29 Aug, 2011

Bachmann: US ‘king daddy dogs’ in energy resources, but environmentalists locking them up – Washington Post

POINCIANA, Fla. — Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann claimed Saturday that the United States has more fuel resources than any other country, but blamed what she termed “radical environmentalists” for bottling up American energy policy. With untapped oil reserves in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and off the nation’s coasts, shale oil in Western states, […]

29 Aug, 2011

Cesium release equal to 168 Hiroshima A-bombs | Japan Times Online

The amount of radioactive cesium ejected by the Fukushima reactor meltdowns is about 168 times higher than that emitted in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, the government’s nuclear watchdog said Friday. The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency provided the estimate at the request of a Diet panel but noted that making a simple comparison between […]

29 Aug, 2011

UN envoy Prosor: Israel has no chance of stopping recognition of Palestinian state – Haaretz

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Ron Prosor, sent a classified cable to the Foreign Ministry last week, stating that Israel stands no chance of rallying a substantial number of states to oppose a resolution at the UN General Assembly recognizing a Palestinian state in September. Sources in the Prime Minister’s Office, meanwhile, said Prime […]

29 Aug, 2011

The future has arrived early | The Asian Age

The future has arrived a little ahead of schedule. On the 12th day of Anna Hazare’s fast, the Lok Sabha debated the Lokpal legislation and unanimously agreed to the three points that Mr Hazare insisted on — the law should ensure that every state has a Lokayukta, all government departments should have a citizen’s charter […]

29 Aug, 2011

India erupts in joyous celebrations – Hindustan Times

From Ramlila Maidan to Ralegan Siddi — Anna Hazare’s village — celebrations at full blast replaced days of protests as the Gandhian broke his fast on Sunday, with his supporters marking “people’s victory” with dancing, waving of the tri colour and handing out of sweets and flowers. The festivities which began last night after Parliament […]

29 Aug, 2011

Nation’s victory, thousands begin march from India Gate – Hindustan Times

Thousands gathered at India Gate this evening to celebrate victory of Anna Hazare’s crusade against anti-corruption took the nation by storm. The Gandhian on Sunday broke his 12-day fast declaring that electoral reforms will be on top of his agenda. After days of protests, festivities which began last night after Parliament passed a resolution agreeing […]

29 Aug, 2011

PressTV – ‘Israel cannot stop Palestinian state’

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor says Tel Aviv has no chance of stopping states that are set to vote for the recognition of a Palestinian state at the General Assembly. In a classified cable to the Israeli Foreign Ministry last week, Prosor said that Israel will not be able to rally a substantial […]

28 Aug, 2011

Asia Times Online : THE ROVING EYE: Disaster capitalism swoops over Libya

Think of the new Libya as the latest spectacular chapter in the Disaster Capitalism series. Instead of weapons of mass destruction, we had R2P (“responsibility to protect”). Instead of neo-conservatives, we had humanitarian imperialists. But the target is the same: regime change. And the project is the same: to completely dismantle and privatize a nation […]

28 Aug, 2011

The Hindu : Opinion : Getting the regional act together

An appreciable level of seriousness underscores the government’s thinking on pressing ahead with the bid for iron ore blocks in the fabulous Hajigak mines in Afghanistan as well as to sponsor the Steel Authority of India proposal to set up a steel plant in that country. The Hajigak mines hold an estimated reserve of 1.8 […]

28 Aug, 2011

The Hindu : 4 Indians among MIT’s top 35 innovators

Two Indians and two persons of Indian origin figure among Top 35 Innovators under-35 in the latest list of Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Technology Review, the world’s oldest Technology Magazine established in 1899. Ajit Narayanan, Invention Labs, Chennai and Aishwarya Ratan, Yale University, who were part of TR35 India Winners announced in March 2011, […]

28 Aug, 2011

Asia Times Online : Israel turns tables on Turkey

True to style, Israel is looking around the region for comfort and companionship with anyone who might also have an intractable problem with Turkey – it didn’t have to look far across the Mediterranean. The two-day visit by the Foreign Minister of Cyprus, Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, to Tel Aviv, which ended on Thursday, was much more […]

28 Aug, 2011

Asia Times Online :: Israel wages war on Iranian scientists

Asia Time Online’s sources in Tehran have confirmed the account presented at the trial, stressing that Israeli intelligence is using highly trained lone operatives to attack Iran’s scientific human resources. Communication methods are kept as simple as possible in the belief that as the operatives are not known to Iranian intelligence, public modes of communication […]

28 Aug, 2011

Palestine: arduous odyssey of statehood – Media Monitors Network (MMN)

