[IsraelTimes] JPMorgan Chase, AT&T, and Dunkin have withdrawn their advertising from gaming and e-sports live-streaming platform Twitch due to complaints of antisemitism on the platform, Bloomberg reports.
Oil giant Chevron is also considering leaving the Amazon-owned platform, Bloomberg said.
The site has come under fire in recent months due to complaints it has allowed anti-Israel hate speech.
Last month, US Representative Ritchie Torres of New York called on Twitch to rein what he described as “an explosion of Jew-hatred” on the platform or risk Congressional scrutiny.
The Anti-Defamation League has also called on Twitch to do more to fight antisemitism on its platform.
In response to the report, Twitch told Bloomberg that it does not tolerate antisemitic content on its platform, saying it applies its guidelines “consistently and objectively” to all streamers.
[IsraelTimes] Reuven Kahane, cousin of late extremist rabbi Meir Kahane, says he merely shouted at demonstrators who were banging on his vehicle; charges also dropped against two protesters
All charges have been dismissed against a Manhattan rabbi and real estate developer who was accused of ramming his vehicle into pro-Paleostinian, anti-Israel protesters in May.
Charges were also dropped against two protesters who were arrested at the scene.
Presumably the only easy way to set them free was to set him free, too.
Reuven Kahane had been arrested and accused of assault after the altercation with the demonstrators, who were protesting outside the Upper East Side home of a Columbia University trustee.
The protesters were affiliated with Columbia University Apartheid Divest, an alliance of anti-Israel student groups that had characterized the incident in a blurb as "Zionist driver runs down peaceful pro-Paleostinian demonstration."
Police said at the time that an argument had broken out between Kahane and the protesters as the protesters were leaving the scene and that Kahane had "tapped" one of the demonstrators with his car. Kahane said he had shouted at protesters banging on his car.
Police arrived a few minutes later and arrested Kahane and two of the activists, Maryellen Novak, 55, and John Rozendaal, 63, for criminal mischief.
A bit long in the tooth to be college students. And adult continuing ed students generally have
better things to do than riot.
Now, the case against Kahane has been dismissed. The New York State Unified Court System confirmed that the case had been dismissed last month pursuant to speedy trial limitations that stipulate a trial must take place within a certain amount of time after the incident. The case no longer appears in court records.
Kahane says that the charges against him were baseless.
"Nothing whatsoever that they accused me of happened," he said in an interview on Wednesday, saying that the case had been "completely dismissed and sealed."
Novak and Rozendaal also had their charges dropped. Following the May arrest, a fundraiser for Novak, identifying her as a "safety marshal" for protesters, raised more than $11,000.
Rozendaal had previously been arrested in March for disrupting an Easter service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral as part of a pro-Paleostinian, anti-Israel protest. None of the student protesters on the scene were charged.
At the time of the incident, Columbia was being rocked by demonstrations over the Israel-Hamas ..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",... war, and city officials, including Mayor Eric Adams ...Hizonner da Mare of Noo Yawk. As a Manchurian candidate, Hizonner was all in favor of law and order and that kind of stuff. Once in office, a bunch of his friends found cushy jobs with the city, the windows kept getting broken, and Soros-funded DA Alvin Bragg remained right where he was. Most people comfort themselves with the thought that he's not Bill di Blasio but that's pretty small comfort with kids who actually go to school getting bumped off while standing in front of them. But he's a Dem, so the rubes will vote for him next election too, so he's what they deserve... , repeatedly said that "outside agitators" were responsible for much of the unrest.
The Upper East Side protest took place days after a group of anti-Israel protesters on the university’s Morningside Heights campus had forcibly occupied a building.
Police arrested dozens while clearing out the building, and many of those charges were ultimately dismissed as well. More than 25 percent of those arrested were also not affiliated with the university.
Kahane, an ordained rabbi who heads a real estate firm, believes that the May altercation and his arrest drew widespread attention because he shares a name with his second cousin, the late Death Eater rabbi Meir Kahane.
He said he met Meir Kahane "numerous times" while the two were living in New York but that he is "not a Kahanist." While in New York, Meir Kahane led the Jewish Defense League, a far-right group, and his political party was later barred from the Knesset for racism. He was assassinated in New York City in 1990.
"I think if my name was Joe Smith, I don’t think anybody would have picked this up," Reuven Kahane said.
Finally consummating the deal they’ve been working on since February.
[IsraelTimes] Americans for Peace Now, the US wing of the dovish Israeli group, and Ameinu, an offshoot of the Labor Party, announce that they have merged.
