[LegalInsurrection] Elizabeth Warren is struggling in fundraising and in the polls (even in Massachusetts). While her campaign is not over, she is being left in the dust by the old school (Sanders, Biden) and the new school (Buttigieg, Beto, Harris).
Warren has been forced to resort to increasingly dramatic proposals while struggling to stay relevant.
If Warren’s campaign collapses, there will be many factors, including her lack of likability and her pre-programmed Hillary-like robotic campaign which included such contrived ploys as her livestreamed beer-drinking New Year’s Eve campaign launch.
Warren has an unlikely defender on her Native American problem--Bernie Sanders.
Bernie has launched an attack on the Center for American Progress (CAP), and it’s Think Progress website, which are perceived as connected to the Clintons and the liberal Democrat establishment that opposes Bernie. As the NY Times reported, Bernie wrote a letter to CAP accusing it and Think Progress of smearing progressive candidates:
"Senator Bernie Sanders, in a rare and forceful rebuke by a presidential candidate of an influential party ally, has accused a liberal think tank of undermining Democrats’ chances of taking back the White House in 2020 by "using its resources to smear" him and other contenders pushing progressive policies.
Mr. Sanders’s criticism of the Center for American Progress, delivered on Saturday in a letter obtained by The New York Times, reflects a simmering ideological battle within the Democratic Party and threatens to reopen wounds from the 2016 primary between him and Hillary Clinton’s allies. The letter airs criticisms shared among his supporters: that the think tank, which has close ties to Mrs. Clinton and the Democratic Party establishment, is beholden to corporate donors and has worked to quash a leftward shift in the party led partly by Mr. Sanders."
In the letter, Sanders points to two columns at Think Progress about Warren’s Native American problem:
"Sadly, I’m not the only candidate in the 2020 field who has experienced personal attacks from your institution. My friend and colleague Elizabeth Warren was unfairly targeted by a November 2017 article on ThinkProgress that echoed Donald Trump’s bad faith claims that she was being a hypocrite about her ancestry. That attack that was linked on the Drudge Report and immediately immersed her into a rather unhelpful debate. Again in October 2018, you published an article stating that she was hurting Native American people."
Bernie doesn’t link the articles in question, but it’s clear from the description and dates he’s complaining about two articles by Rebecca Nagle, a left-leaning Cherokee author and speaker:
"Rebecca Nagle is an award-winning advocate and writer focused on advancing the rights of Native American nations and ending sexual violence. Nagle is a citizen of Cherokee Nation and a two spirit/ queer woman. In 2016, Nagle was named one of the National Center American Indian Enterprise Development’s Native American 40 Under 40 for her work to address violence against Native Women....
You can find her views on Native representation and tribal sovereignty in The Huffington Post, The Boston Globe, ThinkProgress, The Baltimore Sun, Indian Country Today and more. Additionally her organizing and advocacy work has received national press including MSNBC, CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, NPR and more." Food fight among the Dems.
#1
In Bernie World truth is a lie, a lie is a truth, black is white, white is black, men are women, women are men, pale faces are indian, indian are ... indian ... for now because are they are the only ones still on the government reservations...
Winning strategy right there...
[TownHall] Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA) is running for president. He’s one of many who are hopping into the 2020 clown car. No, he probably won’t win the nomination. And yes, he would certainly lose against President Donald J. Trump. He’s also running on an issue that is only popular with the most insane of Democrats: gun confiscation.
Swalwell has gone off the deep end with his absurd allegations that Donald Trump is an agent of the Kremlin. Yet, he’s been saying it for months. Even with the Mueller report torpedoing Democratic hopes of finding cause to impeach the president, the California liberal is part of the bitter clinger wing of his party on this front. Still, his views on gun control border on absurdity and for all the network’s faults, and there are many, CNN’s Jake Tapper did a good job cornering Swalwell into suggesting that he would jail gun owners should he become president of the United States. Tim Graham of Newsbusters clipped this piece of glory (via NewsBusters):
TAPPER: So, gun control is the central plank in your campaign.You wrote last year -- quote -- "We should ban possession of military- style semiautomatic assault weapons. We should buy back such weapons from all who choose to abide by the law. And we should criminally prosecute any who choose to defy it by keeping their weapons." Criminal prosecution for keeping assault weapons. What's the punishment for people who don't hand in their guns? Do they go to jail?
SWALWELL: Well, Jake, they would, but I also offer an alternative, which would be to keep them at a hunting club or a shooting range. And the reason I have proposed this is because these weapons are so devastating. I have seen this as a prosecutor in the cases that I've prosecuted. We have seen these in the school shootings, from Sandy Hook to Parkland. And I was just at Parkland earlier this week doing a town hall there.
But it's not just the violence that they have caused. It's the fear, the immeasurable fear, that our children live in, because they are still on our streets. I want to get rid of that fear. I want to do what Australia did and New Zealand just recently did. I think this issue just needs some bold leadership to do it.
Now, this is moderation. Swalwell considered nuking gun owners. Was he being facetious? No clue. I'd give him the benefit of the doubt, but it doesn't negate the fact that his positions are moronic and illiberal. They're unconstitutional and have zero chances of passing Congress. This is the equivalent of politicians promising to give everyone unicorns or something that is unattainable, maybe not even based in reality. That pretty much sums up this guy whose head is far, far into the clouds. Not only do a lot of gun owners identify as democrat, and this is a losing argument on the national stage, and most police refuse to do this... I can't see any problem with this plan!
#2
Is it just me or does it really seem that there have been fewer of these mass shooting events since Trump took office. Couldn't be that the FBI and ATF are doing their jobs to keep people safe now, could it?
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
04/17/2019 11:30
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Pretty excited about setting up gulags. Bet he has a pretty name for them too, like 'Biomass Energy Substations'.
We'll need some re-education camps too, for those who had firearms and turned them in, just to make sure they are not a danger; how about 'Four Fingers Fun Camp and Safe Zone'.
They all seem like they will be tiny lords of 1984, yet ignore Caligula.
#4
Very few gun homicides are via military assault rifles but the fatalities are frequently white middle class types.
There are a lot of gun homicides that are via handguns and the fatalities are predominantly black and latino.
There is a question awaiting Rep Swalwell based on that.
Posted by: lord garth ||
04/17/2019 12:27
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#5
The true answer is the same reason Sanger pushed abortion so hard. It's all part of their ongoing Eugenics plan. They care nothing for any of the 'servant' class.
#9
This trembly lipped smug puke needs to have a negative poll number, just to wake up that he's detestable among real live Americans not in his head. I hope he runs early and often. His district (Livermore area) should be ashamed
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/17/2019 20:31
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BLUF:
[Hot Air] Maria Farmer, then 26, claims she was employed by Epstein, a multimillionaire financier who lived in a vast mansion on New York’s Upper East Side, and that she frequently saw "school-age girls’’ wearing uniforms come into the mansion and go upstairs. She was told that the girls were auditioning for modeling work, according to her affidavit.
Then an art student in New York, Farmer said she reported her assault to New York police and the FBI in 1996. FBI documents released April 1 make a reference to Farmer having been interviewed in 2006 or 2007. However, Farmer, now 49, said the FBI did not take any action against Epstein and Maxwell.
"To my knowledge, I was the first person to report Maxwell and Epstein to the FBI. It took a significant amount of bravery for me to make that call because I knew how incredibly powerful and influential both Epstein and Maxwell were, particularly in the art community,’’ she wrote.
[Babylon Bee] WASHINGTON, D.C.‐In an intense televised debate Tuesday evening, presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg handily defeated a straw man fashioned to look like Vice President Mike Pence.
Buttigieg railed against the straw man's hateful positions on the LGBT community and inhumane treatment of gay people, and the straw man couldn't respond to a single argument.
"Why do you hate gay people so much, huh?" Buttigieg began. Getting no response, he shook his head. "Just as I thought. No answer."
Since the straw man Pence could not provide actual arguments, Buttigieg simply made up his opponent's arguments for him.
"Ah, so you're saying you don't think gay people should be allowed to exist? Simply despicable."
Every moderator of the debate and 100% of the audience polled declared Buttigieg the winner.
"Mayor Buttigieg totally destroyed the arguments of the other side that he invented on the spot," said one audience member. "His position was much more sound than the imaginary position of Mike Pence."
#2
"Pete Bootigig wearing straw man attire" in the headline is what I read a.m. Thought it was something about the Village People. Time for more caffeine.
[Patriot3] MARS sets the world standard for elevated tactical entry and rescue systems. Its dual, side-by-side hydraulic ramps allow simultaneous elevated access at varying heights, providing an enormous advantage to police, military and anti-terror forces.
[People] Lori Loughlin and husband Mossimo Giannulli don’t appreciate the backlash over their alleged involvement in the college admissions cheating scam.
After pleading not guilty earlier this week, a source tells PEOPLE that the couple resents how the case is playing out in the public eye.
"This is putting unspeakable stress on her and her family," a source close to Loughlin tells PEOPLE. "They’re having to play this all out publicly, and they’re fair game for jokes and memes, but also outraged [by] people who are saying that they are cheaters."
"They’re being destroyed," the source adds.
On Monday, the couple pled not guilty to both charges they face in the case: mail fraud and money laundering conspiracy. A source previously told PEOPLE that the plea was the "only choice" they had after rejecting an offer for a deal from prosecutors.
A somewhat dated story, but still of potential interest.
[Task and Purpose] The most exciting advancement in the evolution of the otherwise boring-as-hell world of drones isn’t the MQ-9 Reaper, favored by the Pentagon to replace the iconic Predator: It’s the Navy’s MQ-25 program, an unmanned refueling aircraft that can extend the range of carrier-based fighters far beyond their normal capabilities.
While defense contractors Boeing and General Atomics are currently vying for the MQ-25 contract, Lockheed Martin just busted out a preview of a "Stingray" concept design dreamed up by the company’s legendary Skunk Works division. We recently made fun of the Air Force’s recent drone-fleet sizzle reel for its resemblance to a war movie that was so bad Jessica Biel couldn’t save it. But... Lockheed’s preview actually has us a little excited.
[DAWN] Sudanese protesters have hardened their stand, demanding a transitional military council be scrapped and immediately replaced with civilian rule as on Tuesday they refused to end a days-long sit-in outside army headquarters.
Organisers fear the army is seeking to hijack the revolution on the streets which saw veteran president Omar al-Bashir Head of the National Congress Party. He came to power in 1989 when he, as a brigadier in the Sudanese army, led a group of officers in a bloodless military coup that ousted the government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi and eventually appointed himself president-for-life. He has fallen out with his Islamic mentor, Hasan al-Turabi, tried to impose shariah on the Christian and animist south, resulting in its secessesion, and attempted to Arabize Darfur by unleashing the barbaric Janjaweed on it. Sudan's potential prosperity has been pissed away in warfare that has left as many as 400,000 people dead and 2.5 million displaced. Omar has been indicted for genocide by the International Criminal Court but nothing is expected to come of it. 's three-decade reign toppled on Thursday by top commanders after four months of nationwide demonstrations.
