Welcome to Sott.net
Fri, 05 Nov 2021
The World for People who Think

Society's Child
Map

Bullseye

Stamping out intellectualism: Syrian woman reports her son was killed by Daesh for doing science


Sputnik
Fri, 30 Nov 2018 20:45 UTC
Daesh
© Sputnik / Bassem Haddad
Sputnik has spoken with a Syrian woman, whose son was captured and killed by terrorists for doing science.

Um Muhannad from Southern Syria's As-Suwayda was freed by the terrorists a month ago. Along with the other released captives, she was welcomed by the whole city. She had spent three months in captivity and heard nothing of her 19-year-old son, who had also been captured. Back at home, she learned that the terrorists had executed him.

'We didn't really worry when he was arrested. They told us they were going to question him and then he'd be free. Then I got captured. I've been thinking of Muhannad for all three months of my arrest. I was worrying a lot as I couldn't get in touch with my family, but I wasn't expecting such bad news. It's really hard', Um Muhannad told Sputnik.
      Read More...
No Entry

Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes' Australian visa application blocked for failing 'character test'

Matthew Doran
ABC Australia
Fri, 30 Nov 2018 00:00 UTC
Gavin McInnes
© Reuters / Stephanie Keith
Right-wing provocateur and founder of the Proud Boys group Gavin McInnes has had his visa application blocked by the Home Affairs Department, failing the character test to enter Australia.

Critics of Mr McInnes were urging the department and Immigration Minister David Coleman to ban him from travelling to Australia for a speaking tour next year, concerned about his extreme views and promotion of violence.

The ABC understands Mr McInnes was notified a few weeks ago that the department was likely to block his visa application because he was judged to be of bad character, and the formal window for him to appeal closed on Friday.

Mr McInnes cut ties with the Proud Boys group earlier this month. The group, which Mr McInnes has previously labelled a "gang", describes itself as a men's organisation, committed to upholding "Western chauvinist values".

The FBI designated them as an extremist organisation.


Comment: Founder of Proud Boys quits after FBI labels the group 'extremist'


Comment: See also:

      Read More...
Megaphone

Buenos Aires: Demonstrators take to the streets to protest the G20 Summit


RT
Fri, 30 Nov 2018 20:10 UTC
G20 protest
As world leaders gather for the G20 summit in Buenos Aires, protesters have gathered to accuse the event's participants of promoting big business and imperialism. Some 22,000 officers have been deployed to quell any violence.

While protests have so far been peaceful, even jovial, police aren't taking any chances. Around 22,000 officers have been deployed to the area in anticipation of possible violence, particularly during mid-afternoon on Friday, when a huge demonstration is planned.

Authorities have said they will not tolerate any protesters wearing masks or committing any kind of violence.
      Read More...
Bullseye

Berlin to crack down on Arab criminal gangs plaguing the city for decades


RT
Thu, 29 Nov 2018 22:54 UTC
German police
© Reuters/Hannibal Hanschke
Seized by fears of being labeled xenophobic, Berlin officials have allowed a parallel world to emerge in Germany's capital - one inhabited by criminal gangs of Middle Eastern origin. But is it too late for a crackdown?

After years of inaction, Berlin law enforcement authorities are finally taking the growing issue of migrant gangs seriously. The city's government on Monday announced a crackdown on migrant criminal gangs, unveiling a five-point plan which they said would help tackle the issue. Their new crime fighting strategy includes enhanced cooperation between police and the prosecutor's office, as well as social welfare and youth services. Together they hope to crowdsource information-gathering on gang activities.

Other measures will involve harsher punishments for minor violations committed by gang members and a system of youth crime prevention, which is designed to help young gang members avoid becoming career criminals.

Comment: Societal protections crunching to a halt for decades due to insufficient political correctness? What is the bigger infraction: nothing being done by law enforcement out of fear of being labeled xenophobic, or the actual crimes committed by actual criminals?

      Read More...
Laptop

Marriott hotel chain reveals data breach of 500 million guests

Jordan Valinsky
CNN
Fri, 30 Nov 2018 13:24 UTC
Marriot hotel data breach
© CNN
Marriott says its guest reservation system has been hacked, potentially exposing the personal information of approximately 500 million guests.

The hotel chain said Friday the hack affects its Starwood reservation database, a group of hotels it bought in 2016 that includes the St. Regis, Westin, Sheraton and W Hotels.

Marriott said hackers had gained "unauthorized access" to the Starwood reservation system since 2014, but the company only identified the issue last week. "The company recently discovered that an unauthorized party had copied and encrypted information, and took steps towards removing it," Marriott said in a statement.

For 327 million people, Marriott says the guests' exposed information includes their names, phone numbers, email addresses, passport numbers, date of birth and arrival and departure information.

