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Sat, 23 Oct 2021
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Nuke

Russia & China are beating US in the 'nuclear race'

nuclear plant silo
While nuclear power plants in the US are retiring as they face stiff cost competition from cheap and abundant natural gas, America has also been struggling to keep its leadership on the global nuclear power market.

The United States must protect its longstanding leadership on nuclear energy globally, Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island) wrote in an op-ed to CNBC.

The US lawmakers believe that reviving nuclear energy in the US and developing new and advanced reactors will raise the share of clean energy generation in America on the one hand, and reestablish US leadership on the global market, on the other.

Star of David

Israel journalist on US's latest peace plan: 'The deal of the century is the joke of century'

Gideon Levy
© GIL COHEN MAGEN/AFP/Getty Images
Journalist at Israel's Haaretz newspaper, Gideon Levy poses in his home on 12 August, 2014 in the coastal Israeli city of Tel Aviv
The voice is clear, a slight Hebrew accent can be detected when Gideon Levy speaks English. He is precise and concise, showing off maybe some "chutzpah", but his way of saying things is direct. Does this make Gideon Levy annoying? Certainly not. On the contrary, kindly and patiently he explains what is at stake here.

Some call Gideon Levy Israel's conscience, others would rather insult him. Levy is a whistleblower. He would probably hate to be described as such. He is a journalist, and now a columnist at Israeli English daily Haaretz. He is also a board member there. Every week, his columns contradict the nationalist and religious ideology of those in power.

Popcorn

AG Barr will 'consult' with intelligence over 'Russiagate' declassifications prompting MSM panic attack

william barr press conference
© Reuters / Leah Millis
US Attorney General William Barr
US Attorney General William Barr is expected to seek advice from the intelligence community on how best to declassify data regarding what prompted the Russiagate probe - a prospect that has caused some panic among its proponents.

The attorney general will "do everything" to protect sensitive intelligence data and would thus take suggestions from US intelligence officials as he plans to go on with the investigation of "corruption at the FBI and the DOJ," White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders, told NBC's Meet the Press.

"We expect that the attorney general will consult with them on matters that he needs that guidance and advice from them," she said. "Certainly they work in lock step on a number of things. I don't see this to be any different."

Comment: Get your hot dogs and popcorn ready. The summer of 2019 in Washington promises to be very entertaining


Quenelle - Golden

Farage's Emphatic Victory in European Election Spells Doom For Both Tories And Corbyn

nigel farage
Desperate spin notwithstanding, the tsunami created by Nigel Farage's six-week old Brexit Party may sweep away centuries-old parties which may now begin to split into their constituent parts.

But first a word about Farage. As a populist politician he is perfectly evolved. Cheerful, possessed of only the ordinary vices, personable, a communicator of genius. He is neither a philosopher nor an ideologue but gripped by one iron-clad obsession - British withdrawal from the European Union.

Single-mindedly pursued for a quarter of a century, this obsession has changed the course of history in a way not matched since Mr Churchill in the summer of 1940, Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair not excepted.

I have privately criticized him for prematurely departing the stage when Brexit was won after the 2016 referendum - but in fact his timing has been perfect. He gave the ruling elites, conspiring to wreck Brexit and defy the voters, just enough rope. And now they have hanged themselves.

Comment: A report on Farage's victory by RT UK:




Propaganda

Austrian Chancellor Kurz loses no-confidence vote Amid Video Scandal

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz
© Reuters/Lisi Niesner
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz attends a session of the Parliament in Vienna, Austria May 27, 2019
Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen will now have to appoint a chancellor able to gain parliament's support until the next general election.

Austrian lawmakers from the Social Democrats and the right-wing Freedom Party have passed a motion of no confidence in the government of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, while Kurz's Austrian People's Party (OVP) and liberal NEOS party voted against the motion.

"The National Assembly has withdrawn its confidence from the entire government for the first time in the Second Republic", the parliament's Twitter account read.

Comment: Lending credence to the possibility of a set-up to damage Kurz politically, SOTT political analyst Niall Bradley comments:
In the context of what has been taking place in Vienna over the last 10 days, Austria's result was bizarre: Chancellor Kurz's conservatives came first, and Vice-Chancellor Strache's Freedom Party third, as they did in Austria's national election in 2017 - but both men have in the meantime been booted out of government following a highly suspicious 'scandal'. Outgoing EU European Commission president Juncker might say that this is no less than "stupid nationalists in love with their countries" deserve.
And why did he need to be gotten rid of?

Analysts predict Sebastian Kurz to toughen immigration laws, most talented leader since WWII


Star of David

Israel bombs targets in Quneitra after accusing Syria of firing on IDF planes, casualties reported

Golan Heights
© Agence France-Presse / Jalaa Marey
Golan Heights
An Israeli missile struck a target in the Syrian province of Quneitra on Monday; the attack caused a number of casualties, the SANA news agency reported.

"An Israeli missile targeted Tel al-Shaar in Quneitra," the Syrian news agency stated, noting further that a "military vehicle was targeted and there are wounded".

After reports about the attack emerged, the IDF confirmed that it was behind the air strike on Syria.

Comment: The Jerusalem Post adds:
The IAF destroyed a Syrian launcher that fired an anti-aircraft missile at an Israeli plane, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday night, stressing that Israel will not tolerate any aggression against it.

