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.
BREITBART – Pope Francis Calls for ‘Obedience’ to State Lockdowns
“At this time, as indications emerge for a way out of quarantine, we pray that the Lord will grant us the grace of prudence and obedience to these indications, so that the pandemic does not return,” the pontiff said in a daily tweet.
https://twitter.com/Pontifex/status/1255040381605068800
https://www.breitbart.com/health/2020/04/28/pope-francis-calls-for-obedience-to-state-lockdowns/
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Pope prays for prudence to avoid another pandemic
Pope warns against fake news that creates opinions and condemn innocent people
Barr directs federal prosecutors to oversee state, local health policies amid constitution violation claims
The Department of Justice is flexing its federal powers as it looks to protect Americans’ civil liberties.
In a memo Monday from U.S. Attorney General William Barr to federal prosecutors, he tasked them with looking out for state and local health policies that may overstep their constitutional authority. This was ordered in hopes governments can move forward from the pandemic without infringing on personal freedoms.
“I think he (Barr) wants to see, like everybody, he wants to see people get back to work,” President Trump told reporters. “…He (Barr) wants to make sure people have their rights and maintain their rights, very importantly so.”
https://www.oann.com/barr-directs-federal-prosecutors-to-oversee-state-local-health-policies-amid-constitution-violation-claims/
Paris No-Go Suburbs Breaking Lockdown Measures Three Times More Than Average (breitbart, Apr 28, 2020)
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2020/04/28/paris-no-go-suburbs-breaking-lockdown-measures-three-times-more-than-average/
“Residents in the no-go Paris suburbs of Seine-Saint-Denis have received three times the number of fines for breaking Wuhan coronavirus lockdown measures than the French national average.
The heavily migrant-populated department has seen a total of 41,103 tickets handed out for lockdown violations out of 242,259 checks by police, a booking rate of 17 per cent, compared to the national average of 5.9 per cent.
Fabienne Klein-Donati, a prosecutor in Seine-Saint-Denis, commented on the situation in the area telling newspaper Liberation, “At the start of confinement, we reached more than 900 ticketings per day,” but claimed the number had decreased to around 400 per day more recently.
The prosecutor explained that several factors, including the department’s “very young population” and the continuing drug trade, have contributed to the high number of fines, with some residents being fined multiple times.
French National Centre for Scientific Research director of research Sébastian Roché claimed that the differences between Seine-Saint-Denis and other parts of France were more likely due to different approaches by the police.
The statistics come after reports from police in the Seine-Saint-Denis area claiming that they were overwhelmed trying to enforce the lockdown measures with one officer stating: “We are not going to give up. But we also know where these people live and how they live. Strict containment, for them, is just impossible.”
The 400 to 900 fines per day in Seine-Saint-Denis also dwarf those of nearby northern Paris and the also heavily migrant-populated 18th arrondissement which reported 200 fines per day as many ignored the lockdown measures earlier this month.
Areas of Seine-Saint-Denis were also involved in riots and attacks on police officers that took place last week following the injury of a motorcyclist in Hauts-de-Seine after an encounter with local police.
The rioting lasted several days despite the strict lockdown measures and saw several serious incidents, including local youths attempting to set a police station on fire in Strasbourg and a fire set in a school in Gennevilliers.”
Steele testimony in UK court puts his July 2016 meeting with the Ohrs in a new, Hillary-hued light
By J.E. Dyer April 28, 2020
Chuck Ross of the Daily Caller News Foundation had an excellent article Monday summarizing new information about 2016 from a UK defamation lawsuit over the Steele dossier.
The gist of the information, which comes from testimony by Christopher Steele in March 2020, is that Steele met with Perkins Coie lawyers Michael Sussmann and Marc Elias in 2016, on dates the public was previously not aware of. The meetings were relevant to the lawsuit in the UK courts because it was brought by principals for Alfa Bank, the Russian-owned bank alleged in the Steele dossier to have communicated secretly with Trump via a server located in Trump Tower.
As Ross notes, the theory about Alfa Bank being involved in back-channel communications has long been debunked. But the new information from Steele’s testimony highlights an important point. Michael Sussmann, a former Justice Department official turned Perkins Coie lawyer, appears to have been Steele’s source for the Alfa Bank suspicions that made their way into a dossier memo in September 2016.
And the first meeting between Sussmann and Steele occurred on a very eye-catching date: 29 July 2016.
https://libertyunyielding.com/2020/04/28/steele-testimony-in-uk-court-puts-his-july-2016-meeting-with-the-ohrs-in-a-new-light/
UK Liberal Democrats Plan to Fast Alongside Muslims During Ramadan
The Liberal Democratic party will fast alongside Muslims during Ramadan to show solidarity and raise money for a food charity.
Prominent Liberal Democrats are joining Muslims during Ramadan and will fast with them to raise money for a food charity in the UK.
Sir Ed Davey, MP Layla Moran, Siobhan Benita, and several other British Liberal Democrats have agreed to fast alongside Muslims on April 25 from 4:03 a.m. to 8:19 p.m.
The spread of COVID-19 has put many food banks under pressure as the need to supply the vulnerable communities with food has increased. The politicians’ Ramadan fast aims to raise awareness of the issue while supporting those in need.
