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 must use it while we can.
“Woman Run Over By Ex Husband Then Slashed To Death With A Machete In Broad Daylight…” Weasel Zippers – October 4, 2019
https://www.weaselzippers.us/434362-woman-run-over-by-ex-husband-then-slashed-to-death-with-a-machete-in-broad-daylight/
“Man Accused Of Killing Ex-Wife In Gruesome Machete Attack”
CBS New York – October 4, 2019
“Deranged man, 62, ‘runs over his ex-wife twice before hacking her to death with a MACHETE in front of her two grandchildren’ in the Bronx” By Ralph R. Ortega – Published on October 3, 2019
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7536095/Deranged-man-62-runs-ex-wife-hacking-death-machete.html
Hong Kong police fire tear gas in Causeway Bay
Protesters torch Causeway Bay MTR station; entire Hong Kong rail network shut down
Hong Kong protesters build barricades and start fires after mask ban
Emergency powers invoked in Hong Kong to ban face masks amid protests
Observer on impact of Hong Kong’s move to invoke emergency powers
Invoking law to ban face masks symbolises start of crackdown process in Hong Kong: Expert
(Richard: More Capital flight from China)
Hong Kong protests boost interest in Malaysian real estathttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5kpMhY7JwM
When you think about the above video be sure and remember what is being said in this on.
Attempted Hack on Trump’s 2020 Campaign Reportedly by Iranian Government-Linked Group (sputniknews, Oct 4, 2019)
https://sputniknews.com/us/201910041076966469-trumps-reelection-campaign-reportedly-hacked-by-iranian-government-linked-group/
“An attempted hack on US President Donald Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign has reportedly been carried out by an apparently Iranian government-linked group, Reuters revealed in an exclusive report on Friday.
Citing sources with knowledge of the hacking operation, Reuters noted that the targeting was unsuccessful.
The report comes hours after American tech company Microsoft claimed that it had detected significant cyber activity from a group known as Phosphorus, which reportedly hails from Iran, and that at least one US presidential campaign and accounts linked to current and former US government officials were targeted by said group.
“We’re sharing this for two reasons. First, it is important that we all – governments and private sector – are increasingly transparent about nation-state attacks and efforts to disrupt democratic processes,” reads Microsoft’s release on the matter.
“Second, while we have processes to notify customers about nation state activity and have AccountGuard to monitor accounts of campaigns and other associated organizations related to election processes in democracies around the world, publishing this information should help others be more vigilant and take steps to protect themselves.”
“The targeted accounts are associated with a US presidential campaign, current and former US government officials, journalists covering global politics and prominent Iranians living outside Iran,” the statement continues.
According to Microsoft, within a 30-day period its intelligence center detected 2,700 attempts “to identify consumer email accounts belonging to specific Microsoft customers and then attack 241 of those accounts.” The efforts ultimately led to only four accounts being compromised; however, none of these accounts were linked to a US presidential campaign or current or former US government officials.
“This effort suggests Phosphorus is highly motivated and willing to invest significant time and resources engaging in research and other means of information gathering,” Microsoft later noted.
An earlier statement from Microsoft in July indicated that roughly 10,000 of its clients had become targets of state-sponsored cyberattacks over the past year.”
Live round fired amid violent protests over Hong Kong mask ban
https://www.youtube.com/user/channelnewsasia/videos
Hong Kong demonstrators damage Sha Tin MTR station to protest anti-mask law
sky news – Migrants escaping to a Greek island are ‘not going to find paradise’
The island of Lesbos has seen a three-year peak of people crossing from Turkey to Greece and conditions are worsening.
Sky News joined Constantinos Moutzouris – who governs the North Aegean Islands, including Lesbos – on board a coastguard patrol spotting dinghies trying to reach the Greek coast from Turkey.
Moria camp – Lesbos
Iran Rejects France’s Call for Release of Dual National as ‘Interference’ (tasnimnews, Oct 4, 2019)
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2019/10/04/2111204/iran-rejects-france-s-call-for-release-of-dual-national-as-interference
“Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas Mousavi rejected France’s call for the release of a detained French-Iranian national as “interference in the internal affairs” of the Islamic Republic and said such moves would make the legal process more complicated…”
Dozens have died in escalating protests in Iraq — what’s going on?
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Iraq to express outrage over government corruption and poor public services.
While the rallies began peacefully on Tuesday, the situation has grown increasingly chaotic — at least 43 people have died as a result of clashes between security forces and protesters.
The protests don’t appear to be tied to any particular group and have largely been organized on social media. While concentrated in Baghdad, other protests have unfolded in predominately Shiite Muslim cities and regions of southern Iraq.
