Society's ChildS


Attention

Majority of Russians won't participate in anti-government protest rallies, think massive protests improbable


RT
Thu, 17 Sep 2015 20:37 UTC
russia protestors
© Artem Zhitenev / RIA Novosti
The proportion of Russian citizens who think mass anti-government protests are possible continues to fall, while those who say they would never take part in such events is constantly rising, reads the latest research by independent pollster Levada Center.

According to the research results 76 percent of Russians think that mass protests caused by the fall in living standards are currently very improbable. In April this year the share of respondents who held this opinion was 73 percent.

The share of those who expect mass protests with unspecified economic demands to the authorities was down from 20 percent in April to 17 percent in the end of August.

Overwhelming majority of Russians told researchers that they absolutely rule out personal participation in protest rallies (80 percent in late August and 78 percent in April). Those who said they were ready to protest was 13 percent (down from 15 percent in April).

Comment: Perhaps the reason that Russian citizens don't see the probability of mass protests is that they are quite satisfied by the way Putin has successfully handled Russia's challenges:

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Stormtrooper

Federal air marshals under investigation for filming sex with prostitute on government phones

Jana Winter
The Intercept
Wed, 16 Sep 2015 20:31 UTC
Image
[Update at 10:24 p.m. ET: TSA Spokesperson Bruce Anderson told The Intercept Wednesday night that a third air marshal was involved. "Two of the employees involved have been placed on an indefinite suspension without pay, and the third employee has resigned from the agency," he wrote in an e-mail.]
Two federal air marshals have been suspended without pay after allegedly using their government phones to film and share their sex acts with a prostitute while on assignment in Europe, The Intercept has learned. Four employees based in different locations and divisions within the Transportation Security Administration told The Intercept that supervisors throughout the Federal Air Marshal Service and its parent agency, TSA, were casually briefing staff about the incident on Wednesday in anticipation of the news becoming public.

None of these employees were authorized to speak to the media because the investigation by TSA's Office of Inspections and Office of Professional Responsibility is ongoing, and a criminal investigation is considered likely.

Congressional sources confirmed that an incident involving two air marshals who filmed sex acts on a government phone is expected to be raised during a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing on personnel failures within the Federal Air Marshal Service scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

The two air marshals, based in Chicago, allegedly used their government-issued phones to record their own sexual encounters with a prostitute and then shared them using their personal email accounts, which they had connected to their work phones, according to TSA, government and law enforcement sources.
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Crusader

Iceland called 'volcano of hatred' after capital bans all Israeli products over occupation of Palestine


Sputnik
Thu, 17 Sep 2015 20:05 UTC
Iceland
© Flickr/ dom fellowes
In a symbolic move aimed at demonstrating support for Palestinian statehood, Iceland's capital city council voted on Tuesday in favor of boycotting Israeli made products.

The motion was put forward to the Reykjavik city council by Björk Vilhelmsdóttir, a councilwoman for the Social Democratic Movement. Its approval on Wednesday comes as Israel battles a motion by the European Union calling for labeling products made in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

According to Iceland Magazine, a memorandum of the act describes it as a symbolic demonstration of the city's support for Palestinian statehood, and a condemnation of Israel's "policy of apartheid."

Comment: It's great to see Iceland boldly doing what no other nation dares to.

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Fire

Another sign? Fire in Mecca injures 2, more than 1,000 evacuated


RT
Thu, 17 Sep 2015 19:51 UTC
Mecca
© Muhammad Hamed / Reuters
More than 1,000 pilgrims have been evacuated and two have been injured during a fire at a hotel in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The incident occurred just six days after a deadly crane collapse at the pilgrimage site.

Saudi officials say the fire erupted on the eighth floor of the 11-story hotel in the city's Aziziya neighborhood, Associated Press reports. Firefighters managed to rescue two injured pilgrims, with a further 1,000 being evacuated unharmed, the civil defense agency said.

Comment: Mecca sure is having a lot of problems and the pilgrimage hasn't even started yet. The crane that collapsed in Mecca just days previous, on September 11, was operated by Bin Laden Construction Group. A sign of things to come? See: SOTT Exclusive: Responding to international criticism, Saudi Arabia claims it has 'quietly absorbed over 2.5 million Syrian refugees'

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Heart - Black

Mayoral candidate inspired by Kim Davis wants to "eradicate homosexuals" by throwing them in jail

Bethania Palma Markus
Raw Story
Thu, 17 Sep 2015 19:32 UTC
Kim Davis
© ABC NewsKim Davis
A mayoral candidate in a small Charlotte suburb wants to "eradicate" homosexuality and throw LGBT people in jail, the Kings Mountain Herald reports.

Eugene Holmes, who is running for mayor of Kings Mountain, says he doesn't want to be mayor, but he's running because of his anti-gay views. He views Kentucky clerk Kim Davis as something of a role model.

"In my administration I would do just like Mrs. Davis did in Kentucky," Holmes said. "If you elect me, I'll uphold the law of the state of North Carolina. I would get the D.A. to swear out a warrant on any man who says he's gay. Sodomy is a crime, a felony in the state of North Carolina."


