Society's ChildS


Sherlock

Amnesty wants special commission to investigate potential Mosul war crimes by US-led coalition


RT
Tue, 11 Jul 2017 21:47 UTC
mosul civilians
© Alaa Al-Marjani / ReutersDisplaced Iraqi civilians flee from clashes in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq, July 1, 2017
Amnesty International has scolded the US-led coalition in Mosul for misplaced and excessive airstrikes, urging it to publicly admit its failure to protect civilian lives. The NGO is proposing to establish a commission to look into reported violations.

In a new 50-page report published Tuesday, the human rights group sheds light on the scale of the loss of civilian life and suffering that the people of Mosul have had to endure during the offensive to recapture the city from Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS, ISIL) terrorists.

At least 426 civilians died and over 100 were wounded by either terrorists or international coalition bombings result of 45 attacks spanning from January to mid-May, the group said in a summary of the report, titled: "At any cost: The civilian catastrophe in West Mosul."

The report draws on expert data and information provided by local residents.
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Handcuffs

Ohio man pleads guilty to conspiring to aid Al Qaeda & murder judge


RT
Tue, 11 Jul 2017 13:52 UTC
Yahya Farooq Mohammad
© Lucas County Sheriff's OfficeYahya Farooq Mohammad
Ohio resident Yahya Farooq Mohammad has admitted he conspired to give money to Al-Qaeda and later tried to solicit the murder of the US federal judge who presided over his case. Mohammad is a citizen of India who moved to Ohio 15 years ago.

On Monday, he pleaded guilty on both counts: providing material support to terrorists and paying someone to have a judge killed.

On July 22, 2009, Mohammad traveled with two associates to Yemen to meet with notorious Al-Qaeda leader Anwar Al-Awlaki and deliver $22,000 that they had raised for the terrorist group, according to the US Department of Justice. Although they were unable to meet Awlaki in person, Mohammad and his associates ensured that the terrorist leader received the money through a courier, prosecutors said.

Comment: Further reading: Strategy of Tension: Why Terrorists are Allowed to Strike

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Attention

16 Marines killed after transport aircraft explodes in mid-air over Mississippi


RT
Tue, 11 Jul 2017 13:52 UTC
Marine Corps KC-130 transport aircraft
© U.S. Air Force
At least 16 service members died when a military flight crashed in LeFlore County, Mississippi, the Marine Corps said in a statement, adding that the cause of the crash is still unknown.

"A Marine Corps KC-130 transport aircraft crashed in LeFlore County, Miss., on July 10 at approximately 4 p.m. CDT, claiming the lives of 16 service members," the statement said.

The refueling tanker was loaded with explosives, keeping emergency responders at bay, a state trooper told WMC.
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Dollar

Gazprom and Turkey's BOTAS agree on Turkish Stream financing


RT
Tue, 11 Jul 2017 14:08 UTC
Russian energy major Gazprom
© Sergey Guneev / Sputnik
Russian energy major Gazprom and Turkey's state-owned BOTAS have reached financial terms for the natural gas pipeline through Turkey, according to BOTAS General Director Burhan Ozcan.

"We have already agreed with Gazprom on this issue, but I cannot disclose the figures, in what percentage share we will do it," he told RIA-Novosti on the sidelines of the 22nd World Petroleum Congress.

The gas pipeline project, known as Turkish Stream will consist of two branches. The first with a maximum capacity of 15.75 billion cubic meters is expected to be finished in 2018 and deliver Russian natural gas directly to Turkey. The second branch is supposed to deliver gas to European customers through Turkey.
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Eye 2

'Horrific' dashcam footage shows police sic their K9 on surrendering man

Jack Burns
The Free Thought Project
Tue, 11 Jul 2017 12:58 UTC
police K9 attack
The task of bringing fugitives to justice falls to the capable hands of U.S. Marshals—and the Marshals typically have no problem capturing their target. But when they partnered with Washoe County Sheriff's Deputies in January to apprehend Eugenio Enrique Corona, the fugitive was not returned to jail safe and sound.

Corona had violated the terms and conditions of his parole when he was alleged to have been in possession of methamphetamines and a firearm. Instead of returning to prison, he is believed to have fled, forcing the Marshals to come looking for him.

Washoe deputies caught up with Corona, and a car chase ensued but ended as soon as Corona stopped. He exited the car, got on his knees, and in typical prison submission fashion, interlocked his hands behind his head.
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Fire

Migrants set Greek refugee camp on fire in protests against poor living conditions


RT
Tue, 11 Jul 2017 12:58 UTC
fire Greek refugee camp
© Elias Marcou / Reuters
A large refugee camp located on the Greek island of Lesbos has been set on fire during a protest staged by the migrants and refugees accommodated at the facility, who expressed their discontent with the poor living conditions at the center.

