Questions Swirl Over How Anti-Trump Troop Ad Cropped Up Just Hours After Disputed Atlantic Article

On Thursday, The Atlantic published an article, citing four anonymous sources who claim that in 2018, President Trump called fallen soldiers buried at France's Aisne-Marne American cemetery "suckers" and that the grounds were "filled with losers," and "blamed rain" for canceling a planned visit to the site.

The report has been vehemently refuted by Trump administration officials, and is already beginning to unravel.

The Atlantic's EIC, Jeffrey Goldberg, said the sources wanted to remain anonymous because "They don't want to be inundated with angry tweets and all the rest."

Perhaps even more interesting is an anti-Trump ad from 'VoteVets' based on the Atlantic article which cropped up a mere 12 hours later, raising questions over whether this was a coordinated hit.

ooks like we can file this one under 'dirty politics.'

As Monica Showalter opines in American Thinker regarding Trump's relationship with the military

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/questions-swirl-over-how-anti-trump-troop-ad-cropped-hours-after-atlantic-article

"I Absolutely Cancel Myself": GW Professor Under Investigation After Disclosing That She Is Not Black

In an academic version of the Rachel Dozezal controversy, the New York Times is reporting that George Washington University is investigating the bizarre case of George Washington associate professor Jessica A. Krug who admitted in a Medium post Thursday that, despite publicly identifying as a black woman, she is in fact a white Jewish child from the suburbs of Kansas City.

Krug has called herself a “cultural leech” and announced that she was “cancelling herself.”

The Chronicle of Higher Education stated that some of the positions that she secured in teaching were due to her claimed minority status.

The case rekindles the tension in academic over claims of minority status, including the controversy surrounding the long-claims of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) who also taught at George Washington that she was a Native American.

Much of our minority status designations are based on such self-identifications. The Census Bureau approach is based solely on self identification. Since 2000, it has allowed people to check multiple boxes for races and ethnicities. Brown University attracted attention for proposing a pure self identification system for “people of color.”

Krug, 39, wrote a Medium post titled “The Truth, and the Anti-Black Violence of My Lies.” She revealed what she described as a life built on a “napalm toxic soil of lies.” That career include different claims of minority status from African to Caribbean to Puerto Rican roots as well as being raised in a poor family in the projects. This background gave her greater credence in writing as a “historian of politics, ideas, and cultural practices in Africa and the African Diaspora.”

Krug has a Ph.D. and is the author of the book “Fugitive Modernities: Kisama and the Politics of Freedom,” according to her GW faculty profile. She was also a Diversity Achievement Scholar at Portland State and an Advanced Opportunity Fellow at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

She wrote:

“To an escalating degree over my adult life, I have eschewed my lived experience as a white Jewish child in suburban Kansas City under various assumed identities within a Blackness that I had no right to claim: first North African Blackness, then US rooted Blackness, then Caribbean rooted Bronx Blackness. I have built my life on a violent anti-Black lie, and I have lied in every breath I have taken.”

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/i-absolutely-cancel-myself-gw-professor-under-investigation-after-disclosing-she-not

China conducts highly secretive launch of ‘reusable experimental spacecraft’

China successfully launched a ‘reusable experimental spacecraft’ on Friday, state media reported. The mission was shrouded in mystery, with those attending the event reportedly banned from filming or even discussing it.

The spacecraft was delivered to orbit by a Long March-2F rocket, which blasted off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the northwest of the country, Xinhua news agency reported.

The mysterious hardware “will test reusable technologies during its flight,” it said, pointing out that the aims of the project were peaceful. After spending an undisclosed amount of time in orbit, the spacecraft will return to Earth, landing at a scheduled site in China, the agency reported.

The Chinese authorities apparently put a lot of effort into keeping the mission a secret. A copy of an official memo popped up on Chinese social media, instructing staff and guests at the launch not to film it or to discuss it online.

“All units should strengthen personnel security education and personnel management during missions to ensure that there is no leakage of secrets,” the document read.

