#5
Tim Walz is right, Grom — those particular Michigan voters are apeaking from their hearts. Their very black, soaked in evil hearts that should be plucked out and burnt on a pyre … and certainly not be heeded by politicians with a conscience… but Tim Walz is happy to woo their votes anyway. which tells us all we need to know.
"As all good Mohammedans know,
Mohammed was perfect! Ergo,
We're monotheistic!"
[Big Mo plies his pimp stick
on crazy old Kaaba-kept... omniscient, omnipresent, all-merciful deity]
[Israel365News] “The theme of UNRWA education is ‘peace starts here.’ How could it possibly be that a U.N. social work agency would be using their education system to prepare kids for war?”
Revelations by Israel’s government about the United Nations Relief and Works Agency have shattered the group’s carefully cultivated image as a humanitarian organization, revealing it to be no less than an arm of Hamas in Gaza. However, little light has been thrown on UNRWA’s identical role in Judea and Samaria.
A new film, “UNRWA at War,” focuses on the educational side of UNRWA’s activities, in which children are taught not just to hate, but to kill. Just as it did in Gaza, UNRWA is inculcating children with the same genocidal creed in Judea and Samaria, only in this case for Fatah, the controlling party in the Palestinian Authority.
The roughly 20-minute film was released by the Jerusalem-based Center for Near East Policy Research on Sept. 1 and is available online.
The center’s director, David Bedein, told JNS that the movie shows what’s happening in Bethlehem. “That’s the next place they [the terrorists] are going to break out,” he said.
When could such an attack take place? “It could be as soon as tomorrow,” he said.
It's all about killing the Jews. “I want to stab them again and again”, “I want to become a suicide bomber”, etc.
The film shows that terrorists, such as Dalal Mughrabi, a Fatah member who participated in the 1978 Coastal Road massacre in Israel, in which 38 Israeli civilians, including 13 children, were murdered, are routinely held up as heroes and role models in UNRWA schools. Images of Mughrabi and other terrorists adorn the schools’ walls.
In the film, Arab students in Judea and Samaria, products of UNRWA schools, speak of Mughrabi with reverence.
“She’s like my sister, like my mother. She’s part of our people,” says a boy from the Al-Amari refugee camp east of Ramallah. A girl of about six, also from Al-Amari, says, “Dhalal Mughrabi is a Palestinian martyr. She fought against the Jews. She blew them up.”
Bedein, who has been sounding the alarm regarding UNRWA for decades, describes the indoctrination the kids are receiving as “murder education.” UNRWA, he said, is a “machine” that produces genocidal children in a “cookie-cutter” manner.
Kutaiba Hatab, 15, attends the UNRWA Boys School in the Jalazone refugee camp north of Ramallah in Samaria. Asked in the film what he’s taught about the right of return, he says, “To fight, and to keep fighting, until Palestine is liberated!” He goes on to state that when he grows up, “I’ll be a jihadist and fight for Allah!”
“Do you hate Jews,” an interviewer asks Rada Abu-Hatab, 12, an UNRWA student in Jenin. “Yes, a lot,” she answers. “I want to fight and become a martyr and ascend to heaven with Allah!”
Mohammed Mahmud Khalil, an UNRWA student from Ein Arik, an Arab town near Ramallah, says, “What is the solution to Jerusalem? To kill the Jews. We’ll get rid of the Jews … With Allah’s help, I will become a holy warrior.”
All the children connected the Hamas invasion of Oct. 7 to the right of return, characterizing the gruesome attack as an effort to liberate the land from the Jews.
“Oct. 7 is related to the right of return because Hamas reconquered part of our land that was taken by the occupiers,” says Osama Belashe, an UNRWA student from Jalazone. “In school our teacher taught us we have to return. Even if Israel gives us compensation [to stay here] we have to return.”
For Bedein, the most important thing the film documents is that at UNRWA, children receive military training. In previous films, Bedein has shown that these training camps were set up near Israel Defense Forces bases.
He worries that Israel has been slow to adapt to the post-Oct. 7 reality. “They’re making the same mistake they made last October, not paying attention to the preparations for war in the UNRWA camps,” he said.
However, he sees signs of awakening, noting a recent Israel Army Radio report that the military intended to investigate military training at UNRWA camps.
And next week, Bedein is to present his findings to a Knesset committee. “People who did not take me seriously over a period of 36 years are now taking me seriously,” he said.
Incompetence, or willful blindness, on the part of the Israeli authorities is a recurring theme for Bedein.
He said the Foreign Ministry has a special division dedicated to overseeing UNRWA, yet its representatives were oblivious regarding the weapons held at UNRWA camps. He brought them to the Askar camp bordering Nablus (Shechem) to show them. “They had no idea about the guns,” he said.
Moreover, Israel never exercised what oversight it had, he said. “Israel has the power to veto anything in Palestinian education. What we learned from Oct. 7 is that they weren’t doing it,” he added.
“Back in the 1980s, I began this conversation with how humanitarian supplies were sold in the open market and with no supervision,” Bedein said. “And they [Israel] didn’t make any changes. There was no oversight. To say they’re not doing their job is an understatement,” he added.
Although many have argued for doing away with UNRWA, according to Bedein that’s not a realistic solution. The organization is too embedded in the territories and in the United Nations, and the General Assembly would never accept it, he argued. However, he continued, it is possible to change UNRWA from within by pointing out the absurd situation and demanding change.
“The theme of UNRWA education is ‘peace starts here,’” he said. “How could it possibly be that a U.N. social work agency would be using their education system to prepare kids for war?”
Bedein has put together a five-point plan for changing UNRWA from within:
1. Cancellation of the new UNRWA curriculum based on jihad.
2. Disarmament of UNRWA schools and cessation of paramilitary training.
3. Dismissing UNRWA employees affiliated with Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Fatah.
4. Resettling fourth- and fifth-generation refugees from the 1948 war rather than keeping them in perpetual refugee status.
5. Demanding an audit of donor funds.
He has met five times with Antonio Guterres, the U.N. secretary general, whom he said is open to his proposals.
While UNRWA was always corrupt, he said, it wasn’t always the way it is now, he said.
Even the children going through the schools, while they spoke of “their homes in Jaffa,” didn’t talk about going back and killing everyone in Jaffa as they do now, he said.
“The change took place after 1992 when the PLO was put in charge by [then-Foreign Minister] Shimon Peres,” he said. “UNRWA was handed over to the PLO.”
For years the UN operated schools in Gaza that indoctrinated the youth with hate, antisemitism, and terrorist aspirations. Today we see the results of this evil. pic.twitter.com/xj1AWZrsYC
#4
There, there dear Canuckistan sniper. You sit right here next to me on the fainting couch, and in a minute I’ll get you a nice cup of chamomile tea for your nerves (and if you happen to tip a bit of something strong into your cup while I turn to reach for the cookies, I’ll understand).
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 142,000 in August, and the unemployment rate changed little at 4.2 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains
occurred in construction and health care.
Both the unemployment rate, at 4.2 percent, and the number of unemployed people, at 7.1 million, changed little in August. These measures are higher than a year earlier, when the jobless rate was 3.8 percent, and the number of unemployed people was 6.3 million.
-------------- 1st para summarizes the payroll survey [a healthy economy would produce 300k+ new jobs], 2nd para summarizes the household survey. Additional info in the report includes a decrease in previously reported job gains in June and July (which weren't that great to begin with), a slight decrease in temporary layoffs, a decent increase in average wage and a small increase in the average workweek. It increases the odds that the Fed will make a 50 basis point decrease in the Federal funds rate in two weeks.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
09/06/2024
10:10 ||
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#1
Really? Oh Noos. I am shocked!
Posted by: ed in texas ||
09/06/2024 11:51
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#7
^
Regarding the payroll survey- probably there are some illegals in the payroll numbers, all the big employers use E-Verify and most of the smaller ones do also. However, there are some loopholes and techniques to evade detection. There are some AI methods to spot these but they are not mandated and few companies use them.
Regarding the household survey - could be some illegal employees, for example, an illegal residing in a household with legal immigrants. It would be quite difficult to do an analysis of this.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
09/06/2024 15:55
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#8
I should probably add that its almost certain that a lot of illegals are employed in landscaping, nursing and health care and hospitality (I saw one estimate that in NYC there are probably over 1000 illegals working as dishwashers in restaurants). I'm not sure if they are counted in the BLS data. Also a lot of people work for companies like instacart, uber, etc. where they may be double counted (by the employer of the service and by the company).
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
09/06/2024 17:48
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#9
Wait wait wait wait...you mean we can't just print money endlessly while making it as difficult as possible for actual working Americans to actually *produce* something that can then be actually paid for and sold...for years on end...without it affecting the economic numbers???
I swear liberals are stupid as fuck, and their leaders know better but are so deep in the grift that they have never bothered to care.
[MAIL] A photo of a plus-sized passenger struggling to fit between the armrests on a plane has sparked a fierce debate over whether obese travellers should have to pay for an extra seat.
The man was snapped by a fellow traveller as he squeezed into his aisle seat during a flight from Helsinki to Copenhagen on
'This guy sat behind me on my flight from Helsinki to Copenhagen yesterday,' the man who took the photo wrote on Facebook.
'I felt sorry for him and the guy next to him in the middle seat, both of whom must have felt very uncomfortable for the short flight.
'Maybe it's time for airlines to address situations like this in a thoughtful and sensitive way.'
The man said the larger passenger was 'protruding into the aisle' forcing others to squeeze around him on their way to the bathroom.
#1
Long time past 'accommodating' every special interest minorities. It's a self inflicted wound, take a ferry. Next demand car companies make drivers seats for the morbidly obese. Well, what about short skinny ones needing boosters? It's like the amusement rides - you have to be 'this' tall to ride.
#4
Kind of tired with the ill telling the healthy how to live.
The only practical solution to what these emotionally abusive bullies want is to have 2 and 3 seat benches located right at the passenger loading door. Because these seats are only safe for those of such size, everyone pays extra to cover the cost of those seats if they are not filled. If they are booked, they pay for those seats anyways. Now, this is usually Business or First Class, so what is the charge? If the benches are booked, have to catch another flight, potentially breaking up a traveling group.
Or run passengers through a fit box like with the carry on and call anyone who can't do that the safety hazard they are. I don't mean just mobility, got someone's flesh all over you who can't maintain their own hygiene.
Time to get healthy again. I'll start taking their medical condition seriously when they start taking it seriously. I've seen people do the fight and win. It is possible. It does take work.
#7
The obese pictured passenger is out of line here, of course.
On the other hand, I'm well within the normal range of height and weight (6', lt 190lbs), and airplane seats cramp me in every direction but up--and on small craft "up" is a problem when I try to stand.
Posted by: James ||
09/06/2024 17:27
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#8
If you need two seats you should have to buy two tickets. No different than the overweight luggage charge.
[FOX] Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has found a new job in the private sector.
Haley, who previously served as ambassador to the United Nations under former President Trump, is headed to global communications firm Edelman.
"Politics has become a critical consideration for clients in brand marketing, employee engagement and reputation management," CEO Richard Edelman wrote in an announcement of the company's new hire.
[Doomberg] "Never mistake activity for achievement." - John Wooden
As far as carbon emissions are concerned, it is difficult to find a less relevant country than New Zealand. According to the endlessly helpful Statistical Review of World Energy, the country’s 5 million residents emitted just 0.08% of the anthropogenic global share in 2023. By comparison, China emits more in a single day than New Zealand does in a year, and the former’s year-over-year growth in this all-consuming metric amounted to 22 times the latter’s entire annual total. When combined with its considerable geographic isolation, New Zealand can pretty much do whatever it wants and nobody outside its borders would notice.
These hard numbers make former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s
…her replacement, Chris Hipkins, lost the election for Labour last November to the center-right National Party, led by former airline executive Christopher Luxon …
obsession with being seen as caring about carbon emissions rather perplexing, especially considering that New Zealand already sports one of the "greenest" electricity grids in the Western world, with more than half of its power produced by hydroelectric dams. The primary concerns of any leader of an island nation, where global emergencies can quickly crimp imports, ought to be fuel security and the overall robustness of its food and energy sectors. It’s a long swim to Australia, after all.
Within months of her first election win, Ardern’s new government nonetheless thought it wise to force change. In a move that was as celebrated as it was misguided, the new prime minister made global headlines with a bold sacrifice:
"The New Zealand government will grant no new offshore oil exploration permits in a move that is being hailed by conservation and environmental groups as a historic victory in the battle against climate change. The ban will apply to new permits and won’t affect the existing 22, some of which have decades left on their exploration rights and cover an area of 100,000 sq km. The prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, said her government ’has a plan to transition towards a carbon-neutral future, one that looks 30 years in advance’...
Greenpeace New Zealand said the government’s announcement was a ’historic moment’ for the country and ’a huge win for our climate and people power.’ Last month Ardern accepted a 50,000-strong Greenpeace petition calling for an end to offshore oil and gas exploration. ’The tide has turned irreversibly against big oil in New Zealand,’ said the Greenpeace New Zealand executive director, Russel Norman."
Having impaled the country’s ability to explore for oil and natural gas, the Ardern government subsequently oversaw the closure of New Zealand’s only oil refinery. While not overtly advocating to shutter the privately-owned facility, the government certainly did little to save it, and the Marsden Point Oil Refinery was converted into an import-only fuel terminal in 2022. Ominous foreshadowing of larger challenges swiftly followed:
"The New Zealand government is considering bringing forward plans to increase domestic fuel storage, following a jet fuel shortage earlier this month, a spokesperson for the energy minister said on Tuesday.
With the country depending entirely on imports since April, the failure of a recent shipment to pass quality tests resulted in shortages at Auckland Airport, the country's busiest. Airlines there were told in early December that jet fuel supplies would be reduced to just 75% of the originally planned allocation."
Weeks after the jet fuel scare, Ardern resigned as Prime Minister, unironically claiming that she no longer had "enough in the tank" to continue in her current role. Christopher Luxon’s conservative National Party won a plurality of the subsequent vote and went on to form a coalition government. It didn’t take long for the consequences of Ardern’s energy mishaps to wreak havoc on New Zealand’s economy. Like most countries that embrace the green energy agenda, New Zealand has slipped into a serious but utterly predictable crisis. Energy prices are soaring, heavy industry is culling operations, and fears of rolling blackouts are causing grid operators to plead with consumers to voluntarily cut demand.
As with Germany before it and Britain soon enough, the harsh realities of physics have asserted themselves yet again. Let’s explore the specifics of what’s happening and appraise Luxon’s proposals for the country’s path forward. [The rest behind the paywall.]
#2
Average price per kWhr in NZ is about 30-35 cents
for comparison it is about 40 cents in Hawaii; about 35 cents in Germany and Italy; 20-25 cents in New York and New Jersey; 11 cents in Iceland and Washington State.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
09/06/2024 16:13
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[ZERO] It's only going to get worse from here, as the Biden-Harris administration's disastrous open border policies have now come to a 'neighborhood near you' (for some of you). In the past week, we saw armed Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua members terrorize the northern Denver suburb of Aurora and other sanctuary cities run by far-left Democrats. New concerns out Thursday afternoon indicate critical infrastructure is now under threat from migrant cartel members.
According to Libs of TikTok, a Texas-based oil/gas company issued a memo to employees informing them that police and the FBI have warned armed Cuba and Venezuela migrant gangs are committing thefts in the Permian Basin (America's highest producing oil field).
Here's the memo:
Industry peers and law enforcement in West Texas (WTX) are aware of a recent increase in organized criminal activity inclusive of violent crimes, gang activity and oil field thefts in and around WTX operational areas. Specifically, regional law enforcement and the FBI advised that gang members emanating from Cuba and Venezuela are organizing and working in concert to commit thefts within the Permian Basin. These individuals and groups are armed, violent in nature and will not hesitate to use force.
Crimes associated with these groups include the theft of oil, diesel fuel, copper wire, and catalyst elements. Recent incidents have also included two assaults by water haulers who were attempting to steal oil from WTX oilfield sites. After the thieves were observed by witnesses who drove up to investigate, the thieves attempted to use their vehicles to run the witnesses off the road. In another incident, a thief, acting as a spotter and following a water hauler who had stolen oil, also attempted to run a witness off the road. There have been numerous reports of second vehicles acting as spotters for water haulers committing oil thefts.
An industry peer provided the below snapshot of a video surveillance of an armed thief checking out an area before stealing diesel from the location.
#4
Gonna wish that Denver would have quickly and decisively went tactical in Aurora and buttfkd those guys on national TV, instead of some soy democrat largely responsible for the problem wishcasting bad things to go away.
#6
Most people don't understand that the bulk of oil field operations happen out in the butt-end of nowhere. It's literally nowhere. You got there by following surveyor tape tags (it'll be three red tapes on the right, and then again at the turn) and entire crews have got lost. GPS revolutionized it, so now you at least know where you're lost at.
Posted by: ed in texas ||
09/06/2024 11:49
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#7
To just give up the field without even a demonstration, or worse what they did, pretend it away then release a PSA with police walking around different, nice neighborhood apartment, "See all is fine, you pretenders."
Posted by: Big Bluetooth1422 ||
09/06/2024 17:26
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#10
Hooligans used to steal auto batteries from lease pumping units. Pumpers installed battery extension cables through the grills of their trucks. Used the truck to start the pump engines.
Left dead batteries at the pump unit for the Hooligans :-) Security cams and CCTV used in many places today.
#14
I work in the oilfield and was on the rigs for years, I'm very well aware of what's not 'officially' in their trucks, I'm talking about official permission to have them. Hell I may or may not have had a 'coyote' gun in my vehicle while working in the Permian. The roughnecks will take care of business if you let them. Many are ex military.
[BNN] Albania's President Bajram Begaj arrived in Estonia on Thursday for a high-level visit aimed at reinforcing ties with Estonia and advancing Albania's European Union (EU) accession efforts.
