Category: International Affairs,

Body of ‘witch’ tormented by villagers 1,600 years ago found buried with one-hand tied behind back

On By peanutgallerynhIn Chick Stuff,, Europe,, Science and Stuff,Leave a comment

The woman was found face down with her left hand fixed behind her back – a position hat was apparently used in witch burials to ensure that they do not return from the dead and haunt the villagers.

It is thought that she was the lover of a wealthy man, who would have blamed her ‘magic powers’ as the reason behind his adultery. This accusation would have been the cause of her torture by the villagers.

…Most women accused of witchcraft tended to be older yet occasionally young women found themselves accused of witchcraft, usually if they ended up in relationships with the wrong man or even if they had been sexually abused by a man of influence.

…This woman lived in times of the Chernyakhov culture. Her grave differs from burial traditions that existed in this area in the third and fourth centuries AD.”

The Chernyakhov culture is an archaeological culture that flourished between the 2nd and 5th centuries AD in a wide area of Eastern Europe, specifically in what is now Ukraine, Romania, Moldova and parts of Belarus.

Body of ‘witch’ tormented by villagers 1,600 years ago found buried with one-hand tied behind back – Mirror Online

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Castro proposes changes to Constitution, including term limits for president, gay marriage

On By peanutgallerynhIn Caribbean,, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Raúl Castro is proposing a new constitution that would limit the age of future presidents to 60 at the start of their first terms.

The constitutional reforms, discussed Saturday by the Cuban parliament, also would erase the word “Communism” from the document and open the way for same-sex marriage, according to official TV broadcasts of the gathering.

…The official web page Cubadebate also reported Saturday that the new constitution would define marriage as “the consensual union between two people, regardless of gender.” That’s been one of the demands by LGBTI groups on the island and Raúl Castro’s daughter, Mariela, who heads a sex education center in Havana.

…The president will continue to be elected by parliament and not directly by voters — a change that many Cubans wanted.

And the new constitution will recognize private property but “retains the essential principles of socialist ownership by the people over the basic means of production and central planning as a principal component,” according to the official Granma newspaper.

Castro proposes changes to Constitution, including term limits for president, gay marriage | Miami Herald

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Syrian refugees cling to life on Golan Heights as Assad’s net tightens

On By peanutgallerynhIn Middle East,Leave a comment

The displaced are trapped at the edges of this corner of Syria, where three countries meet. Jordan, to the south, says it already hosts more than a million displaced people and cannot accommodate any more. Israel, too, has said it will not allow any refugees to cross, despite urgent calls by humanitarian agencies saying their safety is at risk. Part of its refusal is an unwillingness to tip a demographic balance in a majority Jewish state, where about a fifth of the population is Arab.

…Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights was not recognised internationally and it remains in a state of war with Syria, meaning Syrians who seek Israeli treatment are at risk when they go back. Ziv hospital makes sure not to identify them, and discharge papers are written in Arabic and English, with no visible Hebrew.

Syrian refugees cling to life on Golan Heights as Assad’s net tightens | World news | The Guardian

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The country that brought a sea back to life, and its neighbor who chose to let the sea disappear

On By peanutgallerynhIn Central Northern Asia and The Caucasus,, Environment,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

At more than 67,000 sq km (26,000 sq miles), the Aral Sea was once the fourth-largest freshwater lake in the world. But the Soviet Union’s uncompromising agricultural policies in the 1950s led to water from two rivers – the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya – being diverted away from the sea to irrigate Central Asia’s desert steppes to boost cotton production. Water levels dropped and the once abundant populations of bream, carp and other freshwater fish dwindled with them.

Today, the sea is a 10th of its original size and has almost split in two. Mimicking the shape of a splintered number eight, the North Aral Sea – the top half of the body of water – lies in Kazakhstan. The South Aral Sea, which consist of a strip of water in the west and a dried-out basin in the east, sits in Uzbekistan.

In the 1990s, both bodies of water seemed headed for similar outcomes. But that changed when the World Bank stepped in with an $87m (£66m) rescue project in Kazakhstan.

