Reader’s links, February 10, 2018

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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

111 Replies to “Reader’s links, February 10, 2018”

  1. A 24-year-old Bangladeshi woman has been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged over what police allege was an “Islamic State-inspired attack” following a stabbing incident at Mill Park, in Melbourne’s north on Friday.

    WARNING: Contains an image that may offend some readers.

    Police allege the woman, identified as Momena Shoma, is a Bangladeshi national who travelled to Melbourne on February 1 on a student visa and was renting a room in the home of a man identified by neighbours as a 56-year-old nurse.

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-10/mill-park-stabbing-court-appearance-islamic-state-attack/9418824

  2. A young woman was recently beaten in public by a group of men including her uncle and her father-in-law in Rabat, a small village in northeastern Afghanistan. The gruesome scene, which was caught on camera and uploaded to social media, shows the extent to which violence against women is still widespread in the country.

    After it was posted on Facebook on February 1, this video was shared several hundred times and was picked up by the local media. The incident itself occurred in mid-January, says Sonnatollah Teymour, the spokesperson for the province of Takhar, where the incident took place.

    According to the men who beat her, they discovered her with a man at her home while her husband was away in Iran, and so they decided to punish her in the main village square.

    http://observers.france24.com/en/20180209-beating-video-violence-women-afghanistan-Takhar

  3. BENGHAZI, Libya: Twin bomb blasts struck a mosque in Benghazi in eastern Libya on Friday, killing two people and wounding more than 129, agencies reported.

    The explosions hit the mosque at the start of weekly prayers in Libya’s second city, which lies 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) east of Tripoli, a security source told AFP.

    One bomb was hidden in a coffin in the courtyard of the mosque and another in a shoe cabinet at the entrance, the source added.

    The blast follows twin car bombings on January 24 outside a mosque in Benghazi that left nearly 40 people dead.

    https://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2018/Feb-09/437489-explosion-at-mosque-in-libyan-city-of-benghazi-residents.ashx

  4. Boston Borough Council’s leader has rubbished claims made by the town’s mayor that councillors did not want to meet with Muslims as he defended members’ decision to call for Coun Brian Rush to step down from his role.

    Coun Rush will face an extraordinary meeting of the authority’s full council on Monday night following criticism over posts on his private Facebook page in which it is understood that in one of the comments he said he had no problem with the Muslim people of Britain, however called on ‘new entrants’ to undertake an oath of allegiance to Britain, it’s values and its population, adding that those who didn’t comply should be extradited.

    https://www.bostonstandard.co.uk/news/politics/council-leader-denies-authority-members-will-not-meet-with-muslims-as-he-defends-widespread-call-for-mayor-s-resignation-1-8373441

  5. UN agency warns of sexual violence at Greek refugee camps

    ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The United Nations refugee agency is urging Greece’s government to provide separate housing and washing facilities for women and children at island refugee camps, citing the risk of sexual violence.

    The UNHCR says it has received reports from about 180 camp residents who say they have suffered some form of sexual or gender-based violence after arriving in Greece.

    A UNHCR statement Friday said the situation is particularly worrying in the crowded refugee camps of Moria on Lesvos and Vathy on Samos, where toilets and washing facilities are “no-go zones” after dark for unaccompanied women and children.

    It cited a woman in Moria who said she had not showered for two months for fear of attack.

    The UNHCR called on Greece to do more to protect camp residents.

    https://www.timesunion.com/news/world/article/UN-agency-warns-of-sexual-violence-at-Greek-12564987.php

    ‘No-go zones’: UN urges separate facilities for women and children in Greece citing sexual violence

    http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2018/02/09/no-go-zones-un-urges-separate-facilities-for-women-and-children-in-greece-citing-sexual-violence

  6. Asylum seekers living in ‘disgraceful, unsafe’ housing, says report (theguardian, Feb 10, 2018)
    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/feb/10/asylum-seekers-unsafe-housing-home-office-contractors

    “Asylum seekers are being placed in appalling housing conditions where they are at risk from abuse and violence, according to a survey published on Sunday documenting the lives of new arrivals.

    A year after the home affairs select committee found asylum seekers were being held in “disgraceful” conditions and called for a major overhaul of the system, new research suggests the situation remains poor.

    In-depth interviews with 33 individuals inside a north London Home Office asylum accommodation centre found that 82% had found mice in their rooms. The survey, by the human rights charity Refugee Rights Europe, also found that two-thirds of asylum seekers interviewed felt “unsafe” or “very unsafe”.

    Others, some of whom have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after fleeing violence and persecution from war zones, described how non-residents would enter the building and threaten residents, or simply use the kitchens and hallways to sleep.

    Of those interviewed, 30% alleged they had experienced verbal abuse in the accommodation from fellow residents or from staff, with 21% claiming they had experienced physical violence.