The union will be called the New Jewish Narrative.
“We are American Jews, deeply rooted in the story of our people and the history of our struggle for peace and justice. In our narrative, peace and justice are the birthright of Israelis, of Palestinians and of all people,” the group says in a statement.
[IsraelTimes] Hearing will settler long-running legal dispute over whether the 2 Palestinian authorities can be held responsible for the deaths of Americans in acts of terrorism
The Supreme Court agreed Friday to settle a years-long legal dispute over whether Paleostinian authorities can be sued in US courts by Americans killed or maimed in terrorism attacks in the Middle East.
The federal appeals court in New York has repeatedly ruled in favor of the Paleostine Liberation Organization and the Paleostinian Authority, despite Congress’ efforts to allow the victims’ lawsuits to be heard.
That court’s latest decision, last year, struck down a law enacted in 2019 specifically to allow the lawsuits to move forward. The Supreme Court typically takes on cases in which lower courts have invalidated federal laws.
The question for the justices is whether the 2019 law is unconstitutional, as the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals found, because it denies fair legal process to the PLO and PA. The case probably will be argued in the spring.
Both the victims and the Biden administration had urged the high court to step in.
The case relates to seven shootings and bombings near Jerusalem between January 2001 and February 2004 that killed 33 people and maimed hundreds more, including scores of US citizens, and in 2018, when a US-born settler was stabbed to death by a Paleostinian assailant outside a busy mall in the West Bank.
The victims and their families assert that Paleostinian agents either were involved in the attacks or incited them.
The 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals first ruled in 2016 against the victims of the attacks from 20 years ago, tossing out a $654 million jury verdict in their favor. In that earlier ruling, the appeals court held US courts can’t consider lawsuits against foreign-based groups over random attacks that were not aimed at the United States.
The victims had sued under the Anti-Terrorism Act, signed into law in 1992. The law was passed to open US courts to victims of international terrorism, spurred by the killing of American Leon Klinghoffer during a 1985 Paleostinian terrorist attack aboard the Achille Lauro cruise ship.
The jury found the PLO and Paleostinian Authority liable for six attacks and awarded $218 million in damages. The award was automatically tripled under the law.
After the Supreme Court rejected the victims’ appeal in 2018, Congress again amended the law to make clear it did not want to close the courthouse door to the victims.
[IsraelTimes] London-based Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reports that Hamas has begun efforts to check the status of hostages held by other terror groups in Gaza, as it expects potential movement on a hostage and ceasefire deal with Israel.
Palestinian sources cited by the paper say Hamas officials have contacted other groups to receive updates on the condition of hostages they hold.
Israel says 100 hostages remain in Gaza, alive and dead. Reports have indicated that some half are believed to be alive.
#1
The headline states it all w/o meaning to.
Gaza residents are an extended arm of Hamas.
So besides children and babies, all can be assumed to part of Hamas' deeds.
[GEO.TV] The US congresswoman Rashida Tlaib renewed calls for the United States to end the transfer of weapons to Israel, citing Amnesty International's report that says Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians.
Posturing for the rubes. The Republican-controlled House will not allow such a thing to be discussed in committee, let alone get to the floor, and President Biden is off chasing the fairies between naps and sundowning.
Related:
[IsraelTimes] German foreign ministry spokesman says Israel acting defensively, notes that Hamas started war; still repeats call for Israel to ‘adjust’ its operations to protect civilians better
Posted by: Fred ||
12/07/2024 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11175 views]
Top|| File under: Hamas
#1
The InterGalactic Court of Supreme Superseding Universal Justice has overruled the good and true, honest and fair, ethical and informed Amnesty International. Representative Tlaib must be unaware.
#2
Tlaib doesn’t seem to understand that the Biden family has passed the point of needing to pander anymore. Now it is just about pardons, cash considerations and looting the WH.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/07/2024 11:15 Comments ||
Top||
#3
All rulings by the InterGalactic Court of Supreme Superseding Universal Justice are fair, and good, and ethical, and unbiased, and good. And good. And must be obeyed.
[IsraelTimes] Tehran’s Simorgh program is a satellite-carrying rocket that could be used to deliver nuclear payloads; no immediate independent confirmation of success of the launch
Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... claimed on Friday to have conducted a successful space launch, the latest for its program the West alleges improves Tehran’s ballistic missile program.
