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Mon, 11 Dec 2023
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Civilian deaths in Gaza highest of all world conflicts in 20th Century, including World Wars, Israeli study reveals

Julian Borger
The Guardian
Sat, 09 Dec 2023 17:19 UTC
gaza child death

Civilian proportion of deaths is higher than that in all world conflicts in 20th century, Haaretz newspaper says
The aerial bombing campaign by Israel in Gaza is the most indiscriminate in terms of civilian casualties in recent years, a study published by an Israeli newspaper has found.

The analysis by Haaretz came as Israeli forces fought to consolidate their control of northern Gaza on Saturday, bombing the Shejaiya district of Gaza City, while also conducting airstrikes on Rafah, a town on the southern border with Egypt where the Israeli army has told people in Gaza to take shelter.

The full death toll from the past 24 hours was unclear but the main hospital in central Gaza, at Deir al-Balah, reported it received 71 bodies, and 62 bodies were taken to Nasser hospital in the main southern city of Khan Younis, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Comment: See also: Israel's ground war conundrum







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Quenelle

Russians doing better than ever before, despite sanctions, Gallup poll reveals


RT
Sat, 09 Dec 2023 16:27 UTC
Russia girl
© Getty Images/yehor
More Russians than ever before feel that their living standards, local economies, and personal safety are just getting better, according to a Gallup survey published on Friday. The optimistic outlook comes despite efforts by the West to "crater" the Russian economy with sanctions.

The poll found that 56% of Russians believe that their local economy is improving, while 46% say the same about their standard of living. Both figures are the highest ever recorded by Gallup, eclipsing the previous high water mark set in 2008, when 42% were optimistic about their local economy and 40% about their standard of living.
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Bizarro Earth

Nationwide power outage in Sri Lanka due to 'a system failure'


Reuters
Sat, 09 Dec 2023 12:40 UTC
sri lanka blackout

Comment: Mint provides some more details:
Sri Lanka is experiencing a nationwide power outage due to a system failure, a government official said; that has also reportedly resulted in internet disruptions across the island nation. The power outage across Sri Lanka has been due to a breakdown of the Kotmale - Biyagama transmission line, according to the reports.

According to the local media reports, power supply to several areas is being restored in the island nation.

The CEB has assured the nation that efforts are on to restore the power supply in the remaining affected areas in the next two and a half hours.

No more details on the nationwide outage in Sri Lanka have been shared.
Whilst it may not be related, one recalls the notable number of 'system failures', in addition to acknowledged cyberattacks, that have happened to critical infrastructure lately:


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NPC

Bristol University axes the National Anthem from graduation ceremonies amid students' claims it is 'old-fashioned' and 'offensive to some'

Matt Strudwick
Daily Mail
Fri, 08 Dec 2023 17:38 UTC
Bristol University

Some students at the 147-year-old university (pictured) have suggested the National Anthem was culled because it is 'irrelevant', 'old-fashioned' or might even be 'offensive to some'
Bristol University has axed the National Anthem from its graduation ceremonies with some students claiming it is 'old-fashioned' and 'offensive to some'.

The anthem has not been played since last year's ceremony with the university saying it regularly updates its graduation ceremonies.

God Save The King will now only be played when a member of the Royal Family is present.

Some students at the 147-year-old university have suggested the National Anthem was culled because it is 'irrelevant', 'old-fashioned' or might even be 'offensive to some'.

It comes just weeks after the university vowed to remove slave trader Edward Colston's emblem from its logo, after his statue was toppled during a Black Lives Matter protest in the city in June 2020.
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Wine

Owner of Philly restaurant targeted in Palestine protests is official Israeli govt propagandist and Biden ally

Alexander Rubinstein
The Grayzone
Thu, 07 Dec 2023 00:00 UTC
BidSolTrees
© Unknown
US President Joe Biden • Celebrity Chef Michael Solomonov • Olive Grove
The Biden White House and top Democrats have denounced Palestine solidarity activists as antisemites for protesting outside an Israeli-owned restaurant in Philly. Its owner happens to be an official Israeli government propagandist with close ties to the Biden White House.

If powerful Democrats are to be believed, it was a night of shattered glass in Philadelphia, PA this December 3. Local Palestine solidarity activists calling for a ceasefire in a war that has left 16,000 civilians dead in the besieged Gaza Strip stopped for a few minutes outside an "Israeli-style" falafel shop and shouted chants accusing the business of supporting Israel's ongoing massacre. Beyond leaving a few stickers on the restaurant's windows, they did no damage and moved on.

The restaurant in question was not just some random mom-and-pop eatery that fell victim to an anti-Semitic pogrom. It is owned by celebrity chef Michael Solomonov, an Israeli government culinary ambassador who appears in Department of Justice Foreign Agent Registration Act documents as an official propagandist for the country's Ministry of Tourism.
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Stop

Court halts imprisonment of meme artist Douglass Mackey amid First Amendment appeal


[your]NEWS
Tue, 05 Dec 2023 00:00 UTC
dougM
© screenshot
Douglass Mackey
In a significant free speech case, a federal appellate court has suspended the 7-month incarceration of Douglass Mackey, whose legal battle revolves around a satirical meme shared during the 2016 presidential election.