    “A number of respondents were under the impression that the cleaning staff may hold racist views. Sometimes this was expressed through abusive or hostile language in English, and, at other times, the respondents were shouted at in a foreign European language which they couldn’t understand,” said the study.

    Marta Welander, head of Refugee Rights Europe, said: “An entire year has passed since the home affairs select committee released its alarming report on asylum accommodation in the UK, yet it seems as though little to nothing has changed. Our research revealed terrible hygiene standards and widespread problems with vermin.

    “Many of the [interviewees] said they felt unsafe in their accommodation, in particular the younger ones or those diagnosed with PTSD. Others explained they’re experiencing health problems, which they attributed to the unsanitary conditions in their bedrooms and communal areas.”

    Other findings implicated the general living conditions with just two working washing machines available to around 200 residents. Almost three-quarters of the respondents said their accommodation was “dirty” or “very dirty” when they moved in. In addition, many complained of overcrowding, with one teenager describing how he shared a room measuring approximately eight square metres with two others, leaving scant space for personal belongings. Just two of those interviewed said they had a room of their own.

    The Home Office contracts to provide housing for dispersed asylum seekers were awarded in 2012 to three providers: G4S, Serco and Clearsprings Ready Homes, under the Compass contracts. Following significant criticism, the companies have told MPs they are housing more people than the funding allowed for because of growing delays in Home Office asylum processing and increasing numbers of applications.

    A Home Office spokesperson said: “It is the responsibility of our contractors to provide accommodation that is safe, habitable, fit for purpose. We urgently investigate any complaint we receive that a contractor is falling short of these standards.””

  7. 11 Turkish soldiers killed on Saturday in Afrin operation (turkishminute, Feb 10, 2018)
    https://www.turkishminute.com/2018/02/10/11-turkish-soldiers-killed-on-saturday-in-afrin-operation/

    “The Turkish military stated on Saturday that 11 soldiers were killed during an operation in the Afrin region of Syria, including two soldiers who died when a helicopter crashed, the Cumhuriyet daily reported.

    According to the statement, 11 soldiers were also injured during the clashes. The Turkish military stated that a total of 1,480 terrorists have been killed during the operation.

    The Evrensel daily reported that 31 Turkish military members have been lost since the beginning of the operation three weeks ago…”

  8. Ex-FBI Special Agent Takes Blowtorch To Comey: He Made Up Own Rules, “Predetermined” Clinton Probe

    • Will thaw between North, South Korea go beyond the Olympics?

      Absolutely! All the way past the interminable final medal awards and closing ceremonies … then right up until the first VIP limousine starts its engine.

    • From the number of videos on the subject India is worried about the new Chinese Naval Base, and well they should be, China is trying to encircle India with military bases to cut off resupply to India in a war.

  9. N. Korea’s Kim Jong-un invites S. Korean president to Pyongyang in rare Blue House luncheon

  10. Yemenis destroy Saudi-led missile system in Ta’izz with ballistic missile: Report (alalam, Feb 10, 2018)
    http://en.alalam.ir/news/3353691/yemenis-destroy-saudi-led-missile-system-in-ta-izz-with-ballistic-missile–report

    “The Yemeni army, supported by allied fighters from the Houthi Ansarullah movement, has managed to successfully destroy a missile system run by Saudi Arabia’s mercenary forces in Yemen’s southwestern province of Ta’izz, a report says…”

  11. IMF chief urges Arab states to slash spending, halt energy subsidies (middleeasteye, Feb 10, 2018)
    http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/imf-chief-urges-arab-states-slash-spending-1600700786

    “IMF chief Christine Lagarde on Saturday urged Arab countries to slash public wages and subsidies in order to rein in spending, achieve sustainable growth and create jobs.

    Speaking at the one-day Arab Fiscal Forum in Dubai, Lagarde welcomed “promising” reforms adopted by some Arab countries, but insisted much more was needed to overcome daunting economic and social problems.

    Low oil prices are weighing on the finances of Arab oil exporters, while importers are battling with rising debt, unemployment, conflicts, terrorism and refugee inflows, the International Monetary Fund’s managing director said.

    Almost all Arab countries have posted budget deficits over the past few years and Arab economies grew at just 1.9 percent last year, half the global rate, according to the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF), which co-organised the event with the IMF.

    Yet Arab public spending remains very high, especially in oil-rich Gulf states, where government expenditures exceed 55 percent of gross domestic product, Lagarde said.

    She said many Arab governments had taken steps to contain spending, but the measures have often been temporary.

    Public spending reforms should focus on cutting costly subsidies and public wage bills whilst boosting efficiency in areas like health, education and public investment, she said.

    “There is really no excuse for the continued use of energy subsidies,” Lagarde said.

    “They are extremely costly – averaging 4.5 percent of GDP among oil exporters and three percent of GDP among oil importers.”

