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Today: 80 articles and 150 comments as of 11:05.
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Haftar forces claim victory in Benghazi
Today's Headlines
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-Lurid Crime Tales-
Airsoft armed pizza store thieves no match for customer with Glock
[Bearing Arms] An armed customer shot and killed an armed masked robber and injured the suspect’s armed brother after they burst into Bucks County pizza shop around closing Tuesday night, said police.

Two armed robbers entered Porfirio’s Pizza and Pasta in a shopping center on the 900 block of Veteran Highway in Levittown around 10 p.m.

"Two subjects enter the store in a rapid, aggressive, violent manner," said Middletown Township Police Department Lt. Stephen Foreman.

A customer -- who had stopped in to pick up some food on his way home -- and two employees were inside the restaurant at the time, said police.

One gunman targeted an employee, the other the customer, who happened to be carrying a Glock handgun. The one robber, a 30-year-old, began to pistol whip the customer, said police.

The customer shot the man pistol whipping him then shot the second suspect, a 22-year-old, who was threatening the pizzeria owner with a gun, said Foreman. The older brother died while the other collapsed after being shot twice.

"Obviously they never expected the customer to be armed," said Foreman.
Posted by: Besoeker || 11/18/2016 02:10 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  You have to be really determined - or worked up - to deliver a convincing pistol whipping with an airsoft
Posted by: M. Murcek || 11/18/2016 8:50 Comments || Top||

#2  Language warning.

Posted by: swksvolFF || 11/18/2016 11:33 Comments || Top||


Well-Known Transgender Activist Arrested In Connection With Oakland Triple Murder
[ABC7NEWS] Police in Oakland have made an arrest in a triple homicide. The three victims were found dead last week.

The suspect is Dana Rivers, is a well-known transgender activist.

The three people Rivers is accused of killing are 19-year-old Benny Wright, his mother Patricia Wright and her partner Charlotte Reid.

Oakland police rushed to the family's East Oakland home Friday morning, just after midnight. They found Benny, stabbed and bleeding on the street.

Then, they heard gun shots and saw smoke coming from the garage. Investigators believe Rivers shot the two women and then set the garage on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence.

Police stopped Rivers as she ran out of the house covered in blood.

Rivers made headlines when she was asked to leave her teaching job in Sacramento, when she started living as a woman.

ABC7 News interviewed Rivers back in 2000, when the Boy Scouts tried to exclude members based on sexual orientation. Rivers opposed that policy.

"The principals that scouting taught me were tolerance, acceptance, love for my fellow American," Rivers said in 2000.

Police have not said what the motive is for these murders. Rivers will be in court Wednesday.
Posted by: Fred || 11/18/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Obviously, the doctor missed removing the rest of the "corrosive masculinity".
Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839 || 11/18/2016 7:58 Comments || Top||

#2  Mental illness is as mental illness does.
Posted by: AlanC || 11/18/2016 9:25 Comments || Top||


-Short Attention Span Theater-
Anguished by Trump, Lena Dunham Flees to Posh Arizona Resort, Asks Rocks for 'Guidance'
Woke celeb Lena Dunham sought solace in the Arizona wilderness this week as she works to overcome her post-election anxiety. She posted of photo on Instagram that shows her hiking in a fashionable sports bra and flashing a "true smile" while hiking in exclusive Sedona, Ariz., on Monday.

Sedona is home to a number of facilities offering "spiritual retreats," "vision quests," and other forms of "emotional healing" adventures. In a note accompanying her Instagram post, Dunham expressed love for her fans and described how she had "whispered some wishes for you into the big red rock" after asking "the Canyon for some guidance."

Dunham's spirit quest mirrors a plot line in the most recent season of her HBO show, "Girls", in which her character Hannah goes on a new age retreat in the wilderness, walks around in a sports bra, and has a lesbian sexual encounter with a resort staffer.

In real life, Dunham has expressed her anguish at Donald Trump's upset victory over Hillary Clinton in the presidential election. The celeb recently said she was "terrified" that a "predator will soon be residing in the White House," and described the sad scene at the Hillary Clinton "victory" party on election night.

After initially pledging to move to Canada if Trump won, Dunham and other celebrities flip-flopped, and decided to stay in America.

