Society's ChildS


Red Flag

Tell Mama organization reports incidents of anti-Muslim abuse up by 326% in 2015

Harriet Sherwood
The Guardian
Wed, 29 Jun 2016 23:31 UTC
muslim woman
© AlamyA Muslim woman in a hijab.
Monitoring group's report paints picture of an explosion of anti-Muslim hate, with women disproportionately targeted by mostly teen perpetrators

Incidents of anti-Muslim abuse and attacks in public areas of the UK rose by 326% in 2015, with women disproportionately targeted by mostly teenage perpetrators, according to a new report from the monitoring group Tell MAMA.

More than one in 10 of all incidents reported to the organisation took place in educational establishments, with public transport in city centres another cluster area.

Far-right extremist groups and sympathizers were actively promoting hatred of Muslims on social media, which was a significant radicalization factor, said Tell MAMA.

"The statistics paint a profoundly bleak picture of the explosion of anti-Muslim hate both online and on our streets, with visible Muslim women being disproportionately targeted by cowardly hate mongers," said Shahid Malik, chair of Tell MAMA.
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Nuke

Shocking report: Over 5,300 U.S. water systems are contaminated and in violation of the law — poisoning millions

Claire Bernish
Free Thought Project
Thu, 30 Jun 2016 22:39 UTC
contaminated water
According to a new report, some 18 million Americans "live in communities where the water systems are in violation of the law."

Flint apparently marked the tip of a nefarious iceberg, and lead isn't the only contaminant polluting drinking water for millions in the United States.

"Imagine a cop sitting, watching people run stop signs, and speed at 90 miles per hour in small communities and still doing absolutely nothing about it — knowing the people who are violating the law. And doing nothing," illustrated Erik Olsen, health program director at the Natural Resources Defense Council, which analyzed EPA data for the report. "That's unfortunately what we have now."

According to the NRDC's scathing report, "What's In Your Water? Flint and Beyond," lead contamination in Flint — the subject of national outrage and scandal — is "not anomalous."
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Heart - Black

Lowest of the low: TSA beats disabled teen coming home from brain surgery

Jay Syrmopoulos
The Free Thought Project
Fri, 01 Jul 2016 23:02 UTC
teen beaten by cops
Hannah Cohen after her encounter with the TSA.
A special needs teenager returning home from a brain tumor treatment at St. Jude Hospital was left battered, bloodied and in jail after an encounter with TSA agents at a security checkpoint.

It's a trip they've made for 17-years, according to the teen's mother Shirley Cohen, but this one was unlike any they had experienced before - and hopefully never have to experience again.

Upon arriving at the security checkpoint with her mother, Hannah Cohen, 19, set off a metal detector and was identified for further screening by TSA agents.

"They wanted to do further scanning, she was reluctant, she didn't understand what they were about to do," said her mother, Shirley Cohen.
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Family

Family of killed Russian pilot refuses any compensation from Turkey


ITAR-TASS
Fri, 01 Jul 2016 22:58 UTC
Killed Russian pilot family grieving
© Alexander Ryumin/TASS
The family of Russia's air pilot Oleg Peshkov, who was killed after his bomber was shot down over Syria by a Turkish jet last autumn, has dismissed the idea it might agree to accept compensations from Turkey.

"Not of course. This is nonsense. Nobody is writing any messages to Turkey with demands for a compensation," the killed pilot's brother, Pavel Peshkov, said in an interview on a Moscow radio station.

"We've never had an idea of asking for anything. Even if we are offered a compensation, none of us will take it. This is not just humiliating. It is terrible," he said shortly after the local authorities of the Turkish resort of Kemer declared the intention to present the Peshkov family with a house.

Earlier, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalyn said that Ankara was prepared to consider the question of a compensation to the pilot's relatives to ease the family's pain and grief, provided there was a request from the air pilot's relatives.
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Sheriff

NYPD to review beard ban after Muslim officer sues, winning order to be reinstated


RT
Fri, 01 Jul 2016 16:22 UTC
NYPD
© Carlo Allegri / Reuters
The New York Police Department is reviewing its policy banning beards after a Muslim officer filed a lawsuit over his suspension.

Officer Masood Syed, an adherent of Sunni Islam, was suspended during Ramadan for refusing to shave his inch-long beard down to 1 millimeter in accordance with NYPD policies.

He said that his beard was required by his religious beliefs, and filed a suit in a Manhattan federal court last week, which resulted in him winning an order to be reinstated.

