Reader’s Links for January 27, 2021

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

85 Replies to “Reader’s Links for January 27, 2021”

  1. Kill Chain: The Cyber War on America’s Elections (2020) | Official Trailer | HBO – March 5, 2020
    Kill Chain premieres March 26 at 9PM on HBO.

    • Community Week | ‘Kill Chain: The Cyber War on America’s Elections’
      St Hilda’s College Community Week – Streamed live on July 15, 2020

      Ahead of the Presidential Election, Kill Chain, which premiered on HBO in March 2020, uncovers the severe vulnerability of our voting systems. The film follows Finnish hacker and cyber security expert, Harri Hursti, as he travels around the world to demonstrate the weaknesses of our election systems and the many techniques used to gain access to voting systems, the result being a breakdown in trust and ultimately the undermining of democracy. The film is highly disturbing, but simultaneously fascinating and enlightening. During this event, Producer and Director, Sarah Teale, will discuss her experience of making the film and what it means for the upcoming elections with Katty Kay, presenter of BBC World News America.

  2. G2 Podcast – Technical Voter Analysis Update
    Gold Institute for International Strategy – January 18, 2021

    In this Gold Institute G2 Podcast Jovan Hutton Pulitzer uses his extensive technical background to discuss the ongoing technical voter analysis and his work to make heads or tails of the situation for policy makers.

  3. NYT Begs Court to Dismiss Veritas Defamation Lawsuit; Admits Article Inaccuracies Under Oath!
    Project Veritas – January 26, 2021

    • My pleasure Mike. But, a word of caution to all free range citizens:

      “JoeBama Administration Homeland Security Issues Terror Threat Alert Warning of Domestic Violent Extremists”
      by Sundance – January 27, 2021

      Excerpt:

      According to the command and control authority, the greatest threat against the interests of the new state comes from citizens who are questioning the results of the 2020 election and making inquiries into whether manipulation of ballots took place. These thoughts are enough to warrant good citizens to report subversive activity. The warning, and enhanced intervention by the control authority, extends from today through April 30, 2021.
      https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/01/27/joebama-administration-homeland-security-issues-terror-threat-alert-warning-of-domestic-violent-extremists/

      Double/TripleSpeak

      • Reminds me of “I did not have sexual relations with that girl.” Or did he say woman – that would not seem as low.

        EB Did you like the portrait of Billy In the blue dress and red heels, that hung in Epstein’s house? I think it should be titled
        “Monkeyshines”

  4. German woman charged with plotting attack on Muslims, others (abcnews, Jan 27, 2021)
    https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/german-woman-charged-plotting-attack-muslims-75509872

    “A German woman has been charged with preparing a far-right attack and other crimes on allegations she was in the process of building a bomb to target Muslims and local politicians in Bavaria, Munich prosecutors said Wednesday.

    Susanne G., whose last name wasn’t given in line with privacy laws, also faces charges of making threats and violations of weapons laws, among other things. She has been in custody since her arrest.

    Prosecutors allege that the woman started planning a firebombing attack no later than May 2020, motivated by her xenophobic and extreme-right views.

    She is alleged to have downloaded information on bomb building online and have gathered materials for the construction, including gasoline, fireworks and fuses, by the time of her arrest in September.

    Between December 2019 and March 2020 the suspect is alleged to have sent six anonymous letters, five including a live bullet, with death threats to a local politician in the Nuremberg area, a Muslim community association, and an asylum seeker aid organization.

    During the summer of 2020, she started focusing on local police officers and a different local politician than the one threatened by letter as other possible targets, and began scouting their homes and cars.”

  5. Indonesia detains Iranian, Chinese crews of seized tankers (abcnews, Jan 27, 2021)
    https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/indonesia-detains-iranian-chinese-crews-seized-tankers-75484332

    “Indonesian authorities have detained the Iranian and Chinese crewmembers of two tankers that were seized for illegally transferring oil in Indonesian waters, an official said Tuesday.

