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3 ancient burials hint at multiple migrations of humans through Southeast Asia
Three skeletons uncovered in a rock shelter adorned with red pigment rock art reveal burial rituals of early humans who followed well-trodden paths through Indonesia's Lesser Sunda Islands, albeit thousands of years apart. Aside from deepening our understanding of the evolution and diversification of burial practices, the finds - from Alor Island in southeast Indonesia - enrich past discoveries that previously provided some clues about patterns of migration of early humans making their way southward. "Burials are a unique cultural manifestation to investigate waves of migration through the terminal Pleistocene to the Holocene period in Southeast Asia," says archaeologist Sofia Samper-Carro of the Australian National University. From the positioning and treatment of bodies to the presence or absence of ornamental grave goods, Southeast Asian burial sites "offer a panoply of social expressions related to the deposition of the deceased," Samper-Carro and colleagues write in their...
https://www.sott.net/article/471462-3-ancient-burials-hint-at-multiple-migrations-of-humans-through-Southeast-Asia
3 ancient burials hint at multiple migrations of humans through Southeast Asia
Three skeletons uncovered in a rock shelter adorned with red pigment rock art reveal burial rituals of early humans who followed well-trodden paths through Indonesia's Lesser Sunda Islands, albeit thousands of years apart. Aside from deepening our understanding of the evolution and diversification of burial practices, the finds - from Alor Island in southeast Indonesia - enrich past discoveries that previously provided some clues about patterns of migration of early humans making their way southward. "Burials are a unique cultural manifestation to investigate waves of migration through the terminal Pleistocene to the Holocene period in Southeast Asia," says archaeologist Sofia Samper-Carro of the Australian National University. From the positioning and treatment of bodies to the presence or absence of ornamental grave goods, Southeast Asian burial sites "offer a panoply of social expressions related to the deposition of the deceased," Samper-Carro and colleagues write in their...
https://www.sott.net/article/471462-3-ancient-burials-hint-at-multiple-migrations-of-humans-through-Southeast-Asia
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When light flashes for a quintillionth of a second, things get strange
The bulb on an old-style film projector flashes some 24 times a second; a typical CRT television screen changes frame 50 or 60 times every second. The fastest cameras in the world can snap frames lasting just a trillionth of a second — short enough to watch light itself slowly creep across a surface. That may be fast, but it's still nothing next to the lasers some physicists get to play with. Welcome to the world of ultrashort light pulses: little blips of a light wave, lasting as little as a quadrillionth of a second after they leave the laser that makes them. At those timescales, strange things start to happen. For instance, pulses often pop out in pairs, one after the other. Now, physicists at the Universities of Bayreuth and Konstanz in Germany have found they can control the pacing of those duos. They published their work on October 19 in the journal Optica.
https://www.sott.net/article/471463-When-light-flashes-for-a-quintillionth-of-a-second-things-get-strange
When light flashes for a quintillionth of a second, things get strange
The bulb on an old-style film projector flashes some 24 times a second; a typical CRT television screen changes frame 50 or 60 times every second. The fastest cameras in the world can snap frames lasting just a trillionth of a second — short enough to watch light itself slowly creep across a surface. That may be fast, but it's still nothing next to the lasers some physicists get to play with. Welcome to the world of ultrashort light pulses: little blips of a light wave, lasting as little as a quadrillionth of a second after they leave the laser that makes them. At those timescales, strange things start to happen. For instance, pulses often pop out in pairs, one after the other. Now, physicists at the Universities of Bayreuth and Konstanz in Germany have found they can control the pacing of those duos. They published their work on October 19 in the journal Optica.
https://www.sott.net/article/471463-When-light-flashes-for-a-quintillionth-of-a-second-things-get-strange
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Academic corruption: University of Washington knowingly kept quiet on flawed transgender study
Did not want to ruin 'positive coverage' University of Washington media officials knowingly kept quiet on a flawed study that claimed that injecting children with off-label puberty blockers benefited their health, according to emails obtained by a conservative radio host. "A University of Washington study, in partnership with Seattle Children's Hospital, claimed gender-affirming care via puberty blockers leads to positive mental health outcomes for transgender teen patients," commentator Jason Rantz reported. "That characterization, however, was false, forcing substantial edits to the materials used to promote the study and prompting UW to cease promoting the research." The Washington radio host obtained emails of UW staff colluding to downplay the edits and concerns about the study, titled "Mental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming Care."
