CANADA's Recipe for Oversight & Transparency: Cowboy Spy Agencies, Useless Overseer & Ineffectual FOI

The Guy Who Oversees Canada’s Cyberspy Agency Is Cash-Strapped and Worried April 2, 2015 Justin Ling By Justin Ling A meeting room at CSE's new office. Is this where they read our emails? Who can say? Photo via Government of Canada This post originally appeared on VICE Canada. The Honorable Jean-Pierre Plouffe is worried he won't have the resources to keep tabs on Canada's rapidly growing spy behemoth. Plouffe is the overseer for the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), a secretive agency that runs Canada's signal intelligence work. As an integral part of the Five Eyes—the intelligence-sharing consortium involving Canada, America, New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom—CSE is basically a sidekick to the American NSA. Financial reports released on Tuesday show the commissioner is going to have to cut back his review processes due to lack of funds, even though CSE's budget is larger than ever. (Motherboard has reported thoroughly on CSE's extensive powers, with help from leaks released by Edward Snowden.) Plouffe, as the CSE Commissioner, is responsible for making sure that the agency does not go outside its mandate. Currently, the agency is forbidden from intentionally collecting Canadians' data, unless it is doing so under the authority of another Canadian agency. However, Snowden's documents as well as Plouffe's own investigations show that CSE does end up with files on Canadians. When that happens, CSE is supposed to delete them. They don't always do so in a timely manner. Yet documents also show that CSE was scooping up Canadians' data as they logged onto a WIFI hotspot in some airport in Canada. Plouffe ultimately cleared the spy agency of wrongdoing in that operation. Concerns remain, however, that CSE is going well outside its mandate. But, as VICE reported in February, the Harper government isn't worried. "The CSE Commissioner's report indicates that they have been operating inside the law," Justice Minister Peter MacKay told VICE. The commissioner, however, doesn't have the power to compel information from CSE. "The office has no authority to enforce specific actions by CSE," reads the commissioner's financial reports from this year. "Cooperation, collaboration, and professional respect between the office and CSE is essential to my office for the conduct of rigorous review and for the formulation of meaningful recommendations for change, where needed, and essential to CSE for the timely and appropriate implementation of corrective action." But even the commissioner's power—which is largely based on the honor system—might be further at risk. In a financial report tabled on Tuesday, Plouffe warned that "Without this positive relationship being in place, the review process will flounder and opportunities for positive change will be lost."  [Think his position might be pointless, so where's the problem?] He said the review process was already at risk, thanks to a lack of funds in his office. "Cost sharing related to central agency initiatives and fiscal restraint measures are reducing the flexibility of the office's available funding. CSE, however, is growing and its activities are changing in response to its changing environment," Plouffe's office wrote. The commissioner begged the federal government for more money. He's not the only one. As VICE reported on Tuesday, Canada's Access to Information Commissioner is also cash-starved, and she says it will hobble her ability to pry documents from resistant government departments. And as Toronto Star reporter Alex Boutillier reported in Wednesday's paper, the review body for Canada's other spy agency, CSIS, has already been impacted by a lack of resources. The commissioner's office has a budget of just over $2 million, which has been pretty much flat for years. CSE's budget, meanwhile, tops out around $829 million. The commissioner's office has a full-time staff of 11, in addition to Plouffe, who works part-time. The lack of money means that CSE needs to cut back on its review process and "focus review resources on CSE activities that pose the greatest risks to non-compliance and/or privacy." As Plouffe may be considering bake sales and silent auctions to keep the lights on, the Conservatives have spent months boasting of Canada's world-renowned intelligence oversight agencies as they defend their controversial anti-terror bill, C-51. That legislation would vastly expand CSE's ability to receive information on Canadians, and to share it among allies. Speaking before a committee on Monday, Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney said Canada's intelligence review bodies were "the envy of the world." VICE got a chance to ask Associate Defence Minister Julian Fantino about the recent revelations about CSE—he is, after all, now responsible for the organization—and he was unconcerned. "First and foremost, we don't talk about operational matters and certainly I'm not going to do that," Fantino began. "Having said that, I can say that CSE operates within the parameters of the law, well established and well supervised. Accountability is there." [Oh, sure.] VICE asked about documents showing that CSE is using its capabilities to attack foreign networks. Fantino wouldn't comment. [LMAO!] "If you won't comment, how can Canadians have faith in what CSE is doing?" VICE asked. "You weren't listening. I just did," Fantino said before he walked away. http://www.vice.com/read/the-guy-who-oversees-canadas-bulk-data-collection-agency-is-cash-strapped-and-worried-785 Canada's intel agency sounds like the world's shonkiest cowboy op ... with a budget of $829 million! The overseer's office is a joke.  An honours system?  Cannot compel?  Understaffed.  The point of not putting funds into this and into freedom of information is to allow politicians and intelligence agencies to do whatever they want ... which they already seem to do in free hand Canada. Creepy.  Supercharged their powers as well - see C51. Terrorizing Canada With Stephen Harper. The Odious C51 “Secret Police Act” http://www.globalresearch.ca/terrorizing-canada-with-stephen-harper-the-odious-c51-secret-police-act/5438134 Might have to come back to read the Global Research article ... too tried now.