The spread of the virus will also have a significant impact on Ramadan this year. Celebrating the Islamic holy month is typically a very social event, but the closures of mosques and current social distancing measures will adversely impact the holiday.
The Liberal Democrats aim to display solidarity with Muslims while supporting those in need.
“Muslims, and indeed many others, will be feeling a loss of community spirit. By taking part in this fast, and sharing our experiences over social media, we can help re-create the Ramadan spirit online,” Hina Bokhari wrote in the fast’s announcement on Liberal Democratic Voice.
Liberal Democrats have also encouraged other members of their party to join them if they are able, to show their support for the Muslim community as well as those who are suffering from hunger.
This is the first time a political party has fasted alongside the Muslim community in the UK.
“Not only is [fasting] a gesture of solidarity with the Muslim community, it will be an excellent opportunity to truly experience what true hunger feels like,” Bokhari’s statement continued.
“Muslims think of others and to give to charity when they fast–so this fast is the perfect way to highlight some of the charities that help our most vulnerable.”
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2020/04/300239/uk-liberal-democrats-plan-to-fast-alongside-muslims-during-ramadan/
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Twitter @EdwardJDavey
A pre-dawn meal today
Preparing for my first ever fast in the holy month of Ramadan
For Muslims doing Ramadan in isolation, you are not alone!#RamadanMubarak #LibDemIftar
+ video
https://twitter.com/EdwardJDavey/status/1253882262715842560
What the polls aren’t telling us about is the Democrats’ long game for November
By Ben Bowles April 28, 2020
If you go back to late 2019/early 2020, you see a constant meme running through the headlines. On Oct. 25. 2019, The Hill ran a piece titled “Biden campaign on ‘life support’.” On Feb. 12, the Guardian published an opinion piece with the nearly identical title “Joe Biden’s campaign is on life support,” and on Feb. 20, on the eve of the South Carolina primary, Vox quoted Barack Obama’s 2008 South Carolina political director, Anton Gunn, as saying. “South Carolina voters are smart and they don’t want a campaign that’s on life support.”
Biden in those days seemed old and out-of-touch amid a still-flush field of younger, more dynamic if far-left Democratic contenders. The Biden campaign was having difficulty raising money, and the former vice president’s fate as a third-time candidate for his party’s nomination seemed sealed.
Fast-forward two months, and Biden is leading Donald Trump in all the opinion polls. The RealClear Politics national average has Biden ahead by a comfortable, if not insurmountable, 6.3-point lead.
So what changed? How did Biden go from being an also-ran to the presumptive Democratic nominee? Did we all miss an uplifting speech that he gave, reassuring the nation that he was not a feeble, failing septuagenarian but a visionary capable of steering the ship of state away from the rocky shoals of a pandemic? No, because there was no such speech. There was a speech by South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn that many agree helped put Biden over the top in that state’s primary. But it’s hard to believe that that speech was by itself the turning point — a catalyst that salvaged Biden’s foundering campaign.
https://libertyunyielding.com/2020/04/28/what-the-polls-arent-telling-us-about-is-the-democrats-long-game-for-november/
His take (which has been around for quite a while) makes sense, run Biden with a female VP (who couldn’t win on her own) then after he is sworn in he steps down for reason of health and the VP takes over.
I don’t see it working but is is about all the Dems have left, everyone besides Biden has crashed and burned and the only reason Biden hasn’t is the Propaganda Press refusing to cover his obvious problems. Just as they cover for Pelosi and her drunken rantings or Hillays obvious health problems.
‘Asian’ Grooming Gang Member Jailed for Raping Young Girl in Huddersfield, England (breitbart, Apr 28, 2020)
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2020/04/28/asian-grooming-gang-member-jailed-raping-young-girl-huddersfield-england/
“An ‘Asian’ male has been sentenced to prison after being convicted for raping a 13-year-old girl, becoming the 35th grooming gang member to be imprisoned in the scope of a large-scale investigation conducted by police in Huddersfield, England.
Manzoor Akhtar, 31, was sentenced to four years and six months in prison after being found guilty by Leeds Crown Court on April 22nd of raping a young girl between 2005 and 2006.
“Akhtar richly deserves the prison sentence he has been given after being found guilty and convicted for the dreadful sexual abuse of this young victim,” said Detective Chief Inspector Richard McNamara of the Kirklees District CID.
“He thought nothing of this girl’s obvious very young age as he raped her and treated her in a fashion which can only be described as callous in the extreme,” McNamara added.
Another man, Shaqeel Hussain, 36, who was sentenced to eight years in prison in February for raping a 14-year-old girl, also pleaded guilty to the indecent assault of a 16-year-old girl. Hussain will now serve an additional year behind bars, consecutive to the initial eight-year sentence.
It is likely that the two men will not spend their entire terms in prison, however, as it is commonplace within the English criminal justice system for the vast majority of criminals to be released on licence automatically halfway through their sentence — meaning that Akhtar could be out in just two years and Hussain out in four.
The two convictions mean that 35 men have now been imprisoned as a result of West Yorkshire Police’s multi-part Operation Tendersea, which investigated sexual abuse committed against young girls in Huddersfield between 1995 and 2011.
