Journalist Interrogated, Fired for Story Linking CIA and Syria Weapons Flights
February 6th, 2019Via: ZeroHedge:
A months-long investigation which tracked and exposed a massive covert weapons shipment network to terror groups in Syria via diplomatic flights originating in the Caucuses and Eastern Europe under the watch of the CIA and other intelligence agencies has resulted in the interrogation and firing of the Bulgarian journalist who first broke the story. This comes as the original report is finally breaking into mainstream international coverage.
Investigative reporter Dilyana Gaytandzhieva authored a bombshell report for Trud Newspaper, based in Sofia, Bulgaria, which found that an Azerbaijan state airline company was regularly transporting tons of weaponry to Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Turkey under diplomatic cover as part of the CIA covert program to supply anti-Assad fighters in Syria. Those weapons, Gaytandzhieva found, ended up in the hands of ISIS and al-Qaeda terrorists in Iraq and Syria.
While it’s long been understood that the US-Gulf-NATO coalition arming rebels inside Syria facilitated the rapid rise of the Islamic State as the group had steady access to a “jihadi Wal-Mart” of weapons (in the words of one former spy and British diplomat), the Trud Newspaper report is the first to provide exhaustive documentation detailing the precise logistical chain of the weapons as they flowed from their country of origin to the battlefield in Syria and Iraq. Gaytandzhieva even traveled to Aleppo where she filmed and examined labeled weapons shipping containers held in underground jihadist storehouses.
The Bulgaria-based journalist obtained and published dozens of secret internal memos which were leaked to her by an anonymous source as part of the report. The leaked documents appear to be internal communications between the Bulgarian government and Azerbaijan’s Embassy in Sofia detailing flight plans for Silk Way Airlines, which was essentially operating an “off the books” weapons transport service (not subject to inspections or tax under diplomatic cover) for the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), Saudi Arabia, Israel, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. Silk Way Airlines has been the subject of other recent investigations involving weapons supplies for the Saudi war on Yemen. In addition, the military monitoring site Balkan Insight has exposed similar weapons cargo flights in and out of neighboring Serbia.
Volkswagen Will Use Tesla Batteries at U.S. Car-Charging Stations
February 5th, 2019Via: Bloomberg:
Tesla Inc.’s battery systems will be installed at more than 100 electric-vehicle U.S. charging stations this year.
Electrify America, created by Volkswagen AG as part of a settlement from the automaker’s emissions-cheating scandal, said in an emailed statement Monday that it plans to add the Tesla Powerpack systems at charging stations across the U.S. through 2019. The 210-kilowatt battery systems will each have about about 350 kilowatt-hours of capacity. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed and a Tesla spokesman declined to comment.
Man Shot, Killed After Breaching Nevada Nuclear Site
February 5th, 2019Via: Las Vegas Sun:
A man who was shot and killed Monday by law enforcement after he breached the main security gate at the Nevada National Security Site has been identified as an Iowa resident, according to the Nye County Sheriff’s Office.
Nekiylo Dawayne Graves, 27, died at the scene, about 8 miles into the testing site — which is 70 miles north of Las Vegas — said Sheriff Sharon Wehrly in a briefing broadcast online Wednesday night.
The incident unfolded about 5:20 p.m. when Graves “had run the main gate,” Wehrly said.
Security at the site — formerly known as the Nevada Test Site — summoned Nye County Deputy John Kakavulias, who was assigned to the property, and a chase ensued.
Kakavulias caught up, and Graves stopped his vehicle less than 10 minutes later, Wehrly said.
Wehrly said Graves exited and began approaching Kakavulias and another officer, refusing to comply with orders to stop, so the officers opened fire, fatally wounding him, Wehrly said.
The National Nuclear Security Administration said Monday that the suspect had an unspecified cylindrical object in his hand when he was shot. Wehrly didn’t mention the object Wednesday.
New Zealand: GoodFor Wholefoods Refillery
February 4th, 2019Just a quick note for people in New Zealand who are looking for organic, not-from-China bulk foods. Check out: goodfor.co.nz
Depending on the items you’re after, the prices range from the best available in New Zealand to not so great, but the website mostly works and everything that the site said was in stock was actually in stock when I ordered. (Amazing for a NZ business!) Shipping was very prompt. They seem to make a strong effort to source foods from places other than China. They clearly understand that some of us won’t buy “organic” anything from China. (Ceres, can you hear me now?!)
I have no affiliate relationship with GoodFor. I’m just a customer who really appreciates what they’re offering in New Zealand.
Britain: Dementia Patients to be Tracked by Smart Meters
February 4th, 2019Just dementia patients… *wink*
Via: DailyMail:
The NHS is to use energy smart meters to monitor dementia patients in their homes.
The devices will track patients’ daily routines, such as when they boil the kettle, cook dinner or turn the washing machine on.
They will flag up any sudden change in behaviour which could indicate an illness, a fall or a decline in their mental state. The meters will be able to send alerts to family members or carers, who can pop round to check if the patient is all right.
Faith Healer with Millions of Followers Ran a “Sex Slave Farm and Sold Babies to Highest Bidder”
February 3rd, 2019Update/Confirmed: Sabrina Bittencourt Dead
Via: Daily Mail:
A woman who helped to bring down a Brazilian faith healer accused of sex abuse has taken her own life in Spain.
