Winning Hearts & Minds

CIA didn’t always know who it was killing in drone strikes, classified documents show

"About one of every four of those killed by drones in Pakistan between Sept. 3, 2010, and Oct. 30, 2011, were classified as 'other militants,' the documents detail. The 'other militants' label was used when the CIA could not determine the affiliation of those killed, prompting questions about how the agency could conclude they were a threat to U.S. national security. The uncertainty appears to arise from the use of so-called 'signature' strikes to eliminate suspected terrorists -- picking targets based in part on their behavior and associates. A former White House official said the U.S. sometimes executes people based on 'circumstantial evidence.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCIA didn’t always know who it was killing in drone strikes, classified documents show

Lies the IMF Tells

"The International Monetary Fund has published a scathing internal self-assessment of its bailout of Greece three years ago. It isn't pretty. The IMF underestimated the damage that fiscal austerity would do to the Greek economy in its earliest rescue of the nation in 2010. It was too slow to promote a write-down of the nation's debts to more sustainable levels. And it was compromised by a sometimes unwieldy partnership with major European institutions in what became known as the 'troika.' The IMF could have handled its 2010 bailout of Greece quite a bit better, a staff review found." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLies the IMF Tells

Turkey’s Garanti Bank losing customers in anti-government protest

"Tens of thousands of people have staged protests in cities across Turkey and many have complained that domestic broadcasters and newspapers are not adequately covering their action out of fear of government reprisals. Dogus Holding, which owns a major stake in Garanti, also controls the NTV television station, which has angered the protesters with its coverage. 'Some customers have cancelled their cards and accounts, but it has been limited,' Chief Executive Ergun Ozen told Reuters. He said 35-40 million lira in funds had been withdrawn in the past week, from total accounts of 95 billion, while around 1,500 of Garanti's 8.5 million credit cards had been cancelled." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTurkey’s Garanti Bank losing customers in anti-government protest

Hundreds of protesters in Toronto call for Mayor Rob Ford to resign

"Hundreds of protesters gathered in Toronto on Saturday to call for the resignation of embattled city mayor Rob Ford over a scandal involving a video of him allegedly smoking crack. The event, called Stand up for Toronto – Let’s Demand Rob Ford’s Resignation, comes on the back of a week of resignations among Ford’s close aides and continued denials of drug use by the controversial politician. The Star and the Globe and Mail have reported that the police are now investigating links between the video and a recent homicide in Toronto. The Star also reported this week that the third man in the photograph was injured in the same shooting, two months ago." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHundreds of protesters in Toronto call for Mayor Rob Ford to resign

Iraq hit by worst violence since 2008

"Iraq was hit in May by its worst violence in five years, further stoking fears of all-out sectarian strife, as its top two political rivals publicly embraced on Saturday in symbolic move aimed at easing tensions. Authorities have failed to bring the wave of unrest under control, nor addressed the underlying political issues that analysts say are driving the attacks, and the UN envoy to Iraq has warned that the violence is 'ready to explode.' May’s death toll was more than 600, according to officials and more than 1,000, according to the United Nations. The wave of violence comes about 18 months after the last American troops left Iraq, which is neither secure nor stable." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIraq hit by worst violence since 2008

U.S. levies sanctions on Iranian petrochemical industry

"The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on Iran’s petrochemical industry, vowing to target more of the Islamic regime’s sources of revenue after curbing its vital oil exports. US officials said they were taking action against Iran’s petrochemical industry as it represented the Iranian government’s largest source of revenue after oil, which has been severely curtailed by a US-led sanctions campaign. The United States slapped sanctions that include a ban on US-based financial transactions on the Niksima Food & Beverage Co., a Dubai-based frozen yogurt and dessert company. Since last year, the United States has brandished sanctions against anyone who buys Iran’s oil." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingU.S. levies sanctions on Iranian petrochemical industry

China trying new form of ‘Internet censorship’ ahead of Tiananmen Square crackdown anniversary

"China is experimenting with more subtle methods to censor Internet search results ahead of the 24th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown, according to a group that monitors blocked websites in the country. In the past, a search for keywords in China related to the events of June 4, 1989, came up with an explicit message saying: 'According to relevant laws, regulations and policies, search results for (the blocked keyword) can not be displayed.' But GreatFire.org said in the lead up to the anniversary certain searches, such as 'June 4 incident', had been intermittently returning a series of 'carefully selected results'." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingChina trying new form of ‘Internet censorship’ ahead of Tiananmen Square crackdown anniversary

Stockholm’s unrest stoked by unemployment

"Although the social democratic government did succeed in creating more affordable housing by the mid-seventies, little else went to plan. Middle-class Swedes moved out, and when the country in the past decade welcomed hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia, among others, the apartments they were allocated were often in areas like Husby. Housing segregation is often named as one of the reasons it takes the average immigrant to Sweden years, not months, to find work. Even among the second generation, many say they rarely make it to a job interview." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingStockholm’s unrest stoked by unemployment

Despite Ongoing Protest, Obama Resumes Drone Attacks in Pakistan

"Despite repeated and recent warnings that such attacks are destabilizing and an affront to its territorial sovereignty, reports indicate the US military executed a pair of drone missile strikes in Pakistan on Wednesday in what appears to be an attempt to assassinate a high-level Taliban commander. It remains unclear whether or not Wali-ur-Rehman—the reported target of the attack— was, in fact, killed, but reports from various media outlets suggest between four and seven fatalities resulted from the attack that occurred in the North Waziristan tribal region." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDespite Ongoing Protest, Obama Resumes Drone Attacks in Pakistan

Turkish PM urges end to Istanbul protests as police pull out after 2 days

"Turkey’s prime minister on Saturday called for an immediate end to violent protests which have engulfed Istanbul for two days, in what were one of the biggest anti-government demonstrations since the Islamist-rooted leadership came to power. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan admitted that 'there have been some mistakes, extremism in police response' and that legal action would be taken against officers who added disproportionately. But he also remained defiant, vowing to push forward with controversial plans to redevelop the iconic Taksim square — the catalyst that had sparked the protests." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTurkish PM urges end to Istanbul protests as police pull out after 2 days