The true scale of the grooming gang epidemic in the United Kingdom has long been hidden from public view by police forces fearing the appearance of racism should they pursue “Asian” grooming gangs.
In January, Rotherham police were revealed to have overlooked decades of abuse committed by members of “Asian” rape gangs for fear of sparking racial tensions in the area.
The report from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said that a Rotherham chief inspector told a father of a missing girl that the city “would erupt” should the public be informed that “Asian” grooming gangs were sexually abusing young white girls.
In 2017, the counter-extremism think tank Quilliam found that 84 per cent of the people convicted of grooming gang crimes in Britain were Muslim men of South Asian heritage.
The study found that the men systematically went after white girls as they were seen as “easy targets” compared to girls from their own communities, whom they felt should be “protected”.
The British Sikh and Hindu communities, which have also been ravaged by grooming gang abuse, have criticized the media for consistently referring to members of grooming gangs as “Asian”.
The Network of Sikh Organisations (NSO) said that the term — which in the UK typically refers to people from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh — unjustly includes members of the Hindu and Sikh communities as part of the grooming gang epidemic, which in reality is mostly comprised of Muslim men from Pakistan.”
40 Civilians Killed in Bomb Attack in Syria’s Afrin, Turkish Defence Ministry States (sputniknews, Apr 28, 2020)
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/202004281079123302-40-Civilians-Killed-in-Bomb-Attack-in-Syrias-Afrin-Turkish-Defence-Ministry-States/
“Ambulances and fire brigades are working on the scene of the explosion, local media reported.
At least 40 civilians, 11 children among them, were killed and 47 injured when a fuel truck exploded in the Syrian city of Afrin, the Turkish Defence Ministry said.
Earlier, a local source said that 23 people were killed and 26 injured in an explosion in central Afrin.
The source added that local hospitals were calling on its residents to donate blood.
A video and photos of the aftermath of the alleged explosion were shared online…”
Hello, is it me you’re looking for?
Merkel’s little technical difficulty during WHO conference
Associated Press – Fauci: Reopening will no doubt see new virus cases
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci says there is ‘no doubt’ we will see new coronavirus cases as the country reopens.
Protester killed as unrest rocks Lebanon’s Tripoli (reuters, Apr 28, 2020)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-lebanon-crisis-tripoli/protester-killed-as-unrest-rocks-lebanons-tripoli-idUSKCN22A00R
“A collapse in the currency, soaring inflation and spiralling unemployment are convulsing Lebanon, in deep financial crisis since October. A shutdown to fight the new coronavirus has made matters worse for the economy.
Overnight, protesters in Tripoli set several banks and an army vehicle on fire. Soldiers fired in the air and used tear gas and rubber bullets, a security source said. The man who died was in his 20s and it was not immediately clear who was responsible for his death, the source said.
Protesters returned on Tuesday, setting two banks on fire and smashing their facades, prompting the army to redeploy. Dozens of soldiers positioned themselves in a street lined with several banks and some fired rubber bullets and tear gas.
Prime Minister Hassan Diab urged Lebanese to refrain from violence and said “malicious intentions behind the scenes” were “shaking stability”.
“We are faced with a new reality, a reality that the social and living crisis has made worse at record speed, especially with the rise of the U.S. dollar exchange rate to record levels on the black market,” Diab said in a statement.
Lebanon’s pound has lost more than half its value since October and slid sharply over the past week, triggering small protests despite a coronavirus lockdown and pleas by officials for people to remain home.
U.S. dollars sold for 4,200 Lebanese pounds on Tuesday according to one importer, despite a central bank directive capping the price at 3,200. Several currency dealers were arrested on Monday for violating the cap, prompting their trade association to announce an open-ended strike.
The unrest threatens to tip the country back into violence even as Beirut looks to pass an economic rescue plan and enter negotiations with foreign creditors after defaulting on its hefty debt obligations last month…”
Mozambique forces killed over 100 Islamist insurgents in past month: government (reuters, Apr 28, 2020)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mozambique-insurgency/mozambique-forces-killed-over-100-islamist-insurgents-in-past-month-government-idUSKCN22A38T
“Mozambique security forces killed at least 129 insurgents in the northern Cabo Delgado region that has been besieged by violence for at least the last three years, the interior minister said on Tuesday.
Since 2017, infrequent but violent raids on government buildings and villages by militias with suspected links to the Islamic State have intensified in the gas-rich northernmost province of one Africa’s poorest nations.
The interior ministry said the 129 killings were the total for the month, and were a retaliation for an attack in Xitaxi in Muidumbe district earlier in April, where insurgents killed 52 villagers.
Little is known about the insurgents, though initial attacks were claimed by a group known as Ahlu Sunnah Wa-Jama. More recently, Islamic State has claimed a number of attacks.
Security officials have struggled to contain the attacks. Since clinching re-election in January President Filipe Nyusi has vowed to dedicate more resources to fighting the insurgency.
Exxon Mobil and Total, among the multi-national oil majors developing the gas projects off the shore of northern Mozambique thought to be worth more than $60 billion, have expressed concern the violence could affect operations.
Interior minister Amade Miquidade said in a statement that 39 extremists were killed when they attempted to invade Muidumbe village on April 7, with 59 killed in a gun battle in Querimba islands three days later. Thirty-one more were killed in Ibo Island between April 11 and April 13, the statement said.”
