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Russian media banned from displaying national symbols at Olympics


RT
Fri, 17 May 2024 08:18 UTC
Russian flag
© Sputnik / Grygory Sysoev
The same restrictions apply to spectators and sports fans attending the Summer Games in Paris

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has banned journalists covering this year's Summer Games in Paris from displaying national symbols of Russia and Belarus, TASS reported on Friday, citing a spokesman for the organization.

Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to participate in the Olympics only under neutral status this year. The spokesman noted that under the IOC guidelines, this means they will be prohibited from displaying any national symbols, including the national flag, the state emblem, any military symbols, the colors of the St. George ribbon, or playing the national anthem.
"The same applies for media personnel, as well as for all spectators, as specified in the document," the spokesman was cited as saying.

Comment: See also:

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Helicopter

Best of the Web: Iranian president confirmed dead in helicopter crash


RT
Mon, 20 May 2024 04:36 UTC
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi
© Iranian Presidency/Getty ImagesIranian President Ebrahim Raisi
Iranian president confirmed dead in helicopter crashEbrahim Raisi, 63, was elected president in 2021, after a decades-long career in the judiciary

Iranian state media have confirmed that President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday in the northwestern province of East Azerbaijan.

His entire entourage, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Governor of East Azerbaijan Malek Rahmati, also perished.

Comment:
See also:
1) Best of the Web: Helicopter carrying Iranian president crashes - reports

2) The Israeli press has fresh comment on the significance for the political situation in Iran and the Middle East
Haaretz attributing The Associated Press writes:
Iran's Foreign Minister, a Hard-line Diplomat and Hamas, Hezbollah Point Man, Dies in Helicopter Crash

During the Israel-Hamas war, he met with foreign officials and the leader of Hamas and Hezbollah. He also threatened retaliation against Israel and praised an April attack on Israel

The Associated Press May 20, 2024 10:07 am IDT

Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, a hardliner close to the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard who confronted the West while also overseeing indirect talks with the U.S. over the country's nuclear program, died in the helicopter crash that also killed the country's president, state media
The Times of Israel:
Iran's Raisi confirmed dead in helicopter crash near Azerbaijan border
Officials declare deaths of president and foreign minister after lengthy overnight search in difficult conditions; Hamas conveys 'deepest condolences' to the Iranian government
By AGENCIES and TOI STAFF Today, 9:08 am
[...]
The charred wreckage of the helicopter, which crashed on Sunday carrying Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, along with seven others, was found early on Monday after a 15-hour search in foggy weather conditions.
There is also an opinion piece by LAZAR BERMAN, The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter:
19 May 2024, 9:46 pm Updated: Today, 7:36 am
Raisi's death doesn't change Iranian policy, but will spark fight for power
After fatal crash of Iran's president and potential Khamenei successor, deep stable of figures aiming to fill the vacuum his loss creates may test supreme leader
[...]
Raisi "works for the Supreme Leader," noted Ori Goldberg of Reichman University. "Certainly this guy, because he was elected in the least democratic elections the Islamic Republic ever had."

At the same time, however, the sudden loss of Iran's president creates a power vacuum that senior figures will start maneuvering to take advantage of.

According to Article 131 of Iran's constitution, in the case of the president's death, the first deputy temporarily assumes the presidency. Mohammad Mokhber, a Khamenei loyalist, currently fills that role.

Elections must be held within fifty days.
There is no shortage of powerful officials who have been waiting for an opportunity like this to move further up the regime's power structure, and the sudden shock of the death of Iran's president now presents itself as a test for Khamenei.

"He has to show that he can carry, not the country, but the leadership, through this transition," said Goldberg.

But more importantly, Raisi had been seen as the leading candidate to replace Khamenei. He was immensely experienced — a cleric, ex-chief justice and former head of a massive foundation, in addition to being president.

"To have him off the field or incapacitated, dead, what have you, is a real shock for the politics of the system," said Brodsky.

While overshadowed by Raisi, the loss of Amir-Abdollahian is also significant, as he has been an extremely effective foreign minister, overseeing a successful reconciliation with Saudi Arabia and navigating a series of difficult crises, including with powerful neighbor Pakistan.

Though Iran's broad foreign policy won't change, having to deal with unexpected political upheaval is expected to take attention away from the multi-front fight against Israel.

The country can now be "a little more self-engaged, wrapped up in internal politics, as it sorts out the election for the next president," noted Michael Makovsky, CEO of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America.
3) The Iranian Press TV was initially slow to comment on the missing helicopter, but this morning there is an the indication of a twist to the crash, whether that is to cover up internal incompetence, to unite the nation, or allude to what led to the crash:
'Saddened and shocked': World leaders extend condolences after President Raeisi's martyrdom
Monday, 20 May 2024 6:51 AM [ Last Update: Monday, 20 May 2024 7:12 AM ]
World leaders have extended condolences to the Iranian government and nation over the martyrdom of President Ebrahim Raeisi in a helicopter crash in the country's northwest.
The above article has statements from India, Pakistan, Venezuela and Iraq.

