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After Mumbai, Israel helped India form a SWAT counter-terror force.
Israel help indian police to establish force 1
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Home » The Loop » 20,000 Muslims Torch Hindu Village In Bangladesh Over Facebook Post Insulting The Prophet Mohammed
20,000 Muslims Torch Hindu Village in Bangladesh Over Facebook Post Insulting the Prophet Mohammed
https://www.albawaba.com/loop/original-insult-prophet-muhammad-bangladesh-1047460
I hope Trump fixes this:
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-13/meddling-us-state-departments-new-program-take-hungarian-media
I agree it needs to be stopped.
The left screams about Russia trying to influence the US election while the Swamp openly interferes with the internal politics of all nations.
‘Way too little, way too late’: Facebook’s factcheckers say effort is failing (theguardian, Nov 13, 2017)
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/nov/13/way-too-little-way-too-late-facebooks-fact-checkers-say-effort-is-failing
“Journalists working for Facebook say the social media site’s fact-checking tools have largely failed and that the company has exploited their labor for a PR campaign.
Several fact checkers who work for independent news organizations and partner with Facebook told the Guardian that they feared their relationships with the technology corporation, some of which are paid, have created a conflict of interest, making it harder for the news outlets to scrutinize and criticize Facebook’s role in spreading misinformation.
The reporters also lamented that Facebook had refused to disclose data on its efforts to stop the dissemination of fake news. The journalists are speaking out one year after the company launched the collaboration in response to outrage over revelations that social media platforms had widely promoted fake news and propaganda during the US presidential election.
Facebook has since revealed that it facilitated Russia’s efforts to interfere with US politics, allowing divisive political ads and propaganda that reached 126 million Americans.
“I don’t feel like it’s working at all. The fake information is still going viral and spreading rapidly,” said one journalist who does fact-checks for Facebook and, like others interviewed for this piece, was not authorized to speak publicly due to the continuing partnership with the company. “It’s really difficult to hold [Facebook] accountable. They think of us as doing their work for them. They have a big problem, and they are leaning on other organizations to clean up after them.”
Facebook announced to much hype last December that it was partnering with third-party factcheckers – including the Associated Press, Snopes, ABC News, PolitiFact and FactCheck(.)org – to publicly flag fake news so that a “disputed” tag would warn users about sharing debunked content. A Guardian review this year found that the fact-checks seemed to be mostly ineffective and that “disputed” tags weren’t working as intended.
Now, some of the factcheckers are raising concerns, saying the lack of internal statistics on their work has hindered the project and that it is unclear if the corporation is taking the spread of propaganda seriously…”
French government forced to act after new wave of police suicides (thelocal, Nov 13, 2017)
https://www.thelocal.fr/20171113/france-hit-by-wave-of-police-suicides-again
“Eight French officers including a high-profile former police chief have committed suicide in just a week sparking renewed concern among the forces of law and order and the government.
The worrying issue of the high number of suicides among French police officers is once again back on the agenda.
These latest suicides brought the number of French police officers to have taken their lives this year to 45. There have also been 16 suicides by members of France’s military police the gendarmerie nationale.
The most high profile death came on Sunday when it was revealed that France’s former police chief in charge of fighting hooliganism had been found dead in his office.
Antoine Boutonnet, whom The Local interviewed in June 2016 on the eve of Euro 2016 is believed to have used his service weapon to commit suicide.
Boutonnet’s death shocked those who knew him including the president of the French Football League Frédéric Thiriez.
“He wasn’t just a great professional but also a humanist. He became a friend,” said Thiriez.
France’s Interior Minister Gérard Collomb will meet with police unions after eight officers took their lives in a week.
He has also asked police chiefs to put together a list of recommendations aimed at cutting the number of suicides.
But French authorities seem powerless to prevent the loss of life given that in January 2015 the government had already unveiled its new plan aimed at cutting suicide numbers in the police forces.
That plan came after a black year for the forces of law and order when 55 police and 30 gendarmes took their own lives.
As part of the government’s measures seven extra psychologists were to be recruited for the police forces most in need. More psychologists were also to be recruited in police training schools.
Police officers were to get individual lockers where they can leave their weapon after work. This measure was aimed at stopping officers committing suicide using their service firearms in their own homes.
The then Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said he also intended to “improve the quality of life at work” by promoting a healthier work-life balance.
He also said he would also consider changing working hours to allow more time for a private life.
Speaking to The Local at the time David-Olivier Reverdy from the police union Alliance said that there was a real crisis in the police force.
While he accepted there are always “multiple factors” behind suicides, he says the fact remains that there are fundamental problems within the French police force that is pushing many over the edge.
“Some of these suicides are clearly down to problems in their personal lives, but there is clearly a malaise among police officers,” he said.
Reverdy pointed to “archaic” management systems, working conditions, pressure from bosses, and a lack of protection from the government given the fact that “no one these days seems to be too scared to physically attack police officers”.
In recent years police officers in France have been under extra strain as they have become the targets of choice for jihadist violence…”
Heart-breaking.
Can’t the clergy offer some counseling services?
German Islamic associations denied religious lessons in school (DW, Nov 13, 2017)
http://www.dw.com/en/german-islamic-associations-denied-religious-lessons-in-school/a-41362629
“A state court has denied Muslim associations permission to introduce religious lessons in schools in North Rhine-Westphalia. But the associations say they’ll keep trying to bring lessons on Islam to Muslim children.
Two of Germany’s biggest Muslim federations, the Central Council of Muslims in Germany (ZMD) and the Islamrat (“Islam council”), have failed in their bid to get schools in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) to adopt Islamic religious lessons.
The higher administrative court in Münster turned down the federations’ suit last week on the grounds that they did not fulfill all the criteria of a religious association as defined by the German constitution, and so could not claim the same privileges that the Protestant and Catholic churches have in Germany.
The court said that the two associations do not possess the necessary authority over Germany’s Muslim community to claim the status. While the state’s Education Minister Yvonne Gebauer welcomed the decision, both the associations issued statements expressing their disappointment.
“We regret the decision … because first and foremost it does not offer the undisputed needs of Muslim children in schools in North Rhine-Westphalia any secure prospect for the future,” the ZMD said. “Once again an important opportunity to jointly create a constitutionally stable model other than the NRW council model, which expires in 2019, has been lost.”
In 2012, NRW introduced temporary Islam lessons under state supervision. The content and form of the program, which runs out in 2019, are determined by an eight-person council made up of representatives of various Islamic organizations as well as the NRW Education Ministry. The council also issues the teaching certificates to applicants.
The Islamrat said the court had missed a chance to send an “important signal to the Muslims in the country and an important step towards providing them a home in Germany.” The association also criticized what it saw as the state government’s failure to hear official assessments of its status, and added that it would continue to “work constructively on the permanent establishment of an Islamic religious class.”
