Reader’s Links for October 12, 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

62 Replies to “Reader’s Links for October 12, 2021”

  1. Superman Comes Out, as DC Comics Ushers In a New Man of Steel
    The new Superman, the son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, is concerned about the environment, does not shy away from politics and will soon begin a romantic relationship with a male friend.
    https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/11/arts/superman-comes-out.html

    Jon Kent Finds His Identity in Superman: Son of Kal-El #5
    Earth’s New Superman Comes out as Bisexual
    https://www.dccomics.com/blog/2021/10/11/jon-kent-finds-his-identity-in-superman-son-of-kal-el-5

  2. theblaze.com
    Schools gave laptops to kids during pandemic — then they spied on the students for their own good: report
    Sarah Taylor
    3-4 minutes

    Schools across the United States reportedly handed out laptops to pupils for distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic — and then spied on them with the very same electronic device, according to a Monday report from The Guardian.
    What are the details?

    According to recently released research from the Center for Democracy and Technology, 86% of teachers polled said their schools provided electronic learning devices — such as tablets, laptops, and Chromebooks — for students to use at home at nearly double the rate when compared year over year.

    Many of those devices, however, were reportedly being used to monitor students — even going as far as to “[comb] through private chats, emails, and documents” — in order to protect them from harassment and suicidal ideations.

    https://www.theblaze.com/news/schools-laptops-pandemic-spied-on-students?utm_source=theblaze-dailyAM&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily-Newsletter__AM%202021-10-12&utm_term=ACTIVE%20LIST%20-%20TheBlaze%20Daily%20AM

  3. theblaze.com
    Airline tells pilots, flight attendants to stop using ‘ladies and gentlemen’ in order to promote diversity and respect of ‘new social norms’: report
    Sarah Taylor
    2-3 minutes

    British Airways staff will reportedly no longer refer to passengers as “ladies and gentlemen,” according to a Saturday report from the Telegraph, in an effort to promote “diversity and inclusion.”
    What are the details?

    The airline will no longer use the feminine and masculine terms during onboarding announcements in order for the carrier to celebrate its customers’ diversity.

    According to the report, “The decision is believed to have been partly driven by a change in [British Airways] customers. A greater proportion of families are traveling since COVID restrictions have been eased, with business travel slower to recover.”

    “The airline is understood to have been keen to make children feel included in announcement as well as respect new social norms,” the report continued.

    https://www.theblaze.com/news/airline-stop-using-ladies-and-gentlemen?utm_source=theblaze-dailyAM&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily-Newsletter__AM%202021-10-12&utm_term=ACTIVE%20LIST%20-%20TheBlaze%20Daily%20AM

  4. Hillary Clinton Goes On The View To Blame Constitutional Crisis On Trump
    3-4 minutes

    Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has blamed nearly everything on former president Donald Trump in the last few years, including the most recent claim that the U.S is in the middle of a constitutional crisis because of him. She said that he has continued to attack the “legitimacy of our government” and the election of our president over his refusal to accept the election.

    Clinton shared her radical opinions on ABC’s “The View” and accused Trump of combining his “cult members” with “disinformation networks” like Facebook to create a volatile mix. She said they are in the “midst of a concerted, well-funded effort to undermine American democracy” and even said she believes Trump will run again if he really wants to.

    https://politicodaily.com/hillary-clinton-goes-on-the-view-to-blame-constitutional-crisis-on-trump

  5. Noncitizen Voting in Vermont Part of Democrats’ ‘Long Game’

    Fred Lucas / @FredLucasWH / October 04, 2021

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    The small cities of Montpelier and Winooski will allow noncitizens to vote in their local elections. Pictured: A man exits a booth after voting at Montpelier Town Hall in Vermont on Nov. 6, 2018. (Photo: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

    Noncitizens will be able to vote in two Vermont cities as part of a growing national trend, unless lawsuits prevent new laws from taking effect.

    The cities of Montpelier, with about 7,375 residents, and Winooski, with about 7,335, both will allow noncitizens to vote in local elections for offices such as mayor, city council, and school board.

    Related changes to the two city charters required the approval of voters as well as the state’s Democrat-controlled Legislature, which in June overrode a veto by Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican.

    “These are very liberal cities with progressive Democrats,” Rob Roper, president of the Ethan Allen Institute, a free-market think tank based in Montpelier, told The Daily Signal.

    “Throughout much of the state, there is a general distaste for allowing anyone other than citizens over the age of 18 to vote,” Roper said. “Many oppose the idea [of noncitizen voting] and worry about the precedent.”