Comment: Quite a role model Kim Davis is. She inspires people to act like they are living a few centuries ago.


Holmes said he's a member of the Church of God and also the Promise Keepers, a men's religious organization.

"What's wrong with eradicating homosexuals? We should jail them, throw them all in jail!" Holmes told the Herald.
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Family

Adoption 'out of control' in the U.S. as families turn to internet to find homes for children


Sputnik News
Thu, 17 Sep 2015 14:19 UTC
kid child
© Flickr / Heather Katsoulis
Custody transfers of adopted children unregulated by US federal and state authorities are out of control as the government does not know how many are taking place, according to the report.

"This practice involves parents who turn to the internet or other unregulated networks to find a new home for their child," the report, released on Wednesday, stated. "Recent media reports found instances in which adopted children were placed in dangerous situations where they were harmed by the adults who received them."

The GAO noted that little is known about the prevalence of unregulated transfers.

Comment: This just goes to show how desperate many families have become. Though there is obviously a high risk associated with this practice, it's not like state authorities have proven themselves trustworthy advocates for children's rights. For more info, check out:

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Attention

Propaganda alert! Former British SAS soldier warns that ISIS could unleash the Black Plague

Rob Virtue
Express
Wed, 16 Sep 2015 18:19 UTC
ISIS plague
© GETTYIt would be a "huge problem" if ISIS got hold of a virus like the plague, say experts.
Chris Ryan said its widely known every superpower in the world is holding a range of deadly viruses including the plague, which a terror group such as ISIS could seize and unleash.

It would see thousands of victims become covered in huge weeping boils, before suffering a slow and painful death.

The bubonic plague has been taking hold across the west coast of America infecting people in six states and ISIS's thirst for shocking new ways to kill means an endemic is a real possibility.

As ISIS grows across the Middle East and links with other terror groups across the globe, Mr Ryan believes the nightmare scenario of Islamic extremists infecting people and launching a biological attack is closer than we think.
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Passport

Better off without it: More and more American expats renouncing citizenship to avoid taxes


RT
Mon, 14 Sep 2015 18:29 UTC
Image
© Mihail Mokrushin / RIA Novosti
More and more American expatriates are renouncing their citizenship as a result of the crackdown in foreign tax regulations. The number of US expats filing their incomes fell by 65 percent in the second quarter of 2015, according to the US Treasury Department.

"Many people have been getting caught up on their US tax filings and then renouncing," said Andrew Mitchel, an international tax lawyer who analyzes Treasury Department data, to CNBC.

The trend has accelerated since the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service began to enforce tax rules more aggressively for American expatriates. Under the existing law US citizens must file if they keep foreign accounts of more than $10,000 in total during the year.

Comment: For more information the new tax law instituted by the U.S., FATCA, and its effects on Americans living abroad, see:

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Arrow Up

So much for sanctions: Putin reports 26% increase in dairy production since food embargo


RT
Wed, 16 Sep 2015 18:22 UTC
Image
© Evgeny Biyatov / Reuters
Russian President Vladimir Putin has hailed the import substitution in dairy, meat and fish production a success. The government allocated $4 billion to support domestic agriculture.

"We already have serious achievements. This year, we have seen an increase in the production of dairy, meat and fish products - by 26 percent, five percent and six percent respectively. Russia is ready for cooperation in import substitution with Kazakhstan and other countries from the Eurasian Economic Union," said Putin at the Russia-Kazakhstan Interregional Cooperation Forum.

President Putin said Russia has given top priority to import substitution. The government has formed a select list of investment projects aimed at increasing domestic production of agricultural goods; 255 billion rubles (some $4 billion) has been allocated.

European farmers have been hit hard by Russian counter-sanctions. For example, Brussels-based European farmers union Copa Cogeca, which includes about 60 agricultural organizations from all around the EU, estimates the losses triggered by the Russian food embargo at about €5.5 billion.

There has been a wave of protests from European farmers dissatisfied with milk products prices. Demand for milk in Europe has dramatically fallen since Russia, which used to be the largest buyer of EU butter and cheese, embargoed dairy products from the countries that backed anti-Russian sanctions.

Comment: The EU, in following the orders of its master the U.S.,has only hurt its own countries, industries, and people in following the U.S. witch-hunt against Putin and Russia. Maybe they should start acting for their own benefit, instead of for the U.S.

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Pocket Knife

Berlin police kill knife wielding, Iraqi 'extremist', one officer wounded


RT
Thu, 17 Sep 2015 16:15 UTC
german police
© Michael Dalder / Reuters
Police have killed a known Islamic extremist from Iraq, who was waving a knife in a Berlin street. He attacked a female officer, according to German prosecutors.

The man, who had a criminal record, was shot and killed by German police in Berlin on Thursday, AP reports. He was waving a knife on a street in Spandau. When the police arrived at the scene, he managed to seriously injure a female officer.

The incident happened at about 10 a.m. local time in western Berlin, when four police cars arrived at the scene where passers-by reported an "insane man with a knife."

Comment: All part of the bigger picture:

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