But – apart from notes of approval from members of the anti-Islam party the Alternative for Germany (AfD) – liberal Muslim voices also welcomed the decision. Lamya Kaddor, Islam scholar and one of the religious education teachers approved by the NRW council under the experimental scheme, wrote that the judgment was right, though “less from a legal standpoint than a social and political one.”…”
Gulf minister warns Germany to keep better control over its mosques (thelocal, Nov 14. 2017)
https://www.thelocal.de/20171114/gulf-minister-warns-germany-to-keep-better-control-over-its-mosques
“Sheikh Nahjan Mubarak al Nahjan, the minister for tolerance in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has said that inadequate surveillance of mosques has led to Islamist terrorism in Germany.
“You can’t just leave a mosque open and allow anyone to go there and to preach. You need to have licences,” said al Nahjan in an interview with DPA.
He added that the problem existed in Germany, France and the United Kingdom, arguing that Muslims were becoming radicalized in mosques where the authorities were not exerting strong enough control.
“We have always offered our help, we have always said we would train people,” said al Nahjan, adding that no European country had ever accepted the offer.
In the authoritarian UAE, mosques are comprehensively controlled by the authorities. The tiny oil-rich Gulf state claims that the extensive powers it has given to its secret services have allowed it to prevent terror attacks by radical organizations such as Isis.
“We also think that something needs to change in Europe,” said al Nahjan. He said that European states had good intentions in allowing “these people” to set up their own mosques, but argued it was necessary that people have training in Islam and a licence before they are allowed to preach.
“After all no one is allowed to simply go into a church in Europe and preach.”
In Germany the state does not interfere in the selection of preachers at mosques, nor do mosques need a licence in order to open.
Nonetheless, Germany’s intelligence agencies are actively surveilling dozens of mosques across the country, while police have closed down some of the most radical Muslim places of prayer over the past year.
After an Islamist terrorist drove a truck into a Berlin Christmas market in December last year, killing 12 people, Berlin authorities closed down a mosque in the north of the city which the terrorist was known to have attended.
Also last year, police in Lower Saxony arrested a man who was suspected of being Isis’ “ambassador” in Germany. The man, known as Abu Walaa, preached at a mosque in the town of Hildesheim.”
Taliban kill 22 police in security post attacks (ahram, Nov 14, 2017)
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/281458/World/International/Taliban-kill–police-in-security-post-attacks.aspx
“An Afghan police official says Taliban fighters stormed some 15 security posts in southern Kandahar province overnight, killing a total 22 policemen.
Matiullah Helal, acting provincial police spokesman, says at least 15 other police were wounded when the insurgents stormed various security posts Monday night.
Helal said the attacks took place in the Maywand and Zhari districts and some gun battles lasted for hours. He said 45 Taliban were killed and 35 others wounded.
Khalid Pashtun, a member of parliament from the region, put the number of police killed at 37 and 30 wounded.
There was no immediate comment from the Taliban, who have stepped up their attacks against Afghan security forces.”
Lebanon PM feared ‘own government would KILL HIM’ as he denies Saudi Arabia KIDNAP (express, Nov 14, 2017)
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/879265/saudi-arabia-lebanon-prime-minister-kidnap-hezbollah-tensions-middle-east
“LEBANON Prime Minister Saad Hariri has said he fled country because he feared his own government would kill him.
Mr Hariri mysteriously resigned from high office earlier this month in a pre-recorded message broadcast on Saudi TV.
Now, speaking for the first time since his resignation the former leader has said he quit and left the country because he feared supporters of Hezbollah, his coalition partners in government, would kill him.
Speaking from Saudi Arabia he said: “I am free to travel tomorrow if I wanted to.
“But I have a family. I saw what happened when my father was martyred.
“I don’t want the same thing to happen to my children.”
Mr Hariri’s father, and former Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri was killed by members of Hezbollah using a car bomb in Beirut in 2005…”
[…] “Lebanese PM Saad al-Hariri’s resignation announcement last Saturday, during a visit to Saudi Arabia, took the Lebanese people by surprise. What they were mostly surprised about was Hariri’s public declaration, in which he said everything the Lebanese are thinking but are afraid to say: Hezbollah controls Lebanon, and the prime minister and parliament’s roles are empty. In other words, Lebanon is a country under Iranian occupation.
Hariri, like his Druze colleague, Walid Jumblatt, held the feelings of insult inside of him for many years. He was forced to shake the hands of Hezbollah men, stained with the blood of his father, slain Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri, in order to survive and regain the premiership. Jumblatt was forced to travel to Damascus several decades ago and shake hands with former Syrian Pres. Hafez Assad, who murdered his father Kamal Jumblatt, in order to protect the status of the Druze community in Lebanon.
Most Arab commentators believe that the timing of Hariri’s resignation has to do with information the Lebanese prime minister received in Saudi Arabia—not just about the kingdom’s support for him and for the Sunnis in Lebanon, but also about anti-Hezbollah activities Saudi Arabia is planning to execute in the near future.…”
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5041615,00.html
Zeyad Al-Shammari, first Saudi to participate in codifying American laws (saudigazette, Nov 14, 2017)
http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/521807/SAUDI-ARABIA/Zeyad-Al-Shammari-first-Saudi-to-participate-in-codifying-American-laws
“About 47 days separate Zeyad Al-Shammari from the start of his training in the US Congress as the first Saudi and Gulf citizen to be trained on the American legislature early 2018. He is a Ph.D holder in political science and international relations.
Al-Shammari believes that his training in the beehive shelve of the American politics will enable him to convey the true and honorable picture of Saudi Arabia to the American legislators.
He said he will try to gain more experience in the the American politics and also in the making of the strategic decisions that will affect the US policies.
“I will have first-hand assessment on how the American politics are made,” he said.
“I will attempt to convey a true and bright image of the Saudi man to the American policy makers,” he added.
Al-Shammari’s Ph.D thesis was titled: “comparison between the political upheavals in the Arab republican and monarchy systems with special focus on the strength and stability of the Saudi royal system”…”
New loyal American we have here!
‘A challenge for us all’: Study highlights prevalent Islamophobia in UK (middleeasteye, Nov 14, 2017)
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/challenge-us-all-study-highlights-prevalent-islamophobia-uk-248627149
“In 1997, a landmark report by race equality think tank Runnymede Trust introduced the word “Islamophobia” into public discourse. Years later, and Islamophobia has become so prevalent that one politician claimed it has “passed the dinner table test”.