Iran: Ramadan celebrated in Qom city coronavirus hospital amid crisis
Medical workers at Kamkar Hospital, in Qom province, prayed and broke their fasts amongst COVID-19 patients, as footage filmed on Tuesday shows.
Nurses and other medical staff could be seen praying inside the intensive care unit, as they observe the holy month of Ramadan.
Many remain quarantined inside the country’s health centres, as an unprecedented pandemic affects Ramadan celebrations worldwide.
Following the restrictions imposed on social interactions by coronavirus, religious mass ceremonies such as Iftar and prayers at holy sites in Iran have given way to individual prayers and worship at home.
Iran is among the worst-hit countries by COVID-19, with 91,472 confirmed cases and 5,806 related deaths as of Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University figures.
U.S. Official Gives Fox News Stunning Estimate On China’s Real Coronavius Numbers
A Trump administration official has reportedly told Fox News that the coronavirus numbers that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has reported are so underreported that it is “arithmetically impossible” that their numbers are accurate.
“A Trump administration official tells Fox News they estimate the PRC has miscalculated and underreported the true tally nationwide by at least a factor of 50,” Fox News’s Bret Baier reported.
“Insanity: Wash. State Came One Vote Away From Releasing Green River Serial Killer So He Wouldn’t Get Wuhan Virus”
By Victoria Taft – April 28, 2020
https://pjmedia.com/trending/insanity-wash-state-came-one-vote-away-from-releasing-green-river-serial-killer-so-he-wouldnt-get-wuhan-virus/
Neo-Ottomanism under leadership of Islamo-Fascist #Erdogan in #Turkey has resulted radicalization & Islamization of people. An extremist Erdogan lover can’t tolerate seeing Instagram story of #KimKardashian about #ArmenianGenocide!
https://twitter.com/BabakTaghvaee1/status/1254905292866891778?
According to the first repsonse in the thread, it’s satire, but it also points out it’s satire that’s very close to the truth.
“Hillary Clinton Women’s Town Hall With Joe Biden on COVID-19 LIVE”
Political Hub International – April 28, 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6yKBK3imk8
10 watching now – Started streaming 2 hours ago
Coronavirus: China’s Global Intimidation Campaign
The European Union Self-Censors to Appease China
The European Union has caved in to pressure from China and has watered down a report on Chinese efforts to deflect blame for the coronavirus pandemic. Officials in Beijing reportedly threatened to block the export of medical supplies to Europe if the report was published in its original form.
The revelations come as Chinese diplomats around the world are waging an aggressive disinformation campaign — described as a “Wolf Warrior” style of diplomacy, named after a Chinese nationalist action film series — aimed at controlling the narrative about the origins of the coronavirus.
Chinese envoys have been especially aggressive on Twitter, which they are using to attack, intimidate and silence Western journalists, lawmakers and think tank scholars — essentially anyone who contradicts China’s official version of events.
Over the past year, more than 60 Chinese diplomats and diplomatic missions set up Twitter or Facebook accounts, according to the Reuters news agency, even though both platforms are banned in China, and have been using them to attack Beijing’s critics around the world.
On April 21, the Brussels-based news outlet Politico Europe reported that it had received an advance copy of an EU report about Chinese and Russian disinformation activities related to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). The report, which the EU was planning to publish that same day, included the following paragraph:
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/15943/coronavirus-china-intimidation
Only Erdo?an is a problem? Kemalist newspaper says Greece is occupying “18 Turkish islands”
https://greekcitytimes.com/2020/04/27/only-erdogan-is-a-problem-kemalist-newspaper-says-greece-is-occupying-18-turkish-islands/
Iran: Mullahs Using Coronavirus to Heighten Anti-Americanism
by Majid Rafizadeh
April 28, 2020 at 4:00 am
While the US has offered medical assistance to Iran, the regime in Tehran appears to be exploiting the coronavirus pandemic to spread disinformation. It includes pro-China and anti-US narratives, most likely to ratchet up anti-Americanism.
Recently, the social media analyst Graphika revealed that a pro-Iranian influencing operation, known as the International Union of Virtual Media (IUVM), had begun a social media disinformation campaign about the coronavirus outbreak around end of February.
According to the detailed report:
#YallahHollandaya trends on Twitter. It means “Go to Holland”, and is a slur against homosexuals in Turkey.
Some interesting reactions:
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23YallahHollandaya&src=typed_query
“Reopen Wisconsin Rally Highlights”
The New American Video – April 28, 2020
“Go to Holland” the new anti-gay slur trending in Turkey
https://nltimes.nl/2020/04/28/go-holland-new-anti-gay-slur-trending-turkey
Following homophobic statements by Ali Erbas, the director of the Turkish institute for religious affairs Diyanet, during a sermon at the start of Ramadan on Friday, the hashtag #YallahHollandaya was trending on Twitter in the country. The hashtag translates to “Go to Holland”, a popular anti-LGBTQ slur in Turkey, NRC reports.
Erbas’ homophobia was criticized by opposition politicians in Turkey, lawyers, the LGBTQ community, and human rights groups. But received support from the Turkish government and large parts of the population. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesperson said: “The foundations of our superior religion cannot be questioned by those who attack Erbas.” And: “Ali Erbas, who spoke the divine judgment, is not alone.”
