Who Wants The Next Pandemic And Why?
Who Wants The Next Pandemic And Why?
#COVID-19#RUSSIA 16.01.2024 - 1789 views
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Who Wants The Next Pandemic And Why?
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Written by Drago Bosnic, independent geopolitical and military analyst

It’s been nearly two years since Russia uncovered the extremely disturbing truth about American involvement in bioweapons testing in Ukraine. However, the institutions of the so-called “rules-based world order” (posing as the “international community”) have completely ignored these findings, while the mainstream propaganda machine has done everything in its power to present them as supposed “conspiracy theories”. Still, the world has been demanding answers from the US-led political West. This includes non-aligned countries, often dubbed the “fence sitters” by the United States, although there have been far worse descriptions used by the European Union. American diplomacy (if one could even call it that way) is too busy meddling in the internal affairs of other countries, so it usually refuses to comment on allegations regarding the Pentagon-run “biological research facilities” in Ukraine.

Luckily for the world, the Russian military never stopped investigating this issue, despite constant attempts to prevent, sabotage and/or discredit these efforts. On January 15, TASS reported that the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) identified over 50 participants in America’s bioweapons program in Ukraine last year alone. During a briefing held on the same day, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, Head of the Russian Armed Forces’ Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) Protection Troops, warned about the dangers of these US-sponsored illicit activities. Kirillov revealed that an event that can only be described as a false flag training exercise was held in Lvov back in August 2023. The goal was to accuse Russia of supposed bioweapons usage in Ukraine, likely as a way for the US/NATO to both incriminate Moscow and divert attention away from itself and its illegal biological warfare activities in the war-torn country.

“I would like to note the work carried out in 2023 to identify the organizers and participants of military-biological activities on the territory of Ukraine. As a result of the analysis of the documentation obtained, more than 50 people were identified, including officials of US and Ukrainian government agencies, and employees of intermediary organizations and private companies,” Kirillov said at the briefing.

Among others, he named Kenneth Myers, Robert Pope and Joanna Wintrol, employees of the US DoD’s Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, as well as representatives of the companies Battelle and EcoHealth Alliance, Kevin Olival, Karen Saylors and Lewis von Thaer.

“The [false flag] event [in Lvov] was attended by Filippa Lentzos; Gemma Bowsher; and Irina Demchyshyna, Head of the Reference Laboratories of the Public Health Center of the Ukrainian Health Ministry; as well as Darya Ponomarenko, Head of the Department of Biological Safety and Biological Protection of the Public Health Center of the Ukrainian Health Ministry,” Kirillov said.

He added that R&D on pathogens that could cause massive economic damage was extensively conducted in these biolabs, including research on mechanisms for their more efficient distribution and spreading. The program was conducted under the leadership of Denis Muziyka. In addition, Viktor Gavrilenko and Alexander Mezinov were involved in the collection and shipment of materials. It can be argued the report essentially shows that the endgame was to cause long-term damage to the Russian economy (particularly its massive agricultural potential). In turn, this was supposed to cause instability in the country, possibly even a famine that could destabilize the Russian government. Needless to say, such activities are tantamount to a declaration of war. And yet, those conducting them are completely unmoved by the possibility of a direct confrontation between nuclear-armed superpowers.

In further reports published later that day, TASS revealed additional goals of these US-run biolabs. General Kirillov touched upon the US strategy of (ab)using its publicly stated goals of supposedly “monitoring infectious diseases and providing assistance to developing countries” to further expand its biological warfare capabilities.

“Over the past year, the Pentagon has developed and adopted a number of conceptual documents that involve expanding the foreign network of US-controlled biological laboratories and continuing military biological research beyond national jurisdiction. <…> While the stated goals are monitoring infectious diseases and providing assistance to developing countries, using the example of Ukraine, it became clear how the military-biological potential of the United States is being built up,” he stated.

Kirillov also recalled that Washington DC created new administrative and technical agencies last year – the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, and the Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy. These two agencies are supposed to serve as fronts for further bioweapons programs, not only in Ukraine, but around the world. Kirillov also reiterated previous findings uncovered after the start of the special military operation (SMO). He specifically mentioned the Pentagon’s two major projects in Ukraine, aimed at studying the causative agents of particularly dangerous pathogens and diseases such as tularemia, anthrax and hantavirus infections.

