Reader’s links for December 17, 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.

This way, under the various posts of the day, conversation can take place without as much ‘noise’ on the various links and articles and ideas in the main posts and all the news links being submitted can be seen under these auto-posts by clicking on the comments-link right below these ones.

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

121 Replies to “Reader’s links for December 17, 2018”

  1. Iranian general accidentally kills himself

    A general in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards who fought in Syria and Iraq accidentally killed himself on Sunday while cleaning a gun, The Associated Press reported.

    The Guards’ website said Gen. Ghodratollah Mansouri has accidentally shot himself in the head while cleaning his pistol.

    The report said Mansouri was veteran of the 1980s Iran-Iraq war and a “defender of the shrine,” a reference to Iranians who fight the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group in Syria and Iraq.…

    http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256272
    ……..
    The Mossad:
    We sold him a gun designed by Apple. It unlocks with your face.

    • We sold him a gun designed by Apple.

      Speaking of Apple:

      Q: What were the world’s first computers?

      A: It all happened in the Garden of Eden. Eve had an Apple and Adam had a Wang*.

      [bah dum bum]

      (* Ancient computer geek joke.)

        • Correct me if I am wrong, but didn’t he trade a rib for both of those?

          Yeah, but it was a McRib Which is a major why he and Eve got the bum’s rush.

  2. ISIS Cells in Sinai Used Spy Drones, Received Military Training (aawsat, Dec 17, 2018)
    https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/1507886/isis-cells-sinai-used-spy-drones-received-military-training

    “Egypt announced on Sunday that members of ISIS terrorist cells in Sinai had spied on the country with drones, adding that they had received military training inside the country and abroad.

    The judiciary referred 43 ISIS suspects, held in the Sinai State case, to criminal trial on charges of carrying out violent acts in the Cairo, Giza, northern Sinai, Dakahlia, Qalyubia, Faiyum and Kafr al-Sheikh districts.

    Hamada al-Sayyed, a former football player in the Aswan club, is among the suspects.

    The defendants are charged with forming seven splinter ISIS cells in 2015 and up until February. They plotted to carry out terrorist crimes, attack security forces and police and change the system of rule in Egypt by force by obstructing the constitution and laws. They also planned to attack public institutions and Christians and their places of worship.

    Three of the suspects funded the cells and others obtained weapons, ammunition and material to build explosives.

    One of the defendants also acquired a drone equipped with a camera.

    Investigations revealed that the suspects had received military, security and technical training in ISIS camps in northern Sinai.

    Some members of the cell had joined terror groups in Syria where they also received military training.

    Security forces and the police have since February 9 been carrying out a major campaign to crackdown on terrorists in northern and central Sinai.”

  3. US airstrikes kill 62 Somali ‘terrorists’ (9news, Dec 17, 2018)
    https://www.9news.com.au/2018/12/17/19/47/us-airstrikes-kill-62-somali-terrorists

    “The US military says it has killed 62 militants in six airstrikes in the vicinity of Gandarsh in Somalia’s south-central Banaadir province.

    The military’s Africa Command (Africom) said four strikes were carried out on Saturday, killing 34 militants, and two more on Sunday, which killed 28.

    “Africa Command and our Somali partners conducted these airstrikes to prevent terrorists from using remote areas as a safe haven to plot, direct, inspire and recruit for future attacks,” Africom said in a statement.”

  4. Qatar Petroleum Buys 35% in Three Offshore Oil Fields in Mexico From Italy’s Eni (sputniknews, Dec 17, 2018)
    https://sputniknews.com/business/201812171070746227-qatar-petroleum-mexico-eni/

    “The Qatar Petroleum (QP) state-owned company reached an agreement with Italy’s Eni oil and gas company to buy 35 percent of the project, which includes three offshore oil fields in the Gulf of Mexico, Qatari Energy Minister and QP CEO Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi said.

    “We are pleased to sign an agreement to acquire a 35-percent stake with a major player in the energy market, such as Eni, to participate in the development and production of three oil fields in Mexico. It will be another step in expanding the international reach of QP and its presence in Mexico,” Al-Kaabi said on Sunday.

    The agreement provides for participation in oil production in the fields of Amoca, Mizton and Tecoalli, situated in the Bay of Campeche in the southern part of the Gulf of Mexico…”

  5. Here is another Day by Day Cartoon that tells what is really happening.

    FYI: Red Flag laws are laws the Dems are passing that allows the police to go in and seize someones firearms because a third party says they (they third party) think the firearms owner is a danger to others or themselves. The police do this (seize private property) without out any type of court order or a search warrant to enter the house. At least one law abiding citizen has been killed resisting this Dems backed stealing of private property.

    https://www.daybydaycartoon.com/comic/minority-rules/

  6. U.S. Navy may stop docking in Haifa after Chinese take over port
    Concerns prompt ‘review’ of Shanghai agreement within Israel’s inner security cabinet, sources say.

    WASHINGTON – The US Navy has acknowledged that its longstanding operations in Haifa may change once a Chinese firm takes over the civilian port in 2021, prompting Israel’s national security cabinet to revisit the arrangement, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

    Haifa, the nation’s largest port city, regularly hosts joint US-Israeli naval drills and visits from American vessels. But a 2015 agreement between Israel’s Transportation Ministry and Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) – a company in which the Chinese government has a majority stake – has raised intelligence and security concerns that are only now prompting an interagency review.

    That agreement granted SIPG control over the port for 25 years. The Chinese company has committed $2 billion to the project and, according to state-run media, plans to transform the port’s bay terminal into the largest harbor in the country.

    A representative of the Sixth Fleet said the navy’s partnership with Israel remains “steadfast.”

    https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/US-Navy-may-stop-docking-in-Haifa-after-Chinese-take-over-port-574414

    • But a 2015 agreement between Israel’s Transportation Ministry and Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) – a company in which the Chinese government has a majority stake – has raised intelligence and security concerns that are only now prompting an interagency review.

      Yet, it takes another THREE FLIPPING YEARS for these wankers to figure out how it represents a national security compromise for Shanghai International Port Group to hold even a partial stake in the Haifa facility?!? Who are these overpaid State Department mouth-breathers (is that redundant?) and how did these wonks EVER rise into positions that trust them with influencing anything more important than picking out a flavor of ice cream?

  7. Israeli PM’s son gets temporary ban on Facebook

    JERUSALEM (AP) — Facebook has blocked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s son Yair for 24 hours after he wrote a post criticizing the social media platform as “thought police” and sharing previously banned content.

    Yair Netanyahu blasted the website on Sunday for removing an earlier post in which he called for “avenging the deaths” of two Israeli soldiers killed last week by Palestinian gunmen and calling for the expulsion of Palestinians. He shared a screenshot of the earlier post in violation of Facebook’s community rules.