Dunham has expressed controversial beliefs in the past, for example, when she suggested that serving sushi in a university dining hall was an example of "cultural appropriation."
Posted by: gorb || 11/18/2016 02:51 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Cause lizards wouldn't talk to her?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 11/18/2016 4:59 Comments || Top||

#2  Well, the rocks are probably brighter than she is
Posted by: Cheaderhead || 11/18/2016 6:06 Comments || Top||

#3  Sedona: Home to the John (all hat and no cattle)McCain ranch of eleven acres.
Posted by: Heriberto Greper9897 || 11/18/2016 6:15 Comments || Top||

#4  After initially pledging to move to Canada if Trump won, Dunham and other celebrities flip-flopped, and decided to stay in America.
They're staying where the money is. She is so original [not], using the plot from here so called series. These people get told where to stand, spout words that other people write, get "do overs" when they can't do it right the first time, wear clothes others pick for them, on and on ... So, listen to what they say, they are so smart!
Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839 || 11/18/2016 8:09 Comments || Top||

#5  I really don't want to know about any lez relationships she cultivates along with her rocks.

Posted by: DarthVader || 11/18/2016 8:43 Comments || Top||

#6  That worshipping a rock thing. Where else have I heard of that?
Posted by: M. Murcek || 11/18/2016 8:48 Comments || Top||

#7  For some reason, the phrase "coyote-gnawed carcass" is bouncing around in my head.
Posted by: SteveS || 11/18/2016 11:56 Comments || Top||

#8  SteveS,

The coyote-American community strongly objects to any suggestion they might gnaw on that.

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski || 11/18/2016 12:19 Comments || Top||

#9  I dunno, much fat.
Posted by: Shipman || 11/18/2016 16:50 Comments || Top||


Court rejects US soldier's request for asylum in Germany
This is very strange.
[Ynet] A Munich court on Thursday rejected a U.S. soldier's asylum application in Germany, arguing that he hasn't exhausted all avenues to leave the military.

Army Spc. Andre Shepherd deserted from his military base in southern Germany in 2007, claiming he wanted to avoid returning to Iraq where he feared being involved in war crimes.

The 39-year-old, who has permanent residency in Germany because he is married to a German woman, took his case to court after German authorities rejected the asylum bid.

The Munich administrative court noted in its ruling that the Apache helicopter mechanic had repeatedly re-enlisted with the U.S. military.
What kind of war crimes does a helicopter mechanic commit?
Posted by: trailing wife || 11/18/2016 00:08 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  What kind of war crimes does a helicopter mechanic commit?

smuggling body parts
Posted by: Skidmark || 11/18/2016 2:11 Comments || Top||

#2  But if he'd deserted from the Syrian army they would have welcomed him with open arms.
Posted by: Abu Uluque || 11/18/2016 12:06 Comments || Top||


Afghanistan
Woman poisons 7 family members to escape with lover in Ghor province
[Khaama (Afghanistan)] A woman has poisoned seven members of her in-law’s family to elope with her lover in central Ghor province of Afghanistan.

According to the local government officials, the incident took place on Wednesday noon after the woman added toxic material to the food of her in in-law’s family who were later admitted to the hospital for treatment.

The officials further added that the woman managed to flee and a search operation is underway to arrest the woman along with her lover who is believed to be a member of the police forces.

According to the officials, the health condition of the family of the woman is satisfactory and they are being treated in the provincial hospital.
Posted by: Fred || 11/18/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Feral child bride sex slave?
Posted by: Skidmark || 11/18/2016 9:18 Comments || Top||

#2  Could be something as simple as sleeping powder.
Posted by: Pappy || 11/18/2016 11:53 Comments || Top||


Africa Subsaharan
Nigeria: Corruption Is Fighting Back, Says Buhari
[All Africa] President Muhammadu Buhari has reassured that the ongoing anti-corruption campaign in Nigeria will be won in spite of the fact that "the anti-corruption war is tough and gruelling".

A statement released on Thursday in Abuja by Mr Femi Adesina, the President's Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, said Buhari gave the assurance at a meeting with the American Secretary of State, John F. I was in Vietnam, you know Kerry
Former Senator-for-Life from Massachussetts, self-defined war hero, speaker of French, owner of a lucky hat, conqueror of Cambodia, and current Secretary of State...
, on Wednesday.

The meeting was on the margin of the conference on climate change, COP22, in Marrakech, Morocco.

Buhari was quoted as saying: "corruption is fighting back vigorously".

The statement further quoted the President as saying that corrupt people had accumulated a formidable arsenal of illicit wealth, which they were now deploying against the government on diverse fronts.

Posted by: Fred || 11/18/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:


China-Japan-Koreas
Trump's secret weapon to make friends with Beijing is revealed! Video of his grand-daughter Arabella perfectly reciting poetry in Mandarin goes viral in China
[DailyMail] Five-year-old Arabella Kushner, daughter of Ivanka Trump, was filmed reciting Chinese poetry

Since Trump's election, it has been widely shared in China
Social media users heaped praise on the youngsters for her pronunciation

During his campaign, Trump accused China of illegally subsidising exports, manipulating its currency and stealing intellectual property
It's going to be an interesting 4 years.

