Al Jazeera Investigates - Informants

Published on 20 Jul 2014 | Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit takes you inside the shadowy world of FBI informants and counterterrorism sting operations. Following the 9/11 attacks, the FBI set about to recruit a network of more than 15,000 informants. Al Jazeera's investigative film tells the stories of three paid FBI informants who posed as Muslims as they searched for people interested in joining violent plots concocted by the FBI.

Sarah Harrison and Jeremy Hammond: People Have A Right to the Truth

Published on 10 Nov 2013 | Michael Ratner: Jeremy Hammond faces ten years in prison Nov. 15 for major act of civil disobedience hacking global intelligence.

First-Ever Case of Canadian Mining Company Going To Trial In Canada For Alleged Abuses Abroad

Published on 27 Oct 2013 | The trial of HudBay Minerals marks a first-time legal precedent of a Canadian company being held to account in Canadian courts for alleged shootings and gang rapes in Guatemala.

David Cameron's gunning for The Guardian.

Grilling Guardian: 'Cameron declares war on investigative journalism'?

Published on Oct 17, 2013 | The British Prime Minister has called for an investigation into whether the Guardian newspaper broke the law - by publishing the Edward Snowden leaks that sent shockwaves about American surveillance worldwide. A parliamentary committee is now looking into it.

Sergey V. Lavrov, Russia’s hard-charging foreign minister

MOSCOW — Secretary of State John Kerry had just made an offhand remark about how President Bashar al-Assad of Syria could avoid a military strike — and now Sergey V. Lavrov, Russia’s hard-charging foreign minister, was on the phone.

Mr. Lavrov was not about to let the moment pass. What aides to Mr. Kerry were already t

rying to roll back, Mr. Lavrov seized on, telling Mr. Kerry he would immediately go public with a Russian-led proposal to dismantle the Syrian chemical weapons arsenal. That prompted a sharp response from Mr. Kerry who warned in the 14-minute call, “We are not going to play games.”

By the time Mr. Kerry’s plane landed back in Washington, the ground had shifted and on Saturday, not a week later, Mr. Kerry and Mr. Lavrov completed the plan sitting by the pool at a Geneva hotel.

It is a pact that American arms control experts have scrambled to shape and that the White House believes may be the best way to the uphold prohibitions against the use of poison gas without resorting to military force. But it is also one that the Kremlin clearly thinks serves the interests of Russia and the Syrian government.

101 East : Into Patani

Published on 28 Jun 2013 : More than 5,000 people have been killed in Thailand's restive southern provinces since 2004. The deadly insurgency is shadowy and shapeless. Attacks often come with no formal demands, causing a vicious circle of violence between Malay-Muslim separatist groups and death squads backed by security forces. The innocent live in fear of the next hit. No government in this predominantly Buddhist nation has been able to get a grip on the unrest, despite measures ranging from brutal to conciliatory. Unprecedented high-powered peace talks this year were supposed to signal hope, yet the killings escalated. How will it stop?

A civilized divorce in Russia.

Putin and wife announce divorce.

Published on 7 Jun 2013 : Russian President Vladimir Putin and his wife, Lyudmila, have announced their divorce after 30 years of marriage. The Putins made the statement on state television after attending a ballet performance at the Kremlin.

Alternatives to the War on Drugs

Published on 16 Dec 2012 : A retired judge and a former MI5 officer discuss Eurpean models that present a more effective approach

WCIT 12 : Telecom governanace talks conclude unsolved

Published on 14 Dec 2012 : UN backed talks on Internet regulation have collapsed after nearly two weeks. Some countries have been campaigning for global oversight of the web. But the US and European Union have refused to sign the deal.

Will it be Law? men to pee sitting down!

Left Party wants men to pee sitting down

11 Jun 12 | The Left Party in Sörmland is taking a stand to ensure men take a seat when emptying their bladders in the county council's own toilets.

According to the party, there are two very important reasons for the proposal encouraging men to sit instead of stand when they urinate.

One reason has to do with hygiene and a desire to ensure that no one who uses the toilets at the county council's offices will be required to walk through puddles or residue left by stray urine which happens to splash out of the bowl and onto the floor when male employees pee standing up.

