While newspapers are talking about news not important, the Observatory on threatened reporters has appealed to media not to forget the reporters threatened from the north Mafia. Giulio Cavalli is one of these, but the Italian Government has other problems to face. http://www.inaltreparole.net/en/news/mafiagiuliocavalli061109.htmlWhile newspapers are talking about news not important, the Observatory on threatened... more
As an American journalist in Japan, Jake Adelstein uncovered a world unknown to many of the Japanese public, let alone to foreigners: the world of organized crime. For 12 years, he investigated for Japan's largest newspaper, the Yomiuri Shinbun.
In his final story, Adelstein went toe-to-toe with one of the country's most notorious crime bosses, a discovery that led to death threats for him and his family — death threats that have yet to be lifted. His new memoir about his experiences is called Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan.
After leaving the paper in 2005, Adelstein was chief investigator for a U.S. State Department-sponsored study of human trafficking in Japan. Today he is considered one of the foremost experts on organized crime in Japan, and works as a writer and consultant in Japan and the United States.
Adelstein is also the public relations director for the Washington, D.C.-based Polaris Project Japan, which combats human trafficking and the exploitation of women and children in the sex trade. He joins Terry Gross to talk about that work, his book and the organized-crime landscape in Japan.
Vanguard correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to Sri Lanka during the final days of the country's civil war to see how one of the world's most powerful insurgencies, the Tamil Tigers, was finally defeated. While some security experts are hailing Sri Lanka as a case study in how to defeat an insurgency, Mariana finds that it comes at a steep price.
***Vanguard is Current TV's original documentary series. Led by correspondents Laura Ling, Mariana van Zeller, Christof Putzel, Adam Yamaguchi and Kaj Larsen, Vanguard features enterprising reports from around the globe. It airs every Wednesday at 10pm on Current TV. And you can view all Vanguard stories by visiting current.com/vanguard.***
Channel guide:
In the U.S.
DIRECTV 358
Comcast Nationwide 107
Dish Network 196
Time Warner: NY 103
Time Warner: LA 142
Time Warner: Other Cities: check local listings
AT&T U-verse Nationwide 189
Verizon FIOS 130
In the U.K.
Sky 183
Virgin Media 155
In Italy
Sky Italia 130Vanguard correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to Sri Lanka during the final days... more
Stand up for Journalism: tomorrow we will celebrate, in Europe, the day for the press freedom. Today, in Italy, this is a real problem, because journalists have to fight against censorship and precarious job. http://www.inaltreparole.net/en/journalism/standupforjournalism2009041109.htmlStand up for Journalism: tomorrow we will celebrate, in Europe, the day for the press... more
There are many men and women in the world who every day risk their lives, their freedom or both, simply because they try to tell the truth. Most people probably cannot understand why they do it. The problem is that the word journalist is not a good definition of the profession, because it includes three different behaviors that have nothing to do with each other.There are many men and women in the world who every day risk their lives, their... more
Journalist Rozanna al-Yami was ready to get 60 lashes inflicted by the Saudi court. But the King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz has revoked the sentence.
Otherwise she would have been the first woman to undergo a sentence so harsh.Journalist Rozanna al-Yami was ready to get 60 lashes inflicted by the Saudi court.... more
Last fall, journalist, literary critic and proud atheist Christopher Hitchens went on a debating tour with Pastor Douglas Wilson. The topic: "Is Christianity good for the world?"
The argument started with the release of Hitchens' book, God Is Not Great. Instead of a regular publicity tour, Hitchens wanted to debate the thesis of his book with anyone willing to take on the challenge. Wilson answered the call.
They filmed their debates, and then edited them for a new documentary called Collision.Last fall, journalist, literary critic and proud atheist Christopher Hitchens went on... more
An 18-year Counterintelligence and Counterterrorism Manager for the FBI has called for a Special Counsel to be appointed to investigate the allegations of FBI translator-turned-whistleblower Sibel Edmonds. John M. Cole, who now works as an intelligence contractor for the Air Force, made his comments during an audio interview released late last week with radio journalist Peter B. Collins.
He also offered a detailed insider's look at the concerns among high-level officials inside the Bureau as Edmonds' disturbing allegations began coming to light back in 2002, before they would be quashed for seven long years by the Bush Administration's unprecedented use of the so-called "State Secrets Privilege" to gag her.
