Tel-Aviv based Legal Center for Freedom of Movement (Gisha), the Israeli government explained the blockade as an exercise of the right of economic warfare, mcclatchydc.com reported on Wednesday.

Sanctions take toll on Iranian businesses

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 06:39 AM PDT

Iranians have been living under sanctions in one form or another since the founding of the Islamic republic. Many local business in the capital, Tehran, are concerned about how the latest punitive measures imposed by the UN Security Council, could affect them. Al Jazeera's Alireza Ronaghi reports (June 10, 2010)

Italian union calls for general strike

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 06:36 AM PDT

Italy's largest union has called for a general strike later this month to protest against the government's plan for €25 billion ($30 billion) in spending cuts.

The CGIL labor confederation says the austerity measures are unfair and hurt the weakest workers. The union said on Wednesday that it would stage a national strike on June 25.

Director Brian Kraft Discusses in Studio His New Film 'The Fall of America'

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 06:12 AM PDT

Alex talks with filmmaker Brian Kraft in-studio. Kraft produced The Fall of America and the Western World, a 9 disc DVD series that makes the argument that America, Europe and the Western world are in serious trouble and poised for collapse. "The DVD box set offers families hundreds of actionable tips so they can learn how to buy precious metals, diversify their portfolios, protect themselves from economic crisis and martial law, get off the grid, fight the new world order and globalism, and protect the middle class," explains a press release on the documentary. www.thefallofamerica.net www.infowars.com www.prisonplanet.tv

Eyewittnesses: Israel attacked all the ships violently

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 06:08 AM PDT

Survivors of Israel's attack on the "Free Gaza" flotilla are now sharing their accounts of the atrocities that took place in international waters. The eyewitness testimony of passengers from all five ships plainly contradicts Israel's claim that its commandos merely acted in self-defense ("In their own words: Survivor testimonies from flotilla 31 May 2010").

Dozens killed at Afghan wedding

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 05:43 AM PDT

At least 39 people have been killed by a suicide bomber at a wedding party in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province.

More than 70 people were injured when the blast occurred on Wednesday night as men sat down to eat at the celebration.

New Knesset Bill To Demand Sending P.A Money To Settlements

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 05:31 AM PDT

25 fundamentalist members of Israeli Knesset submitted a proposed bill the Knesset demanding transferring to Jewish settlements money allocated to the Palestinian Authority to punish the Palestinians for their boycott campaign.

The Knesset members said that this bill is meant to compensate Jewish settlers hurt by the Palestinian boycott and divestment campaign targeted Jewish settlements in the occupied territories.

Gates: Sanctions to spur Iran nuclear talks

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 05:25 AM PDT

US officials have said in the wake of the UN Security Council's adoption of sanctions against Iran's nuclear programme that Washington is still open to talks. Barack Obama, the US president, Hillary Clinton, his secretary of state, and Robert Gates, the defence secretary, all said the sanctions move did not close the door to talks. In fact, the UN resolution actually aims to convince Iran to start negotiations, Gates tells Al Jazeera's David Frost. (June 10, 2010)

Party begins ahead of World Cup start

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 05:25 AM PDT

Organisers of the World Cup are promising to welcome the world with a spectacular show both on and off the pitch. Performers are promising to stage a uniquely South African show on Friday, saying they will be "Welcoming the World Home". The expectations of local residents have also been heightened as the national team aims to fulfil its World Cup dream. Al Jazeera's Gladys Njoroge has been enjoying the party atmosphere in Johannesburg.

Veterans Commemorate 43rd Anniversary of Israeli Attack on American Ship

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 04:58 AM PDT

USS Liberty with gunshots (archive photo)

In the 1967 War, the Israeli military attacked and sank the USS Liberty in international waters. 34 US sailors were killed and 174 wounded after Israeli Navy officers mistook the Liberty for an Egyptian ship.

The anniversary of the attack was even more poignant than usual this year, as the Israeli navy attacked a humanitarian aid ship last week in international waters, killing nine people including an American teenager.

Paleos for Black Marxists

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 04:53 AM PDT

This blurb is up at The American Conservative.

The World Cup kicks off in two days, with South Africa playing host to the highlight of the soccer season. In Foreign Policy, Nicholas Griffin details how the game helped end apartheid in the country and continues to ease racial tensions—though it also shows how much work is still to be done.

BP stocks dive on oil cleanup costs

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 04:48 AM PDT

BP's share price has plunged to a 14-year low as the US threatens to impose new penalties on the British energy giant.

