Category Archives: Global Politics

German, Austrian political leaders call on EU for billions in refugee aid

German and Austrian political leaders have urged the EU to allocate billions in refugee aid to Syria’s neighbors to stem the exodus to Europe. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s interior minister wants stricter EU asylum rules.

Source: German, Austrian political leaders call on EU for billions in refugee aid

Japan’s parliament approves controversial security bill

Japan’s upper parliament has approved a contentious law that removes post-World War II curbs on troops fighting overseas. The issue has sparked protests from pacifists who question the need to join global conflicts.

Source: Japan’s parliament approves controversial security bill

So, who will die for Japan’s wannabe deja vu “warriors?”

Queen Mary visits ambulance corps (LOC)

Queen Mary visits ambulance corps (LOC)

The Library of Congress posted a photo:Bain News Service,, publisher.Queen Mary visits ambulance corps[between ca. 1915 and ca. 1920]1 negative : glass ; 5 x 7 in. or smaller.Notes: Title from unverified data provided by the Bain News Service on the negatives or caption cards.Forms part of: George Grantham Bain Collection (Library of Congress).Format: Glass negatives.Rights Info: No known restrictions on publication.Repository: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA, hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.printGeneral information about the Bain Collection is available at hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.ggbainHigher resolution image is available (Persistent URL): hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ggbain.25109Call Number: LC-B2- 4301-1Original enclosures:

CENSORED NEWS: Photos Navajo in Palestine: ‘Ethnic Cleansing: The Apartheid Wall’

By Dineh (Navajo) Farmer in Palestine Roberto NutlouisCensored News”They built a wall to try to keep terrorists out                                   And it becomes symbolic what terrorism’s about” (h. Salam)Spent the day taking with various communities impacted by the apartheid wall. They explained it as ‘Ethnic Cleansing’ by making their lives severely difficult and many communities have becomes ghost towns. The Beduin communities have collective decided to resist relocation. It demonstrates indigenous peoples deep connection to their lands are not easily uprooted.Beduin elders remind us this struggle is not isolated but rather part of the continued colonization.”The British brought settlers to your lands and they also sent them to our lands” — Roberto Nutlouis, Dineh in Palestine

Source: CENSORED NEWS: Photos Navajo in Palestine: ‘Ethnic Cleansing: The Apartheid Wall’

US signals shift of approach to Syria conflict | News | DW.COM | 17.09.2015

On Wednesday, Moscow offered to meet with officials from Washington to discuss military operations that could help defeat “Islamic State” militants while also preventing potential clashes between Russia soldiers and US-trained troops.After initial hesitation, the White House said Thursday it might be open to such a meeting. US Secretary of State John Kerry said the Obama administration was still evaluating the Russian proposal.”The White House, the Defense Department and State Department are discussing next steps in order to determine the best way forward,” he said.

Source: US signals shift of approach to Syria conflict | News | DW.COM | 17.09.2015

The Collection of Presidential Briefing Products from 1961 to 1969 | CIA FOIA (foia.cia.gov) {Foreign policy wonk dream!}

The CIA’s Historical Review Program on 16 September 2015 released a collection of presidential briefing products written during the Kennedy and Johnson presidential administrations. This large-scale release of The President’s Intelligence Checklists (PICLs) [an acronym pronounced “pickles”] and The President’s Daily Briefs (PDBs) includes almost 2,500 documents exclusively written for the president each day except Sunday. They summarized the day-to-day intelligence and analysis on current and future national security issues. President Kennedy received the first PICL — a seven-page 8 ½- by 8-inch booklet — on Saturday, 17 June 1961 at his country home near Middleburg, Virginia. The PICL was replaced by the PDB on 1 December 1964, during the Johnson administration. In addition to the PDBs and PICLs, the collection includes The President’s Intelligence Review and its replacement, Highlights of the Week, as well as ad hoc supplemental products and annexes that featured topics of presidential interest. The CIA originators of the PICL, and later the PDB, strove to craft a daily current product that was true to sensitive source reporting and yet was easily readable by the president and his advisors.

Source: The Collection of Presidential Briefing Products from 1961 to 1969 | CIA FOIA (foia.cia.gov)

Hungary fires tear gas, water cannons to hold back refugees | News | DW.COM | 16.09.2015

Police in Hungary’s Roszke border crossing have fired tear gas and water cannons to scatter asylum seekers wanting to cross over from Serbia. Budapest has closed down its borders to keep new arrivals out.

Source: Hungary fires tear gas, water cannons to hold back refugees | News | DW.COM | 16.09.2015

Hungary’s shame begins at its borders!

Countries Using Child Soldiers Join UK Arms Fair

Credit: Stop the Arms FairBy a Global Information Network correspondentLONDON, Sep 15 2015 (IPS)Human rights and citizen activist groups are criticizing one of the world’s largest arms bazaars, which opened at London’s Docklands Tuesday.Participants in what is officially known as the Defense and Security International (DSEI) include 61 countries that violate human rights, such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Angola and Algeria. According to the website, some 30,000 visitors are expected.More than 1,500 companies will exhibit their military wares, including the U.S. and UK giants Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon and BAE Systems. Forty foreign governments will have pavilions. Sponsors and co-sponsors of the event include Turkey, South Africa, Northrup Grumman and Hewlett Packard.The four-day fair has drawn furious debate between human rights activists and those who say the arms industry provides thousands of jobs and valuable exports.Citizen activist groups using Twitter and other social media have jumped into action to condemn the fair. Traders at previous arms fairs, they note, have been able to buy and sell equipment used for torture including electric shock stun guns and batons, leg-irons, and belly-, body- and gang-chains. There has also been a range of illegal cluster-munition weaponry advertised at the fair.Nine, companies which have attended the DSEI fair between 2005 and 2013, have breached UK law, according to human rights campaigner Amnesty International.This year’s DSEI comes as the UK government ramps up its effort to sell weapons to countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, by far its most lucrative single arms market.Ryvka Barnard, senior military and security campaigner for the activist group War on Want, took issue with organizers giving Israel a national pavilion where Israeli arms companies exhibit ‘battle tested’ military technology used on Palestinians.The UK headquarters of Amnesty also spoke up: “In the past, torture equipment has been on offer right on our doorstep. Things like illegal leg irons and electric-shock batons have been shamelessly advertised and it’s blindingly obvious the law needs tightening up.“We need strengthened laws – and crucially we need proper enforcement – to stop Britain being used as a showroom for torturers to advertise their disgusting wares…” the group said.Groups organizing on Twitter against arms sales include Stop the Arms Fair!, Stop DSEI, Pax Christi and the Campaign Against Arms Trade, among others.

Source: Countries Using Child Soldiers Join UK Arms Fair

IUF UITA IUL | Uniting food, farm and hotel workers worldwide

Finland’s new right-wing coalition government has announced plans to unilaterally cut pay and benefits negotiated through collective bargaining through legislation which violates basic trade union rights, Conventions of the ILO and international and European human rights instruments. CLICK HERE TO SEND A MESSAGE!

Source: IUF UITA IUL | Uniting food, farm and hotel workers worldwide