Society's ChildS


Airplane

Russia upgrades domestic airliner production


RT
Mon, 26 Mar 2018 13:52 UTC
Airplane
© Sergei Karpukhin / Reuters
The Russian government has allocated money to significantly upgrade the Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) passenger plane. The new version will use mostly Russian components, including a new jet engine, Kommersant reports.

According to the Russian business daily, President Putin has approved the new jet, and agreed to fund it to the tune of 85 billion rubles (about $1.5 billion).

The new version of SSJ100 will see the number of seats reduced from 98 to 75. A new engine is also under discussion. Extant SSJs are equipped with Russian-French Sam146 engines, which can be replaced with Russian PD-10s. Some other parts of the plane will also be updated with Russian-made components, including changes in the wings and fuselage.
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Black Cat

Syrian MP warns EU: Your beloved "moderate rebels" are now headed your way

Paul Antonopoulos
Fort Russ News
Mon, 26 Mar 2018 16:17 UTC
Fares Shehabi
Fares Shehabi, Syrian MP.
A Syrian Member of Parliament has given a chilling warning to the European Union by telling them that their beloved moderate rebels are now on their way to Europe.

"Dear EU leaders.. don't worry about your "besieged & starved" rebels no more. They are on their way to you..," Syrian MP for Aleppo, Fares Shehabi warned the European Union from his Twitter account yesterday.

Comment:

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Sheeple

'Absurd': Russia ridicules EU Council's weasel-worded statement on Skripal case

Alexander Mercouris
The Duran
Mon, 26 Mar 2018 15:49 UTC
boris johnson Putin
Boris Johnson and Vladimir Putin
Kremlin spokesman ridicules 'ambiguous language' in statement which appears to accuse Russia but actually fails to do so

In a recent article for The Duran I said that the EU Council on Thursday would issue a statement which appeared to give full-throated support to Britain's position in the Skripal case, but which on close study would not do so.

Subsequently, in a follow up article for The Duran I pointed out how the statement the EU Council actually did issue was exactly of that sort: appearing to give full-throated support to Britain's position in the Skripal case, but on close study failing to do so.

Comment: Once again, Putin and his staff are the only adults in the room. MP Iain Duncan Smith's wild statement only prove that. But he and is fellow MPs are playing to a Western audience and know exactly what they want to hear.

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Blackbox

'It's a phone, not a gun': 3 recent fatal police shootings in the US that raise questions


RT
Mon, 26 Mar 2018 14:39 UTC
Protesters
© Bob Strong / ReutersDemonstrators gather to protest the police shooting of Stephon Clark in Sacramento, California.
Almost four years ago, the shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown by police led to nationwide US protests, but similar controversial deaths continue to take place. The latest three happened in Texas, California and Illinois.

Texas authorities are currently investigating an incident which saw an unarmed Danny Ray Thomas, 34, fatally shot by a sheriff's deputy at a busy Houston intersection. The incident took place on March 22.

1. Danny Ray Thomas (Houston, TX)

Cellphone footage recorded by motorist Kaaryn Young and obtained by the Houston Chronicle shows Thomas walking with his trousers around his ankles at the intersection, approaching officer who has his gun drawn. Young and a male voice can be heard laughing at the situation, with Young saying "he's about to get tased." However a gunshot is then heard, followed by screams.
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Blue Planet

The Putin-Xi Era: Will it be able to supersede the Western liberal (dis)order?

Pepe Escobar
Asia Times
Sun, 25 Mar 2018 15:25 UTC
confucius statie
© iStockWhat would Confucius do?
Perhaps a Confucian path would be the right direction toward Eurasian integration

The Chinese constitutional amendment allowing Xi Jinping the possibility of further presidential terms - staying in power long enough to bring "national rejuvenation" combined with the Russian election re-confirming Vladimir Putin in the presidency have assured consistency and continuity for the Russia-China strategic partnership way into the next decade.

This will facilitate the interaction between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Eurasia Economic Union (EEAU); policy coordination inside the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the BRICS and the G-20; and the overall drive towards Eurasia integration.

The strengthening of what should be viewed as the Putin-Xi era could not but render Western liberals - and neoliberals - absolutely livid.

Comment: It's not losing the West cannot bear, but becoming irrelevant. Yet it continues to refuse the offers of partnership being extended by both Putin and Xi.

