Puppet Masters
In a report by the State Department intended to detail data regarding human rights around the globe in 2018, the US has decided to alter the words it uses to describe the situation in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel, opting for what seems to be more neutral language.
This decision comes despite the fact that the word "occupation" is official terminology approved by the United Nations and how the US had formerly described the territories in question.
The administration said that the change in rhetoric does not imply any policy changes, but were otherwise unclear about their reasons for the new phrasing.
The report appears to reflect the sentiments of a meeting between Senator Lindsey Graham, US ambassador to Israel David Friedman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, where the three discussed plans to work towards US recognition of the Golan Heights as a part of Israel.
"Working with Senator [Ted] Cruz, I will start an effort to recognize the Golan as part of the State of Israel now and forever," Graham said in light of the meeting.
Guaido was declared "interim president" by the National Assembly on January 23, under Article 233 of the Venezuelan constitution, which limits the institution to 30 days. But his term did not expire on February 23, because the National Assembly passed a resolution declaring that the 30-day countdown won't start until "usurper" President Nicolas Maduro steps down, Abrams told reporters at the State Department on Friday.
Jim Rogers is currently the chairman of Rogers Holdings and Beeland Interests Inc. He explained to South Korean TV: "Important opportunities are coming in the Korean peninsula, and North Korea is going to be the most exciting country in the world for the next decade or two." He went on to say: "North Korea today is where China was in 1981. North Korea is a copy. He has been opening up the country just as Deng Xiaoping did."
In an appearance on FOX news, Rogers emphasized the fact that the population of the DPRK is highly educated, making them more highly skilled than other people throughout the developing world. Rogers is associated with Republican and libertarian circles and has admitted that the Austrian School, with its "hands off" approach, is closest to his view of how the state should handle the economy.
Despite his personal libertarian bent, Rogers seems to embrace the highly authoritarian government of his current country of residence. However, an old business partner of his seems to hold the opposite view, not just about Singapore, but about North Korea, Trump, and everything else.
The primary suspect was an Australian citizen who "travelled sporadically to New Zealand and stayed for varied amount of time," Ardern told reporters. "I would not describe him as a long-term resident."
He was not on a government watch list in either New Zealand or Australia.
The oil minister of the UAE, Suhail al-Mazrouei, reportedly told lenders at the meeting that if the bill was made into law that made OPEC members liable to U.S. anti-cartel legislation, the group, which is to all intents and purposes indeed a cartel, would break up and every member would boost production to its maximum.
This would be a repeat of what happened in 2013 and 2014, and ultimately led to another oil price crash like the one that saw Brent crude and WTI sink below US$30 a barrel. As a result, a lot of U.S. shale-focused, debt-dependent producers would go under.
Comment: More on OPEC's "war" on shale:
- Saudi oil manipulation is not killing the U.S. shale oil industry
- Saudi Arabia declares open war on US shale oil, refuses to cut production

FILE PHOTO. Russian tycoon Deripaska attends the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
The case against the US was filed at a US District Court in Washington by the businessman on Friday. The billionaire asked the court to block the US Treasury from using the "devastating power" of sanctions and force it to remove him from the sanctions and "oligarch" lists.
The businessman accused the US government of being biased against him and making allegations based on "false rumor and innuendo." The sanction activities against him violate the US Constitution, he argued.
The would-be drone bomber says he met with US officials three times after the attack that took place at a military parade in August last year. In an interview with CNN, he claims the US officials seemed receptive to giving them "things in return" for information about the assassination attempt.
A State Department spokesman declined to comment, saying only "Our policy is to support a peaceful transition in Venezuela."
The assassin, who wished to remain anonymous for obvious reasons, provided video of the conspirators tinkering with the improvised drone bomb, which they reportedly built themselves in a farmhouse in Colombia using materials they purchased online from the US. His footage also showed the group practising flying the drones "high enough to not be seen," then diving steeply to hit their target, before dismantling them and sneaking them into Venezuela.
