Reader’s Links for December 12, 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

96 Replies to “Reader’s Links for December 12, 2020”

  1. “…a care home boss, who wanted to remain anonymous, told the programme of their fears of the impact if such a large number of staff refuse to take the jab.

    They said: ‘If we get to a situation where, say, half of my staff aren’t vaccinated then I think we’d have to disclose that, not just to family members, but the local authority.

    ‘I don’t know why they can force people to stay in their homes or not go to the pubs but they can’t force them to do the right thing which is to take the vaccine.””
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9045937/Nearly-half-care-home-staff-WONT-Covid-vaccine-bosses-call-make-jabs-compulsory.html

    If I created and marketed a medicine with side effects, and heard this cuck lobby for its compulsory use, I would think it was Ramadan.

    A private care home, any private company, can state that their employees ingest anything if those same employers paid up in billions for any adverse effects. (There is no price on human life).

    But to weaselly lobby governments do it for them… makes me want to reach for their logbooks for every vaccine they took each year to protect the public, to see what they missed. And if they did not protect from all known viruses circulating at the time, throw these in prison. (The Wisdom of Solomon).

    The arguments ‘we all have to wear masks, why shouldn’t you’ of the STD carriers.

  2. Iran Executes Amad News Outlet Chief Zam for Inciting Anti-Gov’t Protests (sputniknews, Dec 12, 2020)
    https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/202012121081438262-iran-executes-amad-news-outlet-chief-zam-for-inciting-anti-govt-protests/

    “Iranian dissident journalist Ruhollah Zam, who founded and ran the anti-government Amad News website and Telegram channel, the state-run Mehr news agency reported.

    According to the media outlet, the Iranian Supreme court on Tuesday upheld the Islamic Revolutionary Court’s death sentence for Zam.

    The Reporters Without Borders (RSF) non-governmental organisation has condemned the execution.

    “RSF is outraged at this new crime of Iranian justice and sees [supreme leader] @ali_khamenei as the mastermind of this execution. RSF had warned [UN human rights chief] @mbachelet and [UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran] @JavaidRehman about his possible execution since the 23rd of October”, RSF wrote on Twitter.

    In October 2019, the Paris-based Iranian exiled activist was arrested for what the outlet called counterrevolutionary activities during the unrest, which began in late 2017 over economic hardships in the country. According to Mehr, Zam was believed to have acted at the instruction of French intelligence and also received support from the US and Israeli intelligence services.

    The nationwide rallies in Iran began in December 2017 and continued through January 2018 over what protesters called weak economic policies of the Iranian government and a spike in food prices. According to various media reports, hundreds have been arrested during the unrest.”

  3. Iraqi Military College Near Baghdad Airport Rocked by Explosion, Source Says (sputniknews, Dec 12, 2020)
    https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/202012121081437988-iraqi-military-college-near-baghdad-airport-rocked-by-explosion-source-says/

    “An unidentified object blew up near the Iraqi military college at the Baghdad International Airport, a security source told Sputnik on Saturday.

    The device reportedly went off by the college fence. There were no casualties, according to the source. An investigation into the incident is underway.

    In the meantime, the Anadolu News Agency reported, citing police officer Ahmad Khalaf, that the blast was caused by a mortar shell, fired by unidentified perpetrators. No organisation has claimed responsibility for the attack…”

  4. Have you ever noticed that when you tell a so-called “environmentalist” something like “The Thames is cleaner and has more fish than it has in a thousand years”, or, “There are more trees in North America than there were when Columbus got here”, they never look happy about it? They never clap their hands together and shout, “Joyous news, one and all!” First, they present themselves as fanatics over the environment, then they aren’t pleased when they hear good environmental news. They are only happy when they hear that all is lost and it’s the fault of capitalism – mainly because of the United States.

    Well, that’s how the mainstream media and the left have been acting toward all possible treatments for the COVID-19 virus, to the point of blatantly lying about the effectiveness of provably effective treatments. They obviously want as many deaths as possible with as much damage to the economy as can be made to happen. Like, why did Governor Cuomo put all those infected, at-risk patients into nursing homes when there was a military hospital ship sitting there waiting to be used? And don’t tell me he couldn’t see the obvious wrongness of his orders or their deadly consequences. And why did Fauci bow to the WHO on hydroxychloroquine when it’s clear that the WHO is highly suspect? They do not want the “pandemic” to end for some reason…

    Who are these evil people…? Who is telling them to do all this…?

      • LOL… You know what I think? I think we are being attacked by a coalition of dictators led by The People’s Republic of China and probably including Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, and many others. And I think they’re dead serious about it, willing to spend hundreds of billions on it, have been at it for decades, and are not worried about breaking a few eggs to make their omelet. As long as they throw enough mud at the West they can keep their own people from wanting to emulate us and now they want to do what Adolf Hitler so badly wanted to do and become the rulers of the world along with their friendly vassal states, of which there will be many…

        And if they take the dominant position they will find ways to silence us and oppress us and humiliate us as we fight each other and sink into Third Worldhood and poverty – sort of like what’s happening right now…

        Oh, and vilifying the Russians at this time is the exact opposite of what we should be doing. I don’t think they want to be in China’s club and we should stop calling them names and being oppressive toward them. That’s what Trump hoped for so, of course, it’s what the left doesn’t want to do…

    • For what is a man, what has he got
      If not himself then he has not
      To say all the things he truly feels
      And not the words of one who kneels

      Why does Dr. Fauci not tell the world that the man who discovered the PCR technology said it is a research tool and should NEVER be used to diagnose disease in humans. The same test that is fraudulently detecting all the COVID 19 cases? Karry Mullis thought Fauci was an incompetent scientist.

      As Vernon Coleman said “When will the morons in charge stop lying to us about this damn mangy virus?”

        • Regrets I’ve had a few
          When you took leave
          I missed you
          Now I must go
          And travel south down
          The long, long highway

          I’ll get my eye fixed
          I’ll wear a mask
          I’ll come back home
          No more to roam
          And I’m absolutely sure
          YOU will miss me.

          LOL Keep on the sunny side.

    • Communism: terror of unpredictable missing persons
      Socialism: terror of ever-changing Hate Crimes
      islam: terror of ‘unpredictable’ Lone Wolves
      Muhammad: terror of ever-changing surahs

  5. UK terror fears: Bin Laden right-hand man ‘a priority’ for M15 as he returns to Britain (express, Dec 12, 2020)
    https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1371629/osama-bin-laden-al-qaeda-terror-adel-abdel-bary-uk-security-threat-us-embassy-bombings

    “OSAMA BIN LADEN’S former right-hand man has been made a priority for police and security services after he returned to Britain following his release from a US prison.