In Tallinn, Begaj held talks with his Estonian counterpart Alar Karis, where Karis reiterated Estonia's strong support for the Western Balkan nations' integration into the EU, highlighting Albania's strategic role.
"Integrating the Western Balkans into the European Union is an investment in Europe's overall peace," Karis emphasized during the meeting, pointing to the importance of regional stability amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Begaj further engaged in talks with Estonia's parliamentary speaker, Lauri Hussar, focusing on security cooperation, economic relations, and shared support for Ukraine.
The visit follows Begaj's recent diplomatic engagements in Latvia earlier this week.
[NBC] WASHINGTON — The House Education and Workforce Committee issued subpoenas Wednesday to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Minnesota Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture for how they responded to what federal prosecutors have called the largest pandemic fraud schemes in the country.
The subpoenas, obtained first by NBC News, demand that Walz, Minnesota Commissioner of Education Willie Jett, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Agriculture Inspector General Phyllis Fong turn over documents concerning oversight of the nonprofit Feeding Our Future,
…Somali immigrant effort to that stole $250 million from the federal government during the COVID shutdown, billing for meals, etc for poor Minnesota children that were not served — one of the largest pandemic fraud cases thus far reported. Last we heard about seventy people had been arrested and $50 million recovered…
which is alleged to have misused millions of dollars intended to feed children during the pandemic.
Walz's record has faced new scrutiny since Vice President Kamala Harris tapped him as her running mate last month, though this new request by the Republican-led committee is part of an investigative effort that goes back to 2022.
Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., the committee chair, wrote in a letter to Walz that the committee is requesting this information to show "the extent of your responsibilities and actions addressing the massive fraud that resulted in the abuse of taxpayer dollars intended for hungry children."
A Walz spokeswoman called the alleged fraud "an appalling abuse of a federal COVID-era program," adding: "The state department of education worked diligently to stop the fraud and we’re grateful to the FBI for working with the department of education to arrest and charge the individuals involved."
According to a June state audit report, the Minnesota Education Department failed to properly oversee Feeding Our Future, saying the department's "actions and inactions created opportunities for fraud."
And then there were the kickbacks…
State education officials are tasked with overseeing federal programs that reimburse groups like Feeding Our Future for providing free, nutritious meals to children. The state audit called the Minnesota Education Department's oversight "inadequate."
[Washington Examiner] A former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) has been charged for acting as an unregistered agent for China.
Linda Sun and her husband are accused by the Justice Department of promoting the Chinese Communist Party’s agenda on key concerns such as isolating Taiwan, underplaying the Uyghur genocide, and promoting positive attitudes toward Beijing. In return for her service, Sun received millions of dollars from China. These funds allowed Sun to purchase luxuries, including a Hawaii penthouse and a Ferrari. It’s concerning that a Chinese agent had tentacles into the highest levels of New York politics.
This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to China’s illicit influence campaigns against the United States. Other recent examples of successful Chinese influence operations include the saga of Fang Fang, a Chinese honeytrap agent who targeted Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), and the still unnamed spy inside the office of the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
It’s clear that China’s espionage and influence operations targeting America are vast in scale. FBI Director Christopher Wray warned in 2020 that the bureau was investigating Chinese espionage efforts in "all 56 of our field offices. And over the past decade, we’ve seen economic espionage cases with a link to China increase by approximately 1,300%." That caseload has not declined since 2020. China’s influence efforts extend to the state and local levels, seeking to forge early links with the next generation of political stars. This concern underlines why Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) deserves greater media scrutiny over his long-term relationship with China. Yes, the new Chinese border tsar has been appointed and is simply waiting to take office.
It’s not just America facing this challenge. These Chinese antics extend across the globe. In the United Kingdom, lawyer Christine Lee was identified by that nation’s security service for working to influence members of Parliament in China’s favor. As part of these efforts, Lee donated $760,000 to a Labour member of Parliament, Barry Gardiner. Gardiner has adopted views in China’s favor. Sometimes, China’s influence efforts are quite extraordinary. Until recently, for example, New Zealand had two Chinese agents serving as members of its parliament.
[FoxNews] The FBI seized devices from First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks III
The FBI on Wednesday raided the homes of at least three high-ranking members of New York City Mayor Eric Adams' administration, Fox News Digital has confirmed.
FBI agents showed up to the homes of First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks III early Wednesday and seized electronic devices.
Agents also searched the home of Timothy Pearson, a former high-ranking official in the New York Police Department who now advises the mayor on public safety.
Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor's office and the New York City Law Department for comment but did not immediately hear back.
The FBI's New York City field office declined to comment on the raid when reached by Fox News Digital.
The FBI also conducted a raid on the home of NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban, according to the New York Post.
The NYPD told Fox News Digital it "is aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York involving members of service. The Department is fully cooperating in the investigation. Any questions regarding the investigation should be directed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office."
The searches marked the latest sign of legal trouble in Adams' administration. Adams is a first-term Democrat and former New York City police captain. He took office in 2022 after serving as Brooklyn's borough president and as a state senator.
In November, federal agents seized the mayor’s phones and iPad as he was leaving an event in Manhattan and raided the home of one of his top fundraisers. While Adams has denied any wrongdoing, he confirmed last month that he had received a subpoena from federal prosecutors and said he and his team are cooperating.
Pearson is currently facing multiple lawsuits accusing him of sexually harassing female employees, and he is facing a separate investigation for his role in a brawl at a shelter for homeless migrants. A lawyer representing Pearson in the harassment suit did not immediately respond to a phone call.
Federal prosecutors previously named Banks as an "unindicted co-conspirator" in an investigation into a police bribery scheme during former Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration. Banks abruptly retired in 2014 but returned to city government after Adams took office in 2022.
Wright, the first deputy mayor, lives with her partner, David Banks, the city's schools chancellor and brother of Philip Banks. It was not immediately clear whether investigators also sought records related to David Banks.
[FoxNews] Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is facing a grilling from Congress for the Biden administration’s refusal to turn over the nationalities of people arrested on the FBI terror watchlist at the border by Border Patrol.
"I suspect that the real reason you’re unlawfully withholding this information about terror suspects’ nationalities isn’t due to privacy or security concerns, but rather partisan concerns that it would alarm the American people," Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said in a letter to Mayorkas. "Once again, you’re attempting to hide evidence of the Biden-Harris administration’s border crisis."
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) wrote to Fox News last week again denying a request to provide the nationalities of suspects on the FBI terror watchlist arrested at the southern border between ports of entry by Border Patrol.
The watchlist, now called the Terrorist Screening Dataset, includes known or suspected terrorists, as well as additional individuals believed to pose a potential threat to the U.S., including affiliates of individuals on the watchlist.
The request sought only the nationalities of those encountered and no further information, but it was denied. Fox made the request in October last year, and was initially denied in May, citing privacy and security concerns. The agency doubled down on that reasoning last week.
"[Customs and Border Protection (CBP)] is committed to protecting the identity of individuals and avoiding divulging information about any individual by either direct or indirect means," the agency said in a letter to Fox. "Releasing data for a particular nationality, or nationalities, that reflect a small number of individuals could lead to identification, especially by organizations familiar with the individuals."
The agency also claimed that the release of the information would reveal investigative techniques used in processing and apprehending terrorists.
"By providing this information, it could allow targets to alter their behavior to avoid detection and exploit the gaps in CBP’s law enforcement intelligence, as well as compromise national security. Additionally, providing the requested information could disclose terrorist travel trends by geographic area which could help tip off terrorists about the government’s knowledge of travel plans, allowing the terrorists to take countermeasures against the investigators and their investigations," it says.
The agency argued that the disclosure of nationalities could allow bad actors "to undertake countermeasures to avoid CBP’s law enforcement activities and exploit any vulnerabilities in CBP’s law enforcement efforts."
Cotton, however, was not convinced by the reasoning provided.
"Of course, if the Biden-Harris administration impartially enforced our laws and deported illegal aliens regardless of their origin, terrorists wouldn’t be able to game the system in the manner you describe."
He later says that "the American people have a right to know who is crossing our border, especially when those illegal aliens have ties to terrorism."
"And that right, contrary to your bizarre assertion, ‘far outweighs’ the privacy rights of illegal aliens suspected of terrorism,’ he said. "Honestly I can’t believe I even have to write that sentence."
The letter requests the information by Sept. 10.
There were 172 encounters of nationals on the terror watchlist at the border between ports of entry last fiscal year and more than 560 at the ports of entry.
[IsraelTimes] Resolution listing dozens of companies passes unanimously following raucous public debate; mayor says vote is meant ‘to send a signal’ to Israel to end war
The text of the Portland resolution includes a "Divestment List" of dozens of companies, ranging from well-known businesses including General Electric, Intel, Boeing, Caterpillar and Volvo to Israel-based organizations such as Israel Bonds and the Bank of Jerusalem. It also includes weapons manufacturers such as Northrop Grumman.
The city council of Portland, Maine voted unanimously on Wednesday evening to divest from companies that do business with Israel, becoming the fourth US city to pass such a measure since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas ..not a terrorist organization, even though it kidnaps people, holds hostages, and tries to negotiate by executing them,... war on October 7.
The resolution, passed after a raucous public comment session in which supporters outnumbered opponents, calls to "divest the City of Portland from all entities complicit in the current and ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with an iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... and occupation of Paleostine."
The Portland legislation included a list of dozens of companies from which the city will divest after the law is enacted. Mayor Mark Dion indicated that he will sign it.
"I try to align what I believe and try to figure out what is right and just. And I’m going to vote to support this," Dion, a former sheriff who is also a voting member of the council, said following public comment.
He added that while he understood Israel’s "desire for retribution," he believes that "our role collectively is to grab their shoulder and say, ’It’s enough. It’s simply enough.’ And pull them away. And that’s sometimes the greatest act of friendship you can do for someone you hold dear, as I hold my friends in the Jewish community."
With friends like this slimy Jew-hater, who needs enemies?
Dion’s office did not immediately return a request for comment.
The Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine, the local Jewish federation, said it was "outraged, and unbelievably disappointed" at the resolution’s passage.
"At this time, we are focused on concrete ways to ensure the Jewish community who lives in and around Portland, Maine feels supported and safe," chief development officer Ashley Inbar told The Jewish Telegraphic Agency. "We are investigating every possible avenue in front of us to make those goals manifest."
Sell out and move. This is a community that does not deserve Jewish residents.
The passage of the resolution marks an escalation of how local governments are addressing the war in Gaza. In the months following October 7, a range of cities passed symbolic resolutions calling for a ceasefire in the war. Now, the Portland measure and others like it are seeking to materially penalize Israel for its military campaign by depriving it of economic investment.
The vote also signals that divestment campaigns, once largely the province of university student governments, are gaining traction on the municipal stage, as well.
The Jewish federation, which recently announced the hire of its first-ever CEO, had encouraged members to show up to the meeting to oppose the resolution. In a statement prior to the vote, the federation argued it was a "performative gesture" that promotes a "one-sided blame for the conflict."
"We want peace and an end to the war, but demanding that Israel capitulate to Hamas, allowing it to rebuild its terrorist infrastructure, is not pro-peace," Inbar said during the meeting. She added that the city council "is a municipal body with no standing in matters of international law or foreign policy," and said that "divestment could have significant economic complications for Portland."
The measure was backed by the Maine chapter of the anti-Zionist group Jewish Voice for Peace and by the Maine Coalition for Paleostine.
"We are outraged and grief-stricken by the continued atrocities perpetrated by Israel and fully support our city heeding the call to divest," the state’s JVP chapter said in a statement on Instagram.
The resolution mentions the corpse count of Paleostinians killed in Gaza since October 7, as well as the number of Paleostinians maimed and at risk of famine. It does not mention Hamas, the Israelis killed on October 7 or the Israeli hostages being held in Gaza.
"We acknowledge that members of our community are directly impacted by the ongoing violence that’s happening, and we have a duty to voice our concerns and take steps that we can control on the local level," April Fournier, the councilmember who sponsored the resolution, said during Wednesday’s council discussion on the measure.
Portland is not the biggest city by population to endorse such a resolution. The Caliphornia, an impregnable bastion of the Democratic Party, cities of Richmond and Hayward, which passed similar resolutions earlier this year, are larger. But Portland, the first East Coast city to approve an Israel divestment measure, also marks the first time the largest city in a state — and the center of the state’s Jewish community — has done so.
Portland’s council passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire earlier this year. Many municipalities have debated and passed ceasefire resolutions in the months since October 7, but municipal resolutions specifically calling for Israel divestment remain relatively rare.
The text of the Portland resolution includes a "Divestment List" of dozens of companies, ranging from well-known businesses including General Electric, Intel, Boeing, Caterpillar and Volvo to Israel-based organizations such as Israel Bonds and the Bank of Jerusalem. It also includes weapons manufacturers such as Northrop Grumman. The local federation claimed that at least 7,000 Portland residents were employed by the listed companies.
Local Jews showed up to both support and oppose the resolution during the evening’s public comment session, where supporters of the resolution outnumbered opponents and which the mayor interrupted several times to warn spectators against clapping and whistling. The raucous scene was typical of public meetings nationwide at which Israel-related measures are on the table.
The first person who rose to public comment was a Jewish Portlander who voiced support for it, called Israel’s actions in Gaza a "genocide" and said there should not be a Jewish state. Another Jewish speaker, who opposed the resolution, focused his remarks on countering the genocide allegations against Israel; a third, who runs a local venture capital firm that invests in Israel, argued it was a bad business move. Other speakers said they had relatives who had been killed by Israeli settlers.
Among the Jewish opponents of the bill was Rabbi Levi Wilansky, who works at the Portland-based Chabad Lubavitch of Maine. Wilansky argued that the resolution was "antisemitic," saying it suggested that Israel should abandon the hostages held by Hamas.
But the mayor was undeterred by the Jewish opposition.
"I don’t harbor any fantasy that we’re changing the economic playing field for those who invest in providing arms and supplies to the effort in Gaza," he said. "I’m voting yes because I think it’s important that we say ’it’s enough’ and to send a signal, and the conversation will begin."
Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab and MPs Ibrahim Kanaan, Alain Aoun and Simon Abi Ramia met Thursday in Diman with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi.
Bou Saab and Aoun have been recently expelled from the Free Patriotic Movement Despite its name a Christian party allied with Hizbullah, neither free nor particularly patriotic... while Abi Ramia and Kanaan have resigned from it.
A rift with FPM chief Jebran Bassil was the main reason behind the departures, with the MPs accusing Bassil of monopolizing decisions and the FPM accusing them of violating the Movement's charter and policies.''
''We came to take the patriarch's blessings to know how we can save the country,'' Kanaan said from Diman.''
''Loyalty is for the cause and we're still in our position and have not changed,'' Kanaan added.
Aoun for his part told MTV that ''those who lack loyalty and have betrayed the cause are the ones hurling insults at us.''
''I call on them to pray and meditate because our work is patriotic,'' Aoun added.
Speaking after the meeting, Kanaan said that ''the first required breakthrough is a presidential breakthrough, via a national alliance that we are seeking to create, in order to rescue Leb ...an Iranian satrapy currently ruled by Hassan Nasrallah 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 dozen flavors of Christians, plus Armenians, Georgians, and who knows what else? It is the home of the original 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... from the state of chaos and current collapse and rebuild the governing institutions.''
''Our objective is to create a domestic, Christian and national dynamism that would create a breakthrough in the stalemate and we are extending our hands to everyone,'' the MP added.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/06/2024
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One person was killed Thursday and another one was maimed in an Israeli strike on the southern town of Kafra, nearly 11 months since hostilities broke out between Israel and Hezbollah.
Hezbollah later announced the death of one of its fighters "on the road to Jerusalem."
In the afternoon, the group said it carried out three separate attacks with suicide drones and rockets on Israeli military barracks in Ramot Naftali, Beit Hillel and Ya'ara. It noted that the Ya'ara attack was in response to the Kafra strike.
An Israeli drone also raided on Thursday morning the southern border town of Aita al-Shaab, after warplanes struck overnight the outskirts of Yater, Shihine, al-Jebbayn, al-Salhani, Zawtar, Ramia and Alman in south Leb ...an Iranian satrapy currently ruled by Hassan Nasrallah 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 dozen flavors of Christians, plus Armenians, Georgians, and who knows what else? It is the home of the original 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... .
A woman was killed Wednesday and five other people including a child were maimed in Arclight airstrike ...KABOOM!... s on Qabrikha and Houla.
In response to the strike on Qabrikha and other southern villages, Hezbollah launched Katyusha rocket salvos on Neot Mordechai, attacking the northern Israeli settlement for the first time since October 8.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/06/2024
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Top|| File under: Hezbollah
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.
[EngMilRu] In Volchansk and Liptsy directions, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of the 92nd Assault Brigade of the AFU, 36th Marine Brigade, and 103rd Territorial Defence Brigade near Malye Prokhody, Liptsy, and Volchanskiye Khutora (Kharkov region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 125 troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, four motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155mm M-777 howitzer, two 152mm D-20 guns, and one field ammunition depot.
Units of the Zapad Group of Forces improved the tactical situation and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the 43rd, 44th, 66th, 115th Mechanised brigades, 3rd Assault Brigade of the AFU, 110th, 117th Territorial Defence brigades, and the 12th Azov Special Operations Brigade near Kovsharovka, Petropavlovka, Glushkovka, Kruglyakovka (Kharkov region), Novoyegorovka, Makeyevka (Lugansk People's Republic), Torskoye (Donetsk People's Republic), and Serebryansky forestry. Two counterattacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 14th and 116th Mechanised brigades were repelled.
The AFU losses amounted to more than 500 troops, one tank, two U.S.-made M-113 armoured personnel carriers, seven motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155mm M-198 howitzer, one 152mm Msta-B howitzer, one 152mm D-20 howitzer, two 122mm D-30 howitzers, and UK-made 105mm L-119 and U.S.-made M-101 howitzers.
