28 January 2014
Source: Middle East Monitor
Former Israeli Defence Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer revealed on
Monday evening that Israel is encouraging Egyptian Defence Minister
Abdul-Fattah Al-Sisi to run for the presidency, even though the
occupation authorities are also afraid of his failure later on.
Speaking to Israeli radio, Ben-Eliezer explained that: "Al-Sisi's
nomination for president could be a reflexive arrow. If he fails as a
president, then the current regime that ousted the Muslim Brotherhood
would be dissolved."
According to Ben-Eliezer, the danger of the current regime's failure
is "the return of the Muslim Brotherhood in control of Egypt, stronger
and more determined than before."
He added that this would be "bad news for Israel and the West".
Ben-Eliezer is one of the most senior Israeli politicians who
publicly celebrated the July 2013 military coup that deposed Egypt's
democratically elected government headed by the Muslim Brotherhood.
Link:https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/9466-israeli-official-israel-and-the-west-dependent-on-al-sisi.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Gates Foundation/CFR Propaganda Against 'Anti-Vaccine' Movement Backfires
January 27th 2014
"It is well known that in war, the first casualty is truth -
that during any war truth is forsaken for propaganda." ~ Harry Browne
The war against so-called 'vaccine preventable' diseases has a new frontier: the internet, and most recently The Council of Foreign Relations (CFR) has entered the fray with the publication of an interactive map that it claims "visually plots global outbreaks of measles, mumps, whooping cough, polio, rubella, and other diseases that are easily preventable by inexpensive and effective vaccines." This widely referenced map generated news headlines such as:
With not a shred of evidence, reporters like Michael Hiltzik from the LA Times opine that the prevalence of measles in Europe -- especially Britain -- and the U.S are an "artifact of the anti-vaccination movement, which has associated the vaccine with autism." Really? Why no mention of the extensive evidence within the published literature of measles vaccine failure in the US since 1995 in immunization compliant populations, revealing that measles epidemics are often due to a failing vaccine and not the failure to vaccinate? If the CFR's map is 'evidence-based,' why no references to the primary literature?
Take a quick peek at a few examples of the explicitly not evidence-based sources for this map, which are simply re-broadcasted official statements of state- or private medical establishment-sponsored propaganda:
Shockingly, in the last CFR/Gates Foundation map's reference from the Springfield News Sun the author actually points out that one of the likely causes of the increase in pertussis vaccine is the vaccine itself:
Clearly, the CFR's map can not be taken seriously, and is simply a higher order expression of at best subpar health reporting, at worst baseless propaganda, demagogically projected into the media to hapless consumers whose ability to think critically and question authority is virtually non-existent. By framing advocates of non-vaccination as rabidly irrational 'anti-vaxxers' and blaming them for what are often non-vaccine preventable diseases -- having far more to do with environmental factors such as access to clean water and basic nutrition --the CFR (and the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation who shares responsibility in creating this disturbingly inane and non-credible piece of propaganda) is joining a growing global movement, recently evidenced by UNICEF's attack on independent health journalism related to vaccines, aimed at eliminating vaccine choice, despite increasing awareness of their true dangers and lack of effectiveness. The result of this shoddy work, however, is to further lionize a growing global movement to reject the alarmingly rapid expansion of vaccine schedules in favor of a more natural, precautionary approach to disease prevention.
Link: http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/gates-foundationcfr-propaganda-against-anti-vaccine-movement-backfires?page=1.
Written By:
Sayer Ji, Founder
Source: GreenMedInfo
The war against so-called 'vaccine preventable' diseases has a new frontier: the internet, and most recently The Council of Foreign Relations (CFR) has entered the fray with the publication of an interactive map that it claims "visually plots global outbreaks of measles, mumps, whooping cough, polio, rubella, and other diseases that are easily preventable by inexpensive and effective vaccines." This widely referenced map generated news headlines such as:
- LA Times: "The toll of the anti-vaccination movement, in one devastating graphic"
- Medical Daily: "Map Shows Anti-Vaccine Movement's Impact On Public Health In U.S., Europe"
- The Verge: "Map of preventable disease outbreaks shows the influence of anti-vaccination movements"
With not a shred of evidence, reporters like Michael Hiltzik from the LA Times opine that the prevalence of measles in Europe -- especially Britain -- and the U.S are an "artifact of the anti-vaccination movement, which has associated the vaccine with autism." Really? Why no mention of the extensive evidence within the published literature of measles vaccine failure in the US since 1995 in immunization compliant populations, revealing that measles epidemics are often due to a failing vaccine and not the failure to vaccinate? If the CFR's map is 'evidence-based,' why no references to the primary literature?
Take a quick peek at a few examples of the explicitly not evidence-based sources for this map, which are simply re-broadcasted official statements of state- or private medical establishment-sponsored propaganda:
- www.BrownwoodNews.com: "Record Cases of Pertussis Reported Across the State, Three Reported in Brown County"
- www.davisclipper.com: "Adults also need pertussis vaccine"
- www.springfieldnewsun.com: "Clark pertussis cases still rising"
Shockingly, in the last CFR/Gates Foundation map's reference from the Springfield News Sun the author actually points out that one of the likely causes of the increase in pertussis vaccine is the vaccine itself:
"Reasons for the increase are multi-pronged, but may be due in part to changes to the pertussis vaccine, according to the study.
The FDA conducted the study in baboons, an animal that reproduces whooping cough similar to humans. Two groups of baboons were vaccinated with whole-cell pertussis vaccine and the accelluar vaccine, which replaced the use of whole-cell vaccine in the 1990 due to concerns about sides effects.
"Animals that received an acellular pertussis vaccine had the bacteria in their airways for up to six weeks and were able to spread the infection to unvaccinated animals. In contrast, animals that received whole-cell vaccine cleared the bacteria within three weeks," according to a news release from Jennifer Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the FDA."
Clearly, the CFR's map can not be taken seriously, and is simply a higher order expression of at best subpar health reporting, at worst baseless propaganda, demagogically projected into the media to hapless consumers whose ability to think critically and question authority is virtually non-existent. By framing advocates of non-vaccination as rabidly irrational 'anti-vaxxers' and blaming them for what are often non-vaccine preventable diseases -- having far more to do with environmental factors such as access to clean water and basic nutrition --the CFR (and the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation who shares responsibility in creating this disturbingly inane and non-credible piece of propaganda) is joining a growing global movement, recently evidenced by UNICEF's attack on independent health journalism related to vaccines, aimed at eliminating vaccine choice, despite increasing awareness of their true dangers and lack of effectiveness. The result of this shoddy work, however, is to further lionize a growing global movement to reject the alarmingly rapid expansion of vaccine schedules in favor of a more natural, precautionary approach to disease prevention.
Link: http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/gates-foundationcfr-propaganda-against-anti-vaccine-movement-backfires?page=1.
The Silent Massacre of Rohingya
January 26,2014
By Harun Yahya, Istanbul
Burma Times
The
Rohingya Muslims in the Rakhine province of Myanmar are going through a
brutal ethnic slaughter campaign of an unimaginable size. The scale of
the killings, persecution, torture and savagery are beyond
comprehension.
The systematic slaughter policy waged
towards Muslims since 1942 left only 70,000 out of the initial four
million owing to mass murder and displacement. To date, three million
Muslims have been forced to migrate to neighboring countries, hundreds
of thousands of Muslims have been martyred, tens of thousands of
settlement units have been burned and destroyed, tens of thousands of
women have been raped, and hundreds of mosques and madrassas have been
destroyed. Thousands of Muslims are known to have been imprisoned and
tortured, though their fates are unknown.
Muslims living in Rakhine region have
been burned alive in their homes in more than 330 attacks, which have
worsened since June of last year, in which Muslim villages, including
mosques and madrassas were burned. According to independent human rights
organizations, in June 2012 alone 1,000 Muslims in the region were
ruthlessly martyred and 125,000 people were forced from their homes and
villages and left to survive in the jungle.
Just recently, another wave of attack
has begun towards Rohingya people and we have heard at least 40 people
died, a village of 340 houses and 4000 inhabitants emptied with many
Rohingya tied up, taken as slaves, dumped, women who were raped and
breasts cut off before they were killed, dead bodies taken by trucks,
and arrests of men, women and children. The events that led to this
violence began with another violence, the killing of eight Rohingya
people by the village administrator, after which a police sergeant was
also killed amid the growing clashes.
Human Rights Watch has published a
153-page report concerning the crimes against humanity perpetrated
against the Rakhine Muslims in recent months: The report accuses Myanmar
authorities of engaging in ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in
Rakhine. According to a UN statement, the Rakhine Muslims are the most
persecuted social group in the world.
The state plays a part in these
atrocities by either turning a blind eye or preventing humanitarian aid
reaching Muslims. Furthermore, the policies and sanctions imposed on
Muslims by the state are completely inhuman.