https://www.sott.net/article/471464-Academic-corruption-University-of-Washington-knowingly-kept-quiet-on-flawed-transgender-study
Academic corruption: University of Washington knowingly kept quiet on flawed transgender study
Did not want to ruin 'positive coverage' University of Washington media officials knowingly kept quiet on a flawed study that claimed that injecting children with off-label puberty blockers benefited their health, according to emails obtained by a conservative radio host. "A University of Washington study, in partnership with Seattle Children's Hospital, claimed gender-affirming care via puberty blockers leads to positive mental health outcomes for transgender teen patients," commentator Jason Rantz reported. "That characterization, however, was false, forcing substantial edits to the materials used to promote the study and prompting UW to cease promoting the research." The Washington radio host obtained emails of UW staff colluding to downplay the edits and concerns about the study, titled "Mental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming Care."
https://www.sott.net/article/471464-Academic-corruption-University-of-Washington-knowingly-kept-quiet-on-flawed-transgender-study
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Pakistan - Almost 1,000 dead, 33 million affected since mid-June in worst floods in a decade
The catastrophic flooding continues to cause widespread destruction in Pakistan, where 33 million people have now been affected, according to the government. The situation is likely to worsen over the coming days. and warnings have been issued for rising levels of the Indus and Kabul rivers. Almost 1,000 Fatalities Reported The number of people who have died as a result of monsoon rain and flooding in Pakistan since mid-June now stands at 982, including 316 children. The figure represents an increase of almost 300 deaths in the last week. As of 20 August, 692 fatalities were reported. As of 27 August, 339 people had lost their lives in Sindh Province. Fatalities were also reported in Balochistan (234), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (195), Punjab (167), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (37), Gilgit-Baltistan (9) and Islamabad Capital Territory (1).
https://www.sott.net/article/471465-Pakistan-Almost-1000-dead-33-million-affected-since-mid-June-in-worst-floods-in-a-decade
Pakistan - Almost 1,000 dead, 33 million affected since mid-June in worst floods in a decade
The catastrophic flooding continues to cause widespread destruction in Pakistan, where 33 million people have now been affected, according to the government. The situation is likely to worsen over the coming days. and warnings have been issued for rising levels of the Indus and Kabul rivers. Almost 1,000 Fatalities Reported The number of people who have died as a result of monsoon rain and flooding in Pakistan since mid-June now stands at 982, including 316 children. The figure represents an increase of almost 300 deaths in the last week. As of 20 August, 692 fatalities were reported. As of 27 August, 339 people had lost their lives in Sindh Province. Fatalities were also reported in Balochistan (234), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (195), Punjab (167), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (37), Gilgit-Baltistan (9) and Islamabad Capital Territory (1).
https://www.sott.net/article/471465-Pakistan-Almost-1000-dead-33-million-affected-since-mid-June-in-worst-floods-in-a-decade
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BEST OF THE WEB: Pakistan - Almost 1,000 dead, 33 million affected since mid-June in worst floods in a decade
The catastrophic flooding continues to cause widespread destruction in Pakistan, where 33 million people have now been affected, according to the government. The situation is likely to worsen over the coming days. and warnings have been issued for rising levels of the Indus and Kabul rivers. Almost 1,000 Fatalities Reported The number of people who have died as a result of monsoon rain and flooding in Pakistan since mid-June now stands at 982, including 316 children. The figure represents an increase of almost 300 deaths in the last week. As of 20 August, 692 fatalities were reported. As of 27 August, 339 people had lost their lives in Sindh Province. Fatalities were also reported in Balochistan (234), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (195), Punjab (167), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (37), Gilgit-Baltistan (9) and Islamabad Capital Territory (1).
https://www.sott.net/article/471465-Pakistan-Almost-1000-dead-33-million-affected-since-mid-June-in-worst-floods-in-a-decade
BEST OF THE WEB: Pakistan - Almost 1,000 dead, 33 million affected since mid-June in worst floods in a decade
The catastrophic flooding continues to cause widespread destruction in Pakistan, where 33 million people have now been affected, according to the government. The situation is likely to worsen over the coming days. and warnings have been issued for rising levels of the Indus and Kabul rivers. Almost 1,000 Fatalities Reported The number of people who have died as a result of monsoon rain and flooding in Pakistan since mid-June now stands at 982, including 316 children. The figure represents an increase of almost 300 deaths in the last week. As of 20 August, 692 fatalities were reported. As of 27 August, 339 people had lost their lives in Sindh Province. Fatalities were also reported in Balochistan (234), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (195), Punjab (167), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (37), Gilgit-Baltistan (9) and Islamabad Capital Territory (1).
