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Pelosi demands new sanctions on Moscow for bogus bounties' allegations


RT
Thu, 02 Jul 2020 20:34 UTC
pelosi
© Reuters/Jonathan ErnstSpeaker of the House Nancy Pelosi conducting a news conference July 2, 2020.
As the fallout from dubiously sourced allegations about 'Russian bounties' on US troops in Afghanistan continues, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for fresh sanctions against Russia's defense and intelligence sectors.

Moscow paid Taliban fighters bounties to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan, and President Donald Trump ignored intelligence briefings on the matter, an anonymously sourced New York Times report claimed last Friday. Trump called the story a "phony hit job" against him, his Defense Department found no corroborating evidence, and National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien said on Wednesday that the president was never briefed, due to the flimsiness of the intelligence.

However, the report has whipped up yet another wave of 'Russiagate' hysteria in Washington. Pelosi called on Thursday for the application of sanctions on Russia's intelligence and defense sectors.
"When Congress in a bipartisan way passed sanctions on Russia, the administration told us to take out the sanctions on the GRU - the intelligence, as well as the defense sectors of Russia. We should have those in there."
The bipartisan bill likely referenced by Pelosi is the 2017 Countering American Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. Despite signing this bill into law, the Trump administration opted not to enforce sanctions on Russia, with the State Department claiming the threat alone was deterrent enough.

Comment: Before issuing commands and demands, get the facts! They have a way of clarifying everything.

See also:

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Bulb

WaPo admits 'Russian bounties' info "deemed sketchy" after Pentagon says "No corroborating evidence"

Tyler Durden
ZeroHedge
Wed, 01 Jul 2020 19:28 UTC
Trump Afghanistan
© ReutersTrump at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan in 2019
Congressional leaders have demanded answers, and those answers have come in the form of multiple US intelligence agencies and chiefs essentially throwing cold water on the NY Times Russian bounties to kill American troops in Afghanistan story, as we've detailed.

We expect this "bombshell" will be very short-lived, perhaps being memory holed by the weekend, akin to the fate of other Russiagate-related 'anonymous sources say' type stories.

The Pentagon is the latest to say that DOD-wide there is currently "no corroborating evidence at this time to validate the recent allegations regarding malight activity by Russian personnel against US forces in Afghanistan," according to a late Tuesday evening statement by Defense Secretary Mark Esper.
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Snakes in Suits

Joe Biden campaign is hiding the results of his cognitive tests

Kyle Olson
Breitbart
Thu, 02 Jul 2020 02:52 UTC
biden
© JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images
Joe Biden told reporters on Wednesday he has taken a cognitive test, used to detect mental issues, but his campaign will not specify what exactly that means or if it will release the results of whatever test he took - if he actually took a test.

"I've been tested and I'm constantly tested," Biden said when asked at his first press conference in three months if he is experiencing cognitive decline issues.

Biden did not specify during the press conference exactly what he meant by his claims he has been and is "constantly tested." His campaign has not replied to a number of follow-up requests from Breitbart News as to whether he means he took the same test that President Donald Trump aced, or if he took a different test, or if he was just speaking colloquially, claiming that his daily rigor is what tests his cognitive capabilities. Also, Biden was possibly confused by the question, in which he was asked if he has been formally tested on this front.
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Bad Guys

Dutch MH17 judge refuses to accept Russian evidence that Buk missile was Ukraine's

John Helmer
johnhelmer.net
Fri, 03 Jul 2020 18:38 UTC
Hendrik Steenhuis
The presiding judge in the trial of the shooting-down of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 announced on Friday afternoon that he will not allow the evidence of Major-General Igor Konashenkov and other Russian Defence Ministry officers on the Ukrainian Army's possession of the BUK missile alleged to be the weapon which shot down the aircraft, killing all 298 people on board.

Judge Hendrik Steenhuis declared that the Russian evidence revealed so far of the parts of the missile is limited to the manufacture of the weapon in Russia in 1986, and delivery of the weapon to a Ukrainian Army unit between December 1986 and early 1987. Steenhuis refused to allow Russian military intelligence to reveal where the missile was located between 1987 and July 17, 2014, when the Dutch prosecution claims the missile was fired by a Russian military crew at MH17.