    Al-Qaeda plotter Adel Abdel-Bary, 60, was freed early on compassionate grounds after convincing authorities he was a high coronavirus risk because of his obesity and asthma. He flew back to the UK this week to be reunited with wife Ragaa, 59, who lives in a council flat in Maida Vale, northwest London.

    The convicted terrorist, who was known as bin Laden’s Europe spokesman when he operated al-Qaeda’s “media relations office” from rented premises in London’s Kilburn Lane, was jailed for 25 years for his role in the 1998 terror attacks on US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 224 people and wounded more than 5,000.

    UK security sources said MI5 and police carried out an immediate risk assessment of Abdel-Bary when he touched down on British soil on Thursday.

    The father-of-six is entitled to live in Britain after being granted asylum in 1997.

    The law states he cannot be sent back to Egypt because he could be at risk of death or torture in his home country, which he fled for the UK in 1991 amid claims of torture by the authorities in Cairo.

    UK security sources said Abdel-Bary would be a priority and police and MI5 could place him under surveillance if they received intelligence to suggest he was communicating with old contacts or had any sinister intentions.

    But they warned the powers to monitor him were limited by law because he has served his sentence.

    Abdel-Bary was extradited to the US in 2012 and jailed for 25 years after admitting his role in the al-Qaeda truck bombings in Kenya and Tanzania.

    He pleaded guilty in 2014 to conspiring to kill Americans and to charges related to making threats. He was originally charged with 285 offences but admitted just three, including threatening to kill by means of explosives and conspiracy to murder US citizens abroad.

    Abdel-Bary had 16 years taken off due to the time he had spent on remand in London ahead of his extradition.

    During his trial in the US, prosecutors said Abdel-Bary had been a trusted senior member of the London cell of Egyptian Islamic Jihad, a group led by Ayman al-Zawahiri that merged with bin Laden’s bloodthirsty al-Qaeda terror network.

    They said after the 1998 bombings he sent faxes to media outlets claiming responsibility for the atrocities and warning of future attacks.

    He was freed in October after his lawyers told a New York court his morbid obesity was an “extraordinary and compelling” reason for mercy and a judge agreed. Prison records revealed he weighs more than 16st and suffers from asthma.

    His lawyers told the judge his release would begin the process of returning to his family in London.

    They said: “He will never walk the streets of any town or city in the United States.””

  6. Indonesia arrests suspected leader of Jemaah Islamiyah (abcnews, Dec 12, 2020)
    https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/indonesia-arrests-suspected-leader-jemaah-islamiyah-74687915

    “Indonesian police have arrested a man believed to be the military leader of the al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah network who has eluded capture since 2003, authorities said Saturday.

    Aris Sumarsono, known as Zulkarnaen, was arrested late Thursday by counterterrorism police without resistance in a raid at a house in East Lampung district on Sumatra island, said National Police spokesperson Ahmad Ramadhan.

    Zulkarnaen is suspected of being involved in the making of bombs used in a series of attacks, including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists, and a 2003 attack on the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, that killed 12, Ramadhan said.

    He said Zulkarnaen, a biologist who was among the first Indonesian militants to go to Afghanistan for training, is also accused of harboring Upik Lawanga, another bomb maker and a key Jemaah Islamiyah’ member. Lawanga was arrested by counterterrorism police in Lampung last week. He had eluded capture since 2005 after being named as a suspect in an attack that killed more than 20 people at a market in Poso, known as a hotbed of Islamic militancy on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island.

    “He is in custody and being questioned by investigators,” Ramadhan said of Zulkarnaen, adding that police are still conducting an investigation at his house in Lampung.

    Police said they were tipped off to Zulkarnaen’s location in raids after interrogating several suspected militants arrested late last month…”

  7. India: Relations with Moscow based on its own merit | United States | World News | English News

  8. content starts about 1 minute in

    Election Crisis! Texas Files SCOTUS Lawsuit, Hunter Biden Scandal Explodes, Chinese Spy Scandal!

  9. Florida County GOP Passes Resolution Doubting the Legitimacy of ‘President-Imposed’ Joe Biden

    The Bay County GOP is not going along with the Big Lie.

    The Bay County Republican Party of Florida passed a resolution earlier this week casting doubt on the legitimacy of “President-Imposed” Joe Biden.

    Former vice president Joe Biden has been coronated president by the fake news media and globalist establishment despite widespread credible allegations of fraud happening in battleground states across the country.

    On Dec. 7, the Bay County Republican Executive Committee struck back against the ongoing coup against President Trump with a resolution pertaining to the 2020 election.

    Trending: Texas GOP Chairman Allen West Suggests Secession After SCOTUS Betrayal on Lawsuit

    The resolution reads as follows:

    https://bigleaguepolitics.com/florida-county-gop-passes-resolution-doubting-the-legitimacy-of-president-imposed-joe-biden/

  10. French Police Arrest ‘Ultra-Left’ Activists Who Reportedly Planned Series of Attacks Across Country (sputniknews, Dec 12, 2020)
    https://sputniknews.com/europe/202012121081439392-french-police-arrest-ultra-left-activists-who-reportedly-planned-series-of-attacks-across-country/

    “The group was reportedly led by a former militant who fought alongside Kurdish fighters in Syria for nearly a year in 2017. French officials are yet to confirm his identity and intentions.

    A group of “violent ultra-left activists” has been arrested in France, the country’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin has announced. On the same day, several French newspapers reported the arrest of seven people related to the “ultra-left” group that had allegedly planned to conduct a series of bombings and carry out urban warfare on the streets of French cities. Some outlets reported that the group was planning to attack police forces as well.

    A total of nine people were arrested in Vitry-sur-Seine, Toulouse and Cubjac commune, but two of them were later released, according to the French media.

    Among the arrested was purportedly the leader of the group, whom BFM TV identified as Florian D. The man reportedly spent 10 months fighting for Kurdish forces in Rojava, Syria in 2017 and returned to France in January 2018. Police were reportedly monitoring his activities, suspecting him of forming a “terrorist criminal group”. The French outlet described Florian D as an “anarchist” who had planned to carry out “guerrilla activities” in the country.

    During the arrests, police reportedly found a large stash of weapons and ammunition, including a sawn-off shotgun, a handgun, hunting rifles, and a knife. Parts that can be used in the creation of explosives, chemicals and elements of shrapnel, were also reportedly found by law enforcement during the search, alongside police riot gear. It is unclear where the group’s members obtained the weapons and police equipment.