In videos that circulated on social media, huge pillars of black smoke can be seen billowing over the camp. Other footages show living containers engulfed in flames as fire rages through the camp.

According to the Greek Athens-Macedonia News Agency (AMNA), at least two large tents and two living containers were burned in the fire. The situation within the Moria camp, where the incident took place, was described as "out of control," AMNA reported, citing its sources.
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Smoking

Reefer madness: Lack of weed prompts 'state of emergency' in Nevada


RT
Mon, 10 Jul 2017 23:04 UTC
marijuana plant
© Jaime Saldarriaga / Reuters
There's a reefer shortage madness in Nevada, where - after just one week of recreational marijuana sales - supplies are drying up. The governor has approved an "emergency regulation" to ease licensing to keep the new industry puffing along.

When Nevada voters approved commercial sales of weed to adults over 21 in a November ballot measure, the joke was that buffets would soon be emptied. Instead, just one week after the law went into effect July 1, the marijuana dispensaries are the ones unable to keep up with customer demand.

The problem is that none of the seven applications from liquor distributors have been approved, leaving 47 dispensaries without reliable product transportation. Current law states that no other distributors than ones in the wholesale alcohol industry can apply for the first 18 months of sales.
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Newspaper

Not a fair fight: Mainstream newspapers band together to fight 'inexorable threat' from Facebook and Google


RT
Mon, 10 Jul 2017 22:46 UTC
Google and FaCEBOOK SIGNS
© Reuters
Newspapers including the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and New York Times have formed an alliance and are seeking an antitrust exemption from Congress in an effort to negotiate collaboratively with Facebook and Google.

The newspapers believe that the internet giants disproportionately profit from digital advertising without employing content-creators.

"[Facebook and Google] don't employ reporters: They don't dig through public records to uncover corruption, send correspondents into war zones, or attend last night's game to get the highlights. They expect an economically squeezed news industry to do that costly work for them," said David Chavern, president of the News Media Alliance, which leads the campaign.

"The only way publishers can address this inexorable threat is by banding together," Chavern added.
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Info

Russiagate scandal: Craig Murray rejects 'Russian cutouts' theory and refers to Seth Rich

Alexander Mercouris
The Duran
Mon, 10 Jul 2017 22:24 UTC
Craig Murray
Craig Murray, the former British ambassador and friend of Julian Assange who says he has personal knowledge of the DNC and Podesta leaks, rejects 'Russian cutouts' theory and refers again to Seth Rich.

Former British ambassador Craig Murray, who is a friend of Julian Assange and who has claimed to have direct personal knowledge of the DNC and Podesta emails found their way to Wikileaks, has written another long statement on the Russiagate scandal.
The most interesting comments in this statement in my opinion are the following ones

Not actually examining the obvious evidence has been a key tool in keeping the "Russian hacking" meme going. On 24 May the Guardian reported triumphantly, following the Washington Post, that

"Fox News falsely alleged federal authorities had found thousands of emails between Rich and Wikileaks, when in fact law enforcement officials disputed that Rich's laptop had even been in possession of, or examined by, the FBI."

It evidently did not occur to the Guardian as troubling, that those pretending to be investigating the murder of Seth Rich have not looked at his laptop.

There is a very plain pattern here of agencies promoting the notion of a fake "Russian crime", while failing to take the most basic and obvious initial steps if they were really investigating its existence. I might add to that, there has been no contact with me at all by those supposedly investigating. I could tell them these were leaks not hacks. Wikileaks. The clue is in the name.
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Cow Skull

Disappointing: Radiohead's Thom Yorke gives supporters of BDS the finger during concert in Glasgow

Shawn Rodgers
Jerusalem Post
Sun, 09 Jul 2017 20:31 UTC
Radiohead's Yorke
© YouTube screenshotRadiohead's Yorke gives BDS supporters the finger during Glasgow concert .
Just a week and a half before they're scheduled to perform at Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park, English rock band Radiohead continued to battle the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement. During the band's Friday night concert at the TRNSMT Festival in Glasgow, Scotland, several activists raised Palestinian flags as well as a "Radiohead: #canceltelaviv" sign, and held demonstrations outside the venue, causing lead singer Thom Yorke to respond.

According to Consequence of Sound, prior to the band's performance of "Myxomatosis," Yorke reportedly exclaimed, "Some f#cking people!" while staring out into the crowd. He was also caught giving the middle finger to the flag wavers.

Radiohead have faced a number of protests over their decision to play Tel Aviv, including at an event in Glastonbury, England last month.


Comment: No one presumes that Radiohead is unfamiliar with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. What's being addressed is the fact that Radiohead knows about the situation and is not taking a moral stand on it. Yorke's righteous indignation is misplaced here.

But others in the music industry do have the right idea:On New York Times' stage, Roger Waters calls BDS 'valid and legitimate picket line'

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