Comment: See also: NYPD surveillance unveiled: City claims to lose documents on 1960s radicals - years later finds 1.1 million records

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Heart - Black

Warrant serving cops kill man at his father's funeral

Matt Agorist
The Free Thought Project
Fri, 01 Jul 2016 22:50 UTC
police at Catholic church
On Thursday, Scott Ramirez was attending his father's funeral when he was shot and killed by undercover police officers, according to multiple eye-witnesses and local police.

According to the Douglas Budget, Ramirez' cousin, who asked not to be named, told the Budget that Ramirez was confirmed dead about 30 minutes after the shooting in the emergency room at Memorial Hospital of Converse County.

According to witnesses, the funeral for Joe Ramirez, Scott's father, had just ended, and people were giving their condolences. All of the sudden, a half dozen shots rang out; all of them fired into Scott Ramirez.

According to the report from the Douglas Budget,
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Pocket Knife

Putin weaponizing Judo by distributing 7 million free copies of his book


The Moscow Times
Fri, 01 Jul 2016 22:49 UTC
Russian President Vladimir Putin in judo
© Kremlin Press Service
A judo program co-created by Russian President Vladimir Putin and entitled "The Art of Judo: From Game to Mastery," was presented by Russia's Olympic judo team during a special event on Thursday, the RBC news website reported.

The program's textbook, simply called "The Art of Judo," gives a short history of judo's fighting style and prominence. Putin authored the textbook along with friends and experts, including businessman and vice president of the of the Russian Judo Federation Arkady Rotenberg.

The textbook is accompanied by a handbook, "From Game to Mastery," designed for the coaches and parents of young athletes. It contains 90 laminated cards demonstrating exercises and techniques for use by trainers.
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Megaphone

Best of the Web: Success of 'Giant Meteor for President' highlights voter disenfranchisement and frustration

Claire Bernish
AntiMedia
Thu, 30 Jun 2016 22:32 UTC
Giant Meteor for president poster
In what has become a presidential race based almost solely on scorn for the candidates, the establishment, fraud at the polls — and, hell, the entirely stale and wholly rigged electoral process — it's clear no one will win in the traditional meaning of the word.

While third party candidates have experienced growing success in the dearth of acceptable duopoly offerings, a dark horse has emerged.

According to Public Policy Polling, 'Giant Meteor for President' now ranks as a serious contender — garnering "far more support than the third party candidates actually on the ballot."

No, this most certainly is not the Onion.

"[W]e find that the Meteor would poll at 13% ... with Clinton at 43% and Trump at 38%," with the Libertarian Party's Gary Johnson the favorite among just 5 percent and Green Party candidate Dr. Jill Stein winning just 2 percent of votes.

Yes, seriously.

In fact, the PPP notes, "The Meteor is particularly appealing to independent voters, functionally in a three way tie at 27% to 35% for Clinton and 31% for Trump."
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Radar

FBI investigating unidentified drones over South Carolina nuclear site


RT
Fri, 01 Jul 2016 22:16 UTC
Savannah River Site in South Carolina
© Wikipedia
Federal law enforcement has begun a probe into reports of drones flying over the US Department of Energy's Savannah River Site in South Carolina. Nuclear waste is treated at the site, and nuclear weapons materials are stored and processed there.

Several sightings of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, over the Savannah River Site (SRS) have been reported by site security in the month of June, the US Department of Energy announced Thursday.

Monte Volk, a spokesman for SRS, told The State it is yet unknown who is behind the flights or why they are occurring.

"The protective force at Savannah River Site (SRS) has confirmed several sightings of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) flying in SRS airspace in June. SRS takes these reports very seriously and is coordinating with appropriate federal, state, and local authorities," the Energy Department said in a statement.

Comment: This is the same nuclear site that was supposed to be completed as part of an agreement with Russia on converting weapons-grade plutonium into nuclear reactor fuel. Russia isn't pleased the US is not holding it's part of the deal.

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Attention

Governor of New Jersey declares state of emergency over crumbling infrastructure


RT
Fri, 01 Jul 2016 22:08 UTC
New Jersey potholes
© Beck Diefenbach / Reuters
After counting the potholes on the New Jersey Turnpike, Gov. Chris Christie declared a state of emergency over the condition of the Garden State's roads. He ordered officials to shut down all current work after lawmakers failed to reach a funding deal.

Christie issued the executive order declaring the emergency late Thursday, the day when the Senate negotiations to save the Transportation Trust Fund - which is expected to run out of money this summer - failed.

Christie said that he is instructing the New Jersey Department of Transportation to shut down all work by the end of Saturday that isn't directly essential to the safety and welfare of citizens.

"As this executive order states, in order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of this state, it is necessary that the remaining amounts held by the TTF not be spent on any transportation project that is not absolutely essential," Christie said in a statement.
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