Iran said it conducted the launch using its Simorgh program, a satellite-carrying rocket that had seen a series of failed launches. The launch took place at Iran’s Imam Khomeini Spaceport in rural Semnan province.
There was no immediate independent confirmation the launch was successful.
Intercontinental ballistic missiles can be used to deliver nuclear weapons. Iran’s nuclear program has now enriched uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels after the collapse of its nuclear deal with world powers.
The Simorgh carried what Iran described as an "orbital propulsion system," as well as two research systems to a 400-kilometer (250-mile) orbit above the Earth. A system that could change the orbit of a spacecraft would allow Iran to geo-synchronize the orbits of its satellites. Tehran has long sought that ability.
Iran also put the payload of the Simorgh at 300 kilograms (660 pounds), heavier than its previous successful launches.
The United States has previously said Iran’s satellite launches defy a UN Security Council resolution and called on Tehran to undertake no activity involving ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. UN sanctions related to Iran’s ballistic missile program expired in October 2023.
"Iran’s work on space-launch vehicles — including its Simorgh — probably would shorten the timeline to produce an intercontinental ballistic missile, if it decided to develop one, because the systems use similar technologies," a US intelligence community report released in July said.
Under Iran’s former President Hassan Rouhani ...Iran's moderate president, which he was, relative to his predecessor, which doesn't mean he was anything but a puppet of the nearest holy man...> , the Islamic Theocratic Republic slowed its space program for fear of raising tensions with the West. The late hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, a protégé of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ...the very aged actual dictator of Iran, successor to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini...> who came to power in 2021, pushed the program forward. Raisi died in a helicopter crash in May.
Iran’s new President Masoud Pezeshkian, who has been signaling he wants to negotiate with the West over sanctions, has yet to offer strategy when it comes to Iran’s ambitions in space. The Simorgh launch represented the first for his administration from the country’s civil space program. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard conducted a successful launch in its parallel program in September.
Intercontinental ballistic missiles can be used to deliver nuclear weapons. Iran is now producing uranium close to weapons-grade levels after the collapse of its nuclear deal with world powers. Tehran has enough enriched uranium for "several" nuclear weapons, if it chooses to produce them, the head of the ineffective International Atomic Energy Agency repeatedly has warned.
Iran, which is sworn to the destruction of Israel, has always denied seeking nuclear weapons and says its space program, like its nuclear activities, is for purely civilian purposes. However,
some people cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go... US intelligence agencies and the IAEA say Iran had an organized military nuclear program up until 2003.
In a Video posted to several IRGC-Affiliated Channels earlier today, an Iranian Man is seen walking around the Sayyida Zaynab Mosque in the Syrian Capital of Damascus while stating, “This is probably one of the Final Videos you will see from the Sayyida Zainab Shrine in Damascus.… pic.twitter.com/94KXgFOng1
Posted by: 3dc ||
12/07/2024 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11128 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#1
Islam is characterised by extreme belligerence among its adherents. The degenerates liberal West attempts to curb that belligerence failed. So, it's better if that belligerence is directed internally.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Leonid Tsukanov
[REGNUM] The advance of anti-government forces in Syria continues. Despite the fact that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allied pro-Turkish groups have somewhat slowed down the pace of their offensive, the Syrian army has not yet been able to stabilize the front line.
The militants managed to break into Hama - the battles for it lasted three days, but the government troops were unable to hold their positions. The republic's Defense Ministry reluctantly admitted to withdrawing from the city - citing the decision as "unwillingness to endanger the lives of civilians." The front line lay beyond the city blocks.
The fall of a major city (and also a transport hub) is a blow to the Syrian government and is creating a network of “anti-Assad centers” in the north of the country. Returning Hama back will be problematic, especially given the difficult relations between its residents and official Damascus.
DARK SHADOWS OF HAMA
Relations between Damascus and Hama have been rocky. Since the mid-1960s, the city has been dominated by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood*, who were in opposition to the Baathist government. And with the rise to power of Hafez al-Assad, the father of the current Syrian president, an underground war began between the Brotherhood and the Syrian government, with Hama at its epicenter.
The confrontation culminated in the storming of Hama by Syrian troops (1982). After massive bombings, Assadist forces launched a hunt for rebels. According to various sources, between 20,000 and 40,000 people were killed and captured, most of whom were city residents.
It should be noted that over the next 30 years, unspoken restrictions were imposed on the residents of Hama: as punishment for the rebellion, Damascus allegedly seriously cut funding for the municipality, and was also slow to invest in the restoration of neighborhoods destroyed by the army.
