Society's ChildS


Attention

Tajikistan: Car-ramming incident that killed 4 foreign cyclists condemned as a terror attack

car ramming
© Ozodivideo / YouTube
A terrorist attack is being considered as a possible motive behind the deadly ramming of foreign cyclists in Tajikistan, police have said. A gruesome video of Sunday's incident appears to confirm it was intentional.

"We are looking into all versions - accident, robbery... including a terrorist act," Tajik Interior Minister Ramazon Rakhimzoda said during a briefing on the investigation of the incident, in which two Americans, a Dutch man and a Swiss citizen were killed.

"Although the investigation into the incident is still going on, there is proof that it was a deliberate attack," the Information Officer at US Embassy in Dushanbe, Jeff Ridenour, told Asia-Plus.

"We condemn this severe act and we realize that the assailants do not represent the hospitable people of Tajikistan," Ridenour added.

A video from the scene of the ramming, a rural area 90 kilometers southeast of Dushanbe, released by Radio Liberty, showed a black sedan making a U-turn seemingly after already hitting a group of cyclists and running them over once again.

Comment: Tajikistan originally blamed the IRPT for the attack, though they offered no proof:
The Tajik government has accused the banned Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT) of being behind an attack that killed four foreign cyclists, prompting a swift denial from the group.

The IRPT leadership called the allegation "baseless and irrational" in a statement on July 31, and the Islamic State (IS) group stepped up its claim of responsibility by releasing a video of what it said were the attackers pledging allegiance to the extremist organization.

A Central Asia analyst said that the assault, which killed two Americans, a Dutchman, and a Swiss citizen, appeared to have been "the first attack by IS in Tajikistan."

The deadly attack on a group of foreign cyclists on a remote mountain road on July 29 drew attention to Tajikistan, the poorest of the five former Soviet republics in Central Asia.

The Interior Ministry said in a July 31 statement that the attackers were led by an "active member" of the IRPT, citing what it claimed was the confession of a detained suspect.

The ministry identified the alleged leader as Hussein Abdusamadov, 33, and said that he "underwent training in Iran." It said the attackers planned to flee to Afghanistan.

Tajik authorities offered no immediate proof of the claims, which appeared to contradict a claim of responsibility issued by IS a day earlier.



Bad Guys

Spanish beachgoers stunned as migrant boat lands on shore

migrant boat Spain beach
Europe's migrant problems see no end in sight.

Ever since Italy turned away large vessels of migrants seeking entrance into the European Union, and Spain decided to take in the boats, more and more migrants are splashing onto Spanish beaches and scattering into EU towns and cities.

Dozens of videos are making the rounds on social media showing the moment migrants boats land on a packed beach in Cadiz, Spain, and sprint up the sand as stunned tourists look on.

The extraordinary scenes from these videos occurred on Saturday at a beach in Zahora in the province of Cadiz, near to the headland of Cape Trafalgar, Spain.


Eye 2

People who habitually defend the powerful against the weak? Watch them with suspicion

Ahed Tamimi
© Haim ShwarczenbergWho is David and who is Goliath? Ahed Tamimi faces down a soldier in Nabi Saleh.
Teenage Palestinian civil rights icon Ahed Tamimi has been released from an Israeli prison today. Viral images of Tamimi standing up to the Israeli armed forces who've brutalized her family have made her a powerful symbol of the greater Palestinian struggle for justice against a vastly more powerful oppressor.

The Palestinian issue is not complicated, and it is not difficult to see who is in the wrong in the debate about it. Anyone who says otherwise is advocating for the powerful against the disempowered.

In addition to being an extremely well-funded military and nuclear power whose immense network of allies includes the United States, which has the most deadly military force the world has ever seen, the Israeli government also enjoys support from virtually all mainstream political and media voices in the western world. And what do the Palestinians have? Kites. Kites and rocks.

Comment: Good advice, but it must be applied with discernment. The SJW types present themselves as defenders of the powerless, but that only masks their own will to power. Best to lend support to those whose goal is supporting individual freedoms and rights. Some really good advice on how to really change the world:




Arrow Up

Russian authorities apologize to prison inmate beaten in captivity, arrest guards in question

Yaroslavl prison
A video published by the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta last week showed Yevgeny Makarov being beaten by officers at another prison in the Yaroslavl region.
A group of inmates in a Russian prison where a convict who was severely beaten by guards at another penitentiary is now serving his term have started a hunger strike, local authorities say.

Also on July 31, a senior Russian prison official apologized to the man whose beating came to light after a video was posted on the Internet, saying he was "ashamed" of those who carried it out.

The Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) said that the hunger-striking inmates in punitive confinement at Corrective Colony No. 8 in the Yaroslavl region, northeast of Moscow, were demanding better prison conditions.

Regional ombudsman Sergei Baburkin said he planned to visit the prison to assess the situation.

One of the inmates at the prison is Yevgeny Makarov, whom a video published by the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta last week showed being beaten by officers at another prison in the Yaroslavl region.

At least seven prison guards allegedly involved in the beating, which caused an outcry, have been detained and jailed or placed under house arrest.

Comment: Russia has been steeped in corruption for generations. Luckily that has steadily been changing over the past 20 years, thanks to having an actual statesman in power and not the thugs and crooks of the Soviet era and the 90s. The guards in question may not have been civilized, but Maksimenko's response shows what direction Russia is going: that of real civilization. American prisons are no better. They may even be worse: Stun-gun abuse in Ohio jails prompts call for inquiry from politicians


Pistol

Innocent homeowner murdered by police after defending his family against an armed intruder

homeowner killed by police
When an armed intruder broke into a family's home early Monday morning, and reportedly began harming a juvenile inside, the homeowner did what he was supposed to do. He armed himself, called 911, and defended his home-and he was successful. However, after he'd successfully fended off the home invader-by killing him-police then showed up and killed the innocent homeowner.