For millions others, their credit card numbers and card expiration dates were potentially compromised. Marriott warns that it can't confirm if the hackers were able to decrypt the credit card numbers. "We fell short of what our guests deserve and what we expect of ourselves. We are doing everything we can to support our guests, and using lessons learned to be better moving forward," said CEO Arne Sorenson.
      Read More...
Black Cat 2

The Guardian informs its readers to beware populists propagandizing... with cute cats!


RT
Fri, 30 Nov 2018 18:56 UTC
Salvini and cat
© RT
Salvini and his cunning use of cats.
After a futile half decade of trying to explain the rise of anti-immigrant and law and order parties in Europe, mainstream media outlets believe they have solved the riddle of their success: cats.

The breakthrough was achieved when Italy's interior minister, Matteo Salvini, gave the game away by posting pictures of felines sent to him by his 3.3 million Facebook followers last week. He received not only an impressive 30,000 likes, but more pictures of cats - something he could use to further boost his popularity!

Comment: The Guardian is really plumbing the depths of stupidity here.

Hang on now, we've said that at least a dozen times in the last few years.

Oh well, what depth of stupidity WILL The Graun plumb next?!

      Read More...
2 + 2 = 4

Substitute teacher in Maryland tapes student to a chair when he wouldn't return to his seat


CBS News - Baltimore
Thu, 29 Nov 2018 22:38 UTC
Teacher tapes student to chair
A long-term substitute teacher at an Anne Arundel County Public School is no longer at the school after she was reported by a parent for taping a student to a chair.

The substitute teacher was reportedly in the classroom when she remarked to a student that if he did not return to his seat, she would tape him. When the student found the remark funny, the teacher did just that.

After the school learned of the incident from a parent Wednesday night, police were notified. The teacher was also not in school Thursday and will not be placed in any school at this time.

Anne Arundel County Public Schools chief communications officer Bob Mosier confirmed the incident occurred this Wednesday.
      Read More...
Cow Skull

'Corpse smuggler' arrested in India with 50 human skeletons in his luggage

Saptarshi Ray
The Telegraph, UK
Fri, 30 Nov 2018 13:30 UTC
Corpse smuggler arrested in India
© Riau Images/Barcroft Images
Indian police are investigating a skeleton smuggling gang after a man was caught with skulls and bones of 50 different people on a train.

Government Railway Police arrested the suspected "corpse smuggler" at Chapra railway station in India's eastern state of Bihar.

The arrested man, identified as Sanjay Prasad, was carrying 16 human skulls and 34 skeletal remains in his luggage and was travelling on the Balia-Sealdah Express to Kolkata, from where police said he was heading for the border to Bhutan.

Police suspect that the skeletons, which according to the suspect were brought from Balia in Uttar Pradesh, were then meant to be smuggled to China via Bhutan, reported the Times of India.

Mr Prasad was part of a gang who supplied human skeletons to "tantrics and occultists" in the Himalayan Kingdom, police said. They also claimed there was "huge demand for skeletons among medical students in China".
      Read More...
Pistol

London mayor under pressure to stop armed police patrols amid rising crime

Vikram Dodd
The Guardian
Thu, 29 Nov 2018 18:34 UTC
armed police
© Charlotte Ball/PA
The Metropolitan police have discussed using additional armed officers.
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has come under pressure to order Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan police commissioner, to stop plans for officers to patrol residential areas of the city with their guns on show.

The plans being considered by the Met are aimed at boosting community confidence and public safety, but triggered swingeing criticism on Thursday night.

An email sent to a number of community figures by the Met outlining the proposal said it was in response to knife crime and rising violent crime.

The Met email, seen by the Guardian, said: "We are sure you and your communities are all as troubled as we are by the unsettling number of young people being seriously and fatally stabbed in recent times."

It continues: "There has been recent internal discussion around using additional armed support to patrol on foot amongst local communities, with their weapons visible and accessible. The purpose of any such initiative must be to enhance public and unarmed officer safety, and to improve not hinder community confidence."
      Read More...
Megaphone

Conservative activist, Laura Loomer, chains herself to Twitter's office door in protest of social media censorship


RT
Fri, 30 Nov 2018 18:12 UTC
Laura Loomer
© Twitter / @MillieWeaver__
A week after being suspended from Twitter, conservative firebrand Laura Loomer has handcuffed herself to the door of Twitter's New York offices in a protest against social media censorship of right-wing voices.

Calling out Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey for "the double standards that exist here at Twitter," Loomer read out a list of offensive tweets that had been permitted to stay on Twitter while her own post criticizing Congresswoman-elect Ilhan Omar for her alleged support of Sharia law had gotten her banned for "hate speech."

Loomer seemed almost disappointed when police declined to arrest her, opting instead to set up barricades to keep crowds away from the building entrance and allowing her to continue addressing onlookers through a miniature bullhorn. A spokesperson from the NYPD said she was cut free two hours after starting the protest and that Twitter did not want to press charges.

Comment: Twitter bans outspoken conservative activist Laura Loomer

      Read More...
Amazon Smile
Revolt! T-shirts