    The Republican National Committee and the Vermont Republican Party last week filed a lawsuit against each city in Vermont Superior Court, asserting that the state Constitution says only U.S. citizens over the age of 18 are qualified to vote in Vermont.

    https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/10/04/noncitizen-voting-in-vermont-part-of-democrats-long-game

  6. China Braces for Possible Large-Scale COVID-19 Outbreak: Leaked CCP Documents
    By Alex Wu
    October 10, 2021 Updated: October 11, 2021
    biggersmaller Print

    The Chinese regime has notified local authorities to prepare for a large-scale outbreak of COVID-19, according to leaked internal documents obtained by the Chinese Epoch Times.

    One document, titled “Notice of Further Strengthening of Epidemic Prevention” was issued by the Chinese regime’s State Council, and forwarded by Fujian provincial government to local authorities on Sept. 30. The other is a “National Day Epidemic Prevention Notice” issued by the State Council on Oct. 1 and distributed by the Fujian provincial officials to local authorities.

    The documents are both marked “extra urgent.”

    Both notices request enhanced preparations for an emergency response to the outbreak, with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) putting forward at least two standards for local authorities.

    https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_morningbrief/china-prepares-for-possible-large-scale-covid-19-outbreak-leaked-ccp-documents_4041025.html?utm_source=Morningbrief&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mb-2021-10-11&mktids=f0856272e47cafb38ce64e1cd0b6fc8e&est=UUt2hiEiDzfzJw3Dl4bltYNncM6n0EwBDVlCftu08Dwli9w8Jf%2BygPTMD%2FZOPgLU2TI%3D

  7. Food Prices Hit Highest Level in a Decade
    By Tom Ozimek
    October 9, 2021 Updated: October 10, 2021
    biggersmaller Print

    Food prices across the world have risen to their highest levels in a decade on the back of tightening supply conditions coupled with robust demand, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

    The FAO’s food price index, which measures world food commodity prices, has surged by 32.8 percent in the 12 months through September, coming in at a reading of 130 points, a level not seen since 2011. On a month-over-month basis, the index rose 1.2 percent.

    Accounting for the bulk of the rise in the index were higher prices of most cereals and vegetable oils.

    The FAO vegetable oil price index was up 60 percent in September from a year earlier, and 1.7 percent higher than in August. The cereal price measure was up 27.3 percent over the year last month, and 2 percent from August.

    https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_morningbrief/food-prices-hit-highest-level-in-a-decade_4040361.html?utm_source=Morningbrief&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mb-2021-10-11&mktids=f0856272e47cafb38ce64e1cd0b6fc8e&est=%2B4fPEe55PUnFHJHuT3%2FW7Zh8YT1MUPLX5WAtZtdAphyIxios8BBIC%2BvUz%2F9AFULuDV4%3D

  8. frontpagemag.com
    Red China Tried To Go Green, Now It’s Going Dark – Frontpagemag
    Daniel Greenfield
    7-9 minutes

    China went from dominating green energy to begging Americans for coal.

    Daniel Greenfield, a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the Freedom Center, is an investigative journalist and writer focusing on the radical Left and Islamic terrorism.

    Last year, President Xi Jinping announced that Communist China was going to go carbon neutral by 2060. Like every Communist 5-year-plan, it began with lies and ended in disaster.

    The 14th Renewable Energy Development Five Year Plan would have China dominate the green energy industry and increase its share of non-fossil fuel energy from 15% to 20%.

    That was last year. This year, China is importing American coal to keep the lights on in its cities.

    https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2021/10/red-china-tried-go-green-now-its-going-dark-daniel-greenfield/

  9. memri.org
    Senior Official Of Al-Qaeda In The Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) Ibrahim Al-Qousi Threatens U.S. With…
    6-8 minutes

    The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI’s Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.

    On October 6, 2021, Al-Malahem, the media arm of the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), released a video featuring its senior official, Sudanese national and former Guantanamo detainee Ibrahim Al-Qousi, aka Khubayb Al-Sudani, who congratulated the Taliban for taking over Afghanistan and threatened the U.S. with attacks more painful than 9/11.

    https://www.memri.org/jttm/senior-official-al-qaeda-arabian-peninsula-aqap-ibrahim-al-qousi-threatens-us-attacks-more

  10. 9+
    Africa is all set to pull the plug on China’s plan to loot the continent’s resources

    • Last year Ottoman propaganda encouraged the Azeris to take back the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. That’s a majority ethnic-Armenian region within Azerbaijan that seceded after the 1988-1994 civil war. It’s an unstable situation, geography versus ethnicity.

      During the recent skirmish, Azerbaijan took the road that connects it directly to Turkey. A road now runs from Turkey all the way to the Caspian, bypassing Iran.

