Reader’s Links for June 27, 2020

Daily Links Post graphic

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.

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

98 Replies to “Reader’s Links for June 27, 2020”

  1. London horror as thugs wielding knives rampage on street – Police rush to scene (express, Jun 27, 2020)
    https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1301964/london-news-woolwich-arsenal-fight-met-police-alert

    “A HUGE fight erupted in south London after a group of men were spotted with knives.

    Two men were injured in the brawl, with one being treated in hospital for a knife wound. Images from the scene show terrified residents watching police cordon off the area. The horror incident happened in Woolwich at around 3.45pm. Met police issued a Section 60 restriction on the area, giving officers the right to search people for a specific area.

    The order is used when “an incident involving serious violence has taken place and a dangerous instrument or offensive weapon used in the incident is being carried in the locality”.

    “Officers, including armed officers, and London Ambulance Service attended.

    “One man, aged in his 20s, was found suffering a knife injury to the arm – he has been taken to hospital where he remains. His condition is not life-threatening.

    “A second man, also aged in his 20s, suffered minor injuries.

    “A total of six people – no further details – have been arrested on suspicion of GBH and remain in custody.

    “Enquiries into the circumstances remain ongoing.

    “A section 60 has been put in place for the areas of Woolwich Common and Riverside, Charlton, Glyndon and Peninsula until 07:00hrs on Sunday, 28 June.

    “Anyone with information that could assist police is asked to call 101 or tweet…”

  2. IRGC to Get Surprising Systems Soon: Commander
    https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2020/06/27/2294584/irgc-to-get-surprising-systems-soon-commander

    “The commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps said foreign attempts to extend an arms embargo on Iran have no impact on the country’s defense power, adding that surprising systems will be brought into operation in the country in the near future.

    Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a Saturday ceremony held to unveil new homegrown military equipment, Major General Hossein Salami said the IRGC has not relied on foreigners to manufacture any weapon.

    “In the near future, we’ll witness the coming into operation of surprising systems,” the commander said, stressing that the foreign attempts to extend the UN arms embargo on Iran would not affect the country’s defense power at all…”

  3. IRGC Unveils New Military Gear (+Video)
    https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2020/06/27/2294519/irgc-unveils-new-military-gear-video

    “The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) unveiled four new homegrown military products, including a reconnaissance drone with a service ceiling of 12,000 feet.

    In a ceremony on Saturday, IRGC Commander Major General Hossein Salami unveiled the new homegrown products manufactured by the Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Organization of the IRGC Ground Force.

    One of the items was BTR-50 personnel carrier, a modified version of Makran personnel carrier, which enjoys an improved body and a new turret…”

  4. Egypt Executes Militant for Plotting Deadly Attack
    https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2357816/egypt-executes-militant-plotting-deadly-attack

    “Egypt on Saturday executed a Libyan militant convicted of plotting an attack that killed at least 16 police officers in 2017, the military said.

    Abdel-Rahim al-Mosmari was hanged in a Cairo prison after a military appeals court upheld his death sentence last week, the military said. The deadly attack southwest of the Egyptian capital took place in October 2017.

    Al-Mosmari was arrested a month after the attack. He was tried by a military court and sentenced to death in November last year.

    The court also sentenced 15 other defendants for their involvement in the attack, including 10 in absentia, to life in prison. Another 17 got 5- to 15-year sentences.

    Al-Mosmari was from Libya’s eastern city of Derna, which served as a safe haven for years for militant groups before the Libyan National Army, commanded by Khalifa Hafter, took control of it early in 2018.

    The defendants were accused of plotting and taking part in the 2017 attack on police forces as they raided the militants’ hideout.

    The attack took place in the al-Wahat al-Bahriya area, about 135 kilometers from Cairo. The area is the gateway into Egypt’s vast Western Desert which leads to strife-torn Libya.

    For years, authorities have considered the area an infiltration path for smugglers and militants, and have blamed some past attacks on extremists transiting through.”

  5. Al-Hail: Qatar tried to destroy the Gaddafi tent leaks
    https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/594813/World/Al-Hail-Qatar-tried-to-destroy-the-Gaddafi-tent-leaks

    “Prominent Qatari dissident Khaled Al-Hail confirmed that he obtained the Gaddafi tent leaks with great difficulty, and would be releasing the leaks, which he termed dynamite, soon.

    Gaddafi tent leaks are recordings of the former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, whose conversations were taped in secrecy by the Libyan Intelligence.

    In an exclusive interview with Okaz, he stressed that Qatar had planned to obtain and destroy the records that would have incriminated the Gulf State.