Posted by: Vast Right Wing Conspiracy || 11/18/2016 10:22 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:


Europe
NATO says 'absolutely confident' of Trump leadership in alliance
[Reuters] NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday he was certain that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will lead the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, and he is hoping to speak to Trump soon.

Trump questioned during his election campaign whether the United States should protect allies that have low defense spending, raising fears that he could withdraw funding for the alliance at a time of greater tensions with Russia.

"I am absolutely confident that President Trump will maintain U.S leadership in the alliance," Stoltenberg told a conference in Brussels, saying his team was seeking to set up a telephone call with the president-elect.

Stoltenberg said he would tell Trump that increasing European defense spending was one of his top priorities and that he had raised it with every NATO member, winning support from defense ministers. He said the main obstacle was convincing the finance ministers who have the keys to treasuries.

"You have to increase defense spending when tensions go up," Stoltenberg said, citing failing states in North Africa, the threat of Islamic militants and Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea as proof.

"Stop the cuts and gradually increase (defense spending) to reach 2 percent (of economic output) is a very robust message," he said.
No, it sends the message that you're a bunch of spineless Europeans. You were supposed to be spending 2 percent of GDP on defense already -- that was the floor established by NATO, and most of your members plunged right through it.
"We have started to move, although there is a very long way to go," he said. "I am certain that Trump will make this his top priority (for NATO)."
Posted by: Besoeker || 11/18/2016 05:50 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  But the Nobel committee hasn't given him a prize, so there's that.
Posted by: Pappy || 11/18/2016 8:26 Comments || Top||

#2  NATO Guy is concerned about "Failing States in North Africa" you say...go figure.
Posted by: DepotGuy || 11/18/2016 14:05 Comments || Top||


The Grand Turk
Turkey detains mayor, appoints administrators in southeast : sources
[AlAhram] The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire....
detained the mayor of the southeastern city of Van on Thursday, replacing him and two other mayors in the region, security sources said, pressing on with a crackdown on pro-Kurdish politicians.

The government appointed administrators to run the municipalities in Van and the provinces of Siirt and Mardin in the mainly Kurdish southeast, said the sources, who declined to be identified as they are not authorised to speak to media.

State-run Anadolu Agency said police detained Van mayor Bekir Kaya at the council offices in the city on the shores of Lake Van, the heart of a province with a population of 1.1 million.

Police searched municipality offices and the houses of Kaya and four other council officials, Anadolu reported. Kaya was sentenced to 15 years in jail in January on a charge of "terror group membership", the agency said, but was appealing the verdict.

It said the interior ministry appointed Van Governor Ibrahim Tasyapan to run the municipality in place of Kaya, who is from the sister party of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), parliament's second biggest opposition party.

Thousands of their members, including party leaders and dozens of mayors have been detained in investigations accusing them of PKK links. The parties deny such ties and say they working for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

At the start of November, Turkish authorities appointed an administrator to run the southeast's largest city of Diyarbakir, having tossed in the calaboose
Keep yer hands where we can see 'em, if yez please!
its co-mayors over alleged PKK ties.

On Wednesday, the mayors of Siirt and the eastern city of Tunceli were arrested over similar accusations.
Posted by: trailing wife || 11/18/2016 00:08 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under: Sublime Porte


Home Front: Politix
Trump announces CIA director and attorney general picks
[Allen B. West] You might call this transition period of Donald Trump’s administration "Fast and Furious."

He’s already announced Lt. General Michael Flynn has been chosen for National Security Advisor. And today, two more big picks.

The New York Times reports President-elect Donald J. Trump has selected Senator Jeff Sessions, a conservative from Alabama who became a close adviser after endorsing him early in his campaign, to be the attorney general of the United States, according to officials close to the transition.

Mr. Sessions was also under consideration for secretary of defense, creating debate within the Trump transition team over which job he should fill.

Trump has selected Senator Jeff Sessions, a conservative from Alabama who became a close adviser after endorsing him early in his campaign, to be the attorney general of the United States, according to officials close to the transition.

Mr. Sessions was also under consideration for secretary of defense, creating debate within the Trump transition team over which job he should fill.

Also Fox reports, Trump has picked Kansas congressman and Tea Party favorite Mike Popeo to head the CIA under his administration, Fox News has confirmed.

Pompeo, 53, initially supported Florida Sen. Marco Rubio in the GOP primary but later played a key role in helping Vice President-elect Mike Pence prepare for his debate against Tim Kaine.

Pompeo, of Wichita, met with the president-elect’s transition team in New York’s Trump Tower earlier this week. He is a member of the House Select Committee on Intelligence and has been an ardent supporter of the Patriot Act and the National Security Agency’s collection of bulk data.

