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Thursday, December 31, 2009

MKO - Iran's protests is about regime change?


MKO admits involvement in Iran's protests
Wed, 30 Dec 2009  |  PressTV


The Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO) has acknowledged that it played a role in Sunday's violent anti-government protests in Iran.


MKO followers cooperated with the demonstrators and coordinated the protests, the organization's leader Maryam Rajavi (Picture) told AFP in Paris on Tuesday.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Palestinian aid convoy heading for Gaza after being blocked by Egypt


The Gaza-bound Viva Palestina convoy is now on route via Syria after the Egyptian government blocked it in Jordan.

The convoy is carrying humanitarian aid for Palestinians. Egypt would not allow the convoy to travel from Aqaba across the Red Sea to Egypt, which would have been a trip of approximately four hours. 

Instead the convoy, led by George Galloway MP, has been driven back into Syria. It will now travel to Egypt via boat. 

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Hezbollah chief asks Egypt to stop Gaza border wall


By Mariam Karouny | BEIRUT, Dec 27 - 09 | Reuters 


- Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Sunday called on Egypt to stop building a steel wall along the Gaza border that could obstruct tunnels which provide a lifeline for the blockaded enclave.


Nasrallah told a crowd of tens of thousands of Lebanese Shi'ite Muslim marking the Ashura religious ceremony that Egypt should be condemned if it does not halt the wall building.

How Hollywood Vilifies a People

Howard Rosenberg | Los Angeles Times TV Critic

This groundbreaking documentary dissects a slanderous aspect of cinematic history that has run virtually unchallenged form the earliest days of silent film to today's biggest Hollywood blockbusters. Featuring acclaimed author Dr. Jack Shaheen, the film explores a long line of degrading images of Arabs--from Bedouin bandits and submissive maidens to sinister sheikhs and gun-wielding "terrorists"--along the way offering devastating insights into the origin of these stereotypic images, their development at key points in US history, and why they matter so much today. Shaheen shows how the persistence of these images over time has served to naturalize prejudicial attitudes toward Arabs and Arab culture, in the process reinforcing a narrow view of individual Arabs and the effects of specific US domestic and internationl policies on their lives. By inspiring critical thinking about the social, political, and basic human consequences of leaving these Hollywood caricatures unexamined, the film challenges viewers to recognize the urgent need for counter-narratives that do justice to the diversity and humanity of Arab people and the reality and richness of Arab history and culture.


Director: Sut Jhally


Biographical Summary:
Dr. Jack Shaheen, Professor Emeritus of Mass Communication at Southern Illinois University, is a leading scholar of Arab representations in US popular culture. Shaheen is the author of the groundbreaking study The TV Arab and, most recently, Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People, the most comprehensive review of Arab screen images ever published. Analyzing over 900 Hollywood films made from 1896 to 2004, Dr. Shaheen exposes American cinema's systematic and pervasive degradation and dehumanization of Arabs.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Racism : 2nd Class Citizens in Israel


Israeli Democracy or "Jewish Democracy", you be the judge. Are you aware that:

*Prior to the 1948 war, Christians and Muslims were a two-third majority of the population of Palestine, who owned and operated 94% of Palestine's lands?

* For Israel to become a "Jewish majority" it opted to expel and dispossess the two-third Palestinian majority and is open for development to Jews only?

* Breaking the international law by occupying other people land through military force. (Illegal settlements, the apartheid wall, illegal Jewish road only and demolished people homes.)

Kenya's sorcery belt

Dozens of villagers in the Kenyan district of Kisii are falling prey to superstitious groups accusing them of witchcraft.

The poverty-stricken district, known as Kenya's sorcery belt, has seen an increase in mob attacks on individuals and even killings.

Three months ago, a group of youths tortured five suspected witches before setting them on fire.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Zimbabwe - Now they quarrel over IMF money.

Zimbabwe factions clash over IMF funds.


The two main factions in Zimbabwe's unity government have clashed over how to spend half a billion dollars from the International Monetary Fund, in a dispute that could create further tensions in the already shaky coalition.


The country's finance minister, Tendai Biti, of the Movement for Democratic Change, has earmarked about $50m of the funds for agriculture, a sector that represents about 16 per cent of the economy and a majority of the country's workforce.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Cuba's Castro Slams U.S. Over Arrested Contractor.


By Helen Popper  |  HAVANA, Dec 21  09 Reuters

- Cuban President Raul Castro accused the Obama administration on Sunday of maintaining hostile policies toward the communist-run island by sending a contractor to distribute illegal satellite equipment.