    Facebook deleted a post by Netanyahu last week in which he said he would “prefer” if “All the Muslims leave the land of Israel.”

    Facebook had no immediate comment.

    Netanyahu’s son has drawn media criticism for crude social media posts and a life of excess at public expense.

    https://news.yahoo.com/israeli-pms-son-gets-temporary-ban-facebook-201242882.html

  8. China and Russia band together on controversial heating experiments to modify the atmosphere

    China and Russia have modified an important layer of the atmosphere above Europe to test a controversial technology for possible military application, according to Chinese scientists involved in the project.

    A total of five experiments were carried out in June. One, on June 7, caused physical disturbance over an area as large as 126,000 sq km (49,000 square miles), or about half the size of Britain.

    The modified zone, looming more than 500km (310 miles) high over Vasilsursk, a small Russian town in eastern Europe, experienced an electric spike with 10 times more negatively charged subatomic particles than surrounding regions.

    https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/2178214/china-and-russia-band-together-controversial-heating-experiments

  9. Chinese ‘re-education camps’ for Uighur Muslims run like ‘concentration camps’, says Amnesty

    Mass re-education camps used to hold Uighur and other Muslim minorities in China are being run like “wartime concentration camps”, Amnesty has said.

    Up to one million Uighurs, Kazakhs and other minorities have been arbitrarily detained in internment camps in the far-west Xinjiang region, according to human rights groups and a UN panel.

    China maintains that it is detaining people guilty of minor crimes, and has sent them to “vocational centres” and that inmates are “grateful” to be there.

    But Uighur activists have estimated up to 3 million people have been detained in the camps, Patrick Poon, China researcher at Amnesty International, told The Independent.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/china-muslims-re-education-camps-amnesty-uighur-religion-human-rights-watch-a8678156.html

    China’s Detention Camps for Muslims Turn to Forced Labor

    KASHGAR, China — Muslim inmates from internment camps in far western China hunched over sewing machines, in row after row. They were among hundreds of thousands who had been detained and spent month after month renouncing their religious convictions. Now the government was showing them on television as models of repentance, earning good pay — and political salvation — as factory workers.

    China’s ruling Communist Party has said in a surge of upbeat propaganda that a sprawling network of camps in the Xinjiang region is providing job training and putting detainees on production lines for their own good, offering an escape from poverty, backwardness and the temptations of radical Islam.

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/china%E2%80%99s-detention-camps-for-muslims-turn-to-forced-labor/ar-BBR29L3

    • Maybe Red China’s treatment of its Uighurs will inspire the global Muslim community to critically reconsider Koranic doctrine about how to treat people who do not have the same beliefs as they do.

      All right … let’s all stop laughing now.

  10. UK Muslim ‘Husband’ Admits Hunting Down, Murdering Syrian-Born Woman and Mother (sputniknews, Dec 17, 2018)
    https://sputniknews.com/europe/201812171070759730-muslim-husband-murder-birmingham/

    “West Midlands Police said it was “a brutal murder of two defenceless ladies by a man who had spent the day hunting them down”.

    On Monday, December 17, Janbaz Tarin, 21, pleaded guilty to murder and admitted stabbing Raneem Oudeh, 22, and her mother Khaola Saleem, 49, outside their home in Solihull, near Birmingham.

    Raneem, who left behind a two-year-old son from a previous relationship, and Mrs Saleem, were both born in Syria.

    Tarin and Raneem had been married under Islamic law but were not husband and wife under English law.

    She left him after she learned he had another wife and family in the Middle East.

    “If you leave me, I will kill you and your family,” he told her.

    Dramatic Footage of Last Moments Released

    On the night of August 27 Raneem and her mother went to a shisha café in Digbeth, Birmingham.

    But he followed her there and West Midlands Police have released footage of the dramatic confrontation as he snatched the phone from her hand.

    Her mother stepped in and slaps him across the face before he is kicked out by staff at the shisha lounge.

    She then called 999 to report the incident and her concerns after months of stalking and threats from him.
    But when they returned home he was waiting for them and stabbed them both to death.

    Sadly police were en route to the shisha café, unaware the two women had returned home.

    “As we were trying to get to her, she was moving on. We never got to the same place as she was tragically before the events unfolded,” said Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Payne.

    Raneem’s aunt, Noor, told the Birmingham Mail how her niece had made a chillingly accurate prediction three weeks before her death.

    “One day in the garden Raneem said to me: ‘Auntie, I feel my life is going to end with him soon’, and I said ‘please don’t say that’,” she said.

    After killing her he went on the run and West Midlands Police launched a massive manhunt. He was captured three days later hiding out in Sparkhill, Birmingham.

    The Independent Office for Police Conduct is examining the police’s response to the incident.”

  11. Albanian illegal immigrant, 25, who led police on 100mph chase before crashing into a family’s home and sending bricks and debris flying into their young son’s bedroom is jailed for a year (dailymail, Dec 17, 2018)
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6503939/Albanian-illegal-immigrant-25-led-police-100mph-chase-crashed-family-home.html

    “An illegal immigrant who led police on a 100mph chase before crashing into a family home has been jailed for a year.

    Eljado Prendaj, 25, struck the family’s cars so hard that one was forced into the property, sending bricks and debris flying into their young son’s room.

    Both cars were written off and the home – which suffered £40,000 worth of damage – was deemed unsafe.

    Southampton Crown Court heard that Prendaj, who is from Albania and was living in the UK illegally, ‘drove like a man possessed’ after police attempted to pull him over for ‘swerving across carriageways’ on the M27 near Eastleigh in Hampshire.

    The court heard Prendaj, who was driving a blue Ford Focus, stopped for police, but as the officers exited their vehicle to question him he quickly sped off.

    Police described seeing sparks coming from the car as they chased Prendaj at speeds in excess of 100mph…”

    • An illegal immigrant who led police on a 100mph chase before crashing into a family home has been jailed for a year.

      That year of imprisonment likely will be one of the most uneventful of his life. Three hots and a cot for an entire year? A veritable Life of Riley.

      How about constructing special “immigrant only” prisons that just manage to meet the absolute barest minimum legal standards? Hot showers not mandated? No hot showers. Mattress not required? No mattresses. And so forth.

      Make incarceration so unpleasant for these foreign freeloaders that they never want to come back, ever again. Think: Very low-budget Mexican supermax.

  12. Pope Francis Lauds U.N. ‘Global Compact’ for Immigration (breitbart, Dec 17, 2018)
    https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2018/12/17/pope-francis-lauds-u-n-global-compact-for-immigration/

    “Pope Francis took advantage of his Angelus message Sunday to praise the U.N.’s Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) approved in Marrakesh last week.

