Syria army launches intense bombing of Homs

Civilian deaths reported as air strikes and shelling destroy buildings in several areas of the central city.

Air strikes killed at least three civilians as Syrian government forces intensified their attacks and pressed forward with a new bid to retake several rebel-controlled districts of Homs. Read more.

Al Jazeera

Related,
- Syrian Army restores security and stability to Ein Issa in al-raqqa - SANA
- Assault on Syria's Homs prompts opposition plea for help - Ma'an

Post-Coup Honduras: A Legacy of Repression

Four years ago today, around 5am, Honduran military troops stormed the home of President Manuel Zelaya in Tegucigalpa on secret orders from the Supreme Court, following what it called a ‘constitutional crisis’.

As Zelaya’s daughter Pichu hid under her bed upstairs fearing she would be attacked, masked soldiers escorted Zelaya out of his house at gun point and forced him aboard a plane destined for Costa Rica, reportedly pausing to refuel at Palmerola, a US military base in Honduras. Read more.

The Argentina Independent

Colombia cattle ranchers fear ‘communist’ redistribution of lands after FARC deal

Colombia’s federation of cattle ranchers, representing the country’s large land owners, on Friday rejected a recently made agrarian deal with the FARC that according to the agricultural businessmen includes Venezuela-like expropriations of private property.

Jose Felix Lafaurie, president of FEDEGAN, said the joint report from the negotiating table in Havana “generates more questions than answers,” and opens the door to legally acquired land being expropriated. Read more.

Colombia Reports

Related,
- Neo-paramilitaries support and want to be involved in Colombia’s peace talks - Colombia Reports

Anti-government protests continue in Turkey

The protestors have not lost their momentum for change, and continue to say they are not and do not represent a political movement.

The Turkish government is aware of this and doesn’t for one moment undermine the strength of the numbers gathering.. Read more.

PressTV

Kurdish protesters clash with Turkish security forces

Kurdish protesters clashed with security forces on Sunday in Turkey's Southeast, where protests were planned in at least four other cities to pressure the government to carry out reforms.

The clashes came after security forces killed a Kurdish demonstrator in Diyarbakır on Friday,.. Read more.

Today's Zaman

Related,
- Lice incidents can’t be allowed to hurt settlement process - Today's Zaman

Live Updates: Egypt braces for nationwide anti-Morsi protests

On a day that organisers have called a 'make or break' moment for President Morsi, millions expected to protest across the country calling for the ouster of Egypt's beleaguered leader. Read more + photos.

Ahram

Related,
- Updates on protests against Mursi after his first year in office - Aswat Masriya
- Massive Protests Across Egypt Demand President Morsi's Resignation (video) - TRNN

- 4 dead, scores injured as millions take to the streets in Egypt to demand Morsi resignation - RT

Attacks from America: NSA Spied on European Union Offices

America's NSA intelligence service allegedly targeted the European Union with its spying activities. According to SPIEGEL information, the US placed bugs in the EU representation in Washington and infiltrated its computer network.

Cyber attacks were also perpetrated against Brussels in New York and Washington. Read more.

Spiegel

Related,
- Bugging Brussels: New Snowden leak claims NSA spies on EU diplomats (video) - RT

The Guardian Revealed A Major NSA 'Scoop' Then Deleted It From Their Website

The Guardian released another shocking NSA scoop on Saturday, revealing collusion and mass harvesting of personal communications among the United States and at least six European Union countries — only to delete it from their website hours after publication.

The article, titled "Revealed: secret European deals to hand over private data to America,".. Read more.

Business Insider

Related,
- Taken down: deals to hand over private data to America - The Guardian
- 'Deal Nederland met VS over privégegevens' - NU

Akala - Find No Enemy

Obama meets Mandela family, police disperse protesters

(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama met the family of South Africa's ailing anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela on Saturday, offering words of comfort and praising the critically ill retired statesman as one of history's greatest figures.

The faltering health of Mandela, 94, a figure admired globally.. Read more.

Reuters

Related,
- Angry protesters burn Obama's picture in South Africa (video) - PressTV
- Obama has ‘no vision, no future’ planned for Africa (video) - RT

- Obama and the Militarisation of Africa (video) - TRNN

Workers and BDP members march in Istanbul to protest Lice clashes

Turkish public sector workers joined members of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) in a peaceful march through Istanbul's İstiklal Avenue to protest the killing of a demonstrator by the security forces in the southeastern Diyarbakır province yesterday.

Clashes had broke out in Diyarbakır's Lice district.. Read more.

Hürriyet

Related,
- Tensions escalate as thousands gather in İstanbul's Taksim Square - Today's Zaman
- Kurdish mourners blast Turkish gov’t after shootings - Today's Zaman

- Kurdish protester's killing fuels anti-government march in Istanbul - RT
- Lice clashes are the Kurdish version of Gezi Park: Ruling AKP spokesman - Hürriyet

Energy companies pull a Blackwater

By Daniel J. Graeber - Norwegian energy company Statoil said last week it was forming a special operations division to handle emergency operations in response to a terrorist attack on a natural gas facility in Algeria.

The company said it would double the amount of employees.. Read more.

