Each day at just after midnight Eastern, a post like this one is created for contributors and readers of this site to upload news links and video links on the issues that concern this site. Most notably, Islam and its effects on Classical Civilization, and various forms of leftism from Soviet era communism, to postmodernism and all the flavours of galloping statism and totalitarianism such as Nazism and Fascism which are increasingly snuffing out the classical liberalism which created our near, miraculous civilization the West has been building since the time of Socrates.
This document was written around the time this site was created, for those who wish to understand what this site is about. And while our understanding of the world and events has grown since then, the basic ideas remain sound and true to the purpose.
So please post all links, thoughts and ideas that you feel will benefit the readers of this site to the comments under this post each day. And thank you all for your contributions.
This is the new Samizdat. We muse use it while we can.
Theresa May’s Brexit deal rejected by Parliament
https://pjmedia.com/homeland-security/understanding-ourselves-to-death/
This is a pretty good essay about a typical leftist reaction to what “understanding” Islam means.
‘There’s going to be a stoning… so cool!’: Jihadi bride boasted of how great life was in Syria after she fled UK to join ISIS – as ‘naive’ brother who she begged to wire her £2,350 faces jail (dailymail, Jan 15, 2019)
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6594353/Naive-brother-25-wired-jihadi-bride-sister-3-000-Syria.html
“The jihadi sister of a ‘naive’ brother who wired her more than £2,000 after she fled Britain to join Islamic State boasted of her time in Syria, it emerged today as he faced up to 14 years in jail.
Salim Wakil, 25, who had lived with his parents and nine younger siblings in Fleet, Hampshire, recruited a friend who lent him his bank details to send £2,350 via Western Union transfer to his sister Sumaiyyah last February.
Sumaiyyah left a series of voice messages for relatives from Raqqa telling them how great life was and that she was not coming back.
In one in May 2015, she said: ‘Guess what today there’s going to be a stoning of a woman. Me and my husband are going to go and see it inshallah. So cool man.’
Sumaiyyah left the country when she was just 16 in August 2014, leaving behind a handwritten letter for her family begging them not to alert the police.
The sister, who is now 21, expressed ‘anger’ about ‘the state of the Islamic community’, indicating that the only way to help was by travelling to the war-torn country to fight and help those suffering.
She also made clear she wished to die as a martyr as she made her way to ISIS-controlled areas, the court heard.
Wakil denied funding terrorism over the transfer, claiming the money was meant to help bring her back to the UK. But a jury convicted him after a week-long trial at the Old Bailey in London.
Brett Weaver, prosecuting, told the court: ‘The offence for which Mr Wakil has now been convicted has a maximum sentence of fourteen years imprisonment…”
Truckers and Yellow Vest Protests Rendezvous at Calgary City Hall
China issues travel warning for Canada
President of Wilsey Asset Management, Brent Wilsey, on China, iPhones & Inflation
Richard: They are talking about the Chinese economy
UN peacekeeping missions threatened by $2 billion budget gap (thedefensepost, Jan 15, 2019)
https://thedefensepost.com/2019/01/15/un-peacekeeping-missions-2-billion-budget-gap/
Nigeria’s military struggles with Islamic State: Part 1 – an upsurge in attacks (thedefensepost, Jan 15, 2019)
https://thedefensepost.com/2019/01/15/nigeria-military-struggles-islamic-state-iswa-part-1-upsurge-in-attacks/
“In a two-part analysis, Robert Postings takes an in-depth look at the recent upsurge in Islamic State West Africa province attacks in northeastern Nigeria, and then looks at reasons behind the Nigerian military’s apparent problems in dealing with the increasingly violent insurgent group.
While Islamic State has suffered defeats in its core territory of Iraq and Syria, this is not the situation for the group everywhere. Its West Africa province, or wilayat, appears to be on a resurgent path in northeastern Nigeria after suffering several setbacks in recent years. As Nigerian soldiers complain about poor equipment, corruption, and suffer from low morale, ISWA are overrunning military bases and capturing towns.
Without a change of trajectory this conflict is only going to worsen for Nigeria…”
Boko Haram militants overrun Rann near Nigeria border with Cameroon (thedefensepost, Jan 15, 2019)
https://thedefensepost.com/2019/01/15/nigeria-boko-haram-iswa-attack-rann-near-cameroon/
“Boko Haram fighters attacked a military base in remote northeast Nigeria, setting fire to shelters for those made homeless by the conflict, military and humanitarian sources told AFP on Tuesday, January 15.
