Terrorists Kill Five, Wound 22 at Turkish Aerospace Company Near Ankara

At least five people have been killed and 22 others wounded in an attack on the headquarters of Turkiye’s aerospace and defence company, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS), near the capital Ankara.

“Two terrorists were neutralised” in the incident at the headquarters of the state-run firm, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya posted on X.

“Sadly, we have 5 martyrs and 22 wounded in the attack. Three of the injured were already discharged from hospital, 19 of them under treatment,” he said.

In orderly fashion, ambulances line up at the entrance of the headquarters of Turkey’s aviation company, TUSAS [Photo: Reuters]

Footage from the scene broadcast by local media just after the attack, which took place at 3:30PM local time (12:30 GMT), showed huge clouds of smoke and a large fire raging at the site in Kahramankazan, a small town some 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Ankara.

Security camera images from the attacks showed a man in plainclothes carrying a backpack and holding an assault rifle. The images also appeared to show a woman carrying a weapon.

15,000 people work at the TUSAS campus in Kahramankazan.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the justice minister said an investigation had been opened and said it was “probably linked” to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has waged a decades-long rebellion against the government.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was holding talks in Russia with Vladimir Putin at the time of the attack, condemned what he said was a “heinous terrorist attack”. Putin offered Erdogan his “condolences in connection with the terror attack” at the start of their meeting in the Russian city of Kazan on the sidelines of the BRICS summit of major emerging market nations that groups Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

Earlier this week, the leader of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which belongs to Erdogan’s ruling coalition, invited jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan to address parliament to announce his movement’s dissolution.

Turkish opposition leader Ozgur Ozel of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) released a statement condemning the attack and saying he “condemns terrorism, no matter who or where it comes from”.

The main pro-Kurdish DEM party also condemned the attack, saying it was “noteworthy that the attack took place just as Turkish society was talking about a solution and the possibility of dialogue” with the PKK.

The attack occurred as a major trade fair for the defence and aerospace industries was taking place in Istanbul, which was visited this week by Ukraine’s top diplomat.

Turkey’s defense sector, which is widely known for its Bayraktar drones, accounts for nearly 80 percent of the nation’s export revenues with revenues expected to top $10.2bn in 2023. Ukraine is a main recipient of these drones. TUSAS is one of those important defense and aviation companies, producing KAAN, the country’s first national combat aircraft, among other projects.

The TAI Kaan is a stealth, twin-engine, all-weather air superiority fighter, pictured here on its inaugural flight on 21 Feb 2014 (Photo: AA)

In response to this attack, Turkey’s Air Force struck Kurdish targets in Iraq and Syria in apparent retaliation. The Ministry of National Defence reported 47 targets were “destroyed” in the aerial offensive without providing details on the locations that were hit, adding that “all kinds of precautions” were taken to prevent civilian harm.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said that Turkish air attacks in northern and eastern Syria killed 12 civilians, including two children, and wounded 25 people.

There was no immediate statement from the PKK and no group has claimed responsibility for the attack on TUSAS.

Unclear is whether this was a suicide attack on TUSAS or if the terrorists had an escape plan. This murderous attack was well-prepared and timed to both embarrass Turkish President Erdogan while he is visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin and as PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan was invited to address the Turkish Parliament to establish a dialogue between Ankara and the Kurdish minority. These homicidal maniacs accomplished little other than killing unarmed civilians and causing irreparable emotional harm to the families of the victims. But the attack may help maintain a wedge between Ankara and its Kurdish minority if these perpetrators were indeed linked with the PKK.

Sources:

At least five killed in attack on aerospace firm near Turkey’s Ankara | News | Al Jazeera

Turkey strikes Iraq, Syria after attack on defence company near Ankara | Military News | Al Jazeera

Ukraine’s Prosecutor-General Resigns Amid Draft-Dodging Scandal

Ukrainian Prosecutor-General Andriy Kostin (Undated image: RadioSvoboda.org / RFE/RL).

Ukrainian Prosecutor-General Andriy Kostin has resigned amid investigations that found dozens of government officials had dodged military service by claiming disability benefits.

Kostin announced his resignation on 22 Oct on Telegram after a meeting of Ukraine’s National Security Council attended by President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said Kostin “should take political responsibility” for corruption and loopholes being used to get draft deferrals.

“The problem is not just that officials use their connections to get disabled status. It is also the fact that people who are really disabled, especially in combat, often do not get the appropriate status and fair payment,” Zelensky said.

Earlier this month, investigators found that a number of public prosecutors in the western Khmelnytskiy region had falsely obtained disability permits and were receiving special benefits. Investigations into the issue are ongoing in other parts of Ukraine.

Kostin’s resignation still needs parliamentary approval, but that is expected to move through the legislature with little resistance, as Zelensky’s party holds a majority of the seats.

“I consider the position of President Zelensky to be absolutely correct…. I [also] think it is correct to announce my resignation as prosecutor-general,” Kostin said.

Soon after Kostin’s resignation, Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal announced the dismissal of several other senior officials, the management of the central commission overseeing fitness for service, and officials in the Health Ministry who coordinate the activities of local commissions.

In a sign of the precarious situation Ukraine faces as it tries to hold off Russia’s massive troop advantage, military recruiters in recent weeks have shown up at conspicuous events like concerts and weddings looking for men who had not registered for service under a long-debated and highly controversial military mobilization law that was adopted last spring.

Mobilization is a sensitive issue in Ukraine, whose troop numbers have been depleted after more than 2 1/2 years of fighting Russia’s invasion. In this video, a military-age male in Ukraine is dragged off the street.

Zelensky has acknowledged several times the “very, very difficult” situation the military is facing, while he also tries to keep the country unified during the war, which has had drastically differing impacts on various population groups, with its burden falling most heavily on Ukrainians from the south and east of the country.

Highlighting the growing unrest over the issue of mobilization, protesters in August tried to force their way into a military recruitment center in Ukraine to demand the release of four young men who they claimed were illegally detained amid the country’s increased mobilization efforts. Days earlier, Zelensky endorsed bills extending martial law and a general military mobilization for 90 days, the 11th time he had done so since Russia invaded.

Press ganging is not a new phenomenon. 1780 caricature of a press gang by an unknown artist courtesy of Wikimedia.org.

President Zelensky is doing the best he can leading Ukraine in its defense against Russia, but he cannot magically increase his population pool to match Russia’s, which is also facing manpower shortages. Zelensky and Putin are not alone when it comes to conscription problems. 50,000 to 125,000 young Americans fled to Canada to avoid being drafted for Vietnam. During the First World War, while 24 million American men registered for the draft, as many as 3.5 million failed to do so, thereby successfully evading induction.

Notably, two American icons avoided getting killed in war. Heavyweight boxing contender Jack Dempsey was somehow exempt from fighting the Kaiser in the First World War. He would become heavyweight champion after the war ended. Physically fit 1-A John Wayne was somehow not mustered into service during the Second World War, although he reportedly tried to enlist at age 34. The “Duke” would win an Oscar in 1969 for his portrayal of Rooster Cogburn in True Grit.

Heavyweight champion Jess Willard (L) suspected that draft-dodging Jack Dempsey (R) wore “loaded gloves” when he lost the title to him on 4 July 1919. Dempsey floored Willard seven times in the first round. Dempsey would go on win the bout to became heavyweight champion. Jack Dempsey and Babe Ruth became popular athletic celebrities in the “Roaring 20s.” (Image: boxrec.com)

Like a sky-pilot who never goes into battle himself, handsome rigged John Wayne inspired and motivated thousands of patriotic Americans to fight and die in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. John Wayne toured US military bases with the USO in the Pacific Theater of Operations, but he completely evaded military service. Above is a four-for-one sale of those inspirational movies.

Sources:

Ukraine’s Prosecutor-General Resigns Amid Draft-Dodging Scandal (rferl.org)

Amid Corruption Scandals And Mounting Problems, Ukraine Vows To Shake Up The Military Enlistment System. It’s A Tough Task. (rferl.org)

Men Dragged Off The Street As Ukraine Tries To Tackle Manpower Crisis At The Front (rferl.org)

Draft Resistance and Evasion | Encyclopedia.com

Why John Wayne Was Labeled a ‘Draft Dodger’ During World War II | Military.com

GLOVES LOADED? DEMPSEY SAYS NO; Willard Supports Charges Made by Kearns – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

America’s First Line of Defense, the FBI, has been busy with Donald Trump’s “useful idiots,” white supremacist nitwits. Two cases follow.

NY Proud Boy Found Guilty of Felony and Misdemeanor Charges for Actions During 6 Jan 2021 Attack on US Capitol

William Joseph Pepe is on the right. Note this maniac was carrying a walkie-talkie on 6 Jan. (Photo: FBI)

William Joseph Pepe (35), of White Plains, NY was found guilty of felony and misdemeanor charges related to his egregious conduct during the 6 Jan 2021 attack on the US Capitol.

Aware that USDJ Timothy J. Kelly is a Republican and Donald Trump appointee, Pepe (probably upon advice of defense counsel) opted for a bench trial. He was convicted nevertheless and will be sentenced on 11 Mar 2025.

On 6 Jan 2021, Pepe met an army of approximately one hundred Proud Boys members in Washington, DC near the Washington Monument at approximately 10:00 AM. Shortly after, the rabble marched toward the US Capitol building with Pepe as vanguard against police lines. At the Peace Circle, the mob violently disassembled and trampled the metal bike rack barriers blocking entry into Capitol grounds.

After the police retreated and reformed, Pepe encouraged the rioters, yelling into a camera “Let’s go! This is what we came for, yeah!”

Officers deployed pepper spray and other crowd control measures. Pepe posted a selfie-style video in which he declared:

“Yo, the cops pepper sprayed me and Hooks. Me and Hooks got f—ing maced. Storming that Capitol, baby!”

Pepe made his way into the Capitol through the Senate Wing Door where he recorded and sent a video to fellow Proud Boys, stating “We did it.” (Photo: FBI)

The FBI arrested Pepe on 22 Jan 2021, in White Plains, NY.

With this felony conviction, this 35-year-old Proud Boy threw his life and career away with the MTA in NY.


Former NJ Governor Chris Christie doppleganger Republican USDJ Timothy J. Kelly will sentence his fellow Republican on 11 Mar 2025. (Public domain image courtesy of Wikimedia.org)

Sources:

https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/new-york-proud-boy-found-guilty-felony-and-misdemeanor-charges-actions-during-jan-6

https://www.yahoo.com/news/did-ex-mta-worker-convicted-203836477.html

Texas Couple Sentenced to Prison for Assaulting Law Enforcement and Other Charges During 6 Jan 2021 Attack on US Capitol

Mark Middleton (55) and Jalise Middleton (54). Note how joyful they look on 6 Jan 2021. (Photo: FBI)

Mark Middleton (55) and Jalise Middleton (54) both of Forestburg, TX were sentenced to 30 and 20 months in prison, respectively, by the Honorable USDJ Randolph D. Moss for their heinous and violent conduct on 6 Jan 2021.

Mark Middleton was additionally sentenced to 36 months’ supervised release, and a $2,000 fine. Jalise Middleton was additionally sentenced to 30 months’ supervised release, and a $2,000 fine.

After the “Stop the Steal” rally, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers responded to the West Front of the US Capitol building to assist USCP officers against an army of amassed rioters.

Mark Middleton called the officers “traitors” and then pushed against the barricades and the police line. Officers are heard on body-worn camera footage repeatedly ordering Mark Middleton and others to “Get back!” In response, Mark Middleton is heard yelling “f— you!” as he continued to push against the police barricades. Mark Middleton resisted MPD officers, grabbed onto an MPD officer’s left arm, and pulled the officer forward over the barricades and towards the mob.

Jalise Middleton repeatedly grabbed and struck the same officer over the barricade with her hand, striking him in the face, chest, and arms. Another officer stepped in to assist, and Jalise Middleton struck that officer as well. Mark Middleton then used his flagpole to strike the second officer in the head. This lunatic couple continued to grapple with and strike at the officers. The Middletons attempted to pull the first officer into the mob, as rioters jabbed, slashed, and swung flag poles at officers. The injuries sustained by those police officers were not revealed in this press release.

(Photo: FBI)

The Middletons only broke off their vicious assault after they were sprayed in the face with chemical irritants, forcing them to retreat. Both miscreants later posted social media messages touting their key role in helping to breach the barricades by fighting officers and that they had only stopped because they were pepper sprayed.

Mark and Jalise Middleton were arrested on 21 Apr 2021 in Forestburg, TX.

Mark and Jalise Middleton. This middle-aged couple do not appear as happy in these mugshots from Collin County Texas Jail as they do in the photo of them on 6 Jan at the top.

In the 45 months since 6 Jan 2021, more than 1,532 suspects have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to attacking the US Capitol, including more than 571 seditionists charged with feloniously assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The FBI investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

Middle age is not a good time to get jammed up by the federal system. These two white supremacist imbeciles threw their lives away with these felony convictions and incarcerations, heeding the idiotic call of Donald Trump. The Lone Star State hosts 17 federal correctional facilities (FCIs) of varying security levels. Two of these prisons will be the Middleton home for the next few years.

