Puppet MastersS


Briefcase

Ukrainian opposition leader Medvedchuk to face prosecution for 'treason' as Kiev's security services begin manhunt


RT
Tue, 11 May 2021 15:58 UTC
Medvedchuk
© Reuters/Vasily FedosenkoUkrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk
Security forces in Ukraine have begun searching for Viktor Medvedchuk, the leader of the country's largest opposition party, after state prosecutors announced their intention to bring charges against him for alleged high treason.

On Tuesday, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Irina Venediktova wrote on Facebook that she had "signed charges against two People's Deputies of the Ukrainian Parliament." She claimed that the decision came after lengthy investigations, and sufficient evidence had been collected to charge Medvedchuk with both treason and attempted theft of "national resources in Ukrainian Crimea [sic]."

It is believed that the case relates in part to Medvedchuk's business interests in Russia, and Venediktova told her followers that they could conclude from the decision to prosecute that "you cannot consider Crimea to be part of another state." However, the official added, a search of Medvedchuk's house by the SBU, Ukraine's successor to the Soviet-era KGB security agency, failed to find the politician and his whereabouts are now unknown. Venediktova added that its officers are now taking "appropriate measures" to try to detain him.

In a response posted by the politician's press service later on Tuesday, his allies said that the decision to target him was unjust and insisted that a court should rule before action is taken.
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Arrow Up

Biden HHS reverses Trump-era policy limiting transgender health rights

Brooke Singman
Fox News
Mon, 10 May 2021 00:00 UTC
Rachel Levine
© AP/Joe Hermitt/The Patriot-NewsBiden Administration Assistant Health Secretary Rachel Levine
The Department of Health and Human Services on Monday announced that it will protect against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in health care, reversing a Trump-era policy.

The HHS' Office for Civil Rights said it would interpret and enforce Section 1557 and Title IX's prohibitions on discrimination based on sex to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and discrimination on the basis of gender identity.

Section 1557 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability in covered health programs or activities.

The move affirms that federal laws forbidding sex discrimination in health care also protect gay and transgender people. The Trump administration had defined "sex" to mean gender assigned at birth, thereby excluding transgender people from the law's umbrella of protection.

Comment: See also:
Trump finalizes rule defining gender as a person's biological sex

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Star of David

Israel bombs 130 Gaza targets in retaliation for 200 Hamas rockets, after Jerusalem police attack worshipers in Al Aqsa Mosque


RT
Tue, 11 May 2021 18:49 UTC
iron dome rockets ashkelon hamas gaza
© Reuters / Amir CohenStreaks of light are seen as Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel, May 10, 2021
The Israeli military has conducted dozens of deadly strikes across Gaza, after Hamas launched a barrage of rockets, itself accusing Israeli authorities of violently suppressing Palestinian worshipers on a major night of Ramadan.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) shared footage of some of the airstrikes early on Tuesday morning, claiming to have hit 130 Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza overnight, including 15 militants, a Hamas "intelligence facility," as well as several rocket launchers, military outposts, underground "attack tunnels," and a weapons manufacturing site.

While the military said it took precautions to avoid harm to civilians during the air raids, the Gaza Health Ministry reported 20 civilian deaths in the bombing late on Monday night, among them nine children, in addition to 95 wounded.

Comment: The clueless IDF are crowing about the destruction they are raining down on Gaza, with nary a care for the condemnation of the civilized world. Of course, every target is, of course, a Hamas installation. They told you so.
A video of the Israeli military's retaliatory strikes on Gaza targets has been published on the Israel Defence Forces (IDF)'s Twitter page.

The 16-second satellite footage came as the IDF tweeted that they had attacked 130 "terrorist targets" in Gaza, killing at least 15 "Hamas operatives" in response to the Palestinian militant group's rocket attacks against Israel. Israel views Hamas as a terrorist organisation.


Later, the military wing of Hamas, the Al-Qassam Brigades, gave Israel two more hours to pull its soldiers from the Al-Aqsa Mosque area, threatening to retaliate.

The EU subsequently urged the parties to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to immediately stop the outbreak of violence in the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, and called the rocket attacks on the civilian population unacceptable, according to a European External Action Service (EEAS) statement.

"The significant upsurge in violence in the [...] West Bank, including in East Jerusalem as well as in and around Gaza needs to stop immediately. The firing of rockets from Gaza against civilian populations in Israel is totally unacceptable and feeds escalatory dynamics", the statement pointed out.

Violence escalated after some Palestinians claimed the police have tried to prevent them from holding their usual Ramadan evening gatherings outside the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem, close to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. On Monday, Palestinian protesters hurled stones at Israeli law enforcement officers, forcing them to resort to tear gas, rubber bullets, and stun grenades.
Netanyahu seized upon events to bolster his faltering political career, stepping into the role of strongman.
Tel Aviv will ramp up its airstrikes on the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, PM Benjamin Netanyahu has warned, as Israel and Hamas exchanged fire in the aftermath of violent clashes at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

Israel will continue and increase its assault, Netanyahu said in a video address on Tuesday.

