Ancient African coins spark international treasure hunt

Ancient African coins spark international treasure hunt - NBC News.com: "Can a handful of ancient African coins, discovered almost 70 years ago by a lone soldier on a remote island, rewrite history?

A weathered, hand-drawn map, with an "X" marking the spot on the Australian island where the African coins were discovered, might help an international team of researchers, who will travel to the island this summer, answer that question."

The story begins more than a thousand years ago, when the city of Kilwa  (In Photo) was the richest trading center on the eastern coast of Africa.  A bustling harbor, a glittering mosque decorated with Chinese porcelain and the Husuni Kubwa palace (famed for its octagonal swimming pool) made Kilwa a premier destination for wealthy merchants, who traded African gold and ivory for spices and perfume from the Far East.

Al-Nusra Front leader CIA operative: Former al-Qaeda member

PressTV - Al-Nusra Front leader CIA operative: Former al-Qaeda member: "A former al-Qaeda member says the ringleader of the al-Nusra Front, the primary terrorist group in Syria, is an operative of the US Central Intelligence Agency CIA.


“I personally believe that the leader of the Nusra Army who declared his support for Ayman al-Zawahiri is a CIA operative,” Sheikh Naiim, who led an al-Qaeda training camp in Egypt, said in a released video.

Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, the head of the terrorist al-Nusra Front, said on April 10 that the group was loyal to the al-Qaeda chief al-Zawahiri.

Sheikh Naiim called on those who have joined the foreign-backed al-Nusra Front to be wary of the true objectives of the cause they're fighting for.

He said militants were fighting a war in Syria on behalf of the US, adding Washington was trying to reap its own benefits from the crisis in the Arab country. "

'via Blog this'

Duke’s helicopter friends buzz society wedding

Duke’s helicopter friends buzz society wedding - Telegraph: "The Sea King flew low and circled the building in Northumberland on Saturday, where Thomas van Straubenzee, 30, married Lady Melissa Percy, 26, the youngest daughter of the Duke of Northumberland.
The Duchess of Cambridge, who is due to give birth next month, did not attend, however her sister, Pippa Middleton, was present.
The Ministry of Defence said the aircraft was returning to its base four miles away after attending an emergency in the Lake District.
Five years ago Prince William, an RAF search and rescue pilot, was criticised when he used a helicopter to attend a stag party and another wedding."
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This is how they do, using taxpayer funded equipment for fun and games. rubbing their privileged arses in or faces.

Germany blocks start of EU-Turkey talks

PressTV - Germany blocks start of EU-Turkey talks: "Germany has blocked the start of European Union talks with Turkey over Ankara's heavy-handed response to weeks of anti-government protests.
At a meeting of EU ambassadors in Brussels on Thursday, Germany blocked moves to open a new chapter in Ankara's EU membership talks next week, an unnamed EU diplomat said.
“The Germans have to report back home but it seems they are leaning towards not opening the chapter," the EU diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“The ongoing protests obviously had an impact on the decision,” the diplomat added. "
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Turkey is the field negro of Europe. Its job is to protect the master's flank, fight it's dirty wars, but it will never be allowed in the big house.

Obama orders US to draw up overseas target list for cyber-attacks

Obama orders US to draw up overseas target list for cyber-attacks | World news | guardian.co.uk: "The revelation that the US is preparing a specific target list for offensive cyber-action is likely to reignite previously raised concerns of security researchers and academics, several of whom have warned that large-scale cyber operations could easily escalate into full-scale military conflict.

Sean Lawson, assistant professor in the department of communication at the University of Utah, argues: "When militarist cyber rhetoric results in use of offensive cyber attack it is likely that those attacks will escalate into physical, kinetic uses of force."

An intelligence source with extensive knowledge of the National Security Agency's systems told the Guardian the US complaints again China were hypocritical, because America had participated in offensive cyber operations and widespread hacking – breaking into foreign computer systems to mine information."-The Guardian

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Hypocrites

Ghana arrests 124 Chinese citizens for illegal gold mining but ignores the mothership of exploitation; AngloGold Ashanti.

