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Tuesday 6 February 2018

Inside the Kill Box, with feeling (Who else wants to kill Syrians? See inside the Kill Box?)

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Clearly, The Dow is being manipulated by @POTUS @realDonaldTrump’s enemies. (666): image via Hebrews For Trump @hebrewsfortrump, 5 February 2018

  
Syria Russia confirms pilot killed after plane downed over Syria #AFP Picture by @omar_hajkadour shows smoke billowing from the site of a downed Sukhoi-25 fighter jet in Syria's northwest province of Idlib.: image via AFP Photo @AFPphoto, 3 February 2018


Russian pilot killed after Syria rebels down plane: monitor #AFP Picture by @omar_hajkadour shows smoke billowing from the site of a downed Sukhoi-25 fighter jet in the the Syrian city of Saraqib.: image via AFP Photo @AFPphoto, 3 February 2018  
 

Syrie: un avion russe abattu par un groupe jihadiste, le pilote tué par @omar_hajkadour #AFP: image via Agence France-Presse @afpfr, 3 February 2018  

 
Civil defence workers search a ruined building after an airstrike in Idlib city centre on Monday: photo by Anadolu Agency/Getty Images, 5 February 2018

'Bombs are still falling': Syrian refugees at risk of forced return home: Report warns hundreds of thousands of people may be pressured to go back to Syria despite daily threat of shelling in many places: Rebecca Ratcliffe, The Guardian, 5 February 2018

Hundreds of thousands of refugees risk being pushed to return to Syria, despite the country’s ongoing violence, according to a report by six major international charities.

Half the country’s population have been forced from their homes since the war began almost seven years ago, with 6 million fleeing the country. But anti-refugee sentiment, along with misleading rhetoric suggesting that Syria is now safe, has led many countries to harden their stance towards those escaping the conflict, said the report.

As the Syrian government has gained control over more territory, and violence has calmed in some areas, host countries have discussed returning refugees. But the report warns that conflict continues in populated regions, with civilians facing the daily threat of bombing and shelling.

Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, one of the organisations that contributed to the report, said that many refugees wanted to return home, but that they must only do so when they are being given proper protection.

“Their return must be informed, voluntary, safe, assisted and protected. Now, return would neither be safe nor voluntary for the vast majority who fled the war and the violence,” he said. Even in certain  "de-escalation areas", fighting has continued, he added.

The number of Syrians returning – mostly from internal displacement inside Syria – rose from 560,000 to 721,000 between 2016 and 2017. But for every returnee there were three more newly displaced because of the violence.

Around 2.4 million people in Syria – more than 8,000 every day – fled their homes in the first nine months of 2017, according to the report. The UN predicts a further 1.5 million Syrians will be displaced in 2018.

“Right now, many parts of Syria are unsafe for children. Bombs are still falling and basic services like schools and hospitals lie in ruins,” said Helle Thorning-Schmidt, CEO of Save the Children. “Children have told us of the deep psychological wounds they carry after enduring years of war. Many children are still having nightmares. Once there is peace, the homes and schools of Syria must be rebuilt before children return.”


Abd and his family, forced to flee from Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria. They walked for more than three days to reach Mabrouka camp for displaced people.: photo courtesy of NRC via The Guardian, 5 February 2018

The report praises the generosity of neighbouring countries, which have hosted the vast majority of refugees, but says that in 2017 many kept their borders closed or returned refugees, including on an involuntary basis.

Turkey turned away around 250,000 Syrians between January and October last year. The border remains closed to all but critical medical cases, while authorities are building a 911km wall along its border with Syria.

In Jordan, authorities denied entry to as many as 50,000 refugees on the Syrian side of the border. A recent report by Human Rights Watch found that in the first five months of 2017, the country also deported around 400 registered Syrian refugees each month. Last year, Lebanon also returned around 10,000 Syrian refugees and militants following a security operation. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, was not given adequate access to those departing and has not determined whether refugees were returning on a voluntary basis.

Deteriorating conditions are leading some refugees to attempt to return home, or take dangerous journeys to alternative countries, despite the dangers they will face.

At international conferences in London in 2016 and Brussels in 2017, countries pledged to improve access to jobs and education for refugees in host countries, but progress has been slow. The report – written by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Save the Children, Action Against Hunger, Care International, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) – criticises wealthier countries for failing to provide greater support to Syria’s neighbours.

Rich nations have resettled less than 3% of vulnerable Syrian refugees, it said. The US has recently blocked entry to those fleeing Syria, while there have been demands to return refugees in Germany and Denmark.

