Wednesday, November 20, 2024

United States: Fighting to the last Ukrainian



Murray Hunter


Guest Editorial: United States: Fighting to the last Ukrainian

By Lim Teck Ghee

Nov 20, 2024





When Joe Biden leaves office, he will leave as the president with a record that places him amongst the most militaristic of American leaders with responsibility for inflicting suffering and bringing death to possibly the largest number of innocent civilian casualties in this modern era. This is as a result of the wars taking place during his watch in Ukraine, Gaza and elsewhere. This record will become worse if the bleak outcome of his latest foreign policy decision becomes reality.

In what independent observers view as a further attempt by Biden to continue and escalate the war in Ukraine, the lame duck president has authorised Ukraine to use American long-range missiles to strike deeper inside Russia.

In the US, the following response by Congress representative Marjorie Greene has received 2 million views on X and 47,000 likes

On his way out of office, Joe Biden is dangerously trying to start WW III by authorizing Ukraine the use of U.S. long range missiles into Russia.

The American people gave a mandate on Nov 5th against these exact America last decisions and do NOT want to fund or fight foreign wars. We want to fix our own problems


Marjorie Taylor Green, Congress representative for Georgia, X post, 14 Nov 2024


This decision, allowing Kyiv to use the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMs) with their superior range of up to four times more than the current missiles supplied to Ukraine for attacks inside Russia, has been justified with the most flimsy of excuses.

Quoting American officials reported to be ‘knowledgeable’ about the matter but obviously designated by the White House to provide justification propaganda, the major policy change is being pitched by western media to the world as a response to North Korean troops reported to be positioned along Ukraine’s northern border.

The explanation rings hollow.

Since the war began, Russia has not called upon or relied on any non-Russian troops to fight its war. At this late stage when victory appears to be in sight, Putin will want for it to enter into the history books as an exclusive and singlehanded Russian victory against the combined forces of the US, Britain, Canada, Australia, the European Union, Japan and other allies of the West. It will be foolish and extremely unlikely for Putin to welcome any participation from Russia’s allies in the current battlefield and military endgame in Ukraine.

As to the presence of North Koreans in Ukraine, it is possible that there is a small number of them at the frontline. However, South Korea, which has the best intelligence on North Korea, has not been able to confirm that North Korean troops are now engaged in combat as reported by some US and Ukraine officials.

Explaining Biden's Last War Hurrah

What explains Biden’s last hurrah in US foreign policy is not difficult to understand. Firstly, he is giving way to the late ditch effort by the military-industrial (MIC) and deep state complexes that are key players of US domestic and foreign policy to obstruct the incoming president, Donald Trump, in his plan to end the war. Such a move which Trump has promised to take place within 24 hours after his assumption of office, would obviously adversely impact the windfall profits that the war in Ukraine has generated for the MIC complex.

Biden had earlier resisted pressure from Zelensky and Western supporters to allow Ukraine to strike military targets deeper inside Russia for fear that this escalation could draw the US and NATO into direct conflict with nuclear-armed Russia.

His change of mind at this late hour can also be interpreted in other ways besides his finally giving in to the military and industrial forces working behind the political scene in Washington and Kyiv.

Foremost appears to be his personal animosity towards Trump who he condemned in a recent election campaign rally as a threat to democracy and someone that needed to “be locked up”. Related to that animosity may also be a quest for retaliation against his nemesis fuelled by Kamala Harris’s election loss which many Democrat leaders attribute to Biden’s late withdrawal from the presidential race.

Failure by Trump as the new president to stop the war as promised would put Biden’s foreign policy legacy of support for Ukraine in a better light and make Trump the loser in the American history books which Biden is now focused on influencing and rewriting.

