Oh dear. Yesterday the Washington Post reported that al Qaeda successfully seized a strategic airport, sea port and al-Dhabah oil export facility in the south of Yemen after skirmishes with Yemeni troops. According to officials who remained anonymous, al Qaeda combatants engaged one of the largest Yemeni infantry brigades on the outskirt of Mukalla, successfully … Read more
Russian President Vladimir Putin likened the U.S. to the post-WWII Soviet Union during his annual question-and-answer, saying that the West must respect Moscow’s interests if it wants to normalize diplomatic relations. Putin spoke about, “certain big powers,” saying those powers “don’t need allies, they only need vassals.” He added that Russia would “never accept that role.” “After WWII we tried … Read more
In Ngaba, Tibet — the scene of many self immolations by Tibetans protesting Chinese rule over the past several years — a man in his forties or fifties self immolated Wednesday beside a shrine he had set up which included photos of the Dalai Lama, the Tenth Panchen Lama, and his family, as well as the traditional butter-lamps and … Read more
SEOUL, South Korea — South Koreans paid tribute to the victims of the Sewol ferry disaster today in central Seoul, one year after the ferry sank, causing the deaths of 304 people April 16, 2014. The Sewol ferry was heading to Jeju Island from Incheon International Port Passenger Terminal, carrying 476 passengers. Of those, 325 were high … Read more
The clock is ticking on the Greek debt agreement, and the smell of impending default fills the air. The Financial Times reported on Monday that the Greek government is prepared to forego €2.5 billion worth of payments due to the IMF in the next couple months, effectively plunging the nation into default. The southern European … Read more
SEOUL, South Korea — Nongovernmental organization Justice for North Korea (JFNK) launched a street campaign last Saturday in Insadong Street, Central Seoul to bring attention to the North Korean crisis. Founder of JFNK and activist Peter Jung and street campaign coordinator Aaron Peterson held the campaign with four volunteers. Three people handed out flyers which explained about the … Read more
U.S. sponsored Saudi slaughter ensues in Yemen, but “not a peep from the pope,” as Celente likes to say. The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday that the U.S. is in the processes of expanding its involvement in the Saudi Arabian effort to oust Iran-backed rebels in Yemen. The U.S. military is aiding the Saudis by … Read more
Tibet’s spiritual leader the Dalai Lama made a speech in Japan this week in which he said that he expects to finalize his decision in 2025 about who his reincarnated successor will be. The Dalai Lama will be 90 years old at that time. However, China has reiterated its claim that the government has the … Read more
A Tibetan nun self immolated April 8, becoming the 140th known self immolation in protest of Chinese rule over the Himalayan region. The nun, Yeshi Kandro, who was in her 40s, was known to be a serious practitioner of meditation and deeply concerned with Tibetan issues, according to sources of International Campaign for Tibet. Yeshi may … Read more
Photo reportage by David Cordova. Mexico is in a deep human rights crisis as a result of its continuing mistreatment of Central American immigrants. The government has started a campaign with the objective of reducing the number of immigrants who attempt to cross the southern border of Mexico. Thousands of officials from the National Institute … Read more
You don’t have to look far on social networking or in the pub to find an old punk bemoaning the fact that the kids “have nothing to say these days.” He’s well aware that it’s not the summer of 1976 anymore, but what disturbs him more is that his kids are embarrassed by his somewhat … Read more
In a major victory for free speech, the Indian supreme court slashed the draconian provision in section 66A of the Information Technology Act. Session 66A had infringed the right of speech of Indian citizens since 2000. The IT Act of 2000 gave the Indian government the power to arrest an individual for posting “offensive” content online. … Read more