British royal jubilee and Sex Pistols

This music video is called Sex Pistols – God Save The Queen.

By Solomon Hughes in Britain:

Frills, fops and fascists

Thursday 31 May 2012

The royal jubilee weekend brings me warm memories of the last jubilee in 1977.

Back then we celebrated how long the Queen had been getting on our nerves with a trip to Woolworth’s to look at the Singles Chart board.

The Sex Pistols single God Save the Queen, an anti-royal mix of buzz-saw guitar and vigorous taunting, was the number-two top selling single.

But Woolworth’s wouldn’t stock it. In fact they wouldn’t even mention it – the Woolies chart board was made up of those individual stick-on letters. A shop assistant laboriously spelled out Rod Stewart and Kenny Roger’s hits at numbers one and three. But number two was unnamed. The Sex Pistols getting so high in the charts was a triumph. The way they were left blank on the Woolies chart board seemed a bonus, an extra piece of pop-Dadaist street theatre in a plastic alphabet that reached even the provincial Yorkshire of my teens.

The Sex Pistols’ unpatriotic intervention wasn’t just absent from Woolies – the BBC banned all play of the single on its stations.

The Independent Broadcasting Authority demonstrated its complete lack of independence by joining the ban.

Johnny Rotten sneered/sang his apparently unbroadcastable – unmentionable even – sneering/singing lyrics, “God save your mad parade” years ago. Unfortunately, the words still fit.

The prospect of Britain’s most boring pensioners, Ms E Windsor and Mr P Mountbatten, being chugged down the Thames in a massive gold barge is mad enough.

They will be accompanied by all kinds of ludicrous claims. On Radio 4′s Today programme I heard Ms Windsor described as a “spiritual leader” like a “shaman” – so presumably she will be wearing stag antlers, chanting away while off her royal head on magic mushrooms at the weekend.

For another mad parade, see Ms Windsor’s widely publicised lunch.

The royal family gathered together relics of royalty from round the world for a jubilee “sovereign monarchs” lamb dinner, followed by a photo shoot that made the shifty bunch look like the Addams Family.

Much criticism was rightly made of Ms Windsor welcoming murderous heads of state like the king of Bahrain, who loves his subjects so much that he wants them shot in the street when they protest for democracy.

But the weirdest thing about the Windsor’s big day in was how many impostors she invited.

In the official photo the Queen sat between the king of Bulgaria and the king of Romania. The king of Greece was in the next seat.

This is odd, because all three countries are republics.

Bulgaria and Romania became republics over half a century ago. When their communist governments fell, neither Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha of Bulgaria nor Michael of Romania asked for their crowns back.

Simeon did lead a somewhat right-wing privatising party in his native land, but in fairness he did so by winning votes, not crazy ideas about bloodlines.

Even the Queen’s lie about the king of Bulgaria contained another lie – if she had to give him a royal title, he should have been called Tsar Boris. Pretending he’s a king when he isn’t was OK, but using his official monarchic moniker was apparently too ridiculous.

While the artist-formerly-known-as-Tsar Boris and Romanian Mike went along with the Queen’s deluded fantasy they were “sovereign monarchs,” at least they don’t make any such pretence to Romanians and Bulgarians.

The same cannot be said for the “king” of Greece, who regularly hangs out with our Queen.

Known as “Constantine the Little” in Greece, he is a truly pathetic figure – king Constantine swore in the fascist Greek colonels after their 1967 coup.

When the uppity fascists refused to be nice to their king, he tried to launch his own feeble counter-coup, which was a laughable failure.

Since Greeks rose up in 1973-4 and brought back democracy the people have utterly rejected Constantine because he helped the fascist colonels. Constantine then made himself even more unpopular by suing Greece for millions of euros of “reparations” for losing his throne.

Constantine isn’t even a Greek citizen, let alone a Greek king – the Greeks said he can only have a passport if he puts his surname on the application.

They won’t accept “king” in the space marked “occupation” either.

He has refused to comply, preferring to swan about with a Danish passport identifying him as “Constantine of Greece.”

