Notices by Hippy Steve (exador23@m.ai6yr.org)

#Covid is nearly as prevalent in #LosAngeles #wastewater as it was during prior ~holiday~ surges... and is still rising fast.

Act accordingly.

UN Special Rapporteur nails the situation in Gaza. It's ethnic cleansing, genocide, domicide, and a "a very grave war crime under international law, particularly given Israel’s status as an occupying power."

He likens it to a 'turkey shoot':

"They are just doing target practice on the people of Gaza"

Reports that a #Belgium TV channel interrupted #Eurovision with a message about Israel’s genocide and repression of the free press.

“This is a union action. We condemn the human rights violations committed by Israel. Additionally, Israel is destroying press freedom. That is why we are pausing the broadcast for a moment. #CeaseFireNow #StopGenocide"

#Union action

DemocracyNow: Two accidents on Boeing 737 passenger jets took place Thursday. In Senegal, a 737-300 caught fire & skidded off the runway as it was preparing to take off, injuring at least 10 people. In Turkey, a tire on a Boeing 737-800 aircraft burst upon landing. The 190 people on board were safely evacuated. Just 1 day earlier, a Boeing 767 FedEx plane landed at Istanbul airport without its front landing gear deployed, its nose hitting the runway.

The trio of accidents come as another whistleblower formerly employed by Boeing’s largest supplier, came forward. Santiago Paredes told reporters he used to regularly find up to 200 defects on fuselages that were being delivered to Boeing.

Recap of the day's events in #Gaza from AlJazeera.

It's pretty clear that the invasion of #Rafah has begun. Biden's "red line" was scribed with invisible ink.

The savagery and violence of some Israeli citizens needs to be reigned in. Maybe if their police forces weren't busy assaulting families of the hostages protesting for a ceasefire to bring their relatives home, they could bring some rule of law to their citizenry.

Without strong action by the Israeli government, we should consider them a failed pariah state, not 'the only democracy in the mideast'

Philippe Lazzarini is the Commissioner-General of
#UNRWA

☝︎TLDR: Armed Israeli residents set fire TWICE to the #UNRWA headquarters in East #Jerusalem last night while staff were inside. The mob was chanting "Burn down the #UnitedNations."

Israeli police and fire were slow to respond, forcing the director and staff to try fighting the fire themselves while surrounded by an armed mob - very dangerous.

This is the second attack in a week, and protests by similar angry mobs have been ongoing for 2 months - called by member of the #Jerusalem govt. And staff have faced harassment and intimidation and guns pulled on them.

So the compound is being closed until #Israel can ensure it's protection as required by #InternationalLaw

A couple hours later, and "UNRWA Jerusalem" search reveals BBC, The Guardian, and AP have all added stories about the attack on their compound by an armed Israel mob that set fire to it.

Still no Reuters, NYTimes, Wapo, etc showing up via search yet. But at least AP picking it up means a number of local US papers that rely on their content will probably print the news.

What sort of world are we living in, where an attack on a UN facility isn't big and immediate news???

Once again, I can currently find no western news articles about the attack on UNRWA headquarters in Jerusalem.

Searches on both Google and DuckDuckGo for "UNRWA attack" and "UNRWA fire" are either non-western sources, or are about the allegations of Hamas affiliated staff. "UNRWA Jerusalem" provided the most relevant results, but again, no western sources show up.

Where are you Reuters? BBC?

Freelance Journalist (and labor activist) Talia Jane:

This morning, students at #Columbia University picketed outside the homes of three trustees.

At two of the three locations, random harassers suckerpunched student picketers. At one, a car drove into a student. NYPD arrested the victim.

The attacker is Reuven Kahane, a cousin of Meir Kahane, the late fascist founder of the JDL and the murderous #Kahanist movement in occupied Palestine

Student picketer who was struck by Kahane this morning was detained and is in the hospital, handcuffed to a bed, awaiting x-rays. Early reports of a wrist injury.

but wait... it gets worse...

Palestinian media are reporting that IDF tanks are advancing on eastern #Rafah. It would appear that the invasion is in progress.

To the best of my knowledge the tanks are simply amassing at the #Rafah crossing and the invasion has not yet begun. (although bombing of Rafah is intense, with some reports saying those tanks are involved in the bombing)

from Reuters: The United States is concerned about Israel's latest strikes against the southern Gaza city of Rafah but does not believe they represent a major military operation, a U.S. official said on Monday. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-05-06/ty-article-live/idf-three-soldiers-killed-near-gaza-border/0000018f-4ba4-dcda-abcf-6ba7979b0006

These lesser evil arguments are dropping like flies.

Just watched video of the police assault on UCLA students last night. Clearly shows them firing a lot of rubber bullets into the encampment. completely unnecessary risk to student safety.

Also, why in the world was CHP the lead agency? UCLA is not a Highway.

The pro-genocide mob at #UCLA specifically targeted student journalists just as Israel targets journalists in Gaza.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-05-01/four-student-journalists-attacked-by-counterprotesters-at-ucla

Catherine Hamilton, 21, told The Times she recognized one who had previously harassed her & taken pictures of her press badge. The individual instructed the group to encircle the student journalists, before they sprayed them with pepper spray, & chanted Hamilton’s name.

As she tried to break free, she was punched repeatedly in the chest & upper abdomen; another student journalist was pushed to the ground & beaten & kicked for nearly a minute.

Hamilton went to the hospital, when the bruising made it difficult for her to breathe.

#ProtectJournalists

Axios: Israel rejects U.S. request to approve missile transfer to Ukraine https://www.axios.com/2022/05/25/israel-rejects-spike-missile-ukraine-germany-russia

Israel turned down a US request to allow Berlin to supply Ukraine with anti-tank missiles produced in Germany with Israeli technology under an Israeli license, 2 US & Israeli officials said.

Eshel rejected the request, telling Kahl that Israel will only supply Ukraine with nonlethal military equipment, the officials said.

A senior Israeli official said Israel is concerned Russian soldiers will be killed by Israeli-made weapons, which could lead to Russia harming Israeli security interests in Syria.
___

How long are you gonna let Bibi cuckold you Biden. Cut off military aid to him now.

what?!?

DemocracyNow: The New York Court of Appeals overturned the 2020 rape conviction of Harvey Weinstein Thursday and called for a new trial, in a stunning development to the historic case.

US far-right outlet Gateway Pundit declares bankruptcy
Website announces bankruptcy amid multiple defamation lawsuits related to 2020 presidential election. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2024/4/25/us-far-right-outlet-gateway-pundit-declares-bankruptcy

No. that's a paywall. If I can't see content without giving you something (in this case, personal data,) then it is a paywall.

Say what now?

Secret Service agent assigned to Kamala Harris hospitalized after exhibiting "distressing behavior," officials say https://www.cbsnews.com/news/secret-service-agent-assigned-to-kamala-harris-exhibits-distressing-behavior/

Two sources briefed on the situation told CBS News the agent spouted gibberish, was speaking incoherently and provoked another officer physically.

According to sources, the agent in question pushed the special agent in charge while they were near the lounge of Joint Base Andrews.

The agent was immediately handcuffed and detained by other Secret Service agents who intervened, sources said, and ambulances were called to the scene. After an initial medical evaluation, the agent was admitted to a hospital, sources said.