Now after spending two decades as an observer state, Palestine is seeking full membership in the United Nations. When the General Assembly convenes on September 13, it will also decide on whether to accept Palestine as an official and sovereign state or not. However, the Palestinians have a long way to go to realize statehood […]

28 Aug, 2011

Wikileaks: Absence Of Israeli Visas Hinders West Bank

Summary: Israeli immigration practices are limiting West Bank enterprises’ ability to conduct business, according to contacts working on the planned Rawabi housing/commercial estate. Because only companies and NGOs registered in Israel can apply for Israeli work permits, West Bank companies, like Rawabi, cannot get work permits for their non-Palestinian consultants, employees, or investors. This restriction […]

28 Aug, 2011

Ten of thousands take to the streets in social protests across Israel – Haaretz

Tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets on Saturday night to participate in demonstrations protesting the high cost of living in Israel. In Tel Aviv, around 10,000 protesters marched from Habima Square to the intersection of Ibn Gvirol and Shaul Hamelech streets, where a rally was held. Noam Shalit, the father of captured […]

28 Aug, 2011

Lebensraum as a justification for Israeli settlements – Haaretz

Until now Israel had supported the occupation of the territories with two pillars: history and security – its right to inherit the land and its obligation to defend it. In recent weeks a third pillar was added, which all these years was hidden under straw and stubble. And maybe it’s not a pillar but a […]

28 Aug, 2011

Not a Gandhi, but his protest good for India – Hindustan Times

Britons, more familiar with the other Hazare — the late cricketer Vijay — have also been learning about Anna and his movement. The Lokpal Bill has figured prominently in the British media, with several newspapers running editorial and comment pieces by well-known India hands. “Mr Hazare does not have, or aspire to, anything like Gandhi’s […]

28 Aug, 2011

Robert Fisk: Prosecuting war crimes? Be sure to read the small print – The Independent

It’s good to see bad guys behind bars. Especially if they’re convicted. Justice is better than revenge. And justice must be done for the relatives of the victims as well as for the dead. Part two of the Mubarak trial this month was a case in point. Egyptians want to know exactly who ordered the […]

28 Aug, 2011

Parliament passes unanimous resolution on Anna’s demands – Hindustan Times

Heeding to Anna Hazare’s demands, Parliament today adopted a ‘Sense of the House’ on three key issues raised by him with regard to the Lokpal Bill with an aim of persuading him to end his 12-day hunger strike. The ‘Sense of the House’ was adopted with thumping of desks without any voting after an extraordinary […]

28 Aug, 2011

People out on roads to celebrate Anna’s victory – Hindustan Times

Scores of people came out on the roads in Delhi to express their elation over the victory of activist Anna Hazare, whose three key demands on the Lokpal bill were accepted by Parliament on Saturday. Sporting Anna caps, waving the tricolour and shouting slogans, people were seen heading towards India Gate. Some people were found […]

28 Aug, 2011

Tolerance and amity | Jordan Times

King Abdullah’s meeting with heads of the Orthodox churches in the Middle East is a reminder to the international community and the Arab countries that Muslims and Christians in the region, and indeed elsewhere in the world, of the need for peaceful religious accommodation and for constructive and collaborative relations. The King proudly referred to […]

28 Aug, 2011

Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty in light of the new realities | Jordan Times

Peace in the Middle East is crucially dependent on the extent to and the manner in which the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty will be upheld. The treaty shows clearly the inequality between the demands of the new realities and the old mechanisms that has seen a calm political exchange between the two countries for the past […]

28 Aug, 2011

No security for Israel without accommodating neighbours | Jordan Times

With the Arab Spring of protest reaching Israeli shores, and with several political parties rallying against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, there emerges a surrealist scene in the way Israel is conducting itself. Backed by one of the strongest military powers in the world – including nuclear, chemical and biological weapons – and allied with […]

28 Aug, 2011

Continue fight against graft: Aamir to public – Hindustan Times

It was a star-studded moment at the Ramlila Maidan with Aamir Khan, Rajkumar Hirani and Sonu Nigam making an appearance on the 12th day of Anna Hazare’s protest. The crowd broke into a collective cheer as the celebrities made an appearance on stage. Aamir and Anna Hazare shared the centrestage and later the actor sent […]

28 Aug, 2011

‘Bring corporates under Lokpal’ – Hindustan Times

The Left parties, ignored by the government’s crisis managers in backchannel consultations, lent a favourable voice to the government on select issues in the Lokpal debate on Saturday. While in Rajya Sabha CPM’s Sitaram Yechury argued for widening the definition of corruption and cited practical difficulty in bringing the huge bureaucracy under the Lokpal, CPI’s […]

