Tomorrow on #HMD2021 we remember victims of the genocidal Nazi regime and of the many acts of other governments in the years since and in today. As it’s @Humanists_UK 125th anniversary and a year for humanist history, I also want to think about the Nazis' humanist victims. 1/9

In 1933 the Nazi government banned humanist and other freethinking and secular groups. Hitler boasted he'd won his ‘fight against the atheist movement’ and ‘stamped it out’. That year Hitler made many speeches saying that only Christian organisations could be permitted 2/9

The largest organisation that found itself banned was the Deutscher Freidenkerbund. It had 600,000 members and was founded just 15 years before @Humanists_UK. Its headquarters were confiscated and given to the Protestant churches, who converted it into a Christian mission 3/9

This is Max Sievers, who was the last chair of the Deutscher Freidenkerbund. He was already in exile in Belgium at the time the ban came into effect. He fled to the USA in 1939 but was denied a visa and returned. He was guillotined for treason in Brandenburg Prison in 1943. 4/9

Humanist culture had long been thriving in Germany (even the English word humanism came to us in the 19th century from the German Humanismus) but the attempted annihilation of it as a culture was very successful, as it was across Europe by both Fascism and Marxist-Leninism 5/9

1. Since many people seem to get the different strains of reaction in Taiwan mixed up, I thought I'd make a thread clearing things up. One thing that both supporters and detractors of China have in common is when they speak on Taiwan, they tend to get many facts wrong.

2. One of the things I've seen pro-China people do is mixing up the positions of the old-school KMT (think Chiang Kai-shek) with the current separatists. Little do they know that until the 1980s, separatism was illegal.

3. They'll say things like "haha, Taiwan thinks it's the REAL China." This is not entirely accurate for many reasons. For one, nobody seriously claims that the "Republic of China" is the sole legitimate government of all of China anymore.

4. Secondly, per the "ROC" constitution itself, Taiwan is but a province of the "ROC." The "ROC" and Taiwan are not one and the same, though there are certainly overlaps. Hardline separatists want to abolish the "ROC" and establish a "Republic of Taiwan."

5. Meanwhile, the DPP, though branding itself as the pro-independence party, is in reality a status-quo party (like the KMT is today). What it does nowadays is blur the line between the "ROC" and Taiwan, and say that Taiwan is already an independent country called the "ROC."

Today is a really significant day in Ireland as the report into the Mother and Baby Homes is finally being published.

It was a cruel system which sought to punish and shame women and girls for the perceived 'sin' of pregnancy outside of 'wedlock'

A quick thread:

(📷 : PA)

The ‘homes’ were religious-run institutions supported by the state and wider society, which operated throughout much of the 20th century; effectively imprisoning and punishing women and girls for transgressing strict religious 'morals' by becoming unmarried mothers

They were a consequence of Ireland’s pathological obsession with sex, religious morality and women’s bodies.

When vulnerable women and girls needed support, we as a society decided to shut them away and punish them instead

The ‘homes’ operated in plain sight in Irish society throughout the last century and saw thousands of children ripped apart from their mothers and put up for adoption against their will, as well as being subjected to physical and emotional abuse

Survivors and their families have spoken of the immense long-lasting and ongoing trauma they’ve suffered.

Many children born into the homes still don’t know who their families are, decades on.

Many mothers still don’t know where their children are or what happened to them

14 January 2020 #MAGAanalysis #Overturn

A Man Isolated, Does He Have The Power?

It's Thursday morning and we're not in a globalized war with China, far as I can tell. I was happy to give Simon, Charlie, and Danielle their time from Tuesday to Wednesday. Where to now?

EFCC Arraigns Ex-bayelsa Governor’s Aide, Two Others, for Alleged N864m Procurement Fraud

A former Senior Special Assistant on Millennium Development Goals to the immediate past Governor of Bayelsa State, Henry Seriake Dickson, Embelekpo Apere,...

...was on Thursday, January 28, 2021 arraigned by the Port Harcourt Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Apere, was arraigned alongside Rollins Allison Amacree, Clever Loveday and a company: Oriazy Global Link Limited before Justice Jane E. Inyang of the Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State...

...on 10-count charges bordering on alleged conspiracy and procurement fraud to the tune of N864,104,000. 00(Eight Hundred and Sixty Four Million, One Hundred and Four Thousand Naira only).

Count 2 of the charges read: "That you, Embelekpo Apere and Rollins Allision Amacree, on or about 2015 and 2016 in Bayelsa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court,...

Canton of Geneva - Wikipedia

Robespierre's death prompted the French invasion of 1798, and the annexation of Geneva which became the capital of the French département du Léman. The Napoleonic army left Geneva on December 30, 1813, and on the next day

“1651 emails in this sort that connect Clinton to al-Qaida and ISIS in both Libya and Syria, demonstrating Clinton supplied weapons to ISIS via Syria.” #Benghazi #ClintonFoundation

David Garrard, a multi-millionaire pro-Israel lobbyist funded the UK Independent Group, also a major financial backer of Labour Friends of Israel, a front group for the Israeli embassy and was recently appointed to its board #LabourLeaks #TheLobby #LFI

Prior to Palestine solidarity activist Jeremy Corbyn becoming party leader in 2015, Garrard donated almost $2 million to Labour under former leaders Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband. #LabourLeals #TheLobby #LFI

Despite leaving the party, Garrard continued to fund individual anti-Corbyn MPs within Labour.

