CounterCurrents: US-Backed Assault Creating Humanitarian Disaster In Yemen, Video Message From Gaza: We Are Still Under The Rubble, US Agribusiness, GMOs And The Plundering Of The Planet

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In Solidarity
Binu Mathew
Editor
www.countercurrents.org


Two Encounters And A Democracy
By Samar

http://www.countercurrents.org/samar080415.htm

The world’s largest democracy witnessed its police force killing 25 of its citizens in two encounters in Andhra Pradesh. “Encounters”, for the uninitiated, are a euphemism for killing unarmed civilians in staged gun battles. The police version of both the alleged encounters is such that it could be laughed-off had they not been about the deaths of civilians


Condemn Cold-Blooded Murder Of Five Under-Trial Prisoners By Telengana Police
By People's Union For Democratic Rights

http://www.countercurrents.org/pudr080415.htm

PUDR strongly condemns the murder of the 5 under-trial prisoners and demands immediate arrest and suspension of all police personnel who were present in the van. PUDR demands that the Telengana police chief take responsibility for these murders and explain how they have passed them off as ‘retaliatory’ killings. PUDR also wishes to point out to the Home Minister that when custodians of law turn into licensed killers, then they pose a far greater challenge to the country than those who can be banned under draconian legislations and easily killed inside police vans


US-Backed Assault Creating Humanitarian Disaster In Yemen
By Niles Williamson

http://www.countercurrents.org/williamson080415.htm

The United Nations warned on Monday that ongoing fighting in Yemen combined with the Saudi-led campaign of airstrikes backed by Washington is taking an “intolerable toll” on children in the deeply impoverished Middle Eastern country. UNICEF has confirmed that at least 74 children have been killed and another 44 maimed since Saudi-led airstrikes began nearly two weeks ago. The real death toll for children is likely much higher and is expected to rise as airstrikes continue to hit civilian targets in urban areas throughout the country


Video Message From Gaza: We Are Still Under The Rubble
By Ali Abunimah

http://www.countercurrents.org/abunimah080415.htm

Last week, UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestine refugees, tweeted this shocking fact: More than 7 months after the ceasefire announcement in #Gaza, not a single totally destroyed home has been rebuilt. This is a point powerfully made in this video posted by the Popular Committee Against the Siege


US Agribusiness, GMOs And The Plundering Of The Planet
By Colin Todhunter

http://www.countercurrents.org/todhunter080415.htm

Small farmers operate 16% of agricultural land in Ukraine, but provide 55% of agricultural output, including: 97% of potatoes, 97% of honey, 88% of vegetables, 83% of fruits and berries and 80% of milk. It is clear that Ukraine’s small farms are delivering impressive outputs. However, The US-backed toppling of that country’s government seems likely to change this with the installed puppet regime handing over agriculture to US agribusiness. Current ‘aid’ packages are contingent on the plundering of the economy under the guise of ‘austerity’ reforms and will have a devastating impact on Ukrainians’ standard of living and increase poverty in the country


Ukrainian Gov't. Condemns Russia's Celebration of Victory Against Nazis
By Eric Zuesse

http://www.countercurrents.org/zuesse080415.htm

The Ukrainian Government said on April 7th that any country sending representatives to Russia's celebration of the 70th anniversary of their victory against Adolf Hitler, will be blacklisted by Ukraine. That celebration will take place on May 9th


Prospero's Business
By John Knope

http://www.countercurrents.org/knope080415.htm

This article points out an alternative scenario that is hidden within a few lines in The Tempest. This “secret meaning” has never been written about by any scholar that I could find, nor has it been presented in any of the several filmed versions of the play that are available. No familiarity with The Tempest or Shakespeare is required to understand this hidden feature. Following the short explanation of this secret element is a brief attempt at understanding how this obvious feature (and hopefully you will agree it is obvious) has not been previously noticed by any reviewer of the play


Poets’ Talk: “Why Is This World So Sad?” And, “The Armor of God”
By Gary Corseri and Charles Orloski

http://www.countercurrents.org/corseri080415.htm

Following is the third installment of a “Poets’ Talk” series between Charles Orloski and myself. E-friends for the past 3 years, both of us “baby-boomers,” Orloski and I have very different backgrounds, but share a love of literature, abiding interests in history, politics and the Zeitgeist, and a belief that informed activism and the Arts (with much luck and perhaps some Providential assistance!) may yet create a more humane, a more sensible, world than 2015’s war-ravaged planet of obscene disparities of wealth and power. The conversation below is actually a pastiche of “e-talks,” or exchanges, over several weeks, winnowed and woven together to develop themes, a narrative flow, and coherence.—Gary Corseri


Intergenerational Theft – For Every $1 For Coal Today Future Generations Will Pay $1-$14 To Sequester CO2
By Dr Gideon Polya

http://www.countercurrents.org/polya080415.htm

Remorseless greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution is leaving a polluted and devastated planet for future generations. Further, present intergenerational inequity means that for every $1 received by climate criminal corporations for thermal coal, future generations will inescapably have to pay $1 to $14 (depending on location and technology) to sequester the CO2 from coal combustion. Young people must revolt, oppose this mounting Carbon Debt, and insist “Keep it in the ground”


“National Register Of Citizens” Updation And Recent Political Development In Assam
By Abdul Kalam Azad

http://www.countercurrents.org/azad080415.htm

On 21st July, 2010 one of my close family relative Mydul Mullah (25) was one among the thousands of marginalized Muslims of Barpeta district who were demonstrating in front of Deputy Commissioner’s office at district headquarter demanding an error-free fresh NRC (National Register of Citizens). Eventually, police brutally cracked down on the picketers and fired upon them for the ‘crime’ of exercising their democratic right to peacefully protest. After the police firing Mydul Mullah along with his three comrades Khandakar Matleb (20), Siraj Ali (27) and Majam Ali (55) succumbed to the bullet injuries. The Tarun Gogoi led Assam government was forced to suspend the faulty NRC pilot project due to unprecedented public outrage


Freedom Fighter Begum Hazrat Mahal Remembered, But Indifferently
By Abdul Rashid Agwan

http://www.countercurrents.org/agwan080415.htm

The staunch freedom fighter Begum Hazrat Mahal's 136th death anniversary was recalled yesterday. Her great sacrifices for the First War of Independence are almost forgotten in India and, save some token events in Lucknow where she ruled and Nepal where she died, she could hardly be remembered. Begum of Awadh and the first wife of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, who was one of the heroes of freedom struggle of 1857 died on 7 April 1879 during her refuge in Nepal. She was remembered on her death anniversary falling yesterday but almost neglectfully


Of Writing Generic Names Of Drugs And Beyond
By Dr. Fayaz Ahmad Bhat

http://www.countercurrents.org/bhat080415.htm

After a prolonged wait and pause Jammu and Kashmir Health and Medical department has finally brought into force ‘Drug Policy’ approved by Cabinet way back in 2012. The policy bans writing of brand names of drugs by medical practitioners and directs them (physicians) to write only generic names of drugs. As expected the order issued by the department has not gone well to physician community of valley. They (physicians) even threatened of an agitation against the move


Girls Have Feelings Too
By Khalid Bashir

http://www.countercurrents.org/bashir080415.htm

Centuries have come, and centuries have gone, but the plight of women is not likely to change. Time has helplessly watched women suffering in the form of discrimination, oppression, exploitation, degradation, aggression, humiliation . Male violence against women is worldwide phenomenon