Facebook, Google and Twitter: custodians of our most intimate secrets We’ve handed our personal database to internet companies with hardly any questions asked Aditya Chakrabortty The Guardian Google CEO Eric Schmidt . . .’If you have something that you don’t want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place.’ Photograph: Paul Sakuma/AP The next time you hear the phrase “internet privacy”, don’t think of teenage infatuations heatedly committed to Facebook, of lads puking down their Ted Bakers and sticking the cameraphone footage on YouTube, or of some hack writer tweeting about the progress of his … Continue reading Facebook, Google and Twitter – need to break free from the big brother rut

Troubling reality behind facade of Uzbek ‘princess’ The glitter, glamour and philanthropy of Gulnara Karimova hides the truth of an Uzbekistan regime that engenders fear Henrietta Foster guardian.co.uk Gulnara Karimova has contributed to US foundation for Aids research amFAR, yet homosexuality is illegal in Uzbekistan. Photograph: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images If it wasn’t so bizarre and genuinely troubling, the extravagant character of Gulnara Karimova would almost be a tremendous joke. One of those hyper-real women that grace the pages of Tintin or Asterix in harem pants and jewels with secret compartments stuffed with poison. She may have been played by … Continue reading Gulnara Karimova

Even picnics in Israel are political Our farewell picnic to Ezra Nawi before his prison term for peaceful protest carried a new message to most Israeli picnics Neve Gordon guardian.co.uk Picnics, like almost everything else in Israel, are often political. Oz Shelach underscores this point in his collection of short stories, Picnic Grounds, where he describes how a history professor takes his family on a picnic in the pine forest near Givat Shaul, a Jerusalem neighbourhood. The professor teaches his son some of the camping skills he learned while serving in the Israeli military, using old stones to block the … Continue reading Israels political picnics!

Afghans believe US is funding Taliban Intellectuals and respected Afghan professionals are convinced the west is prolonging conflict to maintain influence in the region Daniella Peled guardian.co.uk It is the common belief among Afghans that the west has no intention of ending the conflict in Afghanistan. Photograph: John Moore/Getty Images It’s near-impossible to find anyone in Afghanistan who doesn’t believe the US are funding the Taliban: and it’s the highly educated Afghan professionals, those employed by ISAF, USAID, international media organisations – and even advising US diplomats – who seem the most convinced. One Afghan friend, who speaks flawless English … Continue reading Is US funding the Taliban?

By Justin Vela ISTANBUL – Turkey entertained United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in Istanbul at the weekend and basked in praise for its efforts, along with Brazil, in securing a nuclear fuel swap deal for Iran. Ban told Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he welcomed Ankara’s diplomatic efforts since it improves the chances for a diplomatic solution to Iran’s standoff with Western nations over its nuclear program. On Monday, Iran handed a letter to the United Nation’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, in which it outlined the swap deal in which 1,200 kilograms of its … Continue reading Iran issue forces Turkey to a crossroads

Queen’s Speech: Queen sets out David Cameron’s plans The Queen delivered her 56th Queen’s Speech Major plans to reform schools, police, welfare and Britain’s political system are at the heart of the coalition government’s first Queen’s Speech. But the Queen said cutting the budget deficit and restoring growth would be the new government’s “first priority”. The 22 Bills set out in detail what Prime Minister David Cameron hopes to achieve over the next 18 months. The programme reflects compromises reached by the Conservatives and Lib Dems when they agreed to share power. Unveiling the proposals from her throne in the … Continue reading Queen’s Speech