Earlier in his youth, Biden had shown promise of being anti-war in his sentiment. Like earlier presidents - George W. Bush and Bill Clinton - he was successful in avoiding the draft. According to a report by the US Army Times newspaper which serves active, reserve, national guard and retired US army personne, and analysed the draft dodging strategies of various presidents:

Biden not only received deferments for his undergraduate days at the University of Delaware, but for three years of law school at Syracuse University. When his education deferments expired in 1968, Biden requested a deferment based on the fact he had asthma as a teenager. He did this in spite of the fact that, according to his own book, he was a star athlete in high school and in college played intramural sports and was a lifeguard in the summer.

https://www.armytimes.com/opinion/commentary/2021/01/21/dodging-and-deferring-trump-wasnt-the-only-potus-to-avoid-the-draft/

The report also noted that as soon as he received his asthma deferment, Biden ran for local office and within two years after he would have been discharged from the Army, assuming he was not wounded or killed, he was elected to the Senate.

As an outgoing president, Biden clearly has embellished his war record with this latest variant of US foreign policy - that is, of fighting to the last Ukrainian. This recalibration of US foreign policy is also being applied to hotspots such as Gaza and Lebanon in the Middle East and Korea and Taiwan in Asia.

Fighting to the last Palestinian, Korean or Taiwanese can be expected as the US continues with its efforts to maintain geo-political dominance.




Lim Teck Ghee



Lim Teck Ghee, ANU PhD graduate, is a Malaysian economic historian and policy analyst. He has a regular column, Another Take, in The Sun, a Malaysian daily and Oriental Daily; and is the author of Challenging the Status Quo in Malaysia, and Dark Forces Changing Malaysia (with Murray Hunter).

Russia-Ukraine war: US embassy in Kyiv closes over threat of ‘significant attack’ as Kremlin rules out ‘freeze’ in conflict

Guardian:

Russia-Ukraine war: US embassy in Kyiv closes over threat of ‘significant attack’ as Kremlin rules out ‘freeze’ in conflict


US embassy has received ‘specific information’ of potentially significant air attack; Russia spokesperson attacks Biden administration





US embassy in Kyiv shuts over anticipated air attack

The US embassy in Kyiv has received “specific information” of a potential significant air attack on Wednesday and will be closed, the US Department of State Consular Affairs said in a post on X.

It recommended US citizens to be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced.

Italy, Spain and Greece followed the US in closing their Kyiv embassies over attack fears. The US embassy said it had received “specific information” of a potential significant air attack and would be closed.

The UK embassy in Kyiv remained open, while Germany’s embassy remained open in a limited capacity.


US defence secretary confirms Ukraine given permission to use land mines


The US defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, has confirmed that the Biden administration will allow Ukraine to use American-supplied antipersonnel land mines to help fight off Russian forces.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday during a trip to Laos, Associated Press reported that the shift in policy follows changing tactics by the Russians.

Austin said Russian ground troops are leading the movement on the battlefield, rather than forces more protected in armoured carriers, so Ukraine has “a need for things that can help slow down that effort on the part of the Russians.”

“The land mines that we would look to provide them would be land mines that are not persistent, you know, we can control when they would self-activate, self-detonate and that makes it, you know, far more, safer eventually than the things that they are creating on their own,” Austin said.

The US’s move to allow Ukraine to use American supplied anti-personnel land mines comes despite the weapons being banned by scores of countries, including the UK.

Downing Street would not be drawn on the US and Ukrainian positions on the use of the weapons but added in “terms of the UK’s position and the support that it provides, it’s in line with the Ottawa Convention” which bans land mines.


Yemeni Ansurullah Strikes Turkish Bulk Carrier Supplying Cargo to Israel

Military Watch:


Yemeni Ansurullah Strikes Turkish Bulk Carrier Supplying Cargo to Israel

Middle East , Naval

The Yemeni Ansurullah Coalition has launched a successful strike on the Turkish cargo ship Anadolu S, a large 183 meter long vessel operating in the Red Sea, to prevent it from supplying cargo to Israel. The attack is consistent with the Yemeni coalition’s policy of targeting shipping in order to impose a partial naval blockade of Israel, with such operations having been initiated in October 2023 in response to Israel’s alleged genocide of the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip. Israel launched of a large scale air campaign and ground invasion of Gaza that month, in response to attacks on Israeli targets by Gaza-based militias on October 7.

The Ansurullah Coalition and the Lebanese militia group Hezbollah have both closely coordinated their military actions against Israel to place pressure on Israel. Turkey, as the Middle East’s only NATO member, has previously attacked Hezbollah positions and shared intelligence on these engagements with Israel, and has continued to provide tremendous support to jihadist militias in Syria which target Hezbollah positions, leading analysts to widely consider it a de-facto ally of Israel in the ongoing conflict. 