Pompeo was a vocal critic of President Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran and has come under fire for what his critics have called anti-Islamic rhetoric.

Pompeo biography
Posted by: Besoeker || 11/18/2016 09:02 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  All good picks so far. I have some issues with Sessions, but as an AG I think he will do well.

So far, not seeing anything from Trump that is making me cringe, and as a libertarian that is a good thing.
Posted by: DarthVader || 11/18/2016 9:20 Comments || Top||

#2  Trey Gowdy for AG dammit!
Posted by: Elmavish Panda1401 || 11/18/2016 10:33 Comments || Top||


#4  I should have added a warning that it is the NYTs report.
Posted by: JohnQC || 11/18/2016 11:19 Comments || Top||

#5  Now, here’s the kink in the mix – Alabama Governor Robert Bentley just recently changed his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat (April 2015)...

This is an April Fools joke. Didn't happen.
Posted by: Snalet Hupagum3565 || 11/18/2016 14:50 Comments || Top||

#6  Ref #5. Thanks Snalet. Comment deleted.
Posted by: Besoeker || 11/18/2016 14:57 Comments || Top||

#7  I'm thinking Trump is sending up a lot of trial balloons to test public opinion. It doesn't matter who Trump chooses they are going to take hits from the opposition. It's the nature of life in the swamp.
Posted by: JohnQC || 11/18/2016 17:53 Comments || Top||

#8  I'm thinking that Trump is tossing out lots of raw meat just to watch the media snap their jaws, snarl and foam at the mouth. Good times.
Posted by: Omomort Cheager7040 || 11/18/2016 19:06 Comments || Top||

#9 
Posted by: Blossom Unains5562 || 11/18/2016 21:02 Comments || Top||

#10  clean the Aegean Stables
Posted by: Frank G || 11/18/2016 21:58 Comments || Top||


Japan PM: 'I have great confidence in Trump'
[BBC] Japan's PM Shinzo Abe has said he has "great confidence" in US President-elect Donald Trump and he believes they can build a relationship of trust.

Mr Abe described the 90-minute meeting in Trump Tower, New York, as "candid", with a "warm atmosphere".

Some of Mr Trump's campaign rhetoric cast doubt over long-standing US alliances, including with Japan. The meeting was Mr Trump's first face-to-face with a world leader since winning the presidential election. The US and Japan have been key allies since the end of World War Two, when the US helped Japan rebuild its economy.

The president-elect has vowed to scrap the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which Mr Abe strenuously supports as a means of countering China's growing economic strength.

The deal was approved by the Japanese parliament, despite the likelihood that the deal will be cancelled when Mr Trump takes office.
Con't.
Posted by: Besoeker || 11/18/2016 02:22 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Just don't call him Rory Mercury to his face.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 11/18/2016 5:08 Comments || Top||


Update: Potential trouble for Trump National Security Advisor selection
[The Hill] Donald Trump adviser Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn received classified national security briefings last summer while also running a private consulting firm that offered "all-source intelligence support" to international clients, Yahoo News reports.

Flynn, who has reportedly been offered the role of national security adviser in Trump's administration, said his relationship with his company, the Flynn Intel Group, would be "severed" if he returned to government.

But Flynn began sitting in on briefings for Trump in August while working for foreign clients. Those classified national security briefings are provided to the major presidential candidates and their top aides.

Norm Eisen, who served as President Obama's ethics adviser, called Flynn's conflict "profoundly troubling" and "disqualifying."

Flynn was reportedly offered a position as national security adviser to Trump on Thursday.

Flynn has held a number of military roles throughout his career, serving as the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and chair of the Military Intelligence Board.

Throughout Trump's campaign, Flynn has also served as a military adviser, giving Trump advice on questions of foreign policy and military strategy.
More from Gateway Pundit and Megyn Kelly
Posted by: Besoeker || 11/18/2016 00:43 || Comments || Link || [5 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Flynn obviously still holds a security clearance and would be required to make full disclosure of foreign contacts [unless regulations have changed dramatically]. If full disclosure was made, then this is a non-problem.

I suspect a non-problem.
Posted by: Besoeker || 11/18/2016 0:55 Comments || Top||

#2  Yet Hillary and Huma are pure as driven snow...



Posted by: Hupack Smith9359 || 11/18/2016 0:58 Comments || Top||

#3  Norm Eisen, who served as President Obama's ethics adviser, called Flynn's conflict "profoundly troubling" and "disqualifying."

President. Obama's. Ethics. Adviser.
ROFLMAO.
Posted by: magpie || 11/18/2016 1:31 Comments || Top||

#4  The Flynn Intel Group, tFIG, seems to have several contracts to provide advice to Russian and Turkish entities. Even though those entities are ostensibly non Govt., both Russia and Turkey are known to work through proxies.