The attack in Rann, some 175 km (110 miles) northeast of the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, began late on Monday afternoon and forced civilians to flee.
It followed a pattern by the Islamic State West Africa Province faction of Boko Haram that has called into question government claims the group is virtually defeated.
A similar attempt was made to take over a military base in Magumeri, 50 km northwest of Maiduguri, on Sunday, a local community leader said.
A military source in the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, said the attack began at about 5:20 p.m. (1620 GMT) on Monday.
“The terrorists took over a military position in Rann following heavy fighting,” he said on condition of anonymity.
Nigerian government forces fled during the attack, Reuters reported security sources as saying.
According to Reuters’ sources, residents of the town also fled and the militants set buildings on fire…”
Workers Locked in Cage by UAE Man for Supporting Indian Team in AFC Asian Cup (+Video) (tasnimnews, Jan 15, 2019)
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2019/01/15/1923776/workers-locked-in-cage-by-uae-man-for-supporting-indian-team-in-afc-asian-cup-video
“TEHRAN (Tasnim) – UAE man was arrested this week in Abu Dhabi after releasing a video of himself showing him locking his Indian workers in a bird cage for supporting their countries football team fans.
He then forces those men to say they support the UAE team instead of India during the AFC Asian Cup. The workers replied, ‘India’ and got a bitter response from the man. The man again asked them who do they support, they replied UAE and the man releases them. The video went viral ever since.
After the video was making rounds on the internet, United Arab Emirates Attorney General’s office released a statement on this video.
The statement clearly stated that it was an offensive video and a legal action should be taken against the man, PTC News reported.
The statement further reads that a warrant has been issued for the man. He was arrested and brought in for questing. During interrogation, the man explained that the video was just a joke. The men shown in the birdcage were his workers. They know each other for 22 years and they work on his farm.
The Sharjah police told the media that such videos contradict with the UAE laws. The men in the video have been referred to the public prosecution for further investigation.”
Yemen Fires Ballistic Missile at Saudi Arabia (tasnimnews, jan 15, 2019)
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2019/01/15/1923476/yemen-fires-ballistic-missile-at-saudi-arabia
“TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The forces of the Yemeni army and Popular Committees, in a retaliatory attack against the Saudi-led coalition, fired a domestically made ballistic missile at Saudi Arabia’s border region of Najran, a military source said…”
Pro-government Yemeni Forces Destroy Six Iran-made Drones in 10 Days (aawsat, jan 15, 2019)
https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/1546676/pro-government-yemeni-forces-destroy-six-iran-made-drones-10-days
Iran Fails to Launch Satellite into Orbit (aawsat, Jan 15, 2019)
https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/1546776/iran-fails-launch-satellite-orbit
Houthis Kill Several Children in Shelling on Refugee Camp in Hodeidah (aawsat, Jan 15, 2019)
https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/1547181/houthis-kill-several-children-shelling-refugee-camp-hodeidah
“Several children were killed and wounded in shelling by the Iran-backed Houthi militias against a refugee camp in Yemen’s al-Khokha district and residential neighborhoods in Hays city in southern Hodeidah.
Witnesses said that four children were wounded when a mortar shell landed in the al-Jaber camp in Khokha.
In Hays, Houthi attacks completely destroyed a local resident.
Meanwhile, local sources said the militias carried out a series of raids and arrests against citizens in Hodeidah’s Zabid district.
Dozens of fathers were detained in order to pressure their sons to head to the battlefronts.
Separately, the national army liberated a mountain range in the Ktaf district in the Saada province in the North.”
Erdogan wants to revive cannabis production, and Turkish Islamists love it (mee, Jan 15, 2019)
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/erdogan-wants-revive-cannabis-production-turkish-islamists-love-it-637981698
Iran could enrich uranium to 20 per cent within 4 days – atomic chief (memo, Jan 15, 2019)
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190115-iran-could-enrich-uranium-to-20-per-cent-within-4-days-atomic-chief/
“Iran can enrich uranium up to 20 percent within four days, its atomic energy chief said on Tuesday, a comment apparently aimed at showing Tehran could quickly expand its enrichment programme if its nuclear deal with world powers collapses, Reuters reports…”
Gunfire, blasts heard as survivors of attack in Kenya flee: first responder (reuters, jan 16, 2019)
https://reut.rs/2Hc0fa9
“Renewed gunfire and blasts were heard early on Wednesday morning as authorities evacuated around 50 survivors of a militant attack on an upscale hotel and business complex in the Kenya capital of Nairobi, a first responder said.
