3 years ago I carried the report that Farrouk Khaddoumi, the ex-PLO Foreign Secretary and deputy to Arafat, had alleged that Abu Mazan (Abbas) had co-operated in an Israeli plot to murder Arafat
. http://azvsas.blogspot.co.uk/2009/08/arafat-murdered-by....html ... read full story / add a comment

Yes, brought to you courtesy of Obama. Paraguays democratically elected President was deposed in a parliamentary coup. Shamus Cooke explains how the Obama Administration are responsible. Full text at link.

It's obvious that the President's real crimes are that he chose to ally himself more closely with Paraguay's left, which in reality means the working and poor masses of the country, who, like other Latin American countries, choose socialism as their form of political expression. ... read full story / add a comment

The counter-revolution is on the march in Syria. It is important that all socialists realise this and do not end up supporting the imperialists who are waging this war through mercenaries and fundamentalists. Full text at link.

Over the last few weeks Socialist Worker has finally admitted what has been obvious for months: the uprising in Syria is not purely and simply a popular revolution. Editor Judith Orr concedes that there are “competing forces” involved and that the imperialists, together with reactionary Arab regimes, are bent on imposing their own ‘solution’. “But at the same time,” she concludes, “we must support the mass popular revolt from below that aims to bring down Assad’s brutal regime” (June 23).

Back in March Socialist Worker published a highly critical article by Sami Ramadani, who commented that, for the Socialist Workers Party, “Wishful thinking has replaced materialist analysis. We have to recognise that the imperialist-backed Arab counterrevolution has, in the short term, regained the initiative and is on the offensive.” While the protests in Syria “began spontaneously and were mostly led by progressives demanding radical political reform”, it is now clear that, “as in Libya, pro-Nato factions have captured the initiative” (March 24).
... read full story / add a comment

The Irish Times reported last week that Israel's Deputy Ambassador to Ireland, Nurit Tinari-Modai, is advocating a campaign of intimidation, smears and falsification against Israeli human rights activists who campaign in solidarity with Palestinians . Nurit Tinari-Modai suggests that a good way of undermining opponents of Zionism is to insinuate that "sexual identity problems" motivates those who protest the treatment oif Palestinians .
“Israel’s Channel 10 News reported that Nurit Tinari Modai, who is cultural officer at the embassy and is married to ambassador Boaz Modai, advised that the foreign ministry should adopt a new strategy in which it would “try to hit [the activists’] soft underbellies .” ... read full story / add a comment

War against Iran has already begun, Sanctions and Malware are the oening acts of war against Iran. Yassamine Mather writes that those who condemn the crimes of the regime should also condemn the crimes of imperialism and its agents, .

As the prospect of failure of the third round of talks between Iran and the 5+1 countries looms, the US-led soft war on Iran has been ratcheted up with the threat of further sanctions and the launching of a powerful computer virus targeting Iran’s nuclear research facilities. The virus has already spread to the commercial sectors, including the oil and banking industries. ... ... read full story / add a comment

Carole Lucas MP reveals the role of police agent provocateurs who infiltrated the Animal Liberation Front. Full text and vid at link.

An MP has used parliamentary privilege to name an undercover police officer who allegedly planted a fire bomb at a London department store in 1987.
Green MP Caroline Lucas said a jailed man, Geoff Sheppard, believed police officer Bob Lambert planted a device. Mr Lambert infiltrated the Animal Liberation Front and his evidence helped convict two men of fire-bombing three Debenhams stores. ... read full story / add a comment

Even the Rain (También la Lluvia) Playing for 1 week exclusively in The Light House Cinema from Friday June 8th

We had a full house in The Light House cinema last Sunday for the premiere of Even the Rain. If you missed it, there's no cause for worry as the film starring Gael Garcia Bernal, is out this Friday exclusively at Light House Cinema. The film will run for one week from Friday 8th June. We hope you can make it down. It is an excellent film and well worth seeing. ... read full story / add a comment

Articles:

Leitrim woman is honoured by NICRA co-founder as the ‘prisoners’ friend’ IRPSG report.

The framing of Michael McKevitt - Part two By Michael Holden.

The Imperialist infantilisation of Afghan, Asian and African women.

Free Salameh Kaileh and all socialist militants, no support to the Syrian counter-revolution led by the Free Syrian Army and Imperialism. ... read full story / add a comment

Our creeping loss of privacy is the subject of an interesting article in todays Irish Examiner. Activists, now more than ever need to get up to speed on how to protect their digital privacy if engaging in activities deemed "troublesome" by state actors. (i.e. actively exercising your democratic rights to free speech etc. Y'know, stuff like that! ;-) ... read full story / add a comment

Friends at any cost: Israel is happy to welcome an Anti-Semite and nazi sympathiser to Israel.Tony Greenstein looks at whats going on here. Full text at link.

That the Lithuanian government should commemorate the memory of its quisling Prime Minister is not surprising. That the same anti-Semites who laud the Lithuanian Waffen SS survivors are also pro-Zionist is also not surprising. But that Israel's Foreign Minister, the arch-racist Avigdor Lieberman, should hosts a ministerial welcome to Lithuania's Foreign Minister, a man who tried to prevent the restoration of stolen property to its Jewish owners, should shock even a few Zionists. ... read full story / add a comment

Another day, another provocation. Yes, the US led GCC is carrying out War Games around disputed Isles in the Persian Gulf, Isles first seized by the Shah in 1971. Funnily enough the US had no objections to that. Yassamine Mather writes on this and May Day demonstrations in Iran. Full text at link.