During the sermon on Friday, which was broadcast online and shared on social media, Erbas claimed that “Islam curses homosexuality”. He said: “Hundreds of thousands of people are exposed annually to the HIV virus, which is caused by this great haram, known as adultery in Islamic literature. Let’s fight together to protect people from this kind of evil.”
#YallahHollandaya started trending after the sermon, and was still trending on Monday afternoon, according to the newspaper. The Netherlands was not explicitly mentioned in the sermon, but the Netherlands is often linked to homosexuality in Turkey.
Yildiz Tur of Koas, a solidarity association or lesbian and gay culture, called it “frightening” that the director of Diyanet “openly attacked” the LGBTQ community and “perversely linked homosexuality to HIV”, he said to NRC. He fears an increase in violence. “Many death threats are made under the hashtag #YallahHollandaya.”
Secular opposition party CHB, and the Bar Association in the cities of Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, and Diyarbakir all expressed support for the LGBTQ community. CHP vice president Gökçe Gökçen tweeted: “These kinds of statements make people a target during the epidemic. It is a disaster that they are not aware of that. I condemn those who use religious feelings to justify hate crimes.” The Ankara Bar Association filed a lawsuit against Erbas for inciting hatred.
According to NRC, Diyanet did not respond to any of its multiple requests for a response.
Beijing, on High Alert as Virus Spreads, Monitors Close Contacts of Those Infected
By Nicole Hao
April 28, 2020 Updated: April 28, 2020
Print
Chinese authorities have been silent about the CCP virus outbreak in the capital of Beijing, but a local resident recently told The Epoch Times about the current situation inside the city’s quarantine centers, providing a glimpse into the tense atmosphere there.
Meanwhile, an internal government document revealed more details about how authorities monitor close contacts of confirmed patients.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/beijing-city-on-high-alert-as-virus-spreads-monitoring-close-contacts-of-those-infected_3330751.html
Florida CFO Sends Letter to Chinese Ambassador, Demanding That China Pay for Causing Pandemic
Florida’s chief financial officer has sent a letter to the Chinese regime demanding it pay for the harm suffered by the state’s residents as a result of the CCP virus pandemic.
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The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) “incompetent and fraudulent actions in response to the early outbreak of COVID-19 are a direct and proximate cause to untold human suffering and economic harm to the State of Florida,” CFO Jimmy Patronis said in a “demand letter” to Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai on April 23.
“As such, I am demanding financial restitution from the … [CCP] for this significant harm to the State of Florida and its residents,” Patronis wrote.
The state official’s letter was the latest action in the United States aimed to hold the Chinese regime accountable for its coverup of the outbreak, which resulted in the pandemic.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/florida-cfo-sends-letter-to-chinese-ambassador-demanding-that-china-pay-for-causing-pandemic_3328846.html
UN-backed Libyan government accuses Khalifa Haftar of staging ‘coup’
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/un-backed-libyan-government-accuses-khalifa-haftar-staging-coup
“The UN-recognised Libyan government has accused Khalifa Haftar of staging a “coup” after the military commander, who controls most of the eastern part of the North African country, claimed to have a “popular mandate” to govern Libya.
“It’s a farce and the latest in a long series of coups d’etat,” the Government of National Accord (GNA) said in a statement early on Tuesday.
Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army has been pushing for months to capture the capital Tripoli, where the GNA is based, in a battle that has displaced more than 150,000 people.
In a video message late on Monday, Haftar announced abandoning the 2015 UN-sponsored agreement signed in Skhirat, Morocco that produced the national unity government of the GNA.
“We announce our acceptance of the people’s will and mandate, and the end of the Skhirat Agreement,” he said.
“The political agreement destroyed the country. We will work to create the conditions for building permanent civic institutions.”
‘Masks have fallen’
Libya has seen civil unrest and a prolonged governance crisis since a NATO-backed armed uprising toppled and killed the country’s previous ruler, long-time autocrat Muammar Gaddafi.
Haftar, a former general who served under Gaddafi and resided in the United States prior to the 2011 uprising, has emerged as a key player in the unrest. Backed by Russia, the United Arab Emirates and France, the field marshal has created his own army and overran large swathes of land under the premise of fighting terrorism.
His announcement on Monday appears to outline his plan to discard negotiations and take over the entire country…”
US prison denies some inmates from fasting during Ramadan, rights groups say
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/ramadan-us-muslims-inmates-denied-fast-us-prison-rights-groups-say
“A number of Muslim prisoners in Virginia have been denied the right to fast during the holy month of Ramadan because prison management received “too many” requests, three rights groups said.
Muslim Advocates, the Islamic Circle of North America’s Council for Social Justice and the Virginia Prison Justice Network said that several inmates at Wallens Ridge State Prison were also denied the right to observe Ramadan, which started on Thursday, because they had not properly registered as Muslim.
The rights groups said on Tuesday that prison authorities had ordered the facility’s chaplain to arbitrarily deny requests that some of the inmates be placed on a “Ramadan List.”
According the groups, if a prisoner is not on the list, they will not be able to receive meals before fasting begins or after it ends, and are thefore prevented from fasting during the day.
