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Transparency advocacy group challenges Five Eyes spy pact at European Court of Human Rights


RT
Tue, 09 Sep 2014 14:25 UTC
Image
© Reuters / Pawel Kopczynski
The ‘Five Eyes’ spy pact must be made transparent, according to Privacy International.
The cross-border 'Five Eyes' agreement that authorizes the sharing of intelligence between Britain, America, Australia, Canada and New Zealand should be made transparent, according to an appeal launched at the European Court of Human Rights.

The secret Five Eyes spy pact allegedly outlines UK security services' collaboration with the National Security Agency (NSA) and other foreign intelligence agencies. In an effort to shed light on the agreement, Privacy International (PI) issued a legal challenge against the British government in the Strasbourg-based court. The application was filed by UK law firm Leigh Day & Co Solicitors.

The move is the most recent of a series of legal challenges stemming from revelations unveiled by American whistleblower and former NSA computer analyst Edward Snowden. The legal ploy, which came into effect on Tuesday, was orchestrated in the hope of forcing the UK government to publish details of its surveillance practices at home and abroad.

Renowned for its surveillance-related research and advocacy, PI warns the clandestine Five Eyes agreement has a profound impact on human rights in Britain and elsewhere. By failing to disclose the spy pact's details, the UK government is violating the right of British citizens to access vital information that impinges directly on their rights, the group warns.
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V

Palestinian Solidarity Campaign to hold rally in London calling for lifting of Gaza blockade


RT
Tue, 09 Sep 2014 14:03 UTC
Image
© Reuters / Mohammed Salem
A Palestinian looks out from the remains of his house, which witnesses said was destroyed during the Israeli offensive, in Beit Hanoun town in the northern Gaza Strip September 7, 2014.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign urged Gaza supporters to call on MPs to take action for Palestinian human rights and to demand an end to the blockade of Gaza.

The group announced hundreds of supporters would gather at the Parliament "to call on MPs to take action for Palestinian human rights and against ethnic cleansing and racism."

Following the lobby, a mass rally will be held at the House of Commons in London later on Tuesday.

They will demand free movement for all people, goods and humanitarian aid in Gaza, an end to the arms trade and all military-industrial collaboration with Israel, and "sanctions against Israel until they abide by international and human rights law."

The ongoing blockade of Gaza began in 2007, with Israel saying it was a security measure taken in response to the Battle of Gaza, in which Hamas militarily defeated Fatah.
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Che Guevara

Putin's successful foreign policy considered his major achievement by Russians


RT
Tue, 09 Sep 2014 13:51 UTC
Image
© Reuters/Mikhail Metzel
Russian President Vladimir Putin smiles as he takes part in a televised news conference in Moscow December 19, 2013.
Vladimir Putin's most important accomplishments as president are successful foreign policy, the growing military strength, and the general improvement of living conditions in the country, according to the latest opinion poll.

The independent Levada Center released the poll on Tuesday. The strengthening of Russia's position on the international stage is Vladimir Putin's most important success according to 30 percent of those responding. The number has increased from 26 percent in 2008, and 19 percent in 2004.

Maintaining political stability in the country ranked second with 29 percent of people saying it is Putin's primary achievement, and almost the same share of respondents - 28 percent - say it is the reform of the Russian military and the general strengthening of the nation's defense capability.

About a quarter of Russians value most the improvement in living standards and the growing incomes of ordinary people, and a similar number say that with Putin as a leader they feel growing optimism.

Comment: Despite all the propaganda spewing out from Western governments and their presstitutes in the media making Putin out to be an evil dictator, it's clear that the people of Russia have benefited from Putin's leadership and are quite content with his policies and decision making.

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Eye 2

Psychopathic birds of a feather flock together: Hillary Clinton and Henry Kissinger

Lucinda Marshall
Common Dreams
Mon, 08 Sep 2014 00:00 UTC
Image
© Unknown
Hillary Clinton and Henry Kissinger, just two of the many many faces that help propagate the ideas and implement the means to achieving a shared psychopathic world vision; using catch phrases like "democratic rule" or "liberal economic system".
Sunday morning newspaper, steaming hot coffee, peaceful reverie, lounge chair on my deck, birdsong chorus in the background - bliss until I saw the Outlook section of the Washington Post with two, yes two, life size headshots of Henry Kissinger.

