Reader’s Links for November 24, 2020

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

104 Replies to “Reader’s Links for November 24, 2020”

  1. USA – TRANS SPECIES MAN WHO SELF-IDENTIFIES AS A DEER ACCIDENTALLY SHOT BY HUNTERS

    A South Carolina man who self-identifies as a deer has been transported to the hospital via helicopter after being shot by two hunters.

    William Tenenbaum, 31, is lying in critical condition according to medical staff at Allendale County Hospital after being mistaken for a deer by two local hunters.

    According to the two hunters, Tenenbaum was dressed and painted in the colors of a deer and was wearing antlers which made him unrecognizable to the two men.

    “It was the first time in my life that I’d seen a deer stand up and walk on its two legs. That’s when I went for a clear shot to the lungs,” Harry Perkins, 72, told reporters, visibly shocked.

    “It was the first time in my life that I’d seen a deer stand up and walk on its two legs. That’s when I went for a clear shot to the lungs,” Harry Perkins, 72, told reporters, visibly shocked.

    “The deer looked like it was rubbing its chest and its genitals and signaling us to come closer, it was very surreal” Thomas Pinecut, 68, admitted to reporters.
    William Tenenbaum’s mother, Michelle, said that her son has always been socially awkward and struggled with making friends but has a great passion for nature and the outdoors.

    “When he was eight he believed he was a porcupine, then at 12 a squirrel, now he’s a deer. It could be worse, he could be a homosexual,” his mother argued when reached by phone.

    Tenenbaum’s mother admitted that her son’s life choices are eccentric and have necessitated some adaptation by the family.

    “On Thanksgiving Day, since deer don’t eat meat, we made him a salad of pine needles and pine cones which he seemed to enjoy,” she added.

    In 2016, William Tenenbaum made local headlines for breaking and entering into a deer farm and allegedly sexually assaulting several animals but was later released after the owner decided to drop the charges.

    https://sanelinews.com/trans-species-man-who-self-identifies-as-a-deer-accidentallyshot-by-hunters/

  2. PENNSYLVANIA, ARIZONA, MICHIGAN LEGISLATURES TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS ON 2020 ELECTION
    President Donald J. Trump – November 24, 2020

    Excerpt:

    The first hearing, held by the Pennsylvania State Senate, will be conducted tomorrow, Wednesday, November 25th, in Gettysburg, PA, where each participating Senator will give a five-minute opening statement followed by testimony from witnesses who have filed affidavits attesting to 2020 election fraud. Tomorrow’s hearing will also feature a presentation from former New York City Mayor and Personal Attorney to President Trump, Rudy Giuliani.

    https://www.donaldjtrump.com/media/pennsylvania-arizona-michigan-legislatures-to-hold-public-hearings-on-2020-election/

  3. REPLAY: Election 2020; Russ Ramsland; Sidney Powell 11.23.20
    America Can We Talk? – Stream live 4 hours ago

  4. Sidney Powell With Lou Dobbs: AZ Witness Says Handed Out 35K Votes To Dems. Just To Start It Off!

  5. Missile Attacks against Saudi Aramco to Continue: Ansarullah
    https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2020/11/24/2396002/missile-attacks-against-saudi-aramco-to-continue-ansarullah

    “The spokesman for Yemen’s Houthi Ansarullah movement, Mohammad Abdul-Salam said that the targeting of Aramco’s distribution station in Jeddah came in response to the continued siege and Saudi aggression on Yemen.

    In an interview with Al-Alam News TV, Abdul-Salam added that the response is not over and will continue until the war on Yemen is stopped.

    He explained that the military operations in Ma’rib, Al-Baidha and Al-Jawf are proceeding with great progress and that the victories of the Ma’rib front are very important.

    Early on Monday, the Yemeni Armed Forces’ spokesman, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, said the Arab country’s military fired a missile at a distribution station operated by the Saudi Aramco oil company in Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea city of Jeddah and struck it.

    The attack was carried out with a Quds-2 type winged missile, Saree said in a tweet late on Sunday.

    “The strike was very accurate, and ambulances and fire engines rushed to the target,” he said.

    He further warned foreign companies and residents in Saudi to exercise caution as “operations will continue”.

    Aramco’s oil production and export facilities are mostly in Saudi’s Eastern Province, more than 1,000 km across the country from Jeddah.

    The military spokesman said the strike had been carried out in response to the Saudi-led coalition’s ongoing airstrikes against Yemen.

    The Saudi-led coalition invaded Yemen in 2015. Since then, over 100,000 people have been killed, according to the US-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project”

  6. France, Germany, UK Discuss Working with Joe Biden on JCPOA
    https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2020/11/24/2395951/france-germany-uk-discuss-working-with-joe-biden-on-jcpoa

    “European foreign ministers from France, Germany and the UK met to discuss a joint approach with the incoming Joe Biden administration on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

    The three nations, whose ministers met in Berlin, are hoping Tehran can reach an agreement under which the US would lift its sanctions in return for Iran reversing the suspension of its commitments under the multilateral deal, the Guardian reported on Monday.