The Independent Group was formed by eight Labour MPs who quit the party.

While they were still in Labour, Garrard funded two of these eight. #LabourLeals #TheLobby #LFI

Garrard donated almost $28,000 to Ian Austin – a leading supporter of Labour Friends of Israel.

Austin to Sky News, “I’ve been campaigning against Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership for years.” Joan Ryan resigned from Labour claiming Corbyn’s “hatred for Israel”.

The official register of donations to MP's shows that in 2016 and 2017, Garrard donated almost $9,000 to Ryan and more than $50,000 to Chuka Umunna. Garrard has also donated almost $20,000 to Tom Watson – who has long opposed Corbyn. #LabourLeaks #StarmerOut #LFI #TheLobby

Council Accountant Bags Jail Term for Fraud In Maiduguri

The Maiduguri Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today January 11, 2021 secured the conviction and sentencing of one Mala Mallam Yawudi to three and a half years in prison...

...before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the State High Court Maiduguri for forgery and stealing to the tune of N645,000.00 (Six Hundred and Forty-Five Thousand Naira).

The convict pleaded guilty to the three-count charge preferred against him by the EFCC.

One of the counts reads: "That you Mala Mallam Yawudi, while being an Accountant of Works Department in Dikwa Local Government Area, Maiduguri, Borno State, sometime in 2014 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court...

...dishonestly misappropriated certain property to wit; the sum of N645,000.00. (Six Hundred and Forty Five Thousand Naira) belonging to Bukar Wakil (now deceased) who was declared dead in November 2015...

...and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 and punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code Cap 102 Laws of Borno State of Nigeria."

TIMELINE OF KEY EVENTS IN PAKISTAN-INDIA HISTORY

Thread

1947/48 - 1st Pak-India War in Oct 47

1949 - Pakistan n India agreed to withdraw all troops behind a mutually agreed Ceasefire Line - 1 Jan

1949 - Agreement on a UNSC resolution calling for referendum in Kashmir

1/n

1954 - Accession of J & K to India is ratified by the state's constituent assembly

1960 - Signing of Indus Water Treaty in Sep

1963 - FMs of India and Pakistan - Swaran Singh and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto - held talks regarding the Kashmir dispute

2/n

1964 - Following the failure of the 1963 talks, Pakistan referred the Kashmir case to the UNSC

1965 - 2nd Pakistan-India War

1966 - On 10 Jan, President Ayub Khan and PM Lal Bahadur Shastri signed an agreement at Tashkent

1971 - 3rd Pakistan-India War

3/n

1972 - On 2 July, PM Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and PM Indira Gandhi signed an agreement in Simla. The agreement designates the ceasefire line of 17 Dec 1971, as the new "Line-of-Control (LoC)"

1973 - India agreed to release Pakistani Prisoners of War held since Dec 1971

4/n

1974 - Kashmiri state govt affirmed that the state "is a constituent unit of the Union of India"

1974 - India detonated a nuclear device at Pokhran on 18 May

1982 - President Zia's official visit to India on 11 Mar.

1986 - Exercise Brasstacks by India close to border

5/n

Amid the hail of accusations that the EU wanted to put a hard border on the island of Ireland last Friday, it's worth pointing out what the ill-fated resort to Article 16 was about:

2/ Under the Commission's trade mechanism, any Covid vaccines leaving the EU for third countries would need export authorisations, ie to ensure vaccines were not being exported which were actually part of an avanced purchase agreement between member states + pharma companies

3/ Any movements of exports from one member state to another would NOT have required such an export authorisation

4/ Because of the NI Protocol, Northern Ireland would typically have availed of NOT having to had export authorisations for any vaccines being sent there from Belgium (or wherever)

5/ However, someone in the Commission spotted the fact that, also under the Protocol, there was unfettered movement of goods between NI and GB

How the Future of India and USA, was determined by the inability of the Austrian Kings Joseph I and Charles VI, to produce male heirs..

When Joseph 1, died of smallpox in 1711, he had two daughters but no son. As a result, his brother Charles VI, succeeded him on the throne

Given that it was 1700s and the presence of a Son was considered paramount for succession, and the Salic law, in effect at that time barred women from inheritance, Charles VI was the last male heir to the throne, unless Charles VI had a son.

Which he didn't.

But he had 2 daughters, Maria Theresa & Maria Anna. Realizing that his kingdom would be divided on his death, he decided to change the law, and allowed his daughters to inherit the kingdom

Which was pretty sad for thhe daughters of his elder brother, Joseph, who he disinherited

Every other European power was smacking their lips in anticipation, of devouring the wonderful Austro Hungarian empire as a sweet desert, as it's division was imminent.

