Society's Child

Request by 12 Scottish MPs for decriminalization of personal use drug possession blocked by Home Office

BBC
Mon, 04 Nov 2019 17:47 UTC

Proposals to introduce drug consumption rooms in Glasgow have been blocked

The possession of illicit drugs for personal use should be decriminalised, a report by MPs has said.

The Scottish Affairs Committee also recommended the UK government should back safe consumption rooms in Scotland in a bid to tackle drug misuse.

Drug-related deaths in Scotland reached an all-time high of 1,187 last year.

The Home Office said it had no plans to decriminalise drug possession and that doing so would not eliminate crime associated with the illicit drug trade.

All UK drugs misuse legislation is currently reserved to Westminster.

Comment: See also:

Wife defending husband and daughter kills home intruder with assault rifle, source says

Matt Zarrell
ABC News
Mon, 04 Nov 2019 01:08 UTC

A Florida woman defended her husband and child when she shot and killed an armed suspect who broke into her home.

Officers in Hillsborough County responded to a 911 call on Oct. 30 reporting a home invasion in progress in Lithia, about 25 miles from Tampa.

Investigators arrived on scene and found a male suspect dead in a ditch outside the home on the side of the road.

The preliminary investigation showed that two unknown males, who were wearing masks, had broken into the home and made demands, police said.

The male victim, later identified as Jeremy King, told Bay 9 News that the suspects pointed guns at him, demanded money and threatened him.

What race are you guys?': Buffalo Wild Wings employees fired after asking party to move to appease racist regulars

RT
Mon, 04 Nov 2019 20:05 UTC

Two managers at a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in a Chicago suburb were fired after asking a group of multiracial customers to change tables, in order to appease two "racist" customers who regularly visit.

Buffalo Wild Wings in Naperville, Illinois fired a service manager and shift manager that were working at the time of the incident, following a complaint made by Mary Vahl on Facebook.

According to the post, Vahl's husband was asked "What race are you guys?" when they showed up with a party of 18 last week. The host then explained that their group was seated at a table near two "regular customers" who were known racists. The Vahls' party consisted mostly of African-Americans.

"These seats are reserved and we will have to move your group," one employee told the Vahls, who refused to relocate. They ultimately decided to leave and instead go to a nearby Hooters.

German politicians in fear as US-linked neo-Nazi group moves Green MPs to top of their 'kill list'

RT
Mon, 04 Nov 2019 08:57 UTC

Top members of Germany's Green Party received death threats from a hardcore far-right group unambiguously threatening to "execute" them in public, sending shockwaves through the local political elite.

Cem Ozdemir and Claudia Roth reported receiving threats attributed to the Atomwaffe Division Deutschland (Nuclear Weapons Division Germany), a local offshoot of an American neo-Nazi group. Ozdemir, a former co-chairman of the Green Party and a high profile politician with a Turkish background, said that the email flagged him as the number one target on the AWD's 'hit list'.

"At the moment, we are planning how and when we will execute you; at the next public rally? Or will we get you in front of your house?" German newspapers quoted from the chilling message.

Ozdemir took the letter seriously, although he is no stranger to threats - Turkish nationalists, for instance, once vowed to assassinate him for attacking President Recep Tayyip Erdogan several years ago.

Roth, currently a Vice President of the Bundestag, was listed second on the hit list. The threats are the latest in "a long list of attempted intimidation against local politicians and civil society, against Jews and Muslims, against female artists and immigrants," she said.

BDS panic at a feverish pitch

Barry Trachtenberg
The Electronic Intifada
Wed, 30 Oct 2019 00:00 UTC

The Czech parliament's decision to pass a resolution condemning the Palestinian-led boycott, divestment and sanctions movement as anti-Semitic last week is only the most recent example of how the panic over BDS has reached a fever pitch.

This latest round of attempts to stop public criticism of Israel's treatment of Palestinians began in Britain in May. Jeremy Hunt, at the time foreign secretary and running for the leadership of the Conservative Party, attacked supporters of BDS by declaring that "boycotting Israel - the world's only Jewish state - is anti-Semitic."