Earlier last week, following the publication of a remarkable American Conservative magazine cover story interview with Edmonds --- detailing a broad bribery, blackmail, and espionage conspiracy said to have been carried out between current and former members of the U.S. Congress, high-ranking State and Defense Department officials and covert operatives from Turkey and Israel, resulting in the theft and sale of nuclear weapons technology on the foreign black market --- Cole had been quoted by the magazine confirming one of Edmonds' key allegations.
"I am fully aware of the FBI's decade-long investigation of" Marc Grossman, he said in response to the AmCon article/interview. Grossman had served as the third-highest ranking official in the Bush State Department and was alleged by Edmonds in the interview, and in a sworn, video-taped deposition a month earlier, to have been the U.S. ringleader for a massive Turkish espionage scandal reaching through the halls of power and into top-secret nuclear facilities around the country to the benefit of allies and enemies alike. Cole said that the FBI's counterintelligence probe "ultimately was buried and covered up," and that he believes it is "long past time" for an investigation of the case to "bring about accountability."
In his subsequent interview with Collins last week (audio and text excerpts posted below) Cole elaborated on those comments in much greater detail, noting that Edmonds has been "one hundred percent right on the money, on the mark" and confirming the existence of an "ongoing and detailed effort by Turkey to develop influence in the United States" through various illegal activities.
"Yes, I can confirm that," Cole told Collins, "That's true."
The FBI veteran executive also offered an insider's account of the panic that ensued inside the highest echelons of the bureau following Edmonds' first disclosure of information in 2002, recounting how an executive assistant director admitted to him at the time, just after the story first broke, "Well, all I know is that everything that Sibel is stating is true. I read her file. Everything she stated is, in fact, accurate."
Cole further describes how the concerns about Edmonds ultimately led to the Bush Administration's two-time use of the Draconian "State Secrets Privilege" in hopes of keeping her extraordinary information from becoming public. "Everybody at headquarters level at the bureau knew that what she was saying was extremely accurate."
"I know they didn't want her to go out and speak about it at all," Cole revealed, "and I know they were trying to figure out ways of keeping this whole thing quiet, because they didn't want Sibel to come out."
He also offered information which directly counters one of the criticisms of Edmonds' allegations as frequently offered by skeptics. Namely, that as a short time FBI contract translator --- even though she was tasked to review some seven years of counterintelligence wiretaps made from 1996 to 2002 --- she couldn't have had enough understanding of the full scope of the investigations to understand what was really going on.
More...An 18-year Counterintelligence and Counterterrorism Manager for the FBI has called for... more
In Italy we are still able to tell what's happening around, because is not a crime, yet. In Iran or in Cuba it is a crime. Two women, journalists, are challenging censorship because they are writing what they are living. But, unfortunately, they have lost freedom. And one, Fariba Pajoob, is already in jail.In Italy we are still able to tell what's happening around, because is not a crime,... more
L.A. is one tough town. This is about our blogger being stabbed in the back on the Red Carpet and having to face the consequences. It’s got all the drama: bitchy journalists, celeb craziness and a fierce blog post. A must-read if you want the inside into the real and ugly side of Hollywood.L.A. is one tough town. This is about our blogger being stabbed in the back on the... more
Reporters Without Borders, the most famous association which monitors press freedom in the world, on October 3 opened its website with a picture of Berlusconi. The following article explains that the association asks the italian premier to quit his attacks against the press and that if he doesn't, the head of the Italian government will be added to the list of "predators of press freedom." Heads of government or organizations that are attacking press freedom around the world.Reporters Without Borders, the most famous association which monitors press freedom in... more
Many ministers of the Berlusconi government do everything to be bad, up to the point of insulting the opposition. It's a typical sign of the states that are sliding towards dictatorship to see people with institutional responsibilities that seek to intimidate and threaten half the country, the half that didn't voted them. It's also a typical sign of guilty conscience. These ministers know that their policies are weak, and try to deflect attention with verbal violence.Many ministers of the Berlusconi government do everything to be bad, up to the point... more
Why Daniele Luttazzi is not on italian TV? a lot of people obviously don't have a show on television, because there aren't millions of people who would like to watch them. Luttazzi instead always got great ratings on tv, yet the Italian television do not offer him a show. The reason is that Luttazzi is a comedian very unliked by italian politicians, because he tells the truth.Why Daniele Luttazzi is not on italian TV? a lot of people obviously don't have a show... more
GIRALDI: And Grossman received money as a result. In one case, you said that a State Department colleague went to pick up a bag of money…
EDMONDS: $14,000
GIRALDI: What kind of information was Grossman giving to foreign countries? Did he give assistance to foreign individuals penetrating U.S. government labs and defense installations as has been reported? It’s also been reported that he was the conduit to a group of congressmen who become, in a sense, the targets to be recruited as “agents of influence.”
