'They deserve to be eaten': Ex-GOP GOV has no sympathy for MAGA billionaires

Matthew Chapman
December 27, 2024 

Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy (Photos via Reuters)

Former Illinois GOP Rep. Joe Walsh has no sympathy for billionaires who fell in with MAGA only to realize the movement adamantly opposes the workforce policies needed for their businesses to thrive.

He reacted to the commentary on X Friday of AQR Capital Management managing principal Clifford Asness, who wrote of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy's civil war with Trump influencers over H1-B work visas: "TFW you realize the mob you created may not be all yours... Btw, Musk and Ramaswamy are clearly right."

"Musk and Ramaswamy are right — when it comes to immigration," agreed Walsh, who abandoned the GOP over what he saw as their unwavering loyalty to Trump over the Constitution. "And you are right — Musk & Ramaswamy are being eaten right now by an intolerant, nationalistic mob that they played a large role in helping to create. They both deserve to be eaten by their mob."

H1-B visas are used to grant work authorization to foreign workers, usually to highly skilled white-collar jobs like software engineering.

In recent days, Trump supporters have been whipped into a xenophobic frenzy against this program, and in particular Indian tech workers, accusing them of stealing job opportunities from Americans.

Far-right Trump ally and failed Florida congressional candidate Laura Loomer has been a highly visible presence in the debate, picking public fights with Musk and accusing him of hijacking the MAGA movement for the benefit of billionaires. She and some others who have criticized Musk are reportedly finding themselves being stripped of premium features on X, which they believe to be retaliation for their criticism.

'Has MAGA been duped?' Trump fans freak out over new plan from unelected 'DOGE twins'

Tom Boggioni
December 27, 2024 
RAW STORY

An online civil war between hardcore Donald Trump "America First" partisans and the men whom the president-elect chose to head up his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has spilled onto Trump's Truth Social media platform.

The war began with a spat when longtime Trump supporter Laura Loomer lashed out at Trump's choice of tech entrepreneur Sriram Krishnan, who was born in India and is an avid supporter of removing caps on H-1B visas, as his senior policy adviser on artificial intelligence.

That, in turn, set off a battle on X with both Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who pushed back at Loomer which in turn led to ugly attacks about the two leeching onto Trump for their own tech industry purposes and Musk firing back at Loomer for "trolling" for clicks.

Over on Truth Social under the #DOGE hashtag, supporters of Trump sided with Loomer and have begun questioning the motives of what some are calling the "DOGE twins."

ALSO READ: Trump is already walking back on his promises

AmericanGal_69, whose bio claims she lives in Tennessee and boasts, "The Constitution cause those are my God given rights," leveled accusations that the MAGA movement may have been defrauded.


In a post where she tagged the president-elect, she wrote, "Some dumb a-- comments from folks that are blinded by false prophets.

"Do your research. I knew all this crap was coming from him and CONSWAMY. Did @realDonaldTrump know?" she asked. "Is he in on it? Has #MAGA been duped? Let's see how the Boss @realDonaldTrump @TeamTrump reacts to all the negative feedback on the #DOGE twins."

USMC Veteran BlackBeardsFlag chimed in, "#Doge and #ElonMusk want to outsource our jobs instead of America first. They love H1B visas for cheap labor."

"How about a complete moratorium on immigration? That sounds about my speed, but then I'm #AmericaFirst #MAGA #Doge needs to hush #Truth #MAHA #Trump #elonmusk," wrote AnneOfTheWest whose bio states, "Pro-West, anti immigration. Christian, conservative, and a Patriot. Men are men, women are women. Return this country to what it was."

"Deport ALL illegal aliens with a lifetime ban from re-entering the US. NO EXCEPTIONS," is the bio for TruthSayer who also joined the pile-on by warning, "@realDonaldTrump, we didn't support you so you could bring and keep more foreign nationals here to further drain our resources. #AmericansFirst! Student visas in the US are hideously abused by foreign agitators, activists, fake-student criminals, and visa overstayers. We should NOT offer green cards to ANY US college graduate to encourage more to come or stay. Student grants, scholarships, school resources, and student housing, should be for AMERICANS FIRST. We should stop the importation of legions of student visas and focus on offering better opportunities for AMERICAN students instead! #RestrictStudentVisas"

Another Truth Social user raised red flags that Musk is impacting Loomer's reach.

"Kiss #Doge goodbye after the last 24 hours. Elon, aka Jack Dorsey 2.0 just took blue ✅ s from @LauraLoomer 💩 new rules w/ update seems to be deboosting the #MAGA Conservatives voices," wrote "pro-life scientist" Michael Szumega.

"There are at least 1.5 million illegal aliens living in the U.S. awaiting deportation that are not in custody. Perhaps we should pause immigration, with few exceptions, until they are removed. Then we can have a conversation about changes to legal immigration," contributed Alx who has a pinned picture of himself with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on his Truth Social page.

'Scam by the oligarchs!' Steve Bannon piles on Elon Musk in MAGA civil war

Matthew Chapman
December 27, 2024 

RAW STORY

Steve Bannon. (Gage Skidmore)

Former Donald Trump adviser turned far-right pundit Steve Bannon came down hard against tech billionaire Elon Musk in the battle that flared up this week between right-wing businessmen and the MAGA activist class, The New Republic reported on Friday.

The heart of the issue is the H1-B visa system, which is used to give work permits to high-skilled white collar workers, like software engineers, who want to immigrate to the U.S. Musk, who was born in South Africa and ironically has been reported as once having worked illegally in the U.S. himself, relies on these programs at many of his companies, which puts him at odds with much of the MAGA community that not only wants to crack down on illegal immigration, but restrict legal immigration as well.

