Reader’s links on January 19, 2018

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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

144 Replies to “Reader’s links on January 19, 2018”

  1. Comey to teach ethical leadership course at College of William & Mary

    Former FBI Director James Comey is joining the faculty at his alma mater, the College of William & Mary, and will teach a course on ethical leadership starting this fall, the school announced Friday morning.

    “I am thrilled to have the chance to engage with William & Mary students about a vital topic — ethical leadership,” Comey said in a statement. “Ethical leaders lead by seeing above the short term, above the urgent or the partisan, and with a higher loyalty to lasting values, most importantly to the truth.”

    “Building and maintaining that kind of leadership, in both the private sector and government, is the challenge of our time,” Comey said. “There is no better place to teach and learn about it than the W&M Washington Program.”

    Comey was dismissed from his role at the FBI in May 2017, at the start of an investigation into the possible collusion between the Trump administration and Russia to interfere with the 2016 presidential election. The Russia probe is now spearheaded by special counsel Robert Mueller.

    “Jim Comey is among William & Mary’s most distinguished alumni,” William & Mary President Taylor Reveley said. “Over the years, he has been deeply committed to his alma mater. He understands to the core of his being that our leaders must have an abiding commitment to ethical behavior and sacrificial service if we are to have good government.”

    “Our students will benefit significantly from his experience and wisdom,” Reveley added.

    Comey’s course will be offered through the William & Mary Washington Center, primarily at the school’s D.C. location, in the fall 2018, spring 2019 and summer 2019 semesters. Priority enrollment will be made available to undergraduates in the William & Mary Washington Center’s program, graduate students — especially those in the Educational Policy, Planning and Leadership program — and undergraduates minoring in educational studies.

    The course will be co-taught by Drew Stelljes, executive assistant professor of education and assistant vice president for student leadership.

    https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/19/james-comey-william-and-mary-349309

  2. Subway drivers are refusing to stop at some stations in Paris because of a surge in violent crime at some stops, it has emerged.

    Frightened drivers say they are not calling at certain stations in the French capital’s northeast in order to ‘protect passengers’ and themselves.

    Some stations are increasingly being used by crack dealers, they say, with Marx Dormoy on line 12 and Marcadet-Poissonniers on lines 12 and 4 said to be among the worst hit.

    https://www.anonymousconservative.com/blog/subway-drivers-passing-violent-stations-in-france/

  3. A 15-year-old gained access to plans for intelligence operations in Afghanistan and Iran by pretending to be the head of the CIA to gain access to his computers, a court has heard.

    From the bedroom of the Leicestershire home he shared with his mother, Kane Gamble used “social engineering” – where a person builds up a picture of information and uses it manipulate others into handing over more – to access the personal and work accounts of some of America’s most powerful spy chiefs .

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/01/19/british-15-year-old-gained-access-intelligence-operations-afghanistan/

  4. Russian lawyer says the dossier is filled with dirty rumors

    Natalia Veselnitskaya detailed the 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Donald Trump Jr.;

    Catherine Herridge goes in-depth for ‘Special Report.’

  5. WHITES NEED NOT APPLY: BBC Still Advertising Positions Which Exclude White People (breitbart, Jan 19, 2018)
    http://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/01/19/bbc-still-advertising-positions-exclude-white-people/

    “The BBC is still advertising positions open to everyone except white people, despite figures showing Britain’s white working class are now at the bottom of the social ladder.
    “Newsbeat is looking for a Trainee Multi-Media Journalist,” announces a tweet from BBC Newsbeat, which produces news and entertainment content for BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra.

    “This is a @_CreativeAccess scheme for people from a black, Asian or non-white ethnic minority background. Know anyone who’d be suitable? Share this with them!” it concludes, with a link to the advertisement, which is accepting applications until February 4th, 2018.

    The explicitly racial criteria for the position raises potentially uncomfortable questions around who does and does not qualify as “non-white”.

