Man shot dead in West Bank village hours before Mahmoud Abbas’s request to the UN for recognition of a Palestinian state A Palestinian man has been shot dead in a clash with Israeli soldiers and settlers in the West Bank. Hours before President Mahmoud Abbas’s address to the United Nations general assembly and his formal request for recognition of a Palestinian state, the man, identified as Issam Badran, 35, was shot in the neck, according to witnesses including an Associated Press reporter. The incident began with a warning broadcast made over mosque speakers in Qusra of an approach by settlers from a nearby outpost. Scores of village men and youths headed towards a hill where around 20 settlers had gathered, waving Israeli flags. Israeli troops arrived and fired tear gas, then live rounds. Settlers also fired their weapons. Qusra has been the scene of repeated incursions by settlers in recent weeks, including an attack on a mosque in which tyres were set alight inside the building and the walls defaced with Hebrew graffiti. Elsewhere, sporadic clashes between Palestinian protesters and the Israeli military broke out in East Jerusalem and across the West Bank on Friday. Several hundred young Palestinians, swathed in Palestinian flags, their faces covered with scarves, gathered at Qalandiya checkpoint to throw stones, in defiance of Abbas’s call for non-violent demonstration. “We’re not listening to Abu Mazen [Abbas], we never do,” said one 20-year-old student, clutching several rocks in his hand. “Really we’re just playing. It’s a game we play every week. We want to send a message that after 60 years of occupation, we’re still here.” One group of youths marched towards a line of Israeli troops holding aloft an American flag with the word “veto” printed on before torching it. Others threw rocks and miniature molotov cocktails at the advancing soldiers. On the other side of the separation wall, Israeli police reported five arrests in East Jerusalem for rock throwing in an afternoon described by spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld as “relatively quiet”. The arrest of Hamze Jaber, 17, in the neighbourhood of Ras al-Amud sparked outrage. “He did nothing. He just saw the soldiers, got scared and ran. They chased him and jumped on him. Now he’ll be in prison for maybe two months,” said Jamil Abu Madi, 27, a local who struggled to hold back furious young boys from throwing stones at retreating Israeli soldiers. “They closed Al-Aqsa mosque today so we just prayed on the street. Why? Because of a Palestinian state? We just want to live.” In the village of Nabi Saleh, protesters burned Israeli flags and posters of US president Barack Obama in an expression of rage over his UN speech this week, widely seen as overtly sympathetic to Israel. Police fired teargas at the protesters. There were further clashes in the villages of Bil’in and Ni’lin. Confrontations between Palestinians and Israeli troops in West Bank villages are a routine Friday occurrence. Palestinian territories Israel Mahmoud Abbas Middle East United Nations Harriet Sherwood guardian.co.uk
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Click here to view this media Here’s the Fox transcript of Gary Johnson’s comedy moment, which clearly garnered the most laughs of the night: BAIER: Governor Johnson? JOHNSON: My next-door neighbor’s two dogs have created more shovel-ready jobs than this current administration. And here’s a clip of the transcript from Rush Limbaugh’s radio show this afternoon: BREAK TRANSCRIPT RUSH: My dogs have created more shovel-ready work than Obama has (chuckling) just this week alone. The new puppy. Honest to God. More shovel-ready work for me this week than Obama has created all two and a half years. Limbaugh doesn’t seem to have much objection to Johnson’s use, and Johnson claims it was one of several one-liners sent to him by radio host Jim Villanucci , who used to write for the Tonight Show. Laughs aside, the thing about those projects? They may not have been instantly “shovel-ready”, but they are being done, and they did have an impact. Here’s a chart of the impact on GDP: enlarge That’s a CBO estimate. I guarantee you Gary Johnson and Rush Limbaugh wouldn’t be paying anyone to shovel their dogs’ crap when they can just toss it all over the stage.
