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South Africa runs out of money for 'crucial' nuclear energy project with Russia


RT
Fri, 27 Jul 2018 04:46 UTC
power lines electricity
© Mike Hutchings / Reuters
South Africa is interested in realizing a large-scale nuclear project with Russia. However, the country does not have the funds to do so.

The nuclear project was prioritized by former President Jacob Zuma, but new South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who came to power in February, ditched the project.

"Once we are clear that this is affordable for us to do, we are open for business including with Russia. I think the approach we will take is to avoid the Big Bang approach. The initial intervention was that we would do close to 10,000 megawatts... It's unaffordable," the African National Congress' treasurer general, Paul Mashatile, said at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg.

Comment: In his farewell address, former President Jacob Zuma blamed 'western agendas' for the cancellation of the nuclear deal:
Those who do not support South Africa's nuclear project are backing western agendas, President Jacob Zuma said during his Oliver Tambo centenary address in Kagiso, Johannesburg on Sunday.

Zuma went into detail explaining the ANC's relationship with Russia and why the government was pursuing its nuclear power plans.

In his address, he said that the country's nuclear power by the apartheid government on the behest of the west during its negotiations with the ANC.

"When we started negotiations the west told the apartheid government to destroy their nuclear power because communist cannot get hold of them.

"They said they can never control nuclear because they are communist. That is the history of nuclear," he said.
However, Rosatom has since signed new deals with South Africa. TASS reports:
Rosatom signed a separate agreement with South Africa's state nuclear firm on Thursday to explore joint production of nuclear medicines and other ways of harnessing nuclear technology, a statement from the two firms showed.

The agreement, which is non-binding and is not related to large-scale power generation, is a further sign that Rosatom is keen to cement its position on the African continent.

The deal will involve the construction of two small reactors and a commercial cyclotron to produce medical isotopes and radiopharmaceuticals at a facility near Pretoria.


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Red Flag

Federal judge orders Wisconsin to pay for gender reassignment surgeries


Yahoo! News
Thu, 26 Jul 2018 00:03 UTC
Gender reassignment surgery
© WAOW
A federal judge has ordered Wisconsin to pay for the gender reassignment surgery for two transgender Medicaid recipients.

Cody Flack, 30, and Sara Ann Makenzie, 41, filed a lawsuit in April, saying a state rule denying coverage for surgeries to treat gender dysphoria violates the Affordable Care Act and their right to equal protection, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. The state rule that excludes coverage for undefined "transsexual surgery" was adopted in 1996.

U.S. District Judge William Conley granted a preliminary injunction Wednesday barring enforcement of the rule. He suggested the injunction could be expanded to include any transgender Medicaid patient whose doctor recommends the surgery.

"The likelihood of ongoing, irreparable harm facing these two individual plaintiffs outweighs any marginal impacts on the defendants' stated concerns regarding public health or limiting costs," Conley said in the 39-page order.
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Sheriff

Ohio officer is immediately fired after serving the police chief with a felony

Matt Agorist
The Free Thought Project
Thu, 26 Jul 2018 00:00 UTC
police meeting
New Holland Police Sergeant Brad Mick was doing his job of trying to fight crime in the city of New Holland, and for his dedication to duty, he was fired. This good cop was relieved from duty because the alleged criminals he went after were part of the thin blue line.

Mick dared to call out corruption in his own department by executing a search warrant and filing charges against the mayor, the current police chief, and the former police chief. He was then immediately fired - but not before he tried to seek protection from termination.

According to the Fayette Advocate, Mick filed what is commonly known as a "whistleblower protection affidavit" under Ohio law with Fiscal Officer Mavis Yourchuck a week ago. On Monday night, he filed the same document with the mayor, police chief, and council vice president, Gregg Shaw.

"Pursuant to the Whistleblower Protection Act of Ohio and Revised Code 4113.52, let this serve as my notification that I believe felonies are being committed by New Holland Mayor Clair 'Butch' Betzko and New Holland Village Marshal David Conrad," read the affidavit. "Pursuant to R.C. 4113.52(A)(1)(a), this is my complaint. The village and its administration are hereby put on notice that you are barred from seeking retaliatory measures against me, including but not limited to:
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Attention

Hooded attackers stab 3 women at Chilean pro-choice march


teleSUR
Thu, 26 Jul 2018 23:51 UTC
chilean protest
© Reuters
Chile demands access to free and safe abortions.
The demonstrators were attacked by a hooded gang that tried to stop the march from reaching its destination.

Three women in Chile were stabbed during a march to demand free and safe abortions by a group of hooded people who assaulted the protesters in Santiago.

Around 40,000 women marched in the Chilean capital, carrying signs that read "the rich pay for it, the poor bleed out," and "women marching until we are free." During the march, different women's movement announced they would present a bill to regulate the voluntary termination of a pregnancy within the first 14 weeks on all cases.

The three injured women have received medical attention and are currently not under risk of death. However, there is a concerning trend of violence and harassment against pro-choice activists. In Argentina, where the Senate is debating a bill to legalize abortion within the first 14 weeks, several videos showing men threatening women for carrying their staple green handkerchief have surfaced recently.
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Yoda

Julian Assange and the dying of the light of free speech

Raúl Ilargi Meijer
The Automatic Earth
Tue, 24 Jul 2018 18:39 UTC
Julian assange poor health
© Getty
Julian Assange has remained in London's Ecuadorian embassy since 2012.
One thing that's not receiving enough attention in the respective Assange and Russia coverage is to what extent both protagonists are needed in each other's narratives to keep each of these alive. Without explicitly linking Assange to Russia, allegations against him lose a lot, if not most, of their credibility. Likewise, if Assange is not put straight in the middle of the Russia story, it too loses much. Linking them is the gift that keeps on giving for the US intelligence community and the Democratic party.

