[NYPOST] A notoriously lenient Manhattan judge cut loose a teen gangbanger on an attempted murder case — despite admitting he could go on the lam, The Post has learned.
Kalifa Quattara, 18, had already caught a break on a botched Brooklyn gun case where he was wrongly treated as a minor, even before he got yet another break from soft-on-crime Manhattan Judge Valentina Morales last week.
Now Quattara, with two open felonies in two boroughs, is back on the streets with electronic monitoring, according to court records.
"The ankle bracelet isn’t foolproof... [Morales] is overestimating what the bracelet does and doesn’t do," one law enforcement source said Thursday.
"On a second gun arrest, it doesn’t appear restrictive enough."
Quattara, a reputed member of the "Up the Hill" street gang, was last nabbed by cops with a loaded gun on April 19 and admitted that he used the same gun in a caught-on-video shootout with rival gangs members nine days earlier, court records show.
No one was struck by the bullets, the records show.
He was hauled before Morales on April 21 on attempted murder, reckless endangerment, and gun charges, with prosecutors asking that the troublesome teen be held without bail at Rikers Island.
"The defendant is no stranger to firearms," Manhattan Assistant District Attorney William Salter told the judge, according to a transcript of Quattara’s arraignment before Morales. "It is clear from the video evidence that the exchange of gunfire by the defendant was in retaliation for the previous encounter on Madison and Rutgers Street on April 11."
He noted that Quattara was already out without bail on the Brooklyn gun case.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/28/2023 00:00 ||
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#1
I would be surprised to see any perp miss a court date with this type of judge and the current crop of NYC DAs. The Happy Times do not last forever for submarine wolf packs or for New York crooks.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/28/2023 13:00 Comments ||
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SAUDI ARABIA EVACUATES AFGHANS TRAPPED IN SUDAN – An undisclosed number of Afghan citizens who had been caught between the opposing forces in Sudan were successfully evacuated to Jeddah yesterday. It is believed approximately fifty Afghans remain in Khartoum and elsewhere across the country. Saudi Arabia reportedly conducted the evacuation after an official request was made by the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry.
BLOWBACK FROM ‘RECOGNITION’ REMARKS CONTINUE – After the UN’s Deputy Secretary General made remarks that led some to believe that recognition of the IEA would be discussed at next month’s UN meetings, criticism has continued to mount. Yesterday, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission added its voice to the chorus and stated flatly that any attempt to recognize the regime while the bans on females in classrooms and humanitarian work remain in place is unacceptable. The AIHRC statement is just one of many from international human rights organizations who are warning against such a move. However, the UN has walked back the comments, and representatives from the nations that will attend the meetings have reiterated that recognition was never on the agenda. The drama illustrates some dysfunction among the various UN agencies in their messaging and the Director for Human Rights Watch Asia, Patricia Grossman, highlights some of the confusion issuing out of New York and Geneva. The report can be found by scrolling down to our Daily WTF section.
PAKISTAN’S CRACKDOWN ON CRIME HAS BEEN BLOODY, 6 POLICE KILLED IN SHOOTOUT IN SINDH – The government announced in March that it intended to tackle the issues of street criminals in conjunction with an all-out assault on terrorism. The police have definitely made good on the promise to reduce crime but it has come at a tremendous cost. Yesterday, a shootout took place between police and members of a kidnapping/ransom criminal network in Sindh Province on Wednesday. Police reacted to a tip and mounted an operation to try and recover the son of a local mill owner near Jageer. A gun battle broke out and 5 police officers were killed at the scene with another perishing en route to medical attention. It is not clear if any of the criminals were killed or arrested and the fate of the kidnapped boy is not yet known. The incident is just one of several deadly encounters the Police force has been involved with as they ramp up their efforts on both the criminal and terror fronts.
TWO SEPARATE BUS ACCIDENTS KILL 17, MANY INJURED – Bus accidents in Balkh and Kandahar Provinces on Thursday claimed the lives of at least 17 people, and many others were reportedly injured in the accidents. A Taliban spokesman has said that negligent driving and fatigue have caused an uptick in fatalities over the holiday.
CONFLICT TRACKER Nangarhar: An operation by a currently unidentified Resistance group is said to have taken place near Torkham (Bandar area) that resulted in the deaths of 6 Taliban and 5 others were wounded.
NEXT 24 HOURS
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL VOTE CONDEMNING TALIBAN EXPECTED – In an afternoon session on Thursday, the UNSC was expected to vote on a demand for the Taliban to reverse its restrictions on women’s education and work. The resolution was drafted jointly by the United Arab Emirates and Japan. Barring a veto from any of the permanent members of the council, the resolution was expected to pass. The vote could be significant leading into the Doha meetings from 1-2 May in Doha, Qatar which could well see a new strategy shift for dealing with the Taliban. UPDATE: The resolution passed unanimously late on Thursday.
RUSSIA ‘DROPS THE HAMMER’ ON THE TALIBAN – The Russian Foreign Minister made several remarks during a press conference in the US about Russia’s stance with regard to the Taliban. He proclaimed that Russia would not recognize the Taliban until it fulfilled its international obligations. Of primary importance to Russia was the formation of an inclusive government that represents not only ethnic minorities but opposing political views. He also added that the rights of girls and women must be respected. However, he also articulated that the Taliban are the ‘reality’ and must be dealt with on the ground in Afghanistan. Finally, he said Russia is supportive of the upcoming meeting in Doha which is to be hosted by the UN Secretary-General. Sergey Lavrov was in New York as Russia assumed the role of the presidency of the Security Council. Russia, Iran, and other regional powers have consistently stuck to the criteria Lavrov outlined but the Taliban leadership in Kandahar appears unwilling to compromise.
