Reader’s Links for May 13, 2022

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

39 Replies to “Reader’s Links for May 13, 2022”

  1. twitter @disclosetv

    NEW – Ukraine’s Zelensky will virtually join Klaus Schwab’s annual meeting

    of the World Economic Forum.

    https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1525113161636012032

    =====================================
    twitter @wef

    The President of Ukraine, @ZelenskyyUa, will join our Annual Meeting virtually as the war continues to devastate his country.

    Watch his special address on our website and across social media. http://wef.ch/22 #wef22

    https://twitter.com/wef/status/1525098797046669313

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

    twitter @wef

    Our Annual Meeting will take place in Davos from 22-26 May.

    Follow this thread to find out who’s joining. #wef22

    https://twitter.com/wef/status/1521014245604925441

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

    WEF – Rebuilding Ukraine & VR Training | Stories of the Week

    The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation.

    The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

    We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.

    • europravda – Ukraine FM: sanctions without oil ban would mean EU unity ‘broken’

      “If this package is adopted without oil embargo, I believe President Putin can celebrate”.

      Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba says an EU sanctions package against Russia without an oil embargo would show that Hungary has ‘broken’ the unity of the bloc.

    • reuters – Vatican number two says giving Ukraine weapons legitimate, with conditions

      ROME, May 13 (Reuters) – The Vatican’s number two said on Friday that supplying weapons to Ukraine to help it defend itself against Russian aggression is morally legitimate under certain conditions, citing the Catholic Church’s teaching on “just war”.

      Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin spoke to reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Rome, as the topic of supplying arms to Kiev was discussed at a meeting of foreign ministers from the G7 rich nations in Germany.

      “There is a right to armed defence in the case of aggression,” Parolin said in response to a question about countries sending weapons to Ukraine.

      He said the right was enshrined in the Roman Catholic Church Catechism, or book of teachings, under certain conditions.

      “Above all (the condition) of proportionality, and then that the response does not produce greater damage than those caused by the aggression. This is in the context of a ‘just war,'” Parolin said.

      “I would say that the question of sending weapons (to Ukraine) can be placed in this framework,” he said.

      Pope Francis, while he has used terms such as “atrocities,” “unjust aggression” and spoken of the sufferings of Ukrainians “defending their land,” has so far refrained from labelling the conflict in Ukraine a just war.

      He has called for all wars to be banned and has questioned if any conflict can be totally just.

      At the G7 meeting in Germany, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the group needs to keep up pressure on Russia by providing more weapons to Ukraine.

      At the same meeting, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the bloc would provide a further 500 millions euros worth of military support to Ukraine.

      Parolin said there was a need for “certain clear parameters” on the question of supplying weapons to Ukraine in “the most just and moderate possible way”. He did not elaborate.

      Parolin said the Vatican was still willing to do everything possible to convince both sides to seek a negotiated settlement. Vatican Foreign Minister Archbishop Paul Gallagher is due to visit Kiev next week.

      Parolin acknowledged that relations between the Vatican and the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church, whose patriarch Kirill has given the war his full-throated backing, were “at a difficult moment”.

      Reuters reported on April 11 that the Vatican was considering extending the pope’s trip to Lebanon on June 12-13 by a day so he could meet with Kirill on June 14 in Jerusalem. But Francis later decided against it.

      Relations worsened last month when the pope called Kirill “Putin’s altar boy,” prompting a public scolding from the Orthodox Church.

      https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/vatican-number-two-says-giving-ukraine-weapons-legitimate-with-conditions-2022-05-13/

      ===========================
      WEF – Davos 2017 – An Insight, An Idea with Cardinal Pietro Parolin

      • Relations worsened last month when the pope called Kirill “Putin’s altar boy,” prompting a public scolding from the Orthodox Church.

        muthafracker…
        yo mama…
        coksuka…

    • reuters – G7 finance ministers eyeing 30 billion euros in Ukraine aid but opposition remains, Der Spiegel reports

      BERLIN, May 13 (Reuters) – The finance ministers of the Group of Seven industrialised nations (G7) aim to agree on providing close to 30 billion euros ($31.15 billion) in financial support to Ukraine at their meeting in Germany next week, Spiegel magazine reported.

      The aid, which is intended to cover the war-torn country’s financial needs up to the end of the year, would be provided in the form of loans and grants, meaning that Kiev would not have to repay the entire sum, Spiegel reported on Friday, citing sources involved in the negotiations.