MercoPress

Lowkey ft. Shadia Mansour - Too Much

Brazil: protests spread to the outskirts of Sao Paulo

The emergence of social movements in the outskirts of Sao Paulo is caused by the needs of the poorest, precisely this sector is fighting to stop the advance of the conservative right in protests.

teleSUR

Related,
- Referendum Proposal on Political Reform in Brazil Gains Strength - Prensa Latina
- Protests continue in Brazil while Congress is working overtime to legislate on grievances - MercoPress

- Violent Protests Continue in Brazil - The Rio Times

Thousands protest against Mursi in several Egyptian cities

Thousands of anti-Mursi and -Muslim Brotherhood protesters took to the streets on Friday in several Egyptian cities including Tanta, Mahalla, Minya and Damietta.

Demonstrators in Mahalla set up two tents to stage a sit-in until June 30. They chanted slogans calling for toppling the regime. Read more.

Aswat Masriya

Related,
- Live reports from rival rallies in Cairo (video) - Al Jazeera
- Live Updates, part 2: Hundreds of thousands attend pro-Morsi rally in Cairo; 1 dead in Alexandria clashes - Ahram

- One protester dies in clashes in Egypt's Alexandria: MENA - Ahram
- ElBaradei condemns all forms of violence - Aswat Masriya

- Morsi's approval ratings drop to new low (video) - PressTV

BDP set to hit streets to urge democratic steps

The Peace and Democracy Party, which has been calling on the government to take action for democratic rights within the scope of the ongoing peace talks, launches a street campaign this weekend

The Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) announced that they would be convening rallies during the summer.. Read more.

Hürriyet

Kurdish protester killed, 8 injured in southeastern Turkey clashes

A Kurdish protester has been killed and at least eight others injured in clashes with Turkish security forces in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir.

 The clashes broke out on Friday between Turkish police and Kurdish demonstrators protesting.. Read more.

PressTV

Horrific video of beheading raises questions of arms supply to Syrian rebels

Another act of brutal violence reportedly by Syrian rebels has appeared on the web. Unverified video shows the beheading of 3 supposed government supporters.

The title of the graphic footage suggests an orthodox Christian bishop was among the victims, although other reports claim he'd been shot dead in an assault on a monastery

RT

Inside Guantanamo Bay: Horrifying pictures show the restraint chairs, feeding tubes and operating theatre used on inmates in terror prison

It might not look out of place in a private gym – but for the various straps to keep the occupant in place and the hospital drip stand looming ominously behind.

Pictured is the notorious restraint chair at Guantanamo Bay, where former inmates claim they were subjected to long hours of agonising forced feeding. Read more + photos.

Daily Mail

The Truthseeker: Obama's arrest, Bush's trial

"We'll get Bush in the US" the world's top war crimes prosecutor tells The Truthseeker after Dubya's deputies warn him against travel, lawyers file for Obama's arrest tomorrow when he hits South Africa, huge secret wars in America's name being masked from the folks funding them.

Seek truth from facts with Yousha Tayob of the Muslim Lawyers Association, leading war crimes prosecutor Francis Boyle, Senior Staff Attorney Katherine Gallagher of New York's Center for Constitutional Rights which stopped Bush's first trip after his waterboarding admission, Marjorie Cohn, author of Cowboy Republic: Six Ways the Bush Gang Has Defied the Law, and former NSA intelligence officer Scott Rickard.

RT

Solidarity Plea: 'Germans Always Looking out for Own Interests'

Three influential Europeans from Luxembourg, Spain and Poland call on Germany to lead the euro zone out of the crisis without pursuing its own interests.

It's a very straightforward sentence, seemingly written in stone, with no caveats, a fundamental comment on political life in Europe: "Nothing can happen in the EU without the active support of Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel." Read more.

Spiegel

Related,
- About Face: Chancellor Merkel Cools on European Integration - Spiegel

- Germany and Europe: The reluctant hegemon - The Economist
- The Paradox of the Creditor Debtor Relationship - Germany the Debtor Nation (video) - TRNN

The Paradox of the Creditor Debtor Relationship - Germany the Debtor Nation

Dr. Heiner Flassbeck: The debtor has to come back to a situation where they are able to earn money

TRNN

Bulgarians’ Anti-Govt Rallies - Day 14

For the fourteenth day in a row, thousands of outraged Bulgarians staged Thursday evening nationwide protest rallies against the Socialist-led government of Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski.

The massive demonstrations were sparked by the outrageous decision of the government.. Read more.

Novinite

Related,
- Bulgarian PM Defies Calls to Resign - Novinite
- Big flail: Bulgaria’s parties in power hit out in bid to defend themselves - The Sofia Globe

- IMF Mission Starts Visit to Bulgaria with New Head - Novinite

Ecuador unilaterally scraps U.S. trade deal

BOGOTA, Colombia — The leftist government of Ecuador, under pressure from the Obama administration for considering a request for sanctuary from the American intelligence leaker Edward Snowden, announced Thursday that it will back out of a preferential trade pact with the United States that top Ecuadoran officials say is being used to blackmail their country. Read more.

The Washington Post

Related,
- Ecuador offers U.S. rights aid, waives trade benefits - Reuters
- Ecuador does not accept pressure or threats from anyone: Alvarado (video) - teleSUR

- Wanted: Russia and China as villain in Snowden affair - RT
- Of all countries involved in Snowden affair Ecuador is most vulnerable - ITAR-TASS

Russian Parliament Invites Snowden to Investigate Spying Claims

MOSCOW, June 27 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s parliament on Thursday extended an invitation to fugitive ex-CIA employee Edward Snowden to help investigate whether American Internet firms provided information about Russian citizens to the US government.

