Society's Child

New leader of Catalonia: 'Spain has jailed political prisoners, who must be freed immediately'

RT
Fri, 10 Aug 2018 20:01 UTC

Catalonian government head Quim Torra told RT's Alex Salmond that he is ready to negotiate with Madrid on the status of the province, but that the release of those jailed for organizing a secession referendum is "non-negotiable."

An ally of his exiled pro-independence predecessor, Carles Puigdemont, Torra was elected after three other politicians were disqualified by the central government and has attempted to rebuild communication that has lapsed after the unsanctioned independence referendum in October 2017.

Last month, for the first time since 2016, the head of the national government, the Socialist Pedro Sanchez, who himself only assumed his post in June, and the Catalonian leader met face-to-face.

Puerto Rico acknowledges that more than 1,420 people died in aftermath of Hurricane Maria

FARS News Agency
Thu, 09 Aug 2018 06:58 UTC

Aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico

The government of Puerto Rico has quietly acknowledged in a report posted online that in all likelihood more than 1,420 people died in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria - a figure that is more than 20 times the official death toll.

Hurricane Maria cut through the island on September 20, knocking out power and initially killing about a dozen people, according to The New York Times.

The government's official count eventually swelled to 64, as more people died from suicide, lack of access to health care and other factors. The number has not changed despite several academic assessments that official death certificates did not come close to tallying the storm's fatal toll.

But in a draft of a report to Congress requesting $139 billion in recovery funds, scheduled for official release on Thursday, the Puerto Rican government admits that 1,427 more people died in the last four months of 2017 compared with the same time frame in the previous year. The figures came from death registry statistics that were released in June, but which were never publicly acknowledged by officials on the island.

UK man jailed after stabbing woman in the throat in bizarre and violent sex game

RT
Fri, 10 Aug 2018 18:35 UTC

A man has been sentenced to 6 years in prison after being found guilty of stabbing a woman in the throat during "bizarre and violent sadomasochistic sexual activity" which lead to her death.

Jason Gaskell, 24, from Mildane, Hull, severed Laura Huteson's carotid artery and jugular vein with a knife while having sex with the 21 year-old at his home in Hull, on February 27. He pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter.

During sentencing, Judge Jeremy Richardson said: "In simple terms you unlawfully killed a woman with whom you were having sexual intercourse by stabbing her through the neck during bizarre and violent sadomasochistic sexual activity.

"You did not intend that to happen, but the danger of stabbing the victim was obvious, and it eventuated. You took that risk knowingly and deliberately and you have paid a terrible price.

"The price paid, however, by Laura Huteson, was infinitely greater. She is dead."

Russia's tallest wooden church, built in 1774, destroyed in fire

RT
Fri, 10 Aug 2018 17:35 UTC

The historic Assumption Church (Uspensky Church) in Lake Onega, Russia has burned to the ground. Video footage taken as the scene shows the wooden Russian Orthodox church entirely engulfed in flames.

Firefighters worked to control the blaze, but were unable to save the structure. The fire reportedly started after a group of tourists had visited the building on Friday. Local officials suspected they may have violated fire safety rules sparking the accidental inferno, but arson hasn't been ruled out.

First they came for Alex Jones now Facebook has banned Venezuela news site

RT
Thu, 09 Aug 2018 20:54 UTC

Days after the purge of Alex Jones from social media, Big Tech seems to have found another suitable target for apparent censorship. Facebook suspended the page of a prominent leftist news site writing about Venezuela.

Venezuelanalysis.com, a left-leaning news site that writes from a pro-Bolivarian revolution stance, has been around since 2003. Critics, including the US government, brand it as a propaganda outlet of the government in Caracas. The site says it is funded by donations and lists as its team Western-born journalists and filmmakers, as well as endorsements from dozens of Western intellectuals, including Noam Chomsky, Tariq Ali and Oliver Stone.

On Thursday, its Facebook page was suspended in what Venezuelanalysis described as a "flagrant act of political censorship." It suggested that the ban may have been timed to suppress a "brilliant piece" on how the Western media covered the drone assassination attempt on Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. The banned site also asked for public support in the face of the suspension.

Comment: "The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it." -George Orwell
We can see where this is all going. You can't 'save democracy' by banning - instead, you hasten its retreat.
See also:

Rep. Chris Collins is arrested for insider trading

Katherine Tully-McManus, Lindsey McPherson
Roll Call
Wed, 08 Aug 2018 09:48 UTC

Charges to three defendants also include wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and making false statements

New York Republican Rep. Chris Collins was arrested and indicted on charges related to securities fraud Wednesday. The indictment is tied to securities of an Australian biotechnology company, Innate Immunotherapeutics where Collins has served on the board of directors.

Collins' latest sale of Innate Immunotherapeutics holdings was on June 20, 2018 and valued between $15,000 and $50,000 according to House periodic transaction reports. He bought at least 4 million shares between 2016 and 2018, according to the reports. Collins' value in Innate went from $25,000,001 to $1,000,001, according to his most recent financial disclosure. He serves on the Health subcommittee of House Energy and Commerce.

Last August, the House Ethics Committee took up an inquiry into Collins and allegations that he had shared nonpublic information about the company, in violation of House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.

Collins gained personal benefit and provided nonpublic information to his son Cameron Collins who sold nearly $1.4 million of Innate Immunotherapeutics shares, according to a complaint filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

"Christopher Collins knew or recklessly disregarded that he breached his duty by disclosing this inside information to Cameron Collins," the SEC said.

