CounterCurrents: How America's ‘News' Media Killed America's Democracy: TPP & TTIP, How To Fight Western Propaganda

Dear Friend,

If you think the content of this news letter is critical for the dignified living and survival of humanity and other species on earth, please forward it to your friends and spread the word. It's time for humanity to come together as one family! You can subscribe to our news letter here http://www.countercurrents.org/subscribe.htm. You can also follow us on twitter, http://twitter.com/countercurrents and on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/countercurrents

In Solidarity
Binu Mathew
Editor
www.countercurrents.org


Why Greenpeace India Is First On The Chopping Block
By Sajai Jose

http://www.countercurrents.org/jose150515.htm


Especially irksome to the government must have been Greenpeace’s targeting of two domestic entities that are also major global players in coal—public-sector company Coal India, India’s 5th most valuable company by market capitalisation at $35.9 billion (Rs 2.3 lakh crore) and the Gujarat-based Adani Group, whose promoter Gautam Adani is known to have a close relationship with Modi. Greenpeace has campaigned against both companies, exposing their claims on reserves and financial health, and documenting environmental and other violations. Greenpeace’s Australia chapter has opposed Adani’s plans to develop the world’s largest coal deposit, the Carmichael mine in Queensland, which it acquired for 16.5 billion dollars


The Nakba: A Crime Watched, Ignored And Remembered
By Ilan Pappe

http://www.countercurrents.org/pappe150515.htm

The 15th of May is usually a trigger for a journey back in time. And for an unfathomable reason each such journey conjures up a different aspect of the Nakba. This year, more than anything else, I am preoccupied with the continued apathy and indifference of the Western political elite and media to the plight of the Palestinians. Even the horror of the Yarmuk camp did not associate in the minds of politicians and journalists alike the possible connection between saving the refugees there and their internationally recognised right of return to their homeland


Roger Waters To Dionne Warwick: “You Are Showing Yourself To Be
Profoundly Ignorant Of What Has Happened In Palestine Since 1947″
By Roger Waters

http://www.countercurrents.org/waters150515.htm

I believe you mean well, Ms. Warwick, but you are showing yourself to be profoundly ignorant of what has happened in Palestine since 1947, and I am sorry but you are wrong, art does know boundaries. In fact, it is an absolute responsibility of artists to stand up for human rights – social, political and religious – on behalf of all our brothers and sisters who are being oppressed, whoever and wherever they may be on the surface of this small planet


Fertility Of World's Soil Reaching Peak That Will Threaten Food Supplies
By Steve Connor

http://www.countercurrents.org/connor150515.htm

The fertility of the world’s soil is reaching a peak that will threaten global food supplies this century unless more is done to preserve the long-term viability of existing farmland, according to a group of leading scientists


Is Washington Coming To Its Senses?
By Paul Craig Roberts

http://www.countercurrents.org/roberts150515.htm

There is much speculation about US Secretary of State John Kerry’s rush visit to Russia in the wake of Russia’s successful Victory Day celebration on May 9. On May 11, Kerry, who was snubbing Russia on the 9th, was on his way to Russia, and Putin consented to see him on May 12. As time passes we will find out why Kerry was snubbing Putin on May 9 and 3 days later was criticizing Washington’s puppet regime in Ukraine. For what is known at this time, a possible explanation is that Washington is coming to its senses


The Lonely American
By Gaither Stewart

http://www.countercurrents.org/sewart150515.htm

In August 2005 I wrote an article about the impression media images of lonely American soldiers at checkpoints in Iraq made on me then. Now I have re-written, updated and expanded the article, while retaining the original, even more valid title


How America's ‘News' Media Killed America's Democracy: TPP & TTIP
By Eric Zuesse

http://www.countercurrents.org/zuesse150515.htm

As I reported on Wednesday, a deal was worked out in the U.S. Senate on the early afternoon of May 13th to "Fast-Track" through to approval U.S. President Barack Obama's proposed trade deals, TPP with Asia, and TTIP with Europe. (It should have been reported on the nightly TV news programs, but most of them ignored it then, and reported the news only the next day when the Senators made it official.)


How To Fight Western Propaganda
By Andre Vltchek

http://www.countercurrents.org/vltchek150515.htm

When the most powerful and the most destructive force on earth employs all its persuasive might, utilizing everything from the mainstream media to educational facilities, in order to justify its crimes, when it spreads its poisonous propaganda and lies in order to oppress the world and suppress hope, do we step back and begin endless and detailed work on precise and objective narratives? Or do we confront lies and propaganda with our own narrative, supported by our intuition, passion and dreams for a better world?


One Year Of Modi Sarkar: Hate Speech Galore
By Ram Puniyani

http://www.countercurrents.org/puniyani150515.htm

The coming to power of Narendra Modi in a way gave an open license to all the affiliates of RSS combine to indulge in open hate speech against the religious minorities. The current agenda behind the hate speech is to consolidate the communal polarization of the society along lines of religion


Indian Government Might As Well Have Legalised Child Labour: AHRC
By Asian Humanrights Comission

http://www.countercurrents.org/ahrc150515.htm

Misleading media headlines like "Govt. proposes complete ban on child labour till 14 years" notwithstanding, the Cabinet's nod to amendments in the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2012, is a hoodwink that will push more children into hazardous work, something the government claims it opposes


Goods And Services Tax Act Vs State Economy
By Abdul Majid Zargar

http://www.countercurrents.org/zargar1505115.htm

the imposition of this law poses a fresh challenge to the fiscal autonomy of the J&K State. According to our own constitution, the State is empowered to levy taxes both on goods & services through State’s General Sales Tax Act. Since central GST Act proposes to subsume all these taxes in one central legislation, the State’s power to impose such taxes will vanish and New-Delhi always on prowl to erode our autonomy will be more than eager to seize this opportunity