If tFIG is able to keep their privately derived info separate from info derived from info derived from Nat Sec briefs, everything would be fine but that is a tough task and there are legitimate doubts that tFIG has really done that.
Posted by: lord garth || 11/18/2016 5:38 Comments || Top||

#5  Even though those entities are ostensibly non Govt., both Russia and Turkey are known to work through proxies. Lord Garth

Which could mean hahmmm, we're talking about a game of equals.
Posted by: Besoeker || 11/18/2016 5:54 Comments || Top||

#6  Russia, Turkey? Someone pulled the old Diplomacy game out again?
Posted by: P2Kontheroad || 11/18/2016 6:53 Comments || Top||

#7  Nice to see that we now have higher standards than, oh, a month ago...
Posted by: Steve White || 11/18/2016 9:14 Comments || Top||

#8  At least Flynn had a clearance, did Hillary's maid?
Posted by: AlanC || 11/18/2016 9:16 Comments || Top||

#9  Besoeker is correct on the clearance front. Most of the people at that level have worked with foreigners. Eisen is talking political nonsense out his ass again.

I think he is just butthurt that a democrat went over to Trump.
Posted by: DarthVader || 11/18/2016 9:23 Comments || Top||

#10  Flynn's a good man and should do fine. Recall this luminary (sarc).
Posted by: JohnQC || 11/18/2016 11:29 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
Woman’s body exhumed to find cause of death
[DAWN] ABBOTTABAD: The body of a woman, who had died of burns in the Ayub Teaching Hospital on Oct 26, was exhumed here on Wednesday in the presence of a civil judge and police to take samples for probing the actual cause of her death.

According to police, Shumaila Bibi, wife of Qasim, was brought to the Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad
... A pleasant city located only 30 convenient miles from Islamabad. The city is noted for its nice weather and good schools. It is the site of Pakistain's military academy, which was within comfortable walking distance of the residence of the late Osama bin Laden....
, on Oct 21 and she expired in the burns unit on Oct 26 and was buried the same day.

However,
it's easy to be generous with someone else's money...
her brother filed an application at Donga Gali cop shoppe regarding the alleged burning of his sister by her husband and in-laws.

Police sources confirmed that the investigation was started on the application of brother of the dear departed girl, Mohammad Waseem, and a case had been registered under Section 156/3. They said that the body was exhumed after the approval of court to take samples from the body to find the cause of her death. A woman doctor collected samples from the body after exhumation in Tatreela village in the presence of a civil judge, DSP Galyat and relatives.

Galyat DSP Jamailur Rehman said that the police had booked three persons as nominated by the complainant and the result of examination of the body samples was awaited.

Posted by: Fred || 11/18/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan

#1  A woman doctor collected samples from the body

Because, well...a man doctor just doesn't know about those things.
Posted by: Skidmark || 11/18/2016 2:17 Comments || Top||


Police storm several villages, destroy 10 houses
[DAWN] SUKKUR: A strong contingent drawn from various cop shoppes of the Sukkur range on Wednesday carried out a big operation in many villages, bulldozed several houses and torched some of them near Khanpur Mahar town of Ghotki district and locked away
Don't shoot, coppers! I'm comin' out!
10 suspected criminals.

Led by Mirpur Mathelo DSP Abdul Qayyum Mahar, a convoy of police vans and an armoured personnel carrier stormed Pir Bharee, Sahanjro, Kandair Sheikh, Gopo Pitafi, Saropo Bozdar and other villages in what was described as an ’anti-criminals operation’.

The police carried out a house-to-house search for some wanted suspects and marked 10 houses, five of which were later bulldozed and the others set on fire.

Ali Bukhsh, Shabbir, Shahmir, Ilyas, Imam Bukhsh, Lalu, Fateh Mohammed and three other members of the Bozdar community were arrested during the operation.

The affected villagers alleged that police teams took away their livestock, grain stocks and household articles whereas some of them claimed that they [police] also seized their vehicles, including a cycle of violence, a rickshaw and a tractor.

According to DSP Mahar, a few suspected criminals were taken into custody for interrogation. He said the houses belonging to wanted criminals and those where they had been hiding to escape arrest had been demolished.

A large number of people held a protest demonstration after the police operation accusing the DSP and his subordinates of committing excesses against them and illegally seizing their belongings in the name of action against criminals.

Posted by: Fred || 11/18/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan


Panama Papers have no credibility in eyes of law, Sharif tells LHC
[DAWN] Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf...
has said that contents of the Panama Papers have "no credibility/standing in the eyes of law and are inadmissible as evidence before any court".