A military source confirmed the authenticity of the memo to the South China Morning Post paper.

“There are many firsts in this launch. The spacecraft is new, the launch method is also different. That's why we need to make sure there is extra security,” he said.

The unnamed official refused to disclose any information about the Chinese spacecraft, only advising journalists to “take a look at the US X-37B.”

Boeing’s X-37 or Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) is used by the US military to test out reusable space technologies. The unmanned craft is boosted to orbit by a carrier rocket and then returns to Earth, landing on airfield like a spaceplane. X-37B has carried out six missions since 2010, the latest in May.

https://www.rt.com/news/499874-china-secretive-reusable-spacecraft/

Mushroom cloud erupts out of UK factory amid series of massive explosions

Residents of Medway, Kent, endured scenes straight out of an apocalyptic nightmare on Friday after a series of large explosions at an industrial building sent mushroom clouds towering above their homes.

An enormous blaze broke out at the building in the early hours of Friday morning and locals reported being woken by a series of bangs.

The fire strengthened over the course of several hours and by sunrise huge plumes of smoke could be seen for miles around. The local fire brigade said that 10 fire engines rushed to the site to battle the inferno.

Video footage from the scene captures a huge pillar of smoke bursting out of the blazing building and sprouting into a mushroom cloud that sits ominously over the area. It was just one of several explosions that took place during the massive fire.

“I spoke with an officer on scene which she explained to me the fire service had to be pulled out because the warehouse next door has thousands of rounds of ammunition and fuel,” one eyewitness told the Kent Online news outlet.

“Which made the situation very dangerous, that’s why there was a big evacuation and the fire brigade couldn’t do much at first,” they added.

The fire service is urging the public to avoid the area and locals are being advised to keep windows shut because of the large amount of smoke circulating. Several roads in the area around the blaze have also been closed off.

https://www.rt.com/uk/499847-kent-factory-explosion-mushroom-cloud/

Trump Announces ‘Breakthrough’ Agreement Between Serbia And Kosovo To Normalize Economic Activity

President Donald Trump announced Friday that Serbia and Kosovo had reached a “breakthrough” agreement to normalize economic ties more than a decade after the latter declared independence from the former.

Trump made the announcement during a joint visit to the White House by Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo’s Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti.

“Today, I am pleased to announce yet another historic commitment,” Trump said in a statement accompanying the meeting. “Serbia and Kosovo have each committed to economic normalization. After a violent and tragic history and years of failed negotiations, my Administration proposed a new way of bridging the divide. By focusing on job creation and economic growth, the two countries were able to reach a real breakthrough on economic cooperation across a broad range of issues.”

Trump further announced that Kosovo would soon establish diplomatic relations with Israel and that Serbia plans to emulate the U.S. by moving its Israeli embassy to Jerusalem by July 2021.

“It has taken tremendous bravery by President Vučić of Serbia and Prime Minister Hoti of Kosovo to embark on these talks and to come to Washington to finalize these commitments,” Trump continued. “By doing so, they have made their countries, the Balkans, and the world safer. I look forward to seeing Serbia and Kosovo prosper as we work together on economic cooperation in the region going forward.”

https://dailycaller.com/2020/09/04/donald-trump-aleksandar-vucic-avdullah-hoti-breakthrough-agreement-serbia-kosovo-economy-israel-embassy-jerusalem/

Cops Arrest One of Their Own in Child Sex Sting on 45 Charges of Child Porn and Sex Abuse of Animals

LaPlace, LA — During a joint investigation into child sex abuse by the Louisiana attorney general’s office, the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Crime Unit and the St. John the Baptist Sheriff’s Office, authorities made several arrests, including one of their own deputies, who now faces dozens of disturbing charges.

Avo Marzwanian, 34, of LaPlace, is charged with 10 counts of distribution and 20 counts of possession of child pornography involving juveniles under the age of 13, the attorney general’s office said. But that’s not all, apparently this deputy didn’t limit his abuse solely to children and was also charged with 15 counts of sex abuse against animals.