A growing xenophobic backlash in the far-right against Indian tech workers in particular, triggered by Trump's nomination of Sriram Krishnan as an AI policy adviser, has added fuel to the fire

Bannon, who lauded Musk for helping Trump win the election but just a year prior was blasting him as selling "snake oil," made it clear which side he is on in a new tirade in his "War Room" show on Friday.

“H-1B visas? That’s not what it’s about. It’s about taking American jobs and bringing over essentially what have become indentured servants at lower wages,” said Bannon. “This thing’s a scam by the oligarchs in Silicon Valley to basically take jobs from American citizens, give them to what become indentured servants from foreign countries, and then pay ‘em less. Simple. To let them in through the golden door.”

Bannon's commentary comes shortly after Laura Loomer, a self-described "Proud Islamophobe," Trump confidante, and multiple-time failed congressional candidate in Florida, blew up at Musk on his own X platform for the same reason. "The elephant in the room is that Elon Musk, who is not MAGA and never has been, is a total f------ drag on the Trump transition," she raged. "He's a stage 5 clinger who over stayed his welcome at Mar-a-Lago in an effort to... be the point man for all his accomplices in big Tech to slither in."

According to Loomer, her premium subscription and monetization on Musk's platform were summarily revoked shortly after she fired off her criticisms.

'There are rules on X?': Trump ally mocked for social media ban while MAGA rages

Sarah K. Burris
December 27, 2024 
RAW STORY

Elon Musk. (Photo credit: Frederic Legrand - COMEO / Shutterstock )

Far-right Donald Trump ally Laura Loomer was suspended from Elon Musk's social media site X after spending hours attacking him for not being a true MAGA fan.

Musk began by telling the world to ignore her, but it didn't take long for Loomer to be suspended for 12 hours, claiming she broke the X terms of service.

Furious MAGA allies demanded to know what rule she broke.

The behavioral science and politics podcast "The Shallow State" posted, "THIS is a megalomaniac. We'll discuss this as part of our next edition of Banters, a little later today. In a tweet at midnight, Musk referred to the people he slammed as 'subtards.' Here's the message from Loomer's newly derailed account."

All legal analyst Aaron Parnas could do was burst out laughing via text.

It became part of commentator and legal analyst Jennifer Taub's morning rundown as well. "Love your news served with an extra helping of crazy town?"

"There are rules on X?" asked MSNBC host Katie Phang.

Others mocked Musk for his "free speech" promises while suspending someone's free speech on his platform.

Ultimately, even Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) stepped in to defend Musk's opinions on immigration.

"Good gracious, I came out of Christmas bliss to see arguments about American labor vs H1-B imported labor and MAGA split over this issue. Good, that means everyone is engaged in saving this country. Here is some tough reality for some of you: There are some big MAGA voices," she wrote.

One of the debates was over a new hire of pro-immigration advocate, Sriram Krishnan.

Tom Wellborn of "The Political Mix" explained that the hire "ignited backlash from extremists like Laura Loomer, exposing the fault lines between anti-immigrant zealots and corporate elites who depend on foreign talent to stay competitive. MAGA’s contradictions are imploding."

Musk moved to the U.S. in 1995 under the guise that he was going to attend Stanford University. However, Musk never enrolled in his graduate studies program there. The Washington Post reported in October that the move meant Musk was working illegally in the U.S. for a time. Investors in his first company were concerned that he would be deported at any moment.

Woman accused of setting apartment on fire in 'satanic ritual' to stop 'witchcraft traps'

Sarah K. Burris
December 27, 2024

RAW STORY

A Wisconsin woman has been arrested and now faces an arson charge after authorities said she lit her apartment on fire during what she called a "satanic ritual."

Charmilia Jeffries, 36, of Milwaukee, asked her son to take out the smoke detectors in the apartment, calling them suspicious, Law&Crime and local ABC affiliate WISN reported.

"They been sitting me up, putting witchcraft traps around my house," she told police, according to the criminal complaint.

Jeffries was arrested on Dec. 21 and was held at the Milwaukee County Jail on a $7,5000 bond.

The case will likely involve questions about whether a religious ceremony that causes a fire can be considered arson, which requires intentionality. There could also be legal questions about Jeffries' competency to stand trial.

Arson charges in Wisconsin are classified as a felony, and penalties depend on the type of property that was set aflame.

'They don't understand': US Lawmaker smacks down TikTok defenders as Trump fights looming ban

Daniel Hampton
December 27, 2024 

RAW STORY

TikTok's logo. (Shutterstock)

A Michigan Democrat took a shot at supporters of TikTok as President-elect Donald Trump tries to block a looming ban set to take effect next month.

Trump on Friday asked the Supreme Court to hit the brakes on a law that could ban the popular social media site nationwide starting Jan. 19 if its owner, who is Chinese, doesn’t sell it to an American company.

Rep. Debbie Dingell on Friday evening called the issue "difficult" — but said lawmakers in both chambers passed the bill for the good of the country.

"This was a very difficult decision for me, Wolf," said Dingell on "The Situation Room" with host Wolf Blitzer. "It is national security versus the millions and millions of users that we have in this country. But the fact of the matter is, is that a significant majority in both the House and the Senate, in a very bipartisan way, voted for this because of the reasons that we got."

Dingell acknowledged that while young people — who are largely the main users of the app — voted for Trump, she and her colleagues have a "responsibility" to protect national security.