RUMORS OF US/TALIBAN COOPERATION AGAINST ISIS AND AL QAEDA CONTINUE TO SWIRL – Several regional News outlets have published stories about purported secretive meetings in Qatar and the UAE, between leaders of the Taliban’s intelligence unit (GDI) and select US intelligence agencies. The reports cite unnamed ‘sources’ who described the meetings as cordial and focused on limited areas of cooperation with regard to threats of mutual concern. The date of the meeting was not released but the sources said they had taken place recently. There has been no official confirmation of any such meetings but rumors of limited intelligence exchanges have circulated for many months and several analysts believe the drone strikes that resulted in the death of the al-Qaeda leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, were coordinated with elements from the Ministry of the Interior.
POISONINGS AT WEDDING PARTY IN FARYAB – A source said that nearly 20 guests who attended a wedding in the province were poisoned and had fallen ill. The source said that preliminary investigation results suggest that guests were served pomegranate juice that had been laced with sleeping pills. There were no suspects named at the time of the report. The case is eerily similar to an incident that occurred in Faryab in 2015. Approximately 40 people were reputedly poisoned during a dinner at a wedding ceremony event in the Province and investigators believed the case was perpetrated by a jealous rival who had been involved with the Taliban-led poisoning of Afghan school girls that affected roughly 300 children in Herat Province the same year.
WHILE THE US ADMINISTRATION HAS ‘CONFIRMED’ THE TALIBAN ASSERTION OVER THE DEATH OF THE MASTERMIND OF THE ABBEY GATE BOMBING, OTHERS DISAGREE – Several Afghanistan observers and members of the former regime’s intelligence service and military say the Taliban and the US Government are wrong and the plotter is alive and is possibly living in Kunar Province. While the identity of the corpse discovered after a security operation in Southern Afghanistan earlier this month has not been released, those claiming knowledge of the situation say they got the wrong man. They have identified Abdullah Omar Bajawari as the actual planner of the Abbey Gate attack. At this point, it is not clear who was killed and what role he may have played in the attack. US officials continue to assert, with high confidence, that the man killed by the Taliban was indeed responsible for the deadly attack. More information will likely be released over the coming weeks to provide clarity.
NEXT 24 HOURS
SEVERE WEATHER ALERTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED IN AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN – A strong storm system is expected to roll across both countries over the coming week. Heavy rain, strong winds, and hail will be widespread and emergency management agencies are warning agricultural workers and the transport sector about the possibility of flooding. The system could be met by a high-pressure system loitering over China and India which would cause it to remain over Pakistan, potentially into the first week of May. At-risk Afghans who reside in areas under threat from this system should set aside drinking water and food as the expected flooding is expected to pollute local drinking water supplies and disrupt the transport systems.
[TOLONEWS] The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow "will not recognize the Taliban ...Arabic for students... government de-jure unless it fulfills its internationally recognized obligations," namely "inclusivity of governing bodies, not just in the ethnic sense, but also in the political one."
Lavrov made the remarks on Tuesday at a news conference to sum up the results of his visit to the United States within the framework of Russia’s presidency in the UN Security Council.
However, some people cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go... he said that the "Taliban is a reality" and that "talks with them on the ground are necessary."
"The formation of an inclusive government and ensuring the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan are the main wishes of the people of Afghanistan that the international community and the regional countries understand completely," said Nematullah Bizhan, international relations analyst.
This comes as the US special envoy for Afghanistan’s women and human rights When they're defined by the state or an NGO they don't mean much... , Rina Amiri, said on Twitter that "there will be no normalization of relations with the Taliban without respect for the rights of all Afghans, especially women."
Speaking at a presser, the US State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel, referring to a gathering of Afghan leaders in Vienna and an upcoming conference in Doha, said that "any kind of recognition of the Taliban is completely off the table."
But the Islamic Emirate said that the formation of the government is the internal affair of the country.
"The format of the government, definition of the government, and the rights of the people are the issues belonging to the people of Afghanistan. It is better that a country does not interfere in the issues that belong to Afghanistan," said Zabiullah Mujahid, the Islamic Emirate’s Spokesman.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/28/2023 00:00 ||
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[TOLONEWS] The UN Security Council (UNSC) is set to vote on Thursday to condemn the ban on Afghan women working for the United Nations ...an organization conceived in the belief that we're just one big happy world, with the sort of results you'd expect from such nonsense... in Afghanistan and call upon the Islamic Emirate to "swiftly reverse" its crackdown on the rights of women and girls.
The resolution to be voted on - drafted by the United Arab Emirates and Japan and seen by Rooters - describes the ban as "unprecedented in the history of the United Nations" and asserts "the indispensable role of women in Afghan society."
According to the Rooters report, the UAE ambassador to the UN, Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, said the restrictions "could jeopardize the operations of the UN in Afghanistan as a whole" and that the Security Council could not stay silent.
"The challenges in Afghanistan are multifaceted and must also be addressed," she said. "But what is clear is that without women, the dire situation in the country cannot be addressed sustainably."