Castro said the U.S. government contractor arrested in Havana on Dec. 5 was supplying opposition groups with "satellite communication equipment" that is banned in the Caribbean country.

Israeli military admits harvesting organs

Mon, 21 Dec 2009   |  PressTV
 
The Israeli military has admitted harvesting organs from dead Palestinians after an interview conducted over the issue in 2000 was broadcast again.

Over the weekend, Israel's Channel 2 TV broadcast an interview conducted in 2000 with the then-head of Israel's Abu Kabir forensic institute, Dr. Jehuda Hiss who revealed that forensic pathologists harvested organs from dead bodies, including Palestinian corpses in the 1990s, the Associated Press reported.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Southern Sudan: Facing Up to Reality


In January 2005, Sudan signed a peace agreement marking the end of 21 years of violent war between the North and South. This year, there was a sharp deterioration in the humanitarian and security situation for the population of the semi-autonomous South. MSF medical teams witnessed the most severe escalation of violence in Southern Sudan since the signing of the peace agreement.

The Lord's Resistance Army Hunts Children in Sudan

One of the world's most brutal rebel groups, Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), is on the move from the Congo, terrorizing civilians.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Turkey facing EU challenge.


It has been a long and challenging road for Turkey as it bids to join the European Union.

Some analysts say Ankara's recent decision to ban the pro-kurdish Democratic Society Party, will not helped its cause.Turkey's laws allowing the outlawing of some political parties have previously been critcised by the EU.

But for many Turks the closure of the DTP is about democracy, while others question whether the EU was ever serious about allowing them to join the club anyway.

Yemen's Hidden War: Is Iran Causing Trouble?


The Yemeni capital of Sana'a thunders at night with the sound of war planes taking off and heading north, toward a remote conflict on the Saudi border that the Yemenis and Saudis have stealthily managed to keep off-limits to journalists and aid workers. In the lawless frontier zone of Saada governorate, a fierce battle has raged for months between Yemeni troops and rebels belonging to the Houthis, a religious minority. Each side — Houthis on one, Yemenis and Saudis on the other — has offered conflicting reports on everything from air strikes to motives, and with Saada a no-go zone, it's difficult to separate fact from fiction.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Demolitions spark clashes in Egypt


In the Egyptian capital, Cairo, residents of poorer areas are resisting government efforts to demolish their homes.

Tensions are high after residents clashed with police.

As Rawya Rageh reports, the confrontation highlights the long running struggle involving illegally built slums which are home to many Egyptians.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Clashes erupt in Turkey over Kurdish party ban.

After being banned by Turkey's constitional court on Friday, 19 members of parliament from the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) have announced they are resigning their seats.

Without the representation of their biggest party, Turkey's Kurdish population has lost faith in the democratic process and now, their only voice in the country's political system.

UK's Mr. Brown's against Universal Jurisdiction.

Gordon Brown, the British prime minister, has phoned Tzipi Livni, Israel's former foreign minister, to tell her she is still welcome in Britain, despite a warrant that was issued in London for her arrest.

In a telephone call on Wednesday, Brown also reiterated his determination to change the law that allows British courts to issue warrants for alleged war crimes suspects around the world, Livni's office said.

The arrest warrant was issued over Livni's role during Israel's war on Gaza, but was later withdrawn after she cancelled her visit to London.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Malaysia - MPs Absentism : Absent Pakatan MPs

It was fright night for the BN as the national Budget reportedly was passed by a wafer-thin 66-63 majority in Parliament last night.

That’s 48 per cent attendance for the BN MPs and a 77 per cent turnout for the Pakatan reps. If half a dozen more Pakatan MPs had been there and they had defeated the BN in the vote, it would have sent shock-waves across the country. A missed opportunity if ever there was one. . see stats.

Speaker slams opposition in narrow Budget vote

By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani  |  malaysianinsider  |  KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15  09

— Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia today criticised the Pakatan Rakyat for taking advantage of absent Barisan Nasional lawmakers, and trying to defeat the Budget 2010 last night.

Pandikar called it dishonourable to catch the government with “their pants down” during the third and final reading of the budget proposals before it goes to the Senate.

“The opposition should not have taken advantage of the situation when there weren’t enough BN MPs,” he said when commenting on the narrow 66-63 approval for Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s first Budget as prime minister.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Upkeep Of Subs To Cost RM290 Million Annually

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15  09   |  Bernama

-- The cost to operate the nation's two submarines including maintenance costs is estimated at RM290 million annually, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.