He said so in a written reply submitted on Wednesday to Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, whose court is seized with a petition challenging the National Assembly speaker’s act of dismissing a reference for Mr Sharif’s disqualification as a member of the legislature in the wake of Panama Papers leaks.

The reply was filed by former attorney general Salman Aslam Butt on behalf of the premier.

In his reply, Mr Sharif not only challenged the territorial but also the constitutional jurisdiction of the LHC in taking up the petition moved by a member of the Pakistain Justice and Democratic Party, which was set up by former chief justice of Pakistain Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. He also challenged locus standi of the petitioner.

The reply said the speaker duly passed the impugned order in exercise of the powers conferred upon him under Article 63(2) of the Constitution and it did not merit any interference by the court as already settled by the Supreme Court in various judgements.

Posted by: Fred || 11/18/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan


Pakistan ranked among worst 10 countries for internet freedom: report
[DAWN] Pakistain has been included in the list of countries with lowest score for "Freedom on the Net".

The only countries that ranked below Pakistain included China, Iran, Syria, Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
, Æthiopia, Vietnam, Cuba, Uzbekistan and Bahrain.

The index is prepared by a Washington DC-based research firm called Freedom House.


Posted by: Fred || 11/18/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan

#1  And most everything else.
Posted by: Shipman || 11/18/2016 0:43 Comments || Top||

#2  Wonder why NKor isn't on the list?
Posted by: Skidmark || 11/18/2016 2:14 Comments || Top||

#3  The Norks don't Have Internet. They are a bit like the Takla Makan desert in Outer Mongolia in that respect.

And I would avoid paying too much attention to anything which calls itself " Freedom House " in a place like Washington DC.

Now go wash you hands.
Posted by: Theanter Elmeck1752 || 11/18/2016 9:16 Comments || Top||

#4  The NorKs have internet, Hemingway. It's tied into the Chinese network and restricted to the inner circle. The rest have to deal with an intranet, of sorts.

Feel free to look up the difference.
Posted by: Pappy || 11/18/2016 12:01 Comments || Top||

#5  Just when you thought you were clear, the Pappy shows up with a new metre.
Posted by: Shipman || 11/18/2016 17:14 Comments || Top||


International-UN-NGOs
European court rejects claim by detained Turkish judge
[DeutscheWelle] The European Court of Human Rights has dismissed the first case to reach it over Ankara's crackdown following a failed coup in July. The applicant, a young Turkish judge, complained over her treatment in detention.

The Strasbourg-based judges decided on Thursday that the claimant, 30-year-old Zeynep Mercan, failed to exhaust all legal instances in The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire....
before addressing the tribunal. Specifically, the Turkish judge needed to appeal to Turkey's Constitutional Court.
Seriously? Wow.
However,
there is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened...
Mercan argued that the Turkish court was no longer capable of unbiased judgment after the crackdown. Authorities tossed in the calaboose
Keep yer hands where we can see 'em, if yez please!
two members of the body in the continuing purge, alongside with 30,000 other judges and prosecutors.

Before the coup attempt, Mercan served as a judge in the town of Giresun on Turkey's Black Sea coast. She was arrested only days after the violence in July and accused of links to the movement of Fetullah Gulen. Her appeal against the arrest was rejected by a Turkish court.

The defendant then addressed the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), complaining that her right to a fair trial and protection from inhuman or degrading treatment have been breached.

Fair trial complaint 'premature'
In its decision, the Strasbourg tribunal said it would stay with the current practice of only accepting cases after all legal outlets have been exhausted at the national level. Also, the court noted that "Ms. Mercan fears as to the impartiality of the Constitutional Court judges did not in themselves relieve her of the obligation to lodge an application before that court." The human rights
One man's rights are another man's existential threat.
court dismissed her complaint about the right to fair trial as premature.

This is the first case to be considered in Strasbourg after the Turkish crackdown. The court has so far registered over 3,000 complaints over the issue, and this number is expected to rise. Following the failed coup, there has been a widescale crackdown in Turkey on any officials, politicians, police, military, academicsand journalists, among others, thought to have ties to the Gulen movement.
Posted by: trailing wife || 11/18/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Science & Technology
SpaceX wants to launch 4,425 satellites into space to bring super-fast internet to the world
[CNBC] Elon Musk's SpaceX wants to launch thousands of satellites into space with the aim of providing super-fast global internet coverage, according to a regulatory filing.

SpaceX ‐ the company on a mission to colonize Mars ‐ outlined plans to put 4,425 satellites into space in a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filing from earlier this week.

That's three times the 1,419 satellites that are currently in space, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, a not-for-profit group made up of scientists across the world.

Billionaire Musk ‐ who is also the chief executive of electric car company Tesla ‐ first announced plans for the project in 2015, with an estimated cost of around $10 billion. The FCC filing did not outline the financials of the project.