"They also don't understand how much of their information is being tracked, how it will be used in the future, etc. The Supreme Court needs to make its findings on a Constitutional basis. The president has the right to express his opinion. And I hope the Supreme Court makes its findings based on the law that was passed and the Constitution."

Dingell also weighed in on a massive split in MAGA land over H1B visas, and pointed out Republicans — much like her party — are finding immigration reform a "difficult issue.

"While Musk is concerned about Silicon Valley and technology, we have a lot of farmers, we have a lot of small businesses that also are looking at these kinds of issues," she said.

Dingell called for ensuring the government is investing in American workers, including training them.

"We need engineers in this country, we need those skilled trades," she said.

The recent schism further shows "there's a reason" comprehensive immigration reform has been so tough for both parties, she said.


Dingell also called on her party to improve how it talks to workers about issues that matter to them, including the cost of eggs.

"We as Democrats do a lousy job at times just talking to the working men and women of this country," she said.

She added: "We did a bad job of that" — and while Trump didn't, he faces a steep challenge in addressing those problems.

Watch the clip below or at this link.

Trump asks US Supreme Court to pause law threatening TikTok ban


By AFP
December 27, 2024


Trump was fiercely opposed to TikTok during his 2017-21 first term, but has since changed his tune - Copyright AFP Patrick T. Fallon

US President-elect Donald Trump filed a brief Friday urging the Supreme Court to pause a law that would ban TikTok the day before his January 20 inauguration if it is not sold by its Chinese owner ByteDance.

“In light of the novelty and difficulty of this case, the court should consider staying the statutory deadline to grant more breathing space to address these issues,” Trump’s legal team wrote, to give him “the opportunity to pursue a political resolution.”

Trump was fiercely opposed to TikTok during his 2017-21 first term, and tried in vain to ban the video app on national security grounds.

The Republican voiced concerns — echoed by political rivals — that the Chinese government might tap into US TikTok users’ data or manipulate what they see on the platform.

US officials had also voiced alarm over the popularity of the video-sharing app with young people, alleging that its parent company is subservient to Beijing and that the app is used to spread propaganda, claims denied by the company and the Chinese government.

Trump called for a US company to buy TikTok, with the government sharing in the sale price, and his successor Joe Biden went one stage further — signing a law to ban the app for the same reasons.

Trump has now, however, reversed course.

“Now (that) I’m thinking about it, I’m for TikTok, because you need competition,” he recently told Bloomberg.

“If you don’t have TikTok, you have Facebook and Instagram — and that’s, you know, that’s Zuckerberg.”

Facebook, founded by Mark Zuckerberg and part of his Meta tech empire, was among the social media networks that banned Trump after attacks by his supporters on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The ban was driven by concerns that he would use the platform to promote more violence.

Those bans on major social media platforms were later lifted.

In the brief filed on Friday, Trump’s lawyer made it clear the president-elect did not take a position on the legal merits of the current case.

“President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute,” John Sauer wrote in the amicus curiae — or “friend of the court” — brief.

“Instead, he respectfully requests that the court consider staying the act’s deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case, thus permitting President Trump’s incoming Administration the opportunity to pursue a political resolution of the questions at issue in the case.”

DEI

Costco hits back at right-wing think tank push to cripple its diversity program

Matthew Chapman
December 27, 2024 6
RAW STORY

Shopping carts are seen at the Costco store ahead of Black Friday in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., November 27, 2024. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

An activist group of shareholders backed by a right-wing think tank are trying to pressure the bulk wholesaler club store Costco into dropping its diversity, equity and inclusion policies — but the company is pushing back — hard, reported CNN on Friday.

According to the report, Costco's board of directors "unanimously recommended that its shareholders vote against a proposal brought by a conservative think tank, the National Center for Public Policy Research, that would require Costco to evaluate and issue a report on the financial risks of maintaining its diversity and inclusion goals. The group criticized Costco for possible 'illegal discrimination' against employees who are 'white, Asian, male or straight.'"

However, Costco's board noted that its diversity policies improved sales — and accused the think tank of disguising a culture war battle as a risk management policy.

“Among other things, a diverse group of employees helps bring originality and creativity to our merchandise offerings, promoting the ‘treasure hunt’ that our customers value,” said Costco. “We believe (and member feedback shows) that many of our members like to see themselves reflected in the people in our warehouses with whom they interact.”

Furthermore, the statement continued, “The supporting statement demonstrates that it is the proponent and others that are responsible for inflicting burdens on companies with their challenges to longstanding diversity programs. The proponent’s broader agenda is not reducing risk for the company but abolition of diversity initiatives.”

DEI is a broad range of policies around training, employee resources, and hiring intended to both boost representation of overlooked races, ethnicities, and disabilities, and make employees in those groups more comfortable contributing. Costco's DEI program includes a "diversity officer" and "a supplier program that focuses on expanding with small and diverse businesses," according to the report.

These programs have generated backlash from right-wing activists, legal challengers, and some consumers, fueled in part by a recent study suggesting some DEI programs increase workplace hostility. Companies such as Walmart, John Deere, and Tractor Supply have modified or reversed their programs in response to the tension.

H5N1

New bird flu mutation discovered in US as cat infections cause alarm

RAW FOOD AND MILK INFECTED

By AFP
December 27, 2024


A colorized transmission electron micrograph of avian influenza A H5N1 virus particles (blue), grown in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells - Copyright National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/AFP/File HANDOUT
Issam AHMED

The ongoing spread of bird flu in the United States has alarmed experts — not just because of human cases causing severe illness, but also due to troubling new instances of infections in cats.

