The Mirae Scientists Street, a monumental creation of the Songun era, has been built magnificently on the bank of the picturesque River Taedong in Pyongyang, the capital of the Democratic People´s Republic of Korea. Skyscraping and bundle-shaped apartment houses have been harmoniously built along the bank of the River Taedong. The apartment houses in the street have been built with architectural formative effects. Each flat consists of a living room, old parents´ room, father and mother´s room, children´s room, kitchen and others fully equipped with high-quality furniture and fixtures. Resting places and sports parks have been built around the apartment houses so that the inhabitants can fully relax themselves and do exercises and the residential quarters have unique greenbelts. Ordinary educators and scientists are living in the palatial houses without paying a penny.
The Mirae Scientists Street is a product of the warm love of respected Kim Jong Un who gives top priority to and absolutizes the promotion of people´s well-being, regards the educators and scientists as genuine patriots and revolutionaries and always pays deep attention to the development of science and technology of the country. He gave a task to build dwelling houses and service establishments wonderfully on the highest level along the highway on the bank of the River Taedong with the apartment houses for educators of Kim Chaek University of Technology and form a full street and named it “Mirae Scientists Street”. And he took measures to dispatch powerful builders to the spot for the construction of the street and gave specific tasks and ways to accelerate the project.
In February Juche 104 or 2015 hecommanded a bird´s-eye view of the construction site aboard a plane. Then he came to the construction site for guidance of the construction. That day he said the officials and builders should complete the street to be handed down to the posterity with the stand to create highest civilization and highest speed. He also instructed that all the structures should be built with unique characteristics to symbolize scientists street and stressed the need to build good commercial service network and cultural facilities as well. Under his meticulous guidance, the street with thousands of flats and more than 150 service establishments has been built only in one year.
RespectedKim Jong Un visited the completed street in October last and feasted his eyes on its panoramic view time and again and expressed great satisfaction, saying a beautiful street has been built. He said it is really wonderful that a symbolic tower has been built on a 53-storey skyscraping apartment house coiling up in the shape of electron track so that one can know it is the Mirae Scientists Street at a glance even in the distance. Saying all buildings are highly artistic, he repeatedly appreciated the feats of the builders.
The Mirae Scientists Street will be handed down to the posterity as a monumental creation of the Songun era.
Bad things are happening in the UK. I made a video about the situation and how to fight against it.
Essentially, the government is trying to push through a bill that will effectively ban all protest. This is a human rights violation, although they insist that it’s not.
You could get a prison sentence of up to 10 years for any protest-related action that the Home Secretary Priti Patel deems “impactful” or “causing serious annoyance”, such as sitting in a road, spray-painting a monument or making too much noise.
Furthermore,the proposed bill gives the Home Secretary the power to amend the law afterwards without parliamentary approval. This gives her unprecedented control over any and all protest and is dangerous for democracy.
In this video I discuss the bill, why it is so sinister and how we can fight against it. If you found this video helpful, please share it with others and encourage them to act! Share with your UK friends!
I’ve made a list of resources you can use, including MP email templates. I will be updating it with new info as the situation changes.
As of now (March 16th 2021, 22:38), the bill has passed its Second Reading, meaning that it will now be scrutinised and amendments will be proposed. If you are in the UK, write to your MP and ask them to either propose amendments that will scrap the anti-protest elements of this bill, or support specific amendments, such as this one by MP Bell Robeiro-Addy. Also,sign Netpol’s petiton asking UK to protect protest rights.
Please spread this information. The Conservative party wants to turn the UK into a police state where only their opinions are heard. We cannot allow them to get away with this.
A beautiful dancer from Afghanistan, a lovely person, a friend…
If you follow me andwatch my art, please read this, it is veryimportant.
A few years ago I made these artworks of an afghan dancer and posted them on my blog. Later I had to delete them because of many negative reactions from people – people who didn’t know the truth that this young man was, in fact, my closest friend! Yes, he was someone I knew for a long time.
I couldn’t talk about it then, because I would have to explain and risk way too much. Reality was morecomplicated than it seems. When I tried to be positive about the Afghan culture without touching something that hurts us both, people’s response was only hatred, disgust. NOBODY even asked me! Nobody was interested in “whydid you draw him”? They just attacked and accused. Eventually, now, I still have to explain.
First of all, Afghanistan is a homophobiccountry, it does notacceptanything LGBT+, it denies gay/trans/queer rights, andnotonlythat – anyonewhosupportsqueerness, equality, or even “looks queer” will be condemned, criticized and persecuted there. So how could I, a foreigner who openly supports queer rights, tell everyone “THIS IS MY FRIEND”? If the public of his country discovered that he befriended someone like me, he would just get even more hate. I didn’t want this negative attention for either of us.