Sources:

https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/texas-couple-sentenced-prison-assaulting-law-enforcement-and-other-charges-during-jan-6

First Presumed Human Infections of Avian Flu Under Investigation in Washington State

(Map: beautifulwashington.com)

Four agricultural workers tested presumptively positive for avian influenza after working with infected poultry at a commercial egg farm in Franklin County. The individuals experienced mild symptoms and have been provided with antiviral medication. Testing of additional individuals on the farm is currently pending and the number of cases under investigation may change.

(Image courtesy: hightoppoultry.com)

These are the first presumed human cases of H5 virus under investigation in Washington state. The cases took place at a farm that was the site of an avian influenza outbreak in chickens. About 800,000 birds were euthanized after test results by the Washington State Department of Agriculture on 15 Oct showed that they were infected with avian influenza.

Any employees or contractors who may have worked on a poultry farm in Benton or Franklin counties since 7 Oct should contact BFHD at 509-460-4550 if they have symptoms such as red eyes or respiratory infections.

Washington is the sixth state to identify a human infection of H5N1. H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has caused ongoing multistate outbreaks in poultry, dairy cattle, and wildlife.

Avian influenza is a disease caused by avian influenza Type A viruses that naturally occur in wild aquatic birds throughout the world. H5N1 viruses can also infect other species of birds, and occasionally mammals, and can cause significant mortality in poultry species, such as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, ducks, geese, or guinea fowl.

On rare occasions, avian influenza viruses infect people and make them sick. Most instances of people becoming infected with avian influenza have happened after prolonged, close contact with animals infected with avian influenza or environments contaminated with avian influenza.

The CDC currently considers the risk to the general public from this H5N1 avian influenza to be low; however, people with job-related or recreational exposures to infected birds, cattle, or other potentially impacted domestic or wild animals are at higher risk and should take precautions, including wearing personal protective equipment.

DOH reminds the community to never handle or allow pets near dead birds. For more information on safety precautions, visit https://doh.wa.gov/avian-influenza.

Sources:

First presumed human infections of avian influenza under investigation in Washington state | Washington State Department of Health

Bird Flu | Bird Flu | CDC

Gang Members Drown Off Haitian Coast While Re-Supplying Ammunition for Attack

(Map courtesy of https://www.viamichelin.fr)

Approximately 50 suspected gang members have died this week after attacking a coastal town in Haiti, including at least a dozen who drowned after their boat capsized.

While the majority were killed by police, a group of gunmen drowned after their boat hit the reef as they ferried ammunition to gangs attacking the town of Arcahaie, reported Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency.

The attack began on Monday with gunmen burning homes and cars in the town located just northwest of the capital of Port-au-Prince. When the gangs ran out of ammunition, they hid in nearby areas and were ferreted out by residents and police.

The attack is still ongoing and the Civil Protection Agency warned that officers on the scene urgently need reinforcements from soldiers and special police units.

The attack is blamed on a gang coalition called Viv Ansanm, which also has targeted communities in Port-au-Prince recently.

Undated photo of Viv Ansanm gang members. Note the “leader” in the center is unmasked.

The spike in gang violence comes just months after a UN-backed mission led by Kenyan police began with the aim of quelling a surge in violence from gangs, who control more than 80% of Port-au-Prince. More than 700,000 people have been left homeless, thousands have been killed, and the country’s main airport was forced to close for nearly three months earlier this year because of the violence.

The US government and top Haitian officials have warned that the Kenyan-led mission lacks personnel and funding and have asked that it be replaced with a UN-peacekeeping mission.

Haiti, a failed state, is the Somalia of the Caribbean. Violence, rape, murder, and chaos have been plaguing the Haitian people for years now. Malnutrition and cholera are also spreading amongst the population. If Haitians aren’t being murdered by gang members, they are drowning in boats trying to escape. Haiti’s neighbor, the Dominican Republic, has been cracking down on Haitian refugees who made it to safety across the border. This failed state needs a massive military intervention and financial assistance beyond a small but robust police contingency. But with US attention and resources focused on helping Ukraine and Israel, other nations must fill the void.

Haitians wait to cross the border into the Dominican Republic in Dajabon, Dominican Republic, Friday, 19 Nov 2021. Santo Domingo “profusely rejected” the denunciation of its migratory crackdowns on Haitian migrants by a growing number of countries and human rights agencies. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File)

Sources:

At least a dozen gang members drown near Haiti while ferrying ammunition: Official – ABC News (go.com)

“VIV ANSANM” amplifies the misery of the poorest in Haiti (vantbefinfo.com)

Deadly Violence in Haiti at Record High, Some Worst Scenarios Now Realities, Special Representative Tells Security Council, Urging Deployment of Support Mission | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases

Haiti’s health system pushed to breaking point: UNICEF | UN News

Dominican Republic rejects criticism of Haitian deportations | AP News

Five countries pledge personnel for Haiti security mission, UN says | Reuters

Australia: Pet Owners Warned About Tick Boom on East Coast After Last Year’s Hot, Wet Summer

Note the red area on the east coast is where lies the threat of the paralysis tick. (Illustration courtesy of the Karl McManus Foundation.)

Global warming has not only been a boon to mosquitos, but also to disease vector ticks. Pet owners in Australia have been warned about a tick boom unfolding along their east coast, with some experts predicting an unusually bad season for our furry friends.

Veterinary scientist and parasitologist Peter Irwin, an emeritus professor at Murdoch University, said the severity of a tick season was largely determined by the preceding weather, and last summer had been very hot and wet along the east coast”.

“That implies the tick season this year will be bad, and indeed it seems to be panning out that way,” he said.

Paralysis ticks – found along a narrow strip of coastline stretching from north Queensland to Lakes Entrance in Victoria – were responsible for 95% of tick bites in humans, and were potentially lethal to cats, dogs, and other animals.

Factors influencing tick seasons were complex. Temperature and humidity played a key role, as well as the abundance of host animals like kangaroos and bandicoots. “You also have human factors as well – how often are people moving in and out of tick habitat?” he said.

If people or their pets were bitten, it was important to remain calm and not to try to pull the tick off. “You should always freeze it, not squeeze it” using tick-freezing spray from a pharmacist.

On a recent trip to Culburra Beach on the south coast of NSW, Eleanor removed 39 live ticks from her four-year-old Finnish lapphund, Beans.

Beans, a Finnish lapphund, had no fewer than 39 ticks removed while on a holiday at Culburra Beach on the New South Wales coast, her owner said. (Photo: The Guardian)

She was aware it was tick season but “had no idea it would be like this”, she said. Beans was “crawling with parasites”.

“The number of ticks we found on her was nightmarish,” she said. “We spent every evening when the kids went to bed pulling ticks out of her fur.”

Irwin said adult paralysis ticks, mainly active between August and December, were a serious concern for pet owners and veterinarians.

Australian paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus). Photo: Peter Rowland

“Cats and dogs, untreated, will die of tick paralysis. Even treating them is not always successful,” he said. Luckily the disease was largely preventable, with effective collars, tablets, and treatments.

Prof Ala Tabor, an animal health specialist with the Queensland alliance for agriculture and food innovation at the University of Queensland, said the larger an animal was the more likely it would be able to survive paralysis tick toxins.

This season the university lost a cow to paralysis ticks, Tabor said.

Tabor was developing a paralysis tick vaccine for cats and dogs that was being licensed to an Australian company.

Once a vaccine was available, an annual dose would probably be cheaper and easier for pet owners and could provide a solution for animals that had adverse reactions to chemicals in common treatments.

Sources:

Dog owners warned about boom in ticks on Australia’s east coast after last year’s hot, wet summer | Environment | The Guardian

Fact File: Australian paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) – Australian Geographic

Who We Are – Karl McManus Foundation

Tick Check | NexGard® Range

Japan Scrambles Jets to Intercept Chinese Bomber and Spy Plane

ADIZ over Japan (blue), South Korea (green), China (pink), and Taiwan/ROC (Orange). (Map: Wikimedia)

Japan recently scrambled fighter jets as China sent a bomber and a spy plane over waters near the Japanese southwestern islands for a long-distance mission from the Chinese mainland.

The Joint Staff Office (JSO) under the Defense Ministry of Japan reported the Chinese military aircraft’s movement within its air defense identification zone. The H-6 bomber and the Y-9 spy plane were spotted flying from mainland China and heading into the Miyako Strait. 

Japan, the US, Taiwan, and South Korea have set up air defense identification zones (ADIZ) around the countries in the interest of national security. The zone begins where sovereign airspace ends and is within the international airspace.

The Miyako Strait lies between the Japanese islands of Miyako and Okinawa, part of the so-called first island chain. This US defense concept extends from Japan to Taiwan and the Philippines to the south, attempting to contain China in the Western Pacific Ocean.

According to a Chinese military observer, the bomber was a H-6J, which the Pentagon described as a maritime strike bomber and a naval variant of the H-6K operated by the Chinese air force.

In this photo provided by the Defense Ministry of Japan, a Chinese H-6 bomber transits the Miyako Strait on 20 Oct inside the Japanese ADIZ.

The new and larger advanced H-6J has six pylons for carrying weapons instead of four, capable of firing supersonic antiship cruise missiles. The bomber is equipped with advanced avionics and upgraded engines, the Pentagon said in a report released in October last year.

Long-range bombers are part of the Chinese military’s anti-access/area denial capabilities. These aim to prevent the American military forces—especially the navy and its aircraft carriers—from approaching the first island chain during a potential conflict with Taiwan.

China held a large-scale military exercise around Taiwan last week, a self-ruled island that has been viewed by Beijing as part of its territory. During the exercise, Chinese warships and combat aircraft have engaged in drills focusing on blockades on key ports and areas.

This was not the first time the Chinese sent the same types of bombers and spy planes over waters near the southwestern islands of Japan, where they had conducted a similar mission on 12 Mar.

Chinese Y-9 spy plane transits the Miyako Strait on 20 Oct. (Photo: JSO)

Japan’s Joint Staff Office on Thursday reported that from 1 Apr to 30 Sep, its air force scrambled fighter jets 358 times in response to foreign military aircraft approaching the country, showing a decrease from the same period last year, which occurred 424 times.

Among the Japanese scrambles, 241 of them were against the Chinese military aircraft, which is fewer than last year’s 304 times. However, the number of scrambles against the Russian military aircraft was 115 times, which is an increase from last year’s 110 times.

On 12 Sep, a pair of Russian Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance and antisubmarine warfare aircraft flew on an anticlockwise flight around Japan.

This week the World Uyghur Congress is taking place in Sarajevo, Bosnia, and the BRICS summit convened in Kazan, Russia. China is flexing its growing muscles while probing and testing the new Japanese Prime Minister. Japan should expect more of these near-intrusions from China as Beijing has eyes on maritime waters, economic fisheries, that they claim is theirs.  Last year, Chinese and Russian aircraft violated the South Korean ADIZ, forcing the ROK AF to scramble. Seoul could expect more near-intrusions now that they have warned Moscow that using North Korean troops might lead to massive weapons transfers to Ukraine.

Source:

US Ally Scrambles Jets To Intercept Chinese Bomber and Spy Plane – Newsweek

Chinese, Russian military aircraft enter KADIZ, South Korea scrambles fighter jets (joins.com)

Family on Road Trip Hear Cry for Help — Then Realize it’s Coming from Engine

The “cat distribution system” works in mysterious ways. On a road trip, the Wolford family reached its destination and heard a strange cry coming from within the car. They quickly exited the vehicle and popped the hood. To their sheer astonishment, a pair of wide, innocent eyes and a tiny, fluffy face met their gaze from underneath the engine.

Wedged snugly in the engine of their car was a tiny kitten. It appeared as though this little feline friend had been their silent passenger for the entire duration of their journey. The Wolford family couldn’t believe their eyes.

Mary Wolford recounted the moment, saying, “Everyone was shocked that he was alive. He rode probably 20 or 30 miles in there.”

With great care and gentleness, they managed to free the kitten from their car, yet their relief was short-lived. As soon as he was in their arms, he executed a daring escape, leaping out and darting away.

The kitten, who they named Racoon, hid another car, but was safely extracted and cleaned up.

Eventually, the family dogs, including a large Great Dane, welcomed Racoon into their midst.

Raccoon’s journey had taken a remarkable turn. When he had initially climbed into this caring family’s car engine, he was in search of a temporary refuge. Little did he know that he was about to find a loving forever home.

Source:

Family on a Road Trip Hear Cry For Help — Then Realize it’s Coming From the Engine – We Love Cats and Kittens

UN Official: “The Nightmare is Intensifying.” IDF Kills More Than 100 Palestinians in Gaza

Unqualified US support for Israel has made “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” completely impossible for the Palestinian people and totally rubbishes any concept of a “two-state solution.” Hard-working Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be wasting his time and US taxpayer funds in a kabuki dance when he meets with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu this week. The indicted Israeli war criminal has effectively tarnished President Biden’s legacy who is winding down his multi-decade career in US politics.   

