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.
the daily wire –Video: James Younger, At Age 3, To Dad: Mommy Tells Me I’m A Girl
A four-year-old video taken by Texas father Jeff Younger shows his son, James Younger, saying “mommy” tells him he’s a girl, paints his fingernails nails, and puts him in dresses.
Mr. Younger, who is currently fighting for sole conservatorship of James against ex-wife Anne Georgulas, said during a podcast last year that he took the video of James, who was three years old at the time, when he noticed changes in his son’s behavior.
“You’re a boy, right?” Mr. Younger asks his son in the video.
“No,” James responds. “I’m a girl.”
“Who told you you’re a girl?” the father asks.
“Mommy,” the child answers.
Mr. Younger asks, “When did she tell you you were a girl?”
“Because, I love girls!” the three-year-old says.
“Oh, I see. So mommy told you you’re a girl?”
“Mhmm,” James answers in the affirmative.
The child tells Mr. Younger that his mother puts dresses on him, buys him headbands and hair clips, and paints his nails because he likes nail polish.
“So mommy puts you in a dress and puts nail polish on you?” Mr. Younger says.
“Mhmm,” James replies.
“And what does mommy tell you?”
“She tells me I’m a girl,” the child responds.
In January, Mr. Younger appeared on and episode of “The Luke Macias Show” podcast and recalled his taking of the video.
“My three-year-old son tells me — he’s at my home — he tells me that he’s a girl. And I had the presence of mind, thank goodness, to pull out my iPhone and videotape me asking him about that. And that was literally the first time that I really understood what was happening to my son,” Younger said, adding, “That was the first time I noticed. He was just past his third birthday.”
Younger noted, in his “personal assessment,” that Ms. Georgulas was “only giving [James] love and affection if he acted like a girl.”
The Texas father also claimed that his ex-wife “was putting my son into time-outs and she would lock him in his room and say that monsters only eat boys.”
On Monday, a consensus of 11 of the 12 jurors in a Dallas court ruled against granting Younger sole managing conservatorship over James and his twin brother Jude. The jury “voted that the current Joint Managing Conservatorship should be replaced by a Sole Managing Conservatorship, but that Mr. Younger should not be that person,” LifeSiteNews reported.
Ms. Georgulas has effectively been granted authority to move forward with puberty blockers, which can cause chemical castration, and, potentially, hormones, if she so chooses.
According to reporting from The Texan, Georgulas’ lawyers Jessica Janicek and Laura Hayes said the mother does not plan on giving James hormone blockers at this time. However, “no one has stated that she (Georgulas) would not be open to using them when James begins puberty,” the report said.
Mr. Younger will also be forced to “affirm” his son’s new gender identity: a girl named “Luna.”
“Every. Single. Day. You have to see your son sexually abused, and you have to maintain your calm,” the Texas father said during the January podcast, “because the courts are not going to be fair to you. And the only way you can survive this and get your son through this alive is to calmly allow your son to be tortured right before your eyes and outlast the opposition. That’s what it’s like.”
“They’re asking me to affirm a delusion,” he noted.
The presiding judge will give her final ruling on James’ fate on Thursday.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/video-james-younger-at-age-3-to-dad-mommy-tells-me-im-a-girl
Yesterday, I was supposed to testify in the case for the custody of James and Jude Younger. Unfortunately I was called into the courtroom and dismissed 30 seconds later, because the judge said that the lawyers needed to rest their case.
This prevented the jury from benefiting from the information that I hoped to share.
You see, I’m just a mom. A mom of 4 kids (3 being boys) who happen to be James’ and Jude’s best friends. As such, I have spent over 150 hours with them over the past year.
I have fed them, read to them, played with them, spent hours talking with them while we did art projects together and have been the victim of an onslaught of 5 little superheroes with foam swords. I know them in a way only a best friends mom can. You know, the mom they go to when they want an adult- but don’t really want to talk to their parents. I have been this for them and I have seen, heard and experienced so much more than any of the other witnesses simply by spending real quality time getting to know and care for them.
If I could, I’d adopt them and take them away from the whole messy situation. A trial like this pits 2 adults against each other and no one comes out looking good because it’s just awful.
Over the past year, I have observed that
James is blissfully happy as a boy. He loves to march around outside and yell, “we are the only boy scout troop” or “I’m the Leader of the wolf pack!” He is always the ring leader, even though he isn’t the oldest of the group. He loves dressing as a super hero and sword fighting. One day we all walked to a playground near my house and on the way home James slipped in some mud and got his clothes dirty. He asked if he could borrow some of my kids clothes and I could wash his. Of course I said, “no problem” and grabbed him a pair of shorts from the chest of drawers and tossed them to him. I said, “hang on while I grab a shirt from the closet”. He immediately said, “Mrs. Sarah, I don’t need a shirt! It’s hot! And boys don’t have to wear shirts if they don’t want to! Isn’t that awesome!” He was so cute. I said, “yes that is awesome!” As he ran off to play. I did eventually get him to put on a shirt. It was gray with lizards on it and he loved it! He also likes having his hair cut a certain way but told my son Grayson that his mom wouldn’t let him get it too short even though he wanted it to be spikey.
We document everything with home videos and pictures so our kids can look back and remember fun times together. James and Jude are such a part of our lives that we have tons of photos and footage of them playing together and you can see how happy they are.
James is clearly embarrassed by things that happen with his mom. We were all discussing what they were for Halloween and when my boys asked James he said, “it’s a secret. I’m embarrassed”. I taught my boys that we don’t press James for information when he feels uncomfortable because we love him and always want to be a place where he doesn’t feel forced to talk so that he knows he can share freely when he wants to. We immediately changed the subject, but there have been many instances like that.
While the situation with the boys’ “mother” wanting to transition James is a big deal, there is another half of the equation that is equally important. Jude.
Jude is bright and kind and has the cutest laugh you ever heard. He loves legos and his whole face lights up and he talks really fast when he is excited about something. But Jude is withdrawn and quiet after prolonged time with his mom.
One Sunday afternoon, we had been playing and he suggested that we all go somewhere for dinner. Jeff said, “sorry buddy, we have to go back to mom’s tonight. You have school tomorrow”. He immediately started crying. He clung to his dad and said, “Please daddy don’t make me go home. I don’t want to go there.” He was distraught. After awhile he gave me a hug and let me comfort him but it was as if he just shut down. The happy boy I know was replaced by a numbing quiet. It broke my heart to see him suffer so much.
Jude has also told me that things “disappear” at his mom’s house that are special to him. His favorite shoes that his dad got him went “missing” and other things. So when my kids made a photo album for James and Jude that had a bunch of silly pictures of them all together they told my kids that they wanted to keep it safe at their dad’s house because they were afraid it would disappear at mom’s.
I have also observed neglect when they leave their “mother’s” home. In the winter we regularly met for dinner on the Thursday nights that Jeff had the boys. They came out of her home inappropriately dressed for weather in clothes that were ill fitting and not at all warm enough. Pants that were too tight and short, shoes that they couldn’t run in and no coats, even when it was extremely cold. I began to keep extra coats, gloves and hats in my car just so they could play. Jeff bought them coats but this was still a regular occurrence.
Truth be told, I’m not sure how often she is home. The boys told me that mom was at work a lot and that their sisters or someone else watched them. Then they told us that they had a new “brother”. We found out later that a troubled young man who was a friend of one of Anne’s daughters had moved in because he had some family trouble. I have heard that it was due to drug use, but I don’t personally know that for sure. I do know that the boys were not happy about it, especially Jude. It made him very uncomfortable and unhappy.
No parent is perfect, but both boys adore their dad. They hang on him like a jungle gym. They jump in his lap and tell him they love him. He is great with them. He is firm but gentle, never raises his voice and the kids respond really well to his authority. Sometimes I have to tell my kids 3 times to do something. When Jeff speaks they listen – not out of fear, but out of respect and love. I have heard them both said they wish they could live with him all the time.