If you see any videos of him on Youtube or other sites, there will be plenty of negative comments. But these people don’t know him personally, they draw the wrong conclusions based on their assumptions.
I will notshare personal details with respect to his privacy and safety, but as a friend I must defendhim, and defend myself too, for just trying to treat him not as a stereotypical negative image, but as a human being, a person with self-respect, pride, honor.
Originally from North Afghanistan, he enjoyed dancing since his youth; performing at parties was his entertainment and a job for himself and his family. I featured videos with his amazing performances before. While avoidingsensitive and scandalous terms, I used tags like Uzbek dancer, talented artist from Afghanistan and ‘bacha’بچه - in Farsi/Dari - boy, young man (I’m fluent in Persian language enough to know what term to use). I wished he could be recognized as an artist. However after seeing how much hate he still gets, I removed all videos and links.
For the majority “a pretty and young looking dancer” automatically means something else. Everyone keeps pressing on negativity, people call him “bacha-bazi” – butHE IS NOT! Concerning how twisted and notorious this term is,Idon’t call him like this. And don’tcall him this, please.
He only performed the “bacha-bazi” style of dance as it was a part of a Central Asian folk theater, nothing more. NOBODY forced him to dance. He is a completely free person. Dancing was his owndecision.Needless to say, my friend is already 38 years old. In all previous videos of his performances he is above 25-30 years old, surely he looks young but NOT like a child.
ALL rumors or assumptions about him on the internet are false. Despite that it’s uncomfortable for me to say, I will say it to be clear: he is NOT a slave, NOT a prostitute, NOT an abused child! Please, don’t label a grown up artist with such horrible assumptions just because he is from Afghanistan.
I know, the condition of this country is sorrowful, with the past war, conflicts, poverty, lack of education etc. so people from other countries aren’t aware of many things that happen there, thus controversies remain, but I wish people to stop judging before knowing the truth.
If you really care about somebody’s safety, try to contact them directly, ask them if they need help, but what’s the use of shamingon the internet? If you actually want to help children and youth of Afghanistan, help them in reality, increase education, security, welfare. But putting up a scandal in the media, accusingsomeone you don’t know personally is useless and harmful. You think you spread justice? You just spread hate.
I condemn anything that violates human rights. I don’t care what it’s called, if there’s a violation – it’s a crime. But my friend has NOTHINGto do with it. I knew his family and friends, who were very protective. They love him and care for him, and he loves and respects them as well. The whole of Afghanistan is not like what you imagine based on the negativity in the media. There are good people too, who can love, who have feelings too.
This dancer is an adult who decides his personallife, which is noneof others’ business. He had a dream to become a performer, but sadly in his country it’s a stigma. Four years ago he stoppeddancing (all videos with newer dates are wrong), and guess why? Because of people’s hate and misunderstanding. He cannotdance anymore. In his country they say “it’s gay”; they forcehim to live according to heteronormativestandards: look like a man, marry, have kids, and stop befriending “queers”… while in foreign countries they keep saying “pedophilia victim”, “abused child” etc. He is NONEof this. With your aggression you are not protecting him, you’re just making it worse for him.
Nobody actually cares if he got a job, how he lives and what are his dreams and life goals? They judge him only for one thing. I was also accused of… drawing him? Accused of doing something that made him happy.
He was aware of my artistic skills and reallyappreciatedthat I portrayed him, he even requested me to draw him! He also allowed me to publish those paintings. Receiving praise and compliments from friends was pleasing to him. However there was a lot of negative reaction and hatred, which forced him to delete his social media accounts. I also care for his safety and peace and the reason why I spoke about it all now is because reading all the misconceptions about him is too painful to ignore.
These two works I made were some of his favorites. He really loves Persian myths and poetry, so I depicted him in a fairy tale theme, seeing him the way he is: graceful, pure, and joyful. I admired his beauty, his talent; he was, indeed, a very nice and sweet person, always cheerful and smiling whenever I talked with him.
Unfortunately I can’t share any more of his portraits I painted, people will just keep judging him, judging me,judgingeverything they don’t understand. I doubt that this situation will change for the better. Now, at least, if you read this, please don’truin his life. Let him live peacefully.
Health care is a human right (and that includes abortion.)
