In 2007, India invited Japan, Australia and Singapore to join its drills with the US navy in the Bay of Bengal. China saw the exercises as the beginnings of a US-inspired security alliance, similar to NATO in Europe.
Daily Archives: 22. Juli 2015
Elites Use Media as Tool to Suppress Masses, Manipulate Minds – Chomsky
Media creates artificial wants, atomizes people and separates them from one another, making sure regular folks don‘t disturb political elites. Major media corporations turn people „into isolated atoms of consumption, obedient, having the ‘right‘ opinions which don‘t bother [political elites],“ Chomsky said.
Konsumschwach, aber beschäftigungsfähig
Die Folgen der von Berlin und Brüssel oktroyierten Deregulierungsmaßnahmen hat jüngst Thomas Maloutas beschrieben, Professor für soziale Geographie an der Harokopio Universität in Athen. Maloutas wird mit der Aussage zitiert, Griechenland müsse eigentlich, da seine Wirtschaft ja „auf … kleinen Einheiten basiert“ – auf Selbständigen und Familienbetrieben -, diese unterstützen, um zu verhindern, dass sich „die Wirtschaftsstruktur auflös[t]“. Die erzwungene Deregulierung begünstige aber eindeutig „die Großen gegenüber den Kleinen“, weil sie „gleiche Bedingungen für ungleiche Akteure“ festlege; dabei sei sei nicht „unvermeidbar“, sondern „ein politisches Projekt“. Bereits mit der Einführung des Euro sei „die neoliberale Politik in die Peripherie Europas“ vorgedrungen und habe die einheimischen Strukturen zu verändern begonnen. Jetzt führten die in Verbindung mit dem „Hilfspaket“ erzwungenen Schritte diese Entwicklung fort. Maloutas warnt vor den absehbaren, bewusst in Kauf genommenen Konsequenzen: „Eine wirtschaftliche Deregulierung ist immer auch eine soziale Deregulierung.“[2] Griechenland erlebe eine „Aushöhlung der gesellschaftlichen Strukturen“.
US drone crashes in Iraq desert, locals pose for selfies (PHOTOS, VIDEO)
The Pentagon has confirmed that it has lost a $21-million drone in an Iraqi desert after photos of the crashed UAV surfaced on social media.
TPP‘s Copyright Trap
In the U.S., our public domain is a sorry shadow of what it could be. Since the 20-year retroactive extension went into effect, no published works have entered the public domain through copyright expiration. We can point to the abstract value of the public domain, but we cannot even imagine what might have come of some 17 years of experimentation in precisely the era where creation and publishing tools are more accessible than ever.
We lose the creativity that would take the form of building on top of works in the public domain. We lose access to works that have been orphaned, with no clear owner but a cloud of legal uncertainty that makes preservation too risky.
Trial of Egypt‘s Morsi adjourned due to his poor health
A prison doctor recommended that Morsi not attend the court session on Wednesday as a cautionary measure against any problem he may face due to his „low blood sugar levels.“
French container ship to call at southern Iranian port
An Iranian official says the French CMA CGM shipping company has chosen southern Iranian Shahid Rajaei port as the port of call for its container ships.
[Full] Jon Stewart Talks with Obama for One Last Time; ‘Advice for Future President Trump?’
Jon Stewart tells Obama: You don’t have much time left to put us all in FEMA camps
Obama Tells Jon Stewart: You ‚Cannot Leave The Show‘
Jon Stewart tonight sat down with President Obama for the last time, talking everything from Iran to America’s war mentality to how much the media drives the president crazy.
They bantered a bit about “senioritis” and the president said, “I can’t believe that you’re leaving before me. In fact, I’m issuing a new executive order that Jon Stewart cannot leave the show.”
Israel schadet mit seiner wütenden Ablehnung nur sich selbst – Unser Wochenkommentar zum #IranDeal
(17.Juli 2015)
The Traitor
(18.Januar 1999) A number of officials strongly suspect that the Israelis repackaged much of Pollard’s material and provided it to the Soviet Union in exchange for continued Soviet permission for Jews to emigrate to Israel. Other officials go further, and say there was reason to believe that secret information was exchanged for Jews working in highly sensitive positions in the Soviet Union. A significant percentage of Pollard’s documents, including some that described the techniques the American Navy used to track Soviet submarines around the world, was of practical importance only to the Soviet Union…Tells about Pollard‘s sale of a highly-classified ten-volume signal intelligence „bible“
Jailed spy Pollard on track for November 21 release – unless something goes wrong
Informed sources expressed optimism on Thursday that jailed Israeli spy could be released from prison on November 21 of this year after spending 30 years in jail.