The Trust’s original report “Islamophobia: A Challenge for us All” has been followed up with a new report, “Islamophobia: Still a Challenge for us All,” which features contributions from 23 academics and maps Islamophobia across society.
It also contains harrowing individual stories that range from school playground bullying to unrestrained verbal abuse to workplace discrimination.
Included is testimony from Jasvir, a turban-wearing Sikh man who was called Bin Laden online after the Brexit referendum and told to “f*** off back to curryland,” and Sahar, a niqab-wearing woman who was told at a job interview that while her CV was “good” it was “too Islamic”.
Tariq (not his real name), an American social scientist pursuing his Phd in the UK recalls a research tutor who he says would “make certain comments about my beliefs or origins that were easily veiled as ‘banter’”.
Tariq, who has turned to therapy to cope, said that he struggles because he can never “prove” what has happened. “You constantly question whether something that happened was indeed an attack or not.”
Anti-Muslim racism
To help victims of Islamophobia seek justice and to help the wider public better understand it, Runnymede proposes the government adopt their definition, the short version of which is: “Islamophobia is anti-Muslim racism.”
The UK’s Equality Act already covers discrimination on the basis of Religion and Belief, but Farah Elahi, a research analyst for the Runnymede Trust, said that the law does not “offer clarity on what that discrimination looks like”.
“The report tries to bridge the gap between the legal protection that’s offered and the public understanding of what this discrimination is.”
“This definition captures what we feel are the most salient aspects of islamophobia and its impact on individuals.”
The report also calls for an independent inquiry into the Prevent counter-terrorism strategy; and it demands that media regulators give corrections and retractions equal prominence to original articles that falsely portray Muslims in a negative light.
The domestic and global context for Muslims has shifted dramatically in the past twenty years, the study says.
“After 9/11 and 7/7, Muslims became a greater focus of policymakers in the UK and around the world, but framed largely in terms of terrorism or as a civilisational threat,” it reads.
“This framing of Muslims is, of course, centuries old, but has re-emerged in new and toxic ways since we published our report two decades ago.”
Added to this, Muslims now face what the report calls a “Muslim penalty” of discrimination, unemployment and poverty, with Muslim women faring worse than men.
Research shows that the three groups with the highest rates of unemployment are Black Muslim women, Bangladeshi Muslim women and Pakistani Muslim women respectively. Over half of British Muslims are living in household poverty against a national average of 18 percent.
British Muslims have at the same time undergone a demographic explosion. There are nearly 3 million Muslims today compared with approximately 1.2 to 1.4 million in 1997, with a young median age and a large number born in Britain.
‘Good Muslim bad Muslim’
British Muslim communities have become more organised and an activist community has emerged that is challenging Islamophobia directly, the report says.
Yet twenty years ago, Islamophobia was not as high a priority within activist circles as it is today, according to a chapter by Chris Allen, a sociologist and expert on Islamophobia at Birmingham University.
It was only a few years after the publication of Runnymede’s 1997 report that Muslim civil society groups emerged whose central tenet was to fight Islamophobia, including the Islamic Human Rights Commission and Muslim Public Affairs Committee or MPACUK.
If Muslim civil society groups were to make real progress in addressing the social realities of Islamophobia “then they needed to engage national government, the media and others,” Allen says in the report.
Formal Muslim-government relations were set in motion between the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) and Tony Blair’s Labour government in the late 1990s, but things took a different turn after 9/11 and then the London bombings known as 7/7.
“Not only did the terror attacks result in Muslims and the religion of Islam coming under intense public and political scrutiny, but it significantly shifted the focus of formal Muslim–government relations,” Allen adds.
“New Labour’s thinking about Muslims and Islam became almost wholly framed by matters of security, counterterror and extremism.”
Allen writes that with the government now “distinguishing ‘good’ from ‘bad’ Muslim,” relations with the MCB broke down, politically correct partners with anti-extremist credentials were brought in, and Islamophobia was relegated to the sidelines.
Allen who resigned from a key government working group tasked with tackling Islamophobia in 2014 because of its inaction, claims that the government criteria over who it worked with rendered “Muslim civic society largely impotent”.
Elahi, the research analyst, sees the current government’s focus on hate crime as an opportunity for Islamophobia to be also be addressed, but that ultimately all sections of society will need to play a part.
“What we want to do with the report is to widen the debate so that the government’s integration strategy should be focused on eradicating inequalities, whether that’s racial inequalities or inequalities faced by religious minority groups,” Elahi said.
“The name of our report is A Challenge for us All, so I think it’s important for all of us whether it’s government, civil society in particular, race equality organisations, the NHS, other public sector organisations, employers – there is an onus on everyone to stand up and challenge discrimination and racism in all its forms.””
Russia, U.S. stalemate over Syria chemical weapons inquiry (reuters, Nov 14, 2017)
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-chemicalweapons/russia-u-s-stalemate-over-syria-chemical-weapons-inquiry-idUSKBN1DE07Z
India’s RAW is aiming to undermine CPEC: CJCSC (tribune, Nov 14, 2017)
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1557930/1-indias-raw-aiming-undermine-cpec-cjcsc/
“Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Zubair Mehmood Hayat has said that India is aiming to sabotage the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project through its premier intelligence agency RAW.
“RAW has established a special cell at a cost of $500 million to sabotage the CPEC,” the CJCSC said while addressing a two-day conference in Islamabad. “India is stoking chaos and anarchy in the region.”…”
GET `EM NIGEL!!!!
George Soros has spent billions in the EU to undermine the nation state. This is where the real international political collusion is. Nigel Farage asks for a special counsel to investigate “collusion” by members of the European parliament with Soros´ Foundation Open Society.
“I just wonder… when we are talking about off-shore money, when we are talking about political subversion, when we are talking about collusion, I wonder whether we´re looking in the WRONG place!”
Nigel Farage calls on EU to investigate George Soros funding, collusion (RT, Nov 14, 2017)
https://www.rt.com/uk/409818-farage-soros-funding-europe/
“Nigel Farage says while Russia is accused of funding Britain’s ‘Leave’ campaign, financier George Soros’ recent $18 billion donation to pro-EU charity Open Society has escaped scrutiny. “This is where the real international political collusion is,” Farage says.
Speaking to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday, Farage told fellow MEPs he believes that when it comes to international collusion, “we are looking in the wrong place.” He says Soros’ influence in Brussels is “truly extraordinary,” adding: “I fear we could be looking at the biggest level of international, political collusion in history.”
Farage, the leader of the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy Group, believes Soros has spent billions in the EU to undermine the nation state. “When we are talking about offshore money, when we are talking about political subversion, when we are talking about collusion, I wonder if we are looking in the wrong place.