On Monday, activists accused commanders of launching an abortive attempt to clear the sit-in outside army headquarters, ending the relative calm that has reigned since Bashir's overthrow.
Witnesses said several army vehicles had surrounded the area and that troops were seen removing the barricades which demonstrators had put up as a security measure.
Activists voiced fears that the army would make a new attempt on Tuesday.
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[IsraelTimes] Unclear who is behind clip circulating on Palestinian social media threatening Jewish state ahead of high-profile song contest next month in Tel Aviv.
No doubt Israeli security was already planned to be stringent.
Thousands of tourists and Eurovision enthusiasts are expected to arrive in Tel Aviv in mid-May for the international singing competition.
Anyone who tells you its just about the water, has not studied the issue in depth. There is more accessible titanium on the Moon than on the Earth. Just sayin.... pic.twitter.com/twHFak476k
#2
The CIA bought all the titanium to build the SR-71's, which were supposed to be the RS-71 but Johnson screwed it up, from Russia.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
04/17/2019 8:23
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AlanC - A fully loaded 2nd stage of the StarShip (Musk's big rocket) will mass 10,000 metric tons.
I suspect no matter what the official payload is that it could be made to carry a 326 ton load...
(official payload is likely tons less than the SLS so they don't piss off NASA)...
[DAWN] A two-year-old boy was killed on Tuesday after being caught in an exchange of fire between police and alleged muggers on Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... 's University Road, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) East Amir Farooqi told Dawn.
According to DIG Farooqi, police officials had set up a picket near Safoora Goth when a passer-by complained that he had been relieved of cash and other valuables by two muggers.
The coppers fired at the cycle of violence-riding muggers, with some of their shots also hitting a rickshaw in which the minor and his parents were travelling, said the senior officer. While the parents remained safe, the child named Mohammad Ahsan Sheikh sustained gunshot wounds and expired.
Both the police officials have been tossed in the clink Youse'll never take me alive coppers!... [BANG!]... Ow!... I quit! , DIG Farooqi said, adding that the police force had been given explicit instructions to not resort to firing in open public spaces. He said that the detained coppers claim that the fleeing suspects had also fired at them.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/17/2019
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[DAWN] Afghanistan published on Tuesday a lengthy list of delegates who will meet with the Taliban ...the Pashtun equivalent of men... in Doha this week, including government officials, in what could become the highest-level dialogue between the sworn enemies in years.
A massive roster published by the presidential palace comprises 250 names, including President Ashraf Ghani ...former chancellor of Kabul University, now president of Afghanistan. Before returning to Afghanistan in 2002 he was a scholar of political science and anthropology. He worked at the World Bank working on international development assistance. As Finance Minister of Afghanistan between July 2002 and December 2004, he led Afghanistan's attempted economic recovery until the Karzais stole all the money. .. 's chief of staff, Abdul Salam Rahimi, as well as his election running mate, Amrullah Saleh, the former head of Afghan intelligence.
Other delegates named on the list come from many walks of Afghan life including youth leaders, tribal elders and ‐ significantly ‐ 52 women.
Posted by: Fred ||
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[DAWN] Islamabad police on Monday night tossed in the calaboose Drop the heater, Studs, or you're hist'try! a suspect for allegedly raping a 2-year-old girl in Bhara Kahu area.
According to a first information report (FIR) of the incident, the minor child had gone to her grandparents' house in the neighbourhood in the morning. When the girl's mother came out looking for her a while later, she could not find the child at the grandparents' house.
The minor girl later came out crying from another house in the neighbourhood.
The grandmother of the child then went inside the house where the girl had emerged from. A suspect, who was reportedly living in the house on a rental basis, was allegedly hiding in a bathroom of the house.
When the woman knocked on the door, the man came out from the bathroom and, before he was asked anything, started saying that he "didn't do anything", the child's mother said.
According to the mother, she had seen blood stains on the clothes of the child. She said she took her daughter to a hospital where the doctor directed them to visit the police first. Later, she said, the child was taken to the Polyclinic Hospital where a doctor after an initial examination said she had been raped.
Police have started the paperwork but haven't done much else and arrested the suspect. However, some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them... they are awaiting the medico-legal report for further legal action.
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#1
Surprised the doctor, police, et. al. didn't also rape her.
[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] An Egyptian court has sentenced 36 people convicted of joining the outlawed Moslem Brüderbund organization to five years in prison.
The Alexandria criminal court on Tuesday also sentenced the defendants to five years of probation. They were incarcerated Yez got nuttin' on me, coppers! Nuttin'! in Alexandria in 2017.
The sentences can be appealed.
The Moslem Brüderbund won a series of elections following Egypt's 2011 uprising but was branded a terrorist group after the military overthrew an elected but divisive ...politicians call things divisive when when the other side sez something they don't like. Their own statements are never divisive, they're principled... Islamist president in 2013. Since then, courts have held mass trials and sentenced hundreds of people to death.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/17/2019
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[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Officials in La Belle France have found 21 migrants colonists from Iran and Iraq hiding in a refrigerated truck driving in the east of the country, regional authorities said Tuesday.
The 10 men, six women and five children were taken in for treatment by medical services, the authorities in the Meuse region said, confirming a report first given by the local newspaper l'Est Republicain.
Some of the migrants colonists had previously been given police orders to leave French territory. Such notifications are often issued when asylum applications are rejected, either because conditions were not met or because the migrants colonists entered the European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... via another country that is responsible for determining their status.
The discovery of the migrants colonists in the truck carried uncomfortable echoes of a more tragic incident, in August 2017, in which 71 migrants colonists died of suffocation in the back of a refrigerated truck in Hungary. That vehicle was found abandoned on a highway in neighboring Austria and four people-smugglers -- an Afghan and three Bulgarians -- were convicted and tossed in the clink Drop the heater, Studs, or you're hist'try! .
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#1
They was just chillin'.
Posted by: ed in texas ||
04/17/2019 7:23
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[DW] It has become increasingly difficult for refugees to make their way from Greece to Central Europe. But in the face of police violence and the risk of arrest, thousands still embark on the dangerous journey.
In early April, Greek police near the northern city of Thessaloniki used tear gas to prevent refugees from making their way to the border with North Macedonia. The refugees were headed to Central and Western Europe, driven by a series of false reports on social media that the border crossings to North Macedonia and Albania had been opened. Around 2,000 people believed the rumor and headed for northern Greece. After three days, the last of them gave up and returned to refugee shelters.
Many of the roughly 70,000 refugees in Greece and the Western Balkans want to travel further north, but numerous obstacles stand in their way. North Macedonia and Hungary erected barbed wire fences on their southern borders years ago. Meanwhile,
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Posted by: trailing wife ||
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#1
These are not refugees. These are economic migrants.
They are not claiming refuge as soon as they find someone safe they are heading for the biggest jizya.
Posted by: chris ||
04/17/2019 9:44
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#4
There have been reports like this in Rudaw (Iraqi Kurdistan) and Al Ahram (Egypt), as well. I have to wonder if this is as much to warn those thinking of embarking as it is to inform the usual readers. Iraqi News recently informed its readers that it is nearly impossible to get a UK visa.
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) ‐ Iraqi anti-terrorism forces jugged Maw! They're comin' to get me, Maw! on Tuesday four Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... jihadists in the capital Baghdad as they sough to deliver SIM cards to their fellow gunnies in Anbar province, a security source said.
"The four, including a woman, were arrested with 600 mobile phone SIM cards in their possession," the source told Baghdad Today news website, adding that the faceless myrmidons hid the cards inside olive cans and silicon tubes.
He added that the arrest was made based on accurate intelligence data.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
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Kirkuk (IraqiNews.com) – Twenty jihadists of the Islamic State militant group were killed Tuesday in air raids by the Iraqi Air Force in the oil-rich province of Kirkuk, a military source was quoted as saying.
“Iraqi warplanes, backed by the U.S.-led international coalition, hit a gathering of Islamic State militants in Daquq district in eastern Kirkuk, leaving 20 jihadists killed,” the source told Algahd Press website.
“Most of the slain Islamic State terrorists came from Syria and were implicated in several terrorist attacks against security forces and civilians in Kirkuk,” the source said.
He added that two more IS jihadists were killed while trying to infiltrate into Kirkuk coming from the Syrian city of al-Baghuz.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
04/17/2019
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Anbar (IraqiNews.com) ‐ Five Iraqi soldiers were maimed Tuesday in a kaboom in Fallujah city, west of Anbar province, a security source was quoted as saying.
"A roadside kaboom planted by Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... gunnies went off while an army patrol was passing by al-Nuaimia district in Fallujah, ... the City of Mosques, which might have somthing to do with why it's not called Center of Prosperity or a really nice place to raise your kids... leaving five soldiers maimed," the source told Almaalomah news website.
"The soldiers were moved to a nearby hospital for treatment with some of them suffering severe wounds," added the source.
Security forces cordoned off the blast site and started to search for any other explosives at the scene, the source noted.
No group has so far grabbed credit for the attack, but the Islamic State (IS) krazed killer group, in most cases, is responsible for attacks targeting crowded areas, including markets, cafes and mosques across Iraq.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
04/17/2019
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[Babylon Bee] WASHINGTON, D.C.—After it was revealed that Bernie Sanders only gave a very small percentage of his considerable wealth to charity upon release of his tax returns, socialist Bernie Sanders vowed to do better, promising to be more generous with your money in the future.
"I know I haven't given as much to charity as I could have, but I'm going to try to be a lot more generous with your money going forward," he said in a solemn press conference. "I only gave like 1-2% of my money away. And that's just not right. After much r reflection and introspection, I've decided I'm OK with giving as much as 70, 80, or even 90% of your income away."
The crowd cheered and wept openly at this extremely generous gesture.
"I just love how generous the old coot is," a woman with a Bernie face tattoo said in an interview with reporters. "Some people make millions and then hoard it all, but not Bernie. He's willing to make millions of his own money with a very successful book and then give away tons of your money."
"I wish more people in Washington were like him."
Posted by: Pearl Brown6709 ||
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#1
"I wish more people in Washington were like him."
[KhaamaPress] At least twelve people including children were maimed in an kaboom triggered by a magnetic improvised bomb in southern Helmand ...an Afghan province populated mostly by Pashtuns, adjacent to Injun country in Pak Balochistan... province.
The provincial government media office in a statement said the incident took place close to Greshk market at around 7:00am local time on Monday.
The statement further added that the magnetic bomb was planted by anti-government armed gunnies in a civilian vehicle.
At least six children are among those maimed and are being treated in provincial hospitals, the statement by governor’s office added.