However, then came news of another conflict in the Persian Gulf - this time between Iran on the one side and Saudi Arabia and Gulf Cooperation Council countries on the other. Arab and US media reported that the Peninsula Shield Force, the military coordinating army of the GCC, had been carrying out military manoeuvres to “test harmony and coordination among ground, air and naval forces and their readiness”. ... read full story / add a comment

The UN deploy monitors but the US is preparing for a military intervention in Syria. The Fundamentalist opposition have little support within Syria and have publicly boasted of their intent to Ethnically Cleanse Christians and Alawis, this doesn't seem to bother their Western backers. Full text of article by Niall Green at link.

Despite the claims of the United States and its allies that they are seeking a peace deal and humanitarian relief in Syria, the Annan mission and the presence of foreign observers constitute a political fraud. They are a smokescreen behind which the imperialist powers and their regional proxies are advancing their agenda of regime-change in Damascus. ... read full story / add a comment

Its not just a rogue attack from the Israeli Terrorist State thats on the agenda: Obama and his minions are deliberately psyching up the US people with their bellicose statements. Preconditions which cannot be met are being set for negotiations. Israel is being supplied with enhanced missile capability. Yassamine Mather deals with these points in the article below. Full text at link.

On Saturday April 14 Iran will attend talks with six world powers. The US has indicated this is Iran’s “last chance” to avoid military intervention and the Obama administration is taking very specific demands to the talks as preconditions for further negotiations: for example, Iran “must immediately close” a large nuclear facility allegedly built underneath a mountain if it wants to avoid a devastating strike. ... read full story / add a comment

A greek pensioner and world war II hero, shot himself on front of the greek parliament to die with some dignity rather than waiting until he had to search for food in garbage cans, and becoming a burden to hs children. Apparently Suicide rates have soared in greece. ... read full story / add a comment

Sharing Ireland is an informal project to connect anyone in Ireland who is interested in non-commercial culture. We want to encourage varied and meaningful forms of direct sharing, cooperation and mutual aid. ... read full story / add a comment

There is an eerie sense of deja vu as the rhetoric used by the Imperialist leaders echoes that used in 2003 prior to the invasion of Iraq. Ben Lewis reports on debates in Westminster , international developments and the ever present danger of an Israeli attack on Iran. Full text at link.

The debate was initiated by Conservative MP John Baron, perhaps the only Tory MP who opposes an attack on Iran. His motion was simple and straightforward: “This house believes that the use of force against Iran would be wholly counterproductive and would serve only to encourage any development of nuclear weapons; and calls upon the government to rule out the use of force against Iran and reduce tensions by redoubling diplomatic efforts.” Malcolm Rifkind, Tory chairman of the intelligence and security committee, moved an amendment that completely changed its content. The amendment deleted everything except “This house” and replaced the rest of Baron’s motion with: “… supports the government’s efforts to reach a peaceful, negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear issue through a combination of pressure in the form of robust sanctions, and engagement led by the E3+3 comprising the UK, US, France, Germany, China and Russia; and recognises the value of making clear to Iran that all options for addressing the issue remain on the table”.

The Rifkind amendment, which was passed by an overwhelming majority of 285 to 6. Those who voted against the amendment were Labour MPs John McDonnell, Paul Flynn and Dennis Skinner; Jonathan Edwards of Plaid Cymru; Mark Durkan of the Social Democratic and Labour Party; and Baron himself. ... read full story / add a comment

PhiliIMC reports on the slaying of Indymedia Kenya organizer Stephen Nyash last Tuesday . The shooting occurred in the Korogocho ghetto of Nairobi, where Nyash had lived and worked for most of his life. ... read full story / add a comment

Since approximately the early 1980s Capitalism has been on the offensive to attack working conditions and take away the hard won labour rights of the previous century or so.

In those years we have seen manufacturing jobs move offshore and increasing amounts of temporary and part-time jobs which have less rights than full time jobs.

We have seen multi-national and chain stores declare bankruptcy to allow these firms to walk away from their healthcare and pension obligations, only to re-open the following week.

But yet this is not good enough and the capitalists and because of the logic of capitalism itself, as usual never give up and have their sights firmly set on things like decent wages, holiday pay, sick pay, pensions and health-cover.

And leading the latest innovation in exploition is IBM Germany with their new programme called, "liquid" and reported in an article titled 'IBM launches new form of day-wage labour' on the www.wsws.org website. ... read full story / add a comment

Yes, it’s kicking off everywhere.

Over the last 18 months we have seen a sea change in resistance and popular consciousness. The Arab Spring has put revolution back on the agenda of global politics.

In Britain, we’ve seen the occupation of Millbank and student revolt, the huge TUC March and now the massive N30 strike.

... read full story / add a comment

More trouble for the islamist NTC. Full text at link.

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Fighters loyal to Libya's overthrown leader Muammar Gaddafi took control of a town south-east of the capital on Monday, flying their green flags in defiance of the country's fragile new government. The fightback by Gaddafi supporters defeated in Libya's civil war, though unlikely to spread elsewhere, added to the problems besetting a government which in the past week has been reeling from one crisis to another. Gaddafi himself was captured and killed in October after weeks on the run.

Accounts from the town of Bani Walid, about 200 km (120 miles) from Tripoli, described armed Gaddafi supporters attacking the barracks of the pro-government militia in the town and then forcing them to fall back. ... read full story / add a comment