Snowden, a former contractor for the US National Security Agency,.. Read more.

RIA Novosti

Related,
- Snowden deserves political asylum - Russian HR officials - RT
- Snowden could request asylum in Russia: official - Xinhua

- Ecuador unilaterally scraps U.S. trade deal - The Washington Post
- Ecuador offers U.S. rights aid, waives trade benefits - Reuters

- Reports: Ex-vice chairman of Joint Chiefs target of leak probe involving cyberattack on Iran - The Washington Post

Is Julian Assange 'Spy' #9?

The Obama Administration has charged eight people under the Espionage Act. And new revelations about tactics used by the FBI to collect data on Wikileaks over the last few years suggest that Julian Assange himself could be the ninth person facing espionage charges in a sealed indictment.

So what do the FBI's tactics toward Assange mean for Edward Snowden and journalists entrusted with sharing his secrets? Political Commentator Sam Sacks explains.

RT

Related,
- US government struggles to prove computer fraud in Manning case (video) - RT

Reports: Ex-vice chairman of Joint Chiefs target of leak probe involving cyberattack on Iran

WASHINGTON — A former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is under investigation for allegedly leaking classified information about a covert cyberattack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, according to media reports.

Retired Marine Gen. James “Hoss” Cartwright has been told he is a target of the probe,.. Read more.

The Washington Post

Related,
- Ex-US general under investigation for leaks (video) - Al Jazeera

Intelsat violates US Bill of Rights: Mark Mason

Press TV has conducted an interview with Mark Mason, cultural and political commentator, about the communications satellite service provider Intelsat announcing that it will take Iranian channels off the air as of next week.

What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview. Read more.

PressTV

Related,
- Intelsat to take Iranian satellite channels off air - PressTV
- Intelsat admits US behind ban on Iranian channels - PressTV

Portuguese unions stage general strike over austerity

Two large Portuguese unions are staging a 24-hour general strike in Portugal to protest against the center-right government’s austerity measures.

They claim spiraling unemployment has come in the wake of cost cutting. Read more.

DW

Brazilians clash with police as MPs seek to soothe protest with anti-corruption bill

Amid the ongoing nationwide protests that have left Brazil’s government scrambling to appease demonstrators’ demands, the country’s legislators are hammering out a new law that will increase the penalties for corruption.

The protest demonstrations, which are targeting rampant corruption,.. Read more.

RT

Chilean capital rocked by protests in nationwide strike

Thousands of students, labor groups and activists march in Santiago as fires and violence run rampant during citywide demonstration.

More than 100,000 gathered throughout various locations in Santiago on Wednesday afternoon to march for sweeping social changes aimed at improving education and working conditions. Read more.

The Santiago Times

Related,
- Chile’s major ports and roads blocked in nation-wide strike - The Santiago Times
- Chile red-hot as student protest turns violent (video) - RT

- Chilean Police Evicts Students from Occupied Schools - Prensa Latina

Angela Merkel warns against arms in Syria: ‘Incalculable’ risks

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday that arming Syrian rebels is a bad idea, and parliamentary leaders ought to think long and hard before acting. 

“The risks would be incalculable,”.. Read more.

The Washington Times

U.S. Begins Shipping Arms for Syrian Rebels

CIA Aims to Vet and Train Fighters With New Weapons for Deployment by August; Saudi Antiaircraft Missiles Expected

WASHINGTON—The Central Intelligence Agency has begun moving weapons to Jordan from a network of secret warehouses and plans to start arming small groups of vetted Syrian rebels within a month,.. Read more.

Wall Street Journal

Related,
- Russia expects U.S. clarification over Geneva conference on Syria - Xinhua
- Al-Jaafari: No meaningful conference can be held if weapons continue to flow into Syria - SANA

- Hezbollah fighting in Syria to defend Lebanon from bloodbath - RT
- Syrian Army Liberates Talkalakh, Clashes with Militants in Homs, Aleppo - Al Manar

- Medelci: Serious dialogue among Syrians is only way to resolve crisis - SANA
- Salehi: Solving crisis politically without foreign interference - SANA

Understanding the latest leaks is understanding the rise of a new fascism

By John Pilger | It is in popular culture that the fraudulent “ideal” of America as morally superior, a “leader of the free world”, has been most effective.

In his book, 'Propaganda', published in 1928, Edward Bernays wrote: "The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organised habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Read more.

NewStatesman

Related,
- Dirty Wars author Jeremy Scahill: is journalism being criminalised? (video) - The Guardian
- John Pilger: NSA-lekken tonen nieuw oprukkend fascisme - De Wereld Morgen

Bought - Trailer

The hidden story about vaccines, autism, drugs and food... Americas health has been BOUGHT.

Your health, your family’s health. Now brought to you by Wall Street…

“If you thought they hurt us with the banks, wait till you see what they’re doing to health care.” Read more.

Bought the Movie

'Vitoria!' Mass protests force Brazil congress to reject 'bill of discontent'

Brazil’s legislative body has thrown out a proposed constitutional amendment, which was a key grievance of protesters across the country.

The government is also planning to introduce a range of political reforms to appease demonstrators. Read more.