    Al-Hail revealed that the tapes contained plots that are just too many, and that 90% of them were planned with the aim to topple the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    He reiterated the fact that it was the Libyan Intelligence that recorded the meetings without Gaddafi’s knowledge, and indicated that he would soon publish the leaks, which he described as “Thunderbolts”, containing new names, which will shock society.

    He stressed that public interest requires the need to expose the criminal organization of the Hamadein regime and its Ottoman and Iranian agents, who are the main target of Khaled Al-Hail leaks.

    “I have recordings that may bring down regimes. The way those recordings forced Hamad Bin Khalifa to abdicate, they may force regimes and presidents to step down from the seat of power,” he stressed.

    He attributed the publication of the leaks at present to the recent infiltration of the “Muslim Brotherhood” among members of the Arab and Gulf society in a horrific way, citing the ruler of Al-Mutairi and other followers of political Islam, as examples.

    Al-Hail stressed the necessity to expose the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Ottoman and Iranian lobby.

    He asserted that at the time of the Libyan revolution, when the Qatari regime elements entered the Aziziyah Gate and hoisted the Qatari flag, their goal was to burn and destroy Gaddafi’s entire archives.

    He drew attention to the existence of honorable Saudi records with Gaddafi, and said, “The Saudi position is keen to help Libya come out of its crisis.””

  6. UNICEF: 2.4m children in Yemen at risk of starvation
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200627-unicef-2-4m-children-in-yemen-at-risk-of-starvation/

    “The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced on Friday that the number of children suffering from malnutrition in Yemen may rise to 2.4 million by the end of the year, due to the severe shortage in humanitarian aid funding.

    A UNICEF report has warned of a 20 per cent increase in the number of malnourished children under the age of five, which is almost half of the number of children of that age group.

    “If we don’t receive urgent funding, children will be on the edge of starvation and many will die,” expressed Sara Beysolow Nyanti, UNICEF representative in Yemen.

    The UN has stated that it does not have enough funds to maintain the flow of aid. A donor conference collected half of the necessary funds this month. However, aid programmes affecting millions of people will be suspended in the coming weeks…”

  7. Iraq: Hezbollah Brigades threaten PM
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200627-iraq-hezbollah-brigades-threaten-pm/

    “Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades threatened on Friday the new Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi over the detention of brigades’ leaders, Al-Watan Voice reported.

    Abu Ali Al-Askari, security leader of the brigades, accused Al-Kazemi of “hiding his partnership in the crime” of the assassinations of Qasem Soleimani and the deputy commander of Al-Hashd Al-Sha’bi, Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis.

    Al-Askari considered the alleged partnership of killing Soleimani and Al-Muhandis as an “advance payment” for the US, stressing that Hezbollah Brigades are waiting for the best chance to take him down…”

  8. Italy defence minister: ‘Our presence on Libyan ground is important and necessary’
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200627-italy-defence-minister-our-presence-on-libyan-ground-is-important-and-necessary/

    “Italy’s Defence Minister Lorenzo Guerini stressed on the importance and necessity of Italy maintaining a presence in Libya.

    During a meeting of the Foreign and Defence Committees in the Senate and the House of Representatives dedicated to Italy’s participation in international missions, Guerini stated that the Libyan situation is well-known, pointing out that: “Tension between the Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Libyan National Army (LNA) continues with the intervention of external parties to support the conflicting parties.”

    The Italian minister of defence further stated that his country is continuously making efforts with all concerned parties (Libyan institutions, Turkey, Egypt and the UAE), in an attempt, according to him, to: “Avoid the continuation of the military conflict fuelled by external interventions.””

  9. Libya calls for sanctions on foreign mercenaries
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200627-libya-calls-for-sanctions-on-foreign-mercenaries/

    “Libya’s permanent representative to the UN, Taher El-Sonni, on Saturday called for imposing sanctions on Russian and Sudanese mercenaries in the country.

    On Friday, mercenaries from Wagner Group and the Sudanese Janjaweed militia forced their way into El-Sharara oilfield to halt oil experts from the field, according to Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC).

    “Since UN Sec. Council failed to sanction individuals/mercenaries as Wagner/Haftar and others, who violate all resolutions, US/EU should take such actions & freeze assets as any terrorist organization and hold who finance them accountable, we witnessed swift actions before on others with less threat,” El-Sonni wrote on Twitter…”

  10. Saudi Arabia ranked Arab world’s best country for women in 2020
    https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/saudi/saudi-arabia-ranked-arab-worlds-best-country-for-women-in-2020-1.1593232630206

    “Saudi Arabia has been ranked Arab world’s best country for women, and 89th globally, according to a new report recently published by the CEOWORLD magazine.