This included constructing a 12km-long (7.5 mile) dyke across the narrow channel that connects the North Aral Sea to its neighbour to the south, with the aim of reducing the amount of water spilling out into the South Aral Sea. Improvements to existing channels of the Syr Darya river, which snakes northwards from Kazakhstan’s Tian Shan Mountains, also helped to boost the flow of water into the North Aral Sea.

…Raising the dyke walls by another four metres would help to keep an additional 15 billion cubic metres of water in the North Aral Sea, he adds. This would extend the area covered by the sea from 800sq km (300 sq miles) to 400sq km (150 sq miles).

….Plans to do this were put forward as part of a second phase of the World Bank project, but it has recently stalled. According to the World Bank the project is currently awaiting approval from the Kazakh government to move forward.

…Across the border in Uzbekistan, the story is very different. While the World Bank has worked on some projects to restore the existing lakes around the South Aral Sea, such as Lake Sudoche, it has had less success. The main obstacle appears to be the demand that Uzbeks have for it, as the Amu Darya river flows are used upstream for agricultural purposes and does not have enough water flow to fill up the South Aral Sea.

Greater reliance on cotton production for income has also hindered attempts to restore the South Aral Sea to its former glory. From 1930 to 1990, Uzbekistan provided more than two-thirds of the cotton produced in the Soviet Union. It ranked fifth out of 90 cotton-producing countries, and it was the second-largest exporter of cotton fibre to the US. Today, Uzbekistan is still the fifth-biggest cotton exporter in the world after the US, India, Brazil, and Australia.

…In 2015, the eastern basin of the South Aral Sea completely dried up and the water never returned.

BBC – Future – The country that brought a sea back to life

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Australian governments concede Great Barrier Reef headed for ‘collapse’

On By peanutgallerynhIn Environment,, Pacific Basin,, Science and Stuff,Leave a comment

The world’s climate change path means the Great Barrier Reef is headed for “collapse” according to a plan endorsed by state and federal governments that critics say turns a blind eye to Australia’s inadequate effort to cut carbon emissions.

…The comments depart starkly from previous official efforts to downplay damage wrought on the reef for fear of denting the tourism industry.

…It concedes that consecutive coral bleaching events and other stressors “have fundamentally changed the character of the reef”, which is one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet.

“Coral bleaching is projected to increase in frequency … those coral reefs that survive are expected to be less biodiverse than in the past,” the plan says.

Australian governments concede Great Barrier Reef headed for ‘collapse’

aggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

My Great-Grandfather, the Nigerian Slave-Trader

On By peanutgallerynhIn Africa,, Media and Culture,Leave a comment

“Are you not ashamed of what he did?” I asked.

“I can never be ashamed of him,” he said, irritated. “Why should I be? His business was legitimate at the time. He was respected by everyone around.” My father is a lawyer and a human-rights activist who has spent much of his life challenging government abuses in southeast Nigeria. He sometimes had to flee our home to avoid being arrested. But his pride in his family was unwavering. “Not everyone could summon the courage to be a slave trader,” he said. “You had to have some boldness in you.”

…During the ceremony, I was overwhelmed with relief. My family was finally taking a step beyond whispering and worrying. Of course, nothing can undo the harm that Nwaubani Ogogo caused. And the ohu, who are not his direct descendants, were not invited to the ceremony; their mistreatment in the region continues. Still, it felt important for my family to publicly denounce its role in the slave trade. “Our family is taking responsibility,” my cousin Chidi, who joined from London, told me. Chioma, who took part in Atlanta, said, “We were trying to make peace and atone for what our ancestors did.”

My Great-Grandfather, the Nigerian Slave-Trader | The New Yorker

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Summer solstice 2018: Pythagoras’s theorem used to build Stonehenge

On By peanutgallerynhIn Europe,, Science and Stuff,Leave a comment

Greek philosopher Pythagoras discovered that the sum areas of two squares on two sides of a triangle will always add up to the area of a square on the hypotenuse – the longest side of a right angle triangle.

However, Pythagoras was not born until the 5th century BC – some 2,000 years after Stonehenge was erected.

…Contributor and editor of Megalith, John Matineau, told the Telegraph: “People think of our ancestors as rough cavemen but they were applying Pythagorean geometry over 2,000 years before Pythagoras was born.