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until dusk, abstaining from food, liquids and smoking. The month is also a time for prayer, reflection, atonement and charity – when rewards for good deeds are multiplied – and a healthy person’s ability to fast during sunlight hours is essential.
“It is shocking that we still have to fight for these fundamental rights to worship,” said Rameez Abid, Director of Communications and Outreach for ICNA Council for Social Justice said in a statement.
“Ramadan is the most sacred month for Muslims around the world and the US Constitution gives Muslim inmates the right to observe fasting. This shouldn’t even need to be to be demanded, but sadly, here we are.”
An ongoing issue
Despite having advocated for Muslim prisoners’ rights to properly observe Ramadan in Virginia last year, the groups said they worried some of the same issues were being repeated.
“Last year, we warned the Virginia Department of Corrections about policies that were preventing incarcerated Muslims across the state from observing Ramadan. Shockingly, many of those problems persist,” said Muslim Advocates Staff Attorney Nimra Azmi.
“The right of incarcerated people to observe Ramadan is protected by the law and the US Constitution. Especially since the holy month of Ramadan is now upon us, Virginia state officials must take immediate steps to ensure that all Muslim prisoners can exercise their constitutional right to worship.”
According to the groups, several prisons within the Virginia Department of Corrections (VDOC) failed to provide food and water for some inmates, even those who had registered properly.
In Alaska last year, Muslim inmates sued the state’s correctional system for not providing sufficient food for fasting Muslims. In both states, some inmates even reported being given pork for dinner.
While the groups acknowledged that complications for prison staff could arise due to the coronavirus outbreak, it asked prison officials to “seek to balance religious practice with pandemic preparedness”.
The groups also urged the Virginia government to step in quickly since the month of Ramadan has already begun and inmates’ rights were already being violated.
“Given the gravity of the situation and its time-sensitive nature, we request a prompt response to this correspondence,” the letter concluded.
While Muslims make up one percent of the US population, they make up nine percent of the US prison population, mostly due to the large number of conversions, which some research has shown reduces recidivism rates.”
Joe DiGenova about General Flynn Case Is Proving How The DOJ?
Iraq arrests Daesh militant responsible for executions in Samarra city
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200428-iraq-arrests-daesh-militant-responsible-for-executions-in-samarra-city/
“Iraqi security forces yesterday arrested a Daesh militant who used to head the so-called “Execution Committee” in the city of Samarra in the Salahuddin Governorate in the north of the country.
The Iraqi Security Media Cell said in a statement that a force from the Samarra Operations Command captured a Daesh member who had been the group’s head of executions.
The statement added that the man was arrested in an ambush set up on the main road near the Dujail district, adding that all legal measures have been taken against him.
The Security Media Cell has also said that the security forces destroyed three warehouses containing medical and food supplies as well as other materials belonging to the militant group in addition to two tunnels and a booby-trapped boat and detonating an explosive device in Salahuddin Governorate…”
Kuwait calls on OIC to address Islamophobia in India
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200428-kuwait-calls-on-oic-to-address-islamophobia-in-india/
“Kuwait has appealed to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to tackle growing anti-Muslim sentiment in India.
In a statement issued yesterday, General Secretariat of the Kuwait Council of Ministers expressed its “deep concern” regarding Islamophobia in the Hindu-majority country, currently governed under the ruling far-right BJP, and urged the OIC to take “necessary and urgent measures”.
The call for action were similar to those made on Sunday by a minister in Kuwait’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Abdullah Al-Shoreka, who took to Twitter condemning the mistreatment of Muslims in India.
“Did those who commit crimes against humanity against Muslims in India and violate their rights think that Muslims in the world will remain silent about these crimes and do not move politically, legally and economically against them?” he said.
The remarks also follow Emirati Princess Hend Al-Qassimi who last week warned that Islamophobic comments made on social media by Indian expats living in the UAE would not be tolerated.
However, yesterday’s report on Kuwait’s appeal made by Middle East Eye appear to contradict India’s Economic Times, which has today claimed that the government of Kuwait along with other Gulf states Oman, Saudi and Qatar have “rejected attempts to spoil ties with India through ‘foreign sponsored’ social media handles and posts”.
The daily also quoted the spokesperson of India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Anurag Srivastava, who said: “We have seen certain references to India in non-official social media handles in Kuwait. The Government of Kuwait has assured us that they are deeply committed to friendly relations with India. They also do not support any interference in the internal affairs of India.”
In February the Indian capital New Delhi witnessed riots and anti-Muslim mob attacks by Hindu nationalists leading to dozens of deaths of mostly Muslims, which also involved the burning and looting of Muslim-owned businesses and the invasion of some homes belonging to Muslims.
According to the Guardian these were a result of the combined fallout of the passing of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), dangerous and inflammatory rhetoric used by the BJP and its leaders and the revocation of Kashmir’s special status, the only Muslim-majority state in India. India’s Muslims have also been the subject of conspiracy theories circulating in the country, that they are the cause of the coronavirus pandemic.”
Conservative MP says ‘proud’ to fast in Ramadan to understand Muslims
https://english.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2020/4/28/ramadan-conservative-mp-fasting-to-share-experience-with-muslims
“A Conservative MP has decided to fast for the first week of Ramadan in an attempt to get closer to his constituents, as coronavirus changes the way Muslims observe the holy month.