The Rohingya Muslims enjoy no
citizenship rights and have no access to any state benefits. They cannot
obtain passports and are not admitted to state hospitals. They are
forced to work for nothing for the state or in private institutions.
They have no rights to enter the civil service or even study beyond high
school.
Muslims have to pay taxes simply to go
from one village to another. They are not allowed out after 9:00 in the
evening, even to visit relatives or neighbors, without police
permission.
They have no right to a defense when a
crime is committed, and are imprisoned straight away. The police or
military can raid their homes on no grounds. They can be arrested
arbitrarily for no reason.
The elimination of Muslims in Myanmar,
ruled by a military junta between 1962 and 2011, has literally become a
policy of state. Power passed to a supposedly democratic administration,
still under the control of the communist military junta, in the wake of
elections in which wide-ranging fraud took place: As a result, the same
military junta is continuing with the same policy through a puppet
government. The aim is to eliminate the Muslim population by
annihilating it or forcing it into exile.
In recent years, since the Bangladeshi
government has closed its borders to the refugees, hundreds of Muslims
seeking to flee to that country have drowned in the seas and rivers on
the frontier; and this plays into the hands of the Myanmar
administration that wishes to entirely purge the country of Muslims.
There are about 150,000 Rohingya
displaced from their homes, and recent attacks forces more and more
every day. Myanmar government has put together these Internally
Displaced Persons (IDP) into camps that are surrounded by checkpoints
and wire. Clean water and food are hard to find in these camps and the
inhabitants of the camps are starving. The residents are not allowed to
go out and work, and no working means no money and no food.
Nine out of ten of Burma’s 53 million
people are Buddhists, yet Buddhists and Muslims lived in peace for many
years in the past. This is because both religions espouse peace and
tolerance towards other religions and condemn killing. Yet, the ethnic
conflict of the recent years has been attributed to fanatical Buddhists.
The fact is, however, the violence perpetrated against Muslims is
executed by mobs and terror organizations clothed as Buddhist monks.
Now the world should hear the silent
cries of Rakhine Muslims. International media should be granted access
to the region. Otherwise, if the countries continue to watch the
oppression, violence and slaughter inflicted on Rakhine Muslims, the
ethnic Muslim communities of Myanmar may just vanish off the earth.
Those who watch the persecution and
slaughter of Muslims all around the world with weary eyes and are
reluctant to see Muslims act as a single body, or who regard it as
unnecessary and remain passive and timid, will have to bear the
conscientious responsibility for this suffering, pain and shedding of
Muslim blood.
Syria: Extremists Restricting Women’s Rights
January 13, 2014
Source: Human RightsWatch
Human Rights Watch interviewed 43 refugees from Syria in Iraqi Kurdistan and conducted telephone interviews with two refugees from Syria in Turkey in November and December 2013. The refugees interviewed said that the extremist armed groups Jabhat al-Nusra and the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) have enforced their interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law, by requiring women and girls to wear headscarves (hijabs) and full-length robes (abayas), and threatening to punish those who do not comply. In some areas, the groups are imposing discriminatory measures prohibiting women and girls, particularly those who do not abide by the dress code, from moving freely in public, working, and attending school.
“Extremist groups like ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra are undermining the freedoms that Syria’s women and girls enjoyed, which were a longtime strength of Syrian society,” said Liesl Gerntholtz, women’s rights director at Human Rights Watch. “What kind of victory do these groups promise for women and girls who are watching their rights slip away.”
The regulations imposed on women by Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS have a far-reaching impact on women’s and girls’ daily lives, affecting their ability to obtain education, provide for their families and even procure basic necessities crucial to survival. Some refugees reported abductions of women by these groups, and one refugee said that a widowed neighbor and her three young children died during fighting because a prohibition on leaving her home without a male guardian left her afraid to flee the area.
The refugees from Syria in Iraqi Kurdistan and Turkey told Human Rights Watch that, between September 2012 and November 2013, Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS imposed restrictions on women’s and girls’ dress and movement in the Sheikh Maksoud neighborhood in the city of Aleppo, the towns of Afrin and Tel Aran in Aleppo governorate, the city of Hassakeh, the town of Ras al-Ayn in Hassakeh governorate, the city of Idlib, and the town of Tel Abyad in Raqqa governorate. These areas include religiously diverse communities of Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims, Alawites, Syriac Christians, and Armenian Christians.
Interviewees said that members of Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS insisted that women follow a strict dress code that mandated the abaya and hijab and prohibited jeans, close-fitting clothing, and make-up. According to interviewees, members of these groups forbade women from being in public without a male family member in Idlib city, Ras al-Ayn, Tel Abyad, and Tel Aran. Women and girls who did not abide by the restrictions were threatened with punishment and, in some cases, blocked from using public transportation, accessing education, and buying bread.
Interviewees from Idlib city, Tel Abyad, and Tel Aran also said that Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS banned women from working outside the home in these areas.
While interviewees were not always able to distinguish among members of various extremist armed groups with absolute certainty, reports from media sources and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights support the refugees' contentions that Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS have imposed these restrictions. Human Rights Watch cannot confirm whether other extremist armed groups present in the areas mentioned were involved in imposing restrictions.
Syria does not have a state-mandated religion and its constitution protects freedom of religion. While the Syrian penal code and personal status laws, which govern matters such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance, contain provisions that are discriminatory to women and girls, the Syrian constitution guarantees gender equality. Public protests in June 2009 led the government to abandon an effort to introduce more regressive personal status laws. Interviewees told Human Rights Watch that, in the past, women and girls were largely able to participate in public life, including work and school, and exercise freedom of movement, religion, and conscience.
Refugees said that Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS also imposed limitations on male dress and movement in the village of Jindires in Afrin and in Ras al Ayn, Tel Abyad, and Tel Aran, but all said that greater restrictions were placed on women and girls. Former residents of Tel Abyad and Tel Aran said that the armed groups did not permit males to wear jeans or fitted pants, but that the groups imposed a less specific dress code on males than on females.
Interviewees said that restrictions on movement for men and boys in the village of Jindires in Afrin and in Ras al Ayn, Tel Abyad, and Tel Aran were part of universal restrictions on movement, such as evening curfews; they said that, in October 2012 in Ras al Ayn and July and August 2013 in Tel Aran, armed extremist groups including Jabhat al-Nusra exerted control by announcing that no one could go out in public after 5 p.m. In no cases were limitations on dress or freedom of movement applied solely to men and boys.
While unjustified restrictions on dress and freedom of movement for anyone violate their rights and should be rescinded, restrictions that apply to and affect women and girls disproportionately are discriminatory.
Commanders of Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS should immediately and publicly rescind all policies that violate women’s rights, including mandatory dress codes and limitations on freedom of movement. The groups should cease punishing and threatening women and girls whose dress or behavior does not conform to the strict rules imposed by these groups. They should also halt unlawful interference in women’s and girls’ rights to privacy, autonomy, and freedom of expression, religion, thought and conscience, enforce adherence to international human rights law, and punish those under their command who restrict women’s dress and access to work, education, or public space. Any concerned governments with influence over these groups should also press them to put an end to these discriminatory restrictions on women, Human Rights Watch said.
“Groups like ISIS and al-Nusra claim to be part of a social movement, yet they seem more focused on diminishing freedom for women and girls than providing any social benefit,” Gerntholtz said. “As we have seen in situations in Somalia, Mali, and elsewhere, these kinds of restrictions often mark the beginning of a complete breakdown of women’s and girls’ rights.”
Source: Human RightsWatch
Harsh Rules on Dress, Work, School
(New York) – Certain extremist armed opposition groups are imposing strict and discriminatory rules on women and girls that have no basis in Syrian law, Human Rights Watch said today. The harsh rules that some groups are administering in areas under their control in northern and northeastern Syria violate women’s and girls’ human rights and limit their ability to carry out essential daily activities.Human Rights Watch interviewed 43 refugees from Syria in Iraqi Kurdistan and conducted telephone interviews with two refugees from Syria in Turkey in November and December 2013. The refugees interviewed said that the extremist armed groups Jabhat al-Nusra and the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) have enforced their interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law, by requiring women and girls to wear headscarves (hijabs) and full-length robes (abayas), and threatening to punish those who do not comply. In some areas, the groups are imposing discriminatory measures prohibiting women and girls, particularly those who do not abide by the dress code, from moving freely in public, working, and attending school.
“Extremist groups like ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra are undermining the freedoms that Syria’s women and girls enjoyed, which were a longtime strength of Syrian society,” said Liesl Gerntholtz, women’s rights director at Human Rights Watch. “What kind of victory do these groups promise for women and girls who are watching their rights slip away.”
The regulations imposed on women by Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS have a far-reaching impact on women’s and girls’ daily lives, affecting their ability to obtain education, provide for their families and even procure basic necessities crucial to survival. Some refugees reported abductions of women by these groups, and one refugee said that a widowed neighbor and her three young children died during fighting because a prohibition on leaving her home without a male guardian left her afraid to flee the area.