Egypt court orders release of woman jailed over torture claims in BBC report (ahram, Jan 15, 2019)
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/321794/Egypt/Politics-/Egypt-court-orders-release-of-woman-jailed-over-to.aspx
“An Egyptian woman who made headlines during a controversial 2018 interview with the BBC, where she claimed that her daughter had been tortured and disappeared by security services, has been released under probationary measures.
On Tuesday, a criminal court ordered the release on Mona Mahmoud – Um Zubaida – after nearly one year in detention on charges including “publishing and broadcasting false news that could harm the country’s national interests” and joining an illegal group, in reference to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.
Under the court’s decision on Tuesday, she will have to report to a police station two days per week.
The charges arise from the woman’s claims during an interview with the BBC that her daughter, Zubaida, had not been seen since 2017 after being apprehended by security forces, and that she was tortured in detention during her previous stint in custody.
Mahmoud’s account was part of a short documentary and online report by the BBC on what it said were cases of enforced disappearances and torture carried out by the Egyptian security forces.
Zubaida appeared shortly after the BBC’s report and denied being tortured or abducted.
Egyptian authorities have described the BBC report as full of lies and unsubstantiated allegations, prompting the State Information Service (SIS) to urge officials to boycott the public broadcaster until an apology is published.
The BBC was briefly taken to court, facing a threat of shutting its bureau in Cairo; however, the Cairo Court of Urgent Matters ruled that it lacks jurisdiction over the matter in June 2018.”
Imlil Murders Suspects Were Targeting King’s Adviser Andre Azoulay (moroccoworldnews, jan 15, 2019)
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2019/01/263407/imlil-murder-suspect-king-adviser-andre-azoulay/
“According to the preliminary investigation by Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ), the list of terror suspects arrested in connection with the Imlil murders includes an imam and an ex-military member.
Jeune Afrique news outlet obtained exclusive information from the preliminary investigation into the double murder of Louisa Vesterager Jespersen and Maren Ueland near Mount Toubkal in December 2018.
The suspects were planning serious attacks against tourists, churches, Jewish mausoleums, and festivals.
The suspects, according to Jeune Afrique, were also targeting a series of public figures, including the King’s Jewish advisor, Andre Azoulay. They also planned to burn down Azoulay’s property in Marrakech.*
The suspects were also planning to attack Mohamed Ben Abderrahme El Mghraoui, a “moderate” Moroccan Salafi.
BCIJ arrested at least 22 suspects in connection to the murders.
Police found the bodies of the two tourists on December 17, 2018.
The suspects will be tried in accordance with the 2003 Anti-Terror Law for having ties with a group that planned to commit acts of terror in Morocco.
Suspects involved in terrorism typically receive sentences ranging from 10 to 20 years in prison.
All the suspects arrested for the double murder appeared before the investigating judge pending their trial after the investigation was finalized.”
PM Imran gets ‘gold Kalashnikov’ in gift from Saudi prince (tribune, Jan 15, 2019)
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1888850/1-pm-imran-gets-gold-kalashnikov-gift-saudi-prince/
“Governor of Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk province, Prince Fahad bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz has gifted a ‘gold Kalashnikov’ and bullets to Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The gold-plated Russian gun was gifted in a meeting at PM Office on Monday, sources told The Express Tribune on Tuesday.
The premier thanked the Saudi prince for the expensive gift, they added…”
Iraqi migrant in Turkey blames Greek officers for daughter’s death (hurriyetdailynews, Jan 15, 2019)
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/iraqi-migrant-in-turkey-blames-greek-officers-for-daughters-death-140520
“An Iraqi irregular migrant who was rescued by the Turkish Coast Guard along with 45 others in the Aegean Sea on Jan. 15 said Greek naval officers “tried to kill” them.
Coast Guard teams saved the migrants off Ku?adas? district of Ayd?n province after a semi-submerged boat carrying the migrants including children started taking in water.
Iraqi migrant Mohammed Fadil, whose 4-year-old daughter’s body was recovered, claimed that Greek naval officers were responsible for the incident.
A boat belonging to the Greek Coast Guard Command stopped us in open sea, Fadil told reporters at the Ku?adas? State Hospital.