28 Aug, 2011

Peace and Constitution, the Anna Way – Hindustan Times

Since last Monday a motley group of likeminded people are gathering at Basantapur Square in central Kathmandu every evening to protest. Their inspiration is Anna Hazare. But while the septuagenarian Maratha is on fast seeking an end to corruption in India, this group in Nepal is clamouring for a different cause. They want an early […]

28 Aug, 2011

Victory for People’s democracy – Hindustan Times

After 12 days of drama, diatribe and dialogue, social activist Anna Hazare announced the withdrawal of his fast that started on August 16, as thousands cheered at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, and many more hailed the ‘victory’ across the country. Hazare has lost seven kg as he survived only on water for 300 hours, but showed […]

28 Aug, 2011

China to allow foreign direct investment in RMB – People’s Daily Online

Foreign investors will be able to make direct investments in China with RMB obtained legally from overseas, according to the draft guidelines on RMB foreign direct investment (FDI) recently issued by the Ministry of Commerce. The ministry is currently soliciting public feedback on the new rules. This regulatory framework for cross-border RMB FDI will be […]

28 Aug, 2011

China pledges more efforts to promote int’l law in Asia – People’s Daily Online

BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) — State Councilor Dai Bingguo said Saturday that China was ready to work with other Asian countries for the development of international law in Asia. Dai made the remarks when addressing an opening ceremony of a conference of the Asian Society of International Law. He said peace, development and cooperation had […]

28 Aug, 2011

Micro blogs are the voice of the people – chinadaily.com.cn

As the sole ruling party in China, the Communist Party of China (CPC) must listen attentively to the people’s complaints. So micro blogs deserve attention from the authorities. Long and stable rule is based on constructive interaction between governors and citizens. The longer the rule is, the more carefully the governors should listen to people’s […]

28 Aug, 2011

US should weigh up one vital change – chinadaily.com.cn

What do the United States, Liberia and Myanmar have in common? Answer: They are the only three countries which have not officially adopted the metric system. What about the US and Belize? They are the only two nations that use Fahrenheit instead of Celsius to measure temperature. A daily hassle for an expat living and […]

28 Aug, 2011

Weak world conditions to curb trade growth in 2011 | Economy | chinadaily.com.cn

BEIJING – China’s foreign trade is unlikely to grow as fast in 2011 as it did last year due to weakening global demand and rising costs, Vice-Minister of Commerce Jiang Yaoping said on Tuesday. The country’s trade grew by a robust 34.7 percent in 2010. “China’s imports and exports will be seriously influenced, as the […]

28 Aug, 2011

Investment secures wealth for security – chinadaily.com.cn

Wealth security is an important component of state security. In China, the wealth of the State has increased faster than that of residents since the 1990s thanks to tax, financial and State-owned enterprise reforms. The fiscal revenue of the Chinese government was 8.31 trillion yuan ($1.32 trillion) last year, and foreign exchange reserves touched $3 […]

28 Aug, 2011

China to review foreign M&A | Policy and Regulation | chinadaily.com.cn

BEIJING – A new regulation issued by China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOC) on Friday states that the government will review mergers and acquisitions of domestic companies by foreign investors for national security purposes. If any mergers and acquisitions involving foreign investors are determined to be a threat to national security, those deals should be terminated, […]

28 Aug, 2011

University research addresses Thai silk research, product development

Silk is Thailand’s most elegant natural fiber, used mainly for textile manufacturing. Due to a decline in prices in worldwide markets for the famed fiber, Mahasarakham University researchers have developed innovative and varied products made from silk in order to help silk farmers to claim additional income from silk production when the market prices of […]

28 Aug, 2011

PressTV – ‘World dictators to fall in 21st century’

Iran’s Ambassador to Oman Hossein Noushabadi says the 21st century will witness the fall of dictators all over the world. “The second decade of the 21st century is [to witness] the end of the lives of the world’s dictators,” Noushabadi was quoted by Mehr News Agency as saying on Friday. “It has been predicted that […]

28 Aug, 2011

5 Reasons Capitalism Has Failed – AlterNet

We live in interesting times. The global economy is splintering. U.S. voters hate all politicians and there’s political unrest throughout the world. The root cause of this turmoil is the failure of the dominant economic paradigm — global corporate capitalism. The modern world is ruled by multinational corporations and governed by a capitalistic ideology that […]

