Dems’ calls for investigating Abu Akleh killing are unprecedented — but a ‘cog in Israel’s whitewashing machine’

Mainstream Democrats were shocked by the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, but their calls for an investigation were vague, even suggesting that Israel could investigate itself-- a recipe for "whitewashing," says a human rights group. No mainstream leader approached the position of progressive Congresspeople, that the U.S. must investigate Israel, or the view of the Foundation for Middle
| Opinion, Andre Carson, Bernie Sanders

Hey Elon Musk, I want my cut of Twitter!

Tesla helps create a proliferation of electric cars which allows the powers that shouldn’t be to manage where we go, when, and how far Twitter is a massive wellspring of data voluntarily offered up by a compliant population Neuralink takes data collection to the whole level of data extraction and replacement SpaceX supplies the satellites to keep all of this madness running 2014: SpaceX
| Elon Musk, Twitter

TRSDC takes AMAALA under its wings, springs distinct wellness flavor

Sun, 2022-05-15 00:30 Boating by the Triple Bay's serene, blue waters is among the attractions being envisioned for the AMAALA wellness project. (Supplied) Ahmed Ghazi Darwish. (Supplied) Main category: Business & EconomyTags: The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDCAmaalaTHE RED SEA PROJECTPIF Pagano sees contribution of TRSDC-AMAALA tourism projects to Saudi GDP at $9bnTRSDC, AMAALA look into EVs, hydrogen cars as part of sustainable mobility solutions
| News

Decriminalized Marijuana Reinvents Racism and Poisoning

The change in marijuana laws across the US raises issues far beyond, “Hey, dude, we can blow a joint now without getting busted.” The racism that permeated the age of criminalization now lurks throughout the phase of decriminalization. The burgeoning business of growing pot raises the specter of corporate agriculture with its threats to human health and natural ecosystems. Are
| Crime, Drug Wars, Marijuana

Musk doesn’t own Twitter yet, but conservatives are racking up followers

Carlson’s gain is one of several early signs that Musk’s takeover is already shifting the dynamics of one of the most influential social networks in the country. A Washington Post analysis of hundreds of Twitter accounts found that right-leaning accounts, including Republican members of Congress, received a surge in followers since the deal was announced last month, even as their
| News

PIF military arm SAMI eyes international expansion to accelerate global footprint, CEO says

Fri, 2022-05-13 17:47 The company is ‘looking to oversee opportunities in bid to beat original growth targets. The focus is on the defense industry.’ (Reuters) Main category: Business & EconomyTags: FAF2022Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) Saudi flight academy expands domestic training sites to accommodate 1000 Chinese students: CEOSaudia Aerospace Engineering Industries’ MRO facility to get off the ground by 2025, says VP
| News

The ADL would be laughable if it weren’t dangerous

Last weekend, the ADL’s Jonathan Greenblatt said the quiet part out loud: in a national speech, he declared that the ADL is making war on antiracist organizers in the United States. It’s not just rhetoric. Blaming young organizers of color and disloyal Jews for antisemitism — declaring us an existential threat — Greenblatt was signaling to the right that it’s okay to target us.
| Opinion, Anti-Defamation League, Jonathan Greenblatt

The Biden administration says it wants Shireen Abu Akleh’s killing investigated, but it’s hard to take that seriously

The Biden administration says it is shocked by Shireen Abu Akleh's death, and wants an investigation. But they're not going to launch their own, and they will presumably be skeptical of any outside human rights group that does. They have confidence in Israel to investigate itself, but it will take them months, possibly years, to develop a position on its
| News, Biden administration, Brent Renaud

A Fundraiser Marking the 10th Anniversary of My Photo-Journalism Project ‘The State of London’

The most recent photos from Andy Worthington’s ongoing photo-journalism project ‘The State of London‘, which marks its 10th anniversary on May 11, 2022. Please click on the ‘Donate’ button below to make a donation to support my photo-journalism project ‘The State of London’. A previously unpublished photo of a Royal Navy ship moored in the River Thames off Greenwich, and the
| A fundraising appeal, Andy Worthington's photos, Environmental crisis