The Security Council will vote days before a planned international meeting in Doha on May 1-2 on Afghanistan. UN Secretary-General António Guterres ...Portuguese politician and diplomat, ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations. Previously, he was the UN High Commissioner for Refugees between 2005 and 2015. He was the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002 and was the Secretary-General of the Socialist Party from 1992 to 2002. He served as President of the Socialist International from 1999 to 2005. In both a 2012 and 2014 poll, the Portuguese public ranked him as the best Prime Minister of the previous 30 years... will convene behind closed doors special envoys on Afghanistan from various countries to work on a unified approach to dealing with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
Although the Islamic Emirate has not commented on this matter, it has always said that the issue of women is an internal issue of the country.
The Islamic Emirate’s front man Zabihullah Mujahid asked the participants of the meeting in Doha to decide on the recognition of the Islamic Emirate.
"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is a system; the Afghan people demand it to be recognized, and they should be given rights in the United Nations and other nations. In any case, We want good ties with all countries," Mujahid noted.
TASS reported that the Russian special envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, said that he would attend a meeting of special envoys on Afghanistan in Doha on May 1, saying that he does not have high expectations.
"We do not have any high [expectations], because what [UN chief] Guterres has been trying to do is strike a sort of balance between the approaches of countries in the region and those of the US-led collective West, which can hardly be reconciled. We’ll see. At least, we will conduct a candid conversation. And time will tell what will come of it," Kabulov told TASS.
"The Islamic Emirate can have an understanding with the international community by relying on principles and by upholding national and Islamic values," said political analyst Sayed Muqadam Amin.
"The Islamic Emirate is required to implement the laws, decrees, and resolutions of the Security Council and other institutions of this international organization," said Najib Rahman Shamal, another political analyst.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/28/2023 00:00 ||
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#1
Maybe we will get to see the Squad call the UNSC Islamophobic.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/28/2023 12:55 Comments ||
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[Garowe] Plans to downsize the strong force of the African Union ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] are underway, with Troops Contributing Countries [TCCs] convening in Kampala, Uganda for a conference that is set to determine the future of the peacekeepers in the Horn of Africa nation.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Wednesday traveled to Kampala joining several stakeholders as the component makes key decisions on whether to downscale troops in compliance with the Somali Transition Plan [STP] even as the country begins the torrid second phase of operations against al-Shabaab ...... an Islamic infestation centering on Somalia attempting to metastasize into Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and similar places, all ofwhich have enough problems without them... .
Villa Somalia said the president will join Heads of State and governments for troops contributing nations in a conference "which will evaluate the Mission's mandate and its drawdown plans to pave the way for SNA's full security responsibility takeover".
But according to Defense Web, a leading online newspaper for defense news in Africa plans to scale down troops are underway despite the fact that Somalia is still in dire need of support from international partners. Currently, there are close to 22,000 ATMIS soldiers in the country.
Some of the countries that committed soldiers to Somalia include Burundi, Djibouti, Æthiopia, Kenya, and Uganda. Early this year, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud requested the countries to send more non-ATMIS soldiers to the country for the second phase of operations against al-Shabaab, and already, Æthiopia has complied.
In terms of Resolution 2670 [2022], the United Nations ...a lucrative dumping ground for the relatives of dictators and party hacks... Security Council [UNSC] unanimously endorsed the African Union [AU] commitment to a strategic, gradual, sector-by-sector approach to troop drawdown and maintain the ATMIS exit date of 31 December 2024.
At Kampala, stakeholders will assess the security situation in Somalia with the major target being checking on the ability of the Somali National Army to take over security responsibilities from ATMIS. The force commanders had recommended the withdrawal of 2000 soldiers monthly from Somalia, a move that is yet to be implemented.
Julius Joshua Kivuna, the head of the Ugandan delegation, noted that the meeting was convened upon the request of Somalia which has been fighting al-Shabaab for the last 16 years. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is set to make a statement on Thursday but he's largely expected to laud ATMIS for its support towards Somalia.
Last week, sources told TheEastAfrican that Somalia "does not have a problem" with the extension of the ATMIS mandate in the country with Hassan Sheikh said to be backing a possible extension. However, some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them... Hussein Sheikh Ali, the National Security Advisor dismissed the reports, noting that Somalia is keen to see local forces take over security responsibilities.
It is not clear how stakeholders will implement withdrawal but the cash crunch which has hit financiers could propel the move, which might after all be destructive to the ongoing crackdown against the Death Eaters.
Largely, Somali National Army has shown capabilities of defending their country based on their roles in the first phase of the al-Shabaab crackdown.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/28/2023 00:00 ||
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#1
Hundreds, possibly thousands of years of "inherited" misery. Drinking water? Poor sanitation? Chemical exposure? DNA mutations? Genetic drift? More study needed.
[Rudaw] British politicians on Wednesday approved a sweeping bill that will dramatically curb migrants colonists’ ability to seek asylum in the U.K., despite critics’ allegations that it breaks international law. Members of the House of Commons voted by 289 to 230 to back the Illegal Migration Bill, which the Conservatives government says will will deter tens of thousands of people from trying to reach the country in small boats across the English Channel each year.
It now goes to the House of Lords, where it faces strong opposition — though the unelected upper chamber of Parliament can only amend, not block, the legislation.
The large Conservative majority in the Commons ensured its passage there, despite opposition condemnation and claims politicians had not had enough time to scrutinize the legislation.
Continued on Page 49
[GEO.TV] Labour Party politician and local councillor for the Avenfield and Park Lane area has said he’s in negotiations with the Metropolitan Police to get all kinds of protests — both by PTI and PMLN — banned outside the Sharif family residence in London as residents feel harassed and extremely upset at Paks "shouting at the Avenfield flats".
