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Report: At least one dead in shooting attack near synagogue in Vienna
Today's Headlines
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Page 1: WoT Operations
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Page 2: WoT Background
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Page 4: Opinion
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Page 6: Politix
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5 20:06 3dc [13]
12 18:47 Chavimp Spawn of the Weak4469 [8]
19 20:51 Slappy [15]
16 22:15 ed in texas [12]
22 21:54 Clem [21]
-Lurid Crime Tales-
Man charged with 2 counts of 1st-degree murder after Halloween sword attack in Quebec City
Follow up to this report from yesterday.
[CBC.CA] A 24-year-old man has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder after allegedly attacking seven people with a sword in the historic district of Quebec City while dressed in a medieval outfit on Halloween night.

Court documents identify the accused as Carl Girouard. The tall, thin man with dark hair appeared before a judge by video conference on Sunday. He is expected back in court on Thursday.

The documents do not reveal Girouard's home address, but Radio-Canada has learned he is from Sainte-Thérèse, Que., a town located about 20 kilometres northwest of Montreal.

Police issued a statement on Twitter on Sunday afternoon saying that the coroner had identified the two victims who bit the dust as Francois Duchesne, 56, and Suzanne Clermont, 61.

The court has ordered a publication ban on any information that could identify the other five victims in this case, according to a spokesperson for the director of criminal and penal prosecutions.

On Halloween night, police were contacted at about 10:30 p.m. and discovered victims in at least four locations, including near the Château Frontenac hotel, on du Trésor Street, and on des Remparts Street, according to Radio-Canada.

After a two-and-a-half-hour manhunt, a man was arrested shortly before 1 a.m., about one kilometre north of the area in the city's Old Port.

​Quebec City ​police Chief Robert Pigeon said during a news conference Sunday morning that the man came to the capital "with the intention of doing the most damage possible."

Pigeon said that "everything leads us to believe he chose his victims at random," adding that he believes the crime was premeditated.

He said the police investigation has found that the accused is not associated with any terror group.

The man was carrying a Japanese katana-style sword, Pigeon said.

The police chief said Girouard does not have a criminal record, but he did reveal five years ago in a "medical context" that he wanted to commit a violent mostly peaceful act.

Pigeon said police currently have no reason to believe the attack was motivated by religious or political reasons.

The accused was initially taken to hospital for evaluation.

Police say they do not fear for the lives of any of the five people who sustained injuries in the attack.
The Times of Israel adds:
Quebec police said their initial information indicates the 24-year-old suspect’s motive was personal.

Quebec City Police Chief Robert Pigeon said the suspect, who was dressed in medieval clothing and armed with a Japanese sword, had already made a threat of violence in 2014.

“That information would have been revealed in a medical context over five years ago. It was not something that was in a criminal record,” Pigeon said.

Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume said Canada needs to have a debate about how to deal with mental illness.

[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: trailing wife || 11/02/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [16 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Like I said, this is what happens when you give out fruit on Halloween. Somebody's expecting a Three Musketeers and you hand them an apple, there's gonna be violence.
Posted by: ed in texas || 11/02/2020 11:02 Comments || Top||

#2  Hope he gets a lil med-evil torture to fit the crime. Bring out the Iron Maiden.
Posted by: Slappy || 11/02/2020 20:43 Comments || Top||


-Short Attention Span Theater-
What is burning in this huge fire in Moscow?
[Twitter]
Posted by: 3dc || 11/02/2020 06:56 || Comments || Link || [9 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Napoleon's back?
Posted by: Kojo Squank7182 || 11/02/2020 8:27 Comments || Top||

#2  Too much charcoal fluid on a large outdoor grill?
Posted by: Raj || 11/02/2020 8:44 Comments || Top||

#3  KGB archives?
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom || 11/02/2020 9:44 Comments || Top||

#4  Records on unaccounted-for funds in Syria?
Posted by: Clem || 11/02/2020 10:11 Comments || Top||

#5  Has to be Novichok. I have been assured by CNN that whenever anything happens in Russia, novichok is involved.
Posted by: ed in texas || 11/02/2020 10:32 Comments || Top||

#6  We are lucky the Skripals didn't burst into flames, saturated as they were.
Posted by: SteveS || 11/02/2020 10:46 Comments || Top||

#7  Who let Crankshaft in Russian?
Posted by: Seeking Cure For Ignorance || 11/02/2020 14:15 Comments || Top||

#8  From Funky Winkerbean, that Crankshaft?
Posted by: Clem || 11/02/2020 14:19 Comments || Top||