In the Sex Pistols song, Rotten sings “God save the Queen / the fascist regime.”

With Eurotrash like Constantine and dictators like the king of Bahrain, those lyrics are also still pretty accurate.

But sadly I will be visiting my in-laws so will miss the protest this Sunday from 12-5.30pm on Westminster Bridge held by anti-royal group Republic.

We are also invited to celebrate the divine right of Queens with street parties.

If people want to enjoy barbecued sausages and beer in public, good for them. But this supposedly spontaneous public eating is also backed by government cash.

“The Big Lunch” charity is helping to organise many jubilee street parties. As the name suggests, The Big Lunch is a brainchild of one of Cameron’s Big Society thinkers, Paul Twivy.

He was also a founder member of the government backed Big Society Network.

When Cameron was claiming charities would spontaneously make up for cuts, the Big Society Network argued that people shouldn’t “always turn to officials, local authorities or central government for answers to the problems they face.”

But the Big Lunch got £295,000 from the Department for Communities between 2008 and 2010.

Government funding seems to have gone down, but this year the Department still gave the Big Lunch another £35,000.

In fairness to Twivy, he seems to have become disillusioned with Cameron, and has since criticised cuts to charities.

So official backing for the jubilee includes sending pensioners down the river in golden boats, forcing everyone to take a day off work, wall-to-wall balls from the BBC and money to tthe Big Lunch.

If anyone talks about jubilee celebrations being all about spontaneous royalist celebrations from the little people, remember that it’s more big fib than Big Lunch.

Stop religious oppression in Iraqi Kurdistan

This video says U.N. Says Iraqi Women Are Worse Off.

From the Campaign against suppression of Freedom of Expression in Kurdistan:

29 May, 2012

Your support needed to prevent the suppression of Freedom of Expression in Iraqi Kurdistan!

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”.

We call upon the entire international human rights organizations.

All those who defend the rights of journalists, all political parties, parliament members and freedom loving figures:

Support us in our campaign to prevent the suppression and violation of Freedom of Expression in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Earlier this month and after a preplanned scenario in Arbil by KDP

the ruling party in Iraqi Kurdistan

assisted by a number of religious clerics, the Prime Minster of the Kurdish Regional Government welcomed a suggestion from anti-freedom forces for a new law restricting freedoms of expression. The Committee for Endowment Affairs in Kurdistan Parliament immediately proposed a Bill (Protection for sanctities of religion) which imposes a prison term from 6 months to 5 years and a fine 10,000000 to 18,000000 Iraqi Dinars against writers and the publishers of any materials critical to any religion, as well as the closure of the media channel which publishes materials of this kind.

The aim of such proposals is nothing but to silence the voices of people in Kurdistan who began to protest since 17th February 2011 against corruption, poverty and unemployment. Furthermore this event coincided with the second anniversary of the murder of Mr. Sardasht Osman – a young journalist, who was kidnapped in Arbil and later found dead on 5th May 2010.

Such law is obviously oppressive and is an imitation of religious laws, which have been imposed under extreme religious Islamic regimes like Iran and Saudi Arabia. This type of law is reproducing dictatorship under the banner of protecting religion. Authorities in Kurdistan, who are challenged by growing objection by the people opposed to corruption and misusing of power, try to use this law to back up their anti-democratic repressive policies.

The under-signed organisations and groups representing thousands of freedom loving people in and outside Iraqi Kurdistan appeal to you to support our campaign in preventing any legal restrictions on Freedom of Expression in Kurdistan, and urge you to:

1. Send letters of protest to the Kurdish Regional Parliament, The Kurdish Regional Government officials, and the President of Kurdish Region in Iraq to stop their support and backing of such anti-democratic law.

2. Condemn the vicious attacks on writers, journalists and freedom loving people, and urge the KRG officials protect and respect basic human rights such as Freedom of Expression and political freedoms in Kurdistan.

Your support to this campaign in defending the right to Freedom of Expression for people in Iraqi Kurdistan will demonstrate your commitment to defend the Human Rights of all humans.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information.