    A French court has reportedly approved pre-trial detention for six of the arrested. Le Parisien reported that one of the members of the group confessed to planning attacks against law enforcement and the military in France.”

  11. the guardian –Iranian teenager who posted distorted pictures of herself is jailed for 10 years

    Instagram star Sahar Tabar says she is still hoping for a pardon after conviction for corrupting young people

    An Iranian woman who posted heavily distorted images of herself online has been sentenced to 10 years in jail, her lawyer has said, a year after she was arrested over her social media activities.

    Sahar Tabar, 19, whose real name is Fatemeh Khishvand, came to prominence after posting images of herself with a gaunt, zombie-like face. At one point she had 486,000 followers on Instagram.

    She was charged with corruption of young people and disrespect for the Islamic Republic. In spring she pleaded for release from detention, saying she had contracted Covid-19.

    At one point Tabar called on the actor Angelina Jolie, whom she resembled in some of her photos, to campaign for her release, saying: “The Islamic Republic has a history of tormenting women. We need to be united against this gender apartheid.”

    The charges against Tabar first included blasphemy, inciting violence, gaining income through inappropriate means and encouraging youths to corruption. She said she had been cleared of two of the four charges against her, but did not want to comment further because she was still hoping for a pardon.

    Iranian state TV broadcast her confession in late October last year. Her expressions of remorse drew a great deal of sympathy.The report described Tabar as “a victim with an abnormal personality and mental state” who sought “vulgarity” on social media.

    Medical records also suggested that she had a mental illness, with a history of visits to psychiatric hospitals, making the 10-year sentence even less explicable. Her lawyers had asked for her to be bailed, and pointed to her age at the time she committed the alleged offences.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/11/iranian-teenager-jailed-10-years-distorted-pictures-instagram-sahar-tabar

  12. FRANCE – Une enquête visant une professeure d’université accusée d’avoir comparé l’islam à une MST

    Une professeure de droit de l’université d’Aix-Marseille est accusée d’avoir tenu des propos “antisémites et islamophobes”.

    Une enquête va être ouverte après une plainte de la Ligue des droits de l’Homme qui dénonce des propos “antisémites et islamophobes” d’une professeure de droit de l’université d’Aix-Marseille, a-t-on appris jeudi auprès du parquet d’Aix-en-Provence. L’enquête sera ouverte pour “injures publiques en raison d’appartenance à des religions”, a précisé à l’AFP le parquet.

    Dans un court extrait diffusé par Mediapart de son cours enregistré sur Zoom le 27 octobre, cette professeure de droit assure notamment qu'”on n’a aucune liberté de conscience en islam”. “Si on naît d’un père musulman, on est musulman à vie. Une sorte de religion sexuellement transmissible, je n’ai jamais compris. On dirait du judaïsme, c’est pareil, c’est par la mère. Une sorte de MST, de RST, de religion sexuellement transmissible”, ajoute-t-elle ensuite.

    “Si les propos sont avérés, ils seront fermement condamnés”
    “On a été informé par des étudiants. Sur l’enregistrement, on a été assez ahuri par ses propos qui sont une injure en raison de la religion”, a déclaré à l’AFP Michel Tubiana, président d’honneur de la LDH.

    De son côté, l’université a informé sa hiérarchie, les renseignements territoriaux et saisi la section disciplinaire de l’établissement. “On n’a pas communiqué à l’extérieur étant donné le contexte sécuritaire”, après l’assassinat de Samuel Paty qui avait montré des caricatures de Mahomet à ses élèves, a expliqué à l’AFP le président de l’établissement Eric Berton. “Si les propos sont avérés, ils seront fermement condamnés”, a-t-il ajouté.

    Pour la CGT FERC Sup de l’université, “ces propos s’apparentent à du racisme pur et simple et n’ont rien à voir avec une liberté d’opinion ou pédagogique. Ils sont proprement injurieux et dans le contexte actuel, ils ne font que jeter de l’huile sur le feu”.

    “J’étais sous le coup de la colère”
    L’enseignante a de son côté insisté auprès de Mediapart pour préciser que ses propos se référaient à une religion et pas à ses croyants, une question qui sera au coeur de l’enquête pour déterminer si ces propos relèvent de l’injure ou du blasphème. “L’expression “RST” qui crée la polémique, je l’ai employée vraiment sous le coup de la colère. Parce que ce cours est un cours qui date du 27 octobre, soit à peine dix jours après l’assassinat de Samuel Paty. Je ne sais pas si vous avez conscience de la déflagration que cet assassinat extrêmement violent a entraînée parmi le corps enseignant”, a-t-elle encore expliqué.

    “Il n’y a pas de religion transmissible par le sang, c’est une question de volonté libre et quelle que soit la religion”, a-t-elle souligné, expliquant avoir voulu questionner la notion de liberté de conscience auprès de ses élèves.

    https://www.ladepeche.fr/2020/12/10/une-enquete-visant-une-professeure-duniversite-accusee-davoir-compare-lislam-a-une-mst-9250015.php

  13. Protest against security law begins in Paris

    Several hundred demonstrators set off from the Place du Chatelet towards the Place de la Republique in Paris to protest against the “global security” law for the third weekend in a row.

  14. Countries must declare ‘climate emergency’: UN chief

    UN chief Antonio Guterres calls on governments to declare a “state of climate emergency” and make good on promises to slash carbon pollution as they recover from the pandemic.

      • Trudeau says recovery following COVID-19 pandemic must include ‘ambitious’ climate change plan

        Countries rebuilding from the devastation left by the novel coronavirus pandemic must do so in a way that includes an “ambitious plan to take strong action against climate change,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday.

        “We will raise our emission reduction ambitions,” he said in a pre-recorded video. “And in partnership with provinces and territories, we as a country will strive for the upper end of a range of 32 to 40 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.“

        Trudeau made the comments during a virtual summit with world leaders on Saturday to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Paris climate accord.

    • The pope says jump, UN says how high.

      Pope Francis: ‘The common good has become global’

      Vatican City, May 2, 2019 / 11:01 am MT (CNA).- Pope Francis called on nations to work toward a global common good Thursday, particularly in confronting climate change, ……….

      “In the current situation of globalization not only of the economy but also of technological and cultural exchanges, the nation state is no longer able to procure the common good of its population alone,”…….

      “The common good has become global and nations must associate for their own benefit,” Francis said, noting that some nations today have “a spirit of opposition rather than cooperation.”

      “While, according to the principle of subsidiarity, individual nations must be given the power to operate as far as they can, on the other hand, groups of neighboring nations – as is already the case – can strengthen their cooperation by attributing the exercise of certain functions and services to intergovernmental institutions that manage their common interests,” he said.