…They were astronomers and cosmologists. …“They were studying long and difficult to understand cycles and they knew about these when they started planning sites like Stonehenge.

Summer solstice 2018: Pythagoras’s theorem used to build Stonehenge | Science | News | Express.co.uk

mmmhmmm

Russian Mariia Butina charged as foreign agent who eyed NRA, pols

On By peanutgallerynhIn Central Northern Asia and The Caucasus,, Domestic Affairs,, Media and Culture,Leave a comment

…The FBI said in court papers Butina sought to establish relationships with a “gun rights organization.” The organization was not named but a senior U.S. official confirmed it was the National Rifle Association, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

…Butina also attended the National Prayer Breakfast in 2016 and 2017 and told an unidentified American that the other Russians there were handpicked by her and Torshin and “are coming to establish a back channel of communication,” the FBI wrote.

A criminal complaint shows that the FBI obtained Twitter messages and emails between Torshin and Butina in which they plotted strategy.

…The unsealing of the charges against Butina came within hours of a stunning press conference in Helsinki in which President Donald Trump refused to say he accepted the assessment of the U.S. intelligence community over Putin’s denials that Russian had meddled in the election.

Butina is a gun-rights advocate who cozied up to conservatives in the nation’s capital. In February 2017, the Daily Beast reported that she was close to Republican activist Paul Erickson, who appeared at her birthday party months earlier dressed as Rasputin. Public records show she and Erickson registered a corporation in South Dakota together in 2016.

Russian Mariia Butina charged as foreign agent who eyed NRA, pols

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Queen Elizabeth II Trolled Trump’ with her brooch choices

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Europe,, Media and Culture,Leave a comment

Despite the fact Her Majesty is strictly neutral when  it comes to political matters, social media is convinced otherwise.

…Julie [@SamaruiKnitter]: Arrival day was the one that got the most attention. That day, she wore the brooch the Obamas gave her on their last visit to England. …This one was purchased out-of-pocket by Michelle and Barack Obama and given to her as a personal gift.’

…’And for the day of the tea, …the brooch worn [worn by the Queen also appeared] in the famous “Three Queens in Mourning” photo, worn by the Queen Mum. …’QE rolled up to tea with the Trumps wearing the brooch her mother wore to her father’s STATE FUNERAL.’

….For Trump’s final day in the UK …[The Queen wore a] sapphire brooch [given to her by the] Canadian people to mark her sapphire jubilee during an event in London celebrating 150 years of the Canadian Confederation in 2017.

…’You know, [the country that] Trump’s been screaming about and insulting. The commonwealth country and one of the UK’s greatest allies. Them.’

Did the Queen ‘troll Trump’ with her brooches?

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Bernie Sanders’ campaign strategist Tad Devine turns up 16 times in evidence against Paul Manafort

On By peanutgallerynhIn Central Northern Asia and The Caucasus,, Domestic Affairs,Leave a comment

The former campaign chairman for President Donald Trump and Devine worked together nearly a decade ago for former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych and his pro-Kremlin Party of Regions, and the pair remained in contact until at least 2014.

According to the new court filing, Manafort and Devine communicated by email through June 2014, about five months before he joined the Sanders campaign that November.

…The evidence in the upcoming trial shows Manafort communicated with Devine about their work for Yanukovych, who fled to Russia following his ouster, and other issues related to the Ukraine political activity.

Bernie Sanders’ campaign strategist Tad Devine turns up 16 times in evidence against Paul Manafort

hmmmm

What Helsinki agreements? This is not normal

On By peanutgallerynhIn Central Northern Asia and The Caucasus,, Domestic Affairs,Leave a comment

Three days now have passed since Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin met in Helsinki. Russian officials are talking about agreements coming out of that meeting, but Americans have no idea what was agreed. 

…What we do know about Helsinki largely comes from the joint Trump-Putin press briefing, perhaps the most embarrassing post-summit press conference performance ever by an American president. The presidents described the topics they discussed but offered no detail on any agreements.