The anti-government armed gunnies including Taliban ...Arabic for students... have not commented regarding the incident so far.
Talibs frequently use improvised bombs as the weapon of their choice to target security and government personnel but in majority of such attacks ordinary civilians are targeted.
[AnNahar] Ecuador said on Monday it has suffered 40 million cyber attacks on the webpages of public institutions since stripping Wikileaks founder Julian Assange of political asylum.
USNORTHCOM welcomed @SpaceX CEO Elon Musk April 15, 2019 to @CityofCOS, where he participated in conversation and round table briefings about future space operations and homeland defense innovation. pic.twitter.com/UAlNH9zoFD
[IsraelTimes] Omar Shakir ordered to leave country by May 1 over calls to boycott companies to pressure Israel; activist says he only called on firms to cease operations in settlements.
The Jerusalem District Court rejected an appeal by Omar Shakir to remain in the country, citing his ongoing support of boycotts of Israel during his time in the country.
Israel enacted a law in 2017 barring entry to any foreigner who "knowingly issues a public call for boycotting Israel."
Tuesday’s ruling was the first time the law was applied to someone already residing in the country.
Shakir, a US citizen, has worked as the New York-based group’s Israel and Paleostine director since October 2016.
The interior minister ordered Shakir’s deportation in May 2018, calling him a "boycott activist."
Human Rights Watch said neither the organization nor Shakir promotes Israel boycotts, but has called for companies to cease operations in West Bank settlements because they "inherently benefit from and contribute to serious violations of international humanitarian law."
The court upheld that the law applies to boycotts of "areas under [Israel’s] control," namely the West Bank, not just of Israel proper.
Human Rights Watch said in a statement that the court’s ruling "threatens the ability of all Human Rights Watch staff members to access both Israel and the West Bank."
[IsraelTimes] State agencies in Texas have started to divest some $72 million worth of stock in a company that boycotts Israel to comply with a 2017 law.
The measure bans the state from doing business with companies that observe the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel.
Two state pension funds ‐ the Employees Retirement System of Texas and Texas Permanent School Fund ‐ own $68 million and $4 million, respectively, worth of stock in DNB ASA, a Norwegian financial services company, the San Antonio Express-News reported.
The company has denied it boycotts Israel.
There are four companies on the state comptroller’s blacklist of companies that boycott Israel, the newspaper reported. The companies all deny such a boycott.
The Employees Retirement System told the Express-News that as of early April it had divested about half of its holdings in DNB ASA and that divestment should be complete by June.
The Texas comptroller in March blacklisted Airbnb for its decision to remove listings of rooms and homes for rent in West Bank Jewish settlements. The company has since walked back its decision.
Earlier this month Texas politicians offered an amendment to the law to exempt individuals and businesses valued at less than $100,000 or employing fewer than 10 full-time employees from the ban. The amendment was in response to legal challenges.
At least 26 states in recent years have passed similar laws punishing businesses that choose to boycott Israel.
[DAWN] The Gulf state of Bahrain Tuesday incarcerated Drop the gat, Rocky, or you're a dead 'un! 138 people and revoked their citizenship for plotting to form a "terror" group with links to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the public prosecutor said.
The verdict was swiftly condemned by the Bahraini opposition, while human rights ...which are usually open to widely divergent definitions... group Amnesia Amnesty International decried the "mockery of justice" and "mass arbitrary denaturalisation".
The court, whose rulings can be appealed, handed the men prison terms of three years to life for having tried to build a Bahrain Hezbollah, similar to the Shiite militia active in Leb, said prosecutor Ahmad al-Hammadi.
Some members had received military training in Leb, Iran and Iraq, he said in a statement.
Another man was also incarcerated Drop the gat, Rocky, or you're a dead 'un! but his citizenship was not revoked, while 30 others were acquitted, said the statement posted on the prosecution Instagram account.
A judicial source said all the convicts are members of the Shiite community in the Sunni-ruled Gulf state. The source also said that 111 were already in jug while 58 were sentenced in absentia.
Posted by: Fred ||
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[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] A German comedian has lost a court case against Chancellor Angela Merkel ...chancellor of Germany and the impetus behind Germany's remarkably ill-starred immigration program. Merkel used to be referred to by Germans as Mom. Now they make faces at her for inundating the country with Moslems .. ’s description of a crude poem he wrote about Ottoman Turkish President Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan the First ... Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey... as "deliberately hurtful."
Amid tensions with The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the decaying remnant of the Ottoman Empire.... over a TV satire poking fun at Erdogan, Jan Boehmermann read the poem on television in 2016 to illustrate something he said wouldn’t be allowed in Germany.
Merkel’s front man said she considered the poem "deliberately hurtful," which Merkel later said was a mistake. Prosecutors dropped an investigation of Boehmermann for lack of evidence of any crime.
Berlin’s administrative court on Tuesday rejected Boehmermann’s bid to ban the government from repeating Merkel’s assessment since it was clear that wouldn’t happen.
It also found Merkel’s comments weren’t unlawful and didn’t constitute "prejudgement" of the case against Boehmermann.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/17/2019
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#1
So what the hell was the poem? Fucking censoring media.
Posted by: Herb McCoy ||
04/17/2019 7:53
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#2
I can imaging rhyming in German being "deliberately hurtful" at the phonetic level...
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
04/17/2019 8:17
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#3
This video claims to be the original German, Herb:
#4
With this offered separately as an English translation.
On behalf of bad poets everywhere, let me say that was lame, uninteresting and not the least bit clever. For Goethe's sake, I hope it reads better in the original.
[DAWN] An anti-terrorism court in Gilgit-Baltistan on Thursday sentenced four men to death for kidnapping, raping and brutally murdering a teenage boy in the Ishkoman tehsil.
ATC No 1's judge Raja Shahzada who heard the case pronounced the verdict.
The incident occurred in February when the boy was kidnapped from the far-flung area of Immat village of tehsil Ishkoman and his body was later recovered from Qurumbar river. Area police confirmed that the boy was sexually assaulted before being strangled to death.
The boy's father had filed an application with the police on February 6, in which he stated that his son, whose age he approximated to be between 15 and 16, left home to purchase 'easy load' credit for his mobile phone but never returned.
Police after registering a First Information Report locked away Keep yer hands where we can see 'em, if yez please! four suspects, namely Aziz, Muhammad Umer, Noor Azam, and Noor Muhammad, who confessed to the crime.
The trial was concluded over a period of one month during which evidence and statements provided by witnesses proved the charges of kidnap, rape, and murder.
Today, all four men were sentenced to death under Section 302 (punishment for murder) of the Pakistain Penal Code and Section 6 and 7 of the Anti Terrorism Act. They were ordered by the judge to pay a fine of Rs0.3 million each, the family's lawyer Nazir Ahmed told DawnNewsTV.
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[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Venezuela on Monday accused Canada of supporting US President Donald Trump ...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States... ’s "war adventure" after Ottawa announced new sanctions on brass hats in President Nicolas Maduro Venezuela's attempt at producing a Muammar Qadaffy... ’s government.
In a statement, Venezuela’s foreign ministry said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau "has invalidated Canada as a reliable actor in dialogue."
Earlier Monday, Canada announced new sanctions against 41 members of Maduro’s government whom it holds "responsible for the deterioration of the situation" in the crisis-wracked South American country.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/17/2019
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#1
I, for one, wish that Turdeau would go to Venezuela in person and sort out this little misunderstandig. He might like it enough to stay there.
[Libya Observer] The Libyan Interior Ministry of the Presidential Council said Monday it had placed in durance vile Don't shoot, coppers! I'm comin' out! an ISIS terrorist in Tajoura, Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... , saying he is the second to be apprehended in ten days.
In a statement on Facebook, the ministry said the holy warrior named Mohammed Abdulhakim al-Hanid was arrested on Saturday and he was an active member of the terrorist group with a nickname of al-Farouk, adding that he was trying to obtain the kabooms C4.
Upon interrogations, the terrorist confessed to be a member of the Hisba Office in Derna within the ISIS group, saying he met with ISIS Emir in Derna Abu Mouad al-Iraqi and that he has contacts with many ISIS leaderships in Libyan desert.
He also confessed that he was tasked by ISIS to monitor the ministries and vital targets in Tripoli and that he wanted to obtain explosives to make boom belts for attacks in western Libya, especially in Tripoli.
Last week, the Interior Ministry said it had arrested Ana Abrik al-Zouki, A.K.A. Abu Abdullah al-Dernawi, who is also an ISIS holy warrior.
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[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Women in ISIS can be more zealous and aggressive than their male counterparts ‐ a far cry from the stereotypical ISIS-bride victim often presented in the media.
During a five-episode series, Al Arabiya’s Rola al-Khatib met with ISIS fighters, women, and children, yet she says that her time with the women was the most violent, physically and psychologically.
Al Arabiya’s exclusive series "Face to Face with ISIS" interviewed women in the camp of al-Hol in northern Syria, which is run by Civilian Administration of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Covered in black and standing behind a fence, the women spoke to Al Arabiya about their ideology, which the Civilian Administration says they still follow.
One of them said: "The creed that is planted here won’t be removed by anyone. Not Trump, nor America, nor the Jews, nor the infidels ... no one."
She added: "This creed is also planted in our children."
The ISIS women stoned the filming team after the interviews had been conducted, causing them to leave the camp earlier than they had planned.
Among them, there are Yazidi women, previous ISIS sex slaves, who are afraid to identify themselves to the forces for fear of repercussions from the ISIS women, according to the SDF.
The SDF also said that the ISIS women had previously burned down the tent of one of them for removing her face cover.
The three camps in the area host almost 13,000 foreign ISIS women and kiddies. Other parts of the same camps host Iraqi refugees and displaced Syrians.
Previous episodes of "Face to Face with ISIS" included interviews with former ISIS fighters who were captured or surrendered near al-Baghouz, as well as the plight of former ISIS child soldiers and their experiences under the terrorist group’s rule.
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Not getting a real solid visual there... but I'm pretty sure I'm okay with that.
Some people enjoy getting hugs,
And some, pulling legs off of bugs;
Some, angling in brooks;
Others, dangling from hooks...
And that's why God made all these drugs.
[ToloNews] The Attorney General’s Office said in a statement on Tuesday that two suspects were sentenced to death for killing a journalist in Kandahar, the Attorney General’s Office said in a statement.
Arghand had worked for Kabul News TV for a number of years. He also reportedly worked for China’s state news agency Xinhua.
Arghand was "murdered" by two men in Kandahar province in the south of Afghanistan last year on April 25, according to the statement.
The court announced its verdict on the case on April 6, the Attorney General’s Office said in the statement.
The case was handed to a court in Kabul after requests by Arghand’s family and Afghanistan Journalists Federation, the statement said.
The statement says that the Attorney General’s Office has assessed at least 50 cases of violence against journalists and it remains committed to supporting the freedom of press and journalists.
