Puppet Masters

Israel reopens Gaza border crossings after tensions de-escalate

Sputnik
Sun, 21 Oct 2018 15:22 UTC

The Israeli side has decided to reopen the border crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip, which were closed on Wednesday in response to a shelling by Palestinians, after tensions on the border de-escalated, the Israeli and Palestinian authorities said on Sunday.

"The Israeli side has told us that starting from Sunday, it reopens the Erez and Kerem Shalom checkpoints," the Palestinian civil affairs committee in the Gaza Strip said.

According to the Israeli Defense Ministry, the crossings have been reopened thanks to the de-escalation of tensions on the Israel-Gaza Strip border. The ministry also said that the Hamas movement, de facto governing Gaza, distanced itself from Wednesday's shelling and had taken measures to curb violent acts on its territory.

The Defense Ministry also said that the decision to resume fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip, which had been halted earlier in October due to unrest on the border, had not been made yet and it would not be discussed until a few days later.

Comment: Interesting decision by Israel after their war preparations:

The Brexit trilemma explained in one simple chart

Tyler Durden
ZeroHedge
Sun, 21 Oct 2018 10:00 UTC

As EU negotiators have continued to push back the deadline for achieving a draft Brexit treaty this week, Theresa May and her EU counterparts have expressed tentative support for extending the Brexit transition period, the latest "compromise" proposal to crop up during the seemingly interminable negotiations. However, this proposal isn't a solution. As one BBC editor put it, the proposal for a longer transition is "an extension to an extension that's not a request for a longer transition period but a desire perhaps to have the option" at some point in the future, assuming the two sides can even agree on a treaty to create a framework for those negotiations in the first place. Of course, when politicians are facing an intractable problem, they rarely miss a chance to engage in some preemptive can-kicking.

With the March 29 "Brexit Day" drawing ever nearer, and the risk of a "no-deal" Brexit looming ever larger, many who haven't been following every headline about the increasingly fraught negotiations (and even some who have) are struggling to piece together what, exactly, is going on.

Comment: See more: Brexit Has Exposed The Rotten Foundations of Britain's Political System

Jordan King Abdullah II to abandon part of 1994 peace treaty with Israel on land lease

Sputnik
Sun, 21 Oct 2018 14:55 UTC

In line with the 1994 peace agreement, which stipulated a one-year notice period, Jordan granted Israel private ownership rights in two border territories. However, the Jordan King noted that he wants to reclaim the land, citing national interests.

Jordan's King Abdullah II announced on Sunday that Jordan has chosen to nix two annexes of the 1994 peace treaty with Israel, ending the Israeli lease of Baqura/Naharayim and Al-Ghamr/Zofar territories.

"Baqura and Ghamr are Jordanian territory and will remain Jordanian, and we exercise full sovereignty over our land," the King said, as quoted by the state-owned Jordan News Agency (Petra).

"Our priorities in such difficult regional circumstances are protecting our interests and doing everything necessary for Jordan and the Jordanians," Abdullah II noted, adding that Israel had been made aware of the decision.

Comment: Looks like the puppet state of Jordan is making some interesting decisions on its borders: Jordan-Syria border reopening signals move to restore ties and vital trade between regional powers

US should consider consequences of leaving Nuclear Arms Treaty - German Foreign Minister

Sputnik
Sun, 21 Oct 2018 16:01 UTC

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas

On Saturday, Washington announced that it would be withdrawing from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, a landmark 1987 arms control deal aimed at reducing the risk of nuclear war in Europe.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has urged the United States to consider the consequences of withdrawing from the INF, including its impact on European security and on future efforts at nuclear disarmament.

"The treaty...has for 30 years been an important pillar of our European security architecture," Maas said in a statement on Sunday. "We have urged Russia to address serious allegations that it is violating the agreement. We now urge the US to consider the possible consequences [of withdrawal]," he added.

Comment: Using spurious allegations against Russia as a means to do as it pleases is typical of the US:

Also check out SOTT radio's: Behind the Headlines: Putin The World To Rights: Russia's New Nuclear Weapons And The End of 'Unipolarity'

Fury in Germany as US firm reportedly hijacks multi-billion dollar power deal with Iraq

Sputnik
Sun, 21 Oct 2018 14:29 UTC

German-based giant Siemens had spent considerable time courting the Iraqi government in order to land the $15-billion-worth contract for building power infrastructure in the war-torn country. It had been considered an odds-on favorite until Washington reportedly intervened and compelled Baghdad to choose US- based General Electric.

In an attempt to secure Siemens' positions in Iraq, its CEO Joe Kaeser signed a memorandum of understanding with the country's electricity minister Kasim al-Fahdawi during his undisclosed trip to Baghdad. The German conglomerate, rivaled by US-based General Electric, has proposed a comprehensive reconstruction framework program for Iraq, the German outlet Welt reports, citing Siemens' statement. A company spokesman told the newspaper that its economic scope hadn't been evaluated, but declined to comment on the company's rivalry with General Electric over Iraqi projects.

Germany sees Russia as stable energy partner while US threatens Europe with sanctions unless it dumps Nord Stream 2 pipeline

RT
Sun, 21 Oct 2018 04:16 UTC

Europe should stop backing a Russia-led project to deliver natural gas to the continent, according to US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Wess Mitchell. However, not all the European nations agree.