Far more unnerving, Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, passed a resolution that same month that condemned BDS as inherently anti-Semitic.

Several days later, Germany's commissioner on anti-Semitism Felix Klein warned that "I cannot advise Jews to wear the kippah everywhere, all the time, in Germany," in a statement made just days before the annual al-Quds march - a Palestine solidarity event - in Berlin.

Border line: Dozens of US vehicles slink out of Syria into Iraq during Trump's partial pullout

Sputnik
Sun, 03 Nov 2019 19:38 UTC

US forces evacuated their positions alongside Syrian Kurdish militia in northern Syria last month, shortly before Turkey started a military operation in the border area, but left several hundred troops behind in the war-torn country, with President Trump recently confirming that the US would be "keeping the oil."

The Syrian Arab News Agency has published footage it says shows US military vehicles leaving Syrian territory and being transferred into Iraq at the Al Waleed border crossing point. According to SANA, the convoy included a total of 55 vehicles.

Syrian media reported that a column of US troops had crossed the border with Iraq last week, with a Pentagon official later confirming that the crossing had taken place, but refusing to discuss the details of the forces' movement "for security reasons."

US military convoy under fire from Turkey-backed militants in Syria, no casualties

RT
Sun, 03 Nov 2019 19:14 UTC

American troops heading toward the Iraqi border have been attacked from land held by Turkish-backed militants in northern Syria, Russia's Ministry of Defense has claimed. The attack comes amid a US withdrawal from the region.

The convoy was traveling along the M4 motorway - which runs parallel to the Turkish border through land captured by Turkey during its anti-Kurdish 'Peace Spring' offensive last month - when it was attacked near the town of Tell Tamer, the ministry reported on Sunday. A statement from the ministry:

"As part of deconfliction exchange, information has been received from the US side that on November 3 a convoy of American servicemen...was fired upon from the territory controlled by the pro-Turkish Syrian National Army."

Nobody was hurt in the incident.

Greeks stage protest march against migrant policy - govt takes in 40,000 refugees in last 4 months

RT
Mon, 04 Nov 2019 18:26 UTC

Residents of a Greek city slated to host a fresh wave of asylum seekers took to the streets to protest the move, amid growing anger over the influx of refugees that have poured into the country.

Anti-migrant protesters in the northern city of Thessaloniki called on Athens to expel all illegal immigrants and close the border to migrants. Footage from the march showed demonstrators carrying banners and Greek flags, while an activist at the front of the procession held an icon of the Virgin Mary.

Activists think that their Orthodox beliefs are under siege by an "Islamic threat," according to Ruptly video agency.

Comment: The Greeks, already financially belabored by the EU and IMF, is now being forced by them to deal with caring for thousands of illegal migrants simply because of their geographic location. NIMBY writ large.

Weekend #22: Hong Kong vandals set fire to Xinhua news agency office and storefronts, blockade metro stations - UPDATE: Hong Kong city councillor attacked

RT
Sat, 02 Nov 2019 13:06 UTC

© Thomas Peter / REUTERS
Police pass burning barricade to break up thousands of anti-government protesters in Hong Kong, China Nov. 2, 2019.

Radical protesters in Hong Kong have ransacked the office of the Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua, ramping up their months-long campaign of violent disobedience against Beijing.

The office in Hong Kong's Wan Chai district was attacked amid the latest demonstration against the central Chinese government. Images from the scene showed smashed windows in the lobby, a graffiti-sprayed interior and a small fire which was quickly doused.

It is believed to be the first time that the office of the agency was targeted by the radicals since the mass protests started in June over a now-scrapped extradition bill. The news outlet later condemned the vandalizing of its premises, and published a video showing the damage that was done.

Comment: As the Western destabilization campaign against China continues, it's having predictable consequences:

UPDATE 03/11/19: The violence continues, spilling over into business areas:

At least six people are injured after a political argument outside a mall in Hong Kong spiraled into a violent knife attack, according to local media. The assailant was beaten by bystanders and is among those hurt.