LA. R.S. 14:81.1 – Pornography Involving Juveniles Under the Age of Thirteen (10 counts of distribution and 20 counts of possession).

He is also charged with violating LA. R.S. 14:89.3 – Sexual Abuse of an Animal (15 counts).

Another man, who was not one of St. John the Baptist Parish’s finest was arrested during the investigation as well. Joseph Guillory, 35, also of LaPlace, is charged with 50 counts of possession of child pornography involving juveniles under the age of 13.

According to the office’s records, Marzwanian worked for the correctional department for 12 years before completing the field training program in June.

“You were chosen for this program … because your commanders see you as leaders,” Sheriff Mike Tregre said to Marzwanian when he graduated from the department’s field training officer program in June. Sadly, Tregre was wrong. Marzwanian is not a leader in any way as he preys on society’s most vulnerable.

“Crimes against children are among the most heinous acts imaginable. My office and I will continue doing everything we legally can to find and arrest child predators throughout our State,” AG Jeff Landry said. “I am grateful for our law enforcement partners who assist us in protecting Louisiana’s children. Together, we will make our State a safer place.”

https://thefreethoughtproject.com/deputies-arrest-one-of-their-own-child-sex-sting/

Atheists demand GOP senator stop posting Bible verses on Twitter. Senator responds: 'Their request is denied.'

He won't be silenced

An atheist group is going after a Republican senator over his repeated posting of Bible verses on social media and demanding that he stop with his "sermonizing."

The undeterred lawmaker sent a message to the group this week: get bent.

What's all this now?

Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy (R) has tradition of posting scripture to Twitter and Facebook on weekends. Here are his verses from the last three weekends in August:

"And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you." - Psalm 9:10

— U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (@U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D.)1597593744.0

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when y… https://t.co/XUv1vQlttN

— U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (@U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D.)1598277749.0

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be tr… https://t.co/y4jxEAWyn3

— U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (@U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D.)1598801302.0

Naturally, this upset the radical Freedom From Religion Foundation activist atheist organization.

The group claimed that a "concerned Louisiana resident contacted FFRF" to report the senator's regular offense of posting verses to social media. FFRF posted on item on its website, accusing Cassidy of violating "the spirit of the First Amendment" with his actions and insisting that he "cease sermonizing" on social media:

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is asking a U.S. senator to cease sermonizing on his official social media accounts.

A concerned Louisiana resident contacted FFRF to report that every Sunday, bible verses are posted to Sen. Bill Cassidy's official government Facebook page.

When a government official uses his elected office, including governmental platforms such as an official Facebook page, to promote his personal religious beliefs, he violates the spirit of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution[.]

In an August letter to the senator, FFRF's co-presidents, Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker, told Cassidy that he needed to "refrain from posting messages that proselytize or endorse religion on [his] official government social media accounts" because such postings, they said, are a violation of the separation of church and state.

According to Gaylor and Barker, Cassidy's actions "needlessly alienate" his constituency and a third of Americans:

As a senator, you represent a diverse population that consists of not only Christians, but also minority religious and nonreligious citizens. Religious endorsements made in your official capacity send a message that excludes the 35 percent of Americans who are not Christian, which includes the 26 percent who identify as nonreligious. These messages needlessly alienate the 1 non-Christian and nonreligious citizens you represent, turning them into political outsiders in their own community.

It would be entirely possible, of course, for you to send uplifting and motivational messages to your constituents without ostracizing a significant portion of those you represent. By couching your sentiments in exclusively religious terms, and by quoting exclusively from one religion's holy book, you unnecessarily exclude a significant portion of the community. Regardless of your intent, this social media post sends the message to your minority religious and nonreligious constituents that their participation in the political process is less valued than that of their Christian counterparts.

