Society's ChildS


Bad Guys

Syrian experts horrified by the devastation ISIS inflicted upon Palmyra

palmyra arch
© Bernard GagnonPalmyra's historic monumental arch.
The recapture of Syria's ancient city of Palmyra from the Islamic State group has brought new revelations of the destruction wreaked by the extremists, who decapitated priceless statues and smashed or looted artifacts in the city's museum.

Experts say they need time to assess the full extent of damage in Palmyra, a UNESCO world heritage site boasting 2,000-year-old Roman-era colonnades and other ruins, which once attracted tens of thousands of tourists every year. Syrian troops drove IS out on Sunday, some 10 months after the militants seized the town.

The world knew through satellite images and IS videos that the militants destroyed the Temple of Bel, which dated back to A.D. 32, the Temple of Baalshamin, which was several stories high and fronted by six towering columns, and the Arch of Triumph, which was built under the Roman emperor Septimius Severus between A.D. 193 and A.D. 211.

Pistol

Mississippi state Senate: Bill passed letting churches appoint unaccountable 'soldiers of god' as armed security

jesus and gun
© www.rawstory.com"Soldier of God" accountable to no one in Mississippi.
The Republican-dominated Mississippi state Senate approved a bill on Tuesday allowing churchgoers carry concealed firearms without a permit while also allowing churches to designate and train members to serve as armed security. According to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, House Bill 786 would also block state officials from enforcing federal regulations or executive orders that would conflict with the state constitution.

Supporters of the bill also managed to hold off adding an amendment requiring churches to post signs if they were employing armed security under the bill. "Unfortunately, our nation has seen tragic incidents carried out in places of worship," said Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves in a statement. "Mississippians should be able to attend church knowing they have security measures in place to protect them from anyone trying to do them harm."

Sen. Sean Tindell (R), who backed the measure, cited the mass shooting inside the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina last June as the inspiration behind allowing churches to designate a "sergeant-at-arms" and offer them legal protection for performing in that capacity. "I wish we lived in a world where this bill wouldn't be necessary," said Gipson, who is also a pastor.

The "Mississippi Church Protection Act," as the bill is called, passed in a 36-14 vote, but not without strident objections from state Sen. Hillman Frazier (D), who "waved a sheathed sword" as he argued against the measure. "We don't need to pimp the church for political purposes," Frazier said. "If you want to pass gun laws, do that, but don't use the church." The bill has also been denounced by the Secular Coalition for America, which called it the worst state bill in the US.

Comment: Would a mosque and Muslim worshippers be given the same rights and protections to have unregistered, non-permitted, concealed weapons without accountability as will the Mississippi gun-toting Christian 'Soldiers for God' in the guise of armed security? Or would they be considered terrorists...


Jet4

Russia garners military contracts from success of Syrian air campaign

Russian chopper
© m.rusvesna.suThe success in Syria has a bonus of boosting sales.
The Russian Aerospace Forces' success in Syria has already attracted the attention of a whole array of foreign customers. Russia may benefit significantly from the success of its air operation in Syria; the value of contracts for the purchase of advanced Russian arms that it has received in the wake of the campaign are due to be ten times that of the operation itself, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported.

In the next few years, Russia may clinch such contracts, worth about seven billion dollars, as compared with the 33 billion rubles that were spent [approx. $500M] on the country's air campaign in Syria, the newspaper said. According to the Kommersant, the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation has already received plenty of proposals pertaining to purchasing advanced Russian military hardware, mainly aircraft.

Comment: This is an example and context of how the "profits of war" should be experienced.


Family

Grateful residents return to liberated Palmyra, thank Russia for aid

palmyra liberated
© Agence France-Presse/STRA Syrian Army soldier carries a Daesh flag as he stands on a street in the ancient city of Palmyra on March 27, 2016
Dozens of citizens of Palmyra were overwhelmed with emotions as they expressed their thoughts on the liberation of their city, according to Sputnik's Arabic edition. In an interview with Sputnik's Arabic edition, citizens of Palmyra pointed the finger at Daesh terrorists for killing civilians and thanked Russia for adding to the liberation of their ancient city.

A man named Mohammed said that Palmyra had gone through one of the most critical moments of its history after the invasion of the Daesh terrorist group.
palmyra libration
© SputnikA citizen of liberated Palmyra
"It was a terrible crime by Daesh, who killed hundreds of civilians. I thank our army and Russia, which jointly contributed to the liberation of our native city. Now we all are waiting for the end of demining operations so we can return to our homes," Mohammed said.

People

Despite 365 days of Saudi coalition bombardment, Yemen is steadfastly resisting

"Together against the tyrannical Saudi aggression," read a large banner in the hands of the demonstrators as Saudi warplanes were flying overhead, reportedly breaking the sound barrier to frighten the protesters. ~ Al Manar

Hundreds of thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Yemen's capital, Sanaa, to protest one year of Saudi coalition bombardment of the Yemeni people. Despite the threat of Saudi jets hovering in the skies above them, the people of Yemen demonstrated their resistance and resilience, their determination to secure their right to decide their own future and to defend their national sovereignty.

They chanted their defiance at the infuriated Saudi war-planes who were witnessing the heart of the revolution against the largest absolute monarchy in the world. The Saudi despotic regime has perceived Yemen to be their fiefdom for decades and is attempting to violently silence their legitimate voice demanding freedom from Saudi colonialism and corruption.

These protests signalled to the Saudi coalition that it is the people of Yemen who have ultimate legitimacy.