The refugees from Syria in Iraqi Kurdistan and Turkey told Human Rights Watch that, between September 2012 and November 2013, Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS imposed restrictions on women’s and girls’ dress and movement in the Sheikh Maksoud neighborhood in the city of Aleppo, the towns of Afrin and Tel Aran in Aleppo governorate, the city of Hassakeh, the town of Ras al-Ayn in Hassakeh governorate, the city of Idlib, and the town of Tel Abyad in Raqqa governorate. These areas include religiously diverse communities of Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims, Alawites, Syriac Christians, and Armenian Christians.
Interviewees said that members of Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS insisted that women follow a strict dress code that mandated the abaya and hijab and prohibited jeans, close-fitting clothing, and make-up. According to interviewees, members of these groups forbade women from being in public without a male family member in Idlib city, Ras al-Ayn, Tel Abyad, and Tel Aran. Women and girls who did not abide by the restrictions were threatened with punishment and, in some cases, blocked from using public transportation, accessing education, and buying bread.
Interviewees from Idlib city, Tel Abyad, and Tel Aran also said that Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS banned women from working outside the home in these areas.
While interviewees were not always able to distinguish among members of various extremist armed groups with absolute certainty, reports from media sources and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights support the refugees' contentions that Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS have imposed these restrictions. Human Rights Watch cannot confirm whether other extremist armed groups present in the areas mentioned were involved in imposing restrictions.
Syria does not have a state-mandated religion and its constitution protects freedom of religion. While the Syrian penal code and personal status laws, which govern matters such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance, contain provisions that are discriminatory to women and girls, the Syrian constitution guarantees gender equality. Public protests in June 2009 led the government to abandon an effort to introduce more regressive personal status laws. Interviewees told Human Rights Watch that, in the past, women and girls were largely able to participate in public life, including work and school, and exercise freedom of movement, religion, and conscience.
Refugees said that Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS also imposed limitations on male dress and movement in the village of Jindires in Afrin and in Ras al Ayn, Tel Abyad, and Tel Aran, but all said that greater restrictions were placed on women and girls. Former residents of Tel Abyad and Tel Aran said that the armed groups did not permit males to wear jeans or fitted pants, but that the groups imposed a less specific dress code on males than on females.
Interviewees said that restrictions on movement for men and boys in the village of Jindires in Afrin and in Ras al Ayn, Tel Abyad, and Tel Aran were part of universal restrictions on movement, such as evening curfews; they said that, in October 2012 in Ras al Ayn and July and August 2013 in Tel Aran, armed extremist groups including Jabhat al-Nusra exerted control by announcing that no one could go out in public after 5 p.m. In no cases were limitations on dress or freedom of movement applied solely to men and boys.
While unjustified restrictions on dress and freedom of movement for anyone violate their rights and should be rescinded, restrictions that apply to and affect women and girls disproportionately are discriminatory.
Commanders of Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS should immediately and publicly rescind all policies that violate women’s rights, including mandatory dress codes and limitations on freedom of movement. The groups should cease punishing and threatening women and girls whose dress or behavior does not conform to the strict rules imposed by these groups. They should also halt unlawful interference in women’s and girls’ rights to privacy, autonomy, and freedom of expression, religion, thought and conscience, enforce adherence to international human rights law, and punish those under their command who restrict women’s dress and access to work, education, or public space. Any concerned governments with influence over these groups should also press them to put an end to these discriminatory restrictions on women, Human Rights Watch said.
“Groups like ISIS and al-Nusra claim to be part of a social movement, yet they seem more focused on diminishing freedom for women and girls than providing any social benefit,” Gerntholtz said. “As we have seen in situations in Somalia, Mali, and elsewhere, these kinds of restrictions often mark the beginning of a complete breakdown of women’s and girls’ rights.”
Jihadist announces creation of ISIL branch in Lebanon
January 25, 2014
Source: Yahoo News
But he said such groups "alone were insufficient."
Source: Yahoo News
Beirut (AFP) - Jihadist forums on
Saturday distributed a recording by a previously unknown figure
announcing the creation of a Lebanese franchise for the Islamic State of
Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
In the
recording, Abu Sayyaf al-Ansari swears allegiance to Abu Bakr
al-Baghdadi, the Iraqi leader of ISIL, which has its roots in Al-Qaeda
in Iraq and emerged in Syria last spring.
He
also called on Sunnis to abandon the Lebanese "crusader" army, echoing
allegations by Sunni Islamists that the armed forces are "backed by
Hezbollah."
The recording emerged amid spiralling sectarian tensions in Lebanon linked to the war in neighbouring Syria.
While
Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah has sent troops to Syria to back President
Bashar al-Assad, many Sunnis support the revolt against him.
"We
pledge allegiance to the prince of the believers, Abu Bakr
al-Baghdadi... and we ask him to guide us past the obstacles, and make
us your spearhead in crushing your enemy, and not a single man among us
will hold back in helping you," said Ansari.
In the five-minute
recording, he said "a spokesman for ISIL in Lebanon" identified as Abu
Omar al-Muhajir would soon make a statement of his own.
ISIL emerged in Syria last year, seizing large swaths of rebel-held territory and imposing a harsh version of Islamic law.
Though
the jihadists were initially welcomed by Syria's rebels, their quest
for hegemony and brutal attacks on rivals and activists led several
powerful rebel groups to turn on them earlier this month.
Ansari
also congratulated the Abdallah Azzam Brigades, an Al-Qaeda-linked
group that claimed responsibility for a twin suicide attack in November
against the Iranian embassy in southern Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold,
which killed 25 people.
He
said his pledge comes from mostly Sunni Tripoli, Lebanon's second city,
which has seen frequent battles pitting Sunni militants against
Alawites, who come from the same offshoot of Shiite Islam as Syria's
Assad.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Robots to Replace Troops on the Battlefield
20 hours ago
The Fiscal Times
Source: Yahoo News
By David Francis
Source: Yahoo News
The Pentagon is considering
replacing thousands of troops with robots, a military commander said
recently, marking the first time a DOD official has publicly
acknowledged that humans would be replaced with robots on the battlefield.
Gen. Robert Cone, head of the
Army Training and Doctrine Command, made the comment at the Army
Aviation symposium on Jan. 15, according to a report in Defense News,
a trade publication covering the military. He said that robots would
allow for “a smaller, more lethal, deployable and agile force.”
“I’ve got clear guidance to think
about what if you could robotically perform some of the tasks in terms
of maneuverability, in terms of the future of the force,” Cone said.
DOD did not respond to a request for comment on Cone’s remarks.
“I’ve got clear guidance to think
about what if you could robotically perform some of the tasks in terms
of maneuverability, in terms of the future of the force,” Cone said.
DOD did not respond to a request for comment on Cone’s remarks.
So far, the company has developed
the AlphaDog robot, designed to haul heavy military equipment for
soldiers. Last year alone, DOD spent $7 million on the Avatar Program,
which is attempting to find a way to upload a soldier’s consciousness to a robot. It also spent $11 million on a program that is developing robots that act autonomously.
These robots, combined with the
already widespread use of drones and robots to detect bombs, are
prompting fears that the human element would be removed from combat.
Human Rights Watch and the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, an
international coalition concerned that robots could replace humans, have
launched preemptive campaigns to ban their use.
If more advanced robots are used
in battle, it would be years down the line. Lt. Gen. Keith Walker told
Defense News that widespread use of robots could not occur until the
“deep future” - sometime between 2030 and 2040.
“We’ll need to fundamentally
change the nature of the force, and that would require a breakthrough in
science and technology,” he said.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
EU voices concern over Turkey as graft scandal deepens
January 8, 2014
By Burak Akinci
Source: Yahoo News
"If allegations (of wrongdoing) are
proven, I will resign. But if they are proven to be baseless, I expect
this honourable act from those who make these accusations against me,"
Oz said in a statement.
Oz also said he met with two legal officials sent by the prime minister who urged him to end the corruption probe.
"They told me that the prime minister is very angry at me. They asked me to halt the probe and to write a letter to apologise to the prime minister," Oz said about the meeting in a hotel in the western province of Bursa
By Burak Akinci
Source: Yahoo News
Ankara (AFP) - The European Union
voiced its concern Wednesday over the political turmoil convulsing
Turkey as the government conducted a new mass purge of senior police
officers.
In its
strongest comments yet on the widening corruption scandal engulfing
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the EU called for Turkish
authorities to ensure they acted impartially.
The
turmoil has rocked Erdogan's government to its very core just weeks
before crucial local elections in March and has sent Turkish financial
markets tumbling.
In the
latest development, 16 police chiefs in several major cities including
Ankara, Izmir, Antalya and Diyarbakir as well as the deputy head of
national security, were fired Wednesday under a decree signed by
Interior Minister Efkan Ala.
The
latest purge came just a day after the government fired 350 police
officers in the capital Ankara -- bringing the total number sacked to
over 700 since mid-December when the graft scandal broke, according to
local media tallies.