Posted by: Fred || 11/18/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [7 views] Top|| File under:

#1  "wants to"

So that's:
1) 'high end electric cars'-well, maybe
2) 'private launch facility rocket man'-yeah, OK
3) 'house batteries'-TBD
4) 'solar rooftops'-kinda hope this does work
5) 'hyper loop trains'-not really
6) 'nuke Mars to make an atmosphere'-unlikely

Just trying to keep up with Branson and Besos I guess but they aren't really doing 'new' things.

Why not code DNA for a skin of chloroplasts? Sure the poor starving children may look like chiapets but they won't be hungry.

Or the warp drive, eh?
So we can escape the upcoming asteroid storm.

Maybe decode this bicameral mind thing so we can stop having wars over ideology.
Posted by: Skidmark || 11/18/2016 1:05 Comments || Top||

#2  according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, a not-for-profit group made up of scientists across the world.

And Anthony Watts dog.
Posted by: phil_b || 11/18/2016 3:36 Comments || Top||

#3  Mr. Musk is an "Idea Guy," who's idea is to milk the American taxpayer.
Posted by: Vast Right Wing Conspiracy || 11/18/2016 12:42 Comments || Top||

#4  Last minute winner of Snark of the Week. Tip my hat.
Posted by: Regular joe || 11/18/2016 16:50 Comments || Top||


Home Front: Culture Wars
Not So Fast - Trump Can't Roll Back Environmental Laws

[BNA.com] There is no "short cut" for President-elect Donald Trump to roll back environmental regulations but the incoming administration still could target Obama era rules, a former Justice Department official said Nov. 15.
So he can't roll back Obama's edicts?
"The beauty of the administrative process is that the agency can change its mind, but it has to support its decision-making with an appropriate administrative record. It has to be rational and reasonable and in accordance with the law," said the assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources vision from 2009 to 2013.

Congress, however, could overturn Obama administration rules or pursue revisions to laws like the National Environmental Policy Act that could weaken environmental protections. Meanwhile, the Trump administration could place a freeze on any rulemakings the outgoing Obama administration has not yet completed, he said at a conference on environmental policy.
Laws were made by Congress; regulations were not.
Though Republicans will control both Congress and the White House, a Stanford University law professor who was deputy secretary of the Interior Department from 2009 to 2013, said repealing environmental laws is unlikely.

"I'd be surprised if that happened," he said. "These laws have endured and typically have been the classic statutes for being broad and leaving room underneath for administrative tweaking."
Tell me, Professor, were you surprised by the election?
He added: "I think the ballgame will be in the regulatory sphere," with the possible exception of any attempts to amend the Endangered Species Act over California water rights issues.
Sounds like some special interest group has made some contributions.
On natural resources policy, he said, based on campaign rhetoric and public positions, "we'll be back to 'Drill, baby, drill' " with the Trump administration.
Posted by: Bobby || 11/18/2016 13:09 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Read an article yesterday (sorry - no link)referring to an law passed at Gingrich's behest back when he was in Congress that allows Congress to nullify administrative regulations - some indication that EPA, DoE and Education's magnum opi were being considered for a first pass by the new Congress. Once passed, Trump's signature would be all that was needed to roll them back.
Posted by: Mercutio || 11/18/2016 13:58 Comments || Top||

#2  Reasoning by analogy, did Obama change Emigration rules?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 11/18/2016 14:09 Comments || Top||

#3  Oooops, Immigration
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 11/18/2016 14:24 Comments || Top||

#4  You would think that after the fiasco of Obama's 8 years that Congress would rein in the authority *they have granted* to administrative agencies.
Posted by: Iblis || 11/18/2016 14:25 Comments || Top||

#5  Ignacia Moreno, who was assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division

So an Obama apparatchik says... Well, okay, I guess that settles it.
Posted by: magpie || 11/18/2016 16:28 Comments || Top||

#6  Pan and a phone, bitches.
Posted by: charger || 11/18/2016 18:16 Comments || Top||

#7  Lots Trump can do since environmental law is not in the constitution. Day 1 shut down EPA. Day 2 announce he will not enforce any regulations. Day 3 pass out pardons and reduce existing fines to zero......
Posted by: Airandee || 11/18/2016 18:33 Comments || Top||

#8  Tell Congress up front, NO omnibus funding bills. Then just veto any Department or agency funding. Compromise or starve.
Posted by: P2Kontheroad || 11/18/2016 19:12 Comments || Top||

#9  The guy crossed his facts. Regulations, placed by executive order or any other means than a law can be removed Jan 21st. The professor is dead wrong.
Posted by: 49 Pan || 11/18/2016 21:27 Comments || Top||


Government
Wind farm industry funding the Dakota Access pipeline squabble
[Wash Times] The Standing Rock Sioux tribal council accepted $375,000 in donations from wind farm companies as it prepared earlier this year to fight the Dakota Access pipeline, raising questions about whether the green-energy industry is fueling the increasingly violent protests.