According to police, they received a call from the homeowner notifying them that a man had broken into the home. When officers arrived, the scene was chaotic, according to police.

"Officers arrived to a very chaotic and violent scene," Aurora Police Chief Nick Metz wrote in a news release issued Monday afternoon.

Police say they heard gunshots inside the home and when they ran inside, they found an armed man. The armed man was the homeowner and they killed him.

Comment: Police state Amerika: Call the cops at your peril


Bomb

Military veteran walks to the middle of a football field in Belgium, then detonates 'suicide vest' - No apparent motive

The football pitch in Verviers, Belgium
© Google MapsThe football pitch in Verviers, Belgium
A man, reportedly wearing an explosive belt, has blown himself up at a football field in Verviers, Belgium, the local prosecutor's office reported. The man was the only victim.

The man detonated explosives on his person between 8:30am and 9am on Tuesday, Belgian outlet RTL info reported, citing the prosecutor's office. Police do not know his identity, nor have they established a motive for the apparent suicide bombing.

Comment: Local media reports that he was a retired soldier, which probably accounts for his proficiency with explosives.

Still though, what a way to go.

Another programmed patsy triggered too early?


Light Saber

Jewish Voice for Labour defends Corbyn's criticism of Israel, slams anti-Semitism claims

margaret Hodges Jeremy corbyn antisemitism
© Vickie Flores/Global Look Press (L)/Simon Chapman/GLP (R)Margaret Hodges MP, and the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn
A leading representative of a group of Jewish Labour Party members has described as "unacceptable" claims by a former minister that Jeremy Corbyn was a "f****** anti-Semite," and demanded an apology on RT's Going Underground.

Richard Kuper, co-founder of Jewish Voice for Labour said the alleged accusation made by Barking MP Margaret Hodge was "absurd" and maintained that the Labour leader "is not and has never been an anti-Semite or a racist." Hodge has since denied using the expletive.

He also called for the former minister to apologize to Corbyn for what he called "unacceptable behavior."

Comment: To be sure, Corbyn is a thorn in the side of the old British elite.


Cardboard Box

Amazon leaves workers to suffer after warehouse injuries

Amazon fulfillment center
© Scott Olson/Getty ImagesWorkers pack and ship customer orders at the Amazon fulfillment center Romeoville, Illinois on 1 August 2017.
Guardian investigation reveals numerous cases of Amazon workers being treated in ways that leave them homeless, unable to work or bereft of income after workplace accidents

Vickie Shannon Allen, 49, started working at Amazon as a counter in a fulfillment warehouse at Haslet, Texas, in May 2017. At first, like many employees, Allen was excited by the idea of working for one of the fastest growing corporations in the world. That feeling dissipated quickly after a few months.

"I noticed managers would ask you questions all the time about any bathroom breaks, performance and productivity. What they do is code your time, and they are allowed to change it at will. To me, that's how they get rid of people," Allen said.

Amazon is now the world's most valuable retailer. Its customers are served by over 140 fulfillment centers like the one where Allen worked across the US. The revenues from these centers have made founder Jeff Bezos the world's richest man - Bezos' net worth recently crossed the $150bn, making him the wealthiest person in history, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

In the meantime, Allen has become homeless after a workplace accident left her unable to do her job.

Nor is Allen alone. A Guardian investigation has revealed numerous cases of Amazon workers suffering from workplace accidents or injuries in its gigantic warehouse system and being treated in ways that leave them homeless, unable to work or bereft of income.

Comment: Here's a small sample of what they're so "proud" of: One would think after making billions in profits they could improve work conditions there.


Star of David

European Union has condemned Israel's new apartheid law

hebron apartheid Israel
© JohnnySegregation in Hebron
The European Union is concerned by Israel's new law defining a Jewish nation-state, protesting that it is discriminatory and will hinder a two-state solution.

The European Union expressed concern over the national law that was approved by the Israeli Knesset July 19. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini clarified that the law grants Jews alone the right to self-determination in the country and will hinder a two-state solution.

"We've been very clear when it comes to the two-state solution, we believe it is the only way forward and any step that would further complicate or prevent this solution of becoming a reality should be avoided," stated Mogherini July 19.

The Jewish nation-state law reads: "Israel is the historic homeland of the Jewish people and they have an exclusive right to national self-determination in it." It demotes Arabic from an official language to a secondary language. There are 1.8 million Arabs in Israel, 20% of the total Israeli population of 9 million people.

Comment: So long as the US has Israel's back (and that's guaranteed by AIPAC lobby money) Bibi and his fellow psychopaths will simply disregard any bleating from the EU. Money is the only way to influence Israel, just as it was for South Africa. Kudos to Ireland for implementing at least a partial ban on Israeli products. But it will take a lot more than that.


Eye 1

Wolf-whistling thug punches young woman outside Paris cafe for telling him to 'shut up'

woman hit in Paris
© Marie Laguerre / Facebook
A young Paris resident has spoken out against sexual harassment after she was filmed being viciously assaulted by a man whom she told to "shut up" after he wolf-whistled at her.

Marie Laguerre has released CCTV footage of the moment she was hit in the face by a stranger as she walked home in the 19th arrondissement of Paris. She said the incident perfectly illustrates the dangers women face every day.

"It is time for this kind of behavior to end," Laguerre said. "Harassment is every day."

Laguerre had a chance encounter with her attacker on Boulevard de la Villette. She said he cat-called at her, whistled and made "dirty noises." When the 22-year-old shot back at the man his behavior turned violent.