In parallel to its strikes on NATO members’ shipping, the Ansurullah Coalition has also launched multiple successful strikes on Israel, with a notable example being its attack on September 15 which was reported to have struck a power station in the country. On July 19, coalition forces carried out a successful drone strike in central Tel Aviv, targeting an area near the American consulate and causing several casualties. In response, Israel conducted an air strike on an oil depot in the city of Al Hudaydah, located in western Yemen. In addition to drone and ballistic missile attacks, the Ansarullah Coalition has previously launched cruise missile strikes against Israeli targets.

Shariah court sentences carpenter to six strokes in Terengganu’s first public caning for repeated khalwat





Shariah court sentences carpenter to six strokes in Terengganu’s first public caning for repeated khalwat



A carpenter will be the first person in Terengganu to receive six lashes in public after being convicted of repeated khalwat (close proximity) offences. — Reuters pic

Wednesday, 20 Nov 2024 4:36 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 — A carpenter will be the first person in Terengganu to receive six lashes in public after being convicted of repeated khalwat (close proximity) offences.

Senior Shariah High Court Judge Kamalruazmi Ismail sentenced 42-year-old Mohd Affendi Awang to six lashes after he pleaded guilty under Section 31(a) of the Shariah Criminal Offences (Takzir) (Terengganu) (Amendment) Enactment 2022, Berita Harian reported.


The sentence will be carried out at Masjid Al-Muktafi Billah Shah in Kuala Terengganu on December 6, after Friday prayers and the expiration of the appeal period.

“Punishment in shariah and religion aims to teach, educate, and deter so that such acts do not recur, especially for the offender and as a general warning to the public,” Kamalruazmi said in delivering his judgment.


He added, “A believer does not fall into the same hole twice. You (Mohd Affendi) have been whipped and jailed before, yet you committed the same offence. The first punishment should have been enough to bring about repentance.”


The court also fined him RM4,000, with a six-month jail term if he fails to pay the fine.

This is Mohd Affendi’s third khalwat offence.

On July 11, 2023, the Kemaman Shariah Lower Court fined him RM2,700 or three months in jail for a khalwat conviction.

He reoffended on January 25, leading to the Shariah High Court sentencing him to four lashes and a RM3,000 fine on February 19, or six months’ imprisonment if the fine was not paid.

The latest case involves a 52-year-old woman with whom he was caught in a house in Kemaman at 1.40am on June 16.

Under the Shariah Criminal Offences (Takzir) (Terengganu) (Amendment) Enactment 2022, second and subsequent khalwat offences are punishable by up to six lashes, a RM5,000 fine, or three years’ imprisonment, effective January 1 this year.

Deputy Chief Syarie Prosecutor Nik Mohd Shahril Irwan Mat Yuso
f prosecuted, while Mohd Affendi was unrepresented.



Faulty wiring caused teen’s electrocution on express bus, operator’s fleet suspended after similar issue found, says Anthony Loke





Faulty wiring caused teen’s electrocution on express bus, operator’s fleet suspended after similar issue found, says Anthony Loke



Transport Minister Anthony Loke said that the teenage boy who tragically died after being electrocuted while charging his phone on an express bus was the victim of faulty electrical wiring. — Bernama pic

Wednesday, 20 Nov 2024 2:19 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 — The teenage boy who tragically died after being electrocuted while charging his phone on an express bus was the victim of faulty electrical wiring, Transport Minister Anthony Loke revealed today.

He said that the wiring on the bus was improperly connected, causing a fatal electrical surge when the teenager plugged in his phone.


“The wiring connection from the bus’ distribution board (DB) to that particular socket was done in reverse. We found this during the investigation into the incident, and this is part of the early findings from the special task force,” Loke said.

“The high voltage flowed into the victim’s body due to this, and that is why we’ve called for all buses to stop the use of any three-pin sockets on board,” he added.


During inspections of other buses from the company, investigators found similar wiring issues on another bus, prompting the suspension of the operator’s entire fleet.