    Oman was ranked second in the Arab world and 91st globally, while Jordan came third regionally and 96th globally.

    The UAE was ranked 4th in the Arab world and 100th globally. Qatar, Kuwait, Libya, Egypt and Bahrain followed in the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th in the Arab world and 107th, 111th, 117th, 124th, and 128th globally, respectively.

    Sweden was ranked the best country in the world for women, according to a new report recently published by the CEOWORLD magazine.

    Denmark and the Netherlands follow up in second and third place, respectively. Norway ranks 4th. Eight out of the top ten countries for women are in Europe, including Finland (No. 6), Switzerland (No. 7), France (No. 9), and Germany (No. 10); the list also included Canada (No. 5) and New Zealand (No. 8). The 2020 rankings placed Luxembourg in 11th ahead of Austria 12th; while Italy ranked 13th and Spain 14th. Overall, among the top 20 best countries in the world, for women to live, the 15th, 16th, and 17th positions are held by Japan, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

    There is a universal pattern of discrimination and crime against women, but volume and intensity differ from country to country. Regional, racial, and socio-economic factors play a crucial role in determining the objectification of the feminine body and gender equality. Frankly, there is no country in the world that is 100% safe for women with the freedom to live equally. But, some countries are better than others when it comes to equal rights, social inclusion, and a sense of security. Based on a survey of nearly 256,700 women around the world, CEOWORLD magazine has released its annual ranking of the Best Countries for Women.

    To produce the Best Countries for Women list, 156 countries were given scores across 9 attributes: gender equality, percentage of legislative seats held by women, sense of security (females 15 years and older who report feeling safe while walking alone at night), income equality, care about human rights, women empowerment, average years of education among women, women age 25 and older who are engaged in paid work, and women’s inclusion in society.

    Scandinavian countries dominated the list. The latest data show that some of the worst countries for women have achieved gains, even as some of the best are lagging in crucial areas.

    There is no doubt women are participating more and have relatively more liberty to rise and shine in the modern era, but the rate of progress is very slow, especially in third world countries. In simple terms, half of the world population is living with a sense of insecurity, and we cannot ever make this world a better place with the half population living in fear, the report said. If you compare the level of women’s empowerment around the world, measured in terms of security, justice, and inclusion, then you will find European countries, especially Scandinavian countries doing great. In contrast, some developed countries are still far behind in the race to create a holistic ecosystem for women to flourish with freedom, the report said.”

  11. Two Kuwaiti lawmakers indicted for money laundering in case linked to Bangladesh MP
    https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/kuwait/two-kuwaiti-lawmakers-indicted-for-money-laundering-in-case-linked-to-bangladesh-mp-1.72281524

    “Two Kuwaiti lawmakers have been indicted on allegations of money laundering and aiding and abetting the Bangldeshi member of parliament Mohammad Shahid Islam, remanded in custody on charges of human trafficking and money laundering, prosecution investigation revealed…”

  12. BasedPoland
    @BasedPoland
    ·
    6h
    Incident from a few days ago. Swedish media reported that 2 party goers where attacked by a group of 20. No more information. Today this video came out which clearly shows that 2 Swedes were assaulted by a group of migrants. Unprovoked attack according to the victims…

    https://twitter.com/BasedPoland/status/1276907495873818624

  13. US Report Ranks Algeria Among Worst Countries for Human Trafficking
    https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2020/06/307078/us-report-ranks-algeria-among-worst-countries-for-human-trafficking/

    “The US Department of State’s 2020 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report has ranked Algeria as a third tier country in terms of human trafficking—the lowest tier in the report.

    Algeria was on the second tier’s watchlist in 2019, before demoting to the third tier in the 2020 report. It joined 18 other countries in this move, including China, Cuba, North Korea, South Sudan, and Syria.

    US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo revealed his department’s report on Thursday, June 25, in an official ceremony. The annual report is the 20th of its kind.

    “The Government of Algeria does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; therefore Algeria was downgraded to Tier 3,” the report reads.

    “The [Algerian] government prosecuted and convicted fewer traffickers and identified fewer victims in comparison to last year. The government remained without effective procedures and mechanisms to appropriately and proactively screen for, identify, and refer potential victims to protection services,” the document added.

    According to the report, the most vulnerable populations for human trafficking in Algeria are “African migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, and individuals in commercial sex.”

