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Europe 'must stop being naive', Macron says of submarine spat as he signs €3 billion defence deal with Greece


France 24
Tue, 28 Sep 2021 11:23 UTC
Macron
© Ludovic Marin, AFPScreenshot: French President Emmanuel Macron speaks at a press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on September 28, 2021.
Europe needs to stop being naive when it comes to defending its interests and build its own military capacity, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday after Greece sealed a deal for French frigates worth about €3 billion euros ($3.51 billion).

The strategic defence and security cooperation pact signed by the French and Greek presidents is part of efforts to increase European military autonomy, something Macron has said is even more vital after the reversal of the submarine deal with Australia.

"It contributes to European security, to the strengthening of Europe's strategic autonomy and sovereignty, and thus to international peace and security," French President Emmanuel Macron told a news conference alongside Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Comment: Note that Macron is not talking about nation state sovereignty and autonomy, but that of the EU behemoth, which echoes recent comments from France's Defense Minister about reviewing NATO's purpose - which doesn't involve containing China, anymore, apparently - as well as an ominous, ongoing initiative to create an 'EU army':

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Chess

Best of the Web: As SCO admits Iran as full member, Eurasian consolidation ends the US unipolar moment

Pepe Escobar
Asia Times
Wed, 22 Sep 2021 00:00 UTC
shanghai cooperation organization
The 20th meeting of the SCO, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, September 2021
The 20th-anniversary summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, enshrined nothing less than a new geopolitical paradigm.

Iran, now a full SCO member, was restored to its traditionally prominent Eurasian role, following the recent US$400 billion trade and development deal struck with China. Afghanistan was the main topic - with all players agreeing on the path ahead, as detailed in the Dushanbe Declaration. And all Eurasian integration paths are now converging, in unison, towards the new geopolitical - and geoeconomic - paradigm.

Call it a multipolar development dynamic in synergy with China's Belt and Road Initiative.

The Dushanbe Declaration was quite explicit on what Eurasian players are aiming at:
"a more representative, democratic, just and multipolar world order based on universally recognized principles of international law, cultural and civilizational diversity, mutually beneficial and equal cooperation of states under the central coordinating role of the UN."
For all the immense challenges inherent to the Afghan jigsaw puzzle, hopeful signs emerged on Tuesday (September 21), when former Afghan president Hamid Karzai and peace envoy Abdullah Abdullah met in Kabul with Russian presidential envoy Zamir Kabulov, China's special envoy Yue Xiaoyong and Pakistan's special envoy Mohammad Sadiq Khan.

This troika - Russia, China, Pakistan - is at the diplomatic forefront. The SCO reached a consensus that Islamabad will coordinate with the Taliban on the formation of an inclusive government that including Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazaras.
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Magnify

DeSantis tells Florida official to investigate Facebook for alleged violation of election laws

Susan Katz Keating
Just the News
Mon, 27 Sep 2021 05:31 UTC
FacebookDeSantis
© interreviewed.comFacebook • Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
Florida governor Ron DeSantis ordered his secretary of state to investigate Facebook for "alleged election interference."

The move comes in the wake of a report in The Wall Street Journal, showing that "the tech giant put its thumb on the scale of numerous state and local races by exempting elite users from Facebook's own rules," according to a Monday statement from DeSantis.

In a Sept. 27 letter, DeSantis directed Florida Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee to investigate Facebook's alleged failures to comply with Florida's election laws. The alleged violations create a "privileged class of speakers" who are empowered to exert influence on elections. DeSantis, citing the Wall Street Journal report, wrote:
"While most people are subject to arbitrary censorship at the whims of so-called fact-checkers, Facebook grants select users the freedom to disregard the platform's own community standards without the threat of enforcement action."

Comment: It appears a battle is getting underway to address Big Tech's role and responsibility for manipulating elections in many states, but in particular, Florida:
The primary reporting on XCheck appeared on Sept. 13 as a part of a Journal exposé on the practices of the world's largest social media platform. Here's the place it probably collides with Florida's election legal guidelines, the Journal's Jeff Horwitz reported:
"Whereas this system included most authorities officers, it didn't embody all candidates for public workplace, at instances successfully granting incumbents in elections a bonus over challengers. The discrepancy was most prevalent in state and native races, the paperwork present, and workers frightened Fb could possibly be topic to accusations of favoritism."
DeSantis mentioned in a news release, Monday:
"If this new report is true, Facebook has violated Florida law to put its thumb on the scale of numerous state and local races. Floridians deserve to know how much this corporate titan has influenced our elections. That is why I am directing Secretary Lee to use all legal means to uncover violations of Florida's election laws. The thought of Facebook clandestinely manipulating elections is an affront to the basic principles of our republic. We the people have the right to choose our representatives, whether or not Silicon Valley approves."
In a letter to Lee, DeSantis approved the secretary of state to:
"use all authorized means to uncover any such violations, including but not limited to, issuing subpoenas, conducting witness interviews, reviewing all obtainable information and consulting with law enforcement."
"The thought of technology companies clandestinely manipulating elections is an affront to the basic principals of our republic. Floridians deserve to have faith that their elections are fair and free from intrusion by Big Tech monopolies like Facebook."