News
reports said Tuesday that another 25 people had been detained on
suspicion of bribery and fraud in the widening corruption probe that has
targeted several key Erdogan allies.
One
of the main prosecutors in the probe, Zekeriya Oz, has also been
reassigned following media reports of a Dubai holiday paid for by a
Turkish construction company.
Oz also said he met with two legal officials sent by the prime minister who urged him to end the corruption probe.
"They told me that the prime minister is very angry at me. They asked me to halt the probe and to write a letter to apologise to the prime minister," Oz said about the meeting in a hotel in the western province of Bursa
Erdogan, currently in Japan on an official visit, denied Oz's allegation.
"The
statements made by Zekeriya Oz are lies and slander. It is out of the
question that I sent him members of the high judiciary," Erdogan said in
a written statement.
Mehmet
Tezkan, a columnist with the liberal Milliyet newspaper, wrote that
Turkey was going through "one of the deepest crisis in its history. If
the allegations are true, it means that the government is rotten to the
core."
The EU -- which Turkey has long aspired to join -- said the crisis was a "cause of concern".
EU urges transparent probes.
"We
urge Turkey, as a candidate country committed to the political criteria
of accession, including the application of the rule of law, to take all
the necessary measures to ensure that allegations of wrongdoing are
addressed without discrimination or preference in a transparent and
impartial manner," the bloc said in a statement.
The government vowed to overcome the crisis.
"The
government is in charge. We will never let the political and economic
stability of Turkey be disturbed," Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan
said.
Battling to contain the
biggest threat to his 11 years in power, Erdogan has branded the
investigation a "dirty" plot to try to topple his Islamic-rooted
government.
He and his allies
have blamed supporters of a powerful Muslim cleric who lives in exile in
the United States but wields considerable influence in Turkey's
judiciary and police.
The
crisis erupted in December when dozens of leading businessmen and
political figures -- including the sons of three ministers -- were
detained.
Erdogan was forced
into a major cabinet reshuffle after the three ministers concerned
resigned and the government has since gone on the offensive to root out
foes in the police and judiciary.
Erdogan's
critics accuse him of desperately trying to protect cronies caught up
in the investigation which has focused on alleged bribery in
construction projects and illicit money transfers by a state-owned bank
to sanctions-hit Iran.
Media
reports have said Erdogan's son was also set to be rounded up last month
but the prosecutor involved was subsequently removed.
"There are some allegations about
the sons of ministers. The court is dealing with this. If there are
unlawful actions, corruption or bribery, this will eventually be
revealed. But we cannot take allegations as fact," Huseyin Celik,
spokesman for the ruling AKP party, told reporters.
In
a new twist to the increasingly complex powerplay, the Supreme Board of
Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) -- Turkey's top judicial body -- said
Tuesday it would investigate allegations that the new Istanbul police
chief was blocking prosecutors from carrying out further arrests, as
well as alleged misconduct by prosecutors.
Turkey's
financial markets remain jittery, with the Istanbul stock market down
slightly while the dollar rebounded fractionally from an all-time low
hit on Monday.
Turkey purges regulators, state TV in graft probe backlash
January 18, 2014
By Humeyra Pamuk
Source:Yahoo News
Unver said the aim of the purge at the
telecommunications watchdog could be to prevent further videos and
pictures being published on the Internet.
"They are seeking a monolithic structure over the Internet," he said.
By Humeyra Pamuk
Source:Yahoo News
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey has
extended a purge of official bodies to the banking and telecoms
regulators and state TV, firing dozens of executives in moves that
appear to broaden Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's backlash against a
corruption investigation.
The
authorities have already reassigned thousands of police officers and
about 20 prosecutors, and fired some state television officials in
response to the corruption investigation, the biggest challenge to
Erdogan's 11-year rule.
Investigators are believed to have been looking into allegations of
corruption and bribery involving trade in gold with Iran and big real
estate projects, although full details of their charges have not been
made public.
The combative
prime minister says the investigations, which began a month ago with
arrests of high profile figures including the sons of three of his
cabinet ministers, are part of an attempted "judicial coup".
His opponents say they fear a purge of official bodies will destroy the independence of the judiciary, police and media.
"It's like reformatting a computer. They are changing the whole system
and people in various positions to protect the government," said Akin
Unver, assistant professor of International Relations in Istanbul-based
Kadir Has University.
Among
dozens of officials dismissed in the latest sackings, Turkish media
reported on Saturday that the deputy head of the banking watchdog BDDK
and two department heads had been removed.
Five department chiefs were fired at the Telecommunications Directorate
(TIB), a body that carries out electronic surveillance as well as
serving as telecoms regulator, and a dozen people were fired at Turkey's
state channel TRT, including department heads and senior news editors.
A government official said the firings were carried out for "the
benefit of the public" and more could come: "Right now we are working on
this issue and if we identify cases problematic to the public's
benefit, more dismissals could be considered."
Pictures of money-counting machines and reports of cash stacked in the
homes of people linked to the graft probe have caused uproar among the
Turkish public.
"They are seeking a monolithic structure over the Internet," he said.
Several thousand people took to the streets in Turkey's biggest three
cities on Saturday demonstrating against a government-led draft bill to
increase controls over the Internet.
The bill would give the courts the power to rule on removing online
material that "violates individual rights", an article that opponents
say is murky and could lead to the arbitrary closure of websites.
In Istanbul's Taksim Square, where police fired teargas and water
cannon to disperse the crowd, protesters called for the government to
resign. Some chanted: "There are thieves around," referring to the
corruption allegations.
SEIZURE OF ASSETS
Erdogan has suggested the graft inquiry, which has led to the
resignation of three cabinet ministers and detention of businessmen
close to the government, is an attempt to undermine his rule by
Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based cleric with influence among the police and
judiciary.
Earlier in the week the government reassigned twenty high-profile prosecutors, stepping up the purge of the judiciary.
Many of the people who have been fired are believed to be associated
with the cleric's Hizmet movement, which claims more than a million
followers and runs schools and charities throughout Turkey.
Gulen's lawyer says the cleric has nothing to do with the graft
investigations, and his followers say they are victims of a witch hunt.
In a separate move denounced by the opposition as an attempt to target
it, Turkish authorities have seized the assets of Mustafa Sarigul, the
main opposition CHP party's mayoral candidate for Istanbul.
The state Savings Deposit
Insurance Fund (TMSF) said it seized Sarigul's assets after he and his
business partners failed to repay a loan dating back to 1998.
Sarigul denied he had an outstanding debt, describing the move as "a provocation".
"I have not received one single letter from TMSF in 16 years... Those
who have lost the trust of the people and carried out this political
attack on me will get the answer at the ballot box on March 30," he
said, referring to local elections.
Erdogan, who has presided over an extended economic boom that has
transformed Turkey and lifted millions of people from poverty, remains
the country's most popular politician.
He and his moderate Islamist AK Party have long battled for influence
against the secularist military establishment that dominated Turkey over
the past century. Conflicts with the judiciary, police and Gulen
followers add to his list of enemies.
It is still not clear what effect the crisis will have on Erdogan's
political fortunes ahead of local elections approaching in March.
Last year saw mass street demonstrations among Turks who accuse the
prime minister of authoritarianism, but those protests did little to
undermine Erdogan's support among his conservative base of followers.
(Additional reporting by Orhan Coskun and Mert Ozkan in Ankara, Ayla
Jean Yackley in Istanbul, Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Peter
Graff and Andrew Heavens)
Erdogan's son ready to testify over graft probe
January 24, 2014
Source: Yahoo News
Gulen has denied any
involvement in the probe but hundreds of police officials, prosecutors
and judges — either directly involved in the investigations or believed
to sympathize with the religious movement — have been removed from posts
and reassigned to other positions.
"If you are honest and honorable, you'll come and show the evidence," Erdogan said in a speech in Ankara on Friday, responding to opposition party accusations that the government was trying to cover up a corruption inquiry focusing on his son.
Source: Yahoo News
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday hit back at critics who
have alleged that he has been stalling a corruption investigation
reaching his family, while a lawyer says the leader's son was ready to
give testimony to prosecutors.
Erdogan last
month dismissed four government ministers implicated in a vast
corruption and bribery scandal surrounding alleged illicit money
transfers to Iran and bribery for construction projects. He then quickly
moved to replace police officials involved in the investigation, an
action which news reports said thwarted a second corruption probe that
sought to question his son, Bilal Erdogan, among others. Police
allegedly refused to bring Erdogan's son for questioning on prosecutors'
orders.
Erdogan insists the
corruption investigation targeting people close to him has been
orchestrated by an Islamic movement led by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah
Gulen. Erdogan says Gulen's followers have risen to key positions in
Turkey's judiciary and police, and that they want to harm the government
ahead of local elections in March.
"If you are honest and honorable, you'll come and show the evidence," Erdogan said in a speech in Ankara on Friday, responding to opposition party accusations that the government was trying to cover up a corruption inquiry focusing on his son.