    “The Iranian-flagged MT Horse and Panamanian-flagged MT Freya are on the way to Batam island now. The crews are being detained for further investigation,” Maritime Security Agency spokesperson Wisnu Pramandita said.

    He said 36 Iranian and 25 Chinese crewmembers were detained, and documents from the vessels were seized.

    He said the tankers, which were seized Sunday, are suspected of a variety of violations, including illegally transferring fuel at sea, spilling oil, not displaying national flags, covering the names on their hulls, shutting off their identification systems and anchoring illegally.

    “MT Freya did the oil spilling,” Pramandita said.

    Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah said authorities are still investigating the ships’ actions.

    Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh on Monday said Iran has asked Indonesia to provide more details on the status of the Iranian tanker.

    “We have asked Indonesia to give us more information. There have always been technical issues. Both Iran’s transport ministry and foreign ministry are pursuing the case.” Khatibzadeh said.”

  6. US B-52 bomber again flies over Mideast amid Iran tensions (abcnews, Jan 27, 2021)
    https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/us-52-bomber-flies-mideast-amid-iran-tensions-75511582

    “The U.S. military said Wednesday it again flew a B-52 bomber over the Middle East “to deter potential aggression” amid tensions with Iran, the first such flight under President Joe Biden.

    The B-52 flew nonstop from Louisiana’s Barksdale Air Force Base into the region earlier in the day. The plane went over both the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia, according to flight-tracking data.

    The U.S. military’s Central Command later published images of the bomber flying alongside Royal Saudi Air Force F-15s.

    While not mentioning Iran in its statement, Central Command said the flight was meant to “showcase the U.S. commitment to regional security.”

    The flights, the third-such operation this year, had become common in the last months of former President Donald Trump’s administration. Trump’s 2018 decision to unilaterally withdraw from Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers sparked a series of escalating incidents in the region.

    Biden has expressed a desire to return to the deal if Iran honors the deal’s limits on its nuclear program.”

  7. Under “Reopening Ontario
    Is the Ontario government funding communities to hire COVID bylaw officials? What are their qualifications?

    Will the government fund a person in a community to actually learn the TRUE numbers of COVID cases? Example PCR testing will show a person with a cold as positive, what about a hang nail?

    FRIGHTENING

  8. Stage is set for a grand France-USA clash in the West Asia as Macron is in no mood to relent

  9. Israel’s top general says military refreshing operational plans against Iran | World News

  10. Is the Ammo Shortage Done Intentionally by the Government to Restrict our Second Amendment Rights?

  11. 16-year-old detained under Singapore’s Internal Security Act after planning to attack two mosques

  12. Judge Blocks Biden’s Order to Freeze Deportation; Rep Reveals Why She Wants to Impeach Biden | NTD

  13. https://www.nationalreview.com/2017/01/college-kkk-sighting-bowling-green-state-university-sheet-lab-equipment/

    Understandably, people freaked out. One Twitter user, “LW12Warrior,” said that the video was an example of how things are in “Donald Trump’s America.” Another, “@KKaDi91,” thanked @autumnpatrice for sharing and added, “I didn’t know about that before but I realize now why we get so much hate in this small town.”

    In response, @autumpatrice encouraged @KKaDi91 to “spread” the video — all before anyone had a chance to figure out what was actually going on.
    …..

    Yes — a cover on a piece of lab equipment. Whoops.

  14. Biden admin reacts to Chinese leader’s conflict warning; Wuhan doctors reveal virus coverup

  15. Don’t Allow Yourself to be Censored—Interview With Elizabeth Heng | Crossroads
    30,717 views
    •Premiered 15 hours ago

  16. CHINA SEND ALL IT’S NAVY IN SCS! China to conduct military drills in SCS amid tensions with U.S

  17. ‘Now he can be president of the world’: Chris Ruddy, longtime Trump confidant, says he has no restrictions now
    Carlos Garcia
    2-3 minutes

    Christopher Ruddy, the CEO of Newsmax and longtime friend of former President Donald Trump, said that he can now become the “president of the world” after leaving the restrictions of politics behind.