The duo closed their letter requesting that Cassidy remove all of his religious posts from his government social media accounts and to "avoid making similar posts in the future."

https://www.theblaze.com/news/atheists-demand-senator-stop-posting-scripture

Calls for Census After Afghan Govt Minister Found to Be Claiming Welfare in Sweden

Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson has called for a census, claiming Sweden’s left-wing government has no idea who is actually living in the country.

The demand for a new census comes after it was revealed that a senior official in the Afghan government, 43-year-old Fazel Fazly, has been collecting parental welfate despite not living in Sweden.

“We don’t know which people are in the country,” Kristersson said this week, newspaper Aftonbladet reports.

“This is the second time we have seen it at this spectacular level, which is bad enough. One wonders how many more cases there are, which are not government officials or defence ministers. I think this is incredibly serious,” he added.

Last year, it was revealed another foreign senior government official, former Iraqi defence minister Najah al-Shammari, who is a dual Iraqi and Swedish citizen, had also illegally taken money from Swedish taxpayers.

Sweden Pays Thousands in Welfare to Islamic State Terrorist Living in Syria https://t.co/CsimEXuG7I pic.twitter.com/Bzg1YvNDqc

— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) November 20, 2016

“It is very demoralising for all people who know that there is a connection between working in Sweden, paying taxes, and receiving benefits. I think it’s incredibly harmful that others then sit abroad and just pick the raisins out of the cake,” Kristersson said.

According to Aftonbladet, the last time Sweden undertook a census was 30 years ago in 1990, and the Swedish Tax Agency believes as many as 200,000 to 300,000 Swedes live at different addresses to those recorded.

A lack of awareness of who is resident in the country has even led to Sweden paying out cash to Islamic State radicals after they had travelled overseas to fight for the terror group in Syria and Iraq.

Earlier this week it was also revealed that the Swedish government had paid 1.2 billion Swedish kronor (£104,136,000/$137,400,000) to radical Islamic groups, mainly through the funding of Islamic educational projects and schools.

Report: £100 Million of Swedish Taxpayer Cash Went to Radical Islamic Groups https://t.co/0Q6TGvVbNL

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2020/09/04/sweden-centre-right-moderate-leader-calls-new-census/

Facebook will ban new political ads week before the election; Zuckerberg warns of possible 'civil unrest'

'We've already strengthened our enforcement against militias, conspiracy networks like QAnon, and other groups that could be used to organize violence or civil unrest in the period after the elections'

Facebook will ban new political ads for the week leading up to Election Day, Nov. 3, in an effort to "help secure the integrity of the U.S. elections by encouraging voting, connecting people to authoritative information, and reducing the risks of post-election confusion."

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made the announcement Thursday, outlining the steps the social media platform is taking to combat voting misinformation and meddling. Zuckerberg started his communication by saying that "our nation is so divided" and that the election results could potentially take weeks to be finalized, which could open the door for "increased risk of civil unrest across the country."

"We're going to block new political and issue ads during the final week of the campaign," Zuckerberg stated. "It's important that campaigns can run get out the vote campaigns, and I generally believe the best antidote to bad speech is more speech, but in the final days of an election there may not be enough time to contest new claims."

Zuckerberg noted that campaigns can still run political ads that were promoted before the week preceding the election, but no new advertisements will be permitted on the social network.

Facebook will remove anything it considers misinformation about voting and will consult with state election officials to verify voting claims.

Facebook promises to remove any messages attempting to suppress or discourage voting, such as incorrectly informing people that "you can send in your mail ballot up to 3 days after election day." Facebook will delete any posts that try to scare people by asserting that voters will contract COVID-19 if they vote in person.

Zuckerberg said the platform would limit how many messages Facebook users can forward on Messenger, to prevent misinformation or harmful content from going viral.

Because of the anticipated increased use of mail-in ballots, Facebook warned that the final results might not be available on election night.

https://www.theblaze.com/news/facebook-ban-new-political-ads

400 Pounds of Drugs Seized in Two Days at Southwest Border Crossings

Customs and Border Protection officers in San Diego and Tucson seized more than 400 pounds of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl over the past weekend. The seizures took place at ports of entry in California and Arizona.