Councillor Paul Fisher has said the residents around Avenfield flats were extremely upset at the constant bullying, protest, shouting and abuses by the protestors who have been gathering opposite the Avenfield flats.
Councillor Fisher is a barrister and Labour councillor for the Westminster City Council which is local government for the areas of Park Lane, Hyde Park, Marble Arch and Avenfield apartments. He is a Deputy Cabinet Member for Licensing and Public Protection.
Speaking outside Avenfield flats to Pak media, Councillor Paul Fisher said: "The residents here are deeply upset and understandably so. The problem is that every time a new protest arises you have a counter-protest and people on London’s streets are entitled to respect."
Posted by: Fred ||
04/28/2023 00:00 ||
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#3
/\ Yes, another game changer. "Far too late" indeed. My assessment as well Mike. Not even discussed is the short/long term economic and social impact of illegals already in the States.
As the late Shelby Foote once said "The Civil War Changed Everything." This too, changes everything.
#5
Those camps are not there to stem the flow but to streamline it. We're sending the UN our tax $ and then the UN transports the invasion fodder to these camps. And as the comment suggests, much more is flowing over the border. This is facilitation disgquised as restricting - classic Uniparty subterfuge.
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
04/28/2023 10:35 Comments ||
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#8
Will undoubted require frequent on-site coordination visits faux the usual customs and baggage checks. I recommend Hunter take the point on this one.
#9
Forgot to mention, those camps are already there and HAVE been there. My understanding is that Rep Owens accompanied Bill Roggio a few months back and observed the camps as well as Mayorkas on site.
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
04/28/2023 10:44 Comments ||
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#10
While the ebb and flow of lunacy behavior and decisions captures most Americans who actually pay attention to what passes for government in Washington, the Puppet Show will have let in somewhere north of 8 million illegals by the end of 2024. The impact on every aspect of our society of that many on the public purse is catastrophic. The video imagery suggests the majority of them are military age males, mostly poorly educated and unskilled for first world employment. Imagine what they represent as a political/militant force once "community organized" by the Marxists in Washington.
#14
Ditto to everything said already. And (obviously) it’s not just “Joe” - it’s more/less the formal or de facto policy - with one brief interruption - for nearly 40 years.
Real household income for the lower half of the income distribution will not increase again for many years - as it did, for the first time in decades, under a recent administration. Sickening.
#15
I doubt Joe came up with this.
The 80-year-old commander-in-chief had difficulty remembering his recent state visit to Ireland Thursday while being grilled by kids during a Take Your Child to Work event at the White House.
"The last country I’ve traveled, I’m trying to think of the last one I was in," Biden mused to the children of administration staffers and members of the media.
"I’ve been to, met with 89 heads of state so far. So, uh, trying to think where was the last place I was; it’s hard to keep track."
"Ireland," a child shouted out, jogging the president’s memory.
"Yeah, you’re right, Ireland. That’s where it was," he said good-naturedly.
"How’d you know that?"
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
04/28/2023 19:42 Comments ||
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[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Armenia said on Thursday that Russian peacekeepers should have full control of the only land link between its territory and the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The comments, from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, came during fresh tensions between arch enemies Armenia and Azerbaijan.
On Thursday, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna held talks in Baku on easing tensions in the South Caucasus. After visiting Azerbaijan, Colonna travelled to Armenia.
Last weekend Baku set up a checkpoint on the Lachin corridor, the only land link between Armenia and Azerbaijan’s Armenian-majority region, in violation of Moscow-brokered agreements.
"Russian peacekeepers must keep the Lachin corridor under control and ensure the operation of the corridor," Pashinyan said at a government meeting.
"No-one except Russia has the right to control the corridor," he added.
The Armenian leader said that "a wider international presence in Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lachin corridor is becoming more and more necessary every day."
Azerbaijan stressed however that it had every right to set up a checkpoint "at the beginning of the road in Azerbaijan’s territory."
It said the move had come in response to safety concerns, accusing Armenia of transporting weapons to Karabakh.
"Azerbaijan remains committed to taking all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin road," Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Elnur Mammadov, said in a statement sent to AFP on Thursday.
"Peacekeepers have independently confirmed they continue to deliver humanitarian aid in both directions through the road after the checkpoint was established."
[Rudaw] The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire... must investigate and hold accountable border guards responsible for torturing, killing, and committing other grave human rights ...which often include carefully measured allowances of freedom at the convenience of the state... violations against Syrians with impunity, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Thursday in a report.
The report accused Ottoman Turkish border guards of indiscriminately targeting Syrians across the border by using excessive force against asylum seekers to block them from crossing the border into Turkey.
"Ottoman Turkish gendarmes and armed forces in charge of border control routinely abuse and indiscriminately shoot at Syrians along the Syrian-Ottoman Turkish border, with hundreds of deaths and injuries recorded in recent years," said Hugh Williamson, Europa ...the land mass occupying the space between the English Channel and the Urals, also known as Moslem Lebensraum... and Central Asia director at HRW.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) in mid-March reported that Ottoman Turkish gendarme violations against Syrians have killed 11 and injured 20 on the border since the beginning of the year. HRW said it had independently verified two of the incidents.
"Arbitrary killings of Syrians are particularly egregious and part of a pattern of brutality by Ottoman Turkish border guards that the government has failed to curb or investigate efficiently," Williamson added.