…The White House has discussed one possible agreement, however. Putin said Special Counsel Robert Mueller could meet with Russian investigators to discuss the hacking of the Democratic National Committee emails if Russian investigators could question former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul and other U.S. officials regarding the activities of British businessman Bill Browder.

That would yield nothing of value for the United States.

…Bizarrely, White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that Trump considered this an “interesting” idea that would be considered. The State Department spokesperson more properly dismissed the idea as “absurd.”

What Helsinki agreements? This is not normal

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Bill Browder: ‘If I were to be handed over to Russia, I would be killed’

On By peanutgallerynhIn Central Northern Asia and The Caucasus,, Domestic Affairs,, Europe,Leave a comment

In exchange, however, Putin wanted Russian officials to interrogate those whom he accuses of involvement in “illegal actions” on Russian territory, notably Browder, former US ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul and nine others. 

Trump called it an “incredible offer”, sparking widespread and bipartisan outrage. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders [contradicted Trumps own words] on Thursday, saying Trump “disagreed” with the proposal to turn over Americans for questioning.

Bill Browder: ‘If I were to be handed over to Russia, I would be killed’ – France 24

oy….

Why American Spies Worry When Trump Meets Putin

On By peanutgallerynhIn Central Northern Asia and The Caucasus,, Domestic Affairs,Leave a comment

Putin has nonetheless gotten himself trapped. His country is heavily sanctioned, economically weak, overextended, and lacking in allies. His unprovoked land grab in Crimea, attack on neighboring Ukraine, electoral interference in the U.S. and Europe, assassination of opponents, support to Syria’s bloody dictator Bashar al-Assad and constant lies have left him ostracized in much of the developed world. He can no longer offer his people wealth or the vision of a better future. He instead relies on the tools of oppression and scapegoats to blame for his failures. The dynamic is unlikely to change anytime soon.

And yet despite all this, and even with the indictments, Putin walks into the summit with a distinct advantage. Just as Putin has unleashed his intelligence and security services, Trump has kneecapped and undermined his own.

Did Bob Mueller Just Spoil Trump’s Putin Summit? – The Atlantic

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Astronomers at famed Greenwich observatory turn eyes to the skies again after 60-year break

On By peanutgallerynhIn Europe,, Science and Stuff,Leave a comment

The Royal Observatory was founded in 1675 by King Charles II and it was a working observatory until 1957, when its instruments were moved to Herstmonceux in Sussex, England. The observatory then became a museum and place that educates the public about modern astronomy. With the new telescope, the site will go back to being a working observatory.

Some of the world’s largest telescopes are located in very isolated places with little light pollution, such as the Atacama desert in Chile, but with new technology Londoners can look at the stars through the Annie Maunder Astrographic Telescope despite the city’s light pollution.

…The new instrument has several cameras and the images it captures will be available to the public via live-streams and workshops. The Royal Observatory is also inviting volunteers with research ideas to use the telescope. The instrument can be used to study the sun that gives life to Earth as well as asteroids and comets that can threaten it. It can be used to look at our own solar system as well as other galaxies. 

Astronomers at famed Greenwich observatory turn eyes to the skies again after 60-year break – ABC News

neat!

Immigrant ‘was offered reunification with child if he agreed to leave’

On By peanutgallerynhIn American Injustice System,, Domestic Affairs,, Modern Parenting,, Race,, The Americas,Leave a comment

Illegal immigrant separated from his six-year-old daughter at the border says he was offered to be reunited with his child at the airport if he agreed to deportation.

…Immigrants who crossed into the United States have been told that they would be able to get their children back in exchange for agreeing to immediately leave the country, it has been reported.

…Immigration lawyers have advised him to revoke the paperwork he signed and appeal for asylum before an immigration judge.

Carlos is currently being housed at a privately run adult detention center in Polk County, Texas, some 75 miles outside of Houston.

He said that his daughter was taken from him on the day he went to a McAllen court to plead guilty to illegal entry.

Carlos said that he was told his daughter would be taken to an aunt in California, but this was ‘pure lies,’ he said.

‘She’s a prisoner,’ he said.

Immigrant ‘was offered reunification with child if he agreed to leave’ | Daily Mail Online

…And then the governments lies about it. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat…..