Madrid, Spain: 76 injured as protesters clash with police

It started with coal miners demonstrating in Madrid, then supporters joined them. Then Rajoy introduced more austerity measures. Then the cops stepped in with rubber bullets.

Digital Journal reported today on the coal miners' long walk to Madrid to protest against the austerity measures and cuts in the mining sector.

The coal miners are protesting a 63% cut in subsidies to their industry, which is a major contributor to the Spanish energy market. Unions say that around 38,000 people could lose their jobs through these cuts... read more and watch videos.

Rajoy announces latest austerity measures in Spain

As coal miners and other protesters converge on Madrid, Spain's Prime Minister announces the latest austerity measures, including a VAT increase.

Digital Journal reported earlier today that coal miners and supporting protesters are thronging the streets in Madrid. In latest news on this protest, Spanish police have fired rubber bullets at protesters in central Madrid today.

Now, to make the protesters even more upset, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announces the latest in a round of austerity measures and budget cuts, which will worsen economic conditions for Spaniards.... read more.

Tenants in Fred Wigg Tower lose bid to stop missiles on roof

Tenants of a London residential complex tried to get the High Court to prevent surface-to-air missiles being placed on the roof of their building during the London Olympics.

Digital Journal reported on July 9 that the residents of Fred Wigg Tower were taking the issue to court. The East London residents say that they fear for their safety, after authorities have ruled in favor of making their peaceful, residential apartment building into a missile site.

The New York Times reports that the U.K. government feels that these missiles are an essential defense against an attempt to fly a hijacked passenger jet or a bomb-laden microlight aircraft into the 80,000-seat Olympic stadium in London... read more.

Spanish coal miners march to Madrid in anti-austerity rally

A group of Spanish coal miners, angered by the huge austerity cuts in government subsidies to the mining industry, walked for 3 weeks to meet in Madrid.

Digital Journal reported on June 20 about a group of protesting miners, who used home-made bazookas against the Spanish police.

There have been ongoing protests in several mining towns and villages in Spain, over the Spanish Government's plans to slash subsidies to the coal sector by over 60%. This would reduce subsidies from 301 million euro last year, to only 111 million this year. According to union officials, these austerity measures could jeopardize the jobs of about 8,000 coal miners and up to 30,000 other people indirectly employed in the mining sector... read more and watch video.

New bill could make biotech companies immune to federal courts

An amendment to the Agricultural Appropriations Bill would not just allow, but would require the Secretary of Agriculture to grant permits for planting of GM crops, even if a federal court has given an injunction against it.

In a move that would allow Monsanto and other biotech companies to do whatever they want, if this amendment is passed issues like damage to farmers or consumers, court orders, crop contamination or U.S. Department of Agriculture studies will all fall by the wayside... read more and sign petitions.

CA Right to Know GMO labeling measure is Prop. 37 on Nov. ballot

Due to overwhelming support for the historic GMO labeling initiative, the California Right to Know Labeling Measure will be Proposition 37 on the November Ballot.

Digital Journal reported that on the evening of June 11, the California Secretary of State's office announced that the Right to Know initiative to label genetically engineered foods would be on the state's November ballot... read more.

Dad homeless in Spain: Seeking Richard Burke

In the current economic climate, it turns out it is extremely easy to become homeless within a few weeks. First you lose your job, then you lose your home.

This reporter used to have a neighbor, 58-year-old Patrick Burke. He is an Englishman, who was employed as a cook at one of the many English pubs in what is dubbed by the English "Fish Alley", in the tourist town of Fuengirola.

Regrettably, as with many English-owned businesses in Spain, he was employed without a contract, and thus has no social or unemployment benefits whatsoever... read more.

Russian Wikipedia blackout in protest against Internet censorship

Wikipedia's Russian website has declared a 24-hour-long blackout and boycott in protest against a child protection bill which they say would lead to Internet censorship in that country.

While everyone understands the importance of child protection, Russian-language Wikipedia feels that the government is taking things too far and that this legislation could amount to Internet censorship... read more.

Syria Files: Anonymous hacktivists teamed with WikiLeaks

Anonymous and related hacktivists have claimed that they provided the 2.5 million emails to WikiLeaks. Anonymous and WikiLeaks have cooperated before.

Just after WikiLeaks began releasing the data from the Syria Files, Anonymous hacktivists claimed responsibility for accessing the information and passing it on to the whistleblower organization.

While WikiLeaks continues to release the sensitive emails on a daily basis, Anonymous has thus far refrained from speaking of the sources of the information... read more.

Whistleblower — NSA had secret deal with White House after 9/11

The video features an interview with a former National Security Agency executive in the U.S. who sacrificed his career to blow the whistle on wrong-doings inside the NSA.

Gayane Chichakyan of RT interviews Thomas Andrews Drake. Drake was a senior executive of one of America's biggest intelligence agencies at the beginning of the 2000's.

He was an expert on electronic eavesdropping and had top secret security clearance. He was also a decorated United States Air Force and United States Navy veteran, computer software expert, linguist, management and leadership specialist... read more and watch interview.