According to data from a monitor verified by HRW, 277 incidents had taken place on the border between October 2015 and April 2023, causing at least 234 deaths and 231 injuries.
"Twenty-six incidents involved children, with at least 20 killed and 15 injured. Significantly, at least 6 people who were not attempting to cross the border were rubbed out and another 6 were maimed," HRW said, referring to the data by the organization which spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The rights organization further blasted Turkey by saying its "generous hosting of large numbers of Syrians" does not excuse the use of violent mostly peaceful force against individuals who traverse to the border looking for safety.
"Human Rights Watch also documented Ottoman Turkish authorities’ deportation of hundreds of long-time Syrian beneficiaries of temporary protection, including by forcing people to sign voluntary departure forms," the US-based organization stated, calling on Ankara to "respect the principle of nonrefoulement" which prohibits asylum seekers from returning to areas where they are likely to face persecution, torture, or other threats.
Independently verified data shows that a sizeable nearly 69 percent of fatal incidents on the border were in Idlib province, controlled by Islamist rebel groups backed by Turkey while Aleppo province - which has its northern areas controlled by both Turkey and Ottoman Turkish-backed rebels and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - tops the list in nonfatal incidents.
The report said on March 11, border guards had "viciously beat and tortured a group of eight Syrians" who were attempting to cross into Turkey, resulting in the death of a man and a boy in jug. The rights group added that six guards are under investigation for their role in the incident.
According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), around 3.6 million Syrian refugees live in Turkey.
To address smuggling and illegal border crossings, Turkey erected a 3-meter high wall between 2015 and 2018 along the border with Syria. However, there's more than one way to stuff a chicken... border guards continue to beat and shoot at Syrians attempting to cross, expelling them back to the war-torn country.
See here for the tulip reference in Ottoman Turkish history
[INOSMI] After 1990, the United States, which considered itself the sole hegemon, proclaimed a "new American century." There was no other rival in the world that could stand up to them. And the US began to occupy the globe both economically and politically.
In the 2000s, the number of American bases on a global scale reached 800. US Embassies around the world acted like governors of the colonies, shaping the policy of the country in which they were located. Western global financial institutions, primarily the IMF and the World Bank, imposed neoliberalism.
With major pharmaceutical, oil, technology, financial giants, an overwhelming system of trusts and cartels has been created in the world. The institutions of the United States, NATO and Davos imposed candidates for leaders, projects of political parties on countries.
However, the “epoch of tulips”, or “new American century”, could only reign for 30 years. In fact, this is even an optimistic estimate, since the end date can be pushed back to the conflict in Georgia in 2008 or China's announcement of the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013. Nevertheless, 2023 will definitely and undeniably go down in the history books as the year the American Century ended and the New World Order began.
There is some strong evidence for this. First of all, the dollar, which gives the US the audacity to interfere in everything and everywhere around the world, is being removed from the throne.
In one recent example, Bangladesh announced that it would pay Russia to build a nuclear power plant in yuan. For the first time, the BRICS countries overtook the G7 countries in terms of total gross domestic product. Many countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, South America are rebelling against their former colonial Western masters.
Secondly, at a meeting on March 20, 2023 in Moscow, the leaders of China and Russia agreed to lead the rest of the world against the West. While China will support Russia economically and politically, Russia's contribution to China will include commodities, military and energy cooperation. Many countries are lining up to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. China reconciled Saudi Arabia and Iran, set its sights on settling the Palestinian problem. Russia is moving towards its crushing victory in Ukraine.
Thirdly, the United States is socially and politically divided, and is sinking from an economic point of view. Their national debt is $31 trillion. The treasury is empty. The Federal Reserve does nothing but print money. However, as the dollar's dominant position as a reserve currency weakens, this great advantage will also be lost. And there was nothing left for production.
The global Western oligarchy, imposed by neoliberalism, has done away with American nationalism. The gigantic industry that made the country its most powerful during World War II was destroyed. The global capital embodied in Davos failed to bring about the "Great Reset" revolution it wanted to bring about in accordance with its goal of sole dominance.
Thus, a different “new world order” is currently being formed. And some politicians are unaware of this.
[ColonelCassad] Tectonic processes in the world economy continue.
Following Brazil, Argentina also announced that it is switching to yuan in trade with China.
Argentina, amid problems with maintaining reserves, the Central Bank is switching to paying for imports from China in yuan, Economy Minister Sergio Massa said. ""We will activate the swap with China... which will allow us to pay for imports from this country in yuan, thus replacing $1 billion 40 million in April and $790 million starting in May"
In 2022, Argentina said it plans to trade up to 35 billion yuan a year.
It can be expected that a number of countries in South America will also gradually switch to yuan in trade with China, as well as a number of African states. The processes of de-dollarization, intensified by the beginning of the NWO in Ukraine, are acquiring planetary proportions. Earlier, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Brazil, etc. switched to trading in yuan.
Of course, this will not end the role of the dollar overnight, but now the process of reducing its specific share in the world economy is already visible to the naked eye. At the same time, an even more interesting process is the reduction of China's investments in US debt. By the beginning of the conflict over Taiwan, China will try to minimize its involvement in the US debt.
