The Free

Gaza-bound flotilla with 22 Women sets sail from Barcelona to Defy Israeli Blockade

International activists on two boats carrying food and medicine aim to break Israeli siege on Palestinian territory.

Two sailing boats, Amal and Zaytouna, with 11 women on board each, sailed off on Wednesday evening under the banner “The Women’s Boat to Gaza”.

The passengers, including Swedish European Parliament Member Malin Bjork and Dr Fouzia Hassan of Malaysia, aim to reach Gaza by early October.

“We are carrying food and medicine on the boat that will be distributed to Gazans upon arrival,” Zohar Chamberlain Regev, a spokeswoman of the initiative, told Al Jazeera. 57da48c0e8383

“But mainly we are carrying a message of hope and solidarity, because we think Gazans want that most of all.”

She said she had high hopes that the flotilla would not be stopped by the Israeli navy and reach the destination. Continue reading “Gaza-bound flotilla with 22 Women sets sail from Barcelona to Defy Israeli Blockade”

Turkey-US Annex Syrian Territory… despite Crimea Double Think

by Friends of TFC • September 13, 2016

Syria (SCF) – How could we so easily forget the A-word? For over two years, Russia has been berated non-stop by Western states over its alleged «annexation» of Ukrainian territory. Over and over, we have been browbeaten with a media mantra deploring the crime of foreign annexation, supposedly perpetrated by Russia when the Ukrainian southern peninsula of Crimea seceded in March 2014.

Cold War Is Back as NATO Confronts Russia …Never mind the fact that the people of Crimea voted overwhelmingly in a referendum to re-join their historic motherland in the Russian Federation. Western focus instead has sought to define that development as an illegal annexation. Reading any Western media news outlet today one will be informed as a seeming matter of unerring fact that Russia «annexed» Crimea. Other credible perspectives over Crimea are airbrushed from discussion.

The occupying Turkish army continues attacking villages to the north of the Sajur River in northern Manbij. Turkish military forces and affiliated militias targeted dozens of villages in this area with artillery fire killing 35 civilians, torturing 3 SDF prisoners. 3 children and two other civilians lost their lives as a result of the artillery attacks targeting the village of Dandania.

Continue reading “Turkey-US Annex Syrian Territory… despite Crimea Double Think”

Venezuelans organise Barter 2.0 to Survive the Economic War, avoid Inflation and Tax.

by Nazareth Balbás via RT

Social networks have become the ally of the family economy of Venezuelans against rising prices. Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp work groups work as exchange sites for necessities: no money, no speculation.

The first surprise is the offer: varied, uneven, abundant. Second, the number of groups in the world. The third thing is that escapes public or private control.

Barter has become the new alternative for Venezuelans suffering the ravages of the economic war. The system, which has existed since time immemorial, gaining strength in the South American country with unique features is strongly mediated by social networks.

Falling oil prices since last year has resulted in shortages of foreign exchange for the mono-exporting country. This along with the long campaign of boycott and sabotage from the USA, and the determined resistance of the deposed oligarchy articulated through the upper middle class, has led to hyperinflation and economic disaster. Continue reading “Venezuelans organise Barter 2.0 to Survive the Economic War, avoid Inflation and Tax.”

Reported Death Of TTIP – An Abhorrent Political Deception

By Graham Vanbergen | TruePublica | September 9, 2016

The global mainstream media have loudly hailed the stunning success of the peoples uprising against the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership or TTIP in the light of its demise. In the last few years protests broke out all over Europe as the unelected bureaucrats steamed ahead with this unpopular trade deal, even after the results of the largest ever consultation study in the EU Commission’s history resulted in a 97% negative response of 150,000 people.

The emerging movement spawned enormous online activism never seen before, culminating in the largest petition in Europe’s history with a staggering collective of over 3.2 million signatures delivered by passionate foot-soldiers right to the epicentre of where the political elite inhabit in the EU. The beating heart of TTIP activism was Berlin, Paris and London. This is not to forget the huge protest effort made by citizens across almost all of the EU’s major cities.

Infographic: Corporate Europe Observatory

When preparing for TTIP negotiations, 560 meetings took place between 2012 and 2013. Just 4% were represented by public interest and civil society. Unashamedly, the Commission allowed 92% of all TTIP meetings to be dominated by lobbyists and corporate trade associations Today, these shadowy agitators amount to over 30,000 grey suits stalking the halls of the Commission HQ in the de facto capital of the European Union in Brussels. Continue reading “Reported Death Of TTIP – An Abhorrent Political Deception”