RT

Related,
- Fresh protests under way in Brazil despite government concessions - Buenos Aires Herald

- Brazil protesters, police clash near match - AP
- Rio Tallies Vandalism and Police Violence - The Rio Times

- Social Media Energizes the Brazil Protests - The Rio Times
- Celebrities Join Brazil Protest Movement - The Rio Times

PM faces fourth general strike

Wednesday, 26 June: According to financial daily “Jornal de Negócios”, thousands of workers around the country are expected to join the general strike called by trade union confederations CGTP and UGT for Thursday, the fourth since the government took office and the third agreed by the two organisations.

Portugal Daily View

Related,
- Bailout: Troika returns on 'interim mission' - Portugal Daily View
- Bailout: European financial stability facility approves debt maturity extension - Portugal Daily View

Schäeuble Says No More Greek Debt Cuts

With Greece still kicking around the idea of whether to try imposing losses on its public creditors as it did to private investors, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäeuble rejected the idea and said it’s not going to happen, and that Greece should stick with austerity.

In his press conference on the German budget for 2014,.. Read more.

Greek Reporter

Related,
- U.S Backs Greek Reforms - Greek Reporter

Protests Chant 'Mafia", "Resign" in front of Parliament Building in Sofia

Around 1000 protesters have gathered at the rear door of the Parliament building in downtown Sofia to demand the resignation of the socialist-led government of Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski.

The event, titled "Let's Meet Over A Cup Of Coffee in front of Parliament", was yet again organized via social networks. Read more.

Novinite

Related,
- Bulgarian Socialist MP Booed by Anti-Govt Protesters - Novinite
- Bulgaria’s Parliament cancels sitting because of lack of quorum, amid protests - The Sofia Globe

- Bulgarian President Woos Anti-Cabinet Protesters - Novinite
- Parliament Chair: Crisis in Bulgaria Must Be Solved Peacefully - Novinite

- Bulgarians protest government of 'oligarchs' - DW

Police detain 29 Taksim Gezi park protesters

Police have detained 29 protesters in relation to Taksim Gezi Park protests.

ANKARA/IZMIR - Police have detained a total of 29 Taksim Gezi Park protesters in Ankara and Izmir. Read more.

AA

Related,
- Families of detained Gezi protesters in Ankara ‘turn themselves in’ - Hürriyet

Osborne ends automatic pay rises for millions of teachers, doctors and civil servants

Chancellor also announced £300bn of new capital spending projects by the end of the decade - including the largest programme of road building in 50 years

George Osborne set the battle lines for the next General Election today as he announced sweeping cuts.. Read more.

The Independent

Related,
- George Osborne unveils tough benefits curbs in £11.5bn spending cuts package (video) - The Guardian

Spy agencies win millions more to fight terror threat

Britain's intelligence agencies will emerge as the biggest winners from the Government’s review of public spending, The Telegraph can disclose.

MI6, MI5 and Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) will see an inflation-busting increase in their combined £1.9 billion budget,.. Read more.

The Telegraph

'Another day, another billion,' laughs Drumm

- Government wants new powers and may opt to hold Referendumn - Tapes emerge of Drumm in the hours before bank guarantee

NEW Anglo Tapes reveal bank chief executive David Drumm joking with a senior executive about the haemorrhage of funds from the institution hours before the Government bank guarantee. Read more.

Irish Independent

Related,
- Cowen surprised at content and existence of Anglo bank tapes - Irish Independent
- Irish Bankers secretly recorded planning how to screw over Irish Taxpayers during 2008 bailout (video) - YouTube



- Ierse bankiers lachten hard om 'zinloze' EU-redding - Trouw

Save the Rich by Garfunkel and Oates

Riki "Garfunkel" Lindhome and Kate "Oates" Micucci sing a 'We are the World'-style parody about the current economic crisis. Directed by MATT and OZ. Produced by Jill Kushner

De media als pleitbezorgers van de oorlog

ComRes, een professioneel enquêtebureau, vroeg in een landelijke steekproef aan Britse burgers om het dodental te schatten van de oorlog in Irak sinds 2003. 

De resultaten tonen aan hoe de Britse media de publieke opinie misleiden. 59 procent van de respondenten dacht dat minder dan 10.000 Irakezen stierven als gevolg van de oorlog. Ook over Libië en Syrië draait de oorlogspropaganda in de media op volle toeren. Lees meer.

De Wereld Morgen

Dirty Wars author Jeremy Scahill: is journalism being criminalised?

In the wake of whistleblower Edward Snowden's leak of NSA files, Jeremy Scahill, author of Dirty Wars: The World is a Battlefield and featured reporter in the new documentary film of the same name, says under the Obama administration journalists are being intruded upon and whistleblowers are being charged with crimes.

Scahill is also a national security correspondent for the Nation.

The Guardian

Related,
- John Pilger: Understanding the Prism leaks is understanding the rise of a new fascism - NewStatesman

Snowden traveling with safe conduct granted by Ecuador

Edward Snowden received a refugee document from the government of Ecuador that allows him to travel, because the United States has revoked his passport.

The founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, informed this yesterday in a conference call with reporters,.. Read more.

Ecuador Times

Related,
- Putin: Snowden is a free man, can go anywhere he wants (video) - RT

- Ecuador: Press Freedom Safe Haven? - Buenos Aires Herald
- Communications Law Comes into Force in Ecuador - Prensa Latina

EU offers ‘full support’ for Colombia peace talks

The European Union on Tuesday offered its “full support” for Colombia’s peace talks between the government and rebel group FARC.