Thanks

The Campaign against suppression of Freedom of Expression in Kurdistan

Affiliated by:

International Federation of Iraqi Refugees
Freedom Umbrella – a Kurdish human rights action group in the UK
Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq- Abroad representation
Nina Centre for Women – Sweden
Kurdish and Middle Eastern Women organisation – UK
Freedom Cell – a Kurdish human right’s action group in the Netherlands
17th February Group – a human rights action group in Sweden
350 journalists, politicians, human rights activists and freedom loving people in Kurdistan and abroad

Please send your letter to KRG representatives:

KRG Representation in the United Kingdom
Representative: Ms Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman
23 Buckingham Gate (4th Floor), London SW1E 6LB
Phone: +44 (0) 203 301 8340
Fax: +44 (0) 207 828 0257
Email: uk@krg.org

Web: http://us.krg.org

Contact the campaign:

Email: kampiny_azady@yahoo.com
Tel: 00447894252708 or 00447760131203
www.facebook.com/kampinyazady

From Arutz Sheva in Israel:

5/28/2012, Sivan 7, 5772

HU Research: Iraqi Women Worse Off than Under Sadam

Women in Iraq are worse off now, since the departure of allied forces,

more exactly: since the arrival of United States and other invasion forces, in 2003

than they were under Sadam Hussein, according to a book launched, Monday morning, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Women in Iraq: Past Meets Present, written by Dr. Noga Efrati of the university’s Truman Institute, shows that Iraq‘s Personal Status Law of 1959 (which deals with issues of divorce, marriage and custody of the children) which Iraqi activists had worked on for fifty years, has essentially been canceled. While representing 60 percent of the population, women were granted only a quarter of the seats in the Iraqi parliament in 2005. The book reflects Dr. Efrati’s research between 2006 and 2011.

Nikon cancels World War II sex slavery photo exhibition

This video is called JAPAN’S SEX SLAVERY (comfort women?).

From the Japan Times:

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

‘Various reasons’ halted sex slave exhibit: Nikon

By MINORU MATSUTANI
Staff writer

Nikon Corp. canceled its planned photo exhibition of wartime sex slaves for “various reasons,” the major camera maker has announced.

Although Nikon declined to state the specific reasons for the cancellation, a company spokesman admitted it received a number of complaints about the event, which was to be held from June 26 to July 9 at Shinjuku Nikon Salon in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward. The photos were taken by South Korean photographer Ahn Sehong.

“We received complaints by mail and telephone, but we cannot comment on how many complaints we got or the nature of the complaints,” said the spokesman, who asked not to be named.

Euphemistically known in Japan as the “comfort women,” the young women and girls, in large part of Korean origin, were forced into sexual slavery for the Imperial armed forces during the war.

The atrocity has been a major source of diplomatic friction in Asia, especially between South Korea and Japan.

In 1993, Yohei Kono, then chief Cabinet secretary, issued a statement acknowledging the state played a role in the wartime brothel program and offered an apology. But the government has refused to pay individual redress.

The Japan Visual Journalist Association is preparing a statement slamming Nikon for violating freedom of expression, said Takeharu Watai, one of the three representatives of the group.

“This is basically Nikon’s self-censorship. Is it all right for a large corporation like Nikon to permit such a wimpy reaction?” Takei asked.

Nikon called on the public for photos to display at the Shinjuku salon late last year and decided to hold the exhibition of Ahn’s comfort women photos earlier this year, the spokesman said.

On May 21, Internet bulletin boards 2channel and Yahoo Chiebukuro Q&A forum had postings on the event, which had the obvious intention of soliciting protests. The 2channel posts have a phone number and detailed information on Ahn, an Aichi Prefecture resident, and called on others to lodge protests targeting the photographer.

Nikon decided to cancel the photo exhibition the following day, the spokesman said.

Military Sexual Slavery by Japan During the Second World War, a group seeking to raise awareness of the sex slaves, released a statement May 24 that said: “Ahn Sehong does not accept the cancellation of the photo exhibition, which (Nikon) cannot explain the reasons for. The world-renowned Nikon’s reaction damages one photographer’s honor and will be known by the global media.”