A sample of the virus found in a critically ill patient in the United States has shown signs of mutating to better suit human airways, although there is no indication it has spread beyond that individual, authorities report.

Earlier this month, officials announced that an elderly Louisiana patient was in “critical condition” with a severe H5N1 infection.

An analysis posted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Thursday revealed that a small percentage of the virus in the patient’s throat carried genetic changes that could increase the virus’s ability to bind to certain cell receptors found in the human upper respiratory tract.

Importantly, the CDC noted that these changes have not been detected in birds — including in the backyard poultry flock believed to have been the source of the patient’s initial infection.

Instead, the agency said the mutations were “likely generated by replication of this virus in the patient with advanced disease,” emphasizing that no transmission of the mutated strain to other humans had been identified.

Several experts contacted by AFP cautioned that it was too early to determine whether these changes would make the virus more transmissible or more severe in people.

Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, explained that while the mutation might help the virus enter cells more easily, additional evidence — such as animal testing — would be needed to confirm any effect on transmissibility.

Moreover, similar mutations have occurred in previous critically ill patients without leading to broader outbreaks.

“It’s good to know we should be looking out for this,” Rasmussen said, “but it doesn’t actually tell us, ‘Oh, we’re this much closer to a pandemic now.'”

Thijs Kuiken of Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands agreed.

“Efficient attachment to human upper respiratory tract cells is necessary, but not sufficient, for more efficient transmissibility between people,” he said, adding that the process is just one among several steps required for successful viral replication.

Rather than intensifying disease, Kuiken pointed out, such adaptations might actually result in milder infections by favoring cells in the upper respiratory tract — causing symptoms like a runny nose or sore throat — rather than affecting the lower respiratory tract, which leads to more severe pneumonia.


– ‘Rapid evolutionary leaps’ possible –


Rasmussen expressed bigger concerns about the sheer volume of bird flu currently circulating.

The CDC has reported 65 confirmed human cases in 2024, and many more may go undetected among dairy and poultry workers.

This widespread circulation, Rasmussen warned, increases the likelihood of the virus mixing with seasonal influenza, potentially triggering “rapid evolutionary leaps,” similar to events that caused the 1918 and 2009 flu pandemics.

Researchers are also keeping a close eye on the mounting cases of bird flu infections in cats.

A cat in Oregon died after consuming raw pet food confirmed to be contaminated with H5N1, prompting a recall of Northwest Naturals’ Feline Turkey Recipe raw and frozen pet food.

“This cat was strictly an indoor cat; it was not exposed to the virus in its environment,” said state veterinarian Ryan Scholz in a statement. Genome sequencing showed that the virus in the pet food matched exactly the strain found in the cat.

In Washington State, twenty big cats at a sanctuary also died recently after contracting bird flu, the Wild Felid Advocacy Center of Washington wrote on Facebook.

Rasmussen warns that infected outdoor cats could return home and expose people to the virus through close contact.

“If you have an outdoor cat that gets H5 from eating a dead bird,” she explained, “and that cat comes back into your house and you’re snuggling with it, you’re sleeping with it… that creates additional exposure risk.”

'We are screwed': Virologists warn about disease they say could become the next pandemic

Brad Reed
December 27, 2024 
RAW STORY


Cows (Shutterstock)

A new report from PBS highlights the potential danger of bird flu turning into a full-blown pandemic in the United States.

In particular, PBS spoke with several experts who said the United States has been behind the ball when it comes to keeping a handle on the pandemic and they point to the fact that the United States Department of Agriculture has only recently started testing milk nationwide for bird flu contamination.

"It's disheartening to see so many of the same failures that emerged during the COVID-19 crisis reemerge," explained Tom Bollyky, the director of the Council on Foreign Relations' Global Health Program.

Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, expressed a similar dismay at the American government's slow response to bird flu so far.

“We are in a terrible situation and going into a worse situation,” she said. “I don’t know if the bird flu will become a pandemic, but if it does, we are screwed.”

Tom Peacock, a bird flu researcher at the Pirbright Institute in the United Kingdom, said that the real danger could come if the bird flu virus mutates in a way that makes it easily transmissible between humans.

“Even if there’s only a 5 percent chance of a bird flu pandemic happening, we’re talking about a pandemic that probably looks like 2020 or worse,” he told PBS. “The U.S. knows the risk but hasn’t done anything to slow this down."

US Treasury secretary warns another crisis is coming unless 'extraordinary measures' taken

Matthew Chapman
December 27, 2024 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen speaks at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City, U.S., October 17, 2024.

 REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo

Outgoing Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen issued a dire warning that "extraordinary measures" will need to be taken to avoid a default on U.S. debt if Congress does not act to raise the debt ceiling soon, The New York Times reported Friday.

Yellen's warning, notes the report, comes "at a fractious political moment. Republicans are set to take control of Washington next month ... The debt limit was suspended in June 2023 after a contentious negotiation over federal spending, work requirements for receiving government benefits and funding for the Internal Revenue Service. That suspension is scheduled to expire on Jan. 2, forcing Treasury to begin using so-called extraordinary measures to allow the federal government to keep paying its bills."

Trump, who is hoping to push through an extension of the income tax provisions of his sweeping tax cut legislation from 2017, has called on Congress to abolish the debt ceiling altogether, complaining that the new deadline is a "nasty trap" set by Democrats.