EDMONDS: Yes, that’s correct. Grossman assisted his Turkish and Israeli contacts directly, and he also facilitated access to members of Congress who might be inclined to help for reasons of their own or could be bribed into cooperation. The top person obtaining classified information was Congressman Tom Lantos. A Lantos associate, Alan Makovsky worked very closely with Dr. Sabri Sayari in Georgetown University, who is widely believed to be a Turkish spy. Lantos would give Makovsky highly classified policy-related documents obtained during defense briefings for passage to Israel because Makovsky was also working for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
GIRALDI: Makovsky is now working for the Washington Institute for Near Eastern Policy, a pro-Israeli think tank.
EDMONDS: Yes. Lantos was at the time probably the most outspoken supporter of Israel in Congress. AIPAC would take out the information from Lantos that was relevant to Israel, and they would give the rest of it to their Turkish associates. The Turks would go through the leftovers, take what they wanted, and then try to sell the rest. If there were something relevant to Pakistan, they would contact the ISI officer at the embassy and say, “We’ve got this and this, let’s sit down and talk.” And then they would sell it to the Pakistanis.
GIRALDI: ISI—Pakistani intelligence—has been linked to the Pakistani nuclear proliferation program as well as to al-Qaeda and the Taliban.LINK TO FULL ARTICLE: http://amconmag.com/article/2009/nov/01/00006/
Who’s... more
Committee to Protect Journalists issues report placing Russia, just after Iraq, and Algeria.Committee to Protect Journalists issues report placing Russia, just after Iraq, and... more
Dennis Hastert, Stephen Solarz, Bob Livingston, Tom Lantos, Roy Blunt, Dan Burton and an Unnamed Congresswoman ~ All Named IN MAJOR WASHINGTON DC SCANDAL
A long tale of massive corruption that has been hidden throughout the eight years of the Bush administration is finally surfacing. After years of Federal Gag Orders issued by the Department of Justice , the Obama White House has refused to continue the coverup and has opened the doors to criminal investigation.
What has surfaced, is a scandal that like no other. Showing clearly the selling of American influence and nuclear defense secrets to the highest bidder. The names that have floated to the surface are some of the most trusted highest ranking US government officials. Starting with The Ex-Speaker of the House; Republican, Dennis Hastert, then on to Stephen Solarz, Bob Livingston, Tom Lantos, Roy Blunt, Dan Burton and an (Unnamed Congresswoman) ~ All whom were named (Under Oath) as what appears to be the largest US Scandal of all time.
More will be surfacing as Pandora's box has just begun to open...
Gérartd Angé
------------------------------ Begin Quoted Text: ------------------------------
In this first break-down article, we'll look at the answers given by Edmonds during her deposition in regard to bribery and blackmail of current and former members of the U.S. Congress, including Dennis Hastert (R-IL), Bob Livingston (R-LA), Dan Burton (R-IN), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Stephen Solarz (D-NY), Tom Lantos (D-CA, deceased) and an unnamed, currently-serving, married Democratic Congresswoman said to have been video-taped in a Lesbian affair by Turkish agents for blackmail purposes.
Though Edmonds was careful to not "discuss the intelligence gathering method by the FBI," she notes in her deposition that her claims are "Based on documented and provable, tracked files and based on...100 percent, documented facts."
In further breakdown articles, we'll look at her disclosures concerning top State and Defense Department officials including Douglas Feith, Paul Wolfowitz and, perhaps most notably, the former Deputy Undersecretary of State, Marc Grossman, the third-highest ranking official in the State Department. Also, details on the theft of nuclear weapons technology; disclosures on Valerie Plame Wilson's CIA front company Brewster-Jennings; items related to U.S. knowledge of 9/11 and al-Qaeda prior to September 11, 2001; infiltration of the FBI translation department and more.
---------------------------------------------------------
Brad Friedman: Investigative journalist, broadcaster,
BradBlog.com creator,
Commonweal Institute Fellow.
Posted: September 5, 2009 03:14 PM
Washington, 1 September (WashingtonTV)—In an interview published on Tuesday, the chairman of Tehran’s Association for the Defense of Press Freedom criticized the Iranian government’s crackdown on journalists in the wake of June’s disputed presidential election, and the prosecution of many of his colleagues.
