Friday, January 24, 2025
The Nordic Times

Polaris of Enlightenment

Friday, January 24, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

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https://nordictimes.com/world/nine-dead-after-pakistani-airstrikes-against-iran/

World

Nine dead after Pakistani airstrikes against Iran

Published 19 January 2024
– By Editorial Staff
There are now concerns in both the West and the East that the conflict will escalate further.
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At least nine people have been killed in Pakistani missile attacks on Iranian targets. Pakistan’s foreign ministry claims the dead were “terrorists” and that the attacks were “precision military strikes”.

Just days after Tehran attacked positions in the neighboring country, Pakistan responded with attacks of its own, reportedly killing at least nine people, many of them children or women.

Pakistani authorities said the strikes targeted “terrorist targets” in the border province of Siestan-o-Baluchistan and claimed to “fully respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran”.

“The sole objective of today’s act was in pursuit of Pakistan’s own security and national interest, which is paramount and cannot be compromised”, it is said.

Iran has demanded an explanation for the attack, but it is doubtful that it will accept Pakistan’s claim that terrorists were killed.

China wants to mediate

Just last Tuesday, Iran struck bases of the Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl inside Pakistan, reportedly killing two children and condemning the attack as an “unprovoked violation” of Pakistani airspace.

The Iranian attack is believed to have motivated Pakistan to carry out the shelling, and it has also recalled its ambassador from Iran and prevented Tehran’s envoy from returning to Islamabad.

Other countries appear to be concerned about a possible escalation of the conflict between Sunni-dominated Pakistan and Shiite-dominated Iran and are urging restraint. China has also offered to mediate the conflict.

– The Chinese side sincerely hopes that the two sides can exercise calm and restraint and avoid an escalation of tension, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said at a press briefing.

– We are also willing to play a constructive role in de-escalating the situation if both sides so wish, she continued.

Russia and the EU are also concerned about the developments, calling for calm and dialogue, while the US is content to criticize Iran’s attacks.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/world/german-chancellor-freedom-of-expression-does-not-apply-to-far-right-extremists/

World

German Chancellor: “Freedom of expression does not apply to far-right extremists”

Totalitarianism

Published yesterday 7:36
– By Editorial Staff
Olaf Scholz with Klaus Schwab during this year's World Economic Forum conference in Davos.
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The Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz now openly admits that only those who hold the “right” opinions are covered by European freedom of speech.

– We have the freedom of speech in Europe and in Germany. Everyone can say what he wants, even if he is a billionaire. And what we do not accept is if this is supporting extreme-right positions, and I really want to emphasize that, Scholz said yesterday during the World Economic Forum summit in Davos.

The German leader’s comments came against the backdrop of Elon Musk causing a stir during Trump’s inauguration ceremony after making a gesture that many of his opponents chose to interpret as a “Nazi” or “fascist” salute.

The same Musk has previously criticized Scholz very harshly, calling the chancellor an “incompetent fool” who should resign. The multi-billionaire has also given his support to the German nationalist party AfD – a party that many of Scholz’s allies want to ban completely.

Surprise and anger

Germany has long had some of the toughest opinion laws in Europe. Nationalist and anti-immigration speech is often punishable – as is speech that can be interpreted as favorable to the historic National Socialist regime.

Yet Scholz’s statements that only certain political views are covered by freedom of expression have caused great surprise and anger. He is also accused of being a totalitarian leader who seems to have drawn inspiration from old communist regimes where freedom of expression did not exist.

Other critics point out that he has misunderstood both his mandate and the German constitution and that even “extreme right-wing views” are protected by the constitution – as long as they do not violate criminal law.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/world/trump-issues-1500-pardons-tied-to-capitol-protests/

World

Trump issues 1,500 pardons tied to Capitol protests

Donald Trump's USA

Published 22 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Trump has described those convicted as “hostages” and previously promised to release them.
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As promised, Donald Trump has issued a sweeping pardon for more than 1,500 people who were involved in various ways in the so-called storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The pardon, signed shortly after Trump’s presidential inauguration, covers nearly everyone who has been charged or convicted in connection with those events and includes people previously convicted of various degrees of crimes – from minor misdemeanors to serious violent offenses.

Among those pardoned are Stewart Rhodes, founder of the group Oath Keepers, who was previously sentenced to 18 years in prison, Enrique Tarrio, former leader of the Proud Boys, who served a 22-year prison sentence, and Jacob Chansley, known as the “QAnon Shaman”. The pardon applies to both those already serving sentences and those whose trials are still ongoing.