One Anklav-N electronic warfare station, one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar, and five ammunition depots were destroyed.
Units of the Yug Group of Forces continued to advance to the depth of the enemy's defences and inflicted losses on formations of the 30th, 54th, 93rd Mechanised brigades, 143rd, 144th Infantry brigades, 46th Airmobile Brigade, 10th, 80th Assault brigades of the AFU, 114th, and 116th Territorial Defence brigades near Verkhnekamenskoye, Pereyezdnoye, Chasov Yar, Stupochki, Predtechino, Maksimilyanovka, and Katerinovka (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 745 troops, three pickup trucks, two 152mm D-20 guns, two 122mm D-30 howitzers, three UK-made 105mm L-119 howitzers, two electronic warfare stations, and three field ammunition depots.
As a result of active actions, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces liberated Zavetnoye (Donetsk People's Republic).
Losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of the AFU 23rd, 24th, 47th, 100th Mechanised brigades, 59th Motorised Infantry Brigade, 142nd Infantry Brigade, and 25th Airborne Brigade near Dzerzhinsk, Krasnoarmeysk, Shcherbinovka, Grodovka, Zhuravka, Mikhailovka, Selidovo, and Memrik (Donetsk People's Republic). Eight counterattacks launched by assault detachments of the 53rd, 150th Mechanised brigades, 71st Jaeger Brigade, 95th Air Assault Brigade of the AFU, 14th, 15th National Guard brigades, and the Lyut Brigade of the National Police of Ukraine were repelled.
The AFU losses amounted to up to 530 troops, two tanks, one armoured personnel carrier, three motor vehicles, one French-made 155mm CAESAR self-propelled artillery system, one 152mm Msta-B howitzer, two 152mm D-20 howitzers, three 122mm D-30 howitzers, and one 100mm Rapira anti-tank gun.
Units of the Vostok Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions as well as inflicted losses on formations of the AFU 61st, 72nd Mechanised brigades, 58th Motorised Infantry Brigade of the AFU, and 128th Territorial Defence Brigade near Vodyanoye, Dobrovolye, Ugledar, Novoukrainka, and Velikaya Novosyolka (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 110 troops, one tank, seven motor vehicles, and one Polish-made 155mm Krab self-propelled artillery system.
Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the 31st Mechanised Brigade, 128th Mountain Assault Brigade of the AFU, and the 123rd Territorial Defence Brigade near Orekhov (Zaporozhye region), Dneprovskoye (Kherson region), and Kherson.
The AFU losses amounted to up to 75 troops, four motor vehicles, and one 152mm D-20 gun.
Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces wiped out one ammunition factory, one uncrewed surface vehicle depot, one temporary deployment point of foreign mercenaries, as well as engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 136 areas.
Air defence units shot down three U.S.-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, five French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, one Olkha MLRS projectile, and 27 unmanned aerial vehicles.
Units of the Black Sea Fleet destroyed 11 AFU uncrewed surface vehicles.
In total, 642 airplanes and 283 helicopters, 31,044 unmanned aerial vehicles, 575 air defence missile systems, 17,822 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,435 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 14,091 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 25,584 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
Units of the Sever Group of Forces supported by Army Aviation and artillery repelled four attacks launched by enemy assault detachments in the direction of Matveyevka, Olgovka, Malaya Loknya and Cherkasskoye Porechnoye. Moreover, the enemy's attempts to launch attacks in the direction of Borki, Kamyshevka, and Maryevka were foiled.
The AFU losses included up to 40 troops killed and wounded. Russian units eliminated a U.S.-made Stryker armoured personnel carrier, three infantry fighting vehicles, and five motor vehicles.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue reconnaissance and search operations in forestry areas to locate and eliminate enemy sabotage groups attempting to get to the depth of the Russian territory.
Aviation, artillery, and actions of troops inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of 22nd, 61st Mechanised brigades, 80th and 82nd Air Assault brigades, 92nd Assault Brigade, 152nd Jaeger Brigade, 1004th Security and Service Brigade near Apanasovka, Borki, Vishnyovka, Viktorovka, Gordeyevka, Guevo, Ivashkovsky, Kositsa, Lyubimovka, Martynovka, Malaya Loknya, Novoivanovka, Novoya Sorochina, Orlovka, Obukhovka, Snagost, and Yuzhny.
Operational-Tactical Aviation and Missile Troops delivered strikes in Sumy region at concentration areas of reserve manpower and military hardware of the 21st, 22nd, 115th Mechanised brigades, 80th, 82nd, 95th Air Assault brigades, 92nd Assault Brigade of the AFU, the 1st and 17th National Guard brigades, 103rd, 106th, and 129th Territorial Defence brigades near Belopolye, Boyaro Lezhachi, Vorozhba, Gritsenkovo, Glukhov, Glybnoye, Kruzhok, Linovo, Mirpolye, Orlovka, Obody, Pisarevka, Sumy, Starye Virki, Yunakovka, and Yampol.
The AFU losses for the past 24 hours were up to 370 troops and 17 armoured vehicles, including two infantry fighting vehicles, two armoured personnel carriers, 13 armoured fighting vehicles as well as two artillery guns, two launchers of U.S.-made M-270 MLRS system, an EW station, and 12 motor vehicles.
Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the AFU losses have amounted to over 10,100 troops, 81 tanks, 41 infantry fighting vehicles, 72 armoured personnel carriers, 589 armoured fighting vehicles, 325 motor vehicles, 74 artillery guns, 24 multiple-launch rocket system launchers, including seven of M142 HIMARS MLRS and five of M270 MLRS systems manufactured by the USA, eight SAM launchers, two transport-loading vehicles, 17 EW stations, seven counter-battery radars, two air defence radars, eight engineering vehicles as well as two counterobstacle vehicles and one UR-77 mine clearing vehicle.
The operation to neutralise the AFU units is in progress.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] 22:15 Syrsky called the Kursk operation a success in an interview with CNN. According to him, there were several reasons for it: to prevent Russia from advancing from there, to pull Russian forces from other directions, to prevent shelling of the border area, and to raise the morale of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Ukrainians. According to the commander-in-chief, the Russian Federation transferred "tens of thousands" of troops to Kursk, including some of its best airborne assault troops. And before the Ukrainian operation, the Russian Federation planned to launch an offensive on Ukraine from the Kursk region.
18:41 Ukraine has achieved "a lot" in the Kursk operation, but the further course of events is difficult to predict, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. According to him, Ukraine "managed to take control of Russian territory, inflict damage on Russian troops and demonstrate its ability to act."
13:32 Zelensky said in an interview with NBC News that it was the "lack of long-range capability" that forced Ukraine to launch the operation in the Kursk region: "We expected long-range weapons, they were in a small configuration. We did not have enough of these means. And we had an understanding from our research that Russia was planning to create this "buffer zone"... And then we realized that we needed to conduct a corresponding operation. So that we, not they, would create the "buffer zone" here."
The President explained that the Russians could have broken through the border in the Sumy region. If this had happened, Ukraine would have had to stop the enemy for a long time, so a decision was made to launch a preemptive strike. According to Zelensky, the operation went well, so Ukraine used plan "A". He added that the breakthrough in the Kursk region is only part of the operation.
11:05 Putin called regaining control over the Kursk region a "sacred duty" of the Russian army. According to him, the situation in the Russian region "has already stabilized" and the Russians "have begun to gradually squeeze out" Ukrainian forces.
According to Putin, by attacking Kursk, Ukraine "wanted to make Russia fuss and get nervous, to stop the offensive in Donbass." But, according to him, "nothing worked out," and "the offensive of the Russian army accelerated." The second goal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Kursk, according to Putin, is "to destabilize the domestic political situation in Russia." He assured that this "did not work out, society consolidated."
[IsraelTimes] Prosecutors say Mohammad Bazzi sold real estate in Michigan, then transferred funds abroad; ask judge for hearing this month to facilitate change of plea
A dual Lebanese-Belgian citizen accused by the United States of financing Lebanese terror group Hezbollah is expected to plead guilty in a criminal case charging him with sanctions evasion and money-laundering conspiracies.
Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn said in a court filing on Thursday that lawyers for Mohammad Bazzi told them he wishes to change his plea. Bazzi, 60, pleaded not guilty "Wudn't me." last year to three felony counts, including attempting to transact with a sanctioned terrorist organization.
Bazzi’s lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The US Treasury Department placed Bazzi on its sanctions list in 2018 over his alleged ties to Hezbollah, which Washington considers a terrorist organization.
Prosecutors said Bazzi covertly sold real estate he owned in Michigan and transferred the funds abroad, in violation of those sanctions.
Bazzi was extradited to the US in April 2023 from Romania, where he had been arrested two months prior.
Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi has funneled millions of dollars to the terrorist organization Hizballah.
Prosecutors and Bazzi’s lawyers jointly asked US District Judge Dora Irizarry to schedule a hearing later this month for Bazzi to change his plea. Guess he's been watching Hunter.
[Merkur.de] Police have released an initial statement regarding an incident at the NS-Dokuzentrum in Munich. Shots were reported at around 9 am, and an exchange of fire took place between a suspicious person with a long gun and patrol officers. The suspect was injured and still at the scene, being attended to by police and special forces. There are no indications of other perpetrators involved. As of now, there are no reports of any other injured individuals during the operation. The Israeli Consulate General, where a memorial service was being held, confirmed that their employees were unharmed. Jewish institutions in the area have gone into lockdown. This incident took place on September 5, the anniversary of the 1972 Munich Olympic bombing carried out by Palestinian terrorists.
Key items learnt yesterday: The shooter is a Bosnian-Austrian named Emra I. or Emrah I., born in 2006, age 18. He lived in Neumarkt am Wallersee, Salzburg, and had been investigated by the police last year for connections to ISIS and radical Islam due to his interest in ISIS, weapons, and explosives; while the investigation was dropped, he was banned from having a gun until 2028. He drove over from Salzburg in the morning before commencing his nefarious activities, but was quickly shot dead by the local constabulary. The miscreant also,was interested in Al Nusra — Al Qaeda in Syria.
There is a large and aggressive radical Islam scene in Austria, particularly Austrian-born ISIS big turban Mohamed Mahmoud, who died in an air raid on an ISIS prison in Syria in 2018, but it connects to the Balkans and Chechnya rather than the Middle East.
Merkur continues liveblogging developments at the same link on Friday, 6 September:
Update from 06.39 a.m.:
More and more information about the crime is coming through - and an explosive detail about the murder weapon is now probably seeping through. As already known, the perpetrator shot with a long weapon of an older model, a repeating rifle. As Bild now reports, a man who is said to have reported to the police on Thursday who is said to have sold the weapon to the perpetrator - and only on Wednesday, one day before the crime.
According to this, the man recognized the rifle on the eyewitness videos. It is supposed to be a category C weapon. Such models are freely available to arms dealers in Austria, as long as they are registered within six weeks. However, a gun ban had already been pronounced against the suspect. This was obtained in 2023 after a bodily injury. In the event of a registration of the weapon, the purchase and the associated prohibition would therefore have been discovered. Possibly, therefore, the perpetrator put his plans directly into action.
Update from 22.04 o'clock:
Shortly after 9 a.m. the first shot was fired. A man had positioned himself in front of the Israeli Consulate General in Munich with a long weapon. Shortly afterwards, the police shoot him before the man could put his alleged project into action.
A minute-long exchange of fire took place between the police and the perpetrator. The officers met the shooter, who succumbed to his fatal injuries at the scene. No other people were injured in the incident.
The 18-year-old had been known to the authorities in Austria for some time: He had a gun ban and a report. The young man was possibly an IS sympathizer, mobile phone data of the perpetrator indicate an Islamist radicalization of the shooter.
Update, 8:27 p.m.:
According to weapons expert Malte Roschinski, the perpetrator carried a repeating rifle with bayonet type Mauser 98K. This weapon was manufactured during the Wehrmacht between 1934 and 1945.
Update, 6:01 p.m.:
A spokesman for the Salzburg police told the German Press Agency that officials searched the perpetrator's home for traces and evidence. The 18-year-old lived with his parents. As a precautionary measure, the house and the surrounding buildings were evacuated. In retrospect, according to the police spokesman, it turned out that there was no danger.
Update at 11:15 a.m. ET from the link: Reporting in this ticker ended - From now on you will receive all information about the prevented attack in Munich here.
Update from 6. September, 5:12 p.m: The alleged perpetrator of the attempted Munich attack had probably become a loner during the corona pandemic. The father now described him as psychologically conspicuous. Read more here.
Update 6. September, 2:32 p.m.: The 18-year-old is said to have "legally acquired the murder weapon in Austria" the day before the crime, reports LKA man Limmer. During the searches at the place of residence of the perpetrator, no traces of explosives could be found, explains Gabriele Tilmann from the General Prosecutor's Office. Not in his car either, agrees Huber from the Munich police. Shortly afterwards, the press conference in Munich ended.
Update 6. September, 2:19 p.m.: Guido Limmer, Vice President of the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office (LKA), emphasizes: "We were able to determine very quickly that we are dealing with a single perpetrator." He praises the cooperation with colleagues in Austria. The murder weapon is an "old Swiss military weapon", adds Christian Huber from the police. The perpetrator had plenty of ammunition with him. In total, he probably shot "about nine times".
The situation was "very confusing" at the beginning of the exchange of fire (five officers were involved). A police officer and a citizen suffered bang injuries as a result of the gunshots. “We were lucky overall. There was relatively little passenger traffic in the area.” In the TU building, the shooter did not hit any other people.
Update 6. September, 2.15 p.m.: Gabriele Tilmann from the Munich Public Prosecutor's Office says: "There are still various investigations to be done." Essentially, the course of crime is part of it. It must also be clarified exactly whether the 18-year-old had co-knowledge: "Was he integrated into a network, in a real one, or a virtual one?"
Of particular interest is also the motivation of the crime. "So far, no messages" from the perpetrator have been heard. "That's why we have to stick to the facts." According to the findings of the Austrian police, the man has become radicalized in recent years. The thesis is that the 18-year-old acted "Islamist or anti-Semitic". They are in close contact with colleagues in Austria.
Update 6. September, 2:02 p.m.: Christian Huber from the Munich police comments on the state of affairs at a press conference in the police headquarters. The perpetrator had parked his car near the later crime scene around 9 a.m., left his place of residence in Austria before around 6:30 a.m. When leaving the vehicle, the man was seen by a patrol. "But then they lost sight of him."
As a result, the perpetrator fired two shots at the facade of the Nazi Documentation Center, then fired once at a building of the Technical University of Munich. He had also penetrated into this one, had injured himself in the process. He then tried to reach the Israeli Consulate General over a fence. "After that, he fired shots at the building." Twice the perpetrator had hit a window.
At a park, there was finally a meeting with police officers. He did not comply with the request to put his weapon away. After that, there was a violent exchange of fire. First, the perpetrator shot, the deployed officers returned the fire. The 18-year-old "did not have a decorative weapon, but one with the appropriate penetrating power" with him.
The suspect is an Austrian with Bosnian roots, Huber confirms. He was quickly identified by fingerprints. "We now definitely know that it was a single perpetrator."
Update 6. September, 1:04 p.m.: According to the Salzburg Public Prosecutor's Office, there was no evidence of radicalization or Islamist propaganda against the Munich shooter despite investigations. As the authority announced on Friday, the 18-year-old Austrian did not move in Islamist circles in the past.
According to the prosecutor's office, there was a suspicion that the shooter killed on Thursday had threatened classmates, allegedly resulting in a bodily injury. The suspicion was further investigated that he was interested in instructions on how to build a bomb and could have participated in a terrorist organization in which he portrayed Islamist scenes of violence in an online game. These allegations concerned the period 2021 to 2023.
"Ratioratively few contacts": Current findings on the protection9
Investigators therefore searched the young person's place of residence in the Salzburger Land at the time and secured data carriers. However, no relevant material was found on his mobile phone, the judicial authority reported. On his PC there were three videos from a computer game that the then 14-year-old had recorded. They showed scenes with Islamist content. Only on one of these videos could symbols of the Islamist group HTS (see update of 11:08 a.m.) could be seen, it was said.
Evidence of the distribution of the videos was not found. Playing such a computer game and reenacting Islamist scenes of violence in this case did not fulfill the fact of participation in a terrorist organization, it was said.
Investigations in the vicinity of the suspect also gave no indications that the accused had moved in radical Islamic circles or had lived very religiously. According to the prosecutor's office, the young man lived "with relatively few social contacts". No other objects or data related to the Islamic State or bombs were found. That is why the investigation was discontinued in April 2023.*
Update 6. September, 11:29 a.m.: Before the foiled alleged terrorist attack on the Israeli Consulate General in Munich, the Bavarian police had no information about the killed shooter from Austria.
Update 6. September, 11:08 a.m.: According to information from the German Press Agency (dpa), security circles assume that the suspect of the foiled attack on the Israeli Consulate General in Munich had a connection to the Islamist group HTS. HTS stands for "Haiat Tahrir al-Sham", a militant Islamist militia.
The Bavarian Office for the Protection of the Constitution states that HTS 2017 emerged from the merger of a former Al-Qaeda offshoot and some smaller militant Syrian groups. Unlike Al-Qaeda, which continues to plan attacks in the West, HTS concentrates on Syria and wants to overthrow the local ruler Bashar al-Assad.
18-year-old killed after shooting in Munich: Why authorities investigated him
The then 17-year-old had been noticed by the authorities after a threat against classmates and for a bodily injury. In this context, he was accused of participating in a terrorist organization, it was said. According to information from the Austrian news agency APA, propaganda of the terrorist organization Islamic State was found on his mobile phone. However, the Salzburg public prosecutor's office closed the investigation in April 2023, the police reported. Since then, the 18-year-old has not appeared in the police.
