Puppet MastersS


Cardboard Box

Why V-shaped US economic recovery is a myth

Dr. Jack Rasmus
Global Research
Wed, 29 Apr 2020 00:00 UTC
Mnuchin
© Yuri Gripes/ReutersTreasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin
The spin is in! Trump administration economic 'message bearers', Steve Mnuchin, US Treasury Secretary, and Kevin Hasset, senior economic adviser to Trump, this past Sunday on the Washington TV talking heads circuit launched a coordinated effort to calm the growing public concern that the current economic contraction may be as bad (or worse) than the great depression of the 1930s.

Various big bank research departments predicting a GDP contraction in the first quarter (January-March 2020) anywhere from -4% to -7.5%, and for the current second quarter, a further contraction from -30% to -40%: Morgan Stanley investment bank says 30%. The bond market investment behemoth, PIMCO, estimates a 30% fall in GDP. Even Congress's Budget Office recently estimate the contraction in GDP could be as high as -40% in the 2nd quarter.

Mnuchin-Hassett's New Old Normal

Despite the flashing red lights on the state of the US economy, the Trump administration's key economic spokespersons are pushing the official line that the economy will soon quickly 'snap back'. On the near horizon is a V-shape recovery coming in the 3rd quarter (July-September) or, at the latest, the following 4th quarter. The economy may be particularly bad, they admit, but be patient folks a return to normal is on the way before year end!
Read More...
Dollars

Trump: Additional coronavirus money may be contingent on reforming fed-funded 'sanctuary cities' and states

Carrie Sheffield
Just the News
Wed, 29 Apr 2020 11:53 UTC
border fence
© AFP/Getty ImagesA metal fence marked with the US Border Patrol sign at the US/Mexico border fence, in Nogales, Arizona.
President Trump is signaling his administration will tie city and state coronavirus stimulus money to reforming so-called "sanctuary" areas in which some illegal immigrants are shielded from prosecution and deportation.

"We'd have to talk about things like sanctuary cities ... where people that are criminals are protected," Trump said Tuesday.

Trump, fellow Republicans and others have been critical of sanctuary city laws, essentially found in cities and states with Democrat leaders and that limit federal agents from deporting illegal immigrants who have committed serious crimes.
Read More...
Arrow Up

Escobar: The unbearable lightness of China

Pepe Escobar
The Saker
Sun, 26 Apr 2020 00:00 UTC
Mahbubani
© Flickr CommonsSingaporean ex-diplomat and author Kishore Mahbubani speaks at an Asia Society event.
As a living embodiment of how East and West shall meet, Mahbubani is immeasurably more capable to talk about Chinese-linked intricacies than shallow, self-described Western "experts" on Asia and China. Especially now when demonization-heavy hybrid war 2.0 against China is practiced by most factions of the US government, the Deep State and the East Coast establishment.

Distinguished fellow at the National University of Singapore's Asia Research Institute, former president of the UN Security Council (from 2001 to 2002) and the founding dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (2004-2017), Mahbubani is the quintessential Asian diplomat.

Ruffling feathers is not his business. On the contrary, he always deploys infinite patience - and insider knowledge - when trying to explain especially to Americans what makes the Chinese civilization-state tick.
Read More...
Gold Bar

Coronavirus spurs global gold demand in Q1

Tuba Sahin
aa.com
Thu, 30 Apr 2020 00:00 UTC
gold bars
© unknown
Despite weakness in consumer-focused sectors, the global gold demand rose 1% year-on-year to 1,083.8 tons in January-March, spurred by the coronavirus pandemic, the World Gold Council reported on Thursday.

As the scale of the pandemic and its potential economic impact started to emerge, investors sought safe-haven assets, the report said, adding tendency offset the marked weakness in consumer-focused sectors of the market.

Gold Exchange-Traded Products (ETPs) saw the highest quarterly inflows for four years, lifting global holdings of these products to a record high of 3,185 tons by the end of the first quarter. These investment inflows, amid the global uncertainty and financial market volatility, helped push the US dollar gold price to an eight-year high.

Global gold demand in value terms reached $55 billion, the highest since the second quarter of 2013, it said.
Read More...
Document

Haftar freezes Skhirat agreement; GNA backs it


Sputnik
Thu, 30 Apr 2020 17:00 UTC
General Haftar
© UnknownLibyan General Khalifa Haftar
Libyan National Army Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar on Monday announced a withdrawal from the political agreement that led to the formation of the Government of National Accord (GNA). He said the country was coming under the control of the army. Meanwhile, the GNA has called on members of parliament in the east of the country to back it.

As Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar announced that the Libyan National Army (LNA) was quitting the Skhirat Agreement that led to the formation of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), Sputnik spoke with Libyan experts, who have offered their views on potential future scenarios for the war-torn country.
Read More...
Bad Guys

Hezbollah has become the new "Great Satan"

Elijah J Magnier
ejmagnier.com
Fri, 01 May 2020 17:14 UTC
protest sign corruption lebanon
The current government in Lebanon is challenging its politicians with the accusation of having supported the corrupt political and financial system for at least three decades. These politicians accuse Hezbollah, claiming that it is responsible for this corruption. And indeed, Hezbollah is repeatedly accused of supporting street campaigns to eliminate political opponents or to control the country. Accordingly, Hezbollah has become in the eyes of some establishment figures the "great Satan" whose leadership seems able to get its hands on all the critical positions in Lebanon's politics and administration. Members of Parliament sought, but failed to obtain, a majority of votes so as to allow the justice system to question any former or active minister responsible from 1990 to date. But even Hezbollah's closest allies failed to support the resolution, indicating limitations operating within the Lebanese constitutional system. Hezbollah's overwhelming military power, decades of fighting experience and precision missiles were all useless for confronting and combating the corruption deeply rooted in the country.

Comment: More background.

Read More...
Snakes in Suits

Delusional: Biden calls himself a 'transition candidate' to 'bring the Mayor Petes of the world' into his administration

Tyler MacDonald
Inquisitr
Thu, 30 Apr 2020 17:29 UTC
biden and buttigieg
© MARIO TAMA / GETTY IMAGES
According to Fox News reporter Madeleine Rivera, presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden said Thursday that he plans to act as a "transition candidate" to make way for other political figures that will come into his administration.

"I view myself as a transition candidate," Biden reportedly said. "My job is... to bring the Mayor Petes of the world into this administration."

Biden is referring to Pete Buttigieg, who dropped out of the 2020 primary election process to throw his support behind the former vice president. The former South Bend, Indiana mayor originally ran on a progressive platform that shifted into a centrist political stance more akin to Biden's as the race went on. According to a study in The Guardian, business executives were the most likely to donate to Buttigieg's campaign, which — like Biden's — came under scrutiny for its many billionaire donors.
Read More...
Snakes in Suits

'Don't close RAZOR': Court docs show disgraced FBI agent insisted on pushing Flynn case DESPITE lack of evidence


RT
Thu, 30 Apr 2020 17:19 UTC
strzok and flynn
© Reuters / Jonathan Ernst; Reuters / Leah MillisEvidence shows agent Peter Strzok (file photo, right) ordered FBI case against Gen. Michael Flynn (left, file photo) kept open
New DOJ documents pertaining to General Michael Flynn's case show that the FBI wanted to close a probe of him after finding nothing, only to be overruled by Peter Strzok and the 'insurance policy' cabal within the Bureau.

The heavily-redacted documents handed over by the Department of Justice to Flynn's legal counsel on Wednesday were made public on Thursday as part of a motion to dismiss the case against President Donald Trump's first national security adviser, on grounds of egregious government misconduct.

On the same day the FBI field office declared that it had found "no derogatory information" about Flynn - designated CROSSFIRE RAZOR - and Russia and that he was "no longer a viable candidate as part of the larger Crossfire Hurricane umbrella case" (the FBI probe into alleged Trump campaign "collusion" that became 'Russiagate'), agent Strzok messaged the case manager urging him not to close the case.
Read More...
Star of David

'Israeli helicopters' fire missiles at Syrian military sites - state media


RT
Fri, 01 May 2020 17:04 UTC
Israeli Air Force Sikorsky CH-53 helicopter
© Reuters / Amir CohenFILE PHOTO: An Israeli Air Force Sikorsky CH-53 helicopter flies during a demonstration at the Hatzerim air base in southern Israel.
Israeli helicopters attacked a number of military positions in southern Syria with missiles, Syrian state media reported, noting the strikes inflicted "limited material damage."

The aircraft bombed sites in the Quneitra and Daraa provinces early on Friday morning after approaching from the occupied Golan Heights, firing some five missiles, according to the Jerusalem Post. A number of unconfirmed reports said the targets included militias allied to Damascus, such as Hezbollah, in addition to the Syrian military.
Read More...
Sherlock

Russia calls Prague poison plot 'fabrications' as spy drama deepens


RFE/RL
Fri, 01 May 2020 16:23 UTC
Serguei Lavrov
© Sputnik / Maxim BlinovFILE PHOTO: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
Russia's foreign minister has dismissed claims a Russian agent was sent to Prague to poison its mayor and two other city officials as "fabrications," in the highest-level denial yet on an issue that is straining ties between the two countries.

Respekt, a Czech investigative weekly, published a report on April 26 quoting unnamed security sources as saying that a suspected Russian intelligence officer traveling on a diplomatic passport had arrived recently in Prague carrying the deadly toxin ricin as part of an alleged poisoning plot.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on April 30 that it was "unthinkable" Czech authorities would identify the man carrying poison and let him in the country.

"They found a deadly poison and let him into the country?" he said at a briefing. "Would any sound person believe in these fabrications?"

Comment: See also:

Read More...