Digital illustration of a Black fem sitting in the center of a scribbled black background. They have bantu knots, purple makeup, a striped blue sweater, a plaid hot pink skirt, bright yellow socks and purple combat boots with blue shoelaces. There’s a speech bubble that says , ‘health care is a human right’ With a note that says ‘that includes abortion’
“Agony in the Garden” - Worker exploitation and committing power abuse
“Scourging at the Pillar”- Political matyrs, political prisoners and massacred people
“Crowning With Thorns” - A record of media censorship, killings of journalists/informants and silencing victims/witnesses
“Carrying of the Cross”- Police brutality against protesters and having the lack of medical/front-liner support across the country. Very much dedicated to the June 2020 arrests; Piston 6, Cebu 8 and Pride 20.
“Crucifixion and Death” - Indigenous people of the Philippines are the most impacted by this law. The Moros are still discriminated as “terrorists”. The Lumad are “communist rebels” for fighting for their ancestral land.
[now that I have your attention - sorry for cat-fishing you!!!!!!]
The Philippines has 1 week left until the ATB lapses into law. This law will criminalize dissent & opinions that are directed against the government.
I actually did not speak of this outside of Facebook and Twitter but I received death th/reats on some of my art pages and personal accounts for speaking and making art about and against this bill. Since March to June, a lot of my protest art was constantly reported and taken down on sites.
They also violently arrested queer activists in a peaceful protest against the bill and to approve SOGIE Equality Bill which approves LGBTQ+ rights in the Philippines
My people have been suffering in my country. This bill will label protesters as terrorists and arrest them without warrants. They are still not giving us medical aid. The military continues to consume so much of our country’s budget. They are censoring us to make us quiet.
If you would like to know more, you can read this twitter thread about it.
I will add more stories of injustice every single time I reblog this.
Let’s start with April 21, 2020 – The murder of Winston Ragos, an ex-military officer.
He was shot near a quarantine control point along Maligaya Drive in Barangay Pasong Putik, Quezon City after he appeared to try to pull something from his sling bag while taunting the law enforcers.
While witnesses were shouting to search Winston first, Master Sergeant Daniel Florendo Jr, shot him twice. Winston’s mother said people were shouting because they believe Winston carried no firearms despite displaying anger at cops. He was mentally ill and could have challenged cops on a whim.
“They think he had bad intentions, but the bag that hung over his neck only has a water bottle inside,” Merlyn told Rappler in a phone interview on Thursday, April 23.
She should know, she said, because she gave her son the bag herself.
Police then reported to the public that they killed Winston because he kept a gun inside his bag.
However, on June 4, 2020, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has concluded that Master Sergeant Daniel Florendo Jr and other police companions murdered former soldier Winston Ragos, planted evidence in the crime scene during the scuffle over enforcing quarantine rules in Quezon City in April.
NBI Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin confirmed to reporters that the bureau has filed complaints of murder, perjury and planting of evidence against Florendo before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office. Murder is a non-bailable offense.
Aside from Florendo, police trainees Joy Flaviano, Arnel Fontillas, Dante Fronda and Dalejes Gaciles are also sued for murder. Florendo and Staff Sargeant Hector Besas are sued for planting of evidence.
May 21, 2020 - To cross coronavirus border, prostituted women abused by cops first
Please read articles about this issue hereandhere.
June 2, 2020 – The arrest of Piston 6
Six drivers are arrested while holding a protest calling for the resumption of their operations during general community quarantine.
In a statement, transport group Piston said the six who were set to undergo inquest proceedings faced a fine of P3,000 each. Piston, however, argued that those who participated in the protest, including Ruben Baylon, its deputy secretary general, strictly practiced physical distancing and wore face masks.
The Caloocan police initially “invited” them to the police station but later brought them to City Hall for the filing of charges, Piston said. This is illegal detention.
“If it was done forcefully, then that could be considered illegal detention. They [police] must understand that the drivers lost their livelihood for nearly three months because the national government did not allow them to resume operations even under GCQ (general community quarantine),” George San Mateo, Piston national president emeritus, told the Inquirer in a text message.
According to him, the drivers were driven to hold a protest because they were hungry and were not among those who received any cash assistance from the government during the nearly three-month lockdown.
Police arrested 8 people, including minors, during a protest rally against the anti-terrorism bill on Friday, June 5. Among those arrested were 7 activists and one bystander who did not participate in the rally.
The activists were arrested at the protest site near the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu for violating a ban on mass gatherings under the general community quarantine (GCQ), according to Cebu City police.
The rally started peacefully at around 10 am until the protesters were met by Cebu City police in combat gear and members of the SWAT team.
At least 27 protesters were still stuck inside the campus while police were posted outside, on Gorordo Avenue.