      From there it can link the ‘Stans till it reaches Pakistan. The Trans-Caucasus Corridor: That’s a VERY big deal.

      The “Three Brothers” are Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan. They watch the same TV programs, hold joint military maneuvers from time to time. China figures this linkage will smooth the way for its BRI.

      The Azeri population in Iran is second only to ethnic Persians. The region is rich and populous. Iran certainly doesn’t want to rile up tensions with this demographic. It’ll appeal to Russia to chill the filthy Turk.

      • China and Russia are headed towards a big confrontation, probably before the 2024 elections. Both nations own part of Biden’s soul and are calling in their property, they both want to control the Stan’s and the entire Middle East. Things are going to heat up with a good possibility of proxy war(s) between client states.

        • We’ve ALL over-indulged the filthy Turk. PTrump didn’t want to wear the tag: I lost Turkey to NATO.

          Russia has been excessively generous to him. Gave minimal help to Armenia, a disgrace. Hasn’t cut off the highway that serves as the supply line between Turkey and its jihadis still holding Idlib, Syria.

          Russia was hoping we’d kick him out, but no, the Euro-appeasers pay him protection money. He has important political constituencies in Germany, the Netherlands, others. MB political parties get stronger all the time.

          This Trans-Caucasus corridor could be the fuse that blows up the Russia-China partnership. More likely Putin will handle it in the shadows, he’s attuned to the “face” thing and enjoys playing both sides.

  11. Uyghurs are not treated as humans, Chinese police officer unmasks Xinjiang coverup| WION Latest News

  12. Jaishankar tears into Pak for cross-border terror at CICA meet; takes a dig at China’s BRI bet

  13. Days after China’s meeting stunt, India, USA, Japan, and Australia begin joint naval drill | Quad

    Days after China’s meeting stunt, India, USA, Japan, and Australia begin joint naval drill | Quad

  14. AUSTRIA – VIENNA

    A member of the National Council of Austria Eva-Maria Holzleitner fainted mid-sentence as she was addressing the Parliament during an extraordinary session in Vienna on Tuesday.

    Holzleitner was later conscious and escorted out of the parliament in a chair to receive further medical attention.

    https://www.ruptly.tv/en/videos/20211012-028-Austria–SPO-politician-faints-mid-address-as-Parliament-holds-extraordinary-session

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

  15. Miami begins the world’s first pandemic-ready skyscraper

    Developers in Florida have begun building the world’s first pandemic-ready skyscraper, which will integrate the Miami Worldcenter complex.

    With a price tag of $500-million, the Legacy Tower is planned to contain 310 luxurious residences, 219 hotel rooms and 10-floors of medical facilities – featuring bacteria-killing robots, touchless technology and modern air purification systems which developers hope will protect residents against future pandemics.

  16. zero hedge – Merck To Double Production Of ‘Breakthrough’ COVID Drug As Nations Line Up To Buy

    Despite safety concerns raised by multiple scientists, Merck is signing deals with countries left and right for its new COVID therapeutic, molnupiravir, as the pharmaceutical giant is already planning to double production of the drug in 2022 as experts expect it to face the same kind of early-days gold rush that greeted approval of the initial COVID jabs.

    Merck said it aimed to increase its own production from 10m courses of the drug this year to at least 20m in 2022, which is equivalent to 800m tablets.

    But it could provide no guidance on the likely production schedule or pricing for generic manufacturers, which will largely be responsible for supplying developing nations with the treatments.

    “We are doing these special purchase agreements as a sort of initial way to get therapy to people as quickly as possible in certain countries and there’s a large number of them that we’re working through,” said Nicholas Kartsonis, Merck’s senior vice-president of clinical research. “But I don’t want to underestimate the second tier of this, which is trying to get to as many people around the world as we can.”

    […]Merck has signed deals with New Zealand, Singapore, Australia and South Korea in just the past week, and it’s already in talks with other countries (the US has already agreed to buy more than a million courses).

    While Merck prepares for molnupiravir to be one of the most lucrative drugs of all time, the firm has signed deals with 8 generic manufacturers to accelerate production of the drug.

    While Merck will likely be first to market with a COVID anti-viral that can be taken in pill form, the competition is already ramping up.

    AstraZeneca, which produced a COVID jab in partnership with Oxford that was later found to have dangerous side effects, announced on Monday that its COVID antibody cocktail also halves the risk of severe disease or death in vulnerable patients. It has also sought emergency authorization for its drug, called AZD7442.

    […]However, some scientists have raised concerns that the drug might have serious, even deadly, side effects, even though Merck insists it has done animal trials that show no examples of these types of ill effects.

