Customers use computers at an internet cafe in Tehran. (Reuters / Raheb Homavandi)RT News

The US has announced it is easing sanctions on Iran, allowing exports of computers, cellphones and software to individuals. The move comes ahead of presidential election to be held next month.

Though the chances of an Apple Store being opened in Tehran are still slim, Iranians might soon be able to buy American computer devices and cellphones officially and not at the black market, as they have been forced to do by US restrictions, in force since 1992. As for Iranians living in US, they can finally feel free to buy whatever gadgets they like – something they used to be denied, with shops citing American sanctions.   Continue reading “US lifts ban on gadget exports to Iran ahead of elections”

Common Dreams – by Amy Goodman

One cyberactivist’s federal case wrapped up this week, and another’s is set to begin. Although these two young men, Jeremy Hammond and Bradley Manning, are the two who were charged, it is the growing menace of government and corporate secrecy that should be on trial.

Hammond was facing more than 30 years in prison, charged with hacking into the computers of a private security and intelligence firm called Strategic Forecasting, or Stratfor, when he agreed to a plea agreement of one count of computer hacking. Stratfor traffics in “geopolitical intelligence, economic, political and military forecasting,” according to its website.   Continue reading “President Obama Uses a Sledgehammer Against Dissent”

Ye Olde False Flag

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s MiG aircraft maker said Friday it plans to sign a new agreement to ship at least 10 fighter jets to Syria, a move that comes amid international criticism of earlier Russian weapons deals with Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime.

MiG’s director general, Sergei Korotkov, said a Syrian delegation was in Moscow to discuss the details of a new contract for the delivery of MiG-29 M/M2 fighters. In remarks carried by Russian news agencies, he said Syria wants to buy “more than 10” such fighters, but wouldn’t give the exact number.   Continue reading “Russia to sell at least 10 MiG fighters to Syria”

MarijuanaMashable – by Seth Fiegerman

Jamen Shively hopes to do for marijuana what Starbucks has done for coffee.

Shively, who worked as a corporate strategy manager at Microsoft until 2009, took part in a press conference Thursday accompanied by Mexico’s former president to discuss his plans to build a national marijuana brand in the U.S. called Diego Pellicer.   Continue reading “Former Microsoft Exec Aims to Create National Marijuana Retail Chain”

Obama-admin-visitorsVoting American

The former head of the IRS visited the White House more times than any Cabinet member, according to an analysis by The Daily Caller, raising questions about the nature of those visits — particularly around the time the agency was targeting conservative groups.

The Caller analysis of White House visitor logs showed former IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman visited the White House at least 157 times under the Obama administration.    Continue reading “IRS Chief Visits White House 157 Times”

Information Clearinghouse

Former U.S. President George W. Bush recently dedicated his Presidential Library in Dallas. The ceremony included speeches by President Obama, ex-President Bush, and every other living ex-president. But none of the speeches so much as mentioned to Iraq war — the undertaking that dominated George W. Bush’s presidency, and will define his historic legacy.

This omission might be due, at least in part, to the fact that Mr. Bush is now a convicted war criminal who dares not travel abroad out of fear of being arrested.   Continue reading “Bush Administration Convicted of War Crimes”

ORLANDO, FL - MAY 22: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) evidence response agents work outside the apartmentent where a suspected friend of the Boston bombers was shot and killed by FBI on May 22, 2013 in Orlando, Florida. Ibragim Todashev was being questioned by the FBI about his ties to the Boston Marathon bombing suspects when he was killed after attacking the agent. (Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images)IntelliHub – by Shepard Ambellas

Not only has the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) been implicated in staging terror attacks in the past, they are now engaging the American civilian populace in the arena of the “battlefield” on an entirely new level as public execution, by government officials, will soon be commonplace.

ORLANDO — For the first time ever, we can blatantly see that the establishment has lost track of all reality.   Continue reading “FBI Execution Squads Operational on American Soil”

Before It’s News – by Mort Amsel

An American woman and two other westerners who were killed while fighting on the side of FSA rebels in Syria were found with an Al-Nusra flag, the Al-Qaeda group that killed U.S. troops in Iraq and has become the primary fighting force in the country.

“TV footage showed a bullet-riddled car and three bodies laid out. It also showed weapons, a computer, a hand-drawn map of a government military facility and a flag belonging to the al Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front,” reports CNN.   Continue reading “American Killed Fighting For Syrian Rebels Had Al-Qaeda Flag”

irs-shotgunsWND – by AARON KLEIN

The issue of Internal Revenue Service agents carrying weapons may warrant further scrutiny amid the nationwide distrust of the agency for targeting conservative organizations.

The IRS is also the chief enforcer of Obamacare requirements.   Continue reading “IRS Agents Carrying Shotguns Not A Big Deal?”

Genetically modified wheat has been discovered growing in a field in Oregon. GMO wheat is not approved for sale in the U.S. Above, a wheat field in Arkansas.NPR – by Dan Charles

A farmer in Oregon has found some genetically engineered wheat growing on his land. It’s an unwelcome surprise, because this type of wheat has never been approved for commercial planting.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it’s investigating, trying to find out how this wheat got there. The USDA says there’s no risk to public health, but wheat exporters are worried about how their customers in Asia and Europe will react.   Continue reading “GMO Wheat Found In Oregon Field. How Did It Get There?”

ingram 263x164 Illinois Ag. Department Illegally Seizes Privately Owned Bees Resistant to GMO PoisonNatural Society – by Christina Sarich

Terrence Ingram, a world renowned naturalist who once saved the Bald Eagle from being on the endangered species list, was recently met by the Illinois Agricultural Department which seized his privately-owned bees. The department seized his bees that were ‘resistant to GMO pesticides’ and killed the remaining healthy queen bees in his beehives.   Continue reading “Illinois Ag. Department Illegally Seizes Privately Owned Bees Resistant to GMO Poison”

Dear Senator Wyden and Team,

The fact that you work in an office and I work outside speaks to the fact that you and your team probably have no clue how bad the project to modify the upper atmosphere has become in southern Oregon, east of the Cascades. In fact, it is making us sick.  YES. SICK. Many people are complaining of colds that do not go away, of upper respiratory tightness, frequent headaches, “brain fog” and a background fatigue.    Continue reading “Letter to Sen. Wyden: We are being Sprayed on a Daily Basis!”

American Freedom by Barbara

In this week’s cover story, TIME’s David Von Drehle interviews Mayor Rahm Emanuel about the enduring problems facing Chicago – school reform, gun violence, unemployment and budget shortfalls. Von Drehle also outlines how Emanuel’s aggressive efforts – often at odds with his Democratic base – could prove to be a proxy for a broader fight nationwide over the identity of the Democratic Party.

Mark Seliger photographed Rahm Emanuel for TIME on the L train platform in Chicago for the cover.   Continue reading “Godfather of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Cover of Time”

AlterNet – by  Aviva Shen

Protesters rallied in St. Louis, MO on Wednesday over the death of 25-year-old Cary Ball Jr, who was  shot 25 times by police officers last month. Police say Ball refused to pull over for a traffic stop, eventually crashed into a parked car, and started running. According to police, Ball pointed a semi-automatic handgun at the officers, prompting them to open fire.   Continue reading “St. Louis Police Shoot Black Honor Student 25 Times”

Mr. Conservative – by Kristin Tate

Kyle Dube lured a 15-year-old girl, Nicole Cable, in an effort to stage her kidnapping and then rescue her to become a “hero”. Instead, Dube ended up killing the girl by accident.

Oops.   Continue reading “Man Fakes Girl’s Kidnapping To ‘Be A Hero,’ Then Kills Her By Accident”