‘I’m thrilled to work with Israeli government because they want to do the right thing,’ US ambassador says, ahead of settlement announcement

Days before Israel announced that it is going ahead with 4,000 new settlement units, U.S. ambassador Thomas Nides -- who was reportedly briefed on the plans -- says "I really respect this government... they really want to do the right thing," and he is "thrilled to work with them." And Joe Biden is a Zionist, and so is Nides: 'Everything
| News, Abraham Accords, Dan Shapiro

With Clenched Fists, They Spend Money on Weapons as the Planet Burns

A mushroom sprouts from an arid pacific atoll Disintegrates into space Leaving only a residue of might to which for an illusory peace and security man clings. In the calm of the early morning the third day after love found joy in the empty tomb the wooden cross of disgrace transformed into a symbol of love service peace. In the heat of the afternoon lull the UN flag flutters hidden from sight by national banners under which sit men with
| Environment, Global Warming, Militarism

Video: “Guantánamo Diary Revisited” – Q&A with Mohamedou Ould Slahi, Director John Goetz and Andy Worthington

The flier for the online screening of “Guantánamo Diary Revisited,” made available by its distributors in the US and Canada, Cinema Libre Studio, as a fundraiser for Andy Worthington’s work, followed by a Q&A with Mohamedou Ould Slahi, director John Goetz, and Andy. In the film, Goetz assists Slahi in tracking down some of those involved in his torture, the
| American torture, Andy Worthington - events, Film reviews

So, was Hitler’s grandfather Jewish?

After Russia's Foreign Minister said that Hitler had Jewish blood, Israeli leaders have condemned him angrily, with the Prime Minister saying he was justifying "the oppressors of Israel." Wait, when did this become about Israel? There is in fact a plausible theory that Hitler's father's father was Jewish. Not that that would in any way justify Russian or Israeli propaganda.
| Opinion, Hitler, Naftali Bennett

Prospects of Iran-Saudi Détente: Promising Signs amid Fading US Sway in Region

Islam Times - Henry Kissinger (Dr. Death to his many detractors) was a man who approached foreign policy with the clear-eyed realism you might associate with your average hyena. For Mr. Kissinger, the world was a rough and tough place where pragmatism and self-interest reigned. And in the world in which he operated in the 1960s and 70s, there was
| Iran

Who is More Advanced? 29 Muslim-Majority States will Have more Liberal Abortion Laws than much of America if Roe Falls

Article continues after bonus IC video Democracy Now! “The End of Roe v. Wade: Leaked Opinion Shows Supreme Court Is Set to Overturn Abortion Rights” Gilla K. Shapiro, writing in Health Policy and Planning, found that ten Muslim-majority countries out of 47 surveyed permit abortion on demand. These are Albania, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tunisia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Another two,
| Evangelicals, Featured, Feminism

Biden mocks himself and roasts Trump

Islam Times - President Joe Biden made fun of his own approval ratings, roasted Donald Trump, and took a gentle ribbing from comedian Trevor Noah at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on Saturday night. The dinner was shunned by Trump and canceled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
| US

RSF calls for strong anti-SLAPP measures by EU parliament, Member States

NewsThe anti-SLAPP directive proposed by the European Commission today is a major step forward in the fight against the use of “gag suits” to intimidate and silence journalists, says Reporters Without Borders (RSF), calling on the European Parliament and Member States to rise to the challenge by adopting strong measures to combat these abusive lawsuits.
| News

Brazil: Disinformation and online attacks against women journalists pose serious challenges to the exercise of press freedom in the country

NewsGênero e Número (GN) and Reporters without Borders (RSF) launch unprecedented research that reveals the perception of women journalists and LGBT+ journalists about the effects of disinformation and online violence in their professional practice and personal life. The data, available in an online report, show that these phenomena contributed to the expansion of hostility and mistrust against the press, operating
| News

Israel-Palestine : Four years of violence against Palestinian journalists covering “March of Return” protests