    Biden, the US president-elect, has said he wants the US to rejoin the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), if Iran returns to its commitments…”

  7. More Foreign Firms Eager to Work with Iran: Spokesman
    https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2020/11/24/2396187/more-foreign-firms-eager-to-work-with-iran-spokesman

    “A growing number of foreign companies have shown enthusiasm for cooperation with Iran recently, the Iranian administration’s spokesperson said.

    Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Ali Rabiei said foreign companies have recently made more contacts with a number of Iranian ministries for negotiations and beginning activities in Iran.

    As the number of contacts for cooperation with Iran has been growing, a number of foreign companies seek permission to open offices in Iran, he said.

    A series of foreign enterprises that remained in Iran and did not shut down their activities will definitely have more chance for cooperation, the spokesman added.

    Rabiei also said that the unique opportunities available in Iran, skilled human force, abundant and cheap energy, and a population of 600 million in Iran’s neighboring states have turned the Islamic Republic into an attractive option for foreign investors…”

  8. Iran Decries Harmful Impacts of Sanctions on COVID-19 Battle
    https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2020/11/24/2396058/iran-decries-harmful-impacts-of-sanctions-on-covid-19-battle

    “Iran’s ambassador to international organizations in Vienna denounced the damaging effects that unilateral sanctions have on the fight against the coronavirus pandemic in developing countries.

    Addressing the 48th session of the UNIDO Industrial Development Board, held online on Monday, Kazem Gharibabadi said the battle against COVID-19 requires a comprehensive and coordinated multilateral approach to support the vulnerable countries.

    “We still witness the use of unilateral sanctions against countries in clear violation of the goals and principles of the UN Charter, international law and human rights as well as the principles of multilateralism and the norms of diplomacy and international relations,” he added.

    “We express our deep concern about the serious consequences of the coronavirus for many developing countries, including those that are vulnerable and face serious challenges beyond their control,” Press TV quoted the envoy as saying.

    He also noted that the highly contagious virus should be contained through global cooperation and solidarity, adding, “We strongly believe that now is the critical time for cooperation and communication not only on the basis of shared responsibility, but also through a decisive joint action as an international community.”

    Gharibabadi further urged UNIDO to increase its cooperation with other agencies of the world body to ensure the affected countries’ continued access to medical equipment as well as fair production and distribution of vaccines.”

  9. Leader Urges Focus on Nullifying Sanctions
    https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2020/11/24/2396368/leader-urges-focus-on-nullifying-sanctions

    “Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei called on the Iranian officials to concentrate efforts on thwarting and overcoming the sanctions instead of seeking their removal, pointing to the unsuccessful outcome of years of negotiations for lifting the sanctions.

    Addressing a Tuesday meeting of the Supreme Council of Economic Coordination, Ayatollah Khamenei slammed the sanctions as a “bitter reality” and a “crime” that the US and its European allies have committed against the Iranian nation.

    “Such a crime has been committed against the Iranian nation for years, but it has intensified over the past three years,” the Leader said in the meeting, attended by the heads of the three branches of power and other members of the Supreme Council of Economic Coordination.

    The two remedies for dealing with the sanctions are “nullifying and overcoming the sanctions” and their “removal”, Ayatollah Khamenei noted, adding, “We once tried the path of removal of the sanction and negotiated for several years, but it did not yield results.”

    Describing efforts to overcome the sanctions and countering them as the proper option, the Leader said, “This path might have difficulties and problems at the beginning, but it will have a successful outcome.”

    If Iran overcomes the sanctions by making efforts, using creativity and struggling with the problems, the other side will gradually abandon the imposition of sanctions after realizing their futility, the Leader underlined.

    Ayatollah Khamenei further expressed hope that implementing new approaches for addressing the budget deficit, increasing governmental investment, boosting production and supporting the vulnerable groups would have positive results for the economy and livelihood of people.

    The Leader also lashed out at the three European parties to the 2015 nuclear deal for their accusations against Iran, saying, “The situation in the US is not clear, and the Europeans are constantly adopting stances against Iran. While they (Europeans) themselves are involved in the highest degree of wrong interference in regional issues, they tell us not to interfere in the region. While the UK and France own destructive nuclear missiles and Germany is also on the same road, they tell us not to have missiles.”

    The European governments must first correct their behavior before making comments about Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei underscored.

    The aliens could not be relied on and it is not possible to pin hopes on them, the Leader concluded.

    Ayatollah Khamenei has repeatedly referred to the United States and some other Western countries as unreliable sides, calling on Iranian authorities to rely on domestic capacities and capabilities.”

  10. Biden Signals Stark Shift with New National Security Team
    https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2645126/biden-signals-stark-shift-new-national-security-team

    “Declaring “America is back,” President-elect Joe Biden introduced selections for his national security team Tuesday, his first substantive offering of how he’ll shift from Trump-era “America First” policies by relying on foreign policy and national security experts from the Democratic establishment to be some of his most important advisers.

    Biden’s Washington veterans all have ties to former President Barack Obama’s administration as the president-elect has sought to deliver a clear message about his desire to reestablish a more predictable engagement from the United States on the global stage.