    The GCM provides “a framework for the whole international community,” the pope told the 25,000 pilgrims and tourists in Saint Peter’s Square, before asking for prayers that this agreement will lead all nations to work with “responsibility, solidarity, and compassion toward those who, for various reasons, have left their country.”

    Francis has made the immigration question a pillar of his pontificate, urging nations to be as welcoming as possible toward migrants of all sorts.

    Earlier this month, the Vatican’s department for Migration and Refugees issued a statement praising the GCM, saying that it stressed “greater cooperation and responsibility sharing.”

    “The Holy See will join many other governments of the world to celebrate the adoption of this pact, the first international agreement on migration at the global level,” the text stated.

    It further noted that Pope Francis’s approach to migration, summed up in the four verbs “to accept, protect, promote and integrate,” was developed into 20 action points by the Holy See’s Migrants and Refugees Section.

    “Today we are happy to note that many of the principles and measures listed in the 20 Points have been included in the final text of the Pacts, and in particular in 15 of the 23 Goals of the GCM,” the statement declared.

    The pope sent the Vatican’s number two man, Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to speak at the Marrakesh meeting, in which the cardinal reiterated the Vatican position that international migration must be governed globally rather than by individual nations.

    “The Global Compact on Migration attempts to assist the international community to prevent crises and tragedies,” Parolin said, and “seeks to improve the governance of migration, which is bound to increase as the international community grows more economically, socially and politically interconnected.”

    Implementation of the GCM “will help all Governments, as well as non-governmental entities, including faith-based organizations, collectively to manage migration in a more safe, orderly and regular manner, something no State can achieve alone,” he said.

    In his address, the cardinal said that all migrants share the same human rights, “regardless of their status,” a rebuke to those who underscore the difference between legal and illegal immigration.

    At the same time, Parolin said that “migrants should respect the local laws, culture and customs of the country receiving them, while host countries should respect the traditions and cultures of migrants.”

    The Vatican Secretary of State also stressed what he sees as the forced nature of much contemporary migration, as opposed to voluntary migration used to improve one’s circumstances or take advantage of social welfare programs and job opportunities offered by other countries.

    The adoption of the GCM “comes at a critical moment in history,” the cardinal said. “Migration has always been a natural response to crises and to the innate desire for greater opportunities, for a fuller life with greater freedom, peace and security. More people are on the move than ever before.”

    A number of nations declined to participate in the Marrakesh meeting, including the United States, Israel, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Austria, and Switzerland.”

    • Pope Francis Lauds U.N. ‘Global Compact’ for Immigration

      As would any other halfwit Antichrist worth an ounce of brimstone.

  13. UK Labour Suspends Official Who Blamed Jews for ‘All Wars in the World’ (breitbart, Dec 17, 2018)
    https://www.breitbart.com/middle-east/2018/12/17/uk-labour-suspends-official-who-blamed-jews-for-all-wars-in-the-world/

    “The UK Labour Party has suspended a senior official over social media posts accusing Jews of secretly orchestrating global conflicts and promoting 9/11 conspiracy theories.
    Labour’s West Midlands regional organiser, Mohammed Yasin, was stood down Saturday night after the Sunday Times approached the hard left party with a selection of Yasin’s social media activity.

    His party role included working with MPs and candidates in 59 constituencies across the region in campaign management, and recruiting and developing teams of volunteers, Birmingham Live reports.

    According to the Times report, in February 2016, Yasin tweeted that “Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world,” accompanied by a picture of two people laughing, with the caption “When someone tells me its not the Jews”….”

  14. Roadside bombs hit police convoy in Egypt’s Sinai, kill 2 (abcnews, Dec 17, 2018)
    https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/roadside-bombs-hit-police-convoy-egypts-sinai-kill-59859889

    “Egyptian security officials say two roadside bombs have hit a police convoy in northern Sinai, killing two conscripts.

    The officials say Monday’s attack just west of the border town of Rafah also wounded six conscripts. The bombs struck two armored vehicles that were part of a convoy on a search-and-destroy mission in the area.

    The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

    Egypt has for years battled Islamic militants in the Sinai Peninsula. An all-out campaign by tens of thousands of troops and police against the militants began early this year, hitting hideouts, arms and ammunition depots and detaining scores of jihadis.

    The campaign has also nearly halted high-profile attacks.”

  15. Report: Iranian steel mill workers detained after protests (abcnews, Dec 17, 2018)
    https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/report-iranian-steel-mill-workers-detained-protests-59858813

    “Iranian authorities detained an unspecified number of steel mill workers after five weeks of protests over delays in salaries, a semi-official news agency reported Monday

    The report by ILNA says the arrests took place on Sunday night. However, Kasra Ghafouri, the head of state-owned National Iranian Steel Group, insisted the workers were only “summoned,” not detained. The report did not elaborate.

    The factory in Ahvaz, the capital of southwestern oil-rich Khuzestan province, was founded in early 1960s and has nearly 4,000 workers. It was privatized in 2008 but following financial problems, its ownership returned to a government bank in 2016.

    Iran is in the grip of an economic crisis and has seen sporadic protests in recent months as officials try to downplay the effects of the newly restored U.S. sanctions on Tehran…”

  16. France: ‘Yellow Vest’ protesters blockade Rungis market in Paris

    Protesters in yellow vests rallied in front of Rungis market in Paris, the world’s largest wholesale food market, on Monday.

    Protesters, mostly licensed chauffeurs, known in France as “voitures de tourisme avec chauffeur” (VTC), reportedly started blocking access to non-French traffic at around 4am local time (5GMT) in front of the market that feeds almost 18 million people daily. They are calling for higher wages and are seeking greater protection for the French economy from foreign competition.

    “The ‘Yellow Vests’ realise that the government only begins to make concessions when there is a scrap. From the moment there is a scrap, the government reacts and if there is none, the government does nothing,” said Karim, one of the protesters.

    President of Unions of Rungis wholesalers (UNiGROS) Jean-Michel Peuch, however, argued that the protest will not solve anything. He said, “it is likely to impoverish the sector because there are companies that will not pass [through] the winter.”

  17. ‘Editors out for blood’: BBC on the hunt for Moscow link to Yellow Vest protests

    The BBC is desperate in its quest to ‘find’ the dreaded Kremlin hand behind the French protests, messages obtained by Russian media indicate. They reveal attempts by one of its journalists to find any trace of Russian involvement.

  18. Nigerian military calls for Amnesty International ban (BBC, Dec 17, 2018)
    https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-46593180

    “Nigeria’s army has called for the closure of Amnesty International’s operations in the country.

    In a report on Monday, the human rights group said at least 3,641 people had died in clashes between farmers and herders in Nigeria since 2016.

    The army has accused Amnesty of trying to destabilise the country with “fictitious” claims.

