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mariacallous · 19 hours ago

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A ninth-grade health and wellness textbook has caused a minor uproar in Russia after activist Yekaterina Mizulina — more commonly known for championing Internet censorship measures — unearthed excerpts showing dubious advice to young women about navigating the hostile world of male sexual predators. For example, the textbook urges schoolgirls to avoid wearing bright makeup and short skirts to prevent becoming victims of sexual violence, reasoning that such displays “provoke boys and men.” Despite claims from the book’s lead author that it’s not required reading in Russian schools, the victim-blaming lessons offered in the text have raised concerns that at least some schoolchildren are being subjected to a backward education in gender norms.

Sergey Vangorodsky, who coauthored The Foundations of Life Safety, told RTVI that Mizulina’s complaints are “unfounded” because the book is not standard reading in Russia’s high school curriculum.

However, several readers told Mizulina that the textbook is used in health and wellness classes at schools in Rostov-on-Don, Volgodonsk, and Tambov. It’s also available for sale online. “Given that not all school library collections are updated in a timely manner, it may still be in use in [other] schools. I’m confident that the Education Ministry will investigate the matter,” Mizulina wrote on her Telegram channel.

In a section called “Safe Behavior for Girls,” Vangorodsky and his coauthors write that women who are alone with a man “should be prepared for him to develop a desire for intimacy.” Here are some other eyebrow-raising snippets from The Foundations of Life Safety:

“Many conflicts and attacks occur due to the victim’s own behavior, signaling through her appearance that she is either ‘ripe for it’ (being in the wrong place at the wrong time), willing (too available), or defenseless (drunk, scared, aroused, [or] overly trusting). Avoid standing out among others with excessive extravagance.”

“If you are alone with a man (even one you know well), be prepared for him to develop a desire for intimacy with you. Maintain a relaxed demeanor, but do not try to flirt or tease him, as in an intimate setting, he may interpret your flirting as an invitation to intimacy and your resistance as playacting.”

“If you cannot escape or counter a rapist’s weapon or physical superiority, you can still defend yourself by leveraging men’s psychophysiological traits during sexual intercourse and targeting their vulnerable spots. Try to trick the rapist into believing you agree to intimacy, get him to lower his defenses, and then act decisively according to your chosen plan.”

“How not to become a victim of violence: When going to a party, a café, a bar, a concert, any large event, or somewhere with a bad reputation, do not wear very short skirts or paint your lips, eyelids, and eyelashes in wild colors. This provokes boys and men and is perceived by them as a signal.”

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discworldwitches · 1 year ago

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This decision was preceded by a "round table" with Russian officials and collaborators from the temporarily occupied territories, where supposedly the experience of countries in which private hospitals "voluntarily refused" to perform abortions was reviewed.

Quote: "The private clinics’ heads were asked to contribute to the demographic situation improvement by refusing to perform abortions. The colleagues positively evaluated this initiative, and today all private clinics in Crimea have officially informed the Crimean Ministry of Health of their voluntary refusal to provide abortion services," Skorupsky noted.

Officials in Russia-annexed Crimea say private clinics have stopped providing abortions

Over his more than two decades in power, Putin has forged a powerful alliance with the Russian Orthodox Church and has put “traditional family values,” as well as boosting the country's declining population, at the cornerstone of his policies.

As part of the effort, authorities in several Russian regions in recent months sought to convince private clinics to stop terminating pregnancies. In Tatarstan in central Russia, officials said about a third have agreed to stop offering abortions; in the Chelyabinsk region in the Ural mountains, several clinics did as well. In the westernmost region of Kaliningrad, local legislators said they were mulling a ban for private clinics.

A nationwide ban is also something lawmakers and Russia's Health Ministry are contemplating, alleging that private clinics frequently violate existing regulations restricting access to abortion.

State statistics show that private clinics in Russia, where free, state-funded health care is available to all citizens, accounted for about 20% of all abortions in recent years. Some women who shared their experiences in pro-abortion online communities said they preferred private clinics where they could get an appointment faster, conditions were better and doctors did not pressure them to continue the pregnancy.

Crimea's Russian-installed health minister, Konstantin Skorupsky, said in an online statement that private clinics on the peninsula some time ago "offered to contribute to improving the demographic situation by giving up providing abortions,” and as of Thursday, all of them had done so.

His statement did not mention the city of Sevastopol, which is administered separately, and it was unclear if private clinics there were still providing abortions.

Two chains of private clinics in Crimea contacted by The Associated Press on Thursday by phone confirmed they no longer provide abortions, citing orders from the management or the authorities. One said it's been about a month since they stopped offering the procedure to women.

[bolding my own]

the use of “demographic situation” is so vile & so clearly colonial

#russian invasion of ukraine #crimea #ukraine #russia is a terrorist state

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mesetacadre · 3 months ago

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Latest news from Ukraine

❗️Air Pollution

A dust storm has once again swept across Ukraine, with the highest levels of air pollution recorded in the Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, Kherson, and Donetsk regions.

❗️Ugledar

Military criticizes the situation on the front: "Ugledar was doomed, but the order to retreat never came," said Voroshnov, an aerial scout from the 72nd Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to him, it was impossible to save the city, and everyone knew that "the countdown was in days and hours," but no order for withdrawal was issued. "Where will we retreat to? No one knows. As long as the enemy has the strength to push us back, we will keep moving backward."

Moreover, "Out of 50 recruits sent to reinforce the 72nd Brigade in Ugledar, only four made it to the front lines, and they deserted after the first rotation," said soldier Boyko. He noted that mobilized men aged 52-56 were sent to the brigade, with 30 of them being reassigned to rear units and hospitals due to health issues. Of the remaining 20, 16 deserted on the second day, leaving only four soldiers who also deserted after the first rotation. Boyko describes the loss of Ugledar as a "localized collapse of the front" and claims that similar situations are occurring along the entire front line. He also criticizes and calls for the dismissal of the military leadership of the country.