      Pope Francis said that when a “supranational common good” is clearly identified, as in the case of climate change or human trafficking, it necessitates a special legal authority capable of facilitating solutions.

      https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-the-common-good-has-become-global-93364

      • Vlad can you move my comment up one spot? I meant to reply the the UN video from Martin “Countries must declare ‘climate emergency’: UN chief”. And the page wont allow me to post the same comment again.

        • I don’t know which comment to put where. Can you make it again but change a word or two? or just post the link to the comment you did to the spot you want it?

        • @Maplewood

          The comment would have ended up at the same place anyway –
          just under the Greta video …

          if ever you have to repeat something and you get the error message that the system doesn’t allow you to post again the same comment — just change a little the wording or add a few words and it will go through …

    • The pope says jump, UN says how high.

      Pope Francis: ‘The common good has become global’

      Vatican City, May 2, 2019 / 11:01 am MT (CNA).- Pope Francis called on nations to work toward a global common good Thursday, particularly in confronting climate change, ……….

      “In the current situation of globalization not only of the economy but also of technological and cultural exchanges, the nation state is no longer able to procure the common good of its population alone,”…….

      “The common good has become global and nations must associate for their own benefit,” Francis said, noting that some nations today have “a spirit of opposition rather than cooperation.”

      “While, according to the principle of subsidiarity, individual nations must be given the power to operate as far as they can, on the other hand, groups of neighboring nations – as is already the case – can strengthen their cooperation by attributing the exercise of certain functions and services to intergovernmental institutions that manage their common interests,” he said.

      Pope Francis said that when a “supranational common good” is clearly identified, as in the case of climate change or human trafficking, it necessitates a special legal authority capable of facilitating solutions.

      https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-the-common-good-has-become-global-93364

    • sky news – COP26: All nations must declare a ‘climate emergency’

      The UN Secretary General has called on all countries to declare a climate emergency to halt climate change.

      • The popes solution to climate change is Sunday law, so naturally the UN’s solution will be the same. And next year on March 3rd will be the 1700th anniversary of the Sunday Law. This will bring on God’s plagues for the earth, which will look like climate change is real and getting worse. That is the reason to make up a thing called climate change. Satan is not stupid.

  15. How Biden Harris Administration Can Bypass Congress To Implement Their Mandatory Gun Buybacks

  16. SCOTUS REJECTS Texas Lawsuit! Here’s Why THIS IS NOT OVER BY A LONGSHOT!!!
    215,952 views
    •Streamed live 2 hours ago

    • He is probably reading this right, some of the members of Congress from Pennsylvania are planning contest the electors before the vote is certified. It would have been nice if SCOTUS had tossed the 4 states for violating the Constitution but if they can get even one state legislature to send their own set of electors the election will have to be settled in the House and Senate. The law suits are about building momentum for a Trump Victory thus putting pressure on the State Legislatures to act.

    • Trump Approves Filing Retooled Texas-Style Election Challenges: Giuliani
      By Zachary Stieber
      December 12, 2020 Updated: December 12, 2020
      Print

      President Donald Trump’s legal team is planning on filing retooled lawsuits, his lawyer said Saturday.

      “We move immediately, seamlessly, to plan B, which is to bring lawsuits now in each one of the states. We had them ready. They’re just a version of the one that was brought in the Supreme Court. So last night, the president made the decision,” Rudy Giuliani said during an appearance on “War Room: Pandemic.”

      Texas filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court against Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Michigan, alleging the elections there were run contrary to the Constitution. The nation’s top court rejected the suit late Friday.

      Trump’s team is going to file suits or has already filed in the four states as well as Arizona and Nevada. The suits will incorporate allegations in the complaint filed by Texas.

      “If the state doesn’t have standing, surely the president of the United States has standing. And certainly the electors in the states have standing. So they will be bringing those very cases right in those courts, starting today,” Giuliani said. “And let’s see what excuse they can try to use to avoid having a hearing on that.”

      https://www.theepochtimes.com/trump-approves-filing-retooled-texas-style-election-challenges-giuliani_3615492.html?utm_source=newsnoe&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breaking-2020-12-12-2

  17. Sidney Powell to appeal Wis., Ariz. lawsuits; Senate plans 1st federal hearing on election issues

  18. UNSC allows Pak to pay Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Lakhvi Rs1.5 lakh for his monthly expenses | World News

  19. Bedfellows: Iran and Al Qaeda
    Majid Rafizadeh
    7-9 minutes

    Al-Qaeda’s second-in-command, Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, also known as Abu Mohammed Al-Masri, was reported assassinated in Tehran, Iran on August 7. Al-Masri was accused of taking part in the bombings of two US embassies in Africa on August 7, 1998. Pictured: Rescue workers search for survivors of the bombing of the US embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images)

    While the presumptive President-Elect Joe Biden is advocating for pursuing appeasement policies with Iran’s ruling mullahs as did his former boss, President Barack Obama, it should be noted he will be assisting a regime that has close ties not only to Shia militia groups but also to the terrorist group Al Qaeda.

    Some people might attempt to convince you that Iran and Al Qaeda are enemies because the Iranian government is Shia and Al Qaeda is Sunni, but evidence shows strong collaboration between the two.

    Based on a recent report by The New York Times, which cited information from intelligence officials, Al-Qaeda’s second-in-command, Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, also known as Abu Mohammed Al-Masri, was killed on August 7. He was reportedly gunned down, at the behest of the US, by two Israeli operatives in the streets of Tehran along with his daughter, the widow of former Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden’s son, Hamza.

    Al-Masri, who would most likely have been the successor to Al-Qaeda’s current leader, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, was accused of taking part in the bombings of two US embassies in Africa in 1998. At first, Iranian authorities attempted to cover up his death, apparently because they would have preferred it not to be known that they have any links to Al-Qaeda. The theocratic Iranian establishment may well have provided Al-Masri with the resources to carry out his campaigns against the US.

    https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/16841/iran-al-qaeda

  20. RT – “The Republic is dead”: Scott Adams censored by YouTube for violating ‘election fraud policy’

    ‘Dilbert’ creator and Donald Trump supporter Scott Adams has had a YouTube video taken down for being what the company deems “content that advances false claims” about voter fraud.

    “Google (YouTube) just shut me down,” Adams tweeted on Friday, adding a message from YouTube telling him an episode of his talk-series Real Coffee with Scott Adams had violated their terms.

    The specific video, which touched on topics typical for Adams’ daily videos like Covid-19, election fraud allegations, and political scandals, was taken down, though Adams’ channel was not given a strike because “you may not have realized this was a violation of our policies.”