https://www.sott.net/article/471465-Pakistan-Almost-1000-dead-33-million-affected-since-mid-June-in-worst-floods-in-a-decade
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Clients with 'Russian sounding' names sue French banks over sanctions
Scores of customers have sued over "Kafkaesque" mistreatment A total of 76 French residents with Russian or "Slavic-sounding" names have filed a complaint against a number of banks in France, alleging discrimination on account of national origin after getting caught up in the enforcement of anti-Russia sanctions. Individuals with no ties to the Russian government found their bank accounts blocked and even long-time residents were caught in a net one attorney described as "Kafkaesque," the newspaper Le Figaro reported.
https://www.sott.net/article/471466-Clients-with-Russian-sounding-names-sue-French-banks-over-sanctions
Clients with 'Russian sounding' names sue French banks over sanctions
Scores of customers have sued over "Kafkaesque" mistreatment A total of 76 French residents with Russian or "Slavic-sounding" names have filed a complaint against a number of banks in France, alleging discrimination on account of national origin after getting caught up in the enforcement of anti-Russia sanctions. Individuals with no ties to the Russian government found their bank accounts blocked and even long-time residents were caught in a net one attorney described as "Kafkaesque," the newspaper Le Figaro reported.
https://www.sott.net/article/471466-Clients-with-Russian-sounding-names-sue-French-banks-over-sanctions
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Bleeding Africa: How Western firms plunder the continent's wealth
Although formal European rule in Africa ended in 1977 when Djibouti was given independence from France, Western companies have continued to extract the continent's resources unabated - and when a nationalist leader does get in the way, Western governments happily oblige to remove the obstacle. Thus, a continent rich in resources remains poor. Parts of Africa have long been controlled by rulers from far away, especially the territories that border the Mediterranean and Red seas, but it was only in the late 19th century that European empires raced to gobble up every last square inch of land on the continent. By 1900, only Ethiopia stood independent, having beaten Italian invaders at their own game. The land and its people were brutally exploited by their new rulers as mines and cash crop plantations proliferated and African bodies were broken on them to extract their valuable products and export them to Europe and North America. The victorious socialist revolutions in Russia, China...
https://www.sott.net/article/471467-Bleeding-Africa-How-Western-firms-plunder-the-continents-wealth
Bleeding Africa: How Western firms plunder the continent's wealth
Although formal European rule in Africa ended in 1977 when Djibouti was given independence from France, Western companies have continued to extract the continent's resources unabated - and when a nationalist leader does get in the way, Western governments happily oblige to remove the obstacle. Thus, a continent rich in resources remains poor. Parts of Africa have long been controlled by rulers from far away, especially the territories that border the Mediterranean and Red seas, but it was only in the late 19th century that European empires raced to gobble up every last square inch of land on the continent. By 1900, only Ethiopia stood independent, having beaten Italian invaders at their own game. The land and its people were brutally exploited by their new rulers as mines and cash crop plantations proliferated and African bodies were broken on them to extract their valuable products and export them to Europe and North America. The victorious socialist revolutions in Russia, China...
https://www.sott.net/article/471467-Bleeding-Africa-How-Western-firms-plunder-the-continents-wealth
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Russian Orthodox church to 'streamline' exorcisms
The proposal makes the rite free and limits it to priests and bishops, to prevent abuse The Russian Orthodox Church has finalized a draft of rules to regulate the practice of exorcism, in the making since 2021. If the draft becomes part of canon law, banishing demons will be a free service, and only priests and bishops will be allowed to practice it, to prevent abuses. Exorcism can be performed "only in cases of demonic possession," and not for persons with mental disorders or diseases or those who "feign possession," says the draft document, published on Thursday on the website of the Moscow Patriarchate. The clergy are instructed to become familiar with basic psychiatry so they can make the appropriate judgment.
https://www.sott.net/article/471468-Russian-Orthodox-church-to-streamline-exorcisms
Russian Orthodox church to 'streamline' exorcisms
The proposal makes the rite free and limits it to priests and bishops, to prevent abuse The Russian Orthodox Church has finalized a draft of rules to regulate the practice of exorcism, in the making since 2021. If the draft becomes part of canon law, banishing demons will be a free service, and only priests and bishops will be allowed to practice it, to prevent abuses. Exorcism can be performed "only in cases of demonic possession," and not for persons with mental disorders or diseases or those who "feign possession," says the draft document, published on Thursday on the website of the Moscow Patriarchate. The clergy are instructed to become familiar with basic psychiatry so they can make the appropriate judgment.