    “Proceed with caution at your own peril, said one scientist who studied the primary ingredient in molnupiravir. Another warned that “biochemistry won’t lie”: “there is a concern that this will cause long-term mutation effects, even cancer.”

    https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/merck-plans-double-supply-breakthrough-covid-drug-nations-line-buy-it

  17. the gateway pundit – REPORT: Indiana Walgreens “Accidentally” Gives Pfizer COVID Jabs To 4 and 5 Yr Old Siblings…Pediatric Cardiologist Is Reportedly Treating Both Kids For Heart Issues [VIDEO]

    4 and 5-yr-old siblings went to an Indiana Walgreens so the kids could get a flu shot. What happened next is truly a nightmare. According to the family attorney, both children were accidentally given adult doses of the Pfizer COVID vaccination.

    WFIE reported that Alexandra and Joshua Price say it happened on October 4 at the Walgreens on St. Joseph Avenue.

    The family’s attorney, Daniel Tuley, shared what he says are the vaccination cards given to the family by Walgreens.

    The attorney said the cards were then issued since the coronavirus vaccine had been given.

    Tuley said the children were taken to a pediatric cardiologist, and the family was told both were showing signs of heart issues.

    WFIE – “[The cardiologist] said our daughter was having higher blood pressure than she would like,” said Alexandra. “And Lucas, our son was having tachycardia…”

    As of Monday, the family says the younger child has been sick with a fever and a cough. Since last week, the family now says the older child has developed a fever.

    On Monday, Walgreen’s sent the following statement:

    “Due to privacy laws, we cannot comment on specific patient events. However, in general, such instances are rare and Walgreens takes these matters very seriously. In the event of any error, our first concern is always our patients’ well-being. Our multi-step vaccination procedure includes several safety checks to minimize the chance of human error, and we have reviewed this process with our pharmacy staff in order to prevent such occurrences.”

    A child strength COVID jab has not yet been approved, yet a 4 and 5-yr.-old have both received an adult-strength COVID shot from a so-called “trusted” pharmacy and, according to the parents, are suffering cardio-related issues from the jabs. So why is the media silent about this story? Would they be silent about these types of horror stories if they weren’t complicit in the Democrat’s plan to vaccinate the entire country?

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/10/report-indiana-walgreens-accidentally-gives-pfizer-covid-jabs-4-5-yr-old-siblings-pediatric-cardiologist-reportedly-treating-kids-heart-issues-video/

    • CBC -Some B.C. parents are hesitant to register their children for vaccination

      A new vaccine mandate expected to be announced this week and parents of kids aged 5 to 11 are being asked to register their young ones for the COVID-19 vaccine.

    • global news – COVID-19: Resistance rising against vaccine mandates among U.S. first responders

      A surprising pocket of resistance against COVID-19 vaccines is emerging in the United States, as unions representing police and firefighters have grown increasingly vocal in their opposition against the shots.

      Some American cities report an acceptance rate of less than 50 per cent amongst their officers.

    • ctv – Unvaccinated Que. nurses to have licences suspended. Dr. Oughton weighs in

      Infectious disease specialist Dr. Matthew Oughton says Quebec is making a strong statement and has some justification in making this move.

    • global news – Health workers face vaccine deadline, organ transplants face life-or-death requirement

      Deadlines are looming for Canadian health-care workers, as some provinces will soon require them to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19, or face suspension and possibly lose their jobs.

      For instance, Quebec’s Order of Nurses says members who are not fully vaccinated will have their permits suspended Friday – the deadline set by the provincial government.

      But as Heather Yourex-West reports, inevitable holdouts could bring a slew of staffing shortages for hospitals and care centres.

      Meanwhile, here is a new life-or-death reason for Canadians to get the COVID-19 vaccine, as Toronto’s University Health Network is requiring all organ transplant patients to be fully vaccinated.

      But the move in Ontario has led to backlash online – prompting some to revoke their donor status, calling the policy discriminatory. So is the mandate ethical for the life-saving procedure? As Morganne Campbell explains, not getting the shot already poses a critical health risk for getting a new organ.

    • CNBC – Southwest CEO on the airline’s Covid vaccine push, flight fiasco

      Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly joins ‘Squawk on the Street’ to discuss why the company’s Covid-19 vaccine push did not relate to the mass flight cancellations in recent days.

      +comments on the YT page

    • ctv – Unvaccinated Quebec pharmacists will have their licences suspended on Friday, order says

      MONTREAL — The order of pharmacists of Quebec is the latest body of health-care workers to confirm it will suspend the licences of members who aren’t vaccinated by Friday.