He said the value of the procurement contract for the two submarines was 1.084 billion Euros (RM5.382 bilion), which included the purchase price, integrated logistics support and spare parts as well as training of the crew and the project team.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Thailand To Charge Plane Crew Over North Korean Arms


BANGKOK, Dec 13 (Reuters) 

- Thailand will press charges against the crew of a plane forced to land in Bangkok and found to be carrying arms from North Korea, a government spokesman said on Sunday, adding it was unclear where the plane had been going.

Military and police sources, declining to be named, said the United States had tipped the Thai authorities off about the 35 tonnes of arms that the plane held, which flouted United Nations sanctions against North Korea.

They said the five crew members - four from Kazakhstan and one from Belarus - were saying little.

Oil in Malaysia : a blessing become a curse.

Instead of being our ace up the sleeve, however, our oil wealth became in effect a swag of money used to fund the government’s operational expenditure, to bail out failing companies, buy arms, build grandiose cities in the middle of nowehere. Instead of helping eradicate poverty in the poorest states, our oil wealth came to be channeled into our political and politically linked class. Instead of being the patrimony of all Malaysians, and for our children, it is used as a giant slush fund that has propped up authoritarian rule, eroded constitutional democracy and corrupted our entire political and business class.

When I started Petronas in 1974, I did not realize I would see the day when I would wish we had not uncovered such bounty.


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Friday, December 11, 2009

GEORGE H W OBAMA or BUSH 3.0

All politicians sound good running for office, but we need to look at their actions, NOT their words. George H. W. Bush - George W. Bush - Barack Obama. Three different men, three similar Presidents.

Top 3 Obama Excuses

1. Give him time - The Job is 4 years long. He has been in almost a year. I think he has had plenty of time.

In search for Bin Laden

Are US policies helping or hindering al-Qaeda's popularity? Where is Osama Bin Laden? Pakistan? Is he dead or alive?

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Mahathir Bapa Perkauman

Semua Perdana Menteri Malaysia mendapat gelaran, Tengku Abdul Rahman - Bapa Kemerdekaan, Tun Razak - Bapa Pembangunan, Tun Hussein Onn - Bapa Perpaduan. 

Tun Dr Mahathir, yang terlama memegang jawatan tersebut mendapat gelaran bapa kemajuan - mengikut buku teks. Beliau juga pernah digelar bapa perpecahan ketika beliau di lawan oleh Ku Li dan telah menunjukkan perwatakan seorang yang tidak boleh menerima kekalahan dengan mengambil beberapa tindakan yang di lihat untuk terus memegang kuasa, termasuk meminda perlembagaan UMNO. Selepas bersara kini beliau di gelar bapa perkauman oleh seorang menteri yang juga lama berkhidmat dibawa Mahathir, Nazri Aziz. 

Oil Palm Based Biofuel More Harmful Than Fossil Fuels: Researcher


PALEMBANG, Dec 8 -- The programme to develop palm oil as a non-polluting biofuel is a "myth" to justify expansion of oil palm plantations in Indonesia, a researcher from Sriwijaya University Julian Junaidi said.

"The burning of palm oil-based biofuel might not generate enviromment-damaging gas, and the process of turning palm oil into biofuel was much more harmful than the use of fossil fuels," Indonesia's Antara news agency reported, citing Julian as saying. Speaking at a dissussion on biofuel organized by the Indonesian Forum for the Evironment (Walhi) here Monday, he said the burning of one tonne of premium gasoline would cause 3.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide (C02) to escape into the atmosphere.

MP Calls For Repeal Of Suicide Law


KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 8 -- A member of parliament on Tuesday called for the repeal of the law on suicide, saying the jail term and fine did not seem to be a deterrent factor in preventing suicides.

DAP Member of Parliament for Batu Gajah Fong Po Kuan said in the Dewan Rakyat that Malaysia should emulate the example of the developed countries and do away with the law, Section 309 of the Penal Code.

Bistro Owner Faces RM20 Million Fine For Loading Songs In Karaoke Set

PENANG, Dec 9  -- A bistro owner in Seberang Jaya faces a fine up to RM20 million under the Copyright Act 1987 for loading 10,000 foreign and local songs in his karaoke set.

The 49-year-old suspect, who opened his bistro two months ago, was nabbed by the Penang branch of the Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Ministry yesterday.

Leaked climate draft sparks anger.

The climate change conference in Copenhagen is barely under way and already a leaked draft agreement is pitting developing nations against their wealthier counterparts.

If the documents are accurate, the proposal would see more power in the hands of rich nations, the UN's negotiating role sidelined and the Kyoto Protocol abandoned.

Developing nations are furious and say they will not sign on to an inequitable deal that they argue would limit their economic growth.