I wish the jury could know what I know and could have experienced the joy of these adorable little guys.
Now, I’m trying to console my children who fear they have lost their best friends. There are many hearts breaking today- but there are 5 little boys who are going to suffer the most from this ruling. The wolf pack.
I pray that the judge will be wise and fair with the details surrounding the final decision tomorrow and give these little men the best chance they can get at a happy healthy life.
– Sarah Scott
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2221690748134480&id=2028094704160753
the gateway pundit – Texas AG’s Office and Department of Family and Protective Services Looking Into 7-Year-Old Boy’s ‘Gender Transition’ Case #JamesYounger
Texas Governor Gregg Abbott announced Wednesday night that the Texas Attorney General’s Office and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services are now looking into the horrific case involving a 7-year-old boy who is being forced to take puberty blockers by his mother.
Gregg Abbott: FYI the matter of 7 year old James Younger is being looked into by the Texas Attorney General’s Office and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
https://twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1187156266449330176
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/10/breaking-texas-ags-office-and-department-of-family-and-protective-services-looking-into-7-year-old-boys-gender-transition-case-jamesyounger/
Every fatherless child, is feminized.
To turn them into superior humans from the poverty that they are, they are promised islam, Socialism and LGBTQ+.
Their new Master’s Voice.
Behind these curtains are Muhammadism, Communism and Pederasty.
To be free, forgive your father who could not help himself and then you will find the father within you that you were looking for all your life.
John the Baptist: “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
Warren Called to Revoke US Aid to Israel No Longer Even Received
Menachem Begin To Joe Biden: I Am Not A Jew With Trembling Knees
On June 22 1982, Joe Biden was a Senator from Delaware and confronted then Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin during his Senate Foreign Relations committee testimony, threatening to cut off aid to Israel.
Begin forcefully responded,
“Don’t threaten us with cutting off your aid. It will not work. I am not a Jew with trembling knees. I am a proud Jew with 3,700 years of civilized history.
Nobody came to our aid when we were dying in the gas chambers and ovens. Nobody came to our aid when we were striving to create our country. We paid for it. We fought for it. We died for it.
We will stand by our principles. We will defend them. And, when necessary, we will die for them again, with or without your aid.”
https://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/opinions/menachem-begin-to-joe-biden-i-am-not-a-jew-with-trembling-knees/2015/04/03/
Wrong, Sen. Warren – creating a PA state is not ‘official US policy’
“Official U.S. policy”? Not even close.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/24619
How Cartoons Brainwashed Us With Jewish Stereotypes
https://medium.com/@caityjohnstone/only-cowards-and-sadists-support-the-persecution-of-assange-b717b1b07dfe
On the sad plight of Assange and Orwellian narratives. Truth is a funny thing. It’s as hard to catch with your bare hands as a scared squirrel, but when you do it’s a moose.
Saudi Foreign Minister Says ‘Maximum Pressure’ Only Way to Bring Iran to Negotiating Table – Reports
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201910241077135276-saudi-foreign-minister-says-maximum-pressure-only-way-to-bring-iran-to-negotiating-table—reports/
Bangladesh Court Sentences 16 People to Death for Murdering Teenage Girl by Setting Her on Fire (sputniknews, Oct 24, 2019)
https://sputniknews.com/asia/201910241077134347-bangladesh-court-sentences-16-people-to-death-for-murdering-teenage-girl-by-setting-her-on-fire/
“The torching of a 19-year-old girl on 6 April this year following her complaint of sexual abuse by her principal sent shock waves across Bangladesh and triggered protests against the oppression of women and girls.
A Bangladesh tribunal on Thursday sentenced 16 persons to death for their involvement in the murder of nineteen-year-old Nusrat Jahan Rafi, who died in hospital, four days after being attacked and set on fire on 10 April, for protesting against sexual abuse by the principal of a madrasa in the country’s Feni district more than six months ago.
Judge Mamunur Rashid of the Feni Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal announced the verdict in the presence of all the convicts, including Principal SM Siraj-Ud-Doula.
The death sentence verdict was announced based on a police investigation report that said that a mob of male and female students doused Nusrat with kerosene on the roof of her school near the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka on 6 April before setting her on fire.
Principal Siraj-ud-Daula had “told them (the students) to put pressure on Nusrat to withdraw the case or kill her if she refused”, news agency AFP quoted Senior Police Superintendent Mohammad Iqbal as saying in April this year.
“The plan was to pass the incident off as a suicide. But it fell through after Rafi managed to come downstairs while on fire because the scarf burnt and freed her hands and feet”, he said.
He added that at least five of the seventeen arrested following the deadly incident had tied Nusrat up with a scarf before setting her on fire.
Nusrat had approached the police in March, saying the headmaster of the Islamic school had called her into his office and touched her inappropriately, but her complaint was dismissed.
Later, numerous pupils from her school organised a rally in support of the principal and threatened the girl and her family.”
Jet-Powered Hypocrisy: Globalist Elites, Celebrities Leave Massive Carbon Footprints (breitbart, Oct 24, 2019)
https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2019/10/24/jet-powered-hypocrisy-globalist-elites-celebrities-leave-massive-carbon-footprints/
EU awards top human rights prize to Uighur activist (abcnews, Oct 24, 2019)
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/eu-awards-economist-ilham-tohti-highest-human-rights-66493685
“The European Union on Thursday awarded its top human rights prize to economist Ilham Tohti for his work defending China’s Uighur minority, and urged Beijing to release him from jail.
A moderate though outspoken Uighur critic of Beijing’s policies in the northwestern region of Xinjiang, Tohti was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2014.
Despite being known as a moderate who argued against Uighur separatism, he was convicted of fanning ethnic hatred, advocating violence and instigating terror through his classroom teaching and a website on Uyghur issues…”
Red Cross warns of humanitarian crisis in Bosnian camp (abcnews, Oct 24, 2019)
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/red-cross-warns-humanitarian-crisis-bosnian-camp-66493686
“The International Red Cross has warned of an imminent “humanitarian catastrophe” at an overcrowded makeshift migrant camp on Bosnia’s border with Croatia and asked for urgent relocation of its occupants to a safer area.
In a statement Thursday, it said the Vucjak camp, which has been named “The Jungle” by migrants living there, has no running water, no electricity, no usable toilets, and has leaking overcrowded tents. Currently there are 700 people living there.
The Red Cross said that there are people in the camp with untreated broken limbs and 70% of the population has scabies. The camp only has 80 tents and just five volunteers from Bosnia’s Red Cross Society, it added.
Local Bosnian authorities last week cut the camp’s water supplies to pressure the Bosnian government to relocate the migrants.
Since the start of the year, about 23,000 migrants have arrived in Bosnia and thousands are stuck on its northwestern border with European Union member Croatia which they try to enter illegally on their way to more prosperous EU states further north and west.
Existing migrant reception centers in Bosnia are full and thousands are sleeping on the streets or squatting in empty houses, the Red Cross said.”
Police takes immigrants in camp Vucjak near Bihac
German authorities arrest 2 in organized crime raids (abcnews, Oct 24, 2019)
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/german-authorities-arrest-organized-crime-raids-66494372
“German authorities say they have arrested two people in an investigation of members of a Lebanese family and others suspected of smuggling people into Germany, among other offenses.
Police in the western city of Trier said 28 properties in four German states were raided on Thursday. Most of them were in Rhineland-Palatinate, where Trier is located, and in North Rhine-Westphalia, its northern neighbor and Germany’s most populous state.
They didn’t give further details of the suspects or of the investigation.”