Earlier this week, Mitchell urged the European countries not to "deepen the energy dependence" on Russia, saying that supporting projects such as the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is totally unacceptable for US allies. According to the official, Washington is doing its best to protect Europeans from their excessive reliance on Russian energy.

The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project is set to deliver Russian natural gas to European consumers. The pipeline, which is set to run from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea, is expected to double the existing pipeline's capacity of 55 billion cubic meters annually. Nord Stream 2 is projected to provide transit of 70 percent of Russian gas sales to the EU via the German route when it is built in 2019.

Comment: With only the full support of the failing state of Ukraine and Poland on its side, the US seems to be losing the battle to secure the EU's energy future, and rightly so:

Banks used tax schemes to steal €55 billion from Europe's treasuries - And they're still at it

France24
Thu, 18 Oct 2018 12:00 UTC

Two closely-related tax schemes have helped banks and investors avoid tax or even siphon cash directly out of European treasuries totalling billions more than previously thought, an investigation by 19 media revealed Thursday.

So-called "cum-ex" and "cum-cum" deals -- complex stock transactions around the days when companies pay out dividends -- have cost taxpayers as much as 55 billion euros ($63 billion) in lost revenue or outright fraud since 2001.

The schemes were first uncovered in Germany in 2012.

But beyond Europe's largest economy, Thursday's investigation found evidence of the practices in France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Austria, Finland, Norway and Switzerland.

Accounting for the bulk of the total at 46 billion euros, technically legal "cum-cum" tax avoidance exploits varying treatment of domestic and foreign shareholders.

Comment: When financial institutions make more money from gaming the system than investing in production, is it any surprise Western economies are in a downward spiral?

Jamal Khashoggi's murder is another test for the West?

Yehia Hamed
Middle East Eye
Sat, 20 Oct 2018 00:00 UTC

Western countries supported the military coup in Egypt and chose not to intervene in Syria. Are they about to fail another test of humanity?

Khashoggi entering Saudi embassy in Turkey

Western diplomacy is facing a new challenge from the Middle East. This time that challenge comes from one of its anchors in the region, Saudi Arabia.

The kingdom was always considered a partner and strategic ally, and the connections with Western Europe and United States have always been strong. The policy towards the kingdom has always been stable. Strong diplomatic relations were buttressed by tens of think tanks and research groups.

Comment: See also:

Show us the proof! Washington judge orders Mueller to prove Russian company meddled in US elections

Tyler Durden
Zero Hedge
Sat, 20 Oct 2018 00:00 UTC

Judge Dabney Friedrich

A Washington federal judge on Thursday ordered special counsel Robert Mueller's team to clarify election meddling claims lodged against a Russian company operated by Yevgeny Prigozhin, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to Bloomberg.

Concord Management and Consulting, LLC. - one of three businesses indicted by Mueller in February along with 13 individuals for election meddling, surprised the special counsel in April when they actually showed up in court to fight the charges. Mueller's team tried to delay Concord from entering the case, arguing that thee Russian company not been properly served, however Judge Dabney Friedrich denied the request - effectively telling prosecutors 'well, they're here.'

Comment: See also:

Kiev 'Patriarch' prepares to seize Moscow properties in Ukraine

The Duran
Sat, 20 Oct 2018 00:00 UTC

Although Constantinople besought the Kiev church to stop property seizures, they were ignored and used, or perhaps, complicit.

Kiev Monastery of the Caves

The attack on the Eastern Orthodox Church, brought about by the US State Department and its proxies in Constantinople and Ukraine, is continuing. On October 20, 2018, the illegitimate "Kyiv (Kiev) Patriarchate", led by Filaret Denisenko who is calling himself "Patriarch Filaret", had a synodal meeting in which it changed the commemoration title of the leader of the church to include the Kyiv Caves and Pochaev Lavras.

This is a problem because Metropolitan Onuphry of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church which is canonically accepted and acts as a very autonomous church under the Moscow Patriarchate has these places under his pastoral care.

Comment: Faith, power, money: How Western meddling is corrupting Ukraine's Orthodox Church

to paint a false picture of our company," Zuckerberg said. hmmm, sadly i agree with him, but in the other direction, it is still not enough, what...

ginkhoba

Eppla, Elppa, Elp me, I can't meet demand, raise the prices. BS product.

JTF Truth

'' America's police forces — riddled with corruption, brutality, sexual misconduct and drug abuse — have largely become part of the problem.''...

Demore

I live in Australia, but the outcome of that election even pleased me. I hope the Left doubles down on their insanity so that all of them will...

Spur

JP Sears - Why two classes of citizens is a GREAT idea: [Link]

Animanarchy

Puppet Masters

Israel reopens Gaza border crossings after tensions de-escalate

The Brexit trilemma explained in one simple chart

Jordan King Abdullah II to abandon part of 1994 peace treaty with Israel on land lease

US should consider consequences of leaving Nuclear Arms Treaty - German Foreign Minister

Fury in Germany as US firm reportedly hijacks multi-billion dollar power deal with Iraq

Germany sees Russia as stable energy partner while US threatens Europe with sanctions unless it dumps Nord Stream 2 pipeline

Banks used tax schemes to steal €55 billion from Europe's treasuries - And they're still at it

Jamal Khashoggi's murder is another test for the West?

Show us the proof! Washington judge orders Mueller to prove Russian company meddled in US elections

Kiev 'Patriarch' prepares to seize Moscow properties in Ukraine

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