Over the past two days, the region has seen a serious outbreak of fighting between Israel and the Palestinian enclave, which is controlled by the Islamist Hamas group. The militants fired dozens of rockets into Israel, while Tel Aviv launched airstrikes against Hamas targets.

While most of the Palestinian rockets were intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome, a system designed to stop short-range rockets, some got through the air defenses. At least two people were killed in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, with more than 30 injured across southern Israel.

According to the Gaza health authorities, Israel's strikes on the enclave killed at least 26, including nine children, while more than 120 were injured. Israel disputed those numbers, insisting that it killed some 15 Hamas fighters, including some high-profile militants.

The cross-border exchange of fire follows Palestinian protests in Jerusalem that have been ongoing for days. The recent unrest was prompted by Israeli plans to forcibly evict several Palestinian families from their homes in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, part of the occupied Palestinian territories, in order for settlers to move in.

The protests came at the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when thousands of pilgrims had flocked to Jerusalem to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Harsh Israeli security measures prompted allegations that Tel Aviv was preventing Muslims from praying, which further fueled the unrest. The protests in Jerusalem's Old City invoked a heavy-handed response from the Israeli police, who even stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque, driving back the Palestinians with stun grenades and a hail of rubber bullets.



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Bad Guys

Former ambassador Craig Murray jailed for blogposts in Salmond case that revealed machinations of establishment in Scotland


Sputnik
Tue, 11 May 2021 10:53 UTC
craig murray
© Mohamed ElmaaziFormer diplomat Craig Murray
The former British diplomat argued the contempt of court charges against him undermine the right to free speech, are unduly broad in their scope, and are a form of politically motivated retaliation, following his outspoken criticism of the prosecution of former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond.

The High Court in Edinburgh has jailed former British diplomat-turned-whistleblower Craig Murray for eight months for contempt of court.

The charge related to Murray's alleged "jigsaw" identification of the identities of protected witnesses in the trial of former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond.

But Murray will remain free for three weeks while his lawyers submit an appeal against his conviction.

Comment: It would appear that Murray has made himself a target of the establishment for his support for Julian Assange, as well as his part in exposing the machinations of those in power in Scotland: Salmond inquiry: Scotland's former First Minister details 'malicious plan' launched against him by current FM's husband & former SNP allies

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Cult

Leading Russiagate conspiracy theorist appointed to key national security role at Biden's Department of Justice


RT
Mon, 10 May 2021 09:31 UTC
Susan Hennessey
© Twitter / RNCResearch
Susan Hennessey, a former Obama-Biden administration lawyer who turned to promoting the Russiagate conspiracy theory during Donald Trump's presidential term, has finally found her landing spot on President Joe Biden's team.

Hennessey announced the move herself after seemingly scrubbing her Twitter account of Russiagate tweets, saying on Monday that she's "honored to be joining the extraordinary team at the Department of Justice (DOJ)." In fact, she will be senior counsel in the DOJ's National Security Division.


Comment: This is probably her award from the Deep State for her Anti-Trump activism and as one of the loudest Russiagate propagators.

Obedient brainless puppets like her are always used by PTB so they can keep up the illusion and stoke fear among population that Russia is the biggest threat to the "glorious US democracy" .

See also:

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X

The Ethnic Cleansing of Jerusalem

Donald Monaco
Global Research
Mon, 10 May 2021 00:00 UTC
Israel enthnic cleansing
The Israeli occupation of Palestine has taken an ugly turn, as nearly 2,800 Palestinians are slated to be evicted from their homes in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah by fanatical Jewish settlers.

The outright theft of Palestinian homes and property by predatory Zionist vultures has provoked widespread protests and violence in the revered city. Heavily armed Israeli police forces have intervened to protect the settlers. Hundreds of Palestinians have been injured on the grounds of the nearby Al-Aqsa Mosque. The necessity of defending Jerusalem and one of the holiest sites in Islam is a deeply held conviction for many of the world's 1.9 billion Muslims.

By slowly encircling Al-Aqsa and allowing property expropriations in East Jerusalem, Israel is playing with fire. It should be recalled that the notorious Arab murderer Ariel Sharon invaded Haram al Sharif surrounded by hundreds of armed police, igniting the second Palestinian Intifada on September 28, 2000. The revolt became known as Al-Aqsa Intifada.

The legality of the evictions will be decided by Israel's Supreme Court. Palestinians have only a slim chance of prevailing in this venue. Israel is legally structured as an apartheid state. Palestinian Arabs living within the pre-1967 borders of Israel may attain citizenship. However, the crucial designation in the state of Israel is nationality. Declaring itself to be a Jewish state, Israel gives legal and property rights to those who have Jewish nationality that are denied to those with Arab nationality. Palestinians living in the post-1967 "Occupied Territories" of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip have no rights as an occupied people in the eyes of Israel's leaders. They are denationalized and have no citizenship or property rights.

