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US Catholic troops can reject Covid vaccine says Archbishop for military Timothy Broglio

military covid vaccine
© Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Catholic U.S. troops should be allowed to reject the COVID-19 vaccine if taking it "would violate the sanctity" of their conscience, said Archbishop for the Military Services Timothy Broglio in a statement out Tuesday.

Why it matters

Broglio encouraged troops to get the vaccine, but acknowledged that some people have questioned whether the church's position encouraging the shot "precludes an individual from forming a sincerely held religious belief that receiving the vaccine would violate his conscience."

"It does not," wrote the archbishop.

Driving the news: The Pentagon mandated the vaccine for troops back in August, but many service members are still unvaccinated as deadlines approach.

Comment: Meanwhile over at the Vatican: Pope's Swiss Guards resign over mandatory COVID-19 vaccination


Syringe

'Jab 'em in their sleep': Philippines' Duterte proposes new way of tackling vaccine hesitancy

duterte
© Left REUTERS/Eloisa, Right REUTERS/Tatyana Makeyeva
Filipino ninja doctors may soon be sneaking into the homes of Covid-19 vaccine refuseniks to inject them in their sleep. At least that's the idea proposed by the country's trigger-happy president.

The unorthodox approach to boosting vaccination rates was touted by Rodrigo Duterte during his latest 'Talk to the People' address on Monday. "I know many people are still hesitant," the president said, as quoted by local media.

The president added that he was ready to personally lead the nocturnal immunization raids.

Comment: This is insanity! Although it's not surprising given Duterte's violent anti-criminality campaign which he may be held to account for when he retires.


Network

As Turkey turns away from Biden & towards Putin, the US-led NATO military bloc is on the rocks due to American ambitions in Syria

Putin Erdogan
© Sputnik / Vladimir Smirnov
FILE PHOTO. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attend a meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi, Russia.
In the space of nearly 500 years, Russia and Turkey have fought no fewer than 12 wars against each other. Now, even without the tsars or Ottomans, the two old rivals are standing on competing sides once again - this time in Syria.

However, while backing competing factions in bloody fighting across the Middle Eastern nation, the conflict has paradoxically brought the two powers closer together. So close, it seems, that even NATO is worrying about it.

A major breakthrough in relations between Moscow and Ankara was evident when Turkey purchased Russia's S-400 air defence system in defiance of US threats. The US has subsequently imposed sanctions on Ankara and expelled Turkey from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. A meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his American counterpart, Joe Biden, was not enough to mend relations.

Comment: See also: And check out SOTT radio's: NewsReal: The Great (End)Game - Closing the Afghan War, Opening the 'Covid War'?




Target

What did ISIS-K try to achieve with its Kunduz suicide attack?

ISIS-K
© AFP
ISIS-K
ISIS-K stated it was responsible for a suicide attack last Friday at a Shiite mosque in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz that was allegedly carried out by an ethnic Uyghur. Al Jazeera reported that the group said that "the attack targeted both Shias and the Taliban for their purported willingness to expel Uighurs to meet demands from China." The Russian Foreign Ministry also released a statement condemning the attack for its attempted destabilization of Afghanistan during this new stage in its history.

The terrorist group therefore quite clearly sought to exacerbate Afghanistan's sectarian divisions in order to create a wedge for undermining the Taliban's de facto rule of the country. Considering the faith of those who were targeted, ISIS-K might also have hoped to provoke a reaction from Iran. From their perspective, the ideal one would have been if Tehran expressed concern over the Taliban's ability to protect the Shiite community. That could have worsened mistrust between the two sides and caused wider regional divisions

Oil Well

Russophobia absurdity prevails as Russian gas rescues Europe's energy crisis

Putin
© The Telegraph
Russian President Vladimir Putin
Europe's energy crisis and Russia's readiness to alleviate vividly demonstrates a fundamental win-win partnership.

Russophobia and geopolitical cynicism know no bounds among certain Western politicians and media commentators. Thankfully, however, such a negative mindset is increasingly exposed for its ridiculous irrationality.

This week as Europe's energy crisis broke new records in terms of soaring consumer prices, Russian President Vladimir Putin stepped in with a promise to increase exports of natural gas. The news had an immediate calming effect on Europe's energy markets which saw prices whipsawing to lower levels.

Rather than simply greeting the development as a positive move, there were predictably sinister comments from some quarters. Russia was accused in Western media of "holding Europe hostage" over the continent's energy crisis and using its vast supply of natural gas as a "geopolitical weapon".


Comment: When perceptions replace reality there's an agenda behind it.


Arrow Up

Kremlin says US and Russia agree Ukraine must give Donbass special autonomous status as Nuland hails productive meeting in Moscow

Nuland and Kozak
© Reuters/Denis Balibouse/Elizabeth Franz
Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Dmitry Kozak
US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland
Russia and the US have agreed to continue discussions on the situation in the east of Ukraine, with both parties seeing eye-to-eye on the need for Kiev to implement the controversial Minsk agreements to create peace in the region.

That's according to Dmitry Kozak, the Kremlin's deputy chief of staff, who spoke to the media after a meeting in Moscow with US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland. Nuland is in Moscow for a three-day working visit and has already met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov and Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin. Nuland was previously banned from entering the country as part of counter-sanctions against Washington, but the Kremlin agreed to remove her from the blacklist to enable the short visit.

Kozak told news daily Kommersant:
"A thorough and constructive dialogue took place regarding the settlement of the conflict in south-east Ukraine. It was confirmed that the Minsk agreements remain the only basis for a settlement.