#9  Biden ballots?
Posted by: gorb || 11/02/2020 20:36 Comments || Top||

#10  Chinese consulate being kicked out?
Posted by: Slappy || 11/02/2020 20:41 Comments || Top||


Africa Subsaharan
At least two killed in IvoryCoast clashes, as the opposition calls for 'civil transition' after election
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 11/02/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [6 views] Top|| File under:


Caribbean-Latin America
Venezuelan petrochemical plant attacked by US-directed forces: Maduro
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 11/02/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [9 views] Top|| File under: Commies

#1  America now commands carelessness and sloth?
Posted by: Thrairong Ebbusomp4597 || 11/02/2020 1:29 Comments || Top||

#2 
#1 America now commands carelessness and sloth?
Posted by: Thrairong Ebbusomp4597 2020-11-02 01:29


Well, we're just evil that way.

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski || 11/02/2020 4:12 Comments || Top||

#3  Why would you attack a refinery that doesn't work?
Posted by: ed in texas || 11/02/2020 10:58 Comments || Top||

#4  The US wouldn't waste its time on such a plan. The Venezuelan gum'ment and socialist system will handle that all on their own.
Posted by: Clem || 11/02/2020 12:30 Comments || Top||

#5  Deflection, a standard practice for loser-leadership (see 'Tyrants', Dictators', 'Democrats').
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 11/02/2020 14:06 Comments || Top||

#6  The topic the other day Photos of Good Dogs had me afraid it was a Herb article about how much better the food in china is.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 11/02/2020 14:19 Comments || Top||

#7  ^ so the Chinese menu now has pictures?
Posted by: Chavimp Spawn of the Weak4469 || 11/02/2020 14:38 Comments || Top||

#8  There refineries look that bad now?
Posted by: Ebbomoger Speaking for Boskone4589 || 11/02/2020 19:39 Comments || Top||

#9  Con-foo-shush bay, "Manchu man whining?
Just throw him dog biscuit... face shining!
Not genuine chow
If it don't go bow-wow... [chomp chomp]
That's the shi-tzu! Sho' nuff canine dining."
Posted by: Maggie Grusoque3716 || 11/02/2020 20:38 Comments || Top||


Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Tens of thousands protest in Belarus, defying threats, warning shots
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 11/02/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [9 views] Top|| File under: Tin Hat Dictators, Presidents for Life, & Kleptocrats


China-Japan-Koreas
Taiwan plans National Space Center and private rocket companies.
[Taiwan News]
Posted by: 3dc || 11/02/2020 07:08 || Comments || Link || [12 views] Top|| File under:


Seven Chinese pro-democratic lawmakers arrested in Hong Kong
[NYPost] Seven pro-democratic lawmakers were arrested in Hong Kong on Sunday on charges related to obstructing a legislative council meeting in May, they said on Facebook, a move that comes after Beijing passed a contentious security law in June.

The arrests, which took place early in the morning, did not appear to be directly linked to the law but come as police have arrested around 30 under the legislation in recent months.
Posted by: Thrairong Ebbusomp4597 || 11/02/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [9 views] Top|| File under: Commies


India-Pakistan
Plea for moving Christian girl Arzoo Masih to shelter home dismissed
[DAILYTIMES.PK] A local court on Saturday dismissed the plea moved by the family of an allegedly forcibly converted Christian girl named Arzoo to send her to a shelter home, thereby releasing her from the custody of her Moslem spouse. Raja, the father of Arzoo Masih, had moved the application pleading the court to send her to a shelter home instead of sending her with her alleged husband, adding that she was not safe with him.

His lawyer, Jibran Nasir, pointed out that Arzoo was only 13 years old and the provisions of the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2013, had been incorporated by the police. He further stated that the Sindh High Court (SHC) had not restrained the trial court from exercising powers in line with the law, pleading the magistrate to shift the girl to safety.