In contrast to Nikon’s decision, the city of Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, will stick to its plan to hold an exhibition of Ahn’s comfort women photos at a community hall from 2 to 4:30 p.m. on June 10.

“We have received some complaints. But (Ahn) asked to use the hall and we confirmed there is no violation of city ordinances. Thus there is no reason to reject his request,” Yokkaichi official Takuya Sugawa said.

Spanish artist’s religious persecution for 34-year-old film

This video says about itself:

In this video, musician Fermin Muguruza sings in the Basque language — a language which was forbidden in Spain during Franco’s regime. In this interview Fermin Muguruza speaks about his personal experiences with music censorship in Spain: Its mechanisms, its impact on the artist, and the authorities’ fear of what music can do.

From daily The Guardian in Britain:

Spanish artist faces prison over ‘how to cook Christ’ film

Javier Krahe prosecuted for ‘offending religious feelings’ after 1978 short film was broadcast on Spanish TV

A leading Spanish artist faces up to a year in prison after being prosecuted for “offending religious feelings” in relation to a short film he made more than 30 years ago that claimed to show “how to cook Jesus Christ”.

Javier Krahe, who has been a popular and provocative figure in Spain for nearly half a century, made the film in 1978 but it was only shown on Spanish TV in 2004 as a backdrop to an interview with its creator. The little-known charge – comparable with but not identical to Britain’s blasphemy law, remains part of the penal code despite never having been applied before in Spanish legal history.

Krahe’s 54-second film uses the tone of a cooking programme, with chefs advised to remove Jesus’ nails and separate him from his crucifix, which should be left to one side. Christ’s tiny white body – a small figurine is used – is then shown being washed, lightly smothered in butter, placed on a bed of aromatic herbs in a glass tray and popped into an oven. “One gaunt Christ” is apparently enough to feed two, and when the dish is ready (after three days) it miraculously emerges from the oven without assistance.

There have been two previous failed attempts to prosecute Krahe, who is currently on bail for €192,000 (£153,000). The latest prosecution is the result of a court action by the Catholic legal association the Centro Juridico Tomas Moro.

That Roman Catholic center, now persecuting an artist because of free speech, should think more about the Roman Catholic saint, Sir Thomas More from whom they derive their name. Thomas More (like in his famous book Utopia) criticized absolute monarchy, the death penalty, etc. Because of that free speech, the would-be absolute monarch of England persecuted him, and ultimately had him beheaded.

“How do you show that someone’s religious feelings have been hurt?” Krahe told El Pais newspaper, adding that he considers the prosecution to be absurd. “I’m accused of a series of things that I haven’t done. I don’t appear on television cooking Christ, and I haven’t ever used these images [in a performance].” His supporters say freedom of speech laws should be changed to allow room for blasphemy.

Krahe is due to appear in Madrid’s regional court, where statements from witnesses in the case are due to be heard on Monday.

See also here.

From Iberosphere:

Spain still doesn’t understand the separation of Church and State

Comedian Leo Bassi is facing legal charges for performing a show that made fun of the Pope and Catholic Church. His provocative pranks have once again brought out the ugly side of Spanish justice and the wrath of the far right.

By Nick Lyne

Pedophile priests who will never see the inside of a court, child robbers at large, unpunished crimes from the Franco era, corrupt politicians at all levels and in most parties, a banking system in cahoots with construction companies that has dragged the economy into ruin… Meanwhile a provincial court in Valladolid, seemingly unaware of the Spanish Constitution’s guarantee of freedom of expression nearly four decades after the death of the dictator, has hauled comedian Leo Bassi up before a judge to answer charges of “offending religious feelings, slander, and libel.”

Eyewitness Spain: Bank crisis fuels the rage against a rotten system: here.

Jailed for being a suspect’s brother

This video from the USA is called How to File a FOIA Request.

From Truthout in the USA:

From Hopeful Immigrant to FBI Informant: The Inside Story of the Other Abu Zubaidah

This is the exclusive story of two brothers. One brother was, according to the government’s narrative, dead-set on destroying America, while the other was determined to pursue the American dream.

