Photo from the meeting between Jared Kushner and the Israeli national security adviser with the King of Morocco today in Rabat pic.twitter.com/RFo2LHVZQl
Maiteeq stressed the importance of holding fair and transparent presidential and parliamentary elections, scheduled for December 2021...#Libya#LibyaReviewhttps://t.co/D1wlpR51Mn
[ALMASDARNEWS] Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said that his country has two main goals in Libya, the most prominent of which is preventing The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...Qatar's satrapy in Asia Minor... from establishing a military base off the Greek island of Crete.Dendias said, according to what was reported by the Greek city times website, that Greece did not have many options in Libya, adding that "our first concern was to ensure that the Libyan coast opposite Crete would be under the control of friendly forces."
Dendias emphasized that "there are two main objectives of Greece in Libya: to prevent the establishment of a Ottoman Turkish base and to cancel the decision of the Fayez al-Sarraj government regarding the Ottoman Turkish-Libyan memorandum."
On the other hand, the Greek Foreign Minister said that the Europeans themselves have not made a firm decision on the course we want in European-Ottoman Turkish relations, and that Turkey is likely to continue the policy of divergence.
Relations between Greece and Turkey are experiencing tensions over the background of Ankara’s gas exploration in disputed areas in the eastern Mediterranean, which prompted the European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... on December 10 to impose sanctions on Turkey.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/23/2020 00:00 ||
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The goal remains the same, only the approach has changed, because the last one failed miserably.
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Turkey Poised for Reset in Relations With Israel
Relations between Israel and Turkey could be on the verge of a breakthrough, with a Turkish presidential adviser confirming bilateral talks and that full diplomatic relations could be restored by March. https://t.co/WDIHCEVBko
[ToloNews] The Taliban ...the Pashtun equivalent of men... ’s deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar has said that all decisions about the grinding of the peace processor are being finalized in consultation with the Taliban’s leadership and the Taliban’s holy man council in Pakistain.
Baradar made the remarks while visiting maimed members of the Taliban in the Pakistain city of 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... , saying that the Taliban’s leadership exists in Pakistain.
The Taliban have so far not commented about the place of Baradar’s meeting with maimed members of the group.
Meanwhile, ...back at the precinct house, Don Calamari's lawyer was getting even redder in the face... sources close to the Taliban have said that during his trip to Pakistain, Baradar also met the Taliban senior military commanders and discussions were held about reducing violence.
Footage shared on social media purportedly shows that Baradar met with Taliban supporters in Karachi.
"Here, though, everything has passed us by, but we are compelled to come because there are not a few people here, our entire leadership is present here in this place (Pakistain)," said Baradar.
He continued: "When we conduct partial or general negotiations there (Doha), we share the whole process with the leaders and the Ulema council here. We receive back their guidance and act upon it."
REACTIONS IN AFGHANISTAN:
"They were already there, but now they have confessed it. For this reason the role of Pakistain has been critical in the process," said Haji Din Mohammad, the deputy head of the High Council of National Reconciliation.
"It is said that the Taliban has gone there to conduct consultations with their political and military leadership so that they can come up with a positive response to the pressure by the international community," said Faiz Mohammad Zaland, a university lecturer.
"Pakistain has not put any new pressure on the Taliban to accept the ceasefire or reduce violence," said Sami Yousufzai, a freelance journalist.
This comes days after the Afghan Minister of Interior Massoud Andarabi said that the Taliban’s 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 Pakistain's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire... Council has ordered the Taliban fighters to increase their attacks on major cities and towns of Afghanistan.
[DAILYTIMES.PK] The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday seized assets of six accused, including family members of Pakistain Moslem League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif, in a money laundering case.
An accountability court in Lahore resumed the hearing of the case today. The leader of the opposition in the National Assembly and his son Hamza Shehbaz were produced before the court by jail authorities.
The judge said every question the court has is worth a million dollars.
"If you people don’t stop, I will get up and leave," he warned.
The NAB Lahore director-general submitted a report during the proceedings. The report said that NAB had frozen the assets of Shehbaz Sharif’s wife Nusrat Shehbaz, son Sulaiman Shahbaz, daughter Rabia Imran and son-in-law Haroon Yousaf.
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12/23/2020 00:00 ||
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[IsraelTimes] Money to go for schools, clinics, food and shelter; UNRWA has faced financial crisis since US, which like Israel accuses it of perpetuating refugee crisis, pulled funding in 2018.
The aid amounting to CAN$90 million will be distributed over three years
Golly.
and comes after the agency’s chief warned last month it was facing its "worst financial crisis" ever.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ...hereditary prime minister of the Great White North... ’s government restored aid to the agency in 2016 after it had been cut four years earlier by his conservative predecessor Stephen Harper.