[GreaterKashmir ...a disputed territory lying between India and Pakistain. After partition, the Paks grabbed half of it and call it Azad (Free) Kashmir. The remainder they refer to as "Indian Occupied Kashmir". They have fought four wars with India over it, the score currently 4-0 in New Delhi's favor. After 72 years of this nonsense, India cut the Gordian knot in 2019, removing the area's special status, breaking off Ladakh as a separate state, and allowing people from other areas to settle (or in the case of the Pandits, to resettle) there.... ] State Investigation Unit (SIU), Sopore Thursday presented a chargesheet before the NIA court in Baramulla against a terrorist and a hybrid terrorist,
... an Indianism that means those not officially registered with any jama'at seminary markaz or ISI daftar as fidayeen, but radicalised enough to carry out a terror strike and then slip back into routine life...
a Police front man said.
In a statement of J&K Police issued here, the Police front man said that the chargesheet was presented in case FIR No 251/2022 of Police Station Sopore against two accused including a hybrid terrorist and an active LeT terrorist.
He said that on November 7, 2022, Police in Sopore recovered three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and accordingly started the paperwork but haven't done much else at Police Station, Sopore. The front man said that subsequently, following the due course of action, the SIU Sopore produced the chargesheet before the NIA court, Baramulla in the instant case FIR No 251/2022 under Section 4/5 of the Explosive Substance Act, and 18, 20, 23, and 38 of the ULAP Act against a hybrid terrorist Waseem Raja Lone, son of Ghulam Muhammad Lone of Kehnusa, Bandipora and an active terrorist linked with LeT terror outfit, Muhammad Umar Mir, son of Ghulam Muhammad Mir of Brath, Sopore.
Of course. Pakistan can’t afford to neglect any potential income streams at the moment.
[Dawn] Pakistan urged the United States on Thursday to restore military financing and sales suspended by the Trump administration as a senior US official acknowledged the importance of this bilateral relationship in a key strategic region.
“It is important that the US restores — for Pakistan — Foreign Military Financing and Foreign Military Sales, suspended by the previous administration,” Masood Khan, Pakistan’s envoy in Washington, said at a seminar in Washington.
US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Elizabeth Horst, however, focused on the need to help rebuild the troubled Pakistani economy and urged Islamabad to work with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to do so.
“The reforms that Pakistan and the IMF agreed to are not easy,” she said. “But it’s crucial that Pakistan take these actions to bring the country back to sound financial footing, avoid falling into further debt, and grow Pakistan’s economy.”
Washington asks Islamabad to implement ‘tough reforms’ agreed with IMF
Since the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the US-Pakistan relationship has been stuck in a prolonged period of uncertainty. Intensified US competition with China has further strained Pakistan’s relations with the United States, as did the country’s deteriorating economy.
But recently, there has been an increase in high-level diplomatic engagements and dialogues focused on trade, energy, education, health, and defence.
The half-day conference at Wilson Centre, Washington, focused on how the US-Pakistan relationship can be crafted against the backdrop of multiple challenging developments.
Ambassador Khan not only emphasised the need to rejuvenate once close relations between the United States and Pakistan but also underlined the role Washington can play in easing tensions between India and Pakistan.
“We do value the US encouragement to India and Pakistan to engage. But beyond that, the US could act as a catalyst to help resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute which has kept the region on the brink of war,” he said.
Responding to a question, Ambassador Khan said that Pakistan placed its first order for Russian oil and did so in consultation with the US government.
He also spoke about the role Pakistan can play in bringing stability to Afghanistan.
“Afghanistan’s stability is imperative, first and foremost, for its own people who have suffered grievously over the past four decades,” he said.
Noting that the United States and China were both concerned about the growth of terrorism in Afghanistan, he said: “Let’s work together to eliminate this threat. Today it is a threat for Pakistan and Afghanistan; if unchecked, it will spread to other parts of the region and beyond.”
Ms Horst also covered this issue, noting that both the US and Pakistan “want a region where terrorists pose no threats and borders are respected.”
Underlining the need to look beyond the challenges, Ms Horst urged both nations to work together on economy, trade, investment, regional stability, and especially on global challenges like the climate and health.
She, however, acknowledged that “the question on everybody’s mind right now is Pakistan’s immediate economic situation.” The United States, she said, “shares concerns about the sustainability of Pakistan’s current economic path” and “we also know that this economic situation has very personal consequences for tens of millions of Pakistanis who are tightening their belts”.
The United States, she said, would continue to support Pakistan through technical engagements and assistance, “particularly when it comes to encouraging Pakistan to enact policies that promote an open and fair, transparent business climate”.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
04/28/2023 01:06 ||
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[GEO.TV] Reacting to the vote of confidence secured by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif from the National Assembly, Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... Emir Siraj Ul Haq on Thursday said it would be better if the premier also takes the trust vote from the people.
With 180 MNAs reposing full confidence in his leadership, PM Shehbaz won the trust vote from the NA earlier today.
Haq — who played an important role in bringing the incumbent government and the Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf ...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations.... (PTI) to the table — stressed the need for general elections to end the ongoing political crisis and steer the country out of the quagmire.
The Pakistain Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government and the PTI finally sat on the negotiating table today to discuss the poll date following Supreme Court's orders.
In the first round of talks — which lasted for around two hours — at the Parliament House's Committee Room Number 3, both sides informed each other about their top leadership's stance, sources told Geo News. The second meeting will be held tomorrow.
Talking to a journalist, the JI emir said that both sides would have to show flexibility for the success of the negotiation.
"The parliament and the judiciary have come face to face," he said.