Research by the NRC found that half of Syrians who are internally displaced say their home has been either damaged beyond repair or destroyed. In the north-west, only one in five said their home was still intact.


A Syrian man mourns over his destroyed home following airstrikes, in the besieged town of Arbin, in the eastern Ghouta region on the outskirts of the capital Damascus on February 5, 2018 Photo by: ABDULMONAM EASSA Via @AFPphoto: image via Abdulmonam Eassa @abdfree2, 5 February 2018


#Syria Syria strikes kill 23 civilians in rebel area near Damascus #AFP Picture by @ameralmohibany taken today at a makeshift hospital in Zamalka, near Damascus.: image via AFP Photo @AFPphoto, 5 February 2018

Inside the Kill Box, with feeling


Killing and wounding of innocent women, men and children by airstrikes with napalm, cluster, bunker-buster and chemical bombs is terrorism, not a war against terrorism.: image via Sakir Khader @sakirkhader, 4 February 2018
  
#Syria: At least 18 civilians killed, 65 wounded in multiple heavy Russian and regime airstrikes across rebel-held parts of Idlib since 7PM.: tweet via Sakir Khader @sakirkhader, 4 February 2018

In Idlib, you die or you die. No medical centre left undamaged, Russian and regime bombs rain down, houses are being bombed, families getting displaced, civilians are dying, people are bleeding, children are crying and the world is still silent.: tweet via Sakir Khader @sakirkhader, 4 February 2018
 
Human lives have become just numbers. 7 Syrians killed. 15 Syrians killed. 20 Syrians killed. 30 Syrians killed. 100 Syrians killed. These are not just numbers. They’re humans, just like me and you. Children. Women. Men. Elderly. They are a proof of how ignorant we have become..: tweet via Sakir Khader @sakirkhader, 3 February 2018
 

A heartbroken Syrian father mourns loss of his son killed in today’s heavy Russian and regime airstrikes on the rebel-held village of ‘Arbin, e- Ghouta.: image via Sakir Khader @sakirkhader, 2 February 2018

Killing and wounding of innocent women, men and children by airstrikes with napalm, cluster, bunker-buster and chemical bombs is terrorism, not a war against terrorism.: tweet via Sakir Khader @sakirkhader, 4 February 2018

Syria: At least 18 civilians killed, 65 wounded in multiple heavy Russian and regime airstrikes across rebel-held parts of Idlib since 7PM.: tweet via Sakir Khader @sakirkhader, 3 February 2018

Syria is being destroyed by the ignorance and silence of the world. Everyone is bombing them. There is still a lot happening. It’s far from over. 20 civilians were killed in heavy airstrikes on e- Ghouta today. But, ah, who cares? They are Syrians, who’re are just numbers now...: tweet via Sakir Khader @sakirkhader, 2 February 2018
 
#Syria: At least 20 civilians killed, 150 wounded in today’s multiple heavy Russian and regime strikes on the rebel-held city of Dūmā, Mesraba, Hamouriyah and ‘Arbin, e- Ghouta.: tweet via Sakir Khader @sakirkhader, 2 February 2018

We are seeing daily pictures of bloody and dead children, crying parents, desperate families and villages being bombed to rubble. The history will write about our ‘powerful’ leaders; that they watched Syrians being killed, but no one really tried to stop it. Nobody really cared...: tweet via Sakir Khader @sakirkhader, 2 February 2018


With their last belongings, stuffed in a small car, these families tried to flee the heavy Russian and regime strikes on s- Aleppo...: image via Sakir Khader @sakirkhader, 2 February 2018
 
#Syria: At least 7 civilians killed, tens wounded in multiple heavy Russian and regime airstrikes on s- Aleppo.: tweet via Sakir Khader @sakirkhader, 2 February 2018 
 
  
Syria: At least 18 civilians killed, 50 wounded in this morning's multiple heavy Russian airstrikes on the rebel-held city of Saraqib and Ma’asaran, Idlib.:  tweet via Sakir Khader @sakirkhader, 29 January 2018

Who else wants to kill Syrians? See inside the Kill Box?

