Welcome to Sott.net
Fri, 05 Nov 2021
The World for People who Think

Puppet Masters
Map

Windsock

Pathetic! Switzerland caves in: Will enforce EU sanctions on Russia


RT
Tue, 05 Aug 2014 20:20 UTC
Swiss flag
© AFP Photo / Fabrice Coffrini
The Swiss government has extended sanctions to include 26 people in Russia and Ukraine, as well as 18 organizations, so the country isn't used as a channel to avoid EU and US sanctions.

Switzerland itself hasn't imposed any sanctions, but some of the EU measures will now apply in the country which is surrounded by the European Union.

The Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research released a list of those affected on Tuesday, and said it was because of Russia's perceived intervention in the Ukraine crisis.

Now, over 87 individuals and 20 companies are banned from transferring assets into Switzerland or starting new business relationships. A travel ban also exists.

The new names include Donetsk People's Republic's Vice Premier Alexander Boroday and the Security Minister Alexander Khodakovsky, top Russian security officials such as former Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov and Nikolai Patrushev, and Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov.

The sanctions come into effect on August 5 at 8:00pm Moscow time.

Comment: Remaining impartial in this global farce is impossible given the terms set down by the U.S. If you don't follow Uncle Sam, you're partial to Russia (and hurt Sam's feelings); if you impose sanctions, you're partial to the States. The only rational course of action is to NOT impose or support sanctions against Russia and the Donbass leaders and militias. Yes, it is 'partial', but it's absurd to remain impartial when the choice is between a total farce and actual reality. There comes a time when you have to stand up for what is right, not simply what the global bullies of the day dictate.

      Read More...
Light Sabers

As 'war' on Gaza continues, so does war on truth

Richard Sudan
RT
Tue, 05 Aug 2014 20:06 UTC
gaza
© Reuters / Mohammed Salem
Palestinians stand atop the remains of their house after returning to it in the Shejaia neighborhood, which witnesses said was heavily hit by Israeli shelling and air strikes during an Israeli offensive, in the east of Gaza City August 5, 2014
The crimes of the state of Israel, and its ruthless assault on Gaza have over the last few days and weeks have been laid bare for all to see on social media.

Alongside the unrelenting attacks on the Gaza strip, and the cold-blooded murder of an entirely innocent and defenseless people, runs a particularly distasteful strand of propaganda, the kind of falsehoods that make people think the unjustifiable is justifiable.


Comment: In Political Ponerology, Dr. Andrew Lobaczewski describes this phenomenon in clinical detail as "paramoralism". It's chronically used by individuals with personality disorders, e.g. psychopathy.


The words and language used by many in the media, to describe the war on Palestinians, is the key in perpetuating a certain kind of mythology in people's minds, cementing the kind of stereotypes in the subconscious which makes people think that murdering civilians is OK. It breeds a kind of passivity and acceptance in people's minds. Repeat a lie over and over, and people believe it. And all it takes for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing.

In spite of the fact that we are witnessing the kind of brutality and cold-blooded killing of human beings, that would not be accepted anywhere else, people still cling to the same out tired dogma and lies, which are repeated as talking points by the media, and reflected in the casual everyday justifications you hear apologists for Israel make.

You know what I am talking about. We have all heard people ask, or simply state "What about Israel's right to defend itself?"
      Read More...
Quenelle

Fearless Crimea prosecutor Natalia Poklonskaya, who refused to be part of "Nazi" Kiev government, one of 40 put on Japan sanctions list


RT
Tue, 05 Aug 2014 19:07 UTC
Image
Crimean prosecutor, Natalya Poklonskaya, an internet sensation, whose anime-style images gained her overwhelming popularity, particularly in Japan, has found herself among forty officials put on a sanctions list by Tokyo.

The list, made public by the Japanese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, includes former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich, a number of top figures in the self-proclaimed People's Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, as well as people believed to be "directly responsible for the annexation of Crimea."