The Attorney General’s Office remains committed to addressing cases of violence against journalists thoroughly.
This comes as Afghanistan has ranked among deadliest countries for journalists.
The Afghan government has said it is committed to supporting journalists and freedom of the press. However, there is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened... reports show that journalists are still facing different kinds of threats.
Government’s statistics show that there are 96 TV channels, 65 radio stations and 911 print media in Kabul, as well as 107 TV channels, 284 radio stations, and 416 print media in other provinces. He says there are 1,879 active media outlets in Afghanistan which are called as one of the main achievements of the country in the past 18 years.
[Rudaw] The remains of hundreds of Yezidis executed by Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... (ISIS) murderous Moslems are believed to have been discovered at a mass grave in Kocho, Shingal.
It's one of 15 burial sites in the village of Kocho, a Yezidi village in the Shingal district.
The Iraqi government, the International Commission on Missing Persons and the United Nations ...the Oyster Bay money pit... are conducting an exhumation of the suspected mass grave sites.
"The bodies in this grave will be sent directly to the forensic department in Baghdad, and I went to Baghdad and visited the laboratories and saw the process there," said Haitham Ahmad who has lost four family members.
In the summer of 2014, the ethno-religious Yezidi minority in northwestern Iraq and the Kurdistan Region were targeted by Islamic State (ISIS) bully boyz streaming from Raqqa to djinn-infested Mosul ... the home of a particularly ferocious and hairy djinn... across the border with Syria.
"I am confident that the crimes of ISIS will be revealed through the examination of these bodies. It (the examination result) will be stored by them until all the 15 mass graves in Kocho, 14 inside Kocho itself and one in Sulag, are exhumed and only then can we receive them officially and give them a proper burial," added Ahmad.
Only 26 bodies have been recovered so far at the site in Kocho, although 500 victims' remains are through to be buried there.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
04/17/2019
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[KhaamaPress] At least four Talibs were killed in the airsrikes which were carried out in norther Kunduz province, the military sources said Tuesday.
The sources further added that the Arclight airstrikes were carried out in the vicinity of Kunduz district.
This comes as Talibs intensified their attacks on Kunduz and some other key northern provinces soon after announcing their spring offensive early on Friday.
However, it's easy to be generous with someone else's money... the Afghan military says the attacks were repulsed leaving at least 179 forces of Evil dead and dozens more maimed.
The 209th Shaheen Corps in a statement said Monday that the forces of Evil were killed during the festivities in Badakhshan, Kunduz, Baghlan, Balkh, Sar-e-Pul ...a city and eponymous province in northern Afghanistan, population about 500,000. Demographically it is majority Tadjik and Uzbek. There are small Pashtun, Arab, and Hazara ...a grouping of Dari-speaking people of Sino-Tibetan descent inhabiting Afghanistan and Pakistain. They are predominantly Shia Moslems and not particularly warlike, which makes them favored targets... communities, of which the Hazaras mostly don't bother anyone... , and Faryab provinces.
The statement further added that 77 forces of Evil including their 6 commanders were also maimed during the same festivities.
According to 209th Shaheen Corps, Talibs intensified their attacks in northern parts of the country after announcing their spring offensive but the Afghan armed forces effectively responded and repulsed the attacks with the effective close-air support of the Air Forces.
[KhaamaPress] At least six Talibs were killed and 14 others were maimed after the Afghan armed forces repulsed their second attack in Dawlatabad district of Faryab province.
The 209th Shaheen Corps of the Afghan Military in a statement said the Talibs launched their second attack on Dawlatabad district at around 5:00pm local time on Monday.
The statement further added that the attack sparked heavy festivities which continued until 10:00pm, leaving at least 6 faceless myrmidons dead and 14 others maimed.
A senior commander of the military commission of the group identified as Mawlavi Ehsanullah alias Toofan was among those maimed, the 209th Shaheen Corps added.
Members of the public uprising forces had also taken part to fight the Talibs, the 209th Shaheen Corps said, adding that the security forces and local residents did not suffer casualties during the festivities.
[KhaamaPress] A major offensive is underway in Shirzad district of Nangarhar The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country.. province after a large-scale Taliban ...Arabic for students... attack was repulsed on Friday.
The 201st Silab Corps of the Afghan Military in the East said at least 40 bully boyz have been killed so far and 32 others have sustained injuries as a major clearance operation is underway in the district.
According to a statement released by 201st Silab, the operations are being conducted in various parts of the district with the support of artillery units and air forces.
The statement further added that the offensive was launched in response to a large scale attack by Taliban on Friday which claimed the lives of two security personnel and maimed eight others.
The Talibs launched the attack close to Shirzad district administrative compound shortly after announcing its spring offensive.
The Talibs launched coordinated attacks against the security forces after detonating two truck bombs close to district compound but the offensive was repulsed by the security forces.
and Pope Cyril IV church in Helwan, which killed nine Christian civilians and one policeman.
The court has referred the sentence to the country’s grand mufti for his non-binding opinion, as required by Egyptian law, pending a final verdict.
The court has set 12 May to issue sentences on all 11 defendants in the case.
The defendants in the case were referred to court on charges of forming, operating, joining and financing a takfiri ...an adherent of takfir wal hijra, an offshoot of Salafism that regards everybody who doesn't agree with them as apostates who most be killed... group, murder, attempted murder, and forceful resistance of coppers.
The Arabic word "takfiri" refers to hardline Sunni Moslems who accuse other Moslems and followers of other religions of being infidels, often as a justification for using violence against them.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
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[Jpost] Zachor Legal Institute, a right-wing Israeli advocacy and legal group, filed a lawsuit to compel Texas A&M University to share information regarding its funding.
In May, the think tank filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, or an appeal for Texas A&M to disclose its funding sources, specifically Qatar ...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi... or its proxies. Instead of complying with the request, Qatari lawyers from the Qatar Foundation, a state supported NGO, intervened.
Qatar has given USD $1 billion to American universities since 2011, and Zachor hopes to make a connection between Qatari funds and the "fondness for the Boycott, Divest and Sanctions." on college campuses. The legal institute is focused on waging "a legal battle against anti-Israel movements in America," specifically, Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS).
Since 2011, Qatar has awarded USD $225 million to Texas A&M University. In addition, it is know that the Qatar Foundation has given money to Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, Georgetown, Northwestern, and Virginia Commonwealth University.
#1
qatar also funds various jihadi groups in Syria, various anti Saudi militia groups in various corners of the Arab world, one of the thugs in Libya, al Jazeera media and all sorts of MBrotherhood initiatives
Posted by: lord garth ||
04/17/2019 6:27
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#2
And dictated "Journalist" Jamal Khashoggi's "News"
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/17/2019 8:29
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...one of many Gulenist education organizations loathed by would-be neo-Ottoman Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan the First, “the much beloved”...
a proscribed organization and ordered that the control of educational institutions, being run by the PTICEF, be handed to Turkiye Maarif Foundation.
Turkey established the Maarif Foundation in 2016, after the so-called coup attempt, to take over the administration of Gulenist overseas schools. It is also supposed to establish its own schools and education centers abroad.
On December 13, 2018, a local lawyer, Sohail Sajid, had filed a constitutional petition in the Supreme Court and requested it to declare the group a terrorist outfit in the country. The petitioner had also requested that the custody of Pak-Turk Schools be granted to Turkiye Maarif Foundation.
Announcing its verdict in the aforementioned case, the apex court had ordered the interior ministry to include the name of PTICEF in the first schedule to Section 11-B of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
The apex court had also directed the country’s financial institutions to immediately freeze the bank accounts of PTICEF and give the custody of such assets to Turkiye Maarif Foundation.
Justice Ijazul Ehsan, who was part of the three-member bench headed by Justice Azmat Saeed today, said that 40 other countries have also shut these schools down, and that the PTICEF has been declared a proscribed organization.
During the hearing, the lawyer for the Pak-Turk school administration maintained that the Ottoman Turkish government had no role in the establishment of the schools, it was the Ottoman Turkish population that had generated the funds for the creation of the schools.
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[ToloNews] Taliban ...Arabic for students... ’s attack on Kunduz city from different sides which kicked off on Saturday, April 13, was foiled after reinforcements were deployed to vulnerable areas in the past three days, the Deputy Minister of Defense Lt. Gen. Helaluddin Helal, who leads the Kunduz operation, said on Tuesday.
"Taliban wanted to capture many cities and districts. As you witnessed, they attacked Chahar Dara district and Kunduz city but their plan failed," Helal told news hounds in Kunduz.
Meanwhile, ...back at the palazzo, Count Guido had been cornered by the banditti... Kunduz Police Chief Brig. Gen. Manzoor Stanikzai said that almost "250 Talibs, including foreign nationals", were involved in the attack on Kunduz city but they were faced with "strict resistance" by Afghan forces and their attack was "thwarted".
Security officials have not given exact figures about casualties in the Kunduz festivities but provincial health officials said the fighting has left at least 18 people dead and more than a dozen other maimed.
The Kunduz city, in the north of Afghanistan, came under Taliban attack hours after the group announced its so-called spring offensive, local officials said Saturday this week.
The attack was launched on the outskirts of Kunduz city at 2am on Saturday, April 13, said Enamuddin Rahmani, a front man for Kunduz police.
Some families were displaced after the conflicts started, residents said.
[KhaamaPress] At least sixteen holy warriors were killed or maimed during a clash between Taliban ...Arabic for students... and ISIS Khurasan holy warriors in eastern Nangarhar The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country.. province of Afghanistan.
The 201st Silab Corps of the Afghan Military in a statement said the clash broke out in Haidar Keli, Asman Kala, Ibrahim KHel, and Wadi Sar areas of Khogyani district on Monday.
The statement further added that eight holy warriors of the Red Unit of Taliban were killed during the clash and four others were maimed.
According to 201st Silab Corps, at least four ISIS holy warriors were also killed during the exchange of fire with Talibs. "Fortunately, we had 200 Afghanis Quatloos bet on ISIS-K"
The anti-government armed holy warriors including Taliban have not commented regarding the incident so far.
Both Taliban and ISIS Khurasan holy warriors are active in some remote districts of the province.
[IMAGES.DAWN] French billionaire businessman Bernard Arnault’s family and his LVMH luxury goods group will donate 200 million euros ($226 million) to help repair Paris’ Notre-Dame cathedral, said a statement issued on behalf of Arnault.
“The Arnault family and the LVMH group would like to show their solidarity ata this time of national tragedy, and are joining up to help rebuild this extraordinary cathedral, which is a symbol of France, of its heritage and of French unity,” said the statement.
#3
Think Cesare is right; no resident buildings next to Notre Dame.