A tense political dispute is said to have broken out between the suspect and a group of people in CityPlaza mall in the Tai Koo district. A person then took a knife from a bag and assaulted several individuals.

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES

South China Morning Post later posted a video where the man is seen clinging to a person described as councilor Andrew Chiu. The screaming mob eventually wrestles the man to the ground. Chiu, seemingly in a state of shock, leans against a wall as he cups his hand over the side of his head.
A video showing a suspect behind a knife assault in Cityplaza allegedly attacking district councillor Andrew Chiu, before being subdued by others. Earlier, people had gathered at the Tai Koo mall for a human chain amid anti-government protests in Hong Kong.
Video: Karen Zhang pic.twitter.com/3rE8nin3kp

— SCMP Hong Kong (@SCMPHongKong) November 3, 2019
[The tweet has since been deleted]

Several hundred protesters had assembled at the mall on Sunday, where they chanted slogans and reportedly vandalized a restaurant. Riot police arrived at the scene to disperse the mob. Demonstrators also damaged turnstiles at a Sha Tin MRT train station, and were seen hurling projectiles at police.

Sir Ian McKellen reckons he'll be 'long dead' by the time Brexit happens - he's probably right!

Emma Kelly
Metro, UK
Mon, 04 Nov 2019 17:57 UTC

Whatever your stance on leaving the European Union, everyone has to admit Brexit hasn't exactly been punctual. Following the 2016 referendum, the UK was meant to leave the EU on 31 March, before it was pushed back to 31 October... and now, it's been delayed another three months, until 31 January 2020.

But Sir Ian McKellen isn't too optimistic about that happening either. The 80-year-old reckons he'll be 'long dead' by the time Brexit actually happens - and isn't getting involved with his opinion anymore. The legendary actor told PA: 'I did think the other day, as we battle through Brexit, I thought "Oh good God, when I'm long dead they still won't have the Brexit deal complete, so I think I won't take a view on it".

'I've withdrawn entirely, emotionally, from the race and am now watching it as a bit of chess and all I can say is they are wretched players and don't know a pawn from a queen.' We're sure there's a few people who can relate. While Ian is opting out of the Brexit debate, the Lord of the Rings actor previously made his political leanings known in 2017 when he backed Labour's Wes Streeting in the general election.

Comment: Considering Gandalf's known lifespan, Brexit may be a long time coming.

Has everyone seen the documentary Century of the Self? It's about Bernays, PR BS, etc. and is REALLY well done. (I found it at an AA article.)...

Rowan Cocoan

Their were saints in Catholic history who most have heard about and others not so much. Now you have Saint Francis of Assisi, but you also have...

Buffalo_Ken

I have a different definition for the "global commons". It is in the definition of "the commons" definition in the link provided below. Here is a...

Buffalo_Ken

Biden the child-killer. Think of the children, vaxxers, think of the children.

hobnyeba

Thanks, all, for great comments and links. Lots to think about.

ReRan

Society's Child

Request by 12 Scottish MPs for decriminalization of personal use drug possession blocked by Home Office

Wife defending husband and daughter kills home intruder with assault rifle, source says

What race are you guys?': Buffalo Wild Wings employees fired after asking party to move to appease racist regulars

German politicians in fear as US-linked neo-Nazi group moves Green MPs to top of their 'kill list'

BDS panic at a feverish pitch

Border line: Dozens of US vehicles slink out of Syria into Iraq during Trump's partial pullout

US military convoy under fire from Turkey-backed militants in Syria, no casualties

Greeks stage protest march against migrant policy - govt takes in 40,000 refugees in last 4 months

Weekend #22: Hong Kong vandals set fire to Xinhua news agency office and storefronts, blockade metro stations - UPDATE: Hong Kong city councillor attacked

Sir Ian McKellen reckons he'll be 'long dead' by the time Brexit happens - he's probably right!

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