    A spokesperson for Amnesty told the BBC that the group “would not be discouraged” by the military’s remarks.

    The exchange of words comes days after Nigeria’s military briefly suspended the activities of the UN children’s agency Unicef in the north-east of the country.

    Aside from those killed, thousands of people have been displaced since 2016 as a result of the long-running conflict between cattle herders and farmers in central Nigeria, according to Amnesty.

    The NGO said more than half of these deaths had occurred in 2018 alone.

    “These attacks were well planned and co-ordinated, with the use of weapons like machine guns and AK-47 rifles,” said Osai Ojigho, Amnesty’s Nigeria director.

    “Yet, little has been done by the authorities in terms of prevention, arrests and prosecutions, even when information about the suspected perpetrators was available,” she added.

    “The Nigerian government has displayed what can only be described as gross incompetence and has failed in its duty to protect the lives of its population.”

    On Facebook, army spokesperson General Sani Kukasheka Usman hit back at Amnesty, accusing it of spreading “fictitious allegations” to “destabilise and dismember Nigeria”.

    General Usman also called for the closure of Amnesty operations in the Nigeria “if such recklessness continues”.

    In response, Isa Sanui, a spokesperson for Amnesty in Nigeria, told the BBC: “They should do their job of protecting Nigerians rather than threatening human rights organisations.

    “We will not be discouraged,” added Mr Sanui. “Where we see a violation we will not keep quiet.”

    Central areas of Nigeria have witnessed decades of violence between farmers and cattle herders.

    The International Crisis Group says that in the first half of 2018, six times more people were killed during clashes than in the war with the Boko Haram Islamist group.

    The mostly Muslim Fulani – believed to be the world’s largest semi-nomadic group – herd their animals across vast areas, frequently clashing with farming communities.

    Since many farmers in the areas affected are Christian, the conflict has often been viewed as an ethno-religious struggle.

    Amnesty says the conflict is largely about access to land and resources but has become heavily politicised.

    Fake pictures circulating on social media of alleged violence are also believed to be raising tensions.

    Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari – the son of a Fulani chief – has previously been criticised for his handling of the issue.”

    • CBC – Overtime law sparks protests in Hungary

      Police used tear gas against 10,000 pro-democracy protesters in Budapest demonstrating against controversial changes to Hungary’s labour laws.

      “…. from this far-right authoritarian Prime Minister….”

  19. BFMTV – Attentat de Strasbourg: le père de Chérif Chekatt témoigne “on se sent très mal et tristes”

  20. BFMTV – Mobilisés pour interpeller les casseurs durant les manifestations des gilets jaunes, des policiers disent être à bout. Ils dénoncent des horaires de travail interminables et des équipements insuffisants sur le terrain.

    • The Associated Press – French police union calls work slowdown over budget cuts

      PARIS — A French police labour union is urging the government to invest in rebuilding the country’s police forces while calling for a work slowdown to protest planned cuts in the national police budget.

      The Alliance union said on Monday that French lawmakers are set to vote on 62 million euros ($70 million) in budget cuts this week that “will once again result in downgraded work conditions,” if approved.

      The union is encouraging police forces to stay inside their stations on Wednesday and only to respond to emergency calls.

      Alliance says French lawmakers should vote against the government’s 2019 budget and warns “that other actions will be implemented” if President Emmanuel Macron “does not quickly announce a Marshall Plan for the national police.”

      https://toronto.citynews.ca/2018/12/17/french-police-union-calls-work-slowdown-over-budget-cuts/

      ===================================================

      France: Nationwide transportation strike planned Dec. 18 /update 1

      The General Confederation of Labor (CGT) union announces transportation services strikes on December 18; bus, metro, and rail disruptions expected nationwide

      The General Confederation of Labor (CGT) union called for a general and nationwide strike to take place on Tuesday, December 18. Employees of the SNCF (national rail operator) and the RATP (Paris’ public transport operator), are likely to join the movement. Associated delays and cancelations are expected on transportation services nationwide if the strike goes ahead as planned, notably in the capital Paris. Related protests cannot be ruled out.

      Context
      Related CGT protests were held nationwide, notably on December 14, to protest falling purchasing power and perceived inadequate pensions and social protections.

      Advice
      Individuals in France are advised to confirm rail timetables and reservations, allow for additional time to reach their destinations, and to avoid all protests as a precaution.

      https://www.garda.com/crisis24/news-alerts/185531/france-nationwide-transportation-strike-planned-dec-18-update-1

      • French police union calls work slowdown over budget cuts

        What does this “slowdown” involve? Will the police downshift from twenty to only ten baton strokes per minute when clubbing Yellow Vest protestors? Are their union shop stewards going to be out there on the front lines with split timing stopwatches to ensure strict compliance?

        This typically Gallic passive aggression* is ever so fascinating.

        * One of my favorite single-panel cartoons not drawn by Gary Larson is titled, “The Passive Aggressive Mugger”. It shows this thug carrying a shoe-box who’s confronting two elderly ladies in a dark alley.

        He’s telling them, “Give me all of your money or I’ll abandon this box of kittens!”

  21. CAIR Is Suing Texas — You’ll Never Believe Why

    CAIR is suing Texas because it believes that Texas should be anti-Semitic — and the Lone Star state passed legislation that it’s not. That’s quite an admission of its true colors on CAIR’s part.

    Yet today, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is announcing a lawsuit against the state of Texas for passing anti-BDS legislation last year.

    BDS stands for the boycott, divest and sanction movement against Israel which aims to strangle the Jewish state economically while at the same time calls for the flooding of Palestinians into Israel to destroy the Jewish character of the state.

    According to the definition of anti-Semitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and officially adopted by the U.S. (and 31 other nations), the BDS movement has been deemed at its core an anti-Semitic movement.

    This is fundamentally because the movement “[applies] double standards by requiring of [Israel] a behavior not expected or demanded of by any other democratic nation.” For example, there are at least 100 land disputes across the globe that are not subject to “BDS” movements.

    In their law suit against the state of Texas, CAIR says Texas’ anti-BDS legislation infringes upon their First Amendment rights. This is a breathtaking claim when one stops for a moment and applies this accusation to its logical conclusion.

    https://clarionproject.org/cair-is-suing-texas-for-bds-legislation/

  22. Amnesty: Over 3,600 Killed in Nigeria’s Farmer-Herder Violence (voanews, Dec 17, 2018)
    https://www.voanews.com/a/amnesty-over-3-600-killed-in-nigeria-s-farmer-herder-violence/4703863.html

    “More than 3,600 people have been killed in clashes between farmers and herders in Nigeria since 2016, Amnesty International said on Monday, blaming the government’s failure to punish the perpetrators for fueling the violence.