      There is still opposition to the plan, the report said, adding that one European country has reportedly not yet agreed to participate.

      https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/g7-finmins-eyeing-30-bln-euros-ukraine-aid-opposition-remains-spiegel-2022-05-13/
      =================================
      Liz Truss: We keep up pressure on Putin by supplying more weapons to Ukraine

    • DEUTSCHE PRAVDA – “Germany is not able to defend itself against Russia without the US” – chancellery minister Schmidt

      • 40 BILLION U$D in food and fuel might encourage these fragile 3rd world countries to do the “right” thing.

        Won’t help defense contractors, though.

    • europravda – Le G7 uni pour soutenir l’Ukraine “jusqu’à la victoire”

    • Europe fails to reach consensus on banning Russian oil

      Hungary is still blocking an agreement by the EU-27 to stop imports of Russian fossil fuels

    • zero hedge – European Oil Majors Report “Exceptional” Trading Profits

      All three of Europe’s largest oil majors have reported their highest quarterly earnings in years, with their trading arms playing a key role.

      While none of Europe’s oil majors report their trading performance separately, all three admitted that their performance had been exceptional.

      Analysts believe that each of the companies will have made billions of dollars from trading, taking advantage of soaring volatility

      […]BP, for example, reported last week a quarterly profit that was more than double last year’s first quarter— far exceeding analyst expectations, thanks to high oil prices and what it described as an “exceptional” oil and gas trading business.

      […]Reporting its highest profit since 2008, Shell said that “Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA benefited from higher trading and optimisation margins for gas and power, due to exceptional market environment, particularly in Europe, as well as seasonality.”

      TotalEnergies noted the “outperformance by its oil trading activities” and “very good performance of the gas, LNG and electricity trading activities.”

      Outperformance in crude oil and petroleum products trading activities helped TotalEnergies see a jump in its adjusted net operating income for the Refining and Chemicals segment—that income surged to $1.12 billion for Q1 2022 from $243 million for the first quarter of 2021.

      more :

      https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/european-oil-majors-report-exceptional-trading-profits

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

      zero hedge – Ukraine Says $8.3BN Spent On War So Far As Zelensky Addresses Davos WEF

      Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to deliver a virtual address before the Davos, Switzerland based World Economic Forum, where the message is expected to be something along the lines of ‘send more money,

      […]Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko unveiled on Thursday that his country has spent $8.3 billion to fight the Russian invasion

      more :

      https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/ukraine-says-83bn-spent-war-so-far-zelensky-addresses-davos-wef

    • the gateway pundit – Russia to Cut Power Supply to Finland Tomorrow

      Russia will halt power supply to Finland on Saturday due to lack of payment.

      According to Reuters, Russian utility Inter RAO will suspend the power supply to Finland due to non-payment since May 6.

      The Finnish grid company said it can replace Russian electricity supply by importing more electricity from Sweden.

      Sweden and Finland are both looking to join NATO.

      Russian utility Inter RAO (IRAO.MM) will stop exporting electricity to Finland from Saturday at 0100 local-time (Friday at 2200 GMT) as it had not been paid, the Finnish grid company said on Friday.

      The trade in electricity imported from Russia will be suspended “for the time being” due to difficulties in receiving payments for electricity sold on the market, Fingrid said in a statement, citing Inter RAO.

      “There is no threat to the adequacy of electricity in Finland,” the grid said, adding that power from Russia accounted for some 10% of Finland’s total power consumption.

      “Missing imports can be replaced in the electricity market by importing more electricity from Sweden and partly also by domestic production,” it added.

      https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/05/russia-cut-power-supply-finland-tomorrow/

      ==============================
      DAILY MAIL – Russia CUTS electricity to Finland: Moscow-run state energy company says it will stop supplying Helsinki tomorrow over ‘payment issues’ amid tensions over NATO

      RAO Nordic has said it will suspend its electricity import to Finland from May 14

      The supplier firm is a subsidiary of Russian state energy holding Inter RAO

      This is due to RAO Nordic not being able to pay for imported electricity, it said

      Blamed suspension on not having received payments for electricity sold in May

      https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10814175/Russia-CUTS-electricity-Finland.html
      =======================================

      reuters – Finland prepared in case Russia cuts off gas, emergency committee says

      HELSINKI, May 13 (Reuters) – Finland is ready to cope in the event that Russia cuts off its supply of natural gas, the government’s emergency preparedness committee said after a meeting on Friday.

      https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/finland-prepared-case-russia-cuts-off-gas-emergency-committee-says-2022-05-13/

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

      Russia Could Cut Gas Supplies To Finland Tomorrow

      […]Between 60% and 70% of Finland’s natural gas comes from Russia, though the country’s main sources of energy are oil, biomass and nuclear power, with natural gas representing only 5% of the total consumption. According to the Finnish government, renewable energy surpassed fossil fuels and peat in total energy consumption in 2020, leaving the country less dependent on Russian energy sources.

      https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Russia-Could-Cut-Gas-Supplies-To-Finland-Tomorrow.html

    • twitter @disclosetv

      U.S. House Majority Leader: “We are at war.”