    BBC Newsbeat has yet to respond to questions from Breitbart London regarding whether or not it would consider a fair-skinned ethnically Jewish applicant or an applicant with a non-white grandparent who is mixed race but “white passing” in terms of their outward appearance…”

  6. Hezbollah denies US drug trafficking accusations (abcnews, Jan 19, 2018)
    http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/hezbollah-denies-us-drug-trafficking-accusations-52464754

    “The leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group has categorically dismissed allegations that it is involved in drug trafficking and money laundering.

    Friday’s statements by Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah are in response to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Session’s announcement last week that the Justice Department is forming a team of prosecutors to investigate such activity linked to the Iranian-backed group…”

  7. Tensions soar along Indian, Pakistan frontier in Kashmir (abcnews, Jan 19, 2018)
    http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/tensions-soar-indian-pakistan-frontier-kashmir-52455418

    “Tensions have soared along the volatile frontier between India and Pakistan in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, as rival troops shelled villages and border posts for a third day Friday.

    Three civilians and two soldiers were killed on both sides in the latest clash, officials in the two countries said, as each blamed the other for initiating the violence.

    Indian officials said two civilians, an army soldier and a paramilitary soldier died and at least 24 civilians and two soldiers were injured in Indian-controlled Kashmir. According to Pakistani officials, Indian fire on Friday killed a civilian and wounded nine others in Sialkot in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province.

    An Indian paramilitary officer said soldiers were responding to Pakistani firing and shelling on dozens of border posts and called it an “unprovoked” violation of a 2003 cease-fire accord.

    Angered over the rising violence, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh and condemned what it called “unprovoked cease-fire violations” by India.

    Each country has also accused the other of initiating past border skirmishes and causing civilian and military casualties.

    The fighting is taking place along a somewhat-defined frontier where each country has a separate paramilitary border force guarding the lower-altitude 200-kilometer (125-mile) boundary separating Indian-controlled Kashmir and the Pakistani province of Punjab.

    The contentious frontier also includes a 740-kilometer (460-mile) rugged and mountainous stretch called the Line of Control that is guarded by the armies of India and Pakistan…”

    • The China Uncensored video I posted talks about this. I doubt if they are going to do more then make faces at each other since this would tie down a significant portion of the Chinese Army leaving North Korea open for us to invade.

      While I don’t think China is going to do anything when we do move this seems a little too Machiavellian to be an excuse to let us have North Korea.

  8. European watchdog: More migrants heading to Spain by sea (abcnews, Jan 19, 2018)
    http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/european-watchdog-migrants-heading-spain-sea-52467344

    “Europe’s border watchdog says the number of migrants and asylum-seekers coming across the western Mediterranean Sea to Europe this year is likely to increase, after 2017 closed with more than twice the traffic of the previous year.

    The head of the EU Frontex border agency, Fabrice Leggeri, announced Friday in Madrid that his agency would increase efforts this summer to help Spanish border surveillance. No extra funds have been allocated yet, but Frontex says it will consider diverting funds from operations in Greece or Italy if needed.

    Leggeri said last year efforts to help Spain cost about 7 million euros ($8.6 million). Frontex said 22,880 migrants arrived in Spain last year by sea, up from 10,231 in 2016.

    “The bad news is in the western Mediterranean,” Leggeri told reporters, noting that the number of migrants crossing the central and eastern Mediterranean from North Africa to Europe was higher but was declining. “Spain deserves more solidarity from the European Union.”

    Leggeri also said a system in place in Italy and Greece to register those arriving will also be implemented in Spain. The system makes it easier to identify migrants so they can be repatriated if they are denied residency in Europe. It also allows European law-enforcement authorities to compare criminal records with other countries’ police agencies.

    The International Organization for Migration says 2,583 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea this year through Wednesday, and 199 others died en route.”

    • That gives the US, Putin and China more money, although I pity those who are armed with the Chinese made weapons.