“Steve Bannon’s “War Room” Live on The Gateway Pundit 9-10 AM ET”
by Jim Hoft – October 24, 2019
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/10/steve-bannons-war-room-live-on-the-gateway-pundit-9-10-am-et/
War Room: Impeachment
https://warroom.org/
“Stephen K Bannon: War Room: Impeachment Episode 3”
Citizen of the American Republic – October 23, 2019
The John Fredericks Show
https://www.johnfredericksradio.com/
The John Fredericks Show – Twitter
https://twitter.com/jfradioshow/
“Zero Tolerance: Steven Bannon Interview | FRONTLINE”
FRONTLINE PBS | Official – October 22, 2019
‘White terror’: Hong Kong’s China critics beaten in targeted attacks
The men jumped Stanley Ho without warning, smashing both his hands with metal rods — one of multiple recent attacks against prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy figures that activists have dubbed a “white terror”.
Since late August, eight well-known pro-democracy figures have been beaten by unknown assailants as fear swirls that some “triad” crime networks have flocked to Beijing’s cause after five months of protests.
The victims include rally organisers, opposition lawmakers, student leaders and people standing for upcoming polls.
Ho, a 35-year-old labour unionist, was set upon in late September by at least three people in Sai Kung, a rural district where he is competing in local elections against a pro-Beijing camp that has dominated the area for decades.
“The cause of the attack may be related to two things — the upcoming district council election and the ongoing movement,” Ho told AFP, referring to the protests.
https://news.yahoo.com/white-terror-hong-kongs-china-critics-beaten-targeted-044507277.html
China’s ‘Pig Ebola’ Epidemic Leads to Increased Demand for Dog Meat
China’s devastating outbreak of African swine fever, nicknamed “Pig Ebola” by outside observers, has compelled the destruction of millions of pigs and created a shortage of pork severe enough to put dog and rabbit meat back on the menu in rural areas.
African swine fever is not considered dangerous to humans, but it spreads through pigs with horrifying speed and can survive for long periods of time while it is carried on other animals or even human clothing. No vaccine is available, so infected pigs must be killed to prevent the fever from spreading. The most dire projections say China will lose over half its herd this year, which will wipe out almost a quarter of the global pig supply.
https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2019/10/22/chinas-pig-ebola-epidemic-leads-increased-demand-dog-meat/
As China builds up Africa, some in Uganda warn of troubleKAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — China’s assertive, large-scale investments in Africa are starting to find pushback in Uganda, where some critics worry the East African nation is using oil it hasn’t even begun to produce to borrow hundreds of millions of dollars for infrastructure projects.
Longtime President Yoweri Museveni recently caused an outcry by interfering in a bidding process for one major project and naming the Chinese firm he wanted, raising questions about Beijing’s growing influence.
And while Chinese projects in Africa are promoted as coming with no political demands, Uganda recently issued a surprising statement against the protests in Hong Kong, where people have revolted for months against the mainland’s interference in their affairs.
https://www.apnews.com/62ab13badad04dd7b38a69b69eac61d1
‘Chaos Map’ shows violent deaths will ‘soar’ in 10 years due to food and water shortages
Researchers say the number of deaths due to conflict and rioting caused by food, water and fuel shortages is likely increase rapidly over the next 10 years
Violent deaths linked to price rises will “soar” around the world – including in Europe – over the next decade, warns a major new study.
Researchers say the number of deaths due to conflict and rioting caused by food, water and fuel shortages is likely increase rapidly over the next 10 years.
They have created a new interactive tool, called the Chaos Map, that records fatalities linked to price rises and resource shortages.
Produced by Dr Davide Natalini and Professor Aled Jones of Anglia Ruskin University , the map shows that more than 1,300 deaths between 2005 and 2017 have been the result of violent unrest directly attributable to either food, water or fuel insecurity.
And the academics believe the figures could soar in the next decade.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/science/chaos-map-shows-violent-deaths-20712613
Richard: While there is major chaos coming it is going to be bacuse of political and Islamic Religious violence not food shortages. The left knows this but following the adage of never letting a crisis go to waste will use their sycophants in the Propaganda Media to spread their reason for the chaos and try to use the chaos to gain more power over all of us.
OT/ Richard-
~ It’s that time of year again ~
Weekly Bible study, Gen. – Deut. finish the cycle in a year.
=> Now – for a limited time only! – Genesis 1:1-6:8. <=
(It's further broken down to daily readings, tiny bites that make a whole meal by Sabbath.)
Try finding a study partner, maybe from church or a friend. Helps to stay motivated. My best partner was a Jesuit priest, Professor Emeritus of Classics at Boston College.
There are companion essays for each week's reading ("parsha") all over the web, from every perspective. Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks is always intellectually challenging: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/24623
Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters rally for Catalan independence
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hundreds of Hong Kong protesters, some waving Catalan flags and banners urging “a fight for freedom together”, rallied in support of a separate Catalonia on Thursday, broaching an issue that is anathema to Hong Kong’s rulers in Beijing.
In Hong Kong’s pro-democracy demonstrations, millions have taken to the streets in sometimes violent clashes over what they see as China’s tightening grip. Most protesters in the former British colony want greater democracy, among other demands, although a small minority is calling for independence.
In that sense, they share some common ground with separatist demonstrators in Spain’s wealthy northeast region of Catalonia, which was rocked by protests after nine separatist leaders were sentenced this month to long prison terms for a failed independence bid in 2017.
Thursday’s rally in Hong Kong was held in a downtown garden, home to a cricket club in colonial days, one of the few to have obtained a permit from authorities in recent weeks.
Some Hong Kong protesters went online to urge people not to attend, saying it was too provocative and risked denting international support for their own cause.
Most banners called for Catalan freedom or denounced perceived police brutality in clashes with Hong Kong protesters over five months of unrest. But there were a couple of large flags calling for Hong Kong’s independence and a brief, muted chant along the same lines. That is a red line for the Communist Party rulers in Beijing.
Hong Kong authorities formally banned a group promoting independence from China in September last year, the first time a political organization has been outlawed since the 1997 handover to Chinese rule.
https://www.oann.com/hong-kong-protesters-to-rally-in-support-of-catalan-activists/
Glad to see it.
…PERCEIVED police brutality??
A good friend of mine is chief surgeon at one of the hospitals, others I’ve heard from are doctors. LIFE-changing injuries, frail elderly DEAD – not a matter of “perception”.
Obvious black-bloc infiltration, the regular police having been told to stand down. The militia has been FAR more savage than the anti-YV goons or the ChiComs. Looks like Waffen EUGendfor, rehearsing in Spain like Hitler and Stalin during the Spanish Civil War.
Virtually NO media coverage. Not even a whisper from the usual “humanitarian” scolds. Such silence is a scandal.
They’re protesting penalties for Catalan political dissidents. Kangaroo courts, Soviet-justice. Not only length of sentence, but the specific prisons are the worst.
Despite disinterred bones, Franco’s vindictive spirit endures. Smirking from hell, as the country goes communist and the churches become mosques.
Thirty-nine victims found dead in truck near London were Chinese
LONDON (Reuters) – The 39 people found dead in the back of a truck near London are believed to be Chinese nationals, police said on Thursday, as they questioned the driver detained on suspicion of murder.
Paramedics and police found the 31 men and eight women’s bodies on Wednesday in a truck container on an industrial estate at Grays, about 20 miles (32 km) east of the British capital.
For years, illegal immigrants have attempted to reach Britain stowed away in trucks, often from the European mainland. In the biggest tragedy, 58 Chinese were found dead in a tomato truck in 2000 at the port of Dover.
“We read with heavy heart the reports about the death of 39 people in Essex, England,” the Chinese embassy said in a statement, adding further clarification was being sought with police.
Essex police said their priority was ensuring dignity for the victims during their inquiry.