    Ruddy made the comments Tuesday in an interview with Greg Kelly on Newsmax.

    Kelly asked Ruddy to comment on Trump saying that he would be back “in some form” after leaving the White House.

    “I see him staying very active, politically being a great political and media force. My view on Donald Trump is he was president of the United States, now he can be president of the world,” Ruddy said. “He can really go all over the world.”

    https://www.theblaze.com/news/chris-ruddy-trump-president-world?utm_source=theblaze-breaking&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20210127Trending-SchoolBoardMeeting&utm_term=ACTIVE%20LIST%20-%20TheBlaze%20Breaking%20News

  18. Pompeo Calls on Biden to Acknowledge CCP’s Role in Pandemic After Memo Release
    By Isabel van Brugen
    January 27, 2021 Updated: January 27, 2021
    biggersmaller Print

    Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday called on the Biden administration to acknowledge the role of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the COVID-19 pandemic, hours after the White House released a memorandum condemning the use of references “by the geographic location of its origin.”

    The remarks came shortly after President Joe Biden signed the memo that condemns rising racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.

    “The Federal Government must recognize that it has played a role in furthering these xenophobic sentiments through the actions of political leaders, including references to the COVID-19 pandemic by the geographic location of its origin,” the document states.

    “Such statements have stoked unfounded fears and perpetuated stigma about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and have contributed to increasing rates of bullying, harassment, and hate crimes against AAPI persons.”

    https://www.theepochtimes.com/pompeo-calls-on-biden-to-acknowledge-ccps-role-in-pandemic-after-memo-release_3673485.html?utm_source=newsnoe&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breaking-2021-01-27-1

  19. Sen. Hawley Rules out Run for President in 2024
    By Zachary Stieber
    January 27, 2021 Updated: January 27, 2021
    biggersmaller Print

    Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) on Tuesday said he won’t be launching a 2024 presidential bid.

    “I’m not running for president. It’s a privilege to represent the state of Missouri in the United States Senate,” Hawley said on “Fox News Primetime.”

    I just got elected barely two years. There’s a lot of work to do and I look forward to continuing to fight for Missouri every day that I can,” he added.

    Hawley defeated incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) in the 2018 election. He formerly served as Missouri’s attorney general.

    Speculation on who will be running in the next presidential election started even before the 2020 election took place.

    https://www.theepochtimes.com/sen-hawley-rules-out-run-for-president-in-2024_3673505.html?utm_source=newsnoe&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breaking-2021-01-27-1

  20. BREAKING: Texas Judge Blocks Biden’s Plan To Pause Deportations
    By Hank Berrien

    Jan 26, 2021 DailyWire.com

    https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-texas-judge-blocks-bidens-plan-to-pause-deportations?itm_source=parsely-api?utm_source=cnemail&utm_medium=email&utm_content=012721-news&utm_campaign=position3

    Last Wednesday, after Joe Biden was inaugurated as President of the United States, the top official at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a memo demanding many deportations to be paused. But on Tuesday, a Texas judge blocked the move.

    U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton, who was nominated by former President Trump on February 4, 2020, then confirmed by the Senate on June 3, 2020, issued a temporary restraining order blocking the move for 14 days on Tuesday.

  21. Eric Holder urges Democrats to pack Supreme Court; Schumer considering it

    Multiple Sources | Jan 27, 2021 | Fresh Ink | 9
    Eric Holder urges Democrats to pack Supreme Court; Schumer considering it

    FILE – (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

    Former Attorney General Eric Holder has urged Democrats to pack the Supreme Court to seize full control of U.S. politics.

    While speaking at the Brookings Institute on Monday, the Obama-era official claimed the high court is not liberal enough and said it may block Democrat policies from moving forward.