Continue reading …Video: Rep. Joe Walsh Tells NB Publisher Bozell Media Vested In ‘President Not Being A Failure’
September 23, 2011 No Comment
The media “are so vested” in Obama “not being a failure that it's going to be amazing to watch the lengths they go to protect him,” Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) told NewsBusters publisher Brent Bozell in an exclusive for CNSNews.com earlier this week. “There's going to be a real desperation” as the media ramp up their attacks on conservatives who are taking on the president, Walsh noted. That's something the Illinois Republican can personally attest to, having sparred with MSNBC's Chris Matthews and Martin Bashir recently. We've embedded the video after the page break:
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Two further judicial reviews lodged with courts as high court judge delays decision The residents of Dale Farm won a further temporary legal victory on Friday when a high court judge ruled that he would not make a decision on the fate of the site until after the weekend. A final decision on whether bailiffs can move in and mount one of the largest evictions in British history could be delayed by weeks after it emerged that two further judicial reviews over the contested site in Essex had been lodged with the courts. Dale Farm residents gained an emergency injunction on Monday to prevent bailiffs entering the site, which is home to 86 families. The injunction was granted because of fears that Basildon council’s eviction “may go further” than allowed. If the two judicial reviews go ahead, they could add thousands to the already substantial legal bills generated by the Dale Farm battle, with the eviction itself estimated to cost up to £18m before the most recent delay. At the high court, Marc Willers, on behalf of Dale Farm, argued that the injunction should be extended because moves to clear the site were legally flawed. Mr Justice Edwards-Stuart told the court the “ultimate eviction” was “in many cases going to happen”. There could be no dispute about the eviction notices themselves, he added, warning: “Anybody who thinks this is a long stay of execution while minor squabbles are carried out – they must think again.” However, he said that did “not mean that they [Dale farm residents] are not entitled to be treated with dignity and that any eviction must be carried out in a sensitive way”. He added: “The ultimate eviction which is, in many cases, going to happen must be carried out, in so far as possible, with people knowing exactly what is going on, what is going to happen and in a way which causes minimum alarm to children and others. It can’t be used as yet another springboard for delay.” Dale Farm Roma, Gypsies and Travellers Alexandra Topping guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Syrian teenager believed to be first female to die in custody since uprising
September 23, 2011 No Comment
Zainab al-Hosni’s mutilated remains were found by her family in a morgue, according to Amnesty International An 18-year-old Syrian woman, whose mutilated body was discovered in a morgue, is believed to be the first female to die in custody during the country’s six-month-old uprising, Amnesty International has said. The family of Zainab al-Hosni found her corpse by chance as they searched for her activist brother’s body in the city of Homs, the human rights group said. The family said she had been decapitated, her arms cut off, and skin removed. “If it is confirmed that Zainab was in custody when she died, this would be one of the most disturbing cases of a death in detention we have seen so far,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty’s deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa. Amnesty said Ms Hosni was abducted by plainclothes individuals believed to be members of the security forces on 27 July, apparently to pressure her activist brother Mohammad Deeb al-Hosni to turn himself in. The deaths of Ms Hosni and her brother bring to 103 the number of people who have been reported killed in Syrian custody since the uprising began in March, Amnesty said. Overall, the UN estimates 2,600 people have been killed since the revolt began in March, and there is no sign of either side giving up. The protest movement has proved remarkably resilient, although the opposition has no clear leadership that could offer an alternative to President Bashar al-Assad, whose family has ruled Syria for more than 40 years. On Friday, Syrian security forces opened fire on thousands of protesters calling for the opposition to unite against Assad’s regime. Friday protests have become a weekly ritual in Syria, despite the near-certainty that security forces will respond with bullets and tear gas. The protests came as the European Union agreed on an investment ban in the Syrian oil sector to put more pressure on Assad to end his deadly crackdown. An activist group, known as the Local Coordinating Committees, said security forces killed one person outside the al-Maari mosque in Damascus. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said security forces killed another man near Homs. An activist in Homs, Majd Amer, said there was unprecedented security presence in the city. “They have been deploying here since last night,” said Amer as cracks of gunfire could be heard in the background. The Syrian government has banned foreign journalists and placed heavy restrictions on local coverage, making it difficult to independently verify reports. Syria Middle East Bashar Al-Assad Arab and Middle East unrest guardian.co.uk
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Click here to view this media Almost 20,000 questions were submitted for Thursday night’s Republican presidential debate, but Fox News picked the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), a designated hate group, to ask the first question on immigration. “Struggling U.S. workers continue to compete with millions of illegal aliens,” FAIR’s Kristen Williamson claimed in her video question. “Do you support legislation to require all employers to use e-verify in order to ensure that the people that they hire are actually legally authorized to work in the U.S.?” Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich replied by saying that the country would be better off if the e-verify program was outsourced to private credit card companies. Although FAIR has testified to Congress more than 30 times, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) considers them to be a hate group . “The identification of FAIR as a bona fide hate group is important,” SPLC’s Mark Potok wrote in 2007. “FAIR is the hub of the American nativist movement, the group that more than any other has contributed to the rancid turn the national immigration discussion has taken. With FAIR fanning the flames of xenophobic intolerance, hate groups, hate crimes and hate speech directed at foreigners and Latinos continue to rise in America.”