The Left Party also cites medical research it claims shows that men empty their bladders more efficiently when they are seated.

The improved bladder evacuation not only reduces the risk for prostate problems, according to the party, but also helps men who sit rather than stand achieve a longer and healthier sex life, the local Folket newspaper reported.

As a first step in its quest to get men to take a seat, the Left Party proposes labeling toilets which are designated for men who absolutely want to remain standing when they pee.

The Left Party's Viggo Hansen, a substitute member of the county council and the man responsible for the proposal, wants the office toilets to be genderless and as a result, is pushing for the "sit-down only" requirement.

He insisted, however, that the move doesn't represent political meddling in people's bathroom habits.

"That's not what we're doing. We want to give men the option of going into a clean toilet," he told Sveriges Television (SVT).

source

Israel: NAM summit in Tehran ‘stain on humanity’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Enraged by the massive international participation at the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Tehran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has branded the summit as a “stain on humanity.”

"So many in the international community appear to have learned nothing. I think this is a disgrace and a stain on humanity," Netanyahu said in a meeting with Prime Minister David McAllister of the German state of Lower Saxony on Wednesday.

The remarks by Netanyahu come as more than 100 countries are partaking in the summit in Tehran. 

NAM is an international organization with 120 member states, almost two third of the members of the United Nations General Assembly. 

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is also present at the 16th NAM Summit which kicked off on Thursday with an inaugural speech by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. 

Last Wednesday, the New York Times wrote that the decision by Ban to attend the summit was proof that the US and Israel’s anti-Iran policy had failed to find followers on much of the global scene. 

The US State Department has said the visit “sends a very strange signal…” and Netanyahu had told the UN chief that he would be making “a big mistake” if he joined the summit. 

The two-day foreign ministerial meeting of the NAM member states wrapped up on Wednesday with member states finalizing a draft document after two days of deliberations. 

The meeting of the heads of state will discuss the draft document, which mainly focuses on the Palestinian issue and the Syria unrest. 

SOURCE HERE  >>

World in transition to new international order: Ayatollah Khamenei

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the policies of the Cold War era and the subsequent unilateralism have failed, stressing that a new order is taking shape throughout the world.

“In the recent past, we have been witness to the failure of the policies of the Cold War era and the unilateralism that followed it. Having learnt lessons from this historical experience, the world is in transition towards a new international order and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) can and should play a new role,” the Leader said in an inaugural speech to the 16th NAM summit in Tehran on Thursday. 

The Leader added that the new world order should be based on the “participation of all nations and equal rights for all of them.” 

Ayatollah Khamenei underlined solidarity among all NAM member states as an “obvious necessity” in the current era for establishing this new order. 

The Leader stated that the main NAM values such as anti-colonialism, political, economic and cultural independence, non-alignment with any power blocs, and improving solidarity and cooperation among the member states remain “alive and steady” after the passage of more than five decades.

“The realities of today’s world fall short of those values, but the collective will and comprehensive efforts to change the existing realities and achieve these values, though full of challenges, are promising and rewarding,” Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out. 

The Leader further pointed to the ongoing sensitive global conditions and a crucial historical juncture and said that a new order is anticipated to be born. 

He emphasized the important role of the NAM, which is comprised of almost two-thirds of the members of the world community, in shaping that future. 

As the members of the movement, we can create a new historic and lasting role towards rescuing the world from insecurity, war and hegemony by pooling our great resources and capacities, Ayatollah Khamenei stated. 

The Leader urged comprehensive cooperation among NAM member states to achieve this goal, saying that there are quite a few countries among us that are very wealthy and enjoy high international leverage. 

The downfall of the regimes that were dependant on the US and its accomplice the Israeli regime in the North of Africa, as well as the Islamic Awakening in the region should be considered as a great opportunity by the members of the movement, the Leader added. 

The Leader added that the NAM member states can prepare a 'historic document' in order to transform the glabal management and devise the necessary executive tools to implement the plan.

The Leader expressed confidence that the establishment of an active and motivated secretariat for effective economic cooperation and cultural ties would be a great and significant help in achieving these goals. 