    All six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council and many other Arab countries have reduced energy subsidies in recent years, but their cost is still high…”

  12. Democrats urge Trump not to reduce US aid to UNRWA (memo, Feb 10, 2018)
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180210-democrats-urge-trump-not-to-reduce-us-aid-to-unrwa/

    “More than 100 Democratic Party Representatives in the US Congress have written to President Donald Trump urging him not to cut American aid to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Safa News Agency reported on Friday.

    “We write to urge you to continue vital US contributions to… UNRWA and bilateral assistance to the Palestinians,” the Representatives said in the letter, which was sent to Trump on Thursday. “Continuing to freeze this aid will harm American interests by exacerbating the threats facing both peoples and reducing the US ability to help the Israelis and Palestinians reach a two-state solution.”

    The US is the largest donor to UNRWA…”

  13. US cannot defeat al Qaeda without Pakistan’s help: Ahsan Iqbal (tribune, Feb 10, 2018)
    https://tribune.com.pk/story/1631273/1-us-cannot-defeat-al-qaeda-without-help-pakistan-says-ahsan-iqbal/

    “Federal Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal has said that the United States (US) cannot defeat al Qaeda in the region without the help of Pakistan, Express News reported.

    In an interview to the US media, the minister highlighted the geographic, political and strategic importance of the alliance between Pakistan and the US, noting that both the countries needed to work together for peace and stability in Afghanistan.

    “The US would have found it difficult to contain al Qaeda without the support of Pakistani intelligence,” he was quoted as saying.

    In response to questions about the implications of a temporary freeze in US aid for the country’s economy, Iqbal stated that Pakistan, as a sovereign nation, was not dependent on charity…”

  14. Turkish Republic is continuation of Ottomans: President Erdo?an (hurriyetdailynews, Feb 10, 2018)
    http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-republic-is-continuation-of-ottomans-president-erdogan-127106

    “The Republic of Turkey is a continuation of the Ottoman Empire, President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an said on Feb. 10.

    “The Republic of Turkey, just like our previous states that are a continuation of one another, is also a continuation of the Ottomans,” Erdo?an said in remarks he made during a commemoration ceremony to mark the centenary of the death of Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II at the Y?ld?z Palace in Istanbul.

    “Of course, the borders have changed. Forms of government have changed… But the essence is the same, soul is the same, even many institutions are the same.”

    Erdo?an added this is why Sultan Abdulhamid is one of the “most important, most visionary and most strategic minded” individual that made his mark in recent 150 years.

    Sultan Abdulhamid II, the son of Sultan Abdulmecid, died in 1918, and was the 34th sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

    Erdo?an also criticized those with “bigoted” viewpoints about Sultan Abdulhamid.

    “Some people insistently try to start this country’s history from 1923. Some unrelentingly try to break us from our roots and ancient values,” he added.

    Erdo?an said the big picture brings character and memory to a nation.

    “We take pride in our history without making discrimination,” the leader added on the day eleven Turkish soldiers were killed in cross-border operations.

    On Jan. 20, Turkey launched “Operation Olive Branch” to clear People’s Protection Units (YPG) militants from Afrin in northwestern Syria.”

  15. Turkish expat group condemns introduction of ‘Homeland Ministry’ in Germany (DW, Feb 10, 2018)
    http://www.dw.com/en/turkish-expat-group-condemns-introduction-of-homeland-ministry-in-germany/a-42533351

    “The Turkish Community in Germany has criticized the impending changing of the name of Germany’s Interior Ministry. The group’s leader has said that the term “homeland” would exclude people of foreign extraction.

    The chair of the Turkish Community in Germany (Türkische Gemeinde in Deutschland) foundation, Gökay Sofuoglu, criticized the planned decision to rename the Ministry of the Interior to the Ministry of the Interior, Construction and Homeland. He told the daily Berliner Zeitung that “focusing on the term ‘homeland’ is the wrong emphasis at the wrong time.”…”

    • I just want to cry.

      Personally, I want to get all stabby mucking about with sharply pointed objects.

      As an adolescent, my sojourn to ‘The Land of the Midnight Sun’ was something truly magical. ZERO crime. Easily purchased fireworks (does it get any better!?!). Corner stores selling a 25¢ el-cheapo fishing knife that (many un-sharpened years later) was caught incorrectly and made a lasting mark.

      The best licorice you could ever hope to taste. Some damn fine 25¢ rolls of milk chocolate pastilles, too. Quasi-edible school lunches for free. Achingly cute Swedish girls in my class where I had been held back three years (to track with my remote cousin) and ended up being the oddball American guy surrounded by preteen, nubile, uninhibited cuties.

      At present, NOTHING I read about (coming out of today’s Sweden) bears the slightest resemblance to my recollections.