“The research was carried out in three main areas. These are monitoring the biological situation, collecting endemic strains, and studying the susceptibility of the local population,” Kirillov said.

In an additional report by the South Front, the Russian military revealed that the US Department of Defense conducted a series of experiments with smallpox viruses, which is prohibited by the World Health Assembly. This also includes research on the use of the monkeypox virus as a bioweapon, as well as R&D on the usage of agent-based simulators of smallpox viruses. Two strains of this pathogen are used in the course of aerobic studies. The World Health Assembly allows only two organizations to conduct such research – the Vector State Scientific Center in Russia and the Center for Disease Control in the US. However, these experiments were conducted by the employees of the Institute of Infectious Diseases, which is subordinate to the Pentagon. The US DoD was also engaged in studying other orthopoxviruses that are deadly and pose great danger to human life and health.

Interestingly (or perhaps “terrifyingly” would be a much more fitting term), concurrently with the Russian military’s briefings, the infamous World Economic Forum announced it would discuss the new unspecified deadly pathogen that causes what they call the “Disease X”, which the WEF claims is “10 times deadlier than the COVID-19”. Considering the fact that the WEF is deeply intertwined with the political West and its vaunted “rules-based world order”, the timing is rather peculiar. Why are the WEF and the so-called “international community” so “worried” about an unknown disease, but they keep ignoring clear-cut evidence of America’s massive (and rapidly expanding) bioweapons program? Why is the US military conducting this sort of research (on a global scale, at that), although any official civilian public health institution could easily do so on its own and without such deadly biohazard risks?

MORE ON THE TOPIC:

US Military Conducts Dangerous Experiments With Prohibited Viruses
Kiev Sold Ukrainian Land For Disposal Of Hazardous Chemical Waste Of US Companies – Report
Moscow Accuses Washington Of Preparing For New Pandemic
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https://southfront.press/who-wants-the-next-pandemic-and-why/

Duas for Palestine and Gaza in English With Transliteration and Translation
During these times, we should be more spiritually resilient and increase our ibadah, and one of the simplest forms of ibadah is by reciting duas or supplication.

Duas for Palestine and Gaza in English

dua for palestine

It has been 75 years since the Nakba in 1948. Throughout these years, Palestinians have had to bear unimaginable oppression and suffering.

Read: Dangers and Opportunities in the Role of Religion in the Israel-Hamas War

Every time we see news of Palestinians being oppressed, displaced or killed, we can’t help but feel grief, rage, sadness, and helplessness.

Firstly, it is okay to feel these feelings and to allow yourself to process them. It's important to understand these feelings, make sense of them, and acknowledge them.

Read: A Mental Health Guide for Those Grappling With The Crisis in Gaza

Secondly, it is during these times that we should be more spiritually resilient and increase our ibadah, and one of the simplest forms of ibadah is by reciting duas or supplication.

The beauty of making dua is that you can recite it anytime, no matter your condition and situation. Be it if you are feeling sad or happy, there is always time to recite a dua.

Allah s.w.t. mentioned in the Quran:

وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ٱدْعُونِىٓ أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ۚ

Your Lord has proclaimed, “Call upon Me, I will respond to you.”

(Surah Ghafir, 40:60)

Alhamdulillah, various local organisations and mosques have stepped up in efforts to provide platforms not just for logistical aids only but for spirituality as well. One of which was reciting the Dua Qunut Nazilah, with some mosques still reciting it regularly.

Read: 4 Ways to Respond to the Sufferings Faced by The Palestinian People

1. Dua Qunut Nazilah

qunut nazilah
Dua Qunut Nazilah is a sunnah that is often read in times of calamity or crisis or for seeking Allah’s protection. It also can be read with the intention of assisting others facing adversity, signifying solidarity between the Muslims.

Dua Qunut Nazilah is recited on the last unit of prayer (raka’at), after the i’tidal, while still standing, and before proceeding to the sujud position, and it is also recommended to raise both hands upon reciting the Dua Qunut.