More than 100 countries are partaking in the NAM summit, which kicked off at the expert level in Tehran on Sunday. 

NAM, an international organization with 120 member states, is considered as not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. It represents nearly two-thirds of the UN members. 

source here   >>

Notorious Academi LLC fined $7.5m for arms smuggling

Published on Aug 8, 2012 : Reports show that the US government international security contractor formerly known as Blackwater has agreed to pay a $7.5 million fine to settle federal criminal charges related to arms smuggling and other crimes.

     

USA, California, Anaheim - Why the Media Blackout?

Published on Jul 31, 2012 by TheBigPictureRT : Amber Lyon, award-winning investigative journalist and filmmaker, joins Thom Hartmann. Something is happening in Anaheim, California - despite a complete blackout from the mainstreem media.

Take a look at some of these pictures by award-winning investigative journalist Amber Lyons from Anaheim over the weekend. When we hear terms like militarized police - this is what comes to mind. Officers decked out in full military gear as though they're about to be deployed to Afghanistan.

So what's behind this? Why are militarized police on patrol in Anaheim? Well - Sunday marked the ninth straight day that local citizens took to the streets to protest police brutality. Nine days after police shot an unarmed man - 25-year-old Manuel Diaz - in the back of the head killing him.

Since that shooting...the streets of Anaheim have been the scene of mostly peaceful protests that have at times turned violent in response to heavy handed police crackdowns. Last week - this was the scene in Anaheim - as police in riot gear fired less lethal projectiles like bean bags and pepper balls indiscriminately into crowds of people.

24 people were arrested that night - storefront windows were smashed, and fires were started. And last night - as hundreds poured into the streets for a peaceful march and ceremony for Manuel Diaz - they were once again met with Anaheim police equipped with full military gear. Nine people were arrested on Sunday.

Social media is lying to you about Burma’s Muslim ‘cleansing’?

CHECK THIS OUT!

Don't you wonder sometimes, that the information we are being fed on daily basis can be untrue entirely or exaggerated to the point where it loses all its truth? PHOTO: REUTERS

Social networking sites are abuzz with news about Muslims being killed in Burma.You can see the sporadic posting of pictures by different people with captions like ‘Muslims killing in Burma’, ‘Muslims slaughtered by Buddhists in Burma’ and so on.

Thus, I took on the mission to sort the truth out for myself once and for all and researched some pictures that I felt were dubious. Below are a few pictures and their original copies. You can evidently see the gross difference between them and how they are thrown out of context.

This was a picture shared on Facebook.

I have found the original version which reads differently to the the one posted on the social networking site.

This picture was taken in 2010 after an earthquake in China and captures the efforts put in by the Tibetans to help rescue the victims. Now, Islamic political parties and some other elements are sharing this image as Muslim killing and their slaughter in Burma.

Another widely circulated  picture captioned “More then 1,000 people killed in Burma” is also fake.

Read More | 19 July 2012 

Chinese football crippled by corruption

Published on Jul 11, 2012 by AlJazeeraEnglish : Big money and a lack of organisational checks and balances has turned football into a 'dishonourable sport' in China, with scandals reported of bribery, game fixing, and illegal betting. Its reputation was so bad, at one point it has been called 'fake-ball' by many of its fans. 

To clean up, the Chinese government prosecuted a large number of high profile personalities over corrupt practices. A few weeks ago, two former football league chiefs, a national team captain, and four players from the only squad to ever make it to the World Cup finals were all jailed for 10 years. China is also bringing in big-time international players to try and restore confidence in the local leagues. Al Jazeera's Marga Ortigas reports from Hong Kong.

Assange asks for political asylum in Ecuador

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (pic) has requested political asylum and is under the protection of the Ecuadorian embassy in London, according to the site's Twitter.

Ecuador's foreign minister Ricardo Patino says Assange has taken refuge in the South American nation's embassy in London and is seeking political asylum.

"Ecuador is studying and analyzing the request," Patino told reporters in Quito.

The country's embassy in London has also confirmed the information and released a statement on its website. 

"While the department assesses Mr Assange’s application, Mr Assange will remain at the embassy, under the protection of the Ecuadorian Government.