    “It’s a team that reflects the fact that America is back, ready to lead the world, not retreat from it,” said Biden, at an introductory event at which his selections stood on stage, at least six feet apart and masked.

    The president-elect’s team includes Antony Blinken, a veteran foreign policy hand well-regarded on Capitol Hill whose ties to Biden go back some 20 years, for secretary of state; lawyer Alejandro Mayorkas to be homeland security secretary; veteran diplomat Linda Thomas-Greenfield to be US ambassador to the United Nations; and Obama White House alumnus Jake Sullivan as national security adviser.

    Avril Haines, a former deputy director of the CIA, was picked to serve as director of national intelligence, the first woman to hold that post, and former Secretary of State John Kerry will make a curtain call as a special envoy on climate change. Kerry and Sullivan’s position will not require Senate confirmation.

    With the Senate’s balance of power hinging on two runoff races in Georgia that will be decided in January, some Senate Republicans have already expressed antipathy to Biden’s picks as little more than Obama world retreads.

    Sen. Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican and potential 2024 GOP presidential hopeful, derisively accused Biden of surround himself with “panda huggers” who will go soft on China. Sen. Marco Rubio, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that will consider Blinken’s nomination, broadly wrote off the early selections as uninspiring.

    “Biden’s cabinet picks went to Ivy League schools, have strong resumes, attend all the right conferences & will be polite & orderly caretakers of America’s decline,” Rubio tweeted.

    But Biden’s transition team hailed the president-elect’s selection as a group of “crisis-tested leaders” who will be ready to hit the ground running in the new administration.

    Outside the realm of national security and foreign policy, Biden is expected to choose Janet Yellen as the first woman to become treasury secretary. She was nominated by Obama to lead the Federal Reserve, the first woman in that position, and served from 2014 to 2018.

    Biden said his choices “reflect the idea that we cannot meet these challenges with old thinking and unchanged habits.” He said he tasked them with reasserting global and moral leadership.

    Biden’s emerging Cabinet marks a return to a more traditional approach to governing, relying on veteran policymakers with deep expertise and strong relationships in Washington and world capitals. And with a roster that includes multiple women and people of color — some of whom are breaking historic barriers in their posts — Biden is acting on his campaign promise to lead a team that reflects the diversity of America. Thomas-Greenfield is Black, and Mayorkas is Cuban American.”

  11. NOV 24 2020 – EUROPEAN UNION

    Inclusion for all: Commission presents action plan on Integration and Inclusion 2021-2027

    Today, the Commission is presenting the action plan on Integration and Inclusion for the period 2021-2027. The action plan promotes inclusion for all, recognising the important contribution of migrants to the EU and addressing the barriers that can hinder participation and inclusion of people with a migrant background, from newcomers to citizens, in European society. It is built on the principle that inclusive integration requires efforts from both the person and the host community and sets out new actions that build on the achievements of the previous action plan from 2016.

    Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said: “Inclusion is the embodiment of the European way of life. Integration and inclusion policies are vital for newcomers, for local communities, and contribute to cohesive societies and strong economies. Everyone who has the right to be in Europe should have access to the tools they need to realise their full potential and assume the rights and obligations governing our Union.”

    Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, said: “Migrants are ‘us’, not ‘them’. Everyone has a role to play in making sure our societies are cohesive and prosperous. Integration and inclusion mean listening to migrant communities and ensuring that everyone can enjoy rights, regardless of background. Inclusive integration is giving the same tools and support needed to contribute to society, so that migrants can reach their full potential and our societies benefit from their strength and skills.”

    A European approach to integration and inclusion

    As emphasised in the new Pact on Migration and Asylum, successful integration and inclusion is an essential part of a well-managed and effective migration and asylum policy. It is also essential for social cohesion and for a dynamic economy that works for all.

    The action plan proposes targeted and tailored support that takes into account individual characteristics that may present specific challenges to people with a migrant background, such as gender or religious background. Successful integration and inclusion depends both on early action and on long-term commitment.

    Although national governments are primarily responsible for creating and implementing social policies, the EU plays a key role in supporting Member States through funding, developing guidance and fostering relevant partnerships. The main actions are:

    Inclusive education and training from early childhood to higher education, focusing on facilitating the recognition of qualifications and continued language learning, with support from EU funds.

    Improving employment opportunities and skills recognition to fully value the contribution of migrant communities, and women in particular, and ensure that they are supported to reach their full potential. The Commission will work with social and economic partners and employers to promote labour market integration, support entrepreneurship and make it easier for employers to recognise and assess skills.
    Promoting access to health services, including mental healthcare, for people with a migrant background. In addition to dedicated EU funding, the action plan seeks to ensure people are informed about their rights and recognises the specific challenges faced by women, in particular during and after pregnancy. The action plan also supports Member States to exchange best practice.

    Access to adequate and affordable housing funded through the European Regional Development Fund, European Social Fund Plus, Asylum and Migration Fund and Invest EU, as well as funding platforms to exchange of experience at local and regional level on fighting discrimination on the housing market and segregation.

