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Despite NATO propaganda, Europeans see Daesh as top threat, not Russia

Daesh flag
© REUTERS/ Ali Hashish
Despite NATO's consistent efforts to present Russia as the key threat to its European neighbors, the majority of Europeans singled out Daesh along with global climate change and global economic instability as the top challenges their countries face, a recent survey conducted by the Washington-based Pew Research Center shows.

The think tank talked to people in France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

"Looking across the 10 European countries surveyed, a median of 76 percent say that [Daesh] is a major threat to their country, with only two-in-ten saying that [the terrorist group] is either a minor threat (17 percent) or no threat at all (3 percent)," the Pew Research Center detailed.

Eye 2

EURO 2016: A glimpse into our ponerized world

Euro 2016 football soccer hooligans
There's little doubt that hooligans are not making a sport event any more interesting, in fact they shame all the fans of the national team they choose to fight for.

It is sad to note that the start of the 2016 UEFA European Championship has been marked with major clashes among soccer hooligans that has left a bitter taste in the mouth of all those who have been waiting for this sporting event.

Even before the start of EURO 2016 English soccer fans were demonstrating their imperial aspirations, starting a true riot in the French town of Marseille. According to media reports, British hooligans have not been simply fighting local Ultras, they were loudly mocking representatives of the local Muslim community, which resulted in a massive fist fight.

The aggressive actions of British hooligans before EURO 2016 were described in much detail by both The Guardian and The Independent. It's been reported that they chanting "ISIS, where are you?", singing insulting songs, and destroying private property of local residents. They've even assaulted a bus that was painted in the colors of the Russian flag.

Dollar

Turkish man arrested for selling ornamental dagger pillaged from assassinated leader Gaddafi's home

Muammar Gaddafi
© Ahmed Jadallah/RuetersFormer Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi
A man was arrested in Turkey for trying to sell an ornamental dagger that had been pillaged from the house of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

A Turkish businessman, identified only as AA, was detained along with two of his accomplices during a search in the Esenyurt district of Istanbul on Monday, reported the Anadolu Agency news agency.

The ivory dagger is beige and beset with a number of rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and diamonds. It was stolen from one of Gaddafi's palaces during the NATO/CIA-backed invasion of 2011.
Gaddafi dagger
© Via twitter@metesohtaoglu
It is understood the man bought the dagger for $4.6 million in March and hoped to sell it to a Saudi businessman for $10 million.

However, the police organized a sting operation and the man unwittingly told them how much he was seeking and how the deal would play out.

"Your exchange office should pay our exchange office $10 million,"AA told the undercover police. "If the dagger is not authentic, then you can come and take your money from us."

Shortly afterwards, police learned that a deal was imminent between the businessmen and intervened. They secured the dagger while it was in transit to a hotel where the multi-million deal was to be finalized.

Comment: Behind the Headlines: NATO Slaughter - James and Joanne Moriarty expose the truth about what happened in Libya


Hiliter

Pew Research: Europeans shun militarization, see terrorism and USA "power and influence", NOT Russia as threats

Europeans are weary of hard power and are reluctant to boost defense spending despite the commitment to do so by their governments, a Pew poll has shown. Tensions with Russia are seen as a minor threat compared to international terrorism and economic instability.

Deterring an "aggressive Russia" with an increased military presence in Europe is the stated goal of NATO since 2014, but public opinion in Europe doesn't seem to buy the plan. According to the Pew Research Center's Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey, people in Europe don't see Russia as a major threat and don't see hard power as a viable solution not only for tensions with Moscow, but even for international terrorism, a threat they consider the biggest for Europe.
Pew research graph
Poland is the only one of the 10 countries surveyed that sees tensions with Russia as a major problem. There, 71 percent of people agreed with the statement, a far greater percentage compared to other nations surveyed. Throughout Europe, 34 percent see Russia as a major threat, the poll has shown.

Interestingly, Poles are divided over whether their government should take a tougher stance on Russia or favor stronger economic ties with it. People in most countries surveyed agreed with the latter option. Sweden was the only country that definitely favors a confrontational approach, with 71 percent approving it compared to 26 percent seeking reconciliation. Germans, Italians, Hungarians and overwhelmingly Greeks want to trade, rather than quarrel with Moscow. The average is 43 percent for reconciliation vs 48 percent for confrontation with Moscow.

Comment: Please notice that it is NOT Russia, per se, that is considered a threat, but "tensions with", i.e. their own governments' mishandling of relations. However, the USA's "power and influence" IS considered a threat.


V

Thousands protest against U.S. drone operations at U.S. Air Force Base in Germany

Activists in Germany
© Oliver Dietze/DPA/AFPActivists attend a rally “Stop-Ramstein” on the road leading to US Air Force Base in Ramstein-Miesenbach on June 11, 2016.
Several thousand protestors formed a human chain along the perimeter of a US Air Force Base in Ramstein-Miesenbach, Germany on June 11, protesting against US drone operations. According to reports from 3,000 to 6,000 people had formed the chain close to the base.

The Ramstein Air Base also services as the headquarters for the US Air Forces in Europe.

The protest was organized by the civil movement "Stop Ramstein - No Drone War," which argues that the base located close to the city of Kaiserslautern, is used to transmit information between drone operators in the United State and unmanned drone aircraft in places such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and Syria

The organizers of the prosest said that using the German base for transmitting data for drone operations goes against the German Constitution. They demanded that the base satellite relay station be closed.