The council voted unanimously at its April 5 meeting to accept two $125,000 donations from Consolidated Edison Development, which owns a wind farm in nearby Campbell County, North Dakota, and Fagen Inc., a contractor on the project.

At its March 9 meeting, the council accepted $125,000 from ConEdison for "Oyate/community development," according to the minutes posted online on the tribe’s website.

The donations came as the tribe girded to beat back the oil pipeline, which runs a half-mile from its reservation. On March 22, the council agreed to retain the environmental law firm Earthjustice "for the tribe’s co-counsel to oppose the Dakota Access pipeline."

ConEdison did not respond immediately to requests for comment on the donations, first reported Wednesday by the Washington Free Beacon, while a Fagen spokeswoman said the chairman was out of town and could not be reached until next week.
Con't.
Posted by: Besoeker || 11/18/2016 01:39 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Why am I not surprised?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 11/18/2016 4:03 Comments || Top||

#2  The beltway version of the virtuous circle: Politicians take money from taxpayers -> give taxpayer money to "favored entities" -> "favored entities" spend money on lobbyists -> lobbyists give money to politicians. Rinse, repeat.
Posted by: M. Murcek || 11/18/2016 8:22 Comments || Top||


Home Front: Culture Wars
Snopes Fact Checker is Exposed as a Fraud
[DailyHeadlines.net] Snopes started out fact checking news of the weird and eventually tried to remake itself as a political fact checking site. But now it has been exposed as a fraud. The main fact checker is Kim Lacapria, who was formerly with Inquisitr, a site known for publishing fake quotes and hoaxes. Lacapria was a huge disaster as a writer with many of her stories getting just 10 to 20 shares. She was a vitriolic far left wing blogger. While at Inquisitr she described herself as an openly left leaning liberal.

In her articles, she described Bill Clinton as one of the greatest presidents of all time and called Tea Party members as Teahadists.

From The Daily Caller:

She once wrote: "Like many GOP ideas about the poor, the panic about using food stamps for alcohol, pornography or guns seems to have been cut from whole cloth‐or more likely, the ideas many have about the fantasy of poverty." (A simple fact-check would show that food stamp fraud does occur and costs taxpayers tens of millions.)

Lacapria even accused the Bush administration of being "at least guilty of criminal negligience" in the September 11 attacks. (The future "fact-checker" offered no evidence to support her accusation.)

Her columns apparently failed to impress her readership, oftentimes failing to get more than 10-20 shares.
Posted by: Blossom Unains5562 || 11/18/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Snopes' left wing proclivities have been obvious for years. Haven't visited the site in a long, long time.
Posted by: Iblis || 11/18/2016 14:26 Comments || Top||

#2  Snopes blew all credibility when they went political. They are still good for checking on non-political stuff. They should have learned from wikipedia which is great on non-political stuff but isn't really trusted any longer because their political editors are nuts.
Posted by: rjschwarz || 11/18/2016 14:27 Comments || Top||

#3  Them fact-checking People's Cube was crazy funny.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 11/18/2016 15:07 Comments || Top||



Who's in the News
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Two weeks of WOT
Fri 2016-11-18
  Haftar forces claim victory in Benghazi
Thu 2016-11-17
  Final 3 Minnesota men sentenced in Islamic State case
Wed 2016-11-16
  Police make raids against suspected 'IS' supporters across 10 states in Germany
Tue 2016-11-15
  167 ISIS Turbans die in rebel combat operations in Raqqa
Mon 2016-11-14
  Turkey backed rebel units close on Al-Bab
Sun 2016-11-13
  Rangers kill Jundallah chief in Hub
Sat 2016-11-12
  Iraqi forces massing to break into Mosul airport
Fri 2016-11-11
  Iraqi forces capture Zahar district of Mosul
Thu 2016-11-10
  30 al-Qaeda fighters die in security operation in Yemen
Wed 2016-11-09
  Two ‘LJ militants’ held for killing Amjad Sabri, army personnel
Tue 2016-11-08
  German police arrest five in raid on 'IS network'
Mon 2016-11-07
  74 die in rebel Aleppo offensive
Sun 2016-11-06
  Human Shields, Barricades Slow Iraqi Advance Into Mosul
Sat 2016-11-05
  Ten-member jihadi cell linked to ISIS 'led by fundamentalist preacher was planning attacks on Sydney'
Fri 2016-11-04
  12 Die In Rocket Attack At Faryab Wedding Ceremony


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