The Raw Story

A non-profit news blog, focused on providing independent journalism.

Saturday, 3 January 2015

BEST OF THE WEB: 2015 - I can't breathe... Can you?

Last December in my New Year's predictions for 2014 I wrote:My clearest reading of 2014's tea leaves is "instability": worldwide instability and in my opinion this instability has its origins at the heart of the most developed economies of the western world. The causes? We are undergoing a technological revolution and process of globalized outsourcing, combined with a reduction of the welfare state that is severely degrading the middle class in...

Infant found unconscious in Harlem dies, police say

© Credit Robert Stolarik for The New York TimesOfficers on Saturday outside the apartment in the Washington Houses in East Harlem where Deion McNeil was found bleeding from a gash on his forehead on Friday. He died at the hospital. A 23-day-old boy died on Friday after the police found him wounded and unconscious in his family's apartment in East Harlem, the authorities said.The infant, Deion McNeil, was unresponsive and bleeding from a gash on...

Vast 5,000 year-old underground city discovered in central Turkey

© Creative Commons/KatpatukaTatlarin, another overground city near Nevşehir A 5,000 year-old underground city thought to be the largest in the world has been discovered in central Turkey.The subterranean settlement was discovered in the Nevşehir province of Turkey's Central Anatolia region, in the historical area of Cappadocia.Cappadocia is famous in archaeological circles for its large number of underground settlement.But the site, located around...

Former Hedge Fund Manager Arrested After Squatting In Million Dollar Home

The economic "recovery" has been harsh, especially for the former hedge fund manager of Paron Capital Management, James Crombie and his family of 4 including. So, as a result Crombie decided to continue living the good life: he did so by squatting in someone else's Maryland house listed in May 2014 for over $1 million.Crombie's fall from grace had been quick and violent as described by ABC:Crombie, 47, is the former head of hedge fund Paron Capital...

Are the American people that clueless about potential coming economic disasters?

The American people are feeling really good right about now. For example, Gallup's economic confidence index has hit the highest level that we have seen since the last recession. In addition, nearly half of all Americans believe that 2015 will be a better year than 2014 was, and only about 10 percent believe that it will be a worse year. And a lot of people are generally feeling quite good about the people that have been leading our nation. According...

Why is it illegal for communities to protect themselves from toxic harm?

© unknown The supposed answer to that question is the Supremacy Clause of the US Constitution, Article 6, paragraph 2:"This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the...

Lawlessness and death squads in Ukraine: Washington Post almost gets it right

© Efrem Lukatsky/APA car drives by a private house destroyed in a recent battles between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian separatists in Semenivka, Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, Monday, Dec. 29, 2014. Kiev is abuzz with creative reforms in governance, major anti-corruption initiatives and budgetary clawbacks against rent-seeking oligarchs. Civic activism is on the upsurge, and a new government team - populated with many foreign-born and Western-educated...

NYPD cops busted again for planting evidence and inventing informants

© unknown In 2011, while caught up in a corruption scandal, former NYPD Detective Stephen Anderson testified in court that fabricating drug charges on innocent victims to meet quotas was common practice. Three years later, cops in Brooklyn are again accused of planting evidence and allegedly lying about "informants" to make gun-related arrests.Two weeks ago, a judge in Brooklyn ordered prosecutors to produce a confidential informant that cops were...

Colony of crazies: Israeli settlers attack US diplomats, Israel to investigate

© AP Photo/ Sebastian Scheiner Israeli authorities are looking for Jewish settlers in the West Bank who have attacked US diplomats, an official from the US State Department has told Sputnik."The Israeli authorities have communicated to us that they acknowledge the seriousness of the incident and are looking to apprehend and take appropriate action against those responsible," the official said Friday.According to the official, the American side has...

Elderly man killed by rhino in Nepal

An elderly man attacked by rhino in Chitwan district has died on Saturday night.According to the District Police Office, Chitwan, Sadabahar Community Forest member Chaudhari was attacked by a rhinoceros while inspecting the forest.64 year old Nathuram from Megauli-5 died while receiving treatment.He had suffered severe injuries on the leg, chest and he...