Such a move could benefit both parties in the long run — but for the time being, Democrats appear adamantly opposed to this, at least as long as it is perceived as funding Trump's policy agenda. In reality, the debt ceiling is a limit on servicing debt that has already been incurred by past spending, not new spending.

Another issue for Trump is that several far-right House Republicans are adamantly opposed, on principle, to any increase in the debt ceiling, one of the most prominent in this group being Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX).

Trump has responded to Roy's obstinacy with threats to back a primary challenge against him.

Mozambique's major cities paralyzed by post-election unrest

Isaac Kaledzi | Romeu da Silva in Maputo, Mozambique

DW

Post-election violence has spread across Mozambique, paralyzing cities and disrupting daily life. As the chaos escalates, the United Nations has called for calm and a peaceful resolution.

Mozambique has been gripped by violent protests for about two months since the electoral commission said the ruling Frelimo party had retained power

Image: AMILTON NEVES/AFP

Major cities in Mozambique were without key human and business activities on Friday as post-election violence in the country spread. Some businesses, including banks, were closed in the capital, Maputo.

Transportation and trading were both halted as opposition-led demonstrations continued amid looting and vandalism.

Maputo and its largest suburb, Matola, have experienced chaos since the Constitutional Council, Mozambique's highest court, confirmed the results of the disputed October presidential election, extending the ruling Frelimo party's grip on power into a 50th year.

The court's seven-judge bench ruled that Frelimo candidate Daniel Chapo had secured 65% of the vote, revising down the initial results of nearly 71%. Frelimo has governed Mozambique since 1975.

Mozambicans protest ruling party's disputed election win  01:28

Looting, fires and a rising death toll

The Constitutional Council's announcement triggered opposition protests that often turned into clashes with police, with buildings burned and supermarkets ransacked.

A female resident in Maputo told DW that she witnessed looting in Maputo's Praca dos Combatentes neighborhood.

"The people I saw ran away and broke glass. I saw everything that was happening. They took microwaves, televisions, beds. This should not happen because they are ruining many things, and they cannot behave like this," she said.

In the George Dimitrov neighborhood, also known as Benfica, at least 11 people died inside a food warehouse when a fire broke out after it was attacked and looted.

In the Polana Canico neighborhood, residents also set up barricades to prevent road traffic.

"We are willing to organize this. We are tired, after all, what is democracy for? We don't want Frelimo anymore and we will fight. We only want the best for our country, we are tired of wars, of blood, we are tired," a resident told DW.

Police chief Bernardino Rafael described the people who broke into warehouses and stores as criminals.

"What we are witnessing is an assault on the Matola industrial complex, which houses various industries and warehouses," Rafael told reporters. "This was caused by a group of criminals, making it difficult to maintain control."

Opposition blames police for deadly violence

Venancio Mondlane, the opposition leader who has contested the election results, blamed the police for the vandalism and deaths of protesters. He called for more protests from his supporters but cautioned them against looting and damaging infrastructure.

"It's the police men who are prepared to rob the stores, set fire to the banks, break into the warehouses," he said during a live broadcast on Thursday. "You saw the images of policemen telling the population to come in to get food. People come in because they are hungry."

Venancio Mondlane, Mozambique's main opposition leader, has claimed the October 9 election was rigged

Alfredo Zungia/AFP

The violent protests that have rocked Mozambique have resulted in the deaths of 248 people, including 33 in a prison break on Wednesday.

Mondlane has claimed widespread vote rigging and called on his supporters to continue to protest, vowing to install himself as president on January 15.

At least 1,500 inmates took advantage of the chaos on December 25 to escape from a high-security prison in Maputo, with The Associated Press putting the number at around 6,000.

Rafael said apart from the 33 prisoners who died, 15 others were injured during a confrontation with the security forces.

"A curious fact is that in that prison we had 29 convicted terrorists, who were released. We are worried, as a country, as Mozambicans, as members of the defense and security forces," the police chief told reporters.

"They [protesters] were making noise, demanding that they be able to remove the prisoners who are there serving their sentences."

Mozambique's highest court confirms disputed election  04:45

UN calls for dialogue

UN chief Antonio Guterres has expressed concern about the ongoing unrest in Mozambique.

"The secretary-general is concerned about the post-election violence, which has resulted in loss of lives and the destruction of public and private property," Stephanie Tremblay, Guterres' associate spokesperson, told reporters.

Tremblay said Guterres is following developments closely.

"He urges all political leaders and relevant national stakeholders to defuse tensions including through meaningful dialogue, legal redress, refrain from the use of violence, and redouble efforts to seek a peaceful resolution to the ongoing crisis, in a constructive manner, which is essential to the collective future of Mozambicans," she added.

Edited by: Keith Walker

Mozambique post-election violence kills 125 in three days, NGO says

Maputo (AFP) – Around 125 people have been killed in three days of violent clashes across Mozambique amid opposition-led protests over the presidential election results, a non-governmental organisation said Thursday.

By: RFI
27/12/2024 - 

Despite international observers raising concerns about irregularities in the 9 October elections, the country's highest court on Monday confirmed that Daniel Chapo of the Frelimo party, which has been in power since 1975, won the presidential race with 65.17 percent of the vote.
That announcement triggered opposition protests that often turned into clashes with police, with buildings burned and supermarkets ransacked.

On Tuesday evening, the government reported a death toll of 21 in the first 24 hours of rioting in several major cities of the southern African nation.


Prison break

The national police chief then announced Wednesday that a mass jailbreak occurred near the capital Maputo, leaving at least 33 inmates dead during clashes with prison staff as they tried to escape.