      • Is there something sub-standard with PRC weapons? Just looking at the smallarms reviews on youtube of military-style assault rifles and pistols imported into the USA and Canada, they appear to be perfectly acceptable weapons in terms of reliability, accuracy and life. It is true some commercial products like the Norinco AKs and M-14 clones had no or bad heat treat, but they are civilian products.PRC is producing aircraft carriers, stealth airplanes and at least some their military products are claimed to be produced under ISO qualified facilities.

  9. Algeria drowning in hashish and cocaine, says PM (memo, Jan 19, 2018)
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180119-algeria-drowning-in-hashish-and-cocaine-says-pm/

    “The influx of drugs into Algeria is “an ingratitude for the future of the Maghrebins,” the Algerian Prime Minister, Ahmed Ouyahia, warned yesterday.

    Speaking at the opening session for the National Rally for Democracy (RND), which he heads, Ouyahia said that “drowning Algeria with hashish and cocaine is an attack against the Algerian people and an attempt to poison the Algerian youth as well as Algeria’s development”.

    Although Ouyahia did not accuse a specific country, local media sources reported that he meant to hold Morocco responsible for “laundering drug money via its banks in the African continent”….”

  10. Eastern authority condemns Italy decision to increase troops in Libya (memo, Jan 19, 2018)
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180119-eastern-authority-condemns-italy-decision-to-increase-troops-in-libya/

    “The eastern based government in Libya has condemned Italy’s decision to send more troops to Libya as a clear violation of Libya’s sovereignty.

    The Tobruk based House of Representatives (HoR), which rivals the internationally-recognised Government of National Accord based in the capital Tripoli, released a statement yesterday condemning a vote in Italy’s parliament to deploy more troops in the city of Misrata.

    The National Defence and Security Committee of HoR warned Italy of the consequence of “continued violation of the country’s sovereignty” and demanded Italy to explain the vote.

    On Wednesday Italy’s parliament approved the decision to increase its military presence in Libya to 400 soldiers. In September 2016 the Italian government sent 100 soldiers from the parachute regiment to Misrata in order to protect the Italian field hospital which was set up to treat Al-Bunyan Al-Marsoos fighters…”

  11. 40% of Iraqis Displaced by Daesh Have Returned Home (tasnimnews, Jan 19, 2018)
    https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2018/01/19/1632168/40-of-iraqis-displaced-by-daesh-have-returned-home

    “According to ministry figures, over the past three years, some 5.7 million Iraqis were forced to flee their homes — in seven out of Iraq’s 19 provinces — after the notorious terrorist group overran much of the country, Anadolu Agency reported.

    Recent figures compiled by Iraqi security agencies suggest that, of these, roughly 2.4 million — about 40 percent of the total — have since been repatriated.

    In mid-2014, Daesh overran roughly one third of Iraq. Over the course of the last year, however, the Iraqi military has succeeded in recovering all the lost territory.”

  12. Iran Files $4.9 Billion Complaint against German Stock-Exchange Operator (tasnimnews, Jan 19, 2018)
    https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2018/01/19/1632066/iran-files-4-9-billion-complaint-against-german-stock-exchange-operator

    “TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Central Bank of Iran (CBI), also known as Bank Markazi, has filed a suit in Luxembourg against Deutsche Boerse’s Clearstream unit seeking to recover $4.9 billion in assets plus interest, the German stock exchange operator said on Thursday.

    The assets, frozen on suspicion of terror financing and in part paid to victims, include $1.9 billion turned over to plaintiffs in the United States following a 2013 court order as well as $2 billion that is subject to further litigation by US plaintiffs in the United States and Luxembourg, Reuters reported.

    “Clearstream believes the complaint against it to be without merit,” Deutsche Boerse said in a statement. “Clearstream will take all necessary and appropriate measures to vigorously contest the claims.”

    Iran’s efforts to recover the funds have been going on for some years. In 2016, Deutsche Boerse disclosed that it was named in a US case filed by Iran seeking the funds.

    Over the last two decades, victims of terrorist attacks have racked up more than $50 billion in default judgments against Iran, according to media reports.”