The decision to consider Mr Assange’s application for protective asylum should in no way be interpreted as the Government of Ecuador interfering in the judicial processes of either the United Kingdom or Sweden", the statement says. 

The South American nation has already offered Assange residency, back in 2010. Deputy Foreign Minister Kintto Lucas said his country is "open to giving him [Assange] residency in Ecuador". Lucas also said Ecuador was "very concerned" by information revealed by Wikileaks linking US diplomats with spying on friendly governments. 

Julian Assange, the founder of whistleblower website WikiLeaks, has been under house arrest in the UK since 2010, after Sweden issued an international arrest warrant over allegations of sexual assault.

Swedish authorities accuse him of raping one woman and sexually molesting and coercing another in August that year, while on a visit to Stockholm to give a lecture. He claims both encounters were consensual, and maintains that the case is politically motivated.

Full report RT  |  19 June, 2012

Cops blow up car at Westminster.

London parking boom:

Policemen and women line-up on Parliament Square (Reuters/Eddie Keogh)

Parking offences are subject to punishment everywhere, but only in London might one find his vehicle destroyed by a controlled explosion by an anti-terror police squad. While in London, never park your car in front of the Houses of Parliament! Illegal parking on the streets of London is punished – as in most capitals – by compulsory and expensive relocation of the vehicle. 

But in London only, police have been instructed to blow up suspicious cars – and make no bones about doing so. On Wednesday a Newcastle tourist Nima Hosseini Razi had to park his blue Ford Mondeo in downtown London because its brakes failed right on Parliament Square. 

 Instead of waiting in the car for the tow truck, Razi decided to abandon the vehicle to pay a visit to Buckingham Palace – a mere five minutes’ walk away – leaving on the dashboard a note saying “This car is broken down. I am just waiting for the AA to arrive. Please do not fine! Thank you, yours sincerely”. That was a big mistake. 

Were it parked somewhere else, the car would have aroused no suspicion whatsoever. But in the Storey’s Gate any orphaned object looks suspicious. Not to mention a driverless car.

It only took a call from a vigilant pedestrian to bring police to the car. Having examined the unfortunate vehicle, they called explosive ordnance disposal specialists from the London anti-terrorist police squad on the scene.

Bomb experts opted to take no chances and followed their standing instructions. Eat your heart out, Hollywood! Operation Ford Mondeo was carried out on an unprecedented scale. Britain’s main square was sealed off, all civilians were evacuated and bomb technicians opened the trunk of the unfortunate vehicle like a tin can with a controlled explosion – just meters from Britain’s Parliament and the Palace of Westminster.

But that was not the end of the story for Nima Hosseini Razi. Once bomb disposal experts had done their job, traffic police officers appeared on the scene and issued a road ticket for incorrect parking of Razi’s shattered car.

Razi says he is planning to claim some sort of restitution from the London police for the destroyed vehicle, or even a replacement. Police maintain, however, they were merely complying with instructions to ensure security in the country’s most sensitive area.

This story, though showing a certain naivety on the part of the unfortunate driver, may well serve as a warning for people who tend to leave their cars in strange places. Who knows what instructions local law enforcement might have up their sleeves?

Original report : RT 14 June, 2012

Surveillance big time in USA?

Electronic Tracking Of Students - Texas Schools See Big Money

Published on Jun 4, 2012 by TheYoungTurks | "Following the lead of two other school districts in the state, San Antonio, Texas' Northside Independent School District is planning a pilot program that tracks students using transmitters inside identification cards. Why? For the money, apparently. Next year, ID cards outfitted with Radio Frequency Identification System (RFID) technology will be given to students at John Jay High School, Anson Jones Middle School, and all special education students who use district buses — totaling around 6,290 students, according to The San Antonio Express-News. If the pilot program is successful, the district wants to use the ID cards at all of its 111 schools, with a student population of almost 100,000..."

nObama facebook campaigner faces "military justice"?

Uploaded by MOXNEWSd0tCOM on Mar 11, 2012 - US Marine Being Investigated For Posting "Obama Is The Domestic Enemy Our Oath Speaks About".