"During the talks, the US confirmed its position ... that significant progress towards the settlement of the conflict is unlikely without any agreement on future parameters of Donbass autonomy. In other words, giving the region a special status within Ukraine."
Nuland herself described the talks at the Kremlin as both "productive" and "useful."

Comment: It's been a long hard road to get to this degree of agreement, minus linchpin Kiev.

See also:


Syringe

Moderna has no plans to share Covid-19 vaccine recipe, says chairman

N Afeyan
© Andrew Medichini/AP
Moderna chairman Noubar Afeyan
Moderna has no plans to share the recipe for its Covid-19 vaccine because executives have concluded that scaling up the company's own production is the best way to increase the global supply, the company's chairman and cofounder said.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Noubar Afeyan also reiterated a pledge Moderna made a year ago not to enforce patent infringement on anyone else making a coronavirus vaccine during the pandemic.
"We didn't have to do that. We think that was the responsible thing to do. Within the next six to nine months, the most reliable way to make high-quality vaccines and in an efficient way is going to be if we make them. We want that to be helping the world."
The United Nations health agency has pressed Moderna to share its vaccine formula.

Mr Afeyan said the company analysed whether it would be better to share the messenger RNA technology and determined that it could expand production and deliver billions of additional doses in 2022.

Asked about appeals from the World Health Organisation and others, Mr Afeyan contended that such pleas assumed
"that we couldn't get enough capacity, but in fact we know we can. We went from zero production to having one billion doses in less than a year."
Referring to the Massachusetts-based company's sprint to develop the vaccine and produce it in large quantities, he said:
"We think we will be able to go from one to three billion in 2022. We think we are doing everything we can to help this pandemic."

Comment: Sprinkle the holy water and man the vaccine...all strategies are in high gear, merely a poke away from back-patting success. And then, like the needle in this proverbial haystack of claims, there is pesky reality.

See also:


Family

Gov. watchdog launches investigation into DOJ targeting of 'domestic terrorist' parents opposed to critical race theory

Parent protest
© Macy J. Jenkins/Twitter
Parents protest
Government watchdog Protect the Public's Trust (PPT) filed a lawsuit Thursday seeking records from the Department of Justice (DOJ) showing the timeline surrounding Attorney General Merrick Garland's decision to sic the FBI on parents opposed to Critical Race Theory.

Garland's directive was seemingly in response to a letter from the National School Boards Association (NSBA) deeming such parents "domestic terrorists."

Using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), PPT is also seeking corroborating records from the Department of Education and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in order to ascertain if these federal agencies colluded with the NSBA to achieve a political end.

As Breitbart News previously reported,
"Days after a national organization representing school board officials lamented to the Biden administration about 'hate groups' intimidating education officials, Attorney General Merrick Garland has directed the FBI to combat 'threats of violence' against administrators.

"The timing of the Attorney General's letter contributes to a public perception that the federal government is targeting parents who have spoken up against policies being advanced by the Administration's local union allies. Using domestic terrorism as the rationale has only heightened the perception that Americans' civil rights are being threatened for improper purposes."

Comment: See also:


Star of David

Former Israeli Mossad chief admits Iran 'not even close' to getting the bomb

Yair Lapid  Jake Sullivan
© Shlomi Amsalem
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid meets with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in Washington, DC, on October 12, 2021.
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid is in Washington D.C. to meet with top Biden administration officials for talks centered on Iran as well as the Gaza Strip and other security-related matters. As expected, Lapid warned US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan that Iran is on brink of becoming a "nuclear threshold state".

Lapid's office issued this statement after the Sullivan meeting: "The foreign minister shared with the national security adviser Israel's concerns about Iran's race toward nuclear capabilities, as well as that Iran is becoming a nuclear threshold state," according to The Times of Israel. "Lapid also discussed with the national security adviser the need for an alternative plan to the nuclear agreement."

As nuclear talks between Tehran and world powers have remain stalled in Vienna, a key question at center of debate over whether the US should seek a restored JCPOA deal with Iran remains just how close is Iran to acquiring a nuke?

Comment: Why does everyone let Israel slide on condemning non-nuclear Iran, when it's clear Israel has nukes without being party to any agreements regarding them?


Wall Street

Hostile takeover: Wall Street's acquisition of nature advances with launch of new asset class

Intrinsic Exchange Group
A project of the multilateral development banking system, the Rockefeller Foundation and the New York Stock Exchange recently created a new asset class that will put, not just the natural world, but the processes underpinning all life, up for sale under the guise of promoting "sustainability."

Last month, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) announced it had developed a new asset class and accompanying listing vehicle meant "to preserve and restore the natural assets that ultimately underpin the ability for there to be life on Earth." Called a natural asset company, or NAC, the vehicle will allow for the formation of specialized corporations "that hold the rights to the ecosystem services produced on a given chunk of land, services like carbon sequestration or clean water." These NACs will then maintain, manage and grow the natural assets they commodify, with the end of goal of maximizing the aspects of that natural asset that are deemed by the company to be profitable.

Though described as acting like "any other entity" on the NYSE, it is alleged that NACs "will use the funds to help preserve a rain forest or undertake other conservation efforts, like changing a farm's conventional agricultural production practices." Yet, as explained towards the end of this article, even the creators of NACs admit that the ultimate goal is to extract near-infinite profits from the natural processes they seek to quantify and then monetize.

NYSE COO Michael Blaugrund alluded to this when he said the following regarding the launch of NACs: "Our hope is that owning a natural asset company is going to be a way that an increasingly broad range of investors have the ability to invest in something that's intrinsically valuable, but, up to this point, was really excluded from the financial markets."