“There were strong waves. We thought they came to save us. They told us to cut the engine. They tied our boat to theirs with a rope, and then they started to turn us in circles,” Fadil said.
“It was so inhumane. They tried to kill us,” he added.
Fadil said they had been left for dead mercilessly until the Turkish Coast Guard teams came and saved them, adding: “I saved my two children, but I could not save the other.”
Roughly 14,000 irregular migrants came to Greece in 2018, according to Greek officials.
Turkey has been the main route for refugees trying to cross into Europe, especially since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011.”
‘Aspiring terrorist’ among 14 held in human trafficking bust (ansa, Jan 15, 2019)
http://www.ansa.it/english/news/2019/01/15/aspiring-terrorist-among-14-held-in-trafficking-bust_30b4cd5f-9af0-42a8-a74e-dd3e380ed9ca.html
“A Tunisian man suspected of being close to attempting a terrorist attack on a Carabinieri police barracks was among 14 people held on Tuesday in a bust by finance police targeting a human trafficking ring, sources said.
The suspect, Fadhel Moncer, is thought to have been the leader of the gang that transported migrants from Tunisia to Sicily via high-speed dinghies. He allegedly wanted to bomb a barracks and the only thing that stopped him from carrying out the plan was Tuesday’s operation, investigators believe.
Moncer was arrested in 2012 in relation to alleged arms and drugs trafficking between France and Italy. Both Italians and foreign national were detained in the operation.”
Economy weaker than expected, stimulus needed – Draghi (ansa, Jan 15, 2019)
http://www.ansa.it/english/news/2019/01/15/economy-weaker-than-expected-stimulus-needed-draghi_31f2539d-f77a-48a9-ba2d-2c366bfd1a80.html
“The eurozone economy is weaker than expected and stimulus is needed, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi told the European Parliament Tuesday.
He said the ECB decied to end its QE bond-buying programme in December since it was “confident that the convergence of inflation towards the objective would continue”.
But now, he said, “there is no room for complacency”.
Draghi also said the eurozone had emerged from a crisis that had threatened its very existence thanks to the energy of European citizens.
He said the confidence in pro-euro politicians must continue.”
Réponse à Zineb El Razhoui et Zemmour
Swiss court rules ‘foreign gypsy’ cartoon was racist (thelocal, Jan 15, 2019)
https://www.thelocal.ch/20190115/gypsy-cartoon-published-by-youth-wing-of-swiss-peoples-party-ruled-racist
“The heads of the youth wing of Switzerland’s right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) in the canton of Bern have been found guilty of racial discrimination over a cartoon protesting a regional government proposal for temporary camping places for “foreign gypsies”.
A district court in the canton handed Nils Fiechter and Adrian Spahr suspended fines – a Swiss legal provision which allows for fines to become payable if people re-offend within a given period – for the cartoon published during cantonal elections last year.
The court ruled that the picture, which was published on Facebook in response to controversial regional government plans to provide additional camping spots for “travellers” in Wileroltigen in canton Bern, was discriminatory towards the country’s Sinti and Roma communities.
The cartoon shows a man in traditional Swiss costume holding his nose as he looks at a group of caravans surrounded by rubbish. In the background, a man with dark skin can be seen defecating in public.
“Millions of [Swiss] francs in costs for building and upkeep, dirt, faeces, noise etc, against the will of the local population,” the text above the cartoon reads.
Below the cartoon, the text reads: “We say no to transit places for foreign gypsies.”
The case came to court after the Swiss Sinti and Roma organisation filed a criminal complaint against the two politicians, arguing that by using the word “Zigeuner” (gypsy), the cartoon had targeted a specific ethnic group.
Linguistic defence
But the SVP youth wing leaders said they had never intended to be racist and used a linguistics-based defence.
Fiechter said the cartoon had targeted temporary camping places and not people. He argued the word “gypsies” (Zigeuner) used in the cartoon had been intended to refer to “travellers”, or caravan dwellers, rather than a specific ethnic group.
The word ‘Zigeuner’ is used in German-speaking countries to refer to ‘gypsies’ in general but can have negative connotations, and is often rejected by the Sinti and Roma.
But the presiding judge did not agree with the two politicians and ruled that the average reader would perceive the cartoon as an attack on human dignity.