"Japan will continue our coordination with G7 nations and the international community to achieve a peaceful and diplomatic resolution of the Ukraine situation," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a regular briefing, according to AFP. "We have made our decisions to select those who were directly responsible for the annexation of Crimea and destabilization of eastern Ukraine, and after we reviewed sanctions by the United States and EU."

Adoration by the Japanese online community did not save the Crimean prosecutor, Natalya Poklonskaya, from being added to Tokyo's black list.
      Read More...
Snakes in Suits

Colorado Democrats remove anti-fracking initiative from November ballots because they're worried about losing the support of energy companies


RT
Tue, 05 Aug 2014 19:00 UTC
Image
© Reuters / Rick Wilking
Two of Colorado's leading Democrats agreed to nix from the November ballot a set of anti-fracking initiatives that some members in the party believed would damage its candidates' chances of victory come Election Day.

In a nod to party unity, Democratic Rep. Jared Polis agreed to drop his demands for anti-fracking legislation, instead throwing his support behind a new initiative from Gov. John Hickenlooper that would seek to create a special task force to address the concerns of people over fracking, a controversial method of extracting oil and gas that injects large amounts of water, sand and chemicals deep underground to unlock the resources.

In return for dropping the initiatives from the ballot, Hickenlooper said an 18-member commission would deliver its suggestions to lawmakers next year on how to resolve the standoff between communities and the energy companies.
      Read More...
Bulb

Russia introduces new visa allowing for one-year-stay for Russian speakers who are interested in citizenship


RT
Tue, 05 Aug 2014 18:56 UTC
Image
© RIA Novosti / Georgiy Kurolesin
Russian government has introduced a new type of visa allowing up to one year's stay in the country for foreigners who can speak Russian and who wish to receive Russian citizenship.

The order published on the web-portal for official information on Tuesday notes that those who will use the new type of visa will be able to get Russian citizenship through the recently introduced simplified procedure - under condition of moving to Russia for permanent residence and abandoning citizenship of foreign countries if such countries have no dual citizenship agreements with the Russian Federation.

The visa can be prolonged once, but if its holder fails to lodge an application for Russian citizenship within the two-year period it will be annulled.

Over the past few years, Russian authorities have introduced a number of measures to stimulate immigration of educated and well-trained people who can be considered holders of Russian culture.
      Read More...
Vader

Obama states four "facts" about Russia in interview. His facts are all wrong


RT
Tue, 05 Aug 2014 18:40 UTC
Image
© Reuters / Larry Downing
Barack Obama has made light of Russia in his latest interview, coming up with four facts to illustrate the poor state of things in the country, which - strangely enough - had little to do with reality.

"I do think it's important to keep perspective. Russia doesn't make anything," Obama said in his interview with the Economist. "Immigrants aren't rushing to Moscow in search of opportunity. The life expectancy of the Russian male is around 60 years old. The population is shrinking."

RT has gathered the more recent statistics on the subjects touched upon by the US president.

'Russia doesn't make anything' - WRONG

According to Russia's Central Bank, the export of products and services has brought Russia $593 billion in 2013. Some $355 billion in that figure is from oil and gas sales, but the remaining $238 billion came from other - non-energy - sectors of the economy.
      Read More...
Eye 2

Ukraine refusing humanitarian aid from Russia for hard-hit southeaster region targeted by Kiev


RIA Novosti
Tue, 05 Aug 2014 18:23 UTC
Image
© RIA Novosti. Vladimir Makarov
Ukraine is still not accepting Russia's humanitarian aid for citizens of the southeastern regions targeted by a military operation, Russian Deputy Emergency Situations Minister Vladimir Artamonov said Monday.

"There is so far no reaction [from Ukraine] concerning the humanitarian aid. The assistance we are currently rendering is aimed at refugees that are already on Russian territory," Artamonov said.

Kiev officials have been conducting a military operation targeting Luhansk and Donetsk regions, which refused to recognize the legitimacy of the new government and chose to pursue independence.