اللهُمَّ اهْدِنَا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ
Allāhummah dinā fīman hadait
وَعَافِنَا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ
Wa ‘āfinā fīman ‘āfait
وَتَوَلَّنَا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ
Wa tawallanā fīman tawallait
وَبَارِكْ لَنَا فِيماَ أَعْطَيْتَ
Wa bārik lānā fīma a’atoit
وَقِنَا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ
Wa qinā syarra mā qadhait
فَإنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ
Fa-innaka taqdhī wa lā yuqdho ‘alaik
وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ
Wa innahu lā yazillu man wālait
وَلاَ يَعِزُّ مَنْ عَادَيْتَ
Wa lā ya’izzu man ‘ādait
تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
Tabārakta Rabbanā wa ta'alait
فَلَكَ الْحَمْدٌ عَلى ما قَضَيتَ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَنَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ
Falak-al hamdu ‘alā mā qadhait, wa nastaghfiruka wa natūbu ilaik

اَللَهُمَّ إِنَّا نَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ، وَنَسْأَلُكَ بِحَقِّ رَحْمَتِكَ وَلُطْفِكَ، أَنْ تَنْظُرَ إِلَيْنَا وَإِلَى خَلْقِكَ أَجْمَعِينَ
Allāhumma innā natawajjahu ilaik, wa nas-aluka bihaqqi rahmatika wa lutfik, an tanzura ilaina wa ilā khalqika ajma’īn

اَللَّهُمَّ قَدْ أُغْلِقَتِ اْلأَبْوَابُ إِلَّا بَابُكَ، وَقَدِ انْقَطَعَتِ اْلأَسْبَابُ إِلَّا إِلَيْكَ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِكَ، يَا رَبَّ اْلعَالَمِيْنَ

Allāhumma qad ughliqatil-abwābu illa bābuk, wa qad inqata’al-asbābu illa ilaik, wa lā hawla wa lā quwwata illā bika, yā Rabb-al-’ālamīn

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الأَمْنَ وَالأَمَانَ، وَالسِّلْمَ وَالسَّلاَمَ، فيِ الْعَالَمِ كُلِّهِ وَلِلنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ، وَأَدِمْ عَلَينَا وَعَلَيهِمْ هَذِهِ النِّعَمَ، فِي أَنْفُسِنَا وَأَنْفُسِهِمْ، وَأَبْنَائِنَا وَأَبْنَائِهِمْ، وَدِيَارِنَا وَدِيَارِهِمْ يَا رَبَّ العَالَمِينَ

Allāhumma innā nas-alukal-amna wal-amān, was-silmi was-salām, fil-’alami kullihi wa lin-nās ajma’in, wa adim ‘alainā wa ‘alaihim hazihin-ni’am, fi anfusinā wa anfusihim, wa abnā-ina wa abnā-ihim, wa diyārina wa diyārihim, yā Rabb-al-’ālamīn

اَللَّهُمَّ انْصُرْ إِخْوَانَنَا اْلمُسْتَضْعَفِيْنَ فِي غَزَّةَ وَفِيْ فِلِسْطِيْنَ

Allāhumma-nsur ikhwānanal-mustadh’afīna fī ghazzah (Gaza) wa fī filistīn (Palestine)
x3

وَفِيْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ، يَا أَرْحَمَ الرّاحِمِيْنَ. اّللَّهُمَّ خُذْ بِأَيْدِيْهِمْ، وَاحْفَظْهُمْ، وَالْطُفْ بِهِمْ، وَكُفَّ أَيْدِيَ اْلمَاكِرِيْنَ بِهِمْ

Wa fī kulli makān, yā Arhamar-Rāhimīn. Allāhumma khuz bi-aydīhim, wah-fazhum, wal-tuf bihim, wa kuffa aydil-mākirīna bihim

اللَّهُمَّ كُنْ عَوْنًا لَهُمْ مِنْ شُرُوْرِ الظَّالِمِيْن، وَارْفَعْ عَنْهُمُ اْلأَذَى وَالظُّلْمَ، وَجَمِيْعَ أَنْوَاعِ اْلفِتَنِ وَاْلمِحَنِ، مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ، وَاْلطُفْ بِهِمْ فِيْ مَا جَرَتْ بِهِ اْلمَقَادِيْرُ، فِيْ عَافِيَةٍ وَسَلَامَةٍ، بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ

Allāhumma kun ‘aunan lahum min syururiz-zolimīn, war-fa’ ‘anhumul-azā waz-zulm, wa jamī’a anwa’il fitani wal-mihan, mā zohara minhā wa mā baton, waltuf bihim fī mā jarat bihil-maqādīru, fi ‘āfiyatin wa salāmatin, birahmatika yā Arhamar-Rāhimīn

اللَّهُمَّ تَقَبَّلْ شُهَدَاءَهُمْ، وَدَاوِ جَرْحَاهُمْ، وَأَنْزِلِ السَّكِيْنَةَ عَلَى قُلُوْبِهِمْ، وَبَدِّلْ خَوْفَهُمْ أَمْنًا، وَحُزْنَهُمْ فَرَحًا، وَهَمَّهُمْ فَرَجًا، يَا رَبَّ العَالَمِينَ
Allāhumma taqabbal syuhada-ahum, wa dāwi jarhāhum, wa anzilis-sakinata ‘alā qulubihim, wa baddil khaufahum amnā, wa huznahum farhā, wa hammahum farajā, yā Rabb-al-’ālamīn

اللَّهُمَّ حُلَّ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ مَنْ عَادَاهُمْ، اَللَّهُمَّ أَلْهِمْهُمْ رُشْدَهُمْ وَافْتَحْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ الحِكْمَةِ وَالأَمَانَ، وَاْلعَفْوِ وَاْلغُفْرَانِ

Allāhumma hulla bainahum wa baina man ‘adāhum, Allāhumma alhimhum rusydahum waf-tah ‘alaihim abwabal-hikmati wal-amān, wal-’afwi wal-ghufrān

يَا حَنَّانُ يَا مَنَّانُ يَا بَدِيْعَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَاْلأَكْوَانِ

Ya Hannān, Ya Mannān, Ya Badi’as-samawāti wal-akwān

وَصَلَّى اللهُ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِيِّ اْلأُمِّيِّ وَعَلَى آلِهَ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلَّمَ

Wa sallAllāhu ‘alā sayyidinā Muhammadin-nabiyyil-ummi wa ‘alā alihi wa sahbihi wa sallam

Meaning:

O Allah, guide me as You have guided others, grant me well-being as You have granted others, take me into Your care as You have taken others into Your care, and bless me in all that You have given me. Protect me from the evils You have ordained.

Surely, You hold command without being commanded, and those under Your care shall not be humiliated. None whom You have taken as an enemy shall taste glory. You are blessed, Our Lord, and Exalted. All praise is upon You for Your decisions. I seek Your forgiveness, and I repent to You.

O Allah, we turn to You and ask, by Your mercy and gentleness, to look upon us and all Your creations. All doors are closed except Yours, all causes ceased except Yours. There is no might or power except through You, Lord of all the worlds.

O Allah, we ask for safety, security, peace, and tranquility for the entire world and all people. Preserve these blessings upon us, our children, and our homes, Lord of all the worlds.

O Allah, aid our vulnerable brothers and sisters in Gaza and Palestine (repeated three times), and in all places, O Most Merciful of the Merciful. Take them by their hand, protect them, be gentle with them, and suppress deceit. Grant them Your protection against aggressors, remove harm, oppression, and all adversity—both apparent and hidden. Be gentle with them, in safety and well-being, by Your mercy, O Most Merciful.

O Allah, reward the victims, tend to the wounded, instill tranquility in their hearts, allay their fears, turn their sadness to happiness, Lord of all the worlds.

O Allah, intervene between them and their adversaries. Inspire them with Your guidance, open the doors of wisdom, safety, pardon, and forgiveness. O Affectionate, Benefactor, Creator of the heavens and universe.

