Welcome to Sott.net
Thu, 07 Dec 2023
The World for People who Think

Puppet Masters
Map

Handcuffs

UK Phone Hacking: Stephenson quits, Brooks arrested

Cahal Milmo, Ian Burrell, Stephen Foley, Andy McSmith and Martin Hickman
The Independent
Sun, 17 Jul 2011 22:57 UTC
brooks & stephenson
© Getty
Rebekah Brooks after the decision to close the News of the World on 7 July. RIght: Sir Paul Stephenson said. 'I will not lose sleep over my personal integrity'
Scandal takes dramatic new turn as Met Police chief bows to pressure and ex-News International boss is questioned

The phone-hacking scandal claimed its highest-profile victim yet when Sir Paul Stephenson, Britain's most senior police officer, resigned as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police last night, saying the row over his links to a former News of the World executive harmed his ability to do his job.

Sir Paul stepped down amid a political outcry at Scotland Yard's disclosure that it had paid Neil Wallis, the former deputy editor of the NOTW, as a public-relations adviser when his force was being criticised for its failure to re-open its investigation into alleged criminality at News International.

Taking a swipe at unnamed newspaper executives who he said had kept quiet about phone hacking, the Commissioner insisted he had no grounds for suspecting Mr Wallis was involved in the saga when he was employed by the Yard between October 2009 and September last year. Mr Wallis was arrested last week on suspicion of conspiring to access voicemails.
      Read More...
Newspaper

Afghan president's top advisor killed


Press TV
Sun, 17 Jul 2011 22:38 UTC
Jan Mohammad Khan

Jan Mohammad Khan, pictured in 2002, was killed in an attack on Sunday night at his home near the parliament in Kabul
A senior advisor to Afghan President Hamid Karzai and a member of parliament have been killed in an attack in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul.

Jan Mohammad Khan, the former governor of southern province of Uruzgan was murdered in his home in the western Kabul district of Karti Char on Sunday night after at least two gunmen wearing explosives attacked his place.

Mohammad Hashem Watanwal, a member of parliament, was also killed while he was visiting Khan, AFP quoted police sources as saying.

Several security guards were killed in the incident and one of the attackers died after his explosives detonated, according to police officials and local Afghan television.

Comment: To better understand what really goes on behind the curtains in Afghanistan and who pulls the strings, read:

The War On Terror is a Fraud
CIA agent Raymond Davis 'had close links with Taliban'

      Read More...
X

Yemeni forces fire on protesters, kill 2


Press TV
Sun, 17 Jul 2011 22:30 UTC
Yemeni protesters

Yemeni regime forces have opened fire on protesters, killing two people (file photo)
Yemeni security forces have opened fire on anti-regime protesters in the western port city of Hudaydah, killing two and injuring 50 people.

The armed crackdown on protesters took place late on Sunday, when thousands of Yemenis held a demonstration against Ali Abdullah Saleh on the 33rd anniversary of his reign, condemning what they described as the application of collective punishment by the regime.

They say the government has cut off supplies of oil and gas for domestic use, disrupting the daily life of the people, a Press TV correspondent reported.

Anti-regime protesters have been continuing street demonstrations on an almost daily basis in Yemen's major cities since late January, calling for an end to the regime of Ali Abdullah Saleh, the country's beleaguered dictator who is currently in Saudi Arabia.
      Read More...
War Whore

Libya is a Rich Man's War!


Global Research TV
Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:29 UTC

On Friday evening, June 24, 2011, a forum entitled, "Eyewitness Libya," was held in Washington, D.C., at the Festival Center.

It featured Brian Becker, National Coordinator of the ANSWER Coalition. The event was sponsored by the ANSWER Coalition.

To learn more, go here.
      Read More...
War Whore

The Blood on Murdoch's Hands

David Swanson
Counterpunch
Sun, 17 Jul 2011 12:21 UTC
Nailing Rupert Murdoch for his employees' phone tapping or bribery would be a little like bringing down Al Capone for tax fraud, or George W. Bush for torture. I'd be glad to see it happen but there'd still be something perverse about it.