    The international human rights organization said more than 2,000 were killed in 2018 alone, while the bloodshed had made thousands of other people homeless.

    Violence between farmers and nomadic herders is on the increase in Nigeria over access to fertile land and water, which is becoming scarce in the face of drought and rapid population growth.

    “The Nigerian authorities’ failure to investigate communal clashes and bring perpetrators to justice has fueled a bloody escalation in the conflict between farmers and herders across the country, resulting in at least 3,641 deaths in the past three years and the displacement of thousands more,” Amnesty said in a statement.

    It said that of the 310 attacks recorded between January 2016 and October 2018, 57 percent were in 2018 and were most frequent in Adamawa, Benue, Kaduna, Taraba and Plateau.

    The rights group also accused Nigerian security forces of not doing enough to stop the killings…”

  23. Turkish foreign minister mentions first arrests of FETO members in US (tass, Dec 17, 2018)
    http://tass.com/world/1036473

    “The US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) started to make arrests of the members of the Fetullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO), an Islamic social movement prohibited in Turkey, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated on Monday. The current Turkish government accuses FETO of an attempted coup in July 2016.

    “The FBI are carrying out [investigative] activities in 15 states concerning the FETO case. In [the state of] New Jersey, arrests have already begun,” the TRT channel quotes the minister.

    On Sunday, the Turkish top diplomat stated that the US side is considering the possibility of extraditing FETO leader Fethullah Gulen…”

  24. Washington Post – New report on Russian disinformation, prepared for the Senate, shows the operation’s scale and sweep

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/12/16/new-report-russian-disinformation-prepared-senate-shows-operations-scale-sweep

    The report, a draft of which was obtained by The Washington Post, is the first to analyze the millions of posts provided by major technology firms to the Senate Intelligence Committee.

    […]The bipartisan panel hasn’t said whether it endorses the findings. It plans to release it publicly this week.

    The research — by Oxford University’s Computational Propaganda Project and Graphika, a network analysis firm — offers new details of how Russians working at the Internet Research Agency, which U.S. officials have charged with criminal offenses for interfering in the 2016 campaign, sliced Americans into key interest groups for targeted messaging

    =======================================

    The Computational Propaganda Project

    partners = Open Society Foundations

    https://comprop.oii.ox.ac.uk/#tab-6ca3291b17f07b045b9

    =============================================

    CBS News – New reports detail sophistication of Russian influence efforts in U.S.

    […]two independent analyses revealed Monday.

    […]to exploit social divisions, grow distrust in the U.S. government and media outlets, and erode voters’ confidence in democratic processes.

    […]found with high confidence that Russian president Vladimir Putin and his government developed a “clear preference” for Donald Trump.

    […]that activity between 2015 and 2016 was designed to benefit President Trump’s campaign.”

    […]the House Intelligence Committee’s Republican-issued final report on Russian interference cast doubt on whether Putin’s strategic objective was indeed to help elect Mr. Trump.

    […]As part of its ongoing investigation, the Senate Intelligence Committee is expected to release its own report on social media influence efforts, along with others focused on the Obama administration’s response to Russia’s activities and on whether members of the Trump campaign colluded with representatives of the Russian government.

    https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-reports-detail-sophistication-of-russian-influence-efforts-in-u-s/

  25. Al Jazeera Investigations – Generation Hate Part 2

    In a two-part investigation, al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit goes undercover to expose France’s far-right and reveals secret ..

    ( 49 min 39 )

  26. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/12/27/toblerone-suitable-for-muslim-consumers/
    https://www.blick.ch/news/wirtschaft/fabrik-in-bern-produziert-islamkonform-toblerone-ist-jetzt-halal-id15072574.html

    Factory in Bern now produces in conformity with Islam

    What Muslims enjoy must be in harmony with their commandments. Recently, they
    have also been allowed to enjoy Toblerone, and Nestlé produces in more than 100 factories in compliance with Islam.

    Whether London,Tokyo, Riyadh or New York – every Toblerone that lands somewhere in the world under a Christmas tree has its place of origin in Berne. And they are proud of the world-famous Zackenschoggi. Even though Toblerone has long belonged to the US company Mondelez, every child in Bern-Brünnen knows that the chocolate comes off our production line here.

    What has remained under the radar until now: recently, every Toblerone has been
    considered halal, i.e. also permitted for Muslims. Since April, the sweets have been in accordance with the Islamic purity law. Mondelez had the work certified accordingly in Bern, as a spokeswoman confirmed to SonntagsBlick. Ingredients and production now comply with Halal standards: “The original Toblerone recipe has remained unchanged. Mondelez justifies the change with the fact that 97 percent of Toblerone is exported.

    “Halal” means “permitted” or “permissible” in Arabic. What is halal corresponds to the law of the Koran. And that means more than just the renunciation of pork or alcohol, more than the controversial slaughtering of animals for slaughter. “It is a philosophy of life,” says Mounir Khouzami of the Swiss Arab Network, which aims to promote economic relations between Switzerland and Arab countries. The topic halal is politically charged

    It is also about ethical questions, child labour for example is just as “haram” – i.e.
    forbidden – as eggs from laying batteries. Halal standards apply not only to food, but also to the medical, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, fashion and banking sectors: “We pay attention to cleanliness and purity”, says Khouzami, to characteristics that are also associated with Switzerland.

    The topic is politically charged. Companies that advertise with the title “halal” are being met with calls for boycotts in the social media. Mondelez therefore refrains from praising the latest achievement: “Halal certification is not appropriate on the
    package. One would also prefer not to present the Halal production publicly.

    Swiss companies sometimes find it difficult to market Halal products, says Mounir Khouzami: “They are afraid to scare Swiss consumers away. But he is convinced that halal standardisation is the future.

    At Nestlé, over 100 factories produce halal

    Nestlé, the world’s largest food company, has a similar view. When President Paul Bulcke took up his post almost ten years ago, he quickly made it clear that he wanted to become number one with halal food. Worldwide. The plan seems to work. From 80 plants that were halal-certified at the time, Nestlé made “over 100 factories”, a spokeswoman told SonntagsBlick. Now every fourth Nestlé factory produces under the supervision of the Muftis.

    Emmi is also involved in the new business unit. According to a spokesperson, 100 products are already halal: butter and milk powder for industry or yoghurts, desserts and cheeses for export to the Middle and Far East. Halal products will change the world market

    Halal business is booming, because demand is growing as fast as the Muslim world population. In France, with around six million Muslims, Halal has already overtaken organic food. In addition to the Arab world, Asian boom states such as Indonesia and Malaysia are also part of the Islamic world.

    “Ten out of 25 of the fastest growing markets have large Muslim populations,” says Khouzami. He advises managers to segment and plan less geographically and more according to religion.

