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Hedging bets: Switzerland would join new interbank payment system independent of US


RT
Thu, 04 Oct 2018 13:40 UTC
Switzerland
© Arnd Wiegmann / Reuters
Bern will take part in any new payment system if it were created as an alternative to the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), according to Swiss Ambassador to Moscow Yves Rossier.

Switzerland's position on the issue of creating payment channels that are independent of the United States is unlikely to differ from the position of other countries, Rossier told RIA Novosti. He added his country may participate in setting up an alternative to SWIFT.

Comment: Russia and Iran aren't the only countries chafing under the US control of the SWIFT system and looking for alternatives. The Empire's control over money flows is eroding bit by bit.

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Stock Down

'Typical mistake of any empire': US undermines dollar by imposing sanctions globally - Putin


RT
Wed, 03 Oct 2018 13:39 UTC
US Dollar
© Dado Ruvic / Reuters
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Washington is making a "colossal" but "typical" mistake by imposing sanctions around the world and exploiting its dollar dominance, warning there will be consequences.

"It seems to me that our American partners make a colossal strategic mistake," he said, suggesting that the US is undermining confidence and faith in the dollar as a universal tool.
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Snakes in Suits

FBI faces calls to declassify docs implicating Clinton & Mueller in Uranium One scandal


RT
Thu, 04 Oct 2018 12:01 UTC
Hillary Clinton Robert Mueller
The FBI is facing new calls to declassify documents relating to the sale of US uranium to a Russian company, documents that could implicate Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and 'Russiagate' witch-hunter Robert Mueller.

While Clinton and crew relentlessly push the idea that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia in the run-up to the 2016 election, and while Special Counsel Robert Mueller searches with a magnifying glass for any sign of this collusion, all parties involved are much quieter when it comes to the Uranium One scandal.

Among a trove of documents relating to the controversial deal, the FBI has identified 37 pages that could shine a light on why then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Obama administration approved the deal.
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Nuke

US Congressmen want Trump to monitor Saudi Arabia's nuclear ambitions


Sputnik
Thu, 04 Oct 2018 12:01 UTC
Riyadh Saudi Arabia
© CC BY-SA 4.0 / B.alotaby / Riyadh Skyline
US lawmakers have warned that Saudi Arabia's pursuit of nuclear capabilities has the potential to evolve into an "arms race" in the Middle East.

Members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Representatives Brad Schneider (D-Il) and Mark Meadows (R-NC), introduced a bipartisan bill on Saudi Arabia's nuclear ambitions last week.

If passed, the legislation would make President Donald Trump's National Security Council submit a report to Congress within 180 days to assess the "national security interests of the United States and regional allies, including Israel, of Saudi Arabia obtaining nuclear fuel enrichment capabilities through a commercial sale."
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Attention

Hillary slammed on Twitter for her 'bombastic laugh' in reaction to Kavanaugh's 'revenge' claim


RT
Thu, 04 Oct 2018 10:57 UTC
Hillary Clinton
© Carlos Barria / Reuters
Hillary Clinton said Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's claim that sexual misconduct allegations against him amount to "revenge on behalf of the Clintons" was worthy of a laugh - but Twitter did not find her laugh convincing.

The questioning of Kavanaugh by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which concluded on Friday, saw the Supreme Court nominee deliver an emotional and, at times, angry testimony.

His behavior has generated responses from both sides of the aisle, while satire programs like Saturday Night Live also had a field day with it.

Now Hillary Clinton can be added to that list, as the former Democratic candidate has responded to Kavanaugh's claim that the allegations laid against him are related to the Clintons.

"I thought it was part of the whole of his very defensive and unconvincing presentation," Clinton said when asked about the situation at the Atlantic Festival on Tuesday.

Comment: See also: Hillary Clinton makes a fool of herself by bashing Kavanaugh with debunked fake news claim

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Dollars

Only the best government money can buy

Philip M. Giraldi
Strategic Culture Foundation
Thu, 04 Oct 2018 11:27 UTC
Sheldon Adelson
© Flickr
Very few Americans know who Sheldon Adelson is and fewer still appreciate that, as America's leading political donor, when he speaks the Republican Party listens. By virtue of his largesse, he has been able to direct GOP policy in the Middle East in favor of Israel, which might well be regarded as his true home while the United States exists more as a faithful friend that can be produced at intervals whenever Israel finds itself in need of a bit of cash or political cover.

Adelson's recent successes in translating his political donations into policy favorable to Israel have included shifting the US Embassy to Jerusalem, cutting aid to Palestinians, ending the Iranian nuclear monitoring agreement and closing the Palestine Liberation Organization's diplomatic office in Washington. All those Trump Administration measures were reportedly worked out privately by Adelson speaking directly with the president.

Adelson's activities in buying politicians reflect what he believes, he reportedly having said that "there's no such thing as a Palestinian." Nor does his world view include much concern for the country that has sheltered him and made him wealthy. He served in the US Army in World War 2 and has said that he regrets having done so, as he would rather have worn an Israeli army uniform. He also expressed his desire that his son might become an Israeli Army sniper.