    The action plan will be implemented by mobilising EU funding and by creating partnerships with all those involved: migrants, host communities, social and economic partners, civil society, local and regional authorities as well as the private sector. It will empower host communities and support their role in the design and implementation of integration measures and programmes, while also emphasising the responsibility of the people concerned in participating in the host society. It will seek to modernise access to services by using digital tools. Finally, it will improve the evidence base to help further development of policies and to ensure good monitoring of results.

    Background

    Today, around 34 million EU inhabitants were born outside the EU (around 8% of the EU population), and 10% of young people (15–34 years) born in the EU have at least one foreign-born parent. Migrants and EU citizens with a migrant background play a key role in European society and in different sectors of our economy, including as essential workers. However, they continue to face challenges in terms of access to education, employment, healthcare and social inclusion (see statistics).

    The action plan on Integration and Inclusion complements existing and upcoming EU strategies to foster equality and social cohesion to ensure everyone is fully included and able to participate in European societies. It will be implemented with the forthcoming action plan to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights and the EU’s anti-racism action plan. It will also be closely linked with the EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation; the Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025; the LGBTIQ equality strategy 2020-2025, the forthcoming strategy to combat antisemitism and the EU citizenship report.

    more :

    https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_2178

    • Integration Press conference opening remarks by Ylva JOHANSSON

      Integration and inclusion is an investment,

      It means migrants are already part of “us”, there is no “them”.

      Many experience discrimination. It can still be an obstacle to have a family name that is not common in the country you live in.

      So we need to work harder on integration and inclusion.

      we want to work with Member States to promote non-segregated adequate and affordable housing, including social housing, and to provide accompanying integration services through EU funds.

  12. EXCLUSIVE: Ilhan Omar calls for end to American sponsorship of police brutality
    https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/ilhan-omar-resolution-police-brutality-egypt-saudi-arabia

    “Ilhan Omar will introduce a resolution in Congress on Tuesday condemning police brutality, which could have far-reaching implications for US allies, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Middle East Eye can reveal.

    The draft resolution, seen by MEE, calls for an end to the use of militarised equipment and tactics in policing in the US and urges US arms manufacturers to stop the sale of lethal and non-lethal weapons to countries with documented patterns of police brutality.

    Omar’s resolution comes after a year of unprecedented protests in the US and around the globe that were in many instances met with disproportionate police responses, often brutality, resulting in injury or death.

    In 2020, there were documented incidents of police brutality in Nigeria; Cameroon; Honduras; Chile; Hong Kong; Belarus; India; Poland; Egypt; and Saudi Arabia, among other countries.

    “This year, much of our attention has been focused on the problem of police violence,” Omar said in a statement sent to MEE.

    “In my home district, we felt this pain acutely with the murder of George Floyd. We have also seen the horrifying images of police armed with military equipment responding to peaceful protests,” the Somali-American lawmaker said.

    Omar’s resolution follows on the heels of a resolution condemning police brutality and legislation seeking to criminalise it that was introduced earlier in the summer.

    But whereas the previous resolution and legislation focused on domestic measures to root out police brutality, Tuesday’s resolution focuses on ending the US government’s complicity in violent crackdowns on civilian protests in other parts of the globe.

    “Police brutality has transcended geography and local context. It has shown its face in democracies and dictatorships, which is why we must not only condemn police brutality domestically, but worldwide,” Omar said.

    “U.S. corporations are some of the leading exporters of tear gas. Whether in Nigeria, Hong Kong or Egypt, the U.S. should not be involved in using equipment that is then used to quell pro-democracy demonstrations.

    “Our movements are inextricably linked, and the sources of the violence are often the same. Freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are among our most foundational, cherished values. We must stand up to protect them.”

    Implications for US allies
    Omar’s bold proposal comes merely days after the lawmaker said in an op-ed in The Nation, that President-elect Joe Biden had “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reorient our foreign policy away from shortsighted military alliances and toward justice”.

    Meanwhile, Biden’s choices for his new cabinet have left progressive commentators convinced the new administration is unlikely to bring new imagination to US foreign policy, particularly in the Middle East.

    However, should Omar’s resolution pass, there may be implications for US allies Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

    Under President Abdel-Fatah el-Sisi, the Egyptian government has crushed all forms of dissent and any semblance of civil rights. Tens of thousands languish as political prisoners and face inhumane treatment…”

  13. HRW calls on Saudi Arabia to reveal status of detained Uighurs
    https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/hrw-calls-saudi-arabia-reveal-status-detained-uighurs

    “Human Rights Watch has called on Saudi Arabia to “immediately disclose” the status of two Uighur Muslim men who were detained in the country last week, amid fears they could be deported to China.

    “Saudi Arabia’s attempts to seek positive publicity through hosting the G20 would be severely undercut if it detains and forcibly returns fellow Muslims back to unbridled persecution in China,” Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

    “Saudi authorities should immediately disclose the status of the Uighur detainees and clarify why they arrested them,” he added…”

  14. EXCLUSIVE: Iran tells Iraq factions ‘no attacks on US targets until Trump is gone’
    https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iran-iraq-us-factions-no-attacks-trump-gone

    “Terrified that Donald Trump could launch a new Middle East war, Iran dispatched one of its top generals to Baghdad last week to order allied Iraqi factions to cease all attacks until Joe Biden is in the White House, paramilitary commanders told Middle East Eye.

