Human Rights

(By Paul Buchheit) Anyone reviewing the data is likely to conclude that there must be some mistake. It doesn't seem possible that one out of twenty American families could each have made a million dollars since Obama became President, while the average American family's net worth has barely recovered. But the evidence comes from numerous […]

Human Rights

Gaza: the challenges faced by the young women (Video of the Day)

Juan Cole

France24 does what no US news channel will, reporting on the challenges facing young women in occupied Gaza Related article: Gaza power plant back online as fuel supply resumes (via AFP) The Gaza Strip’s only power plant returned to life after Israel resumed fuel deliveries on Sunday, a Palestinian official said, two days after a […]

Dissent

Egyptian Military Junta Jumps the Shark, Interrogates Islamist Muppet

Juan Cole

(By Juan Cole) When the venerable al-Ahram newspaper, then under the control of the government of Hosni Mubarak, published the allegation during the 2011 revolution that the crowds were just coming down to Tahrir Square for KFC chicken, it was the beginning of the end of the Mubarak establishment. It might have survived being repressive, […]

Domestic Surveillance

Apple: We didn’t help NSA put the Dropoutjeep Backdoor in our iPhones

contributors

(By Jon Queally) Apple, the company giant behind the iconic iPhone, declared on Monday that is has never assisted the NSA in its efforts to create "back doors" to its signature mobile phone or any of its other products. The declaration by the computer giant comes in response to revelations made public by the German […]

Human Rights

Israel plans 1400 New Squatter Homes in Palestinian West Bank

Juan Cole

(AFP reports) Israel plans new settler homes while freeing Palestinians (via AFP) Israel will reveal plans to build 1,400 settler homes in the West Bank and in east Jerusalem to coincide with the weekend release of Palestinian prisoners, military radio said Friday. A third batch of Palestinian prisoners is due to be released on Sunday… […]

censorship

Assange warns of Information Apartheid & Encompassing State: “This is the Last Free Generation”

Juan Cole

(By Juan Cole) Wired notes that Wikileaks activist Julian Assange addressed the Chaos Communication Congress by Skype Sunday. Assange said, “This is the last free generation… The coming together of the systems of government and the information apartheid is such that none of us will be able to escape it in just a decade.” . […]

Dissent

“Terrorism” tag is tool of Political Repression in Egypt

contributors

(By Human Rights Watch) (New York) – The Egyptian government’s designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization appears to be aimed at expanding the crackdown on peaceful Brotherhood activities and imposing harsh sanctions on its supporters. The government should promptly reverse the decision and stop interfering with the Brotherhood’s health, education, and other […]

Human Rights

The other Victim of Israeli settler vigilantism is Israeli Society Itself

contributors

(By Shirin Rubin) Israeli society will pay the ‘price’ for settler vigilantism, rights group warns (via The Christian Science Monitor) When Ahmad Milhem heard earlier this month that Jewish extremists had scrawled “Mohammad is a pig” on the walls of his local mosque, he feared for both his Arab and Jewish neighbors. “If our young […]

Dissent

Freed Pussy Riot Band Members call for ‘Russia without Putin’ (Video of the Day)

Juan Cole

Channel 4 News reports: On this occasion of their release, it is worthwhile reprinting excerpts from the translation of an interview by Elena Masyuk with Maria “Masha” Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova from last January that appears on the Free Pussy Riot web site: Masyuk: “— I attended almost every single day of your [Maria’s} trial […]