How long will I have to convince liberals that Palestinians matter?
For several weeks now, I have been trying to write an article on the necessity of boycotting G4S, an act relevant to both the Palestinian liberation movement and the Black Lives Matter movement. Sitting at an intersection of oppressive infrastructure by Zionism and white supremacy, G4S owns hundreds of the private prisons where a disproportionate number of Black Americans are incarcerated and alarming numbers of Palestinian children are tortured and held in solitary confinement by Israel.
U.S. House Speaker Boehner: House will do ‚everything possible‘ to block Iran nuclear deal
In April, Boehner reportedly acknowledged during an off-the-record event before a Republican Jewish audience that the Republican party does not have enough votes to overcome a veto of any resolution disapproving the nuclear deal.
Tsipras’ new challenge: voting of second set of “prior actions” amid SYRIZA rebels and anti-austerity protests
The bill is however expected to pass as three opposition parties said that they would back it.
Saudi King Salman to visit Washington in the fall: Carter
Saudi Arabia‘s King Salman is expected to visit Washington in the fall, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter told reporters after his meeting with the monarch.
Bundesgesundheitsminister Hermann Gröhe: Gleichberechtigung der Beitragsberechnung in der GKV
Als Selbstständiger muss man in der gesetzlichen Kranken- und Pflegeversicherung Mindestbeiträge von rund 360 Euro/ Monat zahlen, weil ein fiktives Einkommen von über 2.000 Euro unterstellt wird – auch wenn man tatsächlich deutlich weniger verdient, etwa weil man aufgrund familiärer Verpflichtungen nur Teilzeit-selbstständig ist oder wegen des Alters keine Aussicht mehr auf einen Angestelltenjob besteht.
Das ist nicht nur eine krasse Ungleichbehandlung gegenüber Angestellten, sondern nimmt vielen Selbständigen mit niedrigem Gewinn den Spielraum für eine ausreichende Altersvorsorge. Hunderttausende haben aufgrund von Beitragsrückständen keinen Versicherungsschutz und sind in eine Schuldenfalle geraten. Hartz IV für diese Menschen ist nicht nur keine Lösung, sondern schlicht, einfach und ergreifend menschenverachtend!
Die Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika geben öffentlich bekannt, dass sie China nicht öffentlich die Schuld am OPM-Hack geben werden
Regierungsvertreter sagen auch „privat” (wiederum in einer Zeitung mit großer Reichweite), dass sie wegen des Hacks Sanktionen gegen China verhängen könnten, wobei sie allerdings nicht öffentlich sagen würden, dass die Sanktionen mit dem Hack zusammenhängen, obwohl sie das gerade buchstäblich gesagt haben.
DIE GRIECHENLAND-KRISE (III): Das „nächste Lehman Brothers“ – die Entstaatlichung der Staaten
(27.März 2010) Der Vergleich des Staates Griechenland mit der Bank Lehman Brothers durch Ifo-Leiter Sinn macht die ganze Denkweise der Neokonservativen Agenda deutlich: Verstaatlichung verschuldeter Banken, Entstaatlichung verschuldeter Staaten. Es folgt die Übernahme durch die Banken, ein Systemwechsel zum Staatskapitalismus, in denen es keinen Unterschied mehr zwischen Banken und Staat gibt, mit der Aussnahme, dass nur noch Staaten pleite gehen und verschwinden können. Flankierende Massnahmen schützen das neue (eventuell aus ehemaligen Staaten zusammengebastelte) Imperium mit entsprechenden autoritär-totalitären Strukturen, Einsatz des Militärs zur Kontrolle der entmachteten und verfassungslosen Bevölkerung, sowie natürlich ständiger Spannungsfall durch innere und äussere Kriegführung – zur „Sicherheit“.
Griechenland: Ökonomen fordern Insolvenzpflicht für Pleitestaaten
Demnach sollte die Europäische Währungsunion neu organisiert werden. Es reiche nicht aus, wenn Brüssel versuche, die Haushalte der Mitgliedstaaten strenger zu überwachen, heißt es in dem Beitrag.
Fuest und Linnemann fordern Reformen, „die sicherstellen, dass das Bankensystem nicht instabil wird, wenn ein Staat seine Anleihen nicht zurückzahlt“.