    Arriving 24 hours after a barrage of rockets targeted the US embassy in Baghdad’s Green Zone, Brigadier General Ismail Qaani was explicit in his instructions to paramilitary leaders on Wednesday.

    “Qaani made it clear that Trump wants to drag the region into an open war before leaving, to take revenge on his opponents over losing the election, and it is not in our interest to give him any justification to start such a war,” a senior commander of a Shia armed faction, who was among those briefed about what was said at the meeting, told MEE.

    With the United States doubling its troop presence in the Gulf, and Israeli normalisation deals with the UAE and Bahrain bringing Iran’s archenemy to its doorstep, Tehran is beginning to feel boxed in.

    Meanwhile, an always temperamental president has become even more unpredictable, with Iranian leaders believing Trump, smarting from this month’s election loss, could lash out at Iran before his term ends on 20 January.

    Iran’s armed proxies in Iraq have for months rained rockets down on US targets in the country. Though not particularly deadly, they have been provocative and destabilising.

    Deciding the Iraqi arena needed a moment of calm, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ordered Iran-backed factions to call a unilateral ceasefire, which they subsequently announced on 11 October.

    Tensions at the time were sky high, with Trump threatening to shutter the US embassy and launch air strikes against Iran’s interests and proxies in the region.

    Though the ceasefire took the sting out of those threats, on Tuesday a fresh volley of at least seven BM-21 rockets hit the Iraqi capital’s Green Zone, where most government buildings and diplomatic missions are located.

    The attack killed a child and wounded a further five civilians, and damaged a number of government buildings and private properties, Iraqi security sources said. It also ramped up tensions once again.

    The next day, Qaani, commander of elite al-Quds force responsible for extraterritorial military and clandestine operations, arrived in Baghdad to meet the commanders of Iranian-backed Shia armed factions and “personally supervise” their commitment to the truce, three commanders of armed factions told MEE.

    “No faction has violated the declared armistice. We previously said that the truce will last for only two months, and the deadline has expired,” a prominent commander of one of the armed factions involved in the attacks told MEE.

    “The leaders of some factions have a special point of view regarding how to get the American forces out of Iraq, but they also do not deviate from the consensus of others and take into account the higher interests of Iraq and the region.”

    High-level meetings
    Qaani, who came directly from Lebanon after meeting Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, held several meetings during his two-day visit, the most prominent of which was on Wednesday evening at the house of Hadi al-Ameri, head of the parliamentary Fatah bloc and commander of the Badr Organization, the oldest and biggest Shia armed faction.

    The meeting was attended by representatives of the most prominent armed Shia factions, including Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Kataeb Hezbollah and Herakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, in additionto Abu Fadak al-Muhammadawi, chief of staff of the Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitary umbrella group, and several political leaders from the Fatah and the State of Law parliamentary blocs.

    Qaani warned that a conflict with US forces could quickly move beyond Iraq….”

  15. Biden appoints first Palestinian-American to serve as a White House staffer
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201124-biden-appoints-first-palestinian-american-to-serve-as-a-white-house-staffer/

    “US President-elect Joe Biden appointed a longtime Palestinian-American Capitol Hill aide as the deputy director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs.

    Born to Jordanian-Palestinian immigrants in the US, Reema Dodinher’s family is originally from Dura, near occupied Hebron.

    She will be the first Palestinian-American to serve as a White House staffer, reported Wafa news agency.

    “The American people are eager for our Administration to get to work, and today’s appointees will help advance our agenda and ensure every American has a fair shot,” Biden said in a statement.

    “In a Biden administration, we will have an open door to the Hill and this team will make sure their views are always represented in the White House.”

    Dodinher is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and serves as deputy chief of staff and floor director to Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, the assistant minority leader.

    “Reema began as a law school intern in my office fourteen years ago and progressed to become one of the most respected staffers on the Hill,” Durbin said.

    “She is smart, trusted and has the respect of members and staff on both sides of the aisle.”

    She is also a Truman National Security Fellow, a New Leaders Council Fellow, an Aspen Socrates alum, a former term member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a member of the Jenkins Hill Society – a consortium of women in politics supporting female politicians.

    According to the Independent, about a dozen other senior White House staffers have also been announced by the president-elect.”

  16. Egypt court adds 26 to ‘terrorism list’
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201124-egypt-court-adds-26-to-terrorism-list/

    “An Egyptian court has put almost 30 people on a terrorism watch list and accused them of joining the Muslim Brotherhood.

    Not long after the 2013 coup, the Muslim Brotherhood were outlawed in Egypt and its members heavily targeted by Egyptian authorities.

    It was not only actual members of the group who were persecuted, but anyone opposing the regime was accused of belonging to the so-called terror group.