    The specific rule Adams supposedly violated has to do with content that YouTube feels supports claims that “widespread fraud, errors, or glitches changed the outcome of the US 2020 presidential election.”

    Such content is “not allowed on YouTube.”

    =============================================
    twitter @ScottAdamsSays

    Google (YouTube) just shut me down.

    The video they deleted is no different from all of my other content.

    I assume they’ll come for the other videos soon.

    https://twitter.com/ScottAdamsSays/status/1337452117934493696

    =================
    In a later message, Adams questioned why YouTube, “a social media platform that allows more fake news than real news,” would specifically target election fraud allegations and “not everything else.”

    “The Republic is dead,” he announced.

    ======================================
    twitter @ScottAdamsSays

    Ask yourself why a social media platform that has more fake news than real news only blocks election allegations it claims are false, and not everything else.

    The Republic is dead.

    https://twitter.com/ScottAdamsSays/status/1337463851420274688

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

    Adams’ prediction of more censorship, shared by other critics taking to social media to defend him, is likely correct as YouTube announced this week that they would be policing videos they feel are providing misleading information about the outcome of the presidential election.

    Later on Friday, following an offer by conservative commentator Dan Bongino to get set up on Rumble, another video platform in which Bongino bought a stake, Adams said he had already opened an account “as soon as YouTube applied government censorship (in effect) on my totally reasonable content.”

    […]

    https://www.rt.com/usa/509445-scott-adams-youtube-election-censorship/

    • A gift to Russia’s vast propaganda machine.
      (Mouthy journalists in Russia are simply shot in the head.)
      My neighbors say it’s already a feature on Russian-language TV.

  21. Sanctions Undermine Entire System of Human Rights: UN
    https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2020/12/12/2408766/sanctions-undermine-entire-system-of-human-rights-un

    “Unilateral sanctions kill, sicken and starve people in the nations that are targeted and make humanitarian work increasingly difficult and risky, a UN rapporteur has said, in a damning assessment.

    The COVID-19 pandemic could have brought humanity together in cooperation to combat the deadly disease. Instead, 2020 has seen an expansion of the use of unilateral sanctions, which target entire nations and hurt their ability to respond to outbreaks on their territory while undermining global efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to them. The result is that people keep dying, not getting medical treatment for their diseases and are otherwise being denied their basic human rights.

    The damning assessment comes from Alena Douhan, UN’s Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, who received her tenure in March. This week she released a set of guidelines on how to alleviate human suffering from sanctions.

    While the better outcome would be to cancel or at least suspend unilateral sanctions at least until the global health crisis is over, Douhan sees this outcome as unrealistic. Her more modest suggestions include making impact assessments of all sanctions that countries seek to impose before they do so and having a general good-faith attitude to humanitarian organizations instead of obstructing their work.

    Leading humanitarian groups she consulted named sanctions as “the main obstacle to the delivery of aid” today. A sanctions regime is “multi-layered, confusing, non-transparent and extensive” while humanitarian exemptions “remain ineffective, inefficient and inadequate.” With the threat of exterritorial secondary sanctions growing this year, there is a “growing overcompliance from the side of banks, donors and delivery companies,” RT reported.

    Meanwhile aid workers have to deal not only with daunting red tape, as well as out-of-control costs and waiting times when trying to deliver food, medicines and other crucial supplies to the needy. They also face personal threats of civil liability or even criminal prosecutions due to the sanctions.

    The guidelines don’t mention any country by name, but when Douhan participated last month in a web seminar to describe her findings, she cited plenty of examples of how the United States deploys sanctions with devastating effect.

    Washington kept an embargo of Cuba, preventing it from buying ventilators even as Havana sent thousands of doctors to help other nations deal with COVID-19. It pounded Venezuela, causing shortages of things like soap – which makes washing hands to curb the spread of COVID-19, as recommended by the World Health Organization, “impossible.”

    Due to American pressure, Iran cannot buy insulin for its diabetics or get emergency loans from the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund. Iranian doctors reportedly can’t access data on public information databases like PubMed. Syria’s attempts at reconstruction are hampered by the so-called Caesar Act, which threatens anyone participating in it with secondary sanctions.

    Over the year “the United States has broadened its use and threats of sanctions, in particular by considering new types of sanctions in connection with an effort to accuse China for the spread of the disease,” Douhan said at the time.

    The UN official warned that it “is not possible to achieve any ‘common good’ purposes … by violating the human rights of those whom unilateral sanctions seek to protect,” and called on nations to “consider urgent steps … to prioritize saving lives in the course of COVID-19 over political, economic and other interests.””

  22. France Condemns ‘Barbaric’ Iranian Execution
    https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2679101/france-condemns-barbaric-iranian-execution

    “France reacted with anger on Saturday to Iran’s execution of a Paris-based dissident journalist, which it said ran counter to Tehran’s international obligations.

    “France condemns in the strongest possible terms this serious breach of free expression and press freedom in Iran,” the foreign ministry said in a statement, after the execution of Ruhollah Zam was reported by Iranian state media.

    “This is a barbaric and unacceptable act that goes against the country’s international commitments.”

    Iranian state television said earlier Saturday that the “counter-revolutionary” Zam had been hanged after the supreme court upheld his sentence due to “the severity of the crimes” committed against the country.

    Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders voiced “outrage” at the execution. It charged that Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei was “the mastermind of this execution.”

    Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced the arrest of Zam in October 2019, claiming he had been “directed by France’s intelligence service”.

    State television said he was “under the protection of several countries’ intelligence services.””

  23. One of The Biggest Fact-Checkers Is Owned By The Chinese

    Home
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    One of The Biggest Fact-Checkers Is Owned By The Chinese
    One of The Biggest Fact-Checkers Is Owned By The Chinese
    True Daily Staff December 12, 2020 News No Comments

    It has been uncovered that Lead Stories, the fact checkers for Facebook, is owned by both big tech companies and China. Outside of the normal big tech investors that dip their hands in everything is a company called ByteDance which is headquartered in Beijing, China. ByteDance may be familiar as the Chinese tech giant also owns the social media app TikTok. More from The Federalist:

    The Federalist published a piece Monday headlined, “The Georgia Vote-Counting Video Was Not ‘Debunked.’ Not Even Close,” by Federalist Senior Editor Mollie Hemingway, which investigates how one of Facebook’s designated fact-checkers supposedly debunked claims related to an explosive video corroborating Republican charges of election fraud in Georgia.

