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"Largest fleet of satellites in human history" set to revolutionize space-based spying

Tyler Durden
ZeroHedge
Wed, 30 Jan 2019 19:03 UTC
tiny dove spy satellite
A San Francisco-based aerospace company has begun to revolutionize space-based spying after launching a "fleet" of nearly 300 satellites into orbit - nearly half of which were sent up last year.

Founded in 2010 by ex-NASA scientists Will Marshall, Robbie Schingler and Chris Boshuizen, Planet Labs has perfected the art of shrinking truck sized surveillance satellites down to the size of a loaf of bread. Planet now has just over 400 employees, most of them in San Francisco.

Packed with some of the same electronics used in smartphones, the satellites are known as "doves," which sit in their "nests" until they are ready to be launched in "flocks," where they join an array of satellites which can image the entire earth once every 24-hours - flooding data centers with a stream of 1.2 million pictures each day.

"It's a line-scanner for the planet," said Marshall during a 2014 Ted Talk.

Comment: The spymasters are surely licking their lips over these developments.

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Russian Flag

Russian media watchdog RKN finds BBC in violation of broadcast laws


RT
Thu, 31 Jan 2019 18:15 UTC
BBC russia website
© BBC
A Russian media watchdog has found 'certain violations' in activities of the BBC World News broadcaster in Russia. The probe into the broadcaster's actions was launched in response to the British regulator's ruling against RT.

British Television, a company broadcasting BBC World News in Russia, has been found in breach of Russian legislation, Roskomnadzor (RKN), the Russian media watchdog, said following an "unscheduled inspection." It did not elaborate on the nature of the revealed violations but said that it "is assessing" their severity.

"Later, Roskomnadzor will provide further information about the measures taken [in light of these findings]," a watchdog official told the Russian media without providing a specific date or explaining what steps could be taken.

Comment:

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Dig

Netanyahu lies about Hezbollah tunnels: Is he preparing an electoral war on Lebanon?

Elijah J. Magnier
ejmagnier.com
Wed, 30 Jan 2019 18:08 UTC
hezbollah

Israeli officers under Hezbollah flags, few meters away from the Lebanese borders
There is much talk in the Levant, in Syria and Lebanon, that Israel, and more precisely Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, is seriously contemplating a large-scale cross-border battle that could escalate into war to ensure his re-election. Notwithstanding his claims of a "tremendous success in "Operation Northern Shield" (ONS) launched last December, Netanyahu is sending the Israeli Army to look for other tunnels, away from the media spotlight.

The Prime Minister's premature announcement of the success of the ONS shows that he has become the hostage of his own optimism, which he would like to invest in his forthcoming re-election. Netanyahu has managed to create serious panic among the Israeli population bordering Lebanon, and further inland, by confirming that Hezbollah possesses precision missiles capable of reaching any chosen target.

Meanwhile, the secret underground infrastructure between Lebanon and Israel is not entirely under Israeli control and could be decisive in any future war involving the use of infantry for the purpose of abducting Israeli soldiers or officers or attacking settlements. Hezbollah has modern excavation equipment and the tunnels will be essential for moving any war that Israel might start out of south Lebanon into territory controlled by Israel's enemy.
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Eye 1

European Union tells tech giants they're not doing enough to enforce Big Brother

Shane Trejo
The Schpiel
Thu, 31 Jan 2019 17:24 UTC
EU officials social media surveillance
© Associated Press/Francisco Seco
EU Commissioner for Security Union Julian King, right, talks to journalists during a joint news conference with EU Commissioner for Digital Economy Mariya Gabriel at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019.
The EU believes that monolithic social media corporations aren't doing enough to curtail digital freedom and create the Orwellian nightmare

Facebook, Google, Twitter, Amazon and other monolithic tech corporations are under fire worldwide for destroying internet freedom and maliciously violating the privacy of its customers. However, one entity thinks these corporations haven't gone far enough in enforcing Big Brother: the globalists at the European Union (EU).