    Copts, staunch critics, and members of political parties which opposed the group have all been targeted as part of this crackdown.

    Judge Hassan Farid issued the ruling last week, which also includes a travel ban and a freeze on assets for three years.

    Activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, one of the icons of the 2011 revolution, has been placed on the list.

    Abdel Fattah was arrested on 29 September 2019 during protests against corruption and taken to Tora Prison where he was blindfolded, stripped of his clothing and beaten.

    His lawyer Mohammed Baqir was arrested at the same time and has also been added to the list.

    Politician Abdel Moneim Aboul Fetouh was arrested in 2018 on charges of spreading false news and joining a terror group.

    He has suffered two heart attacks whilst in prison that almost killed him.

    Aboul Fetouh was once a Brotherhood member but quit the group in 2011 and established the Strong Egypt Party and yet has also been added. He went up against Mohamed Morsi and Ahmed Shafiq in the 2012 presidential elections.

    Also on the list are Mohammed El-Kassas, deputy head of the Strong Egypt Party, and El-Hassan El-Shater, son of former Brotherhood leader Khairat El-Shater.”

  17. 6 Somali special forces soldiers killed in IED attack
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201124-6-somali-special-forces-soldiers-killed-in-ied-attack/

    “Six members of Somalia’s Danab special forces were killed in an al-Shabaab bomb attack late Monday, security forces in the Horn of Africa nation confirmed to local media.

    A vehicle ferrying US-trained soldiers ran over an improvised explosive device (IED) in the Leego area in the Lower Shabelle region just after leaving Belligodle Airfield where they were receiving training, said officials, also confirming to local media that some other soldiers injured in the attack were taken to hospital.

    Through their propaganda radio, Somali-based al-Qaeda affiliated al-Shabaab militants claimed to have killed 12 soldiers in their attack.

    The blast comes days after at least five people were killed and eight more wounded in a suicide bombing at a busy restaurant in the capital Mogadishu followed by another attack on a security checkpoint which killed three soldiers.

    In recent days, al-Shabaab militants have intensified their attacks on security forces as Africa Union Mission Forces and Somali National Army soldiers continue pushing them out of their strongholds in successive military operations.”

  18. Kuwaiti colonel, seven Egyptians jailed for human trafficking
    https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/kuwait/kuwaiti-colonel-seven-egyptians-jailed-for-human-trafficking-1.75481102

    “Kuwait’s Court of Appeal has sentenced a Kuwaiti colonel working in the Ministry of Interior and seven Egyptians to three years in prison, after they were found guilty of human trafficking, local media reported.

    The court also ordered the Egyptians be deported after serving their term, in one of the human trafficking cases that surfaced during the coronavirus crisis.

    Prosecutors charged the defendants with committing the crime of trafficking in persons, by using lies and deception, promising a better life and opportunities to make money in a company run by the colonel (the director of the company).

    The manager confiscated their passports, after they were lured for lucrative jobs in Kuwait in various professions in return for a monthly salary of 150 dinars (Dh1,800), and other benefits.

    “But the victims were exploited, faced forced labour conditions in which their passports and wages were withheld, their movement restricted and they faces physical abuse. They eventually found that they had been lured to Kuwait with promises of non-existent work opportunities, a crime committed in both Egypt and Kuwait,” according to court records.

    The Kuwait government has increased law enforcement efforts. The 2013 anti-trafficking law criminalised sex and labour trafficking and prescribed penalties of up to 15 years’ imprisonment for offences involving an adult male victim and up to life imprisonment for those involving an adult female or child victim. These penalties were sufficiently stringent and, with regard to sex trafficking, commensurate with those prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape.

    The Public Authority for Manpower transferred about 400 files of companies to the Public Prosecution due their involvement in human trafficking, besides this 3,000 different complaints, most of them were related to non-payment of salaries to employees…”

  19. Cairo court orders seizure of funds belonging to 285 Muslim Brotherhood members
    http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/395468/Egypt/Politics-/Cairo-court-orders-seizure-of-funds-belonging-to–.aspx

    “The Cairo Court for Urgent Matters has ordered the seizure of funds owned by 285 people affiliated with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group, including a number of public figures who currently reside abroad.

    These figures include pro-Brotherhood TV presenters Moataz Matar and Mohamed Nasser, both of whom reside in Turkey, and Abdullah El-Sherif, who resides in Qatar.

    The court order also includes Egyptian actors Hesham Abdullah, Hesham Abdel-Hamid and Mohamed Shoman, who are fugitives who have worked at pro-Brotherhood TV channels.

    The decision also includes three entities that are affiliated with the group, which has been designated a terrorist organization by Egypt since late 2013.

    The 285 defendants are barred from dissipating their properties, funds in their bank accounts, or stocks and bonds registered in the Egyptian exchange.”

  20. ‘Pakistan hands dossier on Indian terrorism to UN chief’
    https://tribune.com.pk/story/2273441/pakistan-hands-dossier-on-indian-terrorism-to-un-chief

    “Pakistan’s Ambassador Munir Akram has handed over the dossier on Indian state-sponsored terrorism to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, The Express Tribune has learnt.