Relatives and supporters of the pardoned have gathered outside prisons to celebrate the decision, arguing that these are political prisoners who were illegally detained by the Biden administration and have now been released.

They argue that the judicial processes have been characterized by extreme legal uncertainty, with many of those who participated in the protests being sentenced to several years in prison on very arbitrary grounds, despite the fact that they do not appear to have acted in a threatening or violent manner. Instead, many in the MAGA community believe that most of the sentences were purely political and that the main purpose was to deter similar protests against those in power in the future.

“A defining moment”

– We are deeply thankful for President Trump for his actions today, said James Lee Bright, a lawyer representing Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes,

– This marks a pivotal moment in our client’s life, and it symbolizes a turning point for our nation. We are optimistic for the future, as we now turn the page on this chapter, embracing new possibilities and opportunities, commented Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio’s lawyer Nayib Hassan.

However, left-liberal politicians and media outlets are raging against the decision, claiming that many of those pardoned are dangerous “extremists” – a criticism that Trump himself does not seem to attach much importance to.

He has described those convicted as “hostages” who have had their lives destroyed.

– They’ve served years in jail, and, if you look at the American public, the American public is tired of it.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/world/trump-initiates-us-withdrawal-from-who-again/

World

Trump initiates US withdrawal from WHO – again

Donald Trump's USA

Published 22 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO and Donald Trump sign the withdrawal agreement.
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Donald Trump has announced that the United States will leave the World Health Organization (WHO). This is the second time the President has tried to leave the UN body.

On Monday, his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order to begin the process of withdrawing from the WHO, citing the organisation’s handling of COVID-19, lack of reforms and its alleged dependence on political influence from member states.

During the COVID-19 crisis, the WHO advocated for forced vaccinations and recommended lockdowns. It has also been criticized for trying to influence private lives through advice such as refraining from hugging each other during Christmas. The UN agency’s actions during the pandemic have been widely criticized, with some arguing that the organization should make amends for the harmful consequences of the lockdowns.

Trump also points out that the organization is demanding “unfairly onerous payments from the United States”, which are completely disproportionate to the assessed payments of other countries.

“China, with a population of 1.4 billion, has 300 percent of the population of the United States, yet contributes nearly 90 percent less to the WHO“, the White House writes.

Attempted to withdraw as early as 2020

This is not the first time Trump has tried to withdraw from the WHO. He took steps to leave the organization in 2020, accusing it then of aiding China in efforts to “mislead the world” about the origins of COVID-19. Joe Biden then reversed the decision when he took over as President.

The United States has been a member of the WHO since its creation in 1948 and its withdrawal would make it the only major power not in the organization, which currently has 194 members.

Within 12 months, the US will have left the organization, according to Trump.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/world/left-liberal-outrage-after-musks-gesture/

World

Left-liberal outrage after Musk’s gesture

Donald Trump's USA

Published 21 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Elon Musk's notable gesture.
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During Trump’s inauguration ceremony yesterday, Elon Musk drew attention when he ended a speech with a gesture in which he clutched his chest and raised his arm upwards at an angle twice.

Outraged left-liberal media and opinion makers quickly accused Musk of making a “Nazi” salute – but he himself seems to be taking the storm of criticism in stride.

After a short speech in which Musk emphasized the importance of Trump’s election victory, he made a somewhat unusual gesture in which he first slapped his right hand across his chest and then extended it diagonally with an open hand. The gesture was repeated twice during his appearance.

Accusations quickly began to fly that the world’s richest man had made a “Hitler salute” – and several TV channels covering the ceremony chose to pause their regular coverage and instead focus on discussing the purpose of the arm gesture and whether it should be seen as “Nazi”, “fascist” or something else entirely.

“US billionaire Elon Musk appeared to make a Heil Hitler salute at the Washington DC Trump parade”, wrote the Jerusalem Post, for example, and the UK’s The Guardian claimed that “Elon Musk appears to make back-to-back fascist salutes“.

“So tiresome”

However, the multi-billionaire himself does not seem to be particularly bothered by all the fuss, writing on X that his opponents “need better dirty tricks”.

“The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired”, he notes.

Somewhat unexpectedly, the tech mogul has also received support from the Jewish lobbying organization ADL, which tracks and monitors alleged anti-Semitic activity around the world.

“It seems that Elon Musk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge”, it said in a statement.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com