Sabrina Bittencourt, 38, died at her home in Barcelona just days after accusing John of God – real name Joao Teixeira de Faria – of running a ‘sex slave farm’.
…
Ms Bittencourt left Brazil and was forced to live under protection after receiving death threats.
Her eldest son Gabriel Baum confirmed her death, writing on Facebook: ‘She took the last step so that we could live. They killed my mother.’
Sex abuse victim support group Victimas Unidas, who worked with the 38-year-old, said: ‘We announce with regret the death of Sabrina de Campos Bittencourt, which occurred around 9pm on Saturday on February 2 in Barcelona where she was living.
‘The activist committed suicide and left a farewell note explaining the reasons why she took her own life.’
—
Update: Attempting To Confirm: Sabrina Bittencourt Dead???
Apparently, Sabrina Bittencourt, the activist who led authorities to Faria, is dead. As of now, there are no articles in English. Until something appears in English, here is a machine translation from CartaCapital, Sabrina Bittencourt, que denunciou João de Deus, comete suicídio.
Updates to follow.
Via: Mirror:
He was Brazil’s most famous faith healer whose “miracle surgeries” drew millions of pilgrims from across the globe.
Joao Teixeira de Faria – known as John of God – achieved international fame after being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey.
And Bill Clinton, singer Paul Simon and supermodel Naomi Campbell are among the other celebrities rumoured to have visited him.
His boasts of healing powers to cure diseases, including cancer, brought people flocking to his compound in the small town of Abadiania, central Brazil.
But two months ago, his world crumbled when he was accused of sexually abusing a Dutch woman, live on TV.
It led to a flood of similar allegations from more than 600 women from around the world.
…
The 77-year-old was arrested a week later in what prosecutors say could be the worst serial crimes case in the country’s history.
Faria’s own daughter, Dalva Teixeira, has also spoken out, called him a “monster” and claiming he molested her as a child.
The case has shocked Brazilians, many of whom regarded the so-called ‘psychic surgeon’ – famous for performing procedures such as removing tumours or cataracts with his hands and without anaesthesia – as a modern-day miracle worker.
And last week even more explosive acccusations have been thrown at John of God.
Brazilian activist Sabrina Bittencourt, whose investigations led to Teixeira’s arrest in December, now claims the celebrity medium ran a baby trafficking operation where children were “farmed” in Brazil before being sold to childless couples around the world.
Shockingly, she claims young girls were held captive in remote farms where they were forced to produce babies – before being murdered after 10 years of giving birth.
Attempts to Dance Around the Kafkaesque Nightmare in California
February 3rd, 2019This is very difficult to watch. I only made it about a third of the way through this.
“There’s no law against having a garden hose in your backyard… yet. We’re waiting for them to catch on.”
Anyway, one more for your herniating California-Is-Hell file folder.
Via: Exploring Alternatives:
Related: L.A. Coliving: PodShare
Here’s the Medical Cannabis Super Bowl Ad CBS Refused to Run
February 3rd, 2019Via: Green Entrepreneur:
It was all over the news on Tuesday: CBS rejected a public service announcement highlighting the benefits of medical cannabis, which was intended to be aired during the 2019 Super Bowl.
Long story short, what happened was Acreage Holdings, one of the largest U.S. based cannabis companies, which counts former House Speaker John Boehner and former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld among its advisors, created a 60-second public service announcement (or ad, if you will) featuring three medical cannabis patients and their loved ones explaining how marijuana had changed their lives for the better — and suggesting it is a great alternative to other more dangerous pharma drugs.
The company submitted the ad to CBS and was ready to pay the estimated $5 million to $10 million it would cost to air during the 2019 Super Bowl.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, considering that cannabis remains illegal on the federal level under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, CBS rejected the ad. A network spokesperson told USA Today that, for the time being, pot-related ads did not fit CBS’ broadcast standards.
The One About Screen Time Not Harming Children
February 3rd, 2019And now, tobacco industry grade nonsense is being used to justify the insanity around screen time and children.
“…little or no support for harmful links between digital screen use and young people’s psychological well-being.”
Well-being.
*snort*
See what they did there?
Try looking at language acquisition or physical development and screen time.
The Actual Effects of Screen Time on Kids’ Development
Via: Nautilus:
It looks like grownups can disregard the fear-mongering about the ill effects of digital media on kids. A 2017 study in Child Development found “little or no support for harmful links between digital screen use and young people’s psychological well-being.” Parents can police their kids’ smartphone use if they like, but they should know such restrictions aren’t evidence-based. As authors Andrew Przybylski and Netta Weinstein explain, “a critical cost-benefit analysis is needed to determine whether setting firm limits constitutes a judicious use of caregiver and professional resources.”
Orlando: TSA Agent Dies After Jump from Balcony
February 3rd, 2019Via: Miami Herald:
A TSA agent committed suicide by jumping from the balcony of a Hyatt Regency Hotel near the Orlando International Airport on Saturday morning, sparking confusion and delays at the busy airport.
The man landed at the airport’s atrium, near some security checkpoints.
Gates 70-129 were closed for a few hours after the 9:30 a.m. incident and the Federal Aviation Administration briefly grounded flights.
Orlando police reported that they were working the incident at the airport, but have not released the agent’s name. They did describe him as a male in his 40s.