In 2016-2019, Canada spent CAN$110 million (approximately $85 million) to support the agency. It also provided CAN$1.5 million (approximately $1 million) in April to help it respond to the pandemic.
Israel has long pushed for UNRWA’s closure, arguing it helps perpetuate the conflict with the Paleostinians.
US President Donald Trump ...Oh, noze! Not him!... ’s administration supported Israel’s stance by cutting aid in 2018.
Washington had been providing UNRWA $300 million a year, roughly a third of its core annual budget.
[Jpost] In an unprecedented move, dozens of Paleostinian Authority employees are threatening to call on the European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... and other international parties to halt financial aid to the PA government.
The employees claim that the PA illegally suspended their salaries because of their political affiliations.
Continued on Page 49
[IsraelTimes] Top official says world’s most populous Moslem-majority nation could get $1 to $2 billion more in development assistance if it joins countries recognizing Jewish state.
Adam Boehler, the CEO of the US International Development Finance Corp., told Bloomberg in an interview published Tuesday that Indonesia could get $1 billion to $2 billion more in development aid if it joins the rush being organized by the Trump administration in its final days to have Arab and Moslem countries openly recognize Israel.
"We’re talking to them about it," Boehler said. "If they’re ready, they’re ready, and if they are then we’ll be happy to even support more financially than what we do."
In an effort led by senior White House adviser Jared Kushner — US President Donald Trump ...Oh, noze! Not him!... ’s son-in-law and a longtime friend of Boehler — the administration is pushing normalization agreements between Israel and Arab and Moslem states as the president nears the end of his term.
There are also hopes that Oman and Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... could also agree to normalize ties, however, Boehler told Bloomberg that his organization could not supply them with funding because the DFC isn’t allowed to invest directly in higher-income states.
[IsraelTimes] The Trump administration announces more sanctions on Syria, intensifying pressure on Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Light of the Alawites... to end the country’s vicious, nearly decade-long conflict. The sanctions target Syria’s central bank, an aide to Assad and others.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says the United States is intent on "holding accountable the Assad regime for the atrocities it has committed against its own people."
Tuesday’s announcement deepens sanctions on the central bank. Syria’s economy already has seen prices soar and the value of the Syrian currency plunge amid earlier US financial sanctions and the fear of more.
The Treasury Department says the aim "was to discourage future investment in government-controlled areas of Syria" as part of the broader effort to compel Assad’s government to end human rights ...not to be confused with individual rights, mind you... violations.
The new sanctions also target Lina Mohammed Nazir al-Kinayeh, whom the Treasury identified as an official in Assad’s presidential office, her husband and their businesses, and others.
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12/23/2020 02:14 ||
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[Jpost] Interpol issued a new report on the impact of COVID-19 on global terrorism, trends and potential risks related to attacks on vulnerable targets and bioterrorism.
The organization, whose headquarters are in the French city of Lyon, pointed out that since the beginning of the pandemic, some terrorist groups and other non-state actors (NSAs) used the pandemic to reinforce their power and influence, particularly among local populations, or to expand their external financial resources.
"Terrorists — like all criminals — have sought to profit from COVID-19, to make money, strengthen their base and to fuel division," said Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock.
Underlining the crucial need to monitor the reaction and response of terrorist networks, violent mostly peaceful Death Eater groups and other potentially dangerous NSAs, Interpol's report also highlighted that the impact of COVID-19 on the global economy has indirectly affected the funding of terrorist groups.
"Our terrorism assessment report is another tool to help law enforcement identify and address these evolving threats, in what continue to be challenging circumstances," Stock said.
According to the report, the use of disinformation and conspiracy theories also appears to be an indicator of these above mentioned threats. In order to prevent further attacks, Interpol encouraged its member countries to cooperate and crosscheck information related to individuals and groups using COVID-19 conspiracy theories to call and plan for violent mostly peaceful acts.
Earlier this month, Interpol issued a global alert to law enforcement across its 194 member countries, warning them to prepare for organized crime networks targeting COVID-19 vaccines, both physically and online, including examples of crimes where individuals have been advertising, selling and administering fake vaccines.
#2
As it turns out, intensely statist overreactions breed hatred and contempt for governments, and decrease citizenry's willingness to cooperate with their own governments. In fact, they make criminal activity more common and more important to keeping the nation going. As Ayn Rand said in Atlas Shrugged, the government WANTS people to break these new laws, because its easy to rule guilty men. And now, everybody is guilty of something. The fact that it makes terror groups' lives easier? So what?
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.
...Qatar's satrapy in Asia Minor...
...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
...hereditary prime minister of the Great White North...
...Oh, noze! Not him!...
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir 