28 Aug, 2011

How Fox News and the GOP Help The Ultra-Rich Get Even Richer — AlterNet

For years, America’s super-rich and their allies in Congress and the media have tried to deny that a tiny elite was growing astronomically wealthy at the expense of the vast majority of Americans. But the vast gaping canyon between the richest 1 percent and Corporate America, on the one hand, and the rest of us […]

28 Aug, 2011

8 Ways Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert Show More Leadership Than Our “Leaders” – AlterNet

During Jon Stewart’s and Stephen Colbert’s tenure spoofing news and politics from Comedy Central (for 12 and six years, respectively), they’ve evolved into two of the most truthful, if sarcastic, journalists on television. But in recent months, they’ve graduated from their media posts and started doing what we want our lawmakers to do—speak honestly, directly […]

28 Aug, 2011

BBC News – New calligraphy classes for China’s internet generation

Schools in China have been told to run more classes in calligraphy because computer use and text-messaging are ruining children’s writing style. Younger students should have classes every week specifically in writing Chinese characters, the education ministry said. Older students will be offered optional lessons and after-school activities. via BBC News – New calligraphy classes […]

27 Aug, 2011

State of the United States: Pew Report Shows Why “American Awakening” Is Overdue

Imtiaz Muqbil

Mired in wars, economic crises, budget deficits and the heavyweight responsibilities of global leadership, the American public is losing faith and trust in its political leaders, government and business corporations, according to the latest opinion poll survey results released by Pew Research Centre.

27 Aug, 2011

Ten Years After 9/11 Disturbing Questions Remain – PRWeb

As the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon nears, disturbing information about our government’s foreknowledge of the perpetrators is coming to light. In the book Disconnecting the Dots, recently released in paperback, author Kevin Fenton delves deeply into the questionable actions taken by some members of America’s […]

27 Aug, 2011

The Reads and the Read-Nots | National Literacy Trust

New National Literacy Trust research* of 18,141 children reveals a polarised nation of young readers with 1 in 6 reporting that they don’t read a single book in a month, while 1 in 10 say they read more than 10 books in a month. This divide between the “reads” and the “read-nots” is concerning because […]

27 Aug, 2011

Skills, aspiration and poverty: new research | National Literacy Trust

The National Literacy Trust welcomes the findings of two new reports which highlight the impact of education, skills and aspiration on poverty and social mobility. The first report comes from the Scottish Government and analyses the reasons behind its findings that, “between 1998-99 and 2008-9 child poverty declined across the UK but fell more in […]

27 Aug, 2011

Good intentions – but where is the money trail?

The Herald has investigated the foundations of seven prominent sporting figures as a sample of how charities are managed. First the good news: all provided significant support, either through direct programs to the community, such as the McGrath Breast Care Nurses, or indirectly through grants to other charities, as the Shane Warne Foundation does. But […]

27 Aug, 2011

Universities spread the net far and wide

Welcome to the university of the future, in which 80 per cent of students around the world learn online. Turning up to graduate would be an optional extra. In Australia, the move is already under way. While longer-established universities continue to thumb their nose at online courses, students – particularly mature-age ones – are voting […]

27 Aug, 2011

New York becomes the Occupied Territories – Opinion – Al Jazeera English

Only two weeks before the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, the Associated Press has broken a story that reminds us of just how much America has changed during the last decade, and how the government – and as important, some of the country’s most powerful corporations – routinely intrude into the lives […]

27 Aug, 2011

NATO nations set to reap spoils of Libya war – Opinion – Al Jazeera English

There are no more illusions over how far NATO forces exceeded the UN security resolution that mandated its campaign. For months, NATO officials insisted it was operating within brief – an air campaign, designed to protect civilians under threat of attack. But now it is described as an “open secret” that NATO countries were operating […]

27 Aug, 2011

Giving up liberty in the pursuit of security – Opinion – Al Jazeera English

The limits our laws place on our government are there for a reason. As a society, we do not want our government to spy on entire communities nor do we want individuals singled out on the basis of race or religion. Similarly, our CIA spies are trained to break laws and disregard rights. Our laws […]

27 Aug, 2011

Civil society unites in war on graft – Hindustan Times

Moved by popular support to Anna Hazare, the National Campaign for People’s Right to Information (NCPRI), which has suggested alternate anti-corruption mechanism has decided to converge with team Anna on two of the three sticking points with the government. The three issues are covering entire bureaucracy under Lokpal, a citizen charter providing penalty on officials […]

27 Aug, 2011

Movement of the educated : Hindustan Times

“When you consider any generalisation about India, always remember that for any generalisation that is accurate, the exact opposite is equally true.” That is one of those aphorisms about India and its contradictions that is frequently quoted though I believe that its origins lie in a statement by the Cambridge economist Joan Robinson. And of […]

