All articles from al-Jazeera

Radicals ‘exploiting cartoon backlash’

Indonesian leaders are urging Muslims protesting over cartoons of Prophet Muhammad to stop rallies from spinning out of control.

Taliban bounty for killing cartoonist

A top Taliban commander has offered a reward of 100 kilograms of gold to anyone who kills the person responsible for “blasphemous” cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed, the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) has reported.

French paper adds new cartoon

A satirical French magazine has reprinted the controversial cartoons of Prophet Muhammad and published a new one of its own, further angering Muslim groups.

Jacques Chirac, the French president, condemned what he called the “overt provocations” which he said would only only enflame the situation.

Afghan police fire on protesters

This conflagration will never stop as long as gasoline keep being thrown on it. The hardcore on all sides need to take a deep breath and relax before more are killed or injured.

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There will be antiwar protests worldwide on Mar 18-19. Here in the States, major demonstrations are planned in DC, LA, SF, and many other cities. Full infomation at the national ANSWER Coalition website.

Here in LA, we’ve beeen planning and building for Mar 18 for 2-3 months. Last night, at the regular volunteer meeting, we started work on a 5,000 piece mailer. There’s lots of folding and stuffing envelopes to do, it’ll take about a week. If you live in LA, come down to the office and help out, and meet lots of like-minded people too.

As part of building for the demo on Mar. 18 and for the March 20 Day of Youth & Student Resistance to Imperialism, Youth & Student ANSWER in LA will hold a conference this Saturday.

Youth & Student ANSWER
Sat. Feb. 11 Youth & Student Anti-War Conference
Unite to Fight War, Racism & Military Recruiters
12 noon - 4 pm
El Camino Community College (in the Cafeteria)
16007 Crenshaw Blvd, Torrance, CA 90506

Speakers - Workshops - Music - Discussion
* How to get involved in the anti-war movement
* Getting military recruiters out of our schools and communities
* Organizing for the March 20th day of resistance to imperialism
* Solidarity with Iraq, Palestine, Haiti, Cuba, Venezuela, the Philippines, Korea and all targets of U.S. aggression.

More at ANSWERLA.org

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Craig Murray’s new book is available for pre-order on Amazon UK.

Murder in Samarkand: A British Ambassador’s Controversial Defiance of a Tyrannical Regime Within the War on Terror

From the Amazon synopsis.

Craig Murray was the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Uzbekistan until he was removed from his post in October 2004 after exposing appalling human rights abuses by the US-funded regime of President Islam Karimov. In this candid and at times shocking memoir, he lays bare the dark and dirty underside of the War on Terror. In Uzbekistan, the land of Alexander the Great and Tamburlaine, lurks one of the most hideous tyrannies on earth - one founded on cotton slavery and brutal torture.

As neighbouring ‘liberated’ Afghanistan produces record levels of heroin, the Uzbek rulers cash in on massive trafficking. They are even involved in trafficking their own women to prostitution in the West. But this did not prevent Karimov being viewed as a key US ally in the War on Terror. When Craig Murray arrived in Uzbekistan, he was a young Ambassador with a brilliant career and a taste for whisky and women.

But after hearing accounts of dissident prisoners being boiled to death and innocent people being raped and murdered by agents of the state, he started to question both his role and that of his country in so-called ‘democratising’ states. When Murray decided to go public with his shocking findings, Washington and 10 Downing Street reached the conclusion that he had to go. But Uzbekistan had changed the high-living diplomat and there was no way he was going to go quietly.

Craig Murray has taken huge risks, publishing parts of this books in deliberate defiance of the Official Secrets Act, as well as sacrificing his career for his beliefs. He deserves our support. I’m buying the book. We all should.

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George C. Deutsch, who limited reporters’ access to a top climate scientist, did not have the college degree listed on his résumé.

Duetsch is the 24 year old Bush appontee who tried to force NASA not to have lectures about the Big Bang because it might offend Creationists. He just ‘resigned’, as his mouthy stupidity was even too much for the neocons, and also because NASA made a firm and principled stand against the anti-science Bushies.

This reminds of a story a friend told about Disney. They’d just hired an aggressive young pup, were having an important meeting where Walt Disney himself was present. Walt told everyone he wanted their input. Aggressive Young Pup made a point of asking many questions and offering numerous comments. After the meeting, on the way out, Disney said to an aide, “Fire that little asshole,” and Aggressive Young Pup was never seen again.

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DJ Mitchell continues his reports from Sri Lanka (Here’s Parts 1 and 2)

Photo: A member of the Tamil pro-government paramilitary group EPDP and one of the Sinhalese soldiers providing security for the EPDP compound. A second soldier stands guard behind.

Several people had told me that if I wanted to understand the Karuna Faction and its effects, I should talk to the people who were working in Karuna’s territory. The contact turned out to be a woman I’d had previous email contact with, but never met, so I was looking forward to going to see her.

The organization was in Vallachennai, about 30 km (18 mi) north of Batti. I managed to catch a ride with two of their workers, so I didn’t have to take the bus. The plan was, I’d meet my contact, have some discussion, stay for dinner, and then catch a 3-wheeler back to Batti.

The workers were in Batti to talk to a man who had been kidnapped three days earlier and released that morning. He had not told them anything about his ordeal, not even who had abducted him.
“It must be the LTTE, don’t you think?” said one of them.
“Maybe, maybe not,” said the other. “It could be anyone.”
“He seems to be under a threat of violence if he talks.”
“Of course he’s under a threat of violence.”

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