BP depositary shares, trading in New York on Wednesday, fell nearly 16 per cent to close at $29.20, the lowest level since August 1996, amid growing concerns over its ability to meet mounting costs of the giant Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

In response to Bernard-Henri Levy

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 04:44 AM PDT

Dear Bernard-Henri Levy, unfortunately we don't know each other. We met for a moment in Gori's smoking rubble in the midst of the war in Georgia. You came on a brief visit and as usual attracted attention, as you did in other conflict zones you visited.

I deeply admire prominent intellectuals like yourself, who make a point of visiting the killing fields and speaking out. Your attempt to protect Israel, as demonstrated by your article in Haaretz on Tuesday ("It's time to stop demonizing Israel"), pleased many Israelis, who were yearning for a good word about their country, a very rare commodity these days.

Israel's military support of apartheid S. Africa exposed in new book

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 04:36 AM PDT

A US author is standing by claims that Israel offered to sell nuclear warheads to South Africa during the apartheid regime, despite denials by Israel's then-defense minister, now-president Shimon Peres, that the accusation has "no basis in reality."

Published last month, Sasha Polakow-Suransky's The Unspoken Alliance: Israel's Secret Relationship with Apartheid South Africa, presents first-hand evidence of the nuclear warhead offer from Peres to South Africa's defense minister P. W. Botha in 1975. Botha served as prime minister and was the first executive state president of South Africa from 1984 to 1989.

Racists vandalize mosque in Israel

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 04:08 AM PDT

A mosque in northern Israel has been desecrated with racist graffiti directed at the Muslim community.

The Al-Aqsa Foundation for Religious Endowments and Heritage distributed pictures of the graffiti, calling the vandalism a "great and reprehensible crime" and demanding that the Israeli authorities conduct an investigation, AFP reported.

Obama urges Israel to end Palestinian 'siege'

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 03:43 AM PDT

Barack Obama, the US president, has called on Israel to lift the "siege" on Palestinians, after a meeting with Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president. Wednesday's meeting in Washington also resulted in a $400m US aid package for Gaza and the West Bank. Abbas said Obama's statement is a "positive signal" that the US cared about the suffering of those in Gaza and the Palestinian people. Al Jazeera's Patty Culhane reports. (June 10, 2010)

UN passes fresh sanctions against Iran

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 03:30 AM PDT

The UN Security Council has approved a fourth round of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme. Having pushed hard for punitive action, Barack Obama, the US president, stressed that "the door on diplomacy" had not shut. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's president, said the sanctions were "valueless" and incapable of hurting his people. Al Jazeera's Kristin Saloomey reports from the United Nations. (June 10, 2010)

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 03:06 AM PDT

Since attending the World Cup is out of the question for most North Koreans, Pyongyang has solved its on-site fan shortage by recruiting a thousand Chinese citizens to fly the old red, white, and blue on its behalf. Among the members of the so-called "volunteer army" are Chinese actors, comedians, and pop stars lucky enough to have snagged a ticket from the North Korean sports ministry.

Iran: UNSC sanctions history on repeat

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 02:37 AM PDT

Iran says accusations leveled against its nuclear program, which led to new UNSC sanctions, have stark similarities to those made about its oil nationalization in the 1950s.

Tehran's permanent Ambassador to the UN Mohammad Khazaee said Wednesday that the UN Security Council's decision to slap new sanctions on Iran brings back bitter memories from the early 1950s, when the United Kingdom argued that the "nationalization of Iran's oil industry is a threat to peace and security of the region and of the world."

Ex-militant: UK paid, trained Taliban

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 02:10 AM PDT

Following reports that the UK supports peace with the Taliban, a former member of the militant group says British forces have paid and trained the militants in southern Afghanistan.

Mullah Abdul Salam Hanafi told the benawa news website that the British forces have trained Taliban militants in Helmand for years.

NASA sends photos to space for free

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 02:08 AM PDT

NASA says it will send digital photos and names of people to space on its two final space shuttle missions before its shuttle program is retired.

People can upload their photos and names to a new website under the 'Face in Space' program for free and be part of a long-running exploration in space.

Obama to Give 400 Million Dollars for Development in Gaza

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 02:07 AM PDT

Following his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, US President Barack Obama announced that his administration had decided to give 400 million dollars to the Gaza Strip in order to build schools and provide housing.

He said that his administration believes in improving the living conditions of the Palestinian people, and added that the current situation in Gaza cannot continue as more positive stances are needed towards Gaza.

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