27 Aug, 2011

Understanding Clinton’s Statement On Libya – “We Own You” By Reza Pankhurst

Given the extent of the American war machine to the point they are killing civilians by remote control, and the proliferation of Western arm deals with all manner of despots from Saudi to Israel, “violent extremism” is something that the US and its allies engenders rather than acts against. What is meant in this context, […]

27 Aug, 2011

The Rape Of Libya – Countercurrents.org

The pretense that the US and its European NATO allies were intervening in Libya to “protect civilians and civilian populated areas from threat of attack,” as stated in the United Nations Security Council resolution, has effectively been abandoned. Behind the fig leaf of this resolution the naked imperialist and colonial character of the war has […]

27 Aug, 2011

How Israel takes its revenge on boys who throw stones – The Independent

The boy, small and frail, is struggling to stay awake. His head lolls to the side, at one point slumping on to his chest. “Lift up your head! Lift it up!” shouts one of his interrogators, slapping him. But the boy by now is past caring, for he has been awake for at least 12 […]

27 Aug, 2011

UK fat alert: 26 million will be obese by 2030 – The Independent

The obesity crisis is being driven by a food industry bent on maximising profits – but governments are failing to intervene to protect the health of their populations, leading scientists say today. In the UK, the fattest nation in Europe, the number of obese adults is now forecast to rise 73 per cent over the […]

27 Aug, 2011

Japan faces costly, unprecedented radiation cleanup – Yahoo! News

TOKYO (Reuters) – Nearly six months after the world’s worst nuclear crisis in 25 years at the Fukushima nuclear plant, Japan faces the task of cleaning up a sprawling area of radioactivity that could cost tens of billions of dollars, and thousands may not be able to return home for years, if ever. Fuel core […]

27 Aug, 2011

Wanted: More bite from Obama the Great Nibbler – The Washington Post

Labor boss Richard Trumka is not one to nibble around the edges. He declined a plate of bacon and eggs when sitting down to breakfast with a group of reporters this week because, the AFL-CIO president explained, he was concerned he might spit out a mouthful if he didn’t like a question. The stains on […]

27 Aug, 2011

Lessons from popular Arab revolts | Jordan Times

Behind their sensationalist discourse, flowery words, rosy promises that never materialised, behind their huge egos and the many mishaps and disasters that befell their countries and the Arab world generally (from the loss of the West Bank and Gaza, to the collapse of Iraq and the destruction of Libya), lie outright oppression and deprivation of […]

27 Aug, 2011

Why China keeps increasing US debt holdings – People’s Daily Online

Due to the downgrade of the U.S. credit rating by Standard & Poor’s, the prices of various assets have dropped sharply worldwide over the past two weeks, and global stock markets have also suffered severe declines. However, the prices of gold and U.S. bonds have risen against the global downward trend. The downgrade of the […]

27 Aug, 2011

Is over-urbanization causing China’s inflation? – People’s Daily Online

China’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose nearly 7 percent in July from a year earlier, hitting a new high. Certain people believe that over-urbanization is at the root of China’s inflation, arguing that urbanization leads to the loss of agricultural land, a massive influx of rural labor to urban areas and increased consumption of resources. […]

27 Aug, 2011

Tough decade may lie ahead for world economy – People’s Daily Online

Many global financial institutions have lowered global and U.S. economic expectations after the U.S. and European debt crises. People are paying more attention the question of when the global economy can shake off a recession after the recent series of events. Stimulus policies do not work any more. The world economy is indeed staying low […]

27 Aug, 2011

U.S. envoy: We will stop aid to Palestinians if UN bid proceeds – Haaretz

The United States will stop all financial aid to the Palestinian Authority if they proceed with plans to ask the United Nations for recognition of an independent state in September, a U.S. official warned Friday. U.S. Consul General in Jerusalem, Daniel Rubinstein, told chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, that the U.S. would veto a UN […]

27 Aug, 2011

Social justice also means ending the occupation – Haaretz

Already today, Zionism, in the simple and initial significance of the term, has vacated its place to radical and ruthless nationalism that is partially racist and seeped in professed antidemocratic tendencies of the kind that already led to huge disasters in Europe in the previous century. Traditional Zionism was based on two mainstays. It was […]

26 Aug, 2011

War kills more than 20,000 in Libya: NTC | chinadaily.com.cn

BENGHAZI, Libya – More than 20,000 people have been killed in Libya since the civil conflict started in February in the North African state, rebel leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil said on Thursday. Speaking at a press conference in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, Abdel Jalil, head of the rebel Transitional National Council (NTC), said […]