“And I say that because George Soros recently gave Open Society, which of course campaigns for freedom of movement of people and supranational structures like the European Union, $18 billion. And his influence here and in Brussels is truly extraordinary.”…”
Farage: Soros and EU Allies Engaged in ‘The Biggest Level of International Political Collusion in History’ (breitbart, Nov 14, 2017)
http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/11/14/farage-soros-allies-international-political-collusion-history/
http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/11/13/germany-is-a-coal-burning-gas-guzzling-climate-change-hypocrite/?utm_content=bufferd1819&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Doctors Without Beards: Danish Party Steps Out Against ‘Concessions to Islam’ (sputniknews, Nov 14, 2017)
https://sputniknews.com/viral/201711141059084057-denmark-doctors-beards/
“In the weeks before the upcoming regional and municipal election in Denmark, the parties involved have stepped up their rhetoric in a bid to gain more votes. The right-wing Danish People’s Party gained media attention with its proposals to prohibit doctors from wearing ‘Islamic’ beards and to ban foreigners from local elections altogether.
Cut the beard, if you want to work in a hospital — the Danish People’s Party (DF) said in connection with the upcoming local elections on November 21.
This bizarre proposal came from Henrik Thorup, senior party member, top DF candidate in the Copenhagen region and vice chairman of the parliamentary audit service, and was backed by the party leadership. By Thorup’s own admission, a ban should put an end to “concessions for Muslim traditions.”
“When you have a beard this size, you are likely to have a certain religion I don’t really care about,” said Henrik Thorup, explaining his motive behind the ban to Berlingske daily. “You’re making a statement: I am a Muslim. No Danish man, if they were a doctor, would walk around with such a beard,” Thorup expanded…”
Migrant Boys Replacing Girls as Prostitutes in Gender-Equal Sweden (sputniknews, Nov 14, 2017)
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201711141059075174-sweden-prostitution-migrants/
“The phenomenon of male prostitution is gaining momentum in Sweden, which, ironically, is known as a champion of equality. Migrant boys at risk of deportation are believed to be particularly overrepresented in this area.
Swedish and international research indicates that young boys are overrepresented in the sale of sexual services in Scandinavia’s most populous country, Suzann Larsdotter, sexologist at the Swedish Federation of Sexual Enlightenment (RFSU) told Swedish national broadcaster SVT.
“Prostitution is an important symbolic issue for gender equality, as it is often assumed that men are perpetrators and women are victims. Men and boys selling sex are interpreted in relation to their sexuality, while girls and women are always seen as victims,” Larsdotter said.
Immigrant boys are particularly vulnerable, Larsdotter pointed out, stressing a lack of concrete knowledge regarding the sensitive topic of prostitutes’ backgrounds.
“More research is needed concerning young transgender, young gays and migrants, especially migrants,” Larsdotter argued.
According to Larsdotter, there are many misconceptions about men selling sex. For instance, the public tends regards male prostitutes as indiscriminately gay and fails to see their vulnerability.
“Homosexuals are often seen as promiscuous and sometimes I hear comments like ‘it’s not too bad if they get a little reward for sex, which they love so much,'” Larsdotter argued.
Anna Lagerdahl, a police officer who has extensive experience fighting human trafficking and prostitution, said she has almost exclusively dealt with girls selling sex in the street, yet argued that the police aren’t as effective at getting in touch with boys and men. One of the reasons is the surrounding secrecy, as most sex-related transactions involving males are made via closed online forums, as opposed to “traditional” prostitution.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of so-called “underage refugees” currently at risk of deportation have been pointed out as “raw material” for a new shadow community as they may choose to go underground after their asylum applications are ultimately rejected. Many of them have either reached the age of 18 or have been found to have lied about their age upon arrival in Sweden…”
Missouri Attorney General Launches Probe Into Google’s Business Practices
Investigation includes whether Google unfairly favors its content in search results
Missouri Attorney General Launches Probe Into Google’s Business Practices
Investigation includes whether Google unfairly favors its content in search results
Missouri AG Josh Hawley launches investigation of Google
Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley’s office on Monday issued a subpoena to Google as part of an investigation into whether the tech giant is violating Missouri’s consumer protection and anti-trust laws.
The investigation delves into Google’s collection of data on users and whether Google, the world’s most popular search engine, has manipulated search results at the expense of competitors, according to a release from Hawley’s office.
“When a company has access to as much consumer information as Google does, it’s my duty to ensure they are using it appropriately,” said Hawley, a Republican who is mounting a campaign for U.S. Senate. “I will not let Missouri consumers and businesses be exploited by industry giants.”
Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article184113056.html#storylink=cpy
http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article184113056.html
FBI seeks Senate documents, signaling possible probe into sale of fetal tissue
The FBI has asked the Senate for unredacted documents it obtained from abortion providers, signaling agents may be investigating whether Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers illegally sold fetal tissue and body parts, according to sources familiar with the document request.
The request was made in recent days, the sources said, to the Senate Judiciary Committee, whose chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), last December referred Planned Parenthood and several other abortion providers to the FBI for investigation after a lengthy probe into the transfers of fetal tissue.
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/360154-fbi-seeks-senate-documents-signaling-possible-probe-into-sale-of-fetal-tissue
Brain implant boosts human memory by mimicking how we learn
A “memory prosthesis” brain implant has enhanced human memory for the first time. The device is comprised of electrodes implanted in the brain, and is designed to mimic the way we naturally process memories, and can boost performance on memory tests by up to 30 per cent. A similar approach may work for enhancing other brain skills, such as vision or movement, says the team behind the work.
“We are writing the neural code to enhance memory function,” says Dong Song of the University of Southern California, who presented the findings at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Washington DC over the weekend. “This has never been done before.”
The team’s implant gives small electric shocks to the hippocampus, a brain region vital for learning and memory. By releasing bursts of electricity in a pattern that mimics normal, healthy brain activity patterns, it is hoped that the device will help with disorders involving memory problems, such as dementia, and even be adapted for other brain areas, to boost other types of brain function.
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2153034-brain-implant-boosts-human-memory-by-mimicking-how-we-learn/
Science Fiction No More: Cloning Now An Option For Pet Owners
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – More than 20 years ago, in July 1996, Dolly the sheep was born at a research facility in Scotland. While scientists worked to clone animals for decades, Dolly was the first mammal cloned from a single, adult cell.
The news was so big Dolly was on the cover of Time magazine. Yet six-and-a-half years later, skeptics scoffed when Dolly had to be put down after she developed a lung infection. Many wondered if her early death was a result of being a cloned animal and added to the assumption that cloning animals was nothing more than a passing fancy.
http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2017/11/13/texas-company-cloning-pets/
Sessions considering second special counsel to investigate Republican concerns, letter shows
Attorney General Jeff Sessions is entertaining the idea of appointing a second special counsel to investigate a host of Republican concerns — including alleged wrongdoing by the Clinton Foundation and the controversial sale of a uranium company to Russia — and has directed senior federal prosecutors to explore at least some of the matters and report back to him and his top deputy, according to a letter obtained by The Washington Post.