Colombia’s Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon met with the Deputy Secretary General of European External Action Service Helga Schmid during his visit to Brussels on Monday and Tuesday. Read more.

Colombia Reports

Related,
- FARC and government delegates resume peace talks in Havana (video) - Prensa Latina
- NATO and Colombia Sign Cooperation Agreement - Prensa Latina

NATO and Colombia Sign Cooperation Agreement

Brussels, Jun 25 (Prensa Latina) The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Colombia sign here today an agreement on cooperation and exchange of information through which the South American country will access good practices and professional standards of the agency, according to the statement.

The document was signed by the Deputy Secretary General of NATO,.. Read more.

Prensa Latina

Government refuses to attend social unrest in northeast Colombia

Colombia’s national government on Monday said it will not talk to farmers in the northeast of the country until they end roadblocks and hostility towards police.

According to local reports, the government also failed to talk before the protests turned violent. Read more.

Colombia Reports

Rousseff Offers Pacts on Reforms

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – President Dilma Rousseff has summoned Brazil’s 27 governors and 26 mayors to Brasília to deliver her vision of wide-ranging reforms for a country that has “ground to a halt” under the weight of a wave of mass protests, which has seen over a million people take to the streets demanding political reforms and improved public services.

In response to the protests,.. Read more.

The Rio Times

Related,
- Dilma Rousseff Notes Need for Political Reform in Brazil - Cubadebate
- 100,000 Brazilians expected to protest before Brazil-Uruguay match - PressTV

Higher seaborne tritium levels outside Fukushima plant suggest leaks not plugged

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said radioactive water may still be leaking into the sea from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant after enhanced levels of radioactive tritium were detected in the port area in front of the facility.

The plant operator said June 24 it is investigating the matter with some urgency as the finding suggests that radioactive water,.. Read more.

The Asahi Shimbun

Related,
- Plutonium problem lingers as mixed-oxide fuel comes to Japan - The Asahi Shimbun
- In Fukushima first, district declared decontaminated - The Asahi Shimbun

Tensions remain in Bani Walid

Almost two years after it fell to the revolutionaries, Bani Walid, one of the last strongholds of Qaddafi regime and central city of the million-strong Warfalla Tribe remains in a sensitive state.

It has seen several bloody conflicts since October 2011 but the most serious was the security operation to ‘reinstate the writ of government’ in October last year. Read more.

Libya Herald

'Arms supplies must stop' to end Syria war

UN peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi says peace conference on Syria unlikely to take place amid rising bloodshed.

The UN and Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi says that a conference on ending the war in Syria is unlikely to take place next month. Read more.

Al Jazeera

Related,

- Russian and U.S. Officials Return to Geneva for Talks on Syria - NY Times
- Syria ready to attend Geneva conference without pre-condition: Syria FM - PressTV

- Saudis: We 'cannot be silent' in face of Iran, Hezbollah involvement in Syria - JPost
- Ribal Assad: U.S. shouldn't arm jihadist rebels in Syria - they're 'worse than Nazis' - Haaretz

Syria Diaries: Die Andere Berichterstattung

Die junge Russin Anastasia Popowa hat mit Mut und Fleiß ein anderes Syrien gezeigt, als die NATO-Propaganda bei uns. Sie wurde dadurch zu einem wichtigen Korrektiv für alle, die den Tatsachen dieses unerklärten Krieges auf die Spur kommen wollen.

Was ist in Syrien passiert? Woher kam das Chaos in einem schönen, ruhigen Land? Syrer, die für den Krieg verurteilt werden? Diese Fragen werden im Film "Syrisches Tagebuch" beantwortet

Reporter: Anastasiya Popovac | Kameramann: Michael Witkin | Regisseur: Evgeny Lebedev

Colombia creating spy unit to wiretap Facebook and Skype

Colombia will invest more than $50 million in the creation of a police intelligence unit that is able to wiretap internet services like Facebook and Skype, newspaper El Tiempo reported Sunday.

According to the daily’s Sunday edition, the online wiretapping equipment.. Read more.

Colombia Reports

Correa Assures Responsible Analysis in Snowden Case

Quito, Jun 24 (Prensa Latina) Ecuadorian President, Rafael Correa, assured today that his government will analyze the case of Edward Snowden responsibly, and assured that he will take a decision with sovereignty.

"You can be sure that we will analyze the Snowden case.. Read more.

Prensa Latina

Related,
- Chancellor Patiño: Ecuador would examine Snowden's asylum claim (video) - teleSUR
- ‘Who betrayed whom?’ Ecuador considers Snowden's asylum, dubs persecution 'paradoxical' (video) - RT

- U.S. Rebukes China, Russia and Ecuador Over Snowden - NY Times
- Ex-CIA Chief: Snowden neither hero, nor traitor but very troubled young man (video) - RT

Ex-CIA Chief: Snowden neither hero, nor traitor but very troubled young man

PRISM-gate has made Edward Snowden a well known whistleblower. America is split over what to believe.

Does NSA tapping of private phones helps fight terror and Snowden is a traitor who's endangered the nation? Or is it a violation of the US constitution and Snowden is a hero to have braved talking against the government? Former NSA and CIA director Michael Hayden speaks his mind on SophieCo.