Following this incident, Loke said the ministry and relevant authorities are working to establish proper guidelines for electrical and wiring systems on buses.

Currently, buses are required to meet mechanical and structural standards, but there are no regulations for onboard wiring.

“Until these measures are implemented, we urge all bus operators to stop using the sockets. If you want to use them, the onboard system must be approved by someone accredited or by the Energy Commission,” he said.

“We are engaging with all stakeholders and industry players and will need around six months to prepare the guidelines,” he added.

The tragedy occurred two weeks ago when the teenager was reportedly electrocuted while attempting to charge his phone using a socket on an express bus at Penang Sentral, Penang.

Preliminary investigations revealed burn marks on his left fingers, believed to be caused by the electrocution. His charging cable was found to have melted, and his phone was overheating.

According to the bus driver, the victim boarded the bus bound for Kuala Lumpur Sentral at 6pm.

Approximately 10 minutes later, a passenger alerted the driver that the boy had screamed and was foaming at the mouth.

The driver immediately called for an ambulance, but the medical team that arrived pronounced the boy dead at the scene. His body was sent to Seberang Jaya Hospital for an autopsy, which confirmed electrocution as the cause of death.

UK lawmaker says Israeli drones targeting children in Gaza like a ‘warped video game’

al Jazeera:


Israel attacks Gaza’s Kamal Adwan, kills three soldiers in Lebanon


Singaporean who claimed to be a prophet jailed for promoting deviant Islamic doctrines in Negeri Sembilan





Singaporean who claimed to be a prophet jailed for promoting deviant Islamic doctrines in Negeri Sembilan



Idris Ami, 60, was accused of promoting actions contrary to Islamic law to a group of individuals known as 'Kumpulan Cahaya’, allowing the opposite sex to embrace, claiming it was based on love from the heart rather than physical desire. –– Bernama pic

Tuesday, 19 Nov 2024 6:08 PM MYT


SEREMBAN, Nov 19 –– A Singaporean man was sentenced to six months in prison and fined RM6,000 after pleading guilty in the Syariah High Court today to three charges of teaching deviant doctrines that contradicted Islamic law last year.

Unrepresented by counsel, Idris Ami, 60, made the guilty plea after the charges were read to him separately before Syariah Judge Zulfikri Yasoa’. The court also ordered a two-month jail term for each charge if he fails to pay the fine.


He was accused of promoting actions contrary to Islamic law to a group of individuals known as “Kumpulan Cahaya”, allowing the opposite sex to embrace, claiming it was based on love from the heart rather than physical desire. The act is said to have occurred at a house in Kuala Pilah between September and December 2023.

For the second and third charges, he was accused of teaching false doctrines to two men, aged 42 and 46, by claiming to be a present-time prophet and asserting that he embodied the spirits of past prophets. He committed the offence at the same location around 11pm between October 6 and 8, 2023.


The charges were framed under Section 52 of the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment (Negeri Sembilan) 1992, amended in 2019, providing a fine of up to RM5,000, a maximum prison sentence of three years, or both.


The forklift driver pleaded not guilty to the second and third charges in previous proceedings. However, Idris changed his plea to guilty during today’s proceedings.

Chief Syariah Prosecutor Raja Mazelan Raja Deraman asked the court to impose a severe sentence, arguing that the actions and teachings propagated were deviant and contrary to Islamic law, leading to shirk (associating partners with Allah), kufr (disbelief), and apostasy, which could ultimately cause division within the community.

“The accused came to Malaysia and spread false teachings to the Muslim community. As a non-citizen, he should have adhered to the rules and laws of Negeri Sembilan.

The sentence should serve as a lesson and a deterrent to prevent the spread of such deviant teachings,” he said.

At the same court, a busker, Norasid Md Said, 50, pleaded not guilty to a charge of teaching a deviant doctrine to a 42-year-old female family member, allegedly telling her that performing prayers has no basis in the Quran and is part of the conspiracy of the Arabs on April 24, 2023, at a house in Taman PGBF Harmoni, Gemas, Tampin.

The charge was framed under Section 52 of the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment of Negeri Sembilan 1992, which carries a penalty of up to RM5,000 in fines, a maximum of three years’ imprisonment, or both.