„Keinen Bock, auf den Link zu drücken“
Also wenn mich einer im „Würgegriff“ hätte, würde ich ja in die Hand beißen.
Sandra Bland‘s Arrest
(15.Juli) Sandra „Sandy“ Bland is arrested on University Drive in Waller County, TX.
*I am not the original video-grapher but have decided to upload and share this video that I came across on social media, so that the truth to this terrible situation can be found!*
My sympathies and condolences to the family and friends who initially wanted privacy.
You Need to Speak Up For Internet Security. Right Now.
TThey are among thousands of people whose computers and mobile devices were infected with “surveillance software” made and sold to governments and law enforcement agencies by the recently-hacked Hacking Team. Such targeted surveillance can lead to beatings, imprisonment, torture and often death. It can also bring harm to the victim’s family and friends, and anyone who communicated with the victim online or over the phone.
Video of Sandra Bland‘s arrest ignites firestorm of reactions
(Video)
Der gewaltsame Tod der Sandra Bland
Anlass: ein nicht gesetzter Blinker, als die junge Frau die Fahrbahn wechselte, um den Polizeiwagen vorbeifahren zu lassen.
Invasion of privacy: Pakistan govt asked to discard current surveillance system
The report says that “Pakistan’s intelligence agencies have abused their communications surveillance powers, including by spying on opposition politicians and Supreme Court judges. Widespread internet monitoring and censorship has also been used to target journalists, lawyers and activists.
Exclusive Details on an Email Hastings Sent Hours Before Death
(21.Juni 2013)
Journalist Michael Hastings, Autor von „The Runaway General“, tödlich verunglückt
(Juni 2013) Unerbittlich stellte der hartnäckige Reporter Philippe Reines, Mitarbeiter der Ex-Aussenministerin Hillary Clinton, Fragen zu den Anschlägen in Benghazi, die Reines per Email mit Bezeichnungen wie „Fuck Off“, „Have a good life“ oder „unmitigated asshole“ quittierte (ausführlicher Email-Verkehr zwischen Reines und Hastings vom 23.September 2012).
Hastings führte ein Interview mit Julian Assange in Grossbritannien, schrieb über psychologische Kriegsführung oder die militärischen Drohneneinsätze der U.S.A.
Journalist Michael Hastings Dies in Fiery Crash / Hollywood RAW FOOTAGE
Veröffentlicht am 18.06.2013
Written by City News Service – Journalist Michael Hastings, whose blunt Rolling Stone profile of Gen. Stanley McChrystal led to the resignation of the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, died today in a car crash in Los Angeles, according to the magazine and a website for which he worked. Officials with the Los Angeles County coroner‘s office could not
immediately confirm if the 33-year-old Hastings was the person who died around 4:25 a.m. when a car smashed into a tree and caught fire on Highland Avenue near Melrose Avenue in the Hancock Park area. The circumstances of the crash were under investigation, but a cameraman at the scene said the vehicle, a Mercedes, was being driven at a high rate of speed when the crash occurred. The car‘s engine ended up 200 feet away from the
collision site, he said.
Rätselhafter Unfalltod eines Enthüllungsreporters
(20.Juni 2013) Der 33-Jährige saß Medienberichten zufolge alleine im Auto, als er aus zunächst unbekannter Ursache die Kontrolle über das Fahrzeug verlor, die Leitplanke durchbrach und gegen einen Baum raste.
Jeep Hack Shows Why the DMCA Must Get Out of the Way of Vehicle Security Research
Security researchers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek have once again exposed automobile security flaws that allow attackers to take over a vehicle’s crucial systems. In their latest work, they learned how an attacker could remotely control a car over the Internet.
Another Runaway General: Army Deploys Psy-Ops on U.S. Senators
(23.Februar 2011) The U.S. Army illegally ordered a team of soldiers specializing in „psychological operations“ to manipulate visiting American senators into providing more troops and funding for the war, Rolling Stone has learned – and when an officer tried to stop the operation, he was railroaded by military investigators.
Hackers Remotely Kill a Jeep on the Highway—With Me in It
I was driving 70 mph on the edge of downtown St. Louis when the exploit began to take hold.
Though I hadn’t touched the dashboard, the vents in the Jeep Cherokee started blasting cold air at the maximum setting, chilling the sweat on my back through the in-seat climate control system. Next the radio switched to the local hip hop station and began blaring Skee-lo at full volume. I spun the control knob left and hit the power button, to no avail. Then the windshield wipers turned on, and wiper fluid blurred the glass.