Continue reading …Pew: 42% of Americans Think ‘The Press Is Immoral’ and ‘Hurt Democracy’
September 23, 2011 No Comment
As NewsBusters reported Friday, a new Gallup poll found 60 percent of Americans believe the media are biased. Another study released Thursday by the Pew Research Center presented even a greater indictment of news organizations finding that 42 percent of those surveyed think “the press is immoral” and “hurt democracy”: The widely-shared belief that news stories are inaccurate cuts to the press’s core mission: Just 25% say that in general news organizations get the facts straight while 66% say stories are often inaccurate. As recently as four years ago, 39% said news organizations mostly get the facts straight and 53% said stories are often inaccurate. What happened to so change the public's view of the press in just four years? Might it have been the absolutely dreadful job they did vetting presidential candidate Barack Obama as well as the unprecedentedly biased coverage of him since the moment he tossed his hat into the ring back in February 2007? Whatever the answer, distrust for news organizations continues to grow. Another interesting facet of this study was what people think when asked to name a news organization: When asked what first comes to mind when they think of news organizations, 63% volunteer the name of a cable news outlet, with CNN and Fox News by far the most prevalent in people’s minds. Only about a third (36%) name one of the broadcast networks. Fewer than one-in-five mention local news outlets and only 5% mention a national newspaper such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal or USA Today. When asked to name a news organization 43 percent said CNN, 39 percent said Fox, and everybody else was an also-ran: Also fascinating: Since Barack Obama took office, the proportion of Democrats saying that news stories are often inaccurate has risen sharply, and they are now nearly as critical as Republicans. In 2007, 43% of Democrats and 56% of independents said stories were often inaccurate. Since then, the percentage of Democrats expressing skepticism about the accuracy of news reports has increased by 21 points to 64%, and the percentage of independents saying this has grown by 10 points. Republican views have held fairly steady: 69% see stories as often inaccurate, little changed from four years ago (63%). Why would the views of Democrats and independents have become more jaded since Obama took office? Is it because even these folks know the sycophantic, adoring coverage of him has been disgraceful? By two-to-one (62% to 31%), more Americans say that news organizations are politically biased than say they are careful to avoid biased reporting. These views have changed only modestly in recent years. During the mid-1980s, far fewer said news organizations were politically biased; in Pew Research’s first news attitudes survey, 45% said news organizations were politically biased while 36% said they were careful that their reporting was not politically biased. Yet the most glaring findings: The public is about evenly divided over whether news organizations are immoral (42%) or moral (38%), but the proportion saying the press is immoral also equals an all-time high. For the first time in a Pew Research Center survey, as many say that news organizations hurt democracy (42%) as protect democracy (42%). In the mid-1980s, about twice as many said that news organizations protect democracy rather than hurt democracy. The public also is divided over whether news organizations stand up for America (41%) or are too critical of America (39%). These opinions have changed little in recent years, but in 2002 and 2003 somewhat more said that news organizations stand up for America. Wow. So 42 percent believe the press is immoral and hurting democracy. The media should be so proud of themselves.