Ghana arrests 124 Chinese citizens for illegal gold mining | World news | guardian.co.uk: "Ghanaian authorities have arrested 124 Chinese citizens for illegal gold mining in the resource-rich west African country, highlighting the social and environmental challenges posed by China's growing presence on the continent.

Local police arrested the suspected illegal miners in the country's capital, Accra, China's state newswire Xinhua reported on Thursday, citing Francis Palmdeti, the head of the Ghana immigration service. Many of them are likely to face deportation."-The Guardian
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More from the "Get China Out of Africa" campaign. This time from the Guardian. See how the wording is eerily similar to the Reuters report below concerning Sinopec and Gabon? Almost as if they were both written in the same office!

While the Guardian highlights the misdeeds of several scrappy Chinese miners, let us quickly check on the reputation of one of the biggest, UK-owned, mining companies in the world, with a huge presence in Africa, and Ghana in particular; Anglo Ashanti Gold. From Wikipedia- -

"In August 2007 British charity War on Want published a report accusing AngloGold Ashanti's parent company Anglo American of profiting from the abuse of people in the developing countries in which the company operates.[9]

The report alleges abuses committed by AngloGold Ashanti subsidiaries in Colombia, Ghana and Mali.[citation needed]

 According to Forbes, AngloGold Ashanti was accused in 2007 in Colombia for "murders of trade union and community leaders who opposed the company's activities in the region". The company disclosed itself in 2006 or in 2007 unacceptable safety performance in its platinum mines. Safety measures were taken.[10]

 In January 2011, AngloGold Ashanti was named the world's "Most Irresponsible Company" at the Public Eye Awards, hosted by the Berne Declaration and Greenpeace in Davos, Switzerland. The nominating organisation, WACAM (Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Mining), catalogued the company's history of "gross human rights violations and environmental problems.""

China's Sinopec locked in $1 billion oil dispute with Gabon-sources

China's Addax locked in $1 billion oil dispute with Gabon-sources | Reuters: "The case adds to questions about whether African enthusiasm for Chinese investment in the continent's resources is fading after an iron ore project in Gabon was placed under review and separately three Chinese licences were revoked in Zambia's coal sector."-Reuters

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I just hate statements like this; "African enthusiasm for Chinese investment"..as if we Africans were 'enthusiastic' about the pre-colonial, and colonial relationships with the West that established Western dominance in the trafficking and exploitation of African peoples, and resources. If anything, at least we know what the Chinese want; commerce, and it's up to us to get the best deal for ourselves. With the West there's a constant manipulation of values, history, and people, that consistently puts Africa on the losing side of any deal, stuck with a begging bowl waiting on scraps offered to us by Western NGOs, and hypocritical 'foreign aid' budgets.

David Cameron faces serious Cabinet split over over arming Syrian rebels.

David Cameron faces serious Cabinet split over over arming Syrian rebels - UK Politics - UK - The Independent: ""..Senior Whitehall officials say that Mr Cameron has become convinced of the need for Britain to take a much more proactive stance in the Syrian conflict, with one describing it as a “one man crusade”.

Another senior Whitehall source said: “He is the one who is driving this. He thinks that it is the right thing to do and that the experience in Libya shows that intervention can work. The danger, as we saw with Tony Blair, is that not all conflicts are the same.”"-The Independent
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Lord save us from UK public school Prime Ministers that think they understand how to save the brown and black people of the world. I don't know why it should always include killing a whole lot of them too. This is historically what the British have always done; divide and rule, with a lot of 'ethnic' blood added to the mix.

Rice is back on the Menu

National security team shuffle may signal more activist stance at White House - The Washington Post
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Urg! Susan Rice. What a terrible choice for the world, although a continuation of the 'empire' mindset that infects and determines the US policy elites. You princes of the GCC can rest assured that her 'activism' as NSO does not involve the care and consideration of acknowledging your autocratic, sectarian, kingdoms for the sake of your oppressed subjects. What a joke! Shame on Obama for further reducing the positions and trappings of power and influence down to merely a palour game of favour, and sycophancy.