And although the Syrian authorities deny any oppression, the opposition has been eager to fuel revanchist sentiments in the “rebellious city.”
It is not surprising that when the anti-government protests of 2011 began, Hama was again among the first to flare up. Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad was reminded of both the political mistakes of his father and the excessive harshness of his uncle, Rifaat al-Assad (the commander of the 1982 operation in Hama).
And although Syrian troops managed to fully regain control over the province in 2017 and hold the rebellious city, it retained the unofficial status of an “anti-Assad stronghold,” and many sympathizers of the armed opposition remained among the population.
In 2024, Hama found itself in a semi-circle of advancing militants. And although Assad's supporters fought desperately, after breaking through the front from several sides at once, government troops did not stay in the city for too long, fearing, among other things, guerrilla attacks from the rear.
OUTLINES OF THE THREAT
After the anti-government forces take Hama, it is easy to predict where the radicals will move next. The spearhead of the militants' attack is directed along the M5 highway - first to Al-Rastan, and then to Homs, from where Damascus is less than 200 km away.
By taking control of these cities, the militants will not only be able to raise their sword over the capital (which HTS* propagandists never miss an opportunity to boast about), but also almost completely cut off the coastal regions of Syria, disrupting logistics and forcing government garrisons to go into a state of siege.
A certain threat in this case also arises for the Russian contingent in Syria - the Khmeimim airbase and the port of Tartus fall into the "cut-off zone". In addition, the risk of targeted strikes on Russian facilities on the territory of the republic increases - the militants are looking for ways to increase their own fleet of drones in order to more effectively hinder the work of Russian aviation.
However, Russian forces already had experience fighting terrorists in a “semi-siege” situation and are prepared for a possible deterioration of the situation.
In addition, the Russian Aerospace Forces are actively working on bridges connecting Hama with other major cities, which should slow the advance of anti-government forces and give Syrian troops time to regroup.
Finally, a secondary objective for anti-government forces in Syria is the destruction of Kurdish enclaves – a task that Turkish intelligence services have been setting for the “Idlib freebooters” for several years now.
After the capitulation of Tel Rifaat, pro-Turkish militants increased pressure on the "Kurdish strongholds" - the cities of Sheikh Maksoud and Manbij, and Kobani (also known as Ain al-Arab) came under fire. And although the US is behind the Kurdish militias, Ankara is trying to squeeze the Kurds out of their entrenched places as much as possible.
ISRAEL IS RIGHT HERE
The news of Hama's fall has stirred up the ranks of Moscow and Damascus's ill-wishers - many saw in what was happening an opportunity to solve their own geopolitical problems with someone else's hands. And we are not talking about Turkey, in whose interests the "northern adventure" was de facto unleashed.
One of the first to come to life was Israel, which had long been looking for ways to create a permanent “pressure point” on Iran in Syria. Tel Aviv is convinced that Tehran will not abandon Assad in trouble and will be forced to intervene in the conflict directly. Especially since Hezbollah and other pro-Iranian forces were seriously battered as a result of the conflict in Gaza and Lebanon and are not yet able to take on the mission of containing the militants.
And although the Israelis reject any public contacts with HTS*, the willingness of the group's leader, Muhammad al-Julani, to engage in dialogue with Israel after Assad's overthrow is perceived positively by them.
Britain has also seen its own advantage in the Syrian army's plight. British think tanks close to the Ministry of Defense and the intelligence services are drawing up "road maps" on how to lure the Russian fleet out of Tartus and, with Turkey's assistance, "lock" the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits.
And although most of these proposals sound more like science fiction, they should not be completely discounted.
As for the US, Washington is much more focused on protecting the interests of the Kurds and has no plans to make life difficult for Moscow. On the other hand, tribal militias loyal to Washington have already tried to probe the positions of government forces in Deir ez-Zor province several times, so more decisive actions aimed at depleting the reserves of the Syrian army cannot be ruled out.
However, the listed actions are still more of a tactical nature. External actors in the Syrian conflict understand that their combinations remain unnoticed only as long as the anti-government forces retain their offensive potential, which is quite problematic to calculate (given the squabbles in the ranks of the advancing militants).
#2
Iran has reportedly been pulling IRGC cadre out. The Tartus navy base is empty (even the tugs are gone), and the Hemiem airfield seems evaced. (Although airfields look empty while everybody's away on sorties, except for the broke units.)