"The defence wishes to interview these witnesses in order to establish the evidential value and credibility of the parts of the missile administration supplied by Russia," Steenhuis announced. He refused to identify Russian Army generals Igor Konashenkov, the Defence Ministry spokesman, and Nikolai Parshin, head of the Ministry's Missile and Artillery Directorate, whose detailed briefing on the missile parts, their origin, and their deployment in the Ukrainian Army was broadcast from the Defence Ministry in Moscow on September 18, 2018. "The court finds that the relevant records relate to the years 1986 and 1987. In that light, the court does not see how interviewing this witness [Gen. Konashenkov] can contribute to the question of where a specific missile mentioned in that record is located in the year 2014. For that reason alone the court is of the opinion that interviewing this witness cannot be of importance for any decision to be taken in the criminal case of the accused. The request is therefore rejected."
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Eiffel Tower

Édouard Philippe resigns as French prime minister, replaced with Jean Castex

Jon Henley
The Guardian
Fri, 03 Jul 2020 18:20 UTC
French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe
Former French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe
Édouard Philippe has been replaced as prime minister after seeing France through the coronavirus crisis, as President Emmanuel Macron embarked on a high-stakes reshuffle to "set a new course" for the last two years of his mandate.

Macron named Jean Castex, 55, a career civil servant from the centre-right of French politics who coordinated France's successful exit from lockdown and is widely known as "Monsieur Déconfinement", as Philippe's successor. The Elysée Palace said Castex would form the next government.

The palace said on Friday morning that Philippe - who dined with Macron on Wednesday and met him again on Thursday, and whose calm, unshowy handling of the pandemic has made him increasingly popular - had submitted his resignation.
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Bad Guys

U.N. Chief Guterres Calls for One Supreme Body of 'Global Governance'

Simon Kent
Breitbart
Fri, 26 Jun 2020 17:47 UTC
UN Chief Guterres
© CRISTINA QUICLER/AFP via Getty
The world needs an overarching level of multilateral governance that can sideline problematic "national interests" U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Thursday, as he lamented existing U.N. instruments such as the Security Council have teeth but "show little or no appetite to bite."

As the world body on Friday commemorates the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the U.N. Charter, the founding instrument of the globalist organisation, Guterres said there is a need to "re-imagine the way nations cooperate."

"We need a networked multilateralism, bringing together the U.N. system, regional organisations, international financial institutions and others. And we need an inclusive multilateralism, drawing on the indispensable contributions of civil society, business, cities, regions and, in particular, with greater weight given to the voices of youth," Guterres said at a virtual press conference Thursday.


Comment: Sorry to rain on Guterres' parade, but he's way to late to the party. A one world government already exists and is plainly seen in the global shutdowns in response to a virus less harmful than the seasonal flu.

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Handcuffs

UN alarmed at number of arrests in Hong Kong over new national security law

Stephanie Hebehay
Reuters
Fri, 03 Jul 2020 17:17 UTC
Hong Kong flag
© Hong Kong Police/TwitterHong Kong independence flag
The U.N. human rights office voiced concern on Friday that "vague and overly broad" provisions in Hong Kong's new national security law may lead to activists being prosecuted in violation of fundamental freedoms of assembly and expression.


Comment: Doesn't take a genius to come to that conclusion.


National security legislation imposed by China this week on Hong Kong will punish crimes of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison, heralding a more authoritarian era for the city.


Comment: "Subversion." Vague and overly broad:
"Both subversion and terrorism have been very broadly characterised within mainland China," says Shoebridge. "Subversion is anything that undermines the power or authority of the central government - and being critical of the central government is enough to meet that woolly definition. ..."
Like comparing Xi to Winnie the Pooh, for example?


"We are alarmed that arrests are already being made under the law with immediate effect, when there is not full information and understanding of the scope of the offences," U.N. human rights spokesman Rupert Colville said.

Hundreds were arrested at a protest on Wednesday, a day after the new law went into effect, and at least 10 have been charged under it, he told a Geneva news briefing.

