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Leaked documents reveal that government agencies can control your personal computer

Carey Wedler
The Anti Media
Tue, 07 Jul 2015 14:46 UTC
flag spy
© unknown
Leaked emails from an Italian-based hacking company reveal that government agencies engage in surveillance more invasive than previously thought, spending millions of dollars on spyware and malware software to accomplish their questionable goals. Tellingly, their use of the product places them squarely in the same category as other repressive regimes around the world.

After hackers ironically hacked Hacking Tools, a Milan-based company that sells strictly to governments, hundreds of gigabytes of emails and financial records were leaked. The emails show that the FBI, DEA, and U.S. Army all purchased software that enables them to view suspects' photos, emails, listen to and record their conversations, and activate the cameras on their computers, among other things.

While this may seem like old news, the most controversial revelation was the government's purchases of "Remote Control Systems." The FBI, DEA, and U.S. Army, courtesy of Hacking Tools, possess the capability to take control of a suspect's computer screen. The technology is so invasive that even the DEA, known for its violative surveillance policies, had reservations about purchasing it.

Comment: End goal: Total Information Awareness

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Yoda

Putin leading BRICS uprising

Mike Whitney
Counterpunch
Fri, 10 Jul 2015 00:00 UTC
round table
© indianexpress.com
(Clockwise from centre) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Jacob Zuma, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the 7th BRICS Summit in Ufa, Russia.
There's been a virtual blackout of news from this year's seventh annual BRICS summit in Ufa, Russia. None of the mainstream media organizations are covering the meetings or making any attempt to explain what's going on. As a result, the American people remain largely in the dark about a powerful coalition of nations that are putting in place an alternate system that will greatly reduce US influence in the world and end the current era of superpower rule.


Comment: Why are we not surprised. Americans live in an alternate reality, fostered by a blackout of real information and world events, supporting propaganda control and agenda.


Let's cut to the chase: Leaders of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) realize that global security cannot be entrusted to a country that sees war as a acceptable means for achieving its geopolitical objectives. They also realize that they won't be able to achieve financial stability as long as Washington dictates the rules, issues the de facto "international" currency, and controls the main levers of global financial power. This is why the BRICS have decided to chart a different course, to gradually break free from the existing Bretton Woods system, and to create parallel system that better serves their own interests. Logically, they have focused on the foundation blocks which support the current US-led system, that is, the institutions from which the United States derives its extraordinary power; the dollar, the US Treasury market, and the IMF. Replace these, the thinking goes, and the indispensable nation becomes just another country struggling to get by.


Comment: Following marathon rounds of talks, the five emerging powers signed a raft of inter-governmental agreements and the Ufa Communique that include: investment projects, working with AIIB, uphold treaties, no double standards, condemn human rights violations, uphold international principals and law, the establishment of East Jerusalem as the capital of the state of Palestine and the end of Israeli settlement building...for starters.

BRICS accounted for over 17 percent of global trade, 13 percent of the global services market and 45 percent of the world's agricultural output in 2014. The combined GDP (purchasing power parity) of the five BRICS countries surged from $10 trillion in 2001 to $32.5 trillion in 2014.


Comment: It is disturbing that global institutions, already in place, have become malignant and self-serving, forcing countries with clearer vision and purpose to reinvent the mechanisms necessary in world economics. Better a new system than being flushed down the toilet with, already-in-progress, Western demise. Vision and integrity. We shall see how that plays out in the very near future as we can loudly hear the death toll for the dollar and its influence around the world.

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Gold Seal

In fiery speeches, Pope Francis excoriates global capitalism

Jim Yardley and Binyamin Appelbaum
New York Times
Sat, 11 Jul 2015 13:50 UTC
Pope Francis
© Andres Stapff/Reuters
Pope Francis with children on Friday in Luque, Paraguay, the final leg of his Latin America trip.
His speeches can blend biblical fury with apocalyptic doom. Pope Francis does not just criticize the excesses of global capitalism. He compares them to the "dung of the devil." He does not simply argue that systemic "greed for money" is a bad thing. He calls it a "subtle dictatorship" that "condemns and enslaves men and women."

Having returned to his native Latin America, Francis has renewed his left-leaning critiques on the inequalities of capitalism, describing it as an underlying cause of global injustice, and a prime cause of climate change. Francis escalated that line last week when he made a historic apology for the crimes of the Roman Catholic Church during the period of Spanish colonialism — even as he called for a global movement against a "new colonialism" rooted in an inequitable economic order.

The Argentine pope seemed to be asking for a social revolution.

"This is not theology as usual; this is him shouting from the mountaintop," said Stephen F. Schneck, the director of the Institute for Policy Research and Catholic studies at Catholic University of America in Washington.

Comment: This pope has the pulse on the regular people and hopefully the people will listen and act accordingly.