In that light, as the shameful/shameless treatment of Julian Assange continues and is on the verge of even worse developments, I was wondering about some dates and timelines in the whole sordid affair. And about how crucial it is for those wanting to 'capture' him, to tie him to Russia in any form and shape they can come up with and make halfway credible.

Comment:

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Attention

No survivors in crashed plane carrying Paraguayan agriculture minister and 3 others


RT
Thu, 26 Jul 2018 22:07 UTC
view from plane
© Google Maps
The minister's plane took off from the Paraguay city of Ayolas.
A plane carrying Paraguayan Agriculture Minister Luis Gneiting has been found by search and rescue teams after it went missing on Wednesday evening, an official at the country's aviation authority told local radio.

The aircraft was found 6km away from Ayolas airport, where it took off. It was en route to the country's capital, Asuncion, according to Luis Aguirre, head of the National Civil Aviation Directorate.

The plane was carrying the agriculture minister along with three others. Aguirre said he still didn't have any information on the passengers.

"The remains of the plane were found in a wetland. The tip of the tail is visible and the rest of the plane is underwater," Aguirre said. "Based on what we can see, and this is unofficial, there are no survivors."

Gneiting's vice minister for cattle, Vicente Ramirez, was also aboard the plane, Aguirre added.
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Sheriff

Cops who went to the wrong house and killed an innocent man won't face charges

Matt Agorist
The Free Thought Project
Thu, 26 Jul 2018 22:02 UTC
Lopezes and police
One year ago, police responding to a call of domestic violence went to the wrong home and killed an innocent husband. Now, TFTP has just learned that the officers involved in the killing will not be charged.

The officers were brought to a grand jury by District Attorney John Champion who attempted to get them indicted on charges of homicide. However, the grand jury irresponsibly failed to return an indictment.

"The grand jury was given all of the evidence and they decided not to indict," Champion said. "From my perspective, the case is closed at this point."

"Everything about this is wrong. I am outraged. Shame, shame on the police department, shame on the DA. Mr. Champion, shame on you. You need to retire," Pastor Rolando Rostro, Lopez family advocate, said.

In July of 2017, Ismael Lopez and his wife were the only ones home when Ismael heard his dogs barking, so he took a look outside to see what was going on. Seconds later, he would be shot and killed by people who claim to protect society. Police had no right to be there and had gone to the wrong address.

The Southaven Police Department admitted officers went to the wrong house that fateful night. According to police, they were trying to serve a warrant for domestic assault to Samuel Pearman-who lives 36 feet away from Lopez's home.
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Bullseye

Italian journalist slams evacuation of White Helmets by UK and Germany - 'Spits in face of EU terror victims'


Sputnik
Thu, 26 Jul 2018 20:49 UTC
white helmets
© AFP 2018 / Sameer Al-Doumy
The White Helmets NGO, also known as the Syrian Civil Defense, has declared the rescue of civilians in war zones as its fundamental goal. However, the non-governmental organization has been repeatedly accused of having links to jihadists, as well as disseminating Western-sponsored propaganda.

Commenting on the evacuation of about 800 White Helmets members from Syria to Jordan in an interview with Sputnik, Gian Micalessin, a columnist of the Italian newspaper Il Giornale, slammed Germany and Britain's readiness to resettle these activists.

"London and Berlin refuse to receive migrants rescued by their ships within the framework of the Sophia mission. They want the refugees to stay in Italy in line with a deal signed by Rome on the admission of all the illegal migrants fleeing from the Libyan coast. As compensation, Britain and Germany do not object to receiving the White Helmets, friends of terrorists who fled the Syrian provinces. It could have been seen as a paradox or even fake news, but this is a reality," Micalessin underscored.

He predicted that in a few weeks, the 800 White Helmets members would leave Jordan for Canada, as well as Germany and the UK, "the two EU countries that have already survived the terrorist attacks."
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Dominoes

For 2018 Midterm elections, one thing is for sure: Whether Democrats or Republicans lose, Russia will be blamed


RT
Thu, 26 Jul 2018 20:28 UTC
voting sticker
© Reuters / Kevin Lamarque
Midterm elections are more than three months away, and yet Republican and Democrat congressmen have seemingly already decided that no matter what, Russia may have a hand in them.

People will be flocking to polling stations on November 6, and while Republicans and Democrats seldom see things eye-to-eye, they seem to agree on one point: that Moscow has apparently set its eyes on the midterms.

It's being speculated that Russia may not be cherry picking at all, but may target both sides of the political spectrum in bulk.

RT's Caleb Maupin looks at the allegations and whether the 'enemy' may actually be homegrown.

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Bulb

Russian senator proposes reforming federal prison department after recent torture scandal


RT
Thu, 26 Jul 2018 20:14 UTC
russian prisoners
© Maksim Blinov / Sputnik
Convicts at General Penal Colony No. 2 in the Vladimir Region during a walk
The Russian Upper House speaker has proposed reforming the Federal Service for Execution of Punishment after a leaked video revealed the cruel beating of an inmate by about a dozen prison administration officers.

Russian Upper House speaker Valentina Matviyenko called the beating of an inmate by prison staff "an abominable crime that cannot be justified."

"I am shaken by the incident that took place in Yaroslavl Region. I started watching this video and then just turned it off, I could not... It is impossible to understand people who get together to cruelly beat a human being," Matviyenko told reporters on Thursday.

Comment: Previously: Russian authorities launch criminal probe after footage of prisoner being tortured emerges online

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