In the past 24 hours 108 people had been killed and 40 injured in bombings across the territory, part of the IDF’s ferocious renewed assault in the Gaza Strip. “The nightmare in Gaza is intensifying. Horrifying scenes are unfolding in the northern strip amidst relentless Israeli strikes and an ever-worsening humanitarian crisis,” Tor Wennesland, said the UN special coordinator for the Middle East.

“Nowhere is safe in Gaza … We owe it to the families suffering in Gaza and Israel. The war must stop now,” he added.

The Likud pogrom against the Palestinians is certainly satisfying this young demonstrator’s desires. Undated photo courtesy of the Washington Post.

The daily death rate in Gaza higher than any other major 21st Century conflict, according to Oxfam, an international NGO. The right-wing Likud cabal is depopulating Palestinians much more efficiently than ultra-nationalist Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” against the Ukrainians.   

An image from the Political Cartoon Gallery in central London Photograph: Political Cartoon Gallery via the Guardian.

IDF bombardment this past weekend in the town of Beit Lahiya flattened several houses and an apartment block, killing members of several families. Among the dead were two parents and their four children, and a woman, her son and daughter-in-law and their four children.

The internet and phone services have been down in parts of Gaza, complicating the rescue operation.

In a post on X, Mounir al-Bursh, the director general of the health ministry, said the flood of injured people from the strikes compounded “an already catastrophic situation for the healthcare system” in northern Gaza.

Unclear during this Israeli offensive is what opportunities are given Palestinian combatants to either surrender to the IDF or turn themselves over to the Israeli police for judicial process in a court of law.

The IDF have nominally held complete control of northern Gaza since January, but launched a new assault on the area two weeks ago to prevent any resistance groups from re-constituting.

Gaza’s civil defense service said it had recovered at least 500 bodies since the operation began on 6 Oct.

Sweeping evacuation orders for the estimated 400,000 people still living in the northern third of the territory, the blockage of aid and food deliveries and the targeting of civilian infrastructure such as hospitals have led rights groups to accuse Israel of the war crime of seeking to forcibly displace the remaining population.

Israel has denied it is systematically removing Palestinians from the area.

Several struggling hospitals have been unable to evacuate patients, and two people at the Indonesia hospital in Beit Lahiya died from a lack of oxygen after electricity and fuel shortages.

Top-secret US documents that allegedly reveal details about Israel’s plans to attack Iran had been leaked and published online.

The papers supposedly date from 15 and 16 Oct, and allege that Israel has fortified underground warplane bunkers at the Hatzerim airbase, where there are signs of preparation for arming plane-launched ballistic missiles. The blood-thirsty Likud regime can’t wait to attack Iran with an American imprimatur, regardless of collateral damage or escalating the conflict.  

An Israeli source told the Israeli daily Haaretz that the US had apologized to Israel for the leak and US House speaker Republican Mike Johnson said that an investigation into the incident had been launched. 100 US servicemembers deployed with the THAAD air-defense system are in harm’s way in Israel.

Israel and Hamas, however, have so far stuck to their irreconcilable demands. Internationally mediated talks aimed at a lasting truce in Gaza and the return of Israeli hostages kidnapped by Palestinian armed groups during the 7 Oct 2023 attack broke down in August. That raid to capture Israeli hostages in order to release the 7,000 Palestinians being held in IDF prisons in security detention without hearing gave the Likud regime the green light to activate Nabka 2023 to de-populate the Gaza Strip. Simultaneously, rabid Israeli settlers increased their rampages to seize Palestinian properties in the West Bank, killing over 700 Palestinians.  

An American intelligence officer or servicemember opposed to Israeli’s Nakba may have leaked the files out of anger. The other possibility is he or she may be attempting to thwart the IDF plan to pummel Iran which could escalate this conflict even further out of control than it already is. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has loyally worked hard for the Biden Administration, but Netanyahu has scotched all of his good faith attempts at reaching a ceasefire and releasing the remaining 100 hostages. Meanwhile, the bodies of Palestinians keep piling up.

Sources:

More than 100 people killed in latest Israeli bombings in Gaza, say medics | Israel-Gaza war | The Guardian

Daily death rate in Gaza higher than any other major 21st Century conflict – Oxfam | Oxfam International

“Beirut in Flames”: Israel Attacks Hezbollah-Linked Bank; Hundreds More Lebanese Made Homeless

Fire and smoke after an IDF airstrike at Dahieh in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, late 20 October 2024. More than 2,400 people have been killed and over 11,400 others have been injured in Lebanon since the start of Israel’s offensive. (Photo by Wael Hamzeh/EPA-EFE)

Israeli fighter jets struck dozens of targets in Beirut and other areas of southern Lebanon overnight, including branches of a bank accused of holding funds used by Hezbollah.

The military’s Arabic spokesman, Avichay Adraee, had earlier in the night issued several evacuation orders for buildings throughout southern Lebanon he said were in the vicinity of facilities belonging to the US-sanctioned Al-Qard Al-Hassan Association Bank.

“Get away from it immediately,” he said in a video statement.

Jeanine Hennis, the UN special coordinator for Lebanon, said that after the IDF issued its evacuations, said there was “widespread panic” in Beirut.

Israel FM Israel Katz said 15 buildings in Beirut were struck as the IDF carried out a wide-scale attack targeting Hezbollah’s financial infrastructure.

“Beirut in flames,” Israeli FM Katz proudly released in a statement.

The IDF attacked not only Beirut, but throughout southern Lebanon and deeper into the country. The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that an IDF bulldozer had deliberately demolished an observation tower and perimeter fence at its position in Marwahin in southern Lebanon. Lebanon’s army, which has remained on the sidelines during the Israel’s campaign, said three of its soldiers were killed by an IDF strike while travelling in an army vehicle in the south of the country.

As previously posted, the IDF does not care about collateral casualties nor does it want any witnesses to its actions, hence the three Lebanese Army soldiers were killed and the UNIFIL post bulldozed. The Likud government wants to make southern Lebanon inhospitable and kill as many Shia combatants as possible. Lebanon, already fractured by its multiple religions and a dilapidated economy, is powerless to protect its citizens, much less house the thousands of displaced people Israel is creating. With winter approaching, the government of Beirut will face much more challenges.

Source:

‘Beirut in flames’ as Israel attacks Hezbollah-linked bank – UPI.com

https://www.jpost.com/HttpHandlers/ShowImage.ashx?id=299259

Whooping Cough at Decade-High Level in US

This 2016 illustration based on electron microscope imagery depicts bordetella pertussis bacteria, which causes whooping cough (Image: CDC).

Whooping cough is at its highest level in a decade for this time of year, according to the CDC. 18,506 cases of whooping cough have been reported so far. That’s the most at this point in the year since 2014, when cases topped 21,800.

The increase is not unexpected — whooping cough peaks every three to five years, health experts said. And the numbers indicate a return to levels before the coronavirus pandemic, when whooping cough and other contagious illnesses plummeted.

Still, the tally has some state health officials concerned, including those in Wisconsin, where there have been about 1,000 cases so far this year, compared to a total of 51 last year.

Nationwide, CDC has reported that kindergarten vaccination rates dipped last year and vaccine exemptions are at an all-time high. 86% of kindergartners in Wisconsin received the whooping cough vaccine, compared to more than 92% nationally.

Whooping cough, also called pertussis, usually starts out like a cold, with a runny nose and other common symptoms, before turning into a prolonged cough. Treated with antibiotics, whooping cough used to be common until a vaccine was introduced in the 1950s, which is now part of routine childhood vaccinations (along with tetanus and diphtheria vaccines). The combo shot is recommended for adults every ten years.

“They used to call it the 100-day cough because it literally lasts for 100 days,” said Joyce Knestrick, a family nurse practitioner in Wheeling, West Virginia.

Whooping cough is usually seen mostly in infants and young children, who can develop serious complications. That’s why the vaccine is recommended during pregnancy, to pass along protection to the newborn, and for those who spend a lot of time with infants.

But public health workers say outbreaks this year are hitting older kids and teens. In Pennsylvania, most outbreaks have been in middle school, high school and college settings. Nearly all the cases in Douglas County, Nebraska, are schoolkids and teens.

It’s important to get tested and treated with antibiotics early, said Dr. Kris Bryant, who specializes in pediatric infectious diseases at Norton Children’s in Louisville, KY. People exposed to the bacteria can also take antibiotics to stop the spread.

“Pertussis is worth preventing,” Bryant said. “The good news is that we have safe and effective vaccines.”

Source:

Whooping cough is at a decade-high level in US (voanews.com)

About Whooping Cough Outbreaks | Whooping Cough | CDC

NGO: French Water Supply Contaminated with Untested Toxic Chemicals

The byproducts of pesticides can seep into soil, surface water and groundwater before making their way into drinking water supplies. (Photo: © AFP – MIGUEL MEDINA)

The NGO Générations Futures found that 56 pesticide byproducts known as metabolites – substances formed when chemicals break down – are not being monitored in groundwater or drinking water, despite likely exceeding legal safety limits.

Their analysis, based on research from French health and safety agency, found these metabolites probably contaminate groundwater above the legal limit of 0.1 micrograms per liter.

The substances can seep into soil, surface water and groundwater before making their way into drinking water supplies.

Twelve of the unmonitored metabolites pose particular risks – including trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), which was found at alarming levels in Paris.

“With our colleagues from the Pesticides Action Network Europe, we have taken samples of river water and tap water, and analysed for TFA … and we found it in many places, in very large quantities,” said François Veillerette, of Générations Futures.

“We found TFA at over two micrograms per liter [in the Seine] … and in tap water, about the same quantity. So, two micrograms per liter is 20 times the [legal limit of] 0.1 micrograms per liter,” he said.

The findings raise questions about whether some French regions face higher contamination risks than others.

The threat spans nationwide – water quality in at least one third of France is at risk from TFA contamination alone.

TFA comes from the breakdown of “forever chemicals” called PFAS, found in pesticides, non-stick coatings, and cosmetics.

The NGO warned French authorities cannot ignore TFA’s dangers, noting that German health officials suggest classifying it as toxic for reproduction. More worrying still is the uncertainty around long-term exposure to these substances in drinking water.

“What is really astonishing is that it is an ‘unknown’ … nobody knows [the potential effects] because there are no requisite studies on metabolites,” said Veillerette, warning that if research comes too late and “they’re everywhere, then there’s nothing we can do”.

While data on safe levels remains insufficient, the group cautions these chemicals accumulate over time and could create a dangerous “cocktail effect“.

With France’s water safety at stake, experts are warning this invisible but growing crisis demands urgent attention.

Pesticides have already despoiled French Martinique. This case is the result of competing interests in France: Farmers versus Environmentalists. The agrarian sector relies on pesticides to protect their harvests (e.g. grains, grapes, etc), ignoring the long-term impact of these chemicals in the water supply and the potential health hazards they may cause in the future.

Sources:

French water supply contaminated with untested toxic chemicals, NGO warns (rfi.fr)

man-spraying-herbicides – Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog

Fethullah Gulen, Rival of Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Dies in Exile

The late Fethullah Gulen at his home in Saylorsburg, PA. This is the man disgraced retired US Army General Michael Flynn wanted to abduct and extradite to Turkiye. (Photo: Reuters)

US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, once an ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan but later accused of masterminding a failed coup attempt in 2016, has died at the age of 83 of an unspecified ailment he was being treated for. Gulen had lived in exile in the US since 1999 and was stripped of his Turkish citizenship in 2017.

The 2016 coup attempt against Erdogan and the government was a turning point in the country. Some 250 people were killed when rogue soldiers hijacked warplanes, tanks, and other heavy military equipment as they tried to push the president out of power.

That event led Ankara to declare an all-out war on Gulen’s network — known as Hizmet, which means “service” in Turkish — saying he was responsible for the coup, charges that Gulen fiercely denied.

Ankara considers Hizmet to be a terrorist organization. It is an opaque but influential group mainly involved in educational activities and promoting civil society.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, in confirming Turkish intelligence reports saying Gulen had died, described Gulen as the leader of a “dark organization.”

Tens of thousands of dismissals and detentions followed the coup attempt in Turkiye, as well as increasingly tense relations between Ankara and any country where Gulen had connections — mostly through the network of his private schools.

Turkish soldiers accused of involvement in an attempted coup in 2016 arriving at court inside the Sincan Prison in Ankara in 2017. Photo: Adem Altan / AFP— Getty Images.

The campaign against Gulen spread into regional allies of Turkiye. Some Central Asian governments intensified a crackdown on institutions linked to the cleric that had started before the coup attempt.

In recent years, there have been reports of Turkish citizens accused of having links to Gulen being arrested and forcibly taken to Turkiye.