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Yoda

Vladimir Putin presents Russia's new strategy in Kremlin speech to Security Council

Eric Zeusse
Washington's Blog
Sat, 11 Jul 2015 00:00 UTC
Image
© Kremlin.ru
Russian President Vladimir Putin presented, on July 3rd, to Russia's Security Council, the nation's new National Security Strategy, which encompasses not merely military, but especially economic, agencies within the Russian Federal Government.

Because his statement was ignored in Western 'news' media, it will here be presented in full, for individuals who are interested, among the publics in Western countries. As is usual for all of my reports, this one is simultaneously being submitted to all of the major and most of the smaller news media throughout the United States and United Kingdom (as well as some elsewhere), in order for the information to be made available as widely as possible, in 'the free world.' (My news reports are available at no charge.)

Anyone who might also wish to understand the reasons motivating the new Russian strategy might find relevant information here, but Mr. Putin's address does not discuss those matters; he instead assumes that everyone on his National Security Coucil is well aware of the relevant historical background.

The following, then, is the complete Russian-provided English translation of the speech, as it has been made available on the Web since July 3rd:

Comment: This is what a World Leader sounds like. With full knowledge of the impending Western economic implosion that is due to harm everything it touches, and with full knowledge that the US is driven to slash at Russia's jugular any which way it can, Putin called his team together to Work and work hard at protecting their most important assets - their people.

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Folder

Royal household will not be exempt from scrutiny in child sexual abuse inquiry


RT
Fri, 10 Jul 2015 15:58 UTC
Image
© Reuters/Peter Nicholis
Buckingham Palace
The Royal household will not be exempt from scrutiny over pedophile allegations and may be asked to provide evidence to a newly launched child sex abuse inquiry, it has emerged.

Justice Lowell Goddard, the New Zealand judge chairing the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, had initially not included the Royal household in a list of institutions to be investigated over historical crimes.

However, a statement from the inquiry, launched on Thursday, later confirmed the monarchy would also be "within the scope" of the investigation.

The child abuse inquiry could take up to five years and cost £100 million, it has been confirmed, as authorities will investigate every level of British society including local authorities, the police, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the NHS, the media and armed forces.

Justice Goddard told the Times: "There is no limit on the types of institutions that fall within the terms of reference. The monarchy is an institution and it runs a number of other institutions, all of which are potentially within the scope of the inquiry."

In a statement, Goddard described the investigation as "the most ambitious public inquiry" ever undertaken in England and Wales.

Comment: Pedophile networks, especially in higher places in society, have great skill and resources to cover up their psychopathic predilections. It is likely to be covered up yet again.

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Cult

Vatican will try high-ranking Vatican envoy Jozef Wesolowski for child abuse

Doug Bolton
The Independent
Fri, 10 Jul 2015 15:14 UTC
Jozef Wesolowski pedophilia

The Vatican has its own courts, and will try Jozef Wesolowski there.
He is the most important Vatican official to be accused of child abuse to date

Jozef Wesolowski, the first important Vatican official to be charged with paedophilia, is set to stand trial in a Holy See court tomorrow.

The former Polish archbishop was the papal envoy to the Dominican Republic for five years. In 2013, accusations emerged that he was involved in child abuse there, and an investigation was launched by both Dominican and Vatican authorities.

A Vatican criminal hearing opened in September last year, shortly before which he had been laicised - the Catholic term for defrocking, that forbade him from doing his ministerial work.

He was indicted by a Vatican prosecutor last month, with the trial date set for tomorrow. Wesolowski denies all the charges.

His diplomatic immunity has also been revoked, which meant that he could potentially have been tried in the Domincan Republic - however, as a city-state, the Vatican has its own courts, and will try him there.

The maximum penalty Vatican courts could previously give was life imprisonment, but this was abolished by Pope Francis shortly after he became Pope. Wesolowski could now face the maximum penalty of 30 to 35 years in prison.

It is alleged that Wesolowski paid teenage boys for sex while living in the Dominican Republic. An alleged victim told the New York Times last year that he would trawl the streets, offering poor shoeshine boys large sums of money for sex.

Comment: Pope Francis has made a small beginning in cleaning up the cesspool that is the Catholic priesthood. He has a long way to go, given the policies of his predecessors.

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Light Saber

Russian human rights groups to file thousands of lawsuits against Kiev over human rights violations in Donbass


RT
Fri, 10 Jul 2015 10:20 UTC
Image
© RIA Novosti/Igor Maslov
A man near a house which was destroyed by shelling by Ukrainian security forces in Oktyabrsky District in Donetsk.
Russian human rights groups will soon file about 17,000 lawsuits from Ukrainian citizens in the European court. They seek compensation of about $5.6 billion over numerous rights violations committed by pro-Kiev military during the conflict in Donbass.

The court action is coordinated by the Russian Public Chamber. Activist Georgy Fyodorov, a co-chairman of the chamber's committee for humanitarian aid to the southeastern regions of Ukraine, said in comments with Izvestia daily that each lawsuit is prepared on behalf a single person or a family whose rights had been infringed.