 

Yesterday evening 2 Massacres took place  - first in #DirEzzor killed and injured more than 40 civilians by the #Coalition forces. The other was #Russian attack using #Chemical loaded missiles against #Maarat_Al_Numan and #Saraqeb #massacre-in-Saraqeb  Who else wants to kill Syrians?: image via Zouhir_AlShimale @ZouhirAlShimale, 5 February 2018

 More details on suspected chlorine attack: 9pm local a helicopter marked “1253” was seen headed towards Saraqeb. Reports it dropped 3 Chlorine barrel bombs in residential neighbourhood. Soon after people started smelling Chlorine and the alarm was raised. #Idlib: tweet via Quentin Sommerville @sommervilletv, 5 February 2018


Yesterday evening 2 Massacres took place  - first in #DirEzzor killed and injured more than 40 civilians by the #Coalition forces. The other was #Russian attack using #Chemical loaded missiles against #Maarat_Al_Numan and #Saraqeb #massacre-in-Saraqeb  Who else wants to kill Syrians?: image via Zouhir_AlShimale @ZouhirAlShimale, 5 February 2018

  
The last “goodbye" Syrian fathers mourn the loss of their young children killed in heavy Russian bombings today in the village of Arbin, east of Ghouta. Photo @amer_almohibany / @AFP: image via amer almohibany @amer_almohibany, 5 February 2018


  

The last “goodbye" Syrian fathers mourn the loss of their young children killed in heavy Russian bombings today in the village of Arbin, east of Ghouta. Photo @amer_almohibany / @AFP: image via amer almohibany @amer_almohibany, 5 February 2018

 

The last “goodbye" Syrian fathers mourn the loss of their young children killed in heavy Russian bombings today in the village of Arbin, east of Ghouta. Photo @amer_almohibany / @AFP: image via amer almohibany @amer_almohibany, 5 February 2018

 

 The last “goodbye" Syrian fathers mourn the loss of their young children killed in heavy Russian bombings today in the village of Arbin, east of Ghouta. Photo @amer_almohibany / @AFP: image via amer almohibany @amer_almohibany, 5 February 2018


[after an airstrike, Idlib province]: image via amer almohibany @amer_almohibany, 5 February 2018


[after an airstrike, Idlib province]: image via amer almohibany @amer_almohibany, 5 February 2018


Russian warplanes now in the sky of #EasternGhouta target civil cities. #Russianterrorism: image via amer almohibany @amer_almohibany, 5 February 2018
 

Dozens air strikes are targeting civilians in #EasternGhouta by Russian and Assad's warplanes. You can't imagine, Dozens injured by those air strikes. #Syria: image via amer almohibany @amer_almohibany, 5 February 2018

Absolute Foreknowledge Dept

Bettor makes multimillion-dollar wager on Eagles in Las Vegas: David Purdum, ESPN, 25 January 2018

Logo for Philadelphia Eagles is applied to an official ball for the NFL Super Bowl LII football game at the Wilson Sporting Goods Co. in Ada, Ohio, Monday, Jan. 22, 2018.

Logo for Philadelphia Eagles is applied to an official ball for the NFL Super Bowl LII football game at the Wilson Sporting Goods Co. in Ada, Ohio, Monday, Jan. 22, 2018.: photo by Rick Osentoski/AP, 22 January 2018

The early betting action on Super Bowl LII had been evenly divided between the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles at MGM's sportsbooks in Las Vegas.

It's not anymore.

 

On Wednesday, a bettor placed a "multimillion-dollar" bet on the underdog Eagles, according to MGM vice president of race and sports Jay Rood.

Rood declined to reveal the exact amount of the bet, but told ESPN that it was multimillions, making it one of the largest reported bets in recent years in Nevada.

"Obviously, we're pretty heavy Eagles now," Rood said.

Rood said he had dealt with the customer before, but refused to provide any further details.

He also would not say if the bet was a money-line wager or a straight bet on the point spread.

The Super Bowl line at MGM dropped from New England -5.5 to -4.5 on Wednesday afternoon. The money line on the Eagles also moved Wednesday at MGM, dropping +180 to +170.

 

The Patriots are 5-point favorites at the majority of Nevada sportsbooks.



A steward apprehends a pitch invader as Newcastle United plays Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, London, February 2018. REUTERS/David Klein: image via Reuters Pictures @reuterspictures, 5 February 2018

 

 Gronkowski celebrates a touchdown as Patriots take lead in #SuperBowl: image via Reuters Pictures @reuterspictures, 4 February 2018

Philadelphia Eagles’ Patrick Robinson after winning the #SuperBowl Photo Chris Wattie: image via Reuters Pictures @reuterspictures, 4 February 2018


1939: Terrified small child poses with first Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse costumes that Walt Disney was very unhappy with and he redesigned them many times for DisneyLand in 1955.: image via History In Pictures @HistoryInPix, 16 January 2018


