Showing all posts in June 2019

The BBC director of nations and regions has called for an end to “air-conditioned journalism“, which, simply put, is related to “hotel journalism” and “mouse journalism.” Journalists should get out of the office. Reporting political and business leaders sprouting daily drivel may be what corporate media encourages, but this is not what journalism should be…

An unfortunate, but perhaps understandable, situation: “Arab governments appeared reluctant Thursday to condemn Iran’s president for calling the Holocaust a ‘myth’ used by Europeans to create a Jewish state in the heart of the Islamic world. “While official Arab reaction in such cases is usually slower than international reaction, any issue involving a defence of…

Juan Cole, December 15: “The Iraqi ‘government’ is a failed state. Virtually no order it gives has any likelihood of being implemented. It has no army to speak of and cannot control the country. Its parliamentarians are attacked and sometimes killed with impunity. Its oil pipelines are routinely bombed, depriving it of desperately needed income.…

Anti-war and anti-nuclear protestors are dangerous, according to the Pentagon: “Earlier this week NBC News exposed the existence of a secret Pentagon database to track intelligence gathered inside the United States. The database including information on dozens of anti-war protests and rallies particularly actions targeting military recruiting. “The list included: counter-military recruiting meetings held at…

“‘Terrorism’ is what we call violence of the weak, and we condemn it; ‘war’ is what we call violence of the strong, and we glorify it.” – Sydney Harris, “Nations should submit to the rule of the law”, Clearing the Ground (1986)

– An update on the current situation in Nepal. Is the King serious about peace and democracy? Don’t count on it. – In violation of international law and the so-called “Road Map”, Israel announces construction of yet more houses in West Bank settlements and Hamas wins big in local Palestinian elections. – Israel’s former top…

At least somebody in the Israeli political mainstream is telling the truth: “Labor Party’s campaign manager Motti Morel’s comments insinuating that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon wished to cause a flare up in the territories on Thursday raised a political storm, as Kadima officials urged Labor Chairman Amir Peretz to fire Morel, to prove that he…

Former Labor leader Mark Latham has become a best-selling author with his tell-all Diaries and vehemently disliked by the political and media establishment. After seeing him last night in Sydney – looking tanned and fit – he appeared to exude an air of confidence. He has, after all, left politics and now spends his days…

Sydney Morning Herald, December 15: “Malaysia has delivered a blow to Australia’s East Asian aspirations, saying it is not part of East Asia and should not expect to become part of a future community.” Murdoch’s Australian, December 15: “Malaysia yesterday formally buried its opposition to Australia’s continuing involvement in East Asian affairs.”

As corporate media becomes less reliable by the day, the web has allowed lone voices of dissent to surface and be read worldwide. Take this stunning recent editorial by the Idaho Mountain Express and Guide: “Rather than gutting news budgets, great newspapers should be providing wider ranging coverage and explanation of events that are reshaping…