The NGO Plataforma Decide on Thursday put the toll at 125 deaths since Monday, also raising the total deaths since violence erupted in October to 252.

The hardest-hit areas include around the capital, northern provinces including Nampula and the country's second-largest city Beira.

Mass jailbreak in Mozambique amid post-election unrest

More than 4,000 people have been arrested since October in connection with demonstrations that often turn violent, including 137 arrests in the last three days, the NGO said.

Chapo's main challenger, exiled opposition leader Venancio Mondlane, has claimed the election was rigged.

Mondlane on Thursday accused security forces of encouraging the recent unrest and looting to allow authorities to declare a state of emergency and crush the protests.

Some barricades around the capital had been dismantled Thursday but many remained in place limiting traffic, according to an AFP journalist in Maputo. Public transport was also suspended.

Gemfields pauses Mozambique operation amid political unrest

Staff Writer | December 27, 2024 | 

Montepuez is an open-pit mine, considered the world’s most lucrative ruby operation. (Image courtesy of Gemfields.)

Gemfields (LON: GEM) (JSE: GML) has temporarily suspended ruby mining operations in Mozambique following violent incidents that resulted in two deaths.


On Christmas Eve, more than 200 individuals linked to illegal ruby mining attempted to invade the residential village adjacent to Gemfields’ Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM) operation in northern Mozambique. The groups reportedly set fire to community buildings constructed by MRM and tried to breach the site amid widespread civil unrest triggered by the country’s disputed national election.

Security forces comprising Mozambican police and military responded with a “staged escalation of force,” leading to two fatalities, the company said.

In a related incident, a vocational training center in the nearby village of Wikupuri, built by MRM and managed by Mozambique’s Institute for Vocational Training and Labor Studies, was looted and damaged on the same day.

To prioritize safety, Gemfields temporarily relocated some of its more than 500 employees to off-site locations due to the heightened risk. A phased return of staff began on Thursday, the company confirmed.
Contested elections

The unrest follows Mozambique’s top court’s confirmation of the long-ruling Frelimo party’s election victory, which has been contested by opposition groups citing electoral fraud. Civil society monitoring group Plataforma Decide reports that at least 130 people have died in clashes with police since the election.

Frelimo has consistently denied allegations of vote-rigging, while the electoral commission has not commented on claims of fraud.

The violence has also impacted other foreign miners operating in the country, including South32.

The Montepuez ruby mine is considered the world’s most lucrative ruby operation.

MRM, 75% owned by Gemfields, employs approximately 1,400 people, according to the company’s website.

Shares of Gemfields rose 5.6% by 2:00 p.m. GMT. The miner has a market capitalization of £$84 million ($106 million).

Kenya rights body alarmed by abductions of Ruto critics

Social media users who spoke out against President William Ruto's government are the most recent people to go missing, with several groups blaming the police.

The Kenya National Commission in Human Rights has expressed alarm over the rising number of government critics being abducted.

The commission said since anti-government protests in June, "unidentified armed individuals" have kidnapped at least 82 people, with 29 still missing.

On Wednesday, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) announced an investigation into the latest disappearances of social media users who are critical of President William Ruto's government.

While not directly implicating security forces, the IPOA urged the Inspector General of Police to "take urgent measures to stop this growing and worrying trend of abductions in the country."
Fingers pointed at the police

It comes after three men, Peter Muteti, Billy Mwangi and Bernard Kavuli, all disappeared over the weekend. A fourth person, whose identity has not been disclosed, has also reportedly been abducted in recent days.

Witnesses cited by Citizen TV reported that Muteti was seized by a group of men outside a shop in the Nairobi suburb of Uthiru and bundled into a car, with one of the abductors wearing a police uniform.

Several rights groups, including Amnesty International, have accused the police force of being responsible for the abductions.




However, the police have denied any involvement. "The National Police Service is deeply concerned with the ongoing allegations that Police Officers are involved in abductions of persons in Kenya," the office of the inspector general said in a statement.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who fell out with Ruto amid the public protests against the president's economic plans this year and was later impeached, on Friday said a secret government unit was responsible for the disappearances.

"Abducting these children and killing them is not a solution... This is the first administration in the history of this country to target children for repression," Gachagua claimed at a press conference.

Resentment towards government grows

Anti-government demonstrations earlier this year were sparked by proposed tax hikes, triggering the worst crisis since Ruto took power in 2022.

Although large-scale rallies have largely stopped, resentment towards the government persists, driven by rising costs of living and ongoing allegations of brutality from the security forces.

In October, nine European envoys raised concerns over enforced disappearances and urged Ruto to ensure justice.

In November, Human Rights Watch blamed Kenyan security agencies for the abduction, torture, and killing of people seen as leading or taking part in the demonstrations against the government.

HRW said a unit of officers drawn from multiple security agencies, including military intelligence and an anti-terrorism unit, was responsible.

DW  (AFP, AP)

Kenya probes alleged police involvement in abduction of government critics

Kenya’s police watchdog has raised concerns about the high number of abductions of those who have criticised President William Ruto, allegedly carried out by police officers.


Issued on: 27/12/2024 - 
RFI

Kenyan plain-clothed police officers push a man into a car during a protest in Nairobi, 16 July 2024. © Ed Ram/AP

By: RFI

Kenya's Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) this week launched an investigation into the rising number of cases of abductions allegedly carried out by members of the National Police Service (NPS).

The move comes after reports of several young people allegedly abducted after criticising President William Ruto and his administration.