“Each of the 39 people must undergo a full coroner’s process to establish a cause of death before we move on to attempting to identify each individual within the trailer,” police added in a statement, saying that would be a time-consuming operation.
https://www.oann.com/uk-police-investigating-39-lorry-deaths-raid-two-addresses/
“Analysis: Migrants Who Died in Lorry are Victims of Weak Borders and Callous People-Smugglers”
by Jack Montgomery – October 24, 2019
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2019/10/24/analysis-migrants-who-died-lorry-victims-weak-borders-people-smugglers/
Chinese ship leaves Vietnam’s waters after disputed South China Sea surveys
HANOI (Reuters) – A Chinese oil survey vessel that has been embroiled in a tense standoff with Vietnamese vessels in the South China Sea left Vietnamese-controlled waters on Thursday after more than three months, marine data showed.
The Chinese vessel, the Haiyang Dizhi 8, was speeding away from Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone towards China on Thursday under the escort of at least two Chinese ships, according to data from Marine Traffic, a website that tracks vessels.
China claims almost all the energy-rich waters of the South China Sea but neighbors Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.
Tension between Hanoi and Beijing escalated when China sent the vessel to conduct seismic surveys in waters off Vietnam in early July.
The foreign ministry in Hanoi has repeatedly accused the vessel and its escorts of violating Vietnam’s sovereignty and has demanded China remove its ships from the area.
The ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters email seeking comment on Thursday.
https://www.oann.com/chinese-ship-heads-away-from-vietnam-after-disputed-surveys-in-south-china-sea/
Report: Turkish Courts Cite Following Enes Kanter on Twitter as Evidence of ‘Terrorism’ (breitbart, Oct 23, 2019)
https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2019/10/23/report-turkish-courts-cite-following-enes-kanter-on-twitter-as-evidence-of-terrorism/
“NBA star Enes Kanter lamented as “unbelievable” and “just sad” on Wednesday a report revealing that Turkish prosecutors were using the fact that a former banker followed him on Twitter as evidence of “terrorist” activities…”
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-50162617
All dead found in the truck were Chinese nationals.
Five Turkish military personnel wounded in Syria after Kurdish militia attack: ministry (reuters, oct 24, 2019)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-security-turkey/five-turkish-military-personnel-wounded-in-syria-after-kurdish-militia-attack-ministry-idUSKBN1X31W0?rpc=401&
“Five Turkish military personnel were wounded around the Syrian border town of Ras al Ain in an attack carried out by the Kurdish YPG militia, the Turkish defense ministry said on Thursday, after the militia accused Ankara of attacking the area.
The attack was conducted using drones, mortars and light weapons, the ministry said in a statement, adding that Turkish forces had retaliated the attacks in self-defense.”
Erdogan says Turkey will crush Kurdish militants remaining in Syria ‘safe zone’ (reuters, Oct 24, 2019)
https://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFKBN1X31TN
“Turkey will use its right to crush Kurdish militia fighters if they have not withdrawn from a “safe zone” in northern Syria as per a truce agreement with the United States, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday.
Earlier on Thursday, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) accused Turkey of launching an offensive targeting three villages in northeast Syria despite a truce, but Russia said a peace deal struck this week was going ahead smoothly.
Erdogan said Turkey would implement its plans for an offensive if the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia did not withdraw from along its border as agreed upon with Russia. He also criticised world leaders meeting with YPG commanders, saying such moves hindered the fight against terrorism.”
Indian Muslim group backs Turkey’s operation in Syria (aa, Oct 24, 2019)
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/indian-muslim-group-backs-turkey-s-operation-in-syria/1625199
“Muslim Political Council of India describes Erdogan, a leader of Muslim world and inspiration for third world nations
An Indian Muslim group has supported Turkish military operation in northeastern Syria, to drive out terrorists and to create a safe zone for the return and rehabilitation of refugees.
In a letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Muslim Political Council of India (MPCI), said the group endorses the idea of safe zone in Syria and expected that it will usher the region into a durable peace.
Describing Erdogan as “undisputed” leader of whole Muslims world, and an inspiration for third-world nations, President of MPCI Tasleem Ahmad Rehmani hailed Turkey for hosting the largest number of Syrian refugees.
“We appreciate your [Turkey’s] settlement plan [for Syrian refugees]. We also endorse the safe zone plan in northern Syria for a peaceful durable settlement of our Syrian brothers,” he said.
Turkey hosts over 3.5 million Syrian people who were forced out of their country due to war since 2011.
According to the settlement plan, Turkey aims to build housing, health, business and educational facilities, for Syrian refugees in north-eastern Syria, along its border.
Turkey launched anti-terror Operation Peace Spring to flush out YPG/PKK terrorists from the region, in order to facilitate settlement plans.
Referring to Erdogan’s address to the UN General Assembly last month, the group also appreciated his stand on the issues of Palestine, Kashmir and Rohingya.
“The entire Muslim community of the world salutes you, for your able and dynamic leadership,” added Rehmani.”
Morocco – Defense Lawyers in Imlil Murder Case Call for Psychiatric Tests
The defense team are appealing the death sentence, arguing that the defendants should have reduced sentences due to mental instability.
Rabat – Lawyers representing the main perpetrators of the murder of two Scandinavian tourists in Imlil, near Marrakech, called for psychiatric tests on the defendants. The lawyers argued for the new tests during a hearing session at Sale’s appeal court yesterday, October 24.
During the session, the legal defense team put forward the argument that the defendants must be “abnormal and schizophrenic,” because “committing these hateful acts can’t be done by normal people.”
The defense called on the court to annul the initial sentence, pending tests to ensure that the defendants are in good mental health.
Meanwhile, the representatives of the public prosecutor called on the court to uphold the death sentence.
In July 2019, the first instance court of Sale condemned 24 individuals involved in the murder case to sentences ranging from five years in prison to capital punishment.
The three main perpetrators face the death penalty, while the fourth faces life imprisonment.
During the most recent hearing, the prosecution also argued for the fourth defendant, initially sentenced to life imprisonment, to have his sentence changed to the death penalty.
The charges against the defendants included the creation of a criminal organization, the preparation and undertaking of terrorist acts, premeditated murder, possession of firearms, attempting to make illegal explosives, and threats to national security.
The case started in December 2018, when Moroccan police found the bodies of two Scandinavian women, Louisa Vesterager Jespersen and Maren Ueland, in Imlil, near Mount Toubkal. Both victims had been beheaded.
While 24 suspects are implicated in the case, four faced the most severe charges for their direct involvement in carrying out the murders.
The victims’ families received sympathy from Moroccan citizens, who protested the murder in front of Norwegian and Danish embassies last year in a show of solidarity.
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2019/10/285246/defense-lawyers-in-imlil-murder-case-call-for-psychiatric-tests/
Argentina suffering from socialism:
https://mises.org/wire/argentina-country-caught-endless-loop-financial-crises
DAILY MAIL – Muslim girls aged NINE take part in Sydney hijab ceremony to symbolise maturity – with Islamic sheikh slamming it as step toward Sharia law
Muslim girls aged nine were dressed in white as part of a Sydney hijab ceremony
Australia’s most senior Shia cleric Sheikh Kamal Mousselmani presided over it
He said the hijab is compulsory for girls when they turn nine under Islamic law
Adelaide Shia Imam Sheikh Mohammad Tawhidi said it amounted to Sharia law
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4636560/Muslim-girls-9-wear-white-Sydney-hijab-ceremony.html
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Taklif – hijab ceremony in Montreal – Canada
WINDSOR – ONTARION – ARBAEEN 2019
Islamic Sayyid Qutb in the 60s, not 1400 years ago stated, “No politicical system or material power should put hindrances in the way of preaching Islam. It should leave every individual free to accept or reject it, and if someone wants to accept it, it should not prevent him or fight against him. If someone does this, THEN IT IS THE DUTY OF ISLAM TO FIGHT HIM UNTIL EITHER HE IS KILLED or until he DECLARES HIS SUBMISSION.
Imams in Canada are promoting Shari’ah law in Canada. They are talking about their law superseding Canadian law. In other words they are promoting sedition within Canada. This is hate speech, pure and simple hate speech. Where are all the Canadian politicians, geeez they need to grow a spine and start defending their country. As for all the people in the march they, they need to move to an Islamic country and fulfill their their Islamic dreams. Enough of all this subversive crap, it is time for them to say goodbye.