The revelation came in a response by the Justice Department to an inquiry from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), who in July and again in September called for Sessions to appoint a second special counsel to investigate concerns he had related to the 2016 election and its aftermath.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/sessions-considering-second-special-counsel-to-investigate-republican-concerns-letter-shows/2017/11/13/bc92ef3c-c8d2-11e7-b0cf-7689a9f2d84e_story.html?utm_term=.5b1c838a9899
……would not appoint a special counsel.
Trey Gowdy told Sessions Congress will investigate the Department of Justice.
Rep. Trey Gowdy: I get, I guess, that certain departments are inherently political. But the Department of Justice should not be. I tell you that up front that Chairman Goodlatte and I are going to be looking into the decisions made in 2016 and 2017. And I think I can speak for him and I know I can speak for myself my motivation is a love for that department.
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2017/11/rep-trey-gowdy-ag-jeff-sessions-congress-will-investigate-politicized-doj-video/
Bill Clinton: A Reckoning
Feminists saved the 42nd president of the United States in the 1990s. They were on the wrong side of history; is it finally time to make things right?
The most remarkable thing about the current tide of sexual assault and harassment accusations is not their number. If every woman in America started talking about the things that happen during the course of an ordinary female life, it would never end. Nor is it the power of the men involved; history instructs us that for countless men, the ability to possess women sexually is not a spoil of power; it’s the point of power. What’s remarkable is that these women are being believed.
https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2017/11/reckoning-with-bill-clintons-sex-crimes/545729/
People for sale
Where lives are auctioned for $400
Tripoli, Libya (CNN) — “Eight hundred,” says the auctioneer. “900 … 1,000 … 1,100 …” Sold. For 1,200 Libyan dinars — the equivalent of $800.
Not a used car, a piece of land, or an item of furniture. Not “merchandise” at all, but two human beings.
One of the unidentified men being sold in the grainy cell phone video obtained by CNN is Nigerian. He appears to be in his twenties and is wearing a pale shirt and sweatpants.
He has been offered up for sale as one of a group of “big strong boys for farm work,” according to the auctioneer, who remains off camera. Only his hand — resting proprietorially on the man’s shoulder — is visible in the brief clip.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/14/africa/libya-migrant-auctions/index.html
Venezuela just defaulted, moving deeper into crisis
Venezuela, a nation spiraling into a humanitarian crisis, has missed a debt payment. It could soon face grim consequences.
The South American country defaulted on its debt, according to a statement issued Monday night by S&P Global Ratings. The agency said the 30-day grace period had expired for a payment that was due in October.
A debt default risks setting off a dangerous series of events that could exacerbate Venezuela’s food and medical shortages.
http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/14/news/economy/venezuela-debt-default-sp/index.html
OAN: Judge Roy Moore Deserves Due Process, Stand With Hannity as Left-Wing Media Campaigns Against
November 13, 2017
OAN Newsroom
A left-wing activist group is exploiting allegations against Judge Roy Moore to further their agenda to tear down Sean Hannity.
The president of Media Matters — Angelo Carusone — urged several sponsors to pull their ads from Hannity over the weekend as part of a months-long campaign to silence the Conservative host.
The group accused Hannity of defending sexual predators in his coverage of Moore.
Back in August, Media Matters launched a “Stop Sean Hannity” campaign in an effort to remove the Fox News host.
However, OAN believes in due process and upholding the law “innocent until proven guilty.”
http://www.oann.com/oan-judge-roy-moore-deserves-due-process-stand-with-hannity-as-left-wing-media-campaigns-against-him/
video at site
Saudi-led coalition bombs airport runway in Yemen’s capital (abcnews,Nov 14, 2017)
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/saudi-led-coalition-bombs-airport-runway-yemens-capital-51135927
“The Saudi-led military coalition fighting Yemen’s Shiite rebels bombed the airport in the rebel-held capital, Sanaa, on Tuesday, Yemeni officials said, though there were conflicting reports as to the extension of damage caused in the strike.
The United Nations said most of the airport remained intact and that it would be able to receive aid shipments once they restart — after the coalition loosens the blockade of the war-torn country as it had announced.
But Yemeni officials in Sanaa, which is held by the rebels known as Houthis, said the airports runway and a ground navigation tower were damaged. Repair crews were already at work, they added, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to talk to reporters…”
The Latest: Syria calls on US to withdraw its troops (abcnews, Nov 14, 2017)
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/latest-syria-calls-us-withdraw-troops-51137232
“Syria has called on the United States to withdraw its forces from the country now that the fight against the Islamic State group is nearly over.
The Foreign Ministry statement, carried by state-run media Tuesday, says the presence of the troops will not force a political solution to the conflict.
The comments came a day after U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said “we are not going to just walk away right now” before the U.N-backed political process yields results.
U.S troops and advisers are supporting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in their fight against Islamic State militants in northern and eastern Syria. Kurdish officials want the U.S. troops to remain in the country to help prevent clashes with pro-government forces, which are also battling IS…”
This “foreign forces” is a cute twist. Just exactly who’s ‘foreign’ in these slap-dash mashes of clans dubbed “nations”?
Who benefits from the Russia-US-Jordan ceasefire deal in Syria?
[…] “In 2015, Syrian Pres. Bashar Assad told al-Manar, the Hezbollah channel, that the presence of its non-Syrian fighters was not a justification for foreign fighters joining the Syrian rebels. “There is a big difference. The Syrian state requested the assistance of Hezbollah. It was a request by the Syrian state, which is a legitimate state, in order to help defend the Syrian people.”
…And it is not clear what is meant by the term “foreign fighters.”
Vague terminology and talk about “peace” and “free and fair elections” have been part of the nomenclature employed regarding the Syrian civil war since the 2015 UN Resolution 2254 and via the Geneva process. The myth of “free and fair elections” is similar to the promises that “foreign” fighters will leave Syria. It is predicated on the idea that “foreign” relates to Iran or Hezbollah.
Iran will argue that Shi’a fighters in Syria are not “foreign.” [Even though Paki and Afghan mercs fill the boots on the ground.] Evidence also shows that Iran is building more and more bases in Syria. It is likely not a coincidence that the BBC released information on an Iranian military base at al-Kiswah based on a “Western intelligence source” on Nov. 10, a day before the US and Russia issued the Danang statement.
[…]
“Foreign” means everything but Iran and Hezbollah. Israel wants “foreign” forces to include Hezbollah and Iran.