My peaceful easy feeling went full throttle grumpy in a matter of seconds.

Which was quite justified when I found that this dual image travesty illustrated a review by Hillary Clinton of Kissinger's new book (no I won't provide a convenient Amazon link).

As a feminist, I am completely in favor of electing a woman president. It is long overdue. But as anyone who has read my work over the years knows, I am no fan of Hillary Clinton. Yes, she has done some good things, but her world outlook is as dangerous as the male politicians who have preceded her. Lest you doubt this, read the following few paragraphs from her very long review:

Comment: Wanna laugh (or cry)? Mrs. Clinton has been voted, according to this Gallop Poll from 2013, the most admired woman among Americans. And has held the spot for many years. This is the same person that said that NSA-connected whistleblower Edward Snowden 'helped terrorists' with his release of information. And let's not forget Clinton's comparing Putin to Adolph Hitler when he welcomed Crimea into the Russian Federation after the Crimeans democratically voted to secede from the Nazis installed into the top leadership of Ukraine.

As for Henry Kissinger, where does one begin? With the fact that he's wanted for questioning for war crimes in Chile, Argentina, Spain France and Ireland? Well, I suppose one can start here:

Intelligence officers confirm Kissinger role in Turkish invasion of Cyprus and Chilean coup

and more recently here:

Henry Kissinger's psychopathic view of a New World Order

One can say that Clinton and Kissinger have entered into a ponerogenic union.

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Eye 2

Monsters are real: IDF attacks funeral for murdered Palestinian teenager


PressTV
Tue, 09 Sep 2014 11:01 UTC
IDF steps on child, gun at her head
© www.algemeiner.com
IDF brutality includes children.
Israeli forces have attacked the funeral of a Palestinian teenager who was shot to death by the Tel Aviv regime's troops last month, injuring dozens of mourners.

On Monday, at least 50 Palestinian mourners were injured in clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians near East al - Quds (Jerusalem). The Israeli forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas at the mourners.

On Sunday, Mohammed Sinokrot died from injuries after being shot by Israeli forces in the city's Wadi al-Joz neighborhood on August 31.

Following the news of his death, clashes broke out between Palestinians and Israelis in several areas of the occupied city, including Wadi al-Joz, the Issawiya and At-Tur.

Israeli forces fired tear gas, rubber bullets, and live rounds at Palestinian protesters in the districts.


Comment: The IDF isn't just satisfied with the murder of children; their sadism prompts them to attack even those mourning their dead.

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Attention

Woman bites another woman, calls it "zombie game"

Chelsea Gorrow
registerguard.com
Mon, 08 Sep 2014 02:39 UTC
Image
© Unknown
A woman who claimed she was "playing the zombie game" allegedly broke into another woman's house to bite her early this morning.

The Coos County Sheriff's Office responded to an Eighth Street home in Lakeside where a 37-year-old victim told deputies she had been attacked by an unknown female.

The victim said a woman in a dark hooded sweatshirt and jeans broke into the residence and pushed her down the stairs, pulled her hair and bit her. The attacker then left the home and went outside to sit in the victim's vehicle, the victim told deputies.

Comment: For more information on possible causes of this bizzare behavior see:

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Syringe

Ebola scare: U.S. air marshal stabbed with a needle in Nigeria's Lagos Airport


RT
Tue, 09 Sep 2014 06:00 UTC
Image
© Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach
A fire brigade paramedic wearing a sealed protective suit closes the door of a special fire brigade ambulance during a drill for the crew, in Frankfurt August 21, 2014.
A US air marshal has been forcefully injected with a syringe at Nigeria's Lagos Airport and has been taken to hospital amid fears he might have contracted Ebola.

It wasn't immediately clear what was in the syringe after the incident occurred Sunday. The name of the marshal has not yet been revealed, AFP reported.

Fears the syringe could have been infected with the Ebola virus spread quickly, as Nigeria remains one of the West African countries where the deadly epidemic is currently raging.

Authorities were taking all the necessary precautions, but preliminary tests suggested that the marshal wasn't in any danger, according to the FBI.

"Out of an abundance of caution, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted an on-scene screening of the victim when United Flight 143 landed in Houston early Monday morning," the FBI said in a statement.