4) It is not yet clear what caused the crash, apart from it being damned stupid to fly in poor conditions, in difficult terrain after going to a neighbouring country to inaugurate a mere dam. However, given that the pilot was probably experienced, that the other two helicopters did manage and that there was a lot at stake for some foreign governments, the investigation into the reason for the crash could prove interesting.

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Pistol

Best of the Web: Slovakian government suspects gunman who attempted to assassinate PM Robert Fico 'was not working alone'

Gianluca Avagnina
BBC
Sun, 19 May 2024 21:15 UTC
fico shooting slovakia
The man suspected of attempting to assassinate Prime Minister Robert Fico may not have been working alone, Slovakia's interior minister says.

A team is investigating the possibility Wednesday's attack was not carried out by a "lone wolf", as previously believed, Matus Sutaj Estok told reporters on Sunday.

Mr Fico's life is no longer in danger following hours of surgery, but the 59-year-old still requires intensive care, his deputy said earlier.

On Saturday, the man charged with his attempted murder was placed in custody until his trial.

The alleged assailant has not been formally named, but Slovak reports have widely identified him as 71-year-old Juraj Cintula from the town of Levice.

Local media have described him as a poet who has been involved in political organisations with various ideologies.

Comment: We'll take the Mossad-CIA-MI6 trifecta for $600, Alex.

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Cult

Canada's CSIS claims those who oppose gender ideology are a 'violent threat'


The Post Millennial
Sun, 19 May 2024 20:26 UTC
trudeau pride parade lgbt woke ideology
© Associated PressPrime Minister Justin Trudeau waves a flag as he takes part in the annual Pride Parade in Toronto, July 4, 2016
CSIS suggested that Canadians having issues with the gender ideology are driven by "beliefs stemming from misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, religious interpretations, conspiracy theories, or a generalized fear of sociocultural change."

In its annual report for 2023 the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) says that Canadians opposed to gender ideology are a possible "violent threat."

The annual report states, "CSIS assesses that the violent threat posed by the anti-gender movement is almost certain to continue over the coming year and that violent actors may be inspired by the University of Waterloo attack to carry out their own extreme violence against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community or against other targets they view as representing the gender ideology agenda."

Comment: Woke ideology has brought a once-great country low. On every front Trudeau has caved to the furthest left-wing policies enforced in brutal authoritarian fashion.

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Russian Flag

WaPo grudgingly admits Russia already outperformed Ukraine's 2023 counteroffensive


RT
Fri, 17 May 2024 19:22 UTC
russian soldiers donetsk
© Alexander NEMENOV / AFPRussian soldiers patrol a street on April 11, 2022, in Volnovakha in the Donetsk region.
Russian forces have taken more territory in six weeks than Ukraine managed in six months last year, the Washington Post admitted on Friday, describing the 2023 effort by Kiev as "lackluster" and "disappointing."

The spring counteroffensive was war-gamed by British and American generals in Germany and supplied with 1,500 armored vehicles - including Leopard, Challenger and Abrams tanks, and Bradley armored vehicles. Once it finally began in June, it got stuck in Russian defenses and resulted in gains of only 199 square miles (515 square kilometers) worth of territory by December, according to the Post.

Russia has taken 553 square miles (1,432 square kilometers) so far this year, of which 294 (761 square kilometers) just since the beginning of April, the US outlet noted.

Comment: What the western military brass cannot seem to get through their heads is that the goal of Russia's SMO was never about territory. It was about demilitarization. And given quotes from the poor Ukrainian grunts on the front lines, it appears to be working very well. The West has no more significant weapons its willing to give (with Israel being a bigger priority), and tragically, Ukraine appears to be truly fighting to the last man.

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Attention

Media Research Center: Liberal billionaire George Soros has spent $80 million to 'silence' Americans

Brian Flood
Fox News
Wed, 15 May 2024 18:52 UTC
Soros free press censor conservative media control
© Simon Dawson/Bloomberg via Getty Images / AP NewsroomFree Press, a media group financed by liberal billionaire George Soros, "is looking to incorporate global pressure to push Big Tech platforms to juice their censorship operations before the 2024 U.S. presidential election."
'Leftists are trying their best to shut down the voices of half of America,' Dan Schneider says

Free Press, a media group financed by liberal billionaire George Soros, "is looking to incorporate global pressure to push Big Tech platforms to juice their censorship operations before the 2024 U.S. presidential election," according to the Media Research Center (MRC).