What is it like to share a surname with an infamous alleged terrorist? Ask Hesham Abu Zubaidah, the younger brother of Zayn al-Abidin Mohamed Husayn, better known to the world as the high-value Guantanamo detainee “Abu Zubaidah,” whom the US government has for more than a decade claimed was “one of the highest-ranking members of the al-Qaeda terrorist organization” and “involved in every major terrorist operation carried out by al-Qaeda,” including the 9/11 attacks. Hesham, Truthout lead investigative reporter Jason Leopold discovered, has been living in the United States since 1998, but for more than a decade he has been paying a high price for his brother’s alleged crimes. He was locked up for two years in immigration jail after 9/11 and later recruited by the FBI as an informant to spy on Muslims. Finally, he was forced to testify against his brother before a federal grand jury in Richmond, Virginia, two years ago.

During the course of Leopold’s 14-month investigation, the FBI took the unprecedented step of sending out an agent to speak with Hesham about a Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) request Leopold filed for Hesham’s case file to determine if Leopold coerced or bribed him into signing a form authorizing the bureau to release his records to Leopold. The revelation is the subject of a separate report published today along with FBI documents about the incident.

Read the article and watch the video interview here.

At Guantanamo Bay, the Obama administration continues to prosecute five alleged September 11 conspirators before a military commission over objections from defense attorneys regarding torture and challenges to the legitimacy of the proceedings: here.

Andrew Bacevich (USA): The Golden Age of Special Operations: here.

Greek journalists on strike

This video is called Report on workers’ strike in Greece.

From daily The Morning Star in Britain:

Greek journalists begin 24hr strike to protect jobs

Monday 28 May 2012

Greek journalists kicked off a 24-hour strike on Monday against pay cuts and job losses, demanding a new collective wage contract.

It shut off TV and radio news broadcasts and left news websites out of date. No newspapers will be published on Tuesday.

The Panhellenic Federation of Journalists’ Unions called on bosses to “immediately stop the layoffs, salary reductions and payment delays and sign new collective agreements.”

Greek workers have repeatedly had their pay cut and taxes increased since the previous Pasok government started turning the screws on the orders of its EU, European Central Bank and IMF creditors in 2010.

More than one in five workers are jobless and tens of thousands of businesses have closed.

Greece is in its fifth year of recession and continues to import twice as much as it exports.

See also here.

Anti-Blair demonstration, Monday, London

From daily The Morning Star in Britain:

Blair, Murdoch and the war

Sunday 27 May 2012

by Paddy McGuffin

Peace campaigners will confront Tony Blair outside the Leveson inquiry tomorrow where he faces questioning over his links to the pro-war Murdoch empire.

The protest takes place the day after the Ministry of Defence confirmed that a British soldier was killed in Helmand province this weekend bringing the total British death toll to 415.

The former prime minister will will be quizzed over whether he allowed his relationship with Murdoch and News International to become too close.

Mr Blair flew to Hayman Island in Australia to address News Corp executives in 1995 – shortly after becoming Labour leader – as part of a plan to attempt to win over the Murdoch press which had been rabidly hostile to his predecessors Michael Foot and Neil Kinnock.

In 1997 the previously staunchly Tory Sun threw its weight behind Labour.

Last year it emerged that he had been named as godfather to one of the media tycoon’s children and attended the christening on the banks of the river Jordan in 2010.

Giving evidence to the Leveson inquiry last week former Labour spin doctor Lord Mandelson said it was “arguably the case… that personal relationships between Mr Blair, Gordon Brown and Rupert Murdoch became closer than was wise.”

…

Stop the War Coalition said the correct venue for Mr Blair’s testimony was the Hague war crimes tribunal.

It said: “The court Blair should be in is the International Criminal Tribunal at the Hague to account for the culture, practice and ethics of his lies that took Britain into the illegal war with Iraq, on the coat tails of George Bush and which has left one million Iraq civilians dead and the country devastated.

“These days – and quite rightly – Blair can’t go anywhere without being confronted with his war crimes, as happened in the United States just last week.”

