The US state of Louisiana must immediately remove two inmates from the solitary confinement they were placed in almost 40 years ago, Amnesty International said today.

Albert Woodfox, 64, and Herman Wallace, 69, were placed in "Closed Cell Restriction (CCR)" in Louisiana State Penitentiary - known as Angola Prison - since they were convicted of the murder of a prison guard in 1972. Apart from very brief periods, they have been held in isolation ever since.

"The treatment to which Albert Woodfox and Herman Wallace have been subjected for the past four decades is cruel and inhumane and a violation of the US’s obligations under international law," said Guadalupe Marengo, Americas Deputy Director at Amnesty International. "We are not aware of any other case in the USA where individuals have been subjected to such restricted human contact for such a prolonged period of time."

Over the course of decades there has been no meaningful review of the men’s designation to CCR. The only reason given for maintaining the men under these conditions has been due to the "nature of the original reason for lockdown." Both men were originally arrested for armed robbery.

Stephen Lendman: Former Political Prisoner Geronimo Pratt Dies

Inside Job' provides a comprehensive analysis of the global financial crisis of 2008, which at a cost over $20 trillion, caused millions of people to lose their jobs and homes in the worst recession since the Great Depression, and nearly resulted in a global financial collapse. The film traces the rise of a rogue industry which has corrupted politics, regulation, and academia. It was made on location in the United States, Iceland, England, France, Singapore, and China. Part 2/8 + Part 3/8 + Part 4/8 + Part 5/8 + Part 6/8 + Part 7/8 + Part 8/8

A prominent member of Switzerland’s largest political party has called upon federal authorities to arrest Henry Kissinger as a war criminal if he attends the 2011 Bilderberg conference of global power brokers which is set to begin on Thursday at the Hotel Suvretta House in St. Moritz.

Swiss People’s Party representative Dominique Baettig wrote a letter to the General Prosecutor of the Swiss Federation in which he asked, “In the name of Cantonal Sovereignty and independence, but especially of the Justice’s independence from executive power – may it be Federal or Cantonal – I ask you to check abroad for Arrest Warrants delivered by various Courts, Judges and also for all valid criminal complaints against the persons who were, amongst others, cited as mere examples in my (enclosed) letters to Mrs. Simonetta Sommaruga, Federal Counselor and Mrs. Barbara Janom Steiner, Cantonal Counselor and of course, to arrest them before diligent extraditions.”

The annual meeting of royalty, politicians, business moguls and academics known as the Bilderberg Conference is set to take place later this week. This year’s confab will run from June 9th to the 12th at the Grand Hotel Kempinski in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

As the annual meeting brings together heads of state, finance and defence ministers, state governors and other elected representatives with private business moguls, attendees are generally breaking the laws of their respective countries in engaging in the conference. Under the Logan Act, for instance, it is a crime for any US citizen to negotiate with a foreign nation on the USA’s behalf.

As a gathering of some of the richest and most influential people on the planet, the conference is a lightning rod for criticism and speculation about the group’s true purpose. This speculation is not unfounded, as investigative journalists like Jim Tucker and Daniel Estulin have been able to predict numerous world events from discussions that their sources were able to smuggle out of past conferences.

Iran's Red Crescent Society (IRCS) has announced its readiness to send humanitarian aid to the impoverished Gaza Strip following the reopening of the Rafah border crossing.

IRCS Director Abolhassan Faqih, who also heads Iran's National Committee for humanitarian rights, condemned Israel's “inhumane” measure in blocking the Gaza Strip in a statement, describing the siege as a “blatant” violation of international humanitarian law, Mehr news agency reported. He expressed satisfaction over Egypt's reopening of the Rafah border crossing and said that the IRCS is prepared to dispatch humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

Daily life for the Palestinian residents of Hebron, in the southern West Bank, is characterized by a severe lack of freedom of movement and Israeli army and settler violence. The AIC spoke with Hisham Al-Sharabati, the Director of "Youth Against Settlements" - a group that organizes non-violent demonstrations and actions in Hebron - about the present situation and the challenges faced by Palestinians in Hebron.

Addressing the Hebrew University last month, Dagan publicly argued against an airstrike against Iran's nuclear facilities. He described the possibility of a future Israeli airstrike on Iran's nuclear facilities as “the stupidest thing I have ever heard.”

"Any ability to disperse the ambiguousness surrounding the issue of Iran hurts Israel's standing against Iran,” Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said during an interview with Israel Radio. He added that the military option against Iran must remain on the table. Analysts say the remarks signal growing Internal rifts in Israel over its confrontation with Iran.

Interview with Gareth Porter historian and investigative journalist from Washington.