Read: Step By Step: Dua Qunut Nazilah (IG Infogfx post)

2. Dua for Protection from Trials and Tribulations

In these tumultuous times, Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. has clearly warned us to protect ourselves against afflictions, specifically against Dajjal.

dua for protection from dajjal palestine

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ, وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ, وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ, اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْمَأْثَمِ وَالْمَغْرَمِ

Allahumma inni a’uzubika min ‘azabil-qabr, wa a’uzubika min fitnatil-masihid-dajjal, wa a’uzubika min fitnatil-mahya wal-mamat. Allahumma inni a’uzubika minal-ma’thami wal-maghram.

O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the torment of the grave, and I seek refuge in You from the trials of the Dajjal, and I seek refuge in You from the trials of Life and Death. O Allah! I seek refuge in You from sin and debts.

(Sunan Abi Daud)

The Prophet s.a.w. would sometimes read this supplication after the end of his prayers. This dua is usually read after the tahiyyat akhir, before giving the salam.

Read: Dua For Protection From Trials and Tribulations (IG Infogfx Post)

Also read: Dealing With Claims of Signs of the End of the World in Islam

3. Dua for Total Protection

Another important supplication that can be read in these times is the dua which seeks Allah’s protection and concealment of one's shortcomings.

اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَورَاتِي وَآمِنْ رَوعَاتِي، وَاحْفَظْنِي مِن بَينِ يَدَيَّ، وَمِن خَلفِي وَعَن يَمِينِي وَعَن شِمَالِي وَمِن فَوقِي، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ أَن أُغْتَالَ مِن تَحْتِي

Allahummas-tur ‘aurati wa-amin rau’ati, wah-fazni min baini yadaiya, wa-min khalfi, wa-’an yamini, wa-’an syimali, wa-min fawqi, wa-a’uzu bika an ughtala min tahti

O Allah, conceal my shortcomings, calm my fears, and protect me from before me and behind me, from my right and my left, and from above me, and I seek refuge in You from being taken unaware from beneath.

(Sunan Ibn Majah)

One reason we should read this dua is that whatever shortcomings we had in the past would not hinder our sincere efforts to become a better person, insyaAllah.

Read: Dua for Total Protection (IG Post)

Also read: Dangers and Opportunities in the Role of Religion in the Israel-Hamas War

4. Dua for Sincere Forgiveness

In these trying times, we should increase our efforts in making more dua. Therefore, when praying for our brothers and sisters in Palestine, let us not forget to pray for ourselves as well. Let's seek forgiveness from Allah s.w.t. and make sincere repentance.

Sayyidul Istighfar dua for palestine

اللَّهُمَّ أَنتَ رَبِّي لاَ إِلَهَ أَنتَ خَلَقتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبدُكَ وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِن شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ، وَأَبُوءُ بِذَنبِي، فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنتَ

Allahumma anta rabbi la ilaha anta khalaqtani, wa ana ‘ala ‘ahdika wa-wa’dika mas-tato’tu. A’uzubika min sharri ma sona’tu, abu-u laka bini’matika ‘alayya, wa abu-u bizanbi, faghfirli fa-innahu la yaghfiruz-zunuba illa anta.

O Allah, You are my Lord. There is no god but You. You created me and I am Your slave, and I remain faithful to Your covenant and Your promise as much as I can. I seek refuge with You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your favours upon me, and I admit my sins. So forgive me, for indeed none forgives sins except You.

(Sahih Al-Bukhari)

Known as the ‘Sayyidul Istighfar’, the Prophet s.a.w. mentioned that ‘whoever recites during the day with firm faith in it, and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise; and if somebody recites at night with firm faith in it, and dies before the morning, he will be from the people of Paradise.’

Read: Sayyidul Istighfar (IG Post)

5. Dua For Reliance on Allah s.w.t.

Lastly, let’s not forget to have faith and put our unwavering trust in the Almighty in His plans.

Dua For Palestine Reliance on Allah

اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ، وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ، وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْتُ

Allahumma laka aslamtu, wa bika amantu, wa ‘alaika tawakkaltu, wa ilaika anabtu.

Oh Allah! To You I have submitted, and in You do I believe, and in You I put my trust, to You do I turn to.

(Muttafaqun ‘Alayh)

Even when we find ourselves in situations we don't fully comprehend or when things seem to deviate from our plans, it's crucial to acknowledge and trust that whatever is unfolding aligns with His divine will and may ultimately be for our greater good.