The US has bought into the vague language as well because the US is not yet serious about removing Iranian-backed forces from Syria. This is because it has not acted against Iranian-backed Shi’a militias in Iraq that have been officially incorporated into Iraqi security forces since 2016. If the US was concerned about “foreign” forces, then it would have done more about them in Iraq.
Israel is in a bind. Jerusalem wants to rely on Moscow, Washington and Amman in relation to standing by a cease fire in southwest Syria. But Israel particularly wants Russia’s cooperation, because Russia is a close ally of Damascus.
Russia’s interest is the stability and perpetuation of the Syrian regime. Iran’s interests in Syria differ from Moscow’s.
To the degree that Israel has a way to guarantee keeping Iran and Hezbollah away from the Golan, it can set red lines relating to their presence. It has done this through its air strikes that have targeted weapons transfers to Hezbollah. It can also encourage Moscow to see that this presence is not in Russia’s or the regime’s long-term interests.
There is evidence Assad does not want to be too beholden to Iran. Ambiguity in the cease-fire deal will benefit Iran. Time will tell if the “foreign” forces actually do begin to withdraw from Syria.
http://www.jpost.com/international/who-benefits-from-the-russia-us-jordan-ceasefire-deal-in-syria-514169
Cement company in France searched amid Syria investigation (abcnews, Nov 14, 2017)
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/cement-company-france-searched-amid-syria-investigation-51136606
“French investigators are searching the French offices of LafargeHolcim, the world’s largest cement maker, as part of an investigation into the group’s deals with armed groups in Syria.
The Swiss-French cement maker confirmed Tuesday’s search at its Paris offices. The company has acknowledged funneling money to Syrian armed organizations in 2013 and 2014 — allegedly including the Islamic State group — to guarantee safe passage for employees and supply its multimillion-dollar plant there. Then as now, there were international sanctions against the Islamic State group and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, which are U.N.-designated terror groups.
The CEO resigned in April after the company acknowledged dealings with unspecified “sanctioned” groups.
After pulling out international staff in 2012, the plant was fully evacuated and stopped operating in September 2014.”
India calls for joint action in addressing violent extremism (abcnews, Nov 14, 2017)
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/myanmar-assures-asean-nations-attending-rohingya-51112193
“Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for joint action with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations against terrorism and violent extremism.
Modi also called in a speech Tuesday at the ASEAN-India leaders’ summit for closer cooperation in boosting trade.
He said each country has had to fight individually against terrorism and extremism, and it is now time to jointly address such challenges and find a combined solution.
Modi said he looks forward to receiving ASEAN leaders at the India-ASEAN special commemorative summit next Jan. 25 in New Delhi marking 25 years of dialogue partnership.
This year, India and ASEAN celebrate 25 years of dialogue partnership, 15 years of summit-level ties and five years of strategic partnership.”
UN rights chief: EU policy on migrants in Libya ‘inhuman’ (abcnews, Nov 14, 2017)
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/rights-chief-eu-policy-migrants-libya-inhuman-51135294
“The U.N. human rights chief says the European Union policy of helping Libyan authorities intercept migrants on the Mediterranean and return them to Libya is “inhuman.”
Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein decried “unimaginable horrors” faced by 19,900 migrants now detained in the North African country, more than 2? times the number in mid-September.
He appealed Tuesday to the international community to face up to the “unimaginable horrors” the detained migrants are facing.
U.N. rights monitors this month visited four facilities in Tripoli operated by Libya’s Department of Combatting Illegal Migration.
Zeid, a Jordanian prince, said the monitors were shocked at the sight of “thousands of emaciated and traumatized men, women and children piled on top of each other, locked up in hangars with no access to the most basic necessities.””
Turkish Cypriots split over Islam’s rise in northern Cyprus (abcnews, Nov 14, 2017)
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/turkish-cypriots-split-islams-rise-northern-cyprus-51134954
“At over 60 meters (200 feet) high, the four black-coned minarets of the nearly completed Hala Sultan mosque tower over the plain of Mesaoria in the northern, Turkish Cypriot part of ethnically divided Cyprus.
The imposing, Turkish-funded structure that’s believed to be the largest mosque on the east Mediterranean island will hold as many as 3,000 worshippers beneath its massive domes. It’s named after Umm Haram, who legend says was a relative of the Prophet Muhammad and who died in Cyprus after falling off her mule during a 7th-century Muslim military campaign.
But the construction of the huge mosque has become emblematic of fears held by some Turkish Cypriots that a resurgence of the Islamic faith is a direct assault on their long-held secular way of life, and a means by which Turkey can further expand and entrench its control over all facets of their 270,000-strong community.
Religious leaders and education authorities in the north counter such talk as baseless fear-mongering among a radically secular few. They insist what’s happening is the restoration of Islam at the core of Turkish Cypriots’ collective identity, as it was for centuries.
Leftist Turkish Cypriots have long bemoaned Turkey’s high-handed ways with Turkish Cypriots, especially after the island was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded in the wake of a coup by supporters of union with Greece. But the issue has again come to the fore after a promising round of talks with the majority Greek Cypriots to reach a reunification deal failed in the summer.
Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence. It keeps more than 35,000 troops in the north.
Apart from projecting the image as the protector of Turkish-speaking peoples, Turkey feels that it’s earned the right to play an outsized role in Turkish Cypriot affairs because it bankrolls the north to the tune of over €250 million euros ($290 million) annually.
“Turkey follows the policy of ‘I finance, you obey,'” says Cemal Ozyigit, the leader of the small, left-wing Communal Democracy Party.
Ozyigit and Sener Elcil, the head of the 1,600-strong primary school teachers’ union KTOS, have been among the most vocal critics of Turkey’s pervasive and expanding influence in the north.
Both men say that in the past, hard nationalism and militarism were the traditional mechanisms of control. Now, they’ve been augmented with religion.
“With the religious, Islamic government in Turkey, the Islamic identity of Turkish Cypriots has been questioned for the last decade or more,” says Ozyigit. “‘Are they Muslim enough? They don’t practice, they don’t fast.’ And now they’re trying to push this change on us.”
Elcil says that Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is using Islam to consolidate his political control over the north, as he has done in his own country over 14 years of rule. He says as many as 400 Imams have been dispatched “acting like missionaries” to service mosques and give lessons on the teachings of the Quran, Islam’s holy book.
“We’re in danger now as a community because we’re under bombardment of (the) Sunni faith,” Elcil says, adding that Imams are directing their messages to young people and especially children of mainland Turks who settled in the north…”
How come no mass protests against the Occupation in Cyprus?