Anti-terror bill protestor taken by Cebu City police
Cebu City police chase down anti-terror bill protestors in UP Cebu campus.
Al Ingking, UP alumnus (whose home received death threats by masked men a day before his release)
Bern Cañedo of YANAT CEBU
Dyan Gumanao of Kabataan Partylist
Nar Porlas of Anakbayan Cebu
Janry Ubal of Food Not Bombs Cebu
JUNE 26, 2020 - THE ARREST OF PRIDE 20
Police arrested at least 20 people at the Pride March in Mendiola, Manila, on Friday, June 26.
Ten members of LGBTQ+ rights group Bahaghari, 8 from other progressive groups, and two drivers have been detained at the Manila Police District.
They were being charged with disobedience of person in authority in relation to Republic Act 11332, otherwise known as the Law on Reporting of Communicable Diseases, and Batas Pambansa 880, otherwise known as Public Assembly Act.
The protesters were observing physical distancing and other health protocols when the police arrived to disperse them.
The police did not cite any violations while arresting the protesters and only told them, “Nasa batas iyan na bawal iyan (It’s in the law that it’s prohibited),” without citing any specific law. Here is a video of that exchange. [2]
Prior to the the “grand mananita” themed indignation rally on Philippine Independence Day, June 12, human right lawyers had stressed that the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act as well as the public health law, Republic Act No. 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases Act, do not prohibit rallies.
At 10 am on Friday, the group marched from Morayta and held a program near the Mendiola Peace Arch to “resist [President Rodrigo] Duterte’s tyranny.”
The Bahaghari-led protest was held to celebrate Pride month and to oppose the anti-terrorism bill.
This happened LITERALLY LAST WEEK.
JULY 03, 2020
I regretfully update all of you that Anti-Terror Law has been approved.
International followers, a law in the Philippines has just been signed that gives the government power to define what constitutes terrorism. the Anti-Terror Bill is unconstitutional and can easily be used to attack those who oppose and criticize the government.
The law has a very broad definition of what terrorism is, it can be easily abused. the Philippines has a very long record of corruption, injustice, and police brutality and it will be no surprise if authorities abuse this law and use it to attack critics.
Over the past month, before the law was signed, people have already been arrested for peacefully protesting, there was a surge of fake accounts that aim to tag activists as terrorists, and media reporters have been arrested. that’s only a small amount of what was happening.
JUNK TERROR LAW
Please. Fight for us. Fight for Philippines and our people.
I have received warnings from my local leaders to be careful because they cannot go against National Law. If you are not living in the Philippines, please continue to speak for us, especially 15 days after today.
Starting July 18, please expect many Filipinos will delete their posts and social media accs.
As Taliban fighters took Kabul on Sunday evening, roaming through the halls of the abandoned presidential palace, the group issued a statement: It would soon revive Afghanistan’s former name.
The country that was built in the wake of the 2001 U.S. invasion at a cost of over $2 trillion would revert to the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.” (That’s the name the country bore between 1996 and 2001).
The Taliban, which means “students” in the Pashto language, have been waging an insurgency against the Western-backed government in Kabul since they were ousted from power in 2001.
The group was formed by “mujahideen” fighters who fought Soviet forces in the 1980s with the backing of the CIA.
Emerging in 1994 as one of several factions fighting a civil war, the Taliban gained control of much of the country by 1996 and imposed its own strict version of Sharia, or Islamic law.
Men were forced to grow beards. Women were forced to wear burqas, flowing garments that cover the entire face and body. Schools for girls were shuttered. Women who were unaccompanied in public places could be beaten. Soccer was banned. So was music, aside from religious chants. The Taliban government held public executions in Kabul’s Ghazi Stadium.
There were photos of children dying of preventable illnesses in a dilapidated pediatric hospital. Images of the ancient Buddhist statues pulverized by the Taliban because its leaders considered the stone images to be idolatrous. The sea of refugees and displaced people living in makeshift tents across the region.
The group is infamous for its use of suicide bombers and has been accused of assassinating top Afghan officials and holding kidnapped Western citizens for ransom.
Only four countries recognised the Taliban when it was last in power: neighbouring Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkemnistan.
After sheltering Osama bin Laden and key al Qaeda figures in the wake of the 11 September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, the Taliban would fall after a US-led military coalition launched an offensive on 7 October 2001.
Despite being ousted from power, the Taliban would continue a guerrilla war against the Western-backed governments and US-led forces in the country.
Around 150,000 British military personnel have served in Afghanistan over the past 20 years, and 457 have been killed.
Also, 2,448 American service members have died in the conflict.