The deadly civil unrest is considered the biggest political challenge for Adel Abdul Mahdi, who became prime minister one year ago.
Both the United States and the United Nations have expressed concern about the growing violence and have urged authorities to act with restraint, but so far, there is no sign of calm.
The mostly young protesters are fed up. They are demanding jobs and improved services, like electricity and water, and placing the blame on politicians for failing to follow through on promised reforms to the economy.
Despite the country’s oil wealth, a vast majority of the population is struggling with poor conditions, which they say are only worsening.
It’s been two years since the defeat of the Islamic State group, but after decades of war, foreign sanctions and invasions, the infrastructure in Iraq has decayed.
Many cities damaged by war have yet to be rebuilt, and Iraqis say government corruption has slowed or blocked improvements.
University graduates and unemployed youth, who are at the heart of the demonstrations, say they are suffering because of government inaction. They say the protests are their way of expressing their disappointment and disenfranchisement by political powers.
Since the end of Saddam Hussein’s reign, corruption has persisted under the rule of sectarian political parties.
Mohammed Kadhim, a 27-year-old resident of Baghdad, told the Associated Press he believes the current government is full of “empty promises and lies.”
In what could be seen as an influential move, Iraq’s most spiritual leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, criticized “the government and political sides” on Friday for not fulfilling “the demands of the people” to fight corruption. Al-Sistani called on the government to “carry out its duty” to address the protesters’ concerns and calm the crisis.
“Lawmakers hold the biggest responsibility for what is happening,” he said.
He went on to urge security forces and protesters not to use violence.
Since the rallies began on Tuesday, security forces have turned to live ammunition and tear gas to disperse protesters.
An around-the-clock curfew was implemented in Baghdad and several other cities, but it has consistently been defied by thousands of demonstrators.
While the violence is concentrated in Baghdad, particularly in and around Tahrir Square, deaths have been reported in the southern cities of Amara, Diwaniya, Hilla and Nassiriya.
In some towns, police have reported that protesters fired live rounds and tear gas at them. In central Baghdad on Friday, police snipers took positions on rooftops and fired shots at protesters, hitting multiple people.
“The bullets do not scare us,” one protester in the capital told Reuters. “They do not scare Iraqis. This will all come down over their heads.”
At this point, 43 protesters have been killed, according to Reuters, but hundreds more have been wounded. Police officers are also reportedly among the dead.
Abdul Mahdi has expressed regret for the violence and promised better employment opportunities for Iraqis.
On Facebook, he said: “It saddens me and breaks our hearts the injuries among the protesters, our sons, and the security forces and the destruction and looting of public and private properties.”
Last year, under the previous government, similar promises to improve public services were made.
In a televised address to the country, Abdul Mahdi said that he has heard the protesters’ “legitimate demands” and promised he would respond to them but urged demonstrators to go home.
There is no “magic solution” to the country’s governance problems, he said. He has vowed to try and pass a law to better support low-income families and pushed lawmakers for support to reshuffle cabinet posts.
However, he went on to describe the security measures used against protesters, including the curfew, as a “bitter medicine” that needs to be swallowed.
Iraqi authorities cut off internet access in much of the affected areas mid-week to try and control the upheaval. Security forces have also blocked major roads and bridges.
What happens next?
Since the protests don’t appear to be linked to a political group or party, it’s possible the government could struggle to control the situation.
There have been no official political resignations or reshuffles, as Abdul Mahdi has asked for, as of yet.
Protesters have vowed to continue their fight until they see tangible change and action.
“We’ll keep going until the government fails,” Ali, a 22-year-old unemployed university graduate, told AFP.
“I’ve got nothing but 250 lira (C$0.27) in my pocket while government officials have millions.”
https://globalnews.ca/news/5990098/iraq-protests-explained/
Giuliani: My mission is to disrupt the world
Joe Biden: Donald Trump “unhinged” and “corrupt”
Saudi Arabia: 45 ‘ISIS’ Members Face Trial (aawsat, Oct 4, 2019)
https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/1931046/saudi-arabia-45-%E2%80%98isis%E2%80%99-members-face-trial
“The Specialized Criminal Court (SCC) in Riyadh has begun the trial of a 45-member terrorist cell, including an ISIS leader in the Kingdom as well as two women; a Saudi and a Filipino.
The charges include bombing five mosques in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in an attempt to spur riot, assassinating security guards, and manufacturing explosives as well as funding terrorism and smuggling half-ton of TNT through Yemen.
The prosecutor pleaded the death penalty for some and awarded a maximum sentence of imprisonment for other defendants, in addition to imposing a travel ban and fines.