The father’s attorney Advocate Jibran Nasir argued that the girl was 13 years old and the provisions of the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act have also been incorporated in the matter by the police.
Posted by: Fred || 11/02/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [14 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan

#1  Islamic government approved child rape.
Posted by: Thrairong Ebbusomp4597 || 11/02/2020 1:55 Comments || Top||


Science & Technology
RQ-180 or P-175 seen flying in CA
[Twitter]
Posted by: 3dc || 11/02/2020 07:11 || Comments || Link || [6 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Horten 229
Posted by: M. Murcek || 11/02/2020 8:01 Comments || Top||

#2  ^ My thoughts exactly.
Posted by: Rex Mundi || 11/02/2020 11:50 Comments || Top||


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Tehran faces 'catastrophe' over virus surge: Official
[AA.TR] The chairman of Tehran City Council has raised the alarm over the surge in coronavirus (aka COVID19 or Chinese Plague)
...the twenty first century equivalent of bubonic plague, only instead of killing off a third of the population of Europe it kills 3.4 percent of those who notice they have it. It seems to be fond of the elderly, especially Iranian politicians and holy men...
deaths in Tehran, warning of a "human catastrophe" if lockdown is not imposed.Addressing a meeting of Council members on Sunday, Mohsen Rafsanjani said Iran
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate Jews Zionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol...
is presently grappling with the third wave of virus that is showing no sign of fading, unlike first two waves.

If effective actions, he warned, are not taken to contain the further spread of virus, it may lead to a "tsunami and a human catastrophe" in winter.

Rafsanjani said the public representatives in Tehran have reached a "good understanding" on ways to curb the third wave of coronavirus, which will be proposed in a letter to the government.

"Our decisions on (combating) the coronavirus should be pre-meditated, not delayed," he stressed, calling for lockdown in Tehran and other major metropolis for "at least two weeks".

Iran has reported a record number of COVID-19 infections and deaths in recent weeks, sending shockwaves across the country and putting extra burden on overwhelmed healthcare workers.

On Saturday, Iran’s health ministry spokesperson Sima Sadat Lari announced 7,820 new infections and 386 deaths, taking the overall tally to 612,772 cases and 34,864 fatalities.

On Thursday, the country recorded the highest single-day infections (8293) since the outbreak in mid-February. A day earlier, highest single-day deaths (415) had been reported in the country.

Last week, Rafsanjani said he had proposed that Tehran be "completely shut down" for two weeks, but the government "paid no attention" to his proposal.

The Iranian government this week announced restrictions in 25 historic provincial capitals and 46 other cities, which will come into effect from Wednesday. However,
the way to a man's heart remains through his stomach...
it has not imposed strict restrictions in Tehran.

The alarming surge in the mortality rate in the capital city has put burdens not only on the healthcare workers but also on the cemeteries that are reportedly running full.

A member of the Tehran City Council last week said three more public cemeteries would be built in south, east and west of Tehran.

Until the new cemeteries are ready, the capacity of Behesht e Zehra, the country’s biggest public cemetery situated in south Tehran, should be increased, he said.

Rafsanjani said the government’s "lack of attention" has led to the "current situation", while adding that the difficult economic situation caused by US sanctions is making the matters worse.



Posted by: Fred || 11/02/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [15 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iran

#1  Is this a stronger form of the virus or are the Iranians low on vitamin D?
Posted by: 3dc || 11/02/2020 6:19 Comments || Top||

#2  Neither, it's the will of allan.
Posted by: Cesare || 11/02/2020 7:41 Comments || Top||

#3  In the US it seems it's killing 2% (of cases) but in europe double that %age, although the MSM seem to report it as US worst by looking at pure numbers...
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 11/02/2020 8:55 Comments || Top||

#4  Iran has a relatively young population and shouldn't have a high fatal infection rate.

Then again, the infections reported are probably a significant undercount (and more than the fatality undercount).
Posted by: Lord Garth || 11/02/2020 10:20 Comments || Top||

#5  "Send Money...."
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 11/02/2020 12:06 Comments || Top||

#6  Iranians low on vitamin D

I’d bet on low Vitamin D — as in the Arab world, pale is more fashionable, and of course now women need to be relatively covered when they leave home. Also, there’s been growing poverty reaching well into the middle class in recent decades, leading to poorer nutrition and scanty calories.
Posted by: trailing wife || 11/02/2020 22:39 Comments || Top||


Government
Pentagon Draw-Down at U.S. Embassies Prompts Concern About Ceding Field to Global Rivals
[WSJ (subscription req'd) via ZH] The Pentagon is said to have "quietly begun withdrawing" high ranking military officers from posts in Africa and the Middle East as part of a broader strategy of shifting resources to prioritize countering China and Russia, also as congressional caps which designate max numbers of generals and admirals in any given year must be met. However some say it will do the opposite - that is, the move will actually embolden US rivals in developing and politically restive parts of the globe.

This includes military attachés being withdrawn from multiple countries in West Africa, according to a new report in The Wall Street Journal. The role of a military attaché connected to the embassy's mission is crucial where the US works closely with a host country's military in fighting terrorism and maintaining political stability.