Four people were forcibly taken by armed men, allegedly for sharing AI-generated images of Ruto in a coffin, according to their family and local media.

Satirist Kibet Bull also went missing after meeting with a senator in Nairobi.

Kenya investigates alleged kidnapping of Ugandan opposition leader Besigye

According to New York-based NGO Human Rights Watch, Kenyan security forces "abducted, arbitrarily arrested, tortured and killed perceived leaders of the anti-Finance Bill protests between June and August 2024".

HRW added that: "Security officers held abductees, who they had detained without respecting their legal rights, in unlawful detention facilities, including in forests and abandoned buildings, and denied them access to their families and lawyers."
Finance bill

The protests gained momentum after the introduction of the Finance Bill 2024 in parliament on 18 June.

Protesters took to the streets over provisions that would raise taxes on essential goods and services, in order to meet International Monetary Fund revenue targets.

On 25 June, a large crowd broke through the parliament fence, where they encountered anti-riot police officers who fired directly at the crowd, killing several, says HRW.

The protesters overpowered the police and entered parliament through the back entrance, destroying furniture and other items, resulting in the subsequent crackdown and abductions.

Scattered anti-government protests in Kenya defy police bans

The NPS has documented 57 abductions since anti-government protests began in June, but it has repeatedly denied any involvement.

In a statement on Thursday, NPS Inspector-General Douglas Kanja said: "The National Police Service is not involved in any abduction, and there is no police station in the country holding the reported abductees."

Estonia starts naval patrols to protect undersea cables

The Estonian Navy has deployed a patrol boat a day after Finland seized a ship believed to be part of Russia's "shadow fleet."

The Eagle S tanker sailed from a Russian port and was seized by Finnish authorities

Image: Finnish Border Guard LEHTIKUVA/HANDOUT/RAJAVARTIOSTO/dpa/picture alliance

Estonia has started naval patrols to protect a power cable under the Baltic Sea from Finland, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said on Friday.

It comes after suspected sabotage of a similar cable earlier this week.

"If there is a threat to the critical undersea infrastructure in our region, there will also be a response," Tsahkna said on social media site X.

Damage to subsea installations has become so frequent that it has become hard to attribute it to mere accidents or poor seamanship, Tsahkna said
Finland seizes Russia 'shadow fleet' ship

Finnish authorities seized an oil tanker on Thursday because they suspect it was involved in cutting important undersea cables.

Police believe the oil tanker's anchor might have damaged the Estlink 2 submarine cable on Wednesday.

Authorities also believe the ship may be part of Russia's "shadow fleet," used to avoid Western sanctions.

"The assumption at the moment is that it is a shadow fleet vessel and the cargo was unleaded petrol loaded in a Russian port," said Sami Rakshit, director general of Finnish Customs.

The Eagle S vessel, which flies under the Cook Islands flag in the South Pacific, was en route to Port Said in Egypt.
NATO to enhance Baltic Sea presence

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Friday the military alliance, "will enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea."



When asked about Finland's investigation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, "I can't say anything precise here, this is a very narrow-profile issue which is hardly the prerogative of the [Russian] presidential administration."

Wednesday's incident came just over a month after telecommunications cables were severed in Swedish territorial waters.

lo/rc (AFP, Reuters)

NATO to enhance presence in Baltic Sea after suspected undersea cable sabotage

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Friday that NATO will "enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea" as Estonia's navy began patrolling an undersea cable supplying energy from Finland. A different cable was disconnected from the power grid on Christmas Day in what Finnish authorities suspect is a case of deliberate sabotage.


Issued on: 27/12/2024

FRANCE24
By:NEWS WIRES

A handout picture released on December 26, 2024 shows a Finnish Border Guard's ship Turva (front) and the oil tanker Eagle S on the sea near Porkkalanniemi. © Finnish Border Guard via AFP


NATO will bolster its military presence in the Baltic Sea after the suspected sabotage of an undersea power cable linking Finland and Estonia this week, the Western military alliance's chief Mark Rutte said on Friday.

On Christmas Day, the Estlink 2 submarine cable that carries electricity from Finland to Estonia was disconnected from the grid, just over a month after two telecommunications cables were severed in Swedish territorial waters in the Baltic.

Finnish authorities on Thursday said they were investigating the oil tanker, Eagle S, that sailed from a Russian port, as part of a probe for "aggravated sabotage".

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on Friday: "We've got the situation under control, and we have to continue to work together vigilantly to make sure that our critical infrastructure is not damaged by outsiders."

Officials suspect the tanker is part of the Russian "shadow fleet", which refers to ships that transport Russian crude and oil products embargoed due to Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The Eagle S vessel, which flies under the flag of the Cook Islands in the South Pacific, was en route to Port Said in Egypt. Police suspect that the oil tanker's anchor might have damaged the power cable.

Rutte said he spoke to President Stubb about Finland's probe, adding in a post on X: "I expressed my full solidarity and support. NATO will enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea."

Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur earlier on Friday said on X that the country began naval patrols to protect the undersea cable supplying electricity from Finland.


In a separate statement he said Tallinn wanted to send a clear message it was ready to protect its power connections with Finland with military and non-military means.

Rutte on Thursday promised NATO support to Estonia and Finland, and condemned attacks on critical infrastructure after speaking to Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal.

More EU sanctions

The European Union has also threatened further sanctions against Russia's shadow fleet after this week's incident.

The bloc's 27 member states agreed earlier this month to blacklist around 50 more oil tankers from Russia's shadow fleet used to circumvent Western sanctions, taking the number targeted to around 80.