Greek bailout vote to test Syriza party rebellion
Greece‘s leftist government urged disgruntled lawmakers on Wednesday to back reforms required for talks on a rescue deal to start, as Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras faced his second major test in parliament in a week.
Griechenland: Finanzminister Tsakalotos auf Stimmenfang im Parlament
Das Votum gilt auch als Test dafür, wie gut Ministerpräsident Alexis Tsipras seine Partei im Griff hat.
Das griechische Parlament soll am Abend über das zweite und vorerst letzte Reformpaket entscheiden. Diesmal geht es um Reformen im Bereich der Justiz und der Banken.
Israel set to approve first settlement housing construction in over a year
The Civil Administration in the West Bank is set to grant permits for the construction of a total of 906 new housing units on Thursday, the first such approval in a year.
Israel president calls Renzi the ‚future‘
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday called Italian Premier Matteo Renzi „one of the leaders of the new generation of the future“.
As the pair met, Renzi invited Rivlin to visit Italy in September, on behalf of President Sergio Mattarella.
Donald Tusk: Azerbaijan is EU’s reliable, strategic energy partner
Azerbaijan is the EU’s reliable and strategic partner in the energy field, and we want to take this partnership further, President of European Council Donald Tusk said at the joint press conference with the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in Baku on July 22.
Former Minister Yanis Varoufakis Had Plan B to Save Greece
(15.Juli) In his first interview since resigning, Greece“s former Finance Minister says the Eurogroup is „completely and utterly“ controlled by Germany, Greece was „set up“ and last week‘s referendum was wasted.
Paul Krugman: „I may have overestimated the competence of the Greek government“
(19.Juli) The following transcript is of an interview by host Fareed Zakaria with economist and The New York Times columnist, Paul Krugman. They discussed how a Grexit would impact the European Union, if a Grexit is probable, if the Greek crisis is over, and how Puerto Rico and Greece differ fiscally.
Krugman in shock says he overestimated the competence of Greek gov’t
“Amazingly,” Krugman said on “CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS,” “they thought they could simply demand better terms without having any backup plan.
“So certainly this is a shock,” Krugman realized.
Dashcam Video of Violent Arrest of Sandra Bland Was Edited
Bland was a 28-year-old Black Lives Matter civil rights activist and vocal critic of police brutality who died in police custody after a Texas officer pulled her over for a traffic violation, ordered her out of her car when she refused to put out her cigarette, and aggressively arrested her. Police say Bland committed suicide, yet the Waller County prosecutor says Bland’s case is “being treated just as it would be a murder investigation.”
Sandra Bland Death: Texas to Look Into Alleged Edits of Dashcam Video
At 25:05 into the video (see clip below), a tow truck driver can be seen walking toward Texas State Trooper Brian Encinia‘s cruiser before walking out of the frame. Fifteen seconds later, the same driver reappears and completes the same walk out of the frame as audio of Encinia speaking plays uninterrupted.
Deutsches Staatsversagen
(12.Juli) Wenn es aber um das unselige Wirken der US-Geheimdienste in Deutschland geht, funktioniert gar nichts mehr: Die Regierung Merkel kuscht, der Bundestag ist stumm, die Bundesanwaltschaft dreht Däumchen. Von den deutschen Staatsgewalten ist nichts zu sehen, nichts zu hören, nichts zu spüren. Den Namen Staatsgewalt verdienen sie hier allenfalls wegen ihres gewaltigen Versagens. Man kann es Staatsversagen nennen.
Berlin und die Bombe
(5.September 1962) Seit Mitte 1961 laufen Verhandlungen über eine politische Union Europas. Die deutschen Wünsche zielen – welche Konzessionen im Gang der Verhandlungen auch immer von Bonn gemacht wurden – letztlich auf die Etablierung eines übernationalen europäischen Regierungsapparats (mit Kabinett, Parlament und Ministerien), der nach und nach die nationalen Souveränitäten aufsaugen, mithin die , europäischen Staaten als eigene Existenzen auslöschen soll.
Was den zweiten Punkt angeht – Berlin -, wünscht Bonn das Festhalten nicht nur Frankreichs, sondern auch Englands und Amerikas in der Verantwortung für die Sicherheit der ehemaligen Reichshauptstadt.
France’s Hollande calls for ‘eurozone government’
„But we cannot stand still,“ Hollande said, in the interview published alongside a profile of Jacques Delors, the former head of the European Commission.