      + 22 sec video

      https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1525171261797801987

      ===================================
      twitter @disclosetv

      NOW – US House Majority Leader says “in a time of war” it is “unfortunate” to criticize Biden.

      https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1525168687157764099

      =====================================
      Democrat House Leader Hoyer: We are at War with Russia

      Democrat House leader Steny Hoyer gives speech saying that Republicans shouldn’t criticize Biden because we are at war.

      • I’ve been sick so I might’ve missed it.

        Did CONgress vote for WAR against Russia? That advise and consent thingie?

    • Ukraine to arm a million people, defence minister says

      – Reznikov pledged to arm a million fighters using the new weapons and military equipment the US and other Western countries have been donating to the country over the last couple of weeks.

      – The defence minister said that during the beginning of the war, “volunteers were extremely helpful” and it’s thanks to their mobility that they “quickly resolved highly pressing issues”.

      As we’ve been reporting, Ukraine’s Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov has said the country is entering a new stage of the war.

      Reznikov pledged to arm a million fighters using the new weapons and military equipment the US and other Western countries have been donating to the country over the last couple of weeks.

      The defence minister said that during the beginning of the war, “volunteers were extremely helpful” and it’s thanks to their mobility that they “quickly resolved highly pressing issues”.

      Reznikov said that to win, Ukraine “must plan resources carefully and avoid mistakes” and was investing in Ukrainian production facilities to “ensure the stability and frequency of deliveries”.

      In his statement on Facebook, he said that Ukraine had relied on charitable aid from citizens, volunteers, and civic organisations for a significant proportion of its military equipment.

      He said that at the end of April, Ukraine’s ministry of defence was relying on donations for 50% of the bulletproof vests used in combat.

      But as of 13 May, Ukraine has managed to increase its production to provide 57% of the armed forces’ bulletproof vests, he added.

      https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/world/2022-05-13-ukraine-to-arm-a-million-people-defence-minister-says/

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

      bbc – Avozstal evacuation ‘very difficult’ – Ukraine deputy PM

      Negotiations with Russia over freeing the Ukrainian fighters under siege in the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol were “very difficult”, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister has said.

      In an online post, Iryna Vereshchuk wrote: “The result may not be to everyone’s liking, but our task is to evacuate our boys. All of them.

      “Alive.”

      Yesterday, the Ukrainian government said that it was pushing for safe passage for 38 badly wounded fighters, in exchange for captured Russians.

      The Azovstal complex once sheltered hundreds of civilians and fighters, but after several weeks trapped underground civilians were freed in a series of humanitarian convoys last week and negotiations over the fighters began.

      https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-61404062

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

  2. Germany train attack: Five people injured as knifeman stabs passengers and police probe ‘terror link’

    […MUSLIM.. ] Suspect, 31, overpowered by passengers while travelling on railway in far west of country

    German police are investigating after five train passengers were injured in an apparent random knife attack on Friday morning, which detectives said may be linked to Islamist terrorism.

    The train was traveling near the city of Aachen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, in the far west of the country, at around 7.40am local time

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/germany-knife-attack-train-probe-aachen-b2078523.html
    ==========================================
    DEUTSCHE PRAVDA – Germany: Knife attack on train leaves several wounded

    At least six people were wounded after an assailant attacked them with a knife on a passenger train near the western German city of Aachen. The suspect has been detained by police.

    Several people are being treated in hospital after being injured during an attack on a train in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), officials said on Friday.

    Herbert Reul, the NRW state interior minister, said six people were wounded, including the suspected attacker. Reul said the suspect struck passengers “indiscriminately and arbitrarily.”

    Reul also said that “based on everything that we know so far,” investigators believed the perpetrator’s intent was to harm as many people as possible.

    What do we know about the attack?

    The attack took place on a regional passenger train around Herzogenrath, near the city of Aachen, on Friday morning.

    Four people were taken to the hospital, although none of the passengers sustained life-threatening injuries. The victims sustained wounds to their hands and cut wounds to their faces.

    The suspect is a 31-year-old man who was born in Iraq, although his citizenship remains unclear, Reuel told reporters. The state interior minister added that investigators are probing a possible extremist motive behind the attack.