I had a chance to see some footage of the interior from I guess just short of The Crossing. Lots of consumables such as what I think was a wooden candle rack showing no damage at all, so other than the fallen timbers' heat, all of the heat stayed way up high. Good sign. Being stone, water damage would be minimal. Some damage to the vaulting, but considering the spire collapse there really is no practical, better outcome. Not saying the old gal didn't get scalped, but the important stuff seems to be all in place.
Obviously building materials and techniques have changed considerable. Put her back together as faithfully as possible, and as accurately as possible. Need a fire memorial, sure, but do that off site nearby so that can be done well and also not turn the cathedral into some Mickey Mouse ride. Shove the inclusiveness and one people bullshit in that building if you have to have it (think donor conditions & influence, politician crap).
#4
Been kind of skeptical about the arson aspect, but yeah there has been a lot of vandalism, plus St. Sulpice. Then Cavuto being a dick hanging up on that guy for even bringing up the vandilism.
But I guess the Yellow Vests are taking too many resources from the police and media to find out what is going on. Or something.
My French is a bit rusty, but watching the live stream I guess Merkal released a statement, something like, "Notre Dame is a symbol of French culture and European history." Couldn't tell you if she was cackling during the release.
#5
The comment about Merkel cackling reminds me of the old joke about why the French plant trees along the roads. You know, that's so the Germans can march in the shade
#6
On the serious side. If the masonary of the structure will support it I think they should rebuild in steel as much as possible. Just make sure that no welding is done up high
[DAWN] India's Supreme Court agreed on Tuesday to consider a petition from a Moslem couple to allow women into mosques, seeking to overturn a centuries-old practice thon the lamly bars women from the places of worship.
Women are not allowed inside most mosques in India, although a few have separate entrances for women to go into segregated areas.
The petitioners, Yasmeen Peerzade and her husband Zuber Peerzade, said that women were allowed to enter mosques during the time of the Prophet Mohammad (PTUI!).
"Like men, women also have the constitutional rights to offer worship according to their belief," they said in their petition.
"There should not be any gender discrimination and allow Moslem women to pray in all mosques," they said.
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[Libya Observer] The Head of the Presidential Council Fayez al-Sarraj said Khalifa Haftar ...Self-proclaimed Field Marshal, served in the Libyan army under Muammar Qadaffy, and took part in the coup that brought Qadaffy to power in 1969. He became a prisoner of war in Chad in 1987. While held prisoner, he and his fellow officers formed a group hoping to overthrow Qadaffy. He was released around 1990 in a deal with the United States government and spent nearly two decades in the United States, gaining US citizenship. In 1993, while living in the United States, he was convicted in absentia of crimes against the Jamahiriya and sentenced to death. Haftar held a senior position in the anti-Qadaffy forces in the 2011 Libyan Civil War. In 2014 he was commander of the Libyan Army when the General National Congress (GNC) refused to give up power in accordance with its term of office. Haftar launched a campaign against the GNC and its Islamic fundamentalist allies. His campaign allowed elections to take place to replace the GNC, but then developed into a civil war. Guess you can't win them all... has not been a true peace partner, saying he used to think Haftar was part of the Libyan aspiration for stability.
In a meeting on Tuesday with elders and shura councils' members of Sahil and Mountain districts in western Libya, al-Sarraj said the attacks of Haftar's forces, which coincided with UN Secretary General's first visit to Libya, wouldn't have taken place if Haftar had not received support from some countries.
He also said that the fighting in Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... is not a battle between east and west Libya but a battle between those who want a military rule and those who defend democracy and the civilian state.
"I call on eastern Libya's residents to listen to wisdom and recognize that the war is led by a person for his own benefit using your sons as a fuel to this war." al-Sarraj added.
Likewise, the Head of the High Council of State Khalid al-Mishri said they won't be part of any dialogue that involves Haftar, saying dialogue with Haftar is only through the Chief of Staff.
"Haftar's attack is a war crime and a terrorist act and the evidence is his forces' Arclight airstrikes on the airport and residential areas as well as the recruitment of underaged boys." al-Mishri said.
He also said that Haftar's attack came as the UN envoy was giving assurances that there wouldn't be any military operations and that Haftar assured foreign countries that he would finish the battle in 24 hours.
He also called on Cyrenaica people to take the side of the Presidential Council's government and end the attack on Tripoli.
Al-Mishri said the UNSMIL is responsible for sending the right message to the international community about who the attackers and who the defenders are in this offensive, saying there hasn't been a clear stance by the international community or the Arab League ...an organization of Arabic-speaking states with 22 member countries and four observers. The League tries to achieve Arab consensus on issues, which usually leaves them doing nothing but a bit of grimacing and mustache cursing... regarding the attack.
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[ELUNIVERSAL] The inputs entered through the Maiquetía International Airport. The aid is being coordinated by the International Committee of the Red Cross and comes from this organization in Panama
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[FoxNews] A federal appeals court in Washington on Tuesday rejected yearslong proceedings against the accused criminal mastermind of the October 2000 bombing of the USS Cole. The proceedings were conducted by a military commission at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The three-judge panel unanimously ruled that the military judge in the terrorism case against Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri
...the quietly polite, little middle-aged man who two decades ago was an Al Qaeda bigshot and friend of formerly not-dead Osama bin Laden. He has been in American prisons and GITMO since 2002, far from the pleasures of jihad and female companionship, which is some compensation for the fact that he is still among the living...
improperly presided over the trial at the same time he was seeking a job with the Justice Department (DOJ) as an immigration judge. In the panel's ruling, Judge David Tatel wrote that retired Air Force Col. Vance Spath's application for the DOJ position "created a disqualifying appearance of partiality" and vacated all orders issued by Spath in the case after he applied for the job in 2015.
"We cannot permit an appearance of partiality to infect a system of justice that requires the most scrupulous conduct from its adjudicators," said Tatel, who was joined in the ruling by Judges Judith Rogers and Thomas Griffith.
The ruling likely means that the prosecution of al-Nashiri in the Cole bombing, which killed 17 American sailors and wounded 37 more while the vessel was being refueled in Yemen's Aden harbor, will have to begin anew. Al-Nashiri has been in U.S. custody since 2002 but was not arraigned in the Cole bombing until 2011, and the case has been delayed several times over various legal and logistical issues
The prosecution of this case started under George W. Bush, so President Trump will be the third president dealing with it. Here’s hoping he ensures it finally goes to conviction and sentencing.
So, the Houthis in Yemen introduced a new airburst ballistic missile that spreads 14,000 pieces of shrapnel over a large area. The "Badr-F" allegedly has a range of 160km. The video shows one missile detonating above and blanketing an entire outpost with shrapnel pic.twitter.com/ZigRi6rV5g
#1
As long as it isn't white phosphorus or cluster bombs, the usual suspects in the human rights community will remain silent. Hell, even if it was WP or cluster munitions they probably wouldn't say anything unless the US was supplying them or deploying them.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
04/17/2019 0:23
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#2
Tell it, brother
Posted by: Richard Aubrey ||
04/17/2019 1:22
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#3
Making a virtue of necessity since they tend to blow up midair, anyway.
Every single year we have stories like this, bless their single-minded little hearts and tiny brains! The only thing that changes is the country whose citizenry caught the bird and tis species.
#6
Wait til the Joo Spy Squirels mount migratory birds! Muwahahahaha!
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/17/2019 20:16
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#7
M Murcek. Ah yes the so called pacifists. The only war they're against is the one they might get caught up in. Understandable. Just be honest about it. As to the missile. Is this the only thing these countries can build?
[DAWN] WHILE the prospects of peace in Afghanistan appear tantalisingly near, the fact is that much ground needs to be covered before a lasting end to the decades-old conflict in that country can be reached.
It would help greatly if Pakistan's ISS were to stop financing, training, and directing the Taliban, as well as providing them safe havens for rest and recuperation on the Pakistani side of the border...
Even as the US and Afghan Taliban ...mindless ferocity in a turban... interlocutors have been engaging in shuttle diplomacy over the past several months, with the Qatar ...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi... i capital Doha the usual venue for their rendezvous, the murderous Moslems have been continuing their violent activities inside Afghanistan. Last week, the Taliban announced the start of the ’spring offensive’, a dreaded annual ritual that signals the start of the fighting season as the weather in Afghanistan turns warmer. The offensive comes in the wake of an operation launched by the Kabul government against the Taliban last month. Moreover, as the Taliban and the Kabul government continue to fight, the UN has lifted a travel ban on a number of senior figures of the militia, ostensibly to allow them to attend peace talks.
To many, it might appear strange that the Afghan Taliban are suing for peace on the one hand, and continuing to wage war on the other. However, a lie repeated often enough remains a lie... such tactics have been used by both states and murderous Moslems throughout history, and are part of strategic calculations. From the outside, it appears that the Taliban are continuing with their violent activities in order to approach the Americans from a ’position of strength’ at the negotiating table. Though the ethical and moral justification for this practice may be questionable, the fact is that the Taliban have managed to sustain their campaign against the US-backed Kabul government, and the only way to end the violence would be to keep engaging with the group and bring them to terms. The onus is on the Americans to expedite the grinding of the peace processor so that a negotiated settlement can be reached. However, a lie repeated often enough remains a lie... the Taliban’s insistence of keeping out the Afghan government is unacceptable; they must shed their rigidity and talk to the elected government in Kabul. In fact, in the next phase of negotiations, Ashraf Ghani ...former chancellor of Kabul University, now president of Afghanistan. Before returning to Afghanistan in 2002 he was a scholar of political science and anthropology. He worked at the World Bank working on international development assistance. As Finance Minister of Afghanistan between July 2002 and December 2004, he led Afghanistan's attempted economic recovery until the Karzais stole all the money. .. ’s representatives and those of the Taliban should meet directly, facilitated by regional states and the international community. Ultimately, foreign elements can play a supporting role, but the grinding of the peace processor must be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned. And where needed, Pakistain can offer its good offices to help end this bloody war, that has not only affected Afghanistan, but has also had a major impact on this country.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/17/2019
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[DAWN] NOT too long ago, the government of Pakistain and many of its citizens appeared enamoured of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, whose actions in the wake of an attack on Moslems in her country turned many here into admirers of her compassionate and determined style of leadership. But while our leaders heaped praise on her humanity, their response to the deadly attack on the Hazara ...a grouping of Dari-speaking people of Sino-Tibetan descent inhabiting Afghanistan and Pakistain. They are predominantly Shia Moslems and not particularly warlike, which makes them favored targets... community in Quetta on Friday, and its subsequent sit-in, has been inadequate. There appears to be a lacklustre effort by the government to reach out to and pacify the protesting members of the minority Shia group who continued their sit-in even amid heavy showers and cold weather before ending it on Monday night. The response from the government has included a visit by the maritime minister to Quetta, where he condoled with the families of the victims and gave assurances about investigating the incident. On the fourth day, other PTI leaders visited Quetta and gave similar assurances. The protesters, who set up their camps to condemn last week’s blast at the Hazarganji vegetable and fruit market, rightly demanded that elements involved in the suicide kaboom be incarcerated Drop the gat, Rocky, or you're a dead 'un! , steps be taken to ensure their protection and the implementation of NAP take place "without any discrimination". Above all, their fresh demand was that the prime minister himself visit and engage with them to chalk out a future for a vulnerable community battered by violence and hate.