    Sources privy to the development told The Express Tribune that envoy Akram met Guteress at UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday and briefed him about the Indian involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan.

    The country’s top diplomat, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and the military spokesperson, Major General Babar Iftikhar, had presented the dossier earlier this month detailing India’s involvement in terror attacks in Pakistan during the media conference.

    Multiple video clips and audio clips, along with documents, were presented during the media conference of Indian handlers and terrorists communicating with each other and Indian intelligence handlers passing on instructions to terrorists in Pakistan.

    Ambassador Akram told the UN chief that Indian is involved in orchestrating terrorist attacks in Pakistan and demanded him to take note of this.

    Later in a tweet, he also confirmed the development without providing many details.

    “Today I met UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres and handed over the dossier from the Government of Pakistan.. I will detail the press later on its contents,” he wrote on his official handle.

    The sources said Akram maintained that the dossier containing evidences against India should be presented before the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee.

    The insiders added that the UN Secretary-General assured the Pakistan’s envoy that he would review the dossier.”

  21. Pakistan categorically rules out possibility of recognising Israel
    https://tribune.com.pk/story/2273417/pakistan-categorically-rules-out-possibility-of-recognising-israel

    “Pakistan has dismissed the “baseless speculations” that the country is contemplating to normalise its ties with Israel.

    “Responding to media queries, the spokesperson [Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri] categorically rejected baseless speculation regarding possibility of recognition of the State of Israel by Pakistan,” the Foreign Office said in a statement on Tuesday.

    The statement came amid speculative media reports that Pakistan might be considering recognising Israel as Arab countries are gradually embracing the Jewish state.

    The latest rumours were triggered by reported ‘secret meeting’ between Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the kingdom, which was later rejected by Riyadh.

    “I have seen press reports about a purported meeting between HRH the Crown Prince and Israeli officials during the recent visit by @SecPompeo. No such meeting occurred. The only officials present were American and Saudi,” Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said in a tweet.

    There have been reports that Pakistan has been under pressure from the United States as well as a ‘friendly countries’ to recognise Israel.

    The FO spokesperson, however, underlined that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statements in this context had been clear and unequivocal. “The prime minister has made it clear that unless a just settlement of the Palestine issue, satisfactory to the Palestinian people, is found, Pakistan cannot recognise Israel.”

    He further said Pakistan steadfastly supports the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination. “For just and lasting peace, it is imperative to have a two-state solution in accordance with the relevant United Nations and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) resolutions, with the pre-1967 borders, and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of a viable, independent and contiguous Palestinian State.”

    Pakistan’s principled stance stemmed from the historic position taken by the Muslim world, particularly by the Arab countries, who for decades championed the Palestinian cause.

    However, there has been shift in Arab world’s approach in recent years with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently striking a historic accord with Israel, establishing diplomatic ties with the Jewish state.

    There are reports that Saudi Arabia would eventually also recognise Israel but before that Riyadh reportedly wanted other Muslim countries including Pakistan to soften its stance towards Israel.

    Observers believe that while the changing scenario warrants review in Pakistan’s approach, recognising Israel without the just settlement of Palestinian issue would weaken the country’s stance on the longstanding Kashmir dispute with India.”

  22. EU should correct its east Med mistakes to improve ties with Turkey: Top diplomat
    https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/eu-should-correct-its-east-med-mistakes-to-improve-ties-with-turkey-top-diplomat-160311

    “The European Union has to correct its mistakes on its position over the ongoing row in the eastern Mediterranean and engage in a constructive dialogue with Turkey, Turkey’s top diplomat has said, suggesting that the entire Europe will suffer if it fails to do so.

    “The EU has to correct its mistake [in the Mediterranean]. The entire Europe will benefit from our cooperation if it can do so. Otherwise, the whole of Europe will suffer,” Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavu?o?lu said at the Parliament Budget Commission while defending his ministry’s 2021 budget on Nov. 24.

    Çavu?o?lu explained that the recent tension between Turkey and Greece in the Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea effects Ankara’s relationship with Brussels because some countries including Greece and Greek Cyprus are trying to turn it into an EU matter.

    “We are expecting that the EU sees its mistakes and the value Turkey’s membership will add to the EU. We believe a more fruitful relationship can be established in this case. In our contacts with the EU, we are emphasizing on our willingness to be in a constructive dialogue,” he said.

    The minister said Turkey was not alone as there are member countries who think within the same line.

    The statements of the Turkish minister comes after President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an said Turkey sees its future in Europe and believes it can build a future with the EU, a move regarded as a will to repair broken ties with Brussels…”

  23. Turkish Cyprus: ‘Ghost city’ coming alive after decades
    https://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/turkish-cyprus-ghost-city-coming-alive-after-decades/2054669

    “Changes are underway in the newly reopened town of Maras in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) after being closed for nearly 50 years.

    Since the town’s partial reopening to public use on Oct. 8, roughly 67,500 people including local and foreign tourists from Greece, the UK and other countries visited the strip of coast, which lies in the city of Gazimagusa, also known as Famagusta, authorities said.