    Algeria’s measures to deport undocumented migrants have deterred some trafficking victims from seeking assistance or reporting crimes to the police, the report continued.

    The report also considers the Algerian government to lack transparency, as “it did not report how many victims received assistance.”

    This year is the first time the TIP Report puts Algeria in Tier 3 since 2016. Between 2017 and 2019, the North African country was in Tier 2’s Watchlist.

    The report presented more detailed information about human trafficking in Algeria, based on four axes: Prosecution, protection, prevention, and trafficking profile.

    The document also gave “prioritized recommendations” to the Algerian government, including an increase in investigations, prosecutions, and convictions of sex and labor trafficking offers, amendments to the trafficking provisions in the penal code, and implementation of standardized procedures for victim identification.

    The recommendations also include implementing a formal national victim referral mechanism, training security officers on victim identification, ensuring a safe and voluntary repatriation of foreign victims, and raising public awareness on the indicators and risks of trafficking.

    Morocco’s ‘tangible’ efforts

    Meanwhile, the report ranked Morocco as a Tier 2 country—a country that only needs to implement a few measures to reach the first tier.

    The category contains 89 countries, including several developed countries, such as Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Italy, and Japan.

    Morocco has been in the second tier in the TIP Report since 2015 after the US Department of State removed it from the Tier 2’s Watchlist.

    “The Government of Morocco does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so. The government demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period; therefore Morocco remained on Tier 2,” the report reads.

    According to the report, Morocco’s efforts include increased prosecutions and convictions of traffickers, as well as increased identification of trafficking victims and referral to care.

    However, the document considers that several areas do not meet the minimum standards, citing the relocation of some sub-Saharan African migrants from the regions near Ceuta and Melilla, northern Morocco.

    The report also suggested a series of recommendations for Moroccan authorities, including the creation of a national victim referral mechanism, the training of officials, the non-penalization and protection of victims, and the implementation of a nationwide anti-trafficking awareness campaign.”

  14. YPG/PKK benefited $21M from US: sources
    https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/ypg-pkk-benefited-21m-from-us-sources/1891611

    “The US has provided $21 million financial aid to YPG/PKK-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to alleviate impacts of Caesar Act, sources told Anadolu Agency.

    The aid came a day after the US announced a “sustained sanctions” campaign against the Syrian regime and its allies.

    Washington imposed sanctions June 17 on Bashar Al-Assad, his wife and his inner circle for alleged involvement in war crimes, as part of the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act.

    President Donald Trump signed the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act in December.

    The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the terror group used the aid to increase members’ salaries in the occupied regions by 150%.

    The aid was not a one-time payment and US officials reportedly pledged similar support in the event the group needs more help, according to sources.

    Anadolu Agency contacted US-led coalition’s spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins III about the reported aid but he referred the question to the State Department.

    Caggins said the coalition recently provided $1.2 million for COVID-19 prevention and medical supplies to the SDF, which is largely manned by YPG/PKK terrorists.

    A State Department spokesperson said the agency has not provided any financial aid to the SDF.

    The PKK is a designated terrorist organization in Turkey and the US, but Washington has refrained from similarly labeling its Syrian cousin as it continues to rely heavily on the YPG as its primary partner in northeastern Syria despite Ankara’s objections.

    US support for the YPG has been a major strain on US-Turkish relations.”

  15. Voice of Europe closes down following Big Tech censorship and ad service ban
    https://rmx.news/article/article/voice-of-europe-closes-down-following-big-tech-censorship-and-ad-service-ban

    “In a farewell note posted to its website, Voice of Europe stated that it was ceasing operations due censorship on social media and a decision from ad networks to pull all ads from the site, leaving the publication unable to generate revenue to continue operations.

    The publication was widely read for its reporting on Europe’s ongoing migrant crisis, but also covered topics related to the culture wars, economics, and other global news topics.

    “The editorial staff at Voice of Europe’s regrets to inform you, our readers, that we will be ceasing our news publishing operations indefinitely. Our decision, of course, comes with the heaviest of hearts and follows months of increased censorship from Google, Facebook, and Twitter,” read the note posted to the website on June 22.

    It also related that Voice of Europe was no longer able to fund operations after ads were pulled from the site:

    “Furthermore, our ability to monetize our content, which had already been greatly diminished as a result of the virus’s economic effects, was recently taken away completely when our ad platforms banned us outright. Unfortunately, we do not receive nearly enough financial support from you, the readers, to cover the costs of our operation. For all of these reasons, we’ve decided to end Voice of Europe.”