    Holder went on to accuse the Supreme Court of being hostile to the ideals of the Democrat Party due to a conservative majority on its bench. The former attorney general is known for weaponizing the IRS against conservative groups and for his role in the failed Operation Fast and Furious.
    Read more at One America News

    https://www.oann.com/obama-era-ag-urges-democrats-to-pack-supreme-court-accuses-u-s-judicial-system-of-conservative-bias/

  22. Report: Democrats seeking to root out ‘white supremacists’ from the military – Liberty Unyielding
    Rusty Weiss
    3-4 minutes

    Report: Democrats seeking to root out ‘white supremacists’ from the military

    President Trump saluting the military

    Democratic lawmakers are reportedly seeking to add language to this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would keep alleged white supremacists from joining the military.

    The Hill reports, “Lawmakers are taking matters into their own hands to prevent white supremacists and other extremists from joining and remaining in the military.”

    The obsession linking white supremacy to the Capitol riots and using it to pursue political opposition continues unabated. Rep. Anthony Brown (D-MD) tells the outlet, “The attack on our Capitol was an insurrection fueled in large part by groups that espouse the same extreme white supremacists’ views groups that actively recruit veterans and from the ranks of our military.”

    Brown says he’s been in touch with the Biden administration as well as the Department of Defense over the possible measures.

    https://libertyunyielding.com/2021/01/27/report-democrats-seeking-to-root-out-white-supremacists-from-the-military/

    (Richard: Obama purged a lot of Officers from the military that were loyal to the nation and not to Obama and the Dems, not Biden is trying to finish the job by purging everyone no matter what rank that is loyal to the nation.

    Remember the videos about how the left is carrying out a communist revolution in the US, one of the things they have to do to win the revolution is ensure that the military is loyal to them not the nation. They will also be quietly doing this to the Federal Police and to a lesser scale to the local police. They will try to establish a Federal Constabulary that will take over from the local police, this will work with the internal intelligence group they want to establish. Part of the trained antifa militia will go into the military (probably a separate military organization like the SS) part will go into the Secret Police and part into the Constabulary.

    Obama tried to convert the local police to a Federal Constabulary but failed I doubt that Biden or Harris will try that again they will have better luck creating a new organization to combat the growing crime problem caused by the libs defunding the police and refusing to prosecute the criminals.)

  23. Young Muslims Three-Times More Likely to be Antisemitic, Homophobic Than Atheists Counterparts: Study (breitbart, Jan 27, 2021)
    https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2021/01/27/young-muslims-three-times-more-likely-to-be-antisemitic-homophobic-than-atheists-counterparts-study/

    “Young French-speaking Muslims in Europe’s capital Brussels are at least three times as likely to be antisemitic, homophobic and sexist compared to their atheist counterparts, according to a Belgian study.

    The study was highlighted by signatories to a letter published by newspaper L’Echo condemning a recent move to allow the wearing of the Islamic veil in Belgian schools by several secular and feminist activists this week.

    Published earlier this month, the 70-page study, which was authored by Professor at the Free University of Brussels (ULB) and the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris Joël Kotek and Joël Tournemenne, examined religious attitudes in 38 schools in the Brussels region, compared to atheists.

    “Islam is even, according to all of our respondents, the religion with the most positive image; Judaism… the most negative,” the authors said in a summary of their findings.

    The authors add that Muslim women often appeared to be even more conservative than Muslim men. The study found 40 per cent of practising Muslim women refused the idea of marrying a Jewish partner, compared to 29 per cent of Muslim men.

    21 per cent of Muslims also say the figures of the Holocaust were “inflated” and over 35 per cent believe in conspiracy theories that “Jews control the banks and the media with the Freemasons”, and the study also revealed that 17 per cent of Roman Catholics agreed with the statement.

    The authors also said young “radical” Roman Catholics held antisemitic attitudes and beliefs two-times more often than non-believers, but found that so-called “cultural Catholics” generally held opinions that were indistinguishable to atheist views.

    Another survey, published in January by the Jean Jaurès Foundation, stated that religious belief in Belgian schools is on the rise and that 53 per cent of secondary school teachers face “religious pressures.”