Paul Bristow, Conservative MP for Peterborough announced his intention to fast in a video on Twitter.
“I’m doing this because there are an estimated 20,000 Muslims living in Peterborough and I want to understand more about Islam, and about what Ramadan means for them,” he told over 6,000 followers.
In a video he posted on Monday talking about his fourth day abstaining from food, he said: “I’ve not been thinking about how hungry and thirsty I am, and the fact that I am fasting.”
He also took the chance to praise his Muslim constituents.
“What I have been thinking of is this is an incredibly important time for Muslims in terms of charity, and charitable giving, and looking after those who are less fortunate than them and it reminds me of the community in Peterborough and those who are donating free services for those who are socially isolating and those who are vulnerable…takeaways and restaurants giving away food – many of them owned by Muslims,” he said.
“But all sorts of different businesses – taxi drivers, taxi firms, garages, electricians, are all giving away free services for people of Peterborough.”
Bristow added: “And they make me proud”.
Bristow isn’t the only politician to announce his intentions to fast alongside his Muslim constituents; Liberal Democrats have also joined in.
Acting leader Ed Davey and MP Layla Moran abstained from food and drink from sunrise until sunset, and used the hashtag #LibDemIftar to share their experiences.
However one Cambridgeshire county councillor Ian Manning apologised after he took part in Lib Dem Iftar and tweeted a photograph of bacon and boiled eggs and tagged the Muslim Council of Britain with the caption:
“Up early to start my fast for #LibDemIftar! Really not sure I’ll get through to the evening but we’ll see!”
Many thought the tweet was tone-deaf, as Muslims do not eat pork.
‘Rampant Islamophobia’
The Conservative party has been haunted by accusations of systemic Islamophobia, and last month the Muslim Council of Britain once again called for an independent inquiry into accusations of Islamophobia in the party.
In a letter to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the MCB accused the party of being unwilling to address a “systemic” problem.
The MCB wrote a letter to the Tories and sent a “dossier of evidence” with an additional 300 individuals who have spoken about incidents that occurred within the party.
“Islamophobic attitudes of intolerance and hatred towards Muslims and Islam have no place in our society, and particularly in our political parties,” the letter reads.
“The prevalence of these views in the Party is unacceptable, but it is important to recognise that these attitudes do not exist in isolation, and actually have a tangible impact.
“For example, the scale of Islamophobia and anti-Islam remarks create a culture of intolerance and unacceptance of Muslims in the Party, which leads to… Muslim members of the Party choosing to resign their membership.”
Responding to the MCB’s collection of documents, the Conservative Party said it “consistently takes decisive action to deal with any incidents of hatred, abuse or intimidation”.
“We are holding an independent review which is looking at how we can improve our processes – to make sure that any instances are isolated, and that there are thorough processes in place to stamp them out as and when they occur.””
Religious freedom watchdog wants India on US blacklist
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2209210/3-religious-freedom-watchdog-wants-india-blacklist/
“The US Commission on International Religious Freedom on Tuesday called for the State Department to add India to its list of countries with uniquely poor records on protecting freedom to worship in its annual report.
The bipartisan commission, created in 1998 by Congress to make policy recommendations about global religious freedom, proposed designating India as a “country of particular concern”.
That lower ranking for a long-running US ally amounts to a stark show of disapproval of India’s divisive new citizenship law, which has sparked broad worries about disenfranchisement of Muslims in the country…”
Pakistan writes to OIC over rising hate crimes against Muslims in India
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2209101/1-pakistan-writes-oic-rising-hate-crimes-muslims-india/
“As part of his diplomatic outreach, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has written letters to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary-General and his counterparts in the 57-member body to draw their attention towards the rising wave of state sanctioned hate crimes and Islamophobia in India.
“Among other things, the foreign minister has sensitised them towards this hate-mongering as part of the RSS-BJP dispensation’s anti-Muslim and anti-minority agenda, based on the extremist ‘Hindutva’ ideology,” a statement issued by the Foreign Office said on Tuesday.
“The rising wave of state-sanctioned hate crimes and Islamophobia in India has emerged not only as a threat to Indian Muslims but is also a matter of grave concern for the Muslim world at large,” FM Qureshi was quoted as saying by the FO.
The foreign minister, according to the communiqué, has inter alia apprised about the Modi government’s systematic campaign to demonise Muslims by holding them responsible for the spread of coronavirus.
He has underscored that Indian actions are in contravention of relevant International Conventions and seriously undermine global efforts for religious harmony during these challenging times.
“It is hoped that the international community will take due cognisance and urge India to reverse this course, which is fraught with risks for the safety and security of India’s minorities, particularly Muslims, and for their fundamental rights and freedoms,” it added.
There have been growing incidents of hate crimes against Muslims in India particularly after the outbreak of Covid-19.
The RSS, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, inspired extremists have blamed Muslims for the source of pandemic with reports that some hospitals in India segregated Muslim patients from the Hindus.
The hardline Hindus also launched a campaign against Muslims on the social media, something that invited an unusual strong response from prominent figures in the gulf region.
A member of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) royal family Princess Hend Al Qassimi said that such discrimination against Muslims must not go unnoticed while many other figures in Arab world sought the expulsion of Indian nationals propagating the RSS ideology.