      That’s the date by which all employees in the health and social services sector must be fully vaccinated from COVID-19 or face suspension without pay, according to a decree issued by the Ministry of Health and Social Services.

      Some governing bodies, such as the order of nurses of Quebec, have gone further by saying it will also suspend the licences of workers who are not yet vaccinated.

      The Ordre des pharmaciens du Québec is now among those governing bodies.

      “The Order is preparing to apply this decree; all pharmacists who are not adequately protected working in the targeted environments will have their right to practice suspended on October 15,” the order said in a statement on its website on Tuesday.

      The website also said all pharmacists and their staff, including those who work in a health facility, a doctor’s office, or a community pharmacy, will face the suspension depending on their vaccination status.

      The suspension will remain in place until the member is considered to be “adequately protected in the Quebec vaccination register.”

      https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/unvaccinated-quebec-pharmacists-will-have-their-licences-suspended-on-friday-order-says-1.5620355

      ======================================
      CBC – Quebec health minister won’t budge on Friday’s vaccine deadline for health-care workers

      Several professional orders representing health-care workers, including the province’s orders of nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, licensed practical nurses and the college of physicians, have said they will suspend the licences of members who aren’t adequately vaccinated against COVID-19 by Friday.

      Dubé applauded the orders for taking a strong position and responding to his request for their support.

      But Nancy Hogan, president of the Syndicat interprofessionnel du CHU de Québec, the union representing nurses at LavaI University Hospital, says she’s worried about the workers who will stay behind and have to shoulder an extra burden.

      “We are short of people and the vaccination mandate only adds to the number of people who will leave. It doesn’t make sense,” she said, noting health-care staff are already exhausted.

      Some health experts, however, say even if it causes a strain on the system, THE RISK OF KEEPING ON UNVACCINATED STAFF IS TOO GREAT.

      “Especially when you look at long-term care institutions where people who have direct patient contact are interacting with the most vulnerable members of our population, the people who would be at highest risk for a COVID outbreak,” said Dr. Christopher Labos, a Montreal epidemiologist and cardiologist.

      Paul Brunet, a Quebec patients’ rights advocate, agrees. He says dealing with gaps in patient care isn’t ideal but it’s better than unvaccinated workers transmitting the virus.

      And, Brunet said, the suspension of unvaccinated nurses is a “logical consequence.”

      In a tweet on Monday, Dubé said it will be impossible to bypass mandatory vaccinations in the health sector come Friday. On Tuesday, he repeated his plea for unvaccinated health-care workers to get their shots by Friday.

      […]According to Natalie Stake-Doucet, a registered nurse and president of the Quebec Nurses’ Association (QNA), many nurses are reacting favourably to the mandates.

      “It’s a relief to know that all our colleagues we’re working with will be vaccinated,” she said.

      “For a lot of us, it’s not a looming doom, it’s actually a very hopeful time.”

      […]

      https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/no-change-vaccine-mandate-quebec-health-workers-1.6207650

      ==========================================
      Too soon to say what impact vaccine mandate will have on Quebec health system

      MONTREAL – It’s still too early to say how Quebec’s health-care system will be impacted by a vaccine mandate that could lead to thousands of workers suspended at the end of the week, Health Minister Christian Dubé said Tuesday.

      Dubé, however, said the province wouldn’t change its health order requiring all health-care workers who are in close contact with patients to be fully vaccinated before Friday or risk being suspended without pay.

      “We are not moving on the date,” he told reporters in Gatineau, Que.

      Around 3,000 nurses and 2,500 patient attendants remain unvaccinated against COVID-19, Dubé said, adding that the province was already short around 5,000 nurses.

      “It’s a big challenge,” he said. The government, he added, was working on a contingency plan to reduce the impact of the potential suspensions on the health system. Dubé said the plan would be announced in the coming days and involve the “reorganization” of services, but didn’t give details.

      He said that while he empathized with people who were vaccine hesitant, he said he didn’t understand why some health-care workers still refused to get vaccinated after what they had seen and experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We respect their choice, but their choice has consequences,” he said.

      On Tuesday, the professional order that regulates pharmacists in Quebec said around 400 of members had not presented the order with proof of vaccination. The professional body has said it would suspend the licences of its members who refuse to be fully vaccinated.

      Also Tuesday, the professional orders that regulate licensed practical nurses and respiratory therapists said members who are not fully vaccinated by Friday would not be able to work. The decision followed similar moves by the orders that regulate nurses and doctors, both of which have said they would suspend the licences of unvaccinated members starting Oct. 15.