https://www.sott.net/article/471468-Russian-Orthodox-church-to-streamline-exorcisms
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International support for Ukraine has dropped dramatically since March
Ukraine's latest proposal to condemn Russia has attracted the backing of just 58 out of 193 UN member states, a far cry from the number that symbolically supported Kiev in the General Assembly in March. Kiev's envoy to the UN Sergey Kislitsa heralded the proposed resolution on Wednesday, following the Security Council meeting convened on Ukraine's independence day. The session featured a video address by President Vladimir Zelensky, for which the council had to override protocol requiring in-person appearances, and a series of statements by Western governments denouncing Russia. Moscow's envoy Vassily Nebenzia provided the counterpoint by introducing evidence of Ukrainian atrocities into the record and even naming Kiev's western backers as accomplices in specific instances.
https://www.sott.net/article/471469-International-support-for-Ukraine-has-dropped-dramatically-since-March
International support for Ukraine has dropped dramatically since March
Ukraine's latest proposal to condemn Russia has attracted the backing of just 58 out of 193 UN member states, a far cry from the number that symbolically supported Kiev in the General Assembly in March. Kiev's envoy to the UN Sergey Kislitsa heralded the proposed resolution on Wednesday, following the Security Council meeting convened on Ukraine's independence day. The session featured a video address by President Vladimir Zelensky, for which the council had to override protocol requiring in-person appearances, and a series of statements by Western governments denouncing Russia. Moscow's envoy Vassily Nebenzia provided the counterpoint by introducing evidence of Ukrainian atrocities into the record and even naming Kiev's western backers as accomplices in specific instances.
https://www.sott.net/article/471469-International-support-for-Ukraine-has-dropped-dramatically-since-March
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Britain to see 80% spike in energy bills as crisis deepens
Jennifer Jones keeps feeding money into her energy meter, but it never seems to be enough. And when she can't pay, she feels the impact immediately. The power in her London home has gone off suddenly three times recently, once when her partner was cooking an egg. Like millions of people, Jones, 54, is struggling to cope as energy and food prices skyrocket during Britain's worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation. The former school supervisor has health problems and relies on government benefits to get by, but her welfare payments are nowhere near enough to cover her sharply rising bills. "I've always struggled, but not as much. Everything is going up. I can't even pay my rent, my council tax, I can't afford to do anything. ... I keep asking myself, what am I supposed to do?" And things are getting worse. U.K. residents will see an 80% increase in their annual household energy bills, the country's energy regulator announced Friday, following a record 54% spike in April. That will...
https://www.sott.net/article/471470-Britain-to-see-80-spike-in-energy-bills-as-crisis-deepens
Britain to see 80% spike in energy bills as crisis deepens
Jennifer Jones keeps feeding money into her energy meter, but it never seems to be enough. And when she can't pay, she feels the impact immediately. The power in her London home has gone off suddenly three times recently, once when her partner was cooking an egg. Like millions of people, Jones, 54, is struggling to cope as energy and food prices skyrocket during Britain's worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation. The former school supervisor has health problems and relies on government benefits to get by, but her welfare payments are nowhere near enough to cover her sharply rising bills. "I've always struggled, but not as much. Everything is going up. I can't even pay my rent, my council tax, I can't afford to do anything. ... I keep asking myself, what am I supposed to do?" And things are getting worse. U.K. residents will see an 80% increase in their annual household energy bills, the country's energy regulator announced Friday, following a record 54% spike in April. That will...
https://www.sott.net/article/471470-Britain-to-see-80-spike-in-energy-bills-as-crisis-deepens
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Unvaxxed doctors ask for their jobs back on billboard in West Kelowna
Unvaccinated doctors in BC want their jobs back and have erected a billboard on busy Highway 97 on the Westside demanding just that. "It only went up a few days ago and obviously a lot of people have seen it and it resonated with a lot of people because we've had a lot of new visits to the website," said Dr. York Hsiang, spokesperson for the Canadian Society for Science & Ethics in Medicine. The society has 44 members, all doctors, who want the province to scrap its mandate that all health care workers in hospitals, long-term, acute and community care be vaccinated against COVID-19. Most members are unvaccinated, but some are partially vaxxed or vaccinated and believe that people should have choice and that unvaxxed health care workers should be able to work again. Word for word, the electronic billboard at the corner of Highway 97 and Boucherie Road reads: 50 terminated, unvaccinated BC doctors willing to serve you, the public, today. Allow us to do our part to help BC's...