CBP Office of Field Operations officers assigned to the Port of Nogales on August 28 observed a sedan with two occupants approaching the Dennis DeConcini Crossing in a sedan. The officers referred the driver to a secondary inspection station, according to information obtained from CBP officials.

During the secondary inspection, the officers found 10 packages of drugs concealed in the rear rocker panels of the vehicle. The officers weighed and tested the drugs and identified them as cocaine weighing approximately 31 pounds, officials reported. The officers arrested the two 18-year-old males — one U.S. citizen and one Mexican national.

Later that day, DeConcini Crossing officers observed a pickup truck approaching from Mexico for entry into the U.S. The officer referred the driver, a 29-year-old U.S. citizen, to a secondary inspection station, officials stated. The officers searched the truck and found eight packages of drugs hidden in hollowed pieces of wood. The drugs tested positive for cocaine. Officers reported the packages weighed 19 pounds.

Officers working the same border crossing on Saturday observed a man approaching from Mexico in a pickup truck. The officer referred the driver, a 24-year-old U.S. citizen, to the secondary inspection area where a K-9 alerted to an odor it is trained to detect. A search of the truck led officers to find nine packages of drugs inside the rear doors of the truck. The officers reported the packages weighed about 12 pounds and were filled with heroin (eight pounds) and methamphetamine (four pounds).

On Sunday, another driver approached the DeConcini Crossing for entry into the U.S. The officer referred the driver to a secondary inspection area where they found three packages of drugs on the driver’s person and inside a pair of socks packed in a backpack. In total, the officers found three pounds of fentanyl pills, officials reported. The officers arrested the 24-year-old U.S. citizen male.

Later that day, a 61-year-old male U.S. citizen attempted entry into the U.S. at the same crossing. During a search of the vehicle in the secondary inspection area, the officers found a wooden table in the bed of the truck. Smugglers hid 70 pounds of methamphetamine inside the legs of the table, the report continued.

Also on Sunday, a 17-year-old U.S. citizen female and a 22-year-old U.S. citizen female attempted to enter the U.S. in separate incidents. The first female attempted entry through the pedestrian crossing. Officers found she had 165 grams of fentanyl pills “concealed inside her person,” CBP officials stated. The second woman crossed in a sedan. A search of her vehicle led to the discovery of 33 pounds of methamphetamine hidden inside the gas tank.

Finally, officers assigned to the San Ysidro Port of Entry on Monday observed a 2004 black Chrysler Sebring approaching for inspection. During the initial interview, officers noted discrepancies with the vehicle and opened the trunk. Inside the officer found multiple packages inside two black bags.

The officer radioed for assistance and a detailed search of the bags led to the discovery of 218 packages of drugs. Officers report 216 packages contained methamphetamine and the two remaining packages were filled with fentanyl. Officials estimated the value of these drugs to be more than $767,000.

Between the two ports of entry, officers seized more than 400 pounds of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin. The reports indicated the combined value of the drug seizures over the weekend exceeded $1.767 million.

https://www.breitbart.com/border/2020/09/04/400-pounds-of-drugs-seized-in-two-days-at-southwest-border-crossings/

Sickening: Kentucky School Asks 5th Grade Students To Complete Anti-Police Racial Injustice Assignment

There is no doubt that the public education system has been taken over by radicals who are ruining impressionable young minds.

For those still not convinced, consider the slanted question about Jacob Blake and Breonna Taylor that a Fayette County School in Kentucky included on a fifth-grade online assignment.

“This is an assignment for my sons 5th grade class,” one student’s mother tweeted. “Indoctrination much? How is this ok? Please someone help me.”

Sickening: Kentucky School Asks 5th Grade Students To Complete Anti-Police Racial Injustice Assignment

September 04, 2020 0 Comments

Facebook

There is no doubt that the public education system has been taken over by radicals who are ruining impressionable young minds.