Comment: See more on the recent escalation of conflict in Jerusalem and the region as a whole:

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Laptop

Biden: 'No evidence' Russia responsible for pipeline cyberattack, but Russia has 'some responsibility'


RT
Mon, 10 May 2021 19:52 UTC
Biden and shadow
© Reuters/Kevin Lamarque
A cyberattack that crippled the US fuel supply wasn't the work of Russia, President Joe Biden said. Confusingly, Biden then said that Russia bears "some responsibility" for the attack.

A ransomware attack on Friday shut down a gasoline and diesel pipeline running 5,500 miles along the entire US East Coast. Operated by the Colonial Pipeline Company, the vital fuel artery normally transits 100 million gallons per day from Texas all the way to New York. The Biden administration responded by invoking emergency powers to enable truckers to transport more fuel, as traders scrambled to import fuel by sea from Europe.


Comment: See also:

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Arrow Down

Leaked documents said to show how Washington's 'Arab NATO' initiative to isolate Iran failed

Ilya Tsukanov
Sputnik
Wed, 05 May 2021 18:46 UTC
US Saudi Arabia Trump
© Shealah Craighead/White HousePresident Donald Trump and King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia sign a Joint Strategic Vision Statement for the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during ceremonies, Saturday, May 20, 2017, at the Royal Court Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Despite carrying on with much of his predecessor's foreign policy agenda, President Biden's administration has yet to bring up "Arab NATO", the Trump-era effort to build a coalition of Middle Eastern states to "confront Iranian aggression", terrorism and extremism, and to "promote economic growth" and energy security.

A Lebanese newspaper has published what it says is a trove of top secret documents revealing how the Trump administration's attempt to convince its Middle Eastern partners to form a united anti-Iran alliance failed.

The leak, published by al-Akhbar, contains nine documents, including policy papers and minutes of meetings, and the newspaper hints that they may be only the first in a series of leaks of confidential documents on the Trump-led anti-Iranian initiative for the Middle East, formally known as the 'Middle Eastern Strategic Alliance' (MESA) and also referred to as 'Arab NATO'.

Comment: NSA Advisor Bolton: Groundwork being laid for anti-Iranian 'Arab NATO'

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Star of David

IDF launches massive military exercise to simulate war on 'multiple fronts' amid flaring tensions

Svetlana Ekimenko
Sputnik
Sun, 09 May 2021 08:13 UTC
IDF tank
© Israel Defense ForcesIDF on patrol
A number of Palestinian protesters sustained injuries during riots along the border of the Gaza Strip on Saturday as unrest flared around the Temple Mount and ahead of planned evictions in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of east Jerusalem, with the IDF launching tear gas and firing rubber bullets in response, according to Palestinian reports.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are launching the largest exercise in their history on Sunday, according to Kan News.

To span an entire month, the massive exercise called "Chariots of Fire" will have the Israeli army, navy, and air force practising combat and emergency scenarios in all regions. For the first time since the Israeli army was founded, the forces will be simulating a "month of war" to reportedly boost the IDF's readiness.

The drills will involve both regular and reserve IDF forces from all the commands and forces.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Defence, the National Emergency Authority, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other security bodies will participate in the "Chariots of Fire".

While the exercise will practice a sweeping and synchronised manoeuvre in the "depths of enemy territory", it shall also focus on functioning both within the IDF and between organisations, involving the Home Front and civilian assistance.

Comment: Coincidence or timely? This country-wide military exercise begins directly on the heel of the al-Aqsa Mosque 'riot' - the worst Israeli-provoked and primed slaughter in decades (see below). Will it finish the job? Evictions at Sheikh Jarrah are the provocation that opened this door.

See also:

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Star of David

Sheikh Jarrah: How the US media is erasing Israel's crimes

Azad Essa
Middle East Eye
Fri, 07 May 2021 10:26 UTC
Head crush under knee
© AFPIsraeli forces detain a man during storming Palestinian houses whose families are facing eviction in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem, 4 May 2021
If there are no consequences for expelling Palestinians from their homes, there are surely none for the media's erasure of these illegal acts.

Over the past week, Jewish settlers with thick Brooklyn accents were caught on camera bullying their way into Palestinian homes in the occupied East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah. "If I don't steal your home, someone else will steal it," one settler said to Mona al-Kurd, a Palestinian woman whose house was being invaded, in a video that has since gone viral.

Israeli police, too, were seen storming the neighbourhood, violently breaking up vigils, and beating and choking activists conducting sit-ins in protest at the displacement of Palestinian refugees living in the area, many of whom are facing eviction in the coming days. On social media, online campaigners have been sharing #SaveSheikhJarrah in a bid to garner international attention and to make sure the world bears witness to yet another Israeli crime.

Make no mistake: an ethnic cleansing is currently underway in the predominantly Palestinian neighbourhood in full view of the world. But in the American mainstream media, it is as if nothing is happening at all. In this parallel universe, the illegal and vicious attempt to remove Palestinians from their homes, and the violent actions of Israeli forces to halt demonstrations against a recent court order upholding the evictions, have been met with a resounding silence.

Comment: See also:

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