[01 May 2012] US bent on destruction of Middle East countries - English
[01 May 2012] 'US bent on destruction of Middle East countries' - English
A third explosion rocked Syrian city of Idlib on Monday, hours after...
[01 May 2012] 'US bent on destruction of Middle East countries' - English
A third explosion rocked Syrian city of Idlib on Monday, hours after twin bomb blasts killed more than 20 people in the northwestern city.
Casualties are feared in the third blast which shook the university neighborhood in Idlib on Monday.
Activists say at least 20 people were killed and dozens of others were injured in twin explosions targeting the Air Force Intelligence headquarters and the Military Intelligence buildings in Idlib earlier in day.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Webster Griffin Tarpley, an author and historian from Washington, to further explore the issue.
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Court shown fatal US police beating video - 10May12 - All Languages
Two US police officers have been ordered to stand trial in the death of a mentally ill homeless man following a violent arrest last summer....
Two US police officers have been ordered to stand trial in the death of a mentally ill homeless man following a violent arrest last summer.
California's Orange County Superior Court Judge Walter Schwarm made the ruling after a hearing that included surveillance video of the confrontation between the officers and 37-year-old Kelly Thomas in the city of Fullerton.
Officer Manuel Ramos is charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Jay Cicinelli is charged with involuntary manslaughter and assault or battery by a public officer. Both have pleaded not guilty.
The officers confronted Thomas while responding to reports that a homeless man was looking into parked cars at a transit center.
"This is another victory, on another battle," said Thomas' father, Ron. "We're going to start a new one with the trial."
John Barnett, Ramos' attorney, said he would seek another court's review of Schwarm's ruling and did not expect his client would end up facing a jury trial.
"We're disappointed that they were held to answer but we will seek review in an appropriate manner," he told reporters after the ruling. "He believes, and he is innocent."
Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said during the hearing that Ramos bullied a shirtless Thomas with his menacing remarks and aggressive stance — actions that would have led anyone to fear they were about to get beaten by police.
"Any person, any creature on this earth would have fear at that point," Rackauckas told the court during the preliminary hearing.
"You're going to fight or flee because this is an imminent threat of a serious beating by a police officer who is there with a baton and a gun and other police officers.... This is going to be a very bad deal," the prosecutor said.
Defence attorneys countered that police — who are authorised and trained to use force when necessary — viewed the incident as an encounter with a man who refused to give his name and continued to resist arrest even as multiple officers rushed to assist.
The three-day hearing was marked by repeated showing of clips from surveillance video and audio recordings of the confrontation. The footage includes scenes of officers pummelling and pinning down Thomas as he screams that he can't breathe and moans for his father until he goes silent and is taken away by medics, leaving behind a pool of blood.
Barnett, Ramos' attorney, said during the hearing that the video — which was introduced by the prosecution — shows that his client made a conditional threat during his conversation with Thomas, stating he wanted the man to start listening and following police orders, such as sitting with his legs stretched out and providing his name to officers.
"All that Kelly Thomas had to do was simply comply," Barnett said. "Officer Ramos just lifts him up, he's going to arrest him. ... Not only can he do it, he must do it. He is bound to do it."
"Officer Ramos didn't do anything that should or could kill Kelly Thomas," Barnett said, pointing out that his client is often seen on the video at the man's feet.
Prosecutors have argued that Ramos punched Thomas in the ribs, tackled him and lay on him to hold him down while Cicinelli — who arrived later on the scene — used a Taser four times on Thomas as he hollered in pain and hit him in the face eight times with the Taser.
Thomas lost consciousness and was taken to a hospital. He was taken off life support and died five days later.
The coroner's office found that Thomas died from compression of his chest that made it difficult for him to breathe and deprived his brain of oxygen, and facial injuries stemming from his confrontation with law enforcement.
In court, Schwartz, Cicinelli's attorney, challenged those findings, noting that testimony by a paramedic who treated Thomas at the scene indicates that Thomas was breathing, although with difficulty, during the confrontation.