The White House announced that President Barack Obama will order a "real drawdown" of US forces from Afghanistan starting in July. Almost 100,000 US troops are in Afghanistan, three times as many as when Obama took office, and US forces are expected to remain there through 2014. The following is the transcript of an interview with Gareth Porter historian, investigative journalist and policy analyst on US foreign and military policy from Washington over the issue.

A total of 23 Taliban insurgents laid down arms on Monday and joined the government in Afghanistan's Badghis province, some 555 km northwest of capital city of Kabul, local government spokesman said.

"A 23-member group of Taliban have given up insurgency and joined government-initiated peace and reintegration process in Badghis province Monday morning," Sharrfudin Majidi told Xinhua. He said the ex-insurgents, who were active in Qadis and neighboring Sang-e-Hattash district, also handed over 23 piece of weapons to security authorities in the province. However, the militant group who announced on April 30 to launch spring offensive against Afghan and NATO-led forces have yet to make comments. In efforts to end the nearly 10-year war and Taliban-led insurgency, Afghan President Hamid Karzai set up a 70-member High Council for Peace in September 2010 to accelerate the government- backed national reconciliation with Taliban and associated militants.

Gilad Atzmon is one of modern music's best saxophonists, and one of the most controversial public opponents of Israel. A gentle giant, warm, charismatic and somewhat shy, Gilad is a complex character. Born into a pro-Zionist family and serving briefly in the first Lebanon War, Gilad had a dramatic turnaround; he quit the army, picked up his sax and exiled himself to London, declaring himself an enemy to the Israeli state.

Since then he has produced some of the modern era's greatest Jazz albums, and collaborated with Ian Drury, Paul McCartney and Sinead O' Connor . In music he is a 'feisty improviser' as one critic put it, comparing him to the likes of Charlie parker. In his political and philosophical ideas, he is blunt and outspoken. His ideas on Israel and "Jewishness" have upset many people, to the extent that he has been labelled a holocaust denier and an anti-Semite. In Gilad's life, music and politics are inseparable.

The film follows Gilad in the most flourishing time of his career, as he records albums with Robert Wyatt, the blockheads, and gigs with Nigel Kennedy; gets invited to TV programs and panel events all over the globe; pleases his supporters and admirers, while seriously pissing off his opponents to the point of receiving death threats and intimidation against the venues he plays and speaks in.

"Gilad and All That Jazz" offers a unique insight in to the life, ideas, music and motivations driving the great Saxophonist. [Info]

Doctors and other health professionals will be asked to identify people who are "vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism" as part of the government's redrawn counter-terrorism programme to be detailed on Tuesday.

The home secretary, Theresa May, will also try to deflect criticism that the £60m-a-year Prevent programme has been used to spy on the Muslim community by extending its coverage to the far right and animal rights extremists, as well as Islamist groups. May has indicated that 20 of the organisations funded by the government over the past three years are to have their cash withdrawn after the decision to stop working with non-violent extremists.

"I am deeply sorry ... that I got caught."

In a month filled with bad news, there's finally something good. The little prick Weiner finally fesses up and it comes as no surprise. He's a cesspool worker and his overinflated view of himself as an untouchable chosen one is part of his sociopathic makeup. The Weiner says he won't resign but he's a liar and so hopefully he will. He is a laughingstock and will never overcome that even as the jokes become stale very quickly. Since Weiner is an Israel firster, I'll be glad to chip in a buck for him a one way ticket to his beloved homeland. I'm sure many more would also contribute to that fund. While he's at it he can take a few hundred more of his fellow traitors with him.

Your Jewish News: Anthony Weiner approval ratings plunge
Daily Mail: Congressman Weiner 'told porn star to lie about their sexual messages - and offered her PR help'

A 13 year old Palestinian girl has been detained during a visit to her father in a Israeli prison in the Negev Israeli detention camp.

The girl, Samah Majdi Musallam, was visiting her father who is serving a 13 year statement.

Israeli guards at the prison accused her of trying to pass contraband to her father. The girl will be tried at a court in Beersheba in Southern Israel.

The PA Minister for Detainees, discussing the incident, has said that often family visits to Palestinian prisoners become opportunities for punishment and humiliation practices by Israeli soldiers and prison guards.

PressTV: Israelis set Palestinian mosque afire
IMEMC: Soldiers Kidnap Hamas Legislator in Nablus
PCHR: Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestine

Five US soldiers were killed in a wave of "violence" that claimed at least 20 other lives across Iraq Monday. It was the worst single-day combat death toll for US occupation forces since April 2009.

US military officials provided neither the names of the soldiers killed nor any details of the attack, saying only that it took place in central Iraq. Iraqi officials, however, revealed that the deaths were the result of a rocket attack on Camp Victory, a US-built base near Baghdad’s international airport. Five rockets were fired into the facility, striking near living quarters of the US troops. In addition to the dead, at least five US military personnel were wounded.

Raw Story: Months before [alleged] drawback, five American soldiers killed in Iraq