obama

As “International Burn a Koran Day” is close….

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As long as this is a work of a weird and marginal pastor and his community, I would not mind much. There are always cases like this. Some Muslims are not respectful to other religions’ sacred things, too. I suppose Terry Jones’ act itself is not that significant but many people are anxious because of the rising Islamophobia and this is a tiny reflection of  that…

update:

Pastor of Florida church cancels plans to burn Qur’an, later reconsiders

from Wikinews

The leader of a Gainesville, Florida church announced yesterday that the church had cancelled its plan to burn copies of the Qur’an on Saturday, but later stated that he had reconsidered his decision. Earlier yesterday, Pastor Terry Jones said that the Dove World Outreach Center would cancel the burning of the Islamic holy book, stating that Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, had agreed to relocate Park51, a mosque and community center to be located a few hundred meters away from the site of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

QURAN BURNING cartoons by all the top cartoonists!

Quran-burning pastor was expelled from German church

from FP Passport by Joshua Keating

It turns out the Florida Pastor Terry Jones, who plans to host an “International Burn a Koran Day” event at his chuch on Sept. 11, has an interesting history in Europe as well. From Der Spiegel:

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A video: Anti-muslim Rally at Ground Zero

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A man walks through the crowd at the Ground Zero protest and is mistaken as a Muslim. The crowd turns on him and confronts him. The man in the blue hard hat calls him a coward and tries to fight him. The tall man who I think was one of the organizers tried to get … Read more

Did Obama warn or not?

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Today, White House denied that President Obama warned/gave an ultimatom to PM Erdoğan for Turkey’s foreign policy choices. But it is apparent that US does not like the new tendencies even if Obama does not explicitly castigates Erdoğan.. In the mean time, The Mavi Marmara inquiry continues slowly while Israel approaches needy Greece to start … Read more

“Obama Narrative 2.0” by The Global Language Monitor

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Obama Narrative 2.0 from The Global Language Monitor Out-of-touch moves into No. 1 position over Deficit Spending; Oil Spill tops Health Care Reformer Austin, Texas, July 24, 2010 ? As the political calendar inexorably heads toward the Mid-term elections, the focus on President Obama?s competing ?narratives? continue to play out in the media. America?s Defense … Read more

Politically motivated surveillance in US, ACLU reports..

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ACLU: America is riddled with politically motivated surveillance from Boing Boing by Cory Doctorow A new ACLU report, “Policing Free Speech: Police Surveillance and Obstruction of First Amendment-Protected Activity,” documents recent cases of politically motivated surveillance across America — cases in which people were put under surveillance “for doing little more than peacefully exercising their … Read more

Obama more popular abroad, Muslims increasingly sceptical

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Obama More Popular Abroad Than At Home, Global Image of U.S. Continues to Benefit
Source: Pew Global Attitudes Project

As the global economy begins to rebound from the great recession, people around the world remain deeply concerned with the way things are going in their countries. Less than a third of the publics in most nations say they are satisfied with national conditions, as overwhelming numbers say their economies are in bad shape. And just about everywhere, governments are faulted for the way they are dealing with the economy.

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” Physicians group alleges US conducted illegal research on detainees

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http://www.thewe.cc/thewe_/images_5/___/torture/us_detainees_on_flight.jpe

Experiments in Torture: Physicians group alleges US conducted illegal research on detainees

from Boing Boing by Xeni Jardin

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) today released evidence it says indicates that the Bush administration conducted “illegal and unethical human experimentation and research” on detainees’ response to torture while in CIA custody after 9/11. The group says such illegal activity would violate the Nuremburg Code, and could open the door to prosecutions. Their report is based on publicly available documents, and explores the participation of medical professionals in the CIA’s “enhanced interrogation program.” Download the full report at phrtorturepapers.org.

Boing Boing spoke with the lead medical author of the report, Dr. Scott Allen, who is co-director of the Center For Prisoner Health and Human Rights at Brown University, and Medical Advisor to PHR.

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Obama’s daily life photos

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Hürriyet lists a series of photos of Barack Obama.

US Foreign Policy establishment bitchin’ about the nuclear deal

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Not that US arguments are all wrong but US Foreign Policy does not offer more than sanctions to Iran and this is nothing new. No innovation, no change in their policy although diplomacy requires constant fine tuning. US still chooses the only option of threatening and then wonders why they are not liked in Middle East… Mr. Obama continues to be a disappointment in matters of foreign policy…

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FP asks: “Is the U.S. doomed to a Greek-style meltdown?

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/slaterman23/4548207324/

found in LOST

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Is the U.S. doomed to a Greek-style meltdown?

from FP Passport by Charles Homans

It seems like just yesterday that we were asking ourselves if the United States was Rome. In light of the financial collapse in the other great cradle of Mediterranean civilization, the New York Times’ David Leonhardt poses the inevitable follow-up question:

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April 24 roundup (Part II)

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April 24: A time for optimism and pessimism

from Hurriyet Dailynews by HDN
If we want to face our past and reconcile with our mistakes, we need to first start from the Turkish Armenian community.

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Obama did not say it, but something good still happened in Istanbul…

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While I was going through some personal stuff, I missed to watch (or attend) an historical event: A commemoration of the 1915 massacres. The event page is here. This was the first in Turkey’s recent history. It was a small scale event but a giant symbolic step:

İHD'den protesto

Human rights activists hold pictures of Armenian victims during a protest outside the Haydarpasa railway station in Istanbul. Thousands of Armenians have marked the 95th anniversary of mass killings under the Ottoman Empire amid fresh tensions with Turkey over the collapse of reconciliation efforts.? Read more » (AFP/Bulentkilic)

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This American Life infographics

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about the site page says:

My new years resolution is to make an infographic on every This American Life ever made. The idea is to expand and add context to the stories and information contained in the shows. Basically, anything I am curious about while listening to the pieces.

tai396.v2.jpg

Check out the site here.

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A relief for Obama

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I have never been too hopeful about Obama’s Presidency and thus I haven’t been too disappointed for his performance. After all, this Health Care Reform Bill is such a relief for him and his supporters, and I am happy for especially impoverished sections of American society…

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Now PM points out the “Jewish lobby” for the course of genocide resolution…

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The Resolution Saga Continues, Erdogan Points to “Jewish Lobby” from Turkish Politics in Action by Ragan Updegraff Prime Minister Erdogan said today that Ankara has no plans to send Turkish Ambasador to the United States Namik Tan back to Washington until it receives a clear signal that the resolution is dead. On Friday, the Obama … Read more