"The victim did not exhibit any signs of illness during the flight and was transported to a hospital upon landing for further testing. None of the testing conducted has indicated a danger to other passengers."
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People 2

Poll: 12% of Russians citizen consider mass political protests, 7% ready to take part


RT
Mon, 08 Sep 2014 10:32 UTC
Readiness to take part in protest actions has plunged to all-time low in Russia. Those who see themselves at street rallies say they would do so for an improvement of living standards rather than to change the political reality.
Image
© RIA Novosti/Ramil Sitdikov
A rally of opposition supporters in Moscow's Bolotnaya Square.
According to research conducted by established independent pollster Levada-Center in late August, only 12 percent of Russians consider mass political protests possible and the share of those who are ready to personally take part in them is even lower, at 7 percent. Levada specialists say this is the lowest result in their company's history, which dates back to 2003. Similar research conducted by the same agency in February this year gave the results of 23 and 10 percent respectively.

The share of Russians who allow the possibility of protests over the economic and social situation in the country was slightly higher at 17 percent, but only 8 percent of citizens claimed they could personally take part in such rallies. In February this year, the number of those who expected economic protests was at 28 percent, while 10 percent said they could take part in them.

The most recent surge in street rallies and pickets took place before and after the presidential and parliamentary elections of 2011 and 2012. Before it about 35 percent of Russians said they expected political and economic protests and 15 percent said they could participate in them.

Comment: The citizens of Russia probably don't feel the need to protest. From RT, August, 2014:
"Also in early August, the Levada Center published the results of the poll in which it questioned Russians about their appraisal of Vladimir Putin's policy as the country's leader. Eighty-seven percent of those polled said they approved of the president's actions. This was also an increase compared to 83 percent in May and 72 percent in March.

Deputy Director of the Levada Center Aleksey Grazhdankin told the press that a possible explanation for the current boost of Vladimir Putin's popularity was the extreme politicization of everyday people's lives, caused by the Ukrainian crisis and the subsequent Western sanctions against Russia."

Putin's popularity continues to rise, with 82 percent of Russians saying they'd vote for him if elections were to be held
See also:
Poll: Most Russians see sanctions as tool to weaken nation, but feel no effect

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Cardboard Box

Income inequality in U.S. unlikely to improve according to Harvard study


RT
Mon, 08 Sep 2014 15:29 UTC
income inequality 2013 usa
The widening gap between America's richest and the middle and working classes is unsustainable and is unlikely to improve a survey released on Monday by the Harvard Business School has found.

The study which is called "an economy doing half its job" said that while large American companies were showing signs of recovery and were maintaining their competitive edge on the world stage, many middle and working class US citizens were struggling, as were small businesses.


Comment: For some perspective on just how difficult the daily struggle is for most Americans, see:
US poverty Levels: 49.7 million are poor, and 80% of the total population is near poverty


The new survey was designed by the Harvard Business School (HBS) and is the latest in a series of surveys on their US Competiveness Project. Every year HBS asks alumni worldwide to share their views about the state and future of the US business environment and US competiveness. In addition to this, the 2013-2014 survey also focused on three key areas: competitiveness, education, workforce skills and transportation infrastructure.

On balance respondents were pessimistic about the trajectory of US competitiveness. 47 percent saw a decline in the next few years, while just 33 percent thought things would improve.But respondents were less negative than in past surveys. For example, in 2011, 71 percent thought US competitiveness would deteriorate.

Jan W Rivkin, co-chair of the project, said the findings of the 2013-14 survey showed that while firms might be looking healthier citizens were likely to be struggling more and more.
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Ambulance

UK to join America in sending military, humanitarian personnel to fight Ebola outbreak


RT
Mon, 08 Sep 2014 14:06 UTC
Image
© Reuters / 2Tango
Health workers wearing protective clothing prepare to carry an abandoned dead body presenting with Ebola symptoms at Duwala market in Monrovia August 17, 2014
Britain has announced it will send military and humanitarian experts to Sierra Leone to set up medical treatment centers in areas affected by the Ebola outbreak.

A 62-bed facility will be built and operated by military engineers and medical staff. The medical center will become operational within 8 weeks. The health facility is in addition to the UK's 25 million pound package of support to contain and control the disease. This includes multilateral support as well as direct funding to aid agencies operating on the ground, the official press release by the UK government said on Monday.

Comment: The Ebola outbreak is spiraling out of control. For more information, check out:

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