    “As a result, fear and self-censorship are the hallmarks of the profession today,” the authors of the letter published by L’Echo stated.

    The study comes a year after Italian populist Senator Matteo Salvini blamed mass migration of Muslims to Europe for the increase of antisemitism across the continent.

    “There is, of course, antisemitism of small political minority groups – Nazis and communists,” Salvini said and added, “But, now the massive presence in Europe of migrants coming from Muslim countries, among whom are many fanatics who are getting the full support of certain intellectuals, is spreading antisemitism in Italy as well.”

    The German Federal Agency for Civic Education (FACE), meanwhile, has blamed Islamophobia for the rise in antisemitic attitudes within the Muslim community.”

  24. Khan’s London: Shootings Rise in ‘Gun-Free’ Capital Despite Lockdown (breitbart, Jan 27, 2021)
    https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2021/01/27/shootings-rise-in-gun-free-london-despite-lockdown/

    “The number of shootings in London rose in 2020, despite the city being placed under draconian coronavirus lockdown measures for a large part of the year.

    Scotland Yard revealed that there were 288 shootings in the British capital last year, up from 266 firearm incidents in 2019.

    The force also revealed that while the number of homicides fell by 16 per cent in 2020 to 126, the number of domestic killings rose from 16 to 22, Sky News reported.

    Despite London residents facing strict limits on their movements, the number of homicides in 2020 were comparable to 2018 when 127 were killed in London and were higher than in 2017 when there were 122 killings.

    Of the 126 slain Londoners, 15 were teenagers. Fourteen of the homicides were committed with firearms, while 73 were stabbings.

    Aside from the coronavirus, the rise in shootings also comes despite the UK having some of the world’s most restrictive gun laws.

    One theory from the police on the rise in shootings in the British capital is that tensions between rival gangs — which were largely played out on social media during the initial lockdown — burst out onto the streets as restrictions were lifted during the summer.

    Met Commander Jane Connors said: “As the restrictions were lifted, as we came out through May, June, July, and into the early part of August, we did start to see that the offence levels rose above pre-Covid levels.

    “And that predominantly is because there were more people out on the streets, but also because some of the gang tensions that had been playing out on social media and people not able to take their reprisals, we did start to see a slight rise in some of the knife injuries that we were seeing.”

    The number of children killed by their parents or caretakers also nearly doubled during the lockdown, with 12 children being killed in such circumstances, compared to seven in 2019.

    One mother, Olga Freeman, admitted to the manslaughter of her disabled son this week, claiming that she suffered a mental breakdown during the lockdown when her son could not attend school. She killed 10-year-old Dylan by stuffing a sponge in his mouth and laying him down by his toys to suffocate.

    Commander Dave McLaren said: “It is fair to say that mental health has played a part in a number of those crimes this year and it isn’t a massive leap of faith to say that lockdown has an impact on all of us in terms of our wellbeing.

    “In terms of those cases, we have to see those reviews through and better understand the circumstances surrounding each of them before we get to the point of drawing a conclusion that there’s a direct assimilation with lockdown.”

    The grim statistics mean that there were over 100 murders in the British capital for the sixth straight year. Since the 2016 election of London Mayor Sadiq Khan, there has been an “alarming hike in violent crime”, according to the Greater London Assembly Conservatives.

    The tenure of Mr Khan was extended by at least one year as a result of the coronavirus crisis, with the 2020 mayoral elections being cancelled during the first wave of the Chinese virus.”

  25. Lt. Gen. Charles Flynn, Brother of Michael Flynn, Tapped to Head U.S. Army Pacific
    By Tom Ozimek
    January 27, 2021 Updated: January 27, 2021
    biggersmaller Print

    Pentagon officials have announced that Lt. Gen. Charles Flynn, the younger sibling of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, is being assigned to head U.S. Army Pacific.

    The Chief of Staff of the Army made the announcement as part of a range of general officer assignments, according to a Jan. 25 statement from the Department of Defense (DoD).