❗️Salary Reductions and Tax Increases

In October, Ukrainians will receive lower wages due to an increase in the military tax. The law will come into effect after October 15. Until then, advances will still be paid with the military tax at 1.5% (since the law hasn't taken effect yet). However, for the remainder of October, the tax will be 5%, including the advance. Employers won't be able to reclaim the paid advance, so the Ministry of Finance suggests deducting these funds from the final salary payment. As a result, wages will decrease not only by 3.5% due to the tax hike but also by the amount already deducted from the advance.

❗️Freedom of Speech

The restriction on language use in schools will only apply to Russian, while teaching in EU languages or the languages of indigenous peoples alongside the state language will not be considered a violation, according to a new bill. The document also notes that private schools will be able to choose their language of instruction, except for the language of the "aggressor country." The bill will be sent to the relevant committee for review today.

It is also worth noting that Article 10 of the Ukrainian Constitution guarantees the free development, use, and protection of Russian and other minority languages in Ukraine.

❗️Money Laundering

"Energoatom" has ordered protective measures for the South Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant worth nearly 600 million UAH ($16.4 million). According to reports, the construction of engineering protection for critical elements of the station will take over a year. A contract with PJSC "Yuzhenerhrostroi" was signed without an open tender, with the work to be completed by December 25, 2025, according to the media. The contract terms are hidden, given the wartime conditions.

via Union of Communists of Ukraine

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dreaminginthedeepsouth · 2 years ago

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[The Daily Don]

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

June 24, 2023

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

JUN 25, 2023

Yesterday, forces from the private mercenary Wagner Group crossed from Ukraine back into Russia and took control of the city of Rostov-on-Don, a key staging area for the Russian war against Ukraine. As the mercenaries moved toward Moscow in the early hours of Saturday (EDT), Russian president Vladimir Putin called them and their leader, Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, traitors. This morning, they were bearing down on Moscow when they suddenly stopped 125 miles (200 km) from the Russian capital. This afternoon the Russian government announced that Belarus president Aleksandr Lukashenko had brokered a deal with Prigozhin to end the mutiny: Prigozhin would go to Belarus, the criminal case against him for the uprising would be dropped, the Wagner fighters who did not participate in the march could sign on as soldiers for the Russian Ministry of Defense, and those who did participate would not be prosecuted.

Prigozhin said he turned around to avoid bloodshed.

U.S. observers don’t appear to know what to make of this development yet, although I have not read anyone who thinks this is the end of it (among other things, Putin has not been seen today). What is crystal clear, though, is that the ability of Prigozhin’s forces to move apparently effortlessly hundreds of miles through Russia toward Moscow without any significant resistance illustrates that Putin’s hold over Russia is no longer secure. This, along with the fact that the Wagner Group, which was a key fighting force for Russia, is now split and demoralized, is good news for Ukraine.

In the U.S. the same two-day period that covered Prigozhin’s escapade in Russia covered the anniversaries of two historic events. Yesterday was the 51st anniversary of what we know as “Title 9,” or more accurately Title IX, for the part of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 that prohibited any school or education program that receives federal funding from discriminating based on sex. This measure updated the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and while people today tend to associate Title IX with sports, it actually covers all discrimination, including sexual assault and sexual harrassment. Republican president Richard Nixon signed the measure into law on June 23, 1972 (six days after the Watergate break-in, if anyone is counting).

Fifty years and one day later, the U.S. Supreme Court issued the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that recognized a woman's constitutional right to abortion. That is, a year ago today, for the first time in our history, rather than expanding our recognition of constitutional rights, the court explicitly took a constitutional right away from the American people.

The voyage from Title IX to Dobbs began about the same time Nixon signed the Education Amendments Act. In 1972, Gallup polls showed that 64% of Americans, including 68% of Republicans, agreed that abortion should be between a woman and her doctor—a belief that would underpin Roe v. Wade the next year—but Nixon and his people worried that he would lose the fall election. Nixon advisor Patrick Buchanan urged the president to pivot against abortion to woo antiabortion Catholics, who tended to vote for Democrats.

As right-wing activists like Phyllis Schlafly used the idea of abortion as shorthand for women calling for civil rights, Republicans began to attract voters opposed to abortion and the expansion of civil rights. In his campaign and presidency, Ronald Reagan actively courted right-wing evangelicals, and from then on, Republican politicians spurred evangelicals to the polls by promising to cut back abortion rights.

But while Republican-confirmed judges chipped away at Roe v. Wade, the decision itself seemed secure because of the concept of “settled law,” under which jurists try not to create legal uncertainty by abruptly overturning law that has been in place for a long time (or, if they do, to be very clear and public about why).

So Republicans could turn out voters by promising to get rid of Roe v. Wade while also being certain that it would stay in place. By 2016 those antiabortion voters made up the base of the Republican Party. (It is quite possible that then–Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell refused to permit President Barack Obama to fill a vacant seat on the Supreme Court because he knew that evangelicals would be far more likely to turn out if there were a Supreme Court seat in the balance.)

But then Trump got the chance to put three justices on the court, and the equation changed. Although each promised during their Senate confirmation hearings to respect settled law, the court struck down Roe v. Wade on the principle that the federal expansion of civil rights under the Fourteenth Amendment incorrectly took power from the states and gave it to the federal government. In the Dobbs majority decision, Justice Samuel Alito argued that the right to determine abortion rights must be returned “to the people’s elected representatives” at the state level.