https://www.sott.net/article/471471-Unvaxxed-doctors-ask-for-their-jobs-back-on-billboard-in-West-Kelowna
Unvaxxed doctors ask for their jobs back on billboard in West Kelowna
Unvaccinated doctors in BC want their jobs back and have erected a billboard on busy Highway 97 on the Westside demanding just that. "It only went up a few days ago and obviously a lot of people have seen it and it resonated with a lot of people because we've had a lot of new visits to the website," said Dr. York Hsiang, spokesperson for the Canadian Society for Science & Ethics in Medicine. The society has 44 members, all doctors, who want the province to scrap its mandate that all health care workers in hospitals, long-term, acute and community care be vaccinated against COVID-19. Most members are unvaccinated, but some are partially vaxxed or vaccinated and believe that people should have choice and that unvaxxed health care workers should be able to work again. Word for word, the electronic billboard at the corner of Highway 97 and Boucherie Road reads: 50 terminated, unvaccinated BC doctors willing to serve you, the public, today. Allow us to do our part to help BC's...
https://www.sott.net/article/471471-Unvaxxed-doctors-ask-for-their-jobs-back-on-billboard-in-West-Kelowna
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Billion dollar 'ice bust' largest in Australian history as meth crisis worsens
Australian police found a record 1.8 metric tons (2 tons) of methamphetamine concealed inside marble slabs from the Middle East in the country's largest seizure of illicit drugs. New South Wales Police said three men aged 24, 26, and 34 -- have been arrested and charged in connection with 748 kilograms (1,649 pounds) of meth that arrived at Port Botany (a suburb in south-eastern Sydney) in 24 sea containers earlier this month. Another 1,060 kilograms (2,337 pounds) of meth encased in marble stone arrived in 19 containers at the same port last week. The drugs were all shipped from the United Arab Emirates. Police said in total, 1,800 kilograms (4,000 pounds) of meth were seized with an estimated street value of approximately 1.6 billion AUD ($1.1 billion). They said this was the "largest detection of the drug" ever to be seized as part of ongoing investigations by the Drug and Firearms Squad.
https://www.sott.net/article/471472-Billion-dollar-ice-bust-largest-in-Australian-history-as-meth-crisis-worsens
Billion dollar 'ice bust' largest in Australian history as meth crisis worsens
Australian police found a record 1.8 metric tons (2 tons) of methamphetamine concealed inside marble slabs from the Middle East in the country's largest seizure of illicit drugs. New South Wales Police said three men aged 24, 26, and 34 -- have been arrested and charged in connection with 748 kilograms (1,649 pounds) of meth that arrived at Port Botany (a suburb in south-eastern Sydney) in 24 sea containers earlier this month. Another 1,060 kilograms (2,337 pounds) of meth encased in marble stone arrived in 19 containers at the same port last week. The drugs were all shipped from the United Arab Emirates. Police said in total, 1,800 kilograms (4,000 pounds) of meth were seized with an estimated street value of approximately 1.6 billion AUD ($1.1 billion). They said this was the "largest detection of the drug" ever to be seized as part of ongoing investigations by the Drug and Firearms Squad.
https://www.sott.net/article/471472-Billion-dollar-ice-bust-largest-in-Australian-history-as-meth-crisis-worsens
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City tries to cancel use of the term 'homeless'
America's most populous county, Los Angeles, hasn't yet cracked the code on solving homelessness, but local government officials have come up with a way to change conversations about the crisis: canceling the term "homeless." The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) argued in a Twitter post this week that such labels as "the homeless" and "homeless people" need to be replaced by more "inclusive" terms, including "people living outside" and "people who are unhoused." The idea is to get rid of the "negative stigma" around homelessness and "emphasize personhood over housing status," the authority said. "Our unhoused neighbors are human, and the language we use should reflect that. "Let's abandon outdated, othering and dehumanizing terminology and instead adopt people-centered language." Part of the idea is to use terminology that "acknowledges a person's individuality," according to the agency, but it's not clear how "people who are unhoused" carries more individuality than...
https://www.sott.net/article/471473-City-tries-to-cancel-use-of-the-term-homeless
City tries to cancel use of the term 'homeless'
America's most populous county, Los Angeles, hasn't yet cracked the code on solving homelessness, but local government officials have come up with a way to change conversations about the crisis: canceling the term "homeless." The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) argued in a Twitter post this week that such labels as "the homeless" and "homeless people" need to be replaced by more "inclusive" terms, including "people living outside" and "people who are unhoused." The idea is to get rid of the "negative stigma" around homelessness and "emphasize personhood over housing status," the authority said. "Our unhoused neighbors are human, and the language we use should reflect that. "Let's abandon outdated, othering and dehumanizing terminology and instead adopt people-centered language." Part of the idea is to use terminology that "acknowledges a person's individuality," according to the agency, but it's not clear how "people who are unhoused" carries more individuality than...
