By Valentina Ieri | – UNITED NATIONS, (IPS) – While technology has given millions greater freedom to express themselves, in the world's 10 most censored countries, this basic right exists only on paper, if at all. According to a report by thereport by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), which will be officially […]
BP Defends Tar Balls still washing up in Gulf
ThinkProgress | – Confronted with BP tar balls still washing up on Gulf shores, a spokesman denies the toxic chemicals are harmful, sidestepping the damage to pristine beaches. Scientists do not agree with him about the balls’ lack of toxicity and point out they can break down in harmful ways. ThinkProgress Video: “BP Defends Tar […]
Iran: US, Israel dare not attack us; anyway if they could have, they would have
RT | — “With a nuclear deal around the corner, Russia’s decision to proceed with the sale of the sophisticated S-300 missile defense system to Iran sparked a flurry of speculation. How will these developments affect the balance of power in the region? Will it level the playing field or push the region into broader […]
Is Iranian power on the rise?
By Brian M. Downing | (Informed Comment) – As the Iranian nuclear talks neared preliminary agreement, and as the Houthis drove into southern Yemen, world leaders and commentators warned that Iran is on the rise in the Middle East. This, they continued, had to be stopped by imposing tougher sanctions and opposing the Houthis, perhaps […]
Why Gaza Casualties were so High: Israel relaxed rules re: high-explosives in populated areas
By: Charlie Hoyle – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The unprecedented number of Palestinians killed in the 2014 war in Gaza was linked to changes in the military rules of engagement regarding civilian protection measures by Israel’s army, a London-based NGO said this week. In a new report entitled ‘Under Fire,’ Action on Armed Violence found that […]
Double Standard: Petraeus Avoids Prison, But Whistleblowers Not So Lucky
Newsy | – “Retired Gen. David Petraeus was sentenced Thursday for mishandling classified government documents, but why was his punishment relatively light?” Newsy: “Petraeus Avoids Prison, But Whistleblowers Not So Lucky”
Tensions Boil Over After Baltimore Police Call Protesters “Lynch Mob”
By Lauren McCauley, staff writer | (Commondreams.org) Demonstrators still seeking answers over the mysterious and troubling death of Freddie Gray, who died of a spinal injury while in the custody of the Baltimore Police Department, circled City Hall on Thursday after Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced that he had called in state troopers to help […]
A Letter of Apology to My Grandson: A Pox on Twenty-First-Century America
By Tom Engelhardt | ( Tomdispatch.com) Dear Grandson, Consider my address book — and yes, the simple fact that I have one already tells you a good deal about me. All the names, street addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers that matter to me are still on paper, not in a computer or on an […]
Mobilizing For Mosul, Iraq: Scholars Work To Save Town’s Heritage from ISIL
By Coilin O’Connor | (RFE/RL) – While much of the world stands by as the militant Islamic State group takes a sledgehammer to the Middle East’s cultural legacy, a team of Czech scholars is working feverishly to try and save one Iraqi town’s architectural heritage. All across the large swaths of Syria and Iraq that […]