Delors, a former French economics and finance minister who turns 90 on Monday, is one of the architects of the euro.
„I have proposed taking up Jacques Delors‘ idea about euro government, with the addition of a specific budget and a parliament to ensure democratic control,“ Hollande said.
Griechenlands Plan B war nie der Grexit
Der ehemalige Minister wiederholte, die griechische Regierung habe einen alternativen Plan gehabt, der im Finanzministerium auf Anweisung des Premierministers ausgearbeitet wurde, die dieser erteilt hatte, bevor er selbst das Ministerium übernahm. „Sie verstehen, dass diese Pläne, die Alternativen, per Definition Unzulänglichkeiten aufweisen, weil sie innerhalb eines kleinen Kreises von Menschen (geheim) gehalten werden müssen und sich anderenfalls – falls sie bekannt werden – eine sich selbst erfüllende Prophezeiung einstellen wird. Dass Problem war, dass – als unsere Banken schlossen – die Regierung beschloss, diesen Plan nicht umzusetzen„, führte Yanis Varoufakis an.
Schäuble was ready to give Greece €50 billion to quit the euro
The German minister was described by the source like “a true European” who had nothing against Greece, but favoured harsh medicine for a good cause.
Yanis Varoufakis: Greece ‚made mistakes, there‘s no doubt‘
Greece last week accepted terms for a third bailout that many say was on harsher terms than the potential deal that was on the table earlier this year.
Der erste Sieger im Griechen-Poker steht fest
In der Spieltheorie (und Verhandlungen sind ein Spiel im Sinn der Spieltheorie, nämliche „eine Entscheidungssituation mit mehreren Beteiligten, die sich mit ihren Entscheidungen gegenseitig beeinflussen“) geht es darum, ein Spiel-Setting zu finden, in dem der Verhandlungsgegner in möglichst vielen der eigenen Positionen einen eigenen Vorteil sieht – es geht also darum, möglichst viel, was man selbst durchsetzen will, dem Gegenüber so schmackhaft zu machen, dass er es selbst vertritt.
European Parliament Delegation Blocked from Entering Knesset
A delegation from the European Union Parliament was denied entry into the Knesset Tuesday, Arab Joint List party MKs claim, forcing them to hold a meeting with radical Arab MKs outside the Knesset grounds.
„MKs Yousef Jabareen and Aida Touma-Suleiman were forced to hold the meeting with members of the European Parliament‘s Subcommittee on Human Rights outside of the Knesset building, after Knesset Speaker demanded the presence of a Knesset political adviser,“ the party wrote in a statement.
European lawmakers‘ meeting with Arab List MKs banned at Knesset
A delegation from the European parliament, including ambassadors to Israel from European Union countries, was not allowed to enter the Knesset Tuesday morning for a meeting with members of the Joint Arab List. The Knesset claimed the meeting breached protocol and was thus barred from taking place within the legislature.
Histadrut Calls Off General Strike after Reaching Agreement on Contract Workers
Kahlon and Nissenkorn began formulating the understandings after discussing the matter late into Sunday night, July 19. Their discussions resumed Monday morning, and eventually reached an agreement under which 10,000 contract workers in the public sector will become full government employees within 4 years and 6,000 contract workers in the private sector will receive employee status.
Asia Bibi set for final challenge for freedom
Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian woman convicted of blasphemy, is being given a final chance to appeal her death sentence.
Back in 2009 she was accused of insulting the prophet Mohammad, after an argument with colleagues.
Despite denying the charge, she was arrested and imprisoned before she was sentenced to death a year later.
If the sentence is carried out she‘d be the first women to be lawfully killed for blasphemy in Pakistan.
Despite widespread calls from the international community for her release, she remains in prison with claims she‘s suffered abuse by fellow prisoners.
Iran’s Khamenei accepted to talk to US after failing to reach agreement with P5+1
“Negotiations with the P5+1 continued for several years with no specific result. So, the Supreme Leader suggested starting talks with the US. He accepted to continue negotiations in parallel with US talks,” Iran’s Fars news agency quoted Salehi as saying July 21.
Ukraine, rebels reach preliminary deal to broaden weapons withdrawal
Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists have reached a preliminary agreement to extend a pull-back of weapons in east Ukraine to include tanks and smaller weapons systems, the chairman of the OSCE security watchdog, Ivica Dacic, said on Tuesday.