After the exchange of fire in Munich, his place of residence in the Salzburger Land was also searched. Numerous officials moved to Neumarkt am Wallersee to secure evidence and traces. This was confirmed by a Salzburg police spokesman to the German Press Agency (dpa). The 18-year-old had lived in Neumarkt together with his parents. For safety reasons, the residential building and the neighboring buildings were evacuated, the police spokesman said. In retrospect, however, it turned out that there was no danger.
Posted by: Besoeker ||
09/06/2024
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#1
Al-Nusra were the US allies in Syria if anyone is unfamiliar
#2
LOL a "repeating rifle"? A k98? That's an old-fashioned bolt-action rifle! What, as opposed to a single-shot flintlock or something?
The k98 has a 5 round fixed magazine! It feeds with stripper clips!
I love how they tried to make a rifle from the late 1800s sound scary.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
09/06/2024 14:54
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Top||
#4
Bit of trivia about the Swiss K31. If you take the buttplate off, you'll likely find a piece of paper with name and village of the first man issued the weapon.
No link yet - check Gateway Pundit in a bit Nothing of this title in Pundit's archive
A Fox News link is here, for a five minute interview with the two that Fairbanks names below. I see nothing relevant on Gateway Pundit as of 12:15 a.m. ET.
[Ingraham Angle - FoxNews] this evening (5:00 pm MST); relevant discussion begins at 43 minutes, with a teaser at 38 minutes before commercials]
An unnamed law firm produced an email regarding two unnamed NGO's, that with state and federal funding helped relocate Venezuelan gang members out of Denver in order to "spread the pain," beginning in spring 2023. Benefits included deposit assistance for apartments, and three months rent in some cases.
Notes:
o Laura's guests are the Aurora city councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky, and reporter Jonathan Choe with TPUSA
o Concentrated effort to run the residents out of the building
#7
I guess I should apologize for flimsy reporting, but I recorded the show using Directv Stream, and took notes of the segment while going forward and backward. The title and text of the segment were discussed verbatim by Ingraham, but she only referred once to the part about the apartment complexes being owned by a Tren de Aragua "company," and she didn't discuss this in detail.
#8
You put down enough breadcrumbs that I was able to cobble something together for us, Fairbanks, and this was a very useful atarting point for discussion. Not everything here needs to be one of Fred’s hilariously sarcastic in-lined beauties. Thank you for helping make Rantburg even better.
Twelve Syrian soldiers have been killed by an al-Qaeda linked group in northwest Syria, according to a war monitoring organization, the highest such corpse count in the region this year.
The Britannia-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Wednesday that "12 members of the regime forces, including an officer, were killed following suicide kabooms carried out by special forces from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, before that it was called something else ...al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, from which sprang the Islamic State... group (HTS), targeting regime forces positions in the north of Latakia province" adjacent to Idlib, the last major rebel stronghold in the northwest.
The corpse count is the "highest among the regime forces in the region since last September", according to the observatory.
Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Observatory, told AFP that the attack was part of "an escalation by HTS since Monday, which included attacks on regime forces on several fronts".
The Idlib region is subject to a ceasefire brokered by Russia and The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...just another cheapjack Moslem dictatorship, brought to you by the Moslem Brüderbund... after a regime offensive in March 2020. Despite being repeatedly violated, the ceasefire is still largely holding.
HTS controls swathes of Idlib province and parts of neighboring Aleppo, Hama and Latakia.
More than five million people, most of them displaced, live in areas outside government control in the Idlib region.
HTS, considered a terrorist organization by Damascus, the United States and the European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... , regularly festivities with Syrian and allied Russian forces.
It is the main rebel organization active in northwest Syria, but there are other groups, some backed by Turkey.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/06/2024
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Top|| File under: Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (al-Nusra)
A civilian was killed on Wednesday by the earth-shattering kaboom of a projectile from the remnants of the Saudi-led coalition war in Ma'rib province.
A medical source in the province confirmed the death of citizen Abdullah Nasser Hussein Balhat after being seriously injured by the earth-shattering kaboom of an object from the coalition military remnants in the al-Daiq area of Serwah District.
The source warned citizens against passing through areas suspected of containing war remnants or flood paths into which some explosive objects and bombs have been swept.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/06/2024
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Sudan ...a Moslem country located in the Horn of Africa. It is noted for its affinity for rule by ex- or current generals, its holy men, and for the oppression of the native Afro population by its Arab conquerors. South Sudan, populated mostly by the natives, split off from Sudan proper, which left North and South Darfur to be oppressed by the guys with turbans... ese army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Thursday called for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to be designated a terrorist group and urged 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... to reinstate Sudan's membership.
Speaking at the China-Africa forum in Beijing, Burhan accused the RSF of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, citing the violence in West Darfur's capital, El Geneina, as an example.
The RSF and allied Arab militias are accused of ethnically assassinations against the non-Arab Masalit people in Darfur, including the liquidation of the state governor.
Burhan, who also heads Sudan's ruling Sovereign Council, described the RSF's actions since the conflict erupted in April as a ''major conspiracy'' aimed at seizing power and serving ''immature regional powers.''
He stressed that the RSF's rebellion has caused immense suffering for the Sudanese people and poses a threat to regional peace and security.
Burhan called on African nations to support Sudan in achieving peace and stability and to reconsider the decision to suspend Sudan's AU membership following the 2021 military coup.
Posted by: Fred ||
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#1
China's Xi promises $50 billion for Africa
China-Africa ties ‘best in history’ claims Xi, as Beijing steps up military aid
China Is Not Pushing Africa Into Debt Trap, South African President Says
Chinese President Xi proposes elevation of China-Africa relations
China Woos Africa, Casting Itself as Global South’s Defender
China, South Africa sign eight trade and investment agreements
Chinese leader Xi Jinping, seeking contrast with Washington, said Beijing offered Africa modernization without ‘Western-style’ suffering.
Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $51 billion in funding and at least 1 million jobs for Africa on Thursday as the U.S. and China vie for influence there.
Posted by: S MAI ||
09/06/2024 17:06
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#2
Sooner or later the conman runs out of gullible customers, and needs to find a new grift. Guess the African nations aren’t there yet.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] The American authorities “have reached a new level”: having introduced yet another round of sanctions against Russian media, they were unable to voice the measures they had taken, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on September 5 on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum.
“They have outdone themselves, because, unlike previous attacks on Russian journalists and editors-in-chief of media corporations, this time something amazing happened: even the American authorities were unable to fully announce the measures that were taken,” Zakharova said.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, the US imposed sanctions on the RT TV channel and its editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan on September 4. Sanctions were also imposed on RIA Novosti, Sputnik and the Rossiya Segodnya media group. The basis for the sanctions was alleged interference in the US presidential elections.
The US Justice Department also charged two RT employees with conspiracy to launder money and violating the Foreign Agent Registration Act by allegedly working with US online commentators and internet personalities to disseminate information to US audiences.
Commenting on the introduction of new sanctions against Russian media, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov stated that the American authorities are trying to shift responsibility for their own mistakes made during the electoral struggle onto Moscow.
Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 22:20 The Swedish government announced that it will allocate about 44 million euros to support heat and energy supplies in Ukraine.
22:03 Scholz will meet with Zelensky on Friday, September 6, who will arrive in Germany for a visit, writes Tagesschau.
21:58 Ukraine has stopped the Russian advance in the Pokrovsk direction, Syrsky said in an interview with CNN. According to him, over the past six days, the Russian army has not been able to advance in this direction "even a meter." "We have deprived them of the ability to maneuver and deploy their reinforcements from other directions. And this weakening is undoubtedly felt in other areas. We are seeing that the number of artillery shellings, as well as the intensity of the offensive, have decreased," the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said.
Syrsky called the Kursk operation a success. According to him, there were several reasons for it: to prevent Russia from advancing from there, to pull Russian forces from other directions, to prevent shelling of the border area, and to raise the morale of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Ukrainians. According to the commander-in-chief, the Russian Federation transferred "tens of thousands" of troops to Kursk, including some of its best airborne assault troops. And before the Ukrainian operation, the Russian Federation planned to launch an offensive on Ukraine from the Kursk region.
20:43 Zelensky commented on the government replacements in an evening video address: "It is very important that government institutions now work as actively as possible - even more actively than before. More investment from partners in Ukraine's defense industry. More active progress in the negotiation process with the European Union - this is the preparation of the future accession agreement. More interaction and mutual understanding between the central government and the communities. And, of course, more support for the front and for all our people... There are dozens of very specific tasks, and in their position, everyone must produce certain results during the fall."
The president also reported that he had heard Syrsky's report today: "Especially the Pokrovsk direction. We are adding our forces, and the key task is to knock out more of the occupier's forces. Also, the operation in the Kursk region. We are maintaining certain lines and with each day of the Kursk operation we are proving to the world that Russia can lose this war, and the only thing that is needed for this is sufficient determination on our part, the determination of everyone in the world on whom the state of affairs in the world depends."
18:55 Ukrzaliznytsia reported that from September 12 it will stop regular train services from Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast to Kyiv and Lviv. "In the future, until the security situation improves, only evacuation services with appropriate registration will be available," the company reported.
17:59 Emergency rescue operations at the site of the missile strike on the educational institution in Poltava have been completed: 55 people were killed, 328 were injured , the State Emergency Service reported.
17:21 Energoatom reported that Zaporizhzhya NPP is again connected to the Ukrainian power grid via two lines - Ukrainian power engineers have restored the second power transmission line damaged by Russian shelling to operation.
17:12 The Rada appointed German Smetanin to the post of Minister for Strategic Industries. Before that, he headed Ukroboronprom. Natalia Kalmykova was appointed to the post of head of the Ministry of Veterans. Before that, she worked as Deputy Minister of Defense and Director of the Ukrainian Veterans Fund.
17:01 Romanian President Klaus Iohannis approved the transfer of the Patriot system to Ukraine.
16:28 Federal Chancellor of Austria Karl Nehammer stated that his country could become a venue for Ukrainian-Russian negotiations, since the OSCE headquarters is located there. At the same time, he assured that Austria is in favor of a fair peace in Ukraine, which is based on international law. "We take note of the statements of the Russian president about his readiness for peace talks with Ukraine. Any negotiations should take place without preconditions and at the same level," Nehammer noted.
15:52 Russia has at least one Dutch ASML machine for producing chips that it uses in UAVs, tanks and missiles, according to an investigation by Trouw. Such chips were found in Russian drones shot down in Ukraine, among other things.
15:20 In Poltava, the death toll from the Russian missile strike on September 3 has risen to 55 people, 328 people were injured , the State Emergency Service reported. There are probably still people under the rubble.
14:56 In Konstantinovka, Donetsk region, the number of victims as a result of today's Russian shelling has increased to eight, one person has died, reported the head of the OVA Vadim Filashkin.
14:38 Zelensky said that at one point, due to "gaps in supplies," Ukraine had only one shell to Russia's 12. "What should you do? It doesn't matter how many people you have standing here, if they have 12 shells and you have one, you're just going to have more people standing here and more people dying," the president said in an interview with NBC News. He added that Ukraine needed a "smart solution." According to him, this refers in particular to the Kursk operation and the withdrawal of Russian forces.
14:19 The Verkhovna Rada supported the candidacy of Andriy Sybiha for the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs instead of Dmytro Kuleba. Ukrainian media reported, citing sources, that Zelensky was allegedly dissatisfied with Kuleba because he did not put enough pressure on Western partners regarding the provision of weapons.
13:33 Zelensky said that the Russian missiles that hit the military training facility in Poltava flew for three minutes, and many were killed or wounded when they went down to shelter.
Zelensky also said in an interview with NBC News that it was the "lack of long-range capability" that forced Ukraine to launch the operation in the Kursk region: "We expected long-range weapons, they were in a small configuration. We did not have enough of these means. And we had an understanding from our research that Russia was planning to create this "buffer zone"... And then we realized that we needed to conduct a corresponding operation. So that the "buffer zone" would not be created by them here, but by us."
The President explained that the Russians could have broken through the border in the Sumy region. If this had happened, Ukraine would have had to stop the enemy for a long time, so a decision was made to launch a preemptive strike. According to Zelensky, the operation went well, so Ukraine used plan "A". He added that the breakthrough in the Kursk region is only part of the operation.
13:27 In the morning, Russians dropped two guided bombs on Konstantinovka in Donetsk Oblast and shelled the city with artillery - one person was killed, two were wounded, said OVA head Vadim Filashkin.
13:04 Russians shelled two medical facilities in the center of Kherson - the buildings were damaged, two medical workers were injured, OVA reported. Another person was injured in Kherson as a result of explosives being dropped from a UAV. In addition, three people were injured in the village of Sadovoe, on whom Russian troops also dropped explosives from a drone.
12:42 In the morning, the enemy attacked the Dnipropetrovsk region with a kamikaze drone - infrastructure was damaged, causing a fire. When rescuers were extinguishing the fire, the Russians launched a second strike, one of the firefighters was wounded, said the head of the OVA Serhiy Lysak. The fire destroyed a service vehicle.
12:26 The possibility of Harris defeating Trump has slowed work on a $50 billion loan for Ukraine, Politico reports. Before Biden dropped out of the race, the prospect of a Trump presidency had pushed Western diplomats to finalize the loan by the end of the year, but Harris's growing popularity has removed the urgency. "The whole idea was to protect aid to Ukraine from Trump, but the situation with Harris is different now," one EU official told the newspaper.
11:08 During the night and morning attacks, the air defense destroyed 60 of 78 Shahed-type attack UAVs, the Air Force reported. Another two drones returned to Russia, one flew to Belarus, 15 were lost on Ukrainian territory (probably due to electronic warfare). In addition, at night, Russia attacked with one Iskander-M ballistic missile. The air defense operated in the Kyiv, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Vinnytsia, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Poltava, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions.
10:59 Zelensky will attend the Ramstein meeting in Germany on Friday, September 6, Spiegel writes. According to the publication, the Ukrainian president wants to ask Western partners for further arms supplies, in particular long-range missiles and additional air defense systems.
10:53 Putin named the "liberation of Donbass" as the top priority. He also stated again that Russia "never refused" to negotiate with Ukraine. According to him, it was possible to reach an agreement with Kiev in Istanbul, "that's the whole point." Putin claims that the Ukrainian side was supposedly satisfied with the agreements reached then, but Kiev "was given the order not to go for it." He also stated that the main guarantee of Russia's security is "the growth of the economy and military potential."
10:32 The Belarusian Defense Ministry confirmed that the military recorded a violation of airspace at night - presumably by drones, which were destroyed. However, Minsk did not specify whose drones they were.
10:17 Russia is again trying to influence the US presidential election, the White House is confident. As usual, the Kremlin is using controlled media and other platforms to spread disinformation. The US Treasury Department announced sanctions against the leadership of the Russian propaganda channel RT and the hacker group RaHDit for interfering in the 2024 presidential election. Read more in the article The US vs. Russian Propaganda .
09:50 The death toll from the Russian strike on Poltava on September 3 has risen to 54, with another 297 people injured, the State Emergency Service reported. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, and there may be up to five more people under the rubble.
09:42 Evacuation trains have stopped leaving Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast "due to the worsening security situation," the Mirnohrad administration reported. Trains are now running from Pavlohrad in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
09:38 In Donetsk Oblast, two people were killed as a result of Russian shelling on September 4: in Konstantinovka and Kurakhovo. Another ten people in the region were injured in the past 24 hours, reported OVA head Vadim Filashkin.
09:29 On September 4, a 19-year-old volunteer was injured as a result of Russian shelling during the evacuation of people in Vovchansk, Kharkiv Oblast, reported OVA head Oleg Sinegubov. Another person was injured the day before as a result of shelling in the village of Kurilovka, Kupyansk District.
09:04 In the Kherson region, three people were wounded as a result of Russian shelling over the past day, reported the head of the OVA, Oleksandr Prokudin.
08:46 The air raid alert in Kiev lasted for over nine hours - Russia attacked the capital with drones, said the head of the Kyiv State Air Defense Forces Sergey Popko. According to him, almost all southern, northern, eastern, central and part of the western regions of Ukraine, including Kiev, were under threat of an air strike. This time, UAVs mainly approached the capital singly, not in groups. All drones threatening the capital were neutralized, there were no casualties or damage in Kiev.
07:55 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of September 5:
personnel - about 621,550 (+1200) people,
tanks - 8624 (+6),
combat armored vehicles - 16,869 (+21),
artillery systems - 17,725 (+31),
MLRS - 1177 (+0),
air defense systems - 940 (+0),
aircraft - 368 (+0),
helicopters - 328 (+0),
Operational-tactical level UAVs - 14,658 (+42),
cruise missiles - 2587 (+7),
ships/boats - 28 (+0),
submarines - 1 (+0),
automotive equipment and tank trucks - 24,044 (+37),
special equipment - 3024 (+10).
07:29 Naval surface drones of the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked Novorossiysk in the Krasnodar region at night. The city's mayor, Andrei Kravchenko, asked residents of the coastline not to go near windows or be in open spaces near the sea. Explosions and gunfire were heard in the city. In the morning, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the destruction of two unmanned boats in the northeastern part of the Black Sea.
04:37 Russia is again attacking Ukraine with attack drones, several of which have flown into Belarus, writes the monitoring group Belaruski Gayun. According to analysts, the aircraft of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus were used to destroy the "shahids". The work of the air defense was heard, in particular, in the Gomel region.
04:24 Zelensky met with Deputy National Security Advisor John Finer, who arrived in Kyiv with a delegation, on Wednesday, September 4. The discussion focused on priorities in the war with Russia before Biden's term ends, Reuters reports. The White House called the discussion "productive and substantive." Finer also held a meeting with Ukraine's military leadership, during which they discussed the situation at the front and strategic issues, including the progress of the Kursk operation.