Qur’an 8:12 Allah will terrorize unbelievers: Muslim’s should behead them.
8:39 Fight unbelievers until Islam reigns supreme.
Boys and girls, it is 2019, time to start acting like you actually know what civilized means, and stop all the hate speech or you will be charged under our glorious M-103.
The ultimate hate speech. REAL incitement to violence, explicit and targeted.
Ep. 1094 The Deep State Plotters Had a Backup Plan & That’s Failing Too. The Dan Bongino Show.
IN 2000 THE AMERICAN POLICY CENTER DROPPED 1.5 TONS OF PETITIONS ON CAPITOL HILL TO OPPOSE THE UN
includes video – 44 minutes 21 seconds
This video of that 2000 news conference is especially significant as Congressman Mike Rogers (R-Ala) has now introduced his bill, called the American Sovereignty Restoration Act (H.R. 204), to again call for the United States to Exit the United Nations. It’s time to renew the fight to stop the UN’s drive for global governance. Tom DeWeese
https://americanpolicy.org/2019/10/24/stand-for-sovereignty-ron-paul-and-tom-deweese/
WHAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE UNITED NATIONS
video – 10 minutes 10 seconds
Dr. Duke talks with Alex Newman about the people behind the founding of the United Nations, such as Joseph Stalin and Alger Hiss, and how several of the member nations today are radical violators of human rights.
https://d.tube/v/vladtepesblog/QmTyMMWyf7Cf4RQX7dNbDnzBwq2d88pP1RdTrECEDTaueR
UKCOLUMN: INTERNATIONAL WEAPONS TRAFFICKING
video – 30 minutes 21 seconds
Reporting from Sophia, Bulgaria…investigative journalist Dilyana Gayandzhieva about the imprisoning in Serbia of the whistleblower who exposed US/UK/Saudi arms trafficking to ISIS in Yemen.
https://www.ukcolumn.org/article/uk-column-news-international-weapons-trafficking-dilyana-gaytandzhieva
EDUCATIONAL WEBINAR: HEALTH & ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF 5G
video – 82 minutes
Theodora Scarato is Executive Director of Environmental Health Trust (EHT). Scarato maintains the comprehensive EHT database on international policy that documents the 20+ nations that have protective policies in place to reduce public exposure to cell phone and wireless radiation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXyBfSIC8vw
+
WESTERN INSANITY & 5G ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
https://www.globalresearch.ca/lowest-5g-bidder-planet-earth-populations-wildlife-optional/5692815
CFR: US NEEDS MORE MASS MIGRATION & BIGGER WELFARE STATE
Under the guise of keeping America “competitive” in the looming high-tech future, the globalist Council on Foreign Relations is urging policymakers at all levels to dramatically expand the size and scope of government. The bloated welfare states in Sweden and Denmark are cited as examples of the “advantages” of massive government programs to take care for people. Without the sort of fundamental transformation of America envisioned by the CFR, the nation will supposedly be left behind in the emerging new paradigm, the organization claimed. Critics, though, blasted that idea. In its new report, dubbed “The Work Ahead: Machines, Skills, and U.S. Leadership in the Twenty-First Century,” the CFR Task Force offered a broad array of policy recommendations for federal, state, and local officials. The CFR is a powerful organization with a well-documented track-record of promoting globalism, undeclared war, unconstitutional Big Government policies, and more. This report will perpetuate that history. So far, the Task Force and “The Work Ahead” report have received very little attention by the establishment press, much of which is openly in bed with the CFR — including many outlets that are corporate members of the group. However, a push to advance the CFR Task Force’s agenda is almost certainly coming, after the groundwork has been properly laid. As Admiral Ward explained, when the CFR’s leadership decides to pursue a policy, the incredibly powerful propaganda and lobbying apparatus at its disposal represents a force to be reckoned with. That day is likely coming on this agenda, too. For right now, globalism is on defense. But over the long term, only an educated and informed electorate will be able to defend freedom and resist these growing assaults. Alex Newman
https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/33828-cfr-u-s-needs-more-mass-migration-bigger-welfare-state
THE EU IS REWRITING WORLD WAR II HISTORY TO DEMONIZE RUSSIA
Like Soros, the EU has no ideology except an unquenchable thirst for greed and is fond of Nazis when they are the kind that hate Russia. For its own political interests, it is willing to dangerously foster a version of history invented by a rebranded far right where the quislings who collaborated with the Axis powers elude guilt and the Soviets who courageously defeated them are maliciously slandered. Fascism was never fully eradicated only because the West continued to nurture it during the Cold War and even now that capitalism has been reinstated in Eurasia, it continues to do so to undermine a resurgent Moscow on the world stage. As the world appears increasingly on the brink of WWIII, one is reminded of the expression by Karl Marx who famously stated that “history repeats itself…first as tragedy, then as farce” in The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Napoleon, when comparing Napoleon Bonaparte’s seizure of power in the French Revolution with the coup by his nephew half a century later which brought an end to the French Revolution. Equally fitting is the humorous line by the legendary writer and noted anti-imperialist Mark Twain who reputedly said, “history doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” Both are applicable to the unquestionable tragedy of WWII and the farcical mockery of its history by the EU whose policies continue to make another global conflict that much more likely. Max Parry
https://www.globalresearch.ca/eu-rewriting-wwii-history-demonize-russia/5692802
Stunning ignorance, garnished with clichés.
RUSSIAN history is entirely different from the Western version. WE are the demons, 100%, from Napoleon through the Cold War.
“Enemies Within Series: Christine Douglass-Williams – Why Did Canada Re-Elect Trudeau” Sharia Crime Stoppers – October 23, 2019
Christine is Heaven sent. She is a tireless fighter in the war of good vs. evil.
The government of Canada, under the despicable Justine Trudeau, will commit 1.2 BILLION dollars over the next five years to address the challenges by thousands of asylum seekers / illegals invited into Canada by Mr. Dressup, who have walked across the border.
The government of Canada is earmarking 45 million dollars for ANTI-RACISM Strategy.
23 million dollars have already gone to the Muslim groups in Canada.
If you see something, say something unless it about a Muslim or you will be sent for sensitivity training by the Muslims.
Why is there not one politician in Canada who does not stand up for the Christian population and demand that the Imams in Canada who are spewing hate speech be charged and deported under M-103?
The time has come for all politicians to take a class and learn what the Muslim Brotherhood hoods have planned for Canada.
RUSSIA WRITES OFF AFRICAN DEBT WORTH OVER $20 BILLION
Moscow has written off more than $20 billion in debt accumulated by African countries during the Soviet era, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Wednesday. “It was not only an act of generosity, but also a manifestation of pragmatism, because many of the African states were not able to pay interest on these loans,” Putin told TASS on the eve of the summit. While addressing the Russia-Africa forum in Sochi, he called for trade between Russia and African countries to be doubled in the next four to five years. Putin also said that Russia intends to increase its presence in Africa at state level.
https://www.rt.com/business/471608-russia-writes-off-african-debt/
Anna Borshchevskaya:
Russian Moves in the Gulf and Africa Have a Common Goal
A recent spate of high-level regional visits may pave the way for Moscow to entrench itself from the East Med to the Gulf of Aden, with help from the Gulf states.
…This month’s diplomatic tours were only the latest instance of Moscow seeking to engage and connect the Horn of Africa and the Gulf states. Last September, the Kremlin announced plans to build a logistics center in Eritrea, and the United Arab Emirates helped facilitate this move by playing an important role in a peace deal between Ethiopia and Eritrea, effectively ending the latter’s decade-long isolation.
Not coincidentally, Eritrea’s two main ports, Assab and Massawa, are located at strategic points on the Red Sea. The logistics center move came on the heels of Moscow’s announcement that it had signed a military cooperation agreement with the Central African Republic.