Things came to head in 1740, when Charles VI died and Maria Theresa became the Empress of Austria.

Half the Europen powers, Like France, Prussia and Spain, sided with the daughters of Joseph, because they wanted to takeover Austria

Britain, Dutch and Russia, sided with Maria Theresa.

This resulted in an 8 year war called the war of Austrian Succession, in which 3,00,000 died

𝑨-𝑳𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈
#chengling #xicheng

Jin Ling learned at a very young age that sharing applies to not only his toys and his snacks but his favorite uncle, too.

So when Jiang Yanli and her husband dropped of their son at his uncle’s for their usual Friday night Uncle and Nephew quality time, Jin Ling did not expect he would be spending it with an additional person.

Jin Ling is always excited when Friday’s approaches and this Friday was no different from all the others he’s spent with his Uncle. Jin Ling waves goodbye to his parents as his Uncle picks him up and brings him inside his apartment.

This weekend, Jin Ling and his Uncle are going to finish building the dinosaur lego set. He was so excited he couldn’t contain himself. That is when they reached the inside of his Uncle’s apartment, Jin Ling suddenly felt all his happiness fly away.

There is someone else here and Jin Ling doesn’t know who he is but he already doesn’t like him.

“Jiujiu, who is that?” The six years old asked clinging tighter to Jiang Cheng.

Lan Xichen was politely nervous to meet the owner who has occupied Jiang Cheng’s heart since birth.

.1

WoW

Did YOU know this

“⌚️ 👀 started”
There are more good people than bad. The wizards and warlocks (inside term) will not allow another Satanic Evil POS control our country. Realize Soros, Clintons, Obama, Putin, etc. are all controlled by 3 families (the 4th was removed post Trump's victory).

Longthread: Who motivates the motivators?

#Nospin: I've been a part of the movement for #climatejustice since 2007, telling stories about how we can prevent #climatechaos.
Today, I'm tired. So tired. Please: tell me a motivating story.

1/x

transl. from:

2/x

Fighting & doubting.

"The constant fight for climate justice requires a mental effort that sometimes feels impossible."

May I step out of the role of climate justice agitator, political party basher, and movement romantic for a moment, and be completely honest with you?

3/x
I'm so tired. So very tired, from nearly 13 years of climate justice activism that has accomplished far too little, or come too late. I'm tired of demonstrating and blockading, of giving loud speeches and yelling at people on panels, in newspaper articles, and on twitter.

4/x
So today, in contrast to my usual take-no-prisoners-style, no attacks on the capitalistist fundamentalist within the Green Party and big Greens, or the completely inadequate climate positions of the German Left in general, and Sahra Wagenknecht in particular.

5/x
Today no degrowth propaganda and no #DanniVive-pathos. Today for something completely different, namely, a critical reflection on the style of language and argumentation that I, as a highly privileged bourgeois white male, use in public, and usually also in this column.

After presiding over the backward march of Kenya, politically and economically through the arrogant support of Jubilee, the Kikuyu now have a solution – TO EXTEND JUBILEE MANDATE THRU UHURU’S DEPUTY. seventh thread on Railaphobia

A joke is told of a very difficult restaurant customer who would complain over anything. One day he rejected a chapatti served to him because it was small. The waiter took the chapatti to the kitchen, flipped it over on the other side and returned it to the customer.

It was the same chapatti WITH AN ILLUSION OF CHANGE.I have argued in a past thread that the biggest political fraud unfolding in Kenya is the repackaging of William Ruto from a top Jubilee potentate to a saviour who will lift Kenya from the abyss Jubilee has sunk us

Who is doing this repackaging? You are right: its the Kikuyu community. We defied the call history over ICC. We should have stood with the court to ensure the dragon of impunity was slain once and for all.

We lost the opportunity and now the country is many years backward, almost worse than where it was in 2002. This time, Kikuyu have chosen the wrong side of history AGAIN. They want to renew Jubilee’s mandate with an illusion of change

His nickname was “Sholay”, derived from Sola, a Yoruba name. He was two years ahead of me in high school. He did something that shifted my paradigm and that has stayed with me for four decades. #NewNigeria

The Inter-House Sports Competition was one of the most prominent highlights of the school year back then. But long before the competition that particular year, I observed something unusual. #NewNigeria

Very early in the morning, Sholay would put on his yellow track suit pants and white t-shirt, and run all by himself on the tracks. It did not make sense. The inter-house competition was still several months away. #NewNigeria

The months passed, and it was time for the competition. Sholay came first at the heats and eventually won the gold medals for the 100m, 200m and 4X100m races. I was stunned. My mind made the connection between his preparation and his success. #NewNigeria

That experience made me realise that God gives all opportunities, but most are just not prepared for them. I learned that today was created yesterday. If you’re trying to be ready when you should be ready already, you’re already late. #NewNigeria