RT

Venezuela continues winning battle against food shortages

The Government of Venezuela has intensified its fight against speculation and hoarding of basic food basket's products, that's why the Institute for the Defence of People and their Access to Goods and Services (INDEPABIS), will begin on Tuesday control and inspection efforts throughout the country.

teleSUR

Related,
- Venezuelan Government Winning Battle against Food Shortages - Venezuelanalysis

Occupied Chilean schools might face soldiers, police

With presidential primaries less than two weeks away, the Chilean security forces may forcibly remove student protesters from high schools designated as voting locations.

Student protesters may face eviction from occupied public high schools.. Read more.

The Santiago Times

Brazil's Nationwide Protest Movement Enters Third Week

Waves of protests continue in Brazil as demonstrators demand government take decisive action to address their demands

TRNN

Related,
- Peaceful Protests in Rio’s Zona Sul - The Rio Times
- Dilma Rousseff Notes Need for Political Reform in Brazil - Prensa Latina

Africa’s Black Star: Osagyefo

Africa’s Black Star: Osagyefo - Part2

Looks at Ghana’s independence from British colonial rule as the first African nation to break free from the shackles of colonialism with the leadership of Kwame Nkrumah, hailed as the Osagyefo.

PressTV

Fela Kuti - Music Against Second Slavery

Africa: War is Business

Africa: War is Business reveals how war economies come into being in Africa, and how they are maintained. The film investigates the causes and effects of these economies, and where we as Western consumers fit into the equation.

The film follows Prince Jaime de Bourbon de Parme, son of Princess Irene of the Netherlands, as he travels through Sierra Leone, Liberia and Congo looking for the cause of these wars in Africa and the role the continent's natural resources play in creating conflict. He wonders how countries so rich in these resources could be so overwhelmed by poverty.

DucthFilmDirector

Related,
- AFRICOM and the Recolonization of Africa - Global Research

Overheid beschouwt eigen burger als ‘vijand’

De onlangs uitgelekte mondiale spionageactiviteiten van de Amerikaanse “National Securicy Agency” (waarvan overigens ook de Nederlandse overheid gebruik van maakt,al wil zij dat niet met zoveel woorden toegeven), worden gepleegd onder het mom van dat zij de burgers willen bescherming tegen het ‘terrorisme’.

Momenteel kun je je beter afvragen wie nu eigenlijk de echte terroristen zijn. De door de mainstream media aangeduide ‘terroristen’ of de overheden zelf? Lees meer.

Gewoon Nieuws

NSA'tje spelen? 7 tools!

Achtergrond - Wat voor krachtige tools gebruiken inlichtingendiensten als de NSA om telefoons af te tappen en sociale media te archiveren? Een klein overzicht.

Wat gebruiken diensten als de NSA aan tools en wat kunnen deze in kaart brengen? Lees meer.

ComputerWorld

Post PRISM: Encrypted communications boom after NSA leaks

As governments use all powers at their disposal to pry into the lives of ordinary citizens worldwide, people are trying to protect themselves - seeking out services that shield their personal information. 

This has led to a veritable boom of digital encryption. RT's Marina Portnaya has the details.

RT

Demonstration marking 1993 Sivas massacre joins hands with Gezi Park

Thousands gathered in Istanbul's Anatolian district of Kadıköy to mark the upcoming 20th anniversary of the Sivas massacre, upon a call from Alevi associations.

A number of unions as well as the Taksim Solidarity Platform, a local organization that launched the Gezi Park protests, also attended the demonstration. Read more.

Hürriyet

Related,
- Government set to launch Alevi initiative, leaders cautiously optimistic - Today's Zaman

France: Rebels must win back Assad-controlled areas

Hollande warns Assad may benefit from chaos; calls on Iranian president to use his influence to help Syria crisis.

DOHA - Syrian rebels need to wrestle back control of territory.. Read more.

JPost

Related,
- ‘Friends of Syria’ agree to arming rebels at Doha talks (video) - France24
- Fighting rages after Doha meeting on Syria (video) - Al Jazeera

- Army units repel attack on Minnegh Airport, kill terrorists in other provinces - SANA
- Syrian Army battles insurgents in heart of capital (video) - PressTV

6 Troops, Including 2 Officers, Martyred in Clashes with al-Asir's Gunmen in Abra

Two army officers, a sergeant and three soldiers were martyred and several others were wounded Sunday in a clash with supporters of Islamist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir in the Sidon suburb of Abra, the Army Command said in a statement.

It identified them as First Lieutenant Samer Jeryes Tanios, Lieutenant George Elian Bou Saab, Sergeant Ali Adnan al-Masri, First Soldier Rami Ali al-Khabbaz and soldiers Bilal Ali Saleh and Elie Nicola Rahme. Read more.

Naharnet

Related,
- Second Round of Sidon Clashes: Assir Partisans Attack Lebanese Army - Al Manar
- Sidon Clashes Spill Over as Roads Were Blocked in Tripoli, Army Positions Become Target to Fire - Naharnet

Ecuador has received asylum request from NSA whistleblower Snowden - FM Patino

The former CIA contractor, Edward Snowden, has asked Ecuador for political asylum, the country’s foreign minister, Ricardo Patino Aroca, wrote on Twitter.

The whistleblower is now in Moscow after fleeing Hong Kong in a bid to elude US extradition. Read more.