In one such incident, Turkish-Kyrgyz educator Orhan Inandi was abducted by Turkish agents in 2021 in Kyrgyzstan and brought to Turkey against his will in 2021. Inandi, who is a dual Kyrgyz-Turkish citizen, was handed 21 years in prison on a charge of “establishing of an armed terrorist group.”

Critics of Erdogan contend that he used the coup aftermath as an excuse to purge the government of thousands of secular Turks, Kurds, AK Party opposition members, and others unaffiliated with the coup or the Gulenists, sweeping them up as so-called “Enemies of the State.”

Opposition politicians Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yüksekdağ had been arrested on terrorism charges. These two certainly look like members of Al-Qaida or ISIS. (Undated photo courtesy of Wikimedia.org)

Sources:

Fethullah Gulen, Rival Of Turkey’s Erdogan, Dies In Exile (rferl.org)

Purges in Turkey following the 2016 Turkish coup attempt – Wikipedia

Mike Flynn and the Insane Alleged Plot to Kidnap a Turkish Cleric (vice.com)

18 North Korean Soldiers in Russia Reportedly Deserted

North Korean supremo Kim Jong Un (Center-R) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) walk past children attend a welcoming ceremony at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea on 19 Jun 2024. (Photo: Vladimir Smirnov / POOL / AFP)

Russia recently assembled a “special Buryat battalion” made up of North Koreans. The number of personnel in the unit is estimated at up to 3,000, and likely to be involved in combat activities around the settlements of Sudzha and Kursk. 18 of these North Korean soldiers have deserted their positions, according to Ukrainska Pravda citing sources in Ukraine’s special services. The alleged escapes took place seven km from the border with Ukraine.

The reasons for the North Koreans’ desertion were unknown. Russian forces have begun looking for them while attempting to conceal this information from the High Command.

“Life for North Korean conscripts is brutal and harsh, even without a war, and the consequences for refusing to fight would be extremely dire,” said Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder earlier this year. North Korean troops would become “cannon fodder” if they joined Russian forces on “meat assaults” reported an analyst in Ukraine.

The South Korean government summoned the Russian Ambassador and demanded the North Korean soldiers be immediately withdrawn from Russia, saying this move violated UN resolutions and posed a threat to South Korea.  

The Korean People’s Army (KPA) is the fourth largest in the world in terms of personnel, with 1,280,000 active members and 600,000 in reserve. Only China, India, and the US have bigger standing armies. North Korea spent 36.32% of its entire gross domestic product on defense in 2023. North Korean society is heavily militarized and all citizens are required to serve — reportedly 10 years for men, and eight for women. North Korea can provide two material items to the Kremlin: cannon fodder for the front and ammunition and artillery shells from a vast arsenal dating back to the 1950s.

The reported introduction of 1,500 North Korean special forces may present a separate asset to the Kremlin. But these highly-trained soldiers are also inexperienced in combat and how they perform against experienced Ukrainian defenders remains to be seen.

Kim Jong-Un has no regard for the safety or welfare of his own people and will do everything he can stay in power, including starving his own people and executing his uncle.

Jang Song-thaek escorted into court handcuffed by uniformed guards: a special military tribunal found him guilty of treason in Dec 2013 and he was executed. Jang Song-thaek was once one of the DPRK’s most powerful men and uncle of Kim Jong-Un (Photo: Yonhap/AFP/Getty Images)

Sources:

Russia formed ”Buryat battalion” staffed by North Koreans, but 18 soldiers have already deserted – Ukrainska Pravda sources | Ukrainska Pravda

South Korea summons Russian envoy over North Korean troop deployment | South Korea | The Guardian

This is how North Korean troops could be used in Russia’s war in Ukraine (kyivindependent.com)

North Carolina Militant Sentenced for Assaulting Law Enforcement During 6 Jan Attack on US Capitol

Curtis Davis (R). Tonya Bishop (L) faces charges, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, plus charges of disorderly conduct and illegally demonstrating at the Capitol building. (Photo: FBI)

Curtis Davis (45) of Snow Hill, NC was sentenced to 24 months in prison, 36 months of supervised release, the first six months of which to be served on home detention, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution by the Honorable US District Judge Amit P. Mehta for violent actions on 6 Jan 2021.

At about 3:00 PM on 6 Jan 2021, Davis entered the US Capitol building where law enforcement officers were attempting to disperse a crowd of rioters. Inside the Rotunda, while pressed against a line of police officers, Davis forcibly attacked a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer and attempted to grab hold of the officer’s baton. Davis then punched an MPD officer in the face shield and refused law enforcement orders to leave the building. A short while later, Davis punched another MPD officer in the head and forcibly pulled away a riot shield from another. Davis then used the shield to press against the backs of a line of rioters in an attempt to resist the efforts of police.

After being expelled from the Rotunda, Davis returned with other rioters and again attempted to breach police lines. This maniac punched a riot shield held by an officer three times.

Later that night, Davis filmed a group of police officers with his cell phone camera before turning it around, filming his fist, and stating, “Them knuckles right there, from one of those m—f— faces at the Capitol.”

The FBI arrested Davis on 8 Dec 2023 in Snow Hill.

In the 45 months since 6 Jan 2021, more than 1,532 suspects have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to attacking the US Capitol, including more than 571 seditionists charged with feloniously assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The FBI investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

This violent lunatic represents America’s Fedayeen Saddam (FS), die-hard white supremacists clinging on to the last vestiges of white privilege in the US. Heeding the idiotic call of Donald J. Trump that the minorities stole the 2020 election, Curtis Davis threw his life away with this federal conviction.

Sources:

District of Columbia | North Carolina Man Sentenced for Assaulting Law Enforcement During the Jan. 6 Capitol Breach | United States Department of Justice

Stray Cat Approaches Kind Stranger, Soon Filling Home with Look-alike Kittens

When a volunteer from Be Their Voice Animal Rescue (BTV) in Atlanta, Georgia, went to pick up a cat, another friendly stray came around the corner and walked right up to her.

“She could tell that the cat was pregnant and very skinny,” Aimee, COO for BTV. With no home to call her own, the volunteer scooped her up and took her for her first vet visit.

After the vet, the sweet “house panther” named Jazz inspected her new room, pausing only to rub against the furniture. Finding everything to her liking, she weaved around her foster mom’s legs and purred her thanks.

Though quite underweight, Jazz was in good spirits and grateful for her endless supply of food. She took her time to feast and regain strength, making up for those hungry and weary days on the streets.

“She ended up finally delivering sometime in the middle of the night, and unfortunately, she didn’t know what she was doing.”

Jazz had comfortable nesting boxes to choose from but decided to have her eight kittens in the litter box.

Thankfully, her foster family quickly acted, cleaning the babies one by one and making sure they were all latching.

Over the next few weeks, the kittens grew by leaps and bounds, reaching many milestones, discovering their penchant for mischief-making, and romping around with boisterous energy. Now they are ready for new forever homes.

A happy and grateful Jazz made a lot of people happy.

We can thank the good people at Be Their Voice Animal Rescue in Georgia for their kindness, this story, and the photos.

More on the family and BTV (in GA) on Instagram @_catz4life_ and @fostercatsfordays.

Source:

https://www.lovemeow.com/stray-cat-home-void-kittens-2669446352.html

This little tigress is ready for a forever home.

Three Israeli Border Guards Killed at West Bank-Jordan Border Crossing

Israeli security forces secure the entrance of the Allenby Bridge, between the West Bank and Jordan, after a Jordanian truck driver killed three Israeli border agents. (Photo: Debbie Hill)

Three Israeli border guards were shot dead by a Jordanian truck driver at the Allenby Crossing on the border between Jordan and the occupied West Bank, the Israeli Emergency Services said Sunday.

The IDF described the shooting as a terror attack and is investigating whether the truck was rigged with explosives. The truck driver was identified as Maher Dhiab Hussein al-Jazi (39). The gunman got out of the truck during an inspection at the terminal and opened fire at several of the workers.

Security guards returned fire at the terrorist, killing him. Two other crossings between Israel and Jordan — Rabin and Jordan River — were closed after the attack. Palestinians can only use the Allenby Bridge Crossing to enter Jordan from the West Bank, while Israelis generally use the Rabin and Jordan River crossings.

The three Israeli victims were settlers from Ma’ale Efraim, Na’ama, and Ariel. Two weeks ago, the IDF carried out raids, bulldozing highways, and launching airstrikes in multiple parts of the occupied West Bank.

Last week, the IDF shot and killed a 26-year-old Turkish-American female humanitarian who was protesting the dislocation of Palestinians from the West Bank.

Aysenur Ezgi Eygi in an undated photo via social media. She was shot in the head and the UN called for a complete investigation.

More than 670 West Bank Palestinians have been killed since the Gaza War began in Oct 2023, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The IDF alleged most of the Palestinians were gunmen killed in exchanges of fire, rioters who clashed with troops, or terrorists carrying out attacks.

Jordan, which signed a peace deal with Israel in 1994, has been highly critical of Israel’s military operations in the West Bank and Gaza. And the UK recently restricted some military aid to Israel so that the weapons may not be used to perpetrate war crimes against Palestinians. See previous posting.  

Meanwhile, Israelis held massive demonstrations nationwide demanding a deal to return the remaining Jewish hostages, as protesters flooded the streets 11 months after the start of the war in Gaza.

One of the largest demonstrations was in Tel Aviv, where videos showed what appeared to be many thousands of protesters choking Begin Road. Family members of some of the estimated 101 remaining hostages implored Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to close a cease-fire deal to gain their release.

Thousands of people took to the streets of Tel Aviv, Israel, on Saturday demanding a cease-fire and calling for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Organizers claimed 400,000 demonstrators took part as the country marked 11 months since militants kidnapped hundreds of Israelis on 7 Oct 2023. Photo by Abir Sultan/EPA-EFE.

A recent editorial from Canada dubbed Israeli PM Bejamin Netanyahu “the curse of Israel.” Already indicted for war crimes at the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague, a cessation of hostilities is not in Netanyahu’s best personal interest. He is playing for time with the Gaza War, using it to avoid his criminal bribery and corruption trials, as well as an inquiry into whether he could have prevented Hamas’ surprise attack last October. The longer everything is put off, the better it is for Netanyahu.

Sources:

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2024/09/08/border-guards-killed-West-Bank-Jordan-crossing/6331725803551/

Netanyahu is Israel’s curse – The Hill Times

Trial of Benjamin Netanyahu – Wikipedia

Hundreds of thousands march across Israel to demand return of hostages – UPI.com

Filipino Pastor on FBI’s Most Wanted List Captured by 2,000 Police Officers

Influential pastor Apollo Quiboloy, the self-proclaimed “owner of the universe” and “appointed son of god” who was wanted in the US for child sex trafficking, was arrested in the Philippines on Sunday.

Over 2,000 police were deployed for more than two weeks to search a 74-acre compound in the southern city of Davao owned by his church – the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) – on suspicion that he was hiding there in a bunker.

Quiboloy’s followers had blocked the gate of the compound to prevent shield-carrying police from enforcing a court order to arrest him. Police also used helicopters to circle over a cathedral, a college, and a 75,000-seat stadium. The police reportedly recorded the warmth and heartbeat of a human body, deep in the earth, using thermal imaging and radar technology.

Apollo Quiboloy, a longtime friend of former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte, was charged by the US Justice Department in 2021 with sex trafficking of girls and women between the ages of 12 and 25 to work as personal assistants, or “pastorals”, who were allegedly required to have sex with him.

He is also accused of bulk cash smuggling and a scheme that brought church members to the US using fraudulently obtained visas. They were then forced to solicit donations for a bogus charity, raising funds that were instead used to finance church operations and the lavish lifestyles of its leaders.

The evangelist preacher, who is followed by millions of people in the Philippines, has denied wrongdoing.

A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Sources:

Apollo Quiboloy: How Filipino Pastor On FBI’s Most Wanted List Was Arrested By 2,000 Cops (ndtv.com)

Wildfires Force Thousands to Evacuate as Heat Wave Scorches Western US

A wildfire east of Los Angeles exploded overnight — more than doubling in size — as strong winds and dry conditions keep it raging out of control. Evacuation orders are in place for some mountain communities and neighborhoods near Highland, California — east of San Bernardino.

Meanwhile, in Nevada, the Davis Fire has torched a reported dozen buildings south of Reno and knocked out power to thousands as crews struggle to establish any containment.

RELATED STORY | Yes, wildfires are actually becoming more intense and more common, study says

Triple-digit heat will keep baking the Western US until Tuesday, offering fire-friendly conditions and straining crews working on the ground. In the cities, meanwhile, the heat could force power outages. Controlled outages may be implemented to help prevent broader outages or any new fires. However, no power also means no air conditioning as temperatures soar.