    Moments before the post was published on Facebook however, the company released a notification to users that the post had been flagged for misinformation based on a supposed “fact-check” by one of its third-party fact-checkers, LeadStories.

    https://truedaily.news/2020/12/12/one-of-the-biggest-fact-checkers-is-owned-by-the-chinese/

  24. Armenians, Azerbaijan Trade Blame over Breach of Peace Deal
    https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2679081/armenians-azerbaijan-trade-blame-over-breach-peace-deal

    “Armenian officials and Azerbaijan on Saturday accused each other of breaching a peace deal that ended six weeks of fierce fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, and Azerbaijan’s leader threatened to crush Armenian forces with an “iron fist.”

    The new clashes mark the first significant breach of the peace deal brokered by Russia on Nov. 10 that saw Azerbaijan reclaim control over broad swathes of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding lands which were held by Armenian forces for more than a quarter-century.

    Separatist officials in Nagorno-Karabakh said the Azerbaijani military launched an attack late Friday that left three local ethnic Armenian servicemen wounded.

    Russian peacekeepers deployed to the region to monitor the peace deal reported a violation of the ceasefire in the Gadrut region on Friday. The report issued Saturday by the Russian Defense Ministry didn’t assign blame…”

  25. Yemen Welcomes US Sanctions on Five Houthi Leaders
    https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2678606/yemen-welcomes-us-sanctions-five-houthi-leaders

    “Yemen welcomed the sanctions imposed by the US Treasury Department on five Houthi leaders accused of committing “serious human rights abuse.”

    On Thursday, the US Treasury Department imposed the sanctions over charges of “committing violations against Yemenis, including arbitrary detention, and torture.”

    The Yemeni government hailed the sanctions imposed on the leaders of the Houthi coup terrorist militia involved in committing crimes and gross human rights violations.

    The Foreign Ministry issued a statement indicating that this step comes as “a victory for the civilian victims against the tyranny and crimes of these terrorists.”

    The ministry said it looks forward to similar steps by the international community to “deter Houthis militias, which have not stopped committing crimes and grave violations against civilians.”

    Yemeni politicians reiterated the importance of this step, however, they considered it insufficient. They indicated that this step should include various US and international measures to designate the group as a terrorist movement…”

  26. EXCLUSIVE: Asaib Ahl al-Haq defying Iran to attack US in Iraq
    https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/exclusive-asaib-ahl-al-haq-defying-iran-attack-us-iraq

    “Asaib Ahl al-Haq, one of the most influential Iraqi armed factions backed by Iran, is rebelling against Tehran’s orders and continuing to target US interests, Shia commanders and politicians told Middle East Eye.

    In October, Iran issued orders to its armed allies in Iraq not to attack US targets, fearing the reactions of the outgoing President Donald Trump, who seeks to obstruct Iranian efforts to negotiate with his successor, Joe Biden, to return to the 2015 nuclear agreement.

    Despite the explicit and strict Iranian directions, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, led by Qais al-Khazali, has carried out some attacks against the US embassy in Baghdad and American envoys over the past three weeks “without coordinating with any of the other factions or the Iranians,” according to the commander of one of the armed factions.

    That indicates that Asaib Ahl al-Haq is operating outside Iranian control and is therefore not relying on the protection of Tehran or other Iraqi paramilitaries, which raises many questions about the future of the faction.

    On Thursday, two military convoys carrying equipment for the US forces were hit by explosive devices, causing material damage on the highwaysouthern Baghdad, security sources said…”

  27. Sudan confiscates Bin Laden’s farm, ends services of 30 ambassadors
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201212-sudan-confiscates-bin-ladens-farm-ends-services-of-30-ambassadors/

    “The Empowerment Elimination, Anti-Corruption, and Funds Recovery Committee in Sudan announced the confiscation of a farm owned by former Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden as well as ending the services of 30 ambassadors from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition, it was reported that land would be seized under the possession of officials of the regime led by former President Omar Al-Bashir.

    Deputy Chairman of the committee and a member of the Sovereignty Council Mohamed Al-Faki affirmed that the committee ended the services of 30 ambassadors at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, due to their ties with the previous regime.

    Committee member Salah Manna disclosed in a press conference, reported by Sputnik, that the state had recovered a farm owned by Bin Laden, which had been seized from one of the officials of the former regime.

    Manna mentioned the seizure of the Holborn company, affiliated with the Popular Defence Forces (PDF), which was working to receive and distribute funds to the defunct regime’s wings.

    Committee member Wagdi Saleh revealed the existence of an account containing hundreds of millions of foreign currencies at the Islamic Solidarity Bank of Sudan. The account received the funds from two former governors of the Central Bank of Sudan who used to sell foreign currencies on the black market to the supporters of the former regime, with 30 per cent gains in favour of the former president and his office…”

  28. EU imposes sanctions on Turkey officials involved in gas drillings
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201212-eu-imposes-sanctions-on-turkey-officials-involved-in-gas-drillings/

    “The European Union (EU) council has decided to impose sanctions on Turkish officials and entities involved in gas drillings in the East Mediterranean, and has deferred arms embargos and tariffs after discussions with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the US, news agencies reported on Friday.

    The Guardian divulged that the decision came after heated discussions during the two-day summit of the leaders of the 27 EU member states.

    “Unfortunately, a number of developments have taken place in the southeastern Mediterranean, where unfortunately we have to say that we have to do more listings due to what we consider to be the illegal drillings” by Turkey, German Chancellor Angela Merkel confirmed, according to Anadolu Agency.

    Turkey has argued that its energy exploration is lawful and that it only wants a fair share of the region’s resources based on dialogue, Anadolu Agency revealed, stating that Greece has continually undermined such dialogue.

    At the same time, according to The Guardian, the decision disappointed “hardliners” such as France, Cyprus, and Greece, which had pressed for more urgent and substantive action to express EU disapproval of Turkish foreign policy.

    The EU and the NATO are planning to hold a summit with US President-elect Joe Biden after he takes office in January, Al Jazeera reported, pointing out that many EU states are also members of the NATO alliance.

    “It is very clear what is at stake here: the credibility of the European Union,” The Guardian disclosed Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stating before the summit, adding that Greek diplomats did little to disguise their disappointment.

    Anadolu Agency reported Merkel conveying that the EU had hoped for “more constructive relations” with Turkey during Germany’s EU presidency, which ends on 1 January when Portugal takes the helm.

    “We are still reaching out to Turkey, we want a constructive agenda with Turkey,” Merkel stressed.

    Germany insisted on keeping the door open to Turkish cooperation and ensured the EU statement offered a hand of friendship if Turkey reciprocated, and provided sustained de-escalation, including a willingness to settle disputes through dialogue in line with international law.