Fourteen Republican-dominated states promptly banned abortion. Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas banned abortion with no exceptions for rape or incest; Mississippi banned it with an exception for rape but not incest; and North Dakota banned it except for a six-week window for rape or incest. West Virginia also has a ban with exceptions for rape and incest. In Wisconsin a law from 1849 went back into effect after Dobbs; it bans abortion unless a woman would die without one. Texas and Idaho allow private citizens to sue abortion providers. Other states have imposed new limits on abortion.

But antiabortion forces also tried to enforce their will federally. In April, Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk ruled that the Food and Drug Administration should not have approved mifepristone, an abortion-inducing drug, more than 20 years ago. That decision would take effect nationally. It is being appealed.

When the federal government arranged to pay for transportation out of antiabortion states for service members needing reproductive health care, Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) put a blanket hold on all military appointments—250 so far—until that policy is rescinded. For the first time in its history, the Marine Corps will not have a confirmed commandant after July 10. In the next few months, five members of the joint chiefs of staff, including General Mark Milley, its chair, are required by law to leave their positions. Tuberville says he will not back down.

On June 20, Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY), chair of the House Republican conference, called for a federal abortion ban at 15 weeks, saying that the right to life “is fundamental to human rights and the American dream” and calling out the justices who decided Roe v. Wade as “radical judges who frankly took the voice away from the American people…. The people are the most important voices” on abortion, she said.

But, in fact, a majority of Americans supported abortion rights even before Dobbs, and those numbers have gone up since the decision, especially as untreated miscarriages have brought patients close to death before they could get medical care and girls as young as ten have had to cross state lines to obtain healthcare. Sixty-eight percent of OB-GYNs recently polled by KFF said Dobbs has made it harder to manage emergencies; 64% say it has increased patient deaths. A recent USA Today/Suffolk University poll shows that 80% of Americans—65% of Republicans and 83% of independents—oppose a nationwide ban on abortion while only 14% support one. Fifty-three percent of Americans want federal protection of abortion; 39% oppose it.

In politics, it seems the dog has caught the car. The end of Roe v. Wade has energized those in favor of abortion rights, with Democrat-dominated states protecting reproductive rights and the administration using executive power to protect them where it can. Republicans are now running away from the issue: the ad-tracking firm AdImpact found that only 1% of Republican ads in House races in 2022 mentioned abortion.

At the same time, antiabortion activists achieved their goal and stand to be less energized. This desperate need to whip up enthusiasm among their base is likely behind the Republicans’ sudden focus on transgender children. Right-wing media has linked the two in part thanks to the highly visible work of the American College of Pediatricians, which, despite its name, is a political action group of about 700 people, only 60% of whom have medical degrees. (They broke off from the 67,000-member American Academy of Pediatrics in 2002 after that medical organization backed same-sex parents.) They are prominent voices against both abortion and gender-affirming health care.

In Nebraska in May, a single law combined a ban on abortion after 12 weeks and on gender-affirming care for minors. “This bill is simply about protecting innocent life,” Republican state senator Tom Briese said.

Vice President Kamala Harris has made protecting reproductive rights central, traveling around the country to talk with people about abortion rights and pressing the administration to do more to protect them. At a rally in Washington, D.C., on Friday, she articulated the message of fifty years ago: “We stand for the freedom of every American, including the freedom of every person everywhere to make decisions—about their own body, their own health care and their own doctor,” she said. “So we fight for reproductive rights and legislation that restores the protections of Roe v. Wade. And here’s the thing. The majority of Americans are with us, they agree.”

—

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

#heather cox richardson #letters from an american #women's rights #russia #abortion rights #health care #Election 2024

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resplendentoutfit · 3 months ago

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The Women of World War I — Part I

Before The Great War, working class women were not new to factory work. There was, however, a division between women's and men's jobs. After war was declared, women increasingly took on the men's jobs to fill the gap left when men were recruited as soldiers. With munitions factories producing for the war effort, there were even more jobs for women to fill – many of them dangerous and requiring significant physical strength.

While the fashion plates were still catering to the well-to-do, the war did influence women's fashion in consequential and lasting ways.

Clothing became more sensible. Gone were the restricting undergarments of past eras. Clothing was more tailored and most significantly, hemlines rose to several inches above the ankle.

In Britain women joined the Voluntary Aid Detachment and Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps. In the USA, the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve, and the special women’s battalions on the Russian Front.

In rural areas women were called to duty to perform an assortment of farm work and chores that had been previously done by the men who went to war. In the image on the right, a catalog page displays styles of overalls and briches particularly suited to outdoor work.

Above are two very different roles that women took during WW I. The Women's Motor Corps of the American Red Cross was largely made up of wealthy women who had the means of access to an automobile and learned to drive. The munitions factory girls on the other hand, worked at physically demanding, dangerous work and likely came from modest means. The latter were called "Canary Girls" because the exposure to TNT caused a yellowing of the skin. They faced not only safety but also health hazards, for very low wages.

Flora Lion (British/English, 1878-1958) • Women's Canteen at Phoenix Works, Bradford, England • 1918

Flora Lion, an established society portrait artist, was commissioned by the Ministry of Information to complete two large paintings showing factory scenes during the First World War.

Stay tuned for Part II...

Sources: French History Podcast, Imperial War Museum, Wikipedia, American Red Cross, BBC.com

#fashion history #women's history #ww 1 history #canary girls #history of workers #1910s photography #american red cross #imperial war museum #the resplendent outfit blog #flora lion #woman artist #war artist

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luckybyler · 1 year ago

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Reply to @girlfictions:

1. I didn’t skirt it, that why the definition of Zionism was the very first thing in my post. Now, if you choose to reject that definition and want the word to mean whatever you want it to mean that’s on you. If you think the mere existence of Israel as a country is evil and a bad thing to support, then there’s no productive conversation to be had with you anyway.