Police stop 2 trucks with 78 migrants in Slovakia (abcnews, Nov 14, 2017)
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/police-stop-trucks-78-migrants-slovakia-51134746
“Slovak police say they have detained 78 migrants from Iraq, Iran and Syria traveling through Slovakia to Germany in two trucks.
Spokeswoman Denisa Baloghova say the officers stopped the trucks, which had Turkish drivers, shortly after midnight on Tuesday in the western city of Zilina.
Police say the migrants, including women and children, boarded the trucks in Romania and paid about 500 euros ($600) each.
Police are investigating the case.
Slovakia has rarely been used by migrants trying to get to Western Europe.”
Failed Asylum Seeker Causes Airport Chaos, Flights Grounded (breitbart, Nov 14, 2017)
http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/11/14/failed-asylum-seeker-causes-airport-chaos/
“A failed asylum seeker set to be deported caused chaos at Hamburg airport after he ran from authorities, delaying or grounding many flights in the process as they thought he had escaped onto the runway.
A total of eight flights were cancelled and a further 12 more were delayed Thursday evening at Hamburg airport after the 24-year-old Albanian failed asylum seeker was thought to have run onto the runway.
The Albanian worked with a 24-year-old Algerian who authorities say later admitted to helping him get over the fence at the deportation facility which is located next to the airport, Thüringen 24 reports.
A spokesman for the Interior Office said there was evidence that the failed asylum seeker had prepared his escape long in advance saying that he had made his bed look like he was still sleeping in it…”
UK Police: Media Must ‘Rein Back’ Islamic State Terror Coverage (breitbart, Nov 14, 2017)
http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/11/14/uk-police-media-rein-back-islamic-state-terror-coverage/
“The media must avoid some reporting on Islamist extremists as they could be helping to spread their ideology, the UK’s most senior terrorism police officer has claimed…”
Sessions Orders Evaluation of Uranium One, Prosecutors to Also Look into Clinton Foundation & Comey
Attorney General Jeff Sessions is paving the way for a possible special counsel to investigate Uranium One and Hillary Clinton.
In a letter Monday, the attorney general directed senior federal prosecutors to look into the sale of Uranium One, unlawful dealings of the Clinton Foundation, and James Comey’s handling of the Clinton email probe and dossier.
The announcement comes after Representatives Jim Jordan and Matt Gaetz delivered an ultimatum to the attorney general, telling him to launch an investigation or resign so they can appoint someone who will.
House Republicans say the former FBI director’s decision to draft an ‘exoneration letter’ of Clinton before the end of the investigation was troubling, and the handling of the dossier gives them reason to be concerned.
“There’s all those issues not to mention what we’ve learned over the past few weeks about Fusion GPS, about Uranium One… all this calls out for a special counsel, all we’re asking Mr. Sessions… a good guy and a guy I like… all we’re asking is appoint a special counsel so the American people can get an answer,” Representative Jordan stated.
Gaetz and Jordan add to the list of those calling for a special counsel, including Virginia Representative Bob Goodlatte and Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley.
The letter from the Justice Department comes in response to two separate requests from House members, including Judiciary Committee Chair Goodlatte and other committee members.
Sessions is set to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
http://www.oann.com/sessions-orders-evaluation-of-uranium-one-prosecutors-to-also-look-into-clinton-foundation-comey/
Richard: He is testifying as I set here typing.
Japan’s PM says North Korea still developing missiles despite launch pause
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday said an almost two-month pause in North Korean missile tests was no indication that it had halted its weapons development, insisting it was too early for any talks with the regime.
“I believe that it continues to develop its weapons,” Abe told a news conference in Manila after a series of meetings with other Asian leaders at a gathering of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and East Asia Forum.
“There is no point for talks for the sake of talks,” he said.
Abe’s insistence that tough sanctions, including restrictions on oil sales, are necessary to soften up the North Korean regime over the coming winter could put him at loggerheads with other countries such as South Korea that might agree to open talks if approached by the North.
http://www.oann.com/japans-pm-says-north-korea-still-developing-missiles-despite-launch-pause/
North Korea nuclear arsenal too developed to destroy quickly, says Moon
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Tuesday it would not be easy for reclusive North Korea to destroy its nuclear arsenal quickly, even if wanted to, given its weapons programs were so developed.
North Korea is under heavy international pressure to end its weapons programs, pursued in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions. But it has vowed never to give up its nuclear arsenal.
Speaking to reporters in the Philippines, Moon said that if North Korea agreed to hold talks, negotiations could be held with all options open.
“If talks begin to resolve the North Korea nuclear issue, I feel it will be realistically difficult for North Korea to completely destroy its nuclear capabilities when their nuclear and missile arsenal are at a developed stage,” Moon said in a briefing.
http://www.oann.com/south-koreas-moon-says-unlikely-for-north-korea-to-completely-denuclearize-in-a-short-time/
Richard: I predict that the hotel will lose money from the beginning.
Libs unveil plans for anti-Trump hotel in the heart of D.C.
By LU Staff November 14, 2017
Two can play the same game. So real estate mogul turned President Donald Trump opens a fancy-schmancy hotel in Washington. Who’s to say liberals can’t open their own hotel? Granted, the “Eaton Workshop,” as the new venture is curiously known, won’t be the last word in comfort, but it will be dedicated to criticizing the president and questioning how he became the nation’s leader.
The hotel, which is planned to open next spring, will display constant footage from the 2016 presidential elections in the lobby, meant to ask the question “How did we get here?” according to Bloomberg Pursuits. “It’s the world’s first politically motivated hotel, the flagship for a global brand that’s built around social activism and community engagement,” Bloomberg L.P. reports.
According to the hotel’s website:
https://libertyunyielding.com/2017/11/14/libs-unveil-plans-anti-trump-hotel-heart-d-c/
Tweet of the Day: Chelsea Handler’s two cents on Roy Moore; Juanita Broaddrick’s reply
By Ben Bowles November 14, 2017
There has been a fair amount of back-and-forth since Twitter increased its character limit to 280 last Tuesdays. Some users have grumble that brevity is the soul of wit, and if you can’t say what you have to in 140 characters, then what you have to say isn’t worth reading.
Others have welcomed the additional breathing room, especially after Twitter Product Manager Aliza Rosen noted in a blog post that “9% of Tweets in English hit the character limit,” which “reflects the challenge of fitting a thought into a Tweet, often resulting in lots of time spent editing and even at times abandoning Tweets before sending.”
Whichever side of the divide you find yourself on, you’ll be glad that the social media giant upped the ante when you read a pair of posts tweeted on Sunday. The first is by TV celebrity Chelsea Handler, and it addresses the sex scandal surrounding Alabama Republican Senate hopeful Roy Moore.