https://www.sott.net/article/471473-City-tries-to-cancel-use-of-the-term-homeless
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Texas governor 'bar-coding' migrants, NYC official claims
The bar-code bracelets that Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been using to track and identify newly-arrived illegal immigrants are dehumanizing, New York City Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs Manuel Castro complained on Wednesday as bus after bus arrived at the city's Port Authority Bus Terminal bearing hundreds of migrants. "Gov. Abbott is bar-coding people and treating them as less than human, as if they were cattle," Castro said, claiming he was "incredibly shocked" to see children wearing the bracelets and to see security personnel "treating them as less than human beings." The guards, allegedly hired by Abbott, cut the migrants' bracelets off as they arrived at the bus station in Manhattan, confirming they had officially been turned over to New York authorities. CBS affiliate WCBS published a clip of migrants arriving wearing barcodes on their wrists on Wednesday.
https://www.sott.net/article/471474-Texas-governor-bar-coding-migrants-NYC-official-claims
Texas governor 'bar-coding' migrants, NYC official claims
The bar-code bracelets that Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been using to track and identify newly-arrived illegal immigrants are dehumanizing, New York City Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs Manuel Castro complained on Wednesday as bus after bus arrived at the city's Port Authority Bus Terminal bearing hundreds of migrants. "Gov. Abbott is bar-coding people and treating them as less than human, as if they were cattle," Castro said, claiming he was "incredibly shocked" to see children wearing the bracelets and to see security personnel "treating them as less than human beings." The guards, allegedly hired by Abbott, cut the migrants' bracelets off as they arrived at the bus station in Manhattan, confirming they had officially been turned over to New York authorities. CBS affiliate WCBS published a clip of migrants arriving wearing barcodes on their wrists on Wednesday.
https://www.sott.net/article/471474-Texas-governor-bar-coding-migrants-NYC-official-claims
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Department of Homeland Security shuts down disinformation board that drew fire from GOP
The Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday that it has shut down a disinformation working group that generated controversy this year when Republicans denounced it as an effort to curb free speech. In a statement, DHS said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas decided to terminate the Disinformation Governance Board following a recommendation from the Homeland Security Advisory Council, which provides the DHS secretary with independent advice. The department's statement said: DHS will "continue to address threat streams that undermine the security of our country consistent with the law, while upholding the privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties of the American people and promoting transparency in our work."
https://www.sott.net/article/471475-Department-of-Homeland-Security-shuts-down-disinformation-board-that-drew-fire-from-GOP
Department of Homeland Security shuts down disinformation board that drew fire from GOP
The Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday that it has shut down a disinformation working group that generated controversy this year when Republicans denounced it as an effort to curb free speech. In a statement, DHS said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas decided to terminate the Disinformation Governance Board following a recommendation from the Homeland Security Advisory Council, which provides the DHS secretary with independent advice. The department's statement said: DHS will "continue to address threat streams that undermine the security of our country consistent with the law, while upholding the privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties of the American people and promoting transparency in our work."
https://www.sott.net/article/471475-Department-of-Homeland-Security-shuts-down-disinformation-board-that-drew-fire-from-GOP
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'Peacemaker' of death: This Ukrainian website threatens hundreds of thousands with extrajudicial killings — some are Americans
For the last eight years, a group of publicly unknown activists in Ukraine have been compiling lists of 'enemies of the people' with impunity. Hundreds of thousands have been declared criminals without trial. Among them are not only Russian citizens, but also Ukrainian opposition figures and bloggers, European politicians, and US citizens. At the very least, being added to this list is a stigma that makes life difficult in Ukraine, but it can also serve as justification for imprisonment or, in some cases, even being killed. This is exactly what happened last weekend to Daria Dugina, daughter of world-famous Russian philosopher Alexander Dugin, who's name also can be found on that list. RT explains what is behind the Mirotvorets, or 'Peacemaker', website, whose creators seek to bring 'peace' to their country with the help of extrajudicial killings, and why the Ukrainian authorities have done nothing about this despite condemnation from the international community.
https://www.sott.net/article/471476-Peacemaker-of-death-This-Ukrainian-website-threatens-hundreds-of-thousands-with-extrajudicial-killings-some-are-Americans
'Peacemaker' of death: This Ukrainian website threatens hundreds of thousands with extrajudicial killings — some are Americans
For the last eight years, a group of publicly unknown activists in Ukraine have been compiling lists of 'enemies of the people' with impunity. Hundreds of thousands have been declared criminals without trial. Among them are not only Russian citizens, but also Ukrainian opposition figures and bloggers, European politicians, and US citizens. At the very least, being added to this list is a stigma that makes life difficult in Ukraine, but it can also serve as justification for imprisonment or, in some cases, even being killed. This is exactly what happened last weekend to Daria Dugina, daughter of world-famous Russian philosopher Alexander Dugin, who's name also can be found on that list. RT explains what is behind the Mirotvorets, or 'Peacemaker', website, whose creators seek to bring 'peace' to their country with the help of extrajudicial killings, and why the Ukrainian authorities have done nothing about this despite condemnation from the international community.