Schwartz also defended his client's use of the Taser on Thomas, who was still struggling and resisting officers' efforts to handcuff him, and said Cicinelli only swung the Taser at Thomas' hand when the man made an effort to grab the weapon.
"To call that a crime is to effectively handcuff our police officers out in the field from dealing with any combative suspect," Schwartz said.
The hearing in a Santa Ana courtroom was marked by lengthy testimony from medical experts and graphic photos of Thomas' injuries, including multiple bruises and a bloodied eye, while he was lying on the autopsy table.
Attorneys repeatedly played portions of the grainy surveillance video, which was paired with audio from digital recorders worn by some of the officers who were present and which brought some of Thomas' supporters to tears and prompted them to leave the courtroom.
The incident last July prompted an ongoing FBI investigation to determine if Thomas' civil rights were violated, an internal probe by the city, protests by residents and an effort to recall three Fullerton councilmembers that is slated for next month's ballot.
The recall was sparked after angry residents chastised the council members for failing to take significant action regarding the incident.
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Iranians rally against Saudi merger plan - 18MAY12 - Farsi
Iranians have taken to the streets to protest against Saudi Arabia’s bid for a merger with Bahrain as well as the Manama regime’s brutal...
Iranians have taken to the streets to protest against Saudi Arabia’s bid for a merger with Bahrain as well as the Manama regime’s brutal crackdown on anti-government protests.
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[20 May 2012] 64th anniversary of Nakba Day - Remember Palestine - English
[20 May 2012] 64th anniversary of Nakba Day - Remember Palestine - English
15th of May will see Palestinians commemorate the 64th anniversary of...
[20 May 2012] 64th anniversary of Nakba Day - Remember Palestine - English
15th of May will see Palestinians commemorate the 64th anniversary of Nakba Day; where over 750,000 Palestinians were ethnically cleansed and 400 Palestinian villages destroyed to form the illegal State of Israel. The same day where Palestinians will be mourning their dead, Israeli's will celebrate their Independence Day- the formation of occupied territories that were created by force and aggression to form a land with Jewish majority. Sixty-four years have passed however; Palestine is still under the illegitimate occupation of the Israelis and their supporters- Palestinians are still faced with Zionist hostilities, daily torment and anguish. The Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe) isn't over - for the Palestinians the ethnic cleansing never ended. The refugees are still barred from their homeland; Palestinians are being forced from their land to make way for Israeli settlements, and the Israeli administration have even stated that they don't want Palestinians to exceed 30% of the population of Jerusalem.
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القائد: لا تراجع لا تراجع لا تراجع عن...
القائد: لا تراجع لا تراجع لا تراجع عن الحقوق ولا فتور May 25, 2012 - Arabic
القائد: لا تراجع لا تراجع لا تراجع عن الحقوق ولا فتور May 25, 2012 - Arabic
3m:55s
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مستند بازداشت عبدالمالک ریگی - How Rigi...
A documentary on arrest of Abulmalik Rigi.
Abdulmalik Rigi was a terrorist arrested in an operation directed by Iranian intelligence service....
A documentary on arrest of Abulmalik Rigi.
Abdulmalik Rigi was a terrorist arrested in an operation directed by Iranian intelligence service. Rigi was on a flight from Dubai to Bishkek to meet with US officials in Manas. As part of this operation, the plane was forced to land by Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force.
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لقطة علوية لمسيرة الشعب اختار...
لقطة علوية لمسيرة الشعب اختار الديمقراطية Jun 08, 2012 - All Languages
لقطة علوية لمسيرة الشعب اختار الديمقراطية Jun 08, 2012 - All Languages
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[09 July 2012] Bahrain eyes seat on UN human rights committee - English
[09 July 2012] Bahrain eyes seat on UN human rights committee - English
During the last year the government of Bahrain has been internationally...
[09 July 2012] Bahrain eyes seat on UN human rights committee - English
During the last year the government of Bahrain has been internationally condemned for its use of deadly force against peaceful demonstrators.
It's been slammed for marginalizing the majority Shia population, for torturing and mistreating political prisoners, and for harassing human rights defenders, yet, despite all this, Bahrain still wants to contribute to international forums on human rights.
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