| Hard News
Turkish troops kill 26 "PKK rebels" in major offensive:
The operation against separatist rebels from the Kurdistan Workers'
Party (PKK) began on Wednesday night in Sirnak, a south-easterly
province bordering Iraq and Syria and the site of frequent clashes
between rebels and Turkish troops.
Sectarian attacks kill 9 in Iraq:
Attacks in Iraq, including a series of apparently co-ordinated
bombings against Shiite places of worship in the north, killed at least
nine people on Friday, security and medical officials said.
Blair government's role in Iraq war 'undermined democracy':
The Blair government's role in the war against Iraq "absolutely
undermines the basis of our democracy" according to Lord Falconer, one
of the ex-prime minister's closest allies during the build up to war in
2003.
Bomb attacks kill five Syrian troops :
A motorcycle bomb struck as worshippers left a mosque after Friday
prayers in the northern neighbourhood of Rokn Eddin, state television
said. "The terrorist attack killed five members of the security forces
and injured several others.
Syrian rebels say civilian airliners now 'legitimate targets':
Civilian aircraft flying in or out of airports in the Syrian cities
of Damascus or Aleppo risk being shot down from 10 September onwards,
opposition group the Free Syrian Army has publicly declared.
Senators McCain, Lieberman and Graham urge US to arm Syrian rebels:
"We should be supplying weapons to the opposition to Assad (and) I
strongly support the creation of a safe zone," said Lieberman, the 2000
Democratic vice presidential nominee, who has since become a
Connecticut independent.
Propaganda alert!
Ahmadinejad Personally Ordered Officers to Syria, Say (Unnamed) Sources:
According to the report, Iran has also shipped hundreds of tons of
military equipment, including guns, rockets, and shells to Syria
through the regular air corridor that has been established between
Damascus and Tehran.
Gareth Porter : Pink Shrouds Aimed to Draw Attention to Iran Military Site, Analysts Say:
Diplomats from an unidentified country and a Washington research
organisation considered close to the International Atomic Energy Agency
have alleged in recent weeks that Iran has covered two buildings at a
military site to hide a clean-up of evidence of nuclear weapons related
testing.
Precursor to an attack on Iran? :
Canada shuts Iran embassy:
"Canada's position on the regime in Iran is well known. Canada
views the government of Iran as the most significant threat to global
peace and security in the world today," Foreign Affairs Minister John
Baird said.
Canada's move on Iran could complicate relations with Russia:
Iran "refuses to comply with United Nations resolutions pertaining
to its nuclear programme," he said. "It routinely threatens the
existence of the state of Israel and engages in racist, anti-semetic
rhetoric and incitement to genocide. It is among the world's worst
violators of human rights and it shelters and materially supports
terrorist groups."
In case you missed it:
Does Iran's President Want Israel Wiped Off The Map? - Does He Deny The Holocaust?:
An analysis of media rhetoric on its way to war against Iran -
Commenting on the alleged statements of Iran's President Ahmadinejad .
Three killed in Libya clashes over shrine:
Clashes killed three people and wounded several others in eastern
Libya on Friday as locals confronted Islamists attempting to destroy a
Muslim shrine, the interior ministry said.
Gaddafi son to leave political asylum in Niger:
Saadi Gaddafi, son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, will
be allowed to leave Niger, where he sought asylum after the fall of his
father's regime. FRANCE 24 spoke to his lawyer, who declined to
confirm whether Saadi was bound for South Africa.
Who Gets Africa's Water?:
A serious crisis occurs when there is less than 500 cubic meter
per person per year. The World Bank and the WTO are energetic and
anti-democratic instruments, eagerly facilitating corporate control and
commoditization of water.
Haqqani Network Officially Designated 'Terrorists':
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signed a report to Congress
saying that the group, which is "believed" to have been responsible for
several high-profile attacks and kidnappings, "meets the statutory
criteria for designation."
Blacklisting Haqqanis 'not good': Pakistan official:
Any decision by the United States to blacklist the Haqqani network
as terrorists will negatively impact future relations with Pakistan, a
senior Pakistani security official said Friday.
Will attorneys gain access to Guantanamo prisoners?:
Judge Royce C. Lamberth, disapproved of the government's
non-respect for the US legislation and its judicial system, has stated
that the Defence Department is trying to violate the basic standards of
justice.
Judge sides with Gitmo detainees on lawyer access:
Lamberth, an appointee of President Ronald Reagan, said the
government's attempt to change the rules was "an illegitimate exercise
of executive power."
When Did Dissent Become a Crime?
America's Police State on Steroids at the Conventions: Protests in
Tampa and Charlotte have been swarmed by police and enveloped in
surveillance.
Photographers in Los Angeles considered terrorists under official LAPD policy:
The
next time a tourist snaps a picture of the famous Hollywood sign,
their photo won't be the only item added to the annals. The LAPD
considers photography a suspicious activity, and trying to take certain
shots may add a page to your personal file.
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"Let us be peace and joy"
Tom Feeley
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