NewsOn the fourth anniversary of Palestinian journalist Ahmed Abu Hussein’s death from the Israeli sniper bullet that fatally wounded him as he covered one of the “Great March of Return” protests near the Israeli border in the Gaza Strip, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) announces that it has registered more than 140 Israeli violations against Palestinian journalists since these weekly protests
| News

Video: Q&A with Mohamedou Ould Salahi, Kevin Macdonald, Nancy Hollander and I at Screening of ‘The Mauritanian’ in Tunbridge Wells

A screenshot of the Q&A at Tunbridge Wells on March 20, 2022, following a screening of ‘The Mauritanian’ at the Trinity Theatre. Please support my work as a reader-funded journalist! I’m currently trying to raise $2500 (£2000) to support my writing and campaigning on Guantánamo and related issues over the next three months. If you can help, please click on
| Andy Worthington - events, Guantanamo, Guantanamo media

Turkey blocks Russian flights to Syria

Islam Times - Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced on Saturday that his country would deny passage to Russian flights bound for Syria. Though Turkey is a member of NATO, it has not sanctioned Russia over the conflict in Ukraine, and is discussing airspace rights with Moscow as part of wider negotiations on the Black Sea maritime rights.
| Turkey

Polytheism vs Monotheism: Building Bridges Between Polytheism and Atheism

It uses pre-scientific explanatory strategies. What it describes are really seasonal phenomena. The characters are prehistorical political figures. It uses vague and muddled language. Its sacred beings are neurotic projections. Religious ideas are bugs in the human neurological programming. Augustine says that suffering is caused by the misuse of free will by created beings, not by divine intervention. In 130-122 CE Irenaeus says God has to permit
| Christianity, Fundamentalism, General

Inside the Jenin resistance

The Jenin refugee camp has been in the spotlight since Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's announced that there would be "no limits" to a massive West Bank military operation following a deadly attack in Tel Aviv on April 7. Shatha Hanaysha speaks with residents and leaders in the camp about living under the constant threat of Israeli raids, and the
| News, Israeli occupation, Jenin

The dream of a Jewish state, and the nightmare of its reality

Many older Jews still carry scars of the Nazi Holocaust that live on in the form of guilt, victimhood and fear of another genocide. They must protect Israel for they hear, "without Israel there would be no safe Jews." These fears are exported within the context of Zionist racist ideology.
| Opinion, Apartheid, Holocaust

The Bellyfeel of Paradise: Inside the Media Dome

All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. — (Attributed to Arthur Schopenhauer but there is little evidence of this. See: Quote Investigator) The post The Bellyfeel of Paradise: Inside the Media Dome first appeared on Dissident Voice.
| Arts and/or Entertainment, Media, Movies

Narendra Modi’s Government Is Using False Charges of Terrorism to Repress Its Opponents

Radical priest Stan Swamy was one of India’s leading social activists. Modi’s government is to blame for his death while awaiting trial on bogus terror charges, but the clampdown won’t snuff out the inspiring legacy of Swamy’s work with Adivasi communities. Father Stan Swamy was a leading social activist who worked to support the preservation of Adivasi lands and ways of
| News

Update 58 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

Ukraine informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today that the general situation in the area around the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) “remained difficult” due to destroyed bridges and demining activities and that the national regulator had still not had an “opportunity to inspect” the facility, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
| Press Release

NRG matters — Denmark to reduce reliance on Russian gas; Global firms eye clean energy plans

Wed, 2022-04-20 12:43 Denmark has announced that it plans to ramp up natural gas production temporarily to aid Europe gain independence from Russian energy. SSE plc is in talks with Spain-based Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy to acquire its wind farm development unit, Reuters reported. Independent power producer Quantum Power Asia Pte is considering progressing with a $5 billion plan to channel clean electricity
| News