As for Sudan, Russia began warming its ties with the troubled country in late 2017 (if not earlier), with Bashir reaching out to Putin for “protection” from the United States and expressing support for Moscow’s efforts in Syria. Russian sources now suggest that the Kremlin is working to obtain a base in Sudan.…
Washington’s pattern of disengagement from the region is only making it easier for Putin to step in. Continuing this approach is especially risky today, since Bogdanov and Lavrov’s March trips may usher in the next stage of Russia’s regional ambitions: namely, entrenching its position from the East Mediterranean down to the Gulf of Aden and creating a pathway deeper into Africa, with help from the Gulf.
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/russian-moves-in-the-gulf-and-africa-have-a-common-goal.
AUSTRALIA: FELLOW AUSSIES – PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION TO LEAVE THE PARIS AGREEMENT
PETITION EN1116 – THE CASE FOR LEAVING THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT
America, the world’s 2nd largest greenhouse gas emitter, has given formal notice to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. China – the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases will SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE their emissions to 2030, and other developing nations have been given a ‘free pass’ under the same agreement. The estimated cost to our nation is $52 billion between 2018 and 2030. This will severely impact Australia economically and socially, with taxpayers funding ‘developing, but fast-growing economic-powerhouses’ such as China and India. The Paris Agreement is not operating as intended, and there is more risk than reward for Australia to remain. We must consider an AUSExit of Paris.
Closing date 13th November 2019
PETITION REQUEST
We therefore ask the House to formally advise the UNFCCC of Australia’s intention to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. The first date representation can be made is 3 years from the date of the ‘entry-into-force’ of the agreement. This date is 9 December 2019. Formal removal becomes effective 12 months later.
https://www.aph.gov.au/petition_list?id=EN1116
Lebanon could be headed for a cash crisis as banks remain shut a week into mass protests
Fears are growing over a looming cash crisis as Lebanon’s banks remain closed for their sixth day since mass protests began sweeping the country last week.
No one seems to know when the country’s lenders will reopen, triggering warnings of a run on the banks when they eventually do.
“Indeed we are afraid of a panic mode once they open,” Fouad Zmokhol, president of the Worldwide Association of Lebanese Businesspeople, told CNBC from Beirut.
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/23/lebanon-protests-fears-of-a-cash-crisis-as-banks-remain-shut.html
Iranian proxy Hezbollah is temporizing, trying to avoid the naked violence Iranian proxies are using in Iraq. Similar situation, but Lebanon’s mask of independence is not as cracked as Baghdad’s.
We all pretend they’re still legit partners instead of corrupt satrapies of the Persian empire.
INVESTIGATOR: 43 PRIESTS IN 1 STATE SEXUALLY ABUSED AT LEAST 166 KIDS
On average, it took the dioceses more than 19 years to restrict an abusive priest’s authority after receiving an allegation that he had sexually abused children, and seven abusive priests never faced any restrictions, according to a damning report published Wednesday by the Colorado Attorney General’s Office.
https://www.denverpost.com/2019/10/23/colorado-catholic-church-sex-abuse-report/?utm_source=wnd&utm_medium=wnd&utm_campaign=syndicated
Greek villagers stone migrant buses
ATHENS: The International Organization for Migration voiced concern Thursday following an attack in northern Greece on migrant buses carrying 380 people in what the IOM said was an isolated incident.
Despite a police presence, nine buses taking families and vulnerable migrants to hotels in Nea Vrasna were forced to turn back as dozens of villagers blocked the road, hurled stones and chanted “close the border” and “throw out illegal migrants,” according to images broadcast by public television Ert.
The migrants were finally taken to hotels on the island of Euboea, 400 kilometers (250 miles) to the south.
An IOM statement expressed concern “about the violent incidents that took place in the area of Vrasna,” which it termed “an isolated incident.”
The IOM urged government and non-government groups “to work together in order to prevent” similar situations from recurring.
Greece has once again become the main point of entry for people seeking asylum in Europe, posing a challenge for the conservative government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis that took over in July.
It wants to create 20,000 places for migrants who are saturating small Greek islands in the Aegean Sea.
Local officials have begun to push back against the government’s plans however, with the town of Penteli in the northern outskirts of Athens refusing to take in a group of unaccompanied minors.
People who support the migrants have launched a leaflet campaign, and red paint was splattered on the Penteli town hall early Thursday, Greek media reported.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1573691/world
Lebanon crisis deepens as protests enter 2nd week (abcnews, Oct 24, 2019)
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/lebanese-president-vows-reforms-protests-engulf-country-66494817
“Lebanon’s president pleaded Thursday with tens of thousands of protesters who have blocked main roads and paralyzed the nation for days, urging thems to back economic reforms proposed by the prime minister as the “first step” toward saving the country from economic collapse.
The protesters, however, have already rejected the initiative and were not swayed by President Michel Aoun’s overtures or calls for dialogue.
As the protests entered their second week with banks, schools and public institutions shuttered, the country appeared headed for a protracted crisis with no clear roadmap for a solution.
In his televised address, Aoun pledged to exert every effort to implement radical reform, but also said that change can only come from within state institutions. He said freedom of transportation must be respected, urging demonstrators to remove roadblocks.
Following Aoun’s speech, Prime Minister Saad Hariri tweeted that he welcomed Aoun’s call to “reconsider the current government’s status,” apparently referring to a potential Cabinet reshuffle.
Lebanon has been engulfed by protests since last Thursday, a paralysis that has compounded the country’s severe economic crisis and is threatening to plunge it into another cycle of chaos and instability. Banks, schools, universities and other businesses have been shuttered for a week.
The protests were triggered by new proposed taxes and have escalated into a nationwide revolt against the country’s sectarian-based leaders, who have ruled the country since the end of Lebanon’s 1975-90 civil war, amassing wealth even as the country gets poorer. Corruption and mismanagement have been widespread.
Hundreds of thousands of people have flooded public squares across the country in the largest protests in over 15 years — a rare show of unity among Lebanon’s often-divided public in their revolt against status-quo leaders who have ruled for decades and brought the economy to the brink of disaster.
Aoun’s comments are his first since the protests started. On Monday, Hariri announced a package of economic reforms the government hopes will help revive the struggling economy, but the protesters denounced it as empty promises designed to quell their movement. They have insisted on staying in the street until the government resigns. Some have called on the president to step down as well.
Hariri heads a national unity government that includes the militant Shiite Hezbollah group, which is allied with Aoun.
The protests are the first of their kind for Lebanon, shattering taboos by openly taking aim at powerful sectarian leaders from their own communities. These include the powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah and the Shiite Amal movement, headed by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
Tempers flared on the streets Thursday as the protests entered the second week.
In downtown Beirut, scores of Hezbollah supporters cut through a protest, shouting slogans in favor of the group’s leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, as others chanted against the entire ruling elite. Fist fights broke out repeatedly between young men wearing black shirts and the other protesters. Dozens of riot police formed a human barrier between the two sides. At least one woman was treated by paramedics.
In a Beirut suburb, an Aoun supporter insulted a journalist from a rival television station on air as she was about to go live, leading to a shouting match recorded on video that was trending on Twitter in Lebanon.
Earlier, as Aoun spoke, hundreds of people gathered in downtown Beirut to listen to his speech through a giant speaker and shouted: “Come on, leave, your term has left us hungry.”
They later dismissed his speech, saying it offered nothing new.
“There were some hopes that the president would make some government amendments that meet the people’s demands and (the demands of) this popular uprising. Unfortunately, the speech did not rise to the level of this uprising,” said Rabah Shahrour, a protester. Demonstrators continued to gather in several designated spots across the country, despite rainy weather Thursday.
Aoun said every person who stole public money should be held accountable and he said he is committed to fighting corruption, but warned of economic disaster if there is a power vacuum.
“The (economic) reform paper that was adopted is the first step to save Lebanon and to distance the specter of financial and economic collapse,” Aoun said.