    Gazimagusa’s Mayor Ismail Arter told Anadolu Agency that efforts have been stepped up to open Maras and have not been sidetracked by the novel coronavirus outbreak.

    “After intensive work in the city, a route of about four kilometers [2.5 miles] and public roads were opened for people to visit on Oct. 8, provided weather is normal in the city,” said Arter.

    Underlining that Gazimagusa wanted Maras, often described as a “ghost town” to become a living city, noting that repairs began in the city with help from the city municipality of Konya in central Turkey, Turkey’s public housing body and private firms in the TRNC.

    Arter said that since Oct. 8, damaged roads had been repaired, adding: “We’ve done landscaping and planting work that should be done in a city.”

    Stressing that private homes and property would not be impacted by the repair efforts until the necessary administrative planning was complete, Arter said that work continued on transportation in the town, with bicycles available for visitors to tour the streets thanks to Konya’s donations.

    He said city-cleaning efforts were also underway in the areas in Maras that remain closed, adding that reopening these areas as well would be an administrative issue.

    On the occasion of the 37th founding anniversary of the TRNC on Nov. 15, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited closed Maras, announcing that a commission would come into action to return property in the town to their “real owners.”

    Accompanied by Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar, Erdogan said that applicants, including those from the Greek Cypriot administration, could have their assets in Maras returned through the Immovable Property Commission.

    On June 18, 2019, the TRNC launched efforts to open Maras, which has been closed since 1974, and have an expert team conduct inventory surveys in the town, which began the following month.

    Cyprus has been divided into the TRNC in the north and Greek Cypriot administration in the south since a 1974 military coup that aimed to annex Cyprus to Greece.

    Turkey’s military intervention as a guarantor power in 1974 put an end to years of persecution and violence against Turkish Cypriots by ultra-nationalist Greek Cypriots.”

  24. Turkey rescues 11 asylum seekers from drifting boat
    https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/turkey-rescues-11-asylum-seekers-from-drifting-boat/2054666

    “The Turkish Coast Guard rescued 11 asylum seekers on a rubber boat with a broken engine, security sources said Tuesday.

    Carrying the asylum seekers who wanted to cross to Europe, the boat started went adrift off Bodrum district of the southwestern Mugla province, said the source asking not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

    Acting on a tip-off, a Coast Guard team rushed to the area and took the asylum seekers to the shore.

    They will be transferred to the provincial migration office, the source added.

    Turkey has been a key transit point for irregular migrants wanting to reach Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.”

  25. Swiss authorities suspect terrorism in Lugano stabbings
    https://www.dw.com/en/swiss-authorities-suspect-terrorism-in-lugano-stabbings/a-55716622

    “Swiss authorities are investigating a possible terrorist attack after two women were stabbed at a department store in the southern city of Lugano on Tuesday.

    Cantonal police in Ticino said the women’s injuries were not life-threatening and the suspect, a 28-year-old woman who lives in the area, was in custody.

    “A department store in Lugano was the scene of a suspected terrorist-motivated attack on several people,” the federal Office of the Attorney General said in a statement.

    Police said the suspected attacker had stabbed two women, wounding one in the neck with a sharp weapon.

    The incident took place in the multimedia section of a Manor department store in the center of the city.

    Switzerland itself has not seen the large-scale terrorist incidents that have recently taken place in neighboring countries, such as the attacks in Paris, Nice and Vienna.

    However, two men were arrested in the town of Winterthur this month over links to the deadly shooting in Vienna.

    Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz condemned Tuesday’s attack in Lugano, and vowed to work with Switzerland in a “joint response to Islamist terrorism in Europe.””

  26. Hundreds killed in massacre in Ethiopia’s Tigray, rights body says
    https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20201124-hundreds-killed-in-massacre-in-ethiopia-s-tigray-rights-body-says

    “A local youth group aided by police and militia killed at least 600 people in a “rampage” on November 9 in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, the national rights watchdog said Tuesday.

    The massacre in the town of Mai-Kadra is the worst-known attack on civilians during Ethiopia’s ongoing internal conflict pitting federal forces against leaders of Tigray’s ruling party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

    Amnesty International previously reported that “scores, and likely hundreds, of people were stabbed or hacked to death” in the November 9 attack in Mai-Kadra.

    But Tuesday’s report from the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) provides a more detailed account, accusing the Tigrayan youth group known as “Samri” of targeting non-Tigrayan seasonal labourers working on sesame and sorghum farms in the area.

    The EHRC is a government-affiliated but independent body whose chief commissioner, Daniel Bekele, was appointed by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

    The perpetrators “killed hundreds of people, beating them with batons/sticks, stabbing them with knives, machetes and hatchets and strangling them with ropes. They also looted and destroyed properties,” the report said.

    The attack “may amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes,” it said.

    Sources including eyewitnesses and members of a committee formed to bury the dead “estimate a minimum of 600 have been killed and say the number is likely to be higher still,” the report said, though it noted the death toll remains imprecise.

    “A mismatch between the large number of bodies and limited burial capacity meant that burial took three days,” the report said…”