The Impunity of War Lords, Financial Thieves, Israel, Mercenaries, Mindlessness

“Screwed” essentially means “cheated” here, much as it does today. “Blewed” meant “lost or been robbed of”. The word’s origin is from the German “blauen” so it’s actually related to “blue”, not “blew”, and meant that something had vanished (into the blue). (According to “A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant” by Charles Godfrey Leland, published in 1889.) “Tattooed” refers here to
| Chemical weapons, Journalism, Media Bias

Senegalese journalist to be tried for insulting police officer

NewsCalling for the withdrawal of all charges against Pape Malick Thiam, a TV reporter due to appear in court tomorrow in Dakar on a charge of insulting a police officer, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urges those in charge of the Senegalese security forces to prioritise dialogue with journalists amid a surge in threats and attacks against media personnel.
| News

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem — a Passover statement by the Rabbinical Council of Jewish Voice for Peace

"We deplore the Israeli government’s decision to introduce senseless violence to a prayer space. There was no need for the violence we witnessed. This situation could have been defused peacefully. This Ramadan/Easter/Passover Israel betrayed its trust with the world’s Muslims, Christians and Jews." From JVP rabbis' statement on the fourth day of Passover.
| Activism, al-Aqsa Mosque, Easter

Stop pressuring journalists in Central Asia over Ukraine war coverage, RSF says

NewsTo avoid offending their Russian neighbour, the authorities in the five Central Asian republics are pressuring their media to provide “neutral” coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or ignore it altogether. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on these governments to allow journalists to cover the war and its consequences as they see fit.
| News

Activists demonstrating against administrative detention encounter racist discrimination by Tel Aviv police

Although dozens of Jewish Israelis participated in a protest against administrative detention in front of the General Security Services headquarters in Tel Aviv, and five of them blocked the road - an act which usually leads to being arrested - the only participant to be detained was Rami Salman, a Palestinian student who passed by the scene. "What happened was
| Activism, administrative detention, Apartheid

EU to cut Russian energy reliance ahead of schedule; Qatar Electricity & Water profits surge: NRG matters

Mon, 2022-04-18 12:07 The EU is projected to reduce reliance on Russian energy sooner than expected, Bloomberg reported, citing Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. This comes following Draghi’s agreement with Algeria to boost gas exports to Italy and Europe as a whole. South African electricity public utility Eskom has announced that it will implement power cuts from April 17 until April 20,
| News

Colonial Continuities and Kangaroo Courts: Administrative detention and the Israeli military judicial system

Mass incarceration has defined Israel’s colonial project. Since 1967, over 850,000 Palestinians have been arrested and imprisoned by the Israeli regime. Currently there are 4,450 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, including hundreds of administrative detainees being held without charge or trial. But just as mass incarceration remains a defining feature of the Israeli occupation, so too has prisoner resistance. Currently, an
| Opinion, Addameer, administrative detention

What Was Discussed During Iraqi FM’s Iran Visit?

Islam Times - Iraq's Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein arrived in Iran on April 13 for an official visit that saw him meeting Iranian officials. Reports said that the top Iraqi diplomat discussed in Tehran bilateral ties, regional developments, and some other cases of interest including Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria, and Ukraine. The visit was paid at the invitation of Iranian counterpart
| Iran

Ukraine: Why Russian assault on Donbas will be Protracted and Bloody

Russia’s offensive will now switch to the Donbas region in the east of Ukraine. STUmaps via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-NC-SA Battles in bulges Article continues after bonus IC video PBS NewsHour: “Russia readies for major assault on eastern Ukraine, beginning ‘second chapter’ of war” The Russians will seek to probe and break through Ukrainian defences, surround those salients, trap the Ukrainians and annihilate them
| Russia, Ukraine, US Foreign Policy

How misreadings of the Christian Gospels fuel anti-Judaism and Ignore Jesus’ Jewishness

Reading the Christian Gospels Removing sources of ritual impurity Jesus asks, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ when he’s touched by a bleeding woman. (Wikimedia Commons) Brushes with death Impurity and destruction of the temple After Jerusalem’s Second Temple (shown here in a model) was destroyed, some Jesus followers’ concerns with impurity receded when no one could visit the Temple. ( Ariely/Wikimedia Commons), CC BY Avoid perpetuating anti-Judaism Avoiding
| Antisemitism, Christianity, Jewish History