Eggs Fried

Russian military delivers 5 metric tons of humanitarian aid to Latakia, Syria

Humanitarian aid
© Sputnik/Ali Abrahim
Russian servicemen delivered some five metric tons (5.5 US tons) of humanitarian aid to the Christian community Syria's Latakia.

Russian servicemen delivered some five metric tons (5.5 US tons) of humanitarian aid to the Christian community Syria's Latakia, a spokesman for the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation said Tuesday.

"Today, we delivered five tons of humanitarian aid to the city of Latakia. The products were directed to the people in need, the list of whom has been provided by the prior of St. Andrew Church," Alexander Vladimirov told reporters.

Some 500 local residents received individual food packages, canned fish and meat, flour, pasta and cereals. The children received sweets — waffles, biscuits and sweets, he said. Military doctors have deployed mobile medical center and are ready to provide the necessary medical assistance to all in need.

He added that the humanitarian assistance was received not only by Christians, but also about 100 Muslims.

Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with government forces fighting both moderate opposition and terrorist groups. A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire came into force across Syria on February 27, but it does not apply to terrorist organizations active in the country.

The ceasefire has been generally holding, which improved the humanitarian situation in the country and opened access for aid convoys.

Pistol

Gunman kills three near West Virginia state park

Police line
© Ivan Blitznetsov/Getty Images/StockphotoPolice in West Virginia said the gunman opened fire at a state park on Monday evening.
A gunman may have shot three men dead over firewood near a West Virginia state park Monday evening, officials said.

Cops from the Washington County Sheriff's Office said a man who fled in a white pickup truck after gunning down three men at around 6 p.m. in rural Morgan County.

"It was a property dispute over some firewood or something of that nature," Morgan County Sheriff Vincent Shambaugh told the Journal News.

The gunman may be carrying an assault rifle, according to early reports. Police said the gunman opened fire, killing three people outside Cacapon State Park. Washington County Sheriff Douglas Mullendore confirmed the shooting — and said that the gunman remained on the loose.

"And there's a possibility he might be coming more toward the Washington County area," Mullendore told Herald-Mail Media. "That's why our deputies were dispatched." Mullendore told the Daily News that he was not allowed to give out any more information.

The gunman's direction of travel was not immediately known.

If confirmed, this is the second active shooter incident in the country in two days. Early Sunday, Omar Mateen, 29, shot and killed 49 people at the Pulse gay club in Orlando, Fla, officials said. The ISIS-inspired security guard then died in a standoff with police. The Pulse shooting is being considered the worst terror attack in the nation since the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center.

Light Saber

Congresswoman Diane Black joins calls to remove judge in Stanford rape case

diane black judge stanford rape
Congresswoman Diane Black
Tennessee Republican representative: "I'm appalled."

Congresswoman Diane Black (R-Tenn.) is the first to admit that her background is in health, not law, but she has joined calls for the removal of the California judge who sentenced a Stanford rapist to just six months in county jail.

Judge Aaron Persky ignited national controversy when he sentenced 20-year-old Brock Turner, a swimmer at Stanford University, to only six months in jail for his conviction on three counts of felony sexual assault after he raped an unconscious woman behind a dumpster. Persky, a Stanford alumnus, argued that a prison sentence would have a "severe impact" on Turner.

"I'm a nurse, not a lawyer, but as someone who has treated survivors of assault and seen the grim realities of this crime in very personal ways, I'm appalled by Judge Persky's lenient sentence," Black told TheBlaze. "I believe this decision is shameful and is grounds for his removal from the bench."

Cowboy Hat

Cop rages against driver who caught him texting while driving

cop road rage, cop texting driving
A motorcyclist out for an afternoon ride last week found himself on the receiving end of a retaliatory police stop after honking his horn to warn a motorist who was texting and driving.

While on his drive, Devin Jones saw a person texting on their phone who was impeding the flow of traffic, so he decided to honk his horn and let the driver know to put down his phone.

Colorado Governor, Bill Ritter, signed House Bill 09-1094 in June, 2009 banning the use of cell phones for drivers under the age of 18 at all times. In addition, texting, emailing and twittering are banned for all drivers.

"Put the **** phone down," says Jones after briefly laying on the horn and motioning to hang up a phone. For a split second, Jones thought he was doing the community a favor by warning the driver. However, the driver he'd just warned was a cop.

In an angry flash, the officer was in Jones' face and unleashing his fury. Laughably, the officer accused Jones of road rage.

Light Saber

High school valedictorian skips graduation after administrative pressure to censor speech about bullying

bullying censorship valdictorian speech
© Kerri Little Kerri Little wanted to address bullying and other issues during her valedictorian speech at the Bellwood-Antis High School graduation. But, feeling censorship pressure from school officials, she skipped the ceremony and took her concerns to social media.
Kerri Little wanted to address bullying and other issues during her valedictorian speech at the Bellwood-Antis High School graduation. But, feeling censorship pressure from school officials, she skipped the ceremony and took her concerns to social media.

In a lengthy Facebook post, Little said she could not give a formulaic graduation speech that provided positive messages, fond memories and life lessons. That's because, based on what her and her friends had experienced, there were a lot of unaddressed problems at Bellwood-Antis High School in Blair County.

The biggest problem was bullying.

"We don't have a lot of resources in terms of bullying," said the 18-year-old. "Which is awful, but with budget cuts and the amount of funding our school has, it's more important to have an English teacher than it is to have a bullying specialist on hand."

Comment: It seems Ms. Little's parents have raised her to be a thinking, compassionate human being. The world needs so many more of them.