    EU members Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration have long been at odds with Turkey over maritime claims in the East Mediterranean.

    The Turkish government has sent drillships in recent months to explore for energy resources in the vicinity, asserting Turkey’s rights in the region as well as those of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.”

  29. Turkish drones real threat to enemies: UK defense chief
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201212-turkish-drones-real-threat-to-enemies-uk-defense-chief/

    “Turkey’s unmanned aerial vehicle, the Bayraktar TB2, has been responsible for the destruction of hundreds of armored vehicles and even air defense systems in Syria, Libya, and elsewhere, the UK’s defense secretary said on Friday, reports Anadolu Agency.

    “The roots of these drones are born out of Turkish innovation,” Ben Wallace said in a webinar organized by the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies (RUSI), a British security think tank.

    “Prevented from gaining access to exquisite foreign programs, they [Turkey] did what we used to do so well – they innovated.”

    Wallace said the Turkish drone has the capability to present “real challenges to the enemy.”

    “The TB2 and its accompanying munitions combine technical abilities with an affordability that means their commanders can tolerate some attrition while presenting real challenges to the enemy,” he said.

    Wallace also delved into the changing landscape of global conflicts and the threats faced by the UK today…”

  30. Putting Covid Patients in Nursing Homes means getting rid of the WHITE Deplorables and saving MONEY on Medicaid, it’s called KILLING 2 Birds with ONE Stone!

  31. Govt gets tough on sedition cases
    https://tribune.com.pk/story/2275744/govt-gets-tough-on-sedition-cases

    “Amid political bickering against the backdrop of the opposition’s anti-government movement, the federal cabinet on Saturday approved new measures that empowered the interior secretary to register sedition cases against those involved in maligning state and its institutions.

    Key federal ministers and sources in different ministries confirmed the development, saying that the federal cabinet has authorised the interior secretary to register “prosecution for offences against the state” on behalf of the federal government.

    With the approval, officials said on condition of anonymity, complaints in all such cases would now be lodged by the interior secretary on behalf of the federal government and there would be no need to send summary for approval to the cabinet every time.

    According to the summary for cabinet, which is available with The Express Tribune, the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) 1898, (Act V of 1898) professes to deal exhaustively with the law of procedure and provides in the minutest details the procedure to be followed in every matter pertaining to general administration of criminal law.

    It stated that Section 196 of the CrPC provided that prosecution for offences against the state would only be instituted under the authority of the federal government or the provincial government concerned.

    Section 196 reads: “Prosecution for offences against the State. No Court shall take cognisance of any offence punishable under Chapter VI or IX-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (except section 127), or punishable under section 108-A, or section 153-A, or section 294-A, or section 295-A or section 505 of the same Code, unless upon complaint made by order of or under authority, from the Federal Government, or the Provincial Government concerned, or some officer empowered in this behalf by either of the two Governments.”

    The consequence of the application of Section 196 was that if the mandatory condition of sanction by the federal government or the provincial government concerned was not obtained, then the entire proceedings would become without jurisdiction or coram non judice – “not before a judge”.

    Through the summary, it was proposed that the “federal cabinet may authorise secretary Ministry of Interior, under Section 196 of the Code, to severally file prosecution or complaint on behalf of the Federal Government in respect of any of the offences mentioned in Section 196 of the Code.”

    The cabinet has now approved the summary after circulating it among the cabinet members.

    Interior ministry sources said that one of the reasons behind the move was a Supreme Court ruling in 2016 in which the apex court had stated that the prime minister in capacity of the chief executive of the country executes policy decisions but does not take them by himself without consulting and obtaining approval from the cabinet.

    Due to the judgment, one of the sources said, “each and every decision even [those] of the administrative nature was being sent to the cabinet for approval”, adding that the approval was “in fact delegation of power and not any amendment to the CrPC [Code].”

    The Supreme Court had ruled that the federal government was defined as prime minister and the federal cabinet and, therefore, decisions taken by ministries or cabinet committees were considered recommendatory only and have to be approved by the full cabinet chaired by the prime minister to become government policies.

    Reportedly, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had quashed a treason case against former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf as no record of cabinet’s approval over filing of treason case against him was produced in the court.

    In January, media report had said that the case against Musharraf seemed to have been filed at the behest of the then prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, as there was no record of the matter being on the agenda of any of the cabinet meetings held at that time.

    In October, following the registration of a sedition case against Sharif and PML-N top leadership, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, the federal government had to distance itself from the “move” as it was initially believed that the federal government was behind the move.

    Later, Prime Minister Imran Khan “expressed his strong displeasure” over the development and it had surfaced that Shahdara police station had registered the case under sedition and other serious charges against Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and 41 other senior leaders of the party, on the complaint of a citizen, Badar Rasheed, for delivering “hateful speeches” against the state and its institutions.

    Following the delegation of powers to the interior ministry, legal experts said, things were expected to get tough for the opposition parties and many others, who were often labelled as ‘traitors’, ‘agents’ and accused of playing at the hands of the foreign agencies and being funded by the same.”

  32. Saleh: Daesh-Taliban Threatened to Turn Kabul into Shia Slaughterhouse
    https://www.khaama.com/saleh-daesh-taliban-threatened-to-turn-kabul-into-shia-slaughterhouse-8768699/

    “Amrullah Saleh, the first vice president, says the Taliban-Islamic State has warned that if one of their members is executed, they will turn Kabul into Shia massacre ground.

    Saleh on Saturday morning said, the Taliban-Islamic State has issued a warning message that if a member of the group is executed by the government, they will turn Kabul into a Shia slaughterhouse in addition to beheading all the captured hostages.

    He added, that he has instructed the Kabul National Directorate of Security (NDS) to send a message to all networks of the captured Taliban-Islamic State in the government prisons to inform their networks that the government knows their roots.

    No threat will stop our efforts to reveal insurgents’ true faces to the Afghan people, and I once again call on the Supreme Court to bring these perpetrators to be publicly trialed, Saleh said.

    During the meeting he said, NDS has arrested another terrorist network involved in bombings, assassinations of security forces, and the gathering of tithes for the Taliban.

    Hazrat Mir, son of Dadmir, is one of 5,000 pardoned prisoners of the Taliban, who returned on a killing spree of an NDS official, Amir Mohammad, in Mirbachah Kot district.

    According to Saleh, the death of Fardin Amini, an Ariana News reporter, is not a terrorist act, but his family has the right to request an in-depth investigation.

    If Fardin Amini’s family has secrets about the mystery of the incident, police will be forced to summon all members of his family, including women to be investigated, First VP said.