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Padlock

Unvaccinated Australians will 'lose freedoms' even after lockdown ends, says Deputy Premier

Ashe Schow
The Daily Wire
Tue, 28 Sep 2021 00:00 UTC
Marchers
© Darrian Traynor/Getty ImagesMarchers in New South Wales
The Deputy Premier of New South Wales (NSW) said this week that those who remain unvaccinated even after the draconian lockdowns are ended will "lose freedoms."

Deputy Premier John Barilaro made the statement after NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed a new three-step plan to ending the lockdowns that includes 70% of the population receiving both doses of a vaccine. Barilaro said, according to Sky News:
"A further and final message to regional New South Wales ... that parts of regional New South Wales that are currently open. The 70 per cent road map does apply to the whole state so there will be individuals in regional and rural New South Wales who choose not to be vaccinated who will lose their freedoms on 11 October."
As Sky News reported, some areas of NSW are not under stay-at-home orders, which allows the unvaccinated to move about almost freely. But starting October 11, when the state expects it will reach 70% fully vaccinated, only those who are fully vaccinated will be freed from the lockdowns.

Comment: Australia's goal of zero infections: An exercise in how to sacrifice all for 'nothing'.

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Oil Well

Iran and Venezuela strike oil swap deal in the face of US sanctions


RT
Tue, 28 Sep 2021 14:05 UTC
tankers
© AP
Iran and Venezuela have struck a deal to swap heavy Venezuelan crude for Iranian condensate, Reuters has reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the deal.

The swaps are set to begin this week and last for six months, although they could be extended. The imports of Iranian superlight crude will help Venezuela revive its falling oil exports amid US sanctions that, among other problems, have cut off the country's access to the light oil that is used to blend with its superheavy to make it exportable.

For Iran, the deal will bring in heavy crude it could sell in Asia. The diluted Venezuela crude will also likely go to Asian buyers.

According to the US Treasury Department, the deal could constitute a breach of sanctions, to which both Venezuela and Iran are subjects.
"Transactions with NIOC by non-US persons are generally subject to secondary sanctions and the Treasury Department retains authority to impose sanctions on any person that is determined to operate in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy."
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Eye 2

It's been proved the CIA considered assassinating or kidnapping Julian Assange, so how is it still a thing?

Caitlin Johnstone
RT
Wed, 29 Sep 2021 15:41 UTC
Julian Assange CIA
© The Free Thought Project
Citing "conversations with more than 30 former U.S. officials," a Yahoo News report has confirmed that the CIA not only spied on the WikiLeaks founder, but also discussed seizing, renditioning and killing him.

These plans were reportedly made in coordination with the Trump White House as then-CIA Director Mike Pompeo and then-Deputy CIA Director Gina Haspel raged over WikiLeaks' 2017 Vault 7 release which revealed that the CIA had lost control of an enormous digital arsenal of hacking tools. These included tools which enabled the surveillance of smartphones, smart TVs and web browsers, the hacking of computerized vehicle control systems, and the ability to frame foreign governments for cyber attacks by inserting the digital "fingerprints" of the hacking methods they employ for investigators to find. It was the single largest data leak in CIA history.

Normally we have to wait decades for confirmation that the CIA did something nefarious, and then people absurdly assume that such things no longer occur because it was so long ago, and because changing your worldview is uncomfortable. But here we are with an extensively sourced report that the agency plotted to kidnap, rendition and assassinate a journalist for publishing authentic documents in the public interest, just four years after the fact.

Comment:

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Blue Planet

Geopolitical shifts: A new future dawns in the East

Peter Koenig
Global Research
Tue, 28 Sep 2021 00:00 UTC
SCO heads
A shift in the world's power base, alliances and economic strength, will undoubtedly happen within the coming years. In fact, it's already ongoing. But not necessarily according to Klaus Schwab's (WEF) "The Great Reset".

"Not necessarily", because We, The People, can stop it. Plus, there are nations and their allies, who do not agree and won't accept the enslavement of much of the world through the self-anointed powers of an ultra-rich elite.

The Saker, in his blog "Big, huge changes, in the near future (a tentative list)" (26 September 2021) has covered most of the geopolitical transformations that are likely taking place in the foreseeable future.