01:55 The US believes that ATACMS will not be able to hit Russian aircraft, since they are based outside the range of these missiles, said John Kirby, coordinator for strategic communications for the White House National Security Council. "The idea that if we give Ukraine long-range ATACMs, they will be able to hit air bases and most of the aircraft that are shelling Ukraine is incorrect," he explained. According to Kirby, 90% of the aircraft for bombing are based outside the 300-kilometer zone from the borders of Ukraine.
[IsraelTimes] Rescued hostage describes being shot and captured and his 11-month ordeal; report says slain captive Eden Yerushalmi had been starved in captivity, body weighed only 36 kgs
Farhan al-Qadi, who was taken hostage by Hamas ..the well-beloved offspring of the Moslem Brotherhood,... on October 7 and rescued by IDF troops last week, told Channel 12 News on Wednesday that he was kidnapped because he refused to show Hamas faceless myrmidons where they could find Jews during their massacre of some 1,200 people in southern Israel.
In an interview with the broadcaster, al-Qadi retraced his last 11 months, from when he was taken hostage while at work near Kibbutz Magen by the Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with an iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... border until his rescue.
When the sirens started on October 7 al-Qadi thought it was another standard volley of rockets of the sort frequently fired at Israel from Gaza, until his brother phoned him and told him there had been a terrorist infiltration, he told the channel.
"I went outside and I saw 100 meters from me where three Hamas faceless myrmidons were shooting in my direction and running toward me," he said.
Al-Qadi said they caught him and tested him to make sure he was a Moslem and then said to him, "Take us in your car to wherever we can find Jews."
"I was prepared to die rather than point them to a Jew, not even to a cat. The whole moshav are good friends of mine," al-Qadi told Channel 12.
When he refused to show them where Jews might be, the faceless myrmidons shot him in the leg, knocked him to the ground, and tied his hands behind his back.
Al-Qadi was then thrown into a car and taken to Gaza where he saw a group of foreign workers being taken down into a tunnel. At this point, his leg was in so much pain he couldn’t walk and one of the faceless myrmidons decided to take him to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.
Since he couldn’t walk, al-Qadi was forced to climb up the stairs in the hospital on all fours. As they watched him, he said, they laughed and said, "Look, here’s our dog walking."
"There were a lot of people and you could see their joy; they felt like they’d won," al-Qadi recalled.
Eventually, he was taken to see two doctors who sewed up his injury without anesthetic while interrogating him.
"I told that the pain in my soul was worse than the pain in my leg. I was thinking of my family and how they wouldn’t have Farhan anymore," he said.
After his leg was sewn up, al-Qadi was taken to the same room as 85-year-old diabetic Aryeh Zalmanovich, a hostage from Nir Oz who was injured in his head and hand.
The two were kept in the same room for a month and a half, with Zalmanovich in the bed and al-Qadi sitting in the chair.
"He told me stories. He had a granddaughter he loved so much and two sons who live up north, and he talked about them every chance he got," al-Qadi recalled, adding that some mornings Zalmanovich would tell him he had dreamed the two had been released together.
Eventually, al-Qadi was moved to a different room alone, and Zalmanovich was moved to the same room a week later. Over the next few days, al-Qadi said, Zalmanovich’s health deteriorated drastically and he barely spoke.
"The day he died, at around noon, he started to talk. I got up and went closer to him, and he was saying goodbye to the kibbutz, goodbye to his friends, goodbye to his granddaughter... It broke me. I tried to talk to him, I was calling him ’Aryeh, Aryeh,’ but nothing. He wasn’t hearing me. And then it was all over," said al-Qadi, adding that he had come to feel like Zalmanovich was his family.
A couple of hours later, al-Qadi was taken into a room with Zalmanovich’s body, two Hamas terrorists, and a videographer and was ordered to say that Zalmanovich had been gravely ill and they had done everything they could to help him.
A few weeks later, al-Qadi was moved to a house in Khan Younis that was destroyed in an Arclight airstrike ...KABOOM!... the next morning. Hamas then waited until civilians began evacuating from the city to camouflage al-Qadi among them, and he was taken to a tent that was kept closed.
From there, al-Qadi was taken to a tunnel that was accessed under a house, where he spent the next eight months.
Al-Qadi told Channel 12 that he spent that time sleeping and reading the Koran.
"I thought to myself that if this was how I was being treated as a Moslem, how were the Jews being treated?" he said.
He asked at some point to be with some other hostages but was refused because they saw him as a traitor and an enemy worse than the Jewish Israelis.
"Had you told us where there were Jews, you would have stayed with your family," he was told.
He was found and rescued by IDF troops last week, and he said the soldiers welcomed him warmly but the welcome he got back in Israel was not as warm.
Al-Qadi described being criticized and threatened over the last week after the right-wing Channel 14 quoted him saying that he saw himself as Paleostinian more than Israeli. In fact, what he had said was that it didn’t matter whether someone was Israeli or Paleostinian; everyone deserved to be free.
"It really hurts me," he said. "I was shot in the leg because I didn’t want to give up Jews. That’s how we grew up, that’s how my grandfather grew up, and it’s how my children are growing up. Ninety percent of the residents in Israel, Moslems, Jews, Bedouins, are together, one family, one people, Jewish and Arab. No one can take away that togetherness," he said.
Having experienced the prolonged captivity himself, al-Qadi ended his interview with a call to get the hostages released.
"Get them out of there, and then do whatever you want, [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu," he said, adding that while he was free and happy to be back with his family, his head was still in Gaza.
Note also this:
Channel 12 also reported on Wednesday that Eden Yerushalmi, whose body was recovered from Gaza over the weekend along with five others after they were murdered a day or two before the army reached them, appeared to have been starved and had lost 10 kilos in captivity, weighing only 36 kilos (79 lbs) when she was recovered.
Ninety-seven of the 251 hostages kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 33 confirmed dead by the IDF.
[IsraelTimes] Kiryat Shmona mayor laments destruction of city, says terrorists must be made afraid to fire at Israel; four drones fired, barrage of five rockets launched at north
More rockets were fired at Israel from Leb ...an Iranian satrapy currently ruled by Hassan Nasrallah 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 dozen flavors of Christians, plus Armenians, Georgians, and who knows what else? It is the home of the original 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... in August than in any previous month since war broke out almost a year ago, according to data published by the Shin Bet security agency Thursday.
The report said that 1,307 rockets were fired at Israel in August from the northern front, meaning Lebanon and Syria, amounting to just over 40 a day on average, with the vast majority coming from Lebanon.
July saw 1,091 rockets, June saw 855, May saw 1,000, April saw 744, March saw 746, February saw 534, and January saw 334, according to the Shin Bet.
Exact data was not immediately available for October, November, and December 2023, but the quantity was known to be smaller than in August.
By contrast, only 116 rockets were fired at Israel from Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with an iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... in the last month, the report said.
The mayor of Kiryat Shmona lamented Thursday that his largely evacuated northern border town had been badly battered by rockets fired by bully boyz from Lebanon, with many homes being destroyed.
"Unfortunately, every day we have to tell more families that they will not have a home to return to, there are houses that need to be demolished and rebuilt," Avichai Stern told the Ynet news site.
He asked why the lives of northern residents were apparently of lower value than those who lived in the center of the country, apparently referring to the IDF’s preemptive strike last month as Hezbollah was preparing to launch an attack on the Tel Aviv area.
"We need to get to a point where [terrorists] are afraid to fire at Kiryat Shmona," he said.
Tens of thousands of residents of northern border communities have been evacuated since the start of the war, displaced from their homes for close to a year. Many accuse the government of not taking enough action against Hezbollah to enable them to return home safely.
On Thursday, two suspected drones launched from Lebanon were shot down by air defenses, the Israel Defense Forces said, adding that the two targets were intercepted over Lebanese airspace, and did not cross into Israeli territory. Later on, another two suspected drones were launched from Lebanon at the Western Galilee. The IDF said at least one impacted near Ya’ara.
In the afternoon, a barrage of some five rockets were also launched from Lebanon at the Ramot Naftali area, and some of the rockets were intercepted by air defenses, the IDF said.
After more than 100 rockets and missiles were launched by Hezbollah at northern Israel on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces conducted a series of Arclight airstrike ...KABOOM!... s across southern Lebanon overnight.
Fighter jets struck more than 10 Hezbollah rocket launchers and other terror infrastructure, the IDF said, adding that the targets had "posed a threat to Israeli civilians."
The strikes were carried out in southern Lebanon’s Jebbayn, Zawtar ash-Sharqiyah, and Ramyeh, according to the IDF.
Separately, the IDF said it had struck a Hezbollah site in southern Lebanon’s Qana in the afternoon.
An Israeli strike in southern Lebanon’s Kafra was also reported Thursday morning in Lebanese media.
A short while later, Hezbollah announced the death of operative Abbas Anis Ayoub, killed "on the road to Jerusalem," its term for members slain in Israeli strikes.
Since October 8, Hezbollah-led forces have attacked Israeli communities and military posts along the border on a near-daily basis, with the group saying it is doing so to support Gaza amid the war there.
So far, the skirmishes have resulted in 26 civilian deaths on the Israeli side, as well as the deaths of 20 IDF soldiers and reservists. There have also been several attacks from Syria, without any injuries.
Hezbollah has named 433 members who have been killed by Israel during the ongoing skirmishes, mostly in Lebanon but some also in Syria. Another 76 operatives from other terror groups, a Lebanese soldier, and dozens of civilians have also been killed.
Five Paleostinian young men were killed and two others were maimed, one of them seriously, in an Arclight airstrike ...KABOOM!... carried out by an Israeli occupation drone on a vehicle in the city of Tubas in the northern West Bank. "Road trip!" *Boom!* Red Islamic Thingy sources said that ambulance crews retrieved five killed youths from the bombed vehicle, while resuscitation operations are being carried out for a sixth injured person.
The Ministry of Health confirmed that five people were killed and two others were maimed, one of whom was critically, and were taken to Tubas Ottoman Turkish Governmental Hospital, as a result of the occupation bombing of a car near Tubas.
The slain Paleostinians were identified as Ahmed Fawaz Fayez Abu Dawas, 24, Muhammad Awad Salem Abu Juma, 30, Qusay Majdi Abdullah Abdul Razek, 26, Muhammad Nazmi Abu Zagha, 23, and Muhammad Zakaria Muhammad al-Zubaidi, 21, the son of prisoner Zakaria al-Zubaidi.
This bombing coincides with the continued storming operation carried out by the occupation forces in Far'a camp south of Tubas.
Earlier this morning, Red Islamic Thingy sources said that the occupation forces shot a young man with more than one bullet inside Far'a camp south of Tubas, abused him and dragged him with a bulldozer, and prevented the ambulance crews present nearby from reaching him or transporting him and providing him with the necessary first aid, and that there is no confirmed information about the nature of his health condition.
The IDF confirms killing the son of notorious terrorist Zakaria Zubeidi and other button men in a dronezap early this morning in the West Bank city of Tubas, amid renewed operations there.
The IDF has been carrying out a major operation in the northern West Bank since August 28. The operation — internally dubbed "Summer Camps" by the army — began with simultaneous raids on Jenin, Tulkarem and Tubas.
The military says it began a new raid overnight in Tubas and the nearby Far’a camp, as well as a separate operation in Jericho.
In Tubas, a drone targeted a cell of button men, the IDF says.
Among the dead was Mohammed Zubeidi, 21, the son of Zakaria Zubeidi, who in September 2021 beat feet from Gilboa Prison along with five other high-security prisoners, leading Israeli security forces on a two-week manhunt before being caught.
The IDF says that the younger Zubeidi was a "prominent terrorist from the Jenin area" who participated in shooting attacks against Israeli towns close to the West Bank security barrier, as well as other attacks on troops.
The other four button men — identified by the Paleostinian Authority health ministry as Ahmed Abu Dawas, 24, Mohammed Abu Juma, 30, Qusay Abd al-Razeq, 26, and Mohammed Abu Zagha, 23 — were also involved in shooting attacks, the IDF adds.
Meanwhile,
...back at the Council of Boskone, Helmuth ordered the space pirate fleet to attack Zemblonia... in the Far’a camp, the IDF says a drone targeted a group of armed Paleostinians that were hurling bombs at troops, and separately, members of the Israel Prison Service’s elite Metzada Unit killed a gunman who was holding a bomb.
[Breitbart] Germany’s AfD has has acquired a list of the forenames of all 2023 gang rape suspects in one federal state, claiming it shows the vast majority are of migrant heritage.
Not the hard jihad of the sword of the soft jihad of the law, but the fun jihad of rape.
"A clear trend is evident" in the forenames of those named as suspects in gang rapes in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), it is stated, after the Alternative for Germany (AfD) faction applied for a release of information not found in normal government data releases.
There were 209 reported ’gang rapes’ in NRW in 2023, a publication by the state’s interior ministry answering questions by two parliamentarians from the right-wing-populist, anti-mass migration AfD reports. The document notes while there is no actual definition of gang rape in German law, the research was facilitated by looking at reported rape cases where suspects were recorded as not working alone.
In those cases 155 suspects have been identified, and 71 of those are German citizens. Known migrants colonists are therefore already thought responsible for over half of attacks, the statistics reveal, but the disparity becomes even more clear when the forenames — which can be released in line with German privacy law, if not the surnames — are studied, it is claimed.
The state’s AfD faction say adding those known migrants colonists to German citizens with what it describes as obviously not German-heritage forenames suggests a massive 76 per cent of suspects are of foreign heritage. A separate analysis of the same data by German newspaper of record Die Welt states that even when counting out all "doubtful" name cases such as Jason or Luca, it still finds 78.1 per cent of suspects "in all probability had a migration background".
Welt notes "German" suspects on the list included individuals with names like "Bilal, Ibrahim or Muhammed". As previously reported, as mass migration continues to transform German society, names like Mohammed and its spelling variants are already becoming more popular in Germany for new-born babies.
The analysis by Welt is remarkable for a mainstream right-centrist European newspaper, given the now long accepted official position that nationality is defined by passport alone, and to question this or dig deeper in individual heritage is said to be a racist act.
Announcing the release of the data, the AfD reflected there had been a gang rape in NRW "every 42 hours" in 2023 and said they questioned the usefulness the less informative official statistics regularly published.
NRW AfD politicians Markus Wagner and Enxhi Seli-Zacharias had, consequently, requested more detailed information. Also revealed was the fact the most common NRW city for gang rapes was Cologne ...the largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and the fourth populated city in Germany.... — already long-notorious for such crimes — and the most common countries of origin for suspected gang-rapists were Syria, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
Wagner said of the data he forced into the public domain: "Like knife violence, beatings, Islamist attacks or groping in public swimming pools, the increase in gang rapes is not a matter of fate. This form of abuse, which often lasts several hours, is a crime imported primarily by unbridled migration. The probability is high that right now, at this very moment, a group of immigrants colonists in NRW is raping an innocent victim. We owe it to our wives and daughters and everyone affected to stop unregulated migration immediately."
Indeed, just hours after Wagner made reference to Germany’s problem of sexual assaults at public pools, another such case in Germany hit the headlines, with a 12-year-old girl allegedly raped in a pool changing room, the suspect said to be a Syrian national.
The gang-rape statistics came from the NRW AfD faction just days after they secured the release of other statistics pertaining to knife crime in the state. It found 47 per cent of suspects were migrants colonists, but the AfD had not pulled off the name forename request trick with that dataset demand, and consequently were left only asking rhetorically how many of the German suspects were themselves of migrant background. The party accused the Green coalition government of covering up migrant crime by awarding German citizenship to migrants colonists.
[FoxNews] Federal Judge Tanya Chutkan will not hold the trial for former President Trump on charges stemming from Special Counsel Jack Smith's Jan. 6 investigation until after the 2024 presidential election.
Chutkan held a status hearing Thursday morning in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, in which lawyers for Trump pleaded not guilty on his behalf related to charges from Smith’s new indictment after the Supreme Court ruled a president is immune from prosecution for official acts in office.
In an order Thursday afternoon, Chutkan set deadlines for replies and paperwork from federal prosecutors and Trump's legal team for Nov. 7 — after Election Day.
Trump did not appear in court Thursday. His lawyers pleaded not guilty on his behalf. Smith was in court Thursday morning.
The case pertains to Trump's alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Last week, the former president was indicted and issued revised criminal charges by Smith, who alleges Trump pressured former Vice President Mike Pence to reject legitimate electoral votes, in addition to mounting fake electors in key states that went to President Biden and to attest to Trump's electoral victory.
The new indictment keeps the prior criminal charges but narrows and reframes the allegations against the Republican presidential nominee after a Supreme Court ruling that conferred broad immunity on former presidents.
Specifically, the indictment has been changed to remove allegations involving Department of Justice officials and other government officials. It clarifies Trump's role as a candidate and makes clear the allegations regarding his conversations with then-Vice President Pence in his ceremonial role as president of the Senate.
The new indictment removes a section of the previous indictment that had accused Trump of trying to use the Justice Department to undo his 2020 loss. The Supreme Court recently ruled in a 6-3 decision that Trump was immune from prosecution for official White House acts.
Trump has been charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights. Those charges, to which Trump pleaded not guilty, remain.
Smith alleges Trump participated in an effort to enlist slates of fake electors in key states won by Biden to attest that Trump had in fact won and that Trump pressured Pence to reject legitimate electoral votes.
The special counsel's office said the updated indictment, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., was issued by a grand jury that had not previously heard evidence in the case. The new grand jury has only heard this new information.
Sources familiar with the matter tell Fox News that discussions surrounding the superseding indictment will likely not speed things up, and it is unlikely it will go to trial before the November election.
(1) Trump scheduled to be sentenced in NYC.