    In 2017, the man was flagged by authorities as a person potentially at risk for religious radicalization after his behavior considerably changed during his time living in a refugee shelter, Reuel said. Since then, however, there have been no further incidents.

    A 60-year-old federal police officer, who was off-duty and happened to be on the train, managed to overpower and detain the male suspect with the help of two other passengers, officials said. There were 270 passengers on board the train at the time of the attack.

    Around 200 officers were deployed to the scene. Authorities have closed the track while investigations are ongoing.

    https://www.dw.com/en/germany-knife-attack-on-train-leaves-several-wounded/a-61789867
    ====================================
    Messerattacke im RE4: Ermittler prüfen islamistischen Hintergrund

    Bei einer Messerattacke im Regionalexpress 4 (RE4) von Mönchengladbach nach Aachen sind 5 Menschen verletzt worden, eine Person schwer. Ein zufällig im Zug sitzender Bundespolizist, sowie zwei Mitreisende konnten den Angreifer überwältigen und so schlimmeres verhindern.

    Die Ermittler prüfen auch einen islamistischen Hintergrund, das teilte NRW-Innenminister Herbert Reul (CDU) mit. Der 31-jährige, im Irak geborene Mann, sei bei den Behörden 2017 als sogenannter Prüffall Islamismus gelaufen, so Reul. Die aktuelle Staatsangehörigkeit ist offenbar derzeit noch unklar.

    Die Tat ereignete sich bei der Ausfahrt des Zuges aus dem Bahnhof Herzogenrath morgens um 7:42 Uhr. In diesem Moment zückte der Mann nach Auskunft der Bundespolizei ein Messer und ging wahllos auf mehrere Bahnreisende los. Vier Personen mussten anschließend im Krankenhaus behandelt werden, Lebensgefahr bestand jedoch zu keinem Zeitpunkt.

    • Innovative Neck Protector Saved Border Policeman’s Life

      An innovative neck protector saved the life of Master. Sgt. M., a Border Police officer who was wounded on Sunday in a stabbing attack at Damascus Gate in Jerusalem.

      The new protective wear was developed after a Palestinian terrorist killed Border Policewoman Staff Sgt. Hadas Malka at Damascus Gate four years ago.

      A senior police official said, “On Sunday, the force of the stab was very strong and the knife was extremely sharp. Thanks to the Hadas neck protector, a far more serious injury was prevented.”

      https://www.israelhayom.com/2022/05/10/border-policemans-life-saved-by-innovative-neck-protector/

  3. europravda – Norway turns its back on gas and oil to become a renewable superpower

    Oil and gas firms have lined up to develop renewables in Norway.

  4. A Nuclear Iran Could Create a Middle East Nightmare

    Most scholars agree that allowing an aggressive, expansionist regime that has described Israel as a “one-bomb country” to acquire nuclear weapons would be reckless and suicidal. One rarely explored repercussion if Iran crosses the nuclear threshold is that Saudi Arabia will do everything possible not to be left behind.

    Saudi Arabia’s nuclear program has both capability and intent. Saudi Arabia began building a 30-kilowatt research reactor in 2018, although they have an abundance of fossil fuels. Moreover, the Saudis have not agreed to inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Saudi Arabia has 90,000 tons of unmined uranium, likely enough fuel for that reactor as well as a weapons program.

    There is credible evidence that the Saudis have an agreement with Pakistan to provide nuclear weapons in the event of a crisis such as Iran becoming a nuclear power. Saudi Arabia is long believed to have financed Pakistan’s weapons program, which is assessed to have 160 warheads. Several U.S. and NATO officials indicated that a small subset of those weapons is earmarked for such a crisis.

    Amos Yadlin, the former head of Israeli Military Intelligence, observed that if Iran acquired a nuclear weapon, “The Saudis will not wait one month. They already paid for the bomb; they will go to Pakistan and bring what they need to bring.” Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bluntly noted in 2018, “Without a doubt, if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible.”

    There are indications that Turkey and the UAE are considering developing similar programs with the hope of establishing a deterrence. So Iran’s acquisition of a nuclear weapon would be just the beginning of proliferation in an unstable region. We must consider such future nightmares while we debate what must be done now with Iran.

    https://thehill.com/opinion/international/3480169-a-nuclear-iran-could-create-a-middle-east-nightmare/
    ………..
    Odd the author doesn’t mention the fact that China is already on the job. Pak is already old news. MbS wants cutting edge stuff.

  5. IDF Denies Entry to Families of Terrorists

    Family members of terrorists involved in the recent wave of terror attacks that have killed 19 Israelis since March will not be allowed to enter Israel to work, pray at al-Aqsa mosque, or receive medical care in Israel, a senior IDF officer said Tuesday.