Sweden's Competing Political Agendas

GATESTONE INSTITUTE Sweden's Christmas Present: New Laws Curbing Free Speech by Timon Dias December 22, 2014 at 4:00 am http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4972/sweden-free-speech     The problem is that within the extremely politically correct culture of Sweden, questions, insults and criticism are often viewed as one and the same.     "Swedes who disagree... risk being labeled racist, fascist, even Nazi." — Mikael Jalving, Author of Absolute Sweden.     One might well ask how Swedes would react if other countries decided to determine their borders.     Furthermore, no one seems to have asked what kind of place this new state of Palestine might be: a free, democratic and transparent society like Sweden, or another rogue state, or eventually even another Islamist state.     Apart from South Africa, Sweden now has the highest number of rapes (that are reported); based on unofficial accounts from policemen and social workers, about 75% of them are committed by Muslims. Sweden, during its September 2014 parliamentary election, voted in a new government. But whom exactly did the people of Sweden elect to run their new government? In a recent (albeit un-sourced) blog, Ilya Meyer, the deputy chair of the Sweden-Israel Friendship Association, shed some light on the backgrounds and motivations of some of Sweden's new cabinet ministers. A few individuals stand out. The Minister for Housing and Urban Development is the Turkish Swede Mehmet Kaplan, who was aboard the Turkish vessel Mavi Marmara, of the Turkish extremist Humanitarian Relief Foundation, when it tried to break through the legal Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza coastline. Israel had established the naval blockade in 2007 in response to the smuggling of weapons into Gaza to arm the terrorist group Hamas, which is outspokenly dedicated to exterminating Israel. Kaplan has also stated that young European Muslims who are joining the "Islamic State" [IS] in Syria and Iraq are nothing to worry about, and are just similar to Swedish fighters who joined the Finns in WW2 to fight the Soviet Union. He has also claimed at the same time that the main reason young European Muslims are joining the Islamic State is "Western Islamophobia." Sweden's Minister of Education, Gustav Fridolin, was arrested in Israel in 2003 for allegedly blocking the construction of Israel's security barrier in the West Bank, where he has engaged in protests alongside the International Solidarity Movement – an organization that "recognizes armed struggle as the right of Palestinian Arabs." Sweden's Minister of Interior, Ardalan Shekarabi, who is also responsible for Domestic Law and Order, is a former illegal immigrant from Iran who defied a Swedish deportation order in 1989 by going into hiding. Shekarabi is also known for embezzling state funds for an integration project to aid in his reelection as leader of the Social-Democratic Youth Party. Sweden's Minister for Culture and Democracy, Alice Bah Kuhnke is a hard-line feminist known for threatening to cut off funds to organizations that oppose honor killings if any of those funds went to men working against honor killings. As a feminist, it seems as if she wants only women to receive these funds. These are not merely parliamentarians, these are ministers. Not surprisingly, one of the first actions of this new government was the recognition of the Palestinian State, a move considered as illegal as it was odd: the Palestinians do not yet meet the requirements for statehood, and seem not even to have agreed on even what the borders of their state should be. Furthermore, no one seems to have asked what kind of place this new state would be: a free, democratic and transparent society like Sweden, or one that might, in fact, be another rogue state, or eventually even another Islamist state. Nonetheless, Swedish MP Hillevi Larsson, as opposed to the Palestinians themselves, seems to have no doubt about what the borders of "Palestine" should be. One might well ask how Swedes would react if other countries decided to determine their borders. In just two months, this government fell — new elections take place this March — but not before bestowing on the people of Sweden a second measure, far less publicized, and that will come into effect this Christmas. The new measure is designed to make it easier to prosecute those who offend immigrants, immigration policies, LGBT people and politicians online. As Swedish MP Andreas Norlén, initiator and driving force behind the law, stated: "I do not think it takes very many prosecutions before a signal is transmitted in the community that the Internet is not a lawless country — the sheriff is back in town." A multitude of online sources reported on this new law as