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Chess

97% of Russians smarter than Westerners


RT
Mon, 26 Mar 2018 15:14 UTC
British police
© Peter Nicholls / ReutersA police officer stands outside the London Road cemetery where the grave of Alexander Skripal; son of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal; is seen covered with a tent, in Salisbury, Britain
Just three percent of Russians believe the MSM theory about the country's involvement in the poisoning of ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, while a large majority believe the attack was carried out by Moscow's enemies.

According to research conducted in late March by state-run polling agency VTSIOM, a total of 82 percent of Russian citizens are aware of the incident that left Skripal and his daughter Yulia in a critical condition.

Of those who are familiar with the matter, only three percent believe the theory favoured by British authorities and the mainstream media that the poisoning was a result of an assassination attempt by Russian special services.
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Handcuffs

Over 100 England football fans arrested in Amsterdam for violent clashes with police, 4 due in court


RT
Mon, 26 Mar 2018 14:57 UTC
football fans vs police
© Tom Jacobs / Reuters
Four England football fans will appear in court following shameful scenes in Amsterdam, including violent clashes with police, that led to 100 arrests in the Dutch capital last week.

The other fans arrested in the violence - condemned by the English Football Association (FA) as "unacceptable" - which flared before England's friendly with the Netherlands on Friday have been released without charge. 90 fans were arrested on Friday, in addition to the 25 arrested on Thursday.

In one incident, a group of rowdy England fans were filmed confidently marching towards Dutch police before rapidly retreating seconds later, as soon as the officers showed a hint of reaction.

Comment: See also:

Brexit? Yes please! English football thugs run riot in Marseille for 3 days

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Rocket

Trigger-happy fail: Israel mistakenly activates over-hyped Iron Dome missiles in response to gunfire, wastes $500k


RT
Mon, 26 Mar 2018 14:50 UTC
iron dome
© Baz Ratner / ReutersAn Iron Dome launcher fires an interceptor rocket in the southern Israeli city of Ashdod
The IDF has launched a volley of anti-aircraft missiles into clear skies, after Israel's Iron Dome defense system activated during a Hamas military drill in Gaza, after it confused machine gun fire with incoming projectiles.

Late-night sirens across several Israeli communities on Sunday prompted the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to activate the country's Iron Dome anti-missile shield. While many ran for cover in the cities of Sderot and Ashkelon, some residents of the Southern District of Israel instead recorded the fireworks display, as the Iron Dome fired about ten Tamir missiles, valued at around $50,000 each, against imaginary targets in the night sky.


Comment: U.S. Patriot failing in Saudi Arabia, Iron Dome draining U.S.-taxpayer money in Israel... Schadenfreude.

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Arrow Up

Number of children kidnapped into modern slavery reaches a record high


RT
Mon, 26 Mar 2018 14:48 UTC
sad girl
© mrs/ Getty
The number of children being forced into modern slavery has soared to a record high. New figures reveal that British children account for the largest proportion of reported cases.

Statistics released by the National Crime Agency (NCA) show the number of potential victims of slavery has increased by 35 percent to 5,145 since 2016. That is the highest since records began in 2009, but investigators warn that it will continue to rise.

The NCA said most victims are being used for sex or as drug mules by "county lines" groups, which use vulnerable children as couriers to transfer drugs from the city to rural areas.

British nationals comprised the largest group, followed by people from Albania and Vietnam. UK children accounted for 819 referrals, while 777 were Albanians, and 739 were Vietnamese.

Liam Vernon, a senior manager in the NCA's modern slavery and human trafficking unit, said the figure is "shocking." The reality is that there isn't a region in the UK that isn't affected," he told The Independent. "The number is shocking and our assessment is that this is an underreported crime."

Comment: See also:

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No Entry

Far right activist, Lauren Southern, permanently banned from the UK for handing out 'Allah is gay flyers'


RT
Mon, 26 Mar 2018 14:30 UTC
Lauren Southern
© Lauren Southern / InstagramLauren Southern
Far-right campaigner Lauren Southern says she has been permanently banned from the UK for distributing "racist material." Southern was originally investigated under the Terrorism Act and blocked from entering the UK on March 12.

The 22-year-old Canadian was filmed handing out racist flyers emblazoned with messages like "Allah is a gay God" and "Allah is trans" in Luton earlier this year. The political campaigner said the stunt was a "social experiment." Police shut it down after getting multiple complaints from locals.

In a video posted by Southern, police can be seen telling her that the "Allah is a gay God" project could lead to violence. They can also be heard telling her that, if she did not dismantle the stall and clear off, she could be arrested for a public order offence.

Comment: Southern, Pettibone and Sellner discuss to fight their bans.



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