  13. VICE – Vinny From Jersey Shore Is A Secret Climate Change Nerd

    When President Donald Trump questioned climate change in a tweet about the cold snap that hit the east coast in December, few were surprised. Donald Trump has a long history of climate denial, and the presidency has done nothing to change that.

    What did cause a stir, however, was one particular response to the President’s tweet authored by Jersey Shore cast member Vinny Guadagnino. “I think climate change is more complex than global warming will make it hotter. It has to do with disruptions of atmospheric conditions, ocean patterns, jet streams and shit like that,” he wrote.

    The online reaction was mixed. Many praised the reality TV star, whereas others joked at the perceived absurdity of having a Jersey Shore cast member school the President on climate change. And Vinny pushed back on that, too. “I get the joke but why does having a summer shore house automatically make u stupid?” he tweeted. After all, this wasn’t the first time Vinny had spoken out about climate change online.

    Regardless of the reason behind people’s interest in Vinny’s tweet, his concerns over global warming are real and they got the world’s attention. So, we asked Vinny if he’d be willing to come to VICE HQ and interview chemist and climate expert Bhawani Venkataraman — with the help of some of our viewers.

  14. Syria: sources, ISIS raises its head in central areas (ansamed, Jan 19, 2018)
    http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/generalnews/2018/01/19/syria-sources-isis-raises-its-head-in-central-areas_0b252810-febb-4fd8-921a-d0064d1d851c.html

    “Groups affiliated to the Islamic State have taken some areas of central Syria after two anti-ISIS coalitions, one led by the US and the other by Russia, announced last week the military defeat of ISIS in Syria and Iraq.

    According to sources on the ground in regions between Hama and Idlib, ISIS groups that had fled the area of Salamiya, east of Hama, reorganized and carried out a surprise attack against government forces and Syrian insurgents south-east of the military airport of Abu Dhuhur, currently a point of contention between loyalists and Syrian rebels.

    Over the past 24 hours, according to the sources, about 10 minor locations between Hama and Idlib were taken by pro-ISIS groups.”

  15. Istanbul court issues restraining order against televangelist Adnan Oktar after father’s application (hurriyetdailynews, Jan 19, 2018)
    http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/istanbul-court-issues-restraining-order-against-televangelist-adnan-oktar-after-fathers-application-125976

    “An Istanbul court has issued a temporary restraining order against controversial TV personality Adnan Oktar and Gülperi Koçak, the mother of two young women, after a father claimed his two daughters were “forced” to be on Oktar’s program…”

  16. Turkey to reject any offer of partnership with the EU that falls short of membership: Minister (hurriyetdailynews, Jan 19, 2018)
    http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-to-reject-any-offer-of-partnership-with-the-eu-that-falls-short-of-membership-minister-126001

    “Turkey would reject any offer of partnership with the European Union that falls short of membership, Ankara’s EU affairs minister has said, warning that the current impasse gave Turkey no reason to maintain its migrant deal with the bloc…”

  17. Army chief endorses death sentence for 10 hardcore terrorists (tribune, Jan 19, 2018)
    https://tribune.com.pk/story/1612910/1-army-chief-endorses-death-sentence-10-hardcore-terrorists/

    “ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa ratified the death sentence awarded by military courts to 10 hardcore terrorists, according to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement issued on Friday.

    The military’s media wing said the convicts were involved in terrorist activities, killing of civilians and soldiers, and attacks on educational institutions, the law-enforcement agencies and the armed forces…”

  18. Pakistan wants to send Taliban, Haqqanis back to Afghanistan: Aizaz Chaudhry (tribune, Jan 19, 2018)
    https://tribune.com.pk/story/1612874/1-pakistan-wants-send-taliban-haqqanis-back-afghanistan-says-aizaz-chaudhry/

    “Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Aizaz Chaudhry has said that Pakistan wanted to send Taliban and Haqqani network leaders back to Afghanistan to join the mainstream politics in their own country.