one that "criminalizes online criticism of immigrants," and as such, the news went viral on European immigration critical websites. But is this a correct assessment of this new law? According to the Swedish parliament, the new law will effectively abolish existing barriers that prevented people from pressing charges if their alleged defamation occurred online instead of in real life. It will facilitate and improve Sweden's ability to participate in international legal cooperation on matters covered by the Freedom of the Press and Freedom of Speech, and it enables people to avoid having to pay for the other party's legal costs. On paper, this might sound reasonable, and there is a chance the practical results will remain reasonable as well. The problem is that within the extremely politically correct culture of Sweden, questions, insults and criticism are often viewed as one and the same. Mikael Jalving, the Danish journalist and author of the book "Absolute Sweden" stated: "Sweden's leftist establishment and media believe a cornerstone of their perfect society is multiculturalism — large-scale immigration from some of the poorest, most backward nations on Earth — and Swedes who disagree with that plan risk being labeled racist, fascist, even Nazi." Even the immigrants themselves do not seem to be allowed to challenge immigration policy or immigrant culture. Last year, a Somali-born female journalist, critical of immigrant culture, was intimidated to such an extent by the Swedish journalistic establishment that she decided Mogadishu was a safer place for her than Sweden. The ambivalence of Swedish courts toward free speech already became apparent when in 2002 a district court sentenced the white native Swedish neo-Nazi Fredrik Sandberg to six months in prison for publishing a Nazi pamphlet, "The Jewish Question." Four years later, however, the same official who initiated the case against Sandberg — Chancellor of Justice Göran Lambertz — chose to discontinue an investigation into the Stockholm Central Mosque, after it distributed audiotapes that encouraged Muslims to kill Jews, described in them as "brothers of apes and pigs." He justified the discrepancy by saying that the distribution of the tapes should be judged in a geo-political context. Swedish society seems to be increasingly known for its bias in wanting to criminalize supposed racism by native Swedes against immigrants, while wanting to rationalize Muslim racism against native Swedes, and Jews in particular. Sweden's third largest newspaper, Expressen, has used hackers affiliated with the left-wing extremist Anti-Fascist-Action group to obtain the addresses of individuals commenting on websites critical of mass immigration. The newspaper then visited their homes and in some instances, published their pictures and addresses. The Swedish TV station TV3 announced that the TV-show "troll-hunters," would visit online commentators in their homes — in a sort of 21st century televised witch-hunt. The Swedish newspaper Expressen hacked databases of website commenters, targeted critics of immigration, and confronted them at home. The above screenshot is taken from a video on the Expressen website, published under the headline "Jim Olsson writes on hate sites." This new law has the potential to carry that witch-hunt to the next level. Not only is the political-journalistic establishment intimidating critics of online immigration by knocking on their front doors and shaming them, but under this new law, they could even charge a perceived critic with committing a crime. Economist Dr. Jan Tullburg published a book in which he states that annually, immigration costs Sweden 7% of its GDP. Sweden is also home to sizeable Muslim enclaves that have become off-limits to Swedish police. The multitude of violent riots that erupt in these enclaves not only cost millions of Krona but are undermining the fabric of Swedish society. Sweden apparently enjoys tolerating the intolerable. In the meantime, apart from South Africa, Sweden now has the highest number of rapes (that are reported) in the world per capita (see UN "Statistics on Crime, Sexual Violence"). However, this number should be nuanced, as the term "rape" in Sweden is defined broadly and includes more than just forced, non-consensual intercourse. There are, however, rapes that are not being reported to the police at all. A significant percentage of these "rapes" are apparently committed by immigrants from a Muslim background. The Swedish government has refused to keep track of these numbers, which by definition cannot be exact, but multiple reports, based on unofficial accounts from policemen and social workers, put the percentage at around 75%. It must be emphasized that these numbers come from unofficial sources and cannot be verified since there