This interview touches upon various important topics but it is particularly valuable because it set the record strait about the Western propaganda about the Russian government’s “crackdown” on NGOs such as these from the BBC: Angela Merkel tells Vladimir Putin – Russia needs NGOs Russia NGOs decry ‘intimidation’ raids Fears for NGOs in Russia as tax raids multiply Russian police raid rights group Memorial and other NGOs Needless to say,
I have been watching the circus on the Korean peninsula with some dismay for a while already. I am dismayed not only by the fact that both sides are acting rather irresponsibly, but also by what I consider a potentially dangerous dismissal of the North Korean threats.First, and here I am going to alienate some folks with whom I otherwise sympathize, I do not lay the blame for the current
Just a few hours after writing about how the Saudis are seriously considering crucifying a Shia cleric, I come across this news item: now the Saudis are apparently considering deliberately paralyzing a man. Check out this BBC article: Amnesty ‘outrage’ at Saudi paralysis sentence. Here is an excerpt: The reported sentencing of paralysis for a Saudi man as punishment for paralysing another man has been described as “outrageous” by a
Please take a look at this article from the al-Akhbar English language website. I think that it is extremely interesting as it shows the true face of the Saudi Kingdom, not one of modernism and progress, but one of crass pre-medieval barbarity. Let me point of a few things here: Wahabi crucifixion in Yemen a) Crucifixion as a method of executing is legal in Saudi Arabia. Yup, that’s right. What
In 2007 I wrote several pieces warning of the arrival of overt Fascism in the USA (see: “Rudy Giuliani – the face of American Fascism“, “The only thing which can prevent a Fascist President in 2008” and “When is the use of the “F” word appropriate?”). Now, five years later, I would say that what I observe in the USA is some form of “creeping Fascism” which has succeeded in
Results from the new Russian-Chinese strategic partnership are coming in fast. First, Russia has agreed to sell China 4 advanced diesel-electric submarines of the “Lada” class (aka Project 677): Project 677 This type of submarine is one of the most advanced in its class, even superior to its formidable predecessor the “Kilo” class Project 636 which was already so silent that it was nicknamed the “Black Hole” because for its
The last couple of days have been truly of immense, historical, importance for Russia, first because of the hugely important visit of Xi Jinping, the President of the People’s Republic of China, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, and the Chairman of the Central Military Commission. During this visit the Chinese side stressed that it was highly symbolic that Xi Jinping had chosen Russia as the first country
Why I believe that this is a “must watch” documentary: This is a documentary by Anastasia Popova, a correspondent for the Russian TV station “Rossia 24”. Don’t expect any kind of sympathy for the FSA from these reporters who are 100% behind the Syrian Army and who are absolutely outraged at what they strongly believe is the rape of a nation by a coalition of international terrorists and NATO special
If this is not yet another case of mistaken translation, as there have been many in the past, then it appears that the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has made a completely empty threat towards Israel. According to RT, Iran’s most powerful authority, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said the Islamic Republic would raze the cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa “to the ground” if Israel launched a military strike against
In the bad old days when I used to do analysis for a living, I had a boss which always insisted that I offer him several possible outcomes. He wanted me to tell him, “either X or Y could happen, but if not, then Z is a definite possibility”. In his mind, by covering all the possible outcomes our department’s “analysis” would never be wrong, and he would ways been
I have to admit that there is probably a logic to this method :-)
Matthew Fox (former Catholic priest) discusses the Vatican’s work with the CIA and it’s alliance with far right political forces and Pope Francis’ opposition to liberation theology in Latin America. Comment: There is a contradiction in Matthew Fox’ position. He blames the Papacy for its alliance with the CIA, but he also says that the Dalai Lama should be the next Pope because he represents a real spirituality. The Dalai
By Adrian Salbuchi for RT: Islanders take part in the “Proud to be British” parade along Ross Road in Port Stanley, Falkland (Malvinas for Argentina) Islands, on March 10, The British government and press are noisily congratulating each other over the results of a referendum amongst the 1800 or so voting “Kelpers” as Britain’s second-rate nationals in the Falklands/Malvinas Islands in the South Atlantic are called. Clearly a useless but
This is a topic which I have been most hesitant to cover for many reasons, including the fact that my views on this topic have come to change, and that they did so not as a result of the discovery of indisputable facts, but under the combined action of much “in between the lines” readings of events, many indirect events pointing in the same direction, combined with a very strong,
Yusuf al-Qaradawi “Russia has become the first enemy of Islam and Muslims because it has stood against the Syrian people; more than 30,000 Syrians have been killed by the weapons supplied by Russia” Yusuf al-Qaradawi Reading the words of al-Qaradawi, who is arguably one of the most influential Muslim clerics on the planet whose TV show is followed by 60 million Muslims, one might wonder how anybody could ever think
I take refuge in Allah from the stoned devil. In the Name of Allah, The Compassionate, The Most Merciful. Peace be on the Seal of prophets, our Master and Prophet, Abi Al Qassem Mohammad and on his chaste and pure Household and on his chosen companions and on all messengers and prophets. Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings. In fact, I did not have the intention to
The first thing to which I would like to draw your attention to is that in the title Russia and Islam, part four: “Islam” as a threat I put the word “Islam” in quotation marks. This is very important, as most of the issues I will be discussing today are not directly linked to Islam at all. However, in the minds of many Russians, these issues are linked to Islam
por Atilio A. Boron para El Correo La aplastante victoria de Rafael Correa, con un porcentaje de votos y una diferencia entre él y su más inmediato contendiente que ya hubieran querido tener Obama, Hollande y Rajoy, deja algunas lecciones que es bueno recapitular. Primero, y lo más obvio, la ratificación del mandato popular para seguir por el camino trazado pero, como dijo Correa en su conferencia de prensa, avanzando más