The group point out that all 127 of Murdoch’s papers backed the war in Iraq and that Murdoch has confirmed that he was frequently in direct contact with the then PM.

They also highlighted the fact that all the Mudoch papers ran with the infamous “dodgy dossier” and the erroneous claim that Iraq could launch weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in 45 minutes.

Stop The War questioned whether there was a “pact” between Labour and News International to ratchet up pro-war sentiment and “be relentless in promoting the war, even if this meant using lies and distortion.”

The demonstration will take place [Monday] morning between 9am and 10am outside the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand.

Update: demonstration report: Tony Blair was met by protesters brandishing “Troops home,” “Bliar” and “Afghanistan out” banners as he arrived at the Leveson inquiry on Monday: here. And here. And here.

Update: report om Blair at the inquiry: here. And here.

Yemen, Bahrain revolutions on Dutch TV

This video is called Bahrain: royal family orders army to shoot unarmed civilians.

As the last part of a TV series on revolutions in Arab countries, tonight at 20:30 Central European Time on Dutch Nederland 2 TV, there will be reports from Yemen and Bahrain.

After the reports will have been broadcast, there will be a video of them, here.

Translated from Dutch TV on tonight’s report:

[Last] part: The invisible insurrection

In Yemen, [reporter] Rosenmöller visits Tawakkul Karman, the Nobel laureate who, despite the resignation of President Saleh, is still protesting in a tent camp. Karman accuses Saleh of still pulling the strings behind the scenes, and says that the army secretly supports Al Qaeda. But the cousin of Saleh, still at the head of the security services, smears the winner of the Nobel Prize for supposedly being a liar. “You will hear many lies in Yemen!”

…

Finally, Bahrain, the political football between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran, a small country of great geopolitical importance. The country where the protests seem to have no end, and where many a journalist is arrested or expelled. At the border, all equipment is seized. Despite the fact that the film crew must give up all equipment, they manage to talk with opposition members, to visit a family of one of the killed protesters, and to interview Bahraini doctor Ali Ekri. Ekri is out on bail. In anticipation of a prison sentence of fifteen years for helping the wounded and the disclosure of the practices of the police and the army. A unique insight into the uprising which the Bahraini royal family is anxiously trying to keep secret.

Bahrain: After UPR Geneva session, Alkhalifa lost legitimacy to remain: here.

Bahrain Live Coverage: Regime on Human Rights “You Are Biased. P.S. We’ll Sue You”: here.

US State Department: Bahrain Report on Human Rights Practices for 2011: here.

Bahrain human rights defenders who were in Geneva earlier this week for the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process are to be questioned by Bahrain’s Ministry of the Interior on their return to Bahrain, Jalila al Salman told Human Rights First: here.

Bahrain-Update: Human rights defender Mr Nabeel Rajab released on bail: here.

Ending the US War in Yemen, Tom Hayden, June 1, 2012: here.

Tony Blair and Rupert Murdoch’s scandals

From daily News Line in England:

Saturday, 26 May 2012

Blair at Inquiry on Monday

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair is to appear before the Leveson Inquiry into media standards on Monday.

Under-pressure Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt will give evidence on Thursday, when he will be asked about his office’s links with News Corp during its bid to take over satellite broadcaster BSkyB. Prime Minister Cameron yesterday claimed he did not ‘regret’ asking Hunt to rule on the abortive deal and asserted that Hunt had acted ‘impartially’.

Blair will be questioned over whether his relationship with News Corp owner Rupert Murdoch and the company’s News International subsidiary was too close. Blair’s former trade minister Lord Mandelson told the Inquiry on Monday that the relationship had ‘arguably’ become ‘closer than wise’ but dismissed claims of a ‘Faustian pact’ involving commercial concessions for News Corp in return for support from its newspapers.

Blair travelled to Hayman Island in Australia to address News Corp executives in 1995, as part of a Labour strategy to win over newspapers that had unfavourably portrayed previous leaders Michael Foot and Neil Kinnock. He is also godfather to one of Murdoch’s children.

Current home secretary Theresa May is expected to face questioning about police handling of phone-hacking allegations when she appears on Tuesday along with Education Secretary Michael Gove.