I remember how outraged Americans were in 2005 learning about our government's warrantless spying, or for that matter how furious some of my compatriots become when a census form expects them to reveal how many bathrooms are in their home.

I'm entirely supportive of outrage. I just have larger crimes in mind. Specifically this:
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights:
Article 20
1. Any propaganda for war shall be prohibited by law.
      Read More...
Star of David

An Israeli welcome

R. Taylor
Mondoweiss
Sat, 16 Jul 2011 12:17 UTC
The episode of the 'flytilla' and the treatment meted out to those who managed to reach Ben Gurion airport brought to mind the experience of someone I first met 3 years ago.

H is from a western country and before her retirement she had a long career as a nurse. She is a firm Christian and her views on Israel/Palestine would probably have placed her very close to the Christian Zionist camp.

I met her through a mutual friend when she was visiting Bethlehem. She told me she was working, as a volunteer, in a home for elderly Holocaust survivors, somewhere in northern Israel. It was clear she had little sympathy for the Palestinian cause although it was also clear that she is a person of compassion for anyone in need.

A year later, to my surprise, I bumped into her again in Bethlehem.
      Read More...
Handcuffs

British Police Arrest Rebekah Brooks in Phone Hacking

Alan Cowell and Ravi Somaiya
The New York Times
Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:47 UTC
Brooks
© Leon Neal/Agence France-Presse - Getty Images
Rebekah Brooks, the former Chief Executive of News International,on July 1, 2011, at Wimbledon
London - The British police on Sunday arrested Rebekah Brooks, the former head of Rupert Murdoch's media operations in Britain, according to a former associate at News International, the newspaper group at the heart of a phone-hacking scandal convulsing the Murdoch empire, the British political elite and the police.

The timing, two days before a separate parliamentary inquiry into the crisis, drew a skeptical response from opposition lawmakers who said the arrest might inhibit Ms. Brooks' ability or readiness to testify before the panel while she is the subject of police inquiries.

David Wilson, a lawyer representing Ms. Brooks, said she "maintains her innocence, absolutely."
      Read More...
Dollar

The size of Greece's debt


Al Jazeera
Sun, 17 Jul 2011 10:44 UTC
The Greek public debt is forecast to hit more than $500bn.

Meanwhile, plans for a second bailout for the country are being discussed by senior EU ministers.

Al Jazeera's Gerald Tan takes a look at the actual size of Greece's debt.

      Read More...
USA

American Karma - The Boomerang of Death

Zen Gardner
Before It's News
Sat, 16 Jul 2011 07:31 UTC
Image
When you look at the carnage in our world..not the accidental or incidental episodes, but the state sponsored mega death rituals we continually watch, don't you wonder?

Who can stomach this kind of senseless murder and maiming of innocents? We're told there's this marauding band of super evil terrorists just waiting to inflict harm on "us innocent bystanders". (Remember, this is all according to what we're told.)

So what's the apparent response?

Inflict senseless murder and maiming of innocents as "collateral damage" to arrest this vast charge of invading murderers.

Sound fishy To You?

Yeah, obviously. But does anyone say anything anymore? And if so, who and how many? And do you even hear about it?
      Read More...
Che Guevara

Activists Demonstrate in al-Quds Against Israeli Occupation

Ibrahim Husseini
Press TV
Fri, 15 Jul 2011 01:25 UTC

As many as 2000 activists showed up for a demonstration in East Jerusalem al-Quds against Israel's occupation of Palestine. The demonstration, was peaceful in nature, and the largest against the Israeli occupation in the city in many years. Some even said the largest in over two decades.

Demonstrators first gathered outside one of the western gates of the old city of Jerusalem al-Quds and then began their march towards Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood chanting along the way only free people can negotiate and together we march to liberate Palestine.
      Read More...
Revolt! T-shirts