The operation, which claimed the lives of more than 1,000 civilians, according to recent UN estimates, has also forced many citizens to flee their homes and cross into neighboring Russia in search of shelter. Many of those who stayed are now trapped in the combat zone.
      Read More...
Dollar

Sanctions against Russia starting to backfire, particularly in Germany

Joe Weisenthal
Business Insider
Mon, 04 Aug 2014 18:19 UTC
Image
© REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Here's the downside of sanctions: They hurt the countries applying the sanctions as well the target countries.

A fresh measure of investor sentiment from Sentix shows confidence in the eurozone plunging sharply because of the sanctions being imposed on Russia.

From Reuters:
The Sentix research group's index tracking morale among investors in the eurozone slumped to 2.7 in August, its lowest level in a year, from 10.1 in July. The consensus forecast in a Reuters poll had been for the sentiment index to ease slightly to 9.0.

"After last month's recovery the eurozone Sentix index has suffered a painful setback," Sentix said in a statement, attributing it to sharply reduced growth expectations because of the sanctions.

"As this slump derives from an event which is subject to politics and power play, the central banks, particularly the European Central Bank, will have difficulty in trying to counter this," Sentix added.
      Read More...
USA

While every moral country condemns Israeli genocide, US rolls over backwards to give full support to the killing machine


RT
Mon, 04 Aug 2014 10:48 UTC
gaza destruction
© Reuters/Suhaib Salem
A general view of destroyed and damaged houses in Beit Hanoun town, which witnesses said was heavily hit by Israeli shelling and air strikes during the Israeli offensive, in the northern Gaza Strip July 26, 2014.
The US Congress voted to support Israel; they voted for new arms supplies, while President Obama has made useless gestures and continues to equate Hamas' firecrackers with Israeli deadly bombing, expert on Israeli-Arab relations James Petras told RT.

RT: Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu has praised soldiers for their conduct during the Gaza operation, saying 'they acted in the most wonderful and admirable way'. What would you say to that?

James Petras: There is no question that the policy of the Israeli government is to destroy life as we know it in Gaza. They have destroyed all the working facilities of electricity, water supply, sewage systems; they are making it unlivable because the ultimate goal is an exclusively Jewish-Israeli state. They want to drive the entire Palestinian people out of the inhabitable region. This is one of the most brutal attacks we have seen since the demise of the Third Reich. I think there is no question that worldwide opinion is extraordinary horrified by what is going on, but Israel continues to act because it feels it has impunity, that is the US government continues to supply arms and provide diplomatic protection for the genocide which is taking place, and the EU wrings its hands, but continues to engage in business as usual with Israel. I think that world public opinion is shocked, but there is no one raising a hand to tell Israelis 'You will pay the price of this'.

Comment: As the Zionists own the media, Hollywood, the banking system, Congress, and the White House, it is unlikely that there will be any help for the beleaguered Palestinians from the psychopathic US government.

Ex-U.S. presidential candidate: 'Zionists control U.S. political apparatus'
U.S. privately gave 'green light' to Israel for its 'genocidal attack'
Earth's alpha predator: Zionist Mafia
How the U.S. was used to create Israel: The origins of the Israel Lobby in America
Selective 'empathy': Obama thinks barbarity is the abduction of one Israeli soldier, but not the massacre of thousands of Palestinians

      Read More...
Airplane

Moscow responds to sanctions by threatening to force European airlines to fly around Russia

Maria Kiselyova and Gleb Stolyarov
Reuters
Tue, 05 Aug 2014 18:11 UTC
Image
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev threatened on Tuesday to retaliate for the grounding of a subsidiary of national airline Aeroflot because of EU sanctions, with one newspaper reporting that European flights to Asia over Siberia could be banned.

Low-cost carrier Dobrolyot, operated by Aeroflot, suspended all flights last week after its airline leasing agreement was cancelled under European Union sanctions because it flies to Crimea, a region Russia annexed from Ukraine in March.

"We should discuss possible retaliation," Medvedev said at a meeting with the Russian transport minister and a deputy chief executive of Aeroflot.

The business daily Vedomosti reported that Russia may restrict or ban European airlines from flying over Siberia on Asian routes, a move that would impose costs on European carriers by making flights take longer and require more fuel.
      Read More...
Amazon Smile
Revolt! T-shirts