Business Secretary Vince Cable and Justice Secretary Clarke will give evidence next Wednesday.

Gove, a former Times journalist, a newspaper owned by News Corp, is expected to be asked about the frequency of his contacts with senior News Corp executives, as 11 meetings were recorded between the May 2010 general election and July 2011.

Hunt will face questions about whether his overt support for the bid was compatible with his job in overseeing it.

Cameron claimed yesterday that there was no ‘great conspiracy’ between him and Rupert Murdoch in return for support for his government but admitted that the relationship between politicians and the press had become ‘too close’. His comments came as Hunt’s former special adviser Adam Smith began his second day of questioning at the Leveson Inquiry.

Smith told the Inquiry that he was ‘bombarded’ with information from News Corp lobbyist Fred Michel. Smith admitted that he was aware that Michel was trying to extract information during News Corp’s bid for broadcaster BSkyB.

Smith resigned last month after admitting his contact with News Corp had got too close. He told the Inquiry that he had ‘no specific instructions’ on the limits to information he could provide to News Corp.

He added: ‘It wasn’t uncommon to give advance notice of certain statements but I would use my judgement on what to say or what not to say.’

Smith said that officials at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport knew that Michel was his point of contact at News Corp and they would have mentioned Michel by name to Hunt on the ‘odd occasion’.

Counsel to the Inquiry, Robert Jay QC, asked Smith why he resigned, saying ‘no one was criticising you – what did you think of that?’

Smith replied: ‘I thought by this stage that the perception had been created that something untoward had gone on, and that was why I’d offered my resignation the evening beforehand. “Everyone thought I’d have to go” was confirmation in my mind that everyone else thought that.’

British minister called Murdoch aide ‘papa’: here.

Prime Minister Cameron’s former director of communications Andy Coulson [ex-Murdoch empire] was detained by police investigating allegations of perjury yesterday. Coulson was detained at his home in the Dulwich area of London at 6.30am by seven officers from Strathclyde Police and taken to Glasgow for questioning: here.

The coalition rift began to gape even wider on Sunday after Liberal Democrats indicated they might not stop their MPs voting with Labour to launch an investigation into Jeremy Hunt: here.

War profiteers smear US journalists

This video from the USA is called Iraq For Sale – Full Movie.

By Eric W. Dolan in the USA:

Propaganda firm owner admits smear campaign against U.S. journalists

Thursday, May 24, 2012 17:14 EDT

The co-owner of a U.S. defense contractor that specializes in Information Operations admitted on Thursday to trying to discredit two USA Today journalists with an online smear campaign.

“I take full responsibility for having some of the discussion forums opened and reproducing their previously published USA TODAY articles on them,” Camille Chidiac, the minority owner of Leonie Industries and its former president, said in a statement.

“I recognize and deeply regret that my actions have caused concerns for Leonie and the U.S. military. This was never my intention. As an immediate corrective action, I am in the process of completely divesting my remaining minority ownership from Leonie.”

Tom Vanden Brook and Ray Locker reported in February on “dubious, costly” propaganda campaigns carried out by contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan. The reporters noted that Leonie Industries was awarded a contract from the Department of Defense, even though the company’s owners owed at least $4 million in federal taxes.

Leonie Industries is a relatively small company that specializes in cyber operations, intelligence analysis, psychological operations, and counter-IED explosives operations. …

After reporting on the company, the two journalists were targeted by a online disinformation campaign apparently meant to destroy their reputation. Fake Twitter and Facebook accounts were created in their name, along with websites that purported to be owned and operated by them. Comments quickly sprung up on message boards, Yahoo! answers, Wikipedia, and blogs criticizing the two reporters’ investigation of Leonie Industries. Some comments even suggested the two journalists worked for the Taliban.

…

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta “has directed the department to review this matter and to take appropriate action,” according to a Pentagon spokesperson.

“I am glad to see that we now know who was responsible for these false attacks on Tom Vanden Brook, Ray Locker and USA Today,” Susan Weiss, executive editor of USA Today, said. “We stand behind our reporters and our stories.”