    With nearly two billion Muslim consumers, Halal products are about to change the world market. The first Swiss food companies have apparently recognized the signs of the times.

    https://ibin.co/4QKzqDM6i9go.jpg

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/cadbury-halal-chocolate-angry-customers-muslim-boycott-threat-a7642991.html
    https://www.todayonline.com/lifestyle/food/halal-chocolate-takes-sweet-tooth-muslims-seek-fix

  27. UN Assembly adopts refugee pact, without US and Hungary

    The UN General Assembly on Monday adopted by a wide majority a Global Compact on Refugees aimed at improving efforts to manage large refugee movements — but without the support of the United States and Hungary.

    The refugee pact, which did not provoke the controversy unleashed over a similar pact on migration, was approved by 181 countries.

    Only two voted no — the US and Hungary. Three others abstained — the Dominican Republic, Eritrea and Libya.

    Much like the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration — the refugee pact is not legally binding.

    The two global agreements stem from the so-called New York Declaration adopted unanimously by the UN General Assembly in September 2016, with the goal of better handling migrant and refugee flows worldwide.

    The compact — written under the auspices of the Geneva-based UN refugee agency (UNHCR) — hopes to ensure an adequate international response to large-scale refugee movements and extended displacement of refugees.

    General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa told AFP the pact would help “strengthen the assistance to and protection of the 25 million refugees globally” and was based on burden — and responsibility-sharing.

    “Refugee-hosting countries continue to show extraordinary levels of generosity and commitment to refugee protection,” said Espinosa, who is from Ecuador.

    “It’s a known fact that low and middle-income countries host over 85 percent of all refugees. I believe that we must support the communities and states that host refugees.”

    In voting no, Hungary said no new agreement was needed. The US said recently that it backed most of the refugee pact, but not the part aimed at limiting detentions of asylum seekers.

    – Four goals –

    Ahead of Monday’s vote, two countries facing massive population flight addressed the assembly.

    Syria said the debate should not be politicized and asked the UNHCR to do more to help Syrian refugees return to their war-wracked country.

    Crisis-hit Venezuela, which has seen massive flight as its economic quagmire has deepened, urged the assembly to ensure that the new pact did not become a way for other countries to intervene in internal matters.

    The document has four key objectives: ease pressure on refugee-hosting nations; improve refugee self-reliance; expand access to third countries for refugees via resettlement; and, support conditions for refugees to go home.

    The compact is meant to set up a framework; national and regional solutions are supported, and it discusses financing and possible partnerships, as well as data sharing among nations.

    It also includes systems to monitor progress, including a Global Refugee Forum held at ministerial level every four years.

    Unlike the talks on the migration pact, the United States remained in the negotiations for the refugee pact.

    The final text of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Legal Migration was agreed on in July, and it is to be formally ratified by the General Assembly on Wednesday.

    Since July, a number of countries have either quit the pact or expressed serious reservations, including Hungary, Australia, Israel, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Latvia and Italy.

    In Belgium, the migration pact sparked the collapse of the country’s coalition government.

    About 165 countries reaffirmed their commitment to the migration pact earlier this month in Morocco.

    https://www.france24.com/en/20181217-un-assembly-adopts-refugee-pact-without-us-hungary

    =======================================

    UN News – Global Compact on Refugees: How is this different from the migrants’ pact and how will it help?

    The terms ‘refugee’ and ‘migrant’ have been used interchangeably to describe the millions of people worldwide that are either fleeing conflict or seeking better living conditions. As the United Nations sets out to secure global compacts to better protect them, it’s critical to understand the differences between the two.

    A new international agreement to forge a stronger, fairer response to large refugee movements known as the Global Compact on Refugees is expected to be endorsed by members of the UN General Assembly on Monday, 17 December to provide greater support for those fleeing their homelands, and for the countries that take them in, which are often among the poorest in the world.

    It’s designed to provide a robust and systematic model to improve the lives of refugees and their host communities following two years of intensive consultations – which may sound familiar to anyone who has been following the progress of the global migration pact ( formally known as the Global Compact for Safe, orderly and Regular Migration) which was formally adopted in Marrakech last Monday, 10 December 2018.

    […]How will the global compact on refugees work?

    The global compact on refugees establishes the architecture for a stronger, more predictable and more equitable international response to large refugee situations.

    Although not legally binding, it guides the international community in supporting refugees and countries and communities hosting large numbers through the mobilization of political will, a broadening of the base of support, and the activation of arrangements for more equitable and predictable burden- and responsibility-sharing.

    more :

    https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/12/1028641

    =========================================
    UNHCR – The Global Compact on Refugees, explained

  28. Deep State FBI and DOJ Worked at Light Speed to Frame Gen. Flynn – Delayed for Months and Destroyed Evidence When Caught

    The Deep State corrupt characters in the FBI and DOJ worked overtime and at the speed of light in their efforts to frame and set up General Michael Flynn and the Trump Administration. After they were caught, they delayed for months in providing evidence to the US Senate and the DOJ Inspector General’s Office and eventually destroyed evidence that would have clearly shown their criminal deeds.

    The Deep State actors in the FBI and DOJ in their attempt to overthrow the Trump Administration were corrupt and criminal but they weren’t lazy. They only pretend to be lazy and sloppy when they are caught and are asked to provide evidence that would unravel their crimes. Before President-elect Trump’s Inauguration, these corrupt employees of the Obama Administration even worked overtime and on the weekends to usurp the will of the American people.

    For example, on December 29 of 2016, right after President – elect Trump won the election, his soon to be National Security Advisor, General Michael Flynn, contacted Russian Ambassador to the US, Sergey Kislyak. The call was well within the mandate of General Flynn’s new role in the soon to be Trump administration.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/12/deep-state-fbi-and-doj-worked-at-light-speed-to-frame-gen-flynn-delayed-for-months-and-destroyed-evidence-when-caught/?omhide=true

    • He is apparently believing the Propaganda lies about McCarthy but other then that it is a very good video about a very important subject.

    • Thank you, Richard. This is an excellent historical primer on where and when Venezuela went off of the rails.

      In parallel with the video’s closing words, Venezuela is positive proof of the old, half-joking adage about how:

      Before things get worse, they have to get a whole lot more worse.

      In what passes for an economy (where one American dollar supposedly can purchase a “million gallons” of—heavily government subsidized—gasoline), the video mentions how someone could fill a gasoline tanker truck for all of $7.00.

      When driven across the border, theoretically, that same petrol can then sell for $25,000. This is the pluperfect definition of a failed state.

      As with any Socialist régime, corruption—be it the financial sort or an aberration of critical moral functions—ALWAYS plays a principal role in such failures (e.g., Greece). When both forms of corruption manifest simultaneously in one “leader”, there is nothing but hell to pay. Chavez and Maduro embody this grim equation.