Source:

Wildfires force thousands to evacuate as heat wave scorches Western US (scrippsnews.com)

Dozens of ‘High-Risk’ Viruses Discovered on Fur Farms in China

Two workers at the Jiaozuo leather factory in Henan province, China, in 2006. (Guang Niu / Getty Images)

An international team of scientists offers insights into where and how the next pandemic may be brewing. Researchers analyzed the organs of 461 animals from dozens of species raised on fur farms in China, one of Asia’s leading producers. All the animals had died for unknown reasons.

The results reveal the presence of more than 100 different viruses, many of them unknown. Among them are 39 that are defined as “high risk,” as they have the ability to jump between species and potentially to humans. The research describes several viruses from wild animals that have spread to domestic species, often raised in their thousands in overcrowded cages and without sanitary controls. Samples were collected between 2021 and 2024 in more than a dozen provinces, mainly the four major fur-producing provinces of Hebei, Shandong, Heilongjiang, and Liaoning, in the northeast of the country. The results were published 4 Sep in the journal Nature.

British virologist Edward Holmes theorized that the COVID-19 pandemic virus originated in bats and reached humans through other animal carriers sold in Chinese markets. “Breeding animals for fur is an obvious way in which a pandemic coronavirus, or flu virus, could emerge in humans,” Holmes said. Another researcher emphasized: “Our study shows that viruses have jumped from wild species to farm animals. Because humans are in close contact with these animals, there is also a risk of contagion, and in fact we see that some human viruses have been transmitted to animals.” Researchers have so far detected no cases of human-to-human infection.

Raccoon dogs, members of the fox family, are nocturnal carnivores that are bred by the millions on Chinese fur farms for their pelts. Another coronavirus that emerged in China in 2002 and killed nearly 800 people — severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) — was also detected in a Guangdong animal market in raccoon dogs. The new work points to this mammal, along with mink, guinea pigs, rabbits, and arctic foxes, as the major carriers of viruses classified as “high-risk” to humans.

Among the pathogens isolated are viruses from many families, including coronaviruses and influenza viruses. The most “worrying” of these, according to Holmes, may be the HKU5 coronavirus, which originated from the common bat and was found in mink that died of pneumonia. This pathogen is related to MERS, which has been detected in 27 countries and has killed nearly 900 people since 2012. The jump from bats to mink is “alarming” and requires monitoring.

The research is published just as the world is witnessing the worst avian flu epidemic ever recorded. A new, highly pathogenic H5N1 virus emerged in wild birds in 2021. It has since spread to domestic species, forcing the culling of hundreds of millions of birds, and infected wild and domestic mammals, including dairy cows in the US and mink on fur farms in Spain. It has already spread to humans and reached Antarctica, the most isolated and pristine continent on the planet. If H5N1 gains the ability to transmit efficiently between people, a new pandemic would ensue.

Source:

Dozens of ‘high-risk’ viruses discovered on fur farms in China | Science | EL PAÍS English (elpais.com)

Human Rights Group: Chechen Forces Coerce Gay Men into Military Service; Seven Sent to Frontlines in Ukraine

A serviceman listens to Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Russia’s Chechen Republic, as he addresses troops in Grozny, the regional capital of Chechnya, on 29 March 2022. Source: AP Photo

Security forces in Chechnya are forcibly sending detained homosexual men to Ukraine by blackmailing them into “volunteering” for the frontlines, according to a report from the human rights group NC SOS («СК СОС»). The human rights activists have reported at least seven such cases, with one of the men sent to the front already having been killed.

SK SOS reports that these forced conscription methods began before 21 Sep 2022, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “partial mobilization” of the army. In early Sep 2022, six men in Chechnya were detained on suspicion of being homosexual. They were threatened with fabricated criminal charges and warned they would be sent to pre-trial detention, where their orientation would be revealed to fellow inmates.

The detainees were given the choice of paying a ransom or volunteering for the war in Ukraine. Three of the men were forced to become “volunteers,” as the ransom amount — 1.5 million rubles (over $17,000) — was unaffordable for their families. One of these men was reportedly killed in action. In 2023, several members of the LGBTQ+ community were arrested. The women among them were released to their families later that evening, while four men were forcibly sent to Ukraine. Their fate remains unknown.

Source:

Human rights group reports Chechen forces coercing detained gay men into military service, with at least seven sent to frontlines in Ukraine (theins.ru)

‘Very Dangerous’ British Prisoner Among Five to Escape High-Security Prison in Portugal

Top (L-R): Fernando Ferreira, Fabio Loureiro, Shergili Farjiani; Bottom: Mark Roscaleer, Rodolfo Lohrmann

Mark Cameron Roscaleer (39) had been serving a nine-year sentence for kidnapping and robbery at the Vale de Judeus Prison, 43 miles north of Lisbon. He and four others escaped the high-security prison Saturday morning.  According to the Portuguese prison service (DGRSP), the convicts received “external help” from accomplices who provided a ladder which “allowed the inmates to scale the wall.” With three accomplices outside the prison, the five prisoners fled the scene in a Mercedes and a Volvo.

Vale de Judeus Prison. The prison guards’ union has criticized a lack of staffing at the high-security prison, saying there were not enough guards to properly watch the perimeter wall

The four other escapees are:

Fernando Ferreira (61), Portuguese, serving 25 years for drug trafficking, theft, robbery, and kidnapping.

Fabio Loureiro (33), Portuguese, jailed for 25 years for extortion, theft, and money laundering.

Rodolf Lohrmann (59), Argentinian, sentenced to 18 years and 10 months for theft, robbery, and money laundering.

Shergili Farjiani (42), originally from Georgia, given a seven-year term for violent crimes theft and forgery.

Luis Neves, national director of the Judicial Police, said that with the exception of Shergili Farjiani, all the prisoners were “very dangerous” and their escape was “very well prepared”.

He also told a news conference on Sunday they have “already tried to escape from prison several times” and will do “anything to remain free”, direly warning:

“When I say everything, I mean everything, including the fact that human life may be at stake here.”

Source:

‘Very dangerous’ British prisoner among five to escape from high-security prison in Portugal | World News | Sky News

Thieves Snatched Phone in London; One Month Later It Was in China

In April, a thief on the back of an electric bike snatched Akara Etteh’s phone in central London, making him another victim of an estimated 78,000 “snatch thefts” in England and Wales.  

Mr. Etteh put his iPhone 13 into “lost” mode so the thieves couldn’t access its contents. He then turned on the Find My iPhone feature using his laptop. This allowed Akara to track his phone’s rough location as shown in the illustration above.

Stolen phones often end up in Shenzhen – where if devices can’t be unlocked and used again, they are disassembled for parts. The city is home to 17.6 million people and is an enormous hi-tech hub, sometimes referred to as China’s “Silicon Valley.”

One phone snatch victim, James O’Sullivan (44), says he lost more than £25,000 when thieves used his stolen device’s Apple Pay service. Another victim, Katie Ashworth, said her phone was snatched in a park along with her watch, and a debit card in the phone case. The phone contained the last photos of her mother while she was healthy.

Devastated by the loss of the photos, Ms. Ashworth says there was a lack of action from the constabulary.

“The police never even followed it up with me, despite my bank transactions showing exactly where the thieves went. The police just told me to check Facebook Marketplace and local second-hand shops like Cex.”

Source:

Thieves snatched his phone in London – he tracked it to China (bbc.com)

Baby Beavers Born in Urban London for First Time in Over 400 Years

The beavers constructed six dams and two lodges

At least two kits have appeared just eight months after the pioneering reintroduction of a beaver family to west London. The last time beavers had a presence in London was during the time of William Shakespeare.

The births of the kits mark the end of a more than 400-year absence of breeding beavers in urban London. At least two new kits born in the spring appear to be thriving, announced organizers of The Ealing Beaver Project.

In what is being called “a huge advancement in urban rewilding”, the successful reintroduction of beavers to London – and now the birth of the kits – is the fruit of a collaboration between multiple organisations and bodies.

The babies have been spotted venturing outside of their lodge in recent weeks at what is a publicly accessible site in Paradise Fields, a wetland in Greenford, west London. Beavers used to be permanent residents in the capital, before hunting, habitat destruction, and persecution led to the loss of the species throughout the UK. Their arrival shows that humans and wildlife can thrive side by side in urban environments, said Dr Sean McCormack, the license holder at the Ealing Beaver Project and chair of Ealing Wildlife Group.

“I had every confidence our beaver family would settle in at Paradise Fields, but to discover they’ve had new baby kits this spring is really the icing on the beaver cake,” he said. “These are not a wilderness species, they are an important animal we once lived alongside up and down the country and welcoming them back, even to our towns and cities, is the right thing to do. We may need to learn to live alongside them again, and sometimes manage their behaviour, but the ecosystem services they provide have been clearly demonstrated here already at the Ealing Beaver Project.”

Since their reintroduction, water quality has improved, flooding has reduced, and more insects and other wildlife have already been attracted to the site.

Source:

Ealing: First baby beavers born in urban London for 400 years (bbc.com)

IDF Kills US-Turkish Humanitarian in West Bank

Undated image of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi.

A 26-year-old Turkish-American activist, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, was shot in the head and killed during an anti-settlement protest near Nablus, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The IDF admitted to firing at the demonstrators and has not said if any other gunmen were present.

She was shot during a weekly demonstration against an Israeli settlement near the Palestinian village of Beita. Eyewitnesses and Palestinian officials said the Israeli military was responsible.

The IDF stated its forces “responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them.” It said that it was “looking into reports that a foreign national was killed as a result of shots fired in the area.”

Protests at Beita are common. The Palestinian town is next to a ramshackle Israeli settler outpost known as Evyatar. The settlement was unauthorized by the Israeli state until it was legalized earlier this year. All Israeli settlements are considered illegal under international law.

Eygi was volunteering in the West Bank with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), the same group as Rachel Corrie (23), a US citizen who was killed in 2003 while trying to block an Israeli bulldozer from razing Palestinian homes. (Getty Images)

In 2012, IDF Lt. Col. Shalom Eisner smashed the face of an unarmed activist named Andaers in the West Bank with his US-made M16 rifle. His expression looks like contempt. This protestor can consider himself lucky just to be alive.

Nearly 700 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since October 2023, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah and the UN, who have called for a full investigation of Aysenur’s killing.

Sources:

Aysenur Eygi: US activist killed after Israeli military fires at protest in West Bank | CNN

Aysenur Ezgi Eygi: UN urges inquiry into killing of US-Turkish protester in West Bank (bbc.com)

Related article‘All the streets were destroyed:’ Palestinians count the cost as Israel pulls back from Jenin

Massachusetts Physician Sentenced Nine Months for Punching Police Officer During 6 Jan Attack

A medical doctor who punched a police officer during a mob’s attack on the US Capitol was sentenced to nine months of imprisonment followed by nine months of home confinement. Jacquelyn Starer (70) was inside the Capitol on 6 Jan 2021 when she struck the officer with a closed fist and shouted a profane insult.

Jacquelyn Starer told US District Judge Timothy Kelly that she isn’t proud of her actions that day, including her “regrettable encounter” with the officer. “I accept full responsibility for my actions that day, and I truly wish reason had prevailed over my emotions,” she said.

Starer also turned to apologize to the officer whom she assaulted. The officer, identified only by her initials in court filings, told the judge she feared for her life as she and other officers fought for hours to defend the Capitol from the mob of Donald Trump supporters. “Do you really take responsibility for your actions or are you just going to say: ‘It wasn’t my fault. Fight or flight’?” the officer asked Starer before she addressed the court.

Starer of Ashland, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in April to eight counts, including a felony assault charge. Starer’s attorneys asked the judge to sentence her to home confinement instead of incarceration.

In the 43 months since 6 Jan 2021, more than 1,488 suspects have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the attack on the US Capitol, including nearly 550 seditionists charged with feloniously assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The FBI investigation remains ongoing.

Sources:

District of Columbia | Massachusetts Woman Sentenced to Prison for Assaulting Law Enforcement and Other Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach | United States Department of Justice

https://www.yahoo.com/news/physician-sentenced-9-months-prison-214655876.html

US Sees Increasing Risk of Sabotage of Key Undersea Cables by Secretive Russian Military Unit

The USIC has detected increased Russian military activity around key undersea cables and assesses Russia may now be more likely to carry out potential sabotage operations aimed at disabling a critical piece of the world’s communications infrastructure. Russia has been building up a dedicated military unit called the “General Staff Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research,” or GUGI.

“We are concerned about heightened Russian naval activity worldwide and that Russia’s decision calculus for damaging US and allied undersea critical infrastructure may be changing,” a US official told CNN. “Russia is continuing to develop naval capabilities for undersea sabotage mainly thru GUGI, a closely guarded unit that operates surface vessels, submarines, and naval drones.”

The US and NATO regularly tracks Russian ships that patrol close to critical maritime infrastructure and undersea cables often far from Russian shores.

Undersea cables form a critical backbone of internet and telecommunications traffic around the world. Most communications and internet traffic travels across a vast network of high-speed fiber-optic cables installed along the ocean floor. A coordinated attack could significantly disrupt private, government and military communications along such cables as well as industries that rely on such communications, including financial markets and energy suppliers. Undersea cables also carry vast amounts of electricity among several European countries.