Ukraine's international backers have looked to curb funds going to the Kremlin's war machine by imposing a price cap and restrictions on Russia's key oil exports.

To skirt the measures, Russia has resorted to using a so-called "shadow fleet" of often ageing vessels that operate under dubious ownership or without proper insurance.

Tensions have mounted around the Baltic since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In September 2022, a series of underwater blasts ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines that carried Russian gas to Europe, the cause of which has yet to be determined.

In October 2023, an undersea gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia was shut down after it was damaged by the anchor of a Chinese cargo ship.

On November 17 and 18 this year, sections of two telecom cables were cut in Swedish territorial waters. Suspicions have been directed at the Yi Peng 3, which according to ship tracking sites had sailed over the cables around the time they were cut.

(AFP)

Finland probes Russia-linked tanker for 'sabotage' of undersea cable


Finnish authorities are investigating the oil tanker Eagle S, suspected of "aggravated sabotage" to the Estlink 2 power cable between Finland and Estonia damaged on Christmas Day. The tanker is thought to be part of Russia's "shadow fleet" vessels that transport embargoed Russian oil products.


Issued on: 26/12/2024 - 
FRANCE24
NEWS WIRES

This handout picture released by The Finnish Border Guard on December 26, 2024 shows the Oil tanker Eagle S on the sea outside the Porkkalanniemi. 

© AFP - Finnish Border Guard


Finnish authorities said Thursday they are investigating an oil tanker that sailed from a Russian port for the "sabotage" of a power cable linking Finland and Estonia that was damaged the previous day.

On Christmas Day, the Estlink 2 submarine cable that carries electricity from Finland to Estonia was disconnected from the grid, just over a month after two telecommunications cables were severed in Swedish territorial waters in the Baltic Sea.

Robin Lardot of Finland's National Bureau of Investigation said a probe for "aggravated sabotage" had been opened into the oil tanker Eagle S, that flies under the flag of the Cook Islands in the South Pacific.

"The assumption at the moment is that it is a shadow fleet vessel and the cargo was unleaded petrol loaded in a Russian port," said Sami Rakshit from Director General of Finnish Customs.


The shadow fleet refers to the ships which transport embargoed Russian crude and oil products.

"We monitored the situation closely yesterday" with Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Finnish President Alexander Stubb on X.

"The risks posed by the Russian shadow fleet must be ruled out," he added.

The Eagle S is bound for Port Said in Egypt and still located in the Gulf of Finland, according to the Marine Traffic website.

"We have already boarded the vessel, spoken with the crew and gathered evidence," said Lardot.

Police suspect that the oil tanker's anchor might have damaged the power cable.

"Our patrol vessel travelled to the area and could determine visually that the vessel's anchor was missing," Markku Hassinen of the Finnish Border Guard told a news conference.

"So there is a clear reason to suspect something strange happened," he added.

Engineers from the Finnish and Estonian power grid companies have located the damaged part of the cable.

Tensions have mounted around the Baltic since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

In September 2022, a series of underwater blasts ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines that carried Russian gas to Europe, the cause of which has yet to be determined.

In October 2023, an undersea gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia was shut down after it was damaged by the anchor of a Chinese cargo ship.

Early on November 17 this year, the Arelion telecommunications cable running from the Swedish island of Gotland to Lithuania was damaged.

The next day, the C-Lion 1 submarine cable connecting Helsinki and the German port of Rostock was cut south of Sweden's Oland island.

Suspicions concerning the November 17 incident focused on a Chinese-flagged vessel, the Yi Peng 3, which was in the area at the time.

Sweden said Monday that China had denied a request for prosecutors to conduct an investigation on the vessel and that it had left the area.

European officials have said they suspect several of the incidents are sabotage linked to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with the Kremlin dismissing this as "absurd" and "laughable".

(AFP)

Finnish Police Carry Out Tactical Boarding of Suspected Sabotage Ship

Japan's 'Black Widow' murderer dies while on death row

Chisako Kakehi was found guilty of killing three elderly lovers by poisoning them with cyanide, and attempting to murder another man. She had been on death row since 2017.

A Japanese death row inmate known as the "Black Widow" for killing multiple elderly lovers has died, officials said on Friday.

Chisako Kakehi was sentenced to death for murdering three men, including her husband, and the attempted murder of a fourth man between 2007 and 2013.

"Her death was confirmed at a hospital on Thursday" after she was found lying in her cell at an Osaka detention center, an official from Japan's Justice Ministry told the AFP news agency.

She was 78 years old. She had been seeking a retrial in one of the three murder cases, according to Japan's Kyodo news agency, but had already been rebuffed in a lower court.
Who was the 'Black Widow'?

Kakehi had several relationships with elderly or ill men.

She met some of them through dating agencies, where she stipulated that prospective partners must be wealthy and childless.

In 2017, she was sentenced to death after a court found she had murdered three partners by poisoning them with cyanide and attempted to murder a fourth.

Kakehi reportedly amassed one billion yen (roughly $9 million at the time) in insurance payouts and inheritance over 10 years. But she subsequently lost most of the money through unsuccessful financial trading.

Her death sentence was upheld by Japan's Supreme Court in 2021, with judge Yuko Miyazaki saying she had "used cyanide on the men after making them trust her as a life partner."

"It's a calculated, cruel crime based on a strong intent of murder," Miyazaki said.

Japan is among a small number of developed democracies to still use capital punishment. However, it only carried one out in 2022, and none in 2023, according to Amnesty International.

zc, msh/rc (AFP)