It is a pity that governments past and present have fallen short when it comes to standing by Pakistain’s minorities ‐ especially the Hazara community, whose plight reflects an existential struggle. Token condemnations through tweets are a far cry from Ms Ardern’s gestures, which politicians here gushed about in the aftermath of the Christchurch attacks. Instead of simply praising Ms Ardern, the government should strive to embody her qualities of empathy and courage. More leaders should aspire to be like her across the world ‐ especially in Pakistain where she is hailed as a champion.
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04/17/2019
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Six IRGC members killed by an IED during a religious visit to Ain Ali, an area hosting a Shiite shrine near the Deir Ezzor town of Al-Mayadin, @Newsjorf says 1) https://t.co/2S359ESlEn
[KhaamaPress] The 205th Corps of the Afghan Military has announced that the New Security Plan of the Ministry of Defense is proving fruitful for the armed forces in the southern regions of the country as 37 bully boyz have been killed and 9 others have sustained injuries during the operations in Uruzgan, Kandahar, and Zabul provinces.
As part of clearing dangerous areas that pose a threat to the civilian population, the 205th Corps destroyed three enemy bases which included both weapons and vehicles as well as destroying 11 mines, said the 205th Corps front man.
Kandahar Deputy Governor Muneeb recently stated " Over 100 turbans have been tossed in the clink ... anything you say can and will be used against you, whether you say it or not... in the last few months. The security forces have taken extreme precaution not to inflict casualties on civilians but the Taliban ...Arabic for students... try to hide behind them."
Since the release of the Taliban spring offensive there has been increased reporting of Taliban activity which has posed an increased threat to the civilian population to include the threat of civilian deaths due to IEDs.
Clearing mines has been a focus of the new security plan for the 205th Corps to make the roads safe for citizens to travel freely without the threat of bombs along the road.
[DAWN] Yemen’s government and Houthi ...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The Yemeni government has accused the Houthis of having ties to the Iranian government, which wouldn't suprise most of us. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews ... rebels have accepted a detailed plan for a much-delayed pullback from the flashpoint city of Hodeida, the UN envoy said on Monday, but no timetable was announced for the withdrawals.
The redeployment of forces was agreed in December under a ceasefire deal reached in Sweden that offered the best hope in years of moving toward an end to the war that has pushed Yemen ...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of. Except for a tiny handfull of Jews everthing there is very Islamic... to the brink of famine.
UN envoy Martin Griffiths told the Security Council that "both parties have now accepted a detailed redeployment plan" for the first stage of the pullback from Hodeida. "Taqqiya, Infidel"
Griffiths said he received assurances from Houthi leader Abdul Malik al Houthi when they met in Sanaa last week that his forces would support the Hodeida agreement, but the envoy sounded a note of caution after so many delays.
"Let us be clear that when ‐ and I hope it is when and not if ‐ these redeployments happen, they will be the first voluntary withdrawal of forces in this long conflict," he said by video conference from Amman.
The United Nations ...boodling on the grand scale... announced a deal on the two-stage pullback from Hodeida city and its ports in February, but the redeployment failed to materialise on the ground and the peace effort has since stalled.
The United States put the onus on the Houthis to unblock the process and begin redeployments as agreed in the plan.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/17/2019
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#1
What's the over/under line on how long this lasts?
[DAWN] An anti-terrorism operation in Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire. 's Hayatabad area concluded Tuesday afternoon after a 17-hour standoff, with five suspected bully boyz killed and a policeman martyred.
The suspects had taken cover in a residential building in Phase 7 of the Hayatabad locality, from where they attacked security forces.
Peshawar city police chief Qazi Jameel told the media that one of the suspects had been killed last night, whereas the rest of the four were neutralised today.
"The Special Services Group and police personnel participated in the operation. Two of them were maimed during today's action," Jameel said.
The sole policeman martyred in the operation had lost his life last night.
AIG Shafqat Malik revealed that 50 kilogrammes of kaboom was found installed in a bike and parts of the building. The building was demolished with explosives soon after the operation concluded.
AIG Malik said that the operation was concluded after a deliberate delay, which he said was meant to ensure the safety of people residing in the area.
He said that the suspects had offered stiff resistance throughout the night.
The holdouts were neutralised as security forces breached the walls and stormed the building in their final push.
Peshawar Corps Commander Lt Gen Shaheen Mazhar Mahmood had visited the site of the anti-terrorist operation on Tuesday morning.
During his visit, Lt Gen Mahmood had directed security officials to adopt all possible precautions to ensure the security of the area's affected residents.
Residents living around the said house were evacuated with the help of security personnel and rescue forces. Two injured women from the area were also shifted to the Hayatabad Medical Complex for treatment.
Elsewhere, funeral prayers for the martyred policeman, Qamar Alam, were offered in Malik Saad Shaheed Police Lines in Peshawar.
KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Lt Gen Mahmood, KP Inspector General of Police Mohammad Naeem and other officials participated in the prayers.
CM Khan, while talking to the media, said that police had launched the operation on a tip off that suspected bully boyz were hiding in a house in the Hayatabad area. He said, citing initial reports, that seven bully boyz had been hiding in the house.
A local resident told our correspondent that cross firing had started in the midst of a search operation launched by police in the area.
"This area was considered peaceful, but the recent incident has proved it otherwise," the person said.
Talking about the suspects, the eyewitness said, "The people [suspected terrorists] had been living in the house on a rental basis for almost 15 days. They seemed to be from the rural areas from their appearance. All of them were middle-aged men and there were no women with them. They used to enter and exit the building using the basement door only."
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04/17/2019
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Except in certain precincts, Jewish votes as such are not significant enough to move the needle. But upwards of half of the donations to the Democratic party reportedly come from Jewish checkbooks, not to mention volunteers. Any hit to that is significant, even if not transferred to Republican coffers.
[NYPost] Jewish voters furious at Democrats’ defense of Rep. Ilhan Omar Somali-American Dem representative from Minnesota. She is apparently married to her brother and may be her own grandmaw... say they’re done with the party that has held their support for generations.
"We felt we had a home there," said Mark Schwartz, the Democratic deputy mayor of solidly blue Teaneck, NJ. "And now we feel like we have to check our passports."
Jordan Manor of Manhattan, who calls himself a "gay Jewish Israeli-American," laments, "The party I thought cared about me seems to disregard me when it comes to my Jewish identity."
Mark Dunec, a consultant in Livingston, NJ who ran for Congress as a Democrat in 2014, says, "I’m physically afraid for myself and for my family," adding, "I see my own party contributing to the rise of anti-Semitism in the United States."
Omar, a freshman congresswoman from Minnesota, sparked the firestorm in February for using anti-Jewish tropes: saying that support for Israel was "all about the Benjamins" and accusing Jewish-American politicians of "dual loyalty."
#1
"We felt we had a home there," "...my own party..."
Seems like misplaced loyalties to me.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
04/17/2019 0:19
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#2
Why else is America remaking the Middle East? War after war. America certainly doesn't benefit, but Israel certainly does. Taking out Saddam was a big help to them. Taking out Iran? The last big player in the region. I'm no socialist but damn American moves always seem to benefit Israel for some reason.
#5
In favor of invading Iran? I didn't realize we had neocons here.
So was invading Iraq a good idea? Same argument. What's it called when you try the same thing over and over again thinking you'll get a different result?
Posted by: Herb McCoy ||
04/17/2019 8:07
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#7
The advantage with Iran over Iraq is they are a more cohesive state so if you bomb the crap out of military targets you might see the gov replaced but you probably won't see a collapse into anarchy and invasion by unfriendly neighbors trying to expand influence.
Also if the gov is replaced it is hard to imagine a worse government taking their spot.
#8
Battered Housewife Syndrome. Anecdotal grumblings. They will talk themselves back into voting "(D) for Dumb" by the 2020 elections because any other action would involve acknowledging that they had been foolish dupes their adult lives.
#11
In favor of invading Iran? I didn't realize we had neocons here.
"Taking out" is not the same as invading, occupying and nation building. As I understand it, "taking out" is more like bombing the hell out of it and letting the survivors figure out what to do with the rubble.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
04/17/2019 11:37
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#12
just anecdotes
no reliable poll numbers yet on this
Posted by: lord garth ||
04/17/2019 11:43
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#13
"taking out" is more like bombing the hell out of it and letting the survivors figure out what to do with the rubble.
A nation without electricity is a nation without a nuclear weapons development program. Just saying...
[DAWN] THE launch of a fresh report on Pakistain’s digital trends has turned the spotlight on a host of milestones and challenges for both citizens and the state.
Titled Pakistain’s Internet Landscape 2018, the report compiled by Bytes for All is a comprehensive document which maps online patterns of activity and their impact on the social, economic and political rights of citizens. The writers of the report pertinently note that it has been released at a time when Pakistain and other countries in the region are witnessing a tussle between a vibrant civil society and a controlling state, which forces both citizens and governments to confront the issues of control when it comes to freedom of expression.
Above all, the report highlights that although internet penetration is increasing in Pakistain, the key issues are lack of access; the potential for online abuse; and censorship.
When it comes to internet usage and access, the urban-rural, socioeconomic divide still exists, leaving Pakistain behind other countries in lists such as the Economic Intelligence Unit’s Inclusive Internet Index 2018, which ranks Pakistain 68th amongst 86 countries. But the report also notes that even with these challenges, usage has increased manifold, presenting a host of new questions.
For instance, the report highlights that regarding blasphemy online, an environment of fear has emerged with the possible addition of clauses specific to blasphemy in the already controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act. It argues that this could result in harm both online and offline through the abuse of laws, and says that false blasphemy accusations, as well as the targeting of minorities, was witnessed this year.
Another troubling trend noted by the report is the issue of child pornorgaphy. While the report notes that awareness is being created and some arrests are being made, it says 2018 is "just the tip of the iceberg" and that this year saw focus shift to child pornography being produced and disseminated online from within Pakistain.
When it comes to the issue of censorship, the report talks about how different tactics are employed to intimidate or silence journalists online. It mentions specific cases in which warnings though official channels, such as the FIA, Twitter or even confiscation of devices, are tools through which the state imposes censorship in the digital space. In addition to these tactics, it describes how online ’mob justice’ warriors spewing hate speech lead to self-censorship.