Fyodorov said that the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg had accepted about 400 cases and was considering 500 more. He said that at first the ECHR tried to reject the applications offering "far-fetched excuses," but stopped doing so after the cases started flowing en masse.

The activist noted that the first process on one of these cases should start before the end of this year.

The average compensation sought by the Donbass residents from the Kiev government amounts to €300,000 (US$335,000). The total amount of money sought by all plaintiffs could reach €5 billion ($5.58 billion).

The activist said that Russian rights groups had collected materials for 10,000 cases from refugees who fled to the Russian Federation from the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions after the start of Kiev's military campaign. Seven thousand more lawsuits were written in southeastern Ukraine, both in the self-proclaimed republics in Donbass and on territories controlled by the Ukrainian government, such as the Kharkov and Odessa Regions.

Comment: See also: Ukraine war crimes report: Torture and inhumane treatment of civilians

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The Truth Perspective: Joachim Hagopian: US Empire's Psychopathic Psyche Exposed


Sott.net
Sat, 11 Jul 2015 18:00 UTC
Sott Talk Radio logo
This week's guest on The Truth Perspective is Joachim Hagopian. Joachim, a licensed therapist, is best known for his hard-hitting blog, 'American Empire Exposed' (http://empireexposed.blogspot.com/) where he outlines the drives, policies and actions of the U.S. military/industrial imperial juggernaut. His articles can also be found on Global Research.

Joachim's unique perspective comes from his experiences as a West Point Military Academy graduate and a stint in the U.S. army where he learned, first hand, which characteristics were nurtured in an individual; which were punished, and which were rewarded.

Based on this period in his life, Joachim wrote a personal account of his realizations in an online book called 'Don't Let the Bastards Getcha Down' (http://www.redredsea.net/westpointhagopian/prologue.htm) where he gives a firsthand account of how the military mindset actually regards individuals, and what some of the powerful and most well-known U.S. military leaders do (many of whom are West Point graduates) to attain their positions of power.

Join us as we discuss the many disturbing dimensions of the American Empire, where it is today, and where it is leading us.

The Truth Perspective is brought to you by the SOTT Radio Network and SOTT.net, your one-stop source for independent, unbiased, alternative news and commentary on world events. Live every Saturday from 2-4pm EST / 11am-1pm PST / 8-10pm CET.

Running Time: 02:02:00

Download: MP3

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Crusader

Jesus camp for adults! Evangelical pastors convene to turn 1,000 pastors into 1,000 politicians

Ismat Sarah Mangla
International Business Times
Fri, 10 Jul 2015 14:05 UTC
Image
© Getty Images
Some 300 evangelical pastors convened in Orlando, Florida, Friday with a single goal in mind: To learn how to adapt their preaching and outreach skills for the pursuit of political office. Republican presidential candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, himself an ordained Southern Baptist minister, was slated to the give the keynote address.

The event, part of a national workshop series, is an effort to encourage and mobilize at least 1,000 evangelical Christian pastors to seek government office in 2016 in order to promote conservative ideals and traditional biblical values.

Founded by activist David Lane, who describes himself as an evangelical "political operative," the workshops are called Issachar Trainings, named after an Israelite tribe described in the Bible as one comprising men "who understood the times and knew what Israel should do." The trainings are just one prong of Lane's American Renewal Project, which aims to inject American politics with a dose of conservatism through various routes.

"Somebody's values are going to reign supreme" in the United States, Lane told National Public Radio. "We want people with our values to represent our values and interests in the public square, be elected to office, and represent our issues."


Comment: These values?



Lane, who is tight-lipped about who funds his initiatives, added in an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network that the "skills of a successful politician are the same skills of a successful pastor." The workshops help translate those skills by offering practical tools and tips for entering the political sphere.

Comment: See also:

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Laptop

iTech Capital becomes first Russian company to invest in start-up of BitFury


RT
Fri, 10 Jul 2015 16:02 UTC
Image
© Reuters/Benoit Tessier
The iTech Capital venture fund has become part of a group that provided $20 million to the start-up BitFury. It hopes to use this money to expand its technology and business operations.

The Russian fund is joining two foreign firms - DRW Venture Capital and Georgian Co-Investment Fund. iTech hasn't revealed the amount of its investment.

BitFury has become a market leader in bitcoin mining, also says that it will use this cash to develop next generation chips. These chips are expected to be the next step, following the recently launched and energy efficient 28 nanometer chip. Following the investment deal, BitFury retains its status as being the best financed Russian start-up, as this builds on the over two $20 million tranches it has managed to raise over the last three years.

"By supporting BitFury's efforts in this regard, and by providing liquidity in bitcoin via its wholly owned subsidiary, Cumberland, DRW aims to facilitate the widespread adoption of the distributed ledger technology," Don Wilson, founder of DRW Venture, said in a prepared statement.

Wilson also acknowledged the work that Valery Vavilov, the CEO of BitFury, and his team had carried out in order to become the leader in the business of securing the Blockchain.
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