Syrian artists are transforming militant-built tunnels into sculpture galleries

RT
Thu, 09 Aug 2018 14:08 UTC

Formerly a hiding place for militants, the underground tunnels in Syria's liberated Eastern Ghouta are now transformed into an artistic exhibition. Their walls are being turned into sculptures with scenes of battle and bravery.

A network of tunnels was discovered in Jobar, Eastern Ghouta, in April following the liberation of the Damascus suburb. The tunnels which extend for several kilometers were used to connect militant-run underground bases and hospitals.

The bare walls are now being given a dramatic makeover as Syrian artists work together to create sculptures in tribute to the Syrian people.

Footage by RT's video agency Ruptly shows artists each working on a segment of the wall perfecting sculptures of soldiers, women and children.

Following the liberation of Eastern Ghouta, the Syrian Army discovered a whole network of tunnels connected to militant positions and underground bases permeating Damascus districts and towns such as Douma, Jobar, Ayn Tarma, Arbeen, and Zamalka. Footage from under Douma showed vehicles easily moving through the vast tunnels, reinforced by metal pillars.

Comment: Transforming a passageway of death into a tribute to those who overcame fear with courage, fought for liberation, gave the ultimate sacrifice, shows the resolve of the artisans to bring beauty, meaning and healing back to Syria.

Dow down 245 as emerging markets crash on US-Turkey geopolitical concerns

RT
Fri, 10 Aug 2018 14:15 UTC

Wall Street couldn't avoid the bloodbath on Friday triggered by a collapse of the Turkish lira amid escalating diplomatic tensions between the US and Turkey. Investors are worried about political uncertainty in the world.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average index slid 245 points, or almost two percent, during early trading hours on Wall Street. Two other key US indices, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq, pulled back 0.7 percent.

Shares in leading US banks also plunged significantly with Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and J.P. Morgan Chase all falling over one percent.

Markets in Europe were also turbulent with Germany's DAX falling two percent, French CAC 40 falling almost two percent, and Britain's FTSE 100 declining 0.8 percent.

Emerging markets also collapsed on Friday. Russia's dollar-traded RTS index plunged over three percent, Brazil Bovespa index was losing 2.3 percent, and the Turkish Borsa Istanbul index saw a 5.4 percent sell-off.

The broad market sell-off began with the collapse of the Turkish lira after a delegation from Turkey returned from Washington without apparent progress on the detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson, accused by Ankara of aiding the failed military coup in Turkey in 2016. Brunson, a US citizen and Turkish resident for over two decades, was arrested in Turkey on charges of terrorism and espionage. He is facing up to 35 years in prison if found guilty.

Former Armenian PM Abrahamian's brother arrested; search finds weapons cache

RFE/RL
Thu, 09 Aug 2018 01:29 UTC

The brother of Armenia's former prime minister Hovik Abrahamian was arrested on suspicion of illegal arms procurement and possession, Armenia's security service said on August 8.

Henrik Abrahamian was a member of parliament several times in the past and belongs to a wealthy and influential family, which owns several businesses in the Caucasus country of 3.2 million people.

The arrest is one in a series in recent months under Armenia's new prime minister, Nikol Pashinian, a former opposition leader who was elected by parliament in May after weeks of mass protests against corruption and cronyism in the government.

The National Security Service said in a statement that it found weapons on the property of a former mechanical plant believed to have belonged to Hovik Abrahamian, who served as prime minister from 2014 to 2016.

Denmark considers jailing burqa wearers as tycoon pledges to pay fines in defense of freedom

Sputnik
Fri, 10 Aug 2018 08:52 UTC

Two of Denmark's ruling parties are considering upping the punishment for transgressors of the recent burqa ban from DKK 1,000 ($155) to a prison sentence, as it risks being rendered ineffective by a French-Algerian mogul previously dubbed the "Zorro of Niqab."

The Liberals and the Danish People's Party (DF), currently members of Denmark's ruling coalition, argue that the pledge by Rachid Nekkaz to pay all fines accrued under the contentious "Burqa Law" is undermining Danish law, Danish Radio reported.

According to DF's immigration and integration rapporteur, Martin Henriksen, the government should consider introducing prison terms in the legislation.

Comment: See also:

New Lt. Governor of Virginia Winsome Sears: "We're going to have safer neighborhoods, safer communities, and our children are going to get a good...

parzival

Bill Gates is going to be the one with the uncertain future,,, * New Lt. Governor of Virginia Winsome Sears: "We're going to have safer...

parzival

The more we hear about adverse affects the more we will merely shrug. It's a catch 22. Is that an asteroid trail in the photo?

sass

Welcome to the new normal. The more sensory exposure we have about such things, the less it is an issue.

sass

more misbehaving phuqqin' jewzskies starring on the sott; speaks for itself

Jibrish

Society's Child

New leader of Catalonia: 'Spain has jailed political prisoners, who must be freed immediately'

Puerto Rico acknowledges that more than 1,420 people died in aftermath of Hurricane Maria

UK man jailed after stabbing woman in the throat in bizarre and violent sex game

Russia's tallest wooden church, built in 1774, destroyed in fire

First they came for Alex Jones now Facebook has banned Venezuela news site

Rep. Chris Collins is arrested for insider trading

Syrian artists are transforming militant-built tunnels into sculpture galleries

Dow down 245 as emerging markets crash on US-Turkey geopolitical concerns

Former Armenian PM Abrahamian's brother arrested; search finds weapons cache

Denmark considers jailing burqa wearers as tycoon pledges to pay fines in defense of freedom

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