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Wearing a press vest, AFP photographer wounded by IDF amid Gaza protests


RT
Sat, 09 Jun 2018 13:02 UTC
Photographer lies in a hospital bed
© AFP
An AFP photographer lies in a hospital bed at al-Jabaliya hospital in the Gaza Strip.
A press vest did not protect an AFP photographer from Israeli bullets fired during protests in Gaza. He was taking a picture of a wounded protester when a bullet hit his leg.

On Friday, Mohammed Abed al-Baba was shot below the knee while wearing a clearly identifiable press vest and helmet around 200 meters from the border east of Jabalia in northern Gaza, according to AFP, citing the photographer. He was trying to photograph a protester who was injured earlier, when he himself was shot. Baba has been working for the agency in Gaza for nearly 18 years.

His colleague posted a photo on Twitter showing the injured man in bandages in what appears to be a hospital. In a post on Facebook, Baba said that he had undergone an operation on his right leg and is currently recovering.

Comment: See also: The sacrifice of Gaza and the great march of Zionist hypocrisy

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Георгиевская ленточка

Russian patriotism soars to 92%, highest level in 18 years


RT
Sat, 09 Jun 2018 13:48 UTC
Poklonnaya Hill
© Vladimir Astapkovich / Sputnik
Victory Day fireworks at Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow
The share of Russians who describe themselves as patriots is now at 92 percent, the highest number in 18 years, according to a public opinion poll conducted by the state-run agency VTSIOM.

"In 2018 the share of Russian citizens who see themselves as patriots... was 92 percent, which is the highest in 18 years," according to the report released by VTSIOM in connection with Russia Day, which is celebrated on June 12.

In 2000, 84 percent of Russians considered themselves patriots, after which the figure fluctuated between 80 and 88 percent, researchers noted in their report.

Comment: Contrast this with the United States, which despite its 'exceptionalism' has continually declining patriotism. Seems the Russians are doing a lot of things right.

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Handcuffs

Cops beat handcuffed man so violently he lost his leg but it's taxpayers who are held liable in lawsuit

Matt Agorist
The Free Thought Project
Fri, 08 Jun 2018 13:00 UTC
lost leg
The citizens of the village of Green Island have been held liable for $375,000 to settle a federal lawsuit after police arrested a man so violently that he lost his leg.

Kevin T. Kavanaugh filed a civil rights lawsuit after a violent arrest that started when state troopers smelled marijuana. After police smelled the plant, Kavanaugh made the poor decision of fleeing in his vehicle and led police on a high speed chase.

According to the lawsuit, after Kavanaugh finally surrendered, he was brutally beaten for no reason, handcuffed and then an officer violently and unnecessarily began twisting his lower leg until the bones snapped apart.

"This wasn't just a broken ankle. Kevin had pins and screws in his ankle (from a prior injury) and they basically twisted his ankle until they popped out of the bone," said his attorney, Lee Kindlon. "They actually killed his leg, and it was dying from the toe up."

After the violent arrest, Kavanaugh was denied proper medical care leading to severe complications. Multiple other parties outside of the arresting officers were complicit in his abuse, according to the suit.

Comment: Not only do the police not suffer any consequences for their actions but also the very people they are suppose to protect foot the bill when it comes to their gross negligence in doing their 'duty'.

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Arrow Up

Jewish-Israeli activists hang portraits of murdered Gaza victims on apartheid wall, call for Palestinian right of return


Mondoweiss
Thu, 07 Jun 2018 13:57 UTC
israeli jewish activists gaza

Israeli-Jewish activists, calling themselves “RETURN” hung photos of the martyrs of the Great Return March on Gaza Apartheid Fence.
The following press release was sent to Mondoweiss regarding two actions in support of the right of return that were taken by Jewish groups in Israel today:

At 6 AM today, an anonymous group of Israeli-Jewish activists, calling themselves "RETURN" hung photos of the martyrs of the Great Return March on the Gaza Apartheid Fence. The protest was done against Israel's extrajudicial killings of protesters during the Great Return March, including journalists, medics and unarmed demonstrators.