    Voice of Europe’s issue with digital ads follows shortly after Google announced it was cutting advertising to prominent conservative websites ZeroHedge and The Federalist this month following an NBC news report that featured a journalist collaborating with an activist organization to have the sites defunded, a move that was harshly criticized as an attack on a free press.

    Requests from Remix News to members of Voice of Europe’s editorial team for an interview were denied.

    The publication previously faced censorship from Facebook in 2018 and has already gone offline before, including in January this year, however, the Voice of Europe team in its farewell note said the site will now be offline “indefinitely”.

    The publication still has nearly 400,000 followers on Facebook and over 200,000 on Twitter. Voice of Europe articles were often read and shared by notable conservatives, including Ann Coulter and Polish MEP Dominik Tarczy?ski.

    In the publication’s final Tweet, a number of users lamented it was ceasing operations.

    Another user pointed to the peril of censorship directed against conservative publications:

    “Censorship from tech companies, ad platforms, and payment processors needs to be fought against by our officials one of the highest priorities Providing legislation for these three aspects HAVE TO BE mainline talking point for every conservative party in the world right now,” the user wrote.

    Voice of Europe concluded their farewell note by writing, “Like you, we at Voice of Europe are also deeply concerned about the dark place that our society seems to be headed. We have clearly entered a time where sharing facts which aren’t in line with the mainstream narrative is no longer tolerated.””

  16. I’ve been working in the San Francisco tech industry for about 15 years now and have a few friends that work at Reddit. Apparently they’re going to ban a large number of subs on Monday and frame it as an anti-racism initiative, but the scope of the subs being banned is supposed to be larger than that. The staff is anticipating that things are going to be crazy. That’s all I know.

    https://old.reddit.com/r/WatchRedditDie/comments/hh1pjd/reddits_largest_ever_banwave_is_coming_monday/

  17. RT – Why the French are deleting contact-tracing app StopCovid?

    A coronavirus-tracing app that was rolled out in France has alerted just 14 users about their potential exposure over the course of the last three weeks.

    That’s despite the country recording many new cases of the virus every day.

  18. Knife attack in Hamburg –

    Mordkommission ermittelt in Flüchtlingsunterkunft

    Es war kurz nach 22 Uhr, als Notrufe vom Gelände am Jugendparkweg eingingen. In einem der Gebäude sollten zwei Personen mit schlimmen Stichverletzungen liegen.

    Insgesamt 23 Streifenwagen rasten heran. Rettungswagen und Notärzte stoppten.

    Zunächst war unklar, was passiert war. Es wurde überprüft, ob noch ein Täter flüchtig sei. Dann erste Ermittlungsergebnisse: Zwischen einer Frau (25) und einem Mann (27) soll es zu einer Beziehungstat gekommen sein. Verdacht: der Mann rammte der Frau das Messer in den Körper, stach danach selbst auf sich ein.

    Dramatisch: ein Junge (11) und eine Frau mussten alles mitansehen – schlimmer Schock!

    Die Schwerstverletzten kamen in Kliniken. Dort starb die Frau. Die Mordkommission übernahm die Ermittlungen. Die Polizei holte einen Lichtmast-Wagen, leuchtete die Umgebung aus.

    Der Grund für die Messer-Attacke ist noch unklar.

    https://www.bild.de/regional/hamburg/hamburg-aktuell/frau-25-erstochen-mordkommission-ermittelt-in-fluechtlingsheim-71439252.bild.html

  19. George Floyd Protester Demographics:

    Insights Across 4 Major US Cities

    Research Finding June 2020

    Devices were observed for geographic areas around specific protest
    locations in New York, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Atlanta

    – Device data was collected on May 29th, 30th and 31st

    – “Day” data was collected during non-curfew hours

    – “Night” data was collected during the curfew hours specific to each city

    – A device with a common evening location within a 150km radius of city
    center was considered as belonging to someone who lived “inside” that city
    vs “outside” of that city

    ================================
    Gender Distribution: Male vs. Female

    THERE WERE MORE MALE PROTESTERS IN ALL CITIES FOR AN AVERAGE OF DEVICES OBSERVED ACROSS DAY AND NIGHT

    ==================================
    Age Distribution

    18 – 34 = 65%

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

    Ethnicity Distribution

    DISTRIBUTION FOR DEVICES OBSERVED ACROSS DAY AND NIGHT

    Caucasian + 78% and over

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

    18 pages + graphics

    ( PDF )

    https://f.hubspotusercontent40.net/hubfs/4309344/MW%20Protester%20Demographic%20Analysis.pdf