Norasid, represented by lawyer Mohd Tajuddin Abd Razak, was scheduled to face trial on three other charges today. However, Raja Mazelan informed the court that a witness, a family member of the accused, was not ready to testify because the accused had allegedly harassed them via WhatsApp.

Zulfikri warned the accused against interfering with the witness, stressing that his bail could be revoked and he may be imprisoned if he continued the harassment.

The court set a new bail at RM2,000. The case, including the three previous charges, will be heard again on January 21 and February 17 next year. –– Bernama

Terengganu floods worsen as evacuee count surges to 2,765 across five districts





Terengganu floods worsen as evacuee count surges to 2,765 across five districts



The flood situation in Terengganu has deteriorated, with the number of evacuees in five districts rising to 2,765 as of 8 am today from 212 last night. — Picture courtesy of Civil Defence Force (APM)

Wednesday, 20 Nov 2024 10:31 AM MYT


KUALA TERENGGANU, Nov 20 — The flood situation in Terengganu has deteriorated, with the number of evacuees in five districts rising to 2,765 as of 8 am today from 212 last night.

The Terengganu Disaster Management Committee Secretariat said the victims from 603 families have been moved to 14 temporary relief centres (PPS) in five districts.


Kemaman is the worst-hit district with 2,584 people from 554 families housed in five PPS, followed by Hulu Terengganu with 94 evacuees (25 families) in six PPS.

In Setiu, 69 people (19 families) are at one PPS, while 13 victims (four families) in Marang have been relocated to another PPS.


Dungun became the latest district to be affected by the floods, with five members of a family sheltering in a PPS.


Meanwhile, according to https://publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my, the water level at Sungai Tumpat in Kampung Baru Kemasik, Kemaman, has surpassed the warning level.

Four other rivers, namely Sungai Tebak at Jambatan Tebak, Kemaman; Sungai Marang at Jambatan Pengkalan Berangan, Marang; Sungai Nerus at Kampung Bukit Setiu, Setiu; and Sungai Terengganu at Rumah Pam Pulau Bahagia (F1), Kuala Terengganu, are at alert levels.

On Thursday, the National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre issued an early flood warning for coastal areas in Kelantan, Pahang, eastern Johor and the entire state of Terengganu from Nov 18 to 21. — Bernama

After Daim’s death, prosecutors drop asset declaration charge





After Daim’s death, prosecutors drop asset declaration charge



A file photograph shows Tun Daim Zainuddin at Sunway University on November 27, 2019. — Picture by Choo Choy May.

Wednesday, 20 Nov 2024 11:12 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 — The prosecution today withdrew the charge against the late Tun Daim Zainuddin for failure to comply with a notice to declare his assets, citing his death.

According to Free Malaysia Today, deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin told the Sessions Court that the charge Section 36(2) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act would no longer be pursued.


“We wish to extend our condolences,” Wan Shaharuddin was quoted as saying.

The former finance minister died on Nov 13.


On January 29, Daim pleaded not guilty to charges of failing to comply with a notice to declare his assets, including several luxury vehicles, companies, and properties across Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Perak, and Kedah.


His wife, Toh Puan Na’imah Abdul Khalid, 66, has also been charged with one count of failing to comply with a MACC notice by not declaring assets, which included Menara Ilham and several properties in Kuala Lumpur and Penang.

Yesterday, Na’imah told authorities not to drop the charge against Daim over his death, saying the trial should proceed to provide clarity over the allegations against him.

More than 200 children killed in Lebanon amid Israeli bombardment: UN


al Jazeera:

More than 200 children killed in Lebanon amid Israeli bombardment: UN


Three children have been killed daily in Lebanon over the past two months, UNICEF reports, as it urges action to stop the violence.


According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, 231 children have been killed and at least 1,330 wounded since the start of the war [File: Hussein Malla/AP]
Published On 19 Nov 202419 Nov 2024


More than 200 children have been killed in Lebanon since Israel launched a military campaign focused on its northern neighbour two months ago, the United Nations agency for children (UNICEF) has said.