Free Press, which is not affiliated with journalist Bari Weiss' The Free Press, bills itself as an organization that "closely watches as the decisions shaping the media landscape are made and sounds the alarm when people's rights to connect and communicate are in danger." However, in a new report, the conservative MRC found that Soros gave over $80 million to affiliated groups calling for "censorship" ahead of November's critical election.

"One of the wealthiest men in the world is using his vast wealth and power to silence regular Americans ahead of the 2024 election. At a time when defending free speech is key, leftists are trying their best to shut down the voices of half of America, especially those who disagree with the radical agenda promoted by Biden, Soros and most Big Tech executives," MRC Free Speech America vice president Dan Schneider told Fox News Digital.
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Microscope 1

The smoking gun in America: COVID-19 virus transmits in American lab animals but not Chinese lab animals

Will Jones
The Daily Sceptic
Thu, 16 May 2024 07:00 UTC
batty
© screenshotGoing Batty
Is it now case closed on the Wuhan lab leak? After EcoHealth Alliance President Peter Daszak appeared before the U.S. Congress last week and revealed himself as a man of dubious honesty, that's what many are saying. Some of Daszak's key earlier claims, such as that he knew what was in the hidden Wuhan virus database (he now admits he had no access to it and has never seen it) and that he had published every SARS-like virus from the WIV (he confessed he hasn't published any discovered after 2015), collapsed under questioning. In response, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has now suspended EcoHealth Alliance from receiving federal funds and initiated debarment proceedings against it.

Daszak's performance, as well as that of University of North Carolina virologist Professor Ralph Baric (the transcript of whose January closed-door session was released last week) has added to the sense that the origin of SARS-CoV-2 is now all but confirmed. Something like a consensus - at least among those not still wedded to the idea of a natural zoonotic origin - is emerging: that the virus was a product of Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) research into coronaviruses in 2019 that was inspired by Ralph Baric's DEFUSE proposal (regarded as a blueprint for SARS-CoV-2) but in which Baric and other U.S. scientists were not personally involved.

DRASTIC's Yuri Deigin gives perhaps the clearest account of this scenario in a lengthy post on Medium (handily summarised at the start and end). He also succinctly sums it up in a Facebook post, where he contrasts a lab origin with the obviously hopeless zoonotic theory:

Comment: Lab origin and zoonotic theory? Where has this detective work been hiding?

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Brick Wall

Netherlands: Geert Wilders government set to bring in 'strictest-ever' asylum policy

Chris Jewers
The Daily Mail
Thu, 16 May 2024 18:32 UTC
Geert Wilers
© ANP/AFP/GettyPVV party leader Geert Wilders
The new coalition parties said they would file a request to the European Commission for an opt-out on European asylum policy 'as soon as possible'

The Netherlands has today said it will opt out of European Union rules and bring in its 'strictest-ever' asylum policy following ' shock election victory.

The newly agreed Dutch coalition government said the new policy will see people removed from the European country 'by force' - setting up a clash with leaders in Brussels even before it has taken office.

The 26-page coalition agreement emerged early this morning after six months of gruelling talks between four parties following last years' stunning election victory by Wilders, the long-time Euro-sceptic and leader of the far-Right PVV party.
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Attention

Biden invokes executive privilege to shield Robert Hur interview tapes from House

Bart Jansen
USA Today
Thu, 16 May 2024 08:30 UTC
Biden
© APUS President Joe Biden
President Joe Biden invoked executive privilege Thursday to keep the recording of his deposition about storing classified documents at his home confidential as House Republicans set two committee votes to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt for refusing to release the recording.

The Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel determined the recording falls under executive privilege and Garland shouldn't be punished for following the president's order to keep the recording confidential, according to Carlos Uriarte, an associate attorney general.

The Office of Legal Counsel has long held that executive privilege extends to a "closed criminal investigation where disclosure is likely to damage future law enforcement efforts," Garland wrote to Biden on Wednesday.

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Clipboard

Xi outlines solution to Ukraine conflict


RT
Fri, 17 May 2024 09:57 UTC
Xi Jinping
© Segei Guneyev/SputnikChinese President Xi Jinping
Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed that peace negotiations recognized by both Russia and Ukraine are the best way to end the ongoing conflict between the two nations.

Speaking during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday at the Chinese leader's residential compound at Zhongnanhai, Xi argued that the entire global security architecture must be amended in order to end the fighting and avoid similar hostilities in the future, according to the Xinhua news outlet.

Putin is on his first state visit to China since he took office for the fifth time earlier this month.

Xi was cited as saying:
"China supports the timely convening of an international peace conference recognized by both Russia and Ukraine, with equal participation by all parties, and fair discussion of all options. Beijing is willing to aid in brokering the peace talks."

"Global powers must address both the symptoms and the root cause [of the conflict], and we must consider both the present and the long term.

"The fundamental solution to the Ukraine crisis is to promote the construction of a balanced, effective, and sustainable new security architecture."
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