  29. SKY NEWS – Scandinavian women found dead with neck injuries in Morocco

    A Danish woman and another from Norway were found in an isolated mountainous region with cuts to their necks.

    The bodies of two Scandinavian women with neck injuries “caused by a cutting device” have been found in the High Atlas mountains in Morocco.

    A Danish woman and another from Norway were found in an isolated mountainous area six miles (10kms) from the village of Imlil, the Moroccan interior ministry said.

    According to Morocco World News, they had knife wounds.

    https://news.sky.com/story/scandinavian-women-found-dead-with-neck-injuries-in-morocco-11584316

    =============================================

    Two Scandinavian women found dead in Morocco mountains

    The bodies of two Scandinavian women with cuts to their necks were found in a village in Morocco’s High Atlas mountains on Monday, the interior ministry said.

    The tourists, a Danish woman and another from Norway, were found with “signs of violence” on their necks caused by a cutting device, the ministry said in a statement.

    It said an investigation had been launched into the “criminal act”, without providing more details.

    The women’s bodies were found in an isolated mountainous area 10 kilometres (six miles) from the tourist village of Imlil in the High Atlas range.

    Imlil is a a starting point for trekking and climbing tours of Mount Toukbal, the highest summit in North Africa.

    Tourism is a cornerstone of Morocco’s economy and the kingdom’s second-largest employer, after agriculture.

    https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2018/12/17/two-scandinavian-women-found-dead-in-morocco-mountains

    • I’m PERSONALLY offended – no, creeped out – by the extension of muh-Russia.

      Demonrats and Theresa May have cast a shadow over the millions of Russian-born citizens living and working in the West.

      Micron is searching for a Russian connection to the Yellow Vests. Like Beria and Mueller, he’s likely to find what he needs.

      Now SubscribeStar is extra-damned because a Russian-born entrepreneur is involved? I don’t know, maybe he’s even a Jew?!

      Oligarch! Mafia!

    • Terra Incognita: How totalitarian regimes will take over social media and destroy the West

      Porous borders and radio waves and other methods enabled people to learn what was happening outside of various police states, such as the Soviet empire.

      Totalitarian regimes are increasingly turning to the Internet as a way to control their own publics and as a tool to use to undermine democracies and threaten dissidents abroad.

      It is becoming increasingly difficult to critique some of these regimes, as major social media companies such as Facebook and Google cater to requests by regimes to remove content, ban users, or make it difficult to find content.

      https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Terra-Incognita-How-totalitarian-regimes-will-take-over-social-media-and-destroy-the-West-574595?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

  30. MEMRI TV – NY Cleric Ibn Muneer: Islam without Jihad Is Like Honey without the Sweetness

    During a December 5, 2018 class that was streamed live on the Hadith Disciple YouTube channel, New York cleric “Mufti” Muhammad Ibn Muneer said that while there are different types of martyrs in Islam, one should not confuse any of them with the martyr who was killed in battle, who holds the highest status of martyrdom.

    He warned the audience not to treat lesser forms of Jihad, such as seeking knowledge and giving da’wa, as if they are equal to fighting for the sake of Allah. Ibn Muneer said that when a Muslim makes a comment about Christians or Jews, such as saying that the Jews have earned Allah’s wrath, he may face repercussions such as being called an extremist or terrorist.

    He also said that trying to remove Jihad from the Quran and the Sunnah is like “removing sweetness from honey.”

    He added: “Your feelings have no value [or] worth in light of the Quran and Sunnah.

    If you don’t believe and understand that, then maybe Islam is not the religion for you.”

    The class was held at Masjid Ahlis-Sunnah Wal-Jama’ah in Queens, New York. Ibn Munner, who was born in Philadelphia and whose Hadith Disciple YouTube channel has over 10,000 subscribers, recently went on a speaking tour at several mosques in the United Kingdom. During the tour he appeared on the “Freshly Grounded” podcast, which also has over 10,000 YouTube subscribers.

  31. the rebel – Watch Minister Hussen avoid Rebel questions on UN Global Compact | David Menzies

    A funny thing happened on the way to a press conference hosted by Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen: namely, the Q&A segment of the presser got cancelled.

    Was it because the Rebel showed up to ask some serious questions those in the Media Party aren’t asking?

  32. Federal Minister, Ahmed Hussen at Canada Chapter of ICAP Members Gala Dinner 2018

    The Canada Chapter of ICAP Members organized a Gala Dinner on October 19, 2018 at the Pearson Convention Center, Brampton. This flagship event is held to celebrate the success of the ICAP members in establishing themselves and their families in Canada, the country they have adopted. This was the fourth biennial event organized by the Chapter. Around 250 ICAP members, their families, professionals, bankers, and distinguished guests attended this flagship event.

    Honourable Ahmed D. Hussen, Federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, emphasized the importance of immigration and increase in the number of new immigrants to Canada. The honourable Minister gave an overview of the government’s policy on immigration, especially with regard to Pakistan. He said that the process of family and business immigration needs to be smoothed and put on a fast track.

    ==================================================
    The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) Canadian Local Chapter

    The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan is a professional body of Chartered Accountants in Pakistan, and represents accountants employed in public practice, business and industry, and the public and private sectors.

    At ICAP we realize that education, professional values and ethics are critical, and hold together the forces that continue to pull us towards globalization, yet persuade us to retain our distinctive identity

    The Council has approved formation of Overseas Chapters initially in Dubai =, London and Toronto . The initiative will provide opportunity to ICAP members residing in those cities to interact more frequently with the Council and plan the CPD activities more effectively.

    https://muslimlink.ca/directory/toronto-gta/community/organizations/4066-The-Institute-of-Chartered-Accountants-of-Pakistan-ICAP-Canadian-Chapter
    =================================================

  33. twitchy – WOW: Christopher Steele says he was hired to help ‘challenge the validity of the outcome’ of the 2016 election

    First off, let’s remind all of the people who are going to claim that the Washington Free Beacon originally hired FusionGPS to do opposition research on Donald Trump that they ended that relationship well before Christopher Steele was hired to compile a fake dossier on then-candidate Trump, so put that tired talking point away.

    We also know that both the Hillary Clinton campaign and the DNC were the ones who paid for the Steele dossier through the law firm Perkins Coie.

    And now, thanks to a defamation lawsuit brought by three Russian bankers, we have Steele on record saying that “he was hired by a Democratic law firm in preparation for Hillary Clinton challenging the results of the 2016 presidential election,” the Washington Times reports.

    Rowan Scarborough reports:

    In an answer to interrogatories, Mr. Steele wrote: “Fusion’s immediate client was law firm Perkins Coie. It engaged Fusion to obtain information necessary for Perkins Coie LLP to provide legal advice on the potential impact of Russian involvement on the legal validity of the outcome of the 2016 US Presidential election.