Hamas leader's son who became a spy explains what Hamas really wants

What is Gaza’s Ministry of Health and how does it calculate the war’s death toll?

Amnesty International Report, 2015

Tunnel shaft inside Shifa

Article from 2014

Hamas’ rules for social media activists, from 2014

Wounded man at Gaza hospital criticizes Hamas for hiding among civilians

Bodies of two hostages found near Al Shifa Hospital

Body of a third hostage, a Tanzanian agricultural intern, found, although not mentioned where

The second Israel declared independence, 5 Arab countries declared war against them and they won.

List of expulsions and exoduses of Jews

Iraq expelled Jews to Israel

Why there are so many Palestinian refugees

The point here is not "Israel is a saint country that never does wrong". The point is that Israel is not better or worse than any other country or territory. If a Palestinian or someone with connections to Palestine is allowed to love it in spite of what Hamas and other terrorist groups have done and are currently doing without being demonized, cancelled or called evil; then it's only natural to concede that someone from Israel or with connections to Israel is allowed to love it in spite of what its government has done or does currently without being demonized, cancelled or called evil. Especially after Israel suffered a terrorist attack and is receiving antisemitism all over the world.

PBS article from 2007 summarizing Hamas and/vs Fatah, including Hamas’ objectives

Hamas and PIJ use of suicide bombings

Hamas spokesperson says tunnels are to protect the fighters and civilians are the responsibility of the UN and Israel

youtube

UNRWA Education: Textbooks and Terror

Review of 2022 UNRWA-Produced Study Materials in the Palestinian Territories

Hamas Original Charter. Excerpt:

Student speaker at a UPenn rally, the university Noah attends

Pro-Palestine Rally in Sydney, Australia ("Death to Israel", "Intifada", "Gas the Jews")

Rash of international antisemitism carries chilling historical hallmarks

Antisemitic mob storms through Russian airport as flight from Tel Aviv lands

Suspect arrested in death of Jewish protester in Southern California

Pro-Palestine group gives out NYC map calling for 'direct action' on landmarks as city blasts 'hateful rhetoric' and alerts the NYPD

Are you implying that I'm a nonce? Because shipping two fictional characters is not being a nonce. You know what is noncey?

Threatening someone to release CP of them.

Reply right before yours:

made by someone whose first post was said reply, and only has posts reblogging other people's takes re: Noah, Israel, Palestine

They blasted me for saying we live in different realities, then proceeds to praise radicalism and call me a white supremacist.

Exploring hate: How antisemitism fuels white nationalism

The response that worried me (I don't know or care about the ethnicity or religion of this person).

Glorification of terrorism, dehumanization of the other, refusal to listen to other points of view, inappropriate anger. All of these are signs of radicalization.

Said person reblogged this:

A letter from Osama Bin Laden went viral on TikTok, with many users of every ethnicity and religion praising it. The letter contains several antisemitic tropes, condems homosexuality and of course, idealizes Sharia Law.

youtube

Rolling Stone article on it

#noah schnapp #antisemitism #jumblr #radicalization #extremism #i couldn't care less about noah schnapp knowing i exist #but one day someone will get ideas from this wretched hellsite and try to decolonize a bus full of people or something #and at least i will be able to sleep at night #because with my insignificant voice from my tiny dustspeck of a corner of the internet #i tried to warn y'all #Youtube

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kamogryadeshi · 1 year ago

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‼️Consequences of the Russian missile attack in Zaporizhzhya

UPD: In Zaporizhzhia, ten were injured as a result of the Russian attack, two of them are in serious condition. People remain under the rubble of one of the buildings, the Ministry of Health reported.

#ukraine #russia is a terrorist state #russia invades ukraine #russian war crimes #russia ukraine war #russian invasion #russian agression #russian terrorism #russia must burn #fuck russia #russia

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workersolidarity · 9 months ago

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[ 📹 Scenes from inside the Crocus City Hall where several gunmen burst into the theater and opened fire on the crowds settling in for a show before throwing several smoke or incendiary bombs and lighting a fire that nearly burnt the building to the ground. More than 40 people were killed and over 100 wounded in the terrorist attack.]

[ 📈 The Russian Ministry of Health released the names of the victims of the Crocus City Hall terrorist attacks.]

[ 📸 Photo of the white Renault the gunmen were seen escaping from the scene driving, along with a map of the Crocus City Hall.]

🇷🇺 🚨

FORTY KILLED AND MORE THAN 100 INJURED IN TERRORIST ATTACK AT CROCUS CITY HALL IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

At least forty people were killed and more than 100 wounded at Crocus City Hall, a concert venue located in the Krasnogorsky District in central Moscow region, in the Russian Federation, after several armed men opened gunfire on crowds just settling down for a symphony orchestra show.

Nearly all the tickets were sold out at the time of the attacks, which began around 8pm when a number of men burst into the venue, with at least one of the men carrying and then throwing a smoke or incendiary bomb, and began firing on the unsuspecting concert-goers at point-blank range with automatic gunfire.

“Between the second and third call, at least three men in camouflage and without masks ran through the stalls,” said a reporter with Russian news outlet, RIA Novosti, who was at the scene of the emergency said.

“They opened fire from automatic weapons and threw a grenade or incendiary bomb. People lay down on the floor. 15-20 minutes later, they began to crawl out. Someone succeeded," the correspondant added.

Witnesses said there were Security guards at the show, however being unarmed, there was little they could do to offer resistance to the gunmen.