    Responding to queries regarding allegations of providing shelter to Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network operatives, Chaudhry said there were no terrorist safe havens present in the country, BBC Urdu reported on Friday…”

    • This guy really thinks that we are idiots, does he not. In one paragraph he said the Pakistanis wanted to send those elements back home, in the next paragraph he practically denied the existence of “safe havens.” This does not make any sense whatsoever.

  19. ISLAMIC STATE- video – SYRIA – IDLIB – JAN 19 2018

    graphic – Kurdish fighters killed by IS jihadists

    • Islamic state video – JAN 19 2018

      Islamic state jihadists attack in Bahra a Kurdish village

  20. Young Afghans in Sweden

    by Bruce Bawer
    January 20, 2018 at 5:00 am

    https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/11768/sweden-afghans-immigration

    There exists an organization Sweden that goes by the name “Young in Sweden” (“Ung i Sverige”), which Radio Sweden has described as “one of the most notable protest movements in the country right now.” It is not just any group of young people — its members are from Afghanistan. According to its website, they fled “violence and persecution” in their homeland, only to find that they were “not welcome after all” in Sweden.

    The Young in Sweden website describes the group’s members by first begging for pity — explaining how tough it is to be a refugee and how desperately these young people long to make a lasting home in Sweden and contribute to the country’s future. It portrays them, in the American parlance, as “Dreamers.”

    But in a way familiar to observers of the Islamic incursion into the West, the plea for sympathy abruptly gives way to something more aggressive. The group issues a series of what it explicitly calls “demands.” First, it demands that Sweden stop returning to Afghanistan those Afghans whose asylum requests have been rejected. Second, it demands a meeting with Mikael Ribbenvik, Secretary General of the Swedish Migration Agency. Third, it demands that politicians pass laws granting amnesty and residence permits to Afghan refugee claimants.

  21. Iran Nuclear Problem Must Be Re-Visited

    by Amir Taheri
    January 20, 2018 at 4:00 am

    https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/11770/iran-nuclear-problem-must-be-re-visited
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    The decision by US President Donald Trump to prolong the lifting of some sanctions against Iran for a further 120 days has reopened the 4-year old “what to do about Iran” debate.

    While some have condemned Trump for renewing sanctions relief for the mullahs, others have castigated him for his call to re-negotiate the “nuclear deal” connoted by his predecessor Barack Obama.

    Conducting the “what to do about Iran” debate in a calm and constructive way isn’t easy for two reasons.

    The first is that the Iran issue has become linked with the United States and, worse still, more recently with Trump.

    As we all know whatever issue involving the US, even remotely, is instantly upgraded for better or for worse.

  22. U.S. provides evidence of Chinese ships violating sanctions on North Korea
    WSJ January 19, 2018

    [Ed. – Don’t forget, Chinese ships have been doing this all along. The previous administration just didn’t do anything about it.]

    Satellite photographs and other intelligence gathered by U.S. officials provide what they say is detailed evidence of at least six Chinese-owned or -operated cargo ships violating United Nations sanctions against North Korea.

    The U.S. compiled the information from Asian waters as part of the Trump administration’s strategy to pressure North Korea into giving up its nuclear weapons and long-range missiles.

    The effort identified the ships by name and tracked their movements. The ships either entered ports in North Korea and transported what U.S. officials concluded was illicit cargo to Russia and Vietnam or made ship-to-ship transfers at sea.

    According to the U.S., which presented the information to a U.N. sanctions committee, the ships also made extensive maneuvers designed to disguise their violations of the U.N. sanctions.

    https://libertyunyielding.com/2018/01/19/u-s-provides-evidence-chinese-ships-violating-sanctions-north-korea/

    • As I have been saying (many times) North Korea doesn’t do anything big without Chinese permission, China could shut down the Korean nuclear and missile research and tests at any time but doesn’t want to. I don’t know what their end game is but it is something big or they wouldn’t be willing to risk our taking out North Korea.

  23. JW Pres. Tom Fitton: ‘The House Ethics Committee is Protecting the Obama Gang over Unmasking’