https://www.sott.net/article/471476-Peacemaker-of-death-This-Ukrainian-website-threatens-hundreds-of-thousands-with-extrajudicial-killings-some-are-Americans
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Finnish firm warns of 'substantial' toilet paper shortage as soaring energy costs curtail production
Soaring energy costs across the EU are causing temporary stoppages at production sites and could lead to product shortages, the Finnish company Metsä Tissue warned on Friday. "During the recent weeks, Metsä Tissue has had to curtail its production both in its Zilina and Kreuzau mills [Slovakia and Germany] for several days because of the high energy price peaks," the company said in a statement According to Metsä Tissue, further production freezes are likely as energy costs continue to rise. The company warned that the enforced stoppages are expected to impact consumers, as "substantial amounts of daily production losses will occur."
https://www.sott.net/article/471477-Finnish-firm-warns-of-substantial-toilet-paper-shortage-as-soaring-energy-costs-curtail-production
Finnish firm warns of 'substantial' toilet paper shortage as soaring energy costs curtail production
Soaring energy costs across the EU are causing temporary stoppages at production sites and could lead to product shortages, the Finnish company Metsä Tissue warned on Friday. "During the recent weeks, Metsä Tissue has had to curtail its production both in its Zilina and Kreuzau mills [Slovakia and Germany] for several days because of the high energy price peaks," the company said in a statement According to Metsä Tissue, further production freezes are likely as energy costs continue to rise. The company warned that the enforced stoppages are expected to impact consumers, as "substantial amounts of daily production losses will occur."
https://www.sott.net/article/471477-Finnish-firm-warns-of-substantial-toilet-paper-shortage-as-soaring-energy-costs-curtail-production
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Serbia cancels EuroPride event citing 'numerous', more pressing problems to deal with
Serbia has decided to "cancel or postpone" a EuroPride event that was due to take place in the Balkan country's capital, Belgrade, in mid-September, President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Saturday. "This is a violation of minority rights, but at this moment the state is pressured by numerous problems," Vucic said during a press conference. The president explained that the LGBTQ festival, which is held in different European cities every year and includes a Pride Parade, cannot go ahead due to threats from right-wing extremists and fears of violence.
https://www.sott.net/article/471478-Serbia-cancels-EuroPride-event-citing-numerous-more-pressing-problems-to-deal-with
Serbia cancels EuroPride event citing 'numerous', more pressing problems to deal with
Serbia has decided to "cancel or postpone" a EuroPride event that was due to take place in the Balkan country's capital, Belgrade, in mid-September, President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Saturday. "This is a violation of minority rights, but at this moment the state is pressured by numerous problems," Vucic said during a press conference. The president explained that the LGBTQ festival, which is held in different European cities every year and includes a Pride Parade, cannot go ahead due to threats from right-wing extremists and fears of violence.
https://www.sott.net/article/471478-Serbia-cancels-EuroPride-event-citing-numerous-more-pressing-problems-to-deal-with
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How "food shortages" & economic collapse protects the status quo
In March 2022, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of a "hurricane of hunger and a meltdown of the global food system" in the wake of the crisis in Ukraine. Guterres said food, fuel and fertiliser prices were skyrocketing with supply chains being disrupted and added this is hitting the poorest the hardest and planting the seeds for political instability and unrest around the globe. According to the International Panel of Experts on SustainableFood Systems, there is currently sufficient food and no risk of global food supply shortages. We see an abundance of food but skyrocketing prices. The issue is not food shortage but speculation on food commodities and the manipulation of an inherently flawed global food system that serves the interests of corporate agribusiness traders and suppliers of inputs at the expense of people's needs and genuine food security. The war in Ukraine is a geopolitical trade and energy conflict. It is largely about the US engaging in a proxy war...
https://www.sott.net/article/471479-How-food-shortages-economic-collapse-protects-the-status-quo
How "food shortages" & economic collapse protects the status quo
In March 2022, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of a "hurricane of hunger and a meltdown of the global food system" in the wake of the crisis in Ukraine. Guterres said food, fuel and fertiliser prices were skyrocketing with supply chains being disrupted and added this is hitting the poorest the hardest and planting the seeds for political instability and unrest around the globe. According to the International Panel of Experts on SustainableFood Systems, there is currently sufficient food and no risk of global food supply shortages. We see an abundance of food but skyrocketing prices. The issue is not food shortage but speculation on food commodities and the manipulation of an inherently flawed global food system that serves the interests of corporate agribusiness traders and suppliers of inputs at the expense of people's needs and genuine food security. The war in Ukraine is a geopolitical trade and energy conflict. It is largely about the US engaging in a proxy war...