Appeal now planned
In a statement released on Tuesday the youth party described the court’s sentence as “unacceptable” and said it planned to appeal.
In December, the canton of Bern announced it would spend 3.3 million Swiss francs (€2.9 million) to create 36 camping spots near Wileroltigen despite local opposition.
Defending its decision, the cantonal government said it was obligated to ensure there were enough camping spots available for “travellers”, including foreign “travellers” and that the Wileroltigen option was the best available.”
BREAKING: Man stabbed IN MOUTH during HORRIFIC Tottenham attack – one arrested by police (express, Jan 16, 2019)
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1072835/Tottenham-Haringey-stabbing-London-knife-attack-man-injured-police-one-arrest
“A HORRIFIC attack has seen a man stabbed in the mouth during an event at Tottenham Town Hall in Haringey.
The victim, aged 50, does not have life-threatening injuries. He has been taken to hospital for treatment. In a statement the Met Police said: “Police were called at 11:39pm on Tuesday, 15 January after a man was reported to have been stabbed in the mouth at a gathering in Tottenham Town Hall.
“Officers attended with the London Ambulance Service.
“One man has been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and taken into custody.
“Enquiries continue.”
Police remain at the scene of the stabbing.
Separately two men were found in Haringey yesterday with stab wounds to their legs.
They were treated by a London Air Ambulance.
Police had been called to the scene at around 3.30pm.
London experienced its largest number of murders in a decade last year, with 132 people being killed.
Of these fatal attacks 77 were stabbings.
Sadiq Khan was criticised for appointing a Labour politician, rather than a crime professional, to head his Violence Reduction Unit earlier this month.”
‘We want to move ahead’: Macron and Merkel to sign new Franco-German treaty
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will sign a new treaty with Merkel’s spokesman saying France and Germany: “want to move ahead to ensure the security and wellbeing of citizens as well as a strong, sovereign and democratic Europe.”
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will sign a new treaty on January 22 to further strengthen Franco-German cooperation in the run-up to next year’s EU elections, Macron’s office said Tuesday.
The two leaders, both of whom have been weakened domestically, will meet in the French border town of Aix-la-Chapelle to ink an accord “which will strengthen the already close ties between Germany and France,” the French presidency said.
Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert said the eurozone’s two biggest economies “want to move ahead to ensure the security and wellbeing of citizens as well as a strong, sovereign and democratic Europe.”
The treaty will cover joint projects in the areas of defence, climate change and security as well as the sensitive issue of “economic and social convergence,” the French presidency statement said.
The meeting comes as Merkel enters the twilight of her rule and Macron attempts to defuse the “yellow vest” anti-government rebellion which has engulfed French cities over the past seven weeks.
The couple seen as the glue of the European project will meet in the town hall of Aix-la-Chapelle, former capital of the ninth-century Carolingian Empire, which laid the foundation for Germany, France and several other modern European countries.
The French and German parliaments will, on the same day, adopt a draft agreement on closer cooperation in the form of a 100-member joint parliamentary assembly, the French statement said.
France and Germany’s ruling parties and their allies fear an unprecedented challenge from populists in May’s European Parliament elections.
In his New Year’s address Macron said he would set out his vision for a “renewed European project” in the coming weeks.
The 41-year-old centrist was elected on a promise to revolutionise the post-Brexit EU but Germany shot down his proposals for a huge common fund, with Berlin agreeing only to a limited budget to finance investment.
https://www.thelocal.fr/20190109/macron-and-merkel-to-sign-new-franco-german-treaty
===============================================
Macron doit tenir jusqu’au 22 janvier, après, nous aurons affaire à Merkel
https://ripostelaique.com/macron-doit-tenir-jusquau-22-janvier-apres-nous-aurons-affaire-a-merkel.html
==================================================
Former Taliban minister held in Peshawar amid US push for Afghan peace talks (tribune, Jan 15, 2019)
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1888817/1-former-taliban-minister-held-peshawar-amid-us-push-afghan-talks/
“PESHAWAR: A senior Taliban leader in the previous Taliban regime in Afghanistan arrested in Peshawar on Monday night.
Hafez Mohibullah was the religious affairs minister in 1992 when the Taliban ran Afghanistan. Sources in the Afghan Taliban confirmed the development.
The move comes just a day before US special representative for Afghan peace Zalmay Khalilzad is arriving in Pakistan on a five-day visit on Tuesday (today) for talks with senior civil and military leaders…”