26 Aug, 2011

NATO mulls marriage with Israel | The Electronic Intifada

Israel wishes to participate in NATO’s future wars, judging by the content of a diplomatic cable released this week by WikiLeaks. Dating from November 2009, the document from the American embassy in Tel Aviv summarizes a briefing given by Claudio Bisorgniero, NATO’s deputy-secretary general, during a visit to Israel. Fresh from talks with Avigdor Lieberman, […]

26 Aug, 2011

Clever marketing has redefined the notion of cool

The author Lauren Gurrieri has just graduated from Melbourne University’s business and economics faculty after penning a doctoral thesis on how the advertising industry constructs the notion of cool. She found that marketing trends had stereotyped cool identities as male, wealthy, heterosexual, white, sexualised, attractive, and able-bodied. Dr Gurrieri said these consumer stereotypes were exploited […]

26 Aug, 2011

gulfnews : A world of debt: Global liabilities grow faster than GDP

Every human being on earth currently carries a debt burden of nearly $22,733 on average, if the latest reports are to be believed. Every child is sharing the same debt burden at birth, as debt growth rates beat the global population growth rate. In fact, debt liabilities are growing faster than GDP expansion rates. Overall […]

26 Aug, 2011

Hurun Wealth Report 2011 white paper released – chinadaily.com.cn

More than 960,000 people on the Chinese mainland have a personal wealth exceeding 10 million yuan, up 9.7 percent from last year. The average age of the millionaires is 39 years old, with 70 percent male and 30 percent female. The number of billionaires reached 60,000, with an average age of 43 years old. Around […]

26 Aug, 2011

UN underlines importance of sustainable use of Iraqi Marshlands as water resource

Marshlands in Iraq must be managed in a manner that balances the various benefits derived from the ecosystems, including food and clean water for the country’s people, as well as climate control, according to a United Nations report released today. Since the 1970s, more than 90 per cent of the original Iraqi Marshlands area has […]

26 Aug, 2011

Office of Management and Budget puts accountability online – The Washington Post

Performance.gov is a Web site OMB plans to launch at midday Thursday. It allows users to track the progress, or lack of it, federal agencies are making in a number of areas. Actually much more than a toy for geeks, it can be an important means of holding the administration accountable on its plans to […]

26 Aug, 2011

Jewish vote in play in 2012? – Right Turn – The Washington Post

Top GOP contenders Mitt Romney and Texas Gov. Rick Perry have strong pro-Israel credentials and solid ties in the Jewish community. It is clear that both consider Obama’s treatment of the Jewish state to be unacceptable. Romney accused Obama of “throwing Israel under the bus.” Perry in his announcement speech specifically cited Israel as an […]

26 Aug, 2011

Killing the Truth: Western Mainstream Media Complicit in NATO War Crimes in Libya

Libya represents a new low in Western government war crimes – which is something of a disturbing record given the decades of war criminality by these governments. In Libya, not only is there the criminal military assault on a sovereign country, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, the murder of women and children, and all the […]

26 Aug, 2011

China announces support for Palestinian UN statehood bid

China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement Thursday that Wu Sike, its special envoy on the Middle East, told Palestinian leaders in a meeting in Ramallah that Beijing and the Chinese people have always supported the Palestinian cause. The Foreign Ministry statement said Wu expressed understanding, respect and support for the Palestinians’ bid for statehood. […]

26 Aug, 2011

Reflect on negative effects of Libya war – People’s Daily Online

The Libyan war started under the banner of U.N. Resolution 1973, but whether NATO’s air strike has exceeded the power granted by the resolution has long been questioned by all parties. The war seems to be a conflict between Libyan rebels and the governmental forces but is actually manipulated by the Western powers. Without NATO’s […]

25 Aug, 2011

Univ of Wisconsin Campuses Launch Health & Wellness Online Degree

Worksite wellness programs have continued to grow in numbers and sophistication since their formal introduction in the 1970s. The rising cost of healthcare, sweeping national healthcare legislation and concerns about productivity have spurred demand for such programs. As healthcare costs continue to rise, insurance companies, employers, and governments are attempting to find ways to curb […]

25 Aug, 2011

Survey Finds Africans Blame Themselves for Horn of Africa Famine

The results were equally striking in terms of who should take the lead in solving the current famine problems. All of the Kenyan and South African respondents cited the African governments themselves as did 71 percent of the Britons and 83 percent of the Americans. Only the Nigerian respondents felt that developed countries should also […]