    Flynn, who was previously approved to become a four-star general, has been serving as deputy chief of staff, G-3/5/7, U.S. Army. Under the new assignment, Flynn will be posted at the headquarters of the U.S. Army Pacific at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, where he will serve as commanding general.

    The U.S. Army Pacific is the army component unit of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and provides oversight and control of army operations in its area of responsibility, with the exception of the Korean Peninsula.

    https://www.theepochtimes.com/lt-gen-charles-flynn-brother-of-michael-flynn-tapped-to-head-u-s-army-pacific_3673697.html?utm_source=newsnoe&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breaking-2021-01-27-2

  26. Gabbard: Biden Should Denounce His Administration’s Effort to Take Away Civil Liberties
    By Gary Du
    January 27, 2021 Updated: January 27, 2021
    biggersmaller Print

    Former Democratic presidential candidate and former representative for Hawaii, Tulsi Gabbard said in a series of tweets on Tuesday that John Brennans, the Adam Schiffs, and the oligarchs in Big Tech who take away civil liberties “are also domestic enemies and much more powerful.”

    She called on President Joe Biden and all members of Congress from both parties to denounce the effort.

    “The mob who stormed the capitol to try to stop Congress from carrying out its constitutional responsibilities were behaving like domestic enemies of our country,” the former congresswoman said.

    “But let us be clear, the John Brennan’s, Adam Schiffs and the oligarchs in Big Tech who are trying to undermine our constitutionally-protected rights and turn our country into a police state with KGB-style ‘surveillance’ are also domestic enemies—and much more powerful, and therefore dangerous, than the mob which stormed the capitol,” she said.

    https://www.theepochtimes.com/gabbard-biden-should-denounce-his-administrations-effort-to-take-away-civil-liberties_3673141.html?utm_source=newsnoe&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breaking-2021-01-27-2

  27. Imam praising Justine Trudeau

    ALL WOMEN IN CANADA should know and the feminist Prime Minister should know Imams advise: Specifically Imam Abu Bilal Phillips, a man who is banned from Denmark along with Mazin Abdul-Adhim living in London, Ontario.

    Among the means of preserving chastity is to prevent women from travelling unless she has a mahram with her to protect her the desires of the licentious and the sinful.

    Sex with a 9 year old is acceptable – temporary ( muta ) or permanent marriage.

    Danish Imam Oussama El-Saadi agrees men may also have multiple wives.

    Honour killing is acceptable.

    Mohammed said:
    I think women were created for nothing but evil.

    Women are toys, ( choose your toys).

    Mohammed asked some women, “Isn’t the witness of a woman equal to half of that of a man? The women Sid “Yes”. He said, “This is because of the deficiency of the woman’s mind.”

    “I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you (women).”

    I was shown the hell-fire and that the majority of dwellers are women.

    Treat women well for they are like domestic animals and they possess nothing themselves. Allah has made the enjoyment of their bodies lawful in His Qur’an.

    Women, slaves and camels are the same.

    Women are like cows, horses and camels, for all are ridden is in fact recorded i. The Tafsir al- Qurtubi .

    God allows you to put them in separate rooms and beat them but not with severity.

    Men are qawwamua in relationship to women, according to what God has favored some over others and according to what they spend from their wealth. Righteous women are quantitative, guarding the unseen to what God has guarded. Those (women) whose nushuz you fear, admonish them, and abandon them in bed and strike them. if they obey you, do not pursue a strategy against them. Indeed God is Exalted, Great.

    Justine and all politicians in Canada should know Islam is not compatible with Western democracy.

  28. Germany: Meet Angela Merkel’s Second Successor
    Soeren Kern
    15-19 minutes

    Armin Laschet (pictured), premier of North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state, has been chosen as the new leader of the ruling Christian Democratic Union. (Photo by Michael Sohn/Poll/AFP via Getty Images)

    Armin Laschet, premier of North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state, has been chosen as the new leader of the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU). He is now in a position to succeed Angela Merkel as German chancellor after general elections this September.