    “We will not allow the families of terrorists who chose to carry out attacks to enter Israel for employment and trade. Every Palestinian who carries out an attack has to know that he is doing something that will affect his family.” The officer said that the situation will be reviewed periodically.

    For example, 124 family members of Mu’atassim Atallah, who attempted to carry out an attack in Tekoa on Sunday, had their permits revoked.

    Hundreds of family members of the Palestinians who carried out the deadly attacks in Elad and Ariel also had their permits revoked in order to bring the current wave of violence to an end.

    https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-706329

  6. Why Is [al-]BBCeera Using Partisan and Inflammatory Palestinian Language?

    The rallying cry of “al-Aqsa is in danger” produced an 11-day war in May 2021 that was accompanied by violent rioting in some Israeli cities. Just last month it curated violence in Jerusalem which was the topic of international media coverage. A significant aspect of Palestinian efforts involves terminology. All Jews visiting the Temple Mount are “settlers” who are “storming” the site, and the Jewish temples never existed there.

    Until 2014, the BBC followed its own style guide: the site should be called Temple Mount, with audiences also being informed that it is known to Muslims as “Haram al-Sharif.” Then the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) published a “media advisory” informing foreign journalists of its “concern over the use of the inaccurate term ‘Temple Mount’ to refer to the Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound in Jerusalem.”

    Following the PLO document, CAMERA UK began documenting changes in the wording used by the BBC. The term “al-Aqsa Mosque compound” was employed with increasing frequency to describe the whole site. The use of that terminology resulted in BBC audiences being told that al-Aqsa Mosque was “sacred to Jews.”

    BBC Arabic, in its reporting on rioting on the Temple Mount, claimed that “settlers” are allowed by the Israeli police “to get inside al-Aqsa Mosque” and portrayed Jews visiting their holiest site as “storming” it.

    https://www.thejc.com/lets-talk/all/why-is-the-bbc-using-the-language-of-hamas-3BRk8YJAs5ftOkwUkkhPMx?reloadTime=1652466439011

  7. Anti-Israel propaganda preaches louder than facts

    Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh’s death is a tragedy, but there is not a single conflict zone the world over where journalists are bulletproof, and while the facts do not support Israel’s culpability, there is always someone eager to buy into anti-Israel propaganda

    https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bjaiwbc8c#autoplay

  8. Barry Shaw: Stop Blaming Israel for Palestinian Propagandist’s Death!

    Although her death is regretable Miss Abu Agla was not an honest dispassionate journalist in the image of Marrie Colvin.She was a Palestinian propagandist in the service of a news agency with an agenda to see the end of the Jewish State of Israel.

    As such, she and the agency she worked for did more to fester hate and division than to herald an era of peace and cooperation.

    These are the facts. The IDF is innocent until proven guilty. STOP THE FALSE ANTI-ISRAEL EMOTIONAL NARRATIVE.

    The misinformed world must learn the truth.

    https://politichicks.com/2022/05/barry-shaw-stop-blaming-israel-for-palestinian-propagandists-death/

  9. More details emerge about IRGC official interrogated by Mossad

    New information has emerged in what appears to be a continued public relations war over an Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps official who was nabbed and interrogated by the Mossad, with broad implications for US-Iran diplomacy.

    Iran International TV in Persian provided significant additional details on Thursday about Mansour Rasouli’s connections with the IRGC.

    It had been reported last week that the Mossad got Rasouli to admit that he was assigned to assassinate an Israeli diplomat in Turkey, a journalist in France, and most significantly for the diplomatic front, a senior US general in Germany.

    News about an IRGC plot to kill a US general seemed designed to undermine any chance that the Biden administration would remove the IRGC from its Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list, a deadlock that could torpedo the Iran nuclear negotiations.

    According to the report, Rasouli is a member of an external unit affiliated with the IRGC.

    His origins are as a Kurd from the Hashemabad region near Ziwa in West Azerbaijan Province.

    Rasouli’s unit launders money through a border cooperative called Dalapar, and in exchange for cooperating with the IRGC, is allowed to carry out illegal exports and imports, the report said.

    Regarding illegal activities, the report said that the Rasouli family cooperates with the IRGC in drug trafficking to Turkey and Iraq…

    In the latest video, he claimed that his phone had been stolen and that other films of him might be released. The remarks suggest that the Mossad may leak other parts of his interrogation and reveal new dimensions of the IRGC’s plan for foreign assassinations.

    Meanwhile, Iran seeks to downplay the incident in an effort to get the US to remove the IRGC from the FTO list.

    https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-706553