The president promised the protesters’ “call will not go unanswered,” adding he’s ready for constructive dialogue.
“I heard lots of calls for bringing down the regime,” he said. “The regime cannot be changed in the squares … this can only happen through state institutions.”
Both Hariri and Aoun have warned that a government resignation would lead to a power vacuum at a time when the country desperately needs a government to enact reforms to help the struggling economy.
Aoun invited the leaderless protesters to send representatives to meet with him.
“I am ready to meet your representatives who will carry your worries and specify your demands, and you can listen to our concerns about an economic collapse,” he said. “We should work together to achieve your goals without causing a collapse.””
Tehran may be good at winning influence, but it is bad at ruling after that.
…Observers have called the current protests in Lebanon “unprecedented” for a number of reasons. For the first time in a long time, Lebanese have realized that the enemy is within – it is their own government and political leaders – not an outside occupier or regional influencer.
In addition, political leaders have been unable to control the course of the protests, which are taking place across all sects and across all regions, from Tripoli in the north to Tyre and Nabatieh in the south and through Beirut and Saida.
The scale shows that the protesters are capable of uniting beyond their sectarian and political affiliations. What brought them together is an ongoing economic crisis that has hurt people from all sects and regions. As one protester said: Hunger has no religion.
But most significantly, the protests are unprecedented since Hezbollah also took an unusual stance. Having prided itself for decades for protecting the impoverished and fighting injustice, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah decided to side with the authorities against the people in the streets. That’s a major setback for Hezbollah as it deals with the current protests, its most difficult domestic challenge so far.
Hezbollah’s leader did not choose to support PM Saad Hariri’s government carelessly. Scenes of Shiite protesters joining other Lebanese in the streets terrified the party’s leadership.
Lebanon’s Shiites have always been the backbone of Hezbollah’s domestic and regional power. They vote for Hezbollah and its Shiite ally Amal during elections, and they fight with them in Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. In return, many of them receive salaries and services offered abundantly by Iran and Hezbollah.
But for the first time since Hezbollah was formed in the 1980s, Lebanese Shiites are turning against it. In Nabatieh, the group’s heartland in the south of Lebanon, Shiite protesters even burned the offices of Hezbollah’s leaders.
Here, three main factors are at play. First, Hezbollah’s costly involvement in the Syrian war and pressure from US sanctions on Iran have forced the party to cut salaries and services, widening the gap between the rich and the poor within its own community. Meanwhile, the party also drafted mostly Shiites from poor neighborhoods to go fight in Syria, while its officials benefited from the war riches, causing much resentment.
Second, Hezbollah’s constituency was forced to accept Hezbollah ally Nabih Berri as speaker of the parliament as a necessary evil to keep the Shiite coalition intact. Although Berri’s known corruption was at odds with Hezbollah’s narrative of transparency and integrity, the community turned the blind eye for decades. But when Lebanon’s economy started to deteriorate around the same time that Hezbollah’s finances were hit, many Shiites could no longer pay their bills. Berri’s corruption and outrageous wealth could no longer be tolerated.
Third, Hezbollah focused too heavily on military might. It promoted that narrative after Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000 and then again after Lebanon’s July war with Israel in 2006. It also claimed success in Syria against its new enemy – Sunni extremism.
However, all these victories failed to translate into public well-being. Iran might have benefited, but Shiites in Lebanon got more isolated than ever. That is why it is so meaningful that the Shiite community, by joining the protests, is now attempting to claim its Lebanese identity rather than the religious one that has, so far, failed it.…
https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/10/22/iran-losing-middle-east-iraq-lebanon-protests-bad-governance/
Militants kill 2 Indians in bid to stop Kashmir apple trade (abcnews, Oct 24, 2019)
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/militants-kill-indians-bid-stop-kashmir-apple-trade-66505275
“Gunmen on Thursday shot and killed an Indian truck driver and his attendant and wounded another driver as they fired at three vehicles laden with apple boxes in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.
The shooting was in an apparent protest of New Delhi’s stripping the region of its semi-autonomous status in August.
Senior police officer Muneer Ahmed Khan said those targeted were from the Indian states of Rajasthan and Haryana and were about to drive away with the apple consignment from southern Shopian area in Kashmir.
The attackers set the three trucks on fire, Khan said.
At least six gunmen were involved in firing randomly on the trucks, said another police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to talk to reporters.
Last week, police said suspected militants fatally shot an apple trader and injured another in the same area. A migrant laborer who worked at a brick kiln was also shot dead.
Kashmir’s apple orchards provide a livelihood for nearly half the region’s 8 million people. Apple growers and traders are suffering losses as insurgent groups are putting pressure on traders and drivers to shun the industry to protest India’s crackdown…”
President Trump Cancels WaPo and NY Times Subscriptions Across ALL Federal Agencies — Saves Taxpayers Thousands and Prevents Spread of Fake News!
Earlier this week President Donald Trump told FOX News host Sean Hannity that he may cancel the White House subscriptions to the far left Washington Post and The New York Times.
On Thursday President Trump kept another promise to the American people.
Trump canceled subscriptions to the Washington Post and The New York Times across all federal agencies!
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/10/president-trump-cancels-fake-news-wapo-and-ny-times-subscriptions-across-all-federal-agencies-saves-taxpayers-thousands/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=the-gateway-pundit&utm_campaign=dailypm&utm_content=daily
Black Man Violently Shoves White Woman Face First Into Subway Train in New York (VIDEO)
Black Man Violently Shoves White Woman Face First Into Subway Train in New York (VIDEO)
Cristina Laila by Cristina Laila October 24, 2019 383 Comments
1.4KShare 120Tweet Email
A black man on Wednesday night violently shoved a white woman face first into a subway train in Brooklyn.
The incident took place on Wednesday evening at 7:20 PM at the Dekalb Avenue station according to the individual who took video and posted it to Twitter.
The man was seen jumping up and down yelling “What! what!” several times after he shoved another man.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/10/black-man-violently-shoves-white-woman-face-first-into-subway-train-in-new-york-video/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=the-gateway-pundit&utm_campaign=dailypm&utm_content=daily
Denmark parliament approves deployments to Barkhane and MINUSMA in the Sahel
https://thedefensepost.com/2019/10/24/denmark-approves-barkhane-minusma-aircraft-sahel/
“Denmark’s parliament has approved two separate deployments to the Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa, the Ministry of Defense said in a Thursday, October 4 release.
Denmark will send a C-130J transport aircraft and up to 65 personnel to MINUSMA, the United Nations mission in Mali, for six months from mid-November, the release said.
“Denmark will also deploy up to 10 persons to an intelligence unit within MINUSMA, whose task is to help strengthen the mission’s situational awareness and increase the security of MINUSMA forces,” the release added…”
Turkey-backed rebels launch ‘large-scale’ assault on 3 Syrian villages, SDF says
https://thedefensepost.com/2019/10/24/syria-turkey-assault-villages-sdf/
“Turkey-backed rebels on Thursday, October 24 launched an assault on three villages outside the area of Ankara’s military operations in northeast Syria, Syrian Democratic Forces spokesperson Kino Gabriel said.
“This morning, the terrorist factions with the support of the Turkish army have launched a large-scale ground assault on the villages of al-Manajir, al-Asadiyah and al-Musharifa outside the ceasefire zone,” Gabriel said on October 24.
He said the SDF remained engaged in fighting but gave no further details on the nature of the attacks or any casualties.
“SDF will exercise its right to legitimate self defense and we are not responsible for the violation of the agreement,” said Mustafa Bali, head of the SDF press office.
Al-Manajir and Al-Asadiyah are just south of the border crossing at Tel Abyad while Mushayrifah lies further to the east and is north of Tel Tamer and the critical M4 highway.
Gabriel said the three villages are outside a 30-km buffer zone that Turkey has agreed with the United States and Russia and that the SDF has apparently conceded.