He then threatened to
reveal a corruption file on the opposition party's strong candidate for
the mayor of Istanbul in the March local elections, unless the
opposition party releases the file by Sunday.
In a more conciliatory gesture,
Erdogan said that some articles of much-criticized draft legislation —
which critics say aims to tighten government control over the judiciary —
could be put on hold. Opposition parties say the measure would allow
the government to block corruption investigations, and the European
Union expressed concerns, calling on Turkey to respect the principles of
rule of law and the separation of powers.
The
state-run Anadolu Agency quoted lawyer Ahmet Ozel as saying late
Thursday that 33-year old Bilal Erdogan was prepared to give testimony
but he had not received any papers summoning him to testify.
"My client is ready to go and testify to prosecutors upon reception of an official notification," Anadolu quoted Ozel as saying.
The
statement came following a brawl in parliament where opposition
legislators accused the prime minister of obstructing the investigation
and of "harboring" a man wanted for questioning. An opposition deputy
was briefly hospitalized after being punched by a legislator from
Erdogan's party.
Erdogan on
Friday refused to apologize to the opposition legislator who was hurt in
the scuffles in Parliament, saying opposition deputies had provoked the
fight by insulting him and his family.
"Whoever insulted me and my family to such an extent should apologize first," Erdogan said.
Turkish
newspapers last month published details of an allegedly leaked
prosecutors' summons calling Bilal Erdogan to give testimony as a
"suspect" in an investigation into an alleged organized crime syndicate.
Newspaper reports said the investigation allegedly surrounds
irregularities in the operations of an educational foundation whose
board members include Bilal Erdogan.
The prosecutor who issued the
summons complained that police officers had not carried out his orders
for arrests and accused the Istanbul chief prosecutor and police of
hampering the probe. He was later removed from the case.
The
corruption scandal and Erdogan's response has eroded investor
confidence, causing the Turkish lira to plummet to almost daily record
lows. Turkey's central bank announced Thursday that it was intervening
in the foreign exchange markets but failed to stop the lira's slide.
Erdogan threatens to unveil graft accusations against rival
January 24, 2014
Source: Yahoo News
Source: Yahoo News
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish Prime
Minister Tayyip Erdogan threatened on Friday to t divulge a file of
corruption allegations against the main opposition candidate for
Istanbul mayor, raising the stakes in a political battle after a graft
investigation implicating his own government.
The opposition accused Erdogan of bullying and defied him to make public any accusations he cared to level.
Erdogan, speaking to party members in the capital Ankara, also accused a
key business leader of "treason" for saying the government's efforts to
reform the judiciary might unnerve investors and deter foreign capital
from coming to Turkey.
Erdogan called on Kemal Kilicdaroglu, chairman of the main opposition
Republican People's Party (CHP), to disclose what he called corruption
allegations in a party file against Mustafa Sarigul, the CHP's candidate
for Istanbul mayor in March municipal elections.
"I'm giving you until Sunday. If
you don't disclose the corruption file on the Istanbul municipal
candidate, I will," Erdogan said in comments aired live on television.
He did not make clear what such a file would contain.
CHP Deputy Chairman Haluk Koc, responding to Erdogan, said:
"No one is holding you back. The security forces, judiciary and police
are yours. The CHP is here, Sarigul is here, disclose whatever you know.
"Bring it on. Does extortion suit a prime minister? CHP has never bowed down to bullies. It won't take a step back."
Erdogan also accused Kilicdaroglu himself of involvement in the leak of
a 2010 sex tape that forced the resignation of his predecessor at the
CHP, Deniz Baykal. Erdogan did not elaborate.
Turkey's popular leader sees a police investigation into corruption and
bribery charges that came to light last month and included the arrest
of family members of cabinet ministers and businessmen close to the
government as a "coup plot" against the ruling AK Party, in power since
2002.
He has responded by
removing thousands of police officers and about 120 prosecutors from
their posts and reassigned them and by pushing through legal changes
that tighten his control over the judiciary.
On Thursday, Muharrem Yilmaz, chairman of the business group Tusiad,
said such legal changes may not comply with European Union norms and
could raise concerns about the rule of law.
Erdogan lashed out at Yilmaz, saying such a warning amounted to a threat against the government.
"You can't say, 'International capital won't come.' If you do, it's treason against this country.
"They are threatening their own government by saying foreign investment
won't come ... We will take a stance against those who take a stance
against the AK Party," Erdogan said.
The political turmoil has weighed on Turkish financial markets, with the lira plumbing record lows.
But capital outflows have been relatively limited, with Thursday's
successful sale of a $2.5 billion eurobond issue seen as a vote of
confidence from foreign investors.
(Reporting by Ayla Jean Yackley; editing by Ralph Boulton)
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Western media warns against division of Al-Aqsa
Friday, 17 January 2014
Source: Middle East Monitor
Western media outlets have warned against proposals and plans prepared by Israeli politicians in the Knesset to divide Al-Aqsa Mosque. The escalation of incursions by settlers and Jewish groups into the mosque, where Jewish extremists have performed religious rituals, is also condemned as it could spark wide Muslim, Arab and Palestinian reactions.
A statement from Al-Aqsa Foundation for Religious Endowment and Heritage pointed out a number of reports and articles published in international newspapers, including the Washington Post, the Guardian and the Times.
The foundation noted that a recent report on Israel's Channel 10 gave details of the preparations, dynamics and detailed plans for building a temple "on the rubble of Al-Aqsa". It is believed widely that Jewish extremists plan to destroy Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock in order to build a temple on the ruins. That is why such extremists desecrate the Noble Sanctuary with increasing frequency, said the foundation. A backlash from the world's Muslims, for whom Al-Aqsa is the third holiest site, cannot be ruled out, the report warns.
Support for dividing the mosque physically and in terms of access times between Muslims and Jews is also being considered as a serious option, even among mainstream Jewish groups and the Israeli government, said Associated Press. "Jewish visits to the politically-sensitive compound are on the rise, and key Israeli lawmakers are lobbying to end a ban on Jewish prayer there," added the AP report quoted by Al-Aqsa Foundation. Around 8,000 Israelis took part in incursions of the mosque in 2013, said AP, compared with 5,700 in 2009.
Politicians Miri Regev, who heads Israel's Interior Affairs Committee, and Moshe Feiglin, Deputy Speaker at the Knesset, were named by the Guardian, which highlighted the two lawmakers' plans for Jewish prayers to be held in the sacred mosque of Al-Aqsa. The Guardian also pointed to the statements made by Israeli Housing Minister Uri Ariel, who advocates the building of the temple.
Al-Aqsa Foundation argued that the increasingly frequent appearance of such media reports in the international media indicates that Al-Aqsa is in real danger. It insisted that the role of the Muslim Ummah, the Arab world and the Palestinian people will continue to be central to the defence of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Noble Sanctuary.
Link: https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/9284-western-media-warns-against-division-of-al-aqsa.
Source: Middle East Monitor
Western media outlets have warned against proposals and plans prepared by Israeli politicians in the Knesset to divide Al-Aqsa Mosque. The escalation of incursions by settlers and Jewish groups into the mosque, where Jewish extremists have performed religious rituals, is also condemned as it could spark wide Muslim, Arab and Palestinian reactions.
A statement from Al-Aqsa Foundation for Religious Endowment and Heritage pointed out a number of reports and articles published in international newspapers, including the Washington Post, the Guardian and the Times.
The foundation noted that a recent report on Israel's Channel 10 gave details of the preparations, dynamics and detailed plans for building a temple "on the rubble of Al-Aqsa". It is believed widely that Jewish extremists plan to destroy Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock in order to build a temple on the ruins. That is why such extremists desecrate the Noble Sanctuary with increasing frequency, said the foundation. A backlash from the world's Muslims, for whom Al-Aqsa is the third holiest site, cannot be ruled out, the report warns.
Support for dividing the mosque physically and in terms of access times between Muslims and Jews is also being considered as a serious option, even among mainstream Jewish groups and the Israeli government, said Associated Press. "Jewish visits to the politically-sensitive compound are on the rise, and key Israeli lawmakers are lobbying to end a ban on Jewish prayer there," added the AP report quoted by Al-Aqsa Foundation. Around 8,000 Israelis took part in incursions of the mosque in 2013, said AP, compared with 5,700 in 2009.
Politicians Miri Regev, who heads Israel's Interior Affairs Committee, and Moshe Feiglin, Deputy Speaker at the Knesset, were named by the Guardian, which highlighted the two lawmakers' plans for Jewish prayers to be held in the sacred mosque of Al-Aqsa. The Guardian also pointed to the statements made by Israeli Housing Minister Uri Ariel, who advocates the building of the temple.
Al-Aqsa Foundation argued that the increasingly frequent appearance of such media reports in the international media indicates that Al-Aqsa is in real danger. It insisted that the role of the Muslim Ummah, the Arab world and the Palestinian people will continue to be central to the defence of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Noble Sanctuary.
Link: https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/9284-western-media-warns-against-division-of-al-aqsa.