For those still not convinced, consider the slanted question about Jacob Blake and Breonna Taylor that a Fayette County School in Kentucky included on a fifth-grade online assignment.

“This is an assignment for my sons 5th grade class,” one student’s mother tweeted. “Indoctrination much? How is this ok? Please someone help me.”

“This is not fake. This is Fayette County Schools,” she said while showing the website in a video.

What upset the mother most was the question portion of an article from Newsela, an educational content website that currently boasts a link to “resources for anti-racist teaching and instruction” on its landing page.

The article was about NBA players boycotting playoff games and included a painfully vague description of Blake as an “unarmed Black man … shot by police officers” and threw in Taylor’s name as part of the deaths of “Black people by police” without giving details of those cases.

The questions came at the end of the content, with the first one asking, “What is the relationship between Jacob Blake and Breonna Taylor?”

The first answer choice was “Both were victims of police violence, sparking protests against racial injustice.”

http://www.yourdestinationnow.com/2020/09/sickening-kentucky-school-asks-5th.html

Horowitz: Politicians indicating that flu season is the new threshold for emergency powers & panic

The notion that we would lock down our society until a vaccine is introduced to counter a virus with a 0.3% infection fatality rate and near-zero risk for non-immunocompromised individuals was shockingly insane. Then we were told that even after a vaccine is in place, the social control will not end because the vaccine will not fully work against COVID-19 for all people. Now, we are beginning to see that because indeed COVID-19 is not that much different from a pandemic flu, the flu itself will now constitute the new threshold for social control and panic in perpetuity. In other words, the totalitarianism that we blissfully accepted in March is here to stay forever, unless we reclaim our sovereignty.

"[Arizona] State officials Monday laid out a plan for 'aggressively' combating the upcoming influenza season as the COVID-19 pandemic lingers, with the first step being to urge people to get a flu shot as soon as possible," wrote the Copper Courier on Tuesday. "The state plans to increase funding for Medicaid recipients to get flu shots, combine flu-shot sites with coronavirus testing facilities, and more, while also advocating many of the same measures meant to head off the spread of COVID-19" (emphasis added).

The Arizona paper was reporting on a press conference held by liberal Republican Governor Doug Ducey and Arizona health department director Dr. Cara Christ, when they warned about "a perfect storm" of lingering COVID-19 mixing with the flu season in the coming months. They warned about mask-wearing and shutting down businesses that don't participate in their unproven social control rituals. They also revealed that indeed hospitals get overwhelmed to a degree during the flu season and now that fact, which we always lived with every year, will be used to control our lives.

Folks, we have come full-circle. When this all began in early March, we were warned by the World Health Organization that COVID-19 was the worst epidemic in generations, with an infection fatality rate of 3.4% and a hospitalization rate exponentially higher that was going to swamp all of our big-city hospitals. As such, there was no way to compare it to the flu. Anyone who did was treated almost like a Holocaust denier.

Now, those same control freaks are comparing COVID to the flu! See, if they were right about the threat level of this virus, the contrast between it and the flu would be black and white. Talking about the perfect storm between COVID-19 and the flu would be tantamount to tethering the health care concerns of cancer to those of a cold. But now the truth comes out that this virus really is not that much different from a pandemic flu and that hospitals are always crowded at the peak of even a seasonal flu, much less a pandemic flu.

http://www.tathasta.com/2020/09/horowitz-politicians-indicating-that.html

Presidential Debates Commission Picks a FORMER BIDEN INTERN to Moderate Trump-Biden Presidential Debate!

The Commission on Presidential Debates announced its three moderators for this year’s planned debates.

It is still 50-50 on whether Joe Biden will show up for the events.

Even when he is fed the answers he still goofs up.

Chris Wallace from FOX News — a major Trump hater, Kristen Welker from NBC, another far left Trump-hater and Steve Scully from C-SPAN will moderate this year’s debates.

Wallace is a complete anti-Trumper. The far left FOX News host ruined FOX News Sunday and made it unwatchable. Wallace attacked President Trump in December saying, “I believe that President Trump is engaged in the most direct sustained assault on freedom of the press in our history.”