    Laschet, a Merkel loyalist and continuity candidate, narrowly beat conservative Friedrich Merz by 521 to 466 votes in a run-off vote by party delegates on January 16. The CDU had previously chosen Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer to succeed Merkel, but she stepped down as party leader in January 2020 after a series of regional electoral defeats cast doubt on her ability to retain the chancellorship.

    https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/17000/germany-armin-laschet-merkel

  29. YouTube strips rising media company Epoch Times of ability to monetize content
    Carrie Sheffield, Just the News January 27, 2021

    [Ed. – Another act in the name of ‘democracy.’]

    https://libertyunyielding.com/2021/01/27/youtube-strips-rising-media-company-epoch-times-of-ability-to-monetize-content/

    YouTube strips rising media company Epoch Times of ability to monetize video content

    “This is the latest example of big tech suppression of free speech, a step on the road to communist-style censorship’ – publisher Stephen Gregory.

    YouTube, the video platform service that is a Google subsidiary, has banned The Epoch Times, a rising, conservative-leaning media outlet, from earning money off its videos.

    “YouTube demonetized the Epoch Times and related accounts last week,” Stephen Gregory, publisher of The Epoch Times confirmed to Just the News on Tuesday in an email. “This is the latest example of big tech suppression of free speech, a step on the road to communist-style censorship.”

    A YouTube spokesperson acknowledged Tuesday in an email to Just the News that the company had demonetized the publication’s channel and affiliated channels and had suspended them from the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) – over issues related to harmful or sensitive content.

    https://justthenews.com/nation/technology/youtube-strips-rising-media-company-epoch-times-ability-monetize-video-content

  30. Biden Suggests He’s Willing to Negotiate on $1,400 COVID-19 Stimulus Payments
    By Jack Phillips
    January 25, 2021 Updated: January 25, 2021
    biggersmaller Print

    President Joe Biden suggested he’s open negotiating the conditions on his proposed $1,400 stimulus payments after most Senate Republicans and some Democrats said the relief should be targeted on lower-income families.

    Speaking on Monday, the Democratic president reiterated that the United States is in a precarious situation and said relief is needed.

    “Time is of the essence,” Biden said of passing the $1.9 trillion package. “I am reluctant to cherry-pick and take out one or two items here.”

    Biden noted there will be disagreements on the size of the package, coming after he proposed the $1,400 checks.

    “We’re going to have arguments. For example, I proposed that, because it was bipartisan it would increase the prospects of passage, the additional $1,400 in direct cash payments to folks,” Biden said. “Well there’s legitimate reason for people to say, ‘Do you have the lines drawn the exact right way? Should it go to anybody making over ‘X’ number of dollars?’ I’m open to negotiate those things.”

    https://www.theepochtimes.com/biden-suggests-hes-willing-to-negotiate-1400-covid-19-stimulus-checks_3671109.html?utm_source=CCPVirusNewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2021-01-26

  31. Facebook Hires Biden Transition, Obama Admin Official as VP of ‘Civil Rights’
    By Petr Svab
    January 27, 2021 Updated: January 27, 2021
    biggersmaller Print

    Facebook has hired Roy Austin, former Obama administration official and a member of President Joe Biden’s transition team, as the social media company’s vice president of Civil Rights and deputy general counsel.

    Austin used to serve as civil rights prosecutor and supervisor in the Department of Justice (DOJ) before becoming a deputy assistant to President Barack Obama for the Office of Urban Affairs, Justice and Opportunity in 2014. In 2017, he went into private practice as a criminal defense and civil rights attorney at Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis. In November, Biden named him as one of the volunteers on the Agency Review Team for the DOJ in his transition.

    It’s not clear what will be Austin’s specific responsibilities at Facebook. The company didn’t respond to a request for further details and an attempt to reach Austin for comment was unsuccessful.

    https://www.theepochtimes.com/facebook-hires-biden-transition-obama-admin-official-as-vp-of-civil-rights_3674048.html?utm_source=newsnoe&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breaking-2021-01-27-3