Russia: punishing journalists still daring to cover war in Ukraine

NewsThe Russian authorities have begun using arrests, raids and fines to harass journalists accused of publishing “false information” about the Russian army’s actions in Ukraine. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns this witchhunt and the growing climate of impunity for attacks on journalists, and calls for the withdrawal of laws establishing censorship.
| News

If Israel/Palestine become a true democracy– uh-oh, there goes the Jewish state — Moulton

Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton acknowledges the contradiction between democracy and a Jewish state: "If you actually had a true one state where Palestinians and Israelis had equal rights-- a democracy, right?-- then demographically the Palestinians are probably going to take over the Israelis in relatively short order, they would outvote them, and that means you would really lose the concept
| News, Israel Lobby, Lara Friedman

Act quickly to protect Afghan journalists, RSF tells new UN special rapporteur

NewsReporters Without Borders (RSF) wrote today to Richard Bennett, the UN’s new special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, calling for urgent action to defend journalists and press freedom in Afghanistan, where arbitrary arrests are on the rise and a climate of fear has taken hold in all media outlets.
| News

“Booming” Economy Leaves Millions Behind

About 7 out of 10 Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. One in three U.S. workers are earning less than $15 an hour. The problem of joblessness for Black men is on average three times worse than what is generally assumed. 52% of women, ages 50 and up, say the economy isn’t working well for them. Three-Quarters of Americans say the economy is on
| Economy/Economics

“Guantánamo Diary Revisited”: Online Screening of New Documentary as a Fundraiser for My Guantánamo Work

The flier for the fundraising screening next week of the new documentary film “Guantánamo Diary Revisited.” Please support my work as a reader-funded journalist! I’m currently trying to raise $2500 (£2000) to support my writing and campaigning on Guantánamo and related issues over the next three months. If you can help, please click on the button below to donate via
| American torture, Andy Worthington - events, Film reviews

Call It Apartheid

Here at Mondoweiss we’ve been calling the Israeli regime apartheid almost since we started publishing, and gladly the mainstream human rights world has started to catch up. Today we are excited to share an exclusive preview of our new documentary showing the Apartheid reality that Palestinians are living under. Mondoweiss is a key movement and media resource helping the world understand what is
| Site News, Fundraising

Two Radio Shows: I Discuss Guantánamo with Buz Eisenberg and Misty Winston

Andy Worthington calls for the closure of the prison at Guantánamo Bay outside the White House on January 11, 2020, the 18th anniversary of its opening. Please support my work as a reader-funded journalist! I’m currently trying to raise $2500 (£2000) to support my writing and campaigning on Guantánamo and related issues over the next three months. If you can
| Andy Worthington's TV and radio appearances, Closing Guantanamo, Guantanamo

Pro-Israel group attacks Rochester supporters of ‘Palestinian cause,’ and progressives are silent

In February a Rochester, NY, radio station aired a wonderful panel, of pro-Palestinian activists, one of whom deplored children being "taken from their parents" in nighttime raids. Pro-Israel groups attacked the station for the allegedly antisemitic charge that Israeli soldiers "rip children from their parents' arms." Well, they do rip children from their parents arms. And the silence of local
| Activism, American Jewish Community, child detention

After 15 years of siege, Ramadan in Gaza looks very different

Every year, millions of Palestinians anxiously await the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, a beloved and cherished month by Muslims around the world. And while many people find great joy in this month, the sweetness of Ramadan in Gaza is often soured by the effects of the Israeli siege on Gaza, which is inevitably felt every day, even
| News, Gaza, Gaza blockade

Olivier Dubois journalist held hostage for a year in Mali

NewsOn the first anniversary of French journalist Olivier Dubois’ abduction in Mali. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the Malian and French authorities to step up their efforts to obtain his release, and to do everything possible to prevent him spending a second year as a hostage, cut off from the world.
| News