Read: Dua for Firm Belief and Reliance on Allah s.w.t. (IG Post)

Also read: Our Response in Crisis will Demonstrate Our Core Values as Muslims

Finally, we should not waver in our ibadah. We should strengthen our connection with Allah s.w.t. for Allah s.w.t. is ever-ready for us to return to Him.

In a hadith qudsi reported by Abu Dharr:

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Allah Almighty says: Whoever comes with a good deed will have the reward of ten like it and even more. Whoever comes with an evil deed will be recompensed for one evil deed like it or he will be forgiven. Whoever draws close to Me by the length of a hand, I will draw close to him by the length of an arm. Whoever draws close to Me by the length of an arm, I will draw close to him by the length of a fathom. Whoever comes to Me walking, I will come to him running. Whoever meets Me with enough sins to fill the earth, not associating any partners with Me, I will meet him with as much forgiveness.”

(Sahih Muslim)

May Allah s.w.t. accept our sincerest efforts and ease the affairs of our brothers and sisters in Palestine, insyaAllah.


https://muslim.sg/articles/duas-for-palestine-and-gaza-in-english-with-transliteration-and-translation

Inside The UN Plan To Control Speech Online
Authored by Alex Newman via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

A powerful United Nations agency has unveiled a plan to regulate social media and online communication while cracking down on what it describes as “false information” and “conspiracy theories,” sparking alarm among free-speech advocates and top U.S. lawmakers.

(Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock)

In its 59-page report released this month, the U.N. Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) outlined a series of “concrete measures which must be implemented by all stakeholders: governments, regulatory authorities, civil society, and the platforms themselves.”

This approach includes the imposition of global policies, through institutions such as governments and businesses, designed to stop the spread of various forms of speech while promoting objectives such as “cultural diversity” and “gender equality.”

In particular, the U.N. agency aims to create an “Internet of Trust” by targeting what it calls “misinformation,” “disinformation,” “hate speech,” and “conspiracy theories.”

Examples of expression flagged to be stopped or restricted include concerns about elections, public health measures, and advocacy that could constitute “incitement to discrimination.”

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, testifies remotely during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on "Censorship, Suppression, and the 2020 Election," in Washington on Nov. 17, 2020. (Bill Clark-Pool/Getty Images)

Critics are warning that allegations of “disinformation” and “conspiracy theories” have increasingly been used by powerful forces in government and Big Tech to silence true information and even core political speech.

Just this month, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee released a report blasting the “pseudoscience of disinformation.”

Among other concerns, the committee found this “pseudoscience” has been “weaponized” by what lawmakers refer to as the “Censorship Industrial Complex.”

The goal: silence constitutionally-protected political speech, mostly by conservatives.

"The pseudoscience of disinformation is now—and has always been—nothing more than a political ruse most frequently targeted at communities and individuals holding views contrary to the prevailing narratives,” states the congressional report, "The Weaponization of ‘Disinformation’ Pseudo-Experts and Bureaucrats."

Indeed, many of the policies called for by UNESCO have already been implemented by U.S.-based digital platforms, often at the behest of the Biden administration, the latest congressional report makes clear.

Deputy Director of UNESCO Xing Qu (2nd R) views some ancient manuscripts on March 31, 2021. (MICHELE CATTANI/AFP via Getty Images)

On Capitol Hill, lawmakers nevertheless expressed alarm about the new UNESCO plan.

“I have repeatedly and publicly criticized the Biden administration’s misguided decision to rejoin UNESCO, putting U.S. taxpayers on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) told The Epoch Times regarding the social-media plan.

Calling UNESCO a “deeply flawed entity,” Mr. McCaul said he is especially concerned that the organization “promotes the interests of authoritarian regimes—including the Chinese Communist Party.”

Indeed, UNESCO, like many other U.N. agencies, includes multiple members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in its leadership ranks, such as Deputy Director-General Xing Qu, The Epoch Times has reported.

The CCP has repeatedly made clear that even while working in international organizations, CCP members are expected to follow communist party orders.