Consider the SCO - the Shanghai Cooperation Organization - has just integrated Iran as new member. This - in the west - little-talked-about organization, association of eastern countries, created by China and Russia on 15 June 2001, started out with 7 Central and East-Asian members, Republic of Kazakhstan, the People's Republic of China, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Since then India, Pakistan have joined and now Iran. Associated members are Malaysia and Mongolia. Which makes the SCO one of the most powerful, possibly THE most powerful, socioeconomic and defense strategy organizations in the world - with nearly half the world's population and about one third of the world's GDP.

One could undoubtedly ask, what does India have to do in this club?
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Alarm Clock

Best of the Web: How a Time Bomb was Set to Usher in a Great Reset (and what to do about it): 1923, 1929 and Today

Matthew Ehret
Sott.net
Wed, 29 Sep 2021 03:39 UTC
Klaus Schwab
© InconnuKlaus Schwab
Months before COVID19 was sprung onto the world, warnings of a "financial Armageddon" and calls for a "global hegemonic synthetic currency" were being made by leading figures running the WEF and Bank of England.

These statements had been made by former and current Bank of England Governors Mark Carney and Mervyn King respectively and should not be ignored as the world sits atop the largest financial bubble in human history reminiscent of the 1929 bubble that was triggered on black Friday in the USA which unleashed a great depression across Europe and America.

Anyone trying to promote the idea that COVID-19 is the cause of the oncoming collapse of the $1.2 quadrillion derivatives time bomb masquerading as a trans Atlantic economic are either misinformed or outright liars. While not much can be done to help the later category, the far more numerous members of humanity who find themselves in the first category must be made aware of this fact, and learn some quick elementary lessons in world history. Fast.
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Sherlock

Putin's disappearing act

Israel Shamir
The Unz Review
Sun, 26 Sep 2021 09:21 UTC
Russia parade march
President Putin has gone into hiding. Well, sort of. On September 14, he said that many people ("dozens") in his inner circle have tested positive for the virus, and as a result he has to self-isolate. His sudden seclusion has sent waves of anguish across this huge country. His explanation was met with disbelief. Everybody around Putin is vaccinated and so is Putin, or so he claimed. Why would he need to self-isolate; how could all these vaccinated people become sick? Is the vaccine - fake? Or should we look for another explanation. Did he fall, or was he pushed? Will he come back? Is this the end of Putin's era? Is Putin ill, or was he forced into isolation? Is it a conspiracy? The Russian government is, and always was manual, not automatic; the absence of the ruler at the helm of the mighty ship of the Russian state could spell trouble. The Russians do not believe the official version, but what is the truth?

Comment: Whilst it's reasonable to assume that there will be attempts to rig votes by actors from all sides of the political spectrum, Russia's top officials allege that US interference came via cyber attacks and Big Tech meddling; and at least these accusations have merit. Elsewhere video footage has emerged showing unidentified individuals ballot stuffing and at least one NGO coordinating a ballot spoiling operation.

However, overall, it seems that Putin and the ideals he promotes still enjoy the support of the majority of Russian citizens, and the final result seems to be a close enough reflection of public sentiment. The same can not be said about recent elections in the West.

Whilst there may be more to Putin's brief absence it also seems to come at a time when, at least in some areas, his input is not necessarily required; because events on the world stage are simmering along regardless, with Eurasian integration quickening, and the West continuing to eat itself. At the same time it's clear that, in the last decade and more, Putin's input has been present, during the most trying of times, drastically impacting world events for the better.

See also:

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Sherlock

Russian Communist leader alleges e-voting was rigged as he loses out to ruling United Russia party

Jonny Tickle
RT
Tue, 28 Sep 2021 15:57 UTC
Communist
© REUTERS/Maxim ShemetovFILE PHOTO: Leader of the Russian Communist Party Gennady Zyuganov is seen in Red Square before the Victory Day Parade in Moscow, Russia June 24, 2020.
Police preventing the lawyers of Russia's Communist Party from filing a lawsuit to attempt to annul the results of online voting in last week's election are "committing a criminal offense," the head of the party has claimed.

Speaking on Tuesday afternoon, Gennady Zyuganov branded the action as "completely unacceptable."

From September 17-19, Russian citizens went to the polls to choose from 14 parties and other independent candidates vying for 450 seats in the country's parliament. On September 20, after the results were revealed, the Communist Party declared that it would refuse to recognize the votes of electronic voting in Moscow, alleging that it was rigged to prevent the faction from winning certain seats.

Comment: Russia's top officials have already gone on record alleging election interference by the US in the form of cyber attacks and Big Tech meddling, this is alongside video footage of ballot stuffing and NGO meddling: Reports from the September 2020 election may help give a fuller picture of voter sentiment: Despite small gains for the far right and Navalny, Russia's weekend elections suggest no political change is imminent

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