Commanders aboard a NATO patrol vessel in April 2023 told CNN they had witnessed an increase of military surveillance over undersea cables in the Baltic Sea and the waters around Northern Europe.

Last year, a joint investigation by the public broadcasters of Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland found that Russia has a fleet of suspected spy ships operating in northern European waters for potential sabotage of both undersea cables and wind farms. Using data analysis, intercepted radio communications, and intelligence sources, the broadcasters tracked over several years some fifty ships operating in the area, using underwater surveillance to map sites for potential attacks.

Taiwanese and US intelligence have observed similar activity by the Chinese Navy in waters around Taiwan. “The activity looks like targeted harassment by Beijing – or an exercise in preparation for cutting off the whole of Taiwan,” Elisabeth Braw wrote in Foreign Policy magazine in February 2023.

Russia’s covert naval program has not been disrupted by its ongoing war against Ukraine, continuing to fund GUGI even while waging war in Ukraine. Sabotage of US or allied undersea infrastructure would be a significant escalation in Russian aggression outside of Ukraine.

Sources:

Exclusive: US sees increasing risk of Russian ‘sabotage’ of key undersea cables by secretive military unit (yahoo.com)

To Secure Undersea Cables, Take Lessons from the British Empire’s All-Red Line | Proceedings – July 2024 Vol. 150/7/1,457 (usni.org)

Pakistani Accused of Plotting to Kill Jews in NYC on Behalf of Islamic State

The lone unarmed suspect was arrested by an army of police officers Wednesday in the town of Ormstown, Quebec, 60 km south of Montreal. Muhammad Shahzeb Khan is described as a Pakistani citizen residing in Toronto.

A Pakistani citizen living in Canada has been charged with planning an attack in NYC in support of the Islamic State group. Muhammad Shahzeb Khan AKA Shahzeb Jadoon (20) is accused of plotting a mass shooting at a Jewish center around 7 Oct 2024, the first anniversary of the Gaza War. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Khan aimed to kill “as many Jewish people as possible” in the name of Islamic State. Khan attempted to travel from Canada to the US but was arrested on 4 Sep before reaching the border. He had told two undercover law enforcement officers of his plans to create “a real offline cell” of Islamic State supporters to carry out an attack.

The suspect, who was unarmed when arrested in Canada, requested the undercover officers to acquire AR-style rifles, ammunition, and other equipment for the NYC attack, including hunting knives in order to slit throats.

There is no information regarding Muhammad Shahzeb Khan’s mental faculties or whether he has any military or firearms training in order to carry out this extraordinary mega-attack with accomplices whom he has never personally met.

A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Sources:

Office of Public Affairs | Pakistani National Charged for Plotting Terrorist Attack in New York City in Support of ISIS | United States Department of Justice

Pakistani Accused Of Plotting To Kill Jews In New York On Behalf Of Islamic State (rferl.org)

Locals Accuse Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump of ‘Taking What is Ours’ for Billion Dollar Resort Project in Albania

Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former U.S. President Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump and Tiffany Trump, daughters of former US President Donald Trump, look on during the fourth day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on 18 July 2024 in Milwaukee, WI. The land they plan on developing in Albania is subject to several disputes. (Getty Images)

Local residents in Albania are accusing Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump of attempting to take land away from them for two luxury resort projects.

The daughter and son-in-law of former President Donald Trump are looking to invest almost $1bn in the area. Kushner previously announced his plans to build a hotel and a number of beach villas on a part of land that has been farmed by an Albanian family for generations but which was seized from them after the end of the Communist regime in 1991, according to The New York Times.

“They are trying to take from us what is ours,” Bledar Alexandros Konomi told the paper. Konomi used to help take care of cattle on the part of the mainland where Kushner now wants to build a hotel. His claim to the land is supported by court records. Kushner is also seeking exclusive development rights on the small island of Sazan, where the Soviet Union stored military supplies during the Cold War.

2024 CIA World Factbook

A second bid to develop the island was submitted by Albanian-American developer Evi Kokalari-Angelakis. When her proposal to the Albanian government was disregarded, she insinuated the regime wants to ingratiate themselves with the former president in the event he returns to the White House in January.

Opposition party member in the Albanian parliament Agron Shehaj said the process of choosing a developer had lacked transparency, which “makes it look like this is a private deal that is in the political interest of the prime minister of Albania.”

Prime Minister Edi Rama and Kushner both rejected the notion that the former president had anything to do with the development process.

“The fact that such a renowned American entrepreneur shows his interest on investing in Albania makes us very proud and happy,” said a spokesperson for the prime minister. “It shows on another level to the US and the world that there is a new rising star in the beautiful Mediterranean world of tourism named Albania.”

“We have this 1,400-acre island in the Mediterranean and we’re bringing in the best architects and the best brands,” Ivanka Trump said on the Lex Fridman Podcast earlier this summer.

The projects on the Albanian coastline are not connected to the Trump Organization, which is partly owned by Trump, and it will not be linked to the Trump name.

Jared Kushner established an investment company called Affinity Partners, which is supported mostly by funds coming from the Saudi Arabian government. Over the years, Saudi NGOs built 200 mosques in Albania and King Fahd of Saudi Arabia donated one million copies of an Albanian-language version of the Quran.

A University of Cincinnati professor of statistics said it’s “very obvious that a big corruption scheme is going on.”

On the mainland, villagers in Zvernec, near the site where one of the projects is planned, have notified Kushner that they claim to own the land, which is subject to several disputes.

Source:

Locals accuse Jared and Ivanka Trump of ‘taking what is ours’ for billion-dollar resort project in Albania | The Independent (the-independent.com)

US-Iraq Deal Would See Hundreds of Soldiers Withdraw by Sep 2025

The US and Iraq have reached an understanding on plans for the withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition forces from Iraq. Hundreds of troops would leave by September 2025, with the remainder departing by the end of 2026. The US and Iraq are also seeking to establish a new advisory relationship that could see some US forces remain in Iraq after the drawdown. The US has approximately 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in neighboring Syria as part of the coalition formed in 2014 to combat Islamic State as it rampaged through the two countries. The group once held roughly a third of Iraq and Syria but was territorially defeated in Iraq at the end of 2017 and in Syria in 2019. Iraq had demonstrated its ability to handle any remaining threat.

The agreement follows more than six months of talks between Baghdad and Washington, initiated by Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in January amid attacks by Iran-backed Iraqi armed groups on US forces stationed at Iraqi bases. The rocket and drone attacks have killed three American troops and wounded dozens more, resulting in several rounds of deadly US retaliation that threatened government efforts to stabilize Iraq after decades of conflict.

Under the plan, all coalition forces would leave the Ain al-Asad airbase in western Anbar province and significantly reduce their presence in Baghdad by September 2025. US and other coalition troops are expected to remain in Irbil, in the semi-autonomous northern Kurdistan region, for approximately one additional year, until around the end of 2026, to facilitate ongoing operations against Islamic State in Syria.

In other news, Switzerland reopened its embassy in Baghdad, 33 years after closing its previous representation due to the 1991 Gulf War. By reopening the embassy, the Swiss Federal Council aims to strengthen bilateral relations with the populous country and deepen cooperation in economic, security, and migration matters

Sources:

US-Iraq deal would see hundreds of troops withdraw in first year, sources say (voanews.com)

Swiss embassy in Baghdad reopens (admin.ch)

12 Students Hospitalized, One Dead from Unidentified Cause in Northern Vietnam

Two hospitals have been tasked with uncovering the cause of the death of a student from Thai Nguyen Industrial College in northern Vietnam and the hospitalization of 12 others.

All 13 victims had developed fevers, headaches, stomach aches, and nausea, with the cause still unknown. The deceased student was diagnosed with multi-organ failure, acute heart failure, myocarditis, and hepatitis B. One student is in a critical condition and on a ventilator. The ten remaining students are in stable condition.

The two hospitals were ordered to identify appropriate treatments for the patients and control the infection, if any, to minimize the number of people likely to catch the disease.

Source:

12 students hospitalized, 1 dead from unidentified cause in northern Vietnam | Tuoi Tre News

Lioness Rescued in Ukraine from a Tiny Cage Tentatively Walks on Grass for First Time

A UK animal rescue charity evacuated two lionesses from Ukraine and one has just been filmed taking her first steps on grass. Yuna the lioness had never felt grass beneath her paws, having been raised in captivity in a small concrete enclosure. She had been traumatized long before the Russian invasion.

In concert with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, England, organized the retrieval and air transport of the lionesses out of Ukraine in a 30-hour operation.

Yuna safely arrived at a 32-acre facility in Kent, and another lioness was delivered to a similar sanctuary in Belgium. Fundraising and preparations are underway to rescue another three lionesses from Kyiv.

Source:

The Good News Network and YouTube

US Researchers Locate Probable Launch Site of Russia’s New Nuclear-Powered Missile

A satellite image shows what is believed to be a deployment site for a Russian nuclear-powered cruise missile, including 5 nuclear warhead storage bunkers (right) and bermed launch positions (lower left), in Vologda, Russia, in this handout image obtained by Reuters on 27 Aug 2024. Planet Labs PBC/Handout via REUTERS.

Two US researchers say they have identified the probable deployment site in Russia of a new nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed cruise missile touted by President Vladimir Putin as “invincible.” Using commercial satellite imagery, the analysts identified a construction project abutting a nuclear warhead storage facility known by two names – Vologda-20 and Chebsara – as the new missile’s potential deployment site. The facility is 295 miles (475 km) north of Moscow.

Dubbed the SSC-X-9 Skyfall by NATO, Russian President Vladimir Putin brags the 9M370 Burevestnik has an almost unlimited range and can evade US missile defenses. But some Western experts dispute his claims and the Burevestnik’s strategic value, saying it will not add capabilities that Moscow does not already have and risks a radiation-spewing mishap.

Russia’s state nuclear agency Rosatom said five staff members died during the testing of a rocket on 8 Aug. Putin presented their widows with top state awards, saying the weapon they were developing was without equal in the world, without naming the Burevestnik.

The nuclear-powered engine threatens to disgorge radiation along its flight path and its deployment risks an accident that could contaminate the surrounding region, a former US nuclear weapons scientist reported.

“The Skyfall is a uniquely stupid weapon system, a flying Chernobyl that poses more threat to Russia than it does to other countries,” reported Thomas Countryman, a former top State Department official with the Arms Control Association, referring to the 1986 nuclear plant disaster.

Burevestnik being launched (undated image).

Meanwhile, Kiev fended off a massive Russian drone attack while President Putin made an official visit to Mongolia without being detained for his ICC arrest warrant.

Source:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/us-researchers-find-probable-launch-site-russias-new-nuclear-powered-missile-2024-09-02/


Spy’s Confession Sheds Light on Russian Espionage in Georgia

Vsevolod Osipov (recent image)

Last month, Vsevolod Osipov was unmasked as an informant for Russia’s security services. He had been sent to Tbilisi to monitor the many Russian dissidents who have flooded the Georgian capital recently. But, he says his new notoriety hasn’t much affected his life here, and done little to scare away patrons – primarily Russians themselves – at the busy wine bar in central Tbilisi where he works as a sommelier.

“An occasional customer who recognizes me from the news stories may come up and ask questions, but beyond that I don’t get much attention,” Osipov reflected.

The young spy’s confession, which was then re-reported in several other media, would seem to be big news in Georgia, where concern about the large influx of Russians is keen. But it’s barely made a ripple.

“I thought that the Georgian police would show up to question me, but nobody seemed to care, except maybe an occasional reporter,” Osipov said with a smile and a faint note of disappointment.

Osipov said he knows at least two more individuals who came clean via social media about traveling to Georgia to spy, and thinks he has spotted a few others. “You are not given identities of other agents, but if you look close enough you can guess who they are.”

“Before coming here in October, I had a pre-departure briefing in Moscow, where they told me to go cafés and restaurants in Tbilisi frequented by the Russians,” Osipov recalled. “I wasn’t supposed to ask any questions or go out of my way to meet people, just observe and keep my thoughts to myself. Then, once a week, I was supposed to report to my coordinator what the general scene was like and if I had picked up on anything important.”

Being a bit of an amateur himself – he was only recruited last year – Osipov was also identifiable to a keen eye. Well before he went public, one heavily inebriated young Russian came up to him in a bar and said in a drunken slur that he knows who he really is.   

Osipov was a law student and an activist with the small Libertarian Party of Russia (LPR) when he got arrested last year for participating in a demonstration in Moscow in support of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Threatened with imprisonment, he was intimidated into serving as a mole in the LPR and another opposition group, adding that that is how many young people get caught in the FSB net.

After Osipov performed his first, trial assignment to his handlers’ satisfaction, he was awarded with a bigger assignment: go to Georgia. “They gave me 214,000 rubles [about $3,550] to spend for a month and a half. I was supposed to go back to Moscow in December as, I guess, they were still testing me.”

