At Democracy Now! Phil Donohue recalls how then General Electric-owned NBC fired him from his popular and top-rated talk show on MSNBC in spring of 2003 because it feared his voice in opposition to the Iraq War. It is great to have the whole story from Donohue. Here is what I wrote at this blog […]
Obama slights Palestinians, who stage Tent Protests
Aljazeera English reports on Obama’s opening remarks on arrival in Israel, and how he called Palestine the historic homeland of the Jews but neglected to mention the Palestinians. Non-Jewish Palestinians have lived in geographical Palestine for nearly 2000 years, first as Christians and after the Muslim conquest gradually becoming majority Muslim (and they been the […]
As Obama Greets Iranians on Nowruz, He’s Made some Medicines hard to Afford (Jahanpour)
Farhang Jahanpour writes in a guest column for Informed Comment Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, is one of the oldest festivals celebrated in the world. In fact, the palace of Persepolis built in the sixth century BC was an audience hall for celebrating Nowruz. It takes the spring equinox (falling on 20 or 21 March […]
As Israelis Press Obama on Iran, Let’s Remember they Urged Iraq War, Too
The Israeli leadership, including Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, will attempt to strong-arm President Barack Obama, during his visit to Israel, into attacking Iran. (In part this noise about Iran is to deflect attention from the vast Israeli land grab in the Palestinian West Bank). It is now often forgotten, and even denied, that the then […]
How Obama’s Jerusalem Visit Undermines Peace (Rashid Khalidi Video)
As President Obama heads to Israel, the West Bank and Jordan on what seems mainly to be presidential tourism, Rashid Khalidi at Democracy Now! explains how the United States is undermining Mideast peace and harming the Palestinian population. Meanwhile, some Palestinians are protesting Obama’s visit. The USG Open Source Center translates a report from the […]
Global Warming has doubled the Risk of More Hurricane Katrinas (McCauley)
Lauren McCauley writes at Commondreams : Warming global temperatures have doubled the risk of "Katrina magnitude events," says a new study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. By analyzing the dramatic and sudden increase in water levels—or storm surges—which occur as a result of fierce hurricane winds and low […]
‘At least 400 civilians’ killed by US drone strikes: Pakistani Gov’t
Alice K. Ross writes at the Bureau of Investigative Journalism: The Pakistani government estimates at least 400 civilians have been killed in drone strikes – a figure close to the Bureau’s own findings. In evidence to Ben Emmerson QC, UN special rapporteur on counter-terrorism, the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that CIA drones […]
Nuke’em: Russia’s Plan to Nix Meteor Danger
US lawmakers are having a hearing on how to deal with the threat of asteroids, which polished off the dinosaurs and could polish off us. The US is now namby pamby, lacking a manned space program and clueless. Contrast with Russia: Aljazeera English reports on a Russian hearing on dealing with the real threat of […]
Iranians in West Slam Impact of US Sanctions on People
Iranian expatriates don’t agree on much. But as this video interview with a range of high-powered thinkers by the National Iranian-American Council shows, they all agree that the very severe US sanctions, which amount to a kind of financial blockade, are harming ordinary Iranians and not the regime.