Kristen Welker from NBC is a member of the White House Press Corps, a horribly hostile Trump-hating group that thought it was funny to ridicule the president’s White House Spokeswoman on her looks at their annual dinner while she sat on the stage.

And Steve Scully has an interesting resume. He was a former intern for JOE BIDEN!

Scully received an undergraduate degree with honors in communication and political science from American University in Washington, D.C. During his degree he completed a study abroad program at the University of Copenhagen, served as an intern with Senator Joe Biden [5], and in Sen. Ted Kennedy’s media affairs office.

Just in case far left Wikipedia deletes Scully’s links to Joe Biden here is a screen shot from his page:

http://www.stationgossip.com/2020/09/presidential-debates-commission-picks.html

The thought police come to Australia and New Zealand

Police are now arresting citizens in Australia and New Zealand for posts made on social media - like videos. This is a very disturbing time when the lucky country resorts to preventing freedom of speech.

https://youtu.be/mbgfBrc8g6I

Israeli Airstrikes Kill 16 Pro-Govt Fighters in Eastern Syria

Slain are mostly members of Iraqi militias

A flurry of Israeli airstrikes pounded sites held by Iraqi Shi’ite militias on Thursday morning, killing at least 16 of the pro-government fighters. Attacks are mostly on the outskirts of Mayadeen, in Deir Ezzor Province.

The main Shi’ite militia hit was Ketaib Hezbollah, though other warplanes attacked al-Bukamal, which also has other Shi’ite militias active within, also Iraqi. In both cases, Israeli media positions all of those targeted as “Iranian.”

All of these strikes came a few hours after Israel attacked the Homs Airport. It’s not clear if these attacks are related, or are just Israeli attacks that happened to be coincidentally close to one another.

Israel is also not confirming any of these strikes, though attacking Shi’ites in Syria is so par for the course that there is little doubt that the attackers are Israeli, and continuation of an ongoing campaign of strikes.

https://news.antiwar.com/2020/09/03/israeli-airstrikes-kill-16-pro-govt-fighters-in-eastern-syria/

Fort Hood Soldier Dies After Collapsing During Physical Training

The Army announced Friday that a Fort Hood, Texas, soldier has died after collapsing during a physical training workout.

Pvt. Corlton Chee, 25, was originally transported to the Carl R. Darnall Medical Center on Aug. 28, according to a Fort Hood news release. He was later moved to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Temple, Texas, on Aug. 30, where he died with his family by his side.

The incident is under investigation, and an autopsy has been scheduled with the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas, according to the release.

A native of Pinehill, New Mexico, Chee entered the Army in February as a tank crewman and had been assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division's 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, since July.

His awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.

"Our team is devastated by the loss of Pvt. Chee. Corlton was an amazing trooper and so full of life and potential,"said Lt. Col. Ron Sprang, commander of 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry. "Every loss affects every single person in this battalion because we [are] a family of warriors, but this is exceptionally heartbreaking. The entire Thunderhorse team sends our condolences to his family members and friends. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time."

Chee's death comes just three days after U.S. Army Forces Command replaced Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt as the senior commander at Fort Hood and named a four-star general to lead a new investigation into the base chain of command's actions relating to the murder of Spc. Vanessa Guillen.

Guillen, a 20-year-old 3rd Cavalry Regiment soldier, went missing in April; she was allegedly murdered and dismembered by fellow soldier, Spc. Aaron Robinson. Her remains were discovered and identified in early July.

Guillen's family has said she was sexually harassed by the soldier suspected of murdering her, but the Army has said there is no evidence to support the allegation.