Ebola in the UK: New suspected case in Gloucestershire, as Scottish nurse worsens

Great Western Hospital, Swindon A new patient displaying symptoms of the deadly Ebola virus is being rushed to hospital as doctors say the Scottish nurse already suffering from the disease has worsened and is now in a critical condition.Hospital officials said the unnamed new patient was being transferred to hospital in Swindon by specialist ambulance team after being taken ill after returning from West Africa.The patient, from South Gloucestershire,...

Michele Bachmann has last laugh on Twitter for predicting low gas prices

© Twitter.comRep. Michele Bachmann, R-MN Outgoing Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R) took to social media late this week to congratulate herself for bringing the price of gas down under two dollars per gallon.The erstwhile 2012 presidential contender posted a photo of herself standing under a gasoline station's pricing sign on Friday via the social medium Twitter. She captioned the image "$2 gas, anyone?"Bachmann was referring to a campaign...

Major search off Scottish coast after ship with 'eight people on board' is overturned

It is understood that up to eight people could be on board the vessel, pictured partially-submerged in the sea Eight people are missing after their cargo ship overturned in stormy seas.A major air and sea rescue operation has been mounted after the upturned hull of the vessel was spotted off the north coast of Scotland this afternoon.But hopes of finding any survivors are rapidly diminishing as weather conditions in the area continue to deteriorate...

US Army report calls for 'military support' of Israeli energy grab

© AFPUS military strategists are contemplating the threat of war to redraw the Middle East’s energy architecture around Israel A new report by the US Army War College's Strategic Studies Institute emphasises the need for "US security and military support" to its key allies in the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly Israel, over access to recent vast discoveries of regional oil and gas.The Army study, released earlier in December 2014, concludes...

Meditate to become a healthier, happier and more compassionate human being

© Namita AzadMeditation is excellent method to maintain our physical and emotional health and well-being The Challenge: Stress, work and life challenges can get the best of us.The Science: Research shows that meditation is linked to a host of benefits from happiness to health!The Solution: Meditate to feel calmer, happier, healthier, more productive and more in charge.Trying to find a New Year's Resolution that's really worth it? How about one that...

South Australia faces worst wildfires since 1983

© Dylan CokerAn aerial view of the out-of-control Sampson Flat wildfire near Kersbrook. Strong winds are expected to fan South Australia's worst bushfire in 30 years with dozens of homes believed destroyed by the massive blaze.The out-of-control Sampson Flat fire in the Mount Lofty Ranges is feared to have destroyed dozens of homes and burnt out more than 11,000 hectares of scrub and farmland since Friday afternoon and no relief is in sight for...

Rare northern hawk owl seen south of Eau Claire, Wisconsin

© Anne GeraghtyA northern hawk owl like this one has been spotted south of Eau Claire Since early December, a rare visitor - a northern hawk owl - has been hanging out just south of Eau Claire, to the delight of local bird-watchers."Usually, the crows will help you find it. There's four or five crows who like to harass it," said David Lund of rural Eleva, who has seen the bird several times in recent weeks.The owl is only about 14 inches tall and...

Dead blue whale found dead on coast of India

The whale that was found washed ashore at Valai island off Periapattinam. A giant Blue Whale was found washed ashore on Valai island, one of the 21 islands in the Gulf of Mannar region.Wildlife Warden, Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, Deepak Bilgi said the marine mammal was found dead near the shore of the island two days back and initial studies revealed that it had died long back.As the whale was found away from the shore, post-mortem could...

Upheaval at Ukraine's Zaporozhye nuclear power plant?

© Unknown Over the last week, more publications, including Zero Hedge, have started reporting on a still developing nuclear problem at the largest nuclear plant in Europe. This news has been widely circulated in Eastern Europe over the last few weeks.The problem in Ukraine has been and remains verification: Ukrainian sources have not been forthcoming. When this first occurred I was contacted through a second party and told directly after the officially...
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