The second tweet is by Juanita Broaddrick, who was embroiled some years ago in her own sex scandal.
Chelsea Handler
?
@chelseahandler
Imagine being molested by an older man. Then that man denies ever doing it and then goes on and gets elected to United States senate. What kind of message does that send to young girls everywhere? And men to all the men who abuse women?
5:03 PM – Nov 12, 2017
Juanita Broaddrick @atensnut
Yeah, @chelseahandler I can imagine. I was raped by the Arkansas AG who then becomes Governor & President and NBC held my interview explaining the rape until after his impeachment hearing. But I’m sure you don’t want to go there. https://twitter.com/chelseahandler/status/929847041664024576 …
8:32 PM – Nov 12, 2017 · Arkansas, USA
2,796 2,796 Replies
27,462 27,462 Retweets
53,715
https://libertyunyielding.com/2017/11/14/tweet-day-chelsea-handler-offers-two-cents-roy-moore-juanita-broaddrick-replies/
College socialists claim food drives are evil (unless they are sponsored by college socialists)
By Howard Portnoy November 14, 2017
If you’re in college, be careful about reaching a hand across the ideological divide. You’re liable to have it bitten off.
That’s what happened, figuratively speaking, to members of of the Kent State University chapters of Turning Point USA and Young Americans for Liberty last Friday.
The two student groups — one conservative, the other libertarian — issued a friendly challenge on Twitter to their peers at two student socialist organizations, the Kent State Socialist Collective and Kent State Young Democratic Socialists (YDSA), to take part in competitive canned food drive to jointly “do something good for the community.”
https://libertyunyielding.com/2017/11/14/college-socialists-claim-food-drives-evil-unless-sponsored-college-socialists/
Prince Charles says the darnedest things
By Jeff Dunetz November 14, 2017
The Daily Mail published a 1986 letter from Prince Charles to an American friend, in which he urged the US to “take on the Jewish lobby” – and blamed “the influx of foreign Jews” for causing unrest in the Middle East. More shocking than the letter itself was the surprise of the British public and Israel supporters across the world, as Charles has never shown an affinity for the Jewish state.
The Prince wrote the letter to Laurens van der Post on the way home from an official trip to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar, with his then-wife Princess Diana. The letter was not “leaked,” but it was found in a public archive, and says in part:
https://libertyunyielding.com/2017/11/14/prince-charles-says-darnedest-things/
A dozen times good guys with guns stopped mass killings
By LU Staff November 13, 2017
[Properly speaking, Willeford and Langendorff didn’t stop the mass killing in the Sutherland Springs church. But they did prevent the killer, who was still heavily armed, from doing any further harm. – J.E.]
A man armed with a rifle walked into the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas, Nov. 5 and killed 26 congregants, fleeing in an SUV after exchanging shots with a church neighbor.
The neighbor, retired NRA instructor Stephen Willeford, and Johnnie Langendorff have been named heroes after the tragedy. Willeford shot the gunman and caused him to flee, while Langendorff drove his truck about 95 miles per hour in a high-speed chase to catch the killer.
In honor of the Texas heroes and the 2nd amendment that secures the right for good people to carry guns, The Daily Caller News Foundation has compiled a list of a 11 other times in the past decade where a tragedy was cut short or wholly averted because of good people with guns.
Some of the following were originally gathered by Eugene Volokh for his column in The Washington Post:
https://libertyunyielding.com/2017/11/13/dozen-times-good-guys-guns-stopped-mass-killings/
Russia: FSB detain 69 members of outlawed Tablighi Jamaat group
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) detained 69 members of an outlawed ‘extremist’ organisation in Moscow on Tuesday.
Authorities said that the suspects were members of Tablighi Jamaat, a Sunni Muslim missionary movement banned in Russia.
Good background on Tablighi Jamaat from 2005:
Tablighi Jamaat: Jihad’s Stealthy Legions
http://www.meforum.org/686/tablighi-jamaat-jihads-stealthy-legions
11 cities now providing free legal help to illegal immigrants
PAKISTAN – Pak boy arrested on charges of sexually assaulting hen
LAHORE: In a bizarre case, a 14-year-old boy has been arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a hen in Pakistan’s Punjab province of Pakistan, a media report said today.
Mansab Ali, a resident of Jalapur Bhatian police station Hafizabad, some 200km from Lahore, told police that his neighbour Ansar Hussain “abducted” his hen on November 11 and “raped” it.
“The hen died while being sexually assaulted by Hussain. Two persons — Nasrullah and Tufail – witnessed this act,” an FIR quoted the complainant as saying.
Station House Officer Sarfraz Anjum told The Express Tribune that the suspect had been arrested after a medical examination of the hen confirming the sexual assault.
“Hussain has also confessed to his crime. The boy said he did it out of sexual frustration,” he said.
The reports of swabs collected from the hen were still awaited.
The suspect has been booked, the police said.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/mad-mad-world/pak-boy-arrested-on-charges-of-sexually-assaulting-hen/articleshow/61642439.cms
EU bank unveils plans allowing lender to KEEP customers’ cash in future crisis (express, Nov 14, 2017)
http://www.express.co.uk/finance/city/879529/ECB-Mario-Draghi-banks-financial-crisis-Monte-Dei-Paschi-di-Siena-EU-Bank-of-England
zero hedge – Bombshell Report Confirms US Coalition Struck A Deal With ISIS
At a moment of widespread acknowledgement that the short-lived Islamic State is no longer a reality, and as ISIS is about to be defeated by the Syrian Army in its last urban holdout of Abu Kamal City in eastern Syria, the US is signalling an open-ended military presence in Syria. On Monday Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon that the US is preparing for a long term military commitment in Syria to fight ISIS “as long as they want to fight.”
[…]Meanwhile Turkey once again reiterated that the US has 13 bases in Syria, though the US-backed Syrian YPG has previously indicated seven US military bases in northern Syria. The Pentagon, however, would not confirm base locations or numbers – though only a year-and-a-half ago the American public was being assured that there would be “no boots on the ground” due to mission creep in Syria.
[…]Disillusioned, weary of the constant fighting and fearing for his life, Abu Basir decided to leave for the safety of Idlib. He now lives in the city. He was part of an almost exclusively French group within IS, and before he left some of his fellow fighters were given a new mission.
“There are some French brothers from our group who left for France to carry out attacks in what would be called a ‘day of reckoning.’”
Much is hidden beneath the rubble of Raqqa and the lies around this deal might easily have stayed buried there too. The numbers leaving were much higher than local tribal elders admitted. At first the coalition refused to admit the extent of the deal.[…]
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-14/bombshell-report-confirms-us-coalition-struck-deal-isis
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BBC – Fall of Raqqa: The secret deal –