https://www.sott.net/article/471479-How-food-shortages-economic-collapse-protects-the-status-quo
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'Magic mushroom' psychedelic may help heavy drinkers quit
The compound in psychedelic mushrooms helped heavy drinkers cut back or quit entirely in the most rigorous test of psilocybin for alcoholism. More research is needed to see if the effect lasts and whether it works in a larger study. Many who took a dummy drug instead of psilocybin also succeeded in drinking less, likely because all study participants were highly motivated and received talk therapy. Psilocybin, found in several species of mushrooms, can cause hours of vivid hallucinations. Indigenous people have used it in healing rituals and scientists are exploring whether it can ease depression or help longtime smokers quit. It's illegal in the U.S., though Oregon and several cities have decriminalized it. Starting next year, Oregon will allow its supervised use by licensed facilitators. The new research, published Wednesday in JAMA Psychiatry, is "the first modern, rigorous, controlled trial" of whether it can also help people struggling with alcohol, said Fred Barrett, a Johns...
https://www.sott.net/article/471480-Magic-mushroom-psychedelic-may-help-heavy-drinkers-quit
'Magic mushroom' psychedelic may help heavy drinkers quit
The compound in psychedelic mushrooms helped heavy drinkers cut back or quit entirely in the most rigorous test of psilocybin for alcoholism. More research is needed to see if the effect lasts and whether it works in a larger study. Many who took a dummy drug instead of psilocybin also succeeded in drinking less, likely because all study participants were highly motivated and received talk therapy. Psilocybin, found in several species of mushrooms, can cause hours of vivid hallucinations. Indigenous people have used it in healing rituals and scientists are exploring whether it can ease depression or help longtime smokers quit. It's illegal in the U.S., though Oregon and several cities have decriminalized it. Starting next year, Oregon will allow its supervised use by licensed facilitators. The new research, published Wednesday in JAMA Psychiatry, is "the first modern, rigorous, controlled trial" of whether it can also help people struggling with alcohol, said Fred Barrett, a Johns...
https://www.sott.net/article/471480-Magic-mushroom-psychedelic-may-help-heavy-drinkers-quit
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Pfizer vaccine whistleblower responds to motion to dismiss false claims suit
Pfizer cannot use the government as a shield from liability for making false claims about its COVID-19 vaccine, lawyers for a whistleblower argued in response to Pfizer's motion to dismiss a False Claims Act lawsuit. "Respondents claim fraudulent certifications, false statements, doctored data, contaminated clinical trials, and firing of whistleblowers can be ignored based on the theory that they contracted their way around the fraud," lawyers for Brook Jackson, who worked as regional director at one of the clinical trials used to develop the Pfizer vaccine, wrote in their Aug. 22 response. "A drug company cannot induce the taxpayers to pay billions of dollars for a product," they countered, "that honest data would show poses more risks than benefits, and that ignores the actual contract and the law itself." Jackson's lawsuit alleges that Pfizer and two of its subcontractors violated the False Claims Act by providing bogus clinical trial results to garner the FDA approval of its...
https://www.sott.net/article/471481-Pfizer-vaccine-whistleblower-responds-to-motion-to-dismiss-false-claims-suit
Pfizer vaccine whistleblower responds to motion to dismiss false claims suit
Pfizer cannot use the government as a shield from liability for making false claims about its COVID-19 vaccine, lawyers for a whistleblower argued in response to Pfizer's motion to dismiss a False Claims Act lawsuit. "Respondents claim fraudulent certifications, false statements, doctored data, contaminated clinical trials, and firing of whistleblowers can be ignored based on the theory that they contracted their way around the fraud," lawyers for Brook Jackson, who worked as regional director at one of the clinical trials used to develop the Pfizer vaccine, wrote in their Aug. 22 response. "A drug company cannot induce the taxpayers to pay billions of dollars for a product," they countered, "that honest data would show poses more risks than benefits, and that ignores the actual contract and the law itself." Jackson's lawsuit alleges that Pfizer and two of its subcontractors violated the False Claims Act by providing bogus clinical trial results to garner the FDA approval of its...
https://www.sott.net/article/471481-Pfizer-vaccine-whistleblower-responds-to-motion-to-dismiss-false-claims-suit