Osipov was tasked with spying on two people in particular: self-exiled chairman of the LPR, Yaroslav Konvey, and Anton Mikhalchuk, a manager with the opposition group Free Russia Foundation. Upon his arrival, Osipov says he went directly to the two and told them outright that he was recruited by the FSB. He says he was trying to warn the LPR leadership all along, but failed to arrange a tête-à-tête with them until he arrived in Georgia. 

Osipov offered to send false info back to his superiors to throw the FSB off the track, but the two exiles appeared to be mistrustful and spread the word among their colleagues about an informant in their midst. Word soon reached Osipov’s girlfriend, who runs a tiny bar in Tbilisi. She asked Vsevolod directly if he was working for the FSB. “I said yes, as I realized that she must’ve heard about it from the people I trusted,” he admitted.         

Osipov continued reporting back to Moscow and convinced his handlers to extend his stay in Georgia. “I loved the city and had a good life here, so I did my best to stay as long as I could and have the FSB pay for it.” Even his handlers appeared curious about vacation options in Georgia: on top of his main job, the intelligence officers asked him to collect information on nice bars and landmarks worth checking out.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the handlers did not need much convincing to extend Osipov’s stay further.

“With so many people coming, they needed more eyes on the ground,” Osipov said. 

Infuriated by the war, Vsevolod stopped responding to his handlers in March. In June, he spoke to media outlet Meduza, which fact-checked his claims, found his handlers and published their identities, and also spoke to the activists that Osipov was supposed to follow. Meduza also published screenshots of Osipov’s chats with his FSB bosses. 

The story raised questions among some Russians in Georgia. Some were surprised by Osipov’s choice to try to pull one over on Russia’s formidable security service, though others put it down to his young age. Osipov admitted that he is indeed worried about the potential of FSB revenge, especially given that his mother remains back in Moscow; but he’s not so concerned about himself.

“I don’t think I’m that important for them to come chasing me here,” he said. “And I can always move to the next place.”

Source:

Spy’s Confession Sheds Light on Russian Espionage in Georgia – The Moscow Times

Britain Suspends Some Arms Exports to Israel

Palestinians look at an unexploded Israeli shell that landed on the main road outside the town of Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. Photo credit: Reuters.

Britain announced it was suspending the export of some military equipment to Israel as London increases its public criticism of an ally and its methods of war that have killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.

Israel’s behavior has attracted increasing criticism, including from allies, such as the US, as the death toll has continuously climbed and much of Gaza has been razed.

Britain announced it was suspending, with immediate effect, some 30 of roughly 350 licenses for the export of military goods to Israel following an assessment the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer showed that there is “clear risk” that Israel could use them in violation of international law. Items affected include military aircraft, helicopter and drone components, as well as items for ground targeting. Trainer aircraft and naval equipment remain permissible for export.

A British policy paper noted that Israel has not fulfilled its duty as the occupying force of Gaza to ensure the enclave’s some two million people receive essential humanitarian supplies. The study indicates that while Israel does not accept it is the occupying power, it does accept the obligation to allow free passage of humanitarian relief by third parties, including the UN. Amnesty International — which is among critics who accuse Israel of potentially committing genocide in Gaza — turned its criticism towards Britain for not going further with its sanctions.

British government statistics show its military exports to Israel have been declining. London had some $55 million worth of licensed arms deals with Israel in 2022, compared to 23.8 million last year.

The US has also withheld some shipments of bombs to Israel, but still allows most of them to be exported.

The International Court of Justice has ordered the Middle Eastern country to take immediate steps to end atrocities in Gaza and the International Criminal Court (ICC) indicted Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu of war crimes. Inexplicably, an arrest warrant has yet to be issued for him, unlike Russian President Vladimir Putin who can be arrested by any country that is a signatory to the ICC.

More than 40,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank have been killed during the war, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health and Lancet.

Source:

Britain suspends some arms exports to Israel – UPI.com

American Warzone: Five People Shot at New York’s West Indian American Day Parade

Police move revelers from the street after a shooting on Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, during the West Indian Day Parade, 2 Sep 2024.

Five people were shot Monday at New York City’s West Indian American Day Parade. This was the latest incident of violence to mar one of the world’s largest annual celebrations of Caribbean culture.

A gunman targeting a specific group of people opened fire along the parade route in Brooklyn around 2:35PM. The parade had kicked off hours earlier, with thousands of revelers dancing and marching down Eastern Parkway, a main Brooklyn thoroughfare. The parade was expected to continue into the night.

Two people were critically wounded and three were expected to survive their wounds. The gunman fled. US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was marching in the parade at the time and completed the route. Police cordoned off an area adjacent to the parade route, where they placed crime scene markers. The parade continued flowing past as officers were seen bagging items.

In 2016, two people were killed and several others were wounded near the parade route. The year before, Carey Gabay, an aide to then-Governor Andrew Cuomo, was shot in the head during pre-parade festivities. He died nine days later.

In an average year, 44,341 people die and 96,935 are wounded by guns in the US, costing the country $557.2 billion each year.

Sources:

5 people shot at New York’s West Indian American Day Parade (voanews.com)

Gun-Violence-in-the-United-States-2024-05.pdf (everystat.org)

Nationalist Mob Chanting ‘Yankee Go Home’ Assaults Two US Marines in Izmir, Turkiye

Two off-duty US Marines are safe after they were assaulted in Turkiye on Monday. @genclikbirligi via X

Two US Marines were assaulted by a group of young nationalists in Turkiye with one attacker placing a bag over the head of one servicemember.

The dramatic incident in the western port city of Izmir was captured on video, showing the moment two Marines were surrounded by a group of 15 people in a commercial area who were chanting “Yankee go home.” The gang then restrained one Marine before one of them places a bag over his head. Moments later, another man can be seen charging the group. None of the service members are in uniform.

Other Marines intervened and no one was reported injured. The service members later returned to their ship, the USS Wasp. Local authorities later identified the group as members of the Turkish Youth Union, or TGB, which is affiliated with the Patriotic Party — a small, nationalist political party without parliament seats. 15 alleged attackers were detained by local security forces.

An account on X purporting to represent the TGB said on Monday: “WE PUT SACKS ON THE US SOLDIERS SERVING ON THE LARGEST ATTACK SHIP OF THE USA, USS WASP! US soldiers, who carry the blood of our soldiers and thousands of Palestinians on their hands, cannot dirty our country. Every time you step into these lands, we will welcome you as you deserve!”

The reason why these Turkish nationalists placed a sack over one of the Marines stems from the 2003 “hood event.” On 4 July 2003, a detachment of Turkish soldiers operating in Iraqi Kurdistan were captured by US forces, hooded, then led away for interrogation. Afterwards, US forces raided a Turkish Special Forces safehouse in Sulaymaniyah and seized 15 kgs (33 lb) of explosives in addition to sniper rifles, grenades, and maps of Kirkuk with circles drawn around positions near the local governor’s building. Ankara lodged a diplomatic protest with Washington and the Turkish soldiers were eventually released after spending 60 hours in US custody.

The sight of seeing Turkish military personnel arrested, humiliated, and hooded by their American ally infuriated the Turkish public and wounded their national pride. The Turkish people have never forgotten that insult from 21 years ago.

Sources:

Two U.S. Marines assaulted by nationalist mob in Turkey (nbcnews.com)

Hood event – Wikipedia

US detains Turkish troops in Iraq | News | Al Jazeera

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3067319.stm

Donald Trump’s Cognitive Decline Becoming More Apparent

Ex-President Donald J. Trump delivers a speech during the “Make America Great Again” rally held at the Mohegan Sun Arena. (Brandon Stivers / Shutterstock.com)

Political analysts and mental health experts are becoming more and more alarmed by the 45th President’s latest bizarre and incoherent speeches.

Written verbatim below is what Donald Trump said at a rally in Potterville, MI. This is painful to read and must have been torturous to hear:

“She destroyed the city of San Francisco, it’s — and I own a big building there — it’s no — I shouldn’t talk about this but that’s OK I don’t give a damn because this is what I’m doing. I should say it’s the finest city in the world — sell and get the hell out of there, right? But I can’t do that. I don’t care, you know? I lost billions of dollars, billions of dollars. You know, somebody said, ‘What do you think you lost?’ I said, ‘Probably two, three billion. That’s OK, I don’t care.’ They say, ‘You think you’d do it again?’ And that’s the least of it. Nobody. They always say, I don’t know if you know. Lincoln was horribly treated. Uh, Jefferson was pretty horribly. Andrew Jackson they say was the worst of all, that he was treated worse than any other president. I said, ‘Do that study again, because I think there’s nobody close to Trump.’ I even got shot! And who the hell knows where that came from, right?”

As Donald Trump’s mental faculties continue to decline, so are GOP campaign coffers. Republicans are “starting to panic” because of a large fundraising gap they see emerging with their Democratic rivals and time is running short to close any distance with the election a little more than two months away.

Adding to Donald Trump’s miseries, a former advisor recently issued a humiliating message on ‘X’:

“Former Trump staffer and friend Anthony Scaramucci says Melania “hates” Trump and wants Kamala Harris to win.”

https://twitter.com/MikeSington/status/1830209424566395336/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1830209424566395336%7Ctwgr%5Ee50bd64db012f21b0a16035e4fc38c70b5f06f89%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.democraticunderground.com%2F100219408110

Moreover, an “October Surprise” awaits the the oldest candidate to ever run for the White House. An unflattering film about a young Donald Trump called ‘The Apprentice’ opens on 11 Oct in US and Canadian theaters (one month before the election). “The Apprentice” chronicles Trump’s rise to power in NY real estate under the tutelage of notorious defense attorney Roy Cohn (played by Jeremy Strong). Late in the movie, Trump is depicted raping his wife, Ivana Trump (played by Maria Bakalova ). In Ivana Trump’s 1990 divorce deposition, she stated that Trump raped her. Trump denied the allegation and Ivana Trump later said she didn’t mean it literally, but rather that she had felt violated.

Sources:

GOP ‘starting to panic’ as Democrats build massive fundraising lead: report – Raw Story

‘Genuinely chilling’: Analyst sounds alarm over Trump’s latest bizarre speeches – Raw Story

Trump film ‘The Apprentice’ finds distributor and will open before the election | AP News

New Zealand Spy Report Calls Out China for Interference

New Zealand’s spy service branded China a “complex intelligence concern,” warning the Pacific nation was vulnerable to foreign interference. In an annual threat report, the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) reported that several countries were undertaking “malicious activity” on its shores, but called out China’s attempts as “complex and deceptive.”

In particular, Beijing was accused of using front organizations to connect with local groups to replace authentic and diverse community views with those approved by the ruling party. In one example, a Chinese-language community news outlet parroted Beijing’s talking points.

In March, Wellington publicly said a Chinese state-sponsored group was behind a 2021 malicious cyber attack that infiltrated sensitive government computer systems. China dismissed allegations of hacking and accused New Zealand critics of being puppets of Washington.

Sources:

New-Zealands-Security-Threat-Environment-2024.pdf (nzsis.govt.nz)

New Zealand Spy Report Calls Out China For Interference | IBTimes

True Story of Penguin’s Annual Return to See Man Who Saved it From Oil Spill

Years ago, João Pereira de Souza discovered a Megallanic penguin covered in oil from a recent spill on Proveta Beach in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil.

Taking the penguin home, João found the bird exhausted and depleted after swimming through the oil spill. He nursed the penguin back to health, with plenty of soapy scrubbing and fish treats, naming it ‘Dindim’ after the toddler-speak of his son trying to say the Portuguese word for penguin (pinguim).

After Dindim recovered, João released him on an island near Proveta Beach and went home. But Dindim had followed him back and remained on his lawn waiting to be let inside. Dindim finally left of his own accord in Feb 2012. But for eight consecutive years, the penguin would leave every February and faithfully return to João Pereira de Souza in June.

My Penguin Friend recounts this story and premiered this month to mostly positive reviews, including an 87% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Source:

The Good News Network

Trump Campaign in Utter Disarray

DailyMail.com has unearthed a decades-old photo of JD Vance posing with three female classmates during his senior year of high school in Ohio. But the state of Donald Trump’s campaign is no laughing matter as you will read below. Note that then-JD Vance in this photograph is the same age as Barron Trump today.

The Trump campaign is flatlining and in shambles. Recent polling analysis indicate that VPOTUS hopeful JD Vance is less popular than Sarah Palin, Senator John McCain’s 2008 running mate. On average, only 33% of Americans have a favorable opinion of Sen. JD Vance, while 42% have an unfavorable one. Meanwhile, 38% of Americans have a favorable opinion of Gov. Tim Walz, while 33% have an unfavorable opinion of him.

Financial disclosure statements reveal the modest Walz family owns no stocks or securities. But the young 40-ish Vance family are somehow already multi-millionaires, including owning a sizeable amount of cryptocurrency. The three 529 accounts Vance lists for his children are worth between $31,000 and $115,000 in total.