The Taliban entered into talks with the US in 2018 and struck a ‘peace’ deal in February 2020 which committed the US to withdraw its troops while preventing the Taliban from attacking US forces.
However, the Taliban have continued to kill Afghan security forces and civilians…
If there is 1 image that symbolized the brutality of the Taliban regime in 90s, it was that of a woman in a blue burqa being executed in public in KBL’s stadium.
An Afghan judge hits a woman with a whip in front of a crowd in Ghor province, Afghanistan August 31, 2015. REUTERS/Pajhwok News Agency.
While people are inclined to whip out their phones and film when they see something alarming happening, those videos are not always recorded in a way that can be used as evidence in a legal proceeding or to support advocacy tactics.
At the human rights organization WITNESS, where I work as the senior U.S. program coordinator, we’ve learned that video has a greater chance of making an impact when it’s filmed ethically and strategically, and released in coordination with advocacy and legal efforts. Using the camera in your pocket can be a valuable way to ensure the world bears witness to abusive policing and systemic racism, help hold authorities accountable, and advocate for the real safety of our communities.
I think so :). The tide is turning although it shouldn’t have been there to begin with. I have faith in a majority of this generation. We are going good :)
Donate. Support. Continue your activism. Don’t stop.
Its amazing that we were able to get Donald Trump out of office but we shouldn’t glorify Joe Biden. We need to fight to make sure our voices are being heard and that it’s understood that our lives matter.
disney employees are starting a full week of walkouts leading to their big walkout on march 22nd, 2022. they’ve asked people to not use disney products during this week. (no disney+, hulu, espn, playing games, watching videos, reviewing/blogging about any of their IP, no going to the parks). this is a targeted and timed action you can concretely participate in.
Do you know the story behind your ring? TrustChain, an initiative built on the IBM Blockchain Platform, is helping trace the provenance of diamonds and precious metals used in engagement rings. By tracking components of engagement rings on a blockchain, gold and diamond industry leaders are working to strengthen the backbone of ethical labor practices and consumer trust in the supply chain. TrustChain is initially tracking six styles of diamond and gold engagement rings, so when it comes to supporting ethically-sourced jewelry, you now have the power to say “I do.”
How could millions of developers solve the world’s greatest problems if given the chance? IBM believes it’s time to find out. We’re partnering with The American Red Cross and the United Nations Human Rights Office to launch Call for Code, a global coding challenge inspiring developers to create sustainable disaster mitigation solutions. The competition is open to all developers—if you’re ready to answer the call.
#Palestine | An Israeli soldiers terrorizing a defenseless father and his son for no reason. They want to scare the people away in order to give the Extreme zionist jews the space to break into Al Aqsa Mosque.
صراخ وخوف يصيب طفل جراء اعتداء شرطة الاحتلال على والده في ساحات المسجد الأقصى.
#BahasaIndonesia : Seorang tentara Israel menyerang seorang ayah dan anak yang tak berdaya dengan tanpa alasan. Mereka ingin menakut-nakuti orang-orang agar memberikan ruang bagi pemukim ekstrimis zionis untuk masuk ke masjid Al-Aqsha.
#Türkçe #Filistin : Savunmasız bir baba ve oğlunu sebepsiz yere terörize eden İsrail askerleri, aşırılıkçı siyonist Yahudilere #MescidiAksa'ya girebilecekleri alan sağlamak için insanları korkutup kaçırmak istiyorlar.
Given the changes in constitutional law, public health, and government regulation, what kinds of public health laws that address contagious diseases might be constitutionally permissible today? A law that authorizes mandatory vaccination during an epidemic of a lethal disease, with refusal punishable by a monetary penalty, like the one at issue in Jacobson, would undoubtedly be found constitutional under the low constitutional test of “rationality review.” However, the vaccine would have to be approved by the FDA as safe and effective, and the law would have to require exceptions for those who have contraindications to the vaccine. A law that authorizes mandatory vaccination to prevent dangerous contagious diseases in the absence of an epidemic, such as the school immunization requirement summarily upheld in 1922, also would probably be upheld as long as (1) the disease still exists in the population where it can spread and cause serious injury to those infected, and (2) a safe and effective vaccine could prevent transmission to others.
The legitimacy of compulsory vaccination programs depends on both scientific factors and constitutional limits. Scientific factors include the prevalence, incidence, and severity of the contagious disease; the mode of transmission; the safety and effectiveness of any vaccine in preventing transmission; and the nature of any available treatment. Constitutional limits include protection against unjustified bodily intrusions, such as forcible vaccination of individuals at risk for adverse reactions, and physical restraints and unreasonable penalties for refusal.
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