      […]The health authority in west-central Montreal said it would begin administering COVID-19 vaccine booster shots on Tuesday at the Donald Berman Maimonides Geriatric Centre. That long-term care facility was one of the first two seniors centres in the province to receive COVID-19 vaccines last December.

      The government has said it would administer third doses of COVID-19 vaccine to people living in long-term care facilities and in private seniors residences six months after their second doses.

      https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/health/covid-19-booster-shots-begin-today-at-montreal-long-term-care-centre-575509592.html

      • city news – Legal challenge against Quebec’s vaccine mandate for healthcare workers

        “We’re asking on an urgent basis the suspension of the application of the decree,” says lawyer Natalia Manole, who is taking her legal challenge against Quebec’s vaccine mandate for healthcare workers to court.

    • global news – Boeing makes COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for U.S. employees

      The Boeing Co. has told employees they must be vaccinated against COVID-19 or possibly be fired.

      The Seattle Times reports the deadline for workers at the aerospace giant is Dec. 8.

      “Compliance with these requirements is a condition of employment,” states a Boeing internal presentation from Tuesday viewed by the newspaper. “Employees who are unable to meet these requirements … may be released from the company.”

      Employees can request exemptions “due to a disability or sincerely held religious belief.” Any employee granted such an exemption will have to “undergo frequent testing for COVID-19” and be ready to “present a negative test result upon request.”

      The policy will apply to roughly 140,000 employees company-wide, with about 57,000 of those in Washington state.

      Jon Holden, president of International Association of Machinists (IAM) District 751, in his message to members in the October issue of the union paper, wrote that “the reality is our members are polarized on this issue.”

      “It is our responsibility to defend and advocate for all our members,” Holden added. And though he noted that he and his family are vaccinated, the union must also defend “those who can’t or won’t accept the vaccine.”

      The white-collar union, the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), said in a statement Tuesday it is engaging with Boeing “to ensure implementation gives proper consideration to members’ concerns.”

      Boeing may face more resistance to the new policy in Republican-controlled states.

      On Monday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order barring private companies or any other entity from requiring vaccines.

      Boeing has more than 5,000 employees in Texas. It has about 32,000 more at facilities in Alabama, Arizona, Missouri, Oklahoma and South Carolina.

      https://globalnews.ca/news/8261349/boeing-covid-vaccine-mandate/

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

      Despite wary labor unions and conservative opposition, Boeing will require all employees to be vaccinated

      Boeing management told its U.S. employees in an internal message Tuesday that with limited exceptions they must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 8 or face termination.

      “Compliance with these requirements is a condition of employment,” states a Boeing internal presentation viewed by the Seattle Times. “Employees who are unable to meet these requirements, and do not have an approved accommodation, by December 8 may be released from the company.”

      The policy will apply to roughly 125,000 employees in the U.S., about 57,000 of them in Washington state.

      Employees can request an exemption “due to a disability or sincerely held religious belief,” but those granted such an exemption will have to “undergo frequent testing for COVID-19” and be ready to “present a negative test result upon request,” the company said.

      In an internal labor relations presentation on its decision, Boeing noted that the move is necessary to ensure compliance with President Joe Biden’s executive orders in September that mandated COVID-19 vaccination for all employees of the Federal government as well as companies that are contractors and subcontractors of the government.

      The terms of the government orders essentially make vaccinations mandatory across the entire aviation industry, from the big defense contractors, to the jet manufacturers, to the major airlines, to the subcontractors who work with those companies.

      Many of the biggest businesses across America have already done so, including Walmart and Ford; tech giants Microsoft, Google, and Facebook; and locally Alaska Airlines.

      Amazon, the largest employer in the state, has not yet announced a vaccine mandate. However, as a federal contractor, it will likely have to do so.

      A number of local Boeing workers are firmly opposed to vaccination, though it’s unclear how many. The company declined to provide information on its employee vaccination rate.

      Stating that “employees must take action soon,” the company laid out deadlines for the various shots:
      Moderna: First dose by October 27
      Pfizer: First dose by November 3
      J&J: Single dose by November 24

      Jon Holden, president of International Association of Machinists (IAM) District 751, wrote in the October issue of the union paper that “the reality is our members are polarized on this issue.”

      “It is our responsibility to defend and advocate for all our members,” Holden added. And though he noted that he and his family are vaccinated, he said the union must also defend “those who can’t or won’t accept the vaccine.”

      Holden said he expects an “uphill battle” bargaining with management on the issue, but the union will stand up for “medical and religious exemptions,” and that “if an exemption request is denied, we will investigate each on a case-by-case basis.”

      Boeing may face more resistance to the new policy in some Republican-controlled states such as Texas that are actively opposing Biden’s mandate orders.