The EU believes that fake news (ie. news not approved by the regime) poses a threat to their control of upcoming parliamentary elections. They expect these private companies to snap into action to "protect our democracy" which is newspeak for "manipulating information to help us win elections."

Comment: An interesting assessment of the forces being brought to bear on social media tech giants. Soros' comments are worth noting. As a master of vulture capitalism, he seems to be cheering breaking up these companies as an opportunity to further his own goal of remaking global society.

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Telephone

Trump reaffirms US support for Venezuelan puppet in phone call


CNBC
Wed, 30 Jan 2019 18:01 UTC
Donald Trump and Juan Guaido
© Reuters: Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Aaron Josefczyk
The US has announced its support for Juan Guaido, the Venezuelan Opposition Leader.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Venezuela's self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido agreed during a Wednesday phone call to maintain regular contact amid planned protests in coming days, according to a White House spokeswoman.

Trump spoke with Guiado "to reinforce President Trump's strong support for Venezuela's fight to regain its democracy," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement. Washington has recognized Guaido, an opposition leader and head of Venezuela's national assembly, as the president of the country.

In an interview with CNN that aired on Tuesday, Guaido said he had spoken with Trump a number of times. When asked about a possible military option in Venezuela, Guaido said all options were on the table, CNN said.


Comment: He and whose army? The Venezuelan military is with Maduro, and any foreign involvement will be seen by the majority of Venezuelans for what it is: a foreign invasion.


Comment: After Maduro rebuffed their ultimatum, the EU parliament has urged its member states to recognize Guaido the pretender as Venezuela's interim "president":
The European Parliament voted to recognize opposition leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate interim president of Venezuela and urged EU leaders to do the same.

The resolution, voted on Thursday, called on the EU leadership to adopt "a strong, unified stance," and recognize Guaido as the "only legitimate" interim president of the South American nation until new elections are held to "restore democracy."

The MEPs also pledged "full support" for Venezuela's opposition-controlled parliament, the National Assembly, urging the EU states to "accredit" the envoys appointed by the opposition.

The document was adopted with 439 votes to 104, with 88 MEPs abstaining.

Guaido thanked the European Parliament for the vote. "We made a big step in our fight for democracy," he wrote on Twitter.
Because the EU decides who is a legitimate leader in a foreign sovereign country. Obviously.

See also:

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Chess

Europe launches SWIFT alternative to fund Iran in collision course with Trump

Tyler Durden
Zero Hedge
Thu, 31 Jan 2019 17:34 UTC
iran eu flag
In a move sure to unleash fury from the Trump administration, the European Union has announced it has set up a transactions channel with Iran to bypass US sanctions. The launch of INSTEX - or "Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges" - by France, Germany, and the UK will allow non-dollar trade with Iran and is being described as facilitating humanitarian goods-related transactions only, including food, medicine and medical equipment.

Long anticipated, Thursday's EU announcement marks the most concrete action Europe has taken to thwart Washington sanctions after the US pullout of the 2015 nuclear deal last May, and after SWIFT caved to US pressure. Europe is hoping the mechanism will act as a legal means to preventing Tehran from quitting the JCPOA, which promised sanctions relief should the country halt nuclear weapons research and development. INSTEX is expected to receive the formal endorsement of all 28 EU members, which aims to encourage skittish pharmaceutical and agricultural companies to the table with Tehran after many stopped doing business in Iran for fear of US economic retribution.

The Iranians welcomed the new mechanism: "It is a first step taken by the European side... We hope it will cover all goods and items," Iranian Deputy FM Abbas Araqchi told state TV, referencing EU promises to stick to its end of the nuclear deal.
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Yoda

Russia might be planning an Astana-like conference for Venezuela

Andrew Korybko
Eurasia Future
Wed, 30 Jan 2019 17:26 UTC
putin maduro
Russia just dropped a huge hint suggesting that it might be trying to assemble an Astana-like conference for resolving the Venezuelan Crisis in the same spirit as what it's been trying to do with Syria over the past two years, which could present the most peaceful solution available even if this initiative ultimately results in "painful compromises" by the government if it succeeds.

Another Astana?