Posted by: ed in texas ||
12/07/2024 15:56 Comments ||
Top||
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] The Iranian Foreign Ministry demanded that Ukraine immediately stop supporting terrorist groups in Syria. This is stated in a statement by the department.
"Assistant Minister and Head of the Eurasia Department Mojtaba Damircilu, pointing to some reports of illegal arms trade by some Ukrainian officials and the country's support for terrorist groups in Syria, called these actions a clear violation of countries' international obligations to prevent and combat terrorism and demanded that they be stopped immediately," the statement said.
Damirchilu added that Kyiv's actions are an expression of immoral policy and threaten stability in the Middle East. The diplomat noted that an alliance with terrorists always threatens global security and contributes to the spread of violence in the world.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, on November 27, militant groups in Syria launched an offensive against government army positions in the Aleppo region. The terrorists were able to capture 13 settlements.
On December 4, the American newspaper NYT wrote that the Kiev regime is providing support to terrorists in Syria, who are coordinating their actions against the Russian military.
The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, noted that Russia resolutely supports the efforts of the Syrian authorities against the backdrop of the escalation, in which there is clearly a Ukrainian trace.
Russia, Turkey and Iran are concerned about the situation in Syria and intend to discuss the need to return to strict compliance with the Idlib agreements. This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
"After everything that happened in Aleppo and its environs, I spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, as well as with my Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi... I hope we will be able to meet in Doha "on the sidelines" of the international conference. We would like to discuss the need to return to strict compliance with the Idlib agreements, because the Idlib de-escalation zone became the place from which the terrorists moved to seize Aleppo," Lavrov noted in an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson.
The minister added that there is publicly available information about the support of Islamic groups in Syria by the Americans, the British and others. There is also talk of Israel's interest in worsening the situation so that the Gaza Strip is not under close attention. Many players are involved in this "complex game," Lavrov concluded.
As reported by Regnum News Agency, on November 27, militant units in Syria launched an offensive against government army positions in the Aleppo region. The terrorists were able to capture 13 settlements. After that, Syrian soldiers launched a counteroffensive against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (a terrorist organization banned in Russia) militants in Aleppo and Idlib. The government army also managed to liberate the city of Al-Bakum.
On December 2, the command of the Syrian government army stated that the country's troops and the Russian Aerospace Forces had destroyed more than 400 militants in the Aleppo and Idlib provinces in a few hours.
On December 2, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. They focused on the aggravated situation in Syria and noted that the large-scale aggression committed by militants is aimed at undermining the sovereignty, political and socio-economic stability of this country.
On December 3, Putin discussed the situation in Syria in a telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. During the conversation, the Russian leader pointed out the need to stop terrorist aggression against that country.
The Ukrainians taught them how to use and make UACVs
Posted by: badanov ||
12/07/2024 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11132 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#1
Wow. What a concept! What if everybody stopped supporting terrorists in Wherever Syria?
Posted by: ed in texas ||
12/07/2024 8:30 Comments ||
Top||
#2
OK. Right after you stop providing Putin with drones.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] The Syrian government army has strengthened its defense line in the Homs province in the central part of the republic, the Syrian Defense Ministry reported on December 6.
This is how the department responded to information that appeared that the troops had allegedly left the region.
“The information published on terrorist resources about the withdrawal of the army from Homs does not correspond to reality,” the Defense Ministry noted in a statement on the social network Facebook (an organization whose activities are banned in the Russian Federation; it belongs to the Meta company, which is recognized as extremist and banned in the Russian Federation).
As reported by Regnum News Agency, on December 5, the Syrian Defense Ministry denied information that armed anti-government groups had broken through to the city of Hama, the administrative center of the province of the same name. The Defense Ministry emphasized that the situation in the entire territory of the settlement is stable and safe.
Militant groups in Syria launched an offensive against government army positions in the Aleppo region on November 27. The terrorists were able to capture 13 settlements. The Syrian army launched a counteroffensive against militants in Aleppo and Idlib on November 29.
The press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov emphasized that the militants' offensive on the positions of the Syrian government troops is an encroachment on the sovereignty of that country. He specified that Russia is in favor of restoring constitutional order on Syrian territory.
On December 1, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Damascus. The Syrian leader stressed that the republic's authorities continue to fight terrorism throughout its territory. The Iranian minister, in turn, confirmed Tehran's readiness to provide Damascus with various types of support to fight militants.
Homs is expected to fall this weekend
Posted by: badanov ||
12/07/2024 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11130 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Syria
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",...
...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 