    It is neither fair nor legal to decipher any murder and then charge the government, so from now on, the police will tell the truth based on the legal literature, Saleh added.

    Saleh Indicated, that Malala Maiwand has been assassinated by members of the Taliban and that the silencing of society, especially women, is part of the Taliban’s strategic plans, these members are dictated by the group’s intellectual and supportive leaders from the “Akoh Rakhatak” region.

    Meanwhile, a Senior Advisor for the President of Afghanistan, Shah Hussain Murtazawi, called for calm and responsible reporting, after the first vice president warned that Taliban-Islamic State threatened to turn Kabul into a Shia slaughterhouse.

    The presidential advisor tweeted, that “Taliban and Daesh are enemies of humanity and Afghanistan, we should not provoke fear among Shias in our reporting, our method of informing should be professional, and we should not help our enemies in their mental war”.”

  33. Almost 2,000 FGM cases identified in Germany last year — study
    https://www.dw.com/en/almost-2000-fgm-cases-identified-in-germany-last-year-study/a-55911840

    “A rights group found evidence of 2,000 women, including some 200 minors, in Germany last year who underwent female genital mutilation in the past and were in need of treatment, calling that figure the tip of an iceberg.

    Almost 2,000 patients in Germany last year were diagnosed with genital mutilation in need of treatment, a women’s rights group said on Friday, demonstrating a sharp increase in recent years.

    The figure is up almost 40% compared with 2016, when around 1,300 diagnoses of people who had previously undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) and were in need of treatment were made, according to The TaskForce for effective prevention of FGM.

    The TaskForce conducted a survey of German physicians associations and the results showed that roughly 200 of those diagnosed were minors — half of whom were younger than 12.

    The research included females who received outpatient care by statutory health insurance providers. Cases discovered during inpatient stays in hospitals, or during private medical treatment, were not included.

    ‘Tip of the iceberg’
    “What we see from these figures is only the tip of the iceberg and represents perhaps 2 to 5% of the actual mutilation victims who live in our country, because political leaders do not want complete data collection,” TaskForce’s founder, Ines Laufer, said of the current situation in Germany.

    The rights group estimates more than 20,000 girls may have undergone FGM because they or their parents “come from countries with an FGM rate of over 75% such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Mali and Somalia and others” the TaskForce website states.

    The unusually large numbers of migrants allowed into Germany from the Middle East and Africa in 2015 and 2016 is thought to help explain the uptick in known FGM numbers in Germany in recent years.

    “We call for the implementation of state protective measures, such as regular medical checks and the introduction of mandatory medical reports to the law enforcement authorities if genital mutilation is found in underage victims,” Ines Laufer said.

    FGM, also known as female genital cutting (FGC), is a practice that involves the partial or total removal of the female genital organs, such as the clitoris or labia, for non-medical reasons.

    As well as severe bleeding, FGM can cause a variety of health issues, from infections and cysts to infertility and complications in childbirth. It can also result in an increased risk of newborn deaths, according to the World Health Organization.”

  34. Wonderful the plexiglass protects me from the cashier that just touched everything I’m taking home.

  35. The Israel-Morocco deal has so many moving parts!

    Trump’s spat with key ally set stage for Israel-Morocco normalization: report

    Trump’s decision to recognize Morocco’s claim for Western Sahara pits him against GOP Senator Jim Inhofe

    A recent spat between US President Donald Trump and one of his major allies in the US Senate largely set the stage for the normalization of ties between Israel and Morocco, Axios reported Friday.

    The report zooms in on Oklahoma GOP Senator Jim Inhofe, who recently clashed with Trump over the National Defense Authorization Act.

    While Trump sought the defense spending bill to include provisions on repelling Section 230 protections for Internet giants and striking down the push for renaming military facilities named after Confederate figures, Inhofe opposed both, drawing Trump’s ire on social media.

    Inhofe is also a major advocate of independence for Western Sahara, a region Morocco lais claim on — and under the normalization deal, the US is set to recognize that claim.

    Trump is said to have previously struck down the prospect to maintain his political alliance with Inhofe, but the recent spat with the Republican senator made him change his mind, Axios reports.…
    [videos at site]
    https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/americas/1607704897-trump-s-spat-with-key-ally-set-stage-for-israel-morocco-normalization-report

    Makes PT sound petulant. Axios… who knows?

    • Saudi Arabia took part in Israel-Morocco normalization: reports

      Indonesia and Oman said to be likely to establish ties with Jewish state next

      Saudi Arabia was involved in the preparation of the normalization deal between Israel and Morocco, Israeli media reported Friday.

      Channel 12 cited diplomatic sources as saying that Riyadh had a role in the process, without specifying the degree of the Saudi involvement in the deal.

      The report added that the probability of a similar deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia in the near future was on the cards.

      Israel’s Channel 13 said that Saudi Arabia joined forces with the White House to secure normalization deals between Israel and other states, with Indonesia and Oman speculated as likely to be next in line.

      Riyadh and Washington reportedly aim to do so before late January, when the presumptive US President-elect Joe Biden is slated to take over.…

      [videos at site]
      https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/diplomacy-defense/1607721096-saudi-arabia-took-part-in-israel-morocco-normalization-reports

      kinky yellow Spanish Inquisition costumes?

      • Not so good:
        Moroccan PM slams Trump plan, pledges backing for Palestinians after Israel deal

        Saad-Eddine El Othmani, who previously expressed opposition to normalization with Jewish state, lashes out at White House peace framework and alleged efforts to ‘Judaize’ Jerusalem

        …The move is likely to raise hackles in Morocco. According to one recent poll, only 16 percent of Moroccans have a favorable view of Israel, while 70% view Israel unfavorably.

        Unlike the other countries which have normalized ties with Israel over the past few months, Morocco has a genuine opposition and civil society. While true power largely lies with the monarchy, the parliament has been controlled by the PJD since 2011.

        https://www.timesofisrael.com/moroccan-pm-declares-unshakeable-support-for-palestinians-after-israel-deal/

        • I’m reminded of this ugly episode in May:
          10 Jews die of coronavirus in Morocco, 26 brought to Israel

          The government worked secretly through diplomatic ties with the Moroccan government after an initial operation reportedly failed when the Moroccan government blocked it.

          https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/10-israelis-die-of-coronavirus-in-morocco-26-returned-home-627950
          …….
          No question, Morocco was a refuge from “los reyes catolicos” [Catholic Kings] and their Holy Inquisition. It was way better than “enlightened” Europe, that wiped out its Sephardim almost entirely last century.

          But now? Israelis searching for “roots” PAY to revert to dhimmis. Ridiculous.