US envoy: We believe in Turkey’s future with the EU
January/18/2014
Source: Hurriyet Daily News
Francis Ricciardone, the United States Ambassador to Turkey has pledged Washington’s belief in Turkey’s future with the European Union during a courtesy visit to the new EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. Ricciardone congratulated the new minister and wished for success in his new position.
“We believe in Turkey’s future with the EU,” Ricciardone told reporters before the meeting with Çavuşoğlu on Jan. 17. Expressing Washington’s optimism with regard to Turkey’s EU membership, Ricciardone recalled that the U.S. has long been supporting Turkey’s bid to join Brussels and that it will continue.
Çavuşoğlu, for his part, said the meeting had no specific agenda and was merely a courtesy visit, but recalled that Washington was not only Ankara’s important ally and partner, but also an advocate of Turkish accession to the EU. “We want to thank to the U.S. and our friends in the U.S. on behalf of the ambassador. We have no doubt that the U.S. will continue to support to Turkey and Turkey’s integration with Europe,” he said.
The new minister said the EU and U.S. were in talks for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and cooperation between Turkey and the U.S. on this issue was also underway.
Link: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/us-envoy-we-believe-in-turkeys-future-with-the-eu.aspx?PageID=238&NID=61224&NewsCatID=338.
Source: Hurriyet Daily News
Francis Ricciardone, the United States Ambassador to Turkey has pledged Washington’s belief in Turkey’s future with the European Union during a courtesy visit to the new EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. Ricciardone congratulated the new minister and wished for success in his new position.
“We believe in Turkey’s future with the EU,” Ricciardone told reporters before the meeting with Çavuşoğlu on Jan. 17. Expressing Washington’s optimism with regard to Turkey’s EU membership, Ricciardone recalled that the U.S. has long been supporting Turkey’s bid to join Brussels and that it will continue.
Çavuşoğlu, for his part, said the meeting had no specific agenda and was merely a courtesy visit, but recalled that Washington was not only Ankara’s important ally and partner, but also an advocate of Turkish accession to the EU. “We want to thank to the U.S. and our friends in the U.S. on behalf of the ambassador. We have no doubt that the U.S. will continue to support to Turkey and Turkey’s integration with Europe,” he said.
The new minister said the EU and U.S. were in talks for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and cooperation between Turkey and the U.S. on this issue was also underway.
Link: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/us-envoy-we-believe-in-turkeys-future-with-the-eu.aspx?PageID=238&NID=61224&NewsCatID=338.
Turkish NGOs want action on corruption, ‘parallel state’ claims
January/17/2014
Source: Hurriyet Daily News
The grave political turmoil and polarization in Turkey has triggered uproar from leading civil society organizations that have declared that both corruption allegations involving the government and claims about a “parallel state” are harming democracy, peace and stability.
Representatives of seven nongovernmental organizations held a joint press conference on Jan. 17 to publicly express their concerns over the recent crisis in the country.
“We, who produce and work for Turkey, have come together to assess the process that we have been experiencing,” said a joint declaration issued by the Confederation of Turkish Craftsmen and Tradesmen (TESK), the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB), the Turkish Union of Agricultural Chambers (TZOB), the Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions (TÜRK-İş), the Turkish Confederation of Employers’ Unions (TİSK), the Labor Confederation (HAK-İŞ) and the Civil Servants Trade Union (MEMUR-SEN), whose representatives were present at the press conference.
“The corruption claims and parallel state claims that have infested the environment have been threatening societal peace and stability and openly posing a danger against our internal peace,” the group said, urging the authorities to work toward enlightening all claims.
The term “parallel state” is commonly used by critics of the followers of the U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, many of whom have been employed in the judicial and security bureaucracy.
The government recently accelerated a purge of a judiciary Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan considers to be embroiled in a plot to undermine him with specious corruption allegations.
The removal of a series of high-profile prosecutors on Jan. 16 hit at the heart of investigations made public on Dec. 17, 2013, that have put Erdoğan into one of the biggest crises of his 11 years in power. They came a day after the government tightened its grip on a panel that controls the appointment of all judges and prosecutors.
The developments, which will deepen segregation in society instead of strengthening unity and solidarity and threaten the trust in agencies and institutions, are making it harder for people to focus on peace, democracy and developments, TESK head Bendevi Palandöken said.
The civil society grouping also underlined that Turkey was still waiting for a new Constitution that complies with the principles of universal law and EU standards.
Erdoğan’s supporters see Gülen – a former ally whose network of followers is influential in the police and judiciary – as a prime mover in a smear campaign. Erdoğan sees the investigation, like the Gezi Park Resistance in 2013, as a “foreign-backed plot.”
The affair has exposed a deep rift within the political establishment, shaking markets, helping drive the Turkish Lira to new lows and prompting expressions of alarm from Washington and Brussels about threats to the independence of the judiciary.
Link: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-ngos-want-action-on-corruption-parallel-state-claims.aspx?pageID=238&nID=61200&NewsCatID=338#.
Source: Hurriyet Daily News
The grave political turmoil and polarization in Turkey has triggered uproar from leading civil society organizations that have declared that both corruption allegations involving the government and claims about a “parallel state” are harming democracy, peace and stability.
Representatives of seven nongovernmental organizations held a joint press conference on Jan. 17 to publicly express their concerns over the recent crisis in the country.
“We, who produce and work for Turkey, have come together to assess the process that we have been experiencing,” said a joint declaration issued by the Confederation of Turkish Craftsmen and Tradesmen (TESK), the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB), the Turkish Union of Agricultural Chambers (TZOB), the Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions (TÜRK-İş), the Turkish Confederation of Employers’ Unions (TİSK), the Labor Confederation (HAK-İŞ) and the Civil Servants Trade Union (MEMUR-SEN), whose representatives were present at the press conference.
“The corruption claims and parallel state claims that have infested the environment have been threatening societal peace and stability and openly posing a danger against our internal peace,” the group said, urging the authorities to work toward enlightening all claims.
The term “parallel state” is commonly used by critics of the followers of the U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, many of whom have been employed in the judicial and security bureaucracy.
The government recently accelerated a purge of a judiciary Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan considers to be embroiled in a plot to undermine him with specious corruption allegations.
The removal of a series of high-profile prosecutors on Jan. 16 hit at the heart of investigations made public on Dec. 17, 2013, that have put Erdoğan into one of the biggest crises of his 11 years in power. They came a day after the government tightened its grip on a panel that controls the appointment of all judges and prosecutors.
The developments, which will deepen segregation in society instead of strengthening unity and solidarity and threaten the trust in agencies and institutions, are making it harder for people to focus on peace, democracy and developments, TESK head Bendevi Palandöken said.
The civil society grouping also underlined that Turkey was still waiting for a new Constitution that complies with the principles of universal law and EU standards.
Erdoğan’s supporters see Gülen – a former ally whose network of followers is influential in the police and judiciary – as a prime mover in a smear campaign. Erdoğan sees the investigation, like the Gezi Park Resistance in 2013, as a “foreign-backed plot.”
The affair has exposed a deep rift within the political establishment, shaking markets, helping drive the Turkish Lira to new lows and prompting expressions of alarm from Washington and Brussels about threats to the independence of the judiciary.
Link: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-ngos-want-action-on-corruption-parallel-state-claims.aspx?pageID=238&nID=61200&NewsCatID=338#.
Netanyahu confidante: Jordan wants Israel to keep presence along West Bank boundary
01/18/2014
A Likud parliamentarian considered a close ally and confidante of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel’s insistence on maintaining a military presence in the Jordan Valley as part of any final status agreement with the Palestinians is supported by Jordan.
MK Ofir Akunis told a town hall gathering in Tel Aviv on Saturday that Israeli officials have received feedback from their Jordanian counterparts who are alarmed at the prospect of an Israeli withdrawal from the boundary that separates the West Bank from the Hashemite kingdom.
“The Jordanians are opposed to an Israeli withdrawal from the Jordan Valley out of fear that if a Palestinian state arises and is taken over by extremist elements like Hamas and Al-Qaida, this would endanger the king’s rule, not just Tel Aviv,” Akunis said.
Netanyahu met last week with Jordan’s King Abdullah in Amman for what was described as a “surprise” visit.
The meeting focused on the current Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
In a statement released upon Netanyahu's return to Israel, he stressed the important role played by Jordan, under King Abdullah's leadership, in the efforts to bring about an agreement. He also emphasized that Israel places a premium on security arrangements, including Jordan's interests, in any future agreement that will take into consideration the peace treaty between Jordan and Israel, signed 20 years ago.
Jordanian Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour said earlier this month that the Israeli annexation of the Jordan Valley would be contrary to the peace agreement signed between the two countries in 1994.
Speaking to a gathering of parliament members, he said that Jordan “categorically rejects any Israeli intention in this regard and will not stand idly by, but will act diplomatically,” according to a report on Thursday in the London-based daily Al-Hayat.