One of the suspects face charges that include agreeing with ISIS leaders outside Saudi Arabia to take over the affairs within the Kingdom. He is also charged with the attacks on mosques in Najran and Al-Ahsa in addition to the bombing of the training center of the emergency forces in Abha.
He is also accused of agreeing with a drug trafficker to smuggle 500 kilograms of TNT into Saudi Arabia and smuggling an anti-tank missile through the Suwaif border point.
The cell members who are under trial include those who were smugglers and manufactures of explosives, those who shot at security men, and those abusing hashish and drug pills, and another who used his wife and children as cover in front of security men and at security checkpoints.
The terror cell includes one woman, who was accused of assisting her husband, a cell member, in transporting explosive belts and covering him up in front of security men. The Filipino is the wife of another cell member who, together with her husband, manufactured explosive belts and carried weapons.
Among the suspects an individual who provided a hotbed for terrorists and watched buses transporting pilgrims to target them.”
Facebook says removed multiple accounts from UAE, Nigeria, Egypt and Indonesia (memo, Oct 4, 2019)
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191004-facebook-says-removed-multiple-accounts-from-uae-nigeria-egypt-and-indonesia/
“Facebook Inc has removed several pages, groups and accounts on its platforms from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Nigeria and Indonesia, citing “coordinated inauthentic behaviour”, Reuters reports.
A total of 280 Facebook accounts, 149 pages and 43 groups, and 121 Instagram accounts were removed, the social media platform said on Thursday.
Facebook, which owns one-time rivals Instagram and WhatsApp, said the accounts were engaged in spreading content on topics like UAE’s activity in Yemen, the Iran nuclear deal and the criticism of Qatar, Turkey and Iran.
The social media giant has recently been cracking down on such accounts after coming under fire in the last few years for its self-admitted sluggishness in developing tools to combat extremist content and propaganda operations.
Earlier this year, it removed accounts from Iraq, Ukraine, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Thailand, Honduras and Israel.
Facebook is making attempts to prevent online abuses and spread of misinformation, including in political election campaigns.”
EU urges Turkey to stop illegal migration as Greece struggles with new arrivals (alaraby, Oct 4, 2019)
https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2019/10/4/urgent-need-to-prevent-refugees-leaving-turkey-eu
“EU migration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said on Thursday there was an “urgent need” to stop illegal departures from Turkey as Greece struggles to cope with a sharp increase in the refugee arrivals.
“Irregular arrivals to Greece increased over the past weeks and months,” Avramopoulos told a news conference in Ankara, alongside the Turkish and German interior ministers.
“There is an urgent need to further strengthen the prevention and detection of irregular departures from Turkey,” he said.
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) announced on Tuesday that arrivals by sea from Turkey to Greece, mostly of Afghan and Syrian families, increased to 10,258 in September.
That represented the highest monthly total since the 2016 deal between Turkey and the EU to curb the flow of arrivals, according to the refugee agency.
Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu however called on the EU to share the refugee burder as Ankara fears a new influx from Syria’s Idlib province near the border.
Turkey “has fulfilled its commitments” under the 2016 accord with the EU, said Soylu. “We expect Europe to be in the same frame.”
He also warned that the hostilities in Idlib could trigger a massive influx to Turkey, which is already home to 3.6 million Syrian refugees.
Avramopoulos said he appreciated the work already done by Ankara, “especially as the migratory pressure on Turkey continues.”
“Our joint visit is proof of our continued cooperation with Turkey on managing migration, together, as partners,” he said.
Avramopoulos and German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer are due to visit Greece on Friday.
Seehofer said Europe was ready to help Turkey. “Wherever we can make a contribution we are willing to do so.”
The visit comes after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened last month to “open the gates” to allow Syrian refugees to leave Turkey for Western countries if plans with the United States to establish a safe zone to resettle them in northern Syria fail.
“We will be forced to open the gates,” Erdogan said. “We cannot be forced to handle the burden alone.””
Saudi Arabia allows foreign men and women to share hotel rooms (reuters, Oct 4, 2019)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-tourism/saudi-arabia-allows-foreign-men-and-women-to-share-hotel-rooms-idUSKBN1WJ2JO
“Saudi Arabia is allowing foreign men and women to rent hotel rooms together without proving they are related, after the conservative Muslim kingdom launched a new tourist visa regime to attract holidaymakers…”
Italy Tightens Asylum Process, Classes Morocco as Safe for Repatriation (mwn, Oct 4, 2019)
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2019/10/283999/italy-asylum-process-morocco-repatriation/
“The Italian government announced the signing of a new degree regarding asylum seekers. The decree, according to Italian news agency ANSA, allows authorities to reduce the decision-making period for asylum applications from two years to four months.
Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio expressed satisfaction with the signing of the decree, emphasizing that it “was a team effort.”
“I thank (Justice) Minister (Alfonso), Bonafede, Premier (Giuseppe) Conte and (Interior) Minister (Luciana) Lamorgese because this morning we signed a ministerial decree that enables us to bring down the measures to establish if a migrant can stay in Italy from two years to four months,” he said.
Di Mio said that the 13 countries listed in the repatriation program are, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Albania, Bosnia, Cape Verde, Ghana, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Senegal, Serbia, and Ukraine. The countries on the list are deemed safe for repatriation, meaning that deported migrants’ lives will not be at risk.
The plan is the “first step of our plan for safe repatriations”, De Mio said.
Di Maio explained the motives behind the new legislation; “We are working to avoid the ‘pull factor’ which can be avoided by making the message clear that those who need help are welcomed but those who, based on international rules, cannot stay here will be repatriated.”
In February, the Guardian reported that the Italian government rejected 24,800 asylum requests in four months.
The decision has angered activists, who view the move as “beginning to have a devastating effect on migrants in the country.”
Despite political stability in Morocco, many Moroccans continue to apply for asylum in European countries, including Spain.
The Spanish news outlet reported in February that the Spanish government granted asylum to 55 Moroccan migrants. The government, however, denied 595 other requests as it does not usually class Moroccan applicants as refugees.”
Burqas distributed among schoolgirls in K-P (tribune, Oct 4, 2019)
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2072431/1-burqas-distributed-among-schoolgirls-k-p/
Turkey: Nearly 65,000 irregular migrants held in Sept. (aa, Oct 4, 2019)
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/turkey-nearly-65-000-irregular-migrants-held-in-sept/1602449
“Nearly 65,000 irregular migrants — aiming to illegally cross to Europe — were held across Turkey in September, Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul said on Friday.
“A total of 64,920 irregular migrants were held in a month, including 11,673 of them caught in the sea,” Gul said at a regional justice assessment meeting in the Black Sea province of Trabzon.
He added that a total of 360,256 Syrians returned to their homeland and 767 human smugglers were arrested in the same month.
“The number of registered Syrian refugees who are under temporary protection in our country is 3,667,435,” he added.
About 268,000 people were held while attempting to illegally cross to Europe in 2018 and the number is expected to reach 400,000 at the end of 2019, according to the Interior Ministry.
Underlining the Turkish efforts to solve the Syrian refugee issue, he said concrete steps will be taken on the issue.
He said the main aim is to establish a safe zone in northern Syria to ensure safe return of the refugees.
Turkish and U.S. military officials agreed on Aug. 7 to set up a safe zone in northern Syria and develop a peace corridor to facilitate the movement of displaced Syrians who want to return to their homeland.
Turkish leaders have said the U.S. is not doing enough to establish the zone, which could house some 2-3 million Syrians who fled the Syrian civil war since 2011.
Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests.
Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million others displaced, according to UN officials.
Turkey has been the main route for refugees trying to cross to Europe since 2011, when the civil war in Syria began.”
‘EU Commission should adopt fairer Turkey policy’ (aa, Oct 4, 2019)
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/eu-commission-should-adopt-fairer-turkey-policy/1602458
“Turkey expects the new European Commission to adopt a more objective, fair and visionary policy towards itself, the country’s vice president said on Friday.
“We expect the newly-elected European Commission to form a more objective, fair and visionary Turkey policy,” Fuat Oktay said, adding that the commission will take the office on Nov. 1.
Oktay received EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos, German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, and French Ambassador to Turkey Charles Fries at the presidential complex in Turkish capital Ankara.
Oktay stressed that Turkey is home to around 4 million displaced people, undertaking a heavy burden.
“It is not an accurate and fair approach to expect Turkey to undertake the burden of irregular migrants on its own,” he noted, urging the EU and its member states to take necessary responsibility about the issue.
“If Turkey had not made the efforts, millions of people would have passed to Europe,” he said, and added that the management of the migration crisis required “a fair burden sharing”.
On establishment of safe zone in northern Syria, Oktay reiterated that Turkey foresees voluntary resettlement of around two million Syrians to the region.
Resettlement would be possible after building the infrastructure, temporary and permanent accommodation places, hospitals and schools, he said, and added: “Our projects are ready but we need the support of all actors in the region, especially the EU.”
On Aug. 7, Turkish and U.S. military officials agreed to set up a safe zone in northern Syria and develop a peace corridor to facilitate the movement of displaced Syrians who want to return home. They also agreed to establish a joint operations center.