A federal appellate court has issued a stay on the 7-month incarceration of Douglass Mackey, known for creating a controversial meme during the 2016 presidential election. The meme in question suggested that supporters of Hillary Clinton could vote via text message. The stay was authorized by Judge Omar Williams of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, according to an official Motion Order.

The Motion Order includes several key steps: Mackey will voluntarily surrender to authorities, and the District Court will then establish conditions for his release. The government retains the right to file future detention petitions against Mackey without prejudice.
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Roses

In memory of Dr. Refaat Alareer: Palestine mourns murder of leading academic, journalist, poet, mentor by Israel


Electronic Intifada
Fri, 08 Dec 2023 18:18 UTC
Dr. Refaat Alareer

Dr. Refaat Alareer
We express our shock, anger and deep sadness at the murder by Israeli occupation forces of our friend and colleague Dr. Refaat Alareer in an airstrike in Gaza City on 6 December.

Refaat was killed along with his brother, sister and four of her children when his sister's home was attacked. Refaat and his family members are now among more than 17,000 Palestinians killed in Israel's ongoing genocide.

We express our deep condolences to Refaat's wife, Nusayba, and their children and other surviving family members, to all his students and former students of whom he was so proud, and to everyone who loved him.

Refaat and his family had already been displaced within Gaza several times after his home was bombed in October.

Comment: X was overflowing with tributes to the man who touched so many lives.





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Light Saber

Dishing it out: 'You are a misogynist': Riley Gaines turns tables after Squad Dem calls her 'transphobic' in congressional hearing

Hannah Nightingale
The Post Millennial
Fri, 08 Dec 2023 18:00 UTC
transgender sports hearings congress riley gaines summer lee
© The Post Millennial
(L) Riley Gaines; (R) Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA)
Speaking before the House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Health and Financial Services on Tuesday, NCAA All-American swimmer Riley Gaines explained why the Biden administration's proposed changes to Title IX regarding women's sports would harm female athletes.

While concluding her opening statement, Gaines took aim at Rep. Summer Lee, who in her own opening statement claimed that the subcommittee would hear "transphobic bigotry" from Gaines and others.

"Ranking Member Lee, if my testimony makes me transphobic, then I believe your opening monologue makes you a misogynist," Gaines said.

"In March of 2022, female swimmers from around the country and I were forced to compete at NCAAs against Lia, formerly Will, Thomas. We watched as this male swam to a women's national title, beating out the most impressive and accomplished female swimmers in the nation, including Olympians and American record holders," Gaines began.

Comment: The Daily Caller adds:
Democratic Pennsylvania Rep. Summer Lee accused Gaines of engaging in "transphobic bigotry" by advocating for biological males to be banned from women's sports. Gaines responded by accusing Lee of misogyny.

"Unsafe, unfair and discriminatory practices towards women must stop. Inclusion cannot be prioritized over safety and fairness," Gaines repsonded. "And Ranking Member Lee, if my testimony makes me transphobic, then I believe your opening monologue makes you a misogynist. Thank you."

An offended Lee then interrupted the next opening statement to demand that Gaines' words be stricken from the record, causing a delay in the proceedings.

"Can I just ask, how it's fair to be called transphobic — " Gaines began before apparently being silenced by Lee.

After conferring with her staff, Lee withdrew the point of order.


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Broom

US embassy in Baghdad hit by heavy rocket fire


The Cradle
Fri, 08 Dec 2023 14:44 UTC
US embassy baghdad attack

US bases in Iraq and Syria have come under near-daily attacks by Iraqi resistance factions since mid-October
A rocket attack was launched against the US embassy in the Green Zone area of the Iraqi capital Baghdad on 8 December, with explosions heard inside the heavily fortified area.

"Probable sounds of impacts were heard" near the embassy and Union III base," an anonymous US military official told AFP.

"We are still awaiting official reports regarding casualties and damage to infrastructure, if any. We are also awaiting official reporting on the type of attack," the official added.

Comment: See also: Israeli shipping firm forced to take route with double journey time after repeated attacks on vessels

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Biohazard

1 dead, 14 hospitalized after contracting Legionnaires' disease in California due to contaminated tap water

Alexa Lardieri
Daily Mail
Thu, 07 Dec 2023 12:00 UTC
Legionnaires

Officials determined a ‘high risk’ zone in the Napa area, which was defined as the area within a one-mile radius around a cluster of patients’ residences. Eight facilities were tested, with seven being in the high-risk radius
A California resident died after drinking tap water that was contaminated with a deadly bacteria.

They were one of more than a dozen people who contracted Legionnaires' disease linked to a poorly-maintained water system in Napa County, about an hour northeast of San Francisco.

The outbreak happened in July 2022 but was only revealed today in a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

CDC investigators traced the cluster of cases to filthy maintenance of several water plant cooling towers, which allowed bacteria to fester and run through pipes into people's houses and their taps — affecting them every time they took a sip of water.

Comment: The above is just one example of how government incompetence and corruption, particularly in the West, is destroying systems and infrastructure critical to life: 57 swimmers sickened at world triathlon championship in UK due to increased dumping of raw sewage into waterways



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