25 Aug, 2011

Survey: 7 in 10 Don’t Think U.S. Govt Will Ever Pay Off National Debt

Worthington, OH (PRWEB) August 25, 2011 — The vast majority of Adults 18+ (72.5%) are not confident that the government will ever pay off all its debt, according to the latest [American Pulse™ Survey of 5,243 respondents. 11.8% think it is possible while 15.8% don’t know. Further, nearly half (49.8%) don’t think the most recent […]

25 Aug, 2011

DOJ Probe Sought of Secret NYPD-CIA Program to Spy on Muslims

A coalition of civil rights and advocacy organizations have called on the U.S. Department of Justice to open an investigation into allegations that the New York City Police Department (NYPD), with support from the CIA, is conducting a massive covert program to monitor the Muslim communities in New York and New Jersey. More than a […]

25 Aug, 2011

Gross National Happiness in Bhutan – New Review Published

The authors of a new paper on Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness, Tashi Tobgay, Ugen Dophu, Christina Torres and Kesara Na-Bangchang, report on the current status of Bhutan’s health and happiness. Health makes up about 5.7% of the total planned budget from the government, which has resulted in significant improvements for all health indicators. Life expectancy […]

25 Aug, 2011

Global Mobile Security Market to Reach $14.4 Bln by 2017 – Report

The global market for Mobile Security is projected to reach $14.4 billion by 2017, primarily driven by rapid proliferation of feature phones and intelligent mobile computing devices, according to new report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc.. Increasing use of mobile devices for accessing data services and corporate networks and the emergence of open network concept, […]

25 Aug, 2011

Vedic Studies Forum Holds World Conf on Indian Caste system

On July 31, 2011, the World Association for Vedic Studies (WAVES) concluded a well-attended three-day conference on Varna, Jati and Kula (India’s caste system) that featured prominent scholars worldwide and robust youth participation from high school, college and graduate school students, including members of Gayatri Pariwar, HSC and Youth for Sewa. For three days, scholars […]

25 Aug, 2011

Economy, Gas Prices, Air Fares Will Shape U.S. Travel Over Labor Day Weekend

Imtiaz Muqbil

AURORA, Ill., Aug. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The American Automobile Association (AAA) forecasts 31.5 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Labor Day holiday weekend, a 2.4 percent decrease from the 32.3 million people who traveled one year ago.

25 Aug, 2011

William Pfaff: Victory in Tripoli: They Did It – Truthdig

The beauty and hope of the Arab Awakening movements has been that they have been spontaneous. That makes it impossible for the United States to deal with them impartially. The Europeans can and eventually will, which offers some mitigation of the situation, but at the cost of worsening American-European relations. American relations with new “post-Awakening” […]

25 Aug, 2011

OP-ED: Governments Kill – IPS ipsnews.net

WASHINGTON, Aug 24, 2011 (IPS) – We make a bargain with our governments. We pay taxes and expect a set of government services in return. And in return for a guarantee of some measure of security, we grant the government a monopoly on legitimate violence. In theory, then, we forswear mob rule and paramilitary organisations, […]

25 Aug, 2011

EUROPA – EU has been “preparing intensively” for Libyan regime change

After six months of conflict, events in Libya reached a decisive moment over the weekend of 20-21 August with the rebels’ entry into Tripoli. The European Commission has been preparing intensively for this moment – and for the challenges that lie ahead – since the beginning of the Libyan uprising. Below is an overview of […]

25 Aug, 2011

With CIA Help, NYPD Moves Covertly in Muslim Areas | Common Dreams

Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the NYPD has become one of the country’s most aggressive domestic intelligence agencies. A months-long investigation by The Associated Press has revealed that the NYPD operates far outside its borders and targets ethnic communities in ways that would run afoul of civil liberties rules if practiced by […]

25 Aug, 2011

Dash for Profit in Post-War Libya Carve-Up | Common Dreams

After five months of fighting in the world’s 12th-largest oil producer, industry figures are acutely aware that billions could be made in the coming years from rebuilding Libya. Immediate focus will fall on the country’s oil fields that are currently producing a 10th of the 1.6 million barrels a day that were exported pre-revolution. There […]

25 Aug, 2011

Who–and What–Are Behind the “Official History” of the Bin Laden Raid? | Common Dreams

The establishment media just keep getting worse. They’re further and further from good, tough investigative journalism, and more prone to be pawns in complicated games that affect the public interest in untold ways. A significant recent example is The New Yorker’s vaunted August 8 exclusive on the vanquishing of Osama bin Laden. via Who–and What–Are […]