Turkey has long championed the idea of terrorist-free safe zones in Syria. It has stressed ridding the area of the terrorist YPG/PKK, the Syrian branch of the PKK, as well as resettling Syrian migrants currently sheltered in Turkey.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU — has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.”
‘Joint TV channel project to fight islamophobia’ (aa, Oct 4, 2019)
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/joint-tv-channel-project-to-fight-islamophobia/1602404
“Turkey’s presidential communications director said on Friday that a joint television project between Turkey, Pakistan and Malaysia will be aimed at fighting Islamophobia.
“In fact, we will establish a strong media and communication center and channel under the umbrella of combating Islamophobia,” Fahrettin Altun said in an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency on the joint TV channel project by Turkey, Malaysia and Pakistan.
He said that the television channel project is only an element of the struggle against Islamophobia or anti-Islamism and this is a profound issue, therefore, joint initiatives will not be limited to a television channel.
“Because of the sensitivity and importance of the issue, we independently think that an initiative focused on fighting Islamophobia is needed. Anti-Islamic manipulations and hateful stereotypes aimed at Muslims must also be fought in the sphere of media as well,” he added.
Altun said that Islamophobia is a kind of racism and hate crime and it is reproduced repeatedly. He also added he is witnessing that politicians who cannot produce policies resort to racism and Islamophobic attitudes.
Noting the consequences of Islamophobia, Altun mentioned that if this is not prevented, it will bring violence and terror.
He went on to say that both traditional and social media play a serious role on the negative perception of Muslims, especially in the western media outlets.
“At this point, we consider this television channel project as an important opportunity to improve relations between the Islamic world and the Western world and to eliminate prejudices,” he said, adding that the project also aims at raising awareness on tolerance, living together, intercultural relations.
“The mentioned initiative will also be located as a monitoring center with regard to Islamophobia. A concept that monitors the Islamophobic incidents in each country and also reveals the problems in publications is taken into consideration,” he added.
Touching on the other features of the project, Altun said, the television channel, which will be broadcasting in English, will create videos for social media platforms, produce documentaries and video-news.
The center of the intended TV channel project will probably be in Istanbul but of course its representative offices will be established in the capitals of other countries, Altun said, adding all structure required by an international TV channel will be done.
“Before our President’s [Recep Tayyip Erdogan] visit to Pakistan which is scheduled for October 23-24, we will create a framework. But I can say that we believe that an international brand will emerge here,” Altun said.
He added that there will be a meeting on a technical level in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad that would be attended by the experts from Turkey, Pakistan and Malaysia.
On Monday, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that leaders of Turkey, Malaysia and Pakistan have decided to launch a TV channel.
“Our meeting in which we decided to set up a BBC type English language TV Channel that, apart from highlighting Muslim issues, will also fight Islamophobia,” Khan wrote on Twitter, sharing the photographs of the meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and Khan.”
Lack of integration leaves space for crime – police chief (ansa, oct 4, 2019)
http://www.ansa.it/english/news/2019/10/04/lack-of-integration-leaves-space-for-crime-police-chief_c35ae0fe-e660-491e-a167-7c2c6f0a357f.html
“Police chief Franco Gabrielli on Friday said a failure to integrate migrants leaves space for crime.
Foreigners living in Italy need “integration paths” otherwise “favorable conditions will be created for illegality, neglect, crime and terrorism”, Gabrielli said during the Festival of Cities in Rome, speaking about immigration.
“In Italy, there is no lawful mode of access and this needs to be dealt with”, he said.
Immigration, Gabrielli noted, is based “on three pillars: the management of flows, repatriations and integration”.”
Germany approves controversial military exports to UAE (dw, Oct 4, 2019)
https://www.dw.com/en/germany-approves-controversial-military-exports-to-uae/a-50697912
“Germany’s Federal Security Council has given the go-ahead to the sale of military equipment to the UAE. The export licence is contentious, as the UAE has been involved in the war in Yemen…”
“Tlaib: Democrats Are Looking Into How to Arrest Trump Officials”
Washington Free Beacon – October 3, 2019
“BREAKING: Nancy Pelosi’s Son Was Exec At Gas Company That Did Business In Ukraine” By Patrick Howley – October 3, 2019
https://nationalfile.com/breaking-nancy-pelosis-son-was-exec-at-gas-company-that-did-business-in-ukraine/
“The Call Has Gone Out, Military Planning Strategically Boxed In The [DS] – Episode 1987b” X22Report – October 4, 2019
“WATCH LIVE: Trump speaks at Young Black Leadership Summit at White House” PBS Streamed live 5 hours ago