In this first photo, thousands gather next to the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in Sanaa. Huge posters displaying images of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh challenged the circling Saudi fighter jets. Photograph AFP/Mohammed Huwais.
Saba’een Square protests
© AFP/Mohammed Huwais

Eye 1

UN investigates new sexual abuse allegations in Central African Republic

UN peacekeepers
© Siegfried Modola / Reuters
The United Nations is investigating new allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by both UN and non-UN peacekeepers, as well as civilians in the Central African Republic.

The new allegations received by the UN Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) refer to incidents which occurred in 2014 and 2015 in the Kemo prefecture, according to UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.

One of the accusations involves a minor and members of the Burundian military contingent.

"The allegations are in connection with the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl which was first reported to the mission by UNICEF [the United Nations Children's Fund] last week," Dujarric said at a press briefing.

He also revealed details of a new case of sexual exploitation involving a member of the Moroccan military contingent which happened this year, bringing to 25 the total number of allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse reported so far in 2016.

Heart - Black

Brits are feeling 'more anxious and depressed than ever'

woman in the rain
© Lucy Nicholson / Reuters
Anxiety, depression and feelings of isolation are on the rise in Britain, according to a wellbeing survey by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The ONS found that despite record low unemployment and crime, so-called "subjective" wellbeing has gotten worse, with more Brits worrying about their health - both physical and mental - than in previous years.

As the government's austerity policies enter a sixth year, the UK's official statistics agency reports increased levels of anxiety and depression, up 19.7 percent in 2014 from the year before.

The report links mental health to individual and national wellbeing.

"People with positive mental health will feel good about themselves, and will feel they are better equipped to cope with their problems, whereas those people that indicate depression or anxiety may find this more challenging," the reports says.

"This will undoubtedly impact on personal and therefore national wellbeing."

Vader

Democrazi: Arizona election fraud hearing gets rowdy as citizens express their discontent

Arizona election
Lines in Arizona were over 4 hours long to vote due to closing of polling locations.
A raucous hearing on election fraud in the Arizona primary is still going on in Phoenix. As of this writing, the hearing was moved to a separate room and is currently in recess due to continued outbursts of protest in the gallery.


Helen Purcell began the Arizona Election Fraud hearing by saying "I want to begin by apologizing what took place on March 27th... As I said in the past, I am deeply sorry."

However, it's clear that the people of Arizona have no intention of forgiving or forgetting, given the anger expressed by those who signed up to speak on alleged election fraud. The rowdy crowd is parading up to speak in large numbers, calling for Purcell's resignation and for a revote.

"Our right to vote and to have that vote counted is the most direct way that citizens can participate in our political system... People tried to do our civic duty and couldn't," Arizona citizen Patrick Syfter said. "You made people choose between voting and keeping their jobs... You must resign. Stop pretending that you represent us. We do not want platitudes... This will not end today. We will be back every vote to hold you accountable."

Air Force veteran Dean Palmer described his horrific experience voting in Maricopa County.
"My experience down there, it was tough... People in wheelchairs and canes in the heat... We were out of provisional ballots at 7am... So many people, they wheeled up there and got hit with the sprinklers. So many people, they couldn't take it. They had to leave, people were crying."
The executive director of the Arizona Students' Association shared the testimony of a student who had just come back from a one-year tour in the Army.

Comment: Yet another example of blatant fraud in the voting process. In America, it's become clear that the pathological elite will use every trick in the book to either disenfranchise or all out prevent individuals for having their right to have their voices heard.


Question

Unexplained house explosion in Saginaw, Michigan leaves 6 injured

Michigan home explosion
© Jeff Schrier/MLive
Jova Chapman was at work when her Richland Township home exploded Friday, March 25.

Her husband, Billy Chapman, their three sons and two nephews were all there, but they survived the afternoon blast that leveled the house her family had lived in for the past six years.

"My husband said he heard a boom," said the 30-year-old Chapman. "He went to get up and see what it was, and next thing he knew, it felt like he was 30 feet in the air. ... When he came to, he heard all the kids screaming.

"He said it's the worst thing you can imagine."

Neighbor kids ran over and helped locate the boys, Chapman said. The family dog, a golden Labrador named Buddy, is credited with finding one of them, she said.
Michigan home explosion
© Jeff Schrier/MLive
Michigan home explosion
© MSP
The Chapmans' 11-year-old nephew was in a medically induced coma as of about 1:45 p.m. Monday, Jova Chapman said. Her husband, 32, suffered multiple broken bones, she said.

Chapman said all three of their sons were in stable condition Monday afternoon. Their 5-year-old son suffered fractures to his pelvis and back and possible broken bones in his face. Their 4-year-old son has a lacerated liver, and their 10-year-old son underwent a second leg surgery Monday. Their 14-year-old nephew also suffered broken bones and was in stable condition, Chapman said. The Chapmans also have two daughters who were not home when the explosion occurred.

It's unclear what caused the explosion Friday afternoon. The Saginaw News on Monday could not immediately reach Richland Township Fire Department Chief Mike Morse for comment.

Padlock

Using security concerns as cover: US withholds over 50 reports on problems, deficiencies within government

censorship
The US government has ordered that more than 50 reports on problems or deficiencies in different departments and agencies should be withheld from public access, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) announced.

This list is intended to keep the US Congress, federal agencies as well as the general public informed of the existence of the reports. The list covers all such classified or controlled information reports since September 30, 2014.

"[The] products have been determined to contain either classified information or controlled unclassified information by the audited agencies and cannot be publicly released. As such, they have not been posted to GAO's website," the announcement stated on Monday.

Comment: Not-so-transparent: Obama administration sets record for failing to disclose documents for FOIA requests