Other witnesses told Ria Novosti that they heard several short bursts of gunfire before seeing smoke and people running from the hall. Some ran to the bathrooms and barricaded themselves inside, while others rushed towards the exits.

At some point, the smoke or incendiary bombs used by the gunmen set fire to the concert hall, with dozens of police, fire brigades and the Russian National Guard responding to the atrack, while personnel from the Federal Investigative Committee and the prosecutor's office responded soon after.

Some witnesses said that after the gunfire, they heard a loud explosion before fire engulfed much of Crocus City Hall. Local fire brigades, though responding quickly to the call, were unable to enter due to the active gunmen inside and ended up using helicopters to drop water over the hall and extinguish the fire, though the upper floors of the building are said to be completely burnt out.

By 10pm, the roof of the Hall had collapsed, however it is unclear if there were still live or wounded victims inside at the time of the collapse. The fire burnt an area that totals more than 12'900 square meters.

According to Federal authorities, the gunmen escaped the scene as the crowds ran out of the concert hall, and were seen driving away in a white Renault sedan. Investigations of the terrorist attack are now underway.

#source1

#source2

#source3

#videosource

@WorkerSolidarityNews

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girlactionfigure · 1 year ago

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ISRAEL REALTIME - morning updates - Nov 1

— As previously mentioned, the IDF lost 11 soldier heroes yesterday in battle. May their memories be a blessing!

— IDF INTERCEPTS MISSILE FROM LEBANON… overnight the IDF shot down a surface-to-air missile fired from Lebanese territory at an IDF drone. In response, Air Force aircraft attacked the source of the fire from which the missile was launched as well as the squad that carried out the launch.

— IDF NAVY DEPLOYS… several Israeli Navy Missile Frigates to the Rea Sea by Eilat. (Analyst) The ships have capabilities for the interception of cruise missiles and suicide drones if fired from Yemen. They are not a (major) attack force, but defensive.

— IDF PUSHES JENIN (Shomron / West Bank)… IDF forces operated in Jenin to destroy terrorist infrastructure. IDF bulldozers "shaved" roads to reveal explosives. Arab sources say 3 terrorists killed.

— US CITIZENS “STUCK”… US officials state 500 citizens have been stuck in Gaza, with Hamas refusing to allow foreign nationals to leave. Supposedly Hamas will allow them to leave today.

— REUTERS SAYS ONLY FOREIGNERS… According to Reuters, based on a Qatari source, an agreement (with Hamas) to evacuate wounded and foreign nationals is separate from any other negotiations (no hostages).

— EGYPTIAN AMBULANCES ENTER… pictures from the Gaza/Egypt border show Egyptian ambulances entering Gaza to evacuate wounded.

— EVACUEE HEALTH HOTLINE… The Ministry of Health opened a dedicated hotline with the aim of ensuring that all citizens staying outside their homes receive medical coverage and assistance at their temporary residence, and for the duration. *5400, extension 4 in languages: Hebrew, Arabic, English and Russian.

#Israel #Operation Iron Sword #Israel/Hamas War #Real Time Updates

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mariacallous · 5 months ago

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A presidential signing bonanza

Vladimir Putin signed into law on Thursday more than 50 laws on Thursday, including several new prohibitions and expansions of the state’s repressive powers. Thanks to the president's approval, these eight pieces of legislation are now set to become the law of the land.

Jailing soldiers (without court orders) for using smartphones: Unit commanders now have the authority to lock up their soldiers for up to 10 days (or 15 days for repeat offenses) if they catch them using banned personal gadgets, such as smartphones. This act previously required transporting the suspects to a garrison court for a formal ruling.

An expanded definition of ‘undesirability’: The authorities can now designate any organization in Russia as “undesirable” if foreign state entities played any role in the organization’s foundation or have even participated in its operations. State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said the law is necessary to close a “loophole” that prohibited the government from designating local, Russian organizations, not just foreign groups.

No more selling energy drinks to kids: Effective March 2025, Russian vendors are prohibited from selling non-alcoholic tonic drinks, including energy drinks, to minors. The new restriction is intended as a public health measure.

Legalized cryptocurrency mining: Russia will introduce a special registry to issue permits for individuals and legal entities to “mine” cryptocurrency — the electricity-demanding process of using computer power to solve the complex mathematical problems needed to validate and secure transactions on a blockchain, earning digital currency as a reward. In mid-July, Putin expressed concerns about falling behind in cryptocurrency regulations. The new legislation also reserves some regional authorities’ right to ban crypto-mining where energy shortages are a concern.

The Dude can no longer abide: Effective September 1, 2025, “propagating drug use in art and literature” without warnings will be punishable by steep fines. The new restrictions exempt all works released before August 1, 1990, and content “where drugs are an integral part of the artistic concept justified by the genre.” The new censorship also does not apply to “materials related to investigative activities, scientific, educational, medical, or pharmaceutical publications.”

More deportation powers for the police: Internal Affairs Ministry officials will now have the authority to expel foreigners from the country without court oversight for certain misdemeanors. The list of administrative offenses includes illegal drug use, the public consumption of alcohol, and disseminating so-called “gay propaganda” (though officers must “directly witness signs of violations” in this last case). Deported foreigners will also be added to a registry that bans them from registering businesses in Russia, getting married, buying and registering property, opening bank accounts, and obtaining or renewing a driver’s license.

‘Trash-streams’ banned: In Russia, “trash streams” usually feature bloggers abusing drugs and alcohol or performing humiliating or violent acts in return for donations from viewers. The new law prohibits the distribution of “trash stream” content, and crimes committed during these broadcasts can be prosecuted as aggravated offenses under 10 different felony statutes. Convicted “trash streamers” will face steep fines and the possible confiscation of their electronic equipment.