Overall, the report does not paint a happy picture for the direction in which Pakistain is headed. The gender gap and urban-rural divide in terms of access mean currently the internet is only for a few citizens. If the overall digital environment is plagued with these issues, promising areas such as e-commerce will not be able to thrive. The new government must focus on these areas and work towards an inclusive, free and safe digital space.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/17/2019
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[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] The Instagram accounts of at least three commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were suspended on Tuesday, only a day after the US officially designated it as a foreign terrorist organization.
The accounts that were suspended included those of Major-General Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force, Major-General Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander-in-chief of the IRGC, and Brigadier-General Mohammed Pakpour, the commander of the IRGC Ground Forces.
Instagram also suspended Khamenei’s Instagram account in English on Tuesday. The Iranian Supreme Leader’s (@khamenei.en) account had at least 21,400 followers before it was suspended. His main Farsi account on Instagram with 2.5 million followers is still online.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/17/2019
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#1
But I'm sure Twitter (sh*tter) is ready to pick up the slack...
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
04/17/2019 8:36
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[Rudaw] Trade is booming between Iran and Iraq including the Kurdistan Region despite increasing US pressure, a senior Iranian official based in Iraq claimed on the day Washington upped the ante by officially designating the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... (ISIS).
"Despite repeated trips by American officials as well as economic and political delegations to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in order to convince the Iraqi traders to abide by the American sanctions against Iran, there has been no sign that the Iraqi side has accepted these requests," Iran’s Consul General to Sulaimani Saadullah Masudian told an Iranian outlet on Monday.
[Rudaw] Factory output in the Kurdistan Region is booming thanks to the removal of customs duties and checkpoints between Iraq and the Region.
"Due to the removal of customs checkpoints between Baghdad and the Region and the unification of customs duties, the export of our factories' products to the Iraqi cities has increased by 20 percent," Mustafa Zubair, who oversees factory affairs for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry of Trade and Industry, told Rudaw, without specifying a time period.
"High quality and cheap prices" have contributed to increased demand on Kurdish-made goods and services, according to Zubair. Some 70 percent of products produced by factories in the Kurdistan Region are sold elsewhere in Iraq.
Following the takeover of Kirkuk by Iraqi forces supported by Iran-backed Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitias, the Iraqi government decreed to deal with Kurdish-made products as foreign exports.
High customs fees were levied on the pretext that the KRG does not abide by Iraq's Law No. 25, 1991 for Industrial Development concerning the licensing of factories.
This move forced the plants in the Kurdistan Region to revoke their licence with the KRG and apply for a new one from Baghdad to escape high tariffs.
"This problem has now been resolved," Zubair claimed. Permits are now being issued according to Iraq's Law No. 20, 1998.
"Any factory licensed based on that law will be exempted from any taxes and customs fees for 10 years allowing them to import raw material to their factories from any border-crossings of Iraq," he explained.
The majority of the Region’s factories are located in Erbil − around 1,200.
"The removal of customs points between the Iraqi cities and the Kurdistan Region has led to an increase in demand on Kurdish factory outputs from the Iraqi cities and a boost for businesses. Therefore a number of factories that had been shut down in the past have once again resumed their operations," said Taeb Kazho, head of Erbil’s industrial development.
[KhaamaPress] An officer of the Afghan National Police has killed his four comrades in western Farah province of Afghanistan, the local officials said Tuesday.
Provincial police front man Mohibullah Mohib confirmed that the incident took place on Monday in the scenic provincial capital of Farah province.
Mohib further added that the police joined Talibs after opening fire on his comrades.
The officer whose identity has not been disclosed had joined police nearly a year ago and investigations are underway from the individuals who had given guarantees before join police, the local officials said.
Farah is among the relatively volatile provinces in West of Afghanistan where Talibs are active in some of its remote districts and often carry out attacks against the government and security institutions.
[ToloNews] A girls’ school was destroyed in an attack by unknown gunnies in Farah province in the west of Afghanistan on Monday night, local officials confirmed.
Another school in the province was destroyed on Sunday night.
The schools were destroyed by use of explosives, the head of Education Department Mohammad Azimi said.
This comes after another girl’s school named Benafsha Girls High School was burned down by unknown gunnies on Sunday night in Tosak village on the outskirt of the city.
Farah education department head Mohammad Azimi said the unknown gunnies entered Nawdeh Girl’s High School on Monday night and replaced explosives devices inside the building and then went kaboom! the devices.
According to Azimi, the school building completely has been destroyed and all the facilities and books have been burned.
At least 2,000 girls were enrolled in the two schools, Azimi said.
While no group has grabbed credit, but Farah provincial council says that before this Taliban ...mindless ferocity in a turban... repeatedly had warned that they will set on fire the schools.
Taliban, however, has not grabbed credit for the incident.
Statistics by the Ministry of Education show that 3.5 million children are deprived of education and at least 900 schools have remained closed across the country.
[KhaamaPress] The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces have foiled bully boyz bid to detonated two improvised bombs in capital Kabul.
The Kabul Police Headquarters in a statement said the improvised bombs were planted under a culvert and on a roadside in Syedan Burj-e-Surkh area of Chahar Asiab district of Kabul.
The statement further added that the Afghan cops managed to discover and defuse the two improvised bombs before the anti-government bully boyz manage to detonate them.
The anti-government armed bully boyz including Taliban ...Arabic for students... have not commented in this regard so far.
Talibs and other holy warrior and terrorist groups often use improvised bombs as the weapon of their choice to target the security and government personnel.
However, man does not live by words alone, despite the fact that sometimes he has to eat them... in majority of such attacks ordinary civilians are targeted.
[IsraelTimes] Gazoo-based terror group planning to exploit salary cuts for Paleostinian Authority party members and security forces, high-ranking party member reportedly says.
A senior Paleostinian Authority official reportedly warned that Hamas, the braying voice of Islamic Resistance®, means to exploit the economic situation in the West Bank and pay off PA officers and security forces to take control of the territory.
The effort will resemble Hamas’s takeover of Gazoo in 2007, the official said, according to a Tuesday report in Channel 12 news. Hamas ousted the ineffectual Mahmoud Abbas ... a graduate of the prestigious unaccredited Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow with a doctorate in Holocaust Denial... ’s Fatah faction from Gazoo to take control of the territory two years after Israel withdrew unilaterally, and the terror group has ruled the Strip ever since.
"We fear that Hamas will exploit the deteriorating economic situation of our officers and members of the security forces, and pay money to buy them off," the official reportedly said at a closed meeting this week.
"That’s how Hamas took control of Gazoo in the coup in 2007, with bribes paid under the table," he said.
The Paleostinian finance minister in February announced salary cuts for civil servants, days after Israel said it would withhold tens of millions of dollars in tax transfers to the PA.
Israel’s security cabinet had approved the freezing of $138 million over the PA’s payments to Paleostinians incarcerated Drop the rod and step away witcher hands up! by Israel for terrorism and violence, and to the families of dead terrorists.
In protest, PA President Abbas said he would not accept any funds from Israel unless it provided the full tax sums it owed the PA.
Israel, which collects taxes on behalf of the PA, says the payments encourage further violence.
The PA claims the payments are a form of welfare to families who have lost their main breadwinner.
#2
"We want the West Bank to be just as big a shithole as Gazoo!"
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/17/2019 8:52
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#3
"We want the West Bank to be just as big a shithole as Gazoo!"
An enterprising person could turn that into a reality tv series, "Who Wants to be the Next Gaza?" Or maybe a tv news magazine, "Shithole of the Week". Lots of squalor, a little fauxtography, some heart-wrenching orphans, and of course, seething. Sure to be a winner!
[ELUNIVERSAL] The calls of the United States (US) to ask Caracas to let in humanitarian aid are a smokescreen to prepare a "foreign invasion," said the Venezuelan ambassador to the UN agencies in Geneva on Tuesday.
"We can never accept the attempts to use humanitarian support to promote a foreign invasion in our country," Ambassador Jorge Valero said in an interview with AFP.
"That is why we firmly reject the US attempt to use the supposed humanitarian aid as a mechanism for intervention," he added.
President Nicolás Maduro closed four border bridges linking Venezuela with the Colombian city of Cúcuta on February 22, after the United States and some 50 countries recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president, AFP reported.
US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, had asked Maduro on Sunday to lift the border blockade to allow aid to Venezuela to enter.
Venezuela is going through a deep political and economic crisis. More than 2.7 million Venezuelans have left the country since 2015, fleeing the shortage of essential products and medicines, a situation that has been aggravated in recent weeks by a series of blackouts.
Valero insisted on the fact that his country is open to humanitarian aid from "friendly countries", and recalled the agreement concluded last week with the International Committee of the Red Thingy (ICRC).
Posted by: Fred ||
04/17/2019
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#1
So I suppose the chinese and russian aid is not?
#6
Letting the Russians waste money on Venezuela is of as big an issue for me as is the Chinese infestation. They have the resources to stay and metastasize permanently. Must more a strategic threat in the long view of the looming conflict.
#7
What the fuck would we want with their shitty country and their shitty, heavy oil?
Controlling the V.oil for our own consumption will crush the remainder of the oil producers in the world because of the drop in demand for their product.
[Rudaw] Eager to discover Yezidis who may have survived Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... (ISIS) atrocities, a high-level Yezidi delegation returned with promising news from the war-torn Syria last week following the declared military defeat of the bandidosmurderous Moslems .
The delegation announced they discovered 40 Yezidi women and kiddies who will soon rejoin their relatives in the Kurdistan Region.
"The delegation consisted of six people who visited different places in Rojava and Syria to reveal the fate of 40 Yezidi women and kiddies some of whom had been taken to hospitals to receive treatment for wounds they had sustained [while fleeing the final battles in al-Baghouz]...," Karim Sulaiman, an adviser to the Yezidi Spiritual Council, told Rudaw.
Without providing details, Sulaiman added they obtained "good information" on the fate of many other missing Yezidis.
On March 23, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the territorial defeat of the Islamic State group (ISIS) in the Middle Euphrates River Valley. Tens of thousands of ISIS bandidosmurderous Moslems and their families as well as many Yezidis poured out of the group’s last holdout of Baghouz, Deir ez-Zor province.
In an interview with Rudaw on April 6, YPG front man Nouri Mahmoud said: "...many Yezidi children who are among the ISIS families at the camps are denying their identity. We are doing our best to approach them and to convince them to reveal their identity."
Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have a shortage of psychosocial controllers. The Yezidi community heavily relies on private donations and non-governmental organizations to fill the gap.
Mahmoud further explained "ISIS has had a great influence on educating them, threatening them, and putting them under their influence. So long as they are treated badly, that style of education still lives with them making them to deny their [own] identity."
According to the most updated data from the Yezidi Affairs Office from the KRG Ministry Religion and Endowment, of 6,417 Yezidis kidnapped by ISIS during their brutal campaign of the takeover of Shingal in August 2014, the fate of 2,992 is still unclear whether they were killed and alive.
