Reader’s links for Jan. 8 – 2016

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In order to preserve the flow of conversation about various posted items, and also in order to make it easier for visitors to find the list of related links being shared by other readers, regulars and interested parties in one place, each day a post is automatically created at a minute past midnight ET.

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Thank you all for those that take the effort to assist this site in keeping the public informed. Below, typically people can find the latest enemy propaganda, news items of related materials from multiple countries and languages, op-eds from many excellent sites who write on our topics, geopolitics and immigration issues and so on.

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

92 Replies to “Reader’s links for Jan. 8 – 2016”

  1. Egypt attempting to verify news of Egyptians abducted in Libya (ahram, Jan 8, 2016)
    http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/180442/Egypt/Politics-/Egypt-attempting-to-verify-news-of-Egyptians-abduc.aspx

    “Egypt is attempting to verify the authenticity of media reports on the kidnapping or arrest of Egyptians in Libya, the Egyptian foreign ministry said on Friday.

    In an official press release, the foreign ministry’s spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said that following reports about the arrest or abduction of Egyptians – all from Upper Egypt’s Minya governorate – in Libya, Egypt’s ambassador to Libya Mohamed Abu Bakr, who is currently based in Cairo, was quick to contact the embassy’s official and unofficial sources in Libya in order to confirm the news and respond accordingly.

    Abu Zeid urged all media outlets and families of Egyptians in Libya to remain cautious when handling with such reports until their authenticity is verified, considering that false news has been previously circulated about the state of Egyptians in Libya.

    The spokesman asserted that the Egyptian foreign ministry does not spare any effort needed to secure the return of any Egyptian citizen whose life is at risk in Libya, even though there is currently no Egyptian diplomatic mission in the country.

    In February 2015, the ISIS militant group beheaded 20 Egyptian Copts on a beach the group said was in Libya’s Tripoli.

    Following the beheadings, Egypt, in coordination with the Libyan army, carried out air strikes against ISIS targets in Libya, killing 64 ISIS militants.”

  2. Drone strikes in Pakistan fall to lowest level: report (tribune, Jan 8, 2016)
    http://tribune.com.pk/story/1024220/drone-strikes-in-pakistan-fall-to-lowest-level-report/

    “Drone strikes in Pakistan fell to their lowest level for eight years in 2015, according to new research by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, with a sharp reduction not only in attacks but also in the number of people reported killed.

    The drones hit the country’s tribal areas 13 times last year, killing between 60 and 85 people – almost half the 25 strikes in 2014 and 10 times fewer than the campaign’s peak of 128 in 2010, BBC Urdu reported.

    The figures come from the bureau’s annual drone report for 2015.

    The reduction in drone operations in Pakistan last year could be down to a number of factors, including Pakistani military’s 18 month-long operation Zarb-e-Azb in the tribal regions.”

  3. 38 militants killed in North Waziristan air strikes (tribune, Jan 8, 2016)
    http://tribune.com.pk/story/1024151/38-militants-killed-in-north-waziristan-air-strikes/

    “A large number of local and foreign militants were killed in airstrikes in the border region of North Waziristan on Friday, officials said.

    Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed the airstrike in the agency but did not immediately confirm human and logistic losses in the incident.

    However, civil officers in the political administration said 38 militants were killed in the strike that targeted hideouts in Meezar and Sherani areas just on the Afghanistan border…”

  4. Afghan Taliban claim senior commander assassinated in Balochistan (tribune, Jan 8, 2016)
    http://tribune.com.pk/story/1024025/afghan-taliban-claim-senior-commander-assassinated-in-balochistan/

    “Unidentified assailants have shot dead a senior Afghan Taliban commander in Balochistan, two Taliban officials claimed on Friday.

    Maulvi Muhammad Alam, loyal commander to Taliban supremo Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, was shot dead Thursday evening in Kuchlak area, some 25 kilometres from Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, Taliban leaders told The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media…”

  5. Ghani requests US Congress help in equipping the Afghan Air Force (khaama, Jan 8, 2016)
    http://www.khaama.com/ghani-requests-us-congress-help-in-equipping-the-afghan-air-force-1945

    “The Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has called on US Congress to help Afghanistan in building an efficient air force as the Afghan national security forces are critical need of air support.

    During a meeting with the US Congress delegation led by Senator Bob Corker, President Ghani said Afghanistan needs to complete the inventory of its Air Force by acquiring aircraft and helicopters, urging the US Congress delegation to assist Afghanistan in this process.

    Calling terrorism a regional and global threat, President Ghani further added that Afghanistan is in the front line of facing threats from terrorism, insisting that fight against terrorism requires strategic regional and international cooperation.

    President Ghani also added that the bilateral relations between Kabul and Washington is based on mutual interests and threats the two nations are facing…”

  6. ISIS loyalists behead 6 Taliban militants, 1 soldier in Nangarhar (khaama, Jan 8, 2016)
    http://www.khaama.com/isis-loyalists-behead-6-taliban-militants-1-soldier-in-nangarhar-1950

    “The loyalists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group have beheaded at least seven people including Taliban insurgents in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.

    A local official speaking on the condition of anonymity confirmed to Ashna TV/Voice of America that the ISIS loyalists have beheaded 6 Taliban insurgents and one Afghan soldier in Achin district.

    The official further added that the beheadings took place shortly after the Friday prayers in Pekha area which is under the control of the ISIS loyalists.

    He said the local residents were also forced to gather in the area to watch the beheadings.
    Meanwhile, a local resident said the ISIS loyalists beheaded 4 people and came under airstrike before beheading the fifth victim.

    Provincial governor spokesman Ataullah Khogyani confirmed that the ISIS loyalists were targeted in an airstrike in Achin district and at least four senior commanders of the terror group were killed.

    The Taliban group has not commented regarding the report so far…”

  7. Report: Netanyahu to lead effort in thwarting Obama bid for UN chief

    According to the Kuwaiti newspaper ‘Al-Jarida,’ Israeli leader will rally moderate Arabs to sabotage Obama plan to succeed Ban Ki-moon.

    According to the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida, Netanyahu will make common cause with moderate Arab governments in order to sabotage Obama’s plan to succeed Ban Ki-moon when the South Korean diplomat ends his term as United Nations secretary-general on December 31 of this year.

    Al-Jarida quoted sources as saying that Obama has already discussed the issue of running for secretary-general with Democrats, Republicans, and Jewish officials in the US.

    http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Report-Netanyahu-to-lead-effort-in-thwarting-Obama-bid-for-UN-chief-440873

    http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/01/report-obama-privately-campaigning-to-take-over-as-secretary-general-of-united-nations/