aren't any official Swedish numbers on what percentage of rapes are committed by Muslim immigrants. But, Mohammed, for example, a 27-year-old illegal immigrant from Syria, who arrived in Sweden in September, has thus far sexually molested 21 girls and women between the ages of 4 and 69. According to a police report in neighboring Norway, a country politically similar to Sweden, 100% of all rapes in Oslo over the last five years were committed by Muslim immigrants. [Oslo figure seems improbable, but the figure is said to come from a 'police report', so it is presumably correct?] It will be illuminating to see what impact this new law has on Sweden's citizenry and their free speech once it goes into effect this Christmas. http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4972/sweden-free-speech#.VSEc1TuZWUE.twitter ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Article grabbed my attention because of the reference to Expressen newspaper being involved in hacking databases of commenters, which is rather an unusual activity for a news outlet (I think?). By my estimation, from other material I'd looked at, Gatestone Institute is a pro Israel NGO.  So that's worthwhile bearing in mind when looking at the article.  On the other hand, it's all relative, I guess.  For the pro Israel supporters, the arrest for blocking construction of a security barrier in Israel would not be seen in a positive light.  For Palestinian supporters, this would be seen as a positive form of protest.   However, facts are facts and presumably Expressen was involved in hacking databases, or Gatestone would have been compelled not to disseminate this information. There's a number of hot issues and conflicting political forces in Sweden. Generalising from the contents of this article and from what I've read so far elsewhere:  there's a totalitarian quality to Sweden's liberalism, it would seem:  incursions into freedom of speech and media-led witch-hunts against those with opposing views; labelling of those with opposing views as extremists of one kind or another:  'nazi' or 'fascist'; a politically correct approach to crimes statistics gathering and, it would seem, a parallel justice system; physical no-go areas to police (which I found astounding); violence; and from what I've previously read, issues regarding cultural integration. Find this stuff fascinating, but I haven't read enough to get a handle on what's really going on.  Looks to be very interesting competing political interests in Sweden. Maybe I'm strange, but the most shocking thing for me was Expressen involved in hacking of databases.  I'm still spun out by that. Thought the bit about 'free', 'democratic' and 'transparent' Sweden was quite a giggle. But I guess even freedom etc is relative?  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ PS  Forgot to do a look-up regarding the Somali-born female journalist that was 'run out of town'.  Sounds an interesting story to check out, given this has occurred in 'feminist Sweden'. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Players mentioned by Gatestone currently in the following posts: Mehmet Kaplan (Green Party) Housing urban development and IT Minister. Sweden. Gustav Fridolin (Green Party) Minister for Education Ardalan Shekarabi (Swedish Social Democratic Party) Minister for Public Administration (resides Belfast, Ireland) Alice Bah Kuhnke (Green Party) Minister of Culture and Democracy Hillevi Larsson (Swedish Social Democratic Party) Riksdag member  since 2004, Pro Palestinian Andreas Norlén (Moderate Party) Riksdag member  since 2006,  * Norlén Initiator of online dissent silencing laws * Göran Lambertz Chancellor of Justice (Swedish: justitiekansler) Sweden 2001-2009 currently serving as a judge on the Supreme Court of Sweden TV3 (Sweden) owned by:  Viasat Broadcasts from:  London Markets:  Nordic and Baltic Countries Visat owned by:  Modern Times Group publicly traded Industry              Media Founded             1997 Headquarters     Stockholm, Sweden Key people                 David Chance (Chairman)                 Jorgen Madsen (President & CEO)                 Mathias Hermansson (CFO) Sweden is "one of the most capital-centralized countries in Europe" [Wikipedia]  Look-ups = Wikipedia

UKRAINE - US Intel Implanted into Formerly Ukraine Intel Service (SBU) - Repressive Political Police