Naturalized citizenship revoked for refusing military registration: The Internal Affairs Ministry will now be required to provide records about all men approved for receiving Russian citizenship. Lawmakers who sponsored the bill said the new condition for maintaining naturalized citizenship is needed to address “widespread public outrage” against immigrants who get a passport and then evade military duty.

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stele3 · 3 months ago

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https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-targets-western-russian-regions-with-drones-russian-officials-says-2024-09-18/

#destiel daily digest

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orthodoxydaily · 1 month ago

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SAINTS&READING: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2024

november 8_november 18

St TIKKON'S ELECTION, ENTHRONEMENT (1917)

In 2017, we mark the centennial anniversary of the tumultuous events that would radically alter the historical course of the Orthodox Church worldwide, particularly in Russia and North America. The main cataclysmic event precipitating these changes was the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in late 1917.

The key historical figure for Church life in North America and Russia at this time was Saint Tikhon, Patriarch and Confessor of Moscow, Enlightener of North America. He tirelessly traveled throughout the continent during his arch pastorate in North America from 1898 to 1907. He always met with local clergy and laity to discuss the most pressing issues of Church life. Out of these gatherings arose the idea of an assembly of clergy and laity from throughout the North American diocese. Held in 1907, this assembly, later known as the First All-American Church Sobor (Council), focused its deliberations on the theme “How to Expand the Mission” and made crucial decisions regarding the administration. This Council was the prototype for the All-American Councils, which continue to be regularly convened as the highest legislative and administrative authority within the Orthodox Church in America. Saint Tikhon also laid out a vision for a local, administratively united, autocephalous Orthodox Church in America ministering to all ethnicities. For a decade after Saint Tikhon’s departure to Russia, only the Russian Church had hierarchies in North America. It was, in part, the events of 1917 in Russia that led to the appointment of hierarchs from other Orthodox Churches throughout the world to North America and the establishment of the various jurisdictions that exist today. While the administrative unity of all the Orthodox in North America has yet to be achieved, various efforts have been made towards this goal, and the Orthodox Church in America remains steadfast in embracing Saint Tikhon’s vision of unity.

The events of 1917 also would soon create dire consequences for the Church in North America. Communication between Russia's North American Church and Church authorities became extremely difficult and even impossible. Funding for the Church in North America from Russia was cut off. The North American Church was left to govern itself. The Second All-American Sobor was convened in 1919 to elect a new ruling hierarchy for the North American Diocese. This election of Archbishop Alexander [Nemolovsky] was subsequently confirmed by Saint Tikhon, as was the election of Metropolitan Platon [Rozhdestvensky] three years later. Saint Tikhon continued to take a keen interest in the life of his former diocese in North America and provided fatherly direction to the North American Church to the extent that circumstances would allow.

The oppressive burdens of patriarchal ministry under the totalitarian Soviet regime undermined the health of Saint Tikhon, and he reposed in the Lord at the age of 60 on March 25/April 7, 1925. It is significant to note that despite controversies and divisions that enveloped the Church in the 20th century, Saint Tikhon was the one uniting figure who was considered irreproachable; he was respected and venerated by all sides. He was glorified among the saints by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia [ROCOR] in 1981. During the Millennium celebrations of the Russian Orthodox Church held in Moscow in 1988, Metropolitan Theodosius, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, in an address to the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, urged the Russian Church to officially recognize Patriarch Tikhon as a saint. Some in Russia, including hierarchs, criticized Metropolitan Theodosius for this public pronouncement, because they felt that the mere mention at that time of the possible glorification of Saint Tikhon by the Moscow Patriarchate could be perilous for the Church in the Soviet Union. However, less than 18 months later—in October 1989—conditions for the Church in Russia had changed and Saint Tikhon’s glorification took place in Moscow.

May the example of Saint Tikhon’s holy life and vision continue to guide the Church in the 21st century.

O Holy Father Tikhon, pray unto God for us!

MARTYRS GALACTEON AND HIS WIFE EPISTEME AT EMESA (253).

There was a rich and distinguished couple named Kletophon and Leukippe who lived in the Syrian city of Emesa. For a long time, they were childless. They gave much gold to the pagan priests, but they remained childless.

The city of Emesa was governed by a Syrian named Secundus, put there by the Roman Caesars. He was a merciless and zealous persecutor of Christians, and to intimidate them he ordered that the instruments of torture be displayed on the streets. The slightest suspicion of belonging to “the sect of the Galilean” (as thus Christians were called by the pagans), was enough to get a man arrested and handed over for torture. In spite of this, many Christians voluntarily surrendered themselves into the hands of the executioners, in their desire to suffer for Christ.

A certain old man by the name of Onuphrius concealed his monastic and priestly dignity beneath his beggar’s rags. He walked from house to house in Emesa, begging alms. At the same time, whenever he saw the possibility of turning people away from the pagan error, he preached about Christ.

Once, he came to the magnificent house of Leukippe. Accepting alms from her, he sensed that the woman was in sorrow, and he asked what was the cause of this sadness. She told the Elder about her familial misfortune. In consoling her, Onuphrius began to tell her about the one true God, about His omnipotence and mercy, and how He always grants the prayer of those turning to Him with faith. Hope filled the soul of Leukippe. She believed and accepted Holy Baptism. Soon after this it was revealed to her in a dream that she would give birth to a son, who would be a true follower of Christ. At first, Leukippe concealed her delight from her husband, but after the infant was born, she revealed the secret to her husband and also persuaded him to be baptized.