The action was inspired by a call from the #GreatReturnMarch in Gaza for international solidarity. The RETURN activists hung portraits of Gazans murdered by Israeli forces, including the now-iconic portrait of the young medic, Razan Al Najjar. Earlier this week, Gazan professor Haider Eid wrote, "the slogan of the Great March of Return is "I want to go home." Seventy percent of Palestinians in Gaza are refugees from cities and towns in Israel... It's time for the world to stand up and act- to impose sanctions on Israeli industries until Palestinians are granted freedom, civil rights, and justice."

One of the activists of RETURN stated, "The Palestinians besieged in Gaza are marching home, back to the villages and cities from which they were expelled. They are marching out of the desert that Israel has transformed Gaza into and because of this, the Israeli Occupying army is murdering them in cold blood. The courage and sacrifice of these people demand of us all to stand up and ensure an end to Israeli impunity. Apartheid must end and we are the ones who must end it."

Later this morning "Israeli Jews in Support of Palestinian Return" posted posters of Akhmad Al-'Adinie whos family was expelled from Bir As-Saba and 'Abd Al-Qadr Al-Khawajry whos family was expelled from Bureir - Both were murdered by Israeli soldiers as they tried to return to their homes. The posters where posted near the Mosque of Bir AsSaba, in honor of their persistence and devotion. The group calls for the return of all the Palestinian refugees in Gaza and elsewhere.

Comment: It's good to know there are some Israelis - even a tiny minority - with at least a semi-functioning conscience. What Israel is doing in Gaza is atrocious. See also:

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Pistol

Guns, drugs & poverty drive US suicide epidemic


RT
Sat, 09 Jun 2018 13:43 UTC
heart balloon
© Patti Sapone / Reuters
Suicide rates are rising in the US, with some states seeing an increase of more than 30 percent in recent years, new figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show. The top causes are guns, opioids and poverty.

Between 1999 and 2016, suicide increased across 49 states, with 25 of those seeing an increase by almost a third, the CDC's Vital Signs report shows. The only state to experience a decrease in suicides was Nevada, which saw its rate fall by one percent.
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Stock Down

No, the economy is not improving for everyone - 'gig' economy on the rise

Virginia Fidler
The Gold Telegraph
Tue, 05 Jun 2018 13:41 UTC
student debt cartoon
The official news bulletins on the economy are positive. Officially, unemployment is at 3.8 percent, a low not seen in two decades. The big picture looks great as companies are making record profits and consumers are spending again. But for some people, a 9 to 5 job is still a dream. Many have become too dejected to continue looking. Others are earning a few dollars here and there whenever possible.

Close to 80 million Americans are scrambling to survive in our booming economy. According to the Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking, 31 percent of adults have become a part of the "gig economy," working a few hours each month and hustling for whatever work can be had. This includes picking up extra cash babysitting or pet sitting, selling products online, or offering other services. Lyft and Uber drivers earn $11.77 per hour after overhead and taxes. Many work less than 20 hours each week. The online site TaskRabbit offers local handyman, shopping, or other needed services on a demand basis.

The gig economy is a daily struggle and hardly meant to provide comfort and riches. For those unable to pay the rent with low-paying full-time jobs, additional sideline gigs provide a few extras. Three-quarters of gig workers add 10 percent or less to their household's income, but they still need the additional money to meet expenses.