Ukraine Security Chief Holds up Holocaust Abettors as Example to Follow The chief of Ukraine secret police (SBU) has stated wants to build on the traditions and methods of the WWII-era OUN-UPA, which is historically complicit in the Holocaust and responsible for a campaign of mass murder against West Ukraine's Poles (Colonel Cassad) Along Poles 1943-44 UPA murdered Ukrainians who tried to hide them Note: In 1941 OUN offered to collaborate with the German occupiers of Ukraine. The offer was refused by the Germans, but OUN leadership still directed its members to join the German Auxillary Police, which they did en masse and as part of it helped perpetrate the Holocaust. In 1943-44 UPA - OUN's military wing - carried out a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Poles of Western Ukraine as part of which 50,000-100,000 Poles were murdered and hundreds of thousands were forced to flee. 'Colonel Cassad' is a Russian blog (reportedly from the pen of Boris Rozhin of Sevastopol, Crimea) that does not attempt to hide its anti-Maidan orientation, thus references to Kiev government as "junta" and "fascist regime". However, in this instance he could not be more right just how scandalous it is (should be) for a state official to hold up the murderous, ultra-violent OUN-UPA as something to emulate. This article originally appeared at Colonel Cassad. It was translated at Colonel Cassad in English The Chairman of the Ukrainian Security Service Valentin Nalivaichenko believes that the SBU should be reformed by using the security service of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists—Ukrainian Insurgent Army as an example. “There is no need to come up with anything unnecessary—it’s important to use as foundation the traditions of and methods used by the OUN-UPA Security Service between 1930 and 1950. It operated against the aggressor under conditions of temporary territorial occupation, it had patriotic upbringing, combat counter-intelligence, and it relied on the peaceful Ukrainian population, whose unprecedented support it enjoyed,” Nalivaichenko said. According to the SBU chairman, when reforming the agency we should reject not only “KGB designations, but also organizational structures of a security service that is alien to us.” “For example, instead of directorates and departments, we should have districts and task forces. Task forces, unlike departments, would have broader functions, including both information war against the enemy, but also community relations,” Nalivaichenko remarked. Nalivaichenko believes that task forces ought to operate more decisively, and “counteract any signs of separatism or aiding the aggressor in business or in any other aspect of civic life.” http://www.unian.net/politics/1062460-reformirovat-sbu-nado-po-obraztsu-slujbyi-bezopasnosti-oun-upa-schitaet-nalivaychenko.html (in Russian) - link Considering that OUN-UPA carried out mass killings of Ukrainians, Russians, Poles, and Jews, using it as a point of reference for the Kiev junta repressive apparatus is noteworthy. It is perfectly normal within the fascist regime in Ukraine for the president to wear the label “Cynical Banderite,” and for the SBU head to openly say that one should rely on the experience of Nazi-collaborating organizations which were party to war crimes and crimes against humanity. We have noted earlier that the Junta leadership plans include reformatting the SBU to increase its powers and to transform it into a pure political police, while ridding it of “unnecessary” functions that will be transferred to other agencies. Keeping in mind the tasks facing SBU and the US intelligence infrastructure implanted into the formerly Ukrainian intelligence service, the SBU’s transformation into political police is unavoidable, since in the event of the conflict becoming prolonged the repressive apparatus will play an even greater role due to the population’s disappointment in government policies, not to mention separatist and pro-Russian sentiments which the reformed SBU will suppress to the best of its abilities. http://russia-insider.com/en/ukraine-security-chiefs-holds-holocaust-abettors-example-follow/5319 Article's self explanatory.  Ukraine's become like some South American victim of  US leaches, post CIA coup.

SWEDEN: "Swedish prosecutors and lawyers in big trouble" {Translate} - Article

GOOGLE TRANSLATION Swedish prosecutors and lawyers in big trouble Published 2015-04-04 14:14 Brawl in right at the big goals The two major goals - cocaine goal and Södertälje [Sweden city] goal - the mood has been very hateful. The supporters accused the prosecutors to present evidence that is not held, while the material that pointed in another direction was withheld law. The cocaine goal acquitted the accused chief, who first sentenced to 18 years in prison. According to authorities, the bad atmosphere in the big goals a trend. Operational Council inquiry conducted by a prosecutor and a police officer. A large number of representatives from the investigating authorities - prosecutors, police, customs officials, SAPO Staff - are interviewed, as well as some lawyers. A report will later this spring. Further reading    Courts interpret the grounds for asylum various 2015-03-15     The