25 Aug, 2011

Libya: Obama’s Pyrrhic Victory by Justin Raimondo — Antiwar.com

As the rebels march into Tripoli, and Gadhafi is nowhere to be found, the unelected National Transitional Council (NTC), which claims to be the only legitimate government, has already issued a draft “constitution,” one replete with references to all sorts of “rights” – free speech, assembly, democratic elections, etc. There’s just one little provision – […]

25 Aug, 2011

As Qaddafi Falls, K Street Rises – NationalJournal.com

Influence peddlers who once worked for Libyan leader Muammar el-Qaddafi’s regime are scrambling to publicly sever ties with the strongman while their competitors are helping his country’s rebels gain a valuable foothold in Washington. After years spent working under the radar, public-affairs firm Brown Lloyd James and the consultancy Monitor Group this summer disclosed millions […]

25 Aug, 2011

What a global food crisis looks like: Oxfam’s food prices map

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What causes food price spikes? Failed crops—often caused by our changing climate—hit food prices hard. So does the rising cost of oil—used to grow, fertilize and transport food. Short-sighted biofuels strategies play a part too—taking food off of people’s plates and putting it into car tanks. And dysfunctional commodities markets mean that food prices go […]

25 Aug, 2011

R$2.4 billion of Hotel Investments for World Cup 2014

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With all eyes set firmly on 2014, the year when Brazil will host the FIFA World Cup football competition, the industry is forecasting investments of R$2.4 billion to build 92 new hotels in the 12 cities that will host the tournament. The figures come from a study carried out for the Folha de S.Paulo by […]

25 Aug, 2011

Cross-Border Transactions Rise 50% to Half of Global Direct Real Estate Investment

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Cross-border transactions rose 50 percent to comprise half of the $103.5 billion[1] of direct commercial real estate investment transactions completed in the second quarter of 2011, according to Jones Lang LaSalle’s new Global Capital Flows report. Given the strong start to the year, Jones Lang LaSalle still expects market volumes to reach its full year […]

25 Aug, 2011

Fake Messages Led to Libya war – English pravda.ru

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PARIS TWITTER, LIBYA WAR. HOW A FATAL TWITTER MESSAGE OPENS THE DOORS TO A MUCH WANTED WAR AGAINST LIBYA, THROUGH THE GATE OF UNSC RESOLUTIONS 1970 AND 1973. The mother of all lies was sent to the world through a Twitter message by Al Arabiya, February 23th. A message which makes Qadafi out to be […]

25 Aug, 2011

Russian companies to be thrown out of Libya – English pravda.ru

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The collapse of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime will close many projects for Russian companies in Libya, the head of the Russian-Libyan Business Council, Aram Shegunts said. Such large companies as Gazprom, Gazpromneft, Tatneft and Russian Railways are currently working in the war-torn country. All of those companies made multi-million investments in their Libyan project. “We have […]

25 Aug, 2011

New fees undermine NZ visa “improvements” for Chinese visitors – Xinhua

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WELLINGTON, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) — Cost-conscious Chinese travelers are turning off New Zealand after New Zealand’s immigration department ramped up the cost of applying for a visa, New Zealand media reported Tuesday. The New Zealand government has been touting “improvements” to the visa application process for Chinese travelers, but the New Zealand Herald newspaper reported […]

25 Aug, 2011

Airport Screening Policy: Repression or Discretion? – Media Monitors Network

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Google “TSA stupidity” and you will find that almost one-and-a-half million websites have something to say about the subject. If the United States is to avoid another major terrorist attack on its air transportation system without placing greater restrictions on the civil liberties of air travelers, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) had better get smart. […]

25 Aug, 2011

Why the US must support bid for Palestinian statehood – CSMonitor.com

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Historically, Europe has always had a great impact on the American position toward the Middle East. In fact, one of the primary issues on the agenda for President Obama’s May trip to Britain, Ireland, France, and Poland was the coordination of positions on the Middle East peace process. While it is not yet clear the […]

25 Aug, 2011

US must do more to protect women from domestic violence, UN rights expert warns

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23 August 2011 – The United States must do more to protect women from domestic violence after a regional body found it wanting in defending a battered woman and her three murdered children from her ex-husband, an independent United Nations human rights expert warned today. “The US Government should reassess existing mechanisms for protecting victims […]

25 Aug, 2011

High unemployment blights Palestinian lives, despite economic growth – UN

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24 August 2011 – The economy of the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) grew by 9.3 per cent last year, but that expansion was not enough to reduce the area’s 30 per cent unemployment rate, the United Nations trade and development arm said in a new report released today. Gaza saw a 15 per cent growth, […]