Haq said that everyone is interpreting the Constitution by themselves. He maintained that all the constitutional, political, and economic crises were impacting just the masses.
Stressing the need for consensus among all the political forces, the JI leader said that the election date can’t be fixed on the wish of a single party.
"Election with consensus is the sole solution [to the ongoing crisis in the country], he added.
"Just like politicians, judges are also not on the same page," Haq said, adding that instead of making decisions in haste, the matter should be left to the politicians.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/28/2023 00:00 ||
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[Shafaq News] Dozens of Yazidi protesters staged two demonstrations on Thursday in the Sinjar district to denounce the return of 25 Sunni Arab families who are accused of having ties to ISIS.
According to a correspondent from Shafaq News Agency, the Yazidi community organized the protests after the security forces allowed the Arab families to return to their homes in Sinjar. The move prompted the protesters to take to the streets, expressing their outrage and holding signs that read "No to ISIS return."
Khadida Jouqi, the director of the Sunoni sub-district, north of Sinjar, told Shafaq News Agency that "the security forces in Sinjar brought back 25 Arab families who had fled to other areas in djinn-infested Mosul ... the home of a particularly ferocious and hairy djinn... after ISIS invaded Sinjar in 2014." He added that one of the Yazidi survivors of ISIS recognized a member of the returning families as a former ISIS member, which led to the arrest of the individual in question.
Jouqi explained that the security forces returned the families without the permission of the other communities residing in Sinjar, which led to the people taking to the streets in protest against the decision. The protesters rolled their eyes, jumped up and down, and hollered poorly rhymed slogans real loud condemning the return of the families to the district.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
04/28/2023 00:42 ||
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[IsraelTimes] Participants at right-wing rally claim coalition’s bid to weaken judiciary represents the silenced will of the people; Levin: Charge that these reforms spell dictatorship is a lie
Real grassroots, not the Antifa astroturf that currently calls itself the Movement for Quality Government, the Israeli branch of the Washington, DC-based OneVoice Movement founded by Progressive multi-billionaire Daniel Lubetzky in 2002.
Masses of supporters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-right government packed the streets around the Knesset in Jerusalem on Thursday evening, staging by far their largest rally yet aimed at providing the coalition with public support for its plans to radically overhaul the judiciary, in light of widespread opposition at home and abroad. There was no official headcount from police, but estimates by news networks — citing figures by firms that specialize in estimating crowd sizes — generally ranged between 150,000 and 200,000 people in attendance at the rally, dubbed ahead of time by organizers as the "March of the Million."
Around 1,000 buses were dispatched across the country to ferry participants to the rally, Channel 12 news reported, claiming that Netanyahu’s Likud party and the far-right Religious Zionism had invested hundreds of thousands of shekels in the event’s organization.
[Shafaq News] On Thursday, bigwigs from the U.S. administration announced that the U.S. had imposed sanctions on the Russian Internal Security Service and the intelligence unit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
The move came after the U.S. accused the two entities of being involved in unlawfully detaining U.S. citizens abroad.
The sanctions also targeted four high-ranking commanders in the intelligence unit, including one who had previously been subject to U.S. sanctions.
The United States has imposed several rounds of sanctions on Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... and Russia recently.
Regarding Iran, the U.S. government has implemented a range of economic and trade sanctions since 1979, following the Iranian Revolution.
In 2015, the U.S. and several other countries reached a deal with Iran, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), to lift some sanctions in exchange for Iran curtailing its nuclear program. However, those who apply themselves too closely to little things often become incapable of great things... in 2018, the U.S. withdrew from the agreement under the Trump administration and reimposed many previously lifted sanctions, including those on Iran's oil exports.
The U.S. has continued to increase pressure on Iran through sanctions in response to concerns over its nuclear program, human rights ...not to be confused with individual rights, mind you... abuses, and support for terrorism.
In the case of Russia, the U.S. has imposed sanctions for a range of issues, including its annexation of Crimea in 2014, its interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and alleged human rights abuses.
Economic sanctions on Russia included restrictions on access to the international banking system, sanctions on specific individuals and entities, and limits on trade in sectors such as defense and energy.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
04/28/2023 00:42 ||
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#1
Whoop-de-doo. Fears and trepidation's for sure.
#5
Curious thing regarding disposition of prisoners. I should also include assassination attempts of rivals. After WW11 China had very few prisoners to release. Putin has not attempted assignation of Z but Z very capable of such efforts towards Putin and his associates. USA has assassinated how many foreign leaders of one sort of another. You assassinate Putin and the replacement will be much more aggressive in this world. The sanctions failed to crush Russia and depose Putin. Elites totally misunderstood how ineffective their efforts were. So in frustration desperate efforts now will be entertained.
[An Nahar] The Free Patriotic Movement Despite its name a Christian party allied with Hizbullah, neither free nor particularly patriotic... on Thursday stressed that its chief Jebran Bassil does not have "any role or link to the Beirut port deal," denying accusations in this regard by Marada Movement the personal militia of Suleiman Franjieh, president of Lebanon at the outbreak of the civil war, currently Syrian toadies, but you never know when that could change... chief Suleiman Franjieh.
"How can this happen in a ministry and file that the FPM has nothing to do with at all, and accordingly what can be hoped from a presidential candidate who launches false accusations against his political rivals other than his reinforcement of the impunity policy?" the FPM said in a statement.
MP Ghassan Atallah of the FPM for his part called on Franjieh to present "documents" to "confirm Jebran Bassil’s ties to the port."