      On Monday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order barring private companies or any other entity from requiring vaccines.

      Boeing has more than 5,000 employees in Texas. It has about 32,000 more at facilities in Alabama, Arizona, Missouri, Oklahoma and South Carolina — all conservative states with varying levels of resistance to mandatory vaccination.

      Southwest Airlines and American Airlines, both based in Texas, are among the major airlines that have introduced a COVID vaccine mandate.

      The white-collar union at Boeing, the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), said in a statement Tuesday “we are encouraged that the vast majority of members we are hearing from are vaccinated.”

      Yet like the Machinists union, SPEEA added that, if requested, it will offer help to anyone seeking an exemption.

      https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/despite-wary-labor-unions-and-conservative-opposition-boeing-will-require-all-employees-to-be-vaccinated/

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

    • CBC – How breakthrough cases could impact pandemic management

      …we knew from the start that breakthrough infections are possible but ….

      Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Zain Chagla talks to Andrew Chang about how breakthrough COVID-19 cases could impact how the next phase of the pandemic is managed.

  18. Taiwan: President Tsai Ing-Wen, makes a fierce national day speech | World News | Latest News

  19. Taiwan: President Tsai Ing-Wen, makes a fierce national day speech | World News | Latest News

  20. Iran hacked US and Israeli defense tech companies – Microsoft

    The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) announced on Monday that Iranian hackers successfully targeted US and Israeli defense technology companies.

    More than 250 Microsft Office 365 accounts linked to the US, EU and the Israeli government were hacked into through extensive password spraying.

    In addition, Persian Gulf ports of entry and global maritime transportation companies with business presence in the Middle East were also targeted.

    The hacking “likely supports the national interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Microsoft said.

    The companies hacked included defense companies that support US, EU, and Israeli government partners producing military-grade radars, drone technology, satellite systems, and emergency response communication systems.

    Microsoft assessed that Iran’s targeting of these defense tech companies “supports Iranian government tracking of adversary security services and maritime shipping in the Middle East.”

    https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/iran-hacked-us-and-israeli-defense-tech-companies-says-microsoft-681693

  21. Armed Citizen Shoots at 2 People Breaking Into Car At Buckhead Shopping Plaza, Killing One

  22. China’s Coal Crisis Mounts As Flood Fury In Mine Hub Shanxi Leaves Around 2 Million Displaced

  23. China: Power crisis deepens despite govt’s efforts, shortages in Rust-Belt Province | English News

  24. CBC – Vaccine card glitches frustrating B.C.’s vaccinated residents

    Some people in B.C. have encountered glitches with their vaccine cards, preventing them from easily gaining access to public places like restaurants.

    The problem is leaving hundreds of people in limbo ahead of the province’s full vaccination deadline of Oct. 24.

  25. NYT – E.U. Plans $1.15 Billion in Aid to Stabilize Afghanistan Region

    “We need to do it fast,” a European leader declared, announcing an aid package for Afghanistan and its neighbors.

    As the Group of 20 held a virtual summit on Afghanistan, the European Union announced Tuesday that it would provide one billion euros in aid — about $1.15 billion — for Afghanistan and neighboring countries helping Afghans fleeing the new Taliban government.

    “We must do all we can to avert a major humanitarian and socioeconomic collapse in Afghanistan,” Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said in a statement. “We need to do it fast.”

    In power less than two months, the Taliban have already alarmed many world leaders with measures reminiscent of their notoriously repressive regime 20 years ago. But Ms. von der Leyen said the aid was badly needed.

    “The Afghan people should not pay the price of the Taliban’s actions,” she said.

    Ms. von der Leyen emphasized that the European Union did not recognize the Taliban as a government. And she said it would not stop pressuring the group to respect human rights — particularly those of women — and to allow Afghans with proper documents who wish to leave the country to do so.

    But she warned of a looming humanitarian disaster tied to a variety of factors, including the internal chaos in Afghanistan and a drought. Most international assistance to the country, including E.U. development aid, has been cut off since the Afghan government collapsed and the Taliban took power in August.

    The one billion euros in aid announced Tuesday includes €300 million for humanitarian aid already announced and a further €250 million for extra support to those “in urgent need, notably in the field of health,” Ms. von der Leyen said. The money will go to international organizations already working in Afghanistan.

    She did not give details about the aid to neighboring countries, but it is in part intended to encourage people fleeing Afghanistan to remain in the region and stem a new flow of migrants and asylum seekers to Europe.

    “Afghanistan’s direct neighbors have been the first to provide safety to the Afghans who have fled the country,” Ms. von der Leyen said. “This is why additional funds will be allocated to support these countries in migration management, as well as in cooperation on terrorism prevention, fight against organized crime and migrant smuggling.”