...................... http://televisionwashington.com/floater_article1.aspx?lang=en&t=1&id=13613Washington, 1 September (WashingtonTV)—In an interview published on Tuesday, the... more
The central government of Sri Lanka has won a few months ago, apparently permanently, a decades old civil war against Tamil separatists living in the north of the island, or rather against Tamil Tigers, the armed political organization that has long dominated the area. After the victory it was hoped that the Sri Lankan Government would abandon the policy of repression against all forms of opposition that has always carried with the convenient excuse of fighting terrorism. But nothing like that happened.The central government of Sri Lanka has won a few months ago, apparently permanently,... more
Journalists covering the Afghan war rely heavily on coalition forces to gain access to a hardscrabble backcountry populated by Taliban militants. So the reaction was far from muted when the news broke last week that the Defense Department was paying a controversial private firm to profile reporters seeking to accompany — or "embed" — with troops. Reporters quickly complained that it was tantamount to building a blacklist and that the U.S. military was deliberately working to sideline journalists critical of its mission.
Stars and Stripes, the independent, Pentagon-funded newspaper, reported that the Department of Defense had hired the Rendon Group to assess whether the prior work of reporters asking to be embeeded was "positive," "negative" or "neutral." The newspaper highlighted one journalist profile that said its purpose was to "gauge the expected sentiment of [the reporter's] work while on an embed mission in Afghanistan." Military officials in Afghanistan quickly downplayed the charges, explaining that it was not an attempt to rate reporters or news outlets but rather to gain background information to better equip officers for interviews and to help public affairs officers gauge likely areas of interest. Rendon said the same in a statement. Access has never been denied based on previous reporting, they insisted. Nevertheless, Rendon's contract will be terminated as of Sept. 1.
However, journalists who have had frustrating experiences trying to gain access suspect that the profiling may have played a part. A freelance TV producer for Al-Jazeera who asked to remain anonymous, says he applied for four different embeds with U.S. forces in early February. After multiple delays over the course of several months, three of the requests were cancelled. The fourth was finally approved a half a year later, but only when he bypassed military public affairs and directly contacted the officer in charge of the unit he wished to embed with. According to WHO, the Rendon Group was originally hired in 2001 to track the reporting of the Doha-based network, which has been a fierce critic of U.S. policy in Iraq and Afghanistan and accused of bias by U.S. officials. Although he has never seen his profile, the producer suspects he was "blacklisted" based on his affiliation.
He has yet to see his background profile. But I have seen mine. I recently applied to embed with U.S. Special Forces to cover a new initiative to raise and train civilian militias in Taliban strongholds. After waiting for more than a month for a response, I was accidentally copied on an e-mail sent by the public affairs department to the presiding officer who would give or deny approval. A color-coded pie chart showed that 47% of my stories were deemed "negative," 47% "neutral" and 6% "positive." In a section titled "Key Takeaway Points," it was mentioned that my stories have been lengthy, with plenty of context and sources. It was added, however, that, "most notably, he tends to quote experts" from a British think tank "which has been critical of the coalition mission and the Afghan government." A day after the e-mail — which included the Rendon analysis — was sent to the officer, my application was rejected without explanation.
A U.S. military spokesperson in Afghanistan, Lt.Comm. Christine Sidenstricker, acknowledged that public affairs officers in "a couple of instances" had been found to have interfered with embed applications and were "corrected immediately." To her knowledge, she says, this has never happened in Afghanistan. "A cursory review of Afghan coverage completely disproves" the notion that it's a policy, she says, pointing out that reporters who are deeply critical of U.S. forces have been allowed to embed multiple times.
Click link for more...Journalists covering the Afghan war rely heavily on coalition forces to gain access to... more
Russia Today talks about the Blackwater Operatives from the CIA that infiltrated Ron Paul’s campaign as journalists and the fact that now all American journalists could be mistakenly seen as spies when overseas.
***This article has been chosen as a discussion topic on PFP Movement Radio, http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pfpmovementradio Friday night at 6pm-8pm. Please Call In To The Show, 347-633-9636. COMMENTS will be included in the show so feel free to discuss or ask questions here on current.com as they will be addressed during the show. This article will also air on Freedom Hour Saturday at 9pm-10pm on Movement TV http://www.peacefreedomprosperity.com/?page_id=36***Russia Today talks about the Blackwater Operatives from the CIA that infiltrated Ron... more