government appoints media political investigation 2015-03-05     Police forgot bombardment 2015-02-19     "Investigation betraying public opinion for strengthening social insurance" 2015-03-02     JK Anna Skarhed: Legal doctrine was no cold 2015-02-06 Lawyers have become more difficult and question more often prosecutors, says the agency group to combat serious organized crime. Now studies are in progress to gain access to the growing problem. Leading lawyers call the inquiry unpleasant and deeply disturbing - and argues that the alleged trend is mainly about two trials. The atmosphere in the courtroom deteriorate. Defenders try to increasingly shift the focus of the case to trial or peripheral issues. They question the police's working methods and interrupts the prosecutors, who are constantly responding to questions. That is how the authorities work together against serious organized crime trends in the major goals in a report to the government. Now studies are in progress to access problems, appointed by the Operative Council, where executives from the cooperating authorities collected. - It's about the process does not concentrate on what you normally concentrates on issues of law and assessment of the evidence but rather on matters not at all to do with it. There may be discussion of the preliminary investigation formalities or how a particular statements of evidence gathered in, says chief prosecutor Björn Blomqvist, leading the investigation from the prosecutor. The efficiency decreases and confidence in the legal process can be damaged, according to the prosecutor. - In the courtroom, a question of law settled, it should not be a circus performance, says Björn Blomqvist. The purpose of the investigation is not to blame lawyers, according Blomqvist, but rather to find better ways of working for the investigating authorities. - They can begin to follow the law, says lawyer Thomas Martinson defenders in the so-called cocaine goal, one of the major goals where lawyers fallen sharply at odds with the prosecutors. Operational Council investigation he calls "pure nonsense". - How can it be wrong to use the rules of the law dictated? Should we have a försvararkår not critical, a bowing and bending C thread? Thomas Olsson, defenders of the great Sodertalje goal, call the Council's inquiry "unpleasant" and says that prosecutors are responsible for the bitter trials. - You start the trial before the investigation is complete and then overwhelms defense with lots of new material. At the same time withholds man investigative material is crucial. Bar Association's Secretary General Anne Ramberg objects to the authorities allegations of a larger trend. - Sets any irrelevant questions will judge curb the behavior, but I have not received indications that the judges experienced an increase. On The Contrary. Brawl in the law occurred mainly in cocaine case and Södertälje The goal, she says. - It is the lawyer's duty to defend his client's interests. To criticize lawyers to them under the Code of Procedure allows procedural objections are deeply worrying, says Ramberg. Carl V Andersson / TT http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/svenska-aklagare-och-advokater-i-storbrak/ Article looks very interesting ... but it's a bad translation, so it's hard to work out exactly what's going on.  Some kind of inquiry concerning the legal / law enforcement sector. Allegations of interest: Prosecutors presenting evidence not held. Prosecutors overwhelming defence with new material. Prosecutors withholding exculpatory evidence.  Legal system sounds terrible. Södertäljeis a Swedish city, 30km south-west of Stockholm.  Population:  39% from foreign backgrounds - largest group Assyrian.  Looks like mainly Christian Syriac refugees from Iraq war.  City has taken more Iraqi refugees than Canada and the US combined.  Syriac-Aramaic and Arabic largest non-Swedish languages.  Second largest port in Sweden.  Industry:  ScaniaAB (trucks); pharmaceutical AstraZeneca and Volkswagen group. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Sweden Södertäljeis Anne Ramberg - Bar Assoc Sec Gen Bjorn Blomqvist - Chief Prosecutor Thomas Martinson Thomas Olsson

Foreign Service Updates