RT

Related,
- Snowden seeks asylum, Ecuador says - The Washington Post
- Edward Snowden requests asylum in Ecuador - Ecuador Times

- 'Russia safe for Snowden for now as it will not be pressured' (video) - RT

People's Assembly: Union Leaders Warn Of Strikes Over Spending Cuts

Union leaders warned on Saturday of co-ordinated industrial action against the Government's spending cuts as thousands of activists gathered to highlight the impact of the coalition's controversial austerity measures.

The so-called People's Assembly brought together unions, politicians and campaign groups.. Read more.

Huff Post

Related,
- People's Assembly hears union leaders promise anti-cuts action - BBC
- People’s Assembly Against Austerity in Central Hall Westminster (photos) - Demotix

Despite Assurances by Brazil’s President, Protesters Stage Another Day of Demonstrations

SÃO PAULO, Brazil — Brazil braced for another day of demonstrations on Saturday, after many in the country’s sweeping protest movement angrily dismissed an effort by President Dilma Rousseff to address their broad demands.

People took to the streets in some cities on Saturday morning,.. Read more.

NY Times

Related,
- Rousseff Responds to Protests - The Rio Times
- Brazilians pledge to continue anti-government protests - PressTV

- Largest demonstration in Salvador's history marred by police violence (video) - TRNN

Police use water cannons to disperse crowd in Taksim

Turkish riot police fired water cannon to clear thousands of protesters from İstanbul's Taksim Square on Saturday, the first such confrontation there in nearly a week.

The crowd quickly scattered, and water cannon trucks parked at several entry points to Taksim to prevent people from regrouping. Read more.

Today's Zaman

Related,
- 22 arrested in Ankara for engaging in illegal acts during protests - Today's Zaman
- Turkish PM likens the ongoing protest wave in Turkey to Brazil demonstrations - Hürriyet

- Turkey’s intelligence service begins probe into 'foreign links' of Gezi Park protests - Hürriyet

Silver 'boost to antibiotic success'

Adding silver to antibiotics makes them 10 to 1,000 times more effective at fighting infections, research suggests.

Silver has been used as an antimicrobial for centuries, but little has been known about how it works. Read more.

BBC

Jobless rate to top 30 pct next year

Unemployment will soar above 30 percent next year, a report by the Center of Planning and Economic Research (KEPE) showed on Friday.

The report published in the KEPE journal showed that the jobless rate this year will amount to 28.5 percent before climbing to 30.4 percent in 2014. Read more.

Ekathimerini

EU finance ministers fail to agree on rules for shutting banks

European Union | EU finance ministers have failed to agree on how to downsize or close banks without calling on taxpayers to bail out struggling lenders.

A disagreement between France and Germany was a major stumbling block. Read more.

DW

Thousands rally in Rome against jobless rate

Protesters call for Italian government to act on record 12 percent unemployment figures and crippling austerity.

An estimated 100,000 workers and jobless people have marched in Rome to protest against.. Read more.

Al Jazeera

U.S. has secretly provided arms training to Syria rebels since 2012

CIA agents and special operations troops have trained the rebels in anti-tank and antiaircraft weaponry in Jordan and Turkey.

WASHINGTON — CIA operatives and U.S. special operations troops have been secretly training Syrian rebels with anti-tank and antiaircraft weapons since late last year,.. Read more.

LA Times

Related,
- U.S. leaves some 700 combat-ready troops in Jordan after training exercise - Haaretz

UN rejects US claim on Syria chemical weapons

UN experts say they do not confirm the claims by the United States, France and Britain that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons against the militants.

"We are not able to say who has used chemical agents or chemical weapons,” said Paulo Pinheiro,.. Read more.

PressTV

Related,
- In Syrian chemical weapons claim, criticism about lack of transparency - The Washington Post

- New weapons supplied to militants in Syria - PressTV
- U.S. has secretly provided arms training to Syria rebels since 2012 - LA Times

- Head of UN commission warns: Arming Syrians could result in more war crimes - CTV
- New U.S-Russian round of talks on Syria next week - SANA

- Foreign Ministry: Fatwas inciting terrorism in Syria complete bloody approach of regional and Western states against it - SANA

Akala - Pissed Off

Album: The Thieves Banquet

LOGIC - For My People

Ambassade NL in Suriname weer op sterkte

PARAMARIBO - Na meer dan een jaar zal Nederland weer op het hoogste niveau vertegenwoordigd zijn in Suriname.

Ernst Noorman begint maandag als 'tijdelijk zaakgelastigde ad interim' op de Nederlandse ambassade in Paramaribo. Lees meer.

NoSpang

Gerelateerd,
- ‘Tijdelijk zaakgelastigde a.i.’ Nederland begint in Paramaribo - Waterkant.net

Schuld aan slavernij

RECENSIE - In zijn boek ‘Het kasteel van Elmina’ beschrijft Marcel van Engelen de lucratieve Nederlandse slavenhandel in West-Afrika. Hoe schuldig waren wij eigenlijk?

Het kasteel van Elmina van schrijver en journalist Marcel van Engelen vertelt een drievoudig verhaal. Lees meer.