According to the WSJ report, "The position of defense attaché, the senior U.S. military representative in American diplomatic posts, is being downgraded in rank in eight key allied countries‐including the U.K. and Saudi Arabia‐according to an Aug. 24 order signed by Defense Secretary Mark Esper."

In many cases this will see generals or admirals replaced with colonels or Navy captains, which Congressional and defense critics of the move have said will harm US relationships and clout with the host countries, who will be less willing to coordinate key operations and intelligence sharing with lower ranking American officers.
Meh. Coordination happens with the designated decision maker, no matter what rank. Mr. Wife as a department head was making deals as representative of his company with counterpart senior VPs and company presidents, because his company pushed deal-making responsibility down to his level.
Esper's order means that by December 2022 110 general or admiral positions must be cut,
...and thereafter 110 generals and admirals retired...
but without specifying the particular countries where that will take place. The African continent (where AFRICOM has had a growing post-9/11 presence) will reportedly see a large reduction of top commanders.

Congressional and defense Russia and China hawks fear that when it comes to the Mideast-Africa regions especially, this will mean "ceding ground" and influence to Washington rivals.

Related: WSJ article
Posted by: Clem || 11/02/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [17 views] Top|| File under:

#1  What if the colonels were given a set of shiny sprockets to wear?
Posted by: Thrairong Ebbusomp4597 || 11/02/2020 1:32 Comments || Top||

#2  Bad news for the MIC and 'Job After' military crowd. Intelligence community to lose embassy cover, forced to resume traditional clandestine collection? Working from home is catching on. Zoom in !
Posted by: Besoeker || 11/02/2020 3:12 Comments || Top||

#3  #1 that's a point that 'experts' never want to contemplate. If you only have a small number of generals, then being a colonel becomes even more important to cover the field. Look up the ratio of general officers to overall service numbers in WW2 and today. That wasn't any grade 'creep' that was a quick march.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 11/02/2020 5:30 Comments || Top||

#4  Thank goodness we avoided this in Iraq and Afghanistan!
Posted by: Iblis || 11/02/2020 9:28 Comments || Top||

#5  If keeping an eye on things is the job, I'da thought a low key SF captain and team would do a better job than a guy in an office at the embassy.
Apparantly a swivel chair is very important in this line of wourk.
Posted by: ed in texas || 11/02/2020 22:09 Comments || Top||



Who's in the News
33[untagged]
8Ottoman Proxies
7Taliban
7Antifa/BLM
3Moslem Colonists
2Tin Hat Dictators, Presidents for Life, & Kleptocrats
2Commies
2Govt of Iran
2Govt of Iraq
2Govt of Pakistan
2Sublime Porte
1Govt of Sudan
1Muslim Brotherhood
1Govt of Pakistain Proxies
1PLO
1al-Nusra
1Govt of Iran Proxies
1Hamas

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Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.

Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has dominated Mexico for six years.
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Meet the Mods
In no particular order...
Steve White
Seafarious
tu3031
badanov
sherry
ryuge
GolfBravoUSMC
Bright Pebbles
trailing wife
Gloria
Fred
Besoeker
Glenmore
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3dc
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Two weeks of WOT
Mon 2020-11-02
  Report: At least one dead in shooting attack near synagogue in Vienna
Sun 2020-11-01
  Islamic State claims responsibility for church attack in Congo
Sat 2020-10-31
  Car smashes through front door of Grand Mosque in Mecca.
Fri 2020-10-30
  Philly Police Were 'Ordered Not to Arrest Looters' by Deputy Police Commissioner Who Took A Knee For BLM
Thu 2020-10-29
  Another Beheading in France!
Wed 2020-10-28
  Clashes continue in Nagorno Karabakh despite truce deals
Tue 2020-10-27
  US says airstrike killed 7 leaders of al-Qaida in Syria
Mon 2020-10-26
  Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri titzup
Sun 2020-10-25
  At least 18 killed in ISIS suicide attack in Shiite neighborhood in Kabul
Sat 2020-10-24
  'Permanent ceasefire in all areas of Libya'
Fri 2020-10-23
  Tanzania confirms Islamist militants carried out attack near southern gas fields
Thu 2020-10-22
  Rifle-carrying trans Muslim Antifa arrested at riot in Phoenix
Wed 2020-10-21
  UAE submits official request to open embassy in Tel Aviv
Tue 2020-10-20
  First Etihad passenger plane lands in Israel
Mon 2020-10-19
  Israel and Bahrain have signed an agreement on establishing diplomatic ties


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