  
As night falls in Manila, few of the families living in the sprawling portside shanty town known as Market 3 dare to venture out of their homes. The crime-ridden maze of sheet metal and crumbling cement has become a frontline of the bloody war on drugs: image via Reuters Pictures @reuterspictures, 5 February 2018

South Korea Daily Life

A worker hangs on a rope to adjust an image on a building in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 2, 2018.: photo by Ahn Young-joon/AP, 2 February 2018

South Korea Daily Life

A worker hangs on a rope to adjust an image on a building in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 2, 2018.: photo by Ahn Young-joon/AP, 2 February 2018

Trump

President Donald Trump arrives in Sterling, Va., Friday, Feb. 2, 2018, to visit the Customs and Border Protection National Targeting Center in Reston, Va.: photo by Andrew Harnik/AP, 2 February 2018

 
Historic day for the Dow - biggest single day loss: image via Justin Sullivan @sullyfoto, 5 February 2018


#DowJones takes a 1,175 point nose dive and posts worst one-day drop in history Photo: @spencerplatt1: image via Getty Images News @GettyImagesNews, 5 February 2018

 Trump

President Donald Trump arrives in Sterling, Va., Friday, Feb. 2, 2018, to visit the Customs and Border Protection National Targeting Center in Reston, Va.: photo by Andrew Harnik/AP, 2 February 2018

"
Fatso Fakehair Donny" Trump mocks Rep. Adam "Little Adam" Schiff ahead of push to release Democrats' rebuttal memo relating to the Intel investigation of Russian influence in the 2016 election. Photo @WinMc: image via Getty Images News @GettyImagesNews, 5 February 2018 
   
Investigators make their way around the wreckage where an #Amtrak train collided with a freight train early Sunday morning in Cayce, South Carolina Photo: Bob Leverone: image via Getty Images News @GettyImagesNews, 4 February 2018


 
Israeli police officers scuffle with Palestinian protesters after Friday prayers on a street outside the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Issawiya, February 2, 2018. REUTERS/Ammar Awad: image via Ammar Awad @AmmarAwwad7, 2 February 2018
 
 

Israeli police officers scuffle with Palestinian protesters after Friday prayers on a street outside the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Issawiya, February 2, 2018. REUTERS/Ammar Awad: image via Ammar Awad @AmmarAwwad7, 2 February 2018
 


Israeli police officers scuffle with Palestinian protesters after Friday prayers on a street outside the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Issawiya, February 2, 2018. REUTERS/Ammar Awad: image via Ammar Awad @AmmarAwwad7, 2 February 2018



Israeli police officers scuffle with Palestinian protesters after Friday prayers on a street outside the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Issawiya, February 2, 2018. REUTERS/Ammar Awad: image via Ammar Awad @AmmarAwwad7, 2 February 2018

 

A man points to his car, which was destroyed by fire in the early hours of Friday in the Arab neighbourhood of Beit Safafa in Jerusalem January 26, 2018. REUTERS/Ammar Awad: image via Ammar Awad @AmmarAwwad7, 2 February 2018

 

A man's car was destroyed by fire in the early hours of Friday in the Arab neighbourhood of Beit Safafa in Jerusalem January 26, 2018. REUTERS/Ammar Awad: image via Ammar Awad @AmmarAwwad7, 2 February 2018


#India Indian labourers burn trash following the conclusion of annual Magh Mela festival at Sangam in Allahabad Photo @sanjaykanojia07 #AFP: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 5 February 2018



Today in #Afrin city: image via Delil souleiman@ Delilsouleman, 4 February 2018

2 comments:

Maureen said...

'... you die or you die....'

No words convey the meaning in these pictures out of Syria. We have forsaken life itself.

TC said...

Maureen,

That line from Sakir Khader expresses everything that's coming out of the besieged areas of Syria right now.

As of 19 minutes ago, there are 78 new civilian deaths so far today, from air attacks.

Of course there's a serious question about showing the true effects of war upon the human body, esp w kids, every time.

Problem now is that if you don't show, nobody will see, nobody will know.

Worse problem, even if you can manage to show salient moments, even random moments, still nobody will care, nobody will even look at anything about Syria. It's become a blank spot in the mind, erased by some unspoken consensus from all maps of human consideration.

The growing realisation, this time round, among the victims, that the so called international community has abandoned them, can no longer be missed, even from here.

Things in northern Syria are now again, as in the last months of 2016, at a stage of generalized suffering that would I sometimes think make the introduction of our tears of compassion merely a compounding of the disrespect.

Things have come to this point because the world is as it is.

My private view, in Syria as in, for example Gaza, or the West Bank, the long years of horror are far from over.