Czechrepublic Qatar RELEASE 2 Czech women (26) kidnapped 2 years ago Pakistan - several intel agencies @ work - http://www.praguepost.com/czech-news/46373-qatar-assisted-in-release-of-two-czech-women -- USA Denver Barbara Robbins, 21 Died 50 years ago / bombing US Embassy in Saigon, Vietnam / working for  CIA  >> http://www.9news.com/story/news/local/storytellers/2015/03/30/barbara-robbins-vietnam-cia-service/70652308/ -- President on run: Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi Yemen fires (predecessor son) Ambassador to UAE  >> LMAO fires? Not in power.  http://www.thenational.ae/uae/yemen-fires-ambassador-to-uae -- Zimbabwe Embassy UK protester Martin Chinyanga arrested { matter deemed unlike Ecuador ASSANGE  } http://www.zimeye.com/zimbabwe-london-embassy-boot-bombed-over-dzamara/ -- SriLanka Diplomatic passport to fmr Russia ambass. Udayanga Weeratunga withdrawn; further action soon   http://www.sundaytimes.lk/150405/columns/udayangas-diplomatic-passport-withdrawn-further-action-soon-143578.html -- SriLanka Diplomatic service depoliticised / entrance exams for candidates http://www.sundaytimes.lk/150405/columns/udayangas-diplomatic-passport-withdrawn-further-action-soon-143578.html --- Ukraine Kiev US Embassy picketed by over 2,000 Ukrainian protesters HIGHER prices + rates increase LOWER salaries + standards of living BANNING  freedom of speech and opinion mass media headed by the Ministry of Propaganda of Ukraine CENSORED info re US embassy protest http://www.opednews.com/articles/Anti-US-Protests-Broke-out-by-Jerry-Collins-Activists_Brokeness_Government_People-150404-35.html -- Argentina considers drilling for oil off the Falkland islands illegal UK Foreign Office disputed the claim http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/04/04/404696/Argentine-to-challenge-UK-over-Malvinas -- Qatar economic growth is expected to rise to 7% 2015 Central Bank = $40bn foreign currency reserves Investment Auth = $160bn surplus $18bn earmarked for mega development projects Increased export to Japan Qatar-Japan bilateral trade @ $35.3bn 201 http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/business/qatar-business/330631/doha-bank-hosts-meet-in-japan -- Ethiopia HIV Environment PROJECTS  57 new Peace Corps Volunteers at the US Embassy in Addis Ababa http://www.ethiosports.com/2015/04/04/57-peace-corps-volunteers-sworn-in-at-u-s-embassy/ -- Rwanda - Assassin Diplomats? Rwanda govt diplomats assigned to Canada embassy to intimidate or assassinate dissidents?  http://www.globalresearch.ca/rwanda-critics-ask-canada-to-protect-them-from-kagames-assassins/5440728 -- Japan protests North Korean protest lodged through embassy channels in Beijing abductions / missing persons http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/japan-protests-north-korean-doubts-talk -- South Korea - WAR CRIMES PROTEST Protesters behead effigy of Japanese Prime Minister outside Japan embassy Seoul http://www.koreaobserver.com/protestors-behead-effigy-of-japanese-prime-minister-27748 --

FOREIGN SERVICE UPDATES

J-Bish is in Iran ... Bibi won't be happy .. lol Hopefully Saudi Arabia won't be upset either ... SaudiArabia = 2.2 billion Oz trade partner + 10,000 students in http://www.afr.com/opinion/julie-bishops-tehran-visit-is-creative-diplomacy-20150323-1m5lfm LatAm US CONSULATE Sydney rally defends Venezuela against US threat https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/58596 Espionne India Hacker Espionage Bid: MoD Blocks Net on Official Computers http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/Espionage-Bid-MoD-Blocks-Net-on-Official-Computers/2015/03/23/article2725935.ece Sierra Leone opposition party calls for civil disobedience over VP sacking http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/sierra-leone-opposition-calls-for-civil-disobedience-over-vp-sacking/41340044 US embassy yet to confirm arrest of US diplomat on suspicion of drunk driving in Moscow Region Diplomat - Bruce McClintock > alcohol testing > no OSAGO mandatory insurance http://sputniknews.com/russia/20150322/1019867132.html Russia aid to US embassy's defence attache in Moscow was stopped in Domodedovo outside Moscow on DUI suspicion - http://asia.rbth.com/news/2015/03/22/us_diplomat_stopped_in_domodedovo_on_suspicion_of_drunk_driving_44679.html LatAm failed coup in Venezuela last Feb Obama declaration Ven. “national security threat” - US bullying “close relationship” of political + military figures (at core of Feb attempt at another putsch) with US embassy officials. http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Opinion&title=venezuela-stands-up-to-us-bullying&id=104827 Gambia Gambians demand female activist’s release Aminata Manneh (intern US embassy 'American Corner') Manneh arrested by National Intelligence Agency over a video shared on social media, police brutality schoolgirl. http://en.starafrica.com/news/gambians-demand-female-activists-release.html BREAKING SWEDEN Justice Minister Morgan Johansson attacked with fire extinguishers at refugee accommodation. via @niklassvensson --- Lebanon protesters at US embassy in Awkar (Lebanon) urge Czech Republic to release prisoner Ali Fayad arrest re terrorism / trafficking suspicions USA accused him of collaborating with terrorists. Also detained same hotel: Faouzi Jaber, Ivory Coast Khaled Marabi, a dual citizen: Lebanese + Coted Ivoire Czech state attorney