Sargasso

Gerelateerd,
- Dutch churches accept guilt for slavery - DevSur
- Age Kramer: Witte Nederlanders relativeren heel makkelijk slavernijverleden - RD

- ‘Hoe duur was de suiker’ opent Nederlands Film Festival (video) - Waterkant.net

UNICEF Reports On Situation Curacao Children

WILLEMSTAD – A research, which was commissioned by UNICEF and the United Nations children’s organization, has been done on the situation of children in Curaçao in 2012.

A report was created with their key findings and recommendations. Read more + report.

Curaçao Chronicle

Grondstoffenroof

Het leegplunderen van Afrika is niet iets van vandaag of gisteren. Raf Custers beschrijft de afgelopen decennia ervan, waarbij de nadruk wordt gelegd op de ontwikkelingen in Congo.

Half juni berichtten de media over de fusie tussen de twee Canadese uranium mijnbouwmaatschappijen Mega Uranium en Rockgate Capital Corporation. Lees meer.

Ravage

Malvinas referendum has left dispute resolution “hostage in London”, claims Timerman

Foreign minister Hector Timerman once again anticipated Argentina’s willingness to overcome the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands sovereignty conflict through dialogue, but unfortunately a resolution of the dispute was ‘hostage in London’ and of UK’s ‘imperial disdain’.

Timerman on Thursday addressed the UN Decolonization Committee in New York saying.. Read more.

MercoPress

Related,
- Special committee in decolonization approves text reiterating need for negotiated settlement of Falklands (Malvinas) question - UN

- Britain rejects involvement of pope in Falklands dispute - Reuters
- Syria supports Argentina's legitimate right of sovereignty over Malvinas - SANA

Government announces largest increase in Defence exports for five years

British defence exports rose by 62% in 2012 – the largest increase for five years.

New figures published today by UK Trade & Investment’s Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO) show that.. Read more.

UKTI

Related,
- Britain captures fifth of global defence sales as exports soared 62% to £9bn last year - Mail Online
- UK consolidates its position as world’s second defense exporter after the US - MercoPress

GCHQ taps fibre-optic cables for secret access to world's communications

Exclusive: British spy agency collects and stores vast quantities of global email messages, Facebook posts, internet histories and calls, and shares them with NSA, latest documents from Edward Snowden reveal

Britain's spy agency GCHQ has secretly gained access to the network of cables which carry the world's.. Read more.

The Guardian

Related,
- Leaked: UK spy agency has access to global communications, shares info with NSA (video) - RT

Bulgaria Enters 2nd Week of Protests, PES Blockade Looms

Mass protest rallies continued in Bulgaria Friday with demands for the resignation of the government of Prime Minister, Plamen Oresharski, elected on the mandate of the Socialist Party.

In case there is no resignation, the demonstrators threaten to blockade of the National Palace of Culture,.. Read more.

Novinite

Related,
- Protesters Give Bulgaria’s PM One Day to Resign - Standart
- The longest day for Bulgaria - The Sofia Globe

- Amid New Protests, Bulgaria's Jan Palach Foundation is Born - Novinite
- Bulgaria Standing on the Edge of Revolution? - Novinite

More leaks of contaminated water discovered at Fukushima nuclear plant

Two more leaks of radioactive water found at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant suspended desalination operations and will likely further delay the full-scale use of a decontamination system, Tokyo Electric Power Co. said.

TEPCO on June 21 confirmed that 360 liters of highly contaminated water spilled.. Read more.

The Asahi Shimbun

Related,
- TEPCO reports new radioactive water leak at Fukushima - Japan Today
- NRA gives pass to 2 Oi nuke reactors as showdown looms on tougher standards - The Asahi Shimbun

Singapore smoke hits life-threatening levels, authorities attempting to ‘seed’ clouds

Singapore health officials have warned that air pollution is at hazardous, record-high levels due to peatland wildfires in neighboring Indonesia.

In a bid to quell a diplomatic row, Jakarta has sent helicopters to ‘seed’ rainclouds over the blaze. Read more + photos.

RT

Related,
- Only rain can help S’pore now - Jakarta Post
- President orders ministries to put out forest fires - Antara

- Haze pushes Singapore's air pollution index to record high (photos) - Xinhua

Million-strong anti-govt protests sweep Brazil, 1 killed

A hundred cities across Brazil have seen a fresh wave of mass protests while the first death has been reported among the demonstrators, in the state of Sao Paulo. Reports say the anti-government rally amassed a staggering one million people.

Political analyst Adrian Salbuchi believes it's ultimately the colossal gap between the rich and the poor that's enraging the people.

RT

Related,
- More than one million join Brazil protests (video) - Al Jazeera
- A million people across Brazil say "it's not about 20 cents" (video) - TRNN

Hezbollah urged to pull out of Syria

Lebanese president calls on Shia Muslim group to withdraw fighters from war-torn Syria to avoid sectarian strife.

Lebanese President Michel Suleiman has called on the Shia Muslim Hezbollah movement to pull its fighters out of Syria,.. Read more.

Al Jazeera

Related,
- President Sends Memo on Syria Violations to Arab League - Naharnet
- EU Still Deadlocked on Blacklisting Hizbullah - Naharnet

Israeli Army Violates Border Fence with Lebanon

A Zionist unit of 10 soldiers and 4 Hummer vehicles crossed on Wednesday the border fence in southern Lebanon and moved forward near ‘Al-Wazzani Fort’ project across the newly paved road, Al-Manar website correspondent reported.

The enemy force was guarded by two Merkava tanks. Read more.

Al Manar