Another Fort Hood soldier, Sgt. Elder Fernandes, was found dead near the base Aug. 25 after being reported missing Aug. 10. Fernandez had reported being sexually assaulted by another male soldier, but the Army said an investigation into the complaint found that it could not be corroborated by any witnesses.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/09/04/fort-hood-soldier-dies-after-collapsing-during-physical-training.html

US Govt Seizes Websites Belonging to Iraqi Govt-Backed Militia

Justice Dept presents group as 'terrorists'

The Justice Department is using its legal justification to take terrorists off the Internet to interfere in Iraq’s political structure, having seized a pair of websites belonging used as media by a Shi’ite militia which functions as part of the Iraqi government.

The websites, Aletejahtv.com and Aletejahtv.org belong to Ketaib Hezbollah, a militia which is an active part of the Shi’ite umbrella group in Iraq’s military, but which the US has political problems with, and has accused of being in league with Iran.

The Justice Department readily jumped from that to terrorist organization, seizing the sites in the name of “protecting our troops.” Its likely also about bolstering the current Iraqi PM, who is allied with the US but has struggled to coexist politically with the militias.

This is a dangerous precedent, with the US having a lot of political interests they’d probably like to intervene in by banning foreign media websites, and labeling them as terrorists seems to be a straightforward way.

https://news.antiwar.com/2020/09/03/us-govt-seizes-websites-belonging-to-iraqi-govt-backed-militia/

Privacy Reset: UK Readies Digital ID Cards For British Citizens

Downing Street is planning new digital ID cards for British citizens as Dominic Cummings bids to transform the Government’s use of data despite privacy fears.

People will get an online identity that can be used for daily activities such as proving ones age, registering with a GP and buying properties from a different location.

It comes after issues emerged in identifying people during the Covid-19 pandemic, such as during the self-employment income support scheme.

The government did not have any details on half of the 2.6million who applied for support at the start of the crisis.

Some – such as Tony Blair – called for new digital ID cards to prove their ‘disease status’ as the world relaxed lockdown measures.

Downing Street is planning new digital ID cards for British citizens as Dominic Cummings (pictured yesterday) bids to transform the Government’s use of data despite privacy fears

Minister for digital infrastructure Matt Warman told the Times he was excited to ‘work with partners in the private sector’.

Cabinet Office minister Julia Lopez added: ‘There is a need and an expectation for the government to make it easier for people to use digital identities quickly, safely and securely, and we are committed to enabling this.’

But naysayers have said the plans to ‘remove regulatory barriers’ would result in problems over privacy.

Matthew Rice of the Open Rights Group said: ‘If the public don’t trust that their data is going to be secure, they are not going to engage with the system no matter how seamless or frictionless.’

https://www.activistpost.com/2020/09/privacy-reset-uk-readies-digital-id-cards-for-british-citizens.html

Biden: QAnon believers should get a mental health check

Democratic nominee Joe Biden on Friday blasted President Trump for refusing to condemn the QAnon conspiracy theory, saying adherents to the theory should get a mental health checkup before the president dismantles ObamaCare.

“I’ve been a big supporter of mental health,” Biden said. “I recommend the people that believe [QAnon] should take advantage while it still exists in the Affordable Care Act. It’s bizarre, totally bizarre.”

The president has declined to condemn the conspiracy theory, which holds that Trump and his supporters are warriors in a secret effort to uncover child sex rings led by global elites.

The FBI has deemed the loose network of QAnon adherents as a domestic terror threat following incidents in which the conspiracy theory appears to have fueled real-world violence.

When asked about QAnon at a press conference last month, Trump said he’s not familiar with it but that he believes those associated with it “love our country.”

“I understand they like me very much, which I appreciate,” Trump said. “But I don’t know much about the movement.”

Several GOP Congressional candidates have entertained the conspiracy theory, led by Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who is favored to win a House seat in November.

Trump has praised Greene.

Biden on Friday called the conspiracy theory “embarrassing” and “dangerous.”

“Look at how it makes us look around the world,” Biden said. “It’s mortifying, embarrassing and it’s dangerous. If the president doesn’t know better, which he has to know better, then my Lord we’re in much more trouble than I thought we were.”

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/515160-biden-qanon-believers-should-get-a-mental-health-check