    On Tuesday, U.S. and European officials met with Taliban representatives in Doha, Qatar. The European Union said that the meeting was “an informal exchange at a technical level,” and that it did not represent a recognition of the interim Taliban government.

    The Doha meeting was intended, said an E.U. spokeswoman, Nabila Massrali, “to address issues such as the need for an inclusive government in Afghanistan, the free passage for Afghans who wish to leave Afghanistan, humanitarian access, respect and promotion of human rights, including the rights of women and minorities, and the need to prevent terrorist and violent extremist movements from using the Afghan soil to threaten other countries.’’

    https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/12/world/asia/afghanistan-european-union-aid.html

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

    G20 agree to involve Taliban in distributing Afghanistan aid

    Leaders agree to use UN agencies but say move does not mean recognising government

    G20 leaders and ministers have agreed they will have no option but to involve the Taliban in sending humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, but say that this stops short of political recognition of the Taliban as a government.

    The consensus view came at a video conference on the Afghan crisis at which the EU stepped up its aid to a total of €1 billion, and it was agreed in principle that the IMF and World Bank could provide aid. Nearly $9 billion of Afghan assets in overseas banks have been frozen by the US.

    Aid agencies such as the International Rescue Committee say Afghanistan is on the verge of “a humanitarian meltdown” since it has been 75 per cent dependent on foreign aid to survive – and support has dried up since the Taliban seized power in August.

    Mario Draghi, the Italian prime minister and current rotating chair of the G20, said there was a consensus at the meeting to act through the UN, and its agencies. “Addressing the humanitarian crisis will require contacts with the Taliban, but this does not mean their recognition. We must acknowledge that they will be judged for what they do, not for what they say.”

    He added: “It is very hard to see how you can help people in Afghanistan without involving the Taliban.”

    Mr Draghi said the lives of women had gone back 20 years adding “right now” there was no visible progress on human rights, women’s rights, education or an inclusive government, the issues on which he said future recognition by other countries would hinge.

    Collective punishment
    Overall, his remarks suggested a compromise between those who want use recognition, and access to aid, as a lever to moderate the Taliban, and those that say collective punishment of the Afghan people by withholding aid now is not an option.

    https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/asia-pacific/g20-agree-to-involve-taliban-in-distributing-afghanistan-aid-1.4698718

    europravda

  26. channel 4 Make or break moment for Afghanistan, UN warns

    Afghanistan is at a make or break moment, the UN secretary general has warned, as he declared that failing to save the country’s economy from collapse would mean “the world will pay a heavy price”.

    The EU pledged a billion euro support package, but the question for G20 leaders who met today is how to deliver that aid to the Afghan people, who desperately need it without going through the Taliban government.

  27. “Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent.”
    – Adam Smith

    “Hillary Clinton Says She Will “Never be Out of the Game of Politics” – Calls For More Social Media Censorship (VIDEO)”
    by Cristina Laila – October 11, 2021
    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/10/hillary-clinton-says-will-never-game-politics-calls-social-media-censorship-video/

    “Hillary Clinton and Louise Penny talk about new book, ‘State of Terror’ l GMA” GMA – October 11, 2021

  28. Citizen Journalist Secretly Films 20 Year Pfizer Contractor on Covid Vax “Skeptical of the Science”
    Project Veritas – October 12, 2021

  29. theblaze.com
    Afghan interpreter who took part in a 2008 rescue effort after emergency helicopter landing involving Joe Biden has finally escaped from Afghanistan
    Alex Nitzberg
    3-4 minutes

    Aman Khalili — an Afghan interpreter who was involved in the effort to rescue then-Sen. Joe Biden and two other U.S. senators in 2008 after two helicopters made an emergency landing in Afghanistan — has finally escaped from Afghanistan with his family, according to the Wall Street Journal.

    They departed the country last week and entered Pakistan, the man said, according to the Journal.

    “Following a series of demoralizing setbacks and frustrating dead-ends over the past six weeks, U.S. veterans worked with former Afghan soldiers and well-placed Pakistani allies to carry out a clandestine operation to drive Mr. Khalili and his family more than 600 miles across Afghanistan and get them to Pakistan, according to those involved in the effort,” the outlet reported.

    https://www.theblaze.com/news/finally-free-afghan-interpreter-involved-in-2008-effort-to-aid-joe-biden-after-emergency-helicopter-landing-has-escaped-afghanistan?utm_source=theblaze-breaking&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=30321012Trending-HorowitzDataIn&utm_term=ACTIVE%20LIST%20-%20TheBlaze%20Breaking%20News