Comment: US officials, rather than arrest him for his crimes, wanted to trade 'something' for information and then they let him go? It seems that so long as violence is committed on behalf of a cause that supports the US establishment scheme then it's legitimate. It's also notable that the terrorists built the weapon in Colombia and sourced the parts from the US:
- The US stealth war on Venezuela
- Trump regime's electricity war in Venezuela more serious than first believed
- Analysis: Success of Venezuela regime change policy depends on 'credibility of US imperial blackmail'
- Trump betrays MAGA over Venezuela
- Venezuela under attack: 7 notes on the US' electric shock treatment
- NewsReal #27: Coup-by-Media in Venezuela - French Yellow Vest Protesters 'Anti-Semites'?
- NewsReal: US Regime Change Operation in Venezuela - This Time It's Legit?
The president issued his emergency declaration as a way to free up funding to build his long-promised wall along the southern border after Congress refused to provide the $5 billion he originally requested. New budget requests now put that total dollar amount at over $8 billion.
When the bill moves to the president's desk, Mr. Trump will likely issue his first veto of his presidency. "I look forward to vetoing" the resolution, he tweeted Thursday.
The US Treasury Department included six people and eight entities in its Friday update of "Ukraine and Russia-related Designations." The deputy director of the Russian Border Guard Service, which is under the command of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), as well as the head of the FSB service in Crimea and Sevastopol are among the sanctioned individuals.
The list of entities consists of eight enterprises related to the shipbuilding industry and operating as Russia's defense contractors, including a St. Petersburg engine manufacturer, several shipyards located both in Crimea and mainland Russia, and companies producing hydroacoustic devices and ship automatics.
Comment: It's unlikely the US will sanction Russia's rocket manufacturers anytime soon: America will continue to use Russian rocket engines to fly into space
Comment: Ukraine's Kerch strait provocation seems to be the gift that just keeps giving to the anti-Russian mob; the US has excuse to slap on more sanctions and can test its 'allies' willingness to get even further enmeshed; Porkyshenko has a pre-election excuse for martial law and a lame attempt to foster some votes; and the anti-Russian mob along with their propaganda media can completely distort the story in another egregious effort to demonize Russia:
- Drama in the Kerch Strait: A desperate ploy by West to undermine upcoming Trump/Putin meet
- Russia outmaneuvers unreliable US gas, and Brits buy up half of Russia's Eurobonds
- US senators re-introduce failed Russian sanctions "bill from hell"
All the more remarkable was that the assessment came from the Rand Corporation, which is closely aligned with the Pentagon. It may seem therefore a rather rude admission by a Pentagon-funded think tank that US military forces would be so humiliated by would-be adversary Russia or China.
The Rand lead analyst put the scale of defeat for the American side rather colourfully. "The US would get its ass handed to it," he is quoted as saying.
The simulated war scenario found that US military formations in every domain would be vanquished.
What's going on here? Is the Pentagon, through its think tank, really admitting to such stark defeat? No.
Comment: Following the first ever audit of the Pentagon, at a cost to the taxpayer of $360 million, it was revealed that, even after changing the rules, billions (and maybe even trillions) of dollars were unaccounted for, to which the Pentagon responded that the result was "irritating".
Below are some shameful stories that show just how some of that money is being spent:
- Faulty US welding delays Britain's new £31 billion nuclear missiles
- Poland balks at "unacceptable" $10.5 billion cost for US Patriot missiles that don't work
- 'No money for faulty F-35s' government auditors tell Congress
- Trump demands NATO allies to spend more, meanwhile Pentagon buys $1.2K mugs, $10K toilet seats
- US Navy destroyer crashes into Philippine container ship near Japanese coast - Update: 7 found dead, at least 3 injured
- Seahawk helicopter of most 'disaster-prone' fleet crashes on flight deck of USS 'Ronald Reagan' in Philippine Sea














Comment: Israel is a master of message control. It has proven that, over time, small tweaks are an effective method to alter meaning, shift perception and redirect public focus in order to achieve its desired response. The US government, Israel's puppet and arguably its greatest manipulated success, employs this skillful deception on Israel's behalf without question. It doesn't change reality, however; the Golan Heights are Syria, not Israel.