A twitter account attributed to SDF commander General Mazlum Abdi called on the “guarantors of the ceasefire” to “rein in” Turkey and stop the operation.
Turkey’s armed forces have not commented on the SDF claims…”
Burkina Faso troops killed in ambushes in Barsalogho, Centre-Nord region
https://thedefensepost.com/2019/10/24/burkina-faso-troops-killed-centre-nord-guiendbila-sidogo/
“Gunmen killed six soldiers in ambushes in northern Burkina Faso, security officials said on Wednesday, adding to the death toll in the country’s insurgency.
Five troops were killed and four were wounded in an attack late on Tuesday, October 23, near the village of Guiendbila, in the Barsalogho departement of Sanmatenga Province in the Centre-Nord region, an official added.
Radio Omega reported five troops were killed and five injured.
A soldier died in a separate ambush in Sidogo, around 45 km (28 miles) southeast, another source said.
Search operations have been stepped up in the region, which have experienced a “sharp rise” in attacks in recent weeks, the source said.
Last weekend, nine civilians and five members of the security forces soldiers died in three attacks in the north…”
Villagers Stone Migrant Buses in Northern Greece
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2019/10/24/2126807/villagers-stone-migrant-buses-in-northern-greece
“The International Organization for Migration voiced concern Thursday following an attack in northern Greece on migrant buses carrying 380 people in what the IOM said was an isolated incident.
Despite a police presence, nine buses taking families and vulnerable migrants to a site near Vrasna were forced to turn back as dozens of villagers blocked the road, hurled stones and chanted “close the border” and “throw out illegal migrants,” according to images broadcast by public television Ert.
The migrants were finally taken to hotels on the island of Eubee, 400 kilometers to the south.
An IOM statement expressed concern “about the violent incidents that took place in the area of Vrasna,” which it termed “an isolated incident.”
The IOM urged government and non-government groups “to work together in order to prevent” similar situations from recurring, AFP reported.
Greece has once again become the main point of entry for people seeking asylum in Europe, posing a challenge for the conservative government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis that took over in July.
It wants to create 20,000 places for migrants who are saturating small Greek islands in the Aegean Sea.
Local officials have begun to push back against the government’s plans however, with the town of Penteli in the northern outskirts of Athens refusing to take in a group of unaccompanied minors.
People who support the migrants have launched a leaflet campaign, and red paint was splattered on the Penteli town hall early Thursday, Greek media reported.”
IRGC Chief: Iran’s Enemies Humiliated in All Fronts
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2019/10/24/2126763/irgc-chief-iran-s-enemies-humiliated-in-all-fronts
“The enemies of Iran have been given warnings, defeated and humiliated on the ground, at sea, and in the air, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Hossein Salami said…”
Turkey illegally deporting Syrians ahead of anticipated ‘safe zone’: Amnesty
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/turkey-illegally-deporting-syrians-ahead-anticipated-safe-zone-report
“For the past few months, the Turkish government has been illegally sending Syrian refugees back into war-torn areas before Ankara has established its planned “safe zone” along the Turkish border, a report by Amnesty International revealed.
While Ankara has said that roughly 315,000 Syrians have left Turkey for Syria on a voluntary basis, the human rights organisation found that hundreds of them have actually been forcibly moved.
“Turkey’s claim that refugees from Syria are choosing to walk straight back into the conflict is dangerous and dishonest. Rather, our research shows that people are being tricked or forced into returning,” Anna Shea, a researcher on refugee and migrant rights at Amnesty International, said in a statement.
“Turkey deserves recognition for hosting more than 3.6 million women, men and children from Syria for over eight years,” she added. “But it cannot use this generosity as an excuse to flout international and domestic law by deporting people to an active conflict zone.”
The deportations are illegal according to Amnesty, as they expose refugees “to a real risk of serious human rights violations”….”
UN panel presses Egypt for immediate release of senior Muslim Brotherhood figures
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/un-panel-calls-immediate-release-essam-and-gehad-el-haddad-egypt
“A panel of United Nations human rights experts has called for the immediate release of two senior Muslim Brotherhood figures in Egypt, calling their detention unlawful and saying it “may constitute a crime against humanity”.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said in a report last week that Egypt has violated international human rights obligations with the continued arbitrary detention of Essam el-Haddad, a former senior adviser to late president Mohamed Morsi, and his son Gehad el-Haddad, who was a media spokesperson for the Muslim Brotherhood.
The UN panel said that Egyptian authorities had not responded to its enquiries regarding the Haddads.
It concluded that their trials “should never have taken place” and that their detention lacks any legal basis.
Egypt’s general-turned-president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi removed Morsi from power in a military coup in July 2013.
Morsi, the country’s first democratically elected leader, was then detained along with the majority of his team, including Essam el-Haddad.
Morsi died in a courtroom in July after six years of solitary confinement and medical negligence. The circumstance of his detention were described by Human Rights Watch as “amounting to torture”.
In September, the Haddads were acquitted of espionage charges, but Essam was handed a 10-year prison sentence on charges of membership in a banned group.
His son, Gehad, was charged with the same crime, and remains in custody at the maximum security Aqrab Prison, according to his family.
The panel noted that the sentencing of Essam was legally problematic because the law that banned the Muslim Brotherhood was issued after his arrest, leaving Egyptian authorities guilty of violating the principle of non-retroactivity.
The two cases, according to the working group, “appear to fit the pattern of systematic, widespread and grave violations of fundamental human rights directed against the senior figures of the ousted government of Mohamed Morsi and their real or perceived fellow supporters”.
The panel called for the pair’s immediate release, compensation and reparations, and further investigations to be conducted and measures taken against those involved in their arbitrary detention.
Years in solitary
Essam El-Haddad, 65, is a medical doctor, businessman and co-founder of Islamic Relief, an international humanitarian organisation.
He was actively involved in the Freedom and Justice Party, a political party launched by the Muslim Brotherhood and its allies in 2012. Following Morsi’s election in June 2012, Essam was appointed his foreign relations adviser.
A 2018 Amnesty International report said that the physician, who holds a doctorate from the University of Birmingham Medical School, “has been in prolonged and indefinite solitary confinement for 23 hours a day since September 2013 and denied family visits since October 2016”.
Talking to MEE following Morsi’s death, Essam’s son Abdullah said his father had suffered four heart attacks since his arrest and needed urgent medical attention.
Gehad, 38, was the chief media spokesperson for the Muslim Brotherhood until the date of his arrest and was an active political commentator in the foreign press and on social media.
Prior to his involvement with the Muslim Brotherhood and the Freedom and Justice Party, he worked as the Cairo city director at the Clinton Climate Initiative from 2007 to 2012.
Human rights lawyer Khaled Ali said on Wednesday that Gehad has “lost the ability to walk” and was carried by two activists in his latest hearing on Tuesday.
“Gehad has been acquitted from all the charges against him. However, instead of being released, particularly [since] he is no longer able to walk, they brought new charges against him. Yesterday, he went to the State Security prosecution for a hearing,” Ali said in a Facebook post.
“But since he has lost the ability to walk or move, other people now carry him. Yesterday, those who carried him and took him up the stairs until the hearing room were Alaa Abdel Fattah and Mohamed el-Baqer.
“The three of them were wearing the pre-trial detention uniform, because they all had a hearing to renew their detention on the same day,” Ali added.
According to a statement by his family in May, Gehad was placed in a “punishment cell” in February 2017 after he wrote an opinion piece that was published in the New York Times.
Punishment cells have no ventilation, beds, toilets or light. Gehad’s family said that Gehad told them last March that he had been severely beaten by a National Security Agency officer and prison guards who intentionally targeted his head.
At least 60,000 political prisoners have been detained since Sisi came to power in 2013, according to human rights groups. In the past month, at least 4,300 have been rounded up after the latest wave of protests against Sisi, prompted by large-scale corruption allegations by a Spainish-based whistle-blower.”