Akunis went on to attack the Palestinians, whom he deemed “an obstacle to peace.”
“Their insistence not to recognize the State of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people proves that the conflict isn’t just territorial, but it is one that is being waged for our existence,” he said. “I believe that we should have negotiations with the Palestinians, but we need to understand that a Palestinian state could endanger most Israeli cities.”
“My vision, and that of Likud, says that we have no interest in controlling the Palestinians,” Akunis said. “I am in favor of maximum Palestinian self-rule and deep economic cooperation between our peoples, but I am not ready to have a Palestinian state be born on the ruins of my country.”
Link: http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Netanyahu-confidante-Jordan-wants-Israel-to-keep-presence-along-West-Bank-boundary-338574.
A Likud parliamentarian considered a close ally and confidante of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel’s insistence on maintaining a military presence in the Jordan Valley as part of any final status agreement with the Palestinians is supported by Jordan.
MK Ofir Akunis told a town hall gathering in Tel Aviv on Saturday that Israeli officials have received feedback from their Jordanian counterparts who are alarmed at the prospect of an Israeli withdrawal from the boundary that separates the West Bank from the Hashemite kingdom.
“The Jordanians are opposed to an Israeli withdrawal from the Jordan Valley out of fear that if a Palestinian state arises and is taken over by extremist elements like Hamas and Al-Qaida, this would endanger the king’s rule, not just Tel Aviv,” Akunis said.
Netanyahu met last week with Jordan’s King Abdullah in Amman for what was described as a “surprise” visit.
The meeting focused on the current Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
In a statement released upon Netanyahu's return to Israel, he stressed the important role played by Jordan, under King Abdullah's leadership, in the efforts to bring about an agreement. He also emphasized that Israel places a premium on security arrangements, including Jordan's interests, in any future agreement that will take into consideration the peace treaty between Jordan and Israel, signed 20 years ago.
Jordanian Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour said earlier this month that the Israeli annexation of the Jordan Valley would be contrary to the peace agreement signed between the two countries in 1994.
Speaking to a gathering of parliament members, he said that Jordan “categorically rejects any Israeli intention in this regard and will not stand idly by, but will act diplomatically,” according to a report on Thursday in the London-based daily Al-Hayat.
Akunis went on to attack the Palestinians, whom he deemed “an obstacle to peace.”
“Their insistence not to recognize the State of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people proves that the conflict isn’t just territorial, but it is one that is being waged for our existence,” he said. “I believe that we should have negotiations with the Palestinians, but we need to understand that a Palestinian state could endanger most Israeli cities.”
“My vision, and that of Likud, says that we have no interest in controlling the Palestinians,” Akunis said. “I am in favor of maximum Palestinian self-rule and deep economic cooperation between our peoples, but I am not ready to have a Palestinian state be born on the ruins of my country.”
Link: http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Netanyahu-confidante-Jordan-wants-Israel-to-keep-presence-along-West-Bank-boundary-338574.
Israeli settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque and climb Dome of the Rock
17 January 2014
Source: Middle East Monitor
Israeli settlers have stormed repeatedly Al-Aqsa Mosque compound over the last two days, and on Thursday even climbed the Dome of the Rock Mosque. The settlers were led by the radical Rabbi Yehuda Glick, who is the former head of the Temple Institute. He was accompanied by a journalist on Thursday who carried a camera to document the attack, while settlers reportedly engaged in verbal altercations with angry Muslim worshipers defending the mosque. Witnesses reported that Rabbi Glick returned to storm the Al-Aqsa Mosque twice on Friday, joined by groups of Jewish settlers whom he lectured to about the alleged Temple.
The settlers have now become accustomed to storming the mosque regularly, usually touring around the yards starting from the Mughrabi Gate and then going to Al-Marwani Mosque, Rahma Gate, Al-Asbat Gate and King Faisal Gate until the Alqtanin Gate, exiting from Al-Selselah Gate. However, this is the first incident where the settlers have climbed the Dome of the Rock Mosque.
The General Director of Muslim Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs, Sheikh Azzam Al-Khatib, has condemned the incident and described it as a provocative and dangerous step. Meanwhile, the Islamic-Christian Committee to support Jerusalem and its holy sites issued a press statement affirming that the incident represents "a flagrant violation against places of worship" and pointing out that the Israeli occupation authorities have almost completed their efforts to Judaise Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surroundings and are preparing to announce it as a Jewish synagogue.
In related news, Israeli occupation forces arrested three young Palestinian men from inside Al-Aqsa Mosque on Thursday and took them to a police station in the occupied city of Jerusalem.
Source: Al Ghad
Source: Middle East Monitor
Israeli settlers have stormed repeatedly Al-Aqsa Mosque compound over the last two days, and on Thursday even climbed the Dome of the Rock Mosque. The settlers were led by the radical Rabbi Yehuda Glick, who is the former head of the Temple Institute. He was accompanied by a journalist on Thursday who carried a camera to document the attack, while settlers reportedly engaged in verbal altercations with angry Muslim worshipers defending the mosque. Witnesses reported that Rabbi Glick returned to storm the Al-Aqsa Mosque twice on Friday, joined by groups of Jewish settlers whom he lectured to about the alleged Temple.
The settlers have now become accustomed to storming the mosque regularly, usually touring around the yards starting from the Mughrabi Gate and then going to Al-Marwani Mosque, Rahma Gate, Al-Asbat Gate and King Faisal Gate until the Alqtanin Gate, exiting from Al-Selselah Gate. However, this is the first incident where the settlers have climbed the Dome of the Rock Mosque.
The General Director of Muslim Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs, Sheikh Azzam Al-Khatib, has condemned the incident and described it as a provocative and dangerous step. Meanwhile, the Islamic-Christian Committee to support Jerusalem and its holy sites issued a press statement affirming that the incident represents "a flagrant violation against places of worship" and pointing out that the Israeli occupation authorities have almost completed their efforts to Judaise Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surroundings and are preparing to announce it as a Jewish synagogue.
In related news, Israeli occupation forces arrested three young Palestinian men from inside Al-Aqsa Mosque on Thursday and took them to a police station in the occupied city of Jerusalem.
Source: Al Ghad
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Erdogan tells Turkish ambassadors to spread word of 'treacherous' plot
21 hours ago
By Tulay Karadeniz
Source: Yahoo News
Erdogan has overseen strong economic growth in
Turkey since coming to power in 2002, transforming its reputation after a
series of unstable coalition governments in the 1990s ran into repeated
balance of payments problems and economic crises.
The AK Party's reputation for economic management has been one of the cornerstones of its three successive election wins over the past decade, a record Erdogan wants to maintain in the run up to local elections in March and a presidential race which he is expected to contest in August.
By Tulay Karadeniz
Source: Yahoo News
ANKARA (Reuters) - Prime
Minister Tayyip Erdogan ordered his ambassadors on Wednesday to confront
allies with the "truth" that a graft investigation shaking Ankara was
the result of a foreign-backed plot to sabotage Turkey's international
standing.
Erdogan, visiting
Brussels next week, also mockingly rejected European Union expressions
of concern about his moves to tighten control over a judiciary he sees
as central to the conspiracy. His finance minister said political
turbulence may hinder Turkey in reaching a 4 percent growth target this
year.
What erupted a month
ago as a corruption inquiry involving the sons of three ministers and
businessmen close to the government has grown into one of the biggest
challenges of Erdogan's 11-year rule and damaged Turkey's image abroad.
Erdogan said politicians, domestic and foreign media and financiers were conspiring against Turkish interests.
"We expect you to exert more effort to defeat this treacherous
operation targeting Turkey by telling our partners the truth," Erdogan
told the conference of Turkish ambassadors in the capital Ankara.
Details of the corruption allegations have not been made public, but
are thought to relate to construction and real estate projects and
Turkey's gold trade with Iran.
Erdogan's supporters see U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen - a
former ally whose network of followers is influential in the police and
judiciary - as a prime mover in a plot backed by foreign collaborators.
"They are trying to deal a heavy blow to Turkey's economy. They are
making efforts to push interest rates higher. In order to make
international investors uneasy they use every means.
"Most importantly they are working hard to harm Turkey's image in the world," Erdogan said.
He has responded by purging the police of hundreds of officers and
seeking tighter control over the appointment of judges and prosecutors,
raising alarm in Brussels in particular, which has been engaged in years
of protracted EU membership negotiations with Ankara.
EU enlargement commissioner Stefan Fule told Turkey's new EU minister
Mevlut Cavusoglu in their first meeting this week that any changes to
the judiciary must not call into question Turkey's commitment to meeting
EU membership criteria.
Erdogan rejected such concerns.
"I'm sorry but we won't be taken in by evaluation like 'this is
contrary to the European Union acquis'. We know how to read and write.
We can see what is going on," he said.
ECONOMIC FALLOUT
Erdogan's AK Party has proposed a draft bill giving government more say
over the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), which makes top
judicial appointments, a move the opposition says would violate the
constitution and sees as an attempt to stifle the corruption
investigation.
