For those who read Czech, a translation has very kindly been done of the article I wrote on the anniversary of the Soviets crushing Czechoslovakia in 1968: "Socialism Could Never Have a Human Face" (The English is here: www.kyleorton.com/p/socialism-...)

Socialism Could Never Have a Human Face

On this day in 1968, the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia dispelled all illusions that Communism could be reformed.

kyleorton.com

Vaťácký vývar@vatniksoup-cs.bsky.social · 10mo ago

„Socialismus nikdy nemohl mít lidskou tvář“ Kyle Orton @kyleworton.bsky.social vatniksoup.com/cs/articles/...

It's actually over. Nearly 14 years of daily carnage in Syria, and Bashar al-Asad is gone - from power and possibly from life. An extraordinary event. Baffling. Bewildering. It still doesn't seem real and there's been a handover of power ceremony in Damascus.

Anyone interested in Syria reporting and following of news updates, here is a helpful list to start with: go.bsky.app/TpjA464

OK -- today is Day 5 of renewed major conflict in #Syria & the frontlines continue to move. Here's a new 🧵 bringing us up to speed:

Ukrainian forces recently regained lost positions north of Kharkiv. Geolocated footage posted 30 NOV shows Russian forces striking Ukrainian forces in a forested area southeast of Hlyboke (north of Kharkiv City), indicating that Ukrainian forces recently regained tactical positions in the area. 1/3

Institute for the Study of War@thestudyofwar.bsky.social · 2y ago

NEW: Kremlin officials responded to Syrian opposition forces' offensive into Syrian regime-held territory on Nov. 29-30 and expressed interest in using the Astana Process - a rival political process to the UN-led Geneva Process - to respond to the situation.🧵(1/9) Read more: isw.pub/UkrWar113024

My directorial debut The Battle For Kyiv is available online now for 10 more days at the Byline Doc Fest. Byline TV subscribers get free access, otherwise a festival pass is available. byline.tv/docfest/

Syrian insurgents have broken into Aleppo city, eight years after they were defeated and deported, and twelve years after they first captured part of the city.

Islam is the result of a long process *after* the formation of the Arab Empire in the 630s and 640s. The question is what the Arab creed looked like before that, specifically how it related to Jews. www.kyleorton.com/p/jewish-inf...

Jewish Influence and the Origins of Islam

A story of collaboration turning into confrontation.

kyleorton.com

Taliban establish new office to preserve ‘jihadi values’ amu.tv/139353/

Taliban establish new office to preserve ‘jihadi values’ | Amu TV

The report cautioned that a new generation of militants, potentially “more dangerous” than the current Taliban leadership, might emerge as a result.

amu.tv

Dozens of Storm Shadow cruise missiles have been delivered to Ukraine by the UK in recent weeks, per Bloomberg. The shipments come as Ukraine begins a new strike campaign into Russian territory, with a Storm Shadow raid already hitting a critical Russian command post in Kursk.

Hunted, Tortured, Killed. The Grim Fate of Journalists Under Russian Occupation “There are no more Ukrainian media outlets in the territories captured by Russia,” says Nastya Stanko But there are independent journalists who report anonymously—and they are hunted. united24media.com/anti-fake/hu...

Hunted, Tortured, Killed. The Grim Fate of Journalists Under Russian Occupation

From Crimea to Donetsk, Russian forces hunt journalists. Viktoriia Roshchyna’s death highlights the brutal silencing of free press under Russian occupation.

united24media.com

Guess the disinformation filters on this site are not *that* tight after all. Unless it's a singular exemption that permits people to advocate and justify the rape and slaughter of Jews - which has proven to be a real problem in Left-wing spaces since 7 October 2023.

Mondoweiss@mondoweiss.net · 2y ago

The context for October 7 is apartheid, not the Holocaust The Israel lobby is attempting to indoctrinate Americans that the context for the October 7 attack is the Holocaust. This is a misrepresentation. The Palestinians had nothing to do with the Holocaust.

Criminality is the only real use case for crypto, and anyone who says otherwise is lying or delusional.

Jason Koebler@jasonkoebler.bsky.social · 2y ago

This story is really wild. Notably, the cryptocurrency Tether is worth less in Mexico because of its widespread use in money laundering and drug trafficking www.404media.co/tether-has-b...

U.S. intelligence officials warned American defense companies on Thursday to increase security precautions following several acts of sabotage in Europe that officials have blamed on Russia.

US intelligence warns defense companies of Russian sabotage threat

U.S. intelligence officials are warning American defense companies to increase their security after a wave of sabotage in Europe blamed on Russia.

apnews.com

NEW: Lebanese Hezbollah likely fired large numbers of rockets at Israel to pressure the Israeli government during ongoing ceasefire negotiations. Latest on Iran, Israel, and the Middle East w/ @criticalthreats.bsky.social: isw.pub/IranUpdate11... More key takeaways 🔽 🧵(1/6)

24 November 1903 | A Czech Jew, Robert Glück, was born in Prague. He was deported to Auschwitz from Theresienstadt ghetto on 28 September 1944. He did not survive.

reminder of the time john prescott was given a state banquet on a trip to Beijing and then told them it wasn’t as good as Mr Chu’s in Hull (source: hull daily mail)

Those of us who opposed the creation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) root-and-branch have reasons for optimism. The ICC cannot touch Israel's leaders, but this has shown that our worst forecasts about this wretched institution were accurate. Provides a focal point for collective action.

“I have become a distraction” is a serious contender for a future Strong Message Here episode. It means “I’m bang to rights but I will never, ever admit that”

21 November 1929 | A Polish Jewish girl, Sara Brukner, was born in Warsaw. She emigrated to France. She arrived at Auschwitz on 19 August 1942 in a transport of 997 Jews deported from Drancy. She was among 897 of them murdered in gas chambers after the selection.

Happy to be on Encyclopedia geopolitica's "2025 Reading list" for my book, Hope and Despair: #Israel's future in the New Middle East You can order your copy here: hurstpublishers.com/book/hope-an... Or on Amazon: amazon.com/Hope-Despair...

Hope this was money laundering. A non-criminal explanation induces too much despair.

The New York Times@nytimes.com · 2y ago

A banana sold for $6.2 million with fees to a crypto entrepreneur at a Sotheby’s art auction on Wednesday. It became what is arguably the most expensive fruit in the world — though it will likely be tossed in a couple days.

im on every app. im in your city, in your neighborhood. the sales associate who handed you a large when you asked for a medium? that was me. i am now behind you.

Hi 👋 Going forward, I will post our interviews here as well as Twitter/X & Instagram🪻

Did the Qur’an Exist Before Muhammad? www.kyleorton.com/p/did-the-qu...

Did the Qur’an Exist Before Muhammad?

An intriguing theory with radical implications.

kyleorton.com

Russia's core propaganda outlets have been nakedly lobbying in favor of Tulsi Gabbard for the past 48 hours.

Islamic State Weighs in on Donald Trump’s Re-election www.kyleorton.com/p/al-naba-46...

Islamic State Weighs in on Donald Trump’s Re-election

Absolutely everyone has a take on the American election.

kyleorton.com

Commening on the 18 November Russian attack on Odesa, which killed 8 people, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy connected its timing to a recent diplomatic phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.