In an interview on al-Jadeed TV overnight, Franjieh had alleged that "the Beirut port deal was made with Jebran Bassil and not with Hezbollah."
French shipping giant CMA CGM in February 2022 won a 10-year contract to run the container terminal at Beirut port, caretaker Public Works and Transport Minister Ali Hamieh, who is loyal to Hezbollah, said.
The contract will provide cash-strapped Leb ...an Iranian colony situated on the eastern Mediterranean, conveniently adjacent to Israel. Formerly inhabited by hardy Phoenecian traders, its official language is now Arabic, with the usual unpleasant side effects. The Leb civil war, between 1975 and 1990, lasted a little over 145 years and produced 120,000 fatalities. The average length of a ceasefire was measured in seconds. The Lebs maintain a precarious sectarian balance among Shiites, Sunnis, and about a dozeen flavors of Christians. It is the home of Hezbollah, which periodically starts a war with the Zionist Entity, gets Beirut pounded to rubble, and then declares victory and has a parade. The Lebs have the curious habit of periodically murdering their heads of state or prime ministers... "tens of millions of dollars" every year, Hamieh said, adding that authorities chose the French company over its UAE-based competitor Gulftainer because it offered a better rate and more favorable conditions.
The company's French-Lebanese CEO Rodolphe Saade said his firm was looking to develop a "high-performance" container terminal that could renew Lebanon's trade ties. Saade had visited Beirut with French President Emmanuel Macron in the wake of the catastrophic 2020 blast at the port, offering a plan to reconstruct the entire facility in less than three years.
His company, which manages several investment portfolios in Lebanon, also operates the container terminal at 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... port, the country's second largest.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/28/2023 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] The Lebanese Forces on Thursday said that it knows that “the election of the president can only occur through consensus.”
“But Hezbollah is asking us to choose between its candidate and vacuum, and we will maintain our stance until they back down from their stance,” LF spokesman Charles Jabbour told al-Jadeed TV.
Moreover, Jabbour called on the Free Patriotic Movement to “publicly declare the names of candidates so that an agreement can be reached with the various opposition parties and not only with the LF.”
“Michel Mouawad was part of the FPM bloc, so what prevents them from electing him, and if this is impossible let’s agree on another candidate,” Jabbour added.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/28/2023 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh’s former assistant Marianne Hoayek appeared Thursday before a European Sherlocks delegation at the Justice Palace in Beirut.
Salameh faces allegations of crimes including embezzlement, money laundering and tax evasion in separate probes in Leb ...an Iranian colony situated on the eastern Mediterranean, conveniently adjacent to Israel. Formerly inhabited by hardy Phoenecian traders, its official language is now Arabic, with the usual unpleasant side effects. The Leb civil war, between 1975 and 1990, lasted a little over 145 years and produced 120,000 fatalities. The average length of a ceasefire was measured in seconds. The Lebs maintain a precarious sectarian balance among Shiites, Sunnis, and about a dozeen flavors of Christians. It is the home of Hezbollah, which periodically starts a war with the Zionist Entity, gets Beirut pounded to rubble, and then declares victory and has a parade. The Lebs have the curious habit of periodically murdering their heads of state or prime ministers... and Europe. His brother Raja and his associate Hoayek are accused of complicity.
The European judicial returned Monday to Lebanon to question Raja, Hoayek and others. Raja failed Tuesday and Wednesday to appear before the European delegation as his lawyer submitted a medical report.
Al-Jadeed TV reported that the delegation will continue Hoayek's questioning on Friday. A session for the interrogation of caretaker Finance Minister Youssef Khalil has meanwhile been scheduled for next Friday while a new session for Raja Salameh's questioning has been set for May 3.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/28/2023 00:00 ||
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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.
[NYPOST] A notoriously lenient Manhattan judge cut loose a teen gangbanger on an attempted murder case — despite admitting he could go on the lam, The Post has learned.
[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
...Arabic for 
[TOLONEWS] The UN Security Council (UNSC) is set to vote on Thursday to condemn the ban on Afghan women working for the 
...Portuguese politician and diplomat, ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations. Previously, he was the UN High Commissioner for Refugees between 2005 and 2015. He was the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002 and was the Secretary-General of the Socialist Party from 1992 to 2002. He served as President of the Socialist International from 1999 to 2005. In both a 2012 and 2014 poll, the Portuguese public ranked him as the best Prime Minister of the previous 30 years...
...... an Islamic infestation centering on Somalia attempting to metastasize into Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and similar places, all ofwhich have enough problems without them...
[Rudaw] British 
[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Armenia said on Thursday that Russian peacekeepers should have full control of the only land link between its territory and the disputed region of 
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire...
...a disputed territory lying between India and Pakistain. After partition, the Paks grabbed half of it and call it 
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for 
...an Iranian colony situated on the eastern Mediterranean, conveniently adjacent to Israel. Formerly inhabited by hardy Phoenecian traders, its official language is now Arabic, with the usual unpleasant side effects. The Leb civil war, between 1975 and 1990, lasted a little over 145 years and produced 120,000 fatalities. The average length of a ceasefire was measured in seconds. The Lebs maintain a precarious sectarian balance among Shiites, Sunnis, and about a dozeen flavors of Christians. It is the home of Hezbollah, which periodically starts a war with the Zionist Entity, gets Beirut pounded to rubble, and then declares victory and has a parade. The Lebs have the curious habit of periodically murdering their heads of state or prime ministers...