Continue reading …Phone hacking: Dowler lawyer pursues US legal action against News Corp
September 23, 2011 No Comment
Mark Lewis instructs lawyer of 20 9/11 families over allegations News of the World staff may have bribed police The solicitor who represented the family of Milly Dowler in their phone-hacking claims against News Corporation on Friday announced he has teamed up with US lawyers with a view to initiating proceedings targetting Rupert Murdoch and his son James. Mark Lewis of Taylor Hampton has instructed Norman Siegel, a New York-based lawyer who represents 20 9/11 families to seek witness statements from News Corp and directors including the Murdochs in relation to allegations that News of the World staff may have bribed police. He says he intends to assess whether he can launch a class action against News Corp using American foreign corruption laws, which make it illegal for US companies to pay bribes to government officials abroad. “There is a provision within US law, before you start an action to seek depositions from individuals, in this case, such as James Murdoch and Rupert Murdoch and other directors of News Corp,” said Lewis. He added Siegel would examine allegations of not just police bribery but also phone hacking and “foreign malpractices.” The move will be a fresh setback for News Corp which has been trying to insulate itself against contagion from the UK phone-hacking scandal that has engulfed its British publishing empire. Separately, it emerged that this week US prosecutors at the Department of Justice have written to Murdoch’s News Corporation requesting information on alleged payments made to the British police by the News of the World. The DoJ is looking into whether the company may have violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Under FCPA laws, American companies are banned from paying representatives of a foreign government to gain a commercial advantage. The decision to co-ordinate legal efforts on both sides of the Atlantic comes just days after News International confirmed it was in settlement talks with the parents of the murdered 13-year-old school girl. News International is discussing a total package of around £3m including a personal donation from Rupert Murdoch of £1m to a charity of the Dowler’s choice. • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly “for publication”. • To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook . News Corporation Media business Phone hacking Newspapers & magazines National newspapers Newspapers Rupert Murdoch James Murdoch United States Lisa O’Carroll guardian.co.uk
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Corporation’s expenditure, equivalent to a series of a BBC1 drama such as Spooks, revealed in FOI request • How the BBC spent £8.23m on consultants in one year A programme of cuts may be underway at the BBC, but the corporation still spent £8.23m on consultants in the 12 months to the end of March. The amount paid to consultants such as Deloitte, Capita and Ernst & Young is equivalent to a series of a top BBC1 drama such as Spooks . A breakdown of the figures shows the BBC spent £769,045 on consultants to help it with “change management” and £1.9m on “strategy”. The biggest winner appears to be Deloitte, which earned just over £3m from the BBC over the 12-month period. That included £197,649 for “management consultancy” and £498,619 for “change management”. The figures were provided under the Freedom of Information Act and passed to the Guardian. They have angered some BBC staff who are facing cutbacks as a result of last year’s stringent licence fee settlement. Programming is also under threat under the Delivering Quality First cost-cutting strategy, with the corporation looking to make about half of the 16% cut to operating costs from “scope ” – BBC management speak for content budgets. However, the £8.23m bill for consultants is less than the £10.9m that was spent by the corporation during the 2008/09 financial year . The BBC head of sourcing at BBC Procurement, Tracey Morris, said: “The BBC in common with other large organisations does employ consultants but only when we need specialist advice and resource on projects that are outside of the normal course of our business and where it would not be cost efficient to maintain those specialist skills in-house.” • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly “for publication”. • To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook . BBC BBC licence fee Television industry BBC1 Tara Conlan guardian.co.uk
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A new Gallup poll once again confirmed what NewsBusters and its parent the Media Research Center have been saying for years. America's media are biased, and a majority of Americans agree: The majority of Americans (60%) also continue to perceive bias, with 47% saying the media are too liberal and 13% saying they are too conservative, on par with what Gallup found last year…Democrats and liberals lean more toward saying the media are “just about right,” at 57% and 42%, respectively. That last sentence bears repeating: “Democrats and liberals lean more toward saying the media are 'just about right,' at 57% and 42%, respectively.” Indeed, because the media are invariably playing their song. As a result: The majority of Americans still do not have confidence in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly. The 44% of Americans who have a great deal or fair amount of trust and the 55% who have little or no trust remain among the most negative views Gallup has measured. Just something to consider: if 55 percent of the customers of any business or professional in this county had “little or no trust” in them, the heads of such an entity would radically change their product, service, or practices in order to immediately remedy the situation. Failing this, the entity would go out of business. Why is it that Gallup and other polling companies year after year find America has an appalling view of the media, yet their business models and product remain the same?
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