The unusual strong response from Gulf countries with whom India in recent years cultivated good relations on the back of its economic clout prompted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to distance himself from the hate crimes against Muslims.”
Globe & Mail – World’s biggest cargo plane to ship Chinese PPE to Quebec
The cargo specialists arranging a massive shipment of personal protective equipment from China for the Quebec government have turned to the world’s biggest aircraft to carry the load.
The Soviet-era Antonov AN-225 is scheduled to carry what will be the largest single delivery of personal protective equipment (PPE) to Canada later this week to Montreal’s Mirabel Airport. The most recent flight plan calls for the huge aircraft to land on Thursday night.
Much of the freight is expected to be medical gowns that be can be used by health care workers.
Quebec’s gear is taking a different route from some other shipments chartered by the federal government and provinces. The plane will pick up the PPE in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin rather than Shanghai. The Tianjin airport is the only one where the AN-225, which weighs more than 285 tonnes and has a wingspan of more than 88 metres, is allowed to land in China.
The AN-225 is a one-of-a-kind plane. The world’s largest operational cargo aircraft, it’s owned by Ukraine’s Antonov Airlines and modeled on an aircraft that carried the Soviet/Russian space shuttle Buran.
PPE tends to be light but bulky, and the Antonov can carry 1,100 cubic metres, several times what conventional aircraft can accommodate.
The Quebec government on Monday declined to comment on this airlift, saying it did not make the logistics decisions.
Montreal-based Nolinor Aviation is the company Quebec contracted to ship the PPE. Nolinor in turn contracted with Toronto-based Momentum Solutions, a logistics and air charter provider, which secured the AN-225.
Vincent Dufort, sales director for Nolinor, said it’s very challenging to find reliable transport from China these days, and his company contracted with Momentum Solutions because they have worked together in the past and trust them.
Stephen Arbib, chief executive officer of Momentum Solutions, said using the massive AN-225 helps reduce the cost of each unit of shipping medical gear to half or less than half of what it might cost to ship by conventional aircraft because it can carry more.
Mr. Arbib said using a Ukrainian-flagged aircraft is helpful when shipping out of China because friction between Canada and China can cause difficulty for Canadian aircraft operators. “Unfortunately, with the political climate between Canada and China, being a Canadian operator isn’t always the most accepted operator.”
Momentum Solutions played a key role in bringing Canadians home from Wuhan, China, earlier this year, and has worked for the United Nations, other non-governmental organizations and foreign governments.
Antonov Airlines has used the AN-225 to deliver PPE to Poland and Germany and France.
In China, crushing demand for masks and other protective equipment has created delays and stressed the logistics system. Shanghai Pudong International Airport has become a key centre for dispatching supplies from factories to other countries. Already the world’s third-busiest cargo hub, it has been stretched in ways never before seen. The number of cargo flights is more than double last year’s, including 329 flights on April 17, the highest daily tally in airport history.
China late last week tightened restrictions on exports of masks and other PPE, requiring shipments to be subjected to a mandatory customs inspection.
The regulations follow highly publicized complaints from some foreign governments and hospitals that they received PPE from China that they considered faulty. The Canadian government reported last week that one million N95-type masks it purchased from China were substandard.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-worlds-biggest-cargo-plane-to-ship-chinese-ppe-to-quebec/
Tucker: Big Tech censors dissent over coronavirus lockdowns
Coronavirus outbreak hits second US Navy ship. 50 sick aboard destroyer USS Kidd
Nearly 50 sailors aboard the destroyer USS Kidd have tested positive for coronavirus, making it the second military ship hit by an outbreak, reports the U.S. Navy.
Two crew members have been medically evacuated to the United States for treatment, while 15 more are being treated on a medical ship, according to the Navy. None are in intensive care or on ventilators.
The destroyer’s home port is in Everett, Washington, NPR reported.
“I am an optimist, but make no mistake. KIDD is in a fight right now, against COVID and against anyone out there who might want to capitalize on what they perceive as a weakness,” wrote executive officer Cmdr. Matt Noland in a post to the ship’s Facebook page. “Destroyers are tough ships that breed tough Sailors. Warfighters. We’ve got this.”
https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/coronavirus/article242328551.html#storylink=cpy
Nurses Quit En Masse From Russia’s Top Coronavirus Hospital: Reports
Nurses have quit en masse from Russia’s top coronavirus hospital in Moscow over poor working conditions and low wages, the investigative news website Open Media reported Monday.
A former nurse who said she quit the Kommunarka hospital after almost two months told the outlet that more than a dozen nursing staff had left in that period. They reportedly quit because they were denied clean protective gear, food and adequate accommodations, and were not paid bonuses promised by President Vladimir Putin.…
The Kremlin admitted that equipment shortages at individual hospitals “can’t be ruled out,” but said that they do not reflect the overall state of Russia’s healthcare system.…
Moscow has reported a total of 45,351 coronavirus cases — making up more than half of Russia’s 87,147 cases nationwide — since the outbreak began. Kommunarka is currently treating 644 patients, according to Protsenko.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/04/27/nurses-quit-en-masse-from-russias-top-coronavirus-hospital-reports-a70115