    “Based on that advice, parties such as the Democratic National Committee and HFACC Inc. (also known as ‘Hillary for America’) could consider steps they would be legally entitled to take to challenge the validity of the outcome of that election.”

    more :
    https://twitchy.com/brettt-3136/2018/12/17/wow-christopher-steele-says-he-was-hired-to-help-challenge-the-validity-of-the-outcome-of-the-2016-election/

    =================================================

    Washingtont times – Anti-Trump dossier author was hired to help Hillary challenge 2016 election results

    British ex-spy Christopher Steele, who wrote the Democrat-financed anti-Trump dossier, said in a court case that he was hired by a Democratic law firm in preparation for Hillary Clinton challenging the results of the 2016 presidential election.

    He said the law firm Perkins Coie wanted to be in a position to contest the results based on evidence he unearthed on the Trump campaign conspiring with Moscow on election interference.

    His scenario is contained in a sealed Aug. 2 declaration in a defamation law suit brought by three Russian bankers in London. The trio’s American attorneys filed his answers Tuesday in a libel lawsuit in Washington against the investigative firm Fusion GPS, which handled the former British intelligence officer.

    In an answer to interrogatories, Mr. Steele wrote: “Fusion’s immediate client was law firm Perkins Coie. It engaged Fusion to obtain information necessary for Perkins Coie LLP to provide legal advice on the potential impact of Russian involvement on the legal validity of the outcome of the 2016 US Presidential election.

    “Based on that advice, parties such as the Democratic National Committee and HFACC Inc. (also known as ‘Hillary for America’) could consider steps they would be legally entitled to take to challenge the validity of the outcome of that election.”

    The Democrats never filed a challenge, but Mr. Steele’s answer suggested that was one option inside the Clinton camp, which funded Mr. Steele’s research along with the Democratic National Committee.

    The U.S. intelligence community concluded that Moscow interfered in the election by hacking Democratic Party computers and stealing emails that it released via WikiLeaks.

    No Trump associate has been charged with collusion.

    In a previous court filing in a second case in April-May 2017, Mr. Steele said his job was to find links between Trump associates and Moscow.

    Hired by Fusion in June 2016, he wrote a 17-memo dossier alleging a “extensive conspiracy” between the two, which two years later hasn’t been proven publicly by special counsel Robert Mueller or Congress.

    In his most recent London court filing, Mr. Steele is defending against a libel lawsuit by citing a discredited story about a computer server, Trump Tower and a Russian bank.

    The suit was brought by three Russian oligarchs who control Moscow’s Alfa Bank. Mr. Steele, under the dossier heading of election interference, accused them of paying cash bribes to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

    The bankers — Mikhail Fridman, Petr Aven and German Khan — also sued Fusion GPS.

    The case was dismissed by a D.C. Superior Court judge. Lawyers filed an appeal in U.S. District Court and attached Mr. Steele’s August declarations given in the London court.

    “Internet traffic data suggested that a computer server of an entity in which the Claimants have an interest, Alfa Bank, had been communicating with a computer server linked to the Trump Organization,” Mr. Steele stated.

    His goal was to show that his unverified dossier was correct when he wrote of an “extensive conspiracy.”

    But the server story has fallen into the “fake news” category by most accounts.

    When it began appearing on social media in 2016, some online sleuths looked at the server’s IP address and other data. They traced the server to a location outside Philadelphia that spewed marketing spam.

    A Trump Organization official told The Washington Times last year that some of the spam went to Alfa Bank employees who perhaps stayed in Trump hotels. That’s how Alfa turned up in some emails.

    The New York Times investigated and said the FBI basically came to the same conclusion.

    Mr. Steele didn’t mention the server theory in the dossier itself.

    Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn R. Simpson did try to sell the idea to the Justice Department, despite The New York Times’ finding. He met with then-Associate Deputy Attorney General Bruce Ohr.

    Trying to prompt an investigation, Mr. Simpson told him the Times story was wrong and the server was used for direct communication, according to Mr. Ohr’s notes turned over to Congress.

    In his court filing, Mr. Steele sought to show cronyism between Trump and the bank by noting that Alfa hired then-private attorney Brian Benczkowski to investigate the server allegation.

    Mr. Benczkowski is now assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, having won Senate confirmation in a near-party line vote.

    Fusion GPS, in defending against the Russians’ libel lawsuit, depicts the three men as corrupt Putin cronies.

    Mr. Steele faces a second defamation suit in London, this one from Russian entrepreneur Aleksej Gubarev, owner of XBT Holdings and provider of computer servers to thousands of clients.

    In his final December 2016 dossier memo, Mr. Steele accused Mr. Gubarev of actually performing the hacking on Democratic computers under duress from Russian intelligence. He said in a court filing that the allegation came from unsolicited call-ins.

    Mr. Gubarev said the allegations are made up. In Florida, he also is suing BuzzFeed, the news website that published the entire dossier in January 2017.

    https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/dec/12/christopher-steele-hillary-clinton-was-preparing-t/

  34. Hungary: Budapest rallies against Orban’s reformsl for 5th straight day

    Another evening of demonstrations hit Budapest on Monday, as people continued to protest after lawmakers approved a controversial amendment to labour rules proposed by Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party.

    • A recovering-leftist like Melanie Phillips begins to understand that “populist” has become as much of a slur as “Zionist”. The actual meaning so twisted, how does a genuine, self-respecting Zionist come to accept populism as a positive political movement?

      She’s looking at Salvini and Orban for who they are: they’re _not_ antisemites. The figurehead President of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, chooses to remain aloof from such “neo-fascists”. He’s an elitist jerk. (Turns out Ron Lauder is another.)

      Is the state of Israel supping with the devil?

      …[W]hen it comes to supporting Israel, these “authoritarian” leaders are putting liberal Western Europe to shame.

      Britain, Germany and France are continuing to trade with Iran and working to undermine U.S. sanctions despite the regime’s support of global terror, its aim to wipe Israel off the map and its determination to build nuclear weapons to pursue its war against the Western world.

      In any event, the belief that the new “populists” are all “far-right,” and therefore racist and anti-Semitic, doesn’t necessarily follow.…

      Orbán has… produced an initiative to rid Hungarian schoolbooks of anti-Semitism. His illiberalism is in large measure designed to safeguard his authority against true fascists and anti-Semites, of whom there are many in his country and whose party, Jobbik, is snapping at his heels.

      Many Hungarian Jews are incredulous that Orbán is said to be a fascist and anti-Semite. They believe he is the one politician who is safeguarding them against fascism and anti-Semitism.…

      https://www.jns.org/opinion/is-the-state-of-israel-supping-with-the-devil/