An average of three children have been killed every day in Lebanon, UNICEF told reporters on Tuesday, as Israel has intensified its bombing campaign across the country. It warned that as in Gaza, despite the horrific toll on Lebanon’s children “those with influence” were failing to mount a meaningful response.

“Despite more than 200 children killed in Lebanon in less than two months, a disconcerting pattern has emerged: their deaths are met with inertia from those able to stop this violence,” UNICEF’s spokesperson James Elder told reporters.

“For the children of Lebanon, it has become a silent normalisation of horror,” he added.

Elder listed at least six attacks across Lebanon where children were killed, most of the time along with their families, over just the past 10 days.

The UN official noted “chilling similarities” between what is happening to children in Lebanon with those in Gaza, which has been pounded by Israeli air raids for more than a year.

At least 17,400 children have been killed in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

“In Lebanon, much the same as has become the case in Gaza, the intolerable is quietly transforming into the acceptable. And the appalling is slipping into the realm of the expected,” the UNICEF official said.

As in the besieged Strip, hundreds of thousands of children in Lebanon are now homeless; schools remain closed due to widespread attacks; signs of emotional turmoil are evident and no meaningful response has been put in place, Elder said.

According to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, 231 children are among 3,452 people killed since the start of the war. Of the 14,664 people wounded, 1,330 of them are children.


Children bear the brunt of Israel's war on Lebanon


Israel had been swapping low-level strikes across its northern border with the armed group Hezbollah, which began firing rockets into Israel in October last year as a show of support for fellow Iran-linked group Hamas.

Hamas’s attack on Israel, which killed about 1,139 people and saw about 250 captives seized, was followed by Israel’s onslaught on Gaza, which has now killed nearly 44,000 Gazan Palestinians.

However, Israel renewed the intensity of its offensive in Lebanon in late September, after widening its war goals to include the destruction of Hezbollah infrastructure and the return of 60,000 Israelis to their homes in the north.

Israeli authorities say its aim is to dismantle Hezbollah, yet the army’s shelling has killed thousands of civilians and at least 200 healthcare workers. Hezbollah has also continued to fire rockets striking deeper into Israeli territory, including Tel Aviv.


Did you know that "The Loaf" is a Malay word?

FMT:


Dr M draws flak over

photos of signboards in

Chinese

-

The administrator of his X account shared pictures of signboards which Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself took when at Pavilion Bukit Jalil.

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Free Malaysia Today
Yesterday, Dr Mahathir Mohamad questioned if Malaysia had become part of China after seeing several shops at Pavilion Bukit Jalil with large Chinese characters. (X pic)

PETALING JAYA
Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has drawn flak from netizens over his criticism of signboards with large Chinese characters and English translations, but nothing in Malay.

A day after questioning if Malaysia had “become part of China”, the administrator of Mahathir’s X account shared pictures of such signboards of several shops at the Pavilion Bukit Jalil shopping mall.

The administrator said these photos were taken by Mahathir himself when visiting the mall.

However, netizens were quick to disparage the political veteran, questioning why the signboards should be in Malay when these shops sold non-halal food and their target market was Chinese customers.

“If they write ‘roti babi’ (pork buns in Malay) then it would become another issue,” said @wafty_ali.

Similarly, @amino71165 said translating non-halal food products to Malay could “confuse” Muslims.

Others accused Mahathir of practising double standards, pointing out that the now-closed The Loaf bakery that he had owned had an English name and did not have a Malay translation.

One user, @matunique67, also asked cynically whether The Loaf had a Jawi translation on its signboard.

Yesterday, Mahathir said the use of Chinese characters on signboards was fine, but should be limited to translations in smaller characters.

He said his recent visit to Pavilion Bukit Jalil made him feel like he was suddenly in China. While he acknowledged that this could be due to the number of tourists from China, he maintained that “our national language is Malay”.

Last month, Kuala Lumpur City Hall said it had issued 20 fault notices and 10 enforcement notices to shop owners for “using languages other than the national language in an excessive manner” from January till Oct 16 this year.

It reminded shop owners to prioritise the use of Malay on their signboards, saying the signboards were not mere decorations but were regulated under the Advertisement (Federal Territory) By-laws 1982.