Gig work provides flexibility. You work when you want to - assuming the work is there. Most workers work predictable and preset hours, but 16 percent of workers work irregular schedules which depend on need, especially those in the food, retail, and entertainment industries. Many of these jobs are part-time, and the hours can be erratic. These jobs are usually held by vulnerable workers with a high school diploma. Some of these workers get a day or so notice, others are on call, tied to the phone without any idea of when they will work next. Predictably, these jobs have a high rate of turnover.
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Network

Bypassing US dollar: Russia and China agree to boost trade using ruble and yuan


RT
Sat, 09 Jun 2018 13:33 UTC
rubble yuan
© Alexandr Demyanchuk / Sputnik
Moscow and Beijing have agreed to raise the share of ruble-yuan trade settlements, in a joint agreement signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Friday.

The document envisages "further strengthening of the Russian-Chinese cooperation in the financial sector, promoting increase of the share of national currencies in trade payments, investments and financing, expanding collaboration in such fields as payment systems and insurance."

The two leaders agreed to raise trade turnover and further improvement of its structure, searching for new growth areas and collaboration in trade and economic cooperation. President Putin said Russia-China trade turnover could hit $100 billion by the end of this year.

According to the document, the sides also plan to "boost efforts aimed at harmonizing strategies, programs and measures to develop national economies and particular sectors."
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Dollars

What the Toys 'R' Us bankruptcy tells us about market inefficiency

Jared Dillian
Investment Watch Blog
Thu, 07 Jun 2018 13:36 UTC
toys 'r' us
© Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images
Everyone knows that Toys "R" Us went bankrupt. Very sad. And largely preventable. But that's not the story I'm interested in.

I don't care that Toys "R" Us went bankrupt - I care how they went bankrupt.

One day the bonds were trading at 96. Then they filed, and a few days later, the bonds were trading at 20. Bam. Just like that.

That is not usually how things work in credit markets.

Usually, smart analysts study a company and figure out well in advance that bankruptcy is a possibility. Sometimes these analysts know the company better than even management does.

The analysts tell their traders that the company is doomed. The traders short the bonds and knock down the price.

Then word starts to spread that there might be a problem. Then other analysts will study the company and other traders will short the bonds. And by the time the actual bankruptcy happens, it is a foregone conclusion.

That is what happens with efficient markets.
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TV

Austrian TV host on his 'toughest interview': Putin is 'extremely canny,' difficult to draw out


RT
Sat, 09 Jun 2018 13:31 UTC
Putin
© Mikhail Klimentyev / Sputnik
Days after a tense conversation with Vladimir Putin, Austrian TV host Armin Wolf said the Russian president is an "extremely canny" interlocutor who knows how to make life difficult for an interviewer.

"It was definitely the toughest interview that I've ever done," Armin Wolf of Austria's ORF TV channel told Politico days after talking to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He is "an extremely canny conversationalist who does a few things that make life difficult for the interviewer," Wolf said, adding that Putin speaks expansively and touches upon a lot of detail.

Comment: Putin speaks German to ask Austrian journalist stop interrupting him

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Cookies

Debt Slavery: Argentina agrees to $50bn loan from IMF amid national protests


The Guardian
Fri, 08 Jun 2018 13:08 UTC
IMF protest Argentina
© Eitan Abramovich/AFP/Getty
Demonstrators hold signs that read ‘No to the IMF’ in Buenos Aires. The protest against Argentina’s loan attracted thousands of people.


Outcry as country requests assistance from international lender after peso plummets

The International Monetary Fund has stepped in to shore up the Argentinian economy with a $50bn (£37bn) loan agreement.

Argentina requested assistance from the international lender of last resort on 8 May after the peso weakened sharply in an investor exodus from emerging markets.

As part of the deal, which is subject to IMF board approval, the government pledged to accelerate plans to reduce the fiscal deficit - the gap between government spending and revenue - even as authorities now foresee lower growth and higher inflation in the coming years.

The deal marks a turning point for Argentina, which for years shunned the IMF after a devastating economic crisis in 2001-02 that many Argentinians blamed on IMF-imposed austerity measures. The president Mauricio Macri's decision to turn to the lender has triggered national protests.

Comment: Argentines have learned from history that such loans always come with strings attached. Recommended readings:

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