abqtommy
abqtommy's JournalGuardian: [Revealed: how fake passports allow IS members to enter Europe and US
Seller whose passports have been used by those who illegally crossed Syrian border says: ‘it is not my job to see who is bad’]
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/31/revealed-how-fake-passports-allow-is-members-to-enter-europe-and-us
>A booming online industry specialising in fake passports with official visas and travel stamps is offering people with links to Islamic State the opportunity to leave Syria and travel onwards to the UK, EU, Canada and the US, a Guardian investigation has found.
One such network, run by an Uzbek with extremist links living in Turkey, is now selling high-quality fake passports for up to $15,000 (£11,132) purporting to be from various countries. In at least 10 cases the Guardian is aware of, people who illegally crossed the Syrian border into Turkey have used his products to depart through Istanbul airport.
Sellers claim the EU is the most popular destination but say in at least two cases people were able to travel from Istanbul to Mexico on fake Russian passports and, from there, illegally over the border into the US. Niger and Mauritania are also popular destinations, as are Ukraine and Afghanistan.
The Uzbek’s business is doing so well he recently opened a new channel on the encrypted messaging app Telegram with the official-sounding name “Istanbul Global Consulting”. The growing trade suggests that dangerous extremists could be slipping under the radar of security services around the world, escaping justice for past crimes and potentially able to continue terrorist activity in countries other than Syria.<
There's more text and a few photos at the link.
BBC: Your pictures on the theme of a fresh start, January 30, 2022
https://www.bbc.com/news/in-pictures-60146664I always enjoy these themed photo galleries and I hope you do too.
BBC: Dubai: The Irish art teacher racing camels in the desert
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60129656>Katie Higgins had owned and ridden horses all her life, but a move to Dubai brought about a partnership with some different four-legged friends.
Now the 29-year-old from Caherlistrane in County Galway is part of the first ever women's camel racing team in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The art teacher made history in the country when she competed in its first licensed female camel championship race at Al Marmoom Racetrack in October.
Since then, she and the other women have competed in four races.
She is proud to be Ireland's first female camel jockey.<
There's much more text and photos at the link. I find this article to be compelling and
entertaining on many levels. Whaddya think?
Guardian: The week in wildlife - in pictures, January 28, 2022
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2022/jan/28/the-week-in-wildlife-in-picturesCritters, people, predators and prey. Beauty and The Beast is here to stay.
Guardian: [Butt of the joke: Bette Midler fires back at West Virginia governor Jim Justice
Actor and activist says ‘dog’s ass would make a better governor’ after State of the State speech stunt goes viral]
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/jan/28/bette-midler-west-virginia-governor-jim-justice-babydog-manchin
>Bette Midler had harsh words for the governor of West Virginia after he showed his dog’s backside at the end of his State of the State speech, in a bizarre rejoinder to the actor, singer and activist.
Responding on Thursday to a tweet in which Midler called West Virginia “poor, illiterate and strung out”, the Republican Jim Justice said she could kiss his dog’s “hiney”.
On Friday, Midler retweeted a picture of the stunt with the caption: “Here we can see a dog’s asshole. Right next to it is the butt of Jim Justice’s dog.”
Midler also tweeted: “Here are the state rankings of all the areas and agencies for which the so-called ‘governor’ of West Virginia, Jim Justice, is responsible. Judging from these rankings, I’d say his dog’s ass would make a better governor than him!”<
There's more text and photos at the link. I've been eagerly waiting for Bette's reply to
Governor Dog's Ass stunt and I'm not disappointed.
BBC: Your pictures of Scotland: 21 - 28 January, 2022
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-60077965I had to be patient this morning, waiting for this weekly gallery to be posted at The BBC.
But it was worth the wait, as I'm sure you all agree! Enjoy!
'Jackie Robinson was the first black player inducted into the Baseball Hall Of Fame
sixty years ago on January 24, 1962.' From The Good News Network...
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/events070124/
>Robinson was accorded the honor on the very first year of his eligibility, even though it came following his rise as a pseudo-leader in the Civil Right’s Movement; particularly after an incident at the Greenville Airport in South Carolina. In October of 1959 one the finest players in MLB history entered the whites only section, and was asked to leave. He refused, and his later presence at a NAACP event in Greenville, manifested a non-violent demonstration in front of the airport which desegregated soon after.
In 1962, Robinson cautioned against voting for his record as a cultural figure, saying only that his on-field credentials should determine whether or not he enters the Cooperstown museum. He was elected on the first ballot
Beginning his major league career at the relatively advanced age of 28, which would be the first ever for a black man, he played only ten seasons from 1947 to 1956, all of them for the Brooklyn Dodgers. During his career, the Dodgers played in six World Series, and Robinson himself played in six All-Star Games.
In these ten seasons he racked up 741 runs scored, and he would receive both the MVP award and the inaugural Rookie of the Year in 1949. The year after, and also coincidentally on January 24th, he would put pen to paper on the most expensive contract in Dodgers history at that time, ($35,000).<
There's not much more text at the link, but some nice pics. From a young age I've
always wondered what all the ethnic bigotry is about and I'm still wondering...
CBC*: Your North: Best reader photos for the week of January 16, 2022
*Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/your-north-best-reader-photos-1.6323340
This isn't a large gallery but the photos are stunning! I check the CBC photos every day
and this is the first time I've seen this gallery and am happy to provide the link.
CBC*: Snow dogs and winter birds in this week's photo gallery, January 24, 2022
*Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/snow-dogs-and-winter-birds-in-this-week-s-photo-gallery-1.6324666
It's all here, the people, places and critters of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada.
Check in with your local weather!
Here in Albuquerque we're enjoying another fine sunny day with a high of 49 and a low
of 27. It's been this way for awhile now and I'm glad the homeless here are getting a
break.
Today my live-in son was on the phone with his younger brother up in the U.P of
Michigan and we learned that Marquette (about 100 miles from where my son lives)
set the cold record for the lower 48 states at -39F. Brrr. I check the weather there in
Michigan and Canada every day to see how my sons there are getting along. Cold and
snowy, for sure.
How are things for you?
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Member since: Fri Sep 26, 2008, 10:10 PMNumber of posts: 14,118