Lawmakers on the House Appropriations Subcommittee dealing with international organizations are currently working to cut or reduce funding to various U.N. agencies that lawmakers say are using U.S. taxpayer money improperly.

Already, the U.S. government has twice exited UNESCO—under the Reagan and the Trump administrations—due to concerns about what the administrations described as extremism, hostility to American values, and other problems.

The Biden administration rejoined earlier this year over the objections of lawmakers, The Epoch Times reported.

An aerial view of a sculpture at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris on July 25, 2023. President Joe Biden rejoined the United States into UNESCO after President Donald Trump exited the agency in 2018. (BERTRAND GUAY/AFP via Getty Images)

The UNESCO Plan

While being marketed as a plan to uphold free expression, the new UNESCO regulatory regime calls for international censorship by “independent” regulators who are “shielded from political and economic interests.”

"National, regional, and global governance systems should be able to cooperate and share practices … in addressing content that could be permissibly restricted under international human rights law and standards,” the report explains.

Unlike the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibiting any governmental infringement on the right to free speech or free press, UNESCO points to various international “human rights” instruments that it says should determine what speech to infringe on.

These agreements include the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which states that restricting freedom of expression must be provided for by law and must also serve a “legitimate aim.”

In a recent review of the United States, a U.N. human-rights committee called for changes to the U.S. Constitution and demanded that the U.S. government do more to stop and punish “hate speech” in order to comply with the ICCPR.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), joined by members of the Asian Pacific American Caucus, speaks on the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on May 18, 2021. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Another key U.N. instrument is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states explicitly in Article 29 that “rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.”

In short, the U.N. view of “freedom of expression” is radically different from that enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.

The UNESCO report says that once content that should be restricted is found, social-media platforms must take measures, ranging from using algorithm suppression (shadow banning) and warning users about the content, to de-monetizing and even removing it.

Any digital platforms found to not be “dealing with content that could be permissibly restricted under international human rights law” should “be held accountable” with “enforcement measures,” the report states.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, a former French culture minister with the Socialist Party, cited risks to society to justify the global plan.

"Digital technology has enabled immense progress on freedom of speech,” she said in a statement. “But social media platforms have also accelerated and amplified the spread of false information and hate speech, posing major risks to societal cohesion, peace, and stability.

“To protect access to information, we must regulate these platforms without delay, while at the same time protecting freedom of expression and human rights," said Azoulay, who took over the U.N. agency from longtime Bulgarian Communist Party leader Irina Bokova.

In the forward to the new report, headlined “Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms,” Azoulay says that stopping certain forms of speech and at the same time preserving “freedom of expression” is “not a contradiction.”

Citing a survey commissioned by UNESCO itself, the U.N. agency also said most people around the world support its agenda.

According to UNESCO, the report and the guidelines were developed through a process of consultation including more than 1,500 submissions and over 10,000 comments from “stakeholders” such as governments, businesses, and non-profit organizations.

UNESCO said it will work with governments and companies to implement the regulatory regime around the world.

“UNESCO is by not (sic) proposing to regulate digital platforms,” a spokesman for UNESCO, who asked not to be named, told The Epoch Times in a statement.

“We are, however, conscious that dozens of governments around the world are already drafting legislation to do so, some of which is not in line with international human rights standards, and may even jeopardize freedom of expression.

“Similarly, the platforms themselves are already making millions of human and automated decisions a day with respect to the moderation and curation of content, based upon their own policies,” the spokesman said.

The European Union, which already places severe limitations on free expression online, has already provided funding for implementation worldwide, UNESCO added.

The Biden administration told The Epoch Times that it wasn't involved in creating the plan.

“We will reserve comment until we finish carefully studying the plan,” the State Department said in an email.

Free Speech Concern Grows

Concerns over the implications for freedom of speech and free expression online are mounting as awareness of the UNESCO plan spreads.

Sarah McLaughlin, a senior scholar at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), expressed alarm.

"FIRE appreciates that UNESCO’s new action plan for social media recognizes the value of transparency and the need for protecting freedom of expression, but remains deeply concerned about efforts to regulate online ‘disinformation’ and ‘hate speech,’” Ms. McLaughlin told The Epoch Times.

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