President
Abdullah Gul, who would have to ratify the bill, called for compromise
on Wednesday, saying Turkey's rival political parties should instead
agree on changes to articles in the constitution governing the
judiciary.
"There is
agreement among the parties that there should be an HSYK which is
independent and impartial and within the framework of EU principles,"
Gul said, adding prospects for a deal should become clear within a
couple of days.
But the main
opposition CHP said it would only negotiate if Erdogan withdrew the
draft bill first, while a senior AK Party official said he was not
optimistic of reaching a compromise.
The feud has shaken investor confidence and raised questions about the
credibility of Turkey's institutions, helping drive the lira - already
battered by waning investor appetite for emerging markets - to historic
lows.
Finance Minister Mehmet
Simsek said the political turbulence was among factors which could
prevent Turkey reaching its target of four percent economic growth this
year.
"It makes investors
tense both domestically and abroad. This tension will be reflected in
consumption and investment decisions and hence in growth," he told a
news conference.
The AK Party's reputation for economic management has been one of the cornerstones of its three successive election wins over the past decade, a record Erdogan wants to maintain in the run up to local elections in March and a presidential race which he is expected to contest in August.
(Additional reporting by Adrian Croft in Brussels; Writing by Daren Butler and Nick Tattersall; Editing by Ralph Boulton)
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Six Ingredients To Avoid In Your Beauty Product
By Betsy Jabs
Source: DIY Natural
Body care and cosmetics are not regulated like foods, so many contain toxic chemicals. Here’s a list of the top six ingredients to avoid, and a list of homemade natural alternatives.
If you haven’t yet completely made the switch to all-natural homemade personal products (or at least reputable organic store-bought), consider this: your hair, skin, nails, and body are probably all stressed out and need a break.
Body care and cosmetics are not regulated like foods, so many of them contain toxic chemicals. Some of these chemicals are added intentionally, and some are contaminants or impurities that are released by other ingredients or created when certain ingredients are combined.
So if you want what’s best for your body, you can start by avoiding the following products in your beauty and personal care products:
ON LABELS, LOOK FOR: methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and other ingredients ending in -paraben.
ON LABELS, LOOK FOR: diethly phthalates (DEP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP), benzylbutyl phthalate (BzBP), and dibutyl phthalate (DBP).
ON LABELS, LOOK FOR: petrolatum, mineral oil, paraffin, paraffin oil, paraffin wax, propylene glycol, PVP/VA copolymere, and even isopropyl alcohol!
ON LABELS, LOOK FOR: DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, quaternium-15, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol, and sodium hydroxylmethylglycinate.
ON LABELS, LOOK FOR: PEG (polyethylene glycol), and any other ingredients that contain “eth,” like “laureth,” “ceteareth,” “oleth,” etc.
For more information:
http://www.diynatural.com/ingredients-to-avoid-in-beauty-products/.
Source: DIY Natural
Body care and cosmetics are not regulated like foods, so many contain toxic chemicals. Here’s a list of the top six ingredients to avoid, and a list of homemade natural alternatives.
If you haven’t yet completely made the switch to all-natural homemade personal products (or at least reputable organic store-bought), consider this: your hair, skin, nails, and body are probably all stressed out and need a break.
Body care and cosmetics are not regulated like foods, so many of them contain toxic chemicals. Some of these chemicals are added intentionally, and some are contaminants or impurities that are released by other ingredients or created when certain ingredients are combined.
Over time, our bodies collect toxins in much the same way a bicycle wheel collects rust. All of that toxicity contributes to weight gain, wrinkles, breakouts, and dull skin, hair, and nails.” Kimberly Snyder, CN ~The Beauty Detox SolutionYou’ll find an array of chemicals in beauty products on store shelves. Some have extremely low health risks, while others are known carcinogens or linked to other serious health problems. If you want truly “natural” products, you’ll have to learn to pour over labels and determine which ingredients won’t cause you to grow horns or a third eye. (I’m only *kind of* kidding about that.)
So if you want what’s best for your body, you can start by avoiding the following products in your beauty and personal care products:
Parabens
What are they?
Parabens are additives that possess antimicrobial activity, frequently used as a preservative in cosmetics (and some foods).Why they’re dangerous
Concerns about parabens in personal care products have cropped up due to their ease of penetration into the skin. They have been shown to mimic estrogen in the body, interfering with hormone function. They have been detected in human breast cancer tissue, suggesting a possible relationship between parabens in cosmetics and cancer. (source, source)Where they’re found
You can find parabens in things like fragrances (although they won’t be listed on labels as such), deodorants, makeup, lotions, lip sticks, shampoos, conditioners, body wash, and most other beauty products that contain water. Parabens are a family of chemicals, so they’ll show up under many names on labels.ON LABELS, LOOK FOR: methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and other ingredients ending in -paraben.
Phthalates
What are they?
Phthalates are chemicals that are used as solvents, dyes, plasticizers, and as a solubulizer in many cosmetics and perfumes.Why they’re dangerous
Scientists in several countries have agreed that phthalates can cause a range of health and reproductive problems. Phthalates can not only be absorbed through the skin, but also inhaled when found in things like cologne and perfumes. Studies have shown that phthalates can cause damage to the kidneys, liver, lungs, and reproductive systems. They have been linked to reduced sperm count, disruptions in hormone activity, and even liver and breast cancer. (source, source, source)Where they’re found
You can find phthalates in products like perfume/cologne, shampoos, hand lotion, eye liner, eye shadow, mascara, lip stick, bronzer, nail polish, hair gels, deodorants, hairspray, and aftershave lotion. There are several forms of phthalates that may be lurking in your beauty products.ON LABELS, LOOK FOR: diethly phthalates (DEP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP), benzylbutyl phthalate (BzBP), and dibutyl phthalate (DBP).
Petroleum Byproducts
What are they?
Derived from crude oil, petroleum-based ingredients form a barrier over the skin, not allowing it to breath. These products are used by companies because they’re extremely cheap.Why they’re dangerous
Because petroleum products form a barrier over the skin, they interfere with the body’s natural moisture-production, resulting in dehydration of the skin. Furthermore, the skin is the body’s largest organ, often assisting overloaded organs in the job of detoxification. When petroleum products are introduced to the skin they can interfere with the body’s detox efforts. Petroleum products have also been linked to premature aging of the skin and are a possible carcinogen. (source)Where they’re found
Petroleum byproducts can be found in lip products, petroleum jelly, baby oil, hair products, skin moisturizers, sunblocks, deodorant, soaps, and more.ON LABELS, LOOK FOR: petrolatum, mineral oil, paraffin, paraffin oil, paraffin wax, propylene glycol, PVP/VA copolymere, and even isopropyl alcohol!
Formaldehyde
What is it?
A highly toxic impurity, formaldehyde is released by a number of preservatives used in cosmetics. The use of formaldehyde in personal products has been banned in many countries, but not in the US.Why it’s dangerous
Formaldehyde has been classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). It has also been identified as a substance that is “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen” by the US National Toxicology Program. Formaldehyde is also well known as a skin irritant. Yet, there is still no requirement for the amounts of formaldehyde to be tested in personal products here in the US. (Can anyone say “YIKES?”)Where it’s found
Formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives can be found in some nail polishes, shampoos, liquid hand soaps, body washes, nail glues, toothpastes, hair gels, hair smoothing products, lotions, and more.ON LABELS, LOOK FOR: DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, quaternium-15, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol, and sodium hydroxylmethylglycinate.
1,4-Dioxane
What is it?
According to the Environmental Working Group, 1,4-dioxane is “an unwanted byproduct of an ingredient processing method called ethoxylation used to reduce the risk of skin irritation for petroleum-based ingredients. Though 1,4-dioxane can easily be removed from products before they are sold, its widespread presence in products indicates that many manufacturers fail to take this simple step.” So I guess you could say it’s an unwanted by-product of an already harmful ingredient (petroleum byproducts) that is put into personal care products.Why it’s dangerous
Several organizations, including the Environmental Protection agency (EPA) and the US National Toxicology Program (NTP), have classified 1,4-dioxane as a probable human carcinogen. It has been linked to organ toxicity, neurotoxicity, and birth defects.Where it’s found
This contaminant can be found in most products that produce lather, such as shampoos, liquid soaps, body washes, etc. It can also be found in hair relaxers and other products.ON LABELS, LOOK FOR: PEG (polyethylene glycol), and any other ingredients that contain “eth,” like “laureth,” “ceteareth,” “oleth,” etc.
Synthetic Fragrances
What are they?
Synthetic fragrances are added to products to make them smell good. These fragrances can contain a laundry list of chemicals that don’t have to be disclosed on labels, since most fragrances are a unique blend formulated by companies. (A fragrance is considered a trade secret that is actually legally protected!) Instead, you’ll only see “fragrance” listed in the ingredients.For more information:
http://www.diynatural.com/ingredients-to-avoid-in-beauty-products/.
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