They named the baby Galaction and his parents raised him in the Christian Faith and provided him a fine education. He could make an illustrious career for himself, but Galaction sought rather an unsullied monastic life in solitude and prayer.

When Galaction turned twenty-four, his father resolved to marry him off and they found him a bride, a beautiful and illustrious girl by the name of Episteme. The son did not oppose the will of his father, but by the will of God, the wedding was postponed for a time. Visiting his betrothed, Galaction gradually revealed his faith to her. Eventually, he converted her to Christ and he secretly baptized her himself.

Besides Episteme he baptized also one of her servants, Eutolmius. The newly-illumined decided on the initiative of Galaction, to devote themselves to the monastic life. Leaving the city, they hid themselves away on Mount Publion, where there were two monasteries, one for men and the other for women. The new monastics had to take with them all the necessities for physical toil, since the inhabitants of both monasteries were both old and infirm.

For several years the monastics struggled in work, fasting and prayer. Once, Episteme had a vision in her sleep: she and Galaction stood in a wondrous palace before a radiant King, and the King bestowed golden crowns on them. This was a prefiguring of their impending martyrdom.

The pagans became aware of the existence of the monasteries, and a military detachment was sent to apprehend their inhabitants. But the monks and the nuns succeeded in hiding themselves in the hills. Galaction, however, had no desire to flee and so he remained in his cell, reading Holy Scripture. When Episteme saw that the soldiers were leading Galaction away in chains, she began to implore the Abbess to permit her to go also, since she wanted to accept torture for Christ together with her fiancé and teacher. The Abbess tearfully blessed Episteme to do so.

The saints endured terrible torments, while supplicating and glorifying Christ. Their hands and legs were cut off, their tongues were cut out, and then they were beheaded.

Eutolmius, the former servant of Episteme and who had become her brother in Christ and fellow ascetic in monastic struggles, secretly buried the bodies of the holy martyrs. He later wrote an account of their virtuous life and glorious martyrdom for his contemporaries and posterity.

Source (all texts): Orthodox Church in America_OCA

Colossians 2:13-20

13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. 16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. 18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. 20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations-

Luke 12:13-15, 22-31

13 Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." 14 But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?" 15 And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."

22 Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. 23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? 25 And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 26 If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? 29 And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

#orthodoxy #orthodoxchristianity #easternorthodoxchurch #originofchristianity #spirituality #holyscriptures #gospel #bible #wisdom #faith #saints

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itsyveinthesky · 1 year ago

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Separating Fact from Fiction on Social Media in Times of Conflict

In a time of crisis, social media is flooded with images, videos and bold claims. This can be useful for researchers like ourselves but overwhelming for the general public seeking the facts.

At Bellingcat, we pride ourselves on providing tools and resources for our audience to think critically about sources they find online. In this short guide, we give a few tips on what to consider when confronted with an abundance of footage and claims. Here’s how to separate fact from fiction with real, recent examples of misinformation.

1. Be Cautious

Treat all footage and claims with caution. Sometimes real footage can be attributed to false claims and vice versa. For example, in one of our latest investigations Bellingcat found that the airstrike captured in a viral video occurred near the intersection of Al-Rashid and Beirut Streets, at approximately 31.516746, 34.428689, behind the lattice tower visible in the clip and did not hit the mentioned church as claimed in posts.

The church also debunked the attack on Facebook.

The same area was attacked at a later date, on October 19, 2023, and two assembly halls on the church property were then damaged.

In the process of geolocating footage related to the viral video claiming to show the church site, Bellingcat found evidence that strikes did occur in densely populated areas in the vicinity of several schools. The amplification of the false church claim, as a result, may have obscured a real violation. You can read the full debunk here.

2. Think Critically

Particularly about big, incendiary claims. When big news stories hit, we see a lot of recycled footage posted on social media. Recycled footage is footage from other conflicts or time periods that are published as if they are from the current event.

Often details in the footage like signage or other details in the surroundings can give a clue to the true time or place the video was taken.

For example: France 24 has repeatedly debunked a video often amplified by European far-right groups, allegedly showing migrants in Calais throwing stones across a motorway. The video is actually from a protest in Israel after the police shot an Ethiopian Jew which sparked Israel’s Black Lives Matter moment in July 2019. France 24 geolocated the surroundings and the markings on the road to a highway in Israel, far away from Calais, France where the video was repeatedly claimed to have been taken.

3. Check the Source

Responsible researchers will always name the source of footage they share or analyse. Too often footage goes viral without a source—let alone an original one—listed. Be cautious if the source of the video or claim is unclear.

Simply checking the source listed can often quickly debunk any suspicious claims. TikTok videos re-shared on other platforms, for instance, usually have the original poster’s username watermarked onto the footage.

For example, in 2022 a video of an alleged news report went viral. In the video, a reporter stands in front of a line of ‘body bags’ discussing the Russian ‘military operation’ in an American accent and the caption reads “Ukranian Health Ministry: 57 dead, 169 hurt across Ukraine as Russia launches attack.” During the report, the person in the body bag behind the reporter starts to move. The video was shared with an array of claims, ranging from the dead coming back to life to assertions that the Ukrainian authorities were staging deaths to grow support for their cause. Elementary fact-checks will show any savvy individual that this footage did not show what was claimed. A quick search on Google of the reporter’s name shows that they have never reported on such an incident. A reverse image search using a screenshot from the video reveals that the news report was taken and manipulated from coverage of a climate protest in Austria in February 2022. Fake audio had been added to the video and was easily disguised by the fact the reporter’s mouth could not be seen as he/she was wearing a mask. The Associated Press originally debunked this claim and their factcheck can now be found linked to the original misleading post on Facebook.

The church also debunked the attack on Facebook.

