be just

      :      Information Clearing House: ICH July 13, 2011 "The Mark" -- The tiny Persian Gulf sheikhdom of Bahrain is in the midst of seemingly irresolvable mayhem. When, in February 2011, influenced by the eruption of political protests in other Arab states, many Bahrainis poured into the streets of Manama, they were expressing their frustration of the repressive and unjust situation they had long endured. Demands for constitutional reforms, democratic rights, and a more equitable society were met with the harsh and brutal reaction of the authoritarian regime of Al-Khalifa, with the implicit consent of the United States. The neighbouring Saudi Arabia and Islamic republic of Iran manipulated the situation, aggravating the turmoil.

Jeremy Scahill Reveals CIA Facility, Prison in Somalia as U.S. Expands Covert Ops in Stricken Nation In a new investigative report published by The Nation magazine, independent journalist and Democracy Now! correspondent Jeremy Scahill reveals the CIA is using a secret facility in Somalia for counterterrorism as well as an underground prison in the Somali capital of Mogadishu. Scahill says the CIA is training a new Somali force to conduct operations in the areas controlled by the militant group, Al Shabab, and in Mogadishu. While a U.S. official told The Nation that the CIA does not run the prison, he acknowledged the CIA pays the salaries of Somali agents. [includes rush transcript]

Dr. Paul Farmer Responds to New Exposé Finding Clinton Foundation Provided Shoddy, Toxic Shelters Dr. Paul Farmer addresses a new report in The Nation magazine that alleges shelters funded by the Clinton Foundation turned out to be a series of trailers beset with problems including mold, shoddy construction and in one case, worrying levels of formaldehyde. The trailers were built by the same company, Clayton Homes, that is currently being sued in U.S. for providing formaldehyde-laced trailers for residents displaced after Hurricane Katrina. Democracy Now! recently spoke to the authors of the investigation, Isabel Macdonald and Isabeau Doucet, who called on the Clinton Foundation to respond to their findings.

allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Boko Haram Strikes Again, Kills 50 in Maiduguri DESPITE the assurances by security chiefs to put them under check, suspected members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, on Tuesday, went on rampage, bombing four different areas in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, and killed at least 50 people.

Is Murdoch's Media Empire a Cult? | Informed Comment It seems increasingly likely that the techniques of bullying, coercion, spying, and the politics of personal destruction common at the News of the World were not limited to this one piece of the Murdoch media empire. Even short of hacking, Murdoch’s properties often behave like cults, not news organizations. We have known for a long time that Fox Cable News instructs reporters on how to spin the news and promotes fascist demagogues in the evening magazine shows. Fox also has a history of ambushing its guests and disrupting their lives. Bill O’Reilly has had liberal bloggers, including one young woman, followed around and more or less stalked. Keith Olbermann maintains that Fox essentially blackmailed him into accepting a much reduced salary when he reported to his bosses that he was suffering from strained health. It has been noted that despite the obviously unprofessional practices within NewsCorp media, there are never tell-all...