A large number have been rescued through smugglers paying ransoms for their release.
Abdulla Sharem, a smuggler rescuing Yezidis who has participated in dozens of rescues, explained "there are many other women and kiddies alive in Syria excluding those who were taken to al-Hol camp" in addition to the recently discovered 40.
"They are in Raqqa and Homs," he said.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
04/17/2019
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[Libya Herald] The World Health Organization (WHO) said today that the corpse count in the Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... fighting has now reached 147 dead and 756 maimed. It said that it has deployed additional surgical teams to support hospitals in the Tripoli area receiving trauma cases. These figures were higher than those reported by the Serraj Health Ministry and do not include those on the Hafter side of the fighting.
Meanwhile, ...back at the desert island, Irene was indignant at the thought of doing such a thing without benefit of clergy... the cat-and-mouse fighting continues with shifting fronts many of which are in or around residential areas. There is ongoing fighting in at least four main fronts. Many residents are stuck in the middle of the battles unable to evacuate.
The Faiez Serraj Presidency Council and Government of National Accord raised its media output considerably yesterday in response to a hostile and productive media campaign by the Khalifa Hafter camp. The Serraj government rolled out speakers from the Foreign, Interior, Health, Education Ministries as well as the General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL) for a live presser.
FOREIGN POLICY
Opening the conference, Foreign Minister Mohammed Siala said that there can be no equality in treatment between the aggressors on the capital and the defenders of the 2-3 million civilians who have been attacked by aircraft and heavy weapons without regard to international conventions and norms.
He pointed out that there is a difference between the Government of National Accord, which is committed to building a democratic civil state, and those who try to militarize the state.
Siala was alluding to reported efforts to mediate between Hafter and the Serraj government. The Serraj government has made it clear that after the end of fighting there will be no return to the political status quo ante bellum. That is, the the negotiating state with Hafter that existed before the war. This could mean the political work and agreement achieved at Gay Paree, Palermo and Abu Dhabi could be lost.
Siala denied the allegations. No, no! Certainly not! that there are Lions of Islam participating on the Tripoli side in the festivities, confirming that the place for Lions of Islam in Tripoli was in prisons.
He said that a letter was sent to the President of the UN Security Council to intervene urgently to stop this devastating war, which has been waged on the capital Tripoli for more than 10 days.
He said the war has caused the killing of civilians, displacement of people of all kinds, and spreading terror and fear in people through the use of all types of weapons, including aircraft, rockets and heavy artillery, and destroyed and inflicted serious damage on public and private property.
Siala also called for the UN’s historic responsibilities towards the devastating and catastrophic war on innocent people in Tripoli and its suburbs, warning of serious negative repercussions not only on Libya, but on the region and the world as a whole.
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[Libya Herald] Civilian casualties and displacement is expected to increase due to the continued use of air strikes and heavy artillery the latest UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) report said.
It added that frontline and referral hospitals in Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... and surrounding areas are receiving daily casualties, according to health sector partners. Forty-eight civilian casualties have been confirmed since the start of current hostilities, including 13 civilian deaths. Civilian casualties and displacement are expected to increase further given the continued use of air strikes and heavy artillery. According to the IOM, the report says that over 2,500 civilians fled hostilities in the past 24 hours, raising the total number of people displaced to approximately 18,250.
It adds that thousands of civilians remain stuck in conflict-affected areas in the southern outskirts of Tripoli despite having requested evacuation assistance, with only some few hundred families brought to safety. Low evacuation rates have been attributed to ongoing festivities, reports of the indiscriminate use of weapons, and reports of deliberate targeting of ambulance vehicles. Doctors and ambulance drivers are reportedly pulling out of the rescue operations, citing the unsustainable risk they are being exposed to, the report says.
The report says that the day after a school was severely damaged as the result of an air strike, UNICEF has confirmed that, on 14 April, a Ministry of Education warehouse in Ain Zara was severely damaged by shelling. The warehouse is said to have contained over four million copies of textbooks for basic and secondary education.
It warned that humanitarians have noted with growing concern the daily occurrence of fighting ‐ particularly the use of heavy artillery and Arclight airstrikes in urban areas ‐ impacting civilian objects. The humanitarian community continues to call on all parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations under international law to refrain from targeting educational and health facilities and personnel as well as civilian infrastructure, it added.
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[Rooters] A community of Syrians who converted to Christianity from Islam is growing in Kobani, a town besieged by Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... for months, and where the tide turned against the murderous Moslems four years ago.
The converts say the experience of war and the onslaught of a group claiming to fight for Islam pushed them toward their new faith. After a number of families converted, the Syrian-Ottoman Turkish border town’s first evangelical church opened last year.
Islamic State murderous Moslems were beaten back by U.S. air strikes and Kurdish fighters at Kobani in early 2015, in a reversal of fortune after taking over swaths of Iraq and Syria. After years of fighting, U.S.-backed forces fully ended the group’s control over populated territory last month.
Though Islamic State’s ultra-radical interpretation of Sunni Islam has been repudiated by the Islamic mainstream, the legacy of its violence has affected perceptions of faith.
Many in the mostly Kurdish areas of northern Syria, whose urban centers are often secular, say agnosticism has strengthened and in the case of Kobani, Christianity.
Christianity is one of the region’s minority faiths that was persecuted by Islamic State.
Critics view the new converts with suspicion, accusing them of seeking personal gain such as financial help from Christian organizations working in the region, jobs and enhanced prospects of emigration to European countries.
The newly-converted Christians of Kobani deny those accusations. They say their conversion was a matter of faith.
"After the war with Islamic State people were looking for the right path, and distancing themselves from Islam," said Omar Firas, the founder of Kobani’s evangelical church. "People were scared and felt lost."
Firas works for a Christian aid group at a nearby camp for displaced people that helped set up the church.
He said around 20 families, or around 80 to 100 people, in Kobani now worship there. They have not changed their names.
"We meet on Tuesdays and hold a service on Fridays. It is open to anyone who wants to join," he said.
The church’s current pastor, Zani Bakr, 34, arrived last year from Afrin, a town in northern Syria. He converted in 2007.
"This was painted by IS as a religious conflict, using religious slogans. Because of this a lot of Kurds lost trust in religion generally, not just Islam," he said.
Many became atheist or agnostic. "But many others became Christian. Scores here and more in Afrin."
MISSIONARIES AND CRITICS
One man, who lost an arm in an kaboom in Kobani and fled to The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...just another cheapjack Moslem dictatorship, brought to you by the Moslem Brüderbund.... for medical treatment, said he met Kurdish and Ottoman Turkish converts there and eventually decided to join them.
"They seemed happy and all talked about love. That’s when I decided to follow Jesus’s teachings," Maxim Ahmed, 22, said, adding that several friends and family were now interested in coming to the new church.
Some in Kobani reject the growing Christian presence. They say Western Christian aid groups and missionaries have exploited the chaos and trauma of war to convert people and that local newcomers to the religion see an opportunity for personal gain.
"Many people think that they are somehow benefiting from this, maybe for material gain or because of the perception that Christians who seek asylum abroad get preferential treatment," said Salih Naasan, a real estate worker and former Arabic teacher.
Thousands of Christians have fled the region over decades of sectarian strife. From Syria they have often headed for Leb and European countries.
The population of Kobani and its surroundings has neared its original 200,000 after people returned, although only 40,000 live in the town itself, much of which lies in ruins.
[KhaamaPress] The Afghan military in the South and the Ministry of Defense have confirmed that Talibs have suffered heavy casualties during the operations in southern Zabul province in past one week.
According to the statements released by 205th Corps of the Afghan Military and the Ministry Defense, the 2nd Brigade, 205th Hero Corps conducted clearing operations this past week in Mezan, Shah Joi, and Daichopan areas of Zabul province as part of the new security plan Operation Khalid.
The statements further added that that the operations were jointly conducted with the Afghan Police police and the National Directorate of Security ...the Afghan national intel agency... leaving 20 Talibs dead dead, 13 maimed while 5 IEDs were discovered and destroyed.
Recently the 205th Corps Commander, Lieutenant General Emam Nazar spoke about hopes for peace at a recent graduation for the Afghan National Army territorial force since there has been an increase of violence from the Taliban ...mindless ferocity in a turban... since the announcement of their spring offensive.
"I love my country and it is an honor to serve for Afghanistan. Everyone wants peace, the people want peace, the Taliban want peace and our security forces want peace," said Nazar. "We will continue to fight and secure the people of Afghanistan as long as the Taliban continue the violence."
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[DAWN] A two-year-old boy was killed on Tuesday after being caught in an exchange of fire between police and alleged muggers on 
...former chancellor of Kabul University, now president of Afghanistan. Before returning to Afghanistan in 2002 he was a scholar of political science and anthropology. He worked at the World Bank working on international development assistance. As Finance Minister of Afghanistan between July 2002 and December 2004, he led Afghanistan's attempted economic recovery until the Karzais stole all the money. ..
[DAWN] Islamabad police on Monday night 
... 
[Babylon Bee] WASHINGTON, D.C.—After it was revealed that Bernie Sanders only gave a very small percentage of his considerable wealth to charity upon release of his tax returns, socialist Bernie Sanders vowed to do better, promising to be more generous with your money in the future.
... Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey...
Venezuela's attempt at producing a Muammar Qadaffy...
[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Women in ISIS can be more zealous and aggressive than their male counterparts ‐ a far cry from the stereotypical ISIS-bride victim often presented in the media.
...a city and eponymous province in northern Afghanistan, population about 500,000. Demographically it is majority Tadjik and Uzbek. There are small Pashtun, Arab, and 
...an adherent of takfir wal hijra, an offshoot of Salafism that regards everybody who doesn't agree with them as apostates who most be killed...
...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi...
[KhaamaPress] At least sixteen 
...Self-proclaimed Field Marshal, served in the Libyan army under Muammar Qadaffy, and took part in the coup that brought Qadaffy to power in 1969. He became a prisoner of war in Chad in 1987. While held prisoner, he and his fellow officers formed a group hoping to overthrow Qadaffy. He was released around 1990 in a deal with the United States government and spent nearly two decades in the United States, gaining US citizenship. In 1993, while living in the United States, he was convicted in absentia of crimes against the Jamahiriya and sentenced to death. Haftar held a senior position in the anti-Qadaffy forces in the 2011 Libyan Civil War. In 2014 he was commander of the Libyan Army when the General National Congress (GNC) refused to give up power in accordance with its term of office. Haftar launched a campaign against the GNC and its Islamic fundamentalist allies. His campaign allowed elections to take place to replace the GNC, but then developed into a civil war. Guess you can't win them all...
[FoxNews] A federal appeals court in Washington on Tuesday rejected yearslong proceedings against the accused 
...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of. Except for a tiny handfull of Jews everthing there is very Islamic...
...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire.
