US expects to retake last ISIS territories within few weeks: Defense official

US-backed forces will recapture the remaining Daesh territory in Syria within a couple of weeks, according to acting Defence Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan.

The “disciplined” US withdrawal from Syria is still in its early stages, the acting the defence secretary stated.

The statement comes after Pentagon spokesman Sean Robertson told Sputnik that the US troop numbers in Syria “will fluctuate” during the withdrawal process when he was asked to comment on reports that Washington had sent additional troops to the country.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/us-expects-to-retake-last-isis-territories-within-few-weeks-defense-official/

Dutch refuse to take migrants from stranded Sea Watch migrant ship off Sicily

Italian interior minister considers legal action against the crew

The Netherlands have refused Italy's request to take in 47 migrants currently on board a Dutch-flagged rescue ship that Italian ports have refused to allow to dock.

The Sea Watch 3 ship, run by a German NGO, rescued the mainly sub-Saharan African migrants off Libya more than a week ago and is currently sheltering from bad weather off Sicily.

Italy and Malta have both refused to let it dock.

"Without a firm idea of an overall solution, the Netherlands will not take part in ad hoc measures for disembarkation" of the ship, Lennart Wegewijs, a spokesman for the Dutch Justice and Security Ministry, told AFP.

Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has insisted Germany or the Netherlands take responsibility for the migrants, warning that he was considering legal action against the crew.

https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20190128/world/dutch-refuse-to-take-migrants-from-stranded-sea-watch-migrant-ship-off.700507

she's got eyes of the bluest skies

Bullet - White Lies, Blue Eyes (1971)

Swedish Migration Agency’s phones hacked with vulgar greeting

People who called the Swedish Migration Agency between 8 and 9 on Monday morning were not met by the usual female voice – but by a man who in a “threatening voice” hissed “jävla Migrationsverket” (“fucking Migration Agency”), according to SVT.

On their website, the Migration Agency wrote: “Right now, there is a problem with our switchboard and it is unfortunately not possible to call us. We apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause.”

Any further details were not given.

https://voiceofeurope.com/2019/01/swedish-migration-agencys-phones-hacked-with-vulgar-greeting/

Merkel warns against nationalism in Fulbright Prize acceptance speech

Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed the continued importance of strong transatlantic ties and international cooperation to oppose rising populism and nationalism, during her acceptance speech for the J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding on Monday evening.

“Thinking in national spheres of influence is increasing and principles of international law or human rights are thus also being put up for discussion. We must resolutely oppose this,” Merkel said.

The Fulbright Association, the alumni organization of the Fulbright Program, awarded Merkel Monday´s prize “for her remarkable, compassionate leadership and her strong commitment to mutual understanding, international cooperation, and peace.”

https://www.thelocal.de/20190129/merkel-warns-against-nationalism-in-fulbright-acceptance-speech-points-to-history

German software giant SAP to slash 3,000 jobs

German software giant SAP said Tuesday it would slash around 3,000 jobs as it launches a mammoth cost-cutting programme against a background of stagnant profits.

"We are talking about a completely voluntary programme, we expect a number slightly higher than in 2015 of employees" to leave, chief financial officer Luka Mucic said, referring to a past move to cut 2,200 positions as SAP shifted focus to "cloud" computing from traditional software.

Earlier Tuesday the software giant, which is located in Walldorf, Baden-Württemberg, said it would launch a billion-euro restructuring plan after profits stagnated in 2018, while insisting it was on track to grow revenues and earnings this year.

https://www.thelocal.de/20190129/german-software-giant-sap-to-slash-3000-jobs

Germany: 38,000 illegal immigrants caught by federal police

Figures seen by DW show how many people were caught by German Federal Police after they entered the country illegally between January and November 2018. The total number of illegal arrivals is probably higher.

More than 38,000 people were caught entering Germany illegally between January and November 2018, German Federal Police have told DW.

Over 28,000 people entered Germany by land, with most — some 10,300 — entering from Austria.

By comparison, some 9,270 people arrived illegally at airports and more than 1,120 people at sea ports.

Read more: How do refugees in Germany view Seehofer's tougher migration plan?

Most of the migrants were from Afghanistan, Nigeria, Iraq, Syria and Turkey.

Figures likely too low

The true number of illegal entries was likely higher because the figures did not include the number of people who were not caught after entering the country, police said.

https://www.dw.com/en/germany-38000-illegal-immigrants-caught-by-federal-police/a-47282792

Closer Everyday

We know what you're thinking. We read your brain

Researchers at Columbia University say they've translated brain signals directly into speech. This could help people recovering after a stroke. Ostensibly.

It was only a matter of time until we'd have scientists claiming they can read our minds. Certainly only a matter of time coming from the US, and especially the Zuckerman Institute at New York's Columbia University, which is renowned for research into neuroscience and the mechanics of the human brain.

A group of neuro-engineers at the Zuckerman Institute have been working on a technique called "auditory stimulus reconstruction" for some time. In the jargon of their paper — "Towards reconstructing intelligent speech from the human auditory cortex" — which has just been published in Nature, "reconstructing speech from the human auditory cortex creates the possibility of a speech neuroprosthetic to establish a direct communication with the brain and has been shown to be possible in both overt and covert conditions."

https://www.dw.com/en/we-know-what-youre-thinking-we-read-your-brain/a-47279723

More Than 40 Dead, 850 Detained in Venezuela Violence, UN Says

850 people were detained between Jan. 21 and Jan. 26, including 77 children, some as young as 12

The Trump administration on Monday sanctioned Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, ratcheting up pressure on socialist President Nicolas Maduro to cede power to the U.S.-backed opposition in the oil-rich nation in South America.

The action means Maduro’s embattled government would lose access to one of its most important sources of income and foreign currency along with around $7 billion in assets of the state-owned company, Petroleos De Venezuela S.A.

https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/more-than-40-dead-850-detained-in-venezuela-violence-un-says-1.6890902

>>4953100

I couldn't quote you no Dickens, Shelley or Keats cause it's all been said before. So Make the best out of a bad joke ,And just laugh it off. You didn't have to come here anyway

US hands Juan Guaido Venezuela's bank accounts as pressure mounts on Nicolas Maduro

In a major escalation, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday handed Venezuela opposition leader Juan Guaido government bank accounts held in America.

The assets include official accounts at US insured banks as well as funds held by Caracas at the US federal reserve.

Mr Pompeo said the move would "help Venezuela's legitimate government safeguard those assets for the benefit of the Venezuelan people."

The United States has been calling for all countries to follow suit and cut ties with President Nicolas Maduro, a leftist firebrand clinging to power amid a crumbling economy and rising street protests, and recognise Mr Guaido who heads the National Assembly. Over 30 countries have now publicly done so.

https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/us-hands-juan-guaido-venezuela-s-bank-accounts-as-pressure-mounts-on-nicolas-maduro-1.819653

>>4953199

Who organized Antifa ?

Who REALLY organized?

Coming to a neighborhood near you

Anon