The same area was attacked at a later date, on October 19, 2023, and two assembly halls on the church property were then damaged.

4. Remember that the Same Location Doesn’t Mean the Same Incident

Even if the footage is from the area, it doesn’t mean it is from the same event.

One simple way to check is to use Google reverse image search on video screenshots to see if they’ve been posted before.

For example, Bellingcat contributor Chris Osieck found that this video allegedly showing rocket fire in Palestine in October was indeed filmed in the Gaza Strip, but that it was from May 13, 2023.

He found an earlier instance of the footage labelled as showing the destruction of the Za’anin family’s home in the same region. This attack was part of fighting that occurred in May 2023.

5. Be Savvy to Manipulation and AI Generation

When all footage or photographs connected to an event go viral, you often see accounts pop up distributing manipulated or altogether fake imagery. Free and easy to access AI-powered image generation tools have now made this type of content faster to create and more common. Although not always accurate, tools like aiornot.com can help disprove claims quickly.

For example, a video went viral in March 2022 allegedly showing Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy telling Ukrainian soldiers to “lay down their arms” and claiming that he had decided to “return Donbas” to Russian control. Many media outlets and Zelenskyy himself debunked the video. Whilst watching the video, one can see his head appears disproportionately sized in contrast to his body. His voice is also slower and deeper than in usual addresses.

6. Be Cautious of State Actors, Which Sometimes Share Staged or Unreliable Footage

In times of conflict, it is not unknown for state actors to imply bad faith on the part of their adversaries. In some cases, staged videos appear online. For example, in March 2023, a dashcam video circulated allegedly showing a Ukrainian soldier abusing a Russian-speaking Ukrainian citizen. Pro-Russian figures and Russia’s Foreign Ministry shared the video on social media. Bellingcat and other eagle-eyed viewers, however, geolocated the footage to deep inside Russian-controlled territory. You can read the full story here.

7. Know That, Sometimes, News Organisations Get it Wrong

When you discover new claims about footage, always check for a secondary media source, ideally one that has obtained the information independently of the first source. News organisations and leading figures can sometimes use quotes from each other as sources of information (see an example that we found here) and sometimes verification steps slip through the cracks. For example, in a famous example in 2019, ABC News broadcasted a fake video on both its ‘World News Tonight’ and ‘Good Morning America’ programmes. The video was reportedly sent to them by a trusted fixer and claimed to show the Turkish military bombing Kurdish civilians in a Syrian border town. Viewers spotted that it looked incredibly similar to a video on YouTube from a Kentucky gun range called Knob Creek. The footage had been altered slightly, but the two video timelines matched. ABC issued a statement and took down the video from their broadcasting.

8. Protect Your Mental Health

Watching footage from war zones can cause trauma.

Be careful viewing unknown footage. There is almost always an abundance of highly disturbing content circulating during times of conflict.

Always ask yourself if there is a genuine reason you need to view this footage. Organisations like Bellingcat have teams of researchers trained to view such footage with therapeutic support in place to assist them. If you do find something that needs attention, you can share it with a trusted news source rather than viewing it and amplifying it yourself.

If you are an open-source researcher, you can find Bellingcat’s guide explaining ways to better protect your mental health whilst undertaking this role here. The Dart Center also has robust advice on the risk of vicarious trauma.

#disinformation #misinformation #propaganda #fog of war #fact check #bellingcat #journalism #ukraine #russia #palestine #israel

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usafphantom2 · 1 year ago

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US quickly updated Israeli F-35s after the Hamas attack

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 12/15/2023 - 12:00 in Military, War Zones

The United States accelerated capacity updates for Israel's F-35I Adir fighters after the Hamas attack on October 7, the main officer in charge of the Joint Strike Fighter program said this week.

Lieutenant General Michael Schmidt, executive officer of the F-35 program, refused to identify to reporters the capabilities sent to Israel in the more than two months after the attack, noting that the program strives to keep all nations flying the jet supplied with spare parts and capabilities.

But speaking to reporters after a hearing before the House Air and Land Tactical Forces Subcommittee, Schmidt confirmed that the improvements made to Israel occurred after the deadly Hamas attack that killed at least 1,200 people. The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that more than 18,000 people died as a result of subsequent Israeli air and ground attacks in the Gaza Strip.

Bill LaPlante, U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Support, said at the hearing that the F-35 program was recently able to quickly send updated mission data files to a country in a week or a week and a half. Schmidt confirmed after the hearing that LaPlante was referring to Israel.

The mission data files are a "brich", as LaPlante described them, containing the jet's memory about the threats it can encounter in an operation and other information necessary for combat.

The F-35 program “is not yet where it should be in these mission data files,” LaPlante said. But the recent rapid update of these files is a good sign, he added, and the lessons learned from it will be used throughout the program.

LaPlante said in written comments that Israel has 35 of its 39 F-35s operating and carrying out missions, with the help of an increase in support support to maximize the readiness of the country's aircraft.

The chairman of the subcommittee, Rep. Rob Wittman, a Republican from Virginia, said at Tuesday's hearing that the F-35 Joint Program Office "moved at a dizzying speed" to support Israel, accelerating the weapon capabilities of its jets and increasing the flow of spare parts.

Schmidt told lawmakers that Israel's F-35s had an "absolutely remarkable" performance in the war to eliminate Hamas, with high rates of aircraft capable of carrying out their missions.

"We added some capabilities to this plane in a very short period of time," he said. "Our team is doing everything they can to keep moving forward with the product."

Source: Defense News

Tags: Military AviationF-35I 'Adir'IAF - Israeli Air Force/Israel Air ForceLockheed MartinWar Zones - Middle East

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Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. He uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.