"A short time ago, the Syrian army tried to hit an Israeli plane, it did not succeed," Netanyahu said in a video statement. "The air force in response destroyed the launcher from which if [the missile] was was fired. Our policy is clear - we will not tolerate any aggression against us, and we will respond to it with force and firmness."Netanyahu's message came just two hours after he spoke live to the cameras about the current political crisis stemming from his inability to form a coalition just 48 hours before the deadline to do so expires.

The IDF spokesman said the Syrian missile didn't hit the Israeli aircraft, which was conducting a routine flight over northern Israel, and fell within Syrian territory. The mission was completed as planned, the IDF said.

Arab media, meanwhile reported of air strikes near Quneitra.

Syria's SANA reported that "a military source confirmed that at 2110 hours the Israeli enemy targeted one of our military positions east of Khan Arnabeh in rural Quneitra."

The source explained that the aggression resulted in the "martyr's death and wounding another fighter."

According to Syrian media the strike took place near Khan Arnabeh which is very close to the Golan border and right next to line Bravo of the demilitarized zone near UNDOF areas. UN observers returned last summer after the Syrian regime retook this area near the border. An IDF statement said that Israel views with severity any threat to its aircraft and takes measures to defend them.



Chart Bar

European Parliament Elections 2019: Big Wins For Nationalist Parties in The UK, France, And Italy

Salvini, Farage, Le Pen

Nationalist, eurosceptic parties came first in three of the 'Big Four' EU countries
It's difficult to gauge the impact of elections to the European Parliament (EP) on politics in Europe, primarily because the EP was designed to not have much of an impact on politics in Europe. Voters know this, which is why overall turnout at EP elections has fallen at every consecutive election since high interest in the first EU-wide vote in 1979. However, this year turnout rose for the first time, to 52%, and it comes at a time when the Parliament's powers are expanding to, de facto, take on the ability to propose legislation.

The overall result from this weekend's voting is being spun in the media as the successful arrest of 'populist' anti-EU parties. However, it's noteworthy that the two biggest voting blocs (the centre-right coalition of nominally conservative parties, and the nominally centre-left coalition of socialist/democratic parties) have, for the first time in 40 years, lost their (combined) traditional majority.

Not that they're not going to lose any sleep over that though: the 'traditional centre' can rely on new allies because the Green and Liberal blocs increased their share of seats. This means that, in the coming 5-year term, the 'majority vote' at the EU level will be more of the same 'neo-liberal centrism', only 'leftier' - so, expect more corporatism, more 'saving the planet', and much more 'social justice'.

BBC has a useful breakdown of results by country here

Eye 1

The secret UK government blueprints that shape post-terror attack media campaigns to pacify the public

riots croyden england muslim
© Agence France-Presse
A riot police officer stands guard in front of a burning building during riots in Croydon, south London, in 2011
The British government has prepared for terrorist incidents by pre-planning social media campaigns that are designed to appear to be a spontaneous public response to attacks, Middle East Eye has learned.

Hashtags are carefully tested before attacks happen, Instagram images selected, and "impromptu" street posters are printed.

In operations that contingency planners term "controlled spontaneity", politicians' statements, vigils and inter-faith events are also negotiated and planned in readiness for any terrorist attack.


Comment: Could a term like "controlled spontaneity" be any more Orwellian?


The campaigns have been deployed during every terrorist incident in recent years including the 2017 London Bridge attack and the Finsbury Park mosque attack.

Snakes in Suits

Ex-CIA Chief John Brennan STILL has his security clearance - Even though President Trump revoked it last summer

John Brennan
Former CIA Chief John Brennan still has his security clearance even though President Trump revoked it last summer.

Last July White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders announced at a press briefing that President Trump was reviewing the process to revoke the security clearances of several Deep State critics for abusing their post-government retention of security clearances by lying about Trump and Russia, as well as politicizing and monetizing their security clearances.

A month later Sarah Sanders announced at a presser that John Brennan's security clearance had been revoked.
"Historically, former heads of intelligence and law enforcement agencies have been allowed to retain access to classified information after their government service so that they can consult with their successors regarding matters about which they may have special insights and as a professional courtesy. Neither of these justifications supports Mr. Brennan's continued access to classified information," Sanders said.
According to a report out by the New York Times, John Brennan still has his security clearance because the White House never followed through with the complex bureaucratic work it would have taken to strip the clearance.

Snakes in Suits

Just how many other Trump campaign members were targets of FISA court Investigations?

loretta lynch
© BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
Loretta Lynch takes her seat after a break during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee January 28, 2015 in Washington, DC. Loretta Lynch, a prosecutor with the US Attorney Eastern District of New York, has been nominated to serve as US Attorney General.
Commentary

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and the court created to oversee its implementation are going to be in the news quite a bit in the upcoming weeks.

This is because the FISA court plays a central role in the ongoing Spygate scandal, which is only the biggest political scandal in the history of the United States, dwarfing even the Nixon Watergate scandal.

New evidence has surfaced that it wasn't only former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page who was the subject of FISA court hearings during the 2016 presidential campaign. At least three other persons in the Trump campaign were targets of FISA court hearings, according to a member of Congress who sits on the House Judiciary Committee.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) helpfully revealed that during her questioning of former Attorney General Loretta Lynch in a closed-door hearing of the House Judiciary Committee on Dec. 19, 2018.