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov revealed earlier today that his country is in talks with other states and international organizations over the role that every concerned party could play in "mediating" the Venezuelan Crisis. He said that "There is the EU's initiative to set up a contact group. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has also put forward some initiatives, there is also some ideas that Uruguay and Mexico have come up with...We truly wish to help create conditions for dialogue between the government and the opposition. We are discussing it with our Venezuelan partners, China, Latin American and European countries. We are also ready to participate in international efforts on platforms that would be acceptable for the Venezuelan parties."

Although it can't be known for certain at this point, all indications suggest that Russia might be ready to "pull a Syria" by assembling an Astana-like conference for resolving the Venezuelan Crisis.
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Biohazard

Russian foreign ministry warns White Helmets preparing another fake chemical weapons stunt


Sputnik
Thu, 31 Jan 2019 16:31 UTC
white helmets
© Associated Press / Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets
Fake aid group White Helmets
The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that Moscow is concerned over the fact that terrorists have not abandoned their attempts to stage chemical attacks against Syrian civilians.

The White Helmets have deployed equipment in several hospitals in the Syrian province of Idlib to film false flag chemical attacks and blame it on Damascus, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated on Thursday.

"There are also serious concerns about reports that terrorists are not abandoning attempts to fake the use of chemical weapons against civilians. According to available information, a group of activists, the notorious pseudo-humanitarian organisation, the White Helmets, have prepared the necessary equipment in several hospitals of Idlib to film such provocations", Zakharova said at a briefing.

The spokeswoman elaborated that tensions were running high in the Idlib de-escalation zone, saying that Tahrir al-Sham militants are carrying out daily shelling of nearby settlements and actively building up their forces near the contact line with Syrian government forces.

Moscow and Damascus have on a multitude of occasions pointed out that the White Helmets have staged a number of provocations in Syria involving the use of chemical weapons in order to blame them on the Syrian government and provide Western countries with justification for intervention in the Arab Republic.
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Chess

Putin Has Offered Erdogan a Very Sweet Win-Win Deal in Syria, Ankara Now Has a Major Decision to Make

M.K. Bhadrakhumar
Indian Punchline
Sun, 27 Jan 2019 17:18 UTC
putin erdogan
The much-awaited meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his visiting Turkish counterpart Recep Erdogan in Moscow last Wednesday focused on the the withdrawal of US troops from Syria. The timeframe of the US drawdown or its scope and directions remain far from clear. Meanwhile, attention is riveted on creating a buffer zone in northern Syria, 32 kilometre wide along the Turkish border, which is under discussion presently between Washington and Ankara.

The US special representative on Syria James Jeffrey is expected in Ankara in coming days to carry forward the discussions. From present indications, US may control the airspace over the proposed zone and maintain some sort of presence on the ground as well while Ankara has been maintaining that it has the capability to enforce the zone.

Russia, on the other hand, has consistently voiced its opinion favoring Syrian government control over the regions vacated by the US. Indeed, Syrian leadership also has reiterated its determination to regain control over the entire country.
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Cross

Putin on Ukraine schism: Russia reserves right to defend people's freedoms, including religious beliefs


RT
Thu, 31 Jan 2019 17:13 UTC
Vladimir Putin and Patriarch Kirill
© Global Look Press / Kremlin Pool
Vladimir Putin and Patriarch Kirill
While Russia doesn't seek to meddle in Ukraine's church affairs, it reserves the right to do "everything" to defend people's freedoms, including religious beliefs, President Vladimir Putin warned at a meeting with Orthodox clergy.

"The Russian government believes that any meddling in church affairs is off-limits. We've respected and will respect the independence of church life, especially in a neighboring sovereign country," Putin said on Thursday, while meeting heads of several Orthodox churches in Moscow.
Yet we reserve the right to react and do everything to protect human rights, including the freedom of worship.
The top Orthodox clergy gathered in the Russian capital to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the enthronement of Patriarch Kirill. The ongoing religious rift in Ukraine has been one of the hottest topics at the gathering, which also touched upon relations between church and state, science and religion, as well as other issues.
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