saw nothing that would prevent the 3 men from being extradited to the US.  http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2015/Mar-27/292382-lebanon-protesters-urge-czech-republic-to-release-prisoner.ashx LatAm Ecuador Hungary Ecuador & Hungary discuss bilateral trade Hungary to open embassy in Quinto (cap, Ecu) / Areas of co-op: info tech & innovative industries, water management, medical technology & trade in pharmaceuticals. http://www.bbj.hu/economy/szijjarto-ecuador-sees-hungary-as-its-regional-trading-center_94953 Obama nominates Atul Keshap Ambassador of SriLanka & Maldives prev post: India career foreign service official http://newsfirst.lk/english/2015/03/obama-nominates-atul-keshap-as-ambassador-to-sri-lanka-and-maldives/86009 Japan SouthKorean Cultural Centre - arm of SK embassy arsonist attack / embassy seek enhanced security http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/03/27/national/crime-legal/south-korean-embassy-tokyo-hit-suspected-arson/ Turkey not a great post for Israeli diplomats? Israeli embassy residence empty / Israel x2 reps in Ankara http://en.cihan.com.tr/news/Walls-of-Israeli-Embassys-residence-in-Ankara_1042-CHMTcyMTA0Mg== Armenia - Genocide centennial "Conference on Armenian Genocide kicks off in Paris" 4-day international conference http://www.aysor.am/en/news/2015/03/27/Conference-on-Armenian-Genocide-kicks-off-in-Paris/925957 EU is willing to earmark considerable funds for Serbia re gas interconnection with Bulgaria USA has their mouthpiece egging things on: US embassy economic adviser Anna Boulos Why is USA -- embassy -- interfering in European energy policy & feigning EU 'safety' agenda? http://www.b92.net/eng/news/business.php?yyyy=2015&mm=03&dd=27&nav_id=93618 Sweden Long-suffering Stefan Löfven visiting China & being pressured about HR agenda on home front China = Sweden biggest Asian trade partner @ 40 billion kronor http://www.thelocal.se/20150327/swedish-pm-faces-human-rights-pressure-in-china -- Yemen SaudiArabia ambassador to US pointing the finger at Iran backing Houthis in Yemen claims Hezbollah are advising on the ground Yemen President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi has fled to SaudiArabia Bombing degrade ability to wage war & restore Hadi. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Above news is getting a bit stale now, but I thought I'd post as a refresher, anyway. Hoping I haven't stuffed up the links. Kept having mini 'zone outs' while posting. Sort of like falling off to sleep but not. What was supposed to be simple paste job has wound up being a three-shot post, plus fiddling.  Post was 'drifting' into the right margin.  Thought I'd deleted code accidentally.  The fix I tried didn't work.  Couldn't figure what to put in, so I cheated and 'shrunk' my long links, in the hope that would stop the drift ... and it has.   But I'm now angry and hoarse from yelling.

VIDEO - Pilger / Assange Interview

John Pilger in conversation with Julian Assange from John Pilger on Vimeo. 2015 - 'The Coming War' - Contribute to John Pilger's new documentary project here bit.ly/PilgerMovie Watching this at the moment ... Pilger just said "motherf*ckers".  Wasn't expecting that.  LOL Might have to rewind and watch properly because I've been distracted by editing this post. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ PART SUMMARY Sweden & Belgium have specific [journalist] source protection laws. Sweden as part of its constitution (Press Freedom Act) & Belgium pursuant to specific law dealing with communications protections between a source and a journalist (using any means whatsoever, including electronic transmissions). Governments that have blocked access to WikiLeaks? China is the worst offender (with the most aggressive, sophisticated interception technology that places itself in between every reader inside of China and every information source outside of China.   WikiLeaks have been fighting a running battle to make sure that information can get through.  Variations on the site address -  'wikileaks.org' - are accessible from China, although main site access is blocked. Iran has previously blocked WikiLeaks as well.  However, that block has been lifted in Iran. The Australian government has added WikiLeaks to their secret list of internet sites that are to be blocked once a national filter system is put in place. Australia and Germany are the only Western governments that have sought to block internet access to WikiLeaks [as at date of interview - 2011].   Like most institutions in the West, CENSORSHIP HAS BEEN PRIVATISED, meaning that: Big corporations go through court system to get injunctions and use the COERCIVE POWER of the STATE and the ability to deploy ARMED POLICE to ENFORCE a court order — they use the court apparatus to do that.