(2) Federal Reserve rate decision (likely to cut)
A bonus two days later:
(3) Friday the 20th - Quadruple Witching options day
[FoxNews] A native of Pakistan named Asif Merchant was allegedly the assassin selected by Iran
Senator Chuck Grassley released FBI records on Thursday showing that Iranian-backed plotters sought to assassinate former President Donald Trump and other prominent American political figures in relation to the killing of Qasem Soleimani. Soleimani was the head of the Quds Force, part Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC).
The records, provided to Grassley through legally protected whistle blower disclosures, reveal that Iran potentially targeted "politicians, military people or bureaucrats" including President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, and former candidate Nikki Haley.
A native of Pakistan with ties to Iran, Asif Merchant, has been charged for his involvement in the assassination plot. Merchant provided evidence to the FBI in a proffer agreement.
According to the FBI records, Merchant believed he was in for a kill-for-hire scheme that would offer him a cut of $50,000 for successful completion. In his interrogation, Merchant provided options for shooting former President Trump at both indoor and outdoor speaking engagements.
Merchant further expressed that he could hit a target up close or from further away, that a pistol would be best for indoors, but a rifle was necessary otherwise. He believed he had about a 50% chance of success, according to the FBI records.
Asif Merchant communicated with Iran via English language notes smuggled in packages for different extended family members.
#1
It seems the FBI didn't really release the material; they were only released by Congressional circumstance. Git it straight, the FBI (America's KGB) does not release crucial documents.
[FoxNews liveblog] AUTHORITIES RELEASE MUGSHOT OF FATHER OF ALLEGED TEEN SHOOTER
Georgia authorities released a mugshot of the father of the teen who allegedly killed four people at a high school.
Colin Gray, 54, faces multiple charges over the alleged actions of his son, Colt Gray, 14, including four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children.
On Thursday, authorities said the elder Gray knowingly allowed his son to possess a weapon.
He is being held at the Barrow County jail.
CHARGES AGAINST FATHER OF ALLEGED SCHOOL SHOOTER A NEW APPROACH TO CURBING SIMILAR INCIDENTS: LAWYER
The charges against the father of the suspected shooter accused of killing four people at a Georgia high is an example of a new approach by authorities to curb similar incidents, a legal expert told Fox News Digital.
Colin Gray, 54, has been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children. On Thursday, authorities said the charges are connected to the possession of a weapon by Gray's son, Colt Gray, who allegedly killed two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School and wounded nine others.
“This was done by authorities in Michigan who successfully prosecuted the parents of a teen who killed four students using a firearm his parents purchased for him,” said David Gelman, a criminal defense attorney and former deputy district attorney.
Jennifer and James Crumbley were convicted in April of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced 10 years in prison after prosecutors said they kept an unsecured gun at home and showed indifference toward their son's mental health. Ethan Crumbley killed four students at a high school in 2021.
Colin Gray's case is different because he also faces murder charges, said Gelman.
“The charge of murder may be challenging to prove as this charge contemplates malice aforethought, as opposed to involuntary manslaughter which does not require a specific intention to cause death,” he said.
GEORGIA OFFICERS INTERVIEWED APALACHEE HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTING SUSPECT IN 2023, COULD NOT SUBSTANTIATE
Jackson County, Georgia, officers in 2023 spoke face-to-face with the boy who is now charged with felony murder in the deaths of four at Apalachee High School in Winder on Wednesday.
The sheriff's officers described their interactions in a detailed investigation report from May 21, 2023, when suspect Colt Gray was 13 years old, after being tipped off by the FBI about a threat on the messaging app Discord of a threat to shoot up a middle school. Discord is popular with some video gamers.
Gray said he had previously deleted a Discord account and denied that he would make such a threat, "even in a joking manner," according to the report.
Gray's father, Colin, told the officers that he had hunting rifles in the house but that his son "does not have unfettered access to them." The two guns were both "locked away," the father told them. Authorities have said the shooting was carried out with an AR-style rifle.
Jackson County investigators could not substantiate the Discord threat, which came from a user profile that spelled Lanza in Russian, according to the report. Adam Lanza perpetrated the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012.
The officer also found that the information sent to the FBI was communicated via various IP addresses across the world: Palmdale, California; Los Angeles; and Cockburn, Australia.
He also reviewed the email address and phone number related to the case as well as the user profile linked to the threats.
AUTHORITIES RELEASE FIRST MUGSHOTS OF ALLEGED GEORGIA HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTER
APALACHEE HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTING SUSPECT CHARGED WITH FELONY MURDER AHEAD OF FIRST COURT APPEARANCE
Apalachee High School shooting suspect Colt Gray has been charged with multiple counts of felony murder ahead of his first court appearance Friday, officials say.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says "the autopsies of the four victims" who were killed in the Apalachee High School shooting "will be performed today at the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office."
"The investigation into the shooting at Apalachee High School is still active and ongoing," it added. "This is day 2 of a very complex investigation and the integrity of the case is paramount. We ask for the public’s patience as we work to ensure a successful prosecution and justice for the victims."
Gray's court appearance is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. tomorrow.
FBI SAYS LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATED GA SHOOTER IN 2023, FOUND NO PROBABLE CAUSE
Local law enforcement officers with the sheriff's department conducted a deeper investigation and interviewed the father of the suspect, documented in a report that could not substantiate the threats.
During the investigation, the suspect "expressed concern that someone is accusing him of threatening to shoot up a school, stating that he would never say such a thing, even in a joking manner," according to a report from the interviews.
The officer investigating the anonymous tips found that the information sent to the FBI was communicated via various IP addresses across the world: Palmdale, California; Los Angeles, California; and Cockburn, Australia. He also reviewed the email address and phone number related to the case — as well as the user profile linked to the threats.
The profile name, written in Russian, referenced the perpetrator of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown, Connecticut.
"[The Apalachee suspect] stated he stopped using Discord because too many people kept hacking his account, and he was afraid someone would use his information for nefarious purposes," according to the report.
GEORGIA INVESTIGATORS SAY SUSPECTED SHOOTER'S PARENTS 'HAVE BEEN COOPERATIVE UP UNTIL THIS POINT'
A spokesperson for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation tells Fox News Digital that the parents of suspected Apalachee High School shooter Colt Gray "have been cooperative up until this point."
The comment came in response to a question regarding whether authorities are investigating Gray's parents in the wake of Wednesday's attack, which left four dead and nine others injured.
#2
M. Scott Peck's "People of the Lie" had a very interesting anecdote about "a pair of blue-collar parents who obliviously give as a "gift" to their adolescent son the same gun with which his older brother had recently committed suicide" I first read that about 40 years ago. Close analogies keep popping up in crime news...
#8
Re: Death Penalty. Judge had to reverse himself as kid's too young for a formal DP, but eligible for an effective life sentence.
You can however put him in company that would make him wish he was dead
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/06/2024 13:04
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#9
Ref #6 above
A wardrobe change may be in the offing once GenPop Jamal notices the new meat.
#11
Annndd...looking like if you picked a triple letter score, collect your earnings for tranny, or at least an activist. 14, could he have been totally on his meds? Son of Meth? Both?
Can you say 'quick plea bargain for no in-depth probe before the election', little girl?
[FoxNews] Hunter Biden on Thursday entered a guilty plea to all nine federal tax charges brought against him by special counsel David Weiss, his attorney said in court Thursday, shocking federal prosecutors.
The president's son remains free on bond until sentencing on Dec. 16.
Abbe Lowell, the first son's attorney, said earlier Thursday in federal court that Biden intends to switch his plea and intends to plead guilty. He initially pleaded not guilty.
Federal prosecutor Leo Wise said that "this is the first we are hearing about this."
A source familiar with the special counsel's team told Fox News digital that this is not a done deal for Hunter Biden, and that it's currently just an offer the defense put on the table.
The judge had Hunter Biden agree under oath to no longer remain silent and told him that if he pleads guilty he gives up all of his rights to a trial.
Before the court took a 30-minute break, Judge Mark Scarsi said that "the court doesn’t need the government’s agreement to accept an Alford plea."
The development comes after Hunter Biden's lawyers had prepared to argue he was too high or drunk to pay his taxes.
According to the Justice Department manual, DOJ prosecutors cannot take what is called an Alford plea, "except in the most unusual of circumstances…"
An Alford plea is when a defendant acknowledges that a prosecutor's evidence would likely be enough to convict, so they accept a sentence but maintain their innocence.
A source familiar with Weiss' team says Biden's attorneys and the special counsel team are not talking directly right now, and that the special counsel’s team is trying to figure out next steps while talking internally.
The U.S. Department of Justice is also trying to assess how and when it could get involved.
The trial began Thursday with jury selection in Los Angeles.
Weiss charged Biden with three felonies and six misdemeanors concerning $1.4 million in owed taxes that have since been paid. Weiss alleged a pattern by which the president’s son did not pay his federal income taxes while also filing false tax returns.
In the indictment, Weiss alleged that Biden "engaged in a four-year scheme to not pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes he owed for tax years 2016 through 2019, from in or about January 2017 through in or about October 15, 2020, and to evade the assessment of taxes for tax year 2018 when he filed false returns in or about February 2020."
Weiss said that, in "furtherance of that scheme," Biden "subverted the payroll and tax withholding process of his own company, Owasco, PC by withdrawing millions" from the company "outside of the payroll and tax withholding process that it was designed to perform."
The special counsel alleged that Biden "spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills," and that in 2018, he "stopped paying his outstanding and overdue taxes for tax year 2015."
Weiss alleged that Biden "willfully failed to pay his 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 taxes on time, despite having access to funds to pay some or all of these taxes," and that he "willfully failed to file his 2017 and 2018 tax returns on time."
This is the second time Biden is on trial this year stemming from charges out of Weiss' investigation.
Biden was found guilty on all counts in Delaware after Weiss charged him with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm; making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a licensed firearm dealer; and one count of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.
A date has not yet been set for sentencing for those charges. With all counts combined, the total maximum prison time for the charges could be up to 25 years. Each count carries a maximum fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised release.
President Biden has vowed not to pardon his son, and the White House suggested on Thursday that he has not changed his mind.
"It's no, it's still no," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Thursday when they questioned whether the plea had impacted Biden's decision on whether he would consider a pardon for his son. "I'm not able to comment on it, but I can say that it is still very much a ‘no' to the questions I have gotten about if the president is going to pardon [Hunter].
#3
His signed presidential pardon or commutaion is likely already saved to a zipp file in his new laptop. Hunter and the Crime Family have escaped further discovery and justice.
#5
The plea deal prevents publicity of trial testimony, e.g., the source of the payments to Hunter, the moving of payments between multiple dummy accounts, the final deposit of the payments in the accounts of various members of the extended Biden family.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
09/06/2024 10:04
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#6
Can Biden pardon Biden? Is part of the Cammela deal a pardon for FJB and family? Is an unknown pardon for lawfare charges against Trump protecting FJB if Trump wins?
Posted by: Old Salty ||
09/06/2024 12:10
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#7
A president’s ability to pardon is absolute. Clinton pardoned Marc Rich for cash. Jimmy Carter pardoned a bunch of terrorists from the PR.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
09/06/2024 12:59
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#8
If he accepts this, and the congress goes after Biden sr., Jr is not protected by the 5th.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
09/06/2024 13:18
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Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] US authorities have charged six Russians with cyberattacks against Ukraine and NATO countries. The US Department of Justice reported this on September 5.
It is alleged that five officers of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) of the Russian Ministry of Defense and a civilian assistant participated in hacker attacks on critical infrastructure in Ukraine.
The US Department of Justice believes that these same people could later attack government systems in NATO countries.
"The Department of Justice will use all available tools to stop this type of malicious cyber activity and bring those responsible to justice," the statement said.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said on May 4 that the US State Department's claims that the Russian Federation and Russian intelligence services are allegedly involved in cyberattacks in Europe are false propaganda, confirming Washington's refusal to engage in constructive dialogue. He noted that it was the West that had embarked on the path of militarization of the information space, regularly resorting to cyberattacks. As statistics show, the overwhelming majority of hacker attacks in the world occur from US territory, the diplomat emphasized.
[IsraelTimes] European intelligence agencies have recently thwarted Iranian terror plots relying on the use of organized crime groups to attack Jewish institutions in La Belle France and Germany, the German daily Der Spiegel reports.
According to the report, the terror cell did manage to carry out four arson attacks against Israeli-owned companies in southern La Belle France at the end of last year and the beginning of 2024.
The cell’s leader is reportedly a drug pusher from Lyon.
According to the report, one of the suspects, who has been detained in La Belle France, spied on a lawyer with Israeli clients in Berlin in February, and visited Munich twice to spy on an unnamed Israeli family.
Last month, Der Spiegel reported that the head of the now-banned Hamburg Islamic Center (IZH) in Germany received direct instructions from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ...the very aged actual dictator of Iran, successor to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini...> , including on how to portray Hamas ..the braying voice of Islamic Resistance®,... ’s October 7 massacre.
#4
What happened to my post?
Are the SJWs triggered to find out that their buddies in the FBI create their own terror plots? Sure they do. The Gov. Whitmer "MAGA" plot was created by the FBI so they could "catch" them in the act. And they gave it maximum publicity.
This happens, folks.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 23:58 Official summary of the DPR Representative Office in the JCCC from 00:00 09/05/2024 to 00:00 09/06/2024
A total of 23 cases of armed attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces were recorded by the DPR Representative Office in the JCCC over the past 24 hours.
There were reports of one civilian being killed and six injured.
DAMAGED:
One car,
Eight residential buildings.
Five artillery attack s in the Donetsk direction,
A total of 18 artillery attack s in the Gorlovka direction.
A total of 64 units of various ammunition were fired.
21:04 A serviceman with the call sign "Smoke" from the 238th Artillery Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces, together with the 944th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment, using 152mm 2A65 "Msta-B" and 155m 2S5 "Giatsint-S" guns, successfully destroyed a 122mm D-30 artillery gun of Ukrainian nationalists in the village of Maksimilyanovka.
19:40 Footage of objective control of the defeat of positions and launch points of Ukrainian Armed Forces UAVs in the Khar'kov region.
During reconnaissance operations in the area of one of the settlements in the Khar'kov region, servicemen of the North group of troops used a drone to uncover the activities of Ukrainian Armed Forces UAV crews that were launching kamikaze drones.
All identified enemy kamikaze drone launch points were successfully destroyed.
18:55 The Buk-M3 air defense missile system crew covers motorized rifle units in the Avdeevka direction.
Anti-aircraft gunners of the Center group of forces organized reliable air cover for the forward units from enemy air attacks.
During combat duty, the crew detected and captured an air target approaching the positions of Russian troops. After making a decision to destroy the target, the crew launched a SAM and hit it at a considerable distance.
18:30 An explosion occurred in the Darnitsky district of Kyiv, local media reported
18:15 A crew of the Vasilek automatic mortar of the Dnepr group of forces destroyed up to 10 Ukrainian Armed Forces militants in the Zaporizhia region.
17:38 South Donetsk direction - after the improvement of the positions of the Russian Armed Forces north of Novomayorskoye, according to information from Ukrainian channels, the main forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces left Zolotaya Niva, and the settlement is currently being cleared.
17:25 In the Kupyansk direction, the Russian Armed Forces are consolidating their positions in the Sinkovka area on the eastern bank of the Oskol River.
16:44 A powerful explosion thundered in the suburbs of Khar'kov.
16:37 Footage of the battle for Prechistovka, liberated through the joint efforts of Kamchatka marines and soldiers from Buryatia.
16:11 Russian military are moving forward and “squeezing out” the enemy in the Svatovsky direction – video .
15:55 Russian attack aircraft broke through the defense of Ukrainian forces in the area of the village of Kleshcheyevka in the Artemovsk direction in the DPR, security forces reported.
In recent weeks, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have suffered heavy losses in this section of the front.
15:15 Disruption of the rotation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces by drone operators of the 24th Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces – video.
14:58 Russian troops are “driving out” Ukrainian Armed Forces militants from Zolotaya Niva, where they fled from liberated Prechistovka.
14:31 Soldiers of the 18th Combined Arms Army hit cell phone towers on the right bank of the Dnieper.
14:10 Russian Armed Forces "knocked out" the enemy beyond the Seversky Donets Canal, near Kleshcheyevka
14:05 Footage of the 11th Air Force and Air Defense Army in action in the Ugledar direction. A temporary deployment point of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the territory of the ventilation shaft of the Yuzhnodonbasskaya No. 3 mine was hit.
13:49 Russian fighters are “cleaning up” enemy strongholds in the Ugledar direction in the Prechistovka area.
13:35 Scouts of the “Southern” group of troops disrupted the enemy’s rotation in the Donetsk direction – video.
12:54 Donbasskiy Partizan reported about the strike of the Russian Armed Forces on the MGM-140 ATACMS service point in the Odessa region.
Yesterday, September 4, at about 19:40, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation attacked the MGM-140 ATACMS maintenance and storage facility located on the territory of an agricultural enterprise in the village of Gribovka (Odessa region).
According to preliminary information, the strike was carried out using the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system. Afterwards, a strong fire was recorded at the facility.
The enemy, together with Western military instructors, organized a maintenance and storage point for high-precision long-range ATACMS missiles on the territory of an agricultural enterprise. These missiles pose a fairly serious threat, since their range reaches 300 km, which allows them to hit strategically important objects at a significant distance.
12:04 Summary of the Russian Ministry of Defense on the progress of the special military operation (as of September 5, 2024)
Units of the North group of forces in the Volchansk and Liptsov directions inflicted losses on formations of the 92nd Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the 36th Naval Infantry Brigade and the 103rd Territorial Defense Brigade in the areas of the settlements of Malye Prokhody, Liptsy and Volchanskie Khutor in the Khar'kov region.
The fighters of the West group of forces improved their tactical position, defeated the manpower and equipment of the 43rd, 44th, 66th, 115th Mechanized, 3rd Assault Brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the 110th, 117th Territorial Defense brigades and the 12th Special Forces Brigade "Azov" in the areas of the settlements of Kovsharovka, Petrovpavlovka, Glushkovka, Kruglyakovka in the Khar'kov region, Novoyegorovka, Makeyevka in the Luhansk People's Republic, Torskoye in the Donetsk People's Republic, as well as the Serebryanskoye forestry. They repelled two counterattacks by assault groups of the 14th and 116th Mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Anklav-N electronic warfare station, the AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar station made in the USA and five field ammunition depots were destroyed.
Units of the "Southern" group of forces continued to advance into the depths of the enemy's defense, inflicting defeat on the formations of the 30th, 54th, 93rd Mechanized, 143rd, 144th Infantry, 46th Airmobile, 10th, 80th Assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the 114th and 116th territorial defense brigades in the areas of the settlements of Verkhnekamenskoye, Pereyezdnoye, Chasov Yar, Stupochki, Predtechino, Maksimilyanovka and Katerinovka of the Donetsk People's Republic.
As a result of active actions by units of the "Center" group of forces, the settlement of Zavetnoye of the Donetsk People's Republic was liberated. The manpower and equipment of the 23rd, 24th, 47th, 100th Mechanized, 59th Motorized Infantry, 142nd Infantry and 25th Airborne brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Dzerzhinsk, Krasnoarmeysk, Shcherbinovka, Grodovka, Zhuravka, Mikhailovka, Selidovo and Memrik of the Donetsk People's Republic. Eight counterattacks of assault groups of the 53rd, 150th Mechanized, 71st Jaeger, 95th Airborne Assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the 14th, 15th brigades of the National Guard and the "Lyut" assault brigade of the National Police of Ukraine were repelled.
Units of the "East" group of forces occupied more advantageous lines and positions, inflicted defeat on the formations of the 61st, 72nd Mechanized, 58th Motorized infantry brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the 128th Territorial Defense Brigade in the areas of the settlements of Vodyanoye, Dobrovolye, Ugledar, Novoukrainka and Velyka Novosyolka of the Donetsk People's Republic.
Within 24 hours, operational-tactical aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile forces and artillery of the Russian Armed Forces groups struck: an ammunition production plant, a warehouse for unmanned boats, a temporary deployment point for foreign mercenaries, as well as concentrations of manpower and military equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 136 districts.
Air defense systems shot down three US-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, five French-made Hammer guided air bombs, an Olkha rocket, and 27 unmanned aerial vehicles.
The Black Sea Fleet destroyed 11 unmanned boats of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
11:51 Assault units of the "East" group of forces captured strongholds and captured Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers in the South Donetsk direction of the North Military District
11:22 Footage of combat work by UAV operators of the 392nd Motorized Rifle Regiment to destroy enemy positions in the Zaporizhia direction.
11:51 Assault units of the "East" group of forces captured strongholds and captured Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers in the South Donetsk direction of the North Military District
11:22 Footage of combat work by UAV operators of the 392nd Motorized Rifle Regiment to destroy enemy positions in the Zaporizhia direction.
10:42 Russian military prevented the Ukrainian Armed Forces from bringing reinforcements into the Kursk region at night, Alaudinov reported. The commander of the special forces "Akhmat" noted that the Ukrainian military began "actively digging in."
10:34 Explosions occurred again in the Kyiv-controlled city of Kherson, the Ukrainian publication "Public. News" reported.
09:50 The Russian Armed Forces have almost completely liberated the village of Zolotaya Niva in the Ugledar direction. The settlement is being cleared, Sh?pot Fronta reported.
09:34 Russian forces have taken fire control of one of the roads leading to Seversk in the DPR, which was used to supply units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the city, military expert Andrei Marochko reported.
09:14 In the morning, the enemy admits the loss of Pereyezdnoye (Seversky salient) and the advance of the Russian Armed Forces in the area of Novogrodovka and Ukrainsk.
08:48 Explosions in the outskirts of Zhitomir.
08:27 Explosions are heard in Kherson occupied by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
08:14 A Mi-28NM helicopter destroyed personnel and armored vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the border area of the Kursk region.
08:09 Iskander-M "worked" on the US-made M270 MLRS, auxiliary equipment and Ukrainian Armed Forces militants: footage from Sumy Oblast
08:04 Ukrainian channels reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces left the village of Zolotaya Niva in the Ugledar direction.
08:00 122mm BM-21 Grad MLRS crews destroyed a concentration of Ukrainian Armed Forces infantry in the border area of Kursk Oblast.
Indian police on Thursday said they were compiling lists of right-wing Hindu "cow vigilantes" after a young man falsely accused of smuggling beef was rubbed out.
The killing last month of 19-year-old Aryan Mishra in northern Haryana state has sparked unusual outrage — much of it because the young man was a Hindu.
Cows are venerated as sacred by the country's Hindu majority, and their slaughter is illegal in many Indian states.
The authorities are often accused of failing to rein in Hindu hardliners, who form gangs of "cow vigilantes" to attack people accused of involvement in cattle slaughter — with several deaths reported each year.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has in the past condemned attacks on cattle traders and beef-eaters, but critics say that bully boyz have been emboldened by the Hindu nationalist rhetoric of his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Many of those accused of transporting or killing cows are from India's 220-million-strong Moslem community, with social media awash with videos boasting of vigilante attacks.
Mishra was killed on a highway on August 24 after an armed mob chased his car for 50 kilometres (31 miles), believing he was transporting beef.
Five people have been arrested in connection with the killing, and senior Haryana police officer Aman Yadav said the force was preparing a "list of cow vigilantes" to track their movements.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/06/2024
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#1
I see a Chik-Fil-A ad coming
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/06/2024 7:56
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#2
Wouldn't happen if the cows were armed.
Wait....maybe not such a good idea..
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[RIA] Europe suffers its first losses in the economic standoff with China. The German concern Volkswagen AG is forced to close its factories due to the inability to compete with Chinese products. And this is largely Brussels' fault. RIA Novosti reports on how events are unfolding. DISTURBING NEWS
This has never happened before in the history of the German auto giant, notes Bloomberg. The conditions are getting tougher, there are more and more players on the market, complains the CEO of the concern Oliver Bloom. It is simply unprofitable to do business in Germany: energy and labor are becoming more expensive. And purchasing power is not increasing - German electric cars are not being bought. Thus, in 2023, only ten million units were assembled with a capacity of 14 million.
Volkswagen Group's EU sales fell 2.2% year-on-year in July, according to a report from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).
So far, the talk is about stopping two enterprises - assembly and spare parts production. People will have to be sacrificed as well. Retiring some is not enough; the company is going to lift the 1994 moratorium on job cuts. And the concern employs about 300 thousand people.
The authorities are alarmed. Lower Saxony Prime Minister Stefan Weil agreed that "measures must be taken" but would prefer less radical options. "We hope it won't come to a closure," he said.
But Brussels has seriously increased import duties on electric cars from China: up to 38.1%. Moreover, the European Commission declared this "fair competition".
The Chinese are dumping "at the expense of huge state subsidies," claimed EC President Ursula von der Leyen.
Beijing was outraged and complained to the WTO.
China's Ministry of Commerce is currently auditing EU farm products - dairy products and pork - whose producers were subsidized by Brussels, covering 20% of the costs, Beijing claims.
"Formally, the payments will indeed be maintained until the end of the year, but due to the "green transition" it is becoming increasingly difficult to receive them. A farm that suffered from market shocks, including sanctions, may be allocated up to 280 thousand euros, and a fishing farm - up to 335," says Mikhail Khachaturyan, PhD in economics and associate professor of the Department of Strategic and Innovative Development at the Financial University. He believes that the subsidies will be extended, but the amounts will be reduced.
As practice has shown, China's retaliatory actions are extremely destructive. Associate Professor of the Department of Strategic and International Management at the Higher School of Business at the National Research University Higher School of Economics Igor Stroganov reminds us: sanctions against Californian farmers have ruined many.
"China avoids direct economic confrontation until the very end. But then it consistently and carefully presses on the main pain points. The blow to the dairy industry is quite unpleasant for the European Union: for many years, dairy products were the main driver of foreign sales," he comments.
Khachaturyan believes that protective duties will reduce European exports to China by 15-20%.
A PUNCH TO THE GUT
Another sensitive area is germanium and gallium, which are needed to make solar panels, fiber optics, night vision devices, and, most importantly, advanced microprocessors. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that China produces 98 percent of the world's gallium and 60 percent of its germanium.
Last year, Beijing cut exports by nearly half in response to U.S. restrictions on semiconductor sales. And prices in the industry doubled.
The US was helped by cooperation with Vietnam. "In addition, America has its own deposits capable of providing 80-85% of needs, the rest can easily be bought in Canada, Japan and South Korea," Khachaturyan explains. Except Greenies and Enviroloons will sue to stop any domestic mining. All indigenous sacred sites, I'm sure
But in Europe the situation is different. The deficit of rare earth metals can complicate the production of high-tech products, including for the military-industrial complex. "Microprocessors, fiber-optic products, solar panels and night vision devices for the mass market were made in China," Stroganov notes.
However, it will not be possible to increase its own capacities. "The Belgian concern Umicore is loaded to the limit, and there are no others. The technologies for obtaining gallium and germanium are specific, and are not suitable for every metallurgical or chemical enterprise," explains independent industrial expert Leonid Khazanov.
The US, Canada, Finland, South Korea and Japan will not help out - their deposits are small, experts add. In addition, the bulk goes to the domestic market, so Beijing can tighten the technological noose around the EU's neck as much as it wants.
#3
Part of the problem is, most manufacturers want to sell higher priced models. They don't like to provide the basic low end models, because profits are low at the margin.
Posted by: ed in texas ||
09/06/2024 11:56
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#5
Money is power, the less power EU psychopaths have to interfere in World affairs - the better off the World.
Problem is, China gets more money and more power while US and EU lose.
Whatever happened to the approach we took with the USSR? Seemed like it was a smashing success, so much so that the Berlin wall fell and the USSR went kaput. Why doesn't China get the same treatment? Perhaps they offered better bribes to Western policy makers than the Soviets?
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
09/06/2024 14:03
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#6
Part of the problem is, most manufacturers want to sell higher priced models. They don't like to provide the basic low end models, because profits are low at the margin.
Yeah, remember the old VW bugs and buses? They were cute and they were cheap. Never mind that they ran like crap. You could drop a new engine into it and keep going. People just couldn't get enough of them. Now VWs look like all the other cars on the road and they cost just as much. The mystic is gone.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
09/06/2024 14:10
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#8
Grom, the reason Henry Ford had to sell to the masses was he needed to create a market where there wasn't one. There were no "mass use" cars when he started, so he had to bring the concept into being. That was the genius.
Posted by: ed in texas ||
09/06/2024 15:42
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#9
Compare and contrast Ford, Musk, Trump, Rockefeller.
Pakistain International Airlines's (PIA) Deputy Station Manager in Birmingham Iqbal Javed Bajwa has reportedly stepped down after his educational certificate was found fake.
A spokesperson of the national flag carrier told Geo News that the higher-ups had sought resignation from Iqbal, who is reportedly a brother of former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa, for submitting "fake" educational certificates.
He said that the official had been served a show cause notice on July 13, 2024, through the PIA's finance manager in Birmingham on allegations of possessing a fake degree.
Iqbal had reportedly been asked to prove the authenticity of his Intermediate degree within seven days or face termination, for breaching relevant clauses of PIA's Employees Disciplinary Policy 2019, as per The News.
It was discovered that the Intermediate certificate submitted by Iqbal was fake, as the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Lahore did not verify his roll number 25703.
The board confirmed to PIA management via a letter that Iqbal had not passed the Intermediate examination under that roll number or name.
The notice was issued in light of the national airline's directive last August, requiring all employees to submit their educational certificates and documents.
Sources said that Iqbal has been a long-time employee of the national airline who was recruited at the PIA's Rawalpindi office in 1977 and later acquired local regular employee status after relocating to the United Kingdom in the late 1980s.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/06/2024
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#1
Someone wasn't kicking back his 10% to the right people!
What a difference 11 years make. That is how long it has been since the conservative media sphere had a rock solid scandal with regard to payments from foreign sources.
Back then it was five writers (that we know of), including Ben Domentech of Red State and other media outlets who wrote for a foreign government in 2010.
The reports surfaced in 2013 revealing that the Malaysian government gave out big paychecks to a series of writers -- erstwhile conservatives all -- to provide positive coverage in several media outlets, among them Huffington Post, San Francisco Examiner and others.
This is all the short version. Its long, detailed form can be found here.
The link in the title is to a Daily Mail article about US government sanctions against RT, AKA Russia Today, and hereinafter referred to as Rossiya Sevodnya, where the Russian media outlet and some of its fronts were indicted for violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, a federal statute so old it is rarely, if selectively, enforced.
Names which came up in the course of Daily Mail work included some youtube.com media figures, including Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, Benny Johnson, and Lauren Chen through the Tennessee media company Tenet Media, owned by Chen's spouse, Liam Donovan. They were all identified as conservative, a label through the Biden years which has lost practically all meaning. Those four were employed by Tenet Media, a fact of which I was unaware. I thought that Pool was an independent. Guess not: Just another working stiff pulling down millions courtesy of Russian media.
Some important distinctions should be made: One is that Pool did some media work in Ukraine post coup, so it is hard to see why he would do media work through his youtube.com account for Rossiya Sevodnya, or would at least ensure his work would not appear in what I label Russia's CNN.
Two is that Scott Ritter, not included in this scandal, actually does write for Rossiya Sevodnya, and had made it no secret, and has run afoul of the FARA. If you read the article I wrote back in 2013, you will see that affected PR writers later were registered in the FARA database years after they did their work.
I suspect in order to stay on the federal government's good side, those five named in the Daily Mail article will wind up in that database as well.
But now, I bet that label will be splayed all over paid media: "har har, see the conservative money grubbers writing for Rossiya Sevodnya."
In fairness to the five media influencers it is easy to see how they were deceived as to the provenance of those payments, them with their hands out, their editorial integrity untouched. It's hard to Google Russian names; the Russian language has all those weird characters, and, besides, the Russians never spell things right.
So, weirdly, we have a media scandal, to call it what it is, this time during a national election in which a foreign government issues fat pay checks to one political side, and asks for so little in return.
It is clear the Russians still are trying to figure out how the US government gets the US national media to side with the US government without resorting to threats or to cash payments.
As for myself in relation to this story/scandal: I never made much money as a machinist. But whatever money was paid I was 100 percent certain it was for services rendered. No one was harmed from my efforts and product went out the door either for resale or for end use.
Were I to receive from anyone as little as $5 for my current activities online, I would want to know who it is from, and most importantly why.
The reasons are to express my thanks to the generous individual and to let my public know about the payment.
Were I not to receive a satisfactory answer to who and why, I would be compelled to return the cash payment, with grace and gratitude for their generosity.
Such an easy thing to do to retain your integrity.
Tim Pool hysterically banging table shouting UKRAINE IS THE ENEMY OF THIS COUNTRY
He didn’t know he was working for a company that took $10 million USD in black bag payments from Russia guys. Horrible coincidence. We’ve all been there pic.twitter.com/bGz0jHrOnD
[PostMillennial] A new undercover video from Louder with Crowder's MugClub Undercover unit has revealed Nicholas Biase, Department of Justice Chief of Public Affairs, calling the multitude of cases brought against 2024 GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump ...So far he's been unkillable, and they've tried.... a "travesty of justice," adding that this was why Trump is surging in the polls.
Speaking on the case led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg ...Soros-owned and operated Manhattan DA. Putting vicious and blood-thirsty criminals in jail only makes them unhappy, and they've led such hard lives after all... that saw Trump convicted of 24 counts of felony falsifying business records, Biase, Chief of Public Affairs, US Department of Justice, US Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York, said Bragg "was stacking charges and, like, rearranging things just to make it fit a case. No, honestly, I think the case [against Trump in NYC] is nonsense."
"Every real estate person in New York does what [Trump] did. Nobody's ever been charged with this. It's all him [Trump]. And that's why, like, [Trump's] surging in the polls. You know, it's a perversion of justice." Biase said that he's known Bragg for 15 years, and that Bragg used to work in his office. Biase also said that Bragg's star witness in the case, Michael Cohen ...sleazy lawyer who worked for Trump as his fixer, then turned on him after the Stormy Daniels shakedown. Mikey told about six hundred different stories, most of them contradfictory and some physically impossible. In August 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty to eight counts including campaign-finance violations, tax fraud, and bank fraud. As Alvin Bragg's star witness against Trump, he admitted on the stand to enbezzling from the Trump Organization... , is a "psycho."
Biase said the charges had made Trump "more relevant," and nodded in agreement when the news hound asked if bringing the charges had backfired. "It sure did," he said. He later said that the point of prosecuting Trump was to "make him a convict" and a "convicted felon."
Biase noted a 90-day rule at the federal level where "You can't make any decisions on cases that are going to affect an election," but added that this was not the case at the state level. He said the state level was like "the f*cking wild west."
He said that Democrats ...every time you hear the phrase white people, white supremacy,white anything but paint, you're listening to a Democrat. Ask him/her/it to reimagine something for you; they do that a lot, though not well. They can hear a dog whistle a mile or two away. They invented the spoils system and Tammany Hall, and inspired the addition of the word (Thomas) Nasty to the English language. They want to stop continental drift and repeal the law of unintended side effects... were "so obsessed" with getting Trump.
Speaking on the Georgia election case brought forth by Fulton County Da Fani Willis, Biase said, "it's a travesty of justice, to put it mildly. It's a mockery of justice. She is a joke. Like, her and her boyfriend she was seeing, the whole thing is disgusting. And they're just out to get [Trump].
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Kirill Velesov
[REGNUM] A scandal is unfolding in the West, clearly connected to the upcoming presidential elections in the United States in November, to which, just as in 2016, they are trying to implicate a “Russian trace” and the “hand of Moscow,” allegedly pushing Donald Trump toward the White House.
On September 5, leading American and British television channels and publications, from the Associated Press to the Daily Mail, simultaneously reported on the “sensational indictment” released by the US Department of Justice.
"Here they called from 2016 and demanded all their hackneyed cliches back. There are three inevitable things in life: death, taxes, and "RT's interference in the American elections"... Somewhere, Secretary of State Clinton is sad that this time it's not all because of her."
The document stated that employees of the Russian media holding RT, Konstantin Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, were accused by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York of "implementing" a certain "plan" that allegedly consisted of paying $8.7 million to an unnamed company ("Company 1") from the state of Tennessee so that it would release videos "in line with the Kremlin's interests" in exacerbating internal discord in the United States.
It is alleged that Company 1 spent the said $10 million on publishing videos in support of Moscow’s agenda, including in the Ukrainian conflict.
According to the US Department of Justice, the content was allegedly “seeded” onto all known platforms, including TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram* and YouTube.
Since November, the company has published more than 2,000 videos that have been viewed more than 16 million times on YouTube, according to the indictment, National Public Radio reported. The publication, by the way, is accompanied by a photo of U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland against the backdrop of a Ukrainian flag, which the attorney general hung out in solidarity with Kiev.
The "sensation" about a conspiracy against American democracy was leaked simultaneously with the US Treasury's decision to impose sanctions against RT, its editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan, the Rossiya Segodnya media group, and the RIA Novosti and Sputnik agencies. The wording was "for carrying out a disinformation campaign related to the elections."
CNN, which is clearly playing on the side of the Joe Biden administration and is more zealous than others in promoting “RT-gate,” has released its “leak”:
“CNN has independently confirmed that Company 1 is Tenet Media, a platform for independent content creators. It describes itself as “a network of unorthodox commentators who focus on Western political and cultural issues,” according to its website, which matches the language in the newly unsealed indictment."
CNN's publications, which were picked up by other media outlets, emphasize that among the popular video bloggers and podcast hosts who worked with Tenet Media (and therefore were involved in "Russian propaganda") are well-known "right-wing personalities" - Benny Johnson and Tim Poole.
“Both have millions of subscribers on YouTube and other platforms,” CNN points out, making the appropriate point: Poole interviewed Trump on his podcast in May.
The Daily Mail adds a third suspect: Dave Rubin, the author of a popular X blog.
Tenet Media is real and based in Tennessee. The “Free Voices Are Here” outlet is indeed home to Benny Johnson (2.7 million subscribers), Tim Poole (2.1 million), and Dave Rubin (1.5 million subscribers).
All three are called "influencers," that is, well-known figures whose opinions matter to large groups of people. All three are working for the same, conventionally Trumpist, audience.
That is, people living in the “Bible Belt,” for example, in Tennessee, people who are traditionalist (at least in terms of family life and “gender issues”) and who do not trust the federal government and especially the current Democratic administration.
But the main thing is the Republicans who will vote for Trump in November.
The major American and British press, spinning the scandal, particularly emphasized that among the latest heroes of the Tenet videos was Lara Trump, the presidential candidate’s daughter-in-law and co-chair of the Republican National Committee.
Other prominent Trump associates gave interviews to the “suspicious” influencers. In particular, former presidential candidate, Indian-born businessman Vivek Ramaswamy (an ardent supporter of the “Mexican wall,” who withdrew his candidacy in favor of Trump back in January), as well as journalist and politician Carey Lake, who calls herself the Republican candidate’s “chief cheerleader.”
The conclusion being pushed by Biden's appointed Attorney General Garland, the Justice Department, and the mainstream media is simple and follows a well-worn pattern: Moscow allegedly helped Trump defeat Hillary Clinton in 2016, and it intends to do the same in 2024 by launching "propaganda" through conservative media.
Back then, I remember, the topic of Russian influence through social networks was also being discussed – Facebook* and Instagram, which are blocked in our country.
The conclusion is the same as in 2016-2017. “The message from the Department of Justice is clear: We will not tolerate authoritarian regimes attempting to exploit our democratic systems of government,” Attorney General Garland now declared.
But just like seven or eight years ago, the Democratic Party did not bother to present any clear evidence. Let us recall that the “Russiagate” investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, which lasted two years (2017–2019), ultimately did not come to the required conclusions.
As a result, the next special prosecutor, John Durham, in 2023 published a conclusion : the FBI had unreasonably suspected the 45th President Donald Trump of “collusion” with Russia.
RT, which has been sanctioned, has taken an ironic approach to the latest edition of "Russiagate". When Reuters asked for a comment on the accusations, the Russian media holding responded as follows:
"Here they called from 2016 and demanded all their hackneyed cliches back. There are three inevitable things in life: death, taxes, and "RT's interference in the American elections"... Somewhere, Secretary of State Clinton is sad that this time it's not all because of her."
Now, in place of Secretary of State Clinton, who wants to defeat Trump at any cost, is Vice President Kamala Harris, but the essence of the matter does not change.
But the conservative influencers themselves who have come under suspicion are in no mood for jokes. Johnson, Poole, and Rubin are forced to make a long-winded defense, repeating that they were “used.”
"If these allegations are true, I, like other activists and commentators, will be the deceived party and the victims," said Tim Poole.
Dave Rubin wrote that he had "absolutely no knowledge of this fraudulent activity" and that the Justice Department's charges demonstrated that "I and other columnists were victims of this scheme."
The behavior of bloggers is quite understandable.
The Biden administration is ready to leave influencers in the status of victims of a “Russian intrigue” rather than conscious conductors of the Kremlin’s will. The fact that “Company 1” allegedly kept the plan’s executors in the dark about the sources of funding is stated in a statement by Merrick Garland.
The only (and most important) thing that the US authorities deny to conservative bloggers with millions of followers is, in fact, the status of people who have the right to dissent.
According to the logic of the US Department of Justice, speaking out against LGBT** propaganda, against transgender transitions among teenagers, and criticizing the failed policies of the Biden administration is only possible for money. And for money “from the Kremlin.”
It is clear that the "Company 1" case became another way to sink Trump in the November elections. But it is significant who exactly was the target of the political and media attack - the publicists who deviated maximally from the liberal general line.
It seems that the monopoly on common sense is vested solely in the Democratic Party, while the famous First Amendment to the Constitution, which guarantees the right to free speech, remains on paper.
The bodies of two brothers allegedly killed by Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been found in a mass grave in North Darfur, activists said on Thursday, nearly two months after they were arrested for suspected allegiance to the army.
The RSF has controlled the town of Millet, around 57 km (35 miles) north of El Fasher, since April, following clashes with armed groups that signed a 2020 peace deal but have since sided with the army in the ongoing conflict.
The paramilitary group has been accused of widespread abuses against civilians in Darfur since the war began, including killings, looting and enforced disappearances. The RSF has denied these allegations.
A human rights activist, who asked not to be named for security reasons, told Sudan Tribune that the bodies of Taj al-Din and Kamal al-Din Abdel Rahman Youssif were discovered in a mass grave in Wadi Qaraan, west of Millet, alongside more than 20 others.
The brothers were arrested from their home in July by RSF intelligence officers who allegedly found videos on one of their phones showing the body of a slain RSF commander, the activist said.
The activist said the brothers, along with other unidentified victims in the grave, were likely tortured in an RSF detention centre before being shot. The RSF had repeatedly denied holding the brothers, he added.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/06/2024
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The Islamic Resistance® in Leb ...an Iranian satrapy currently ruled by Hassan Nasrallah 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 dozen flavors of Christians, plus Armenians, Georgians, and who knows what else? It is the home of the original 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... , led by Hezbollah, announced on Thursday that it had launched a combined attack, using a swarm of drones and Katyusha rockets, on the Israeli enemy's ''Ramot Naftali'' barracks, confirming that it was hit accurately.
In another statement, the resistance confirmed that it had carried out another air attack with drones on the headquarters of the ''Al-Sahel'' Battalion in the ''Beit Hilal'' barracks and the stabilization and positioning places for officers and soldiers in the new headquarters of the 300 Western Brigade, south of the ''Yaara'' barracks.
According to the resistance's statements, a gathering of Israeli occupation soldiers in ''Tayhat Hill'' was targeted with missile weapons, and the ''Al-Malikiyah'' site was bombed with artillery shells.
On the other hand, southern Lebanese media reported that the southern town of Kafra was subjected to an Israeli raid at dawn today, which, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, resulted in the death of one person and the wounding of another.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/06/2024
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#1
IDF says 5 rockets at Ramon Naftali. Three shot down, two hit open areas. No injuries.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
09/06/2024 15:32
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Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) announced the repatriation of 167 Nigerians from Libya on Wednesday.
The group included 77 men, 69 women, 10 children, and 11 infants.
The returnees arrived at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. NEMA reported that the operation was conducted under the humanitarian voluntary return initiative, in cooperation with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
The Lagos Territorial Office of NEMA, alongside other stakeholders, coordinated the reception of the returnees at the airport's cargo terminal.
The repatriation is part of ongoing efforts by NEMA and IOM to assist vulnerable Nigerians stranded in Libya. Many of these individuals had been facing dire conditions, with limited access to basic needs and a high risk of exploitation. The Nigerian government has been working closely with international partners to facilitate the safe return of its citizens.
NEMA has been involved in numerous repatriation missions over the years, aiming to provide stranded Nigerians with a safe passage home. Upon arrival, the returnees were offered medical assistance and support services to help them reintegrate into society.
NEMA officials reiterated their commitment to the welfare of Nigerians abroad, particularly those caught in precarious situations.
The agency urged Nigerians to avoid irregular migration routes and instead seek legal avenues for travel. It highlighted the risks associated with illegal migration, including human trafficking, abuse, and exploitation.
NEMA also called on families and communities to support the returnees as they reintegrate into their daily lives. The agency pledged to continue working with international partners to ensure the safety and well-being of Nigerians abroad.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/06/2024
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Libya's House of Representatives Speaker, Ageela Saleh, has urged all parties to engage in dialogue and cooperation to resolve the country's issues and maintain national security.
Speaking at the Reconstruction of the South Conference organised by the Libya Development and Reconstruction Fund on Thursday in Sabha ...After the Libyan Civil War, Sabha grew in importance as a slave auctioning town. However, an investigation by the National Commission for Human Rights in Libya (NCHRL) revealed that while there was illegal slavery, reports were exaggerated, as slave auctions were rare and not made public. This was a great comfort to everyone but the slaves peddled in secret. The city was later seized by forces loyal to the Libyan National Army (LNA) and its leader Khalifa Haftar in January 2019, probably for its collection of MiG-25 aircraft..... , Saleh pledged to work on the development and rebuilding of various regions in Libya in the coming period.
In his address, Saleh emphasised that gangs are obstructing the smooth political transition in Libya and posing a threat to stability.
He reiterated the call for the removal of gangs from the capital, 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 affirmed the House of Representatives' support for the efforts of the General Command of the Libyan National Army (LNA) to establish security, stability, and development in southern Libya.
The first conference on rebuilding the south commenced in Sabha, attended by several key figures, including LNA's Commander-in-Chief 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, so it's kind of hard to describe him as a Qadaffy holdover. 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. Actually, he is, but slowly... , Chief of Staff General Abdulrazzaq al-Nadhouri, Prime Minister designated by the House of Representatives, Osama Hammad, and the Director of the Libya Development and Reconstruction Fund, Belgasem Haftar, along with other political, military, and government leaders.
Saleh highlighted the need for unity and collaboration among Libyan factions to address the ongoing challenges facing the nation.
He stressed that the reconstruction of the south is crucial for the country's broader efforts to achieve long-term peace and prosperity. The presence of prominent leaders at the conference underlines the importance placed on rebuilding efforts in the region and the commitment to overcoming the political and security obstacles hindering progress.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/06/2024
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#1
I am amazed that the Libyan crazies, who have been relegated to Tripoli and the northwest, have managed to survive this long. Haftar, I do believe, has American citizenship (he lived in the USA for a number of years). Now why the CIA has maintained a relatively 'hands off' posture with regard to Libya indicates that they cannot control Haftar and are content to let things play out as they will (a la their posture in the Sudan).
Posted by: S MAI ||
09/06/2024 16:59
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#2
Good recollection, S MAI. According to Fred’s little auto-translate about Field Marshal Haftar in the posted article:
…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…
Two people have died, and three others were maimed in festivities in al-Khums, east of the Libyan capital, 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... , as announced by al-Khums Teaching Hospital on Thursday.
The Joint Health Room in al-Khums Municipality declared a state of emergency following the early morning festivities.
Al-Khums Teaching Hospital reported receiving the bodies of the dear departed and treating three injured individuals. Two of the injured had gunshot wounds and shrapnel injuries and were stabilised before being transferred to another hospital.
A third patient, who was critically injured, was treated by specialists in surgery and orthopaedics.
The Joint Health Room deployed members of the Emergency and Ambulance Services around the clash site and urged residents to stay clear of the area. The situation has now calmed, according to a statement from the hospital.
Local authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, and emergency teams remain on standby to respond to any further incidents.
Last month, the National Human Rights Commission in Libya (NIHRL) expressed deep concern over recent military mobilisations and movements, which could destabilise the already fragile peace in the country.
The commission warned that these actions might lead to an escalation in violence and armed festivities, posing significant threats to the safety of civilians and undermining efforts to achieve peace and national reconciliation.
The NIHRL noted that the chronic insecurity in Libya stems from the ongoing political crisis and the erosion of institutional legitimacy. This situation highlights the urgent need to prioritise elections to establish legitimate governing bodies that truly represent the will of the people, ensuring the state's authority and the rule of law.
The commission is closely monitoring these unfortunate developments and calls on all political factions and gangs to exercise maximum restraint. They urged a halt to any political or military escalation and recommended that all parties avoid violence and instead engage in political dialogue to resolve crises and disputes.
The commission also warned of the grave danger that Libya could slip into a new civil war, threatening the nation's unity—geographically, socially, and nationally—as well as its social peace and security.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/06/2024
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On Thursday, Field Marshal 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, so it's kind of hard to describe him as a Qadaffy holdover. 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. Actually, he is, but slowly... , commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), vowed to drive development and restore stability across Libya, prioritizing the neglected southern regions.
Speaking at the First Conference on the Reconstruction of the South in the city of Sebha, Haftar emphasized that southern Libya would be at the forefront of his efforts in the coming period.
''We will achieve development and stability in Libya, and the south will be our priority,'' Haftar declared in his address, underscoring the strong popular support for his forces, particularly in the south. His comments reflect a broader commitment to addressing the long-standing issues of neglect and underdevelopment in this strategically important region. "I'm seeing a huuuge entertainment/hospitality economy!"
The conference attracted key political and military figures, including Aguila Saleh, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief of Staff of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Abdel-Razek al-Nathouri, Osama Hammad, the Parliament-designated Prime Minister, and Director of the Libya Development and Reconstruction Fund, Belgasim Haftar.
Their attendance underscored the event's importance, signaling a unified effort to address southern Libya's development needs.
Libya's southern region, rich in resources but historically overlooked, has faced decades of neglect, lacking essential services like healthcare, education, and infrastructure. This has made it a hotspot for smuggling, human trafficking, and militia activity. Haftar's pledge to prioritize the south reflects his intention to stabilize the region and integrate it into national reconstruction efforts.
In his remarks, Ageela Saleh called for dialogue and cooperation among all Libyan factions to solve the country's ongoing political crisis. He emphasized that developing and reconstructing various regions of Libya, including the south, would be a key focus in the coming years.
The south holds significant strategic importance for Libya, not only due to its natural resources, including oil and gas, but also because of its geographic location bordering countries like Chad, Niger, and Sudan ...a Moslem country located in the Horn of Africa. It is noted for its affinity for rule by ex- or current generals, its holy men, and for the oppression of the native Afro population by its Arab conquerors. South Sudan, populated mostly by the natives, split off from Sudan proper, which left North and South Darfur to be oppressed by the guys with turbans... . Control over this region is crucial for managing migration routes and trade, yet it remains one of the most underdeveloped parts of the country.
Haftar's forces maintain a strong military presence in the area, and his speech signals a new push to bring economic and social improvements to a long-neglected part of Libya.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/06/2024
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#1
QFT: Haftar launched a campaign against the GNC and its Islamic fundamentalist allies [supported by europe].
McCain had his moderate islamists, and european union has theirs.
#2
The rebel Sudanese could not continue their war with the Arab center were it not for the supplies reaching it through southern Libya, and with Haftar's OK.
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[ZERO] It's only going to get worse from here, as the Biden-Harris administration's disastrous open border policies have now come to a 'neighborhood near you' (for some of you). In the past week, we saw armed Venezuelan prison gang 
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...an Iranian satrapy currently ruled by Hassan Nasrallah 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 dozen flavors of Christians, plus Armenians, Georgians, and who knows what else? It is the home of the original 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...
...an Iranian satrapy currently ruled by Hassan Nasrallah 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 dozen flavors of Christians, plus Armenians, Georgians, and who knows what else? It is the home of the original 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...
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...an Iranian satrapy currently ruled by Hassan Nasrallah 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 dozen flavors of Christians, plus Armenians, Georgians, and who knows what else? It is the home of the original 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...
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...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, so it's kind of hard to describe him as a Qadaffy holdover. 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. Actually, he is, but slowly...
...a Moslem country located in the Horn of Africa. It is noted for its affinity for rule by ex- or current generals, its holy men, and for the oppression of the native Afro population by its Arab conquerors. South Sudan, populated mostly by the natives, split off from Sudan proper, which left North and South Darfur to be oppressed by the guys with turbans...