Does the average Republican in Anytown, USA, whose support JD Vance and Donald Trump are counting on, have this much lucre?

In terms of campaign finance, Team Kamala has been breaking fundraising records and closing the gap between Trump’s huge coffers.

Ex-POTUS Trump recently hired five new political strategists and allegedly asked his teenage son Barron for advice on reaching out to the youth vote. An adolescent pupil who graduated the elite private Oxbridge Academy (annual tuition and full board = $41,500) will probably advise his father on the desires and whims of America’s wealthy elite offspring.

Vanity Fair reported that the 45th President is constantly re-watching the 13 July 2024 attempted assassination of him in Butler, PA. Informants say he’s mesmerized by the video and that Trump may be suffering from PTSD. The former president has not held an outdoor rally since that fateful day.

Worse for the GOP presidential hopeful, he’s relying on futile ad hominem attacks on Kamala Harris. But the syntax, elocution, and logic of his recent aspersions have been simply horrendous. The Philadelphia Inquirer editorialized: “Trump’s Rash of Bizarre Claims and Wild Tangents is No Laughing Matter.”

After listening to the GOP presidential hopeful, retired decorated four-star US Army General Barry McCaffrey summed it up aptly on ‘X’:

“It’s almost impossible to believe that Trump as a Presidential candidate could sound this ignorant. Disordered language. Incoherent thinking. 5th grade stuff.”

On top of the campaign chaos, the former President must deal with catastrophic financial liabilities. A New York judge ordered Trump to pay $454 million in a civil fraud case, while a federal jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million in damages for a defamation case. And for his 34 NYS felony convictions, Citizen Trump must face an imminent sentencing date on 18 Sep 2024.  

All of these personal issues, as well as possibly harboring second thoughts about JD Vance as a running mate, must be taxing the 78-year-old Republican nominee for the highest office of the land.  

Sources:

Donald Trump May ‘Legit Have PTSD’ Over Shooting: Report – Newsweek

Trump’s rash of bizarre claims and wild tangents is no laughing matter | Editorial (inquirer.com)

Donald Trump V. Kamala Harris 2024: Which Campaign Raised More Money (forbes.com)

Trump adds five new advisers as he tries to find attack lines against Harris | Donald Trump | The Guardian

JD Vance is more unpopular than Sarah Palin – ABC News (go.com)

https://time.com/6999522/jd-vance-net-worth-estimations-trump-vice-president-pick-background/

FBI Raids Home of Russian-American Political Analyst Dmitri Simes

Dimitri Simes poses a question to Russian President Vladimir Putin during the June 2023 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia.

The FBI raided and searched the Virginia home of Dmitri Simes, an author who hosts a current-affairs program on Russia’s state-run Channel One television. Simes was born in Moscow in 1947 and emigrated to the US in 1973. He served as an informal adviser to former POTUS Richard Nixon and regularly traveled with him to the USSR and other Eastern bloc countries. Simes also advised the 2016 presidential campaign of Donald Trump and arranged an important 2016 foreign-policy speech in which Trump outlined a vision for greater cooperation with Russia.

Simes’s name was mentioned more than 100 times in the 2019 report by US Special Counsel Robert Mueller entitled Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election.

Earlier this month, Fox News reported that FBI agents had raided the New York home of Scott Ritter, a former UN weapons inspector in Iraq who has been a frequent contributor to Russian government media including RT and Sputnik. An FBI spokesperson told Fox the search was part of an “ongoing” investigation.

Ritter has supported Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine and in January he addressed thousands of Chechen soldiers on a central square in the Chechen capital, Grozny. In June, US authorities seized Ritter’s passport and prevented him from travelling to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Sources:

FBI Raids Home Of Russian-American Political Analyst Dmitri Simes (rferl.org)

READ: Mueller Report PDF On Russia Investigation : NPR

Dimitri Simes – Wikipedia

Former Alabama Police Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Offense for Using Excessive Force

The Alabama chapter of the ACLU asked that something be done about police brutality in the Heart of Dixie and the Justice Department complied.

Former Daleville Police Department sergeant Ryan Phillips pleaded guilty to depriving an arrestee of his civil rights under color of law. The defendant lost his composure and beat an arrestee inside his cell, striking him in the face and upper body without cause or reason.

According to documents submitted and statements made in court, Phillips willfully used unreasonable force against an arrestee identified as D.M. Specifically, while D.M. was inside a jail cell, he and Phillips had a verbal altercation. Phillips removed his badge and firearm, entered D.M.’s cell and hit D.M. in the upper body and face multiple times resulting in bodily injury to D.M., including lacerations and bruising.

With the plea agreement, Phillips admitted that he had no legitimate law enforcement purpose for engaging in this conduct, that he acted willfully and that D.M. suffered bodily injury.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for 13 November. Phillips faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, but prosecutors are recommending a sentence of 22 months in prison.

Sources:

Office of Public Affairs | Former Alabama Police Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Offense for Using Excessive Force | United States Department of Justice

We Need to Address Police Brutality in Alabama | ACLU of Alabama (aclualabama.org)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/alabama/articles/2024-08-16/former-alabama-police-sergeant-pleads-guilty-to-excessive-force-charge

Canada: Ukraine May Use Donated Tanks in Russia

The four-man crew Leopard 2A4 tank is a third generation German main battle tank (MBT).

Ukraine‘s armed forces are now authorized to use donated Canadian military equipment inside Russian territory, Canada’s Department of National Defense confirmed. Ottawa joined several other countries like Britain and Germany that have already given Ukraine the green light to use donated weapons inside Russia’s territorial border.

Canada donated eight Leopard 2A4 tanks, several dozen armored combat support vehicles, hundreds of armored patrol vehicles and 4,200 M72A5-C1 rocket launchers. Ottawa has also provided ammunition and air defense systems.

Overall, Canada has provided around $4.5 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since 2022. The Canadian government has pledged to continue military support until at least 2029.

Source:

Canada says Ukraine can use donated tanks in Russia – UPI.com

Chinese Censors Clamp Down on Social Media Posts About Grisly Body-Snatching Case

Mourners stand outside crematorium as white smoke pours out of chimneys in Beijing, 31 Dec 2022. (Ng Han Guan/AP)

Investigators from the Ministry of Public Security are investigating reports that Shanxi Aurui Biomaterials had been involved in trading thousands of dead bodies or body parts, on suspicion that the company engaged in “theft of, insult to, or intentional destruction of human remains.”

Social media posts about these horrific allegations on Weibo and Caixin.com have been deleted by the authorities during the investigation.

Shanxi Aorui is accused of “illegally purchasing human remains and body parts from Sichuan, Guangxi, Shandong and other places for processing into bone grafts worth 380 million yuan (US$53 million) between January 2015 and July 2023”, an official media outlet reported, adding that the police had seized “more than 18 tons of human bones” and “more than 34,000 articles of finished product.’

Bodies were allegedly sent to the company from funeral homes across Shanxi, Sichuan, and Guangxi provinces, with thousands of bodies in Sichuan alone. Their bones were used to create dental bone implants. Families received ashes that may not have been those of their relatives or the remains may have been incomplete.

Source:

Chinese censors clamp down on posts about grisly body-snatching case — Radio Free Asia (rfa.org)

Turkish MPs Brawl During Debate on Jailed Opposition Lawmaker

Turkish ruling and opposition lawmakers duke it out with each other in the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye in Ankara on 16 Aug 2024.

A fistfight broke out in Turkiye’s parliament when an opposition deputy was attacked after calling for his colleague Can Atalay to be admitted to the assembly. Atalay was jailed on charges of organizing anti-government protests but had since been elected a member of the parliament.

Ruling AK Party MPs rushed to punch Ahmet Sik at the lectern and dozens more joined the melee, while others tried to restrain their colleagues. Blood spattered the white steps of the speaker’s podium and the deputy parliament speaker declared a 45-minute recess after the donnybrook.

Atalay was sentenced to 18 years in 2022 after being accused of trying to overthrow the government by allegedly organizing the peaceful nationwide Gezi Park environmental protests in 2013 with philanthropist Osman Kavala, also now jailed, and six others. All deny the charges.

Despite his imprisonment, Atalay was elected to parliament in May 2023 to represent the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TIP). Parliament stripped him of his seat, but on 1 Aug 2024 the Turkish Constitutional Court declared his exclusion null and void.

Brawls are not uncommon in Turkish parliament. In June, ruling AK party lawmakers scuffled with pro-Kurdish DEM Party MPs over the detention and replacement of a DEM Party mayor in southeast Turkiye for alleged militant links.

Source:

Turkish MPs brawl during debate on jailed opposition lawmaker (voanews.com)

Anti-US Government Militia Member Sentenced for Illegal Gun Possession

Convicted felon and anti-government extremist Joshua Colston (50) of Corinth, MS, participated in aborted plans to kidnap and attack federal officials. He was sentenced in the Middle District of Florida to serve 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Colston previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on 18 Oct 2023.

The FBI learned that Joshua Colston and other militants discussed a plan to kidnap or attack elected federal officials on Thanksgiving Day 2022. Ultimately, the attack plan never developed due to the group’s lack of resources and the poor health of the members. Colston, a felony convict, was arrested in Georgia and found with an illegal arsenal of firearms: a 9mm pistol, .40 caliber pistol, .22 semiautomatic rifle, semiautomatic shotgun and .44 lever-action rifle. The semiautomatic rifle was reported stolen in Alcorn County, MS,

In addition to the firearms, Colston had a bulletproof vest and more than 3,500 rounds of ammunition, including armor-piercing rounds. The FBI also believes that Colston had training in explosives. This miscreant has prior state convictions in Texas for felony theft and felony criminal mischief.

For at least four years, the FBI neutralized this dangerous fanatic.

Sources:

Office of Public Affairs | National Constitutional Militia Member Sentenced for Illegal Gun Possession | United States Department of Justice

South Korean Health Authorities Find Toxic Substances in Shein and Temu Products

Authorities in South Korea report that women’s accessories sold by Shein, Temu, and AliExpress, contained toxic substances sometimes hundreds of times above acceptable levels.

In a recent inspection, 144 products from Shein, AliExpress, and Temu were tested, and multiple products from all companies failed to meet legal standards.

Shoes from Shein were found to contain significantly high levels of phthalates — chemicals used to make plastics more flexible — with one pair 229 times above the legal limit.

“Phthalate-based plasticisers affect reproductive functions such as sperm count reduction, and can cause infertility and even premature birth,” an official from Seoul’s environmental health team reported.

Formaldehyde, a chemical commonly used in home building products, was detected in Shein’s caps at double the allowable threshold. This chemical “is classified as a human carcinogen by the International Cancer Institute, so special care should be taken to avoid long-term contact with the human body.”

Two bottles of nail polish from Shein were found to have dioxane — a possible human carcinogen that can cause liver poisoning — at levels more than 3.6 times the allowed limit and methanol concentrations 1.4 times above the acceptable level

Sandals manufactured by Temu contained lead in the insoles at levels more than 11 times the permissible limit.

Health authorities in Seoul requested that these products be removed from sale. In April 2023, the European Union added Shein to its list of digital firms for stricter safety rules — including measures to protect customers from unsafe products and those that could be harmful to minors.

Source:

Seoul Authorities Find Toxic Substances In Shein And Temu Products | IBTimes

US Arrests Reputed Gang Leader Wanted for 23 Murders in Peru

Gianfranco Torres-Navarro is the the leader of the “Los Killers” gang in Peru. © National Police of Peru.

A reputed gang leader suspected in 23 killings in Peru was arrested in the tiny village of Endicott, NY, by US immigration authorities. Gianfranco Torres-Navarro, the leader of “Los Killers” is being held at a federal detention facility near Buffalo. After killing retired police officer Cesar Quegua Herrera and shooting a municipal employee at a restaurant in San Miguel in March, Torres-Navarro fled Peru and entered the US via the Texas-Mexico border.

ICE agents also arrested Torres-Navarro’s girlfriend, Mishelle Sol Ivanna Ortiz Ubillus, described as his right hand, cashier, and lover. She is being held at a processing center in Pennsylvania. Ubillus had a sizable following on the social media platform TikTok where she showed off their lavish lifestyle, including designer clothes, resort vacations, as well as target shooting at a gun range.

Colonel Franco Moreno, head of Peru’s High Complexity Crime Investigations Division, said they tracked phone calls, geolocations, and messages from Torres-Navarro and members of his gang

“[Torres-Navarro] is a highly dangerous criminal who believed he was untouchable and responsible for 23 murders, including other gang leaders who ended up dead along with their families, all in order to increase his criminal leadership,” Moreno concluded.

Source:

US arrests reputed Peruvian gang leader wanted for 23 killings in Peru (voanews.com)

Democratic VPOTUS candidate Tim Walz’ rescue cat, “Honey.” As Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz also provided free school meals to all pupils regardless of income. Who wouldn’t want a man with this kind of heart to be their Vice-President?