Driven mad: inside a Libyan detention centre for female migrants

Published on Middle East Eye.net, May 9, 2015: Women held in poor conditions for long periods after failed Mediterranean crossings want to go home, but funds are lacking.

TRIPOLI – Two women gaze out through the broken grill covering one of the windows of the Sorman Detention Centre for illegal immigrants. They are among seven long-term detainees who arrived in Libya in search of a better life but instead found themselves incarcerated in a dank prison which eventually drove them mad. Continuer la lecture de « Driven mad: inside a Libyan detention centre for female migrants »

Clear-Cutting (in the Valcea region of the Carpathian Mountains) in Romania

Logging Threatens One of Europe’s Last Virgin Forests – Published on Spiegel Online International, by Nils Klawitter, May 8, 2015 (Photo Gallery).

One of Europe’s most beautiful forest areas is disappearing piece by piece in Romania’s Carpathian Mountains. Some of the logging is illegal. The wood is then sold to make flooring or heating pellets that are sold in Germany and other countries. Continuer la lecture de « Clear-Cutting (in the Valcea region of the Carpathian Mountains) in Romania »

The looming Iraq (economic) disaster

Published on Al-Ahram weekly online, by Salah Nasrawi, May 7, 2015.

As Iraq remains bogged down with the war against IS, another catastrophe could be on the horizon.

The Iraqi government is considering a set of measures to deal with the crushing financial crisis, which many fear could lead to economic collapse and accelerate the breakup of the divided and war-torn country.   Continuer la lecture de « The looming Iraq (economic) disaster »

Money Argent Geld

America's Willing Helper: Intelligence Scandal Puts Merkel in Tight Place

Published on Spiegel Online International, by Maik Baumgärtner, Nikolaus Blome, Matthias Gebauer, Hubert Gude, Frank Hornig, Martin Knobbe, Veit Medick, Gordon Repinski, Sven Röbel, Marcel Rosenbach, Jörg Schindler, Fidelius Schmid, Holger Stark and Gerald Traufetter, May 4, 2015 (Photo Gallery).

Germany’s latest spying scandal has created the biggest crisis yet for the country’s foreign intelligence agency. The German government appears to have been aware of widespread US spying, possibly including economic espionage, against European targets and yet it did nothing to stop it … // Continuer la lecture de « America's Willing Helper: Intelligence Scandal Puts Merkel in Tight Place »

today in french: Alexandre Jardin

UPDATE: Video: Aux actes citoyens – Alexandre Jardin, un zèbre de passage au congrès de la FIQ, 39.29 min, mise en ligne par FIQ Santé, le 25 avril 2014;

I: L’Appel des Zèbres, Laissez-nous faire, on a déjà commencé – Publié dans Ambition France.org: La France ne peut plus se permettre de tout attendre d’un système sanctionné à chaque élection. Il faut que la confiance revienne. Elle ne se décrétera pas, elle se gagnera par l’action d’intérêt général, dans nos territoires … //

  • … Laissez-nous faire, nous les Faizeux, celles et ceux qui agissent au quotidien pour trouver des solutions performantes aux maux qui rongent notre société.
  • Laissez-nous faire, nous les acteurs du monde associatif, mutualiste ou entrepreneurial qui donnons concrètement des outils aux Français pour qu’ils se prennent en main. Continuer la lecture de « today in french: Alexandre Jardin »

The Message of Anzac: Put Out More Flags, or Shut Up

Published on ZNet (and also on teleSUR), by John Pilger, May 2, 2015. [Update 1: … also in the Sydney Morning Herald/Comment, by John Pilger, April 28, 2015 … and first on John Pilger.com].

Following a week in Australia in which the words “heroes” and “heroism” bobbed on a tsunami of raw propaganda, a tribute is due to two unrecognised heroes. The first is Ray Jackson, who died on 23 April. Continuer la lecture de « The Message of Anzac: Put Out More Flags, or Shut Up »

BRICS from below: counterpower movements in Brazil, India and South Africa

Published on ZNet (first on open democracy), by Patrick Heller, May 2, 2015.

Much has been made of the recent wave of social movements against neo-liberalism and precarity. From the Arab Spring to the Occupy movements to the student protests against the educational system in Chile, commentators have detected a Polanyi-like wave of counter movements to neo-liberal globalization. But what exactly do these movements have in common? Continuer la lecture de « BRICS from below: counterpower movements in Brazil, India and South Africa »

Reefs etc.

Donetsk Separatist Leader: We Are Not Citizens of Ukraine

Interview with Alexander Zakharchenko – Published on Spiegel Online International, by Christian Neef, April 29, 2015
(Photo Gallery: An Urge to Expand).

Alexander Zakharchenko is the leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, which is not recognized by the international community. In a rare interview, he says his greatest hope is that Moscow will annex his territory just as it did Crimea … // Continuer la lecture de « Donetsk Separatist Leader: We Are Not Citizens of Ukraine »

Greece replaces Finance Minister Varoufakis as lead in debt talks

Published on Russia Today RT, April 28, 2015 .

The Greek government has given Financial Relations Minister Euclid Tsakalotos the lead in negotiating with international creditors. The Syriza-led coalition says the team headed by Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis has failed to produce results.
The Athens government announced the decision on Monday.   Continuer la lecture de « Greece replaces Finance Minister Varoufakis as lead in debt talks »