"We are concerned that the definition of some of the offences contained in the law are vague and overly broad and do not adequately distinguish between violent and non-violent acts. This may lead to discriminatory or arbitrary interpretation and enforcement of the law, which could undermine human rights protection," Colville said.

Comment: On the positive side, perhaps this law will be useful in rooting out actual examples of American interference. On the negative side, China's criminal justice system leaves a lot to be desired. With a 99.9% conviction rate, good luck having any nuance brought to your trial if you happen to be mistaken for an actual American-backed agitator. Legislation like this makes it very easy to scoop up any dissidents guilty of "subverting" the government through their criticism - however mild - and blaming it on alleged foreign actors or influence. That's a key feature of practically all "Communist" governments, and has been increasingly used by Western government and media in recent years in regards to Russia.

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Network

Japan takes the first step towards a digital currency with virtual Yen experiment

Charlie Osborne
ZDNet
Fri, 03 Jul 2020 16:45 UTC
Japanese yen
The Bank of Japan (BoJ) intends to start experimenting with digital versions of the Japanese Yen to test the feasibility of virtual currencies.

As reported by Coin Telegraph, the bank issued a report on Thursday -- "Technical Hurdles for CBDC" -- that noted upcoming experiments with a central bank digital currency (CBDC) could provide an alternative to the traditional Yen.

The bank has no plans -- as of yet -- to issue a digital currency, but says the organization is willing to explore the concept due to the increased use of digital payments, potentially adopted at a higher rate than expected due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and the shift by many vendors to contactless or card-based transactions.

The BoJ wants to research two specific areas which the financial institution believes are the main hurdles to adopting digital currency: resilience and access.

Resilience relates to scenarios such as a loss of power or access to IT systems -- an important concept in a country that experiences earthquakes frequently. If there is no means to access a currency when systems are down, this could provide economically damaging.

Comment: A cashless society is a controlled society. But as with coronavirus lockdowns, the population seems to be asking for it.

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Briefcase

DC Court Of Appeals slams Judge Sullivan for Flynn power grabs

John Lucas
The Federalist
Mon, 29 Jun 2020 15:51 UTC
emmett sullivan
© CBS News/YouTubeU.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan
Make no mistake about it, Wednesday's decision granting a writ of mandamus compelling U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan to grant the government's motion to dismiss the disgraceful prosecution of Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn was a sharp rebuke of Sullivan.

Although couched in judicious language, the majority opinion leaves no doubt that Sullivan's actions, including both his refusal to grant the government's dismissal request and his appointment of a clearly biased "friend of the court" to argue for Flynn's continued persecution were not just wrong but a fundamental abuse of our system of government.

The story of this sorry episode is well known by now. After initially pleading guilty to making false statements to the FBI, Flynn tried to withdraw his guilty plea, arguing he was innocent and that the government had coerced him into pleading guilty by threatening to indict and ruin his son.

Comment: Sullivan is so compromised he got his own lawyer to defend his actions:

Judge Sullivan (well, his lawyer actually) finally responds to mandamus petition in Flynn case

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Smoking

Jordanian government bans smoking, vaping in indoor public spaces

Michael Safi
The Guardian, UK
Fri, 03 Jul 2020 00:28 UTC
No smoking sign in Jordan
© Alamy
The Jordanian government has banned smoking and vaping in all indoor public spaces a week after a Guardian investigation revealed tobacco use in the country had become the highest in the world.

The country's health ministry said on Wednesday all enclosed public areas would now be "100% smoke-free environments", building on an existing but widely flouted ban on smoking inside government buildings, and ending an exemption for hotels, cafes and restaurants provided they separated smokers from non-smokers.

Public health campaigners cautiously welcomed the announcement as a major step forward in a country where more than 82% of men smoke or consume nicotine in some form, according to government and World Health Organization data published by the Guardian last week.

"[It's] a first step to applying the public-health law to combat the scourge of smoking in our beloved Jordan," said Princess Dina Mired, the president of the Union for International Cancer Control and a member of the country's royal family, in a tweet. "We hope the smoke-prevention law will be implemented in all public places in its entirety."

Comment: See also:

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