Comment: It's examples like these that show the true face of policy in the US. While Trump, and even the administration give the illusion of having any actual power, the true power comes from behind the scenes. You hardly hear about them. For the ones that you do, you can be sure that is just the outer fringes of what really happens behind closed doors. In the end it doesn't matter all that much who is President, these guys will get their way one way or another. See also:

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Document

Putin signs into law Russian pension reform bill


RT
Thu, 04 Oct 2018 11:08 UTC
russian man
© Aleksandr Kondratuk / Sputnik
A man in a village in Chelyabinsk region signs for a monthly cash benefit payment
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a motion ordering an increase to retirement age while allowing for a rise in payments and offering additional guarantees for citizens approaching the end of their working lives.

Increase in retirement age and pension payments

A package of bills regulating pension reform was published on Thursday and its main part will come into force on January 1, 2019. The main feature is the gradual increase of the retirement age from 60 to 65 years for men and from 55 to 60 years for women. The transition period is scheduled to fully complete by 2028 and 2034 respectively.

The saved funds would allow for increases in the monthly retirement payments by 1,000 rubles (about $15) already in 2019. This may not seem much, but for ordinary elderly Russians this is significant as in the beginning of 2018 the size of average monthly pension payment amounted to about 13,300 rubles - just over $200.

The gradual raise in payment rates will continue and by 2024 the average pension in Russia will be slightly over 20,000 rubles (over $300 at current rate).

Comment: See also:

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Oil Well

Chinese imports of US oil have "totally stopped" as trade war continues

Tyler Durden
ZeroHedge
Thu, 04 Oct 2018 10:36 UTC
china oil
It has been roughly two months since China threatened to impose a 25% tariff on US energy imports (it eventually went back on those threats), and less than two weeks since the latest round of tariffs has been implemented. But even as China has shied away from its threats to punish the US energy industry, Reuters data are showing that imports of US oil to China have ground to a halt.

Confirming the data, Xie Chunlin, the president of China Merchants Energy Shipping Co, said on Wednesday that crude oil shipments to China have "totally stopped" as the trade war has taken its toll, reversing growth in what had been a rapidly expanding market for US shale producers.
"We are one of the major carriers for crude oil from the U.S. to China. Before (the trade war) we had a nice business, but now it's totally stopped," Chunlin said on the sidelines of the Global Maritime Forum's Annual Summit in Hong Kong.

"It's unfortunately happened, the trade war between the U.S. and China. Surely for the shipping business, it's not good," the CMES president said.

He also said the trade dispute was forcing China to seek soybeans from suppliers other than the United States, adding that China now bought most its soybeans from South America.

Comment: See also:

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Beer

Austria's PM Kurz meets with Putin to discuss peace in Syria, energy supplies, and cooperation


RT
Thu, 04 Oct 2018 18:37 UTC
Putin Kurz
Vladimir Putin said he does not foresee any military action in Syria's Idlib in the near future, stressing that peace -not fighting- is the ultimate goal. Putin spoke at a briefing with Austria's Sebastian Kurz in St Petersburg.

"I do not see any military action in the zone in the foreseeable future, we don't want fighting in this area - what we want is to achieve peace, and the instruments that we've chosen have been effective so far," President Putin said during the press conference with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz in St. Petersburg.

Putin also said that the humanitarian approach in Idlib "should be on helping people," whether they live in territories controlled by the Syrian government or by the opposition.

"We shouldn't really care where these people live, they need to be helped. They shouldn't suffer," Putin said.

Comment: Austria's PM, Kurz, is one of a rising number of European heads advocating rational relations with Russia, as well as urging sane economic policies when it comes to sanctions and the Nord Stream II pipeline project; Italy's Salvini is another. It's also much more likely that peace in Syria is a viable option now that Russia's S-300's are being installed.

See also:

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No Entry

Hungary warns Ukraine against expelling consul, vows to retaliate "immediately"


RT
Thu, 04 Oct 2018 01:53 UTC
hungary flag
© Bernadett Szabo / Reuters
Hungary's FM Peter Szijjarto has warned Kiev against expelling its consul, vowing it would retaliate "immediately" if it did. Hungary and Ukraine are locked in a bitter diplomatic row over Kiev's 'forced Ukrainization' policies.

Budapest will not voluntarily recall its consul to the town of Beregovo, located in western Ukraine, Szijjarto said on Wednesday, after talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow. And if Kiev decides to forcefully expel the diplomat, Budapest will "immediately" send a Ukrainian Consul packing, Hungary's top diplomat warned.

"The Hungarian Consul in Beregovo did nothing wrong, nothing which amounts to a violation of Hungarian, Ukrainian or international law," Szijjarto insisted.

Comment: Considering the lawless behaviour of the Ukrainian government since the US-backed coup in 2014, is it